LILITH (DEMONOLOGY I)

XIX

Elysium was bittersweet. It was paradise - blue skies, green grass, and a fresh summer breeze. But at the same time, it was missing that mundane element. Everything seemed so artificial, so designed. The spirits didn't seem to mind. After all, they weren't human anymore. They just lived their eternity in peace.

What was even stranger was that they couldn't see us. No matter what we did, they didn't acknowledge us.

"That's just how the council wants it to be." Eva said with disgust. "They want to make sure that every soul in here stays ignorant of what's going on around them. They only see the angels and each other."

"I guess it's better than having them panic about the war going on." I said. I was still burnt out from opening the gate, so I had to use all of the force I had to push out words. "I'd rather live in blissful ignorance than see all of the bodies that we saw by the church."

"Really? So you'd want to forget everything you've ever known. Your loved ones could be up here with you and you wouldn't have a clue. Your entire mind is wiped."

"Well, there are some things that I'd like to forget." Images of my father, Luna, Dale, and Thalia swarmed my mind. If I could have the chance to never see those images again, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Eva apparently caught on, and went silent. She didn't have the same memories as I did. In fact, people like her caused those memories. She wasn't very high on morals, but I couldn't blame her. The only person she ever loved was ripped away from her because of what she was. She had nothing to lose, and nothing to gain.

"You've got a lot going for you, you know," She said suddenly. "You've definitely had your lows, but you're persistent. Just a month ago, you were just an average mundane, living an average mundane life. And now you're co-commanding an undead army. You were kidnapped, lied to, and used by some evil bitch posing to be your mother, watched so many people die, and yet you're still here."

"I'm still here," I said. "But I'm not the same. I lost a part of myself, and something else took its place. I just hope to make myself whole again some time in the future." Eva looked like she was going to respond, but something up ahead distracted her. It was a bridge. I couldn't see where it ended, but I was positive that it ended at the chapel. This was a risky job, but it was much better than opening a gate right to the chapel. We needed a vantage point, and this bridge could be just that.

"It's awfully thin." Eva pointed out. She was right, the bridge was like one very long plank. It couldn't have been any wider than a foot, which meant we would have to go up one at a time. "Well, you're the reason that we're all here. You should go first." Reluctantly, I stepped onto the bridge. To make sure that it was secure, I bounced a little bit. It was a bit wobbly, but it would hold.

"We should go up in groups," I said. "Maybe five at a time. This thing is meant to transport souls, I think. And since they're featherweights when compared to us, we'll have much more difficulty walking across than them." I put my arms out for balance and began to walk. I tried not to look down, but my curiosity got the best of me. I was never afraid of heights, but this was just death-defying. The clouds seemed so far away. Falling from here would be fatal. I had fallen before, but it was not something I would willingly relive.

"It's okay, man, you've got this." Someone said behind me. It was Marc, the guy who had seen my father. I made a mental note to talk to him later about it.

"Yeah," I said. "I can do this." I didn't believe the words myself, but they got me going. Slowly, I made my way across the bridge. All was quiet. I could hear the blood in my ears and even my own heartbeat. I was going to make it.

A scream startled me. I slipped, and grabbed onto the bridge for support. Far behind me, one of the ghouls dropped into the clouds. Eva said that they couldn't die, but I knew it would hurt like hell to fall. No one else paid them any mind.