Enter the Shadows: Book One of the RTS Series (First Full Draft)

Epilogue

The house was still, the room was still. All that there was, perfection and flaws, remained nothing but a pause.

Cordelia viewed the garden, making a few tsks as she walked by the damaged bushes of flowers and painted them anew with the gentle brush of her hands and a little paint here and there. Her latest servant, while very strong, was little more than an angry beast. Not like she had never seen angry beasts before, but some can be tamed with a few whips of a rope while others are better left put down.

"Damn, I can't believe they actually got away." Demarcus had followed Cordelia as she made the necessary touches to her garden and home. He seemed bored, so it was a surprise to hear him speak up once more.

"Yes," Cordelia agreed. "Isn't she a curious case that one? All the innocence and naivety of a child and yet... so much wasted potential."

Demarcus frowned. "I don't understand why we don't kill them."

Cordelia raised a finger. "Now now, Demarcus. You put too much faith in them. They're simply curious children."

"Curious children with the power to create weapons." Demarcus spat.

"But-" She cut him off. "Children nonetheless. I've seen much more intimidating foes than them. I've faced down hundreds of demons and beasts in the century I've been alive, as well as many Esoterics. These children do not scare me." She smiled a little. "They can fight all they want, but remember; I cannot die and they can. It wouldn't be a very interesting experiment if they died so quickly."

Demarcus was silent. Then he sighed. "Right." He stretched out his arms, rubbing at the places he had been struck.

"I could heal those wounds for you if you'd allow me to." Cordelia offered.

"No thanks," He muttered. "They'll heal on their own."

Cordelia frowned a little. "Are you still bitter at me because of that gentleman you left behind?"

Demarcus's head shot up, angry and teeth bared. "Don't talk about him-!"

"Oh Demarcus, that was so long ago. When will you move on?" He looked like he was going to attack her, but he held back with just a few thoughts. "Demarcus, you're a half-demon. Half-demons, sadly, can never achieve happy endings no matter how much they wish." She frowned, a little sympathetic. "Besides, he's likely moved on at this point. It's best you do the same."

He looked gutted at the words. But then he relented, hanging his head for a moment.

She offered him an encouraging smile. "In the end, this will all be worth it if we can achieve Renaissance."

Demarcus didn't respond, he just turned back to the house to leave. Cordelia sighed a little. So stubborn that half-demon was.

Once her garden was back in order, Cordelia spent a few moments reviving her beautiful birds. One by one, their necks came back into place and they sat in their tree. Happy as can be and cawing their tunes. Cordelia even spent a little time feeding them small little cubes of meat cut just for them.

And along with preparing their food, Cordelia used a little bit of her power to help prepare a different meal; a simple one of cooked fowl, vegetables, and bread. In between those actions though, she would use part of her abilities to heal the wounds on Yaeger's back, who sat patiently in the main dining hall.

"Your form is holding out quite well." She mused, running her fingers over the various cracks. Yaeger didn't respond. She didn't take offense though, he rarely talked at all. She thought for a moment, then smiled as she said, "Just a little longer and you'll achieve what you deserve."