Not What It Seems
Chapter 34

I was completely frozen. My eyes remained wide with shock as I watched Ripper rush from the bushes. If I was fast enough, I would have moved Zeriah away, but I couldn’t in time. She had moved around to protect me. I recognized the attack that Ripper had done. His hand was enveloped in dark magic, and he could use this attack to kill a demon. What it did to a mortal, I didn’t’ know. But his hand went through Zeriah’s chest, and time seemed to stop.

A small chuckle came from my brother, and he pulled his hand away, and Zeriah dropped into my arms. The attack left no physical wound, but I could see the black fire like magic escaping from where she was hit. She began to tremble, and her hands clenched in front of her heart.

“I came to kill the Redeemed,” Ripper boasted. “And I managed to hurt the Firefly.”

I glared up at him. “How dare you!”

“No, how dare you!” He returned. “How dare you think I would just let you walk away after all of this? I may be going against Xegon’s will right now. But I won’t rest until you suffer and are dead by my hand. Killing her is just a bonus.”

My hand went to Zeriah’s clenched ones, and I gave them a squeeze. There was no way that after all we had been through, I would let her die now. I pressed a small kiss to her head and gently set her down on the ground. Standing up straight, I glared at Ripper. It was time to end this.

Without waiting for him to make a move, I attacked and made sure to keep away from his hand. Ripper was the only created demon that I knew who could actually kill another demon. Instead of being wiped from existence like Xegon’s power, his way actually made it similar to mortal deaths. A body remained. I didn’t know how he gained this power, and being immortal made it so that it should be impossible.

We continued our dance of death for a while, before Ripper managed to hit me to the ground. Looking up, I saw that I was next to Zeriah. I began to push myself up, but her hand stopped me. She didn’t say anything, but she held out her open hand, and I took it, not knowing what she had planned.

She lifted our joined hands up toward Ripper and a pulse of magic escaped from both of us. It hit him square in the chest but left no wound. He simple laughed and began to walk towards us. But slowly, he found that every step made no progress towards us. Our joined hands still remained in the air and I noticed the magic began to flow like wind and pushed him back. I recognized this spell from one of Zeriah’s books.

“A banishment spell.” I sat up and gave a soft smile to Zeriah.

Ripper began to fight against the magic with all of his strength. I kept our hands joined as I lifted Zeriah into my arms. We held our hands out in front of us and he began to slide backwards. He was trapped.

“Ripper.” Zeriah’s voice filled the area. “I banish you from this realm and any other realm under Romos’s rule. You will never be able to set foot in near us ever again in all eternity.”

Rippers eyes widened. “No!”

With one last push of magic, he flew back into the rock behind him and faded from our view. He would never return to our realm. We were safe. Our hands dropped and I let out a sigh of relief.

“Banished to remain in Diab for all eternity. That was brilliant, Firefly.” I said as I looked down at her.

“Actually,” she responded weakly. “Diab is still technically under Romos’s rule. Xegon may be in control, but that is his prison as well. He doesn’t rule it. I don’t know where my spell sent him. But he will never be able to return to this world or any other that Romos’s quill can change.”

I tightened my arms around her. “You continue to surprise me every day, Zeriah. I’m glad I have you.”

She took in a shaky breath and let it out quickly. She was suddenly very still and quiet, and I didn’t like that at all. I started to gently shake her, but there was no response.

“Firefly?” I called to her. “Come on, stay awake. I’ll get you some healing herbs and we’ll get you home.”

Still no response.

“Zeriah!” I became desperate. “Please, wake up! I’m not going to lose you now that I just got you back.”

She was silent and limp. I pulled her into me and hugged her form. There had to be something that I could do. Even as a Redeemed though, I was still technically a demon. I couldn’t heal. One idea came to my mind, and it was possibly the only thing that I could do to save her

“Great Author of the World, Romos.” I prayed, something I had never done in my life as a demon. “I am not worthy to even speak Thy name, but I beg Thee. I ask Thee, save her. If there must be life lost today, take mine in place of hers. Please. She deserves to live. She has been nothing but good to your children and to me, a lowly demon. Let her live.”

I felt the area become lighter and purer. I opened my eyes and looked up to see a light shining down on me and Zeriah. It was bright, but I could see perfectly in it. It almost felt as if I was being smiled at. I stared into the light, and I heard something.

It was soft at first, but soon I heard the words clearly. Comforting words that entered my mind and told me everything that Romos wanted me to know.

I bowed my head to Him. “My Lord, I beg you, please let her live.”

My heart was calmed.

“Thy will be done.” I agreed. “She’s just the first person who truly cared about me and showed me genuine kindness despite being a demon.”

Romos’s kindness continue to ring through. His words left me calm and I was able to relax.

“I am grateful to you, My Lord.” I said while bowing my head. “I am not worthy to be in your presence.”

A feeling of joy and everlasting love entered my chest. I understood how He felt for every one of His children, even the ones that he lost to Xegon. He still felt that way about me.

Tears began to build in my eyes, and I looked back up to him. “Thank you. My Lord. I promise to devote myself to you for the remainder of my existence.”

A promise. One that made it so I could remain with Zeriah for as long as she lived. And with her, I would return to Romos. I came to know that as a Redeemed, I now had a soul that was granted me. I still had my demonic abilities and look due to Xegon, but I was a step away from a non-demon. I was as mortal as Zeriah.

“Thank you.” My voice was weak from the rush of emotions.

Romos had granted my plead and more. I looked up right as a pure white feather fell from above and landed on Zeriah’s chest, where the magic continued to burn. The feather turned black, showing it had taken in the effects of Ripper’s magic and disintegrated. I pulled Zeriah closer to me and hugged her tightly.

Peace filled my soul, and the light faded. I heard Zeriah’s breath take in and I pulled away to look at her. Her eyes fluttered open and met mine. Relief filled my being again and I smiled at her.

“How did you...?” She began to ask.

My hand went to her cheek. “I didn’t. Romos granted my prayer.”

Her eyes popped fully open and she sat up quickly. “You saw Romos?”

I scratched the back of my head. “Sort of? I didn’t see him per say. But I saw a light and heard his voice. He was the one to heal you.”

“What did he say?” She leaned closer to me.

I let out a laugh at her curiosity. “I don’t think I could repeat it if I wanted to.”

“You don’t want to?”

“I do.” I grabbed her hands. “I want to tell you every detail of it, but I can’t. Maybe I can replace a way to let you know what he told me. But it will most likely be paraphrasing. Give me a bit until then okay?”

She smiled. “Alright, take your time.”

“Let’s go home.”