Arod might have been right, after all, a trip to the very centre of chaos where the Horsemen of the Apocalypse ruled should have made up for all the previous mistakes. He had no idea how they got him out of there, but the blue-haired man certainly didn't want to go back there. He might have been right for another reason too.…

“You'll throw that dagger if I threaten you, won't you? The tip is poisoned, I know you, and I want to live some more. Those are your arguments” he muttered under his breath before licking his lips.

Send me.

“Here you need more delicacy, which you don't have, or at least not in her mind. I will go myself,” he answered his father forgetting for a moment about both: the blade and its owner. He thought it over some more before finally returning his glance to Arod. “You will look after my business during this time”

“That is something I can agree to. By the way... why would someone like you, a bloody arms and death dealer, want to help her? I don't think Heaven would want to deal with someone like that” the blue-haired man finally asked.

“I didn't think you were a fool, but I should have expected that, shouldn't I? For the power of course” he twisted his mouth in a smile of utter certainty, as if he hadn't just been straining one of his bigger lies through his teeth.

He had power, more power than anyone could have expected, and getting rid of this lovely girl would help his interests for sure. The Heavens under her rule had disturbed him many times.... but there was something he wanted far more than control and money. Something more important, for he could not buy it in any way, or snatch it from the hands of strangers.... someone had to remember him when his time came, and he could feel death approaching through his skin, just as he had felt the trouble coming, the years before. The drugs were helping less and less, and he was going to be remembered for a long time, no matter how much he had to give.

“I understand. You will rub out the two whores, Lucien and Sorra, and the lovely boy, Nisto, in return. I think that will take care of everything for us,” Arod declared.

“What makes you think I'm going to pay for something I have to do myself?”

“I'm going to throw this dagger, the tip is poisoned, and you want to live some more. Did I forget something?” he asked quietly.

“I'll keep it or dodge it” the god of memories cut off quite decisively.

“And then I will tell Lucifer about the Ksira. I'm sure he'll be glad of such an opportunity, he's wanted to conquer Paradise for a long time... if not always” the guard bared his teeth in a cheerful smile, and god breathed heavily. If it wasn't about her he would simply walk out of here.

“I'm not afraid of him, but so be it. Replace me at the gate, the boys will explain everything to you there” he raised his gaze to the ceiling and took a moment to collect himself.  “You are not coming with me either. If she senses you she won't be happy.”

I know.

He himself lowered Arod's hand with the blade still drawn towards him and then calmly checked that he had taken everything with him. In theory he didn't expect any problems, he was going to be back in literally a few moments, but he had lived too long to be sure of that. He felt extremely nasty, and when you thought about it properly, feeling bad could make any job difficult, especially one like this.

He stepped out into the corridor again and took a moment to collect himself before gesturing with his hand to open the portal. A small blue rift between the matter of space-time that allowed for a definite reduction in travel time. It was very useful during the human battles he often found himself tangled in, less so in those real battles, as both the Heavenly palace and the Infernal one had their limitations in this regard. He was allowed to leave basically anywhere, but could usually only appear in the main corridors, or abandoned areas. These were basic security spells: no one wanted unannounced, armed visitors, least of all him.

Thankfully, today he was not heading for the palace, where he would surely make a fuss, but far beyond any developed areas of Paradise. Beyond the high mountains, into empty fields interspersed with old trees, where there was no way to hide, but there was no reason to, either, because no one ever looked there.

He slipped into that gap between Hell and Paradise, and then immediately closed it behind. He ended up exactly where he wanted to be, in the full heavenly sun, and immediately he squinted his eyes curving his face. He gave himself a moment to get used to it before looking around for the Mistress of the Heavens.

There she was.

She was sitting on the ground just below the nearest trees.

She hadn't noticed him yet, stuck her gaze to the ground and was clearly thinking quite intensely about something, tucked up in her long golden hair. Weeks of living in constant uncertainty, thwarting internal plots and denying herself sleep and food would have left their mark on anyone - she was no exception. And although she looked no older than sixteen he knew perfectly well that she was millennia old, and after the last few days perhaps eons.