Ava walked through the tunnels, light orbs guiding her way as she made her way down. She’d been here several times, knew the route to take, but it still unnerved her at times. Too much darkness, not enough light to work with. She’d never needed to use it before, but it was always comforting to have.

Drawing closer to the cell she needed, she heard a female voice singing a merry tune, the delicate Irish lilt making the traditionally sad song bright and cheery. It was sounding more like a drinking song than that of a ballad of lost love. She absently fingered the necklace at her throat, the familiar ridges of the runes tickling her fingertips. She frowned, knowing almost immediately that she was in for a rough time.

Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and she’ll just cough it all up without a fuss.

Keep telling yourself that, Princess, Finn said, making her groan softly. His wave of soft laughter washed over her, relaxing her muscles. 

As she rounded the corner, she could hear that the song was coming to an end, the final words being sung with gusto.

“Aaaand if my heart never changed, then my form would staaaaay the saaaaaame!” The singer extended her arms out, her head thrown back like a musical theater performer. She lifted her head, smiling at her visitor. “Oh! Well, halloo!” she said, as though overjoyed to see an old friend. “So nice to see a friendly face!” she said, her Irish accent thick and bouncy, her red hair flowing around her face as she danced around her cell. “Usually it’s just those dour guards. You’d swear they’d ever smiled a day in their lives!”

“I need some information,” Ava said, dispensing with the pleasantries.

“Ahhh, of course ye do, lass! Can’t just come down for a wee chat, can ye?”

“I’m too busy living my life to do that.”

“Oh, well yer no fun, then.” The oracle sighed heavily, folding her hands behind her back as she leaned against the rear wall. “Not even a ‘how’s the weather’?”

“No.”

“Tch, ugh,” the oracle huffed, looking away. “A leithéid de chailín rude, conas is féidir leat a bheith ag súil le saol gnéis sona?”

Ava frowned. “What did you say?”

She rolled her eyes. “I saaaid, 'Such a rude girl, how can you expect to have a happy sex life?’ Ach, pay attention, ya twit.”

“I don’t speak Irish,” Ava retorted. 

“What angel dunna speak more than one language?”

“One who has been too overwhelmed with trying to protect my people to find the time.”

“Not yer, people, lass. His.”

“He is my master. I serve him, and his burden is mine. His people are my people, his troubles are my troubles.”

“So loyal!” the oracle beamed. “Yeh don’t see much o’that these days, then.”

“What do you know of the situation with the barrier and the Divine Realms?”

“Enough.”

Ava took a deep breath, maintaining her composure. “If you think I’m here to make a deal with you, forget it. I’m not about to let you run back to those Rogue bastards.”

The oracle threw her hands in the air with another guttural response. “Whyyy do ye keep referring to them as Rogue? They’re not Rogue anythin’!” 

“People who go against their own people in pursuit of their own goals, to the detriment of others, are Rogue.”

“Nay, lass, that’s not always the case, then.”

“In this case it is.”

“Wanting to change things for the be’er, to make a be’er life for the ones y’love, a safer life, wouldn’t that make you a Rogue as well? What yer doin’ now, fightin’ to protect these sad souls against the established order, that’s roguish, yes?”

“We’re trying to save those you are attempting to wipe out.”

“Not me, lass,” she said, an amused smile on her lips. “I’m just along for the ride.”

“I hardly believe that’s true.”

“Deary, I’m an oracle, I have no stance one way or t’other, then. The Purities are fightin’ for what they believe in, as are you all. You all have something special t’you yeh want to save and protect. The methods may be a bit different, but the principle is the same.”

“We’re not out here slaughtering thousands in the name of our ideals,” Ava said. 

The oracle shrugged. “Yah, I guess that’s true.” She glanced back at Ava. “But would yeh?”

Ava jerked. “Excuse me?”

“If yeh had to, would you run yer sword through countless, faceless enemies in order to preserve that which you truly believe is right?”

Ava stared, unsure of how to answer. She would do anything to keep her family safe and to protect her home, that was true. But would she go as far as Ackerman and his associates?

“I wouldn’t risk the lives of innocent people just for the peace of mind that my family is safe.”

“Oh, no? Isn’t dat war, though? Innocent blood spilled on both sides with the same goal in mind?”

“The blood I’ve had to spill wasn’t innocent.”

“They believed it was.”

Ava had no reply. It wasn’t that this creature was necessarily wrong, but she wasn’t altogether right, either. War was hell, people died, and no one on either side believed their cause was unjust. The problem with the war they were fighting now was that what the Purities were doing was unjust. There was no logic, no reason, no excuse that could justify what they were doing to the exiles.

“The Purities believe what they are doing is right,” the oracle said. “They have in their minds what their world should look like, and these exiles simply don’t fit that image.”

“They’re innocent!”

“They’re criminals, lass. Not a’one o’them is truly innocent, are they?”

“I will admit that a lot of the exiles deserved the punishment they received, the initial punishment. Being hunted down like animals, being forced to suffer when all they want is to pay their debts and go home, that is wrong. That is something they don’t deserve. Many other exiles were tossed aside for no reason other than their leaders didn’t want to deal with them. Have you even met them? Talked to them?”

“Have you?”

“Yes.” The fire in Ava’s eyes wiped the smile from the oracle’s face. “I speak to them every day. Those who are truly repentant show it in their eyes, in their energy, in their deeds. They strive to atone for their sins, no matter how long it may take. Your friends are denying them that opportunity for no other reason than prejudice, elitism, and spite. They may have done wrong, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve another chance at living.”

The oracle watched her, her eyes unreadable, remaining silent for several tense moments. 

Ava’s fists curled loosely at her sides. “I need to know what’s going on in the Divine Realms,” she said again, her tone softened. 

“Don’t you want to know about—”

“My Prince is already getting that information,” Ava said. “My interest lies outside of the Mortal Realm, where the rest of my family is. Where my friends are.”

“Ah,” the oracle said quietly. “Divide and conquer, then. A tried and true strategy, to be sure.”

“I don’t expect anything direct from you, that’s not your way.”

The oracle smiled. “Smart.”

“But whatever you can tell me, I’ll appreciate regardless.”

She sighed, pushing herself off the wall and stepping toward the barrier that enclosed her cell, separating the two women. “I like you,” she said. “Not too many women out there are willing to face a devil and ask a favor without fear.”

“My husband is a demon.”

The oracle’s eyebrows rose. “Aye, that’s so.” She chuckled softly, looking beyond Ava. “An angel and a demon, that’s a rare thing, then.”

Ava said nothing.

“And the babe?”

Ava’s finger twitched. “What about her?” she said, alert and on guard.

“Aye, she’s for a tough ride, that one. A demon bairn with an angel face. Powerful, lovely, true, and false. I’d keep her away from fire if I were you, lass.”

Ava swallowed, her core flipping within her. “Why?”

The oracle merely smiled.

Fucking bitch…

“Tell me—”

“About the bloody Realms, yes!” The oracle rolled her eyes to the ceiling, shaking her head. “Directly, everyone you love is alive and well, that ought to put yer mind at ease some.”

Ava would not allow her relief to show through.

“Cailín stubborn, not lettin’ up on an old woman for a piece, then, aye.” The oracle didn’t look any older than her thirties, but Ava knew better. This creature was millenia old and rare. There were less than six in existence that Ava knew about. Having just one in her presence was overwhelming enough, annoying though she may be.

She sighed. “I’ve been accused of being stubborn my whole life, Ma’am,” she said. “But my cousin and his husband are even more so. You asked if I would run my blade through countless, faceless enemies to protect what I hold dear and I told you I would do what I had to so long as innocent blood wasn’t spilled.”

The oracle tilted her head.

“These two men will literally destroy reality to find each other again.”

She slowly righted her head, her hands falling limp at her sides, her jaw slack. “Aye,” she breathed. “That’s the truth of it, then.” She shook her head, her eyes still locked on Ava’s. “A pure love that rends Hell and brings Heaven to its knees. Aye but that’s somethin’ special, then.”

Ava nodded. 

The oracle was quiet for several beats before she slowly inhaled. “The Realms are not as stable as they once were, lass,” she said softly. “A plague has infested the land, destroying what is good in an effort to make way for what it calls better. However, the hawk soars high, watching and waiting for the pieces to join and the puzzle to reveal.”

Ava’s heart thudded against her chest. So many questions to ask, but not one came to her lips.

“The Devil God that seeks to correct will destroy and mend. The cats call out, and the army will answer. Ultimately, what is meant to end will end, and through that end, an unexpected beginning. A stone passes from one to another, and the star will no longer shine in the Realm of neutrality again.”

Ava waited, wondering if the oracle had more to say, but nothing came. Most of what she had been told made her sick and she wished she hadn’t heard it at all. However, she was given a bit of hope, something to look forward to, something to hold on to.

She bowed slightly to the ancient creature, the oracle taken aback at the action. “Thank you,” Ava said softly. “Good luck to you, Oracle.”

The oracle nodded slowly. “Y-yes, thank you,” she said, watching as the young angel woman turned and walked away. She couldn’t help but wonder when the last time someone had thanked her for anything.

-*-