Hope's Light

Chapter 30

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Thirty - Diplomacy

With everyone watching, I stepped to the table, filled a goblet, and downed it in one go.

Ugh. Whatever vintage Horatio had brought out this time, it wasn’t Asmodian. Nor I’d bet of the wines Vance had spoken highly about a long time ago, those crafted by the elves of Nidavellir. I’d forgotten how bitter were most of the offerings in Hell - heck, I’d even have preferred that Chardonnay from the dragon soiree I’d attended with Isaiah.

Dangit. Isaiah.

What was I going to tell my friend? That his greater spirit would eventually decide whether I should be allowed to exist? And if decided against, Azrael would be forced to destroy me.

Would that mean Isaiah would have to try to kill me too?

Hope's Light

Chapter 29

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Need

“You good?”

Ignoring the immediate prostration of the giant and reptile-skinned elephant (who this time had forgotten to first bang the gong), I steadied Camael as he attempted to stand. The sudden shift had certainly unsettled him, but at least he hadn’t thrown up.

Though maybe that was because he hadn’t eaten in a ridiculously long time.

Brad picks up where he's left off after the mediation event. He's seeing the landscape clearer maybe, being encouraged by Jenny, and getting a to see Sara's got reasonable vulnerabilities like everyone else does. Denise isn't done making demands though - so how will this effect everyone's ideas of moving forward?

He paused. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on his forehead.
It was time to gather his thoughts. What was his current status? What were his next steps?

His current status? He was wearing a pair of women's underwear, and it fit like a dream (unfortunately!)
What had he done wrong here?

Chapter 4: The Rest of the Show

When we were finished with breakfast, but before we left to start the second day’s activities, I found a moment alone with Paul.

“How much do you remember?” I asked.

“About your gift? That it made you pretty convincingly look like a woman.”

“I gave it away.”

“What?”

“Last night, I roomed with the one who introduced herself as a trans-woman during our icebreaker.”

“I don’t remember that.”

Hope's Light

Chapter 27

by Erisian

Book 6

Part Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Pursuits

Entire chapters spin past.

A terrible encompassing war visits destruction’s touch to every level of Creation - slaughter and fire, anguish and ruin, all spreads ahead. Victories and losses pile on, culminating in the great rift cleaved across the tapestry, and a Gate forever locking one side from the other.

Mediation isn't court, but the consequence could be as binding if the negotiations went south. Brad's choice of who he sees personally is on the line and it could come down to fancy lawyering by his friend Lance or show one of the smarter attendees at the mediation is their daughter Jenny.

Hope's Light

Chapter 26

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Six - Threats

Cassiel was helping Turiel to his feet when Krux’s military force finally swarmed the cavern, his soldiers bursting through the steel doors or clambering over the broken stones of the walls. Seeing three angels as the only ones moving, they didn’t know what to do. Deciding it was safer to simply leave us alone, they spread out to check the numerous cultists unconscious or dead splayed messily across the cracked tiles.

I, my good friend Paul, a couple passing acquaintances, and several other people who were complete strangers to me were convinced by various of our friends to help them run one of those interactive entertainment events. We didn’t know our friends were associated with such a thing, nor had we ever heard of this one. We were invited to a free run-through of the event so that we would know how it was supposed to work.

It seems like everywhere Mantra goes, a planet dies. It's hard for the Dark Age warrior to wrap her mind around the idea of a zombie god destroying universes. But when she finally has a chance to save lives by battling a danger she understands, she goes for it. During the action, she makes a new friend and becomes reacquainted with an old friend.

"What are– what you doing up?" he asked her, trying to sound casual, but failing.
He sounded nervous, gave off guilty vibes.

"I had to pee," she said. "What else would I be doing up?"
She gave him a suspicious look. "What are you doing up?"

"Nothing, nothing," he answered, a little too quickly.
"Just couldn't sleep. That's all. Heheh."

"Wait, wait!" he called. "Where are you going?
You're not mad at me about this stupid Fit-4-U crap, are you? Come on!"

I used to believe that people weren’t deliberately cruel; that everyone was struggling along as best they could to play the hand they were dealt. Then I met Joseph Fieldings. Joseph, Not Joe! I had seen him around town a few times and had been told that Joseph was best avoided. He was on parole for nearly killing a man in a bar fight and the smart money said he’d soon be going back to prison.

"So... that jacket...," Ozzie puzzled, pausing in his steps at end of the driveway, "it's Laura's, right?"

"Yes."

"So how in the hell does it fit you?"

"I wish men could have that experience," Camille said.
"... of being looked at like a piece of meat."
She managed to keep the edge of resentment out of her voice.

"That wouldn't work." Laura responded. "It wouldn't help at all.
Men would *love* being seen like meat, and being treated as sexual objects.
In their minds, it would work in their favor."

Hope's Light

Chapter 22

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Two - Necessity

We kept at it, shoveling and schlepping, until each pen in turn was clean. Though at that point, we ourselves certainly weren’t.

It felt, after the initial panic had passed, that his whole world was about to come crashing down around his ears. It was bad enough that he’d left his rucky on the train complete with money, passport and change of clothes, to add to the woe he was in Germany and it was Sunday afternoon but the real issue, the bit that scared him most, was he was dressed as his alter ego, Bianca. What had possessed him to even think it was a remotely good idea to ‘bring’ Bianca on the trip?