Chapter Six

~Nyxie~

A few days had passed, I barely ate. With help from Ver and Ally, I was able to overcome most of my depression. I was thankful both were empaths. I walked out of my room, seeing Len, Kali, Salax, and Ally at the table in the den. I sat with them, quiet.

"How are you feeling?" Ally sat beside me, Sal moving to my other side.

"I still feel detached. Did it actually happen?"

Len nodded. "Yes."

Kali was distracted. "She left the abyss." When we gave her collective blank stares, she explained. "Hell has an abyss and an abyss demoness named Abyssia. She's left the abyss. Is it possible...? But she's not shown interest... She may have chosen a guardian, the same as Crystalis did."

"Joy." Len groaned. "Who would she have chosen?"

"Me."

My blood ran cold. I knew before turning around. "Erys," I whispered. I willed myself to turn around and nearly vomited. It was Erys, but he now had black hair and vine marks up his arms. "I'm leaving…"

"Wait!" Erys called.

"Don't go! I came all this way to meet you!" Abyssia called. Was it just me or did her and Kali look similar?

"You met me; I'm leaving…"

"Why did you choose him?" Len crossed his arms. Kali was staring at me.

"He didn't belong but we had fun with the rogues. Hey, why are you refusing to look at him? He looks so pretty now!"

"None of your business," I replied, crossing my arms.

"I want an answer."

"Oh well," I started walking toward the door.

Len distracted Abyssia, talking to her about the abyss and Hell.

I leaned heavily against the door. "Why him? Of everyone else there, him! I'm trying to get over him…" I whispered.

"I'm sorry, babe," Salax walked to me and put his arm around me.

"What a bitch," Ally scoffed. "I'm sorry, Mom. All the work we had done just got thrown out."

"Pretty girl, but pretty is skin deep. Bitch is to the bone," Kali remarked. "She tied herself to his soul. He couldn't go back even if we tried."

"So, I'm stuck with her?" Erys groaned. Kali shrugged. I still refused to look, it hurt.

"No!"

We all turned to see a rather annoyed Abyssia.

"I don't want to go back!"

"The balance will be thrown off and you know it," Len crossed his arms.

She huffed for a moment. "Fine, but only if Erys stays."

I just sighed as Delirus walked in the castle, saw his brother and fell laughing.

"Don't speak of it," Erys growled.

Len coughed as Abyssia finally left. "Well, it seems the time has come for me to tell you something." He addressed Erys and Delirus, who turned to him. "Your parents are alive. They were reborn and chose to live in secrecy to watch over you two."

"W-what…?"

Lily and Draven, Erys and Delirus' parents, walked into the room. How long had Len been hiding them there?

"MY PUPPY WUPPY!" Lily tackled Delirus.

"Not that name, Mother! ACK!" He flailed desperately.

Kali, Ally, Salax and I fell over laughing. Their parents argued about who was more like who, and I could see where the twins got their personalities from. I was happy for them, but only reminded of how I didn't have parents. Or at least parents that I could remember. I sighed and quietly left.

~Salax~

Where was she going? He watched as Len argued with Abyssia, Kali tried her best not to laugh and Ally tried to help ease everyone. He walked out, following Nyx's scent. It led him to her garden. He stayed behind the wall just by the back of the garden.

"What am I going to do?"

"You still love him, don't you?"

Who was she talking to? Salax carefully leaned over, seeing Nyx talking with her friend Zuko.

"Yes, but I'm with Salax. I shouldn't love him anymore."

"You said the same thing when the situation was reversed, more or less. I digress. What does your heart say?"

"Kill me."

Zuko paused. "Well, I asked. Look at it this way, at least he isn't dead?"

She groaned. "That's not helpful, considering I'm the reason he died. He probably hates me for that. And now his parents are back and they probably hate me, too." She wiped her eyes, then covered her face. "My life is a tragic lie! What I thought I knew was nothing but lies! Nitacha isn't my mother, I never had a dad to begin with!"

Zuko scratched his head. "Parents?"

"Erys and Delirus' parents. I guess they'd been reborn and were shadowing their kids. It's sweet, really. And I'm happy they're reunited. But... I don't know if I have any parents. All these emotions and I'm not sure how to feel…"

Zuko placed his hand on her head and she stopped crying. "Just take deep breaths. How do you feel about Erys and Salax?"

Nyxie inhaled deeply. "I love Erys so much! If not for him, I wouldn't be alive now! He was my guardian demon as a child. And I feel drawn to Salax, I know I love him. But he's also my brother and that conflicts with my views on incest and I don't know what to do!"

Sal sighed and went back to the castle. Now the group was chatting about why Nyx had left. Sal, having eavesdropped, gave them a little insight. "She doesn't know if she has any parents, as she can't remember any. She's never really had any parental figures."

"Really?" Lily frowned.

Len nodded. "When I held her gem, I didn't see any familial ties aside from the kids she's had."

"I overheard her talking to her friend Zuko. She was given false memories and she's found out about it," Sal sat. "I never knew. Did you?" Erys and Len shook their heads. "So much about her makes sense now. It's no wonder she fights to the death for family…"

Lily covered her mouth. "The poor thing, to have your whole life be a lie."

"Not only that, but if I remember right, Damien, Kanna, Kole and Elly disowned her as well. So, all she has is Salax, Blaise and myself," Ally rubbed her head. "She's near, I can feel her tension and depression."

There were crashes and cries, things being knocked over. Nyxie wandered in, crying. "It's not like it matters, though. I brought it on myself." Everyone exchanged glances. "No parents, my first-born kids don't want me. I'm lucky for who I have left but the majority is against it. So really all I have is Ally who is the only supported family member." She dropped to her knees, the words seeming to fully sink in as she said them.

Ally walked over and sat by her mom. "You were the only person in my life who didn't scare me. All I remember growing up is seeing you do everything you could for me and Daniel, all with a smile. You played happy even if you weren't. Just so you could teach me to always see things with a positive demeanor. And if it weren't for you, I might not even be here. You rescued me as an orphan. Yes, I remember that. I owe you my life, Mom. No matter what, you're not just my mom, but my mother."

"That was so beautiful!" Lily clapped. "Even if adopted, she has her back! God that kind of love just makes me…" She squeezed Delirus again, making him gasp for air.

Nyxie smiled and embraced Ally, crying. "Thank you, I do appreciate it. But I need to be alone." She walked off.

Ally stood and leaned against the wall. "She's really torn up. I saw some of her false memories and her emotions are appropriate. It's too bad some of her trauma isn't fake…"

Draven shrugged. "Well, life is full of disappointments, so she should get over it soon."

Lily whacked him. "Finding out your life was a lie isn't something you can just get over."

A silver haired woman with dark purple eyes walked out from the direction of Nyxie's room. "Hello, all. Charity, pleasure to meet you."

Salax stared. "Kali wasn't kidding!"

"No, I am the virtue that chose residence in Nyxie. Most interesting with the addition of Crystalis. Now, I do apologize for interrupting but my mistress needs to be restrained. I do request that only Len and Erys remain, please."

Salax blinked. "You are incredibly polite. How the hell does Nyxie live with you?"

"I remain silent, unless I feel urged to speak. Now please, only those requested come."

~Erys~

Charity calmly walked down the hall, Len and Erys following her. "It would seem that something has snapped in my mistress and she is on the verge of a breakdown. Understandable really, as I'm sure you've heard Salax tell the tale of her life. He eavesdropped on her and Zuko when she left."

"You seem omnipotent," Len mused.

"Only in matters concerning my mistress. Please, proceed with caution," Charity opened Nyx's door and they saw her leaning over on the bed, looking down, holding her head in her hands.

"My life is a lie… I know nothing… Who am I? What am I? Where do I belong?"

"Oh my," Len sighed. "Nyxie."

Erys walked in and sat beside her. "Nyxie, you know who you are. And where you belong."

"How do I know any of that isn't just another lie? Or that my emotions aren't a lie? I don't know anything I thought I did!" She bawled into her hands, shaking.

"Your emotions are what you create, so it can't be a lie," Len walked in and knelt down by her.

"I have no childhood. Am I even alive? Am I just a ghost? What's real?! I've already lapsed from reality once!"

"Mistress, be calm, please!"

Nyxie stared. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am the virtue Charity. You are my hostess. Pleasure to meet you."

"Yet another thing that I didn't know about!"

Erys sighed. "Life is full of surprises."

"Us virtues were told not to speak unless necessary. Verbal exchanges and familiar faces are not how the virtues communicate with our hosts. Please be calm, let us take you to family."

The three of them walked her to the den for more support. Nyxie made a fuss, telling them that they should just focus on themselves and let her have her existential crisis on her own. She'd already made a mess of her first marriage and it was only a matter of time before it happened again. Erys told her that if she wasn't happy with him, she had the right to find it elsewhere. She knew what he was referring to and told him to consider that at the time, he was only calming her temper. Regardless of circumstances, Nyxie still felt like she had fucked up.

"If life had a do over…"

Len contemplated as they sat at the table in the den. "I do suppose it is my fault for the rushed decision. I retract my decision. You may go with whoever your heart so desires."

Erys looked up at Len, hiding the hope in his eyes. "That's very considerate of you."

"She is teaching me to rule with compassion."

"Not sure if that's a good thing or not," Sal yawned, flicking his tongue.

Nyxie started humming, distracted. "Oh dear, oh me…"

"Mistress, really? Again? Those little ones scatter your energy. God kin develop so quickly it's a genealogical wonder!"

Everyone exchanged glances. Nyxie just shrugged, trying to smile. "Whoops? I may be a wolf but I'm as fertile as a bunny.”