The Story That Went On... (Formerly Death Cut. Completed.)

[GamingLord]

Had Malos lungs, he would have sucked in air and started breathing a bit more quickly. He did groan a bit though, kissing Willow more intensely and moving a hand up to play with her feelers.

Malos: "Actually sharing energy... between two people like that... is a HUGE turn on, Willow..."

He moved her hand further up his shirt, placing it on his chest. Malos was starting to want more and more of her touch.

- - - - -

Due to the Sephiroth's calming presence, GL's aura began to calm from it's tormented emotions. The readings from the bible helped further, and drawing Black to him completed things.

GL: "Thanks... Black, Sephiroth. I'm sorry my aura got out of control... I still have some practice to do in keeping it in check I suppose."

Looking at Black, he frowned for a moment... he had seen how badly it had affected her, and that hurt him. He didn't want to harm her in anyway if possible. He focused a bit, one of his tendrils curling up and producing a small, glowing, orange-ish pink orb of emotional energy. He placed this in Black's hands, and it sunk into her body, giving her a bit of a boost in feelings that were warm, caring, and loving. It slightly counter-acted the somewhat sad but subdued aura he had going on... an aura that at least wasn't nearly as overpowering and depressing as it was before.

Abigail: "Well, if it's about the end of the festival, you'll be able to see your mother again at the next one, right?"

Galantros just gave a little sigh, and shook his head, giving Black a little squeeze hug.

GL: "No... she's not returning. She wants to wait for us to all meet up properly. She believes that we'd just be living for her next visit instead of for ourselves then. I... I guess she has a point. I have seen it happen to one or two Limboians."

He gave a faint smile, while cuddling into Black like she was some sort of comfort plushie.

GL: "Besides... I should be able to cope, right? I mean, that's what Black's sorta been saying. It's not like we'd never be able to see my mom again."

Abigail: "That's true.... ...Sephiroth? What are you reading that's got you making that face?"  

[GamingLord]

Abigail: "A rainbow that drops candy? That IS rather unusual"

She slipped her arm into Sephiroth's and smiled at the thought.

Abigail: "That could be an option, though it may cause toothaches if we get carried away."

- - - - -

GL let his muscles go limp and relax as Black engulfed him in flame, letting the heat warm him from the outside in.

GL: "That feels nice..."

He was beginning to feel better, though even if he did feel much better, there would still be that twinge and sting of sadness for a little while. It would be something he couldn't help. Standing up, with his wings and arms supporting Black close to him, he gave a little exhale.

GL: "So... is there anything we should try and do today?"  

[GamingLord]

Abigail: "Oh I didn't mean to make that sound like it wasn't good enough! I was just making a little joke is all. Though a nice quiet restaurant afterwards would be nice, if that's not too much trouble... You're asking me what i want to do, but is there something you want to do too?"

She gave him a peck on the cheek, and played with one of the long strands of his a hair for a moment.

- - - - -

GL smiled a bit, and his wings shifted Black, so that she was slumped over his shoulder somewhat, her face close to his.

GL: "Alright! Where do we start? In the kitchen? The living area?"

Galantros gave Black a quick kiss to the side of the face, and playfully ran down the stairs, his aura lifting up even more. He was focusing more and more on the blessings he did have now that he wasn't so bogged down with depression and had help thinking things through. Later that day he'd returned home and talk with his mom again. He'd definitely would want to say goodbye before she left for the portals that evening. For now though, he wanted to try and enjoy himself by spending time with Black.

GL: "I call dibs on Inky as my dust rag!"

- - - - -

Malos sat back, stunned for a good moment, eyes wide. That session had been incredibly intense and very hot. It took him a moment to recover so he could respond back, running his hand through his colorful hair.

Malos: "Oh, nono, that's fine. Hey, I may be a perv, but I'm not going to rush you or anything Willow. It felt reeeaally good, but I'm not about to push you past what you want to do... Just as long as we can still kiss and snuggle. Man, that stuff feels really nice. Just let me know if you think we're going too far on something, and I'll pull on the brakes."

He reached forward and gave her a tender, soothing kiss on the lips with his face, brushing away the hair that had fallen in front of her eyes as she had tried to get away from Malos earlier. This kiss was less frenzied and intense, and was meant more as a gentle gesture than anything else. Afterwards, he stood up, and shook himself off a little, trying to remove some of that excess excitable energy still in his system.

Malos: "Breakfast? Yeah sure, that sounds good. What's for breakfast? Maybe we can talk some more over it, learn a little more about each other. Heh, honestly I think we've done more making out than getting to know each other. Well, actually.... "

He gave one of his more sly looks and chuckled.

Malos: "...we've been getting to know each other in certain ways pretty well, if you get what I'm saying. Nah, seriously though. I'd... I'd like to talk a little more with you."  

[GamingLord]

Abigail: "That could still be fun... you could always do that shirtless..."

Abigail gave Sephiroth a bit of a smirk, and playfully smacked his arm. She then climbed on his back.  

[GamingLord]

Later that night, a majority of Limbo was welcomed into the area of the Soul Portals to say goodbye to their loved ones. Galantros had never shown his friends this part of the ceremony before, because of how emotionally painful it was to him in the past. It still was now, but less so.

The soul guiders had given a lovely speech about how Limbo's ability to see their loved ones was a gift not to be taken for granted, and other moving topics.

Galantros was there with his family, and practically all his friends.

Galantros: "Mom... We're.... We're going to miss you."

Eliza hugged her son tightly and kissed the top of his head.

Eliza: "Don't you two forget that I'll be watching you, and that we'll see each other again. We'll have all the time in the world together. For now, I want you both to enjoy your lives as living people. Promise me?"

Galantros: "Promise."

Alzamus: "I promise, sweetheart."

Suddenly, Heaven's portal burst with a wonderful light and energy, lighting the night sky.Friends and families began saying their farewells, and souls started to move towards the light.

And then, something horrible happened.

There was a deep rumbling, like heavy, nearby thunder, and the ground shook violently. Suddenly, a pale green light tore across the sky, a massive portal forcing it's way open through Limbo with the most horrid, indescrible sound imaginable. Blood began to rain, as angels ushered the souls to hurry, and the living to take shelter, when suddenly, massive tendrils struck out at the holy beings.

Jiluzix emerged from the dimensional tear, and began to do battle with the angels. Meanwhile, the blood that had pooled on the ground began to rise up and take shape into large, dark red spheres. Immediately, they darted about, snapping up souls and the living alike into their beings, causing the crowds to scream and panic. Galantros was wide eyed in fear, holding Black protectively to him.

Eliza: "ALZAMUS! GALANTROS! NOO! LET GO OF ME!"

Galantros: "MOTHER!"

High in the air, was GL's mother, struggling with one of the hundreds of blood demons. Panic over taking him, and realizing Black was still in his arms as madness reigned around them, he looked to Rosemary and her husband and master to have them watch her while he went after his mother. Fear and dread struck deep in his heart.... they were busy with several of the demons themselves. His father was dragged fighting and screaming for his wife by military soldiers as they rushed him into the fortress. Muerte was wrapped in several tendrils of one of the demons and was busy fighting it off... Nobody was free to take care of Black... He almost left her alone to go after his mother, until he remembered his promised.

He would never leave her again. He would never abandon her.

Even if it meant losing someone else he cared deeply for.

He watched as his mother and others were quickly taken into the dimensional tear, then was forced to run as several of the demons came after him and Black, tears in his eyes. He began to transform into his "battle" form, but still ran, holding black to him in his elongating arms, using his razor sharp wings to slash at any demons that got in his way. He helped Muerte as the spirit man was in his path, and even managed to make one or two of the blood demons back off of Rosemary's group. Soon, the monsters we're leaving as the angels had summoned more of their kind quickly from Heaven's portal, but by that time, GL's instinct clouded and stressed mind had told him one thing: Get Black to safety. So he ran into the fortress, flew over the heads of the people taking shelter in there (startling them), and perched on a ledge, hanging onto Black.

As quickly as the Niearcim invasion began, it was over. It was determined that insanely powerful black magic had been used to dig through Limbo's defenses in order to transport so many demons and part of Jiluzix himself there. Thousands of people and souls were kidnapped. The theory was that Jiluzix was desperate for the power of souls to continue to fuel his foul works. That night would be known as one of Limbo's more tragic and darkest hours ever.  

[Rosemary Mori]

To the sensitive ears of Rosemary, Veni, and BlackMN the noise was horrible. Unfortunately for Veni he got soaked with the blood that was raining down on them as he pushed Jacob out of a downpour of it. He moved quickly out of the puddle as it tried to take shape under him.

Sephiroth pushed his mother and Abigail in front of him towards the fortress and stayed behind them so that he may take whatever may strike them from behind. Strike they did and he received a very similar wound to the one he received while staring at his mother through the glass (that one that went through basically half his side). Only this one was worse because when he cut the thing stabbing him off, it wiggled out. Despite the grievous wound, he was still very competent. When they got into the fortress was when the two girls noticed he was breathing heavy not from physical exertion.

Veni looked like he was going to be sick, when he got the chance to settled down, from the smell of the blood residue he had all over him and even stopped breathing, but the scent still crept up his nostrils. It smelled like the thing that had come out of Rosemary last year.

BlackMN sobbed in GL's grip and told him that she was sorry over and over again. Rosemary had actually jumped up there to check on the two since she knew Jacob and Veni were mostly fine.  

[GamingLord]

Galantros gave ragged breaths, cradling Black like a precious thing. The only reason he hadn't changed back to his normal form was because he was still stressed and deeply emotional. He kept muttering things like "is okay" to Black, while tendrils stroked her hair.

Below, certain groups of people were shocked by what GL currently was and murmured about it. What was it? It was the Galantros boy, just look at his clothes! He turned into a new demon? Is he going to attack blindly? Would he tear down his own cousin's holy fortress in a fit of rage? Dear God, he had a girl in his arms.

These murmurs grew to be too much. Holding Black tightly to him, he let out a loud, primal roar, his wings rising in agitation.

GL: "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! NOT GOING TO HURT! WILL NOT HURT! SHUT UP!"

His aura flared out in angered, protective fury, the powerful shockwave of emotion enough to stop the mindless chatter. It was after this that Rosemary came up to check on them.

GL: "Gone... She's gone. Forever. Could... Couldn't be two places at same time..."

Slowly some of his fiercer features started to melt back into "regular Galantros". He winced slightly at the pain the transformation caused.

- - - - -

Fal'Jenul: "You're wounded..."

Immediately Fal'Jenul pressed her hands and tendrils against Sephiroth's bleeding side, and focused. Her colorful fog intensified, and then seeked out the site of his injury. Torn flesh began repairing itself, and blood was replaced, and moments later the only evidence that he'd been struck was a very slight dull ache and a warmth where he'd been healed. Fal'Jenul gave him a kiss on the forehead, then moved aside so Abigail could cling to his side.

Abigail: "...Horrible. Was... was that the demon Harold and Jacob spoke about? It just started... stealing people..."

Harold: "I'm afraid it was, Abigail... Will you two be alright? Fal'Jenul and I are going to see to the wounded, along with the other healers that happened to be here."  

[GamingLord]

Galantros' body finished shifting back to it's usual form, accompanied by the sound of changing and popping bone. He gave a heavy hearted sigh as he leaned into Rosemary, still hugging onto Black. He desperately needed the comfort right now, and the effects of the fortress was just barely keeping him from dropping into the depths of depression again.

- - - - -

Abigail: "And he took so many. That's such a disturbing thought... And to think, that's what.."

She trailed off, not wanting to say what it was outloud, but she thought it... the soldiers, they had managed to trap her spirit. Probably, they had been working on a way to extract the energy from a soul. She shuddered again, and hugged into Sephiroth. After a moment or two, she noticed he was tired. A branch grew from her wrist, and from that a small, oblong yellow and orange fruit. She snapped the branch easily, and plucked the fruit off it, tossing the twig aside.

Abigail: "Here, eat this... it'll give you some strength back."  

[GamingLord]

GL gave a heavy sigh, and hugged Rosemary, thanking her. He then kissed Black on the forehead and hugged her, before handing her over and teleporting down to find his father.

- - - - -

Abigail studied Sephiroth's expression for a moment, then watched as he ate the fruit. It was actually rather sweet, though not too much so. True to her word, he did feel a little better soon after eating it. She then giggled a little.

Abigail: "You know, if you were weirded out, you could have said so."

She stroked his hair and smiled.

Abigail: "Though honestly, was it okay?"