Yumi trudged down the shimmering staircase of Heaven, her boots clanking loudly against the pearlescent steps. She dragged her feet, glaring at each step as if it had personally offended her. Beside her, Ere'ana walked gracefully, her movements light and serene, the perfect image of an angel. The stark contrast between mother and daughter couldn't have been more obvious.
"So, uh, how far does this staircase go?" Yumi muttered, her voice laced with irritation.
Ere'ana glanced at her. "It ends at the drop-off," she said calmly.
Yumi stopped mid-step. "The *what*?"
Ere'ana kept walking, her voice light as she explained. "The drop-off. It's the point where Heaven ends, and... well, Hell begins. We'll have to jump down to get home."
"Hold up," Yumi said, frowning as she sped up to catch her mother. "You're telling me we're just gonna *jump*? Like, no portal, no magic elevator? Just jump?"
Ere'ana nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's faster that way."
Yumi groaned. "Faster for *who*? I'm not exactly in the mood to break every bone in my body today."
"You'll be fine," Ere'ana said, her tone soothing.
"That's easy for you to say," Yumi muttered. "You've got wings."
Ere'ana turned to face her daughter, her eyes filled with patience. "Yumi, you're stronger than you think. Besides, it's not the first time you've fallen from a great height, is it?"
Yumi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but this time feels... *higher*."
By the time they reached the edge of the staircase, Yumi could see what her mother meant by the "drop-off." The stairs ended abruptly, and beyond them was a vast, swirling void that seemed to stretch on forever. It was dizzying just to look at, and somewhere far below, Yumi could see the faint flickers of Hell's eternal flames.
"Mom," Yumi said, her voice suddenly small. "Are you sure about this?"
Ere'ana smiled reassuringly. "You'll be fine, Yumi. Trust me."
And with that, Ere'ana stepped off the edge.
Yumi's eyes widened as she watched her mother fall gracefully through the void, her long, flowing hair and white wings glowing softly as she descended. For a moment, Yumi thought Ere'ana looked like one of those pictures of angels humans hung in their churches—perfect, serene, untouchable.
Then reality hit.
"Oh, fuck me," Yumi muttered under her breath. She took a cautious step closer to the edge and peered down. The drop was *insane*. Her heart raced, and she could feel her legs shaking slightly.
"Come on, Yumi!" Ere'ana's voice called from somewhere below.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Yumi grumbled.
She took a deep breath, trying to psych herself up. "You've got this," she muttered to herself. "You're Yumi, daughter of Kikidori and Ere'ana. You survived a punch to the face from that asshole Stryker. You can survive a stupid fall."
Still, her feet refused to move.
"Yumi!" Ere'ana called again, her voice more distant this time.
"Okay, fine!" Yumi shouted back. She clenched her fists, squeezed her eyes shut, and took a running leap off the edge.
For a brief, terrifying moment, all she felt was the rush of air whipping past her as she plummeted. Her stomach did a somersault, and she was pretty sure her heart was somewhere in her throat.
"OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIT!" she screamed as the ground rushed up to meet her.
Then, with a loud *thud*, she landed on her feet, the impact reverberating through her body. She stumbled slightly but managed to stay upright. When she opened her eyes, she realized she was standing on solid ground—Hell's ground.
"See? I told you you'd be fine," Ere'ana said, her tone light and amused.
Yumi glared at her mother, still catching her breath. "Fine? *Fine*?! I think I just aged ten years in those few seconds!"
Ere'ana laughed softly. "You're exaggerating."
Yumi scowled but didn't argue. Instead, she dusted herself off and looked around. The fiery, chaotic landscape of Hell spread out before her, its familiar sights oddly comforting after the blinding light of Heaven.
"Let's just get home," Yumi muttered, shoving her hands into her pockets and starting to walk.
Ere'ana followed, her wings folding neatly behind her. As they made their way back to the castle, Yumi couldn't help but glance at her mother every now and then.
"Hey, Mom," she said after a while.
"Yes, Yumi?"
"Thanks for bringing me to Heaven," Yumi said, her voice softer than usual.
Ere'ana looked at her daughter, surprised. "Really? I thought you hated it."
"Yeah, well, it was... weird," Yumi admitted. "But it was nice seeing where you came from, I guess."
Ere'ana smiled warmly. "That means a lot to me, Yumi. Thank you."
Yumi shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Whatever. Don't get all mushy about it."
Ere'ana chuckled, and the two of them walked the rest of the way home in silence, the fiery glow of Hell lighting their path.
The End of Chapter 26