Hell was a realm of chaos and fire, but there was one place that offered silence: the edge of the abyss. Here, the infernal flames gave way to nothingness, a boundless void that stretched into eternity. No one dared to approach it. No one except Kikidori.
He sat on the jagged edge, one leg dangling over the precipice, his other foot planted firmly on the charred rock. The endless blackness below called to him, but he wasn't afraid. He had been here countless times before, staring into the void as if it might hold answers to questions he couldn't ask.
A faint breeze, hot and dry, brushed past him, carrying the distant echoes of screams and laughter from the heart of Hell. Kikidori barely noticed. His crimson eyes were fixed on the darkness below, his expression unreadable.
"1 year," he muttered, his voice low and rough.
That was all he said, but the weight of those two words hung in the air like a storm about to break. He wasn't talking to anyone in particular. Maybe the void. Maybe himself.
1 year until Kael would have to choose. Angel or demon. Light or dark. Ere'ana had been optimistic, as always, but Kikidori knew better. It wasn't just a choice—it was a transformation. Kael would never be the same after that day.
Kikidori leaned forward slightly, the tips of his claws scraping against the rock as he stared deeper into the void. He didn't fear falling. Even if he did, it wasn't like anyone could stop him. And if the void swallowed him whole? So be it. He'd been through worse.
Behind him, the faint sound of footsteps echoed. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"You always come here when you're thinking too much," Ere'ana's soft voice said.
Kikidori sighed but didn't move. "And you always follow me when I need to be alone."
Ere'ana walked closer, her radiant glow a stark contrast to the darkness around them. She stood a few feet behind him, her arms crossed. "You're worried about Kael."
Kikidori snorted. "Worried? Nah. The kid'll be fine. He's strong, tougher than he looks."
"You're lying," Ere'ana said gently.
Kikidori finally turned his head to look at her, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation. "What do you want me to say, huh? That I'm scared? That I don't know if he's ready? That I don't know if I'm ready?"
Ere'ana stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to say anything. I know you care, even if you don't show it the way I do."
Kikidori rolled his eyes but didn't shrug her hand away. "Yeah, well, caring doesn't fix anything. The kid's gotta make his choice, and there's nothing we can do about it."
Ere'ana sat down beside him, her legs crossed gracefully. She stared out at the void, her expression thoughtful. "Whatever he chooses, he'll still be our son. And we'll still be his parents."
Kikidori let out a bitter laugh. "You really believe that, don't you? What if he picks angel? Think he'll still want anything to do with me?"
Ere'ana looked at him, her eyes filled with a quiet strength. "Kael loves you. And so do I. That's not going to change."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched on, broken only by the distant echoes of Hell.
Finally, Kikidori stood up, brushing off his pants. "Yeah, well, we'll see. For now, I've got a year to figure out how to deal with it."
He turned to walk away, but then paused, glancing back at Ere'ana. "You coming, or are you gonna sit here and stare at the void all night?"
Ere'ana smiled faintly and stood, her wings unfurling slightly. "I'm coming."
As they walked back toward the castle, Kikidori couldn't help but glance over his shoulder one last time. The void was still there, endless and unchanging, but it didn't seem quite as menacing anymore.
*1 year,* he thought again.
The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: whatever happened, he wouldn't face it alone.
The end of the book... for now.