When Jenny opened her eyes, it was snowing. Snowfkes tickled her eyeshes as she blinked. She rubbed her nose. A fire crackled beside her and she was lying on one of the logs she’d made. Yeshua sat beside her, one arm resting on a raised knee. He was wearing his purple robes, and he looked much healthier again. Towering over him was his cross.

  Jenny raised her arm, remembering how he’d chewed through it and not gained anything. She turned it every which way, but there wasn’t even a scar. He must’ve healed it. Or maybe the valescent light had... she shuddered. It had gone up a tier. It was tier 3 now, and she kept picturing herself stretching the light open, expanding it... wait. She could still feel it.

  She could still see it. Jenny bolted up, her armored feet smming onto the snow as she stared over the fmes at the floating gash in the air glistening with golden light.

  “It’s still there?” she whispered. But it wasn’t draining anymore of her stamina. She felt well rested. She felt just fine.

  But she couldn’t remember bringing everyone into the world. Couldn’t remember anything till after she’d pulled on the light and saw that her ability had grown stronger again. She looked at her pale hand as snow nded and dissolved on her skin. It was like she’d gone into autopilot.

  Are you sure?

  That’s what the thought had said. And it hadn’t been Iblis. She knew it wasn’t Eve. So who else was in her head? Was there someone else in her head? Or was she just imagining things?

  “Hello?” she said out loud accidentally, and Yeshua raised his head, his eyes opening.

  He smiled at her, but it was strained. The wrinkles on his face deepened. “You’re awake.”

  “What happened?”

  “You saved me,” he said. “Again.”

  A ghoul, white colored and with familiar burning blue eyes shuffled toward them. Jenny reacted out of instinct, drawing her hatchet back to her hand with a fsh of light. Then she remembered who it was. “Iblis, is that you?”

  Yeshua grimaced. The demon nodded. It had better control of its body now. I am relieved to see you have recovered, but we have an issue.

  “What is it now?” she asked, gncing at Yeshua, who wouldn’t meet her eyes, then back at Iblis.

  The passageway you opened only connects to the world of Death. We cannot travel to any other worlds.

  And why would you want to?” snarled Yeshua, rising to his feet with a swirl of his robes. He towered over the possessed ghoul. “Haven’t your kind done enough?”

  The demon didn’t back down. He fixed his smoldering look on Yeshua. We will not rest until we have torn Him down. We wish to be free of this frozen world.

  “This is your home,” said Yeshua, his voice dripping with distaste. “This is where you belong. You sacrificed your world, and for what? You couldn’t even get past Adonai’s guard dog.”

  Jenny sat quietly. Though she was rested, her head still felt woozy, but she wanted to know more. It seemed like Yeshua had some history with the demons, and she wondered what that was about.

  I don’t know what issue you take with my people, but I assure you, we have no ill will toward humankind. We mean the material world no harm. The radio static voice crackled louder than usual.

  Yeshua glowered. “Demons have pgued my children for countless generations. Lurking in the dark. Taking advantage of the vulnerable. What do you have to say to that?”

  The demon didn’t back down. The ghoul head stared steadily at Yeshua. My people have been sequestered to this world for time immeasurable. How could we have done this harm to you?

  “Yeah,” said Jenny, recalling the memories she’d seen from Iblis. “They’ve been trapped on this world, stuck here. Barely able to move. Barely alive.”

  But Yeshua didn’t seem convinced. “I know the stories. I know what happened. How your kind would eaves drop on my world. How your kind only made things worse. Leading members of my flock astray.”

  Iblis’ fmes burned more brightly. Even though the ghoul face showed no emotion, and maybe it was cause their minds had been so connected, but Jenny could tell he was mad. Renegades, said Iblis. There are always those who seek selfish desires, act with ill intentions. But is that any different form the Angels? From the humans? Can you truly bme all your people’s misgivings on my people?

  Yeshua raised his arm as though he was about to yell again, his purple sleeve billowing, but Jenny threw her hatchet into the fire. Sparks shot out and they both turned to face her. She was younger than the both of them by far, but she wasn’t going to waste time squabbling. And she was tired. So tired of all this. “We have the same goals. We can work together.”

  “How?” said Yeshua, crossing his arms.

  Iblis answered. We aspire to dethrone Adonai and free the Worlds. You know the damage He has done. The crimes he has committed.

  “Yeah?” said Yeshua, turning again. “You already failed once. How do you propose you’ll win this time? March into the world of light with those useless bodies and lose again? It will be the same result as before.” He exhaled through his teeth. “I wanted to bring the ghouls here as punishment. To watch them burn. Not to be wineskins filled by your kind.”

  As they continued their back and forth, Jenny’s eyes went up to the cross. The symbol that seemed to tower over the world, snow drifting gently around it, piling on the top of the wood. She closed her eyes, thinking about what Iblis had said just a few moments ago. The passage way only goes to the world of the dead now. That’s what he’d said. But what did that mean?

  It was still open. Still hovering in the air and expelling light and emanating warmth – and it looked like Iblis and the others could use it without Jenny needing to guide them. Had she locked it into pce somehow? Made it a fixed thing that will always work?

  She got up and walked toward it, ignoring Yeshua and Iblis. They stopped arguing and watched as Jenny touched it, the light shimmering and responding, thin tendrils of color reaching to envelop her hand.

  The light felt different now. Not as gooey, but almost spongy. Something with a slight bit of resistance – it was more physical. And, ignoring what they were saying, Jenny stepped forward. She didn’t need to activate any skill or do anything; the light parted for her like a curtain, and she was inside, surrounded at once by the warmth of golden light and swirling colors.

  Why don’t I remember what happened? Why don’t I remember what I did? Her breath bubbled away, and blues and reds stretched out and wrapped themselves in circles around her arms and thighs before fading away. A spsh of green light broke against her chest.

  She didn’t remember pulling everyone into the light, didn’t remember bringing them all out. Did she lose consciousness? Did she do all that on autopilot? There was a voice. In her head. Someone had spoken. She was sure of it.

  Are you sure?

  A shudder traveled up her spine, and wavy purple lights rippled around her. She tried to focus. There wasn’t any pushing or pulling now – it wasn’t like before when she’d felt so many different directions. That was all gone. Even the enormous pull of the material world. Her world.

  No. She only felt two directions now. The first led back the way she’d come – it was a gentle push from behind. Above her was a gentle pull, and she swam toward it, her head clearing the surface of the world of the dead. But only her head. The rest of her waded inside the light.

  Immediately, she was greeted by a sptter of hot blood. It was still raining, pouring, and she could see the ghouls moving aimlessly between the pilrs, their red limbs glistening in the glow of her light. They could see her. Their moans and whimpers and mutters reached out to her, pleading with her to feed them... she could feel their hunger.

  But she didn’t care. Jenny sank back into the light and turned. This time, the slight push came from the world of the dead, and the pull came from the world of demons. But still, there were no other directions to go. It was a two-way passage now. She swam slowly through the light, trying to rex her mind, trying to think.

  When she returned to the snowy world and the bitter cold stung her nose and lips, she stepped out and surveyed everyone around her. Yeshua and Iblis stood on opposite sides of her camp fire, watching her. The deaths sat on a neater row of logs by their much rger fires. Yeshua must’ve made added more things for them to sit on. And beyond them, like a mass of snow-covered statues, stood a rge crowd of demons. She almost felt like she was back in the city, having just surfaced from a train station into one of the busiest parts of midtown – but the demons didn’t move. They were statues with burning lights in their eyes, watching her and the others.

  She scratched her chin and looked at Yeshua and Iblis. “Okay,” she said. “What do we need to do?”

  Iblis spoke first. We require more bodies if we are to invade the world of light. I am sending groups of demons into the world to grab more ghouls and drag them back here. but it is slow, and we lose and injure as many bodies as we repce.

  Jenny nodded then turned to Yeshua.

  Yeshua gestured toward the Deaths. “And we must still free the remaining deaths. I want to take a few Deaths and return to that world to free more. If we move in and out of the worlds, then we can fight off the ghouls, get some rest, and continue saving the others.”

  She licked her lips, trying to do the maths of what they were saying. Her brain turning over the data. There was something obvious that they hadn’t figured out, but she still had so many questions. What were the ghouls? What were the pilrs? And would Yeshua ever accept the demons? Could she trust them?

  Her face reddened when she remembered Iblis could read her mind. The ghoul didn’t turn its head or anything, but she pointed apologetic thoughts in his direction. I do trust you.

  And she did. She'd felt the demon's mind, lived through some of the demon's memories. She knew his hurt.

  Then she realized what the pn was. It was so obvious; she almost spped her forehead. There were still things to figure out, but they had to work together. She squeezed and opened her fists, then spoke, “I think I have something.”

  Yeshua stroked his beard thoughtfully. Iblis stood still as snowfkes drifted by, his eyes smoldering.

  “Okay. I know this is going to be a bit weird, but what if your people possessed the deaths?” Before Yeshua responded, she held up her hand. “Only momentarily. They need a vessel to move through the passageway, right? So, the demons can go along with the deaths, and you can go with them too, Yeshua. This way, we can help free more deaths from the pilrs, and the demons can possess more ghouls...” She stumbled for a moment here, unsure about that. Was it right to subjugate the ghouls?

  The ghouls are a byproduct of Adonai’s desire to control matter, said the demon. They are ancient creatures born of his attempts to create a body.

  “That’s why they’re always calling for their father,” said Yeshua, walking over to the log and sitting down with his hands on his knees. A dark expression flickered across his face. “It was Azra’il who thought it would be poetic justice to crucify me to that world and leave me to the failed sons.”

  “So, what’s the blood rain?” asked Jenny. “What’s with the blooded ghouls?”

  “That world was reformed to be a prison,” he said. “A prison for Deaths so that they cannot go on their journeys and fulfill their lives.” He raised two hands, holding them together before separating them. “When we are born, you and I, humans, we have three parts. Our body, our soul, and our death. And when we die, when our bodies no longer can contain us, our souls and deaths leave the material world and are reborn into their respective worlds... The world of death, known as Hades by many, and the world of souls, known as the Garden.”

  Jenny almost felt like she was in Sunday school again, but she listened closely. The garden. Hades, the underworld. “And this world was called hell?” she said, gncing at the demon to make sure it wasn't insulting.

  Hell, repeated the demon. Hell is an ancient term for punishment. I believe it was called hell because of our suffering.

  She grimaced, remembering their pain and anguish, remembering how the demons had existed in a comatose for all those years in the cold. She shuddered. “So, what do you think? Are we good with my pn?”

  “The deaths can't fight,” said Yeshua, scratching his beard again. “But the demons....” He tried to hide his scowl as he turned to Iblis.

  We will pass quickly from the deaths to the ghouls, said Iblis, bowing his head. Ensuring that no deaths are harmed.

  Yeshua nodded solemnly. “And this will be perfect. By freeing more deaths, we are weakening their machinations.”

  “The pilrs you mean?”

  “Yes. They are entrapment devices that harvest the connection between Deaths and Souls for infinite energy.” He turned to face Jenny. “Deaths are manifestations of Energy, and while the Souls are alive, while the Souls are forced to remain alive...”

  I am sorry, said Iblis. They could not harvest us so they have chosen to harvest your people.

  Jenny exhaled a long cloud of air. She could tell there was still animosity between Yeshua and the demons, but something seemed to have given way. They looked prepared to work together. She wondered if the deaths would have any issue with this, but someone had to go expin to them what was going on. Yeshua would be the best one for that. And she didn’t want to be a part of this pn. She’d made the passageway, made it permanent- for now at least, she wasn’t sure yet how it worked. And while they dealt with freeing more deaths and securing more bodies for the demons, Jenny wanted the second part of her agreement with Iblis.

  “I just want to find my friend,” said Jenny after a moment of heavy silence.

  “Your ‘more than a friend’ friend?” said Yeshua with a small understanding smile.

  “Yeah,” said Jenny. “I just want to find her. And I guess that means going to the world of souls, right?” She stared at her hand as used a little bit of valescent light. At the golden color shining from her palm. At the streams of colors. “I will find her. And then... I don't know what'll happen after that, but I swore I'd kill God if I have to.”

  She took another deep breath, allowing the cold air to fill her lungs before exhaling slowly. She had more to say. Jenny found herself wanting to speak more, she wasn’t really sure why.

  "We've all been so trapped by all this. By fear. By other people's control. By people thinking they know better. i don't know what this Adonai wants or what the angels want, but I know what we want. Iblis, you want your people to be free. The deaths want to fulfill their purpose. Yeshua, you want to help them. And I want to... I just want to be okay. and I want the people I care about to be okay. And I want everyone to be okay. I know that's naive.”

  The deaths moved closer to listen. To watch. The demons as well. They were all listening to her. Watching her. She didn't know how to feel about that, and she wavered until she caught sight of Yeshua's encouraging smile.

  And it was all the same, wasn't it? Everything she’d ever gone through. Growing up struggling with her mother. Getting through the awkward years of middle school and high school. Exams. Bills. Strangers on the train. And what the angels were going through... what the demons had suffered through... It felt like life was the survival challenge. And maybe it shouldn’t be.

  “It's not fair. and I know you guys have been through a lot too. All of our people. Humans and Demons. And I don't think every angel is on board with whatever is going on. You showed me that yourself, Iblis.” Jenny bit her lip, remembering his pain and sorrow and anguish of losing Sat’en to the hunger. How much had they all lost because of a few power-hungry people? “So, what we need to do...” She looked up at everyone in the cozy, calm ambience of the gentle snowfall, feeling so fired up her eyes might as well have been on fire. “What we need to do now is stop their bullshit and free everyone. And then we can decide what's important and what’s not.”