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“The celebration will likely end soon,” Hifumi toned. “I can practically feel it winding down.”
The white-cloaked demon hummed in agreement alongside their towering black-cloaked companion, who was absent-mindedly carving something from a wooden block using their bladed limbs.
“I suppose our cue to leave will be soon,” The floating guest said. ” I hope we’ll be allowed to continue communication, being isolated again would be cruel.”
”And not particularly entertaining.”
“That as well.”
Nahi coughed a quick laugh before returning to their drink, a softly glowing semi-opaque liquid that was slightly bluer than brown. Hifumi hadn’t quite heard what they had asked for at the bar, but whatever it was, Nahi seemed to quite like it.
A loud, roaring laugh caught her attention for a moment, sounding from a not-to-distant table where a small but decent number of guests were engaged in some form of battle strategy game involving pieces that were at least semi-sentient fighting on behalf of the players. (It was like Adho wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore. She had barely held back her laughter when she saw the game the first time, and it hadn’t gotten any less funny since.)
She and her new friends (something that felt very strange to think) had spent some time at the table of course, commanding their forces in ways that were more comedic than strategic, though they still won more often than not, ending with Nahi winning a decisive victory.
She led her thoughts back to the discussion with a hum. “I can’t imagine a reason that we would have been introduced to each other, only to be separated as soon as the celebration ends.”
The black-cloaked demon paused in their carving. “It is rare that one understands the reasoning of a higher being. An ant does not understand the placement of a fencepost.”
“I don't believe I've ever heard of an ant?” the floating guest’s voice sounded slightly confused.
“I suppose they are fairly rare throughout existence. . . they're small insects. About this size.” the white-cloaked demon separated their black-furred fingers a tiny amount, perhaps slightly larger than the average ant that Hifumi had seen.
As they finished, the floating guest hummed in understanding before pausing again. “. . . what’s a fencepost?”
Hifumi relaxed and held back an amused sigh as the two demons joined in explaining the function and approximate size of a fencepost to the floating guest, who nodded along attentively.
This was far more enjoyable than any other party that she had attended.
. . .
. . . Perhaps except for the one where she killed the people she had been enslaved to.
. . .
. . . It was a close competition.
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“The celebration will conclude shortly. Please take this time to gather your belongings. To those engaging in intimate actions, we are impressed by your ability to exploit loopholes, but please re-dress. You know who you are.”
The exhausted monotone voice that rang through the room instinctually reminded Hifumi of the thing that had greeted her and Nahi when they entered, although it sounded slightly more gravelly. It wasn’t Adho’s voice, though it bore an obvious resemblance.
“Your prediction was correct,” mused the blade-limbed demon, chittering voice holding a strange, longing feeling for perhaps a little more time. “It seems we must part.”
The floating guest hummed in agreement, a sound that struck Hifumi as deeply melancholy for the immaterial voice. “I suppose so. May we encounter each other again soon.” They bowed their shrouded form, and departed, gliding smoothly, similarly to a cloud across the sky.
“Stay safe,” shouted the white-cloaked demon, receiving a tendril in salute from the retreating guest.
The blade-llimbed demon chuckled lowly below their breath, and turned to Hifumi, pushing their finished carving– a small figure resembling the disguise Adho had used– toward her. “And farewell to you as well. May your times be well, and your successes be many.”
Hifumi laughed and waved the two demons off, making no attempt to hide the fondness in her voice as she pocketed the figure. “You had better save me a drink for next time,” She called as they left.
The white-cloaked demon’s responding laugh was cut off as the door shut behind them, leaving Hifumi and Nahi in silence, watching as the guests left one by one.
After a short while, Nahi placed a hand on her shoulder, projecting onto her a wordless comfort Hifumi had often received from her parents, both those that were godly and those that had been mortal.
It was time for them to go.
Hifumi cast one more glance toward her sister as she passed through the god’s exit, the gateway beyond glowing with a warm, comforting golden light.
Outside the far window, the endless empty awaited: a temperature-less, light-less abyss devoid of any of the pressures of the realm of the gods.
No gardens of exotic plants, no libraries of endless knowledge, no beautiful pools of ever-flowing water, no paintings or tapestries depicting legends that sent the imagination wild.
No mother, father, or sister.
A prison with no chains, the inmates left to rot forever where none would gaze upon them in pity, anger, or righteous hatred. A sudden, rising despair held Hifumi still, the portal back to the life she had lived closing, sealing her away from the warmth and light.
The barroom began to fall apart. Gravity failed as the chairs and tables turned first to dust and then nothing at all, the dim glow that allowed Hifumi to see vanishing alongside. The doors of the room dissolved and the rooms beyond, now holding just the mismatched greeters created by Adho, were revealed in all their crumbling glory.
The creatures fell to pieces with groaning sighs, the facsimiles of life leaving their dissipating bodies like water from a leaking barrel, and the last remnants of the room were gone. Hifumi and Nahi were left floating alone in nowhere, gazing at the outer shell of the universe. Stars, tiny and bright and beautiful, danced in graceful swirls of rainbow color to a silent song so far away.
The two watched for what could have been hours, or seconds, or years in the void without time or space.
In the cage with no bars.
Nahi’s hand clasped her shoulder soothingly, her last bastion. Her only remaining companion, friend, family in the empty. The pendant activated without a sound, carrying them away, deeper into the depthless abyss, as if they weighed nothing at all.
As if they had never existed and never would.
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Nahi guided Hifumi to her bedchamber.
They removed her disguise, set her down to rest, and cast two simple spells– one to darken the room, and the other to help Hifumi sleep. As soon as they confirmed that she really was asleep, Nahi exited the room silently, and walked down to the garden.
There were no flowers, but statues were important to all castles. Carving them with magic was easy, but doing it by hand brought a certain enjoyment to it that Nahi found missing in simply creating it with a thought and a wave of one’s hand.
They carved until the miniature star rose over the horizon, when they departed for the kitchen.
Nutrition was especially important after so much excitement.
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