Reality shook and swirled within my head. So typical that I couldn’t be allowed a moment of joy and peace before something came and stuck its dirty hands in my wedding cake. But now everything had an underlying sense to it. I had been putting the jigsaw pieces together but didn’t have the board behind them to signal what shape was being wrought into existence.

“Are you okay?” Pearl pulled back away from me to look me in the face. While she was jubilant and giddy—something beyond her usual calm and confident attitude—I had become frozen.

“Of course.” I kissed her slowly. Couldn’t let the thrum of the truth detract from our special day.

She wasn’t so convinced. “I just wanted to make sure. In case it felt uncomfortable or painful… I’m not sure how soul bonding affects humans.”

I shook my head, only realizing that my eyes were running with warm tears by the weight of them shedding from my beard as I moved. “No, no. Honestly, it… feels wonderful.”

This part was no lie. There was nothing that I could sense within me that had changed, yet being beside her… I felt complete. Like she was my left hand. Comfort and safety, buried in amongst all the love I already held for her.

“That’s not it, though.” Her hands clasped at my face. “Far too many tears for a happy man. I can feel it now. You cannot hide that something is wrong.” Emotion flooded her own eyes as she tried to share what she didn’t yet understand.

I turned my head from her to look at Wight. Such a sight in his little hat and waistcoat. Concern was also in his crimson eyes, and while he had a connection with me too, it didn’t look like he had the same revelation I had come to.

“Let’s head home.” I looked back at Pearl and gave her another kiss. “I will explain there.”

“Okay.” She gave a brief nod that didn’t shake her worry away. “Want to see something new we can do?”

Before I had the chance to answer, bright pink light filled my vision for a second, before it washed away. We were both standing in the lounge of our house.

“There’s no tradition of a honeymoon or anything like that.” She removed my hat and ran her fingers through my hair. “But if you’re up to it, we’ll bang again later?”

“So romantic.” My mood cooled, and I drew her in closer. “I think we’ll fast make enemies of the others living here, however.”

“Let me hit up my realtor,” she whispered, as the others started up the stairs. “I’ll get us a separate marital home, just for… those activities.”

Seemed wasteful, as I’d probably be dead in a few days, but I also loved the idea. “Make it so,” I whispered back, just as Rodney made it into the lobby.

“You didn’t come back through the portal?” He asked, although he probably meant it as a statement. “Also congrats?”

“Thanks.” I waved them both in. “Naturally, every gift comes with a cost, so sit and let me tell you the bad news.” My brow furrowed as Wight pooled in beside us. “Pearl… what did your father mean about a sacrifice?”

She pulled a face and gestured for me to sit. We all got into our normal positions. Her next to me. Rodney and David were on the couch opposite. Wight on the solo recliner to my right.

“I hope you won’t be mad,” she began, “but the boon of our bond came at a price as well. I accepted without consulting with you, because I selfishly wanted this more than anything.”

I exhaled through my nose. Hard to stay mad at her when I did this kind of thing twice as often. “I’ve forgiven you already, but tell me so I know how much I’ll regret leniency.”

She nodded. “In order to accept a human as my soul bond, I took… well, I am now permanently banished from Higher Hell.”

“Oh.” My brow furrowed. “That must have been a difficult choice. I respect it and won’t let you regret choosing me over that.”

Pearl pouted. “You’re such a cute human-husband.”

Ah, now I saw how strange it must sound for me to call her my demon-wife. Didn’t really have a chance to enjoy the moment, however. The grim truth was knocking at the back of my mind, wanting to be let out. With a sigh, I closed my eyes.

[Eric has something on his mind he would like to share.]

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“I’m not liking the sound of your bond having a cost,” David added.

I stood and removed my jacket. Stretched out my arms, and went to stand at the left side, as if I were about to give them a presentation. In a way, I was. Not to sell them some snake oil or involve them in a pyramid scheme - although, it wasn’t that far off. I cleared my throat.

“They’ve been lying to me this whole time.”

Some blank confusion on their faces.

[The Organization?]

“Yeah. Ah, sorry - it’s been a lot to parse. I think that… as part of the pact vessel, they are not just restricting your memories, Wight. There’s something in there that has been affecting my own mind.”

Pearl looked incensed at the prospect. “In what way? What are they stopping you from knowing?”

“I’ve been catching threads of it as I’ve grown in power, as if I’m escaping their clutches… but something about our soul bond has shifted me so that I can remember the question I keep forgetting.” I rubbed at my eyes. “Perhaps… David, you might be best to answer this.”

He squirmed and looked out of sorts to be put on the spot.

“Where do our souls go when we die?” I stifled a chuckle as my eyes welled up again - something my brain had been screaming at me for ages, but now I could actually put into words.

“Well… the afterlife,” he looked up as if he could see it. “All souls are supposed to go to heaven, as far as I’ve been taught.”

There was confused shuffling, as the group started to grasp at the threads of what I was leading to.

“Pearl, you have a soul, right? We just bound ours together, so surely demons have souls?”

She nodded, and I swung my questioning glare back at David.

“What happens when heaven is cut off from the mortal plane?”

He opened and closed his mouth, but had no clear answer within his brain.

[Where do demon souls go when they die?]

I clicked my fingers and pointed at my pact demon. “I have a hunch, and it’s taking a lot of willpower not to jump to conclusions.” Also to not jump through a portal and start destroying things.

“Oh, shit.” Pearl sat forward before standing up. “Oh shit, Eric. Fuck!”

Rodney looked pretty panicked and had started sweating again. “What is it? Somebody needs to clue me in, because I feel like I’m being pushed off a cliff right now.”

[This is troublesome… I’m at a loss for words.]

I took a deep breath and tried to calm my heartbeat. This made too much sense for it to be a coincidence. Everything lined up. Everything. I fought the nausea rising in my gut as realization led to realization. Before the group burst into nervous disarray, I held up my hand. And then I laid it all out on the line.

“The Organization has broken the link with Heaven, causing souls to be lost and astray. They have been using Hunters to gather the souls of demons to link and draw in the human souls via the Divine Artifact that surrounds the Headquarters in the Mids. The souls are being used for the ritual to bring back the dead god.”

Our lounge became devoid of any sound, save for Pearl muttering constant curses under her breath. Fresh tears ran down my face, knowing that I was part of this charade. I killed all demons and just furthered their goal. Partridge might not be in on it, but…

I clenched my teeth together and balled up my fists. “Director Volth is a fucking demon,” I growled.

Wight cupped his chin and tried to think back. It was obvious in retrospect - her bright amber eyes weren’t normal… but the vessel didn’t allow me to even question it. A Higher demon using their Mask to appear human. I seethed. I fucking seethed.

Rodney had a vacant expression on his face. “I’m… what were we just talking about? I seem to be spacing out over things.”

David, Pearl, and I exchanged glances. Something giving unfortunate validity to my claims. Although…

“My problems stem from my pact vessel, I thought they didn’t do anything to Blanks?” The scowl I leveled at him was probably unfair - I wasn’t angry at him.

“I don’t have any such thing,” he confirmed. “Passage has tried asking me that a few times, but I keep telling him I do not.”

[May I try to communicate with the Passage?]

He turned his confused eyes over to Wight, unsure of how to answer, but just nodded.

A tendril extended out from the demon to swirl over to the earring that held Rodney’s assistant. Pearl walked over and put her arms around me - which I appreciated as it felt like my world was falling apart. I may explode or crumble to dust.

Why had they kept me around, knowing I was the father of the Last Lantern? Part of me knew… demons liked their show of power. They liked control. Having me kill off demons until I eventually died was some kind of sick power trip to them. Had me circling the drain with a wide grin on their faces.

They saw me growing stronger and started to get worried. Kidnapped Rodney. Sent Cherub after me. Tried to get me to kill Pearl. Put me up against the odds again and again, trying to see when their little toy would break.

All they’d done was hone the living weapon I had become. Surrounded me with staunch allies that pushed me to be the greatest human Hunter breathing. They put on a good act; the Organization was what it was, their purpose was just obscured.

[We have an issue.]

Pearl and I turned to Wight, who was now withdrawing his extended probe back to join him.

[It is not a pact vessel, but the Rodney does have some manner of a small device that restricts his memories. Small enough that I cannot sense its presence.]

The Blank just looked confused - his expression changing as what we were saying slipped away from his mind. It angered me, but I wasn’t sure what we could do. I looked at Pearl for ideas.

She exhaled, closing her eyes and resting her head on my shoulder. “Let me think, this has been a lot to take in.”

That was certainly underselling it.

“Ahh,” David recoiled into the couch, trying his best to cover his face. “I think I know where it is.”

We all turned to him, which just tripled his embarrassment. “You want to expand on that in detail?” I asked, getting a little frustration out by turning the screws on him.

“Nooo. Just tell me how to break it or whatever.”

Rodney pulled a face. “Just what are you talking about doing to me?”

[If we do this… they will know.]

I raised an eyebrow back to Wight. “Are you certain?”

He nodded slowly, the weight of the situation suddenly upon us all.

We had reached the line.

With a tired glance between everyone in the room, I gave the nod to David.

It was time we crossed it.