We were all pretty stoked to see Ereshkigal's kingdom. A path appeared leading to a large metal gate.

‘Before we go, however, why don’t I get you all something to drink?’ the goddess asked with a smile and pointed to the cups she and Lilyth were holding. Whatever my jelly was drinking smelled insanely good. Lilyth gave us all encouraging looks so we all readily nodded.

‘Splendid,’ the goddess clapped her hands, leaving the cup she was holding floating in the air.

A tray appeared on which our drinks were. Oddly enough, the goddess didn't ask us what we’d be having. And one of those smelled…

No. No. No.

Unaware of my growing distress the goddess started handing out the cups:

‘Savri, for you have black coffee, no milk and sugar. Ren… I believe you like black tea, so have some proper Terran stuff. Aki, I think you will like cocoa. While Caei… I believe your kind likes blood, yes?’

I wasn’t even paying attention. I was just looking at the red liquid. So enticing. So…

With all the strength of my will, I knocked the cup out of Ereshkigal's hand. Something weird then happened. The cup and all the liquid spilling out of it froze in mid-air, and so did all my friends. The only things still moving were me and Ereshkigal. I looked at her, but instead of rage at me for daring to strike her, all I saw on her face was concern.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.

‘I can’t… I can’t drink blood,’ I spat. Normally, I can control myself… but a cup of it… just ready to drink… it’s too much.’

‘I’ll be honest, Caeileera, ‘Ereshkigal crossed her hands. ‘You are the first of your kind I’ve ever interacted with. All I know in that regard is that your kind can do it and that it’s really enjoyable.’

I looked around in despair but my friends didn’t move.

‘I stopped time,’ the goddess answered the unasked question. ‘They can’t hear us. So if this is something you'd rather they not know, then they won’t learn it. If it is too private I will also accept you not telling me. Is there some social convention I am not aware of, or some ethical considerations from your end? This blood is not from anything if that is your concern.’

What was I supposed to tell Ereshkigal? That blood gives us the best high one of us can ever experience? That it is so addictive that it only takes a few “doses”, sometimes only just one, to turn you into a bloodthirsty monster that needs to be put down? That I barely escaped that fate myself? The effects of blood drinking were so devastating that even absolute monsters like Gaar’rinver never tried once. After all, it is hard to do “research” when you are in search of ever larger doses of someone's life essence because the previous ones stopped working.

‘It’s… too enjoyable,’ I said with a heavy sigh. ‘I tried it once. Nothing ever compared to it. It was a few years ago. If it wasn't for a friend…’

‘Then I apologise for even making the offer, and for calling you a vampire. I’ll pass it to others not to call you that way either.’

She bowed.

‘Thank you. What about…’

‘The rest? Tell them when and what you want. To explain away this, say something about you not wanting to drink the blood of living creatures or something to that effect.

‘Will do. And I apologise for striking you, my Lady.’

‘There is nothing to be sorry about. I made the mistake of offering booze to a recovering alcoholic.’

‘I appreciate it, my Lady,’

‘Call me Ereshkigal, or Ere.’

‘Yes, Ere. Before you… unpause time can you tell me what you mean about me being the first?’

‘None of the other Sanguine ever ended up here. You are all the creation of The Blood, meaning it controls you. Even after your death.’

‘Wait… really?’ I was taken aback by this. ‘What happens to our souls then?’

‘This is something only The Blood knows, but, given what you have just told me and everything else I know about that thing, it can't be good.’

Oh no…

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I furrowed my brow.

‘Won’t it be mad once it learns that I signed off my soul to you then?’

Ereshkigal laughed melodically.

‘Believe me, Caei, it knows and it’s pissed. The Blood tried to contact me over fifty times in the time since it happened.’

I was beyond terrified.

What have I brought on us?

‘Don’t worry,’ Ereshkigal smiled. ‘I’ll smooth things out. Just need to remind that thing of certain hard truths of life. Anyway… shall we get back to it? If so, just pose yourself roughly in the way you would if you were knocking that cup out of my hand?’

I did and as the cup disappeared into the void I did my best expression of “What have I done?”, looked with contrition on Ereshkigal, who looked mildly irked and said:

‘I’m sorry, my lady. I find drinking blood tasteless.’

‘You should have said so,’ she chided me and then shrugged. ‘How about I get you some cocoa instead?’

Aki’s drink smelled wonderful, so, choking back tears, I simply nodded.

Thank you.

As we walked down the path sipping our drinks - the cocoa thing was indeed amazing, I heard Aki ask Lilyth:

‘So have you been here for the past few days? I… we’ve been worried. Then seeing you there with Ereshkigal…’

That was a good point. We appeared in the afterlife and here was Lilyth.

‘Sorry for making you worried,’ Lilyth shook her head sadly. ‘Though it wasn't on purpose, I assure you. The last thing I remember is Caei tackling me to the ground. Then I woke up here half an hour ago and learned from Ereshkigal that two days have passed.’

‘That one is partially on me,’ the goddess admitted. ‘I’ve decided to keep you under for a while. You being conscious and alone here wouldn't be healthy in your mindset. Alas, my duties tend to be time consuming so I wouldn't be able to keep you company and I didn't think you staying with strangers would be good either.’

‘You could have let her wake up,’ I pointed out.

‘No. No, I couldn't. What I did with Lilyth is waay deeper than what I did with you. In your case, I merely bound your essence to mine. As for Lilyth… to give her that, I had to put part of my divine self into her.’

‘Lilyth is a demigoddess now?’ Ren asked incredulously.

‘No,’ Ereshkigal sighed and rubbed her eyes with her fingers. ‘The best way I can describe it - she can now manifest my power into the mortal realm. Kinda an avatar after a fashion?’

‘Or an angel,’ I pondered, remembering what Akh'ret said.

‘A mix of the two,’ the goddess admitted and then quietly muttered: ‘I also need to tell m… Akh'ret to stop using that word about my people.’

‘That being said, if I never have to use that power again it is going to be too soon,’ Lilyth shuddered.

‘What did it feel like?’ I asked.

‘Imagine the greatest cold you have ever felt, but you are not just experiencing it - you are it body and soul. Everything becomes… hazy. The lines become blurred and you no longer see colour, it is just shades of grey, with one exception - red. The deeper the red the more evil you realise the person is. The need to remove those people… those stains upon reality becomes a painful urge. And the worst part is… you know. Who they are. What they did. Why do they deserve it.’

‘Does this mean you s-’ I began, worrying my jelly saw what exactly Kojiro did.

What Ren did.

What I did.

‘She did,’ Ereshkigal cut in. ‘But I took the liberty of… removing those memories when you were unconscious, Lilyth. I hope you don't mind.’

My wife covered her lower face with her hand.

‘Mind?’ she whimpered. ‘You probably did me the greatest favour there is. Thank you.’

‘I can’t have you breaking down on me, hun,’ Ere smiled. ‘That applies to you all really. So my quest for you is thus: once Lilyth can travel again, go pick up that militia trainer and investigate the graveyard rumours. Nothing happened that would indicate to me that it is that urgent, but I’ll let you know if anything changes. After that… take a few months off. Seriously, you all need it. I imagine events will conspire to make that impossible but at least try to rest.’

‘Shouldn’t we head to Lin-Vyme immediately?’ Sav asked. ‘Just in case it really is serious?’

‘You certainly can, ‘ Ereshkigal conceded. ‘Pray tell me though… How many of you would be heading there?’

And so thanks to Sav, Ren and I got volunteered to go to Lin-Vyme. Savri had to stay and keep training the militia. We couldn't also leave the settlement undefended. Aki said she wouldn't be leaving Lilyth's side and given how it likely would be several days until she could fight… I would happily stay with them too, but Ren, thanks to the pink-haired teacher’s pet planting that seed in her head, got really worried about the monastery town and since I couldn't quite leave her alone I offered to go with her. While I didn't mind spending more time alone with Rennie, despite what that stupid jelly of mine had said - there was little romance in actually dealing with necromancers.

If they were your type though… would it mean you are a necromancer romancer?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Lilyth's weirdness was rubbing off on me.

Then again… is it really that bad?

When Savri realised what she had done, she looked really sorry.

‘My bad… I wasn't thinking,’ she whispered to me as we continued our trek to the gate. ‘I forgot how understaffed we were now.’

‘Hopefully, nothing bad will happen,’ I whispered back.

‘If it looks dangerous, retreat and come get us. We’ll come to help you, other commitments be damned.’

‘Will do,’ I responded fully intending to do that.