“A smart person knows how to talk. A wise person knows when to be silent.”

― Roy T. Bennett

Once Tabitha was certain the throne room was indeed empty, she stood up and whirled on her friends.

“Balca, Malice, Lydia, and Nanina! You all have some explaining to do. What the hell! Why do the Harkuns think that I am their long dead Devil Queen Olana, and why did you purposely lead me to the Crystal Pyramid?”

Malice did not look at all guilty, Balca on the other hand simply flew up and sat in Tabitha’s Crystal Throne. She flicked her hand once and a fingernail file appeared out of thin air. Balca sat back, crossed her legs, and began to file her claws. The green demoness was way too small to be sitting on the throne, she looked like a toddler. Balca did not look too guilty either, however, Lydia and Nanina looked kind of sheepish. They knew they had held some information back; they did not tell Tabitha everything about the fortress. Malice sighed.

“Tabitha the reason why the Harkuns believe you to be Olana is simple. You are Olana.”

Tabitha shook her head in vigorous denial, she pointed a finger at Zula.

“My very first day in the Nether Realm, Zula told me Olana was killed by the gods. She died five thousand years ago. I told all of you at some point that I was a 17-year-old human girl who got transported and transformed into a greater she-devil. And that was three weeks ago. I am Tabitha Elaine Pearson, not Olana.”

“You are both.”

Balca cut in, Tabitha shifted her gaze on the small demoness.

“You are both Tabitha and Olana. Remember what Zula told you about demons and devils in the Nether Realm?”

Tabitha nodded.

“Yes, Zula said demons can either be born in the Nether Realm which is rare. Or they can be created by transferring souls from the mortal realms into the Nether Realm like humans and other beings which is more common. But devils can only be born in the Nether Realm, there has never been a devil’s arrival from the mortal realms. Except for me.”

“No Tabitha, you were always a devil in human form. Well, your spirit anyway.”

Tabitha spun her head at Talin’s words, the red demoness with the shoulder length black hair shrugged.

“I always thought it was strange that the Nether Realm would transform you into a powerful greater she-devil. I mean it didn’t make sense; it has never happened before. It could only mean one thing. Tabitha was always a devil.”

Tabitha wanted to pull her hair out in frustration.

“Guys, no matter how much you want to believe I am Olana. The fact is, Olana died five thousand years before one of my ancestors was even a thought.”

“Then how do you explain what you have done so far?”

Nanina chimed in, her silver eyes met with Tabitha’s gold and silver ones.

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“You were able to cast powerful magic in just a few days of becoming a devil. You were able to open a magically sealed door imbued with holy and light magic, you were able to unlock a hidden rune sealed magical door and claim the Rod of Might. Or should I say the Rod of Olana. You did all of that in less than a month, all without years, decades, or centuries of experience. Please mother, this was not luck, this was instinct, the memories of Olana, your memories.”

Before Tabitha could utter a rebuttal, Lydia spoke up.

“Zula and I had a long conversation when we were in Camelot. She told me about your first meeting, on what you said about this other self-possessing your body. Mother, devils, demons, gods, and angels do not have split personality disorders. That is a mortal condition, you are Olana. Your mind may not remember, but your body does. You call it instinct, but what it truly is, is experience. You Olana are reasserting yourself, which is why you were able to claim the Rod of Olana.”

“If I were Olana, then answer me this question. Why am I still alive? If Olana died in the Nether Realm, how did I get to earth?”

Tabitha looked at everyone and waited for an answer. It was Balca who said.

“Simple, at the moment of Olana’s death she must have activated her Reincarnation Effect.”

Tabitha blinked and then demanded.

“What is the Reincarnation Effect?”

“To put it simply, gods and devils are immortal. How old do you think the gods are Tabitha?”

Malice waited for Tabitha to answer her question. Tabitha took a wild stab in the dark.

“I don’t know, maybe a million years old?”

“The first gods appeared billions of years ago; some believe they were once mortals who transcended into godhood. Others believe they were created by the All God, the God of Gods. No one knows for sure. But do you believe you could accumulate billions of years of memories and experiences without going insane?”

Malice raised a single slender sliver blond eyebrow at Tabitha in question. Tabitha shook her head.

“I imagine with eons and eons of memories weighing down your mind. All that knowledge all that experience could make you insane.”

“Exactly!”

Balca exclaimed.

“The gods’ minds were getting heavy with all those memories. So, they decided to create the Reincarnation Effect. Think of the phoenix, the bird is immortal, but they grow old like mortals. When they reach the end of their present life span, they die by burning up in their own fire and are reborn from the ashes as a little baby phoenix. So, the gods did something similar when they reached a certain time of their own choosing. They activate their Reincarnation Effect; they cleanse their ancient form and reemerge in a younger form. At the same time, their minds get rid of some unwanted memories.”

“So, they come back with younger bodies and fresher minds.”

Tabitha concluded; Malice nodded.

“Exactly, but their powers remain. Some might say when they complete their Reincarnation Effect, the gods’ powers grow stronger.”

“So, when Olana was killed. She activated her Reincarnation Effect; it must have saved her.”

The voice came from Sandra who was still in the throne room. Tabitha knew she was there; she saw no reason why the War Leader shouldn’t hear the entire conversation.

“But Lady Tabitha mussst have been weakened by the ordeal. Ssshe hid on earth to gather her ssstrength, and it took five thousssand yearsss.”

Kasca had the right of it and Tabitha couldn’t help but see the logic in that explanation. If Olana knew she was dying and the only way to save a part of herself was to activate the Reincarnation Effect. Tabitha would have done the same thing, in fact, she probably did.

“I assume devils as well as demons and angels learned how to do this Reincarnation Effect?”

“Yes, but it depends on the individual when to use the Reincarnation Effect.”

Malice confirmed; Tabitha sighed feeling tired which was strange.

“As much as I want to keep denying that I am not Olana, the logic you guys have presented is undeniable. For now, we all should get some rest. Or I should get some rest. I’m providing my own magical particles to the Crystal Pyramid in order to reboot it. Behind the Crystal Throne are doors leading to my personal bedchamber as well as guest quarters. So, if you don’t mind.”

As Tabitha walked towards the double crystal doors, she held out her right hand towards the throne. The Rod of Olana detached itself from the armrest and flew to her hand. Tabitha clasped her rod and walked through the doors which opened of their own accord. She left the others to converse on their own and do whatever they liked.