?The timing of death, like the ending of a story, gives a changed meaning to what preceded it.?
-Mary Catherine Bateson

Father?s Day, June 19th. - Early Evening - 7:47 PM.

?And you said Rinn and Terry were gonna meet us there, at the restaurant??

The question was asked of the older woman stepping out of the door of her apartment with her. For a brief moment, she shielded her eyes against the sun as she glanced her mother?s way. She moved to lock the door after her, then carried on down the steps. The sun was just beginning to fall in the sky, the light changing to warmer golden hues. The time of day where afternoon started to slip into evening, where everything was suffused with a warm glow on a good day.

She was dressed in a simple sundress, dark green in color, and cut high in the front, and low in the back. There was a black wide brimmed hat on her head, and a simple pair of black flats on her feet, while her bag was slung over her shoulder, whatever was inside rustling with every step. Her wild mane of black locks was pulled back into a low ponytail, and there was a hint of Kohl rimming her eyes.

Meredith nodded a small bob of her head, ?They should be getting there soon to reserve a table for us.? She looked at the watch that rested on her wrist, noting the time. A few steps passed before she spoke again, ?Rinn?s been spending more time with Terry...it?s nice. I think they sort of feel a connection out of the horrible experience they both went through...I guess Rinn really knows how Terry feels or felt.? She worried at her lower lip a little bit in thought, ?...I?m trying to give him a chance....I know it wasn?t him but it?s difficult. I should be happy, but I just feel uneasy.? the older woman glanced over to Zynn looking a little uncertain, ?...Do you think it will happen again?...I mean...them being taken over like that again? I don?t know if my heart can take much more of this.?

?Sweet. And it shouldn?t take too long for us to get there. I don?t think.? This was said softly as there was a bounce in her step as she walked, rounding a corner that led out to the main flow of people in the marketplace. As her mother went on to speak though, she fell quiet, incredibly so. And she was for quite a few moments, before she actually opened her mouth to speak. ?I wish I could take everything back. I wish I could make all of that right again? I got everyone I cared about hurt in a way that I can?t fix. Rinn?s forever going to have heart problems, you have nightmares still from what happened. I?m going to do everything that I can to make sure that it doesn?t?. I just have to wait for him to?. Surface. And that?s the part that is dangerous.?

?You?ll be ready when he does.? She smiled in a hopefully reassuring manner, even if she wasn?t sure, it was her job to ease her childrens? minds, right? Her mother took her hand and patted it in both of hers before letting it go again, ?Is Gothrak not joining us tonight??

?I hope so.? Softly, before she sighed, and set a glance up to the sky for a moment, taking in the orange and pinks of it. Then she asked about Gothrak, and she sent a quiet glance her way. Her shoulders hunched a little. ?Nah. He?s not. He?s uh. Got uh, stuff to do somewhere.? This was muttered but it was clear to tell that she was fibbing.

A concerned furrow came to Meredith?s eyebrows at Zynn?s sudden awkwardness talking about the demon she usually was rather so open about talking about, ?Oh?? Admittedly, she didn?t know about what ?good? demons did in their spare time, ?That?s too bad.? She wouldn?t push the subject more though.

?Yeah. Uh? he didn?t elaborate.? As if she could lie away the vagueness of what she had said. ?Yeah. Too bad. It?s okay though. I?m certain that next time he?ll be here.? This was said softly, before she offered her a smile, and continued walking, this time to round a corner to a less busy split off. She didn?t want to tell her mother that Gothrak wasn?t coming because they had an explosive fight a couple days before?. And well? a lot of hurtful things had been said, a lot of things?. That she regretted, but her pride wouldn?t let her come to him yet and apologize. She?d wait for him to do that.

?Oh.? Her mother suspected there was something else to that whole thing but again, she wasn?t going to prod. Zynn was an adult and could handle her own troubles. Compared to everything else that had happened, this was normal thankfully.

And they could all use a little normal in their lives.

The less busy cut off was a shortcut to the restaurant and was made out of convenience, given no thought to whether they should keep to main areas. Considering the threat constantly lying in wait...It would be a mistake to have been made.

A rather normal looking man on a cellphone was approaching from the other direction, too busy to really give much attention to the two women but as he was passing them, Zynn noticed a little too late the gleam of yellow in his eyes.

?Yeah.? Awkwardly. Obviously, she was still tender from the argument, and didn't want to talk about it. The man, when they came upon him was given a cursory glance, before she dismissed him as harmless.

It wasn?t until she glanced at him a second time as they passed that she caught the gleam of yellow in the man?s eyes. ?RUN.? The word was hissed to her mother as she jerked, moving to turn and face him as she aimed to skittered back a couple of steps, making sure that she was between him and her mother the whole time.

The phone he?d been on wasn?t a phone at all when she took the second glance but a flat looking metal case that he aimed at her face and pressed a button. A mace like substance belched out in a spraying cloud that burned, leaving vision blurry and eyes stinging. Subdue the threat before initiating the coup de grace so to speak.

Beleth didn?t rush Zynn though, she had reflexes like a cat after all. Meredith on the other hand was just a human woman and was still completely disoriented from the situation happening so suddenly. A cry of Zynn?s name came sharply when the mist was sprayed but then another yelp followed, one of pain rather than fear.

?When you lose someone untimely; all left is never ending guilt, fear, and pain.?
-Nikita Dudani

8:06 PM.

She was drifting through nothing. Or at least she thought the inky blackness that swirled about her was nothing, smoke between her fingers, intangible. She was lost. Where was she? what happened? Was she doomed to be stuck in the endless inky black of her surroundings, floating forever through eternity? Who was she?

?Zynnara Badaloni.?

Her name was spoken in a low feminine voice, soft and throaty. Wait, her name? Yes. Her name. She didn?t know how she knew, she just did. Slowly, she turned, coming about to be face to face with a woman who was thin and scrawny, her curves the only thing well defined on her body, apart from the sharp and feline angles of her face. Her nails were long, and looked wicked sharp. Everything about the woman from her short pixie cut to the grace she slipped closer to the warlock with screamed feline. The only thing she seemed to be lacking were the ears and tail.

The warlock knew immediately who the woman was. She didn?t have to think, didn?t have to consider. It was the woman she had felt that day in the hospital, with the shade of Mach. She was just different this time. No longer a woman with intricate swirls across her face, but still cloaked in black. She could just feel it. Taste it in the air. Decaying earth, dying plants, the scent of death. Slowly, the realization dawned on her.

?I?m dead.? Those two words were spoken heavily, the realization of just what they meant sinking in.

?Mmmh. Almost. The question is, do you want to die? Do you wish to give up fighting, to let everything go? It could be easy. Your body is failing, shutting down from the blood loss. Mmm. He managed to get you good, didn?t he? All you have to do is let go. Embrace me child.?

?Almost? What do you mean?? Pause. ?No! I don?t want? no. I have to go back. My mother. I have to take care of her. I have to-?

?You know full well that she is gone now. Look.? With that and a gesture the smoke faded, the ground beneath her feet became solid again, and she found herself in the very cut through that her and her mother had chosen. Gothrak was standing, cradling her body close, form limp. Her mother?s body laid on the cobbles, unmoving, crimson pooled beneath her. Her attention shifted between the two, before finally, her focus fell on the demon, the terror and panic on his face, that stayed on his face even as he tore a new portal then cradled her close once again, before stepping through to what she was guessing was the hospital.

Once he was gone, and she stared at the scene once again, anger at? the demon Beleth, anger at? her mother?s death?. And most of all, anger at herself washed over her. How could she have let this happen, how could she had let the demon win, even though he was nothing but shredded muscle mixed with black ichor now?

How, how, HOW?

How could she be so stupid? How could she let her guard down, and fail her mother?

Silent, she seethed with anger at everything that had come to pass in the past year.

?You are angry.? Death?s words cut across her thoughts, had cat?s eyes cutting up to land on her.

?Of course I?m angry.?

?Why??

?....Because nothing happens right. Everything ends up getting so screwed in the end. Nothing goes the way I want it to.?

?Who are you angry with??

?Beleth. My mother Imogen, Terry for causing this whole mess to begin with. A mess that I?ve been trying to clean up, and it wasn?t even mine.?

?That was the past. Why be angry about something you can't change??

?Because I didn't ask for any of this! I didn't ask to feel unwanted by my birth mother. I didn't ask to deal with some f***ed thing from the past. I didn't ask to be shoveled into fighting to keep people I care about safe, only to have one die in the end. I didn't ask for it. And I didn't ask to keep on failing. To listen to my mother die as I stumbled around like a blind woman.?

?No you didn't. But that is life. It kicks you in the teeth, then runs off with them so they can't be put back in.?

?Well I'm angry about that. I'm angry about?. About so much. ?

?Mmh. I can see that. Who else are you angry at??

?No one. I answered that.?

?Not fully. Who else are you angry at??

?No one.? She scoffed, and made a face at her.

?Stop your lying girl. There is one person, above all the rest, that you hate more than anyone else. I can feel it. Its coiled to deeply within you, so much of it. So strong. Almost to the point of rage.Yes.?

?I-....?

?Yes??

?I'm angry with myself!? This was near shouted, as a scowl darkened her face. ?I can't ever do anything right. I try and I try and I'm never good enough. I just keep f***ing up and making mistakes, and causing the people I love hurt.?

?I know.?

?Then why did you make me say it??

?Because it is time for you to wake up. To stop running and avoiding your problems. To step up and accept the fact that you have messed up. And that there is no way to change that. That some day you will be faced with things like this or worse in the future. Life is painful. The people we love push us away. They die on us and never come back. You are a long lived creature. Many will die on you.?

?I don't?.?

?Oh I know you don't. No one ever does. But eventually we all have to wake up.? This was said simply, and instead of saying anything the warlock just sulked in silence. She knew the woman was right.

The quiet stretched on for a couple more moments. ?Do you want to die?? The question was asked abruptly of the warlock.

?What??

?Do you want to die? Your mother is gone. You had an explosive fight with your lover. Your brother? Well. The poor kid's still a mess, even though he's tough and tries not to show it. Terry?. Well he's like Rinn. Poor guy.? She tsked softly, her words pouring in on the warlock's silence. Low was the whine that came from her throat, spurred on by the pain of the day, the terror and suffering she had endured through the past year or so, that lost feeling of not really knowing who she was.

?Nn-no. I don't. I can't die. I- Gothrak, yes we fought, but I still love him. I don't want to lose him. And my brother needs me.?

?Don't you think you have helped your brother enough??

?Everything went sideways that night. I did what I could. That's what I've always done. Always. And it seems like it is never enough. Like I can never achieve what I want to, what I need to and everyone I care about in the end, still ends up getting f***ed. And I can't stop it. I can never stop it and god it hurts. All I wanted to do was protect my family, the people I care about, blood or not. And I have failed. I failed with my mother Imogen, and once more with my birth mother, Merideth. I failed Rinn in my promise to keep him safe, I've failed Gothrak with lies and tricks.?

Death was quiet as the warlock spoke of all her failures, seemed to be processing them quietly.

?I've failed so much, hurt so much. There's a family out there grieving someone still because of a fire I made. I've destroyed more than I have healed and helped.?

With those words Death cut a look towards her, and she paused, watched as the woman slunk closer. ?There are more deaths to come at your hands, terrible power to be wielded. Do not believe the count stops at one.?

The warlock grew quiet with those words.

?In life we fail people. That is what happens. It always happens. Whether it is the non- existent father, or the super pushy mother, we all fail those we care about somehow. Some of us.? She gestured at her. ? Are just more skilled at doing such than some others.? Closer to the warlock, did the woman lean, eyes hard.? You were selfish with your burdens, swallowed them whole and did not let your friends help to bare the weight of them, as they offered.?

?Because I didn?t want anyone to get hurt trying to help me. I couldn?t live with that. I couldn?t- If one of them died-.... I?m not worth dying for. I can?t be a burden, always asking for help like a child.?

The laughter that escaped Death was dry. ?Girl, that type of worth is not a worth you can put on yourself. No one decides if they are worth dying for. That is a worth, a value so great that only the ones that love you, the ones that care about you, can put on you. No one else. You. You would gladly had died tonight, if that meant your mother would still be alive. Your brother, Gothrak, Terry, Mach. You would die for any of them, yes??

?Yes. I would. I love them. They?re family.?

Death pointed at her chest. ?And that?s exactly what the people who care about you think. You child, are not worthless. You are not useless. You mean something to people out there. If you die tonight, there will be people that mourn your death. Despite your shortcomings, despite your failures.?

?I don?t want people to hurt because of me. I don't want to fail anybody anymore. I want to go back, fix things. I want to live. God I wanna live. I wanted to die at one point, but not any more. I wanna go make things right again. To help my brother, to make it all up to Gothrak-? Her words broke into a sob, the tears that poured down her face insubstantial, nothing but a wisp of energy like herself.

The woman turned, her hard green eyes fell on the warlock and narrowed. ?Your body is failing. You want that chance, then I suggest you find reality again, and fight for it. Because that is what you do. You are too tough to do anything less, even if you wish to give up and let it all go. You are a fighter. So go back and fight. And even if you come into my arms, keep fighting. One like you, I enjoy encouraging the fight in. So.? With a smirk, the woman reached out and touched her forehead, and it felt like electricity jolted through her, setting every nerve ending alive.

?It is a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up.?
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

They were late. Not so late that Rinn was worried really but late enough that Terry had called Meredith and Zynn and left messages. Rinn had left one too, to hassle his sister so when his cell rang and showed her number on the screen he didn?t answer with a customary ?hello? but a, ?Yo, bitchface, you?re late.?

?Uhm. I think by that it is safe to assume that I have a hold of Rinn? You are Zynnara?s brother, right?? The voice on the other end was most definitely not Zynn?s. But one a touch older, a little more motherly almost. ?My name?s Betty Joyce. I'm a nurse here at Rhy?din?s General hospital.?

Rinn?s playful grin that had been on his face fell immediately and he felt a twisting wrench in his stomach at the word ?hospital?. ?..Y..yeah...This?s Rinn. Wh..Why d?ya have my sister?s phone?? It didn?t sound like Beleth; he would have mocked him or some other cruel answer rather than the polite introduction.

?I dug it out of her purse. I'm still not sure what happened, but she's currently here in the O.R. with serious injuries. The one that brought her, Gothrak, he told me to contact you. I'm sorry.?

From that twisting feeling in his stomach right to feeling like he was punched in it. His breath taken away for a brief moment, ?S-sorry?? He flicked panicked eyes across the table to his father who looked concerned and confused, mouthing questions to ask what was going on. The young man would shake his head quickly, ?We..we?ll be right there. She was with my mom. My mom, is she okay??? She would have been the one to call, should have been the one to call.

?I.. I don't know about your mother. Gothrak, he mentioned a Meredith. Is that her name?? The woman's voice was hesitant? She didn't want to deliver news such as someone's mother was dead.

?Y-yeah, that?s her name. Is she okay?? He asked again, dread creeping through him as he was getting out of his seat. They hadn?t ordered yet so there was nothing to pay for, no bill to take care of. Rinn headed to the door with a confused and concerned Terry on his heels.

?I-.. ? Betty heaved a sigh, her heart heavy. ?I'm sorry. From what I understand with what Gothrak said, she didn't? She didn't make it. I'm?? She trailed off. It didn't matter how many times she said she was sorry there was no comfort she could offer, not through the phone.

The phone slipped from Rinn?s fingers and clattered to the ground making for a rather abrupt loud noise in her ear. Terry shouted after Rinn as the teen bolted down the street in the direction of the hospital as fast as his legs could carry him. The older man stooped to pick up the phone with the now cracked screen,

?Hello??

She winced at the noise that came through the phone as it clattered to the ground. As for the second voice that picked up the call, it had her blinking. ?H-hello. Is Rinn alright? Who are you?? She sounded confused.

?He just ran off suddenly. I?m his father. Is everything alright? Who is this? What is going on? Has something happened to Zynnara and Meredith?? Terry was walking briskly in the direction that Rinn had bolted in not having a clue where he was going just yet.

She gave another sigh when he gave who he was. ?My name is Betty Joyce. I'm a nurse here at Rhy?din General Hospital. As I explained to Rinn, Zynnara is currently in the O.R., with grievous injuries. From what I understand with what Gothrak has told me, Meredith was? Well she didn't make it. I? I'm sorry. I know it probably means nothing coming from me, but? I am.?

To his credit, Terry didn?t drop the phone, nor did he break into sobs at the thought of the love of his life that he only just recently got to reunite with having passed away. He felt the same gut punch Rinn had at the news, the same breathless moment as his world came to a sudden crashing halt. His throat felt tight, unable to force words out for a moment before he croaked, ?...H...how?? He suspected he knew how. Beleth had caught up to them like he had always threatened. Tears began to sting at his eyes, ?We?ll be right there. Thank you for your call?? He sped up his pace in the direction of the Hospital. Now at least he knew where Rinn was headed.

?I'm not sure. Gothrak said they were attacked. Other than that, and the amount of blood he was covered in, I do not know.? There was another sigh. ?I will be waiting here for you both. I'll have as much of an update as I can for you.?

Terry nodded, unable to verbally answer for a moment before he croaked out, ?Thank you.? and pressed the end call button. When the phone was tucked safely away into his pocket before he too, took off at a run towards the hospital.

When the other end went dead, the woman let loose a curse. It always had to be on her shift that someone passed and she had to pass along the heart wrenching news. With it done now, she had updates on a patient she needed to collect. She hoped there would be some kind of good news she could greet the father and son with

Hospitals are places that you have to stay in for a long time, even if you are a visitor. Time doesn't seem to pass in the same way in hospitals as it does in other places. Time seems to almost not exist in the same way as it does in other places. -Pedro Almodovar

+++

Rinn was the first to arrive at the hospital, though he nearly collapsed, not used to running so much but the fear had fueled his legs even when his lungs didn?t want to take it. He gagged a bit and bent over at the waist, his hands on his knees as he tried to regain his breath for a few moments. His body trembled from adrenaline, panic and overexertion. His throat felt like it was on fire and his leg muscles burned as he staggered forward a few steps to the reception desk as he pushed back the urge to throw up.

?Z-Zynn.? He croaked then retched to the side, dry heaving briefly from the tummalt of emotions and unexpected physical strain.

Just as promised, Betty Joyce had been waiting on their arrival. The huff that Rinn arrived in was hint enough that he was one of the two men that she had been waiting on. She blew out a breath that ruffled her short bangs. Then she moved to her feet and moved to collect two paper cups for water for both the boy and his father when he arrived as well. As she made her approach, she didn't speak, just held out the cup for him.

Rinn coughed before looking at the outstretched cup, he snatched it up and greedily gulped it down before grabbing for the other one to swig it down just as quickly. He was still panting, though slowly catching his breath again when Terry arrived. His father wasn?t as out of breath but his eyes were red rimmed and glassy, she knew he was the other of the duo she?d been waiting for.

?My wife and step-daughter...they were brought in?? the older man asked, uncertain if this was the lady on the phone or just a kind soul that worked there.

She let Rinn take the second cup as well, because she figured he needed it. ?Breathe deep. Making yourself sick isn't gonna make anything better.? Simply said to the teen, before her attention shifted back to Terry.

?We spoke on the phone. Betty Joyce. Sorry we have to meet on such terms.? She offered out her hand to the man, ?Gothrak just brought Meredith?s body in.? This was said delicately as it was a sensitive subject. ?And Zynn is still currently in the O.R. She's still in unstable condition and is currently receiving blood transfusions, while the doctor works to patch her up.?

The nurse?s hand was taken up and shaken in a firm manner, his eyebrows furrowed together in pain and concern, ?...Terrance Cormak.? He realized he hadn?t actually given his name before...but then again, he had other things on his mind. He knew the process more or less from being a police officer. There were papers he would have to sign, he would have to identify Meredith?s body. He swallowed back the lump in his throat that was threatening to choke him before speaking again, ?...Is there a waiting room we can go while she?s in surgery?? He would go and identify Meredith?s body alone if he could, he didn?t want Rinn to have to be there.

?Terrance. It's not exactly a pleasure to meet under such circumstances? But?? She trailed off, and left her words at that. As for his question, she nodded. ?There is. If you both would follow me I can take you there.? She nodded.

Terry simply nodded. Rinn finally caught his breath and immediately started asking questions, ?Where?s Zynn? Where?s my mom? Where?s Goth?? Adrenaline was still pumping through his system. He was a flurry of questions, not giving Betty a chance to answer as they walked to the waiting room that the demon was pacing in.

The woman was used to barrages of questions like this, and simply let Rinn finish as she led them back to the waiting room. Once she reached it, she nodded to the door. ?Gothrak is in there. Zynn is currently in surgery, and your mother? Well she is probably in the morgue by now.? Once again this was said gently.

Rinn shook his head rapidly, ?She?s not dead.? Denial as he burst into the room, shouting, ?What happened?? Were you there? Nuh, it wouldn?ta happened if y?were...where were ya?! Y?shoulda been there!! Why weren?t you there!?? The teen launched himself at the demon with angry words and fists and tears that started flowing. At first the demon didn?t know what was going on, shocked that some mortal creature would dare assault him but after a moment, he snapped and roared at Rinn, getting the boy to back off. Frightened back from the snarling demon, the teen sniffled and went to sink into a chair, covering his face with his hands and hiccupped as he started to sob.

Terry closed his eyes and swallowed down the urge to start sobbing as well, his jaw tight and starting to ache from the stiffness of it. The demon returned to pacing and making distressed mewling sounds, even more agitated with the blame Rinn had tossed at him.

?...I?ll go identify?? He murmured quietly, not able to raise his voice much past a whisper at that current moment. Rinn would stay there it would seem, crying as the denial and rage bled into grief and sorrow.

Betty tensed when the teen flung himself at the demon, not at the angry words and fists but with all his rage and denial. She thought for a brief moment that she may have had to call security. Though when the roar sounded and the teen backed off, she relaxed. She knew everyone was on edge, and that discourse could happen at any given moment. Besides, it looked like the big guy could take it.

It wasn't until Terrance spoke and Rinn succumbed to his grief that she actually looked his way again. ?Now?? It was a quiet offer to gather himself before he had to face the task ahead.

Terry nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat a few times but didn?t verbally answer. Nods would be all he could manage for now.

?Come then.? She shot another glance towards Rinn and Gothrak both, before she closed the door to the waiting room, so as to let their grief and worry be a little more private. Then without much else, she turned to start leading the man through a myriad of halls until they reached an elevator. Which she pressed the bottom for, then settled to wait.

Anxiety.

?She?s still going! NO discernable pattern!? ?Charge for 220!? ?Her waveform is getting weaker!? ?She?s tremoring!? ?Administer 1 cc epinephrine push to PICC? ?Let cardiology know we?re going to go for the thoracotomy! We need to move her to a heart lung machine until we can stabilize her bleeding or she?ll cook and freeze to death!? ?CHARGE READY!? ?Charge ready! Clear, Clear, Clear!?

Another ebb of those bodies as the paddles were applied, the jolt causing the limp form to jerk as some grotesque caricature of life. A moment of uncertainty held before it was cut through by that telltale monotonous tone that rang over the ever increasing chaos of alarms.

?SHE?S FLATLINING!? ?Complete asystolic response, BP tanked!? ?Start chest compressions, round robin every two minutes.? ?I?ve got one!? ?Two!? ?I?ll take three!? ?Round four!? ?Alright! Let?s get pumping people were running against the clock!?

Pain. Terror. Not hers. Snap. Chaos. Chaos everywhere. Chaos around her. Swirling blackness. Gone. Free. What was happening?

One of the nurses started into the woman?s chest, fingers lacing as they began compressing against the sternum, deflecting it unnaturally inward. The sickening crack and pop of cartilage breaking was of little concern over the rest of the chaos that ensued.

?She?s succumbing to the acidosis, prioritize pushing that bicarb to treat the underlyer and then begin to alternate 1 cc of epie and 40 of vaso every two minutes after.? ?Load up two more PRBCs for line in, don?t bother prewarming! I?m going to continue the ligation-? ?But she?s already hypothermic-!? ?The deoxygenation is going to kill her quicker than the cold!? ?Actually let?s pull all the heat packs and replace them with ice? might buy us a few more minutes and decrease the acid buildup.?

Any attempts to keep her even remotely resembling the airs of life were dashed as the ice packs were slapped about her body, motling the skin like unprocessed meat.

?Nurse get me a 16 gauge syringe! IR ready the echo. We?ll go in if we reach the 8 minute mark through the intercostal space and drain the pericardium? might make it easier to re-establish a heartbeat!? ?SWITCH, SWITCH!? ?I need more suction! You! Hold this paddle here to stabilize the liver while I attach a clasp!? ?We?re at 6 minutes 47 seconds!?

There was nothing beautiful in the work going on; it was simply a bare knuckle, drag out fight against the oxygen deprivation that was quickly killing the warlocks brain unless they could get her heart beating again, get her limping long enough to move that most vital of functions over to a machine. More time passed and the exhausting task of forcing blood through her body was halted as the cardiologist and radiologist worked in tandem to feed the thick needle into the sack containing the woman?s lifeless heart, crimson tinged exudate filling the large syringe.

?Aaaaaa-nd got it! Drawing out!? ?Quick, quick, slap a gauze on that hole!? ?I see it! There?s a 3 mm nick in her hepatic artery and a 2 mm nick in her bile duct! Let?s prep to ligate the bile duct and it looks like the nick is clean on the artery so I?ll just need a ? monofilament to suture the artery.? ?Round two, round two! One, to compressions!? ?We?re at 11 minutes 23 seconds flatline!? ?Administering 1 cc epinephrine? now.?

Blur. Chaos. There?s a face in the swirling darkness. A familiar face, hands outstretched. Fight. She still wanted to fight. She didn?t want to go. No. She still had things to do.

Tension mounted as they slipped further and further into the red with each minute incurring more and more brain damage. They struggled against the odds and that looming question that no health care provider ever wanted to ask? the poignant elephant in the room.

?DAMN IT! I can?t get a good hold of the vessel with all this bouncing!? ?Sue, You look tired, let me switch.? ?N-No! I got this. It?s -nff- it?s only been a minute!? ?POC pH at 7 even, should we ready another bolus of sodium bicarbonate?? ?...Time?? ?We?re at 15 minutes 36 seconds??

Even with the clarion of alarms going off the room felt stale and lifeless as the reality of things began to sink in amongst that crushing exhaustion. She had been dead for 15 minutes? her brain starved probably beyond the point of ever coming back. Everyone looked around at each other uncertainly, working to gather courage to make that suggestion none of them wanted to hear.

She didn?t want to die. It wasn?t fair. She?s tried. Tried so hard. She withdraws, the face follows, insistent hands stretch, always offering.

?... charge 250. Ready 1 cc epinephrine to administer between this shock and the next.? ?C-Carl.. They?re asystolic, a defibrillation won?t-? ?I KNOW! ? Prepare the charge - 250 first, 1 cc epie, 300 the second? and then? then I?ll call it.?

The bitter anger of those words washed over the room adding to the already somber mood though it pushed the people to that last stand of action.

Rinn. Gothrak. Terry. Family. What would they do? How could she do something like that to them?

?Charging 250.? ?Epie 1 cc ready!? ?S-stopping compressions?? ?Alright, sutures in place, it?s not pretty but?? ?. . .? ?. . .? ?Charge ready.? ?Charge ready? Clear, Clear, Clear.?

The paddles were applied to that horribly bruised chest, sick patterns of bruising beneath pale flesh giving the woman an abstract look, a mockery of the life she once had. Her body lurched from the jolt of electricity as it arced across her heart. A moment of silence as the instruments calibrated from that shock before the continuous monotone buzzed to life once again.

She begs. She pleads. Don?t make her do this, don?t have her make it even harder on those she cares about. Please. No more pain or sorrow or hurt. She?s so tired of it. She?s so done. Please. She wants to live. She wants to stay.

?Charging 300.? ?Administering 1 cc epinephrine!? ? ?. . .? ?No reaction to epinephrine?? ?Patient still asystolic.? ?We?re at 18 minutes 23 seconds.? ?Charge ready.? ?Charge ready? all clear.?

Hands take hers. Please. Please. Please.

And those paddles, the last hope for a miracle, were applied one last time?

Please.

?Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.?
- J. Robert Oppenheimer

Around 10pm Sunday June 19th, citizens reported several explosions occurring in the vicinity of the Rhydin general hospital. Upon further investigation, it was found to be a lone demon causing carnage and wanton destruction. Thankfully, those fleeing the immediate area only suffered minor burns and abrasions; complaining of a near suffocatingly oppressive heat the closer to the demon they were.

The savage Gothrak seemed to only be destroying things rather than people; exploding parked cars with hellfire, slashing fire hydrants from their settings in the concrete and tearing up lightposts to launch or twist into pretzel shapes like they were nothing but pipe cleaners.

All attempts to communicate with the demon were met with hostility as he seemed unhinged and unwilling to stand down or likely to stop his rampage at any point in time.

Serah had been busy packing a bag to go offworld. The tv was going on about something or another and she would have almost missed it, if it had not been a close-up shot of Gothrak. She had been walking by the tv when she saw it and had to do a double take, step back and stare. "What the hell?" The clothes were dropped and she snagged her phone. She was going to call in a favor but decided against it for now. Instead she was out the door, minus her shoes, to head to the area that it was being reported.

Once there, she shooed off the camera crew, news reporters, or anyone she could from the area. It was dangerous. And of course she had a little bit of a hard time getting the reporters to go away but after some talking she got a few of them to leave. That was all that mattered, after all. Their safety!

Inhaling slowly she started towards the raging demon and only released it to call out, "Goth? What the heck?!"

He was no longer glamoured to blend in with the human populace, he was in his full demon form. Large spiraling horns jutted out from above his eyebrows, his hands and feet were talons that were rending metal. Serah could feel the heat radiating from him, making it difficult to breathe; like an extremely muggy day in the summer.

When he heard the call to him, his attention snapped to her like a wild animal. His eyes were red, that wasn't new...what was new were streaks down his cheeks and the sclera of his eyes, both bloody red. The demon bared his teeth and let out a roar that felt like an impact in the air, similar to a parade drum, felt heavy in the chest of anyone near.

His attention didn't remain on her, after the roar was given, he turned his aggression to a car that's sensitive alarm went off and tore into it. The squeal of metal being ripped into sounded as he clawed at it.


Colorless eyes blinked when he looked at her like that. He had never looked at her like that let alone roared at her like that! What the hell? She felt the roar down to her core but it didn't stop her from climbing over the mess that was his playing with everything in the area. "Gothrak! Stop it!" She'd get close enough to spring from her spot and latch onto one of his arms. That took a lot of doing but once she had her arms around his she grasped her wrists so that she was locked into place. "Goth? Calm down. Come on!"

The demon gave a surprised snort at the sudden cling-on and snarled. There was no care or recognition on the demon's face; just a feral look that she had not seen on him before. He bristled and gripped at one of her arms locking her in place; his hand circling completely around her thinner arm in a vice grip that was sure to bruise.

He began to pull in an attempt to dislodge her, snarling and delivering a frustrated kick at the car he had been assaulting causing it to skid sideways until it crashed into the side of a building.

This was not the Gothrak she knew and the way he grasped her arm caused her to whimper out. "G-Goth stop! That hurts." She had no choice but to release him with that arm. The pressure of his hand grasping caused her muscles to abandon their attempt. Colorless eyes went up to his face, trying to find something but she wasn't sure what. It was the streaks of red that caused her to blink. Were they tears or something else? "Calm down." She tried to sooth him, taking the pain of his grasp. It was likely a stupid idea but she wasn't going to abandon him.

"Gothrak." she tried his name again, trying to keep her pain and panic from her voice. No she tried to keep it to where her tone was soothing.


He had almost flung her in the direction of the car he'd mangled when she released him but her calm tone made him hesitate. The demon growled and narrowed his eyes at her before releasing her with a push.

The streaks did indeed appear to be tears as every now and again they dripped from the end of the trail at his jaw. Something had happened to make him lose his mind or revert to the beast of destruction he was created to be.

She skidded back but kept to her feet. Barely so! Rubbing at her arm, she mumbled. She was lucky he hadn't broke her arm given his strength. After a few breaths of pause she began to move towards him again, refusing to just leave him be. This time she had her hands out to her sides, palms up to him. "It is me. Serah. Come on, Goth. Calm down so we can talk." She braced herself but didn't shy down. "What is wrong? Talk to me."

He gave a heated snort at her and began to pace like a caged animal, his eyes flicking along her then to her face again. He squinted a moment before he gave another snort, tossing his head like a grumpy bear. At least he wasn't launching himself at her. Just standing there that close to him was enough to make someone sweat from the heat.

She was half expecting him to launch himself at her or throw a car at her. She was prepared to spring away if she had to. She didn't know what to make of his pacing or the way he was acting. If he didn't move away she would stop and just keep her hands held out to him, almost as if asking permission. Well he was calming some. Maybe? She didn't know! She had never seen him in such a blind rage and it rather broke her heart. "Shhh. Whatever it is, we can talk about it. I am not going to go and leave you, Goth. So you can either be bugged by me until you talk to me or you going to have to kill me." Okay, now that she thought about it, was probably better she hadn't said that last part and give him ideas.

He gave a rumble at her words, her soft tone seemed to be helping calm him a little though. He continued to pace a little more before his growling turned into a heartbreaking mewl. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and held his head a moment before letting out an anguished sound. He sank to his knees and some of the heat died down in the area.

Oh lawd, she didn't know he made that kind of noise and she winced. That really was heartbreaking! When he sank to his knees she instantly moved forward, heat or not! She'd of taken it just to get to him and she reached out to hug his shoulders. If allowed that is. And she would stroke his hair if she was given a chance, attempting to ease him further. "Shh. Shhh." She frowned a bit, trying to work it out in her head what was wrong. "Heyyyy. It is okay."

He gave another series of soft sad mewls and rocked a bit. He'd stiffened up a bit when she looped her arms around his shoulders but then relaxed into her. The demon gave shuddering breathes and other broken sad sounds. When he was able to form words again, all he said was 'Gone.'

She connected the dots. The red had been tears. Whatever rage that he had been in was sorrow driven. The sounds he made nearly caused her into tears with him. "Gone?" She rocked with him, remaining standing because if she had sat down or anything it would of became rather awkward.

He also just about came up to her chest when he was on his knees as it was. Gothrak gave another sad mewling noise and closed his eyes, leaning more weight on her, "...gone...dead....zynn..." He groaned.

Whoa! She had to hunker down or be knocked over. Leaning into him in return to even out as best she could, she frowned at his head. "What do you mean she is gone? You guys broke up?"

He began pulling away from her, shaking his head and growling. The heat building up again...she had gotten it wrong. He shook his head rapidly and let out some snarls and growls, squirming in her hug but not pushing her away.

"I don't understand growling." she scolded softly. His words finally managed to catch his words, running them through her mind. Her arms released him but instead of letting him go she cupped her hands to his cheeks and tried to get him to look to her. "Shhh. What happened, Goth? Talk to me. Don't go off again. I need you here. Talk with me."

He growled and snorted at her when she grabbed his face but then groaned and gave a sad sound again, "Zynn...died...gone..." The sclera of his eyes cleared a little and his eyebrows pulled down together as he mewled, "...I...failed...wasn't....there..." His words seemed a struggle, not because he was crying but because he seemed to be fighting something inside.

Zynn was gone. Dead. Her brows furrowed and she knew she wasn't going to get any details out of him. "Goth." she didn't know what to say. There was no words that could comfort that pain. Instead she released his face and again hugged him but this time hugged him tight to her. "I'm so sorry."

He gave a groan and leaned into her. The demon trembled in the hug then struggled away from her, shaking his head and his groan growing into a growl. He scrambled away from her and pressed his hands into his temples like he had a massive headache.

She blinked as she was shoved away and she watched him. "Goth? Talk to me." She tried to keep it soothing and the concern from her tone but it was impossible. She didn't know what to do to help him and that drove her crazy.

He shook his head more rapidly then let out a long loud roar that soon died out. His whole body going slack, the heat abruptly turning off. The red in his eyes faded, replaced with grey. His face went slack and his shoulders slumped. Something inside his mind snapped, he couldn't take the stress of the situation and broke.

She flinched when he roared, her skin crawling up. Her ears were going to ring for weeks after this. The slack of him had her rushing forward to hug her arms around his waist in case he was going to go face first to the ground. Not that she could do much but cushion his fall. "GOTHRAK!" Now the panic was in her voice. She was scared for him. "GOTH!"

He didn't fall, he simply stood there. His usually red cat slitted eyes were grey and lifeless, though he still breathed and was warm to the touch, there was no real response from him at her calling his name or being so concerned for his well-being.

She whimpered quietly at the blank he seemed to be giving. Reaching up she cupped his face. "No no no no no. Don't go away. Come on!" Tears began to fill her eyes and trickle down her cheeks. "L-Listen I know you are upset b-but maybe we can still save her? Maybe we can do what we did for me and put her soul into a new body or something. Y-You can't! You can't do this! She would not want you to- to- Goth!"

The demon seemed to look through her instead of searching her face as it had before. Retreated far into himself that not even her tears or shouts at him would call him forth. A shell of the proud gruff creature he once was.


"Goth." she sobbed quietly. She didn't like this one bit and her head lowered, forehead bumping to his chest. "I know it is hard but you can't do this. You can't run away and hide. You know damn well you wouldn't let me and I am not going to let you. You can't do this. You can't..." She didn't know what to do! Pulling away she dropped her hands to her side, defeated by the shell of a man. The roaring demon wasn't even able to stop her but this, this was different.

The broken creature lifted his chin a bit and sniffed at the air then gave a grunt and relaxed again, "...direct me to a female of demonic blood." He rumbled, "I need command." Another thought struck him...he could just return to Hell and get commands from his Queen, that in mind, he gave a grunt and turned, slashing at the air in front of him to create a portal.

Her head snapped up and she reached up to shove his arm. "You don't need a command! You need- You need to knock it off! Where are you going?!" The last took a high pitch in her voice and she tried to make a grab at his arm. "Y-You- STOP!"

He gave a grunt and looked down at her. The demon leaned down a bit and sniffed at her before giving a snort, "I am returning to my home to seek out commands from my Queen. I am a soldier of Hell 9. I am not to be idle. I was created to serve, obey and protect the female demon. To protect potential offspring."

He spoke without feeling in his voice, like a drone spouting off a manual.

"You are not. You are Gothrak. You are a friend and- and you-" She looked up at him, her brows furrowed. "You are going to just leave me." It was clear that it was going to happen. This shell of Gothrak was just going to leave. He drew into himself with the loss of Zynn and the rest of the world didn't matter. Slowly her eyes lowered and she took a step back. "Fine. Leave! Leave, you damn coward." she ended up mumbling the last bit.

"I am Gothrak." He repeated, he knew his name, that had been given to him upon his creation along with his directive.

Since she'd given him leave to go, it was what he did. He felt nothing. Without a backward glance, the demon strode through the portal and was swallowed up into it. Presumably gone home to his Hell to receive commands befitting a beast of destruction.

She stared after the portal closed, leaving her standing there alone and in tears. It felt like someone had kicked her in the chest. She understood the pain but she didn't know what happened to Zynn! And now? Now, she lost a friend she never thought she would. It took a few swallows and some time before she numbly turned and started to remove herself from the rubble.