Final Chapter: Demonic Mercy or Mere Insanity?

SPOILER ALERT. Only read if you're ok with the end of the book being revealed to you

            Ambrosia pointed the blade at his neck. Time seemed to have stopped, the moment was so thick and tense. Everyone waited for Ambrosia's next move so intently that they all forgot to breathe. Then Ambrosia took a deep breath and held up the torch she'd been holding for light. She turned to face the statue beside her, the huge statue of Athena, and dropped it right next to her. Quickly the entire building began to burn and all of the people inside, save herself and Diomedes, ran about, screaming and panicking about how she truly was a demon, how this was her intention from the beginning. Ambrosia wasn't sure if they were speaking the truth or not, but she didn't even bother to think about it. Those menial comments weren't the important thing in that moment. The world stopped around Diomedes and Ambrosia.

            Ambrosia smiled and spoke softly despite the gruffness of the demon in her speaking, "A life for a life..." She took her blade away from the war lord's neck, and dropped it. She closed her eyes took a deep breath, then looked back down at Diomedes with soft eyes, tainted with a light blood red not nearly as bright as before. "Thank you."

            Diomedes wasn't in shock at all. He smiled in return as she offered a hand to help him up. They locked palms for a moment as he stood and took his place beside the demon girl. They didn't let go of each other's hands, but instead laced their fingers together and just took the moment to smile together and examine each other's faces since they could not see the emotions any other way. Diomedes then took her in his arms and slowly leaned in. He gave her a light kiss on the lips, and she closed her eyes to enjoy it. What seemed like forever passed and they parted. Holding hands they looked up at the burning statue in silence for another drawn out period of time.

            "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked him.

            Diomedes stood there in awe, looking at the burning statue. "What is?"

            Ambrosia chuckled. "The destruction."

            Diomedes chuckled to himself and looked at the statue with a new found point of view. "That it is..."

            Ambrosia held out her hands to catch some falling ashes. "The statue will take some time to fall, but the building itself cannot stand much longer. It's not built as strong as the temple back in Troy was. I suggest you leave before it goes down."

            He nodded, giving her a look of sorrow. He didn't want to leave her, but new that it couldn't be any other way. This was fate. "Before I go..." He didn't bother to finish as he walked to the bottom of the statue. He opened a secret compartment and took out the same artifact that Alexander had given his life to attempt to protect, still covered in the same cloth. He handed it to Ambrosia. "Take it with you," He said. "To your brother. In appology, let him know it was a fake."

            Ambrosia took the item and looked up at Diomedes with a wide grin. Her insane eyes and demented smile grew even more as she began to laugh miniacally. "It was a fake the entire time!" She shouted in a psychotic relief. She continued to laugh, having to support herself on her knees at a point, not knowing how else to express all the emotions she'd felt. Diomedes smiled to himself, laughing with the same, crazed laughter.

            The laughter died down and all was quiet again. Ambrosia turned to look at Diomedes with a smile. "You should go now... You mustn't keep your women waiting."

            Diomedes smiled in return and embraced her with all his might, whispering his goodbyes to the demon girl, then ran towards the enterance of his dining hall to leave his home. She could feel her brother's presence all around her, and knew that she had done all she needed for Hades. The God of Death was going to allow her brother passage back to the world of the living as she died. Ambrosia held the cloth-wrapped item close to her heart and closed her eyes, reciting a poem from long ago:

            "You came to me in a dream, oh great guardian, and told me my time has come. You told me once, twice, three times that I will soon feel numb. Together as one, we will walk towards the light and leave behind tomorrow. The seperation at the end of the tunnel; you're the only one who can understand my sorrow. The feeling of death is like a dying flame... It grows smaller, colder, and black as the air grows tame. Death is a beautiful passing, and despite other's belief, rebirth is no sin. I will not let this seperation drive me mad, for we will meet again..."

THE END