The Real Story of Heaven and Hell

“Lili love.” Jimmy whispered in my ear.
“Nurgh.” I muttered, rolling over. But as soon as I moved I felt the raw, burning rage inside me.
All Soul’s Day.
The End of Days.
I sat bolt upright in the bed. Someone was knocking on the door.
“Princess?” Lucius asked through the door. I got up to open it. “Princess, we need you to get ready.” He handed me a pile of metal and walked away. I figured out it was some form of armor and put on a pair of leggings and a tank top underneath. I was trying to figure out what piece went on first when a pair of arms wrapped around me.
“I love you so, so much Lili.” Jimmy whispered in my ear.
“I love you too.” I turned to kiss him. It was probably the last time I’d ever get to hold him, to kiss him and tell him how much I loved him. “More than anything.”
“I’m gonna keep you safe. If they want to get at you they’re gonna have to get through me.”
“Jimmy.” I held his face between my hands. “If it comes down to saving you or saving me, save yourself.” He started to protest but I cut him off. “I mean it.” He sighed but was silent.
“Come on love. Let’s get you suited up.” He helped me into the different pieces of armor and then handed me the sword belt. I stuck two long daggers into sheaths on my back. Jimmy was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but he was packing more weaponry than I was. Two swords, a few daggers, and a belt full of throwing knives.
We stepped out of our room hand in hand. As long as I could hold onto him, I would.
Brian was leaning against the wall when we walked into the living room. Based on his expression, he’d done it.
Drugging my sister was something I’d have to live with. The only loophole I’d been able to think of was if Sera wasn’t there on the battlefield today. Or at least, not really Sera. Johnny, Doppelganger Boy, was gonna change his appearance and become my sister.
“Everyone ready?” Johnny asked, readjusting his sword belt.
“I still think Maddy should stay instead of April.” Matt said.
“I’m not staying here while you risk your life Mathim.” Maddy crossed her arms over her chest. She was a formidable woman for someone her size.
“Can you blame her for wanting to be near you?” I murmured. I personally didn’t want Jimmy out of my direct line of sight. With that, we filed out of the house. I didn’t know how appropriate it was for me to pray, but I wasn’t praying for myself.
Please, God, don’t let my guardians die for me. Keep them safe. I hoped He would hear me and not smite me for it.
“It’s time love.” Jimmy whispered. I could hear the sounds of battle just ahead. I nodded and drew my sword.
The End of Days is here.
--
I flipped backwards onto my hands, driving the steel toes of my boots into the jaw of a demon going after Jimmy. His neck snapped and he joined the pile of bodies the two of us were accumulating.
“Lil, duck!” Brian yelled and I hit the floor. A knife whizzed over my head and buried itself to the hilt in the chest of an angel.
“Thanks!” I stood back to back with Jimmy, circling to fight off any new enemies. We’d been doing well, holding the circle around Johnny/Sera and me. So far I’d only sustained minor injuries, scratches from a demon trying to get at my “sister” and a bruise from fist fighting an angel.
Just a few moments ago, or maybe it was an hour, I’d lost track of time, I’d seen a shining angel battle Leviathan. The two were evenly matched, but Leviathan fell to the archangel. I’d known, somehow, that it was an archangel and his name was Gabriel. I was grateful that he rid the world of that horrible, wretched evil that was Leviathan. The evil I’d sensed when I’d been near him had nearly made me ill.
A primal roar ripped its way out of my throat. My demon half was taking over and soon I'd be a killing machine. Of course, taking into consideration my back handspring of death I’d pulled back there, maybe I already was.
“Get in the middle.” Jimmy pushed me behind him. The circle was tightening as the angels and demons alike rushed at us, trying to break through.
Jimmy was looking towards a demon attacking him, but he didn’t notice the demon sneaking to stab him in the back.
Before I’d even thought about it, the fireball was leaving my hands, incinerating the demon.
“Get down.” Zacky covered me with his torso as Matt’s horrible, metal on metal scream rang out. He moved away and I stood up, looking for Jimmy.
A sudden scream made me spin around and I saw an angel lying on the ground, a sword sticking out of his chest. I looked up and spotted my sister standing on the battlefield in a snowy white dress. I smiled for a moment before I realized what was happening.
Lucifer drove a sword into Sera’s back, up to the hilt. Even from here I could tell he was turning the blade in her chest. The red stain spread across the front of her dress, the white changing to crimson.
“No!” I screeched, nearly falling to my knees. My sister, I needed to get to my sister, but there was an army of angels and demons between us. I ran forward, slashing wildly at whoever got in my path. It felt like I was running through tar.
“Don’t you dare die damn it!” I sobbed, realizing only then that I was crying.
“I’m sorry. I failed.” She wheezed. I swear I could hear the blood pooling her lungs. My hands fluttered uselessly, looking for something to staunch the blood with.
I smiled slightly even though I didn’t want to. “Shh. You haven’t failed we can fix this.” I didn’t know exactly how I knew to do it, but I slit my palm from my thumb to my pinky finger and did the same to Sera. Consider how much she was already bleeding maybe I didn’t need to. I clasped hands with her, letting our blood mix together.
“In the name of Hell.” I began.
“In the name of Heaven.”
“By Lucifer.”
“And by God.”
“By the blood of the Nephilim twins.”
“We bind the balance.” A sudden bright light grew from our clasped hands and threw me backward into the melee surrounding us.
By the time I was able to fight my way back to her, she was gone. Brian was clutching her, scarlet tears coursing down his face as a cry of pure anguish tore from him.
I knew he was there before I turned around. My eyes were barely clouded by the tears that filled them.
“LUCIFER!” I roared, drawing my sword. If I died trying I was going to kill him. Slowly, painfully, with my bare hands if I had to. My sister, my other half was lying dead in her bond mate’s arms because of him.
“Yes, daughter mine, princess of the world?” The smirk on his face made me sick.
“Don’t you dare call me daughter you son of a bitch.” I spat. “If I live forever I will never live down the shame of being fathered by you.”
“You wound me Lilith!” He clasped his hands over his heart. “You didn’t even have to keep your promise child. Be grateful I did it for you. Now come, and greet our new subjects.”
“Fuck off.” I couldn’t think of words angry enough to convey the unspeakable hatred welling up in me. “I will not be your princess. I’ll kill you first.”
“We won child. The demons have won the End of Days. The daughter of God is gone and the balance remains tilted in our favor.” I held up my still bleeding hand.
“Sera will never be gone, not as long as our mother’s blood runs in my veins and Brian lives. I carry my sister’s blood in me. She won’t be gone as long as I breathe.” Lucifer’s face slowly fell as he realized what I was saying.
“Ah daughter mine. I am very sorry but I’m going to have to kill you.” He drew the sword that still was coated with my sister’s blood and he leapt at me with an animalistic scream. I matched it with one of my own and slashed at him with my sword.
Dodging, parrying, slashing, we carried on for God knows how long, until one of his blows knocked the sword out of my hands and too far away to find. I leaped over his sword and kicked him in the back on my way past.
But he caught my leg, sending me face first into the dirt. I scrabbled to my feet just as he stabbed downwards into the place I’d been a moment before. He moved so fast he blurred and I caught the sword’s blade in my palms just before it would have pierced my stomach.
In the millisecond I had to think, I figured out what my visions had meant. I threw myself forward onto the blade, leaving it buried in my flesh. The pain drove me to my knees, blood gushing freely from the wound.
“Goodbye child.” Lucifer turned and started to address the amassed demons and angels. “Bow to me, for I am the new king of the world! The daughter of God is dead and soon my own challenger will be dead.” The sickening sound of metal being pulled out of flesh was almost drowned out by his speech. I pushed myself up of the sword’s point, staunching the blood with one hand. I don’t know where I got the strength from to lift the sword and drive it into Lucifer’s back.
“Never turn your back on the enemy, bastard.” I whispered before letting him fall. My knees gave out and I hit the floor with a thud. Pounding footsteps and Jimmy’s screams seemed oddly far away. The shadows in the corners of my eyes were growing, stretching across my vision. My chest shuddered once and the shadows claimed me.
I never got to say goodbye.