The forest was dense with mist to where it was impossible to see the ground below or the night sky above. Even the trees were barely visible thanks to mist. The blacksmith examined his surroundings, and found it odd that there was no noise aside from the creaking of floorboards from inside the dim lit cabin they stood in front of. What the Tartarus am I doing here?

He flinched as a small pebble hit him in the back of the head. Helsing turned to see the source was Allen and his dog sitting in a tree with Allen’s one good golden eye eerily glowing. Stupid mist making everything look creepy.

Allen signaled to Helsing to look at Norah. Helsing compiled and saw that Norah was stiff as a board with fear. He felt a tearing pain in his chest, seeing her like this. She just kept staring at the door in some sort of trance that only made her more uneasy.

“ Norah...Norah, what are we doing here?” He whispered to her.

She finally snapped out of the trance and turned to Helsing.

“ This cabin is where my sister, Quiver lives. I haven’t seen her since….since I fought her in Flora and Fawn’s paradise...I called her a traitor….and then after our victory….I was so angry...that I killed our mother’s spirit….but she doesn’t know that,,but I need to tell her before I go…Helsing so much is going on and I don’t know what to do,” tears swelled up in her eyes and she swiftly wiped them away. Helsing gently wrapped her in a hug with his tail wrapping around her as well. She hugged him back instantly and nestled her face in his shoulder. Before she goes?

The world seemed to have frozen in time while they hugged. Nothing else mattered except Norah. He opened his mouth a little, about to say something, but the spell was broken when the creaking of the floorboard grew louder and closer. The door swung open and in the doorway stood a she-elf wearing old worn out clothes. Her ginger hair was cut short to the length of her neck, but somehow it was messy. Overall the she-elf was a complete mess. Dark circles clung to her eyes and her skin was ghostly white from the lack of sun, Helsing guessed.

But the blacksmith tensed up when he noticed the two hatchets she held in her hands, ready to attack them.

Norah immediately let go of Helsing and faced the she-elf with tears in her eyes.

“ Quiver! It’s been ages! I’m happy you’re alive!” She squealed as she tackled her sister into a hug. Quiver, however, didn’t really react. But she hugged her sister back out of politeness.

“ Who’s the snake?” She rasped.

“ Helsing Curseblood, I helped Norah with a whole quest. Ya know fulfilling prophecies, ruining gods, and all that.”

“ He did! He really did! Oh Quiver, so much has happened.”

“ Tick tock, Norah,” Allen said in a sing-song voice. Quiver gazed up at the dream lord and her face twisted with disgust.

Norah nodded, sadly. Quiver invited only Norah and Helsing inside her home.

Helsing entered and the cabin was barren. There were very little decorations, all there was was the basic needs for a person to survive. A small couch and a chair and a small table in the living room, and a fireplace to cook meals. The cabin didn’t feel like a home, similar to how Azrail’s palace felt.

The she-elf sat in the chair while Norah and Helsing sat on the couch. Norah then began to explain everything that had happened to her after their fight in the Paradise. Helsing noticed that as Norah talked, Quiver listened but her face shifted from exhaustion to greif.

“ Now I came here to see you one last time, before I go,” Norah finished.

“ Tch. Ruining the world, abandoning me for years then coming here to make up just so you can leave forever. How cruel,” Quiver scoffed as tears swelled in her eyes.

“ Quiv… I’m sorry… I-I was blind in my grief. I just didn’t want to feel that hurt again... or want any of my family to be in pain. I know I should’ve listened to you and everyone else,” Norah pleaded.

“ I have long forgiven you for all of that, Norah. I’m angry that even after all of this you still don’t get to be normal. That’s all me and...Mama wanted for you. We wanted you away from all of this. You don’t deserve to be among the divine filth. I bet they’re the ones who made you do all of this,” she spat as she wiped her face with her sleeve.

“ Quiv that’s not-”

“ Because they are nothing. They do nothing for anyone unless it benefits them. There should be no gods. No monsters. Nothing divine should ever exist, because they are useless. Everything horrible that happens to mortals is because of the gods. They oh how they scheme for what, hm? What could the divine beings want so much that they don’t already have,” Quiver continued, as she spoke in her ghastly voice, everything seemed angry. From the rumble from the clouds above to the hissing shadows in the corners of the cabin. It felt as if everything was furious at her, and some things were glaring at the she-elf.

She’s lost it. She’s officially lost it. Helsing thought as a chill shivered from the top of his spine to the tip of his tail. When he glanced at Norah. He knew she was thinking the same thing.

“ We should get going, Norah. The Black Beast shouldn’t be kept waiting,” Helsing said as he stood. The she-elf growled as she brought her hatchets out once more.

“ Norah is not. Leaving. Not now. Not ever. She will be protected by me forever. Just as my mother wanted,” the she-elf commanded.

“ Quiver, I want to do this. I want this life. Please, I want to do this. I want to be a High goddess and fix the world that I broke. Maybe I can live to my potential,” Norah pleaded.

“ You only want this, because the divine filth is making you! Me and Mama know what you want! This isn’t it!” Quiver pointed her hatchets at her sister. Helsing’s tail shoved the small table into the wall then unsheathed his damascus sword so that the edge of the sword was inches from her thin neck.

“ Norah isn’t a toddler. She is a grown woman who can make her own choices. This is her choice. She didn’t come for your opinion, she came to say goodbye to her only family. Because for some reason she still loves you. Her life isn’t yours so you’re going to let. Her. Go,” he glared his snake eyes at Quiver. For once Helsing felt no beast clawing inside. He was angry, but he was calm otherwise. Finally there wasn’t any noise inside his head. As much as he wanted to jump with joy he held his nerve.

The she-elf eventually dropped her hatchets and flopped back in the chair. Helsing sheathed his sword as he escorted Norah out of the cabin.

Allen and his hellhound weren’t in the tree when they came out. The blacksmith sighed in annoyance. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Norah was still in disbelief. His expression softened as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“ Hey, Allen isn’t in his tree so why don’t we look for him?”

She merely nodded slowly and began walking deeper into the woods, getting out of Helsing’s embrace. His feet and heart sprinted after her.

The pair trailed through in silence, the only noise that filled the rift between the two was the crunching of leaves beneath their shoes. Maybe I should tell her how I feel...it’s minor now, but we could work something out so it can grow, but I don’t think she wants a relationship like that.

“ I’m sorry for being quiet,” her arms were folded around her and her wings shielded her face from Helsing.

“ I don’t mind the quiet. Plus you’re still processing all of this. It must be hard seeing a family member that way.”

“ She used to be so calm, so caring, so loving, and rational, but now,” she lowered her wings so she could look at the cabin in the distance.

“ But now, I don’t know who she is. As far as I know the Quiver that I knew is dead,” Norah continued with a grieving tone.

“ But she wasn’t entirely wrong…Vita did manipulate you, into doing a lot of horrible things. I’m not trying to blame you. You were a shielded child, naive to the world, so of course there has to be some leniency.”

“ I know, and I’m going to be better. I know I can. I won’t become like her,” she promised.

The pair saw the nightmare lord and his shollie playing a game in a small clearing in the woods. Allen threw a stick then Taurus would bring it back, and they repeated that for a while.

“ I guess this is where we part ways, High goddess Norah,” he felt in his chest every fragment of his heart cry and tear into a million pieces.

“ I suppose, but it won’t be forever…What will you do now, Helsing Damascus?” She gave him a small smile that instantly repaired his heart.

“ Travel. Learn new smithing. See so many cities. Experience cultures. I don’t think I’m ready to settle yet. I feel my curse is gone so I want to experience everything I missed out on,” he replied with a smile.

“ That’s awesome news Helsing! I’m honestly impressed you could handle it for so long, but I’m happy that it won’t hold you back…I’ll see you around, my friend.”

Those words made his fragile heart sink into a pit in his stomach, but a part of him told him that being a friend was good enough. He smiled back then said.

“ Yeah if you ever need someone to talk with or battle gods, I’m your guy,” the two chuckled.

Norah went up to Allen and Taurus then Norah left with the demon hound. Leaving Allen and Helsing alone in the misty woods. The dark haired man appeared beside the blacksmith, for a while the two just stood in awkward silence.

“ She’ll never love you that way,” Allen said, finally.

“ I know. I don’t fully understand, but it’s her choice. Not mine. Besides, being her friend is enough, and we honestly haven’t known each other for that long.”

“ How noble of ya, lad.”

“ Are you going to take me home?”

“ Is that what you want?”

“ Yeah, I need to get things in order before I travel. Any places you recommend?”

“ Definitely, Africa. Though it’s called Vagus, now. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

Helsing nodded then told Allen he was ready. The pair became encased in Allen’s golden blood, and in the blink of an eye. They’re gone.