"Nothing is ever really lost…”
~Sariel, Watcher Proverb
Bannik
She tortures me.
And I smile.
She kicks me, and I embrace the blood.
I’ve finally found my home in the darkness, not because I’ve fallen again, but because… I laugh and look up at her. “I am found.”
It’s what happens when a star chooses and I can’t regret that choice. I won’t.
I never truly knew the meaning of that word until this moment, watching again. I finally watch.
I watch from the sky.
I suffer from the darkness.
I’m torn between two worlds. I would not choose anything else. I could be on fire one day and given water the next but in all the suffering.
I was able to watch her.
How lovely.
Could an ending ever be this great?
A beginning so tragic?
I nod my head, and I smile again as the fires of The Abyss take hold, but I wait in that moment; I wait for the ice.
And I smile again.
I always thought passion meant a slow burn, but no, the passion I’ve found, the one I’ve fought for… it’s an icy balm to my soul.
Water in the desert.
Paradise in a dark hell.
I hope they eat their damn ham and laugh.
I hope Horus returned her tails, and she let him keep the bead, the perfect match for the one I watched.
And I hope.
I hope again and again.
And I laugh through the pain of my wings getting cut, blood dripping down. I laugh because I am.
Redeemed.
After all, I am Bannik.
The Watcher.
So even if it is darkness.
I made a promise.
I will watch.
For eternity.
I will finally fulfill my purpose even if all I see is darkness.
Extended EpilogueHorus
"No. I forbid it.” I cross my arms. “You’re not powerful enough to go out on a girls’ date for a day, even two. What if you fall?”
Stephanie curses. “And I thought Cassius was hard on me.”
“Hard in—” Alex starts talking; Hope hits him, and he stops. Good choice. “Anyway, the girls are going to go hang out, and then we can go hunt some rogue demons; sounds fun, right?”
He’s asking me.
I’m still annoyed.
Doesn’t she want to spend every waking moment with me?
“No,” Cassius answers like he can read my thoughts. “That’s the cause for fights. Let them go, we’ll go catch a demon or two.” He winces at Timber. “The bad ones.”
Timber waves him off. “I like a good run.”
"Anyway.” Tarek cracks his knuckles. “Are we doing this, or are we doing this?”
Mason pulls up in the Jeep. “Aren’t we going?”
Ethan mumbles, “stupid werewolf” at least ten times before stomping over to the car, backtracking, kissing Genesis, then going back to the car.
"He’s a true joy when he leaves her. Really, we should make an award or something.” Alex shakes his head. “Anyway, let’s go!”
Timber and I look at each other, and I realize this is the first time we will actually be together without all the chaos in this timeline, and while we’re still working on getting Bannik out and also, you know, helping Sariel out of his stupor, I know things are going to be okay.
They have to be.
We start walking toward the Jeep when a sinister feminine laugh sounds. “Oh, Tarek, you didn’t think I forgot about you, did you?”
"NOT IT!” Alex yells. “I’m done with that demon goddess psychopath!”
Tarek grins and rubs his hands together. “Bring it, bitch.”
I feel him there. I feel him everywhere.
Sariel.
And at times, Bannik.
I don’t know what the Creator has in store for any of us, but I do know that I’ve been given multiple chances at this life, and she’s been given multiple lives for one chance.
Two days after our excursion, I corner her in the apartment above the bar. “Heard there was some bathroom to clean up.”
Kit laughs, her shoulders shake, she turns and looks over at me. “What if we use just a little bit of that crazy godlike magic?”
“Fresh out.” I lie.
“You’re lying.”
“Dumb fox.”
“Stupid god.” She laughs harder. “You have my bead still or at least the essence of it, and I have my tails. You could go down there right now and smite everyone.”
“I still refuse to believe that’s an actual word.”
“You’re old; one day, you’ll catch up with the dictionary.”
I chase her through the apartment. Both of us are in our silly black uniformed shirts, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to tackle her against the couch and tug down her short jean shorts. “I need you.”
She bats me away. “We have to work!”
“This is work!” I point out. “It’s pleasure and play. I learned this on TikTok.”
“Stop following the people in grey sweatpants!” She swats me away. “And just love me the way I’m supposed to be loved—”
“—Got you covered.” I tease and tug her jean shorts completely down. “We have around five minutes, right?”
“Huh?” She leans up on her elbows.
My head descends, and I lick, then press a kiss against her right thigh, then her left. “I was always told I was worshipped because I was god of the sky and stars,” I smile up at her. “But I think I’d rather make it so that’s all you see…” I lick my lips. “The stars.”
I don’t give her time to think about it.
I choose.
After all, stars, they choose to fall.
My mouth does the same.
I taste.
I embrace.
I create.
And it all starts with her.