The majority of the ride across town was uneventful, apart from the fact that Callisto was whining the entire time.

“Why would anyone want to get into one of these willingly?” He hissed through clenched teeth as Lily braked to make a turn and he made a small sound of surprise as he didn’t brace himself.

“You’re being dramatic, I think a horse is more uncomfortable to ride than this.” Lily tapped her fingers on the steering wheel gently, she didn’t want to confuse Callisto more than he already was, so the radio had remained off.

It didn’t take long before they reached her street, a long and winding avenue with large white limestone houses lined perfectly beside each other with enormous gardens surrounding them. A sense of dread began to crawl across Lily’s skin as she slowed to a stop on the side of the road opposite a house with various flowering plants lining the front garden. Her eyes trained on the front window, where a figure was sitting with a mug in their hand.

–

Veles grinded his teeth as Xevon’s form barely moved at the impact, his eyes wide as he tried to focus on what was happening. He was still trying to slam himself into the lantern that had fallen to the ground, strange sounds coming from him as he clawed at the ancient metal. Veles didn’t bother trying to talk to him, there was no point. He had fought Xevon before, in this form, the man was currently unreachable.

Just as he went to wrench his hands out again to grab at Xevon and rip him backwards, away from the lantern he felt the energy around him dull, second by second it was reducing in intensity. Just as quickly as it had arrived, Xevon’s form was wilting back down. Clearly, still not completely recovered from his last outburst.

Veles held his hand above his head for a moment, chest heaving with effort, his eyes stared down towards Xevon. Pausing his attack until he was certain it wasn’t a trick, Xevon was finished it seemed. Cautiously, he lowered his hand back down to his side and let out a puff of air, frowning harshly.

“What was that all about?” Veles muttered, blatant annoyance across his features.

The minutes that ticked by had Finn more confused than when he had started. This wasn't making any sense. The information that was given to him wasn't aligning with what Xevon was. There were bits and pieces that aligned, sure, but he didn't fit the definition of just one.

He shook his head, writing down what he had found to a notebook just so he had it there. Then again, he could also run by Callisto what he had. The man had been in there far longer and knew more about Xevon and how he acted outside of the closed doors than he did. The appearance was throwing him off. Not all spirits could hide their faces under a mask.

Certainly not a Wraith. But he still wrote down what he could.
-------

Xevon's chest heaved airless breaths, in and out as he gathered the swirl of his mind into one coherent piece. He had ended the attack, kneeling in front of the lantern with tattered wings splayed out and resting on the ground.

His own annoyance spiked at the words from the god.

"... you wouldn't understand," Xevon finally said, a growl in his own voice. The low tone rattled with the aching notes of despair. "You were never human."

They sat there in silence for a long minute, Callisto didn’t dare disturb whatever mental gymnastics Lily was attempting in her mind. Suddenly, she stirred from her hypnotised state and flicked the keys of the ignition and made her way out the door, leaving Callisto hurrying to keep up as she began to make her way across to the house.

An unassuming knock on the front door was all Lily gave the black painted entrance, staring at the golden metal number at head height. She could hear the sound of heavy footsteps inside making their way over towards the foyer, the clink of the mug being placed on a counter. Then the door was opened and her father stood there with a casually friendly expression, ready to greet whomever had come to visit. His expression dropped when he met the eyes of his daughter, a flurry of emotions running across his face as the colour drained from his cheeks as though he had seen a ghost. Well, in theory Lily was supposed to be a ghost.

Before he had time to process the scene before him, he locked eyes with Callisto who was standing a few paces backwards. Decked out in his well-worn suit, a look of indifference in his pink gaze as he stared directly at Lily’s father. A babbled group of words left his mouth before he managed to form anything that resembled real speech.

“W-What is happening here?” That was the best he could do. Lily parted her lips to speak when Callisto strode up beside her, his aura altering to something more dominant.

“I have returned on behalf of Veles to the living realm with his future bride to amend the errors in the ritual that you and your ilk caused.” His tone was even and demeaning, Lily’s father flinched as his theory as to this man’s identity was confirmed. “He sends me, Callisto, to correctly deliver to him his wife.”

–

Veles’s eyes narrowed as the black masses on his arms began to dissipate upon hearing Xevon’s voice, confirming he was present within his own mind once more.

“Why would I ever want to be human? It is a messy experience to be human, you are a good example of that, Xevon.” He turned on his heel and bent down to pick up the lantern from beside him. “The lantern would not accept you by force, even if it were destroyed it would not pull for your soul to fix itself. She is a selective creature.” He mused, admiring the everlasting orange glow from the candle within.

“Death, as sweet as some may think it is, is incredibly boring. I would not recommend it.”

Her father quickly went from surprise to see his daughter to practically ignoring her as he all but grovelled before Callisto.

“If the Lord has sent you then it must be true! He has used his divine powers to give you flesh and bone once more!” His eyes were bright, but there was something flickering in there that wasn’t exactly excitement. “What must we do to appease our Lord, was my daughter not sufficient?”

At that Lily scowled, fighting to keep her mouth shut. He was talking about her as though she were an object, it made her skin crawl. She had thought her father had cared about her more than her mother ever had, but it appeared that she had been mistaken. Was she only conceived to fill in this role upon Veles’s request? The thought made her sick.

Callisto didn’t dare a glance towards Lily, he could feel the tension rolling off of her in waves, he didn’t need to draw attention towards it.

“She is more than sufficient.” He attempted to offer some form of compliment towards her. “It was the ritual itself that was carried out incorrectly. The sacrificial gift was appreciated, but he was returned to me as well. I have located another sacrifice to appease your errors.” Callisto felt like the words were coming from some strange corner of his mind as he continued.

“We require your ritual space and the ceremonial daggers in order to amend this situation.”

Lily’s father stood and absorbed all the information readily, almost greedily in the way he devoured the words. “Of course, of course! I can organise something for this weekend, ensure that all of our Lord’s sheep are-” Callisto cut him off with a raised hand.

“I only require myself, the bride and the gifts. Then the correct space to return them back.”

–

Veles’s eyes flicked towards the lantern as Xevon threw an arm out in its direction, but then his focus was back on the man before him. There was a coldness in his eyes, one that matched the icey blue of the irises as he simply stared. He did not comprehend this manner of thinking, what was the difference between enjoying something, requiring it and simply doing it for no reason? If you had the desire, then act upon it.

He knew of the war torn times he had pulled Xevon from, however he never went sniffing around the topic more than what interested him. And that was very little. Then a thought struck him, an easier gleam returned to his eyes as he set the lantern down on the nearby shelves.

Veles made his way towards Xevon, slowly placing an opened palm onto his back, between the shoulder blades where his wings began. Dragging the touch over his shoulder, grazing the feathers as he rounded to stand in front of the other man.

“I believe monster is the incorrect term.” He began, cocking his head to one side, tapping a single finger gently on his shoulder. “I may need it to physically survive, yes. However, I believe that if you desire something, be it dangerous, simple or stupid, then you should do it. It is a different kind of need, but a need all the same.” Veles moved his free hand, curling his fingers and using the knuckle to tilt Xevon’s head back up by the jaw. Catching his eyes, he offered a sharp smile.

“If you cannot move on.” He threw a pointed sidelong glance to the lantern before returning his glacier eyes back to Xevon. “Then you should enjoy yourself, in these halls there are very little laws. You can act as you desire, whatever burning need rests in you, you can enjoy it here.”

It had been a surprisingly uneventful conversation for Lily, only the reveal that her father did not in fact love her unconditionally. Oh yes, that was the eventful part. Callisto had been curt when her father had tried to convince him to have an audience, to enter his home. Lily stood there in shock that her father did not mention his wife and her mother once, he had not looked back to her one time after he had recognised Callisto.

As they turned to walk away with her father watching them go, that was when it hit her that her entire family. Every single member, all her friends did not actually care for her. They didn’t mourn her loss, no they celebrated it. Had she actually been a friend to them? Or were they only trying to get into Veles’s good books through being nice to his future wife. Her hand balled around the keys in her hand until the whites of her knuckles shone through the skin brightly.

Callisto snapped his head to the side as he sensed the familiar build up in her muscles, the thrumming under her skin that ran along her bones. His gaze softened and he wanted to extend a hand, except he knew she would bite it off.

“Breathe through it.” Was all he offered, he couldn’t offer much else without her turning that anger directly to himself.

Once in the car, driving slightly more erratically, Lily was gripping the steering wheel with an iron fist. Her jaw clenched as she tried to focus on not killing them in a car wreck while her mind whirled. Poor Callisto sat in his seat, silent but clinging to his seat as though his life depended on it.

–

Veles blinked, eyes widening slightly as Xevon pushed his arm away. He watched as he almost immediately descended down through the floor. His head was tilted forwards and cocked sideways; he waited for something, anything. He wouldn’t be surprised if Xevon had gone to sulk in the room that had become his tomb.

He turned and began to pace his way across the room, that was when he heard the shrill cry of a woman and he froze.

–

The woman had been walking around in circles, gripping her own arms to the point that her nails had drawn blood from the flesh. Her head snapped up as she heard the sound of Xevon, except it was a twisted version of a man with burning red eyes. Her lips parted in a scream as she scrambled towards the door of the room, flailing with the lock as she tried to get out.

It took her a second but she managed to burst her way out into the hallway. Landing hard on her knees, the impact sent a jolt of pain up her bones and she sobbed. Clawing at the wall to pick herself back up.

Lily had managed to not kill them on the way home, even if Callisto thought he had met god a few times as they went around corners. The turn back into the dirt made the car bounce and she slowed right down and flickered the lights down to low, the sky had grown dark with dusk. Only a few smears of colour were left in the sky before the dark of night had begun to wash over it.

Turning the key, she pulled it from the ignition and sighed, leaning back in the seat. Lily stared ahead of herself, through the window and to the trailing bushes beyond. Callisto glanced towards her and then to his door, unsure if she was going to start up the car again and scare his new life out of him. She huffed and quickly turned and slipped out of the car, eyes darkened with emotion, only when she heard the click of Callisto’s door closing did she turn the key in the lock on her side.

She lingered in front of the trailer door a moment, her hand raised to knock but unmoving. Lily didn’t want to let her emotions tear through her in front of everyone, they didn’t have time to feel self pity. Lily tapped her knuckles on the door and lifted her chin, determined to keep a facade of calmness.

–

The woman had no time to scramble to her feet as Xevon loomed over her, wings casting out from behind him, she began to shuffle backwards in a panic. Eyes wide with horror as she attempted to make her escape from this creature.

Her form shrank as he pounced for her, her yelling turning to muted silent cries. Her escape wasn’t possible now, whatever this thing was, it was going to kill her.

Alma opened the door the moment she heard the knock and ushered the pair into the house again. She had started a soup, simmering on the stove top while Finn laid on the couch, his wings flopped over the sides.

As he heard the door open and close, his eyes lifted upward and he tilted his head. "Did it go okay?" He asked, faintly concerned. "You look ... I mean, I'm guessing it went relatively okay enough."

Alma shook her head lightly and sat them down at the table, bringing bowls over.

-----

Xevon hardly cared at all, gathering the fear from the woman to add to his energy. The more she fueled her own panic, the more fear she had, the more he got. The more he felt. The despairing shriek turned to fury as he tore into the being in front of him.

There wasn't much left when he had finished and he abandoned the mess, following the hallway--the snowy pathway. It seemed... to lead on forever.

Forever.

No one there, not a single soul. Just him... his feet... and the tracks beneath. There, in the snow, were two tracks. Two other trails that he was following. A part of him knew where they would lead but the other half was hopeful something would change. Continually walking the pathway, a doleful and longing cry calling out for anyone--for two in particular.

Picket and Toss.

Calls that would never be answered... that had never been answered.