As I began to stir, I felt my body ache, and my head was having the worst migraine. That was weird — I've never felt this before, not since I've taken this form.
Looking around, I found myself back in my room in the White Palace. The paintings were now back to normal, and no significant changes could be seen.
I tried to get up from the bed I was currently lying in, but my body felt heavy, and I could barely move. As I continued to force myself off the bed, the door suddenly opened and revealed the White Lady.
She walked over to me, a gentle smile on her face. She sat by the bed and began moving the blanket over me.
"There, there, little one, you must rest," she spoke, her voice calm and serene as ever.
"I'm fine... I need to get back home. My parents... they're probably worried sick," I said, trying to get up but failing.
"Worry not. Your body is currently much too weak for you to return. You must rest," she said while tucking me in more.
I was silent for a while before I just gave up arguing with her and simply laid my head down.
"Good. Once you're all better, you may return to the waking world — with your... other parents," she said, getting up from the chair and walking back toward the door.
I looked toward her and thanked her.
"Thank you for caring, Mother," I told the White Lady and closed my eyes to rest.
She seemed to stop for a second before looking back and, using one of her roots, placed a small black creature on me. It looked quite small, and it didn't do much, but once it woke up, it smelled me before snuggling up beside me.
"Rest now. I'll check up on you later," she said, closing the door behind her and leaving me alone with this small creature.
I just relaxed and drifted off to sleep.
---
(Pale King POV)
This is quite a predicament I'm in.
I was currently sitting on one of the chairs in the meeting hall when a new deity manifested from the void — the Nightmare King.
He sat across from me, sipping a cup of tea I created, and was simply sitting patiently.
"So, the new vessel has proven quite powerful, controlling even the void," the Nightmare King spoke.
"Yes, he is quite powerful, but he is no longer a vessel. He is more than I could ever imagine," I said with a hint of pride.
The Nightmare King stopped sipping from the cup and looked toward me inquisitively.
"Different? How?"
"Well, for starters, unlike most vessels, he possessed a soul from the very start — and a powerful one at that. I've spoken with him on several occasions, and every time we spoke, he reminded me of a life I wished I had."
"Hmm, that is quite interesting. But does he have what it takes to bring back our species from extinction?" the Nightmare King asked, looking a bit skeptical.
"He will be ready, in time. But for now, he is still but a child — he needs time, and that we have in spades." I summoned the scrolls I'd been working on and placed them on the table.
The Nightmare King set down his cup before picking up and reviewing the contents. His eyes widened, and he looked toward me.
"You plan to make a city in this new realm? How would that even be possible?" he asked, looking at me for an answer.
"What you're reading right now is simply the start of the plan. With the help of Stygian and with my soul he now possesses, we can create a copy of the White Palace in the material realm, and from there he can create old and new insects."
The Nightmare King simply looked over the scrolls and noticed the different sigils that made it all possible.
"These sigils — they're quite interesting. If one were to power it..."
"Then he could create the White Palace with their energy alone," I finished his sentence.
He looked rather impressed with everything.
"Alright, I shall aid you in this endeavor of yours. Just promise me that the Grimm child shall have a better life with the new vessel."
"I promise you. After speaking and being in his head for a while, he is quite good with children."
"That's more than enough for me." He picked up his teacup before speaking once more.
"So, about the vessel's new parents — I must say, you are quite jealous that you're no longer his parent."
"I feel no jealousy. In fact, I'm quite happy. I just want my child to be happy and free."
"Like all parents." The Nightmare King sipped his tea, and I grabbed the locket from my robe, caressing it and remembering my failure as a father and king.
Placing it back, I grabbed my teacup and drank with the Nightmare King.
---
(Lilith POV)
As I sat beside my child on his bed, I simply looked at his sleeping form before moving closer and kissing him on his forehead.
Getting up, I sealed every entrance and doorway with sigils in order to protect him from anything and everyone.
Once I had done that, I left the room and stationed the best knights we have to guard the main entrance, just to be safe.
They all saluted me before I walked back to the throne room, where Lucifer and Sera were speaking.
Entering, I saw Lucifer laughing on the table like he had just heard the funniest joke. Approaching, I surprised him by biting his ear.
He quickly turned, a bit shocked, but quickly calmed down seeing that it was only me.
"Oh, Lily! You need to hear this!" he said with a smile on his face before turning toward Sera, who looked absolutely done with my husband's antics.
"Must I, Lucifer?" Sera said, and my husband simply waved at her to speak.
With a sigh, Sera spoke.
"We would like to reschedule the exterminations to a yearly basis and to make my lor— I mean, Stygian — the vassal for this endeavor. He has proved his prowess in combat and the will to enact it," Sera spoke in a regal manner.
To say that I was shocked was an understatement. My son, in only a few days, made Heaven agree with us? Now that was hilarious. We've been trying this for years with minimal success, and with just a few days, my son accomplished something extraordinary.
Composing myself, I replied back to Sera.
"We shall speak on the details at a later date, but for now, I would like to speak with my husband in private."
Sera obliged and walked out of the room, leaving me and Lucy alone.
"Isn't this great, Lily!? My master plan worked perfectly!" he said, smiling and puffing his chest a bit.
"Oh really? Your master plan that our son coaxed you into doing?" I said with a smirk on my face.
"Well, he may have done something... alright, he did everything, but I'm the one who got him that meeting, okay!" he said, puffing his cheeks a bit.
I simply smiled at him and pinched his red cheeks before kissing him on the lips.
"I know, dear, but I have much to discuss with Sera. Why don't you go look for Charlie? I'm sure she wants to visit her brother."
"Ok, Lily, love you, honey," Lucy said before kissing me back and walking out of the throne room.
"Love you too," I said to Lucy as he left.
And as I stood there alone in the throne room, I stared at the empty seat in the middle. It was Lucy's throne, but he never sat upon it. He never liked that throne, and he never liked being king.
I stepped closer to it and touched the hard mahogany, pondering for a moment who would be the perfect successor for the throne.
It can't be Charlie — she's too much like her father, always seeing the good in everyone but never being able to make the tough decisions. She still sees the world like it's some sort of musical, but she needs to grow up sooner or later.
But Stygian... from the day we met him, he has fought and survived the worst that Hell had to offer, and what's more, he saved his sister — making difficult decisions that someone his age shouldn't have to make.
With a deep sigh, I left the throne room with a lot to think about. Maybe Charlie shouldn't inherit the throne. Maybe her brother could carry that burden.
But that's for the future. For now, I just want to spend some time with my family.