₊˚.༄ God Complex
CHAPTER TEN:
( a game of truth & lies. )

"this is how a girl becomes holy:
first she becomes empty."

The one truth about death is that there is no real truth to it.

Death is a liar, or so it is for Seira.

Death has always been a fool in Seira's eyes, for it never wishes to wrap its cold slender fingers around the soft delicate skin of her neck and choke her last breath. Death is fluid in everything it does, for although it comes for everyone, it does not give the same experience to everyone. Seira is a witness to this, and she knows when death comes it does not offer a mere simple concept, but a rebirth of some sorts.

Death for Seira is like the tale of Icarus, for it always begins in youthful tranquility. The freedom of weightlessness from sin and filth is no longer a heavy burden she must carry, and so she soars into the kaleidoscope colors that almost blind her vision. The sun is her next destination, and with greedy hands she reaches out to hold the blazing fire of Heaven in hopes of finally feeling some warmth after years and years of a harsh winter that has left her cold and starving. The fall shortly follows after just a mere second of tasting Heaven, and the heaviness of humanity weighs the curly blonde headed woman down like cement blocks tied to a man's ankles. She plumets, and visions of memories from her own life and lives he has never experience come flooding in filling the woman with fear and anxiety. She sees the first fall of humanity, a red flood wiping man clean from the Earths soil, a virgin woman birthing a babe; memories that do not belong to her fill her with a foreign feeling she does not know, and she lust after an English word that can describe them.

It is when Seira sees the memories she shares with Aki that everything begins to make sense for her again, and tears cannot help but pool from the womans infinite silver eyes. She sees the day they carried in their coffee table, and how Aki had slipped and almost been crushed by the object, and she could not help but laugh at the close call. The memory of her reading allowed to him as he made their morning coffee, and the smile he gave to her imprinted itself into her very soul. The moments they share sitting across from each other having a silent dinner in a confined restaurant, the strolls on the beach after a long day of work, the dancing in the kitchen as the record spins in the other room, and the chatty moments as they make their meals for the days to come. These moments she shared with Aki made her thankfully she was alive, that death didn't wish to draw out her last breath. These very moments taught her the feelings she had lost to time: happiness, joy, content, pleasure, love.

She hits the ground and is jolted back into her husk of flesh. Seira rolls over and vomits random contents she had consumed earlier in the day; she tries to pay no mind to the harsh stitching feeling that feels heavy and weird on the gaping hole in her chest, for she does not wish to witness her body build a new heart to keep her alive. She feels disoriented, as any experience would leave someone, but she wills her broken and still badly wounded body to sit up and crawl towards the direction she feels the servant of hells presence. Her eyes continue to spill tears out at the very thought of what had happened, and what could happen. The very thought of the devil hurting Aki, or worse killing him, made Seira scream in agony.

"You have to get up," she heard her own devil's voice boom inside her head.

"I'm trying," she screams out into the unknown, her strength dwindling as she continues to army crawl on the dirt.

"If you don't toughen up the one thing you love on this Earth is going to die, and the only person that will be to blame is YOU!"

Seira knows God is right, and she attempts to stand on her own, failing a few times before finally standing on her own two legs with the help of a tree and a bellowing scream that clawed its way from a place in her soul she had not touched in many years. She moves with a blank mind, for each thought that crosses her disheveled brain is quickly whisked away with the assortment of emotions clouding her judgement. She resorts to feel wrath and emptiness, and the combination of the two fuel a fire in her similar to a blazing sun. With such a fire burning its destructive nature in her soul she snakes her way towards the very filth that took her lover away from her.

────── • 𖤍 • ──────

The sun was setting behind Seira as she made her way out of the woods and up the mountain that stood concrete for many years behind the forest. She had climbed up and down it many times when she lived here, for her home laid upon the evolution of Earth. Usually such a hike would take her merely an hour, but being so badly wounded made the walk much longer. She luckily had picked up a long stick that helped support her fatigue body on the journey, but she would find no relief until Aki and her were safely back in their home in Tokyo.

When she came upon the ruble of the church a feeling in her twisted and turned, for she never thought she'd come back to the run-down church. Being in the presence of her birthplace, her rise into godhood, it left an unease settling on both her stomach and her mind. She made her way into what little was left of the church, for although some of the structured had not been destroyed years ago, some boards were still either missing or severally damaged. She would have liked to rebuild the place before leaving to prophesies the Lord's word, but she could never rebuild it to its rightful glory, and the plagued memories that made the building decay and rot would always soil the foundation.

As she went deeper into the Lord's house, she could hear Aki's distant voice telling the Devil off, and if it weren't for the current situation, she found herself in she would have laughed or at least cracked a smile at the interaction. She was thankful he was still alive though, but it also made her stomach twist with worry, for now she had no clue what the devil's game was, but she now knew it had a motive that especially had to do with her. She made her way into the main part of the church, the nave, and the sight before her made her draw her blade of justice. The Devil stood behind the pulpit, it's lover half of the body covered by the wooden prop. It had arms much like an octopus, and the disgusting melted skin of the creature made Seira think of an albino. The creature had no eyes, but hollow sockets where ones should be, black liquid similar to black blood pooled infinitely down its porcelain face. It smiled at the blonde-haired woman, and she only noticed the outline of teeth due to the black liquid outlining them, it's mouth dripping with the poisonous liquid like salvia from a rabid dog.

"It's a pleasure to finally be meeting you," the devil spoke in a voice that sounded like nails on a chalk board, "for laying witness to my master's vessel is truly an honor."

"Seira, don't listen to a damn thing this devil says, for it spills nothing but lies," Aki screamed out towards his beloved Goddess, tears streamed from his eyes at the very sight of his master being alive.

"I speak nothing but the truth," the devil argued at Aki, "you humans have no respect for the kings of this world."

"Shut up! Both of you," Seira screamed at the both of them, and they both turned their attention to the deity. "You are the truth devil, aren't you."

The demon cackled, and the howling sound made both Seira and Aki's ears bleed, "I would expect nothing else from my master's vessel, but yes I am. It's a pleasure to making your acquaintance, Seira Rika." The fear bowed to the woman, it's hollow eyes never leaving the woman's.

"Seira, what does this cursed filth mean in calling you its master," Aki called out to her as he dangled by his legs that were grasped harshly by the devil, the blood rushing to his head made the woman blurry in his eyes, but he could still note out all of the details that made her gorgeous to him.

"Aki, from this point forward I need you to shut up, and listen to everything I say," she told him in a stern tone that made both him and the Devil shiver in fear. "Release him to me at once and I may make your death a little less painful."

"Don't make me laugh, woman. You are in no position to make demands at such a high price; besides, I have a fun game for us to play," The Devil sneered towards the woman, and it's smile only grew in size at the mention of a game being played.

"The game will be truth or lie," The God Devil's voice boomed in Seira's head.

"Precisely, my dear master, such a wonderful game we played on judgement days," the Truth Devil proclaimed, and Aki gave a puzzled look towards Seira, "which is why your devil will not be partaking in this game, for I am a product of it, and you would win in being it's vessel."

"Fine, how do we play," Seira asked the servant of Hell, for she wanted nothing more than to get this game over with and return home with Aki by her side.

"Simple, we ask a question and whoever doesn't tell the truth will die by the others hand," Truth told her.

"What a simple-minded game. Who shall start us off," Seira asked, and the truth devil laughed as it started to move out from the pulpit and onto the floor.

"You have killed in the name of justice and honesty, but that is not true for one man. You killed a man in cold stone blood, please, enlighten me on such an act," the devil asked.

Seira sneered at the devil, for she realized now that the Truth devil would leave no secret door locked inside her closed for very long, and she had made a deal to finally admit to things she did not wish to ever see the light of day. She made her way towards one of the pews, for standing became an exhausting act for her. "It was before my contract, before my deal, and before I ever moved here. I killed a boy, he was in my class, and had defiled my friend's dignity. I beat him until there was nothing left but a bloody mess in our school yard. I'd like to think it was in the sake of justice, but really it was only in revenge. Revenge is a cold dish to swallow, but I did it, and I will pay for such an act on judgement day," Seira told the devil, and she was with calculating eyes as the devil moved towards one of the pews on the opposite side of her.

"You tell the truth, "Its response felt sickening to hear, "now, you ask me a question."

"You killed my friend, Zeldris', wife, didn't you?"

"No, your friend did that out of his own selfish action. His wife bed stricken with illness, he thought it would be best if he gave her a mercy killing, but no death brought on by man's hands is ever justifiable," the devil told Seira.

"How do I know you aren't lying?"

"Why don't you ask the devil inside you, I will allow it to help you in that regard," Truth sneered at the woman.

"It tells the truth. I'm sorry, Seira."

Seira looked down in shame and disgust, for the thought of a man she thought holier than her had committed the ultimate sin. She blamed the world for such a disease to fester in her friend, for the world of man had been plagued by the mere presence of Devil's. When would times of peace come to light again? When would times similar to the beginning, to the garden of Eden, return to help prosper man, animal, nature? Seira wished to see a time come to fruition, but it never would until she eradicated all the devil's that rotted the Earth with its mere presence. She herself would have to die for world such as that to exist, and she didn't think she had it in her to leave Aki behind, but she would if it meant she would leave him with a more peaceful planet to live in.

"What did you ask for in return for power from my master," Truth asked its next question.

"Freedom," Seira told the fear, and she could hear a low snarl claw its way out from the monster's throat. She looked towards Aki, for he had asked the same question on their journey to Wazuka, and she felt peace wash over her as his eyes softened at her.

"You are more honest than I'd like to admit, but I would expect nothing less from my master's vessel," The creature spoke in a pleased tone.

"Which devil killed you in Hell," came Seira's next question. She could feel the shift in the game coming, for an overwhelming feeling of being watched crashed into Seira like waves, and a low growl from the devil before the goddess made her realize that she had asked a question that was still a touchy subject. She took this as an opportunity to start moving towards a course of action that saved both her and Aki from the appending doom that loomed over their heads like rain clouds ready to cry out onto the Earth.

"That damn Chainsaw-man," Truth finally answered, it's question for Seira quickly following after, "You love this boy don't you, and not in a platonic way." Truth dangled Aki like a rag doll, and his beat red face made Seira realizes that he would pass out any second now from the blood rushing to his brain. She looked towards the boy, and their eyes clashed together like stars colliding. She didn't want to admit it, and it was a fact she had tried to run from herself, but it was no use now. Any secret she had tried to keep hidden and locked away behind the door she had wished and willed to stay closed forever would be drug out into the light, like a corpse, everyone would see the bodies she was trying to hide in her garden.

"Yes, I love, Aki Hayakawa. I love him as the sun loves the moon, as Christian's love god, and as man loves sin. I love that boy with all my heart and soul," Seira told the devil. The devil howled in laughter at her admitting the truth, but when its eyes locked onto the deities it realized it had asked a question that was not meant to be dug up from its grave. The fire blazing in the goddesses' eyes sent a shiver down the devil's spine, and it feared what question she would ask next.

"You were sent here by the control devil, for you are wrapped up in that woman's chains," Seira asked, and she knew she had dealt the final blow. The sound of a crow could be heard, and her eyes darted towards the animal with blood red eyes as it watched the scene unfold from the window seal. Seira's eyes clashed with the crows, and she knew the woman on the other side of such a thing was smiling at her.

The devil before her stuttered a response she could not hear, and it withered in fear at the mere question. Truth had not expected to lose at its own game, and the thought of returning so soon back to Hell that was more like a blood sport for the damned made the creature feel true fear. The sound of bells, trumpets, and horns could be heard in the distance, slowly growing in decibels. Aki became fearful of what was happening, for he felt overwhelmed by the number of things happening at once, and the blood still rushing to his head did not help him in the slightest.

"I asked you a question," Seira spoke, and her eyes slowly become a milky white color that Aki had never seen from her before.

"No," was all Truth could muster through its quivering lips.

"You lied," a voice that was not Seira's came tumbling out of her mouth.

At the sound of the booming voice the barrier that Seira had been building finally completed itself, and a veil of translucent white formed like a massive bubble around the church. Seira flung her sword at the crow perched several yards away from them, the glimmering of the sword caught everyone's attention, and they all watched as the blade sliced through the bird with dramatic force. A loud screeching come from the animal before it succumbed to its wounds.

"I really can't stand being watched," the same foreign voice spoke from Seira, but Aki could hear a tinge of Seira's voice still lurking in the background.

They both turned back towards Seira, and the sight that stood before the Truth Devil made it drop Aki with a loud thud as it started to back away from the god before them both. Aki quickly looked up towards his goddess and he had never been more in awe by a human - if Seia was even that at this point - for she truly was some deity gracing its presence for mere mortals and sinners such as him to witness. The woman's eyes were a milky white that resembled the moon, but he could still pick out the wisdom that had stationed itself in them for decades. Her skin was peppered by glowing starlight and intricate symbols and words that Aki could never decipher even if he spent his whole life researching. The massive wings that piled on top of each other perched delicately on her shoulders made Aki wonder if it was at all heavy for his deity to carry for so long, or if it had come with ease just as everything came with ease to the woman. The clothes she had worn previously were replaced by a flowing white gown that resembled a nontraditional wedding dress. Her high had grown in both size and length, and such a color dousing her hair reminded him of sunlight bouncing off the ocean several train stops from their home in Tokyo.

"In the name of justice, judgment, and truth, I, the God Devil shall bring onto you a punishment fit for a devil such as yourself," the booming voice of the God Devil made everything in its presence quiver in fear.

God raised its hand towards the Devil, and loud booming sound similar to a building collapsing came bellowing from the Earth. A wooden cross emerged from the soil behind the Truth Devil and with a blink of an eye vines wrapped themselves around the Devil, nailing the beast to the Christian symbol. The wings of the God Devil became erect, and Aki couldn't help but think a painting that would be hung in a catholic church from a famous artist. The sound of instruments boomed above them all, and Aki couldn't help but think that Seira was calling upon the rapture prophesized in the beginning of time.

"I call upon the gate of Heaven, may all its might rain down upon those who squelch its name for personal gain." the words flowed from the God Devil's mouth like molten gold, and the Earth and sky shook at each word.

A loud creaking sound came from the sky, and everyone looked up as the clouds parted like the red sea, and an outline of massive golden doors opened to reveal a blinding white light. Aki was mesmerized, for the sky opening up was something he never thought he'd witness in his lifetime. A spear made by the angel's heavenly hands and crafted from steal and gold from Heaven's mines emerged in the entrance of Heaven's door, and as Seira enclosed her fingers in her palm the spear came flying down from Heaven, plunging itself with a gruesome rip right into the Truth Devil's chest. It screamed in agony, and Aki grasped his hands around his ears in hopes of softening the deafening sound. Seira opened her palm again to reveal a flame that even Aki could feel from several feet away from her, and with a gentle blow on it the Devil was lit in flames, leaving nothing but ashes and dust in its wake.

"The crucifixion has concluded," the amalgamated voice of both the God Devil and Seira spoke, and in a blink of an eyes everything settled and became quiet, and everything was back to where it was supposed to be.

Aki couldn't help but sit there on his knees with his dark blue eyes glued to his goddess, and he watched in horror as tears streamed from her silver eyes as the presence of the God Devil within her subsided. He didn't make a move as Seira ran towards him and fell to her knees still hysterically crying like a mother does after finally laying eyes on her missing son. She grasped for him, and she was thankful that he did not turn away from her in fear from the truth of herself finally being revealed. She held onto him; her head buried deep within his neck as sobs clawed their way mercilessly from her throat. The emotions finally came back into Aki, and it felt like he had been hit by a train, he cried as well as he finally wrapped his arms around his goddess. They both muttered thank yours to a higher power for allowing them to reunite unscathed and alive.

"My beautiful boy, your alive. Thank you, thank you, God," Seira breathlessly preached as she lightly peppered Aki's forehead and cheek with gentle kisses that reminded him of when his mother use to do the same to him and his younger brother.

"Let's go home, my love," Aki whispered to her, and reached for a longer embrace from her as she shook her head in agreement to his wishes.

( WORD COUNT ) 4007
—— unedited

howdy my lovely little souls, and welcome to the moment you all have been waiting for. i'm unsure of how i feel on this chapter, i think some parts are how i wanted them, but others aren't. oh whale, i'm not going to worry too much about it. please, let me know what you all think, and holy crap, i've finally delivered on an actually long chapter for once in my life. i'm not disclose too much else, but i will say that there are only three more chapters left in this act, and i'm thinking they'll all come fairly quicker than these past few chapters have. anyways, as we get closer to that time i'll share the future i have in store for this story.

don't forget to comment, vote, and share. i love you, my lovely little souls.