Chapter 7: Answers

 "Now, how about some answers?" I asked.

 "I will answer any question you have as soon as we-," she tried to say before I cut her off.

 "Keep in mind, the only reason you are still alive is because of the information I assume you have. I already don't like you. So, if I have no use for you, then I will immediately dispose of you! Choose your next words carefully-...

 …wait, those dark creatures, where are they going?" I interrupted her, ending with yet another question.

 "What do you see?" the tailed woman quickly asked.

 "I see some humanoid shadows. They seem to be dragging souls along a wide road. There are hundreds of them. They seem afraid. I can feel their fear! There doesn't seem to be anything but a dark abyss at the end of the road. Well, I wouldn't want to fall into that either. What is in there…?" I asked.

...

 "WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT!" I replied in shock and fear after feeling something wicked within the abyss. The feeling couldn't be described in words and felt beyond my understanding.

 "I see, so the process has begun. I can answer your questions now," the tailed woman said, as if this was all within her expectations.

 "What the flip happened to me? Why does my body feel like it is being torn apart? Who are you? Why are you naked, what's the deal with that unusually long tail, and what the hell is that thing down there?" I asked a series of questions, trying to be composed despite the excruciating pain.

 "Our tale is a long and complicated one. My old master was given the role of death after committing the first murder in human history. Since then, he has been walking this earth fulfilling these duties. Reaping souls and leading them to the afterlife.

 You have been chosen to be his successor. Your body will no longer succumb to death, as the dark cloud has embodied death itself.

 "You can't be serious," I said, unwilling to believe what she said.

 However, after recalling everything that just happened, it actually didn't seem that unbelievable.

 "What is this dark cloud exactly?" I asked her.

 "The cloud is an extension of your power; a manifestation that represents your very being. Within the dark cloud is a combination of every disease that is known and unknown to man; every virus; every bacterium that has ever existed on this planet. Because of this, your flesh is constantly decaying and regenerating at an incredible speed since your body was originally human.

 As an extension of your power, you are free to control it however you wish. It learns and adapts to your needs. It may take some time, but don't worry though, you'll get used to it.

 "Am I supposed to live with this pain forever? Isn't there a way to heal my body or at least get rid of the pain?" I asked.

 "Well, your brain works differently now. My previous master split his thoughts in two on a sentient level. Having a different consciousness to endure the pain.

 He would still occasionally feel pain, but to a minimum. It took him a century to figure this out. You don't deserve to have it so easy. Nonetheless, it takes a strong amount of mental willpower in order to achieve this. Thus, it may still take some time," the tailed woman said with resentment in her tone.

 "I see," I said, trying to digest everything she just said.

 I then began to focus on the feeling of regeneration. Separating it with the pain of my decaying flesh. After a while, it really did feel like I was splitting my thoughts in two. 

 'This tailed woman is right. My brain is different now. I surely couldn't have done this before. My mental capacity has greatly improved,' I thought to myself.

 "It's a little difficult to maintain this focus, but I can now move somewhat with a little effort," I said, clenching and relaxing my fist.

 "Well, you obviously won't get it on the first try. This isn't just any ordinary wound where the pain just goes away after some time; this is constant pain. You must eventually split your consciousness in two," the tailed woman advised.

 "Should be simple enough," I said as I began to feel my consciousness.

 After connecting with it, I felt as though I had been transported into a dark abyss. Within the abyss was a thick and dark, luminous, shallow pool of blood all around. This pool stretched as far as I could see and most likely even further. Dark smoke could be seen continually rising from within the blood. The smoke felt solid to the touch, but it was unlike anything I had ever felt.

 'Is this my consciousness?' I asked myself, trying to figure out how I got into this harrowing place.

 I joyously took note that within this place, I could no longer feel the pain around my body.

 "Haha, the pain is gone. Did I manage to do it?" I said excitedly.

 As I dwelt on the freeing release of the pain, half of the smoke rising began to illuminate a blazing turquoise color in the distance. I then began to walk towards the turquoise smoke, but the closer I came to it, the more I could feel the pain returning to my body. In the distance, I could hear minor groans of suffering from within the turquoise smoke. It didn't take much space within my consciousness, only about 15 meters of it.

 'Have I already split my consciousness?' I thought as I watched the turquoise smoke rise violently.

 The smoke didn't look as solid as the dark smoke rising from everywhere else. I then turned around to walk further away. I noticed that the further I walked from the turquoise smoke, the less pain I felt.

 The moment the pain had completely subsided, I noticed something else. There were two lights deep beneath the pool of blood. They seemed to be much deeper than the shallow pool of blood. I tried to focus and see what the source of these lights were. Suddenly, I saw a pair of golden eyes staring back at me. They quickly began to excrete a golden blazing smoke as they rushed towards me.

 In my shock, I woke up from my daze and found myself back in the bathroom with the tailed woman still having the same expression as if no time had passed. I clenched my fist and no longer felt any pain from doing so.

 "I believe I was able to split my consciousness. I can now move freely," I said to the tailed woman.

 "Hmph, impossible, trying to act tough will get you nowhere," she said with a slight chuckle.

 "Believe what you want," I immediately responded to her comment and went into thought.

 'It would be foolish to immediately believe everything this tailed woman has told me, but the events that have happened thus far do align with what she has been saying. The only thing that doesn't add up quite yet is….' I began to think to myself.

 "Who is this Theós that thinks he can do whatever he wants?" I asked, trying to fill a few holes from what I know so far.

 "That one is a little more complicated to answer and would be much easier to just show you later. I do believe you have asked me before why I have a tail," she replied, changing the topic.

 "Not to forget who you are and why you are still naked," I added.

 "My name is Lilith. I do not know what I am or where I came from. All I know is that I live to serve death. I believe this was all within Theós' plans," she said, bowing her head down with her right hand placed on her exposed breasts.

 "As for why I have a tail, it isn't really something I chose. My first memory was of me appearing before my old master as nothing but a tail. I did not know where I came from, all I knew was the full knowledge of my purpose. To serve death.

 My tail is the only physical part of my true self, the rest is just a facade I keep for myself to have some sort of form to move from one place to another. I can take any form so long as it is a living being, but the thing that never changes is my tail.

 "Sounds like a pathetic existence. Doesn't explain why you are naked though," I said to her.

 "I am naked because I am not capable of feeling hot or cold. Thus, I have never seen the need to wear any clothes. If this form does not please you, I can take any other form that you desire," she added with a serious expression, all whilst still bowing her head. Unfortunately, her eyes gave away the resentment in her heart.

 "Understandable, you can do whatever you want, but if you can take any form…is there a reason why you made yourself so small?" I said, following up with another question.

 "I am actually quite tall by human standards, 6'2 feet to be exact. It seems you have yet to notice that you yourself have increased to a height of 8 feet," she replied in a most humble tone.

 I then looked around and noticed everything else looked smaller as well. I pushed Lilith to the side and tried to step out of the bathroom, but the door was too small for me to pass through.

 "Is there a way for me to decrease my size? Perhaps like how you change your form?" I asked the tailed Lilith.

 "Yes, there is, but 6 feet should be your limit. However, even then, it will still keep a strain on your bones, making it harder to suppress the pain. I doubt you will be able to maintain that size for long. A good height for you would be 7 feet I guess," she answered.

 "So, how do I do it?" I asked.

 "The same way you control the dark clouds around you, simply with a thought," she humbly replied.

 "This humble attitude you're putting on will not save you…I am still going to kill you as soon as I no longer have a use for you," I told her, looking her straight in her dark scarlet eyes, then faced the bathroom door after.

 With thought, I quickly shrank to a height of 6 feet and felt an unbelievable strain on my bones. I then walked through the door and, with another thought, increased to a height of 7 feet and slowly began to feel relief.

 "Told you so," the tailed Lilith commented with a smirk.

 "Are you capable of dying?" I asked, no longer able to tolerate the woman.