Chapter 9: Behind What Happened

As I left the cave to check on the the dying forest, Echo and his sisters look to Lucifer, in concern.

"Was it really okay to leave the story like that, " Echo said looking down, "And we can't hide the facts from her forever."

"I know, " Lucifer replied back, "But it's better this way. Anyway, I'm gonna go after her.

As Lucifer leaves, Echo and the sisters flashback to when I just passed out at the Gathering. Echo was panicking out of his mind, holding me tightly close.

"Catherine! CATHERINE, " Echo yelled while shaking me, "Please wake up! Please! Stay alive for me!"

"She picked the Fallen Prince's life for your sake, which also costed her own life, " Cleon said clenching his fist, "Fine, I guess I have to do this the hard way. I'll just have to kill you for fairy kind."

He tried to use light magic to attack, but was interrupted by a glowing green light coming from Cleon. The pale color started to regain its color.

"Did I just... heal her for a second there? I can use healing magic? I CAN USE HEALING MAGIC, " Echo said in relieving surprise.

"I-Impossible, "Cleon said shocked and shaking in anger.

Suddenly a attacking dark spell coming towards Cleon at full speed was barely able to block it with a light barrier spell. It was Lucifer, baring his wings out as he had this glare on him that practically said that he's gonna kill you gruesomely and mercilessly with absolutely no regrets.

"THAT SINFUL BASTARD IS STILL ALIVE," Cleon said in anger, "WHO IS THE DAMN TRAITOR WHO HEALED HIS WOUNDS AND BETRAYED THEIR KING?!"

Lucifer laughed at his words, as it was some practical joke.

"What traitor, " Lucifer said with a devious grin, "My life wasn't in danger to begin with."

"THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, " Cleon yelled, "YOU CAME BACK EMPTY HANDED AND MY MESSENGER SAW YOU GET STABBED AND CUT IN EVERY PLACE POSSIBLE BY MAMMON!!!"

"And you're right, that's exactly what he saw, " a mysterious voice called out, "However, you forgot one small detail which was the literal fact that he's a Fallen Prince like me."

A tan boy with really short black hair and golden eyes came in the scene with a black and gold princely outfit. It was obvious he looked like a stuck up rich jerk, but his face practically spelled trouble.

"Greetings Fairy King, my name is Mammon, the Fallen Prince of Greed, " he said introducing himself, "I suspected something wrong when Lucifer himself declared a Devil's Gamble on me. So I took a human sword to kill him instead. If it was a holy or devil's weapons those attacks wouldn't have healed as fast let alone kept him alive."

"How long were you here, " Lucifer asked Mammon annoyed.

"Since your body was being dragged back to the Flair Forest, " Mammon said with a grin, "Now that I know what happened, I want in on the fun."

"For what, he doesn't owe you anything, " Lucifer now confused.

"Oh he does owes me, " Mammon states, "Not for this, but for personal reasons. I just want in on this fight, for the heck of it. So are you okay with me assisting you in cleaning this trashbag for free."

"Heh, " Lucifer smiled evily, "It would be an honor."

"This... this is absurd, " the Fairy King hesitating in fear.

"Hey, Fairy Prince! Make sure you heal my friend there, and go to a safe place, "Lucifer yelling at Echo, "Kitten better be alive when I'm done with this bastard."

"Friend, " Echo and Mammon said to themselves in confusion, since it was obvious they didn't understand what that term means.

"A-And we'll help, " Aurora said as she finally spoke, trying to guard Echo, "After all, we owe her our lives!"

"Y-Yeah, " Ellie added, "Now that the tree a-approved the win, out wings aren't bound to you anymore, Father! We fly for ourselves now!"

All the other fairies turn away from Cleon to protect Echo and I. He then took out his staff and a light aura began to glow on him.

"YOU WILL ALL PAY FOR RUINING MY PERFECT IDEOLOGY! YOU WILL ALL FACE PUNISHMENT, " Cleon said in rage starting a fight, "STARTING WITH THOSE DAMN FALLEN PRINCES FOR MAKING A FOOL OUT OF ME!!!"

So the fight begins between Cleon and the Fallen Princes begin, as Echo including the sisters both work to heal me back to normal, while the rest of the fairies used a light barrier spell to keep us protected. Light and dark magic spells was constantly being thrown at each other, and the light barrier can't hold for much longer as it begins to crack bit by bit. The Fairy King saw this opportunity and made a direct attack at the barrier which shattered and scattered the fairies who casted it, leaving the sisters to defend Echo and me from the Fairy King. The sisters joined the fight alongside Lucifer and Mammon for a short while, but ultimately failed. He then tried to deliver a fatal magic attack at Echo, but somehow no one got hurt. Cleon kept repetitively attacking Echo with fatal blows but nothing was working. Everyone was shocked, with Mammon being more intrigued by the situation.

"WHY?! WHY WON'T YOU TWO JUST DIE, " Cleon screamed.

"Fairy King, Cleon, " a mysterious voice echoed out in the forest, "Cease your attack right now."

"T-That voice..., " Cleon said with hesitation.

It wasn't visible to the majority of people in the area, however Lucifer and Mammon were able to see the owner of the voice given they were angels once before. She had very long white hair that was rainbow colored at the tip ends of her hair, silver gray eyes, and wore a holy white outfit that look exactly like what a royal knight would wear.

"Lucifer, do you see what I see, " Mammon whispered in surprise.

"Yes, " Lucifer whispered back, "It's Eva, The Right Hand of The God of Magic."

"Is that what her title was, "Mammon asked, "I thought we just called her Cato's pet."

"Same thing, " Lucifer said sighing.

The Fairy King was scared, while he did have the capabilities to defend himself slightly against his own people and two fallen princes. However, this was Cato's right hand woman voice he was hearing right now, he was more or less doomed. He wouldn't be able to defend himself if something sets her off plus he can't see her given the heavenly god race can't be seen by mortal eyes, unless they came from heaven themselves. He put his weapon down and went on his knees.

"L-Lady Eva, w-what brings you to our l-lovely forest, " he asked.

"I was hear by orders of Cato to purify, " Eva said as he grabs hold of Cleon with light chains and magic vines, "And purification I shall."

"Wait! Wait! Wait, " Cleon said in panic. "I didn't do anything to Cato! Please spare me!"

"This is sparing you. You're soul would be brought up to heaven for judgement. Our punishments are far less brutal, " Eva said smiling, "Or would you prefer your soul taken by the hands of the Fallen Princes? Surely they can put your soul into good use to work for hell for all eternity. Your call."

"Why would Cato try to interfere to begin with, " Mammon now suspicious, "Gods don't get themselves involved in the affairs of other mortals."

"Well... that would have been the case," Lucifer confessed, "But I don't think he'll allow Kitten to die here by the hands of that jerk."

"Oh...OH!!! Ahahahaha, no way, " Mammon finally understanding the situation, "So this unworldly soul I sense inside Ms Kitty Cat is associated with the creator of magic himself! No wonder he's bold enough to send his pet to deal with the mess."

"HEY I CAN HEAR YOU, MAMMON, " Eva yelled.

All the fairies were in shock, especially Echo and Cleon. None of them knew that I know Cato, let alone was related to him so the reaction made sense. Cleon knew he screwed up now, he messed with something of Cato's, and that was me. He knew he was going to die now, his dreams now completely shattered to the winds, so he was about to say to be killed by Eva, however Mammon stops her.

"Hey Eva, just give me that soul, if anything he's in debt to me, " Mammon said.

"In debt to you, " Eva said in confusion.

"I owe you no such thing, " the Fairy King yelled.

Mammon then showed a magical contract paper to everyone and enlarged it.

"This contract is signed by Cleon himself, " Mammon said, "I will read as follows. I, Cleon, agree with the terms of agreement that I will owe Mammon, Fallen Prince of Greed, my soul once I die in exchange for power that can overthrow fairy kind in the most non-lethal way possible. Should I refuse to pay back by any means, I will accept any soul breaking punishment that is requested of me as well as surrender my land to his rule."

"YOU DID WHAT, " Echo said in anger, "YOU LIED TO US ABOUT EVERYTHING THEN! YOU WERE NEVER CROWNED KING OR GIVEN POWERS FROM THE TREE!!! WHY?!"

"Because the Tree never accepted my perfect ideology, when I tried to gain the position, even after manipulating Lucifer to kill my father for me, the Grand Flair Tree never acknowledged me, " Cleon confessed, "I told myself if I wanted to make a paradise where every fairy is equal to what I believe is right, then no one shall ever be indifferent ever again! No one compared or better than the other! Just as long as everyone would follow and listen to me... everything would be okay... that's what I believed... All I wanted... was for all of us to be perfect together..."

"And you're telling me that stripping them of their wing identities was okay, " Echo shouted in enraged tears, "Was silencing your own family and subjects okay?! Was stripping ourselves from our own freedom okay?! HOW WAS ANY OF THIS OKAY?! You treat our guests differently, so why not us?!"

Then a memory flashed in his eyes, something he forgot about for several years. He remembered his son was picked on by other fairies because he didn't get his wings from the tree and how fascinated he was of humans. He would always comfort his son, and tell him how he was also indifferent but he shouldn't let other people boss you around because of your appearance. However, his father told him to get rid of his son, if his next birthday he can't gain wings from the Grand Flair Tree and that's when he began to change. Then all the pieces came together and he broke down.

"I... I'm sorry, my son..., " he began to tear up with a genuine sad smile, "... I almost forgot why I made my ideology in the first place... But now... I can't change myself... But you... you change everyday... you brought our people freedom... you made a better difference than I could have ever hoped for... a happier place... You and your sisters may never forgive me... even after death... but deep down... I hope one day... all three of you have the heart to forgive your idiot father for his crimes..."

How was Echo suppose to feel about this. He felt anger, but also... regret? Guilt? He didn't understand this upsetting feeling of unfulfilled satisfaction. Did he deserve this? He heard his father, speak genuinely for the first time in years. Maybe if he had found away of his problem sooner... he wouldn't be in such a predicament... Maybe he wouldn't be so blinded by his ideals... Maybe he could have saved him too. He was about to let go of me during the healing process, when Eva cuts him off.

"I see, now I understand much more clearly, " Eva said reading the entire giant soul contract, "I heard enough. Mammon, do with this scumbag as you wish. The heavens have no concerns with people in soul contracts, just as long as you don't harm that girl."

Eva's presence disappears as Mammon begins to approach the Fairy King.

"Well now that done, " Mammon said, "It's time to pay up, King."

"NO WAIT-, " Echo screamed.

"It's okay, " Cleon said, "You don't have to be a prince, Echo. You can be who you want to be."

Echo then remembered how his grandfather always pushed him to be a prince, and that while his father knew Echo didn't want to be a prince, he encouraged him to pursue it because it was part of his identity as part of this family. He remembered asking him, if he should become something other than a prince and he never gave him an answer. It broke him too as he tried to scream for Mammon to stop, bit it was too late. Cleon's soul was immediately taken out by Mammon, leaving a lifeless husk of a body, as Mammon now holds Cleon's soul with one hand.

"Bye bye, little fairy, " he said before smashing the soul to pieces in laughter, "Now that he's dealt with, this forest is now mine. But first!"

He destroys the Fairy King's body along with a piece Grand Flair Tree in an instant, causing the forest to wither. Lucifer in a hurry immediately transported me, Echo and the sisters to a cave nearby as Mammon started to raise his armies and taking over the other fairies souls and turning them into demons in a instant.

"Guess Lucifer doesn't want to join the raid, " Mammon said shaking his head, "He's changed in the worse way possible, but that's okay. Now that this forest is my territory now, I can go searching for that cat girl, since Lucifer couldn't have possibly moved them very far, given his wounds from the fight. She has connections to Cato, meaning she's obviously powerful, and given her soul's from another world it interests me, plus her extreme amount of cuteness is overwhelming me, I didn't even think that's logically possible. But... she would make an excellent bride for me."