The Ethereal Plane

"Why hasn't he woken yet?" an impatient voice demanded.

"His mana is fading," came a voice in reply, "it's as we said, he's..."

Michael's eyes opened and he looked up at the two in front of him. There was a bespeckled man dressed in black standing beside Silthus. They both turned to face him upon waking. Michael pulled back expecting to find himself bound again but this time he was upon a bed.

"Ah Michael," Silthus smiled, "finally, I thought you might have died,"

"Wasn't that the intention?" Michael glared.

"I told you, I don't want you to die, "Silthus replied with a chuckle. He gave a brief gesture to the other man and he disappeared out of the room.

Michael surveyed the grand and ornate room shrouded in the glow of a fire apathetically, "this is nice," he said mockingly, "like if a pig owned a castle,"

The corner of Silthus mouth drew up into a malevolent grin, "I'm glad you feel better, but unfortunately, I couldn't heal you completely this time,"

"No, I don't suppose you could," Michael said with a dark smile, "what a shame,"

"I suppose you've realised the problem already?" Silthus poured a glass of wine and stared down with an unreadable expression.

"Well, your little witch worked her magic. What did you expect?" Michael said attempting to rise.

"Don't lie," With one hand Silthus shoved him back against the bed, "and stay where I can see you. You're much craftier than I expected,"

Michael felt across his neck, the necklace was still there. He sat back against the headboard with a contemptuous glare.

"So, you knew if you stayed here it would kill you?" Silthus smiled.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that?" Michael grinned darkly, "I thought I said something of the sort to your witch, though it might have slipped my mind while you had me tortured,"

"What I don't understand is why you attempted to run?" Silthus said quietly, "you sensed that the contract between you and Ace had been weakened because I brought you here. You must have known you wouldn't make it back there in time. So why bother to run?"

"I'm just spiteful that way," Michael sneered, "I thought it would be funny,"

"Is that all?" Silthus chuckled, "I wonder if you weren't looking for a certain book I happen to be in possession of?"

Michael glanced down. Of course, the book was gone. His eyes panned up slowly under Silthus' smug grin.

"Well, I suppose you did make it a little too easy. I guess I'll get on with dying then," Michael derided, "good luck getting whatever you really wanted from me,"

"I just wanted to see what you would do," Silthus smirked, "since I don't think torture will work, it's much easier if I just know what you want."

"I told you I wanted the book," Michael shrugged.

"But why?" Silthus' eyes widened intensely, "that is the real question. To go to such an extent. I wonder what you could possibly want from it?"

"To throw it into the abyss," Michael smiled unrepetently.

"I guess you have no intention of telling me yet," Silthus gave a sigh, "well let me just tell you what I want then,"

"Your little witch told me all about it," Michael dismissed, "World domination. How unoriginal,"

"That's part of what I want, but not all," Silthus inhaled deeply, "there are things that you should know..."

"What part of nothing you have to say interests me don't you understand?!" Michael snapped.

"And why is that?" Silthus questioned, "Why did you choose to come back? Surely, it wasn't for you to die in this place,"

"I suppose...I wanted a chance to have my happy ending, but there's no such thing," Michael said gravely, "I should have learnt my lesson the first time. The gods don't want me here. I guess that means I have to die,"

"What if you didn't have to follow the whims of the gods?" Silthus said soberly, "what if none of us did?"

"Save your godless hedonism for someone else," Michael returned shortly, "I believe in the gods. I always have. Just, they never believed in me,"

"You've got it the wrong way around," Silthus smiled, "I believe in the gods, but what exactly are they?"

"What do you mean?" Michael looked at him suspiciously.

"Why do demons exist?" Silthus mused, "or magic for that matter? What is the purpose of it all? Don't you wonder why the gods are all gone from this world? Where have they gone?"

"I'm a wizard, not a philosopher," Michael derided, "but even if I did know, your questions have no point. The answers wouldn't change the reality of this world,"

"That's where you're wrong!" Silthus entreated excitedly, "If we knew the greater truth of this world, we could change it. Haven't you ever wondered how a man becomes a god? In the stories, mortals became gods by divining the heavenly plane. What if there was a way to do just that? There would be no more death, no more suffering. A paradise on earth,"

"You're delusional," Michael retorted with a snort of laughter.

"That's what Ace said, but he quickly change his mind when I showed him the scroll," Silthus grinned darkly.

"What scroll?" Michael's eyes narrowed.

"Do you honestly think Ace cares about that book?" Silthus laughed, "he's read it back to front a thousand times. He knows every page off by heart,"

"No," Michael shook his head, "he told me he needs it. He told me...I could have it once we stole it back from you," his eyes came up sharply.

"He told you wanted you wanted to hear," Silthus interceded, "because he knows you, Michael. He knew he had to keep you distracted till he got what he really wanted - A scroll with the location of the heavenly door. In other words, the ethereal plane of the gods,"

"Why would he want that?" Michael demanded unconvinced.

"Don't you know already?" Silthus chuckled, "to find a certain demon no longer of this world,"

For a moment Michael just stared at Silthus with a blank expression, then suddenly a look of unadulterated rage took hold, "...that BASTARD!" he spat, "Clover! That's what he wants?!"

Silthus gave a satisfied nod.

"Wait," Michael's eyes twitched, "that can't be right. Why would he need me if he already had a way to get clover?"

"He needed you to steal the scroll from me because he couldn't do it himself," Silthus answered, "my holy magic prevents him from getting close to it,"

"But... in the boy's journal," Michael recalled with a frown, " he wrote that the witch had determined that Clover was still alive. They were not in the underworld?"

"Only humans can go to the underworld," Silthus shrugged, "I don't know why Ace would look for a demon there,"

Michael's brow furrowed, "It's because Clover is only half-demon. They're also part human. That must be why..."

"That explains it," Silthus replied thoughtfully, "well, he must have realised they weren't there, which means there's only one other place they can be. As he long suspected no doubt, they must be in the ethereal plane,"

"How could a demon have been in the heavens?" Michael said bitterly, "it makes no sense,"

"I don't know the details either," Silthus confessed," I was hoping you might know more. The truth is Michael, he was planning on throwing you away as soon as he got what he wanted, but I'm sure you already knew that,"

"It's just like last time," Michael said slowly, "I knew it..."

"Why did you agree to help him then?" Silthus asked quietly.

"I...thought I was making amends for what I did," Michael said with a glazed look in his eyes, "I thought if I helped him, I could...be forgiven,"

"Forgiven for what?" Silthus encouraged.

Michael's eyes suddenly came up to Silthus darkly, "What are you trying to do? Why did you tell me this?"

"So you can make an informed decision," Silthus replied with a coy smile.

"A decision that benefits you no doubt," Michael scoffed.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't hopeful, but I don't expect you to work for nothing," Silthus snapped his fingers.

A darkly clothed figure marched into the room with the book of stars in hand. They had an indefinable sort of face with almost statue-like features. Almost unmoving. Michael's eyes immediately went to the book apprehensively.

"Give it to him," Silthus motioned.

The book was immediately presented in front of Michael. He took it while keeping a suspicious eye on Silthus.

"It's yours," Silthus smiled, "you will need it if you're going to survive here. My wizards tell me the magic between you and Ace will continue to weaken while you are separated. I hope you can use it to find a way to break the connection without coming to any harm,"

"So what? You want me to be your little puppet and in exchange, I get what?" Michael said mockingly.

"Whatever you want, Michael," Silthus smiled with unnatural warmth, "you just have to decide what it is you want,"

"I can name anything?" Michael stared at him dubiously.

"Yes, anything," Silthus answered with a serious expression, "I will give it to you,"

"I'm sure you said the same to Ace," Michael turned his face away, "this is another trick,"

"My relationship with Ace is different," Silthus said with a guarded expression, "he knows what I want, but he won't give it to me. I think you will,"

"And what is it that you want?" Michael said with a crooked smile, "to raise the dead? To be a god?"

"What I want is to be free," Silthus said quietly, "I don't want to be controlled by the gods anymore. I want to decide my own destiny,"

Michael's golden eyes fluttered in genuine surprise. He stared at Silthus and a curiously solemn emotion prevented him from saying another word.

"Think about it at least, Michael," Silthus said slowly, "whatever you did in the past, you won't get any forgiveness from Ace. He hates you. Otherwise, why would he bring you back if only to die at my hands?"

"Enough," Michael said in a low almost pained voice, "Your manipulations are unnecessary. I will decide for myself whether this enterprise of yours is worth my time. Any further aspersions on Ace's character won't change my mind,"

Silthus gave a loud laugh, "You're so level-headed. Not what I expected at all! Still, I haven't said anything that isn't true. Why would you bother to defend him now?"

"It's not a defence. It's just facts," Michael stated with lifeless affect, "Whatever Ace feels about me, it doesn't matter. I never had any intention of helping him reunite with that demon. As he probably guessed. That's the reason he made up this convoluted story to get me to help him against my will. The truth is I would rather rot in the underworld than let that demon see the light ever again...he knows that well,"

"Do you hate demons so much?" Silthus enquired with interest.

"I don't demons," Michael answered in a low voice, "I just hate that demon,"

"Why?" Silthus questioned.

Once more hostility manifested in Michael's expression, "you don't need to know. My reasons don't matter. As long as that demon stays dead,"

"I give you my word," Silthus smiled.

"Then I will think about your offer."