Your Devil Wife [Liu/Hayden]

He said nothing as she closed the distance to embrace him, instead merely giving her action. His arms wrapped around the demoness whom he had embraced into his life. Listening to the soft words she spoken caused a wide smile upon he lips of the King. In all his years he hadn't expected to be in this situation, but he didn't fight it instead embraced it. A hand would come up to brush against her hair, moving it.

"You have nothing to fear, Liu, for I love you too.."

The deep baritone seemed to vibrate through her as he spoke, unfaltering in it's truth and belief. Though at one point she was almost his enemy, such things where placed aside. He would do everything in his power to secure her a peaceful and good life, one which she was denied for a majority of it. The soldier-king let out a deep sigh as he merely enjoyed the moment, pulling back slightly to look upon her face.

"To think that we lived in a world of strife not but-"

His voice stopped, his emerald eyes straining. They vibrated slightly as an uneasy feeling invaded his body, penetrating to his very soul. Before his body seized upon, a howl of pain erupting from his body as he released her. Stumbling backwards his hand went out rapidly searching for something to steady himself, missing instead finding purchase against the side of the table. His body crashed against the ground, his hand going to the center of his chest pressing fingers into it. For a brief moment one might think he was having a heart attack, had it not been for a dreadful energy slowly building around him.

Emerald irises seemed to flicker between green and black, his mouth opening as a void which sounded like his own yet different spoke.

"How long shall you keep this façade? How long shall you resist me?"

The voice sounded angry, yet almost emotionless at the same time. Hayden gasped loudly as he fell onto his back, his face in pain as his eyes closed. His body assaulted by Forces which pressed against his mind. Even now it took every bit of strength and willpower he had not to fade into the blackness, to maintain some control. The last time he fell to this... thing had been the death of Ravan. So much had come from that, that he could only resist so much longer. In his peaceful life, he had almost grown off-guard enough for the mental defenses he had to be overcome.

"Get.. out.. of.. my head!"

The roar which escaped his lips seemed to carry with it enough force to cause curtains to flutter, and a breeze to pick up. His hands gripped his head, rolling onto his knees pressing his head against the floor. His fingers nearly clawing into his own forehead, fighting back against a force which felt several orders of magnitude more powerful than him. He refused to be the plaything of this entity, and he refused to abide his will.

All in front of Liu, her husband struggled, against something outside both of their power. A force of nature which laid a claim so deep into the soul and mind of Hayden; that one of the most powerful men on the Earth could ride out the attempted seizure of his mind and soul.

O' Death demanded his due. So long as he did, Desmond Hayden would never truly know peace.

"I don't fear you at all, darling. I'm getting used to these emotions, but it's nice."

A rich smile lay behind the devil's eyes as that was nothing but the truth. The more they bonded, the further those hesitations would melt away like an unwanted pest being dissolved into the abyss. It is for this reason why the woman could sense the friction in her husband's soul when his own respite hurled to the surface like an unwanted vermin. While he may try to swat her away -- Liu had no interest in that.

Despite her slender looks, the woman was still akin to a demonic queen and capable of skewering entire continents into a smoldering hellscape. So to hold on to her beloved while he was in such a state of grief was not out of her feat of power. It is her own softness at this moment that was crucial in a world of hardened pain. For this reason, is why she let out a ginger sigh as she fell on top of Hayden; doing what she could with her demonic energy to ooze out into the room and maintain the presence of warmth and safety.

"This world is hell. I've seen it with my own eyes. I'm a creature from the underworld."

Even as the man lay on the floor grieving in pain, Liu held his head to her chest akin to a mother nurturing her child. With gentle strokes of her hand against his hand, she wanted him to just rest against her heart and find some respite in this.

"There is great pain in your heart, but you do not have to suffer alone. I will keep you near to me until this passes like a storm."

Now kissing his forehead, Liu simply smiled through the blackened chaos. Why? Because that's what a partner does for someone they care for. No matter how ugly things get, the best thing to do is support your other through hell and high water. And even as the essence of death itself gnawed at her husband, this devil would not break that vow as this was the father of her children and she would not allow death to have his grasp; even if she herself must lay the final blow against with all her might as a demonic overlord.

"I will love you no matter what, Hayden. This does not frighten me as we will get through it together."

Hayden had stared into the face of overwhelming odds before, on more than one occasion he suffered cause of it. But such was the nature of his life and the oaths he upheld, there lay not a soul whom was prepared to lay down their life as readily as him should it be required. The monster, the entity, which sought to overtake him had watched the young man grow from a fledgling warrior into a demigod. He cultivated him, molded him in the death and destruction which he had taken part in. In some ways that may be the reason it was adamant about taking him over.

The sweet embrace was never truer to the man, to end the pain which plagued his body and soul at every living moment. To know that all he needed to do was accept the destiny laid forth for him. Such thoughts grew louder by the passing moment, as he writhe in pain upon the floor. To accept release, would be freedom.

Yet a familiar presence swept over his form, a softness which whispered words of encouragement. Words which struck through the cloud of decay, that slowly banished the darkness. Memories of a vibrant life flooded into his mind, the knowledge that if he fell to this beast there would be untold death. That lives would be ripped apart, as his life was before. That he would never see the growth of his children. Such thoughts sent shockwaves through his core, as bloodshot eyes opened widely.

Before Hayden was known for being one of the strongest men alive, before he held a kingdom, before his name was even recorded as someone of note, he had but a singular motivation. An unyielding amount of hate within his heart, a deep burning flame which burned a pit into his stomach unable to be filled. In this moment, that deep seated anger would grow from a small ember. A slow fire which steadily grew into a blazing inferno, brought about by a singular entity: This monster which wanted his soul.

"I'm going to destroy you."

The hoarse words escaped his clinched teeth, as through the combined efforts of Liu and Hayden where able to hold back to the tide. He was not alone in this body, so long as she breathed he would never be alone in this struggle. Perhaps through sheer tenacity, or annoyance of the creature, the darkness which invaded his mind slowly began to withdraw. His body still coiled tight in a fight or flight mode, as his head slowly tilted to look at Liu. Sweat seemingly covering his face, as a shaky misty breath his lips.

"I have not forgotten my.. promise to you." His words came out focused, despite his pained body. There was a firmness in his voice, a steadiness in his eyes she had only seen a few times in his life. Once was at the beginning of their first fight, back in geece, and the second time during the start of the World War. "It is time, I made some phone calls."

He would need to break uneasy truces. He would need to reach out to former enemies, if he hoped to placate this threat. For on the horizon, an enemy which dwarfed even the strongest of the entities which existed in this world was coming. With but a singular goal on their mind: Destroying everything this world had become.

How could one not have such contempt and venom by having the essence of death sealed in it? Liu herself knows that fact quite well as the devils of hell knew the extent of how deep the essence of the all ending being of death went. So while she could absolve him of that curse, the gentleness of her being could at least bring her beloved back to a state of mind where he could focus, make words, and proceed with plans to make it out of this abyss of suffering.

"I do not doubt we will destroy it. It is only a matter of time, dear."

Liu continued to stroke the man's body. However, if he glanced into her own eyes, he could see a burning inferno. One which made the room itself as warm as the pits of hades as they were surrounded by her miasma of hell. The weight of Ravan's death still weighed on the woman's heart like a sinking anchor daring to drag her into the darkness of her own despair. Yet, from this pulsation of hurt did a sense of hope emerge.

White light filled the crimson aura in the room as their connection to one another's heartache was going to guide them through this torrent of hardship to come. For as much as Liu desired to give into her own sin, the touch of her hand against Hayden's own signaled she was willing to keep her own self together so long as they fought the world at each other's side. As there are many things the liberating devil could decide to do when faced with such violent emotions that demons have, yet she chose to keep her heart from shattering because of that promise he made to her.

"I will see him choke on his own blood when we make that promise come true. My father will be avenged and we can live happily together if we manage to make it out alive, dear."

Despite the tears coming down from her face, the woman smiled. She smiled in the face of such darkness. There was a reason to be happy because she had someone to push through the crushing pain with. So why not maintain that hope? If one lost that, they truly lost the war and she could see a vision of a dream worth fighting for that could be birthed into reality if they just kept their own inner light from being dimmed by this ghoulish world they called home.

"If you need any help with those calls, I will provide you with whatever you need, Hayden. We have a long road ahead of us."

As intent as the woman was, however, she grasp both of his hands at this point and leaned in close as her gaze never let his sight:

"I will help you hold on to your hope and light as much as you will do the same for me. If we lose that and let that darkness consume us, we will truly become monsters. And I will not allow that to happen to either of us on this venture into hell."

Desmond let out a pained breath as he gripped his chest, his eyes contorting into something of pain. He was in immense pain, and weakened once again, but alive. And for now that was enough to spur him to action, slowly allowing him to stand up. He'd hold onto Liu's hand as he stood up to his full height looking down upon her with a tired but determined expression. In the devil's eyes he could see something of light, that despite being a creature of negativity they had a human quality that he himself had.

"Then we shall need to contact, Cyrus and Mana. For those two are the only ones whom possess the skills we need."

The man spoke in an even tone, despite being on nearly rivals with both in one way or another. Be it by philosophy or being the antithetical to the other. So the fact he spoke of them proved that he either had some plan formed or was truly desperate. Or maybe it was a bit of both. Whatever his reason he looked almost peaceful with his words, having long made up his mind on this choice.

His emerald eyes looked down at her with that burning resolve that she knew oh so well. That soul which was so young yet so bold. He was the same man whom had made strives that other deemed impossible, that he united allies to throw back a tide which others thought to be impossible. So when faced when an other 'impossibility' when staring upon his greatest foe, there was nothing that could shake his will. This was the man who loved her, and the man she had grown to love.

If there was a person who could stare down the unyielding tide of injustice, that could make the impossibility into reality, then he existed in front of Liu. And if in the chance he met his end in the pursuit of this, if by some tragedy he had to die for the future of his family, his nation, or his world then he would gladly.

As he brought his hand up to stroke her face, leaning down to press his bronze lips against her pale ones, the true tragedy of the moment was known. For in all their love and grandeur, Desmond Hayden will never be her own to keep. That when the moment of finality came, when faced with the overwhelming destiny before them both, that even if she wished to keep him she may need to let him go. His hand stroked her hair softly, breaking the kiss to speak softly with closed eyes to her.

"When my story ends, Liu, promise me you'll tell them I was a man. Tell them I was not a god. Tell them I just wanted a good world. Even if they don't believe you." A pause, as callous hands moved from her hair to her cheek. Wiping it softly, caressing it.

"Promise me, you'll be ok."