There was really no way to describe it.

The way that our concealed saucer soared through the clouds, the way the pressure weighed down even further on me as we inched closer and closer to the white land that lied above. "Hold your breath," Nya instructed me and Jade and I did so, shutting my eyes as we breached through an intense barrier.

As we landed on the all-white, pearly and magical land of the paradise of Eden, there were no words that could fully capture the beauty of how pure the land seemed. There were swirls of clear and white water that made up the vast rivers that flowed under a beautiful white bridge that glistened under the sheer light of their white sky. There were tall, white trees with silver leaves, swinging in the endless wind. Every single building was white, but they all had their own quirk to it, looking like the kingdom that it really was.

There was a silver path that decorated the way up to the white stairs that led to the castle itself. I could only see it from where I was, and it wasn't too far. There were tall silver pillars around the entrance to the gate of the castle, the wide and expansive white structure of the palace blinding me with its sheer beauty.

Seemed to me that Tion really enjoyed white things.

"Taen," I felt a tap on my shoulder as the saucer came to a slow stop, not wanting to alert anyone of our arrival. "They're here," One demon pointed to the mass army of angels charging in our direction, their silver armor, and their helmets any indicator. "Alright," I pressed the button to close my helmet, to put up the barrier, and to get things rolling. "Let's get this going," I smirked, bloodthirsty. I made a mental promise to the baby in my stomach that things would be okay. "Let's go get that sorry ass demon lord back," They saluted me as they began to turn invisible, descending down the stairs of the saucer.

The screams and the slashes of skin became apparent to me as I slowly stepped out onto the white grass, hands itching for combat. These angels couldn't see me but I could see one stumbling around me, so I used that chance to whip out a knife, slashing the silver gland on his neck with no resistance. His eyes bugged out as he started sputtering, recanting some ancient shit as he fell to the ground, his silver blood staining the surface.

One down, dozens to go.

I could see Jade standing next to me as she guarded my back, using her sword to slash the glands of the demons like it was second nature to her. I didn't have anything to worry about with her by my side. I was a bit worried for these demons because Hannah had mentioned that the angels were strong on a whole new level, but seeing them charge in silently, flying and moving around their enemy soundlessly, going for the kill when they were looking in the wrong direction, I knew we would be okay.

Just alright.

"Taen, we made it here in Asmodaias. So far, no casualties have been made on our side," I could hear the sounds of the demons roaring as it came through my earpiece and I had half a mind to ask him what the hell that name meant. Maybe it meant something like leader or something, which was only fitting considering the situation.

"Alrighty, make sure to stay safe," I whispered, sneaking around an angel who was throwing light beams left and right, unaware that I was coming for his blind spot. I had to be mindful of the barrier as to not get hit so as I watched him bare his fangs, silver eyes darting around, the glistening gland exposed, I reached up from behind and pressed a button on my helmet, a laser permeating the flesh of the angel.

"Agghhhh!" He screamed in agony, the silver blood dripping down around his army as he choked on air, knees stuttering to the ground. I looked up, seeing that the troop members were easing through, Hannah using her halo to ignite a fire from inside of them. I wanted to ask why she hated her father so, why her own crazy ass sister was fighting beside her, but I couldn't and I wouldn't. She seemed to have such a deep-rooted hatred for the king, maybe because he abused her growing up, and I wasn't going to stop her from channeling that anger into something useful.

Maddox, we're on our way, baby.

It was weird though, how easily these demons were able to be killed.

Maybe we overestimated how strong these demons were. Maybe Tion took all countermeasures to our tactics from Maddox. Maybe he just underestimated us. Maybe he didn't know that I was on this side. Just maybe.

"Jade, I'll watch the front, you watch the back," I heard a grunt of acknowledgment from my black-haired companion, a shot of adrenaline coating my soul as I jumped in the air, seeing an angel charging my way. The suit allowed me flexibility and agility, so I twisted myself in the air, launching a small dart into the exposed gland.

The angel fell to the grass with a loud screech, alerting other angels of his distress and I landed in a crouch, assessing the situation. There were about 300 to 350 angels left and about 300 demons on the field, maybe even more. I couldn't tell. Some angels were pretty fucking strong, judging by the sounds of agony that the demons were making, but none of my men were down. They better not fucking be or I was going to have words with Maddox with how he trained his men because obviously it wasn't enough.

Hmph. Who said I was gonna even talk to him?

"Stop daydreaming and attack!" I could hear Nya yelling at me, possibly glaring at me from across the white bridge of Zapula, and I winced, feeling a pain in my stomach. Not now, not fucking now.

"Oh yeah, sorry," I whispered, the bodysuit accommodating my jumps and high kicks as I stabbed the angels in the neck. This war was such a blur and yet to me, it was fun.

We were making ground as we moved further inland towards the stark center of Zapula where the palace lied. I looked down at the pudge of my tummy, cursing myself. "We aren't in great danger right now, but please just stick with it for a little while and then I promise we'll be home free," I cooed, knowing that I looked like a dumbass randomly standing near a white tree, talking to himself. I had known that it was reckless of me to come out here, knowing that I had a child on the way. God, I was gonna be the finest father, but that wasn't the point.

The point was that if Maddox found out that I dared to put not only myself in danger but his child, he would kill me.

Not that I'd mind.

The masses of demons probably thought I wouldn't notice, but I saw that they were taking on more demons than necessary as if they were protecting me from being in harm's way. I had to admit, the sentiment was really nice, but I hated people feeling like they had to protect me before I became a burden to them. I had never felt myself to be a burden to anyone in all of those four years that Maddox had been our lord and savior, and I wasn't going to now. 

I held up my hand as I kept my eyes straight, aiming a small dagger hidden in my suit at the approaching angel, snapping my head to the side when a beam of light came flying my way. Wow, I could've died if that made contact with me. The dagger landed in her throat as it slashed through the entire jugular, instantly killing her. She immediately faceplanted the white grass, her moans and groans becoming no more.

"Keep going." I told myself when I started to get tired and hungry for Hot Cheetos. I kept my eyes straight but I took note of the approaching angels, finding ways to kill them without bringing harm to Jade or any other invisible demons around. "Fuck." I ran up to one, dodging past the flying balls as I jumped in the air, wrapping my legs around the neck of the enemy. I scoped the area as I twisted my body upside down, breaking his neck as his head become detached.

Well, that took care of that one.

"Thank fuck," Judging by the number of eyes that I felt were on me, I had guessed that about three demons were heading towards me and I didn't want to take on too many by myself. "Nya," I called out to the demon, who just happened to be standing there. "Take the bitch on the left. Jade, you take dumb fucker here on the right." I motioned and they began to run, the sound of air whipping past filling my ears.

"Xani, after we clear out this crowd of angels, you can run ahead and do your part. We'll do our best to make sure that the coast will be clear," I tapped into my earpiece and the responding spy hummed, letting me know that she would do more than well.  I tapped out, taking another knife out and I threw it at the middle angel's neck, instantly killing her. This was a piece of cake and it was good because I didn't have to get in close to them. I became curious and pressed a button on my suit and a blue laser shot out, the smell of fire permeating the air as the beam shot through the Adam's apple of the angel, slicing off his entire head.

The crash of his helmet as his head landed on the ground was oddly disturbing.

We were inching closer and closer to the castle and I could feel that was where Maddox was. The clear rivers filled up with the color of silver blood, an irony among the skies. The battlefield was silent as we used that to our advantage, fighting closely and unseen. Tion had more men than we had demons, so we had to employ all of the tactics that we could.

All of a sudden, a harsh pain stabbed at my stomach and I winced, bending over at the waist. I stood up with a sharp exhale, seeing a tall angel running towards me, his hand angled out with a large red ball of light forming in the palm. "Oh?" I could tell that he was smirking, watching me clutch a hand to my stomach. "Is that what I think it is?" A sinister and ironically demonic tone overtook this angel's voice as the ball increased to the size of a basketball, being shot from his hand within the speed of light towards me. I stood, frozen as the red beam got drastically closer and closer, fear skyrocketing up my veins. Why couldn't I move? Why was I just standing there? Move!

"TROY!"

I felt a body slam into mine and I stumbled over, slamming into a white tree with a groan, the angel being immediately killed by a fellow demon. "The hell?" As I lifted my head up to yell at Jade for doing something so rash, my body stilled with imminent dread as my eyes landed on the blood coating the white grass. "No, no, no no no," My hands started shaking as I ran over to Jade's body on the floor, hearing her cough desperately, the red liquid dripping out of the corner of her mouth. I couldn't see. When did I start crying? I couldn't speak. When had I become speechless?

I put her head in my lap, looking around for the wound and I found it, a big hole in her stomach, bleeding and oozing. I could clearly see right through it and it made it all the more ethereal. "Jade, why did you do that!?" I screeched, unable to stop the tears from falling. "Why..." It was clear where this was headed as she struggled to reach up to grab my hand. Her skin was becoming cold and clammy as her blood seeped out beneath us. I couldn't stop myself from rocking back and forth, trying to do what I could to stop the bleeding but it wasn't working. 

"Troy," She coughed, spitting up her own blood. "I couldn't let you get hurt. Didn't I say that I'd protect you, no matter what?" She muttered, a sly grin on her face as she accepted defeat. "I've always admired your courage and tenacity ever since we met four years ago. You literally defied everything and I wished that I was more like you," A tear dripped from that seafoam eye and I couldn't see clearly anymore.

"Don't you dare cry. I know that I won't be here to see the beautiful creation that you made," She coughed once more and I could feel my mouth trembling, wanting her to stop talking, wanting someone to please just help. "But all I ask is that you tell him or her about me, about the awesome aunt Jade McKinley would've been," She chuckled and I couldn't help but follow suit, though it sounded garbled and full of tears as her skin began to pale.

"B-but we promised, you know, to go to New Zealand together," I hated the way that my voice cracked as she nodded at me, her bloody grin breaking my heart even more. I was Troy Morelli, goddammit! I didn't cry. "You'll have to go without me, but I'll be watching over you," The clash of the war behind me meant nothing as her voice got lower and lower. "But Troy, never mind that," She reached up slowly to rub my face. "No one, more than you, deserves to be happy," I gritted my teeth, shutting my eyes as she brought up my unwillingness to let go and love. "So go on. Be happy for the both of us." The hand that was on my face fell against the white grass, a stark contrast.

I wanted to scream, to tell her that she was supposed to fall in love with Jexan so she could be like Avery and me, that she had to see my kid be born so I could tell her how awesome they were because of me, to help me become a better person because she was the literal logical part of my mind, to live because I couldn't live without her.

But alas, it was too late.

"I love you, Troy." Jade's voice fell into a careless whisper as she smiled sadly, gripping my hand tightly. I couldn't let her go on, taking her last breath without me finishing my last words to her, no matter how painful it was going to be. She closed her eyes, a final tear falling from those beautiful eyelids as she relished in my words. I couldn't stop the burning of my heart as I wept over her, holding her body to mine.

"Always, Jade."