Welcome back to Hello Charlotte everyone. I hope that you enjoy this chapter, I worked hard on it. Please remember to VOTE and COMMENT, it means a lot to me plus I love chatting with you guys. Also, please remember to click on the video it goes with the chapter. ~XOXO BUTTERBALL~

The song is Church by Fall Out Boy.

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-Kessel-

Cold, the room was covered in snow that drifted in through an open window. It blanketed the quiet room like a deafening white sheet. In the chair in front of me sat Charlotte, a fine layer of snow covering her as she slept. Her eyes were closed, her body relaxed and her breathing slow, she for once in a long time looked peaceful.

I rushed over to her and knelt in front of her. "Charlotte! Lottie speak to me!" I pleaded.

Charlotte moaned as she rubbed a small pale hand across her eyes. "Kessel?" She whispered.

A flood of joy rushed through me, it was a feeling that I could never hope to recreate...but right behind that was a strange trickle of something I couldn't put my finger on.

"Charlotte, don't worry. I have you now, come with me! I'll never let anything happen to you again...no matter how much the world tries to hurt you I won't let that happen," I told her a grin on my face.

Then she laughed and as she removed her hand from her eyes when she did, a rush of cold enter my veins as though the snow in the room had forced its way into my body.

This thing that was pretending to be Charlotte got to its feet, standing before me its eyes were completely black with a small white pinprick of a pupil instead of Charlotte's beautiful glimmering light blue eyes.

She continued to laugh as I rose to my feet. "For a prophet you sure as hell can't recognize your Gods. But then again you're just a fraud using those around you like tools."

She smirked as she circled me I glared as I followed her.

"What is your game Lucosercia?" I growled my eyes narrowing.

"Ah, so you know my name at least. I'm here to warn you," she told me.

I was shaking with fury with every second I stared at her, it was disgusting, nauseating!

"Why not meet me in your real form?" I asked as calmly as I could.

She sneered at me twisting Charlotte's face into an awful expression. "If I had met you in my real form would you have even given me the time of day? But this girl, this child means so much to you that you are willing to destroy the world for her."

She rolled her eyes the white pupil practically bouncing around like a ping-pong ball. "We are sending you a warning Kessel. We have allowed you to play god to your heart's content but enough is enough, if you wage war against us using our Therion children then you will feel our true power." She told me slowly and calmly.

I snorted my anger reaching its peak. "You're not a god! You all are a joke! But I-I will fix this world and make it better than you ever could!" I snapped.

She let out a small laugh and it made my skin crawl. My fingers twitched as I resisted the urge to wrap them around her neck. "Kessel, you're no hero. Maybe in a different time, in a different story perhaps but here? You're just a delusional broken man." She said slowly her gaze meeting mine.

Is that pity I hear in her voice? Heh, I don't need her fucking pity.

"I'm doing this for Charlotte, for creatures like her that are hated, abused and ignored by their own kind! You're not Lottie, she was a strong beautiful girl tainted by her mother's actions! Everyone failed her except me-" I growled.

"And Ivo," she said with a smirk on her face.

I hissed baring the small fangs I had. "Don't taint her image you bitch! Ivo, Ivo should know what he will do to her! He has to know what his contract will do to her! That's why I need Charlotte by my side...I want her to see the world I created for her, for creatures like her!" I snapped my voice had a frantic edge to it that I absolutely despised. "I-I just want to protect her...to protect creatures like her...Lottie please," I whispered my voice breaking on Charlotte's nickname. I fell to my knees my breath coming out in huffs.

Lucoseria said nothing as she stared down at me like I was nothing more than a piece of trash she stepped in. Then she knelt down across from me and ran her hand gently through my hair.

"This is all rather disappointing Kessel. I expected so much more from the beautiful 'god' of an Aveon prophet. I'm sure Charlotte did too, but look at you nothing but a pretty face, a broken soul, and tears. So pathetic," she whispered in my ear.

I raised my head my eyes wide as tears ran down my cheeks, I couldn't say anything however as she smirked at me perverting Charlotte's image with her disgusting ego.

I didn't feel myself move but I did hear Lucoseria's bloodcurdling scream before I choked her off with my hands around her throat. And even when I sat back starring in horror at what I'd done to Charlotte's body that smirk never left her face. Taunting me, calling me out for my sins.

"See what I mean Kessel? You're no hero, you're a monster and a failure. You failed Ivo, you failed Charlotte, and you'll fail everyone too."

~~~

My eyes shot open as I sprang up, startling Lorithia who sat next to my bed. "Lord Kessel please don't do that. You nearly took off eight of my nine lives," she sighed.

However, I didn't say anything as I stared at my hands becoming sick to my stomach as I remembered how Charlotte's neck had felt, what sounds she made as she struggled for air, the horrified look on her face as the light left her eyes.

"Lord Kessel, are you alright? You look incredibly pale, did the drug make you nauseous?" Lorithia asked as she flipped through the papers her clipboard held.

I shook my head slowly as I looked at her. "No Lorithia, I'm fine. Am I the only patient here?" I said gently as my composure slowly began to come back.

She let out a chuckle her tail flicking out ruffling the red bow she had on it. "Thankfully it's a slow day at my infirmary. With Eizen still feeling sick from the after-effects of the silver he hasn't been doing stuff like live weapon training," she told me smiling. Then, she frowned, "I hate to pry Kessel, but while you were sleeping you looked as though you were having a nightmare. You kept whispering the name Charlotte, the medicine I gave you was supposed to induce a peaceful sleep."

I let out a chuckle. "No, it wasn't a nightmare I talked to the goddess Lucoseria. She lectured me about how to take care of Therions however she refused to tell me more about Charlotte's location no matter how much I asked."

Lorithia's eyes practically lit up. "What was she like? How did she speak? Did she have any strange annunciations? What did she look like? Did she eat? And if she did eat what are her favorite foods? Did she have any strange-"

"Lorithia, please calm down I can not answer all those questions at once," I told her with a small smile on her face.

She pouted slightly as she nodded. "Yes, Lord Kessel."

I climbed out of the bed as she moved the curtain that surrounded my bed. I followed her over to her desk as she unlocked one of the drawers. After a bit of ruffling through them, she placed a small prescription bottle on the desk.

"These pills are some of the ones I gave you earlier today, the vampire blood and ambrosia mix. It'll work like a sedative since the vampire blood is amplified." She explained calmly.

"Vamprosia? Thank you Lorithia, I better go check on Eizen," I told her as I left.

I walked toward my room but stopped when I heard Eizen's voice. I leaned out of the palace window and looked down into the courtyard to see him and Seras sparing a ring of interested soldiers watching them.

Eizen was easily dodging Seras's spear, when he leaped up into the air and punched her in the face I couldn't help but wince.

Even when Eizen's sick and feeling like absolute shit he still on top of everything.

Seras allowed Eizen to help her up a scowl on her face and a bruise under her eye. A moment later they took their sparring positions again, Eizen was the first one to attack however Seras threw her spear upwards. For a brief moment, I saw something that looked like confusion in his eyes. Then Seras rushed forward clotheslining him and dragging him to the ground, for a moment I saw Eizen's body waver as though he was going to shift but he didn't. He dug his claws into Seras's upper arm drawing blood and she yelped yanking herself away from him. Eizen was about to sit up however Seras's spear came back down inches away from his head causing him to freeze.

Seras straddled him letting out a giggle. "You should really rest sir, if I was able to get one over on you then you really don't feel well."

Eizen narrowed his eyes as he pushed her off his eyes lighting up as he noticed me in the window. I beckoned him with two fingers before I retreated to my room.

The moment I entered my room Lyssa ran over to me and wrapped me in a hug. "Daddy, you're back!" She squealed loudly.

"Kessel, she's no Charlotte. You really shouldn't use someone as a replacement it taints Charlotte's image." Ivo whispered in my ear.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tightened my grip on Lyssa.

Ivo I'm not replacing Charlotte, we both know that. You'll bring her to me of your own accord too.

"Did you already have dinner?" I asked Lyssa a grin on my face.

"No, not yet, I was waiting for you daddy! The lady that was taking care of me made me lunch but it didn't taste as good as yours." She told me as she bounced up and down.

"Kessel, you are going to cook dinner right? That maid cooks like absolute shit, did you know she accidentally put salt in cookies?" Eizen asked as he suddenly entered the room.

I lifted Lyssa up and placed her on my hip. She hid her face in my shoulder as Eizen approached which caused him to let out a chuckle. "Aw, is the little demon still afraid of me?"

I leaned down a bit so that I could give Eizen a brief kiss. I frowned however when he felt hotter than normal.

Huh, he has a fever, he really is sick.

"Did Lorithia give you the sleeping medicine?" He asked as we walked over to the kitchen.

"Yeah, she gave me some Vamprosia and told me that if I keep having trouble sleeping to tell her." I sighed as I gathered the ingredients and pots.

Eizen let out a sigh as he put his head down on the table. "Please don't cook anything really greasy," he pleaded softly.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Lyssa scooting her chair away from Eizen. The bulb on the end of her hair twitched and its mouth opened slightly before snapping close quickly.

Her therion powers are beginning to awaken.

"I'm surprised that Lorithia didn't give you medicine," I told Eizen as I cooked the spaghetti.

"I let her give me a dose of something to wash the silver out of my system but it made me drowsy so I had to stop," he sighed.

I rolled my eyes, "Eizen, you are the smartest idiot I've ever known."

Eizen smirked at me as he lifted his head up. "Am I the smartest person you know?"

I just shrugged. "Perhaps but at the same time you're not the most stubborn person I've had to deal with in my whole 204,000 years."

When I looked back over my shoulder Eizen's eyes were wide a look of shock covering his face. "What?" I asked.

"I guessed that you were only like five thousand or something after all you're only in your late twenties for fuck's sake. You contract demons age weird." He sighed.

"Actually we usually age weird because of the time in our world it's a lot like how the time in the Fae world works. So when we leave to form contracts and be with our contractors we tend to start aging normally." I explained.

"Hey Kessel, since you're a contract demon what were your contracts like?" He asked as he lined up the salt and pepper shakers.

I shook my head as I poured the noodles into the boiling water. "When I left my kingdom, I was young. Smart but still young, my parents, of course, disowned me and I became an enemy of the kingdom. They taught me how to care for my contract and everything but I never received my contract markings, because I never graduated from the school there," I explained.

Eizen smirked. "Heh, Mr. nice guy Kessel really did make a lot of enemies," he chuckled.

"Stop talking about daddy like that!" Lyssa protested as she banged her little hands on the table.

Eizen rolled his eyes. "I warned you that being rude would make you turn into a monster," he said calmly.

The bulb on her hair twitched and opened again like a hungry venus flytrap.

I slammed my hands on the table causing both of them to jump and it caused the bulb on Lyssa's hair to close instantly. Both of them looked at me with wide eyes.

"Eizen go lay down, you look like you're gonna fall to the floor any moment. I'll come get you when I'm done cooking," I told him as I walked over to him.

He sighed, "Yeah I suppose you're right. After all, we do have a mission tomorrow, not to mention the Seelie Queen is coming to sign the treaty and make amends for that bullshit she tried to pull."

I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Go rest, I'll cook. If you're not sleeping I'll come get you so that you can eat." I reassured him.

He yawned and nodded before walking away toward the bedroom.

I turned to Lyssa a smile on my face. "Lyssa when Eizen talks to you like that don't get angry. Just ignore him, he's just worried about you in his own strange way."

She nodded as she played with her hair, I held the bulb in my hand before I spoke to her. "Does this open sometimes and try to bite things?" I asked gently. However, Lyssa shook her head almost frantically.

"No! It doesn't, it's just heavy and I hate it!" She snapped.

I patted her head before I went back to cooking.

She's obviously lying because she's scared of the thing. But if I force her on it she'll probably get upset and bite me.

~~~

After I finished cooking I went into my room to check on Eizen, unsurprisingly he was asleep.

Both Lyssa and I will eat tonight, I better make a plate for him though and wrap it up.

When I finished eating I just kinda stood next to the bed holding a few of the pills Lorithia gave me.

"Do you honestly think sleeping pills will help you, Kessel? Especially when you're rotting from the inside out," Ivo whispered.

I could practically see the smirk on his face, I shuddered as my breath came out in huffs. However when I looked up I saw him, I saw Ivo standing behind me in the mirror his mouth twisted into a sneer.

"The gods have given you a warning and yet you still defy them like the false prophet you are. Manipulating the masses until they're unquestioning zombies ready to bow down before you." Ivo whispered as he slung his arm over my shoulder.

Even though I knew he wasn't really there, I could feel him touch me his cold hands running along my throat.

"I-I am saving people, I am doing what must be done for the good of creatures like Charlotte," I hissed softly.

Ivo smiled in the mirror then he began laughing but I couldn't hear him laughing. Not a single sound emanated from the mirror.

"Oh Kessel, my poor friend. Just because you believe yourself to be a hero doesn't mean you are. You're a crazed cult leader and you think Charlotte of all people would want to be under your self-righteous religious movement? If so you really are all the way gone." Ivo said into my ear.

He walked around me circling me inside the mirror. "You knew, you may have been a child but you knew what bringing me back would do to me. You always used to tell people I came back wrong didn't you?" I growled.

Ivo rolled his eyes. "If you were so concerned about that you would've killed yourself a long time ago. But who am I kidding you're a coward who wants to drag everyone down with you including Charlotte. But I won't let you this is your last warning."

I slashed at him with my claws however he, of course, wasn't there. A loud tearing noise entered my ears as I raked large claw marks on my pillow.

I sat on the edge of the bed and let out a sigh, my eyes once again on the pills in my hand.

I hope this works, if it doesn't I won't be surprised just tired.

I popped the pills into my mouth quickly dry swallowing them as I climbed into bed. Eizen's arms wrapped around me. I smiled slightly as I pulled him close. Soon I was drowsy, then eventually despite how much I struggled to stay awake, I fell asleep.

When I woke up at first I just sat up in bed slightly dazed as I yawned. It took a few moments before I heard Eizen and Lyssa's voices drifting from the kitchen. I quickly got dressed and rushed into the kitchen before Eizen could traumatize the poor girl even more.

However, I froze when I entered the kitchen instead of the verbal bloodbath I expect Eizen was calmly talking to Lyssa as he served her pancakes.

"But I want syrup!" She pleaded.

"Listen, kid, those pancakes have blueberries, chocolate chip, whipped cream, and strawberries take this from someone who eats their body weight in sugar. You don't need a mountain of sugar first thing in the morning," he protested.

"You two aren't at each other's throats?" I whispered.

Eizen looked at me then he began laughing. "Oh my god, I didn't know that it was possible for you to look disheveled! You always look so, well, perfect!"

I rolled my eyes. "I literally just woke up, I heard both of you talking and rushed in here to make sure you weren't killing each other," I grumbled as I went back to my bedroom to get ready.

By the time I'd come back Seras was sitting there talking with Lyssa who sat on the floor playing with her toys.

"Ah Lord Kessel you're here, the Seelie Queen arrived and is ready to meet you for the treaty. Eizen left to go help security, he told me to stay with you for the duration of her stay though," Seras informed me.

I smiled at her. "So it's your turn to guard me? Will the others be joining us for today's mission?"

She shook her head, a frown on her face. "Lorithia is incredibly busy so she won't be joining us for today's mission. Today it'll just be me, you and Eizen," she informed me.

I nodded. "Alright, we shouldn't keep our lovely guest waiting."

I hope for once in my life Ivo will behave himself. Especially while we're on camera.

As we walked Seras stayed a few steps behind. Her spear rested in her right hand with the tip pointing towards the floor. When I entered the foyer I saw the Seelie Queen with a few Fae guards beside her, but she was also standing in front of some very eager reporters.

The moment I entered the room I heard multiple cameras snap as pictures were taken.

"Welcome, to the home of Aveon Foundation, Queen of the Fae," I said as I bowed slightly. It reminded me a lot of when I met King Vincent for the first time.

She's very different from the Therion King. He emits a sense of danger and power wherever he goes. Compared to him Aurelia is like a sleeping kitten.

"It is my pleasure Prophet Kessel, I also have brought a gift of two thousand soldiers to celebrate the treaty," Aurelia said as she also bowed.

I nodded to Seras who stepped forward. "Will you both please follow me," she told us then turned to the reporters. "Those of you who have already gone through the security checkpoint please follow me and have your papers ready."

Aurelia and I walked ahead of the reporters while Seras led the way to the ballroom. There were two guards standing in front of the door as both Aurelia and I walked through. After she had led us inside she walked back to where the reporters were.

"Your inner circle is very interesting however isn't one missing?" Aurelia asked me as she smiled her eyes on my hands.

Missing? Oh, that's right she never met Caius.

"Caius is out on a field mission. Lorithia is busy in the infirmary. Seras is right there. And Eizen should be talking to and training the new recruits you brought here," I told her as I adjusted my shirt sleeves.

"For a polite young man like yourself and one who is supposedly the pinnacle of holiness you sure do have a lot of blood on your hands," she whispered.

I froze as I glanced at her, she smiled back her legs crossed. "Are you surprised, boy? In the Fae world if you have the blood of others on your hands, then your hands are gloved in red. However, if you are a resident of the Fae world then it is almost second nature to be able to see it. There's one thing I've noticed ever since I've seen you and your friends, all of your hands look as though you have dipped them in red paint. Especially you, however, yours look like the blood should drip off them." She told me softly a slight smirk on her face.

I forced myself to let out a soft chuckle. "I really must visit your world when I have time. It sounds delightful," I said to her with a smile on my face.

However, Aurelia just stared at me with wide eyes, before she could speak again however reporters flooded the room. Seras returned to my side with a smile on her face. Cameras flashed as Aurelia and I leaned over the table that had been set up to sign the contract.

The moment it was signed we both held it up to show everyone. "With this, we'd like to celebrate the peace and corporation between the Aveon Foundation and the Seelie Fae Court," I announced.

The room was instantly filled with camera flashes and cheers. A moment later, however, there was a loud crash that startled everyone. Seras rushed out of the room but I wasn't too far behind.

Suddenly she stopped in front of one of the windows that overlooked the garden. In the garden was a large man circling a Centar that looked ready to charge any moment. On his hands, he wore gloves in his right hand though he held a silver sword. Blood ran down his face from three large gnashes that ran diagonally across his face.

Eizen and the King of Werewolves. Eizen wouldn't attack without good reason.

Seras ran her hand over her spear, the palm of her hand emitting a soft blue glow. Then she raised her spear over her shoulder and threw it, the spear sliced through the air before it embedded itself in the werewolf's leg.

He roared his leg crumpling beneath him, Eizen shifted back and trained his gun on him. Seras leaped out of the window and quickly ran over to Eizen's side, she raised her hand emitting a red glow as her spear returned to her.

I followed after Seras approaching them slowly. It was only then that I noticed the cut on Eizen's arm that was steaming and melting through his flesh. The werewolf king, however, was also in pretty bad shape, his body covered with bruises and a bullet hole in his shoulder.

"Stand down you two, I'll deal with Strade," I told them calmly.

Strade growled as he glared up at me. "Deal with me huh? I won't fall for any more of your bullshit. I will no longer allow my children to bow down to you, to live in fear!"

His transformation into his werewolf form was instant and as he leaped toward me I heard Eizen fire his gun and saw a rune appear on Seras's hand as fire shot out her of her spear. When I threw my hand out in front of me it was almost automatic, but the second I did Strade dropped out of the air as though he was tied to a boulder.

A rush of power flowed through me similar to when I used my power to create life, but when I looked around Strade, Eizen and Seras were all on the ground as though they were pinned to it. I could see them struggling to get up but it wasn't just the three of them, even the plants around me were drooping, the trees bent at an unnatural angle.

"Kessel?"

I looked up to see Charlotte walking toward me. "Lottie?" I whispered.

She stopped in front of me her eyes on my hands. "Your soul may be rotting Kessel. But with that comes new power, a power that only you could master. I want you to use it to free me from Ivo." She whispered her hand brushing against my cheek.

My body began trembling as I bit my lip. "You're not Charlotte. She's not here," I said as I pulled out of her reach.

Charlotte looked at me with wide eyes, a hurt expression on her face. "Of course you wouldn't believe me. No one ever does," she said before I could stop her she disappeared.

When I looked around Eizen and Seras were getting to their feet while Strade just lay on his back in his human form staring up at the sky with a vacant expression.

"Are you finished throwing your tantrum? If so good, get to your knees," I ordered.

As he complied I could see the fear in his eyes, it was like a dog with its tail between his legs. "Just kill me, I'm not going to bow down to you," he snapped.

I shook my head. "I'm not going to kill you. You're a smart leader and your information is beyond valuable. Instead, I want you to lead the two thousand new recruits that came in today, perhaps you could also lead some of our tracking team, after all, a lot of people are spread pretty thin." I told Strade as I crossed my arms.

"Don't joke with me nymph!" Strade snarled.

"I'm not, I'm being truthful," I said calmly.

Strade looked at Eizen. "Is he an idiot?" He asked Eizen.

"Actually our lovely Kessel right here is incredibly smart and resourceful. Too peaceful for my liking though," he told him as Seras used her magic to heal him.

Strade looked back at me and I could see that I had won him over. "Come inside and let our doctor heal you, that silver must hurt like a bitch especially since you have quite a lot of it in you," I said as I helped him to his feet.

I halfway had to carry Strade inside, Lorithia came running up to us. "Kessel, Eizen, Seras what in the hell happened? I heard a loud crash so I began walking here but then I couldn't move it was like a strange force was holding me to the ground. In fact, we're starting to get reports that over half the city was affected," she asked frantically.

"I made a new friend this Strade-"

"King of the werewolves," Lorithia finished for me. She looked him up and down then she looked at Eizen and let out a sigh. "I'll take him, Seras please carry him for me if you can, I'm not wearing my gloves."

Seras nodded and took Strade slinging his arm around her neck as she followed Lorithia back to her office leaving Eizen and I behind.

"What was that Kessel? I don't know what you did but it was really creepy, you raised your hand and everything including Seras, Strade and I fell to the ground. However from what Lorithia says your power affected nearly everyone in this city. I saw you though after we were pinned you just stood there, mumbling to yourself and staring into space just like you were last night. Kessel, what in the hell is happening to you?" Eizen asked the concern clear in his voice.

"Gravity," I whispered as something clicked inside of me. "Lucoseria gave me the power to manipulate gravity."

Eizen stared at me with wide eyes. "G-gravity? The goddess Lucoseria gave you that power?" He repeated slowly.

"Yep, it explains why she visited me in my dream yesterday," I lied.

I wonder how far gone my soul is gone now, how far will it become corroded until it just disappears one day. Heh, I almost can't wait for Ivo to come. Very few things can stop a Therion but I believe I may have found one that can.