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-Jeffery stood with his back to Raven. He wasn't surprised by what she had done, though he was a little confused about the timing. In the past he had purposely given her many chances to kill him. He had turned his back to her when they were alone to make himself appear vulnerable and every time she had passed his loyalty test. So why did she turn on him now? She knew that the demons could not be controlled without him around.

-"You know, as far as assassinations go, your timing is a little off." Jeffery said with a hint of amusement in his voice as he turned around, resting his blade across his shoulder. "A little advice, when you are going to kill someone you might want to do it before they destroy the world."

-"I have no desire to kill you," Raven explained, "nor do I wish to overthrow you."

-"Then why draw your weapon against me now?"

-Raven broke eye contact and looked away. Her eyes became sad and distant as she taped in to unpleasant memories. Memories she wanted to share at long last. There was something familiar about the expression that made Jeffery forget about his anger for a moment.

-"For the longest time, I was in a dark place," Raven told him. "It was cold, and lonely...I didn't like it at all. I don't know how long I was there but I kept wishing for someone to save me. And then you came. You showed me this incredible world and I stood by your side through it all. I have to say, it's the most fun I've ever had. But now that you have achieved your goal I no longer wish to be a mere subordinate."

-Raven took an attack stance and looked back at Jeffery with determination in her eyes. She was committed to her course and would not change her mind. "I want to face you to prove myself one last time, so that you will see me as an equal. I want to stay by your side but not as your servant, as your queen."

-Jeffery saw no bloodlust in her eyes. He believed she did not want to kill him, but if it was a fight she wanted he would give it to her. He raised his sword and planted his feet, but one thing still bothered him.

-"Why is it so important for me to see you as an equal?" Jeffery asked as he cautiously circled her. Raven moved in step with him, not letting him get behind her. She managed a small smile.

-"Isn't it obvious?" She asked, "Because I love you."

-Jeffery stopped in his tracks and blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected to hear that and the moment he lowered his guard Raven moved in. She struck at him with lightning speed; even Jeffery had trouble keeping up with her. The second he blocked one blade the other one would come from a different direction.

-Raven forced Jeffery back with her attacks until he deflected both of her blades to the left and made a backswing at her. Raven ducked under his attack and with his arms wide she put her left foot on his right thigh, swung her other foot up and kicked Jeffery under his jaw.

-Raven did a back flip off of Jeffery and knocked him right off his feet. She landed gracefully but Jeffery fell flat on his back. He let out a sigh before getting back to his feet. He was impressed with Raven's skill but ultimately the contest was futile.

-"How are you planning to beat me?" Jeffery asked as he gingerly rubbed his jaw. "You're human, and you never even tasted the immortality serum. Any injury I receive will heal. You on the other hand could get seriously hurt playing this little game."

-Raven gave him an almost flirtatious smile. "Concerned for my well being?" She asked coyly. Before Jeffery could answer, Raven dashed toward him again. Jeffery swung straight down at her but she jumped and twisted in midair, just missing the blade. She flew feet first towards Jeffery and kicked him square in the chest.

-Jeffery lost his grip on his sword as he was knocked backward. He hit the wall but he managed to stay on his feet. Before he could think of a counter attack Raven's daggers flew through the air and planted themselves on both sides of Jeffery's head. He looked at Raven and she gave him another cocky smirk. Jeffery stepped forward to take her on hand to hand when he stopped in his tracks.

-Jeffery's head was filled with the sound of loud whispers once again. They echoed in his head, drowning out his own thoughts and causing him pain. Jeffery covered his ears in a futile attempt to block them out. He dropped to his knees and looked up, expecting to see Raven moving in to take advantage. Instead he saw her on her knees covering her ears just as he was.

-Jeffery's shock almost took his mind off of the pain, almost. Raven got up and stumbled her way over to Jeffery, fighting hard against the chaos in her mind. Jeffery didn't know how she managed it, but Raven dropped back down to her knees right in front of him. She pressed her forehead against his and the two of them tried to resist the voices together.

-Bolstered by each others presence, the voices slowly subsided and Jeffery and Raven regained their composure. They both got back to their feet and Jeffery stared at Raven for a long while. Raven sheepishly looked away, it was clear that she had not intended for him to learn of her secret so soon.

-"You hear the voices too?" Jeffery asked.

-"...Yes," Raven answered as she looked back at him and gave a sly smile, "and that's not all we have in common." She held out a hand and her daggers flew through the air and returned to her. She twirled them in her hands and sheathed them. Jeffery looked at her with disbelief.

-"You have my powers?"

-Raven nodded slightly and stepped forward. "Yes, though I've rarely had the need to use it. I have nowhere near your will power or your drive; I think that's what I always found most attractive about you. Even when you had control of the world you wanted to push yourself even further, and now you have defeated god himself. You never faltered or flinched in your conviction. I always had your power but you were the one who showed me how to use it. While I remained in darkness you bent the world to your will."

-Jeffery was silent for a long while as he processed what Raven had confessed. She had his power and could have overthrown him at any time. The greatest threat to his rule had stood by his side the entire time and he had never realized it. Even now that he knew he did not feel threatened by her. But a few things finally made sense to him.

-"You were responsible for the attack by the angels just before I went to hell." He said. "That's how you reacted so quickly, you wanted to make sure I took you along with me."

-"Yes," Raven confessed, "and the attack in Europe. I knew that once you defeated the human world you would not be satisfied so I showed you the way to an even greater challenge. And I also wanted to hasten your return home."

-"You missed me?" Jeffery asked. "I put you in charge of the castle because I trusted you to take care of it. And because...I didn't want you to get hurt. Every time I sent you on a mission you were the only one I ever worried about. I thought you were the most vulnerable but it turns out you were the strongest. If I had known I would have brought you with me."

-Raven smiled happily and Jeffery felt himself share in the feeling as he looked her in the eye. He raised his hand and his blade flew through the air and returned to him. Raven made no attempt to defend herself, she simply awaited his judgment. If he rejected her she would rather die than be alone again.

-Jeffery sheathed his weapon and smiled warmly at her. Raven's eyes lit up and she returned the smile. Jeffery offered his hand and Raven greedily accepted it. They embraced each other lovingly. Raven and Jeffery consummated their relationship with the corpses of angels and god as their witnesses.

-For the first time Jeffery made love to a willing human. For once he was gentle, passionate and he discovered that he enjoyed it far more than the brutal rape he was used to subjecting slaves to. It was warm and comforting; at long last the rage that had fueled him for so long quieted itself in his heart, replaced by the tenderness.

-Several minutes later the Raven rested in Jeffery's arms, the two of them leaning on a dead angel as a cushion. Raven pressed her ear against Jeffery's chest and listened to his heart beat. It was strong and hypnotic. It made her feel safe and reassured her that she would never be alone again. There were no more secrets between them, save one.

-"What is your name?" Raven asked as she stroked his bare chest affectionately. Jeffery reached down with one hand and ran his fingers through her hair.

-"It's Jeffery," he said, "our little secret."

-"My lips are sealed," Raven said with a smile.

-Outside the citadel the army franticly tried to get back to their master. Sweat dripped off of Hellen as she continued to pound away at the rock, her knuckles were raw and swollen. Before they could heal she drove them against the stone again. Siren tried to catch her breath, having screamed herself to the point of loosing her voice.

-Scylla continued to direct the dragons to attack the top of the dome and Jade did the same with her aerial warriors. Kikki rallied the ground forces to assault the base and Marrow dug at the rocks until her claws were worn away. Despite the concentrated effort of all of them they had made no progress since Raven had somehow sealed herself in with the master.

-Suddenly the ground began to shake all around and the army halted their efforts. The rock walls slowly descended back into the ground from whence they came and the generals rushed to the entrance way. They were intent on tearing Raven limb from limb at long last but instead were greeted with the sight of the master exiting the building with his arm around Raven's waist.

-"We're going home!" Jeffery declared. His army roared and cheered in victory. "And I give to you, your new queen!" Jeffery indicated Raven and the demons roared again. Kikki jumped up and down clapping but her more sensible sister gave Raven suspicious looks.

-Despite their disapproval they would never do anything to oppose their master. They begrudgingly bowed their heads to their new queen and set about making preparations for the return to earth. The human souls were rounded up as spoils of war. Several surviving angels were also taken captive and as Jeffery and Raven made their way through the ruined city Jeffery found his bound angel.

-She had somehow survived the carnage and Jeffery forced her to her feet and dragged her along. He and Raven could use the female angel for fun later on. Jeffery and Raven would rule their demonic domain side by side. He took a deep breath and looked upon the ruined kingdom. He and Raven were now the closest things to gods in the world, and they would enjoy their rule very much.

-Jeffery turned to lead his army back to earth when he stopped for a moment. He felt a tingling sensation on his cheek and heard a whisper in his mind. Not as bad as the voices usually were and it only lasted a moment. A strange sense of comfort came over him as he reached up and touched the spot on his cheek. The feeling went away and he put it out of his mind. He took Ravens hand and headed back to his dark kingdom.

-Jeffery's mother kissed her son's cheek and whispered in his ear, "I love you." She stood up and walked over to her husband who embraced her lovingly. The doctor came in and nodded to both of them.

-"Still no change I'm afraid," the doctor said, "as I told you before with head trauma like this there is no telling how long he'll be in a comma. The girl lying next to him has been her even longer."

-Jeffery's parents looked at the girl in the adjacent bed. She was a beautiful girl about Jeffery's age with short black hair. On the table next to her bed rested a picture of a black bird. Jeffery's mother seemed saddened and she looked to the doctor.

-"Who is she?" she asked.

-"Her name is Whitney Whiteman. But everyone here calls her Raven because of the picture; it's a kind of nickname. Oddly enough her vital signs significantly improved when Jeffery was brought in."

-"Are they aware of each other?" Jeffery's mother asked hopefully. The doctor seemed reluctant to answer.

-"No one really knows," he said, "some believe they create their own world which they become trapped in. Others think they are in a dreamless sleep. I'm afraid we just don't know what goes on in their minds."

-Jeffery's mother smiled, happy by the fact that Jeffery wasn't alone. As they walked out of the room and down the hall they heard noise coming out of one of the other rooms. Jeffery's mother peeked inside and saw two men of the cleaning crew working and talking to each other.

-"Those two sure are chatter boxes," she said as she rejoined her husband and the doctor.

-"Yes," the doctor said, "they go through all the rooms regularly to clean them though they do have a habit of talking to the patients a little too much. But we haven't had any complaints. They cleaned your son's room shortly before you came. Don't worry though; I'm sure Jeffery doesn't mind their conversations. So how is the trial going?"

-"The defense attorney is trying to say it was just a prank that got out of hand," Jeffery's father said, "for Christ sake he put my son in a comma and he wants to get off with a slap on the wrist."

-"That's a shame," the doctor said as he showed them out of the hospital, "he seems like such a sweet boy."