Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Somehow, I felt a tinge bit awkward about her response. But I held my tongue, allowing her to blow off steam. There was resentment in her voice, loathing even. 

No love for Mephisto I see. 

Eve sighed, kneed her temple, and said, "I need a drink." 

"Lilith?" 

Lilith opened her palm, conjuring a small gourd she tossed to her. Eve caught it, shooting Lilith a curious look. "It's a fine vintage straight from the Abyss. Though I can't say, it has the psionic effect of the Hells." 

"I don't suppose Abyssals are cruel enough to farm important sensations or memories merely to instill these emotions into wine," Eve expressed, accepting the gourd, giving a slight nod, and said, " I thank you either way." 

"See? We are all getting along." I teased, somehow receiving two angry looks my way for some reason. 

Woman. 

Eve popped the cork and took a swig, her eyes instantly turning wide. "Holy shit." she took another swig as a flush raced up from her shoulder, through her neck, gathering around her cheeks. "What is this?"

Lilith snickered. "There is a herb within the Abyss known as Sei; it's a type of spice we use in many of our foods and wines. You like it?" 

Eve gave somewhat of a childlike nod. Similar to the ones Iza gives me before ignoring me altogether. She hiccupped, shooting me a sly look before pocketing the gourd as if to suggest I'd steal it. 

"I guess I can take you two there," she said, conjuring a parchment she handed to me and Lilith. 

Reading through the material that essentially stated that no harm could come to the seal, I frowned, focusing on a few other conditions that were a little iffy. Nevertheless, I still signed it, along with Lilith. 

The contract was simple and to the point. Nothing too sneaky. 

"Good," and in a moment, she hesitated, eying the kiddos. 

I drew the line there." They are not signing anything." 

A little unsure if my voice was a bit too strong, but Eve flinched at my rebut before she grinned. 

"I understand. You… You're different than I thought. Adam would've never done what you just did." 

"What did I do?" I honestly asked. 

"Fought for his children," she answered, the mournfulness in her voice all the more deafening. She turned to face the gate, opening her palm to create a protective domain around us formed out of a strange golden energy. 

Seraphic Qi? No, it's slightly different. 

She stepped into the portal, drawing us in. My son woke then, staring at the vast array of colors melding into a mesh of distorted mist. Iza was the same, somehow finding the colors interesting for some reason. 

"If you don't mind me asking, what was Adam like?" Lilith asked, startling me for a second, though I wanted to know myself. I don't think I would have asked myself. 

"Bland," she said. "Guess I was too. We all were back then. However, he was easy to manipulate. I guess there's that." 

A little shocked, I frowned when I recalled the Mother of Demons and the stories of torment Adam had inflicted on her. 

Mephisto hated Lilith for how much of a pushover she was. 

Eve seemed to sense my confusion as she glanced back at me. "I learned from Lilith, If you can believe it. I heard Adam's stories of her. He loved her dearly. Had a child with her, too. Though…" she shook her head. "Adam was a simple man, at least he seemed to be." 

"Easy to manipulate?" said Lilith, smiling. 

Eve chuckled. "More than you'll ever know. He was a cowardly man. Fearful of everything. Though I don't blame him for that." 

"Espessly since you screwed us all over," I pointed out. "Eve the root of all sin. Typical of a woman to pull a man into her mess." 

Lilith, Eve, and somehow Iza shot me a look that turned me silent. But was I wrong, though? She was the one who convinced Adam to eat from the forbidden tree.

"Was it my fault that he was weak? Was it my fault he fawned over me? Duty bounded me to be with Adam." she smirked. "I'm sure an ungrateful bastard like yourself can't understand what it means to be bound by duty, nevertheless, after the Fall. Something changed within him. That mask he held so well dropped: He grew cold. Hungry. Vengeful and cruel. He tried treating me like Lilith and quickly saw I was not like her. I fought back. Around that time, Azazel gifted us the knowledge of swords and cultivation. But you don't want to know about him, do you?" 

We shook our heads, and she laughed. 

"Lilith was interesting, to say the least. It'll come as a surprise, but that woman was so meek. So effeminate. The perfect little woman. And at the time, was unable to play the game of cat and mouse." 

"And you were?" I asked, frowning. 

"I had help," said Eve. "Lucifer aided me. Taught me how to tame Adam. To quel that innate sense to conquer. In my hands, he was like a toy. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. After the death of Abel… I stayed around for a few more years before abandoning my duty to him. Though I must say, Adam did become better in a sense as time ebbed. He slowly became what I expected him to be. None of our kids liked him. Nor their kids. Can't say I blame them. We've all abandoned him." 

"As for in this day and era… I can't say what he's like. I've not spoken to him in… Gods, I can't even remember. I don't even know what he looks like now." 

I frowned, somehow feeling like I was romanticizing the idea of Adam and Eve. 

'Duty'

What a way to describe a relationship. The first relationship. That is rather depressing. And yet, if not for this, neither I nor my kids would be here today. Her duty allowed me life, allowed my brother and sister life. 

"Thank you," said Lilith in my stead, cupping her palm as I joined along. 

"Jokes aside. Everything around us was all you're doing. Thank You." I said as our journey through the vortex finally came to an end.