Page 30 of Demon Lord's Proposal

I close my eyes, memories of our time together flashing through my mind. The good times, yes, but also the lies. The fear. The constant hiding of who I truly was.

"What we had wasn't real," I say, opening my eyes to meet his gaze. "It was built on secrets and fear. Here, I can be myself. All of myself."

As I speak the words, I feel their truth settling into my bones. I turn back to my workbench, reaching for ingredients with newfound purpose.

"What are you doing?" Joesiah asks, confusion evident in his voice.

"Making a choice," I reply, my hands steady as I measure and mix.

The potion I create is unlike any I've made before. It glows with an otherworldly light, pulsing with power. As I work, I feel a sense of clarity washing over me. Each step of the process feels right, as if I'm following a path that was always meant for me.

When it's done, I hold up the vial, studying the swirling, iridescent liquid within. It's beautiful and terrifying all at once.

"Joesiah," I say, not looking away from the potion. "I need you to get Deus. Both of you should be here for this."

He hesitates, but eventually nods and leaves the lab. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what's to come.

Minutes later, the door opens again. Deus enters first, his eyes immediately finding mine. The concern and love I see there nearly takes my breath away. Joesiah follows, hanging back near the door.

"Sage," Deus says, his voice low and urgent. "What's going on?"

I hold up the vial, its light casting strange shadows across the lab. "I've made my decision," I announce, my voice steadier than I feel.

Both men tense, the air thick with anticipation. I take a deep breath, looking between them.

"Joesiah," I begin. "I'm grateful for the life we shared. For the love we had. But that life... it's over. It ended the day I died."

I turn to Deus, my heart swelling with emotion. "And you... you've shown me a world I never knew existed. You've pushed me, challenged me, helped me grow into someone I never thought I could be."

I lift the vial to my lips. "This potion will sever my last ties to the mortal world. It's my choice. My future."

Before either of them can react, I drink the potion in one swift motion. For a moment, nothing happens. Then, a warmth spreads through me, starting in my chest and radiating outward. I gasp as I feel something fundamental shift within me, as if the last echoes of my mortal life are fading away.

When it's over, I open eyes I didn't realize I'd closed. The lab looks different somehow, colors more vivid, energies more apparent. I flex my fingers, feeling power coursing through them.

"Sage?" Deus's voice is barely a whisper.

I turn to him, a smile spreading across my face. "I'm staying," I say simply. "This is where I belong. With you, if you'll have me."

The look of joy and relief on his face is almost comical. He strides forward, pulling me into a fierce embrace. Over his shoulder, I see Joesiah's crestfallen expression.

"I'm sorry," I mouth to him, genuinely meaning it.

Joesiah nods, a sad smile on his face. "Be happy, Sage," he says softly, before turning and walking out of the lab. Out of my life.

As the door closes behind him, I feel a momentary pang of sadness. But it's quickly overwhelmed by the excitement of what's to come. I pull back from Deus, looking up into his crimson eyes.

"So," I say, a mischievous grin spreading across my face. "What's next?"

Deus laughs, a deep, rich sound that fills the lab. "Whatever you want, my love," he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "We have all of eternity to figure it out."

As we leave the lab together, hand in hand, I feel a sense of rightness settle over me. The path ahead may be uncertain, filled with challenges and dangers I can't even imagine. But for the first time in my existence, both mortal and immortal, I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

18

SAGE

After being summoned, I step into Deus's private office, the air thick with an unfamiliar tension. The usually imposing space feels different today, almost charged with nervous energy. Deus stands behind his massive obsidian desk, his fingers drumming an erratic rhythm on its polished surface. It's unlike him to fidget, and I can't help but raise an eyebrow. "Sage," he growls, his deep voice tinged with an emotion I can't quite place. "I need to talk to you about something."

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