It clicked.

"Regis, Aloisium, and Fenriz,” I whispered. I couldn’t hide my worry. “What if they lose their energy before we return?”

Lucifer looked deep in thought for a moment before he was back and returning his gaze to me.

“They’ll be fine,” he assured me. “The Aloisium god was dwindling a bit but I guess he got a boost from somewhere.”

I began to blush at the reminder before I cringed.

“Ewww. Don’t tell me you can see my business?” I said in horror.

“No,” he said with a wink. “I attempt to respect the privacy of all living beings. Well, when I’m in a good mood.”

He clapped his hands and immediately changed all our clothes.

I was surprised by the high-low dress of white that sparkled marvellously with iridescent sequin and white lace. My hair was in a crown braid and my shoes reminded me of ballerina flats with white ribbons that wrapped around my legs.

Glancing over to my four Horsemen, I was rewarded with the sight of them in white suits, and all four of them had their angel wings out on display.

The sight only encouraged me to look back to see my wings were back, and above my head was an actual halo that twinkled in gold.

“Uh…” I began, only to look at Lucifer, who’d returned to his chair before the chessboard. Dark Nessa was now back and moving the pieces that Cornelius left behind.

“Checkmate!” Dark Nessa cheered. “WIN!”

“Wait, what?!” Cornelius and Arthur said together before rushing to the board to see how the hell she’d done it.

Atticus walked over to me before taking my hand and encouraging us to join the others with Sawyer following our lead.

Sure enough, it was clear Dark Nessa had just won even though the odds at the beginning didn’t seem to be in Cornelius’s favor at all.

“No matter the odds, there’s always one possibility of getting the exact future you desire,” Lucifer declared as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

Looking at each of us, he nodded in approval before laying out what we needed to do.

"I’m going to be sending you five to Heaven to talk to Athena. I doubt she’d be chilling in Purgatory because she’s made far too many sacrifices to be awaiting judgment,” he disclosed in a way of praise as he closed his eyes. “I’m unsure where she’ll be when you arrive. I’m pulling some strings good old Saint Michael owes me.”

He paused to grin while Sawyer leaned in to whisper to Arthur, “Did he literally say Saint Michael owes him?”

“Ya,” Arthur replied but shrugged. “I bet it has to do with his gambling problem.”

“Saint Michael has a gambling problem?” I whispered in shock.

“Not everyone is perfect,” Atticus hummed.

“But anyone can be worthy of paradise,” Cornelius added before we looked back to Lucifer.

“When you find Athena, all you have to do is convince her to return. She’ll most likely be on the first level of Heaven, which means she can potentially return to her body if she so wishes,” he revealed. “However, you have to do this quickly because it’ll take three human days for her soul to return.”

“Damn,” I whispered. “Really?”

Atticus nodded his head as he peered over at me.

“It’s why it took three days for Christ to resurrect from the tomb,” he revealed. “Since her body would be preserved and charged with the dark god power, she could potentially reclaim her Goddess of Darkness title.”

“Is that what you want, Nerissa?” I was surprised by Cornelius’s question, which encouraged the others to look at me. “Do you want Athena to take back her position as Goddess of Darkness?”

Glancing over at Dark Nessa, we shared a look before I looked back to the archangel in question.