Page 134 of Living Legend

She turned the brass knob on the door and walked inside. I followed behind her and noticed that the room had a couch bed in one corner and a table near the center. There was a lamp on top of it right now that made me think that it was being used as a desk. Natalia leaned against the desk and looked at me as I closed the door behind me.

"What would you like to speak about?" she asked sincerely.

I bit my bottom lip, not knowing how to start. "I'm going to ask you something, but I need you to let me finish before you ask anything."

"Alright, go ahead."

I pressed my back against the door and sighed. "Last night, Dani told me something that I guess I just…I don't understand." I peeked up at her to see she was just staring at me, listening.

"Um, she told me she hears a sort of voice in her head. She feels a warmth or like a light feeling at times. She said it was with her when she first got to Purgatory, that eventually it went away or dormant, but that it's been coming back in bits and pieces since she's been in Heaven's Gate." I sighed again, this time with more breath so I felt it in my chest. "I've never even heard of something like this, let alone from a demon."

Natalia tilted her head to the side expectantly.

"I don't have anyone else to ask about this, and I don't know, it just sounds like straight magic. You're the only person I trust who I could ask who may know something." I ran my hand through my hair and slumped my shoulders.

"Are you finished?" she asked patiently.

"Yeah."

She hummed and fiddled with one of her earrings. "It sounds like youwantme to know what you’re talking about."

"Maybe I do."

"I'm about to heavily disappoint you, because I'm not versed in demonic behavior or the complete opposite of demonic behavior. Just like you, I haven't heard of anything like this. It doesn't sound like magic, at least not any I know of. I don't know of anyone who would want to put what sounds like light magic inside a demon. I don't even know if that's possible. What purpose would that possibly serve?" She looked as if she was actually thinking hard. She was trying to take this as seriously as I was.

"Why are you even asking? Besides the fact that it's an intriguing discovery."

I cleared my throat. "I think it might have to do with everything else."

"Like the attack on The Skies?"

"Yes, maybe. I don't know. Lilith has had this mysterious plan for a while now, and I think it all starts with her beginning."

"You mean when Lilith took her from Earth and brought her to Purgatory?"

I walked over to the couch bed, removed my sword, placing it on the floor as I sat down. "Dani told me it started the minute she woke up in Purgatory, so it has to have something to do with that. I just have a feeling that if we can find out what's so significant about when Lilith got her, then maybesomethingwill start to make sense."

"Perhaps you're right."

"Dani did also say she wasn’t afraid of it. She wanted to lean on it, go to it, but it was like she was holding herself back, orsomethingwas causing her to rethink."

Natalia folded her arms over her chest and stared at the floor. "I can't tell you what this means, Nicholas. I'm sorry."

I raised my eyes to the yellow ceiling. "I figured, but you were my best bet."

"But…I might be able to help youseewhat happened." She said each word slowly, as if convincing herself it was a good idea.

"Excuse me?"

She pushed off the table and came to sit on the couch next to me. "You want to know about her start with Lilith, to maybe give you some insight, right?"

"Mhmm."

"I can help you with that."

I raised one of my eyebrows. "I'm lost."

"Ugh, Nicholas. There’s a way for me to send you into the past and glimpse at her beginning. It may be grainy, and the sound might be a little off, but you'll be there as if you were always there in the first place."

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