His burns had been healing and a fresh, ugly scar twisted itself over Obi's left arm. He had wandered off to grieve and to let out his emotions before returning to Deathbelle's side. He held onto the sigil pendant Archon had given him to guard. The pups would be about a season old now, right? Obi wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed. He found where the pack was now residing and clutched the small fur that covered the pendant. It was time.

Obi searched out Deathbelle. He needed to gauge how she would react to him before he could speak to her.

She was no longer bound to her sorrow. Archon’s missing presence still pained her daily, but the Empress was recovering her control over her emotions. She didn’t cry the moment she spoke about him, progress was being made. Life was continuing on. She hadn’t been sure it was going to, the pain was intense and her nightmares had yet to abate. Zee had been her saving grace, the woman had help true to her word, and Belle hadn’t been to sleep without her since the night she sought her out. Having a warm pair of arms to hold her to sleep made the night terrors subside. Deathbelle was recovering.

She finished a patrol and made her way somewhere safe to nap, the sky was still filled with ash and smoke. A constant reminder of the moment her whole world came crashing around her. She thought more than once of Obi, and his effort to remove her from the volcano. She might have been consumed as well if he hadn’t been there to drag her away. She lay her head on her paws and prayed the nightmares wouldn’t take her as she tried to rest.

Obi found Deathbelle curled up for a nap. How did someone so big look so small in that moment? He remembered the fear in her eyes, how she fought to be by Archon's side at the last second despite certain death... He was glad she made it out alive. Obi knew a part of each of them died on that mountain that day. In that respect, they were similar souls. She would understand his pain, and they could help each other. Obi reached out as if to touch her fur lightly, but stopped short, pulling his hand to his chest. She needed her rest, deserved every minute of it she could get.

Briefly Obi considered leaving the pendant by her side and wandering off into the wilderness. If she saw him, would she blame him for Archon's downfall? Would she strike against him for dragging her away? Obi had no way of knowing her mental state, and his heart ached for her. He wished her well. He wanted to see her smile again like she did on the day she and Archon held each other upon these rocks. She was Archon's most beloved and Obi wished to do everything he could to help her.

So he would wait. He would let her sleep. Obi settled a little ways away and sank into quiet meditation, waiting for his goddess to awaken.

Deathbelle felt a chill rush through her as she found her way to a blessedly dreamless sleep. Her conscious didn’t wander far though, and the quiet sound of skin against stone disturbed the mourning widow. As Obi settled himself the Klein woman blinked open her eyes to find the primate had returned to Ashen. She hid her surprise, when he disappeared that day she hadn’t been sure if she would ever see him again. Of course she was too consumed in Archon’s loss to spare much thought. There was a bit of weight taken from her shoulders.

”Obi.” She stated softly before her tears began to fill with tears. Hesitantly she moved forward to embrace the primate. She knew he hurt as much as she did, and was the only other one who knew exactly what she was forced through that day because he lived it too. ”You’ve come back.” There was a little surprise in her voice as her tears fell from her cheeks and she sat back to look at him properly.

He seemed shrunken, like he was no longer the same as he was before the eruption. Neither of them were. The hole Archon left was filled slightly by his companion’s presence. Maybe they would make it through together.

As Deathbelle embraced him, Obi laced his nimble fingers into her fur. He held her tightly as tears pricked at his eyes. He missed her, though their relationship had been mostly through Archon. He held onto her for a long moment before finally pulling away.

"How are the little ones?" he asked. They were the physical fragments of what was left of Archon. "I prayed for their safety every day."

He stepped back, "I prayed for yours as well. And that you would forgive me for pulling you away... And for leaving you to suffer alone for so long."

Obi still wasn't sure she would forgive him or allow him to stay near the pups' sides. He wished for nothing more than to lead them in the way Archon would have wanted. He trusted Deathbelle, but not Dea. Not anymore. Nor did he trust the other Kleins.

But he still trusted that he could make things better.

"I brought something," he said, presenting the dirty skin- wrapped pendant in his palm. He slowly unfurled it to show her the neatly polished sigil pendant. "Archon had this made to give to you on the morning of the pup's first full season."

She couldn’t deny it felt good to feel his paws in her fur, and the comfort of his affection around her shoulders. They stood silently embracing for a long moment, and when he finally pulled away Belle felt a relief wash over her ivory splashed frame. She settled down across from him, her dainty paws crossed in front of her as she lay sphynx like. ”They’re as well as can be expected.” Belle answered sadly, all of them were suffering from the loss in different ways. ”Toxicity and Venom seem to have found comfort in his memory but Calamity and Pestilence are much more bitter. I fear they will cast down their heritage.” She uttered softly, unsure if she could prevent the occurence.

”Had you not pulled me away, I would have perished as well.” She told him the truth softly, she would have followed her husband into the volcano without a second thought. However, she was needed here. Her family.. the Kleins and her children, needed her. ”You have suffered just as much, and I would never begrudge you the time to mourne.” She assured him as he turned to attention to a small parcel.

”Obi,” she gasped as he revealed the gift he had for her. Tears spilled from her eyes once again as she felt Archon’s presence beside her. Deathbelle lowered her head so her friend might adorn her head with the perfect pendant. All the while she felt herself crying again for what had been lost.

Obi offered a weak smile at Deathbelle's words. They were a comfort for sure, but one that would take time for him to really take to heart. At the sight of the pendant, the woman gasped and began to tear up. Obi reached for her cheek for a moment to comfort her before she ducked her head. As she stood there before him, her head bowed, Obi couldn't help but to recall the memories of her and Archon's wedding. When they had had their pups. When they had made their initial agreement. How much had changed in the few seasons they knew each other? In such a short time they had been swept up in a whirlwind of God's grace... and of his wrath. Obi struggled and ultimately failed to hold back his own tear, hands trembling as he adorned Deathbelle with Archon's last gift.

When he stepped back, he offered a smile- genuine and a little fuller than before. "It suits you as if it was always meant to be yours alone."

She was never meant to keep Archon. Obi’s words struck her deeply, had all of this been planned from the beginning? Her sudden but intense love for Archon who was ultimately meant to be taken that day at the volcano? She tried not to give the thought much credence, she made her own path, and the end of the time hers had crossed with his threatened to bring her to her knees. Deathbelle didn’t want to go on without him here to hold, support, and raise their children together.

God didn’t care about what she wanted though, and he had swallowed his own and took Archon back for himself. Would he do the same to her children? The thought was terrifying, and knew that the loss of a child would be pain ten times worse than losing her beloved husband. Her brows furrowed as tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she lifted her head and bore the charm proudly. ”I would never choose to hold the weight alone, and I doubt my strength to do so.” She admitted softly, knowing that the blow made her weak now despite her pose.

As tears rolled down her cheeks, Obi sought to wipe them away. He cradled her soft face for a moment as she spoke. She wouldn't choose this, no, no one would. There were those who thought they might, and there were those who could carry this weight, but no one would truly choose this. Obi shook his head lightly. "Sàv'ia," Obi hushed her gently, calling to her in his native tongue. "We do not choose much of our journey in this life, but your strength is undeniable. You will not crumble to this misfortune."

Obi turned his gaze to the sigil she wore around her neck. "It is why you were chosen to become a god."

Obi was kind and sweet as he gently whisked away her free flowing tears. She missed Archon and she yearned to be back in the arms of her husband. Deathbelle tried to linger in the moments they had together. The ceremony at sunrise, their last night together in this realm, their first night together. A part of her didn’t want to move on. She wanted to linger in the past and ignore the gaping hole in her heart. She wanted her husband back.

His words were said with conviction, enough to begin to pull her away from the past. She who ascended to godhood from her mortal self. Her body would die, but she could look forward to the rest of eternity with Archon. First she had her own purposes to fulfill here. ”It certainly doesn’t feel like it.” She offered quietly, feeling freedom to talk about her weaknesses here in front of Archon’s closest companion. She sighed heavily, lilac gaze shifting to the sky with its ash and smoke. The last of Archon’s physical presence. He was one with the volcano. ”Why must I be tested in this way? Why did he have to return?” Tears continued to fall as she lamented the unfairness of it all.

Obi nodded solemnly along with Deathbell's laments. "I am sure even The Fallen God Abraxas, wondered what his suffering was for when he first fell," he said softly, a small, knowing smile growing on his lips. "But that did not make him less of a god."

Deathbelle wondered at the ashen snow around them. The chill it brought, and how it was the last of Archon's physical presence. Obi hummed for a long moment, nodding lightly to himself as he rubbed his fingers over one of the nearby grey surfaces. The ash smeared over his fingers and he brought it up to eye level. "But Sàv'ia, do you not see? In this way, he is everywhere."

"The ash cloaking the sky? Archon. The grass and the trees? Archon. Even long after the ash disappears, it will become the soil. Archon will foster the next generations of life for years to come. He is everywhere."

Obi motioned around them. "Out there, and..." Obi brought his hand to his chest, smearing the ash over his fur, "in here.

Obi did his best to console the grieving widow as she poured out her fears and insecurities to Archon’s closest companion. Even gods were forced to suffer through their trials. This would only make her stronger, and more of a goddess. She sighed softly as his fingers were traced over the ash upon the ground and he spoke with hope. Archon was here, all around them. He would return to the earth and see it grow back better than before. He was everywhere, but nowhere all at once.

Tears welled up in her eyes again, her mourning far from over. Obi brushed the ash against his chest, reminding her that Archon’s soul lived on in his heart as well as the earth around them. She sniffled softly and reached forward to nuzzle the primate’s cheek gently with affection. ”But I am selfish, Obi.” She told him softly, ”I’d much prefer him whole and at my side.” A tear slipped over her cheek once more. No matter how comforting the thought of the titan remaining in the world was, she would never fill the void that he’d left in her. ”Thank you, for the comforting words.” She added, grateful for him, but ever reminded that he couldn’t bring her husband back.