Long after Nyl fell asleep, Asmodeus remained awake.
Tossing and turning, he couldn’t figure out how to fall asleep.
There was a time when falling asleep wasn’t the problem, a time when staying awake was the troublesome, difficult part, back when he and Nyl were still one.
But they weren’t anymore, and nothing made it clearer than the discussion they had before Nyl slept.
Asmodeus felt he could tell her anything, and he did. Without an ounce of embarrassment or shame, he shared everything from what he had experienced to his thoughts and feelings.
He had shared everything, apart from what the Incubus had told him about, apart from how Syndra’s body made him feel at times, from how Nyl’s own body made him feel at times... That side, that portion of his experience, Asmodeus found himself completely unable to share with her, and the child felt lonely because of that. He felt separated from her fully.
After a while, a long while of tossing and turning, Asmodeus stared at Nyl’s back, bare apart from her bra’s strap, and moved closer to her.
Once again, that strange sensation rose, and he felt obligated to turn, so that it would be his back in contact with hers.
But once his back touched hers, once his skin was against hers, and his warmth against hers, Asmodeus felt his tiredness return.
When he felt that slight amount of energy traveling from her body to his, a tiny portion barely noticeable, a nostalgic feeling of warmth and oneness took him over, and Asmodeus managed to sleep.
***
Meanwhile, Zarath walked through Naima’s side of the floor to return to her quarters.
Her sister’s words replayed in her head constantly.
The child has been draining everyone he has come across. Anyone whose body he has touched, a small portion of their energy was stolen. Syndra, Saphyra, myself, Malika, and probably Tariana as well.
’Ugh!’ Zarath scratched her head in frustration. ’So what? That kind of energy is simply stamina and mana. Those replenish with a good night of sleep, it’s nothing to cry over. If he continues draining someone after that person’s stamina and mana have been depleted... Then, he gets into their Life Energy, the part that cannot be replenished and recovered.’ She sighed, concluding that Naima was blowing things way out of proportion.
Zarath entered her room, took her clothes off, and got into a bed for a restful night of sleep.
***
Her eyes opened wide only five hours into her rest.
’Naima?’ she thought with a frown as she pushed herself to sit upright. "Huh?"
"Hello," He said.
"Hi?" A confused Zarath raised an eyebrow. "You’re Asmodeus, right?"
"Yes." He nodded. "I knocked, but you didn’t answer."
"They taught you how to knock already, huh?" The sleepy Zarath chuckled and laid back on her bed. "Come closer."
Asmodeus hung onto the door handle for a moment before stepping into the room, closing the door behind him.
"So, what brings you here?" Zarath asked, lying down with her eyes half-closed. "You knew I was sleeping, didn’t you?"
"Yes." Asmodeus admitted, stopping two steps into the room.
"But you still came in, why?"
"Syndra and I came by this floor yesterday but you weren’t here."
"That doesn’t answer my question."
"Well," Asmodeus scratched his cheek. "You’re here now."
"And?"
"I had to see you."
"Why?"
"Firstly, because you’re the last sister of mine that I haven’t met," Asmodeus explained.
"Making rounds to meet everyone, huh?" Zarath nodded. "That’s quite different from the Asmodeus that was described to me."
"There’s also... Something else..."
Zarath opened her eyes and frowned momentarily.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Zarath asked. "I told you to come closer." She pointed at the chair next to her bed.
Asmodeus pursed his lips and stepped closer.
"Did you grow overnight?" Zarath noted. "You’re taller than I was told."
"I did." Asmodeus nodded.
He stopped right next to the chair but did not take a seat. He was staring at Zarath and it was quite obvious.
"Just what are you staring at?" The Succubus asked with a sigh. "I’m not even naked, and my body is covered with a blanket."
"Well, it’s..." Asmodeus seemed entranced by her. "You remind me of... You remind me of something."
"Is that so?" Zarath’s lips curled upwards. "What do I remind you of? Please don’t say another of our sisters."
It was incredibly confusing to Asmodeus, but the resemblance was clear as day to him.
"You remind me of that river I saw with Syndra," he said. "That Styx River."
"Huh?" Zarath immediately sat upright, deeply interested.
The blanket was pushed as she sat up, revealing her generous bosom hugged tightly by her bra, but Asmodeus didn’t notice that at all.
"You know, those black rivers, apparently there are many," Asmodeus explained, his gaze not leaving her for even a moment. "They’re dangerous, and deep, and powerful, and incredibly beautiful."
Zarath blinked silently for a bit.
"Are you calling all of those things? You’re quite the smooth-talker already-"
"I am not," Asmodeus interrupted. "I was just describing the Styx Rivers to you."
Zarath pursed her lips and sighed.
"Well, it would have still been nice to receive a compliment after being woken up."
Asmodeus inspected her body with his eyes.
"You have beautiful hair," he noted. "And breasts."
Zarath stared at him for a moment before letting out a chuckle. "I’ll take it." She brought her legs closer and crossed them below the blanket. "So, tell me, why do I remind you of a Styx River?"
"Hm..." Asmodeus thought for a moment. "I thought you could tell me."
"Is it because I have long, luscious, black, cascading, flowing hair?"
"No." Asmodeus shook his head. "It’s something much deeper than that." A knowing smile appeared on Zarath’s face. "It’s something about your energy."
"Hahaha." Zarath laughed. "You have good eyes, little bro."
’Little bro?’
"Go on," she encouraged. "Try to figure it out yourself."
"Hm..." Asmodeus rubbed his chin. "Nyl said that Styx Rivers might be connected to something, something that’s at the center of our World." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Yes, it feels like you’re... Closer to the center of our World than everyone else."
Zarath momentarily froze, stupefied and bewildered.
"Now," She stretched her arms up and sighed with a sly smile. "That’s a compliment."