Isaac flew forward.
The Chest was empty – all the Guardians had long since fled. As Isaac walked by, he caught sight of a lock of brown hair, smirking as he remembered. It had seemed like a lifetime ago that he had lowered that chain down here…
--Dark Room – 40:00--
Eden arrived in a huff, sitting down by Lilith.
“Eden? Eden?!” the Incubus screeched indignantly.
“Well… quite,” Lilith agreed, smiling. “We’re almost done, Eden. I trust you found my notes well?” she inquired.
“I didn’t get any after the one from the Basement, but the Cathedral was closed,” Eden answered.
“…Fair enough. There is one last thing we need to do. I have already defeated Satan and the Lamb. All that is left…” Lilith paused, pointing to the lone patch of dirt between them, unusual in the Dark Room’s shifting void and dark obsidian floors.
“Is to dig up that.”
--The Chest – 24:37--
The Guardian Room loomed ahead. Isaac took out the Mind, the Body, and the Soul, the three triquetras glowing with power before turning into three new lights. Everything was ready.
All the debts had been repaid.
All the stories had been told.
All the endings had been achieved.
Now, all that was left…
Was the thing itself.
Isaac stepped forward, six colorful lights swirling around three smaller ones around him.
“Hello, Father.”
“It’s about time we talked.”
YHWH stood before him. The rotting blue flesh that Isaac had once thought was his own looked almost gray before the light emanating from Isaac’s body.
You’ve done it, YHWH rasped, looking at him with crossed-out eyes. You’ve beaten me. Congratulations, Isaac. Now end it.
Isaac looked at him, pondering. Now was the moment he must make his choice. The voices had quieted, perhaps sensing that he was no longer under the thrall of their binary insistences. They knew what he was about to do. Everyone did.
So Isaac did it.
The glowing rainbow swirled around YHWH, crashing down on him with the force of a mountain hurled from space as he screamed and flailed. The light grew brighter still, brighter than any mortal eyes could withstand. For a moment, Isaac thought the six might leave nothing behind at all – was there anything left in His heart, except for hatred? Hatred of life, of friendship and laughter and loyalty, generosity and kindness and honesty? The rainbow grew brighter, and brighter…
And YHWH was no more.
The Chest swirled around them, a bright glow overtaking everything.
Where are we? Kindness asked.
You know where, Isaac answered, feeling himself – all of himself – growing, his power enlarging far beyond what the Chest could ever hold.
But a small part of him cried in protest, and he paused, listening. No, he would not make the mistakes of his predecessor. Nor would he ever forget the lessons he had learned. But… perhaps, just this once, Isaac would allow Himself some rest.
He reached upward, and opened the two Chests.
-----
For a moment, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Luna stared, first in shock, then in disbelief, and then, eyes watering, in utmost happiness. Isaac, normal and human, clambered out of the Chest, smiling up at her.
“You – you came back?” Luna asked breathlessly.
Isaac smiled up at her, his boyish cheeks puffing out as he beamed. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he answered. “Oh! And I brought friends!” he added after a moment.
They watched on as first Samson, then Maggy and Eve, then Azazel, Cain, Lazarus, and all the others climbed out, each running forward to hug Luna. Even Eden was there, as well as a few Luna didn’t recognize – a Child with long red hair and dark skin, as well as… she stared at the last one.
??? stared back, scuffing a toe against the throne room carpet. “Um… hi…” he greeted quietly. Luna looked at Isaac, who nodded, still smiling. ??? was yanked off his feet, landing with a terrified squeak securely into the embrace of all the others.
“I think I’ll call you… Elah,” Luna decided.
Elah gave her a shy smile. “Okay,” he agreed.
Children safely in her magic, Luna left the room, heading for the outside with a beaming smile on her face as her sister and their friends followed.
It was a beautiful night, and she didn’t intend to waste it.
-----
She removed the dress from her eyes, only for them to widen. Isaac was sitting there among the flowers, as healthy and naked as the day he’d been born.
“I-Isaac? Is it really you?” she whispered.
“It’s me, Mom,” he whispered back.
“…Son?” a voice asked incredulously, and she whirled around. He was there, as though he’d never signed the papers, as though he’d never left.
“I don’t understand… I had the strangest dreams…” she mumbled, thinking back to the glowing white, four-legged angel.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Isaac soothed. “You’re better now.”
She looked at him, wondering if he knew. He looked back, the innocent smile he should never have lost on his face. And, for the first time in she knew not how long, she smiled back.
“Yes…” she agreed. “Come in. Let’s have some lunch… and afterwards, you can draw and play as much as you want,” she promised. Isaac followed her inside, hands held safely by the two of them as the mom and dad he loved so much grinned down at him.
“Is it just me, or have you grown, kiddo?” his father asked.
Isaac smiled. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Yeah, I think I have.” He looked up at the cross on their door, a green patina covering its once-clean copper surface. He smiled.
They crossed into the living room, where Isaac’s Mom noticed the TV was still on. “Hmm? What’s this?” Isaac’s dad wondered.
Isaac looked at the colorful ponies on the screen. “It’s a show I like,” he nervously answered. Would they judge him for it? Like with the wig, and the other stuff?
Isaac’s dad watched the show for a moment. “…Not bad, huh? I like the dark blue one, she looks cool,” he noted, sitting down beside his mother. Isaac smiled.
“Yeah…”
“I like her too.”
Isaac and his mother and father lived alone, in a small house on a hill.
Isaac loved to share, showing his parents his drawings and playing with his toys or watching happy, colorful shows on the television.
Life was simple, and they were all happy.
And though they sometimes fought, and remembered old pains,
They were a family. And a family they would stay.
And they all lived happily ever after.