The Scribe Virgin backed off and went on her own wander, moving herself across the floor until she reached the closed double doors of the rare book room. Through glass insets that were reinforced with chicken wire, she stared at the collection of leather-bound volumes and felt a draw unto the old oak shelves and the peaceful contemplation offered by so many pages filled with so many words.

She had always loved libraries. Collections of prose. Stories that were based upon real life. And had this congress with her sibling been of different circumstance, she would have touched the glass with a plaintive, yearning hand. But she knew too much of her brother. No appendages should be extended nor weakness shown.

You will be destroyed, she intoned as she faced her sibling.

You sound as though that would be a regret for you.

You are my brother. Of course I would mourn you.

I am your enemy. The Omega rotated around so they were squared off across the polished floor, two opposing chess pieces on a life-sized board of black and white marble squares. It has always been thus—and further, I cannot exist without you. As well, you cannot exist without me.

That is untrue. The Prophecy provides so.

No, the Omega corrected. That stanza states that there is one who would see the end of me. Simply because the wording lacks mention of you does not mean you shall be unaffected. Would you not say that you urge me the now to quit more to protect yourself than out of any familial love for me?

No, I would not say that.

Then you lie. There is me in you as there is you in me. You can be quite as devious as I can, Sister. Which brings me to my purpose in seeking this audience. The Omega’s transmission of words grew deeper in tone, falling an octave. I expect you to stay out of the conflict. Per our agreement.

What say you the now, Brother? I am uninvolved.

You most certainly are not uninvolved. Or do you think I am unaware of your little visit in church with the Dhestroyer earlier this eve?

The Scribe Virgin felt her ire rise. I am permitted to interact with my creations.

You are not allowed to sway them with respect to our conflict. The contest must be fair—you yourself stated this long ago when you insisted we codify our roles and obligations. And this evening, you warned the Dhestroyer such that he has sequestered your borne son from the field. Unfair, Sister.

The Scribe Virgin deliberately shielded her thoughts. Are you aware that I have stepped aside?

Stepped aside how?

I have relinquished my role of overseer of mine creation to another. Did you not know this?

Given the long pause that followed, it was evident he did not.

I have, Brother mine. I am no longer in my Sanctuary. I have assigned my authority unto another and I have departed.

The hood moved as if the Omega recoiled. Whyever for?

Over the course of eons, I have determined that my strength is in creation. It is not in the maintenance of such creation. She thought of her borne son and daughter. The act of bringing into being a mortal—or many of them—is not the same as parenting them. One does not know this until it is too late, however. Until one has done damage that is regrettable.

It was a relief to speak her truth aloud, but she stopped herself. Her brother was hardly a trusted confidant and she had likely given him too much already.

Meanwhile, the Omega tilted his head and drifted by at the balustrade, staring down to the staircase, to what was below. When he came back toward her, she braced herself for some kind of pronouncement. Or a triumphal insult about her lack of fortitude.

Where do you stay the now? he asked instead.

I spend time with Father. But mostly, I drift through the centuries and observe my behavior. I try to see where I went wrong. There is much to review in that regard. An urgency to change her sibling’s course made her want to go unto his side, but she kept herself where she was. And that is why I say unto you, stop this. Relinquish. Depart the field of conflict and save yourself.

The Omega shrugged beneath his tattered robe. And then do what?

Exist. Learn— As the Omega made a dismissive sound, the Scribe Virgin tightened her tone. ’Tis better than not existing.

I may still win, you realize. The hood turned toward her. You take for granted the outcome shall be in your favor.

Surely it is better to concede than to risk being destroyed.

One of the stained robe’s sleeves lifted, and the black shadow of her brother appeared to be lifting a forefinger. Ah, but remember my nature.

Even if you are the one annihilated? Surely that is a foolish testament to your character.

At least it is my purpose culminated, which is more than I can say for you the now.

The Scribe Virgin shook her head. Creation is linked with nurturing. Or at least it should be. I have excelled at the former, I seek to discover the skills of the latter. I would say that is a worthwhile pursuit.

You and I are so different.

Yes, Brother mine. We are.

An evil tone entered the Omega’s communication. I would rather be destroyed than disappear.

That is, of course, your decision.

And I shall take you down with me. Either way, whether I win or lose, you will no longer be free. In the former, it will be because you mourn the deaths of your precious creation, the prison of your pain an eternity in Dhunhd I will have the perpetual satisfaction of knowing I made manifest. In the latter, it will be because you will implode with me. The universe cannot be unbalanced. Our Father will not allow it, and He will sacrifice your existence to maintain His own legacy, trust me. If I go, you go.

It was strange for an immortal to fear the end of themselves. To brace against the snuffing out. To wish to avoid such an outcome. And the Scribe Virgin kept all of those feelings far, far away from the tip of her consciousness’s spear.

That is not up to us, she said. Father will determine the consequence, if any, if you cease to be.

Well, He is certainly going to determine one other thing. The Omega’s satisfaction colored his words with an arrogance that was another attribute intrinsic to his nature. You violated our agreement and therefore I am due restitution. You changed the course of the game, therefore I am permitted a redress.

When did I do that? By speaking with Butch tonight? I most certainly did not change the course of anything. Brother mine, you are unreasonable—

Father has always been our intermediary, at your request. Therefore I shall seek an audience unto him and he will decide what is fair.

The Scribe Virgin kept her emotions in check as frustration surged. And this declaration is the reason you brought me here?

Yes. It is.

Your contest of my action is naught but pretense. Nothing in the course of the war has been altered—

Your borne son is now out of the field and heavily protected as a result of your interference, and we both know that he is an integral element of the outcome given his unique importance to the Dhestroyer. So there has been a very material shift in power, one that inures unto your benefit, and that deserves redress.

The Scribe Virgin recognized the aggression being projected unto her for what it was: the thrashes of someone who was greatly diminished and yet avoiding the nature of that reality. The end was near, and her brother’s losses were tallying up. He was flailing around, and therefore, so much more dangerous.

Yet she trusted their Father.

Do what you must, my brother, she said remotely.

I always will.

Is this all you require of me at this time?

There was a pause, as if the Omega had expected a stronger response. Had counted on it. Had looked forward to protest and argumentation. He had always loved conflict.

Yes, that is all, he said tersely.

All right, then. I shall expect Father will inform me of his decision when he is ready.

The Scribe Virgin turned away and floated over toward the stairs. There were other ways of leaving, but she did not wish to miss the experience of descending down those grand and white marble steps.

In the event it was the last time she did.

When her brother joined her, it was a surprise, but she welcomed his presence. As always, the pair of them were separated by the brass handrail, him taking the left side, her the right. And as always, she was the one who set the pace, although whether that was him stalking her or adhering to protocol, she never knew.

Well, she could guess.

The Scribe Virgin proceeded slowly as there was another finality that could be occurring. She did not know if she would e’er be in the company of her sibling again. Indeed, this could be the last time for that as well.

At the bottom, he stopped and she was compelled by his halt to do likewise.

You should know something, the Omega said quietly. I deliberately never went after Vishous. I have known all along that I could, and I am precisely acquainted with how his elimination could be of benefit to my position and survival. But I declined to involve him.

The Scribe Virgin looked across the bannister. I must say, this is unexpected.

He is family, after all. He is my blooded relation through you. And it is as I stated. There is a bit of your goodness in me.

You have my gratitude, she murmured.

Alas, this means you gave yourself a disadvantage for no reason. You did not have to go unto the Dhestroyer and plant the seeds you did. Your birthed ones have always been off-limits for me.

For a moment, she was tempted to fight. To point out that she would have made a different choice, if she had known of his reticence. She elected to let the animus go.

Thank you, she said simply.

Upon that note of gratitude, she spirited herself away from her fraternal twin, leaving the Omega to whatever course he was set upon.

Her brother was the autumn wasp wandering upon a windowsill, bathed in the last sunlight of summer, unaware of or refusing to believe of the death that would soon come and carry him unto his back, his legs curled in as mobile became immobile.

His stinger was something of which to be especially watchful.

And thus she would allow him the petty victory he was claiming.

She had concerns of far greater magnitude. She had always taken solace in the Dhestroyer Prophecy, assured that however great the losses and the pain sustained by her creation at the merciless hand of her brother, there would be an end.

She had never considered the idea that in that termination there would be repercussions for herself. What if what her brother purported was true? Balance had to be preserved, so with him gone, where did that leave her?