His mouth remains closed for long enough to see time increment by another hour. Liberated from existence, the present could continuously roll onwards for all that he cared. Even with the window through which the key to his resurrection dwelt threatening to slam shut any day now hanging over him, John was not entirely moved to rush. The years had caught up to him with the force of a car crash, his wrinkled carriage belying the mage’s true age. Staying dead held appeal, but it wasn’t his time.

And he needed to be reminded of that fact.

“That’s the least you deserve, kid.” Inclined to complain, his jaws clenched and unclenched, teeth grinding on the kernel of a topic he was reluctant to explore without letting it be skewed by emotion. He was angry, yes, pissed as much as one could be, but above all else, he was disappointed by Ky. He felt let down. “Fucking lucky that he doesn’t have designs for you yet. I’m sure you’ve heard by now the kind of punishment Nergal received for his schemes.”

John was tempted to add more, add sharp clarity to the mess Ky had generated. But, instead of adding more, he lapsed into silence again, his cigarette burning past the halfway mark as he rolled it to the other side of his mouth. “Hope you realise you’re going to have to gather a few items for me, if you want me back amongst the living. ‘Course, could get used to bein’, dead. Who knows.”

❝ lucky or otherwise, i have a feeling that the first isn’t done with me, but what i deserve? i’d say it would be a very nice medal, don’t you? ❞ not that it truly mattered to him, ky’lar had already done what was needed, and part of him didn’t even want to bring john back. if he did, that would have meant he actually gave a damn about him, and in truth, he wasn’t willing to admit that at the current time.

❝ ‘cause, even if i bring you back, it wouldn’t change anything, and while the first might actually teach me a lesson, i can handle myself. ‘sides i could get used to you sticking around here. ‘specially when i decide to make my little move over here. ❞ it wouldn’t be anytime soon, but the demon always had his sights on power in hell. the throne was his ultimate goal, but even influential power was enough to satisfy his taste for it.

❝ either way,  it’s time to face to the facts, an’ they are quite easy to understand; you’re more than likely gonna stay dead if i don’t bring you back. ❞ though, it wasn’t quite that simple…. the first would bring john back —- that much was certain if ky’lar refused,

❝ so, give me a reason to why you deserve to be back inside that body of yours. ❞