Truthfully, Izanami''s legs were still like jelly from the long coital marathon she had just endured.

The best she could do was sit up on the bed and loom protectively over her Abaddon.

"Whatever you are.. Just leave me alone. Leave me be with my beloved." She warned.

Unsurprisingly, the disembodied voice had quite the time laughing at her delusion.

Your beloved? This is already a dream, Izanami. You will have to wake up eventually.

"N-No, I.."

To further drive the point home, Izanami''s reflection began dissolving the copy of Abaddon asleep in her bed.

She panicked instantly.

"N-No! What are you doing, stop it!!"

Izanami clutched her version of Abaddon in her arms as if she intended to protect him from any possible harm.

Her desperate wailing appeared to have worked. He stopped breaking down.

Come closer, my twin. I only want to chat.

Izanami wanted to scream and curse. To outright say no as a means of protecting her loved one.

But she feared the consequences of taking such a rash and obstinate stance.

So instead, she shakily kissed his lips as he slept and lowered him back down into bed.

Izanami grabbed a spare blanket, and warily lifted herself up before waddling out of bed. Read latest stories on empire

She walked towards the mirror with shaky footsteps, but strong posture.

She tried not to show how afraid she was. The last thing she wanted to do was allow this aberration of herself to know just how much power this dream had over her.

It was a foolish line of thought to begin with. The entity knew full well that this dream now meant to her.

"What.. do you want from me..?"

Her reflection stared at her pitifully.

I only want us to be happy. Truly happy, and not stuck living out our wildest fantasies in these glorified wet dreams. We should be his true wife in body and soul.

Izanami bit her lip. That truly sounded like the most wonderful thing.

But she was only a love stricken fool. Not a fool.

"Your wants are irrelevant. He has never shown any inclination of being in love with me."

He could.

"He wouldn''t break his vows. He already has his partners."

Izanami pointed at Abaddon while he slept in bed. "This version of him is enough for me, this dream is enough for me. I don''t need anything else. Just don''t take him away..!"

Suddenly, Izanami felt a soft, feminine hand touch her cheek. Her body shuddered in recognition at the touch.

"No... don''t use her for this too." She pleaded.

Despite Izanami''s plea, she still found the reality to be all too permanent.

Eris sat in front of her. Her golden-yellow eyes flickered with manufactured attraction.

She was beautiful.

Eris kissed her, and Izanami felt a rush of dopamine that was gentler, but equally familiar.

This time, instead of letting herself fall into the pit, Izanami ripped herself away.

"I-I won''t be swayed by you anymore, you disgusting vision! I won''t kill any of those women!"

You would condemn us to a life alone after all of the pleasure we have tasted?

"I am not entitled to their affections no matter how badly I may want them. You will not turn me into some barbarous fool who resorts to carnage to get what they want!"

I don''t have to turn you into anything. Aren''t you already the goddess who''s killed so many to spite her ex-husband? Women, children, men, the old, the poor, the sick, the vulnerable-

"I..!" Izanami yelled, but faltered. She didn''t know what to say. How was she supposed to defend herself from herself?

... Maybe she wasn''t.

"...Abaddon always says that we don''t have to be what our nature dictates.

Just because I have been something... it doesn''t mean I am cursed to remain so.

At any time I can choose to do something different than before.

And I will not murder my friends and family to fulfill one singular selfish need. Now... or ever."

For some reason, the false Izanami seemed generally surprised by this firm refusal.

But it only lasted a moment.

And then she smiled.

You feel that way now, sure. But how long can you truly hold onto that sentiment, after irresistibility itself has been cruelly ripped away from you?

Izanami''s twisted aberration disappeared, taking the strange sword with her.

Izanami couldn''t explain it, but she felt even more on edge after she left.

As if another shoe was about to drop on her at any minute and she couldn''t possibly move in time to avoid it.

"Honey?"

Izanami slowly turned around.

There, Eris and a gently stirring Abaddon were staring back at her.

"Come back to bed, my love. We aren''t done with you just yet."