Chapter 24: Stories of the Past
Series: "Lamb to the Slaughter"
Previous: Chapter 23: Lying in Wait
Summary: “The Devil’s not a little man that’s painted in red with horns, wings and a tail, and carries a pitchfork. No, no… Demons take on many forms. But, they always are appealing, combed hair, a beautiful face, and well dressed. They’re charming in their own ways, all to cast a bigger net over who they seduce into sin. They’re your classmate, your friend, your family…”
You stared up at her, mind drawing a blank, no matter how hard you tried, it felt as if sand was slipping out of your hands, you hated it. You assumed she was talking about when you were a baby, you couldn’t place your finger on it, but it was as if something was evading you. Finally, you spoke, averting your eyes.
“... I’m sorry… I don’t know anything else…”
The woman- Maddi, Maddi’s eyes closed and she hummed, letting go of you, before her heel pressed against the open door, kicking it shut in a simple motion. She stepped forward, sauntering. Her left hand tucked under her right elbow while several large shopping bags hung lazily from a few of her fingers.
“Well, there’s no need to stress that matter.” She waved her hand dismissively, the shield falling away. “But, more importantly,” she eyed you up and down, eyes sharp as a hawk. “Did you get hurt? It’ll be quite the messy situation if your little worrywart catches wind that you got hurt.” She sighed. “I’ve already had enough of him calling me, worrying about you.”
You blinked. “... Do you mean Solomon…?” You quickly nodded. “I’m fine, thank you for asking.” You winced internally. “Sorry about the mess…” You finally noticed the several shopping bags held in her other hand, you slapped yourself internally at your lack of manners. “Ah! Let me help you carry those!”
Maddi giggled quietly, her lips curling into a smirk. “Hm? Are you sure?” She lifted her hand higher, and you did your best to take the straps of the bags from her as politely as you could while insisting.
“Yes, I insist. I’m sorry it took so long to open the door,” you decided not to look at the brothers who stared at you as if you had force fed them Solomon’s special omelets that were oversalted to the sky and back. “It took a bit to prepare the snacks and the teas, but please, I insist, let me take your bags for you.” You smiled at her as she peered down at you, eyes dancing with amusement.
“How adorable.” She smiled. “But, if you insist, then who am I to refuse? They are for you afterall, so it’s only fair for you to take them.” She held the bags out, not letting go as she paused. “It’s not much, just some clothes from the previous school nurse, she left them to me to pass on. It’ll fit you like a glove. Oh, and I threw in some Celestial Realm wear too. I figured you would be interested, am I right?” She winked.
Your eyes widened in pleasant surprise, “Ah, well I am curious about their clothing,” you smiled brightly. “Thank you, oh… Was it a lot of work…? I’m sorry.”
Maddi waved her hand. “It wasn’t anything major, I was there so I just asked.”
Lucifer looked as if he had aged fifty years in five seconds. “Am I to presume that Michael simply let you do that?” You wondered if it was the same person Luke often mentioned.
Maddi raised an eyebrow. “Chicken wing boy?” You choked on your spit. “Well? Yes? He caved.” Her eyes turned back towards you, a playful look in them now. “Prepare yourself, princess.” With a knowing smirk, she let go of the bags and you stumbled forward, thankfully stopping yourself before your face met the ground unpleasantly.
The bags were heavy, you silently wondered if she had placed a meteor in them, and you quashed the spike of envy you felt at the memory of her holding up the bags as if they weighed nothing. You exhaled as you struggled to lift the bags, only for them not to budge an inch and you swore your face was turning red based on how Lilith snickered.
Beel decided to save you, and you gazed up at him with watery thankful eyes, as he turned away, preparing to put the bags into your room. Oh, the sweet boy, you were so going to make him extra portions for dinner. You whispered a quiet thanks and patted his head to which he smiled at you back, melting your heart at least slightly.
However, quickly you turned your attention back to Maddi in time to see a tense exchange unfolding between her and Lucifer.
“I wasn’t aware that you planned to visit the House of Lamentation today, Lady Maddi.” Lucifer looked anything but pleased, his arms crossed already, and a frown on his face.
Maddi didn’t miss a beat. “Really? I’m sure you were aware that I planned to visit her after my trip to the Celestial Realm. Or have you been colluding with that little prince of yours and ignoring my letters?” Her eyes narrowed and she lazily waved a hand, stepping closer to Lucifer. “Though, I wish that my visit was to Purgatory Hall instead of this house.” Lucifer’s eyebrows twitched. “Don’t flatter yourself, I’m not here for you, nor your boys. Especially not after your little stunt with the door.” You felt yourself die inside at the scene in front of you, neither person looked happy.
So, the witch was here for you, at least that was confirmed. You paused, remembering Solomon’s mention of receiving a visit from a certain person. Certainly, she was something. You stared at the two, mind drifting further and further away slowly but surely. ‘Little prince.’ You had a feeling you knew precisely who it was referring to. This lady truly did have nerves of steel. You feared to know who the person she referred to as ‘old hag’ was.
Then the bright eyes snapped back to you and before you could start with your usual polite ritual, she was in front of you, both you and Lilith jumping, Lilith rubbing her heart out of shock.
Maddi chuckled, her eyes gleaming as she reached out, pinching your cheeks. “Mhm! You’re so cute! You’ve grown taller, so much prettier too,” she placed a hand on your cheek, turning your face to and fro, eyeing you up and down. “Just call me ‘Maddi’. I wouldn’t have any other name, you always called me that, it’ll be odd for you to call me something else.” She paused, before she smiled teasingly. “Or, would you rather call me Great Witch Maddi?” She leaned in, manicured fingers flicking a spare strand of your hair back into place.
You briefly considered her odd wording before shelving it away for later. “Oh, I’ll call you whatever you want me to.”
She pulled away, however her hand still lingered on your cheek gently. “Maddi then.”
Her eyes moved over you again, an unreadable look in them, not aggressive or dangerous, but almost reminiscent. It reminded you of Solomon, the way she looked at you, sad and reminiscent. You felt yourself instinctively relaxing at the familiarity of the expression, in turn her shoulders relaxed, hidden tension bleeding out of them as her smile softened slightly-
A light cough broke through the air, and you jumped, eyes snapping to Lucifer as you pulled away. He crossed his arms, eyes frowning. Ah, right, you weren’t alone. You tried not to look at the brothers who were staring at Maddi and you as if you both had grown two heads.
“Thank you, big sister Maddi.” You paused, watching as her eyes glittered, good. “If you don’t mind me asking, but if you’re not here for any of the Seven Lords, then, are you here for me? Big brother Solomon said someone would be coming to visit soon.”
You had been taught to call Solomon ‘big brother’ despite him not being related to you in that sense, it was more so for politeness sake, no different than calling an upperclassman ‘Senpai’. So, if Maddi had come to visit, you would have been instructed to call her ‘big sister’. Now, why hadn’t you called the demons by those titles? Well, frankly speaking, they were too old, so Miss and Mister was simply more fitting, wasn’t it? You had to struggle to keep your smile steady at that.
Maddi hummed, before she placed a hand on the small of your back and began to walk off towards the living room. You could see the brothers hesitating, you didn’t blame them. However, the moment they stepped after you, the witch pursed her lips.
“Can’t some girls have their alone time?” She frowned at the brothers, before she flicked her fingers at them. “Always so clingy, these ones.” She leaned down, fingers digging slightly into your shoulder as she sang into your ear. “Let’s have some girl talk~ In your room, that is.”
Oddly enough, her eyes weren’t locked on you, your eyes followed her gaze traveling past the decor to finally land on… Lilith. The ghost looked equally shocked, eyes locked on the witch as she straightened up, hand still on your shoulder, the other resting on your back. Your blood ran cold as you stared at the witch, your fingers beginning to twitch-
She giggled, eyes unreadable. “Don’t look at me like that,” her lips curled up into an amused smirk. “I’m on your side, girl. So, let’s be honest with eachother.” A wink, a slight incline of her head towards the brothers., “You can tell me all about your tastes.” She let a pause hang in the air, her smile never wavering. “Don’t worry, princess. I’m not going to put you into a ridiculous outfit.”
You hated to admit it, but Maddi exuded elegance in her movements, even if it was she was just sipping tea. It wasn’t mentioning just how pretty she was. You couldn’t help but be at least a little envious. The first words that jumped to your mind were regal and elegant yet unpredictable and bold. She carried herself with the same grace that Lucifer did, but her actions were lax, confidence dripping off her with each movement. You swore, it was abundant as her classy perfume, never overpowering but there, a silent reminder of who she was.
Lilith sat on the chair next to you, expression unsure.
Your hands were trembling, and you stared at the delicately plated snacks and tea on the table. You had no appetite to eat. Were you supposed to start? Was she supposed to start? How did she know? How was she able to see Lilith-
The voice that rang through your head wasn’t Lilith’s voice.
Your eyes slowly trailed to Maddi whose lips were pressed against her teacup. Her eyes flickered open and locked on yours. Your hands trembled harder, sweat beginning to bead on the back of your neck.
“Close the curtains, act normal about it. Come now, girl. We don’t have all day.”
“Just do what she says…” Lilith smiled at you reassuringly, squeezing your hand. “It’ll be fine.”
You met her eyes and she smiled wider. “Oh, it’s a little dark outside, give me a moment.” You stood up, watching Maddi’s reflection in the glass as you approached it, she didn’t move.
The curtains snapped shut, and then you heard her finally shift. “You’re quite bad at gauging your surroundings, do you know that?”
You stiffened, scowling as you whirled around, your words defensive and barbed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
A light laugh left her, almost sounding like a scoff. “There you are, finally being honest with me.” She crossed her legs elegantly, leaning back into the chair as if it were a throne. “You really haven’t noticed? All this time? You haven’t noticed a thing?” Her eyes turned up into a pair of crescent moons. “Though, I should give him credit, hiding in plain sight is a tactic that yields great results.”
“You said that we would be honest. Fine, I won’t pretend with polite pretenses.” You glared, standing over the woman with crossed arms. “But all you’re doing is speaking in obscure words.”
She peered up at you, unbothered with how you loomed over her. “I do that because I believe you’re smart enough to understand me, or am I wrong?” Her eyes glinted as your hands curled into shaking fists. “Hah… You’re too fun to play around with, it’s no wonder why those brothers enjoy prodding at you so much.”
The woman had a wonderful ability of pushing down on each of your buttons with each word she spoke. The eyes snapped up to meet you and then you froze. They were cold, unreadable, lacking in any mirth.
A manicured hand curled under your chin, nails digging lightly into your face as your back collided with the wall. Your hands gripped the woman’s wrist by instinct, however she hardly batted an eye. Lilith jumped to her feet, as the witch held up a finger.
“Let me finish here, Lady Lily.” Her eyes slid back to you as Lilith paused, hesitation in her stance. “Tell me little lamb, do you believe you have privacy? Do you believe we’re not being watched right now? Being listened in on?” She paused, humming thoughtfully. “Well, I have a barrier up, so we have privacy right now, but… I’m talking about normally.”
A barrier? You didn’t understand why a barrier like that would be needed unless she was planning something. You let go of the wrist, instead placing your hands on the witch’s shoulders and shoving hard. She let you, and she stepped back, dropping her hand from your chin. You stalked past her, away from the wall. Anger buzzed in your system but you made sure to keep your voice steady. The lady was a threat, yes. However, it would be worse if you lost your temper and she took advantage of it. She clearly wanted something from you, because if her intent was to expose Lilith, she could have done it with ease.
You had to trust in Solomon, and the people he acquainted himself with.
It was time to run an experiment. “Lady Maddi, if there’s nothing for us to talk about, then I don’t think either of us need to be here anymore-”
She sighed, disappointment colouring her tone. “A shame… You were doing well too…” You could hear the irritation in her voice now. “Lady Lily… I told you. Let me finish here.”
It was as if you had been doused in freezing water. Your breath was stolen. You couldn’t breathe. You trembled, unable to move in the slightest, not even twitch a single digit of your finger. It was the same sensation you had felt during the TSL tournament. You were scared. You stood where you were, eyes locked on the door. If only you could move, you could get-
“If only you could move, you could get help. Hm? No, no… I’m not finished here, so let’s finish up here, mm?”
Hands pressed to your shoulders, moving you like a doll as you felt your body tremble harder the closer she moved to you. If you focused, you could almost see wisps of silver dancing around her, almost like a magical aura-
“You’re not standing your own against anyone here like that.” You could feel her breath tickling your ear. “If this much of my aura is enough to freeze you like this, then what are you going to do if one of the brothers goes all out?” You hated to admit that, but you couldn’t help but consider that possibility now that the seed had been planted.
A pair of hands guided you back to your seat, awfully gentle for what she was doing. That was when you saw Lilith, strings of silver looped around her limbs, keeping her stationary. However, her eyes were positively livid. Her fingers twitched, and you could see white mana threatening to form at her fingertips.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The Celestial Realm’s already breathing down the Devildom’s neck after that stunt with the little kidnapping arc our resident little lamb had.”
Maddi’s voice was calm, no longer playful as she pulled something out of her pocket, something that looked to be a gleaming orb of white. You had no idea what it was, however, you instinctively knew it was something important. You heard Lilith gasp, and out of the corner of your eye you saw the magic threatening to burst from her recede out of shock. Maddi toyed with the orb as she leaned back into her seat. Her eyes closed and then she sighed, long and heavy as if she was the one being inconvenienced.
“You know? It took forever to demand this from the Celestial Realm,” she held up the white orb, rolling it between her fingers. “Always so stringent, those ones.” Her eyes were unreadable.
Her hand waved and then you felt yourself crumple like a ragdoll, your breaths ragged and unsteady. Unsure of what to do, you glanced at Lilith to find that she had been freed too, and was staring at Maddi with an equally unreadable expression.
“Now, let’s talk.” Maddi’s hands folded in her lap neatly, as she smiled pleasantly.
You tried to meet Lilith’s eyes, but she instead fired a question at the witch. “Why would you go through the trouble of getting that?”
“Don’t you think we should explain what this is to our little lamb first?” Maddi smiled lazily as she tossed the orb up and down in her hand. “No? Fine, I will then. Simply put, it’s an artifact, a communication device for one to communicate with ghosts,” she held it over her eye. “Seeing them, hearing them, you name it.” Her eyes snapped to Lilith, “Now, for you and your question,” the witch smiled. “I’ve already told you. I’m on your side.”
“I sense an unsaid ‘for now’.” Lilith glared at her.
Maddi looked at her nails as if they were the most pressing matter, you couldn’t help but be reminded of Asmodeus. “Now, that’s for another day.” Her eyes snapped to you and you jumped. “So? Where’s your answer to my question?”
You pursed your lips, slightly exasperated as you hissed. “Of course I have privacy! It’s not as if there’s cameras in my room-”
Maddi laughed, quiet and cynical. “No cameras, but I suppose those feathery pests can be considered cameras.”
You felt a cold fear wash over you, your skin prickling as if you were being watched. “... Feathery… Pests…?” You clenched your teeth, your hands slamming down on the table, the teacups rattling in their saucers with your movement. “Explain.”
She didn’t, instead she countered you with another question. “Have you ever gone out alone? When you go out, do you feel those eyes on you? Those golden eyes like coins from those pests in the sky? You’re smart enough to know that Greed isn’t limited to money.”
Cold sweat broke out. “... He… He wouldn’t…” Lilith looked away, and you felt your palms grow clammy. “What even is this about-”
“Have you ever tried to go out alone? Or have one of those dear brothers of yours come up with a convenient excuse whenever you try?” A narrow of her eyes.
“That doesn’t prove anything-”
“The comment about being a plaything’s still deep within your mind, isn’t it?” You froze, and she continued. “You push it down. Down, down, down, you convince yourself, delude yourself into thinking that you can be friends with these demons, haven’t you?” She held your gaze, unblinking.
You leaned back, your mouth spluttering uselessly. “I… I don’t-”
“Little lamb, I thought we were going to be honest here. So, tell me,” she leaned forward, her elbow resting on her knee as she rested her chin on her hands. “What do you think these demons see you as? A friend? A little lamb? A meal? Or perhaps, a little toy, something to own, bend, break, to put a collar on, to brand as their own-”
Your skin prickled, fear rising in you and you snapped, your hackles raised. “Shut up! Shut-”
“Demons… My dear… They’re insidious creatures.” She peered up at you through her long eyelashes. “The Devil’s not a little man that’s painted in red with horns, wings and a tail, and carries a pitchfork. No, no… Demons take on many forms. But, they always are appealing, combed hair, a beautiful face, and well dressed. They’re charming in their own ways, all to cast a bigger net over who they seduce into sin. They’re your classmate, your friend, your family…” Her head tilted. “Perhaps even a lover, someone you want to marry, to bed.” You winced, a visceral reaction to the last part. “But, one thing is for certain. When you finally realize how hard you’ve fallen, that’s when you realize it’s become too late for you. It’s no more than ingesting poison that tastes of honey.”
You stared at the woman who leaned back into her chair, her hand closing around the orb. Your head hurt with how much was going on. Lilith was silent as the dead, numbly staring down at the table.
Maddi hummed, picking up her teacup as she settled down in her seat. “Would you like to hear a story?” Maddi’s finger traced the rim of the teacup as she leaned back into the seat.
You stared at her, shocked by the audacity and the sudden question, but you had to admit, you were at least slightly intrigued. “... A story…?” You glared, regaining your senses, but still baffled. “Don’t you try to change the subject! Just… Just… where did the thought of asking such a question come from?”
Maddi peered at you through her eyelashes. “You’re not in your right mind.” She smiled slowly, with the air of pride that could only come from being right. “Believe it or not, I came to tell you a variant of a story.” She smiled at you as she sipped at her tea.
“And what makes me think I’ll listen to your story variant? Right after you… You… You-” You spluttered, unsure of how to put your words into context.
Her smile widened, staring at you with the look you had seen in Lucifer’s eyes right as he cornered you into a checkmate. “Because, you’re drawn to stories like how demons are drawn to pure, shining souls.” She produced a book from thin air, akin to a magician and pushed it to you, from across the table.
You heard Lilith’s breath hitch. You stared at the book. ‘Taxidermy Canary’. It was a fairytale book, though a darker one, resembling older fairytales. It was written by Christopher Peugeot, the one who had written the TSL series. You had read it, only through the library though. However, one thing had always puzzled you, the name. It was true that in the end, the princess met her end, however there hadn’t been much explanation of exactly what had happened to the princess for her for the fairytale to earn its name.
“Neither you or Lady Lily are finished, and naturally I am not either. But, I suspect that those dear brothers will barge in sooner or later, and I don’t want to waste more time on idle chatter-”
Your eye twitched, as Lilith continued to stare at the story, her eyes steely. “You call what you said to us, idle chatter-”
“I want to hear your variant of the story.” Your eyes snapped over to Lilith who pressed her lips together, firm.
You closed your eyes. “Go ahead, but. Our business with the previous conversation is not done.” You scowled.
She smiled. “Hm… Then let me start from the beginning.”
A shivering child pressed herself against the wall. The winter chill pressed into her thin clothes and she pressed her fingers to her mouth, exhaling. The warmth quickly dissipated and she sank to the ground, willing herself not to cry. Her tears could simply freeze in the chill.
Yet, despite her attempts to keep her tears in, they slipped out and she began to cry. She didn’t want to die, but she was probably going to. She was hungry, and she was cold, so so cold. She was probably going to freeze to death, she couldn’t feel her hands or her feet anymore. She buried her face into her arms, beginning to sob.
She didn’t want to die. She wanted to go home. She wanted to escape into her dreams where a woman with the warmest smile sang and danced in an enchanted forest, she still wasn’t sure what the woman was despite everything. Was she a fairy? Was she a princess?
She certainly looked as if she was born out of a fairytale. The child, despite everything, felt a small smile curl on her face when she thought of the woman. The woman was a beautiful one to say the least, the most beautiful person she had ever laid eyes on, and would ever lay eyes on. It was incomparable.
The woman spoke with a voice like the chimes of silver bells, as sweet as honey, as rich and as warm as hot chocolate.
She didn’t just walk, she glided, it didn’t matter if she was stepping on the surface of the water like a fairy born of the moonlight’s rays or the flowery grass as they parted to pave her a path. She swam through the air, like a mermaid in the air, each movement accentuated by grace.
The woman was ethereal to behold, like a holy maiden who raised the sun and brought light with her silver blade.
The woman was as cold as the chill of winter, but still gentle nonetheless. She was like a queen born out of ice and frost, or an igloo, cold and icy, yet still warm and caring.
That was the common description for her. However, the girl knew better, the woman was so, so much more, because, no matter what, she was still the same person who smiled with a smile full of love.
You studied Maddi’s expression. For someone who had come off the way she had earlier, she looked almost like a child as she told her story. Her eyes gleamed with a childlike wonder, her smile bright and excited. Passion. It was interwoven into her every moment, each gesture, each time her voice dipped in volume and rose, it was like a tidal wave, free and authentic.
You gazed at her eyes, they stared at you, but they stared past you, as if gazing at something you couldn’t see, distant, reminiscent, sad. However, those eyes were also filled with awe, adoration and reverence so strong it could border on worship.
Whoever the woman in the tale was, one thing was clear. The woman was someone important to the witch.
Briefly, you let your eyes flicker to Lilith who looked just as enraptured in Maddi’s story as the latter was. You suppressed a smile at the childlike wonder in her eyes, taking a sip of your tea, letting the words of the story wash over you as your mind formed the images before your eyes.
Offense still sapped at you, but you could wait to address that at a later date. You cared more for Lilith’s happiness than you did your own pride afterall.
However, none of that mattered. There was no home to go back to, no more dreams, not anymore. She was going to die out in the cold, a child with no name.
“Oh dear, oh dear…” A hushed whisper sounded out from above her and the snow crunched as a figure knelt down in front of her. “Are you alright, little one?”
The child looked up with teary eyes, only for her breath to hitch.
A young woman, a familiar woman knelt down in front of her, dressed like an angel, or at least how the little girl envisioned angels to look like. Or perhaps she was a fairy, she looked as if she could be one, born out of the moon’s radiance. It didn’t matter who or what the woman was, the child recognized her. It was the woman from her dreams, the one who took her hand with the brightest smile and eyes full of an emotion she couldn’t place.
She wore a dress of pink wool, causing her to resemble a sheep, a sheep with yellow hooves, she wore yellow heels and gloves afterall. The comparison was only solidified by the golden horns that curled from the sides of her head, horns decorated with a blue flower the child recognized as forget-me-nots. The winter breeze brushed past the pair, a soft ringing following in the air, from the bell attached to the pastel bow on her neck. The gloved hand lightly touched the bell, ceasing the ringing, and the girl felt her breath hitch.
A smile full of warmth greeted her, it reminded the little girl of a warm and cozy home. The woman’s eyes were gentle as they gazed at her, the same way people looked at those things they prized, and now the eyes were looking at her.
Dreams really did come true. Someone had come for her afterall, and not just anyone.
The smile saddened, and the gentle eyes flickered away, bashful now. “I know people say to not go with strangers,” a hand held itself out to her. “But, please, will you let me take you to a nearby tavern to eat? It’s too cold for anyone to be outside right now.”
The nameless child couldn’t find it in herself to care anymore. Even if the woman was a reaper sent by death, then she would take it. People always said that death was cold and scary, but the woman’s smile was so warm, like a mother’s. She nodded. It didn’t matter anymore, wherever the fairy wanted to take her, she would go.
The girl reached her trembling hand out, placing her little hand in the larger hand. The woman’s eyes softened, her hand carefully closing around the little hand in her palm, as if the child was a glass ornament to be treasured.
“Do I have your consent to touch you?”
The little girl blinked, “What’s consent?”
The woman laughed, the sound reminding the child of twinkling silver bells, the child couldn’t help but like the laugh. “I’m sorry, let me rephrase. Can I pick you up?” She gestured to the child’s bare feet, bleeding and injured. “I don’t exactly want you to be walking.”
A hug? The child had never received a hug ever, only in her dreams. She reached her arms out, it felt like reaching out for the sky. The angel from the heavens smiled, kneeling down, and a pair of arms hoisted the little girl in the air.
“It feels like flying…” The little girl whispered, feeling the robe’s sleeves encase her in a cocoon of warmth.
“Does it now?” The woman hummed softly, beginning to walk.
“It does…” For some reason she felt tired, the warmth making her eyes droopy. “Are you a fairy…? I have dreams… I have dreams where I meet someone like you…”
“Really?” The woman giggled, “Can you tell me some of those dreams.”
At those words, the little girl closed her eyes, thinking back to the very first dreams she had. “I hated the dreams at first… I thought they were nightmares… It was scary, the scariest thing I ever saw. I didn’t think much of her at first…” The nameless child opened her eyes, her gaze despondent and cynical. “I thought she wouldn’t survive long. The weak die, and the strong survive. That’s just how it is.”
She hated the nightmare, reality despite its cruelties was kinder. In that nightmare she witnessed death’s incarnate. It swept along the human world, painting it in blood and death.
There was no sun anymore, only a rift in the sky that seemed to stare down at her with hunger, threatening to inch closer and closer, opening its maw to swallow her whole. Corpses and graves littered the ground, and eventually the nameless child couldn’t help but grow numb to the sight of death and despair.
She wasn’t mentioning the creatures.
They were utterly horrifying, not the comic book villains nor villains from fairytales, they were real, and they were monsters. The nameless child had seen them before, standing over corpses, devouring them, stealing the light from the dying world painted in blood and red. Those monsters robbed the world of light and life, taking humans with them, leaving only a select few.
They looked like humans, looked like humans, not were. They had human features, but their visages were too sharp. The teeth were too pointed, the eyes too calculating and hungry, the nails too sharp. It was a monster in human skin, wearing a mask of humanness, speaking human speech. They were monsters who lied, deceived, and led humans to their death, the nameless child had learned.
That was when she decided. She despised liars. She wouldn’t lie. Ever.
She was facing a liar at present. The monster was in a confinement cell, likely kept alive since it had information, and it was laughing. It was mocking, mocking the little girl who stood in front of it, frozen to the spot, shaky eyes wide with tears. The girl who resembled more of a lamb than anything, standing behind the boy who was always with her.
She remembered that little lamb clearly.
The little girl was annoying. When the nameless child had first landed in the nightmare, she decided, there was no point in living.
There was no semblance of life, no chance of survival. Her choices were either to simply wither away, a slow and painful death, or take her life in her own hands and spare herself. She chose the latter, however before she had gotten far, she was dragged away from the edge of the cliff by the little lamb, followed by the boy who practically stuck to her like a shadow.
The little lamb wouldn’t stop crying and wailing, clinging onto her with such a vice grip that the nameless child was sure that even death wouldn’t be able to pry her away. She promised a future, a laughable thought, considering the state of the world. However, the nameless child was also given something, a name, something to finally call her own.
The nameless child wasn’t sure why she obliged the little lamb. Out of a curious whim? The sparing of her eardrums? Or perhaps it was the nonsense the little lamb spouted at her about names and fate. Having a name meant power, it meant a future, a destiny. It was a load of nonsense she likely spat out to keep the nameless child from leaping off the cliff and taking her own life. However, nonsense or not, the nameless child had to admit, it touched some part of her heart because she chose to leave with the girl instead of leaving the world behind.
However, when it came to nicknames, the little lamb earned herself that nickname for a good reason. Simply put, she was as stupid as a lamb, always so trusting, always so naive, always so prideful to believe the best in others. That pride, that stupidity was exactly what brought the downfall of others.
“I killed 17 people,” the monster cocked its head to the side, fang dripping with saliva as it drooled at the sight of the crying lamb. “14 children, 3 adults.” Its eyes crinkled as it leaned forward, the best it could from within its confinement. “I’ll have to thank you, stupid little lamb. Thank you for letting me in, thank you for… ‘believing a demon can change’.” it licked its lips, grinning at the despairing lamb. “It was a wonderful feast you brought me, I do love how plush the children were as I sunk my teeth into their throats-”
The boy had enough. His hand shot out, closing around the monster’s throat as the confinement cell burst with silver, killing the creature. The lamb fell to her knees, sobbing into her hands, names of the fallen and apologies falling from her lips. The boy knelt down, comforting her as she sobbed, clinging onto him.
The nameless child however, simply looked at the little lamb. She wouldn’t live long. She was weak. The nameless child had seen the way the lamb hesitated to plunge down the sword in her hands into the hearts of the monsters. “... I can’t do it… They look too human…” She had whispered between tears.
The boy called it keeping her humanity intact, the nameless child called it weakness and idiocy. Sparing one monster led to seventeen deaths, what would sparing more of them do? How could one trust them after what they did? Monsters deceived with their words, so there was no point listening to those silver tongues. The telltale was to watch their body language to watch for an opening to kill them before more lives could be taken.
“Then, what changed your mind?” The woman continued walking, never faltering.
The nameless child looked down, closing her eyes as she leaned into her saviour’s warmth. “I saw…” She paused, unsure of how to phrase her words. “I saw her be strong. Stronger than me.” Instinctively, she burrowed her face into the woman’s shoulder, trembling hands clutching the soft fabric.
The hospital reeked of despair and death, the trauma room even more so. The nameless child stood frozen in her steps. She had seen death before, and had seen corpses. She had blood on her hands. She had watched the dream body she was in slaughter monsters, no matter how human they looked, no matter how they ‘begged’ for mercy. She could see their lies clear as day, they were guilty. The corpses and the graves were a stab to her heart to look at, but she had pushed herself through the sight.
However, she couldn’t push herself through what she saw. The man on the stretcher looked horrible, practically dead. There was no rise and fall of his chest anymore.
His limbs were purple, bruised, bleeding, bent in all the wrong ways, and the child swore, she could see the bones protruding from the purple hued skin. His left leg was already gone, a bleeding jagged stump remaining, his right leg looked unrepairable, laying there limply as if it were made of jelly instead of bone and muscle. His torso was ripped open, and the nameless child stared down at the entrails that were leaking out.
It was fleshy, pink, and bloody, it looked like worms, the kind on the sidewalk that appeared after the rain, the worms that were in the moldy bread she found. It looked as if maggots had burrowed their way under his skin and were now escaping.
It made her want to gag. She couldn’t tear her eyes away, even as she felt bile rise in her throat, the taste of vomit already in her mouth. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t look away. All she could do was watch as the man’s head lulled about weakly. She couldn’t see his face anymore, it looked as if it had been caved in, however his left eye was relatively untouched, rolled up into his skull, his right eyeball leaking, slashed vertically in half.
The eye twitched, and the nameless child wanted to curl in on herself, feeling as if maggots were squirming under her skin. She felt itchy all over, sick and as if she wanted to cry all at once.
She couldn’t move. She couldn’t turn away. She just stared, horrified.
She heard crying, loud wails, from a mourning child. However, she couldn’t move to cover the child's eyes. The nameless child stood there, staring, horrified at the sight of the man in front of her.
“I can’t tell you if your daddy will be okay or not. But, I promise, we will do everything we can to save him. I know you’re worried, I understand, but please, wait outside and let us do everything we can to save your daddy.”
The voice broke through the silence, it was familiar, in the same way the warmth of the sun was, however unlike the fallen sun it was present, alive. The tone was calm, gentle, but firm, mature, like an unmoving mountain, a steady rock to anchor someone back to reality. The words were new, however they were spoken as if they were from an adult, but the voice more than showed the owner’s youth.
The nameless child felt her eyes widen, a shaky breath leaving her as she turned. The lamb stood there, a few feet away from her, the child’s fists beating her uselessly as the child wailed, in a fit of hysterics. The lamb let the child cry and scream, simply placing a hand on the sobbing child’s back to guide them off to the waiting room.
Then the lamb’s eyes met the nameless child’s and the former smiled, holding her little hand out. “Please, come with us, the sights in the trauma room aren't for children.”
The lamb spoke as if she herself wasn’t a child. Her smile wasn’t one smiled out of joy, but a gentle one of reassurance. The nameless child didn’t need to hear her speak to know what she was saying with her smile. She was here. She was present, and she would be here for anyone who needed her, whether they wanted it or realized they needed her.
A frantic call for the lamb- nurse broke through the air and the child turned to find another nurse calling for her, expression firm, but eyes full of panic. All hands were needed. A hand set itself on her shoulder and she turned to find the boy nodding towards the nurse, signalling for her to go. The girl turned back and smiled, raising her hand in a quick farewell. The hand tightened and she felt herself stumble numbly as she was steered away.
However, the nameless child turned back just in time to see how the moment their backs were turned, the nurse was sprinting after the stretcher into the surgery room up ahead, her smile gone, a grim expression on her face.
“... She’s just a child…” The nameless child had known that the healthcare responders were stretched thin, however for a child to be placed in such a situation was unheard of.
The boy was silent. “Most of us are.” The nameless didn’t want to think about the little lamb in her field medic duties.
It was effective, truly it was. Demons didn’t tend to attack children, so it simply made sense the latter would be used as human shields. Nausea rose in her throat, saliva pooling and she broke free from the boy, making a run for the trash can, heaving.
The man miraculously lived, all thanks to the efforts of the medical staff and his will to push on. However, his body wasn’t spared from the monster’s attack on him.
The nameless child stared down at the bed. The man’s legs lay under the blankets, however his left leg ended unexpectedly where his knees were, unlike his right leg. The lamb, no, nurse had told her specifically and firmly not to be unkind.
“He is a brave man, a heroic one. I understand that the first reaction will be to stare and perhaps grimace. But, please, be kind, he’s suffered greatly and nobody wants to be gawked as if they’re a clown. Remember, he is a patient, yes. But, treat him as he is, a veteran.” The lamb had spoken those words with such a firm visage. It was hard to believe that it was the same person who still cried at fairytale endings she had seen hundreds of times before.
The nameless child could feel the lamb staring sharply at her already. Her expression must have been exactly what the patient feared to see, pity, horror and perhaps even some disgust.
She couldn’t help it despite her best efforts.
The man’s face looked as if he was wearing a mask. The skin was discoloured from bruises, swelled in others, pulled taut, waxy and covered in stitches. His right eye was covered, the left one tired and unfocused. She could see staples embedded into his scalp, the silver flashing in the light. It was horrifying to see, grotesque, she wanted to vomit.
The nameless child felt her breath hitch, her vision blurry as her nose began to sting. Before she knew it, she was crying. Why? She didn’t know.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” She whispered, her little chest rising and falling with unsteady breaths.
A bandaged hand set itself on her head, the skin taut from swelling, tired, shaking, but still gentle. She looked up and she felt more tears burn at her eyes. The eyes were sad, holding an apology of their own. ‘I’m sorry you had to see me like this.’ She could already imagine the man saying.
Anger and indignation rose in her, at the monsters. Her mind flashing back to the monster who loomed over the lamb, taunting her in its last moment. There had been no ounce of guilt in those eyes, the only things she had seen was amusement and hunger. Her teeth gritted, anger flaring harder, fueled by guilt.
So many lives had been brought to ruin, all for what?
Angrily, she swiped at her tears. She refused to be seen as weak-
A tissue pressed against her cheek and she felt her eyes widen, gaze snapping to the nurse who stood in front of her, little hand pressing a tissue to her face, carefully wiping the child’s tears away. The lamb smiled, and her arms wrapped around the nameless child, pulling her into a hug.
“It’s okay to be sad,” she hummed thoughtfully, little hand patting the nameless child’s head.
She said that, yet the nameless child couldn’t help but wonder why she had never seen the nurse cry anywhere in the hospital. She always smiled at the patients, always reassuring, always present, always kind. The same person who cried her eyes out at the ending of fairytales she had seen thousands of times never flinched at the sight of grotesque injury, never batted an eye at any lost fingers and limbs, rather she continued to smile, always smiling, always so bright.
Sniffling reached her ears, and the nameless girl froze. Hesitantly, she reached where she heard the noise coming from, the staff room. The door slowly opened, creaking softly as the figure inside shot up, with a gasp of surprise.
Instantly, the nameless girl’s eyes drew to the lamb’s neck. It was ugly, bruised, dotted with splotches of purple and black. Then they snapped to the roll of bandages in her hands. Then they snapped to her face. Her face was blotchy and pink, her eyes rimmed with red.
The nameless child was in front of the lamb before she could speak. “What happened…? Who did this?”
Panic filled the lamb’s expression as she reached out, grabbing the nameless child’s arm. “Wait! Wait! Let me explain…!” She sighed, her voice heavy. “... That man… The veteran you visited last time… He doesn’t have much time left. I told him the news and he took it as gracefully as he could. But… When I came back with his food, he was having a panic attack,” she looked away, fingers gingerly touching her neck. “He didn’t mean it. He was so scared. He attacked me because he thought I would kill him first.” Her head lowered, and her shoulders shook with a sob.
The nameless child’s hands slowly rose as she reached out, to pat the lamb’s head. The boy always made that gesture to her whenever she cried, pulling her into a hug as well. However, a hand on her wrist stopped her.
“I’m fine…” The nameless child watched as the nurse bandaged her neck up, the injury hiding away under the white dressings.
She watched the nurse exhale, slow and steady, hand wiping her cheeks to clean them of any tear marks. The nurse exhaled again, before turning up to lock eyes with her. She smiled.
She did. She really did. The blotchy pink in her cheeks had faded, her eyes were no longer red, and if the nameless child didn’t look at the bandages, she wouldn’t know any better. She nodded, her heart aching as she watched the nurse smile wider.
The nurse crossed over to the door, opening it. Light poured in, bathing her in a golden heavenly glow. She looked like an angel in the artificial light.
“Wait!” The nameless child reached out to the nurse, her words dying on her tongue.
What was she going to say? Going to ask? Was it reassurance, was it why she continued to smile despite it all? Was it how she could stand looking at the grotesque injuries day after day? However, before she could ask or say anything, the nurse spoke up.
She called out the nameless child’s name. “... Everyone’s losing hope. It’s getting harder to smile…” She broke away from the doorway of golden light, instead making her way towards the window. “... Whenever I ask the patients if they have a wish… I always hear the same thing.” Her fingers rested on the glass as she lifted her eyes to the bleeding red skies, present even through the barrier. “... They miss the sun. They miss the warmth it brings. They miss the memories it brings.”
Her head lowered, her hand curling into a fist. Only as her eyes lowered, did the nameless child catch the look in her eyes. The nameless child had long forgotten how to feel fear in the face of monsters, however as she caught the look in her friend’s eyes, she felt herself freeze, ice replacing the blood in her veins. The eyes were dark, shadowed, as sharp as a steel blade, and colder than any temperature she had ever felt.
Her hand unfurled, the tips of her fingers digging into the glass, as if claws would burst out of her fingers and shatter the glass. The eyes didn’t lower for long, rather they shifted upwards with a sharp flick, fixated on the rift in the bloody red sky, the look in her eyes crueler than any look the nameless child had seen a monster wear. The ‘lamb’ looked as if she would tear the sky open and bring her sword down as if it were the blade of a guillotine. Those eyes promised bloodshed- No. They promised complete and utter annihilation.
Those eyes dug into her and the nameless child flinched hard, stumbling away. “Why are you shaking?” The nameless child hadn’t even realized that she was trembling.
“I… I-I don’t know….” The eyes blinked, and then they were back to their normal state, sweet, warm, kind. “... You…” The nameless child felt her hands clench. “What do you mean by ‘if only’...?”
“Mm…” The ‘lamb’ turned back towards the window, her words careful but no less thoughtful. “... If only… We could make a sun.” Her finger tapped her bottom lip. “Yes… Yes… Hehe… Hahahahahahaha!” She began to giggle, the laugh slowly growing louder and louder. “Yes! Yes! Oh yes!”
The ‘lamb’ spun on her heel, her arms opening in a grand flourish as she grinned. Her eyes were wide, filled with awe as she burst into cackles, her smile no longer demure and soft, instead it ripped across her face, genius and mad. With the broken red skies behind her serving as her backdrop, painting her in blood red crimson, she looked positively mad. Utterly, raving mad.
“Think about it. We could kill all the birds with one stone.” Her head cocked sharply to the side, and her voice dropped to a whisper. “No more arguments about if we’re allowed to exist, to use magic or not. We can unite everyone under the new sun, under a king… Under a trinity…” Her dominant hand balled into a fist. “... All I need… Is a little more…”
The nameless child had heard the lamb’s ramblings before, both her and the boy had even agreed to her mad plans, however all she felt was fear and worry. “... Do you hear yourself…?” The nameless child whispered, her voice strangled. “What do you mean? ‘A little more’? Don’t you dare do something stupid! You can’t just-”
A pair of arms wrapped around her, cutting her words off. “I won’t.” The nameless child’s eyes lingered on the bandages around her neck. “Please… Don’t worry…”
Something rose. Bright. It was bright. It was so bright, and so familiar. It seared her eyes when she looked at it. She could hear yelling in her ear, she could feel yanking on her elbow, but she continued to stare, completely and utterly transfixed. The skies were blue, soft blue, a clear blue, a blue she was seeing for the first time in the destroyed world. It was serene, gentle, contrary to the commotion around her.
Clouds drifted aimlessly, like wandering travelers who decided to settle in the skies. The nameless child was sure that she had never seen a sight so beautiful. She didn’t care that her eyes were watering with how long she had kept them open for. She simply stood there, eyes feasted on the skies as if she had just watched a god descend. She felt as if she had. The sun was bright in all the right ways, it was white, a brilliant white, white like the pure snow that fell in snowflakes, a bright that burned her eyes.
Yet she stayed. She stayed with the commotion. Some cried, some screamed, some stood in silence, in shock. Others fell to their knees, their hands clasped in prayer as they prostrated, prayers and thanks, gratitudes of worship leaving their lips. Revenant, that was the only way to describe it. They gazed at the ‘sun’ as if it were an oasis in a desert, they crawled on their hands and knees, eyes watering and bloodshot with the strain of keeping them open.
If the lamb were by her side, she had a good idea what the artist would say. It was beautiful, not the ‘sun’ but the smiles on the faces of the people.
People were smiling. Even if they groveled, stood in shock, cried, or screamed, they all smiled. It was raw with emotion. Human emotion. Humanity. Hope. A promise of a future.
Then it hit the nameless child. Where was the person who brought the ‘sun’?
Frantic eyes met hers and soon enough, they were running.
Betrayal. It coursed through her veins and she wanted to curse, to scream. She wanted to hit the girl, however, it wouldn’t do anything to help, so she stared on with wide unblinking eyes. She wanted to slap her, pull her into an embrace, and cry, all at the same time. The boy was already crying, a rare sight to see him so utterly distraught.
Though, it made sense. When they arrived, it was too late, it had been too late the moment the ‘sun’ was born. Shatters vials and jars, once containing thousands upon thousands of souls, led one’s eyes to the center of the room brimming with magic. In the center of runes painted in blood, enriched with magic, the sacrificial lamb lay, a cloth stuffed into her mouth, ropes binding her limbs from moving. However, certainly what the attention of anyone who saw the sight would have been drawn to was the gleaming sword pierced through her heart, remnants of silver magic around the weapon.
Yet, to a magic user like the nameless child and the boy, their eyes were drawn to the wound, it gleamed with such a bright light it would have belonged to the brightest star in the sky, that or the most priceless jewel in the world.
A soul. A soul to act as the glue for others, all to form the new ‘sun’.
You held up a hand, your mind reeling. “Wait… wait… I thought… souls… How…?” You paused, unsure of how to continue, only confusion filling your mind instead of questions to ask.
The witch’s eyes flickered to Lilith who looked away. “Ah, I suppose nobody explained the specifics of souls to you.” She hummed. “Do you remember what Solomon told you? How making a pact leads to one losing more and more of themselves? Souls aren’t a solid object you can just pick up and exchange.”
A chill ran down your spine. “... You… Are you trying to say…” You felt your mouth go dry. “But… That’s not a feasible solution! A temporary solution, maybe! But, no way she could have hung on for that long… If she didn’t die from her injury beforehand.”
Lilith didn’t move, instead she stared down at her hands, biting her trembling bottom lip, her hair shielding her face.
Maddi’s eyelids lowered, her smile never leaving, even as it grew bitter. “You would be surprised at how desperately humans can cling to things, be it life or their humanity.” Her eyes drifted down to your chest, where your soul would be. “So long as a soul still has stories to tell, ambition to drive it to another tomorrow, it will never diminish, no matter how tarnished it’s become.”
You closed your eyes, feeling goosebumps prickle along your skin. “... Alright… Thank you… Continue…”
The eyes glittered. “As you wish, princess.”
“How could you…? You lied to us! You betrayer!” The nameless child screamed, hands clutching the bloodied shirt of the girl.
“Calm down-” The boy tried to settle her down, but she heard none of it, slamming her clenched fists into the girl’s chest again, where her injury had healed away.
“Liar! Liar! You’re a liar! Why did you do that? We could have found another way! We didn’t have to create a sun! You didn’t have to do this!” Angry tears filled with something else spilled down her cheeks
The exhausted eyes peered up at her. “Are you happy…? Did seeing the sun again make you happy?”
The nameless child stared down at the sacrificial lamb, then the former snapped.
Thwack! The slap rang through the air like the coming down of a guillotine. The boy instantly began to wrangle the nameless child away, calling for them to calm down, however the nameless child heard none of it.
“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” The nameless child cursed over and over as the sacrificial lamb weakly pushed herself up onto her elbow, hand holding her reddening cheek. “What’ll happen to you now? You’ll either die in a few months or wither away! Why couldn’t you be more selfish and think about yourself for once?” She screamed, tears running down her face. “Selfish! You’re so selfish! Did you think about us?! Or did you just try to throw our friendship away like it meant nothing?!”
“No…” She shakily pushed herself to her feet, her hand falling away from her cheek, now forming a ugly bruise, the nameless child found herself faltering at the sight. “I won’t die in a few months…” She lifted her head, her hair falling away, she was smiling. “I won’t…As long as you two are around… I’ll be able to keep on going… I’ll hold onto my humanity… It won’t die… It’ll just live on through you two.” She tilted her head to the side, her eyes closing as she beamed, tears threatening to prick at her eyelids. “So… Survive, won’t you?”
“Mmm… And how do you feel?” The nameless child lifted her head from the woman’s shoulder.
“How do I feel…?” She stared up at the smiling fairy, before averting her eyes, ashamed. “... I don’t know… I feel angry… But… My heart also feels… Weird… It hurts… But I don’t think I’m sick.”
The woman chuckled. “If you ask me, I say that sounds like sadness.”
“Sadness…” The child murmured softly, before she sighed. “I don’t know… It’s too much… My heart hurts…” She buried her face into the woman’s shoulder, it was warm and soft, after a moment she spoke. “... You remind me of that girl… But grown up… You look like her grown up version…”
The voice was amused, “You’ve seen her all grown up?”
A battle raged. A war, those situations she only heard about from history books. Several girls wearing medic uniforms and hairpins of flowers assisted on the battlefield. The nurse’s apprentices, the nameless child noted, their hairpins were the tell. Her own hands were bigger, and in her hands was a staff, magic shooting from it. However, no matter how many shadowy creatures she blasted away from her, they never stopped coming.
Then, just then, a voice broke through the sounds of destruction. A voice, light and melodious. A voice that was humming. The song sounded like a lullaby, and for a moment everyone just stopped. For a moment, nobody fought. The little girl wanted to stay there forever.
The song was so beautiful. Nobody was fighting anymore.
Then, just then, something drifted down. She stared, her larger hand reaching out as it closed around the object. A white feather, a bird feather, one that looked as if it could belong to an angel. Yet, the moment her hand closed around it, it scattered, turning to silver dust, drifting away in the breeze, back to nature. The soft singing grew closer, and finally the girl turned fully.
The barren land was growing life behind her, as if life itself had stepped onto the land. Flowers were blooming, grass was growing and petals slowly drifted down. Then a rustle of fabric greeted her and someone swam in the corner of her vision, descended from the skies.
The response was instantaneous. Gasps from the medics arose, their faces breaking out into wide grins. The creatures hesitated, their eyes gauging the new person.
That was when the little girl finally took a good look at the nurse, the former turning to meet a smile. She had grown, no longer a child, the woman wore a uniform, a dark cloak covering it. A sword sat at her hip, just like a knight from a fairytale, only without armour. As if she was swimming, she swooped down, slowly descending down to land on the ground. However, despite the harsh lines of her uniform, the smile was soft, gentle, and bright.
It was one filled with determination, with hope, it made the girl relax, think that everything was alright. If someone was smiling, they knew what to do, they had a solution and this woman’s smile, it was like bathing in the warm sunlight.
Then she looked away, her eyes turning to the thousands of heads that turned to look at her.
“There’s no reason to fear.”
Then, she dashed forward, towards the countless monsters up ahead.
Quick as lightning, she feinted an attack, lifting her sword as she plunged down at the ginger. However, as the ginger took a step back, arm lifting to protect himself, she swiveled around his left, footsteps light as she stepped on the balls of her feet. She zigzagged about, feinting attacks twice, one at the blonde, the other at the indigo haired creature.
The movements were elegant, she was practically leaping with her steps, gravity seeming to obey her command as her cloak billowed about her.
Her head tilted as she eyed her blind spot, watching as the clawed hand of the indigo haired creature grew closer and closer, another clawed hand just above, both threatening to maul her to bits.
Then she grinned, and her sword returned to its sheath with a click.
Mischievous. So, the knight was playing around, the monsters were also surprisingly docile, neither parties using magic, unless one was counting the nurse enhancing her physical abilities with her magic.
The woman leaped into the air, her cloak flaring out around her like a pair of wings. Akin to a cat, she twisted, and with a kick, the indigo haired creature was sent back, crashing into the blonde and the ginger. Meanwhile, her hand snatched the outstretched arm in front of her, twisting the wrist of the creature so the claws faced away from her.
Her body weight threw forward, and as if performing an acrobatic move like a performer in a circus as they formed elegant shapes with their body wrapped in a hanging ribbon, her legs locked around the ‘ribbon’ she was looking for. However, instead of a ribbon, it was the neck of a creature, orange eyes widening as she threw her head back, right as an array of daggers flew overhead.
Precise. Planned. She moved like a stratagem playing chess.
The woman’s free hand reached for her belt, and she pulled something free from it, small and circular, she lifted it to her lips, teeth clamping down on something metal as she ripped it away. She spat it out, and in the same motion, tossed it in the direction of the three incapacitated creatures.
The knight was still smiling.
As she fell, she threw her weight back around, performing a backflip, an unusual one as she carried the squirming creature with her. An explosion rang out, and she righted herself, letting go of her chokehold on the orange eyed creature and with the gathered momentum, he was sent barrelling into the blue eyed one nearby.
Her feet landed on the ground, light as a feather, and with the same motion as before, she pulled the pin away from the weapon in her hand, tossing it at the two incapacitated creatures. Her free hand pulled the sword from her hip as she dropped to the ground, rolling right as another creature flew at her, one with eyes red as blood.
She bounced to her feet, and in a swift motion, locked her arm around the creature’s neck, her blade pressing into his jugular as she turned her head back, locking eyes with widened amber ones.
If the nameless child didn’t know any better, she would have called the movement teasing, especially as she watched the knight smile a coy one, however the eyes were cold, like a frozen wasteland. On the surface it looked more than sparring. However, she caught it, she had trained herself to catch the microdetails afterall. The eyes were calculating, the same way data was compiled and analyzed. Neither the knight, nor the monsters were taking the fight seriously. Rather, both sides were content to analyze each other for the time being.
Something curled in her stomach. She didn’t like the feeling. Was it dread for the look in her friend’s eyes? The fear that both the immortal life and her soul being stretched thin was sapping away her humanity faster than expected, or was it the way the monsters’ eyes roved over her, taking in each ethereal dance-like movement?
The eyes itched, for what? She didn’t know. Either way, she found it disgusting. It was depraved, utterly depraved, she wanted to gouge their eyes out for the way they looked at the knight.
She watched the latter’s smile widen, settling into a wide, practically maniac grin. Her eyes gleamed the same way they did when she discovered anything of interest. The hand of her headlock reached up and she grasped the chin of the monster, her eyes locking with blood red ones. She leaned in, sword’s blade still pressed into his jugular, and despite the knight being too far away for the nameless child to catch what she said, she could still read lips.
Then she jumped away as the monster’s eyes flickered with something akin to insult, blue fire replacing the area she was standing at previously. The knight just laughed, before turning on her heel towards a cliff to her left.
“Now!” Her voice billowed across the battlefield and instantaneously, thousands upon thousands of projectiles fired down on the monsters, the boy standing there in tow, his eyes blazing-
“Ahem.” You slowly turned right as the door to your room opened, a displeased Lucifer standing in the doorway. “I’m afraid, Lady Maddi, your visit will have to be cut short. We already had plans arranged for today.” Lies.
