CHAPTER 69: DEMON IN THE FLAMES

DEMON IN THE FLAMES

Rachael stares into the flames from where she lies, the little hairs on her skin curl under the pressure of the fire and the image of the vision she once had comes vividly to her.

The giant creature, Samuel and the blond woman surrounded by flames.

She watches it play out before her eyes, Samuel screams in the hands of Legion in its rotten pile of bodies; intestine and spleen comes to light as the flame shine on them.

Amanda loses herself and the flames around her increases, smoke begins to fill the air as the trees burn.

Is he going to die too? Is this really the end? Rachael wonders. She watches the light in Samuel's eyes fade as the demon squeezes him in his hold. Rachael feels dizziness knock at the back of her mind as the world begins to feel like an unclear movie.

The world spins a little and she look to her thigh to see the clothe soaked in blood.

It is ironic how they get to die here, in the forest of dead cries. Maybe it is fitting but their spirits won't be finding any peace. Not in a place like this.

Tears slowly trickle down her face as she feels hope slip away into a cold pond of despair.

Her heart beats slowly as she accepts the end, their death; "Don't give up," she hears his voice and raises her head. He stands in front of her with his dark gaze and his muscular physique.

"Gabri..." she says softly as he runs toward the flames before disappearing again like the ghost that he is.

The tears keep dropping as she sniffles, she sees him again for one last time under a flash of fire before he disappears again and her heart feels a sudden palpitation while she whimpers.

"Amanda!" she raises her head up as Samuel roars Amanda's name, his roar is loud and she feels the dirt underneath vibrate with the echoes of his roar.

Amanda roars back and flames blast out from her body and swallows the monster with Samuel in its hand, "No!" Rachael screams as she watches the second twin perish.

Amanda feels her mind dallying in a vast blackness with nothing around her, a cold breeze blows through her hair and strong hands caress her body. A strange and pleasant incense feels the air and a pair of strong arms wrap her.

She listens to a heartbeat that comes in waves like the ocean, wild and unpredictable.

The smell of sea water fills her nose and the feeling of hot breath against her neck makes her eyes spin with pleasure. She doesn't remember what happened or how she got here but his touch makes her embrace the unknown.

"Do you want me?" he whispers in her ears and she closes her eyes, "What do you think?" she says and he pulls her hair backwards, "Say it," he says.

"Yes, I want you." "Let me in," "I am all yours," she gives herself up and lets his touch take away her mind; thus is the way of the demon.

The wind gets heavier and she feels the clothes disappear off her body, the gentle touch of the wind and his hard palms send shivers through her body. Goose bumps appear on her skin and he kisses her neck, "Let your flames burn everything," he whispers and nibbles her ear.

"And let your waters quench my burning heart," she says.

"Hey ugly ass. If this is how you handle yourself I'm not surprised how you ended up with Poseidon. You must have been really easy," she hears Samuel's voice and she opens her eyes, she frowns at the thought that he is trying to separate her from her lover.

She scoffs, "Idiot," she says, "Let us burn him," Poseidon's voice says as his hand wraps her neck, "We will toss his corpse away before he can interrupt us, my love" he says.

"What?" Amanda raises a brow at his words, she turns and falls quiet at the sight of his deep blue eyes, he rubs her lower lip and holds her waist tightly.

"Where are we?' she asks as she feels are legs float above the endless nothingness that encompasses them.

"Away, away from everyone. Someplace where it is only you and I," he says. She feels her nipples harden against his naked body and she bites her lip, "Now burn it all," he says.

Her eyes light up with a blue glow and her naked body begins to emit flames, she moves in to kiss him but a louder voice screams, no it roars; "Amanda!".

Amanda feels a cold chill in her bones and her face feels wet like cold water has just been poured on her, she sees clearly what is in front of her. A monster with Samuel in its grasp, gasping for life as he coughs blood from his mouth.

Her eyes meet his and the silent gaze is understood between them, "Now I burn it all," she says and roars.

The flames from her body spread out with a mighty force, pushing the pile of corpses backwards while the flames chase it, covering it and tainting the air with the smell of burnt death.

She can hear Samuel scream as he bursts out of the creatures grip with thin wings that carry the flames as they lift him away from the monster. Legion wails as the flames burn its rotten flesh. The bones and organs begin to turn crispy and fall off as the demon screams into the burning night.

"How dare you enter the mind of a sphinx? Burn and return to hell," Amanda screams as she intensifies the fires. And in a last long wail, Legion prays his last curses as he gives in to the burns of her fires.

Samuel falls on the floor and begins to scream as the flames burn his wings, he punches the floor several times as his scream becomes a roar, a roar filled with agony.

Amanda lands from above like a bird, unburnt and unscathed, not even her clothes smell of smoke. She grabs Samuel's wings and the flames gradually die out while he wriggles and turns on the floor.

"Fuck," he groans and slams his hand against the floor, Amanda hugs him from behind, "Let me take it. Let me take your pain away," she says and he holds her hand.

He struggles to breath as his wings grow thinner and his feathers fall, turning to ash before they reach the ground.

"Guys, I know this is a bad time but I think Rachael here is slipping away," Elma says as she brings their attention to the human. She lies against the tree with closed eyes and low breaths, her skin turns pale and white.

"She is injured," Amanda leaves Samuel and walks to Rachael, she holds her hand and rubs it gently. She places a hand on her leg and rubs it gently as she watches the color of Rachael's skin return to her.

She opens her eyes and sucks in a deep breath, she coughs as the smoke around them gets thicker. She sees Samuel and a smile suddenly appears on her face, "I thought you were dead," she says in a low voice.

"Your wounds should be healed," Amanda says, Rachael unties the clothe around her thigh and inspects it.

"Thank you," she says.

"Look," Elma points toward the flames where Legion's body of corpses burn, in the middle of it, something stands with eyes as bright as the flames and black fur. It walks slowly toward them as the fire engulfs it but it seems unfazed by the flames.

The skies suddenly scream with thunders and the clouds let down their tears, "Finally, some good luck" Rachael says as she struggles to her feet, "Let's not start counting our chickens just yet," Amanda says.

Samuel falls on one knee as he struggles to stand but he forces himself up as the first touch of the heavenly waters touch his skin and the little wound that remain on his body appreciates the cold and wet feels of the cloud's tears.

The rain pours down heavily and the flames begin to dissipate but the creature stands still, just a few meters away from them. Watching them with glowing bright eyes, lit up like fire and its black body merge with the dark.

"It didn't scream when the fire was all over its body. I have only heard of one kind of wolf that is impervious to fire," Elma says, "More signs that we are on the right path," Samuel says.

The rain beats them, wetting and shrinking their clothes against their body. Cold holds a firm grip over Rachael but her body soon warms up as a flame appears above her head. Samuel hugs his body as he shivers, the forest suddenly reminds him of his childhood in the Ongoye forest as he sneezes.

Everyone turns and stares at him in shock, "Damn, that witch must hate you to use a spell with this much bite-back," Elma says as she ties her hair into a ponytail.

Amanda holds his hand and his body begins to warm up, "I got you," she says and he nods gently, "I got you too," Gabriel says as he stands beside him.

"You could've at least brought a cigarette from the other side, " Samuel says.

The rain stops but the glowing bright eyes still stare at them in the covers of darkness, the creature howls and walks closer, dropping in height the further it gets.

Elma hisses and Amanda roars as they prepare for a fight but stop and move backwards as the ground in front of them splits open and black smoke erupts of the opening.

A figure forms within the smoke and a face is revealed, a woman's face; she has pointy ears and white pale skin. Her eyes are of bright yellow and her lips are black.

She wears a black crown with two huge horns and black eyeliner paints the edges of her eyes.

She floats in the midair with the black smoke covering half of her body and her eyes look down on them with a stiff gaze.

"Gabriel Stone," she says and laugh.

The group look up at her and the immortals feel the power that courses through her, "Who are you?".