Fall And Illusion

MICHAEL

I looked up at the blanket of stars that stretched to infinity. The smell of rain lingered still in the night air. I buried my hands into my now velvet hair. It is a sign that my demon is in full control. I let it out at night to feed on darkness once in a while.

I traced the walls of the cave I just discovered with my claws, and I felt the depth of life within it. The puddle of water in front of me revealed my hideous self. My very own reflection and how I look in my demon form.

Sometimes, I'm afraid of my reflection. Not because of what I see but because I'm not being able to receive it. The actual image of myself. It is my greatest tormentor.

The red-eyed freak stared back at me in aggression. There is no blue in them anymore. Only red. My humanity was gone.

I sighed, as I observed the enormous castle on the hill. I wondered how many years it would take them to build this massive masterpiece.

I leaned backward to enjoy the view.

With my powers or should I say magic? I could burn it down to ashes if I wish to. But it seems that my demon is not in the mood for destruction.

Something bothers him. Something that has never happened to him since the dawn of its existence. Strange and unexplainable emotions trigger him to do something foreign to him. Like, the need to insert his canines into a female's neck. Which is odd, only vampires that bite...well obviously, we also bite since we have fangs. But not on the neck. It's the most disgusting and savage way to bite a living being.

Why the crave?

It would be something if I had it with everyone. It becomes a problem when it is towards one particular person.

I remembered how shocked she was when I jumped off her balcony yesterday. I remembered how I felt when she grabbed my hair that night.

I remembered her scent.

My demon has not stopped purring anytime she crosses my mind. She makes him happy which irritates me anytime I think of it. No one has ever made him happy before except...her.

What makes her so special and different from everyone?

I stood up immediately as my demon saw a shadow of something or... someone falling.

His eyes adjusted to who it was and I sighed. What sort of mockery is this?

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NOWEL

I woke up from my bed and tried my best to calm my nerves down. I just woke up from a terrible nightmare. It was so bad and scary that I tried not to cry.

"Nowel,"

My attention shifted when I heard that familiar voice. The voice I longed to hear even if it was in a thousand years after. She was still in the same outfit as the last time I saw her.

"Goodbye." She turned around and went straight for my balcony. I hurried after her stumbling many times as I did.

She stood on the railings of the balcony ready to do exactly what she did a few years back. It's like am reliving the same nightmare all over again.

But this time, I am determined not to let her do it.

I went on my knees and begged her not to do it. Just like I did that night.

"Dad!" I called for help. Mom is about to jump from my balcony and die!

"Dad! Help us!" I cried out again. Like I did three years ago. But no one came.

I remember how I panicked when she jumped down and died. I remembered how I tried running away with a small lamp that fateful night.

"I'm sorry," She whispered and my eyes almost fell off out of fear of what she meant by that.

Oh no!

"I couldn't protect the both of you."

My heart sank as I heard those words again. It's happening again!

"No...you did your best, please. Dad!!!!"

She didn't listen and selfishly took her life in front of my eyes.

"No!!!" I screamed as she leaped and fell to her death.

No. I am not going to lose her again. My entire body shook as I rose to my feet with tears streaming down my face. I took one step as I promised myself to save her this time. My heart began to beat loudly as my brain was yelling at me to stop. But I couldn't. She's still there. Down there. Her arms stretched, the fear in her eyes, begging me to save her this time.

I climbed the Stoney three-foot fender of my balcony. My heart threatening to pull out if I do not snap out of it. But she was falling, her screams so loud and...I have to save her. Without thinking, I became one with gravity.

The last thing I heard was the clanking sound my crown made as it fell off my head.

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ELYS

"Please, have your seat."

We both sat down in the dimly lit room of Illinois chambers. We were served tea and some other refreshments before they were all dismissed to give us our privacy.

"Elys,"

"Illinois."

He sighed. "Do you believe that that thing could be a demon from hell?"

Oh, would you look at that? Illinois, the head of the royal court and its council snitched on his comrades to learn more about that slave and whether he was a demon. I'm greatly pleased.

"Where else would demons come from if not hell?"

"Elys, why do I feel like you know more than you're letting out?"

"And why do I feel like you have a hidden urge to know more about that boy being a demon?" I gave it back to him.

"Elys, are you one hundred percent sure that the slave boy is a demon?"

"Why do you want to know? If I could remember properly, you don't believe in such things."

"That was...until when I started to receive frightening dreams and visions concerning that boy."

I laughed.

"Do you mock me, Elys?"

I smiled. "No. I am just surprised. That you still choose to be foolish after you had a vision from the eye god himself concerning that boy."

"You know about my visions?"

"Of course I do. I am a wizard and there is so much more you can do with magic. I have the foresight of you having that vision sooner or later because I know all of your spiritual names and I could easily manipulate and know what and what-not the eye God is preparing for all of you. I am not as powerless as you think I am."

Illinois looked down in discomfort.

"Illinois, you had such a dream, and you still let that beast live and roam freely in the palace? How foolish can you be sometimes? If I were you, I would have handed that demon over to the royal wizard so that he could be dragged back to Hell. Where he truly belongs to."

"I don't still feel comfortable with you using our spiritual names for wizardry and occult purposes Elys."

I rolled my eyes at how unbelievable they could be sometimes.

"Look, Illinois, I care for all of you as much as I do for myself. I can't sit back and watch a citizen of Hell execute his demonic plans for my country. Now that we have the time and resources to exterminate that thing...why hesitate? Let's drag that demon back to Hell!"

"What if...what if there is a better explanation for the dream I had?"

I groaned in frustration at what I heard next. Why can't they try to understand that I am trying to help them?!

"What if the eye god is saying something else? Apart from him being demonic or dangerous?"

"Ha! For the love of all that's reasonable Illinois! Why can't you trust me? Why do you all keep on acting on the motion that I am here for evil purposes? I understand that I am a wizard and I'm sometimes driven by the forces of darkness. But, can't I be seen from a different perspective? Not everyone you see or interact with is a bad guy. Try and understand what I am saying here Illinois."

"I understand...what you're trying to say Elys. But-"

"But what?" They could be adamant and blinded at the same time! I think I have to come in through other means to get the head of the royal court on my side.

"Tell me Illinois. Look into my eyes and see that he is nothing but a demon from Hell that needs to be eradicated for good."

He resisted my bewitchment briefly and ended up submitting to my charms. "Okay, fine. You have my permission to get rid of that...demon."

I smirked. No magic is as sweet as manipulation.

"My chief!"

I was startled by the dramatic entrance of Royal Consort Devi.

"What happened to you, Royal Consort Devi?" Illinois asked while standing on his feet.

"N-N..."

"Speak! Royal Consort Devi! Speak!" I can see the fear in Illinois's eyes.

"NOWEL!"

I and Illinois both turned to look at each other.

"What happened to her?" I asked.