CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

For the rest of the night, the three of us sat in an uncomfortable silence. I eventually excused myself to go to bed, heading up the steep staircase to the loft. Two single beds sat on either side of the loft. I crawled into the bed on the far side, but I didn't feel tired. I felt uncomfortable and stressed. I rolled onto my back and sighed. Eventually one of the two men came upstairs and crawled into the other bed. I pretended I was asleep so I wouldn't be bothered.

A soft whispering rose from the silence. I sat up and looked around curiously. Livius was asleep in the other bed, completely unmoving. I felt the need to find wherever that whispering was coming from. Something called me to it.

I quietly stood from my bed and tip-toed to the top of the stairs. I looked around for Asmodeus and found him asleep at the door while he was supposed to be on guard duty. That's fine. I didn't want him to interrupt my little search. I tip-toed down the stairs and walked where the voice called me to. It seemed to get louder and louder, so I assumed I was getting closer to the source. I stopped when I reached where I had put my belongings near the back of the cabin. The whispering stopped, but I was drawn to grab my sword, so I did.

I slid the blade out of the guard and stared at it in awe. The red marble on the blade seemed to be glowing slightly. I ran my finger along it.

"What are you doing, princess?" Asmodeus's voice startled me.

I jumped and turned around, "Hey! Don't scare me like that!" I pouted.

"Maybe you should just pay more attention to your surroundings." I could see him wink in the limited light from the mood shining in through the windows.

"Whatever." I mumbled.

"Why are you up?" He asked and he walked a little closer. I shrugged.

"I couldn't sleep and..." I trailed off. Maybe he would think I was crazy if I said I heard whispers.

"And?" Asmodeus prompted.

"And I kind of heard whispers and followed it to here." I said and slightly moved my unsheathed sword.

"It wants you to use it." Asmodeus stated simply.

"Really?"

"Yes." He looked around quickly, "If you want, we could go outside for a little training."

I nodded eagerly and the two of us snuck our way outside, hoping not to wake Livius. Asmodeus then stood a few feet away from me once we had found a spot to train, which was a minute walk away from the cabin.

"Follow what it tells you." Asmodeus said.

Follow what it tells me? I looked at my sword curiously. What do I do?

A deep, male voice then rang through my head: 'hold me in front of you, straight up and down, and close your eyes.'

Although this was a weird occurrence, I was not scared. I followed what the voice said, as if in a trance. I placed my sword in front of me, perpendicular to the ground, and closed my eyes.

The voice spoke again: 'Good. Focus your energy into me.'

I did as it said. I closed my eyes and focused on sending everything I had through my arms and hands and into the weapon. I cracked one eye open to see if anything was happening.

Nope. I was just standing there looking constipated. Great.

I groaned in frustration and lowered my sword, "Bullshit! Nothing happened! You stupid-"

"Nyx." Asmodeus called. His expression was serious, "Do as it says. Trust it."

I sighed, "Fine."

I tried again and then again. Then again. Then again. I had been trying for several hours and was exhausted. The sun was beginning to come up.

"Fuck!" I screamed and stabbed my sword into the ground, "Fuck you!"

"Nyx, that's enough!" Asmodeus yelled. I froze. He had never yelled at me before. He marched over to me. "Get your shit together and try harder."

"I'm trying the best I can, but I can't fucking do it!" I snarled defensively.

"You're going to take that sword out of the fucking ground and try again." He snarled back, leaning his face closer to mine.

"Or what?" I challenged. I was tired, exhausted, and sweaty. I really didn't care.

Asmodeus smirked, "Or I'll have to punish you."

I felt my face become hotter and my heart beat speed up again. "Fine. I'll try again." I grumbled. Asmodeus looked a little disappointed but moved away from me to let me try again.

I ripped the sword from the ground. Who the fuck does he think he is, bossing me around? I'll fucking show him, and this stupid sword, too! Fuck all of this!

And with that, a surge of energy burst through me, winding me in the process. The sword in my hands began to glow, then burst into gigantic dark red flames.

"Hey! Control it you idiot!" Asmodeus yelled from where he stood, looking a bit worried.

I gave him a crazed grin, admiring his fear and my new found skill, "I am controlling it."

"I meant make it smaller!" He shouted back. I didn't respond, just stood grinning.

I felt powerful. I felt like killing. Killing everything.

"What the hell is going on?" Livius's voice came from the cabin. I nonchalantly turned my head to look at him. He looked furious and a bit scared.

"I'm doing what my sword wanted me to." I said as I began twirling it in my hand.

The voice spoke: 'Try slashing the air.'

I turned toward a nearby tree and did as the voice said. I slashed the flaming sword through the air in front of the tree, pretending I was slicing a person in two. A blade of fire shot from the sword and launched through the tree, and a few behind it before dissipating. I turned back to the two men.

"Nyx, stop! You're aura is strong and it's going to attract demons and angels!" Livius shouted angrily.

I stared at him. I don't want to, but even if I did, I don't even know how. Do I just turn my energy off like a switch? How would I do that? It would probably be embarrassing for me to ask.

"For fuck sake, drop the sword if you have to!" Livius shouted.

I was about to place the sword on the ground like Livius had suggested when I heard a few demonic screeches from behind me.

"Looks like we've found what the boss was looking for." Turning around, six tall, ugly demons stood with their mouths salivating.

"Get the bitch."