The Beginning

A young, cast out goddess-in-training is thrown back into her roots, left alone, scared, and trying to find her place in her world with evil lurking inside her.

    It happened so quickly. One moment I am having dinner with my brothers, niece, and twin sister, the next everything falls into chaos. Lilly, so sweet and beautiful became twisted. It had been a long time coming, we just could not see the signs, could not hear the whispers in the night as she bargained with the devil.

 "I want to become one of you. I want to go back to everything. I want to be what my parents were too weak to be." 

     Finally, her pleas were heard, her wish was accepted. Her only task to make it come true, destroy the gods. Destroy us. She plotted for months, preparing for the night that she would betray us, smiling at us while the disgust grew within her. We had no reason to suspect, yet I should have.

"Brim, do you ever wonder what it feels like to die?" she once asked me as we lay side-by-side in the garden.

"Yes and no." I replied slowly. "We are immortal, we will never die, but I do wonder what would happen to us. Do we disappear? Do we reincarnate? What happens to a god who dies?"

"You aren't a god just yet." She reminded me. 

"True, but don't worry Lilly, we will be fine. We won't die like..."

"Like mom and dad?" she finished for me.

"Yes."

     Long ago, in attempts to give us better lives, our parents fought the devil. They fought to become what we thought was impossible. They were empowered, the good in them grew. Once they saw what we could become, once they saw we were not doomed to be servants of the devil, they fled. In leaving, they sealed their fate. Years after we were born, they were murdered by an army set out to rectify my parents insubordinate actions. Once they were gone, our eldest brother Nicoli took over. He became our guardian. He, through deals even I am unaware of, gave us a chance to be safe.

"Why do you think they left hell?" she asked.

"They didn't want to kill humans. They didn't want to be slaves or have us be slaves. They wanted us safe, happy, far from the pressures of evil. You know this."

"I know what they told us, but I want to know the real reason. Who gives up a throne to become peasants who have to find their own way on the surface?"

"Who wants to be to be evil and force others to commit evil acts?"

She went quiet.

     That night, that night everything fell apart, we were so happy. My second eldest brother, Andy was insisting his little girl eat her greens. My niece, his daughter, Annabel was huffing about how she wanted an early dessert. Nicoli was chastising the rude behavior she was exhibiting before asking us about our plans for the future. To him, that was the trigger for moments after everything changed. In one quick solid motion, Lilly was up, she grasped a butcher knife and slit Annabel's throat. She was on the ground, bleeding, writing in agony as she slowly died. Andy was screaming for help, trying desperately to stop the blood from flowing. All that could be heard were her cries as we tried to save her. We were young, we did not know how to control the power within ourselves. We knew very little of the power we actually possessed. We couldn't save her. The only thing we could do, what I could do was separate her soul and her body, Nicoli sent her away as Andy screamed at us to stop. To him, we were killing her just as Lilly had done. To him, we were just as bad.

     Lilly, who had seemed so pleased with herself for her actions wiped the blood from the blade and charged at me next. She was going from the weakest to the strongest. It was a terrible mistake on her part. As she wrestled with me, who was evenly matched, Nicoli grasped her from behind. She was growing in strength, the devil was feeding her power to assist in her task. Loosing our chances, having it become harder and harder to stop her without hurting her. In a last ditch effort, the only thing we could think to do without ending our sisters life. No matter how twisted she was, I screamed for a resolution that none of them wanted, none of them expected me to say.

"Put her in me! Put her soul in me!"

"That's ridiculous, we cant merge two souls."

"WE ARE TWINS, JUST DO IT!"

     He hesitated, Lilly broke free of him and with an savage scream charged for Andy who was crumpled to the floor, broken from his loss. No longer aware of his surroundings. 

"Lilly!" 

     Just for a moment, she paused. I pounced, I held her to the ground, and then I pushed my hands through her core, I grasped the glowing orb that only I could see. The glowing orb that resided in everyone. Her soul. I took it within myself and then my body transformed. The feathers of my white wings fell, leaving black bone beneath. Horns sprouted from my head as well as a tail. My eyes changed, one my emerald green, the other her ruby red, and then a burning hatred infused in me. Her hatred. 

     Then it was me who lunged at my brothers. It was me that was fueled with the intense desire to kill them, to become the demon that we were born to be. Her feelings overtook me. The angry screams came from me, only I was dangerous. I was capable of ending them. It took every ounce of willpower I had to fight her, to hold her back, to stop her through me from destroying our family more than she already had. I was able to fight her for moments. Moments enough that I was able to go. A swirling vortex formed beneath me as I desperately screamed to leave, to save them, and I fell.

     What happened next, I blame no one for. I understand it was necessary. However, the pain of it never left me. Nicoli used what little strength he possessed to seal me in the world I escaped to. I couldn't leave. I was trapped, in my new demonic body, in my new whirling emotions from the fight between Lilly and I. Days, weeks, months, years passed as I struggled with her. Struggled to become myself again. All while laying in a cave. I did not know where I was. I did not know what would happen to me. All I knew, all I felt was myself ripping into two. 

     I don't know when it happened, when I finally won. Perhaps she gave up, or perhaps I grew strong enough to overtake her completely. Finally, as I lay there, I felt like myself again. I was sure I could do it. I was sure I could go on. The first thing I did was stand up. I left the place I had made my own prison and tried to escape. That's when I realized I was trapped. I screamed, loud, painfully for my brother to set me free. That I was okay, that I needed him and Andy. That I wanted to find and save Annabel. 

"Nicci! Please! Please! Get me out of here, set me free, save me!"

     I screamed until I couldn't scream anymore. Until the wind was knocked from me and I lost all my energy. Which led me to cry. Bitter, miserable, I cried. Another year passed, I was alone, deep in a depression I felt I could not escape The people I loved so much left me to rot. The child I cared for like my own was gone. I did not know what to do when I decided to turn it around. To make a home for myself. To learn about myself and what I could do. I had a new, exciting ability I never knew I possessed. Since birth I was always able to see souls, but I never tested my limits, never tested what I could do with it. That night was the first that I ever tried to touch one. Maybe I can do it again. 

     More time passed, I did not have any way to practice. I needed people. I needed a reason. Carefully, I stood, I left the place I had hid for all those years in solitude. I walked and when I could no longer walk I tried to fly. The change to my wings proved difficult to adjust to. I flew for what felt like miles, the ground was barren, there was nothing but what looked like molten rocks in the ground. My heart dropped, was this hell? After traveling so long, growing tired from all the walking, the flying, I landed and found a new cave to rest in. 

     I came to the conclusion there was no life wherever I am, which means it’s not hell. Hell has millions of demons, I would have definitely ran into one at this point. Sitting there, alone, I was overcome with grief, fear, panic. Desperately I began to try and duplicate the portal I had made before. I tried to create one bigger, stronger, I tried to break the seal my brother had placed over me and this place and I was only able to move through the dimension i was in. Day after day I sent myself through different parts of the world. I discovered new people, strange creatures. Vampires, ghosts, and to my fear, zombies. I befriended the vampires. I spent my days practicing, growing my power, becoming stronger. I began to see souls miles away. I found I could take and replace them. I had control over life and death. It terrified me. 

     Eventually, I grew strong enough that I was able to escape this realm of the dead. The other side as I called it. I was thrown into a new world. The mortal realm.  I still had no access to the place my brothers resided. I still could not reach them. Again, I was alone. I wandered through forests. I avoided all contact with mortals, my kind was feared. Although, I no longer knew what I was. Goddess? Demon? As I wandered, I found a group of people, a family. There was a woman with flaming red hair, her blue eyes held a mixture of pain and happiness. With her was a man, a strange character who seemed to have a knack for getting himself in trouble. Running around beside them, was a small boy, their son I assumed. At first glance I could see they were not normal. The child was demonic in every way, but his soul was pure. The woman was not human, but not a demon. Her husband also held a strange presence. The two I had never encountered before, I had no idea what they were, but they welcomed me with open arms and big smiles. 

"Hello, who are you?" The woman asked when she spotted me.

"Brim. Who are you?" I looked between the two who had now placed all their attention on me, to my discomfort. 

"I am Moon. This is my husband Kyo, and my son Faolan." 

"Nice to meet you all." I said hesitantly. 

"Um, what are you? You aren't human, I can see that much."

Moon raised a brow, apparently surprised by my observation, although that changed when her eyes fell on her son. 

"I am a werewolf, and a goddess." She replied with nonchalance. 

"Kyo is a reaper, and Faolan is a demon."

Hope filled me up and I moved closer, eagerly.

"Do you know Nicoli and Andy?"

"No, I don't. Who are they?"

"My brothers, never mind thank you anyway."

      I turned to leave but noticed a new soul approach. It flicker with bad intentions.

"Run." I said quickly, looking to the little family. "Run now."

"Why?" Moon asked detecting my alarm.

"There's someone coming, someone bad." With that I ran toward it.

     Not far behind me, Kyo followed as well as Moon. 

"No, don't come, you need to get your son away from here."

"He will be fine." Moon replied before her entire form shifted into a flaming red wolf. 

     

     Her elegance stunned me and I turned my attention to Kyo who was holding a scythe, ready for anything. Their lack of hesitation scared me. They were reckless. Without another breath I spread my wings and lifted to the sky. As fast as I could, I flew toward the approaching evil. Once I reached it I found a man running, caked in blood, his eyes were dark, devoid of emotion. He was ready to kill any who crossed his path. I lunged down, not hesitating a moment. What I learned in my solitude is I can’t wait until it is too late to act. I needed to prevent any evil I can regardless of who caused it because that is the only way to save lives. 

     Before the two behind me could catch up i dove into the man. He was terrified at first, but soon began to viciously attack me. I could see the others approaching and quickly thrust my hands into his chest, ripping his soul from his body. I could see it as it glimmered in my hands, he had murdered many people and he planned to do more. Filling with with an energy I never felt before, I crushed it in my palms. The man's body became inactive, the life faded from his eyes.

"Oh hell." I turned to Moon who was back on two legs, staring at me in surprise. 

"It's not what it looks like." I stammered.

"Do you have any idea what it looks like?" Kyo asked me.

"Like I killed someone in cold blood?" I replied hesitantly. 

"No, no. How did you know what to do, how did you know he was coming from so far away?" Kyo asked.

"I uh, I could see it. His um, soul."

     The couple exchanged glances and whispered to one another before looking at me again.

"What are you?" Moon asked.

"I, well I don't know. I was originally a goddess-in-training."

"An Angel?"

"Yes, but, something happened and I turned into this, then" I paused. "I was banished from the godly realm. I was on the other side."

"How long? How long were you able to do that?" Kyo asked. 

"Uh, well, I could see them as long as I lived. I don't know if I was ever able to touch them." I tapped my chin lightly. "The first time was when I was already older."

     Kyo and Moon began talking to one another once more when a white owl swooped down landing on the ground and shifting back into the demon boy, Faolan. 

"You can shape-shift too?" I asked surprised. 

"He is my son." Moon pointed out. 

"Brim, have you ever considered becoming a reaper?" Kyo asked, interrupting.

"A what?"

"A reaper, have you ever thought about becoming one?"

"I uh, no? I don't know what that is. Not really."

     Kyo looked to Moon who nodded.

"A reaper is a being who helps traffic the dead. Whether its hell, or reincarnation, or limbo, a reaper sends them there. You sent that man to hell when you crushed his soul, you were able to touch it, pull it out, you are able to see. That makes you a perfect candidate. You were born for this. Do you wish to become one?" he asked.

"I uh, I don't know. Can I do it? It sounds important. Can I actually do something like this?"

"You can, the question is if you will." Moon replied. 

"I..." My words trailed off and my head swirled with possibility. Can I do it? Can I change things for the greater good?

"Yes, Yes I will, how do I start?"

    With a smile, Kyo immediately began to trace something in the ground. A seal which then glowed and a cloaked figure rose from the ground. 

"Yes?" The being asked with a yawn.

"Lord Death, I found my apprentice." he gestured to me as I stood, staring dumbfounded at what was transpiring before me.

     The figure turned to me, scrutinized me, and then laughed whimsically.

"You found a good one. Yes, yes I will bless this apprenticeship. Welcome girl, you have great potential, you may even surpass Kyo some day."

"Uh, no i don’t think that’s likely. Ah, my name is Brim."

"I'm sorry Brim. Nice to meet you. Make sure to listen closely to Kyo, he has been in this business a long time." with that, the figure left in a cloud of smoke.

     I turned to looked at the trio, surprised. 

"That was it?" I asked.

"That's it." Moon smiled. 

"What, um, what now?"

"You begin your training, you have to shadow me and when I think you are ready I will send you out on your own." Kyo replied.

"Oh, okay. Uh, when do we start?"

"Tomorrow, today was supposed to be a little family vacation." Moon spoke. "We were about to have a cookout, would you like to join us?"

"A cookout? Food?" I smiled. "I haven't eaten in decades."

"Why not?" Faolan piped up, speaking for what was the first time. 

"Well, um where I used to live, there wasn't really any food. Well, there was but it was always full of blood in some way."

"Where are you from?" He tilted his head curiously.

"The other side, uh i mean the realm of the dead. I lived there for a long time."

     Moon watched me with concern and pulled her husband closer, again the whispered to each other. 

"Where do you live now?" She asked.

"Um, nowhere yet. I mean I can camp out here so you know where to find me." I looked around mapping out where I could rest.

"No, that isn't acceptable." She smiled warmly at me. "Why don't you come home with us?"

"Really? I'm a complete stranger, you already offered me a job, but a place to sleep too?"

"You don't smell like a bad person." She leaned in with an exaggerated sniff. 

     Faolan followed his mother's lead and sniffed me. I laughed. 

"Um, well, thank you I appreciate the offer and I'll take you up on it."

     I glanced at the man on the ground, his body began to fall apart and turn to dust. At first I was frightened, but then I saw that this was an intentional act on Kyo's part. 

"Okay, let's go back." He said jovially and the four of us slowly made our way back, talking, getting to know each other. 

     Moon had ran away from her home, and was hunted down for a long time. She was arranged a marriage she did not want.

"My parents controlled everything, and finally when it was time they wanted to marry me off like some breeding b***h. When i had enough, only my brother and sister helped me."

     While she was on the run, she encountered Kyo who was badly injured. She nursed him back to health. When others found her, he protected her. After, they spent a lot of time together before they fell in love, married, and had children. All, but Faolan had already left home. She was an incredible demon hunter far before she met her husband. She had often traveled for her job and still does on occasion. She came into her line of work when she lived in the forest. She was often attacked, and finally the agency recruited her.

     Kyo had a knack for getting himself in trouble. He often put himself at risk for others. His list of extraordinary accomplishments stretched for miles.  He was also gone just as often. Faolan had an underwhelming amount to say. He mentioned his role as a demon, how he could not play with others because they bully him. There was a flicker in him, a flicker I recognized as something similar to how Lilly was. For long amounts of time he was left to his own devices. 

     When we reached a nice spot, Kyo ran off to hunt game. Moon stayed to set the fire. Faolan was instructed to find firewood. With nothing to do I busied myself by looking around for water. Everyone met back up with their respective items. An elk, firewood, water from a lake that was set to boil. Everyone laughed and enjoyed themselves. It was the first time things have ever truly felt normal and okay. It was the first time i felt I belonged in a long time. 

     After the dinner, Kyo was teaching me some light sparring, Moon assisted, showing off her extraordinary talent. Faolan stayed out of the way, swooping around as an owl, cleaning his wings and taking great interest in rodents, to my dismay. The day slowly turned to night and they decided it was time to return home. I followed the trio back, to my surprise they were also capable of flying and it was quick travel.  Their home was massive. There were many expansions, stables, training grounds, it was beautiful. Inside it looked cozy and normal. Moon led me to a room that I could stay in. She gave me a change of clothes and pointed me to the bathroom. With permission I spent time in the tub, surrounded by floral scents and dim lighting. It was relaxing to the point I nearly drifted off in the water, but a knock at the door woke me. 

"Hey, are you doing okay in there?" Moon asked through the door.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, it was so relaxing I took a while. I'll get out now."

"You don't have to, I was just making sure you are okay."

"I am, thank you." I smiled and drained the tub.

     Once I was dressed, refreshed, and relaxed I went to the room that was prepared for me. It was both humble and extravagant all in the same. Living with my brothers included modesty, and the other side had very little to offer. The vampire kingdom was suited to the night dwellers and never felt like home to me. This was a huge step up. Crawling in bed, I looked up at the ceiling. As tired as I was, thoughts began to swirl in my head. My years on the other side, my years in the godly realm. All the events that transpired and the demon within me.

     I felt like I was lying to them, withholding important information that affected them, but at the same time I no longer felt her presence as strongly as when we first merged. Turning on my side I reminded myself it would be okay. I fought her once, I can do it again. 

Author's Note

Is the structure and style okay?