The Stranger- Chapter 11

After he left, I sat there with the stone for another few moments, trying not to lift it in the air, but just trying to see the gold specks again. It didn’t take long before I saw them floating around the stone slowly. I was tired, anyone could tell, but that didn’t stop me from playing with the little bits of light. My focus was on them as I commanded them to swirl, dive, and move around the room. For some reason this was a bit easier now. The particles were still slow, but they seemed to speed up the more I focused. Dancing around the room, I decided to stop them and make them come together in a tiny ball. The result was fascinating. A small ball no larger than a padlock became visible, and instead of being a golden color like the specks, this ball was shining with white light. The moonlight illuminated much of the room, so I wandered over to the curtains and closed them while trying to keep the ball together. After I closed the curtains, the room should have been pitch black, but instead… The ball was barely illuminating the room. It floated towards me and I held out my hands, fascinated as it settled down in my palms. Then it shocked me by fading away into my hands and shooting through my arms before fading away.

The veil of exhaustion lifted slightly, but not enough. A yawn still escaped my throat. I felt my way through the dark room to open the curtain again, relieved when the light washed the darkness away, and found clothes for bed. My lilac nightgown was loose and soft. I climbed into the bed, quieting the thoughts that ran through my mind and drifting to sleep.

Darkness.

Just darkness.

Everywhere.

Then I felt a hand closed around my throat. Not tightly, but just enough to keep me still. I still couldn’t see anything, so I had no idea who the hand belonged to.

“Why are you so difficult?” I almost groaned as I heard Wraith’s voice.

“I don’t know, Atael.”

The hand around my throat tensed. “Don’t use that name…”

My lips quirked into a smirk at his discomfort, “Why not? In fact, Atael, let go of my neck and let me see you.”

To my surprise, the hand slid away from my neck and rested on my shoulder, finally becoming visible along with the rest of his body. His face looked pained and full of sadness before pulling into an emotionless mask. Curiosity ate at me. There was so much more I wanted to know about demons, and Wraith. If I could control him with his name-

“Idiot. You may have slight power because of my name, but it’s nothing I can’t resist.”

“So why aren’t you resisting?”

His lips pressed together in a fine line, “I don’t have to answer any of your stupid questions. All I have to do is kill-“

“God, Atael. You’d think you would have done it by now, being an archdemon. Surely there should be no problem, so why are you stalling? What is there that you’re hiding?” Amusement found its way onto my face.

This seemed to anger him, “It’s none of your business!”

“Tell me!”

He struggled for a moment, almost like he was debating whether to say something.

“Atael…”

That broke him, “I was an angel once.”

Well, obviously. Weren’t most demons simply fallen angels?

            He looked away in pained defeat and sighed before continuing, “I was among the… high ranks…” Suddenly, his words sounded as if they were floating from a broken phonograph, his body becoming almost transparent as his face contorted into defeated sadness. “Selfish… I was selfish… Lucifer… Offered me power… I took… it… Was cast out…of Heaven… Pain… No heart… For so… long… only pain… all I felt… Took centuries… to feel again… Never… felt happiness… or love… again…” It looked like it actually hurt him to speak. Like his memories about those times were truly nothing but pure pain.

            “I can barely understand you…”

            Black tears dripped down his face, which along with his body, was flickering like a light. He seemed to ignore me, “Mistake… It was a mistake… Why can’t… I take… it back… Want… to go back… Do anything… I don’t want… war… Lost… my… beloved…” On his last few words, he looked me straight in the eye.

            “What? I don’t understand-“

            Wraith disappeared and the darkness turned into a different scene. It looked like a cave lit by fire of some kind. Wraith reappeared sitting on a rock, his face in his hands. I stared in shock at his wings. They were his dark bat wings, only with a few snow white feathers falling out. Then I noticed his hair. It was practically white at the bottom, but the white was being washed away by black. Puddles of black liquid sat around him, gathering from the liquid dripping down his hands. I timidly walked over, but he didn’t notice me.

            “…Wraith?” I didn’t want to use his real name anymore.

            He still ignored me. When I reached out a hand to put on his shoulder, I gasped. I was transparent! What was this?

            My attention returned to Wraith as I heard his quiet sobs. The black continued to overtake his hair until there was not a single white strand left. The last few feathers fell from his wings. His skin grew even paler than it already was. Finally lifting his hands from his face, a wave of pity hit me. Wraith’s face was covered in black tear stains, his expression contorted into fear and agony. My heart almost broke seeing him like this. Beautiful, compassionate ice blue eyes that were almost exactly like Kendell’s flashed bright red before settling into the brownish red I was used to. Any trace of compassion or warmth that had been in Wraith’s eyes was replaced by a cold, emotionless void. He stared blankly out in front of him, his gaze fixed on nothing, before a few words fell from his lips,

            “What have I done…?”

            Everything faded away and left me in the dark again. Another scene unfolded. I bit back a gasp as I saw Wraith on his knees, tied down to the ground with chains in a dungeon. A leather collar was wrapped around his neck, a chain attached to it and lying on the ground beside him. I winced when I noticed the spikes on the inside of his collar and the black blood dripping from his neck. His head was bowed, his long black hair was completely disheveled and he wore nothing but ragged pants. There were wounds oozing black blood all over his torso. The membrane on one of his wings was even slightly torn. Two guards carrying spears and wearing heavy armor stood by either side of the cell. They looked like lizards, with long necks, scaly skin and large clawed hands and feet. I heard footsteps coming from the other side of the cell and looked towards a spiral staircase where two… creatures came down the stairs, one holding a pillow with a black crystal ball on it with its spindly hands. They wore what looked like cow skulls on their head and long crimson robes, walking down the stairs to the front of the cell gracefully.

            “Open the cell.” The voice that came from the crystal ball was almost a growl. It sounded worse than Wraith’s voice when he had attacked me. I realized that it must have been Lucifer.  The guards wordlessly opened the cell and walked inside to stand beside Wraith, one wrapping its claws around the chain that was attached to his collar.

            “Atael…”

            Wraith slowly lifted his head at the sound of the low, raspy hiss.

            “You gave up your ranks among the angels for more power… You have followed me into my kingdom of the damned… But for what price?”

            Wraith remained silent. His eyes were sharp with hatred.

            “You lost your purity, your peaceful life with the other angels, the one you loved… In fact, you lost the ability to love in general.”

            The truth in the voice’s words made Wraith flinch, dropping his head slightly.

            “But the reason I have you in the dungeons is because you can’t be trusted.”

            “What?!” The guard holding the chain yanked Wraith’s collar at his outburst. He hissed in pain, more black blood streaming down his neck and chest. Coughs erupted from his throat as the blood came from his mouth as well.

            “Do you think I’m a fool, Atael?! Do you underestimate me? I know you love that damned angel and even if you can’t feel love yourself anymore, you still wouldn’t think twice before protecting her from me! That won’t do at all. If I’m going to grant you the power you want, you must swear loyalty to me and only me!”

            There was silence for a few moments before Wraith’s collar was yanked again. The voice from the crystal seemed incredibly angry now.

            “Do not fight me, you blasted thing! Surrender to me!”

            Wraith’s eyes squeezed shut and he grit his teeth, still staying silent. One of the creatures with the skull on its head gave a curt nod, and the guard lifted his spear and drove it through Wraith’s shoulder, twisting it before pulling it out and causing a low howl to escape Wraith’s throat. I cringed at the sight.

            “SWEAR TO ME NOW.”

            “F-fine! I swear loyalty to you!”

            I felt like I was going to be sick. My hand flew up to my mouth in nausea and horror at the sight of Wraith looking so broken and swearing loyalty to Lucifer against his will.

            “That’s better. Now, I’m watching you, Atael. Always. I will grant you with the power of the archdemon. However, betray me, and you will be nothing but ashes.”

            A beam of black energy shot from the crystal into Wraith. There was a horrible howl before the beam disappeared and left Wraith completely healed, his eyes bright red and black. His pale skin was morphing as black and silver scales covered his body. When he looked like the archdemon I had seen in the little book Kendell gave me, Lucifer spoke again.

            “Good… Congratulations, Atael. You are officially a demon. Bring him up.”

            The two creatures in the long crimson robes turned around without a word and traveled back up the stairs. As fast as they could, the guards unlocked all of Wraith’s chains except the collar. When they pulled on his collar this time, I could see that the spikes pierced his flesh, yet Wraith didn’t show the slightest bit of pain. I stood and watched Wraith be dragged up the stairs after the other creatures, bewildered by these scenes.

            Black again. Once again I sat there in darkness, waiting for another scene to unfold. But nothing happened. Only Wraith’s sad, broken voice floated back to me in bits and pieces at a time. I tried to understand the wispy, crackly voice.

            “Do… you think… wanted that… I… alone… All alone… Hurt…”

            “It was your own damn fault.”

            My heart leapt into my throat as I felt a breath on my neck, his words in my ear,

            “I know…”

            The sadness radiating off him was stronger than anything I’d ever felt. It made my chest tighten and a lump form in my throat. The feelings intensified when I felt his cold hand gently trace my collarbone.

            “Forgot...what love… feels like… So empty… Cold…”

            God knows why I pitied a demon, but I just couldn’t help it. Then reality snapped back in my mind. This was the demon that had almost succeeded in killing me. Why should I believe anything he said? How did I know those memories weren’t just illusions? I jerked away from the hand that was gently resting on my shoulder and sneered,

            “I don’t trust you! Don’t think you can act sad and trick me like that!”

            Wraith became somewhat substantial before me and looked at me with hurt on his face, “Don’t blame… you… But… why… fake pain… Haven’t… been through… enough?”

            “Why can’t you talk properly?”

            His form flickered, “Hurts… much… to remember…”

            “I thought demons couldn’t feel pain.”

            “Only physical pain…” My heart started beating rapidly as he appeared dangerously close to me and wrapped an icy hand around my wrist. He pulled it to his chest and I watched, horrified, as it went inside him. Something shot through my arm to my chest, and when it got there, I almost cried. The most overwhelming loneliness, anger and sadness crushed me. I yanked my hand away and shuddered.

            “What do you want from me…?”

            My eyes met his deep brownish red eyes before he whispered, “Conclusion…”

            “What?” Conclusion?

            To my relief, he stopped flickering and his speech improved, “I want this to end… I want peace… I want to return to Heaven… I want my freedom back.” Wraith’s voice grew more confident and stable, “All I want is to be happy again. But it will never happen… And it’s my duty to kill you. But you make it so difficult.”

            “Me? You could kill me at any time.”

            “You don’t understand.”

            “No, I don’t. So why don’t you explain?” I couldn’t help myself and reached a hand up to his face, gently placing my palm against it. His eyebrows furrowed in indecision as his hand reached up to hold mine.

            “No. You shouldn’t know.”

            “But-“

            “I’ve told you enough! You weren’t even supposed to know the slightest bit of that!” The gentle grip he had on my hand tightened a bit.

            I just stared at him before whispering, “Obviously… You don’t want to kill me.”

            “O-of course I do-”

            “Lies.” With the angered look he gave me, I quickly added, “Don’t you dare even think of hurting or killing me right now, Atael. I just want to know the truth.”

            Wraith’s face went hard. He pulled my hand away and backed up, staying silent.

            “You say you want to be happy again and you forgot what love feels like. Maybe I can help you with that.”

            “You are incredibly stupid. I’m a demon. I couldn’t feel anything like that even if I tried. Don’t waste your damn time.” I could see that he wanted to choke me, that’s how angry he was. This demon name control was incredibly useful, but I knew there was something else keeping him distanced.

            “If you believe you can, you will.”

            “It. Can’t. Happen. As much as I wish I could feel it again, it can’t and it won’t happen. Stop speaking this nonsense.”

            “Well, I think you’re speaking nonsense. If you can feel negativity, you can re-teach yourself how to feel anything else. You just give up too easy.” I took a step forward.

            “But… I’ve tried before… And I couldn’t.”

            “Maybe you couldn’t because you didn’t have anyone to help you.” I don’t know why I wanted to help someone who was supposed to kill me, but I didn’t care at the moment. He looked slightly alarmed as I took another step closer.

            “And how would you help me? Huh? What could you possibly do?”

            I took the last few steps over to him and wrapped my arms around his torso, “I could show you love and happiness again.”

            Wraith tensed so much that he felt like stone. Shocked, I watched small gold specks float around us. They could appear in my dream? I focused on love and watched each speck turn to a more pinkish color, then watched them travel and stick to him. They disappeared into his body and Wraith pushed me away roughly, swiping my face, leaving claw marks on my cheek.

            Then I woke up.

Author's Note

Another chapter with Wraith. I felt so bad for him, omg xD I have an idea where I'm going with this, but I'm not sure... O.o

Reviews

[Review]

the possibilities are endless wraith is a lot more dynamic then i thought