Phrases written with bold and italics: announcements
Phrases written with italics: foreign language
Disclaimer:
All included adaptations and indications to the original Shadowhunters universe, other movies and music etc don't belong to me. I claim ownership only to the rest of the contents of this chapter.
The quote is borrowed from a Psalm 78:49
And to be clear, this entry doesn't necessarily have the recognizable Mortal Instruments feel to it, but it's simply based on the same world and offering a possible… well, I guess you can make your own conclusions ;)
Our Father, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Midnight. That rewarding time of the day when these highly incautious people were pouring out of the closing restaurants like a herd of cattle before blithely lining up to queue to different bars scattered around the Railway Square. The castle like remnant of the older architectural design of the city adversely standing at the side of the plaza all quiet and empty, half loose poster on the wall of the National Theater flapping in the lazy wind as handful of youths and older gentry were heading for the bus stops to take an early ride to their homes. The rest of the newly graduated party animals in their white caps gathered to the city center however showing no signs of slowing down, self-centeredly believing that this very night was theirs which they owned without question. That the whole world was theirs for the taking in that one careless moment while stumbling past the clearing bottles of bubbly in their hands, dead drunk, in truth close to join among the passed out homeless beggars who already laid on the cobblestoned ground at their feet. A few of the awake ones engaging into a row amongst themselves over the spilled, panhandled coins as my impassive attention soon bypassed these indifferent critters of higher creation, and shifted to the automatic doors at the other side of the square as I leant against the statue of Aleksis Kivi that towered above me like one of those ominous creatures of the night. Staring down at me from his throne like chair with eyes that made the bulky, bronze form look quite demonic while engulfed in shadows, as if I were the one prowled by a predator… Me rubbing my hands together impatiently, glancing about the square once more and not spotting anything alarming that would've set off my instinct of self-preservation, therefore now set on my invisibility to everything present then resuming to gaze towards the entrance that remained hidden by the massive terrace of a certain bar. Imperceptibly starting to smooth my wrist with my thumb, cracking my knuckles which tips felt like burning due to the deterred change. I could feel it inside me… The agitating thrill of the upcoming hunt.
The nites were all the same. Like this one, vivacious with usual kind nightlife, the streets of the capitol of this supposed welfare state filling with mundanes, who during the day led perfectly respectable lives that befitted to the virtuous label given by the world, now distracting themselves from the absurdity of this delusion by indulging into all that was regarded as shameful. The true face of reality tending to inevitably lift its hideous head in various forms of immorality, all kinds of monsters letting loose and allowing themselves to be seen as what they truly were for just one night, not therefore differing much from me or what I was doing as a fully adopted resident of this valued country. And if I was given a chance to speak my mind, against common beliefs of the globalized civilizations, from my several years of successfully making the territory of the local Downworlders my exclusive domain, I'd early on noticed that this city didn't either diverge from others publically regarded less pleasant cities to immigrate to according to the several studies conducted so far, which among others praised my country's health care and exceptional education system. When in truth all that was but crap coming from the mouths of the government, under the sugar coated impressions about "American dream" like idealistic welfare society it hiding a dark secret like all great cities in general… Where like all those with enough perception to see, I knew the truth. Living it.
As so many nights before, several underground nightclubs offered continuous detachment from this lightly reprehensive reality that denied the existence of such depravity, bustling with individuals who sought a way to tear away from the insular universe by throwing away all norms decreed by the esteemed society, losing themselves in drink, illegal gambling and women, only as a small fraction from those to whom such lifestyle came by nature. All this easily cognizable self-evidence about the actual duplicity of this nation making me seriously think was there really such a hypocritical line between good and evil that also divided our very own cosmos here in the North into shadow world and the common world. The final hours preceding the last call indeed supporting such unbelief as the simplest example by giving room for the wasted, stoned and other type of crazed dregs to take over the streets, while all kinds of dangers imaginable lurked in the dark corners of the alleys, waiting for an opportune moment to pray onto the lone and defenseless. But few patrolling police officers wasting their efforts by raiding ongoing drug transactions in between interposing commonplace scuffles and gathering passed out underage girls from the station premises... All this working as commonplace evidence about the mortal world's inborn tendency for wickedness, proving this town not to be a bit less dangerous or more reputable than any other similar great metropolis, which in the end did little to compete with the true face of terror that under the superficial virtue overawed the city … And I'm definitely not referring to the everyday bad lurking among the humans, because real evil was present everywhere. The seemingly mundane hearts set ablaze by their uglier selves, lured to the surface by the temptations of the night, all around them observing. Biding their time… coming at you when no one was looking or too blind to see. Because here like anywhere else in the world, if one wasn't careful the hunter easily ended up becoming the hunted… A word of caution then.
My lips curved up into a delighted grin as the doors I'd been monitoring then finally opened, right on cue, the night showing of Deadpool rolling in the credits. The hastiest viewers hurrying through the exit to catch the next bus before receiving the easter eggy ripped straight off from the Ferris Bueller's Day Off with the bathrobe and everything, giving a glimpse to the upcoming sequel through Ryan Reynolds who took the original place of Matthew Broderick in the current context which in itself was a spark of genius... Well it might've as well been but expected taken that both of the bastards were fourth wall breaking smart-asses in their own right… I went to see it last week, and regardless of the chick who irritatingly made me think of her in Gotham it was hell of a movie, my personal favorite out of all Marvel has made us live through… See, even monsters can be humane? Hah. In oppose to that idea I next shook my head incredulously as took a moment to recollect the precarious unicorn at the start of the credits with an amused browlifting, until after ten more minutes they eventually walked outside as last. Arms draped around one other, laughing as made their swift way along the street towards the nearby department store. Another hungry smile making its way on my lips as I locked my eyes to them, claiming my gym bag from the ground as commenced my stealth shadowing. Gotcha now.
I didn't get the chance I'd carefully prepared to just yet. After trailing them a couple of streets I saw them slip into one of the mentioned secret clubs of the city, me not risking in following after them and getting caught in the act. Settling for waiting outside, once more concealed amongst the coming and going humans and patrons who exited other close by bars for a fag. As was my initial intention me remaining unbothered by anyone who passed me, hidden within the darkness of the street and their plain ignorance, my existence completely oblivious to the couple as well when in two hours' time I noticed them to leave the club at the time of last call. My presence utterly mixing in with the rest of the plastered crowd that quickly filled the cramped space as all my heightened senses became alert, masked by the commotion me now jumping forth and seeking my prey with my eyes, not locating them, cursing in my mind for losing them on the most opportune moment that they were the easiest to go for. My edgy gaze darting from one face to another until I finally found them, retreated against the faraway wall out of sight. Snuggling up to a girl they'd apparently picked up from the club, the familiar urge to kill calling forth a deadly fire that burned within me, reaching the very tips of my fingertips again as I instinctively moved out.
Blending in to the multitude of figures I secretly thronged towards the embracing individuals in a blink of an eye, but a few steps away the woman giving the turn to her lover and shoved the girl gently into his arms, until in the following second she saw me. Her blissful smile dying and turning to plain outrage before a bloodcurdling scream left her mouth upon realizing my intentions, her boyfriend twirling around in equal dismay as without a warning I lunged at him. Blood splashing all over as chaos ensued, the woman ogling at me in dread like a predator I was while crouched above her sweetheart's lifeless corpse, till made a quick run for it when new set of terrified shrieks filled the air. The ignorant humans taking in the occurred massacre without understanding it, calling for help upon seeing the body of a young man lying but a couple of feet away from them, by which time I was already off. Chasing after the piggy that had ran away a tail between her legs after I'd huffed and puffed the guy's house of twigs down, low, satisfied laugh rising from my chest as I savored the moment and let her believe to get away. Keeping a close eye on her and watched her to race over the tram rails, almost getting run over, passing the department store in an amazing speed in those heels she was wearing until took a tight turn to the left. Me coming to a halt as followed her to stop herself momentarily, glancing about frantically while tried to find a route to escape, in a heartbeat choosing the entrance to the subway. Dashing down the steps in hopes of making it for the last train that was leaving the station in two minutes… Actual laughter leaving my lips then as I shook my head at the sight of her stupidity, designated at the state of panic I'd intentionally managed to trigger in her to ease my victory that was pretty much perceptible at this point, preparing myself to the last stage of the chase while again took great amusement from her type of little ants that always believed to get away from me, the beast. No such luck, I was nowhere close to such saint to give this up now after planning it for so long.
"I'm so sorry to tell you this hun, but I got you right where I want you on a silver, frickin' platter…" I chuckled, licking my dry lips. "You people always make it so easy for me."
In a fleeting time it took to blink I was already jogging down the escalator leading to the Central railway station's subway tunnel, passing the newly replaced billboards that advertised the newest release of Huawei with the faces of Scarlett Johansson and the Man of Steel dude whatever his name, and McDonald's limited time burger. No one else in sight as I next heard the signifying sound of the closing doors of the underground, catching a glimpse of the scared rabbit slouched upon the back seat of the orange train. Heaving out relieved breaths to have reached the train safely without getting caught up, without getting sliced open like her boyfriend. Her back turned towards the window until she turned around, leaning to her hands before closed her eyes and straightened her posture. Me being able to sense the sensation of ease that radiated from her when she couldn't anymore hear the chasing steps of mine behind her…
"Hyvät matkustajat, metrojunan sulkeutuvien ovien väliin meneminen on kielletty."
The young woman's head snapped up upon hearing the voice from the speakers. Flinching due to the words it spoke and her widened, horror stricken eyes instantly darted to each set of doors that had halted in middle of closing, her breathing quickening when she started to glance about the empty train in once again growing panic. Feeling herself cornered even she saw nothing that signaled of danger, her however neither finding an explanation why the doors had jammed and prevented her escape. That terrifying her even more and her fingers squeezed her scanty dress' hem where her other hand rose to finger her braided locks nervously, her looking down at the blood of her lover's that had splashed on her clothes, tardy seconds passing by as she saw no one to run from the escalators. Her waiting in abhorrent suspense until for her relief only the same recorded male voice broke the fallen silence again.
"Bästä passagerare, det är förbjudet att gå mellan dörrärna i metron."
"There she is!"
The woman almost jumped out of her skin due to the sound of another voice that spoke up right after the end of the announcement, my voice, the electric lights making an alarming bang and causing her to shriek for fright. Her already skittish eyes widening if possible even further as after getting convinced of her safety the returning dim lighting proved her wrong, revealing the killer of her boyfriend to be standing right in front of her. Me smirking at her confidently as gave her a brief wave, leaning against the wall and folded my arms across my chest, gazing at her in triumph across the train, my out of thin air appeared presence causing her to freeze on her seat for obvious terror. Me seeing it from her irises that roamed all over me in disbelief, and that raving demeanor of hers that I then could in fact close to see to drive her into ripping apart the seating to flung it through the air to keep me at bay. Me giving her a moment to champ at the bit before shoved myself loose from the wall and started to approach her with slow steps, evoking deeper dread with each one.
"Ladies and gentlemen, going between the closing subway train doors is strictly forbidden."
"Hey, angel!" I called out after the third and final announcement, my voice understandably jeering as I witnessed her to fidget before she peered towards the nearest doors discreetly. "What's up with you running away without talking to me after making me chase you around like this?"
In a flash the girl scrambled to her feet and was at the exit, the conveniently closing doors however taking away her chances of feeing, shutting right in front of her and unfortunately trapping her inside. Frustrated utterance leaving her throat as her hands slammed against the windows, banging them for a couple of times as the train soon departed the station, the sound of my footsteps causing her to turn around and retreat back to the furthest bench at the back wall. Not before her irises had changed in color, flashing in the glinting lights of the train as she warned me to stay put by lunging forth, taking a slight sniff of the air that was filled with my all but mundane scent. Absolute opposite of anything she'd ever got a whiff of no doubt about it... And upon witnessing her ensued route of useless defiance I shook my head, my features turning from amused to serious. Me cracking the knuckles of my left hand again, feeling the familiar tingle that soon moved up my arm, taking over my whole body as she hissed at me.
"Easy angel", I calmed her, her leering back at me in disgust.
"Stay away from me!" she screamed, me raising apologetic arms at her as reached the fourth bench row, closing in on the center of the subway train.
"Sorry, but after that mess you and your boyfriend cooked up back there I can't just leave you alone", I replied coolly, pursing my lips together. "Though I guess I gotta thank you for that. My fists are aching for a challenging round, but as I can't actually get it up by myself, I was in dire need of finding someone to play with… And then there was you gorgeous, right when I needed you, and since I saw you I just knew I had to get your number. Though you basically forced me to follow. Mundanes are fragile things, break easily, as you surely noted with that girl you were sucking dry out in the open at that street… But even though you're one attractive firecracker, I'm not the type of guy to go all the way on a first date, so… how 'bout a session of different kind of rolling in the hay? I dealt with your boy toy easily enough, and can make surrendering even less effortless for you…" My head inclined as a sign of feigned apology. "Although as pleasant as getting to know me sounds like, this is the reckoning sweetie. So do yourself a favor and retain that much of your dignity by not trying to mess with my head. I'm not that easily swept from my feet by ladies of your caliber."
"No…No, you're a monster! Stay away from me!" the girl shouted upon indeed understanding her enchantment powers to do no good in surviving, actually shivering as the blood she'd pilfered from the human girl surged in her veins again as if it were her own. Retreating into the corner as her face twisted into a threatening grimace, me smirking again in amusement and tapping the bars of the seats with a compliant nod. Throwing my bag onto the nearest bench.
"To you maybe", I agreed, stopping, stretching out my arm as pulled up the sleeve of my hoodie. "But to people who pray for me every day before going to bed…I'm something as good as hope."
I exchanged a long, strict stare with the creature, its murderous glares trying to frighten me away as the same monotonous voice soon called out the next station. The girl's silvery eyes hilariously indeed gaining a spark of hope as well when she looked to the doors that remained inaccessible as long as I stood there in her way, me starting to smile again due to the course of her thinking as then nodded towards the doors, antagonizing her.
"Here's one nice, living and breathing midnight snack you don't get every day. AB- hun, all yours to feast upon... Come on, let's raise that appetite with a little bit of good old fashioned rebellion so that you can give me a justified reason to raise my hand against you…If you dare."
As anticipated my overall smug delivery caused the girl to eventually snap, the overpowering instinct to kill taking over the last traces of her leftover humanity when she now rose, arching her back for a threatening stance as her bloodthirsty eyes peered at me through her bangs angrily. All signs of sarcasm vanishing from my face again and this time taken over by plain rage instead as I retaliated by turning my left palm around, revealing the faint mark that covered my skin like a birthmark, with an deep inhale calling upon the internal heat that in an instant caused the symbol to vanish before actual flames manifested from my outstretched hand. Taking the recognizable form of a sword, materializing out of the white fire that circled around my torso without burning me, filling me with such power that it was distinguishable in the air as a strong spiritual aura that caused the Downworlder to cringe back at the face of my weapon's lethal menace, before she got in touch with her beast side again and revealed her fangs at me. This time clear growl sounding from her throat as in a split of a second she made a jump at me, confident smile forming on my lips.
"That's my girl."
I stepped back and avoided the claws that were aimed at my chest while the other hand of hers tried to pry the sword from my grasp. Her intent to subdue me instead backfiring when the fiery blade scorched her skin and forced her to leap to the other side of the corridor, her facing me a deadly gleam in her infuriated irises as I twirled the sword in the air like a baseball bat as a challenge. The familiar and addictive rush of a fight from the earlier evening's match returning as a demanding need to finish off my opponent with a single sweep. In the name of the Father of course. "Good. Daddy needs to express some rage."
She hurled at me with a furious snarl, me avoiding with a twirl that resulted into her getting sliced on her arm, her releasing an animalistic exclaim of anger as she clasped her injured limb that started to deteriorate. The formed gush starting to burn her from inside as I prepared to receive her following attack, the flames pushing out of my right palm in turn and shifting the position of my weapon as after recoiling a moment she turned. Utterly released from the constraining chains of fear, charging at me in blind rage to kill me, but as pathetically slow she was and foolishly overestimating her strength she got instantly captured by me. My transcendent strength overwhelming hers with ease as without a delay I flipped her forward with a powerful toss. Making a quick spin and this time sliced her back open with a deep slash that I knew from experience to leave some permanent damage to an unholy creature like her that not even her extraordinary healing ability could fix, new snarl of agony leaving her lips as she crashed against the seats, her bright red blood spilling out from the smoldering wounds as she laboriously cramped herself back on her feet. The subway train starting to slow down and causing this disgusting freak of nature to direct her weary eyes toward the soon opening doors, her irises losing their silvery monster like gleam as she let out a wheezing breaths. Glancing between me and the appearing platform of the station repeatedly before her calculating attention was completely drawn to the fiery sword in my hand, me starting to hear running steps coming from the escalators as she made an attempt to the door. However ending up kicked against the wall by me, me preventing her from jumping over the benches as hold the blade in front of her route to freedom, her staring back at me huffing and in notable agony caused by the holy fire that was eating her away and slowly turning the remains of her insides into bacon. In between the wails of pain offering me one last scowl of defiance when she finally understood there to be no way out for her once being trapped within the train with someone like me, the fire raising and taking over the space like a flood as I turned the blade in my hand.
"And He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility – a band of destroying angles…So that in mind; let's rid you of your disease."
The vampire screamed once more in denial before the finishing blow of my harnessed power stroke down at her, her body fully destroyed by the consuming flames in a heartbeat as the train started to come to a halt after a few more seconds, the breaks screeching as those hustling footsteps I'd heard approaching finally reached the platform and I saw a flash of dark blue from the corner of my eye. Me slowly turning to face a few arrived cops who upon seeing the blade in my hand swiftly took out their own guns, pointing them at me as the doors opened. Allowing their barking voices to reach my ears, one by one demanding my surrender, me only shaking my head at their simple-mindedness as tardily obeyed. My hands rising at the level of my shoulders, ghost of a cocky smile lifting the corners of my lips higher as I gazed back at the police.
"Put down your weapon and come out your hands up!"
"Put the weapon down, now!"
The cops got what they wanted, however then recoiling because of it as they witnessed the sword to disappear, returning back into my body before I then released a long breath myself, lifting my arms higher as like before called upon my power. The police officers' weapons falling in astonishment as after a couple of elapsing seconds they witnessed the subway train to start to quiver by some unidentified force out of their comprehension, each of them taking a perplexed step back as they followed me to start to emanate bright white light. Startled by this unfathomable oddity one of them lifting their weapon again, afraid.
"Co-come out your hands up right now! Do it now!"
I didn't obey. Concentrating on taking control of the being that strove to break free, the poor cops next flinching for fright when in the following fraction of a second I was again abruptly surrounded by the terrifying surge of white fire that couldn't remain concealed, spreading all around me as vast waves that leaked out of the train without destroying anything it devoured. The eternal vigor that was tied to my very soul finally unraveling in all its glory as a blast of incomprehensible power when my true form was revealed, my appearance driving them to draw in a marveling breath upon witnessing something not many men had since Biblical times. Their vision though getting blurred by the blinding shine that replaced the flames which now took another form, accompanied by the familiar sensation of something pushing out of my back, the powerful momentum of the occurring marvel causing the metal of the train to bend and break. Shards of glass raining over the stupefied cops who were hit by the pressure wave and got flown against the wall or several meters backwards, the lights within the train and at the platform exploding along with the windows, darkness falling instantly as in the same moment the divine glow was gone. Utter silence descending inside the subway tunnel.
I listened to the sound of crackling electricity wiring that the blast had brought to sight under the detached panels. Clearing my throat awkwardly at the sight of the devastation I'd caused as stretched my muscles, marching over to my bag to retrieve it as rubbed the mark on my wrist again that always stung me afterwards... As if I'd been stung by a nettle or something without all the scratching. Shame about the train though, but what could I do? I wasn't used to release my inner self in such a small space and I had to do something to get rid of the cops.
I stepped outside the train, glass rasping under my sneakers as I glanced at the fainted cops who laid prone on the platform. After swift examination kneeling by their side, placing a brief hand over each of their foreheads before stood and slid one of their guns out of my way. In the end sighing in frustration after detecting these people not to have been hurt my sudden eruption that as an upside had provided them with an actual miracle to tell others about, without then wasting any further time to these always but meddling humans walking towards the escalators. Starting to hum a certain song that had refused to leave my head since the viewing of the newest Marvel movie, me not being able to deny the ironically incisive nature of it, as stretched an arm backwards to smooth the similar way smarting marks of my wings under my shirt. Locking the momentarily slipped out divinity away by recapturing the mortal side of me, sighing again upon noticing the trail of feathers I was leaving behind. Them however quickly turning into ash once they fluttered on the ground.
I lifted my eyebrows as brushed a few off my shoulder, eventually breaking into a new grin due to the thought of a job well done, threading my bag over my head while realized in relief not a single one of those cops to come to remember what had happened this night thanks to my helpful skill of tampering with their short-term memory… Making them forget that they had had a real, God's honest truth genuine run in with an actual celestial being.
"Just call me angel of before Just touch my cheek you leave me, baby.
the morning, angel
Just call me angel of the morning, angel
Then slowly turn away from me…"