A/N: WHOOT MY OWN STORY I LOVE U ALL. (HAI GUYS ;3)
Immortality truly is a double-edged sword. While it grants you eternal life, the promise that you will escape the clutches of Death, it comes with the price of agony and loneliness. You must give up all you have ever loved, and must be prepared to sacrifice further. I myself learned this, and hope that none will ever have to experience a tragedy as similar to my own. My tale begins one fateful night long ago, during the times when everyone was poor, and although I wasn't the richest in town, I managed to grasp onto a small bit of happiness.
"Mom! Mom! Guess what?!" I ran through the cramped hallways, dodging the crates and scraps of fabric piled together into small heaps. I entered a room, the wood cracked and the dirt floor beneath me cold and unwelcoming. However, the sight of my mother, the most important person in the world to me at that age, warmed the room and the air felt lighter. She was humming underneath her breath, a tune that soothed me to sleep every night, and sewing what looked like a new dress.
My mother had always been a talented tailor, supporting us by selling clothing, while my father was rarely present, spending what little money we had at the tavern.
"Des, would you mind helping your mother? Hold that, right there." She used her chin to indicate a small piece of the fabric that she was grasping, continuing to sew.
I did so, and continued to excitedly bounce up and down.
"Des, what're you so excited about, you're going to hurt yourself if you keep jiggling like your father when it's time for supper." she scolded me.
"Sorry, mom, but I'm just happy 'cause we get to go out for dinner for once, cause I found some coins on the streets, and we can get bread an' some chicken, or some fish an' maybe even some sweets!" I babbled on continuously, not noticing my mother's tired smile, or at least not perceiving how weary the expression appeared.
"Des, sweety, why don't you run out and buy something for the both of us to eat here, mother has to finish work, ok?" her voice, kind and reassuring to me, prompted me to nod and run out the door, the coins jingling in my pocket.
A few hours had passed and as I was heading home, the screams started. Startled, I fled the scene instantly, not knowing what had caused such sounds. It soon became apparent to me as I ran through the crowded streets, the acrid smell of smoke burning my lungs. Terror gripped my heart, constricting me and leaving me breathless as I clawed at the people going in the other direction, trying to avoid the falling stone and burning logs. Fighting against the masses, I dropped the surprise that I had bought for mother, the glittering metal lost in a torrent of stampeding feet. I finally reached my house, and amidst the screams of the ones who were left behind in the burning cottages, I heard panicked gasping coming from inside my own smoking hovel.
"I'm coming to save you, mother, hold on!" I cried, racing through the small building. The smoke filled my eyes and caused tears to well up, spilling past my flushed cheeks to the cracked, dirt floor. Ignoring this, I pressed forwards, wincing as my bare feet hit a fallen log, the ashes of it still glowing a menacing red. It hissed angrily, frightening me, and I stumbled backwards into the wall. My back, which was clothed only in a thin tunic, hit another burning plank. Yelping, I began to stagger uncontrollably back and forth, my vision shaking. The pain of such burns on my young skin hit me in agonizing waves, and I fell to my knees, crying out.
"Help me! Somebody! SAVE ME!" my voice, now a high-pitched screech, was overcome by the sound of cracking wood. "Somebody.. please…" My eyes closed and I floated off into painless unconsciousness. Unbeknownst to me, my prayers were in fact answered, although I had never learned how.
Years passed by me, and I grew older, begging on the sides of streets, and going door to door asking for food. Eventually I stopped attending church, a place I was always welcome no matter which town I was in, for I began to believe that God, the so-called 'merciful deity', would not allow my life to be so dreary.
My voice had lost its innocence and happy undertone that it acquired when I was younger. I had also lost track of my age, was I 11, 14? Instead of a gaze full of emotion, whether it be happy, pleading, or angry, my stare became blank and empty.
It was an eerily quiet night, the full moon hidden behind clouds, and I was curling up outside of an abandoned home, resting my head wearily against the stone wall. I heard squabbling voices approaching, and originally paid no mind to it, for when it was dark out that was when the dangerous ones lurked throughout the streets, it was pointless to ask of anything from them. However, my interest was snagged when a few words were loud enough for me to understand them.
"Damn him, we should have never made a bargain with it!" the first man proclaimed.
"We made a deal with Satan himself and not just it, what a moronic move." the second man's voice was muffled slightly, as though he were gritting his teeth.
"Arrogant demons!" a scuffling noise was heard before fading footsteps informed me that they were walking away, and I hesitantly peeked out from behind the wall.
"What is this..?" I muttered, reaching out to grasp a fallen sheet of paper. Smoothing it out, my eyes scanned the page, crinkling in annoyance when I realized that I couldn't read it. "Demus Satanae animas nostras- what..?"
The language sounded slightly familiar to me, I was sure that I had heard it in church. I continued reading, stopping as I noted a strange symbol at the bottom of the paper. The inverted star within a hastily drawn circle seemed to leer back at me, causing me to flinch away from it. A foul presence seemed to emit from the parchment, as though what I was holding had dark intentions.
"As if… Demons… What a joke," I growled, balling the paper up and tossing it to the side, amidst a pile of rotting food. Continuing to grumble under my breath, I stalked off into the night, leaving this town behind me.
I was not the only thing to walk out of the city that night. The symbol that I had seen on that accursed paper followed me everywhere. Eventually, I began to see it on walls, people, in the leftover food that I managed to eat. I had begun to go mad, frightened of the star that lurked within the circle that enclosed the symbol. Some days later found me curled under a moth-eaten blanket, eyes wide and shaking.
"Please, Lord…Lord Almighty, of heaven and earth…please…" I repeated this saying constantly, praying for what would be the first time in months, although I was not sure if I knew exactly what I was praying for.
"He cannot help you anymore, child."
I bolted upright, frantically wheeling around for the source of the voice. My eyes fell upon my own hand, dirty and smeared with grit. Under the filth that had accumulated upon my skin the shape that haunted my nightmares was glowing an angry red, the same color as the fire on that fateful night some years ago.
Shrieking madly, I skirted back, as if I thought that I could escape a part of my own body. I held my hand away from me, as far as possible, and took deep breaths, the bones of my back pressed harshly against the wall behind me.
"No need to fear me, child of despair. I merely have a bargain to make with you," the voice rasped, a hint of amusement hidden under the scratchy tones.
"B-bargain?" I sounded as terrified as I felt.
"Indeed." My hand fell limp as I lost feeling of my arm, before rising once more, the pentagram upon it dripping a dark crimson liquid upon my lap. "A bargain. In exchange for my life, I shall bring your mother back to life, as she is right now."
"My mother..? Wait, what is the catch? This deal sounds much like it would only be beneficial to myself." I said. Indeed, I was wary of this phenomenon, as I had heard previously from others that demons are selfish creatures. They only seek to help themselves.
"I am immortal, and if you take this deal then you shall be immortal as well, although I will immediately die."
I pondered this, as the demon sounded truthful. "Who wouldn't want immortality? I accept your bargain."
"Very well. It is done." the voice faded, although the mark upon my hand remained.
Next thing I knew I was in excruciating pain, and I arched my back in agony, crying out loudly. It felt as though the blood within my veins was replaced with burning fire, while my skin was crawling with what seemed to be millions of minuscule needles. As quickly as the sensation came, however, it vanished, leaving me hunched over with beads of sweat falling to the ground before me. I was panting, and threw my head back to better catch my breath when something shifted in the corner of my vision. Turning slowly, I immediately fell back once more as I spotted the steaming pile of rotten flesh a mere feet away from me. It lifted its grotesque head, the empty eye sockets seemingly staring at me.
"What- what are you?!" I cried out, crawling backwards as the creature advanced upon me. My attention was caught by something that glittered upon the corpse's outstretched arm. That bracelet, that was something that I bought for my mother, long ago! I had dropped during the fire, I had never managed to give it to her. Hesitantly I approached it, our fingertips brushing against each other before it let out a strange gurgle, dropping to the stone floor.
I stumbled back once more, and the first tears within what felt like centuries welled up in my eyes. I fled from the scene, tears streaming down my face, glistening in what little moonlight there was. I couldn't handle seeing my mother like that, merely a burnt, decomposing corpse, just a leftover memory.
I didn't age from that moment on. The demon never bothered me again, and I assumed that it had indeed perished. After some time wandering the land, I began to feel hate for myself. A monster was what I was, merely existing to tear down lives and burn their abodes to the ground.
Once more years passed by, much faster than before now that I did not have to concern myself with time. Perhaps it was months, years, decades?
The air was crisp, cool and the weather was perfect. The wind fluttered lightly through the trees, scattering a few leaves here and there. Although the night was beautiful, perfect for sleeping outdoors, deep within the forest there was one who was not as peaceful and quaint as the others.
Sobs tore themselves from my mouth as I shook, hunched over a figure lying on a bed. I was oblivious to the night around me, my focus upon the woman who was before me. She shuddered, reaching one wrinkled hand towards me, and I took it, barely able to see past the tears cascading down my ivory features.
"Please…don't cry…" she murmured, the soft hand reaching further to caress my flushed cheek as I continued to weep, my breath hitching.
"Don't…don't leave me..please don't leave me!" my voice was barely above a whisper. I did the same to her, placing my hand over her leathery cheek.
"There are…others like you, aren't there? You won't be alone.. please smile. My love..I-" she coughed, shudders wracking her frail body. "I- I-"
Those were her last words to me before her eyes became glassy, staring yet not seeing. Her chest stopped heaving and her fingers fell slack against my face, where my other hand was holding them pressed to my cheek. I shook, the pain of losing another mortal lover once again too much for me to bear. My eyes were shut tightly, my fist clenched, and my mouth open in a silent scream. Something within me broke that night, as I looked upon the starry gaze of my last love. Instead of the piercing agony that I had originally felt, something else was building up within me, curling unpleasantly in the pits of my stomach, much like a serpent.
Resentment began to boil up, all of the years of loneliness and the hatred that I had originally felt for demons, spilt out in a torrent of anger. I stood rather quickly, ignoring the pounding headache that had sprouted at my temples, and raced from the room. I kicked at the front door, the hinges creaking and abruptly snapping, splinters of wood flying in all directions. I left without a backwards glance to the one whom I had spent so many years of this accursed life with…
I once again began traveling, except I left a trail behind. I became known as the demon "Mulciber", a shadow that flits between towns, leaving flames and destruction in its wake. Anger seemed to be the only emotion I had within me, the love that I once felt for humans replaced with envy and strong indignation. I was sick of being abandoned, left to live on while everything around me wilted and bloomed.
However, one night, the cries of a particular child managed to reach my heart, shrunken and lost as it was, and I felt pity for the poor soul. I had just set my last fire, always lighting the church last, and was sneering at the sky.
"Do you see me now, Lord? Your precious son, burning the innocent and the defenseless? Are you proud of your creation, God?" I challenged, glaring angrily towards the moon.
It was quite bright tonight…
A pitiful wail broke me from my stupor, and I turned to face the church that was ablaze. Coughs and more cries were heard from inside before a child broke through the doors, his clothing singed, and his face streaked with ashes and dirt. I strode to his side, catching him when he fell. For some strange reason, I felt the need to protect him, God's son, something that, mere moments ago, I had mocked. When unconscious his expression reflected the innocence and fear that I had once had at his age, I no longer questioned my actions.
That night the demon Mulciber had weakened. Perhaps not died, however that aspect of me was tamed, falling into a deep slumber. I took the boy under my wing, raising him as my own. He often asked about that night in the fire, what had changed my mind, and I never could answer him. How could I, when I did not know myself.
The boy was named Ceil, his last name long forgotten. Much like myself he was an orphan, although his parents died when he was much younger. He found my own past fascinating, and I enjoyed talking to him about it, watching the way his eyes widened, and admiration mixed with excitement sparkled within the blue depths.
Eventually he grew older, and more distant. During his youth, around 14 to 16, he became rebellious, staying up later and sneaking out of the house whenever he could manage. As fast as this change occurred, however, it vanished almost the moment he turned 17. By then I had contemplated creating a contract with him, my child, but I could not bear to sentence him to a life like mine, full of hate and loneliness.
Despite these thoughts, I was selfish. I sought release from this damned world and I would do nearly anything to achieve my goal. I truly despised myself for creating a contract with my precious child, however it could not be avoided. My heart and soul, both of which I had thought long gone, pined for freedom. I eventually caved to my feelings and asked Ceil if he wished to form a contract, which he seemed delighted to accept.
"I get to start my own story, huh?" Ceil said, his optimism refreshing. The way that he saw the world was very different from my point of view, and perhaps to him this was merely an adventure, something to look forward to. Maybe, this curse could be broken, and instead would become a gift. This merely strengthened my resolve in forming a contract, and helped put my mind at ease.
We agreed to complete the bargain at a church, someplace holy where we would be undisturbed. The sky was clear, and the stars bright. I gazed up at them, wondering if this would be the last time my now scarlet eyes would see them.
The moment it was formed, the pentagram upon my hand bled away, melting into the shadows and leaving my skin unscarred and unblemished. A cry of pain jolted me and I turned to see Ceil bending over his own arm, his face contorted in agony. I myself collapsed in pain, however as quickly as it came, it vanished. My eyes closed only to reopen and focus upon Ceil's face, oddly close to my own. He smiled at me slightly, forgiveness clear in his expression. This calmed me, the thought that he did not hate me, that he would hopefully never despise me for tonight.
I was relieved of the past, my sorrows and my loneliness that never seemed to ebb away. His smile, such an innocent and sweet gesture, was the last thing I saw before I drifted into a peaceful sleep, finally resting for eternity.