Chapter Fourteen (Like a Bullet Without Pain)
"I'm just saying that there's got to be some way to figure out what the hell attacked that motel." Hunter said. "I know Ward doesn't want to bring it up, but he knows something that could help identify this monster."
"If he doesn't want to say anything, he's not going to say anything." Coulson stated. "He'll say something in time."
"And we probably don't have time to wait until Ward decides to crack." Hunter shot back, taking a breath. "That thing might kill ten more people before Ward says anything. We've got to find something out before that monster decides to kill again."
"He's got a point, sir." Simmons said. "If we don't find anything out anytime soon about this being,"
"More people will die." Fitz added in.
"Exactly."
Coulson sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Look, I don't know what to do. I don't want to bother Ward, he's clearly traumatized and doesn't want to mention anything about the attack. But I do want to know what the hell is going on."
"Did the police at the scene find anything else?" Mack asked.
May shook her head, "No, other than two more mangled, dead bodies." she replied.
"Two more?" Bobbi asked. "So that thing killed seven?"
"Believe it or not." Coulson sighed. "And whatever it was, it was probably after Ward. He was saying that demons were after him, and it looks like one got to him. And other people at that."
"Great." Hunter moaned. "So we're really dealing with a crazy, murderous demon here. Something spawned from pure evil."
"Like Grendel?" Simmons asked.
Hunter frowned, "Who?"
Simmons sighed, "In Beowulf. You know, that old Anglo-Saxon epic poem about good versus evil."
"Oh, that." Hunter said, rolling his eyes.
Fitz blinked, noticing that Skye nor Ward were back yet."Hey, Skye's been gone a while." he said. "Are, are they okay?"
Coulson frowned, "You're right, they both have been gone for a while." he said, looking around. "We should probably go look for them. I don't know where they're at though."
A piercing shriek cut through the air, settling deep into their bones, and making them freeze.
"Was that, Skye?" Hunter asked, looking around.
May gulped, "That was Skye." she spat out. "Something's going on."
Coulson looked to the team, "Just don't stand there, go find her! And Ward!"
(Just a Little Bit Ago)
As soon as that monstrous growl escaped Ward's lips, Skye didn't waste time. She bolted out of the room just as Ward doubled over to the floor, trembling violently. An inhuman scream reverberated out of the room. As she dashed down the hallway, she feared for what was happening.
Ward claimed that there was some kind of monster inside of him, and what Skye had just seen said just that. The way that his eyes basically bled red and the way his normally calming voice had distorted into something of a monster's terrified her.
She stopped in the middle of the hallway as a lurid dread came over her. Something was wrong, and she sensed it. She gulped and started to tremble as a rustle and a slight growl sounded from behind her. She watched in fear as SHIELD agents bolted down the hallway, away from whatever was behind her. That wasn't good. Whatever was behind her had to be terrifying for it to scare several SHIELD agents off.
Skye managed to bring herself to turn around, but it was slow and shaky in nature. And what she saw looked like hell incarnate, terrifying her.
Ward, but at the same time it wasn't him. It was a monster in Ward's skin. And some gruesome transformation had taken place with him. His massive, black feathered wings were no more. Instead black, leather-like wings took their place. Like a bat's.
His ears were slightly pointed, he had what seemed to be claws, and what Skye could tell through his snarl, he had pointed teeth. All that on top of his blood-red eyes.
Skye gulped, "G-Grant?" she quietly stammered. "Grant?"
The snarl became more defined as a growl escaped the demon-Ward's lips.
"What happened to you?" Skye asked, backing up as Ward came closer.
Another growl as Ward clenched his clawed fists. It was clear to Skye that Ward wasn't Ward, whatever was inside of him had taken him completely over, no trace of Ward left.
"Grant," she repeated. "I don't know what happened to you, but this isn't you. Snap out of it and listen to me!" she screamed, starting to cry.
"You ran from me…"
Skye's eyes widened, "What? You told me to run!"
"I didn't, he did…"
Skye realized that the monster was a completely different personality, with its own thinking pattern. It was literally something else living inside of Ward, only using him as a vessel. It didn't care about her.
She didn't say anything, trying to restrain her fear so it wouldn't end up triggering an earthquake in the middle of the SHIELD headquarters. Tears ran down her face as she trembled.
"There is no running, only death." he hissed, red eyes blazing and monstrous wings shuffling behind him. "Those who run, will be slaughtered. Even your pathetic little angel friend. He's gone now, I have control."
Skye scrambled backwards, the ground starting to shake around the two, "Grant, listen to me!" she screamed. "I know that you're in there! This isn't you! Don't let something else control you! Please, Grant!" She fell to the ground, tripping over her own feet in her blind fear. "Please!"
The demon lurched forward, claws bared, "He isn't here! He doesn't exist anymore! There is only me! That pathetic piece of crap Nephilim is no longer here!"
Skye screamed as the demon that had taken place of the man she loved darted towards her, and there was nothing she could do.
Grant Ward was gone, and only a demon stood in his place.
"Like a bullet without pain, like a beauty without rage. Like an innocence without a life to save. Like a hope without a faith. Like your eyes without a face. Like an instinct with no other life to take…"
Author's Note: I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Lyrics used are from 'The Ever' by Red. Decided to uses lyrics at the end because I'm obsessed with the song (even though it's not out yet and there's only a preview) and thought it fit. So, yeah, that happened. It seems that Ward is gone, only the demon left. And will Skye be okay? I don't know, you've got to read the next chapter. Keep reading and PLEASE favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.