Disclaimer: I don't own Riviera or anything in it.
Author's Notes: Sorry for the extremely slow update. I was planning on completing this chapter and posting it a week ago, but my computer started having random breakdowns, and after 10 breakdowns in a row, I decided to stop until I got the damn thing fixed.
Anyway, new chapter, read and review if it pleases you (I know it will please me).
Inner Fears
Chapter 8
The fiend, or Dark Ein, as the Grim Angel had dubbed it, simply laughed in a sick and bone-chilling way as Ein charged at him. He just stood there calmly, laughing at him, not even putting up a defensive stance or anything.
The wingless angel, who was quite pissed by the calm behavior of his foe, let out a loud battle-cry while he swung his blade down from above his head with all the strength he was able to conjure. With one fast movement, faster then the blink of an eye, the Dark Ein had caught Einherjar with his bare, free, hand.
"Im-impossible!" Ein exclaimed in shock with wide eyes.
"Don't underestimate me, arrogant fool!" his foe answered and threw Einherjar, with Ein still attached to it, over his shoulder. The wingless angel flew several meters through the air, towards the exit of the cathedral, but he was able twist his body in midair and land on his feet. There was no time to even think, however, as the fiend was in front of him, again in a blink of an eye and without even a sound. Before Ein could raise his blade even an inch, the fiend's fist had buried itself in the left side of the angel's face. He felt as the pointy parts of the barbed wire impaled itself into the flesh of his cheek, but the punch itself was a whole lot more painful.
This time he flew through the exit out of the building. Ein skidded over the old tile path and eventually came to halt about thirty meters from the exit. When he opened his eyes, his foe was already there, calmly standing next to him, the black Einherjar in his hand pointing right between the Grim Angel's eyes.
"Disappointing…" the fiend slightly murmured. "Still you have not shown yourself… Why?"
"What… the Hell are you talking about?" Ein responded angrily, wiping away some trickles of blood from his cheek.
"Moron!" he yelled in response. "Why do think you were able to destroy the book? Believe me; it certainly is not because you are as strong as you think you are!"
Silence…
"I'll tell you," the Dark Ein continued. "It's not like you'll be able to tell anyone anyway! You, my precious little angel, are the host of someone I know very well."
"Host?" Ein said in disbelieve. "Host for what?"
"You don't remember anything of it, do you? Heh, maybe it was too traumatizing for your fragile little, but very retarded, mind! But… it still does not explain why he doesn't show himself… Hmmm, let us find out, shall we?" and with that Ein was pulled up to knees by his foe. Somehow he was unable to move, he was somehow paralyzed by his foe. The fiend sheathed his night-black blade to his belt and then placed a barbed wire covered hand on either side of Ein's head. It pierced into his skin. The angel slightly winced in pain.
"You think you are so strong," the fiend said, obviously enjoying himself. "Let me show you true power!"
The next thing Ein felt was pain. Only pain. It seemed to last almost an eternity as the world blurred into a mix of colors before his eyes and eventually became darkness.
"Ecthel,"
A faint sound…
Sounds like rain.
"Ecthel…"
It's raining.
It's raining outside.
"Ecthel, sweetie,"
I can hear it, against the glass window.
Good thing I'm inside, because I don't really like to be outside when it's raining. Other children, like my friends, do like it. They jump in the large puddles and stuff like that… I don't. You might get sick, and some parents might scold you because you get your clothes and yourself all wet and dirty. My parents wouldn't do that, but, still, I rather stay inside. Here, in my bed, under my soft, cozy blanket.
"Come on, Ecthel,"
That voice?
"Mommy?" my six year old self said with a big yawn. I pulled the blanket down, exposing my head and rubbed my eyes. There she sat, beside my bed, smiling warmly as ever, my mother. She was beautiful woman, my mother. Smooth white skin, long silk-like black hair that was curled at the end, deep blue eyes, and a smile that, as my farther always said, "Could split the heavens clean in two". I often overhear other adult men, secretly, saying to each other that they envy my farther for being married to my mom. They called him a "lucky bastard". Some were accidentally heard by their wife and had earned themselves a smack against the back of their heads, or something similar.
She put her hand on my cheek. It felt nice and warm. "Time to wake up, my little Ecthel," my mother said to me sweetly. I yawned again and pulled the blanket back over my head. Mom let out a small chuckle. "Come on, we're going on a trip today!"
Hearing this, I bolted out of my bed and sprinted to the closet. "Hurry up, mommy!" I exclaimed while jumping up and down excited. Mom chuckled again and then came over to help me change.
After breakfast, which was delicious, because my mom's cooking was just heavenly, we headed outside, into the city. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still filled with depressing grey clouds. However, that didn't lessen my excitement in the least. Trips were always fun.
It was only me and my mom. Dad had to work today, unfortunately, or it would have been even more fun.
"Mommy, where are we going?" I asked, still rather excited.
She turned to me with a smile, but in her eyes there were some hints of sadness, or discomfort, to be seen. "We're going to-,"
A loud sound. A bell…
My mother slowly dropped to her knees in front of the altar.
We were in a church, somewhere in the less busy districts of the city. The building seemed deserted, even though candles had been lit. There priests or priestesses, no nuns, nobody, nobody except my mother and me.
I sat on one of stone benches behind her. The church was not very big, more like one you would find in smaller towns. Maybe it was build when the city was still a small place with not so much residents. If that were so, then this church would be very, very old. It did look like that way. Some broken tiles here and there, old curtains that blocked out much of the light coming in from the large stained-glass windows, making it rather dark and creepy looking inside, lots of old relics and carpets and such, and more things like that.
Why were we here? This didn't really look like a fun place to go too, not even a bit. Mom was praying in holy language. I couldn't understand most of what she was saying; I only had had a few lessons in the sacred tongue. I only heard a few words I recognized. She also spoke very fast.
Please
my son
The
say that
future
but they
say that his future
They say
A
Gods
you
become a
might
a future for my
but
I can not
against it
I ask you
God
protect
I
you
A few moments after my mother had finished praying, there was blinding white light… and then… a howl.
"Hmm, there seem to be parts missing."
…No…
"Let's see if we can find them, shall we!"
Get out…
"What was that, my dear little Ecthel?"
Get out… Get out my head!
"Argh! What is this! You can't-!"
I-…I won't let you bring back my pain! GET OUT!
"That light… How can you use his power? You, a mortal?"
Pain… I-…I won't let you…
"Let me what?"
I won't let you hurt her again!
"Argh!"
"Damn, what blinding light!" the Dark Ein complained, covering his eyes with his arm.
"Long time, no see… brother," a voice said. The fiend lowered its arm, the blinding light now gone. He was standing in a large white… void. Before him was his brother, or so they called each other.
A humanoid looking being, its entire body was glowing white. There was no mouth to be seen, and it had very light, and bright glowing, blue eyes. The arms and legs, or what looked it were its arms and legs, were chained by black steel-like chains that did not seem to be attached to anything on the other end. They just disappeared into the white void.
The fiend walked over to his "brother". "It's been a while," he said.
"Indeed it has," the white being answered, its voice similar to that of the Dark Ein, but still different. "You must be wondering where we are and how it comes I am like this, correct?"
"You read my mind."
"This is a place of pain, of forgotten things."
"Of whom?"
"Have you become dense, brother?"
"Hmph," was the only response.
"This is a place on the outskirts of the mind of the Death Bring Angelix, Ecthel."
"And where is our little friend now?"
"I do not know, brother. It seems three minds were to much for this being…"
"Do you mean he is dead?"
"Most likely, but do you care?"
The Dark Ein shrugged. "Not really, but he was fun to toy with. And also, I promised I would kill him and then everything he cares about!"
"You mean the redhead and those other useless Sprites?"
"Yes. Now, how do I get out of here?"
"…I'll show you, if you release me."
"Why should I trust you, dearest brother?" the fiend asked, hissing hatefully. "Don't you hate my guts?"
"Indeed I do," the white being responded, also hissing hatefully. "But, at the moment, I hate the Death Bring Angelix more. He imprisoned me here, in his damn mind, for thirteen years! He is dead now, so I want destroy anything he cared about!"
"Then we share the same goal."
"Indeed we do, brother. Free me, and we shall rain fear on their souls!"
The Dark Ein smiled as walked up to his brother, while unsheathing his dark blade. He slowly raised the blade above his head. "Good to be back on the same side, brother!" he said, and then brought down his blade, cutting the chains. The chains dissolved into the white void, no trace of them left. The being of light stretched his arms and legs. "Free at last!"
"Now, brother, what form will you take?"
"Hmmm, I think I'll go along with you."
The being of light let out a loud cry, similar to the one the Dark Ein let out when he turned into… well, Dark Ein. When the transformation was complete, a Light Ein stood before the Dark Ein.
Snow-white hair, white, with some occasional light blue, clothing, blue tattoos all over his body and face that glowed just as much as its bright blue eyes. Big, white, feathery wings had appeared on his back and pale white sword in his hand. "Now," the Light Ein said, after inspecting his new body. "Shall we?"
He was barely conscious. He couldn't open his eyes; his strength was all gone, both of body and mind. He barely remembered who he was.
He was Ecthel, a defeated Grim Angel. Broken by a past he could not, and did not want to, remember. The pain had said him enough.
What had happened back then?
He felt something press lightly against his cheek. It felt warm…
"Mom…?"
"You have to remember, Ecthel. Remember everything, even if it hurts… You have to move on. Please don't do this to yourself."
Author's Notes: I know, I know, Dark Ein, Light Ein… I just couldn't find a better way to keep the two fiends apart.