He snarled at me, leaning forward, in a failed attempt to intimidate me. I didn't even flinch. I saw many acting like him, I knew this was their trademark: First make the victims fear, so their minds become swallowed by chaos, and lose the ability to think rationally, and then kill them. The most important thing in a fight is being aware of your enemy, and after all these years, I know them like the back of my hand.
The night-walker, who was standing in front of me, looked no different from us, his traits were just as human-like as ours were. If not for the fangs, he could easily pass off as a human. He was clearly a young one, not older than sixteen; his night-walker blood didn't reach its culminating point yet, for the rest of the characteristics to develop, even though his hate for my people was the same as the one felt by the rest of his kind.
Without losing me from his sight, he grabbed my sword by its blade with his left hand, pressing his flesh against it until a web of blood started to rise on it, although his expression stayed the same, unaltered as if he was insensitive to pain. From his force, the sword broke free from the tree, leaving behind a deep hole in the wet dark bark.
He threw it on the ground next to him, and snarled again to show his dominance, but little did he know that I wasn't ready to become his meal.
Keeping his leaned-forward position, he began to circle around me. Behind his blood-soaked blond hair, which was randomly fallen over his face, I could follow his red eyes shining in the dark of the night, like two flames risen from Hell, and ready to burn me alive. If a stare could kill, he would surely murder me on spot. I turned my head after him, without moving an inch, knowing that the knives that I had in the leg strap sheaths are still in their place.
All I was waiting for was one wrong move, one drop of impatience derived from his youthfulness to give me my advantage, and I had all the time in the world for that.
"Do you seriously think you can kill me? I killed night-walkers that were veterans in this war. But you? A useless child against me?" My voice was cold and emotionless, maybe with a shade of arrogance to irritate him.
I was not stupid, and I was definitely not underestimating him; his age meant nothing for me since they were trained to be killers from the moment they were born into this world. He was dangerous. Even though for sure, he didn't commit the massacre all by himself, the simple fact that he is out here, suggests that he is ready for battle, and a potential threat to my life.
He kept silent, which meant he wasn't eager to respond to my provocation so quickly. But their pride was always their biggest weakness, and hitting them where it hurts can't let them indifferent for a long time.
"Maybe you should call others? Maybe the ones who helped you kill all those innocents? You by yourself aren't worthy of my attention."
I could feel that he was starting to be tense, with all his silence - I saw right through it, in the way he moved and the look that he had in his eyes. He was still observing me, analyzing my every move, but I ignored that fact and I began to softly guide my hand towards my leg, until I felt the knife sheath underneath my long shirt, just so I could be prepared the minute he attacks. I left my hand rest on top of it, hoping that he, blinded by his rage and wounded pride, didn't notice what I did.
As I predicted, he lost his calm and jumped on me, knocking me down, way faster than I expected it to happen, leaving me with no time to pull out the knife to defend myself. I managed to turn around to face him just in time to stop him from biting me, by pushing him away with my arms, but now I was pinned to the ground, unable to use any weapon or to get him off of me.
His strength was quite impressive given the fact that he didn't reach maturity yet, but being so close to him right now, I could see that he wasn't too far from that point.
Knowing that I had no chance to fight him from that position, and with my arms getting tired, I decided the best solution was to let him get what he wants, or at least, give him that impression. I broke my hold and pushed my shoulder forward, so when he leaned in to bite me, he didn't get to hurt me in any vital part. I felt a sharp and short pain when his canines pierced my skin, and I let out a scream, but I rapidly bit my lip to contain my pain, preventing other night-walkers from hearing me.
My life was being drawn out of my body, I could feel myself being seconds away from losing my consciousness, and facing imminent death. I had no time to spare, had to act fast. With my last powers, I turned his distraction into my ally, and pulled out the knife, stabbing him in the side of his neck;
From the shock, he stopped his bite, watching me horrified and not understanding what just happened. I think he was trying to say something, but then I pulled the knife towards me, slitting his throat, and forever silencing him.
In his final moment, just before his last attempt to gasp for air, I pulled him closer and whispered in his ear.
"You shall answer before God for what you did to my kin. But first, you will answer before me."
His lifeless corpse fell on top of me, covering me in a pool of blood. With a lot of effort, I got him off of me and tried to stand up, but I fell immediately back on the cold ground, hitting myself where the wound was. I was feeling too dizzy from all the blood loss, and my shoulder also started to hurt really bad. I needed rest. I was in no condition to fight my way back to the fortress. I closed my eyes, and it didn't matter for a while.
It was still raining. The voice, her voice, was calling me, waifully, making my heart ache, but I could feel it in my entire body as if my whole being was in pain. The blood on my hands was still there, God's arms are still not ready to embrace me. How much more do You want to torture me? Will I ever atone for my sins in Your eyes?
I turned my head to the left, and saw her, standing there, on the edge of the cliff. She raised her hand as if she wanted me to take it, and I started walking towards her, hypnotized.
When I got close, I saw her wings. They were black and shattered, and the clothes she was wearing were all red from the blood spilled the day she was killed. I was finally next to her, it was still her, but the look in her eyes was not the same. I grabbed her hand, but as soon as I did it, she started to turn into a decaying corpse, until all that was left of her was dust and ashes.
Your soul shall find its peace. That is my promise to you.
When I opened my eyes, I could look directly at the sky, seeing the multitude of stars; there were no more clouds. I had no idea how much time I spent sleeping, but it couldn't have been too much, since the night was still here, and I was alive. I reached for my sword, which happened to be close to the place where I fainted, and I managed to get up, using it as a prop.
The dizziness was somewhat better, though the pain in my shoulder was killing me. I whined a bit when I put all my weight on the wounded arm, but my ambition to get out of there alive was bigger than any suffering I could endure.
I got to walk a few steps like that when I felt a sudden pain in my calf. When I look down to check what happened, I saw that an arrow was shot at me and pierced through my leg. I bent over to pull it out, but I barely touched it, when my head started spinning, and I fell down on my back. Looking to my left, I saw a shadow moving among the trees and slowly walking in my direction.
"What... Must stay awake..."
I couldn't even talk anymore, I was slipping in a sleeping state and there was nothing that I could do about it. I was afraid. Actually, no. I was angry that I let my guard down and didn't pay attention to what the wind whispers. The shadow crouched down by my side, staring at me. His cold blue eyes were the last thing I saw.
*
I woke up yelling in pain. I don't know how to describe what I was feeling at that moment, it was more like someone was burning me on the inside; actually, the blood that was running through my veins was burning, causing cold sweat to run down my face and body. My mouth was dry and I had a bitter taste. A lamp was hanging from the ceiling. I wanted to move, to protect my eyes from the light, and that's when I realized I was tied up to the bed with thick chains.
The room that I was in was some sort of cave, even though the walls didn't seem to be made out of stone; it was the odor that gave it away - the smell of a damp and confined place - hard not to remember it, given that we were used to it like nobody others. Besides the bed, in the room, there was a table with a chair in a corner and some kind of chest right next to them. I hit the pillow with my head and closed my eyes.
"How to hell did I end up here?"
"I didn't know angels are allowed to talk like that," a voice replied. That somehow dragged me out of that state, and I propped up on my elbows and looked towards the door. A man was standing there, with his arms crossed, waiting for something. No, not a man. A night-walker. The reek of blood that was coming from him was hard to miss.
"Well, I didn't know that night-walkers don't kill angels on sight either," I answered, annoyed. He started to laugh, and walk up to me. His cold blue eyes, I remember them. "What did you do to me?"
"I poisoned you. Or better said, I took extra measures so that you won't kill me instantly." He stopped by the side of the bed and touched my cheek with the back of his hand. I didn't even have time to react to his unpredictable gestures, that he already retreated his hand. "Your fever had gone down. Don't worry, you won't die."
"Not today? Maybe tomorrow?" I responded sarcastically.
"Not... As long as I need you." He rolled his eyes, and his expression changed to serious; the tone of his voice was harsh this time, leaving the playfulness in the past. "You are here because I want to propose a deal."
This time it was me the one who started laughing shortly and then turned to anger. His impertinence clearly had no limits, thinking that I could ever accept something coming from my eternal enemies.
"I have no interest in whatever you want."
He grabbed my arm with his, digging his claws in my skin, and causing it to bleed. He pulled me closer to him, until our faces were centimeters apart, and said with a softer voice, but menacing at the same time:
"I know it's you who started everything. I've been watching you for a while - it's just that, until now, I had nothing to offer you to make you accept."
"And what changed?" I replied. I wasn't really expecting an answer from him, and I was definitely in no mood to make conversation with him, but being in a vulnerable position diminished my options quite a bit. My life was seriously on the line, and no matter how much I despised everything I've become, I swore I'd never die by a nightwalker's hand.
He smiled.
"I know our meeting is sudden, and I do think it could have been more pleasant for you, but I've got a nice, little story for you which couldn't wait any longer. Well, not exactly nice, but you know…"
"Why would I listen to anything that you have to say?"
"Because it's in your best interest." He accentuated the words "best" and "interest", as if that would make me trust him more. "Your beloved elders are planning on accepting our leader's proposal. I bet you didn't know that, little angel."
I looked at him with wide-opened eyes, and he, seeing my confused expression and realizing that I had no idea what he was talking about, decided to further explain things for me.
He began laughing like a maniac.
"Wait, wait… They really didn't tell you anything, did they? You will be sold like cattle. Cattle! We give you... Survival, in exchange for a... Let's call it a monthly tax, which consists out of a few angels." The information hit me with such a force, that it took me a moment to process it, my brain not being able to comprehend it when he spelled out those words.
"You are lying, they would never..." Tears started to run down my cheeks, while I felt hopelessness filling up my soul. Somehow, deep inside, I knew that he might be telling the truth. There's been this heavy, unsettling silence that followed our last battle – no more suicide missions, no more fighting from our part. I suspected something might be unfolding behind closed curtains, but sure as hell I didn't think of something of this magnitude.
Negotiating our surrender, the end of us? Of course, they'd never divulge all of this to me, I wouldn't stay put. Ennyel, you idiot! Are you really aware of what you're planning to do to us?
"You are losing the war." He yelled to me. "I don't think they see another way out. The only question that remains is if they do it for themselves, or because they truly want your salvation." He paused for a moment, and then continued his speech, even though my mind was already lost and my thoughts didn't make any sense anymore. Why are You doing this to us, Father? Do we deserve all this agony? "Help me kill our king, and that proposal will be dead as well."
"You really want me to believe that you want your king dead? What reason could you possibly...?"
He suddenly got angry, and stood up, moving away from me and hiding his face in the shadows.
"That's not something for you to worry about. If you don't believe my words, you are free to go back home and ask the ones who rule over you if this is really a lie. But you might be amazed by their answer."
The fact that he was willing to let me go so easily could only suggest two options. The first would be that he wanted to free me so that he could follow me back to our hiding place; the second would be that what he told me was the cruel side of truth. Which one weighs more when you put them in balance?
Leaving my emotions aside and judging the situation from a cold point of view, if he wanted to follow me back home, he didn't need to bring me here and waste his time on telling me stories. He could have just waited until I was feeling strong enough to head back.
"How many of my kind did you kill?" My response took him by surprise, and he turned my way, to stare right into my teary clouded eyes. I was trembling from the poison and I felt like falling back on the pillow, but I stood my ground firmly.
He made another pause, calming himself down, and started to talk to me on a gentler note.
"How many of mine did you?" He wasn't wrong in what he said. Murderers were both of us, just with different beliefs and purposes. The blood, when is spilled, it's just that - Spilled blood, no matter for what you fought when you were alive. I couldn't give him an answer. I knew the number - I just couldn't say it out loud. Was I ashamed of myself because, in fact, there was no difference between me and him?
I was looking at him, wishing that I could kill him, and he was looking at me with the same thoughts. "If you help me with this... This won't make us friends, allies, whatever you may think of. I'm not offering you peace. I'm giving you the chance to keep fighting back. Help me make him lose everything he has, including his life, and you will have all that. I know it's hard to believe me, and I'm not asking you to give me an answer right away. Just... Verify this", he continued.
"Why don't you kill him if you want him dead this badly?" Did I just imagine that? For just a fraction of a second, there was this sadness all over his face, but it disappeared rather quickly, making it hard to tell if he was even capable of having such emotions.
Maybe I was just trying to humanize him, so I'd stop feeling anxious by being in the same room as him. No prey would be fine with sharing the same limited space with its predator.
I was definitely not fine.
"Simple. Because we can't kill the family."