Convergence

Rick picked up the necklace that had flown off in his direction and looked at me. His eyes were afraid. I could feel his fear pulsating inside of me.

“Kari?”

“What’s wrong? Why are you so scared?”

“If you could see what I see then you’d be absolutely terrified. I mean, just look at Squeak.”

I glanced over at her. She looked like a possessed demon cat. Everything about her had changed. She was bigger than Ashe in her flying form and colored black with red swirls almost like racing stripes. Her tail was thin and sharp like a whip and she had fangs. I was afraid of what I might look like.

“I feel perfectly fine.”

“You did just absorb a whole ton of demonic power. I would appreciate it if you put on this necklace.”

“Why would I need to do that? I’ve never needed it before, why would I suddenly need to wear it now?” The ground began to tremble.

“You’ve never had to fight this much energy before either. You need to slowly get used to it. The pendant can help keep the witch strong and control the demon, but I suspect you will always have to fight with this power. Azazel’s force is nothing to sneeze at.”

I chuckled. “My force is stronger.” I could feel the demon taking over as I glanced down at the sharpened claws that used to be my hands. “I am the one who destroyed Azazel.”

“You didn’t destroy him, you just absorbed him. He’s still alive inside of you. For all I know, he let you take him so he can destroy you from the inside out.”

“So you still find me weak?” I heard the change in my voice. It was deeper, demonic.

“Just young and inexperienced. Azazel has years of experience under his belt. I doubt he would just give up just like that. Think about it.”

He made sense. I didn’t want to believe it, though. I wanted to be allowed to feel superior. I wanted to believe that I was the most powerful being ever to exist.

“How does it all end, Rick?”

“How do you want it to end?”

I took in a deep breath. “I want things back the way they were, back before all this happened. I want my family back. I want the knowledge of all of this to go away.” I let out a sigh. “But that’s not possible.”

He huffed. “No, it’s not.”

I looked up at the sky not wanting to see his face. “Did you know I have no place to go after this? My mother is dead, my step-mother never existed, my father is gone….” I could hear the break in my voice. “I’m an orphan.”

“You can stay with us.” He sounded surprisingly hopeful and not at all surprised that his dad was with me all of this time. “A little apartment above a shop isn’t much, but we’ll make room.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t think I can go back to a normal life. What is a normal life anyway?”

“Whatever you decide, Princess.”

“I’m not a princess.” I locked my eyes with his once more. “I’m a queen.”

I felt my power and knew which was which. Azazel may not have known it, but I knew about power compartmentalization, and I knew how to use it. Without much effort, I moved the demon power into the necklace and let my ancestral magic hold onto it. As the demon power subdued, I could hear Azazel speak to me.

“We could’ve been so happy together, you and I. For what it’s worth, I did love you.”

“Your words might’ve meant something before, but they don’t know.”

“Of course. You will always be precious to me.” And then his voice was gone.

I could feel the tears streaming down my face. Everything was gone. Just as I was ready to give up, Michael wrapped around my heart, the one place he has always wanted to be, and with his presence, I found hope and the courage to press on. They were all right about him. He was filled with so much love. Michael was the epitome of love and I felt braver and happier for having him with me.

“How do you feel?” Rick broke me from my contemplation. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I looked at him. “You can go home now. I free you from your bonds to me.”

“You seem to have full control over your powers now.”

“Yes.”

“I guess that means you’re staying?” He sounded so hopeful that I would leave with him.

“I have to protect Azazel. Only I can guard his prison and his prison needs to remain in this world.”

He nodded. “I’ll miss you, Kari.”

“I’ll miss you too.” I hugged him tightly to me for a moment before pushing him away. He left without another glance and I was the only human in a world of magical creatures.

Time seemed to pass so slowly. Each day was the same as the last day. There were no more secrets to learn, no more demons to fights, no more things to explore. It was beautiful, sure, but nothing ever changed. A person could die of boredom in that place. Home was dull too, but at least humans offered more unpredictability.

These creatures had gotten along fine without me for a long time. They could govern themselves. So out of respect to them—and my sanity—I went back taking Rick up on his offer until I graduated. I left Azazel in the magical world to the devices of the creatures, but there was always that little thought in my mind that he and I weren’t so different and that soon I might find myself on the path to wanting total control.