Nox Inferno

Part II: Devil's Advocate

Chapter 23: Two Days

Two weeks flew by quicker than I imagined nothing much has changed except I have gotten use to my demon side. Though it is safe to say that I will never get a handle on my magic. No matter how much Melody and Alistair tried to help, things always end up catching on flames. Though I suppose that’s the point.

“You’re getting better.” Melody patted me on the back after our combat one class.

“Face it, I am hopeless.” I muttered in despair.

“You aren’t hopeless, you just need to learn a different way.” She giggled as she waved goodbye to me, “See you at dinner.”

“I’ll be the one in the veil.” I laughed.

“Not for long, Triad Night is in two days.” She said before turning her back towards me and walking away.

In two day, I will be presented to demon kind and I would be expected to shift while light on fire. Granted I could barely do a shift and I couldn’t control my magic.

“Tomorrow morning we will try.” Nyra promised.

“Fine.” I huffed and ascended up the flight of stair.

“Fine, what? Fine, you will let me take you on that date?” I turned to Gabriel and rolled my eyes.

“When are you going to give up?” I asked, crossing my arms.

He ascended up the couple of steps that separated us, “When are you going to give in?” He whispered stroking my cheek.

I grabbed his wrist and smiled sweetly at him but remembered he still couldn’t see my face, “Not in this lifetime.”

He smirked, “So in the next?”

I dropped his wrist with a sigh, “You are impossible.”

“So, what are you doing in two days?” He grabbed my gym bag and continued up the steps.

“Probably the same as you, going to see Satan.” I said off handedly.

“How about we skip? It could be just you and I for three days, it would be fun.” He turned and winked at me.

“No.” I grabbed the bag back from him and picked up my pace, “That would be the opposite of fun.”

He scowled at me, “Let me know if you change your mind. I am only a holler away.”

I turned around ready to tell him, that would not happen. But he was no where in sight. Did he just disappear again? How does he do that?

“Are you ready for Triad Night?” Clementine asked and I snapped my head in her direction.

“People need to stop sneaking around, all the time.” Nyra growled.

“Why is that all anyone can think about?” I growled, sick and tired of hearing about Triad Night.

“Because, silly it’s your first time. The festivals, staying at the royal palace and the big ball!” She squealed.

“Sounds like a blast.” I rolled my arms and walked up the last few couple of steps.

She continued to ramble on, “Lord Satan always have the Nox Knight outfit custom made for the mascaraed ball.”

“Sounds great. I’m going to go change.” I pointed to the girls dressing room. I couldn’t stay in my gym uniform. One time was one time too many to be exposed in front of a group after a shift.

“They have a giant parade then several fairs. We usually hit as many as we can before we a dead with exhaustion.” Clementine began to follow me into the changing stall.

“Clementine, I swear if you are still talking about this by the time I come out. I am going to hurt you!” Alvina threatened from another stall.

“Okay, I will shut up.” Clementine said hastily.

Taking advantage of her distraction I closed the door. I changed quickly into our uniform and taking off the veil.

“Why are you talking about this now? We still have two days.” I asked her.

Clementine laughed, “We are leaving tomorrow morning.”

“What? Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I asked in a panic, swinging the changing room door open.

“She just did.” Alvina said while scrolling through her phone.

“But-But I need time to pack. I don’t have anything to wear. What am I even supposed to wear? Is this a formal or semiformal thing?” I began spewing out questions.

“Calm down.” Nyra interjected.

“I can’t answer all that at once.” Alvina said at the same time

“Breathe.” Nyra instructed and I obeyed, “Now speak.”

“What am I suppose to wear? Nyra says that Satan has our dresses made for the ball. But that still leaves two night, three- no four daywear and couple sets of pjs. I can’t pack that all in one night.”

Alvina tossed her phone into her open gym bag, “Relax, everything is already sorted over there. You don’t need to pack anything expect for a something to do in the van.”

The something hit me, “I’m doomed. I don’t know how to shift and light myself on fire. Heck if I could even do one of them that would be alright.” I began to fiddle with my fingers and pace.

She laughed and yanked on my arm, “Which is why we asked Madame Mai to come instead for Madame Bultiaire.”

When we walked out of the room Madame Mai was standing in the center of the room.

“You are late.” She tapped her foot impatiently against the floor. “Let us begin. Shift.”

Everyone stood in a circle around her. Slowly they all began transforming into animals.

“We got this.” Nyra cheered.

I imagined the tattoo expanding and engulfing my body. Nyra and I slowly became one unit. I felt my legs losing skin and shrinking and I saw my arms turn into feathered wings. I felt my nose and mouth give way and become a beak. The pain was now tolerable because I have gotten use to the constant breaking of bones. I have only full shifted a few times mostly because I get to distracted to complete it.

“You take quite long.” Madame Mai tsked, “Can you fly?”

I began flapping my arms that are now wings. But it took me only a couple inches off the ground, at most.

“Zephyr, what do you recommend?” Madame Mai turned to the black raven.

Seconds later Zephyr reappeared, “I learned through survival. I have a hunch on what to do.” Zephyr picked me up gently, “Alvina can you open up a hole in the mountain?”

Alvina shifted back, “Sure but why?” The dark brown mountain opened up like flower revealing a majestic mountain view.

“Zephyr what are you doing?” Kai asked warily as he begun walking towards the hole.

“I’m going to throw her off.” He declared and tightened his hold on me.

“Wait, a minute! We can talk about this! I’m not ready to die.” I began hollering and screaming but it only came out as shrieks and squawks. I began flapping around, not sure if I was trying to fly away from him or make him drop me.

“If you don’t want to die. I suggest start flapping little bird.” He said softly as we approached the opening of the hole.

“He wouldn’t do it.” Nyra said. As if he heard her, he extended his hands. I looked down and gulped, it was a long way down to the bottom.

“You said you wanted to fly.” He smiled and let go.

I was falling, I was going to die. No, I need to fly in order to kill Zephyr. I began flapping mercilessly but every time I got the hang of it the wind knocked me around.

“I can’t do this. I’m sorry.” I apologized to Nyra, she was going to die because of me.

“You are quitting already. We still have a little while to go and you are giving up. Stop being a coward!” She yelled furious.

She was right. I have been hiding my whole life, doing what others wanted instead of what I wanted. I am not a coward, I am strong.

I straightened out my wings and let the wind carry me. The wind began to work with me rather than against me. I felt the wing begin to carry me away from the mountain, so I began flapping. Slowly at first and then stronger with each downward stroke.

“That’s it!” Nyra screamed, “You are doing it! Now let’s go kill Zephyr.”

I soared through the sky, letting the wind hit my face. I enjoyed the feel of wind underneath my wings. I flew toward the opening in the mountain, it was getting bigger with each passing second.

“Zephyr, you are going to die tonight!” I hollered but all that came out was a fierce shriek.