Power & Fire

His body was cold.

I didn't understand, I didn't want to understand.

As I saw myself hugging his equally small cold figure, a rush of energy cursed through my veins. A memory.

The rose that I once held... the rose that doomed the both of us. It was coming back in one swift motion, paralyzing my body as I stared at the scene in front of me.

It was an unusual cold morning in Hell.

Mom and Dad were in a meeting somewhere around the castle, but I didn't pay it much mind. I was rather busy running around the halls with my best friend.

Nero and I would use our unmastered abilities to spice our traditional games up a little bit. Add a little bit of fire to a game of tag and your speed limits will always be breaking records. Unfortunately Maria didn't share the same opinion. "Little majesties no fire in the halls! Come back here Morningstars!"

Nero and I released a few giggles and proceeded to hide from her.

"Where did the tiny troublemakers go? Holy Hell they are a pair of little demons!" She started mumbling to herself while taking cautious steps towards our direction in the dark onyx stoned hall. Nero put his index finger in front of his mouth signaling me to be quiet. I obeyed and watched as he lifted his hands and started gesturing in a round motion.

Suddenly I heard a shriek.

It was Maria.

My eyes widened as I watched the scene unfold in front of me.

In the middle of the hall stood the middle aged woman spinning around on her place non-stop. Her arms were extended forward making her look fan, spinning and whirling faster and faster.

I couldn't help myself anymore so I bursted into a fit of laughter, my brother following suit. I remember laughing so hard that my stomach and cheeks started hurting, a good kind of ache. But all good things come to an end. Middle laughing Nero lost his effect on her, making her have her control back.

"OH YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE! COME HERE RIGHT NOW!" She yelled while holding onto the side of the wall trying to get her balance back. Her cheeks were red in fury and I could've sworn that she had foam coming out of her mouth, rage. I looked at my twin in panic and was met with an equally panicked pair of eyes. Without any second thoughts we took off running aimlessly through the castle, eventually entering the forbidden zone of the castle, or as Mommy would call it the "No-No Zone". I never really understood why, but in that moment it was either exploring the unknown or getting my butt whooped by Maria.

It wasn't that hard of a choice as you can imagine.

The castle itself had a dark complex, but for some unknown reason the No-No Zone appeared to be even darker than the rest, the single straight hall that connected to it seemed to get tighter and tighter, but we were 5 years old, there was no such thing as a too tight space.

It was strange to look at. Even if it was connected to the rest of the castle through one smaller hall, it still managed to look like a completely separated building, surrounded by a beautiful garden, the Soul's Garden, repleted of all flowers known to mankind and beyond. It was colorful and bright, a drastic contrast to the dark secluded area that it surrounded. In a way it reminded me of Mommy and Daddy. Mom's aura was bright white and Dad was just darkness itself. "This way!" Nero pointed towards a heavy metal looking door. I, however, hesitated. My instincts were screaming at me to not open that door, that danger was lurking. The door itself was scary looking, it appeared to have some sort of protection device as well as a bounding spell.

The more I stared at the door, the more uncomfortable I felt.

"Castiel come on! She's nearing us!"

As in cue, I heard Maria's heavy rushed steps getting closer in distance.

I took a deep breath and opened the door, more like, destroyed it, but that didn't matter, not anymore.

The room was small, smaller than I had expected. A lonely tall elegant table stood in the middle of it. A curious looking glass dome rested on top of the table, an intriguing flower standing tall and proud inside of it.

It was a rose.

I felt this unexplainable urge to touch it. Her lifeless golden petals contrasting with glossy looking dark stale, it was so tempting. Too tempting.

"Castiel what are you doing?" I heard Nero's voice in the background, it sounded so distant even though I knew I was only just a few steps ahead of him.

"I don't know." I replied quietly in a whisper.

I felt like I was in a trance. Closer and closer to the dome, close enough to see my own reflection on it.

With one hand I cautiously lifted it.

With the other I reached towards the special looking flower.

"CASTIEL NO! DON'T TOUCH IT!" Maria shouted as she finally got to us.

But it was too late. The rose was on my hand, the thorns digging into my skin but I didn't feel a thing.

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"NO!"

And then everything turned dark. I had no recollection of what had happened in the period of time that I was out.

All I know is that as soon as I woke up all I heard was shouting, and all I felt was a pair of hands shaking me to succumb me of my sleep.

"Castiel wake up" I heard Nero's voice as I felt his warm hands shake me awake.

"At least let them live until they are adults!"

"So that they can use their powers and out throne us? Absolutely not! 16 years of life and that's it!"

Mom started crying uncontrollably and my heart started to race.

I opened my eyes and came face to face with my brother's red eyes. He was sobbing while looking at me.

"Nero? What's going on?" I asked innocently confused and worried.

"They are going to kill us Cas!" He cried while clutching my hand.

My eyes widened not comprehending what was happening. I sat up in the ground while holding my throbbing little head.

"The girl will be sent down to Earth, she's most likely to have Charmeine's feminine powers, those are useful among humans, light not darkness!" An un-identified voice said, I couldn't even point a gender to it, it just sounded...powerful. I furrowed my eyebrows still confused to what was happening.

Mom and Dad continued on arguing with said voice whilst I ignored them. All that mattered right now was twin brother. "N-Nero?"

He just hugged me close while crying. I, consequently started crying too.

Death? So soon? It couldn't possibly true. We've heard and seen humans dying and coming down to the Dead Lands and consequently here to Hell, all of them with different stories to tell. But all of them had the same ending. Death. I didn't want my brother to die. No, he would never die. Never!

We would play fire tag, bake with Maria, and play with Mommy and Daddy forever! We would watch the demons bring in new people and get to know them, it was such a refreshing moment! To hear their life stories and struggles. And visit the 9 circles! Mommy said to not look in there for too long but it was like humans visiting the zoo!

Mom would also play with my hair while telling me about this place called Heaven, where Uncle God lived with my cousins, Mommy told me they were angels, She even told me their names! I hoped to be able to meet them someday. But I wanted to do all those things with my best friend.

Was life even worth it if I couldn't do all of those things with him?

"Nero." I whispered calling for his attention.

He raised his head and faced me, his face still wet from the warm tears, his eyes puffy and red just like his nose.

I took his pinky and intertwined my own.

"I promise to be your best friend forever."

He looked confused and then got sad again, slowly removing his finger from my own.

"Until death do us apart?" He asked with both of his hands now resting on his lap.

I took his hand once again on my own and looked down at ground.

"No silly, not even death will be able to do us apart." I smiled gently at him.

A shiny object made itself known from the corner of my eye. It was the golden rose!

I grabbed the flower, once again ignoring the thorns that scraped my tiny fingers, and extended towards my brother in an offering gesture.

"I'll always be with you!"

"I'll always be with you." I whispered one last time as his body started to dissipate in front of me.