The Demon Prince's Possession

Cerberus

“What happened,” I almost shouted, holding Allegra passed out in my arms.

I was angry, which worried me as my Demon side would take over if I couldn’t control my emotions. I don’t know how I managed to push him down so quickly, but hearing Allegra scream in agony was all it took for my Angel to take charge.

“She wasn’t supposed to feel any pain,” Calcus spoke, a look of horror on his face.

“She’s sleeping,” my mother pointed out, “she needs rest, and then we will find out why that happened.”

“What were you doing?”

“It was a simple incantation, one that was supposed to help restore her memories.”

“Then why was she in pain?”

“I have a theory…” Calcus began until Allegra hissed in pain and curled into me.

“She needs to rest; this conversation isn’t over.”

“Cerberus,” my mother called, catching up to me, “It isn’t Calcus’ fault; we never knew this would happen. If we did…”

“I don’t blame you or Calcus. My Angelic side may be in control when Allegra is hurt, but if I let go for just one moment, my Demonic side will take over. I just need to keep calm; right now, letting her rest is the only thing I want to do.”

My mother nodded. “I’ll leave you to it.”

I placed Allegra on the bed before pulling the covers over her to shield her from the cold. She was damp with sweat; her breathing was still heavy.

As I went to stand, her hand weakly entangled with mine.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered.

I stared for a moment, unsure of what to do. Eventually, I sat down beside her. She slowly moved so her head was on my lap, her arm draped over my torso until she finally fell asleep. I didn’t move in fear of waking her.

So I waited.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing I know, I was back to the day everything started...

4 years ago

“What are you doing out here so early?” I asked Celia.

She was older than me by three years but was one of the first few people to treat me like a person other than a bomb waiting to explode.

“I may have snuck a few cookies out of the kitchen last night for the newcomers. I was caught, and now I am stuck on wildberry duty,” she replied.

Celia was only a baby when her parents were slaughtered. She has been at the orphanage her whole life. For someone who has lost so much, I have never met a more selfless soul than her.

That was part of the reason I had a little crush on her.

That and she had bright blonde hair, the colour of spinning gold. Her innocent brown eyes were brilliant and bold, lighter than brown sugar and speckled with hints of deep orange. Her smile could light up the darkest of rooms, and her infectious laugh was sweet and sultry.

I doubt I ever had a chance with her. I was 16; she would never look at me like that. That and she was human; she would be grey and old before I reached my peak. Besides, who would ever want to be with a freak like me…

“Wanna help?” she asked, lifting the basket in her hand.

“Sure,” I smiled.

We walked towards the forest, finding the ripest berries we could.

“How is your training going?” she asked, setting more berries into the basket.

“I unlocked my aura seeker ability and empathic healing from my mother. I don’t know if I’ll have anything else though.

“My dad wants me to focus more on letting my Demon out.”

“You don’t want to?” she turned and faced me.

“No, not really. I’m scared. It’s harder to control, especially when I’m angry. I’m scared I’ll hurt someone I care about.”

She giggled. “He is still part of you, Cerberus. You only think that because of what you’ve been told. No two Demons are alike. Look at your father. He isn’t as ruthless as he was before.

“Besides, Demons choose whether to use their powers for good or evil; it has nothing to do with race or where you’re from.”

“Your right.”

“I know.

“Wanna head back? We’ve been outside for ages, and I’m starting to get hungry,” Celia said.

I was about to respond when we heard a snap sound around us.

“Did you hear that?” I asked sceptically.

“Yeah, we should go,” she replied.

But as we went to leave, a group of three Demons stood in our path. They had deep scars etched into their skin, and the aura they gave off was alarming. They were old, a lot older than either of us and by the looks of them, they knew how to fight.

“Look at what we have here,” the one in front spoke.

“Cerberus, let’s go,” Celia said, pulling me backwards by my arm.

“I don’t think so,” another said.

“Celia, run back to the orphanage.”

“I am not leaving you,” she whispered.

“I can heal myself. You’re just a human. Leave now, get help!”

Celia took off running in the direction of the orphanage. I stood, ready to take on the Demons. I doubt I could do much; they were a lot older than me and more experienced. Most likely ex-soldiers.

“Trying to play hero, are we?” one spoke.

I noticed one was missing from the group. I tried to search for him but was distracted by a fist connecting with my cheek, sending me flying to the ground.

Then another…

And another…

Until all that surrounded me was blood, my face throbbing in a mixture of pain and numbness.

“No!!” a familiar cry exclaimed from the side.

Celia.

“We can’t have you telling on us,” one knelt beside me and warned.

Celia was thrashing around in the Demon’s arms, tears spilling down her face as her screams were concealed by his grubby hand.

“What should we do,” one spoke to the other two.

“Kill ’em and be quick with it. Someone might have heard us thanks to this filthy rat,” the one holding Celia spat.

Her eyes widened in horror.

I tried rolling to my side but was pushed back down by the Demon’s foot.

“I think we’ll start with the girl,” he said, then turned to face me, “And you. Demons like you make me sick. Fraternising with the enemy, humans who are nothing but dirt on the bottom of my boot. They should be worshipping us, not standing beside us! Just like the good ol’days, before that bitch of an Angel bewitched our King and became Queen.”

Celia was pushed against a tree, her eyes filled with terror, as the Demon tore at the sleeve of her dress.

“We don’t have time!” one shouted.

“I have time for a little taste,” the one holding Celia responded, licking her face from neck to temple and making her cower in fear.

“We’ll head to a brothel after. Just kill her will you!”

“No!” I shouted, slowly finding the strength to kneel on the ground.

One Demon backhanded me in the face, sending me crashing back to the ground. Celia spat on the Demon holding her by the throat.

“Filthy rat!” he shouted as his hand came down on her cheek.

The Demon’s hand around her throat tightened. Her eyes bulged, hysteria swimming in her innocent eyes.

I stood, readying to run towards her until an arm forced me back, and another went over my mouth to drown out my screams for help. He made me watch as I saw the life in Celia’s eyes fade.

Her last words were strained and barely audible, but I heard them.

“Help me,” were the last words she said, and I couldn’t do a thing…

I was helpless…

Completely useless…

She begged me for help, and yet I couldn’t do the last thing she asked of me.

The Demon released me just as the other dropped her body to the ground.

“He’s next,” another said and then approached me.

Celia’s innocent, big brown eyes were staring straight at me, unblinking. She didn’t deserve this. She was the gentlest soul I had ever met.

I am sick of people like them snuffing out the only good in the world and getting away with it.

As I looked at Celia one last time, I heard the same words ring in my head on repeat…

‘Help me’

“I’m sorry,” I whispered as a single tear filtered down my cheek.

The Demon came at me, his hand wrung around my throat in a vice. I could feel my body go limp as my vision blurred.

Then I felt it…

I felt my Demon…

A deep-rooted fire boiled from the inside out. My fists shook in anger, and my vision sharpened.

The Demon holding me released me, his eyes full of terror, as he backed towards the other two.

“What is wrong with him?!

“H…His eyes!” another pointed a shaky finger my way and shouted.

The last thing I remember was my anger spiralling out of control. Those innocent brown orbs were the final straw to finally set me over the edge.

Black mist formed around me as though a tornado had sucked me into its deadly torrents.

The first time my Demon took complete and utter control. I only wanted to kill and destroy, watch as the Demons burned and writhed in pain before making them die a slow and suffering death.

“Where do you think you’re going,” I spoke in a voice not my own as one of them tried to escape.

I focussed on imagining the worst pain imaginable inflicted upon him.

I watched in fascination as my wish came to fruition. He crumpled to the ground on his knees and cried in agony as a whisp of smoke encircled him.

He clawed at his skin as though he could grab hold and toss it aside; but he couldn’t. Not this. I never even knew I possessed such an ability, but I knew what it was.

The other two ran in fear but stopped as a cloud of black smoke surrounded them.

Their eyes bulged and darkened. Their faces contorted into a terror I never knew existed, and I watched with a satisfied smile as they clawed at their heads for any sort of relief.

I looked over at Celia, her arm extended towards me as though asking for my hand.

I knelt, closed her eyelids, allowing her to rest, then scooped her in my arms and headed back towards the orphanage.

This was the day my life forever changed.

The only light in my heart was snuffed out.

My Demon took dominion to shield me from feeling pain like that again and to protect me from others like them.

Only with it came a numbing sensation.

My humanity snuffed out.

And I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get it back.

Present time

I woke startled, dripping in perspiration.

Allegra stirred from beneath me.

I slowly moved her tangled arms and quietly walked towards the bathroom.

I headed towards the sink, splashing my face with freezing cold water to wake me from my nightmare.

That fateful night, I unlocked the ability of Divine light.

Only it wasn’t light; it was darkness.

Divine Darkness…

The divine light my mother possessed, I did too, only a little different.

It would make the affected insane instead of feeling their flesh burn from the inside out. My victims would envision their worst nightmares and eventually die from insanity or end their own miserable lives.

It was the worst torture imaginable that ultimately resulted in death.

I haven’t used it since that night, nor do I intend to. It’s too dangerous. I don’t know how to control it, so utilising it could harm people I care about.

Since that night, Celia has haunted my memories, forever watching my every move.

The Demon’s bodies were found not too far from where Celia was killed. They either killed themselves or died from shock.

When my parents found out, they kept it quiet. They told everyone that the Demons were executed for treason because they feared what others might do if they learned of my newfound ability.

It has been harder to control my Demon side since then. Sometimes, I go months without feeling my Angel.

That was until Allegra.

She reminds me of Celia.

She asked me for help, and my Angel could not ignore her heartfelt plea.

So I will help her, even if it kills me.

This is how I atone for my sins, one of the first steps of many.