The Demon Prince's Possession

Cerberus

After a 15-minute walk of silence, we finally breached the forest’s edge. The large, brown and orange brick building came into view. A building that held too many haunting memories.

“He can go on his own; we need to leave,” I commanded.

“We walked all the way here. I will at least make sure he gets through those doors,” she responded, ignoring me and heading towards the doors.

I was about to stop her until a familiar voice called out to me.

“Cerberus? Is that you?” Adalie, one of my mother’s few trustworthy friends and a regular volunteer at the orphanage, spoke from the entrance.

“It is you!” she gasped.

Her husband, Raph, stood beside her, holding what seemed to be boxes of clothes she was donating for the winter like she did every year.

I could really do without the small talk, but Allegra had now focused her attention on Adalie and Raph.

“Joey, what happened?” Adalie spoke softly, worry in her voice.

“He was lost, so we decided to help him find his way home,” Allegra replied.

Adalie smiled softly before ushering Joey inside with the mention of supper.

“Thank you…”

“Allegra.”

“Thank you, Allegra,” Adalie reiterated.

Raph placed the boxes on the ground as the trio walked towards me.

“Cerberus, it’s good to see you. How have you been?” Adalie asked, almost unsure whether I could be trusted around the orphanage.

I would never harm children, but my rash tendencies and title of Dark Angel didn’t exactly make me the epitome of kindness and control.

“Good, we need to go,” I turned to Allegra.

“It would be rude to leave now, especially since we’ve just been invited for supper,” Allegra smiled widely.

“Oh no, it’s okay,” Adalie stuttered.

“We need to head off anyway. Just dropping off a few extra clothes the children might need for winter,” Raph said, breaking the tension.

Just then, a few of the younger orphans exited a detached part of the orphanage and headed towards the main entrance.

One of the orphans instantly caught my attention. She had bright blonde hair, the colour of spinning gold. I couldn’t see her face, but even her height was almost identical to the one who still haunts my memories to this day.

My chest restricted, my breathing quickened, and my mind honed out all other sounds around me. I peered up at the window that used to belong to Celia, the one where she would always sit on the edge, reading a book, as her legs swung off the edge.

Memories of her running through the forest, her infectious laughter almost melodic to my ears, followed by her deathly screams begging me to help and her lifeless body staring at me.

I hadn’t realised my eyes were locked shut until a voice brought me back to reality.

“Cerberus!” Allegra called harshly, worry evident in her voice, as she held my hands in a vice grip, yelling my name.

I tried to pull away, not liking her effect on me, even with a simple touch. But she fought and tugged my hands closer to her chest.

I saw Adalie say something to Allegra and then retreat with Raph; I didn’t know what she said as my hearing was still trying to recover.

“Cerberus,” Allegra spoke softly. “What happened?”

I could see the sorrow in her eyes and the uncontained worry as she waited for an answer. Those soft, refined, sapphire blue eyes drew me in until something in me changed.

Golden irises reflected in her glossy eyes as my Angel took control and resurfaced.

This is one reason why my Demon was so afraid of letting go; he was scared of what the memories of that night would do to me. It could send me on a never-ending spiral, one which could be destructive and fatal to innocent people around me.

But seeing Allegra so afraid pulled my Angel to the surface. Having Allegra with me, it wasn’t anger I felt when I thought of Celia; it was regret and worthlessness, sadness and grief.

I realised I hadn’t truly gotten over what happened that night. My Demon buried the memories and feelings deep inside me, trying to protect me.

“Talk to me, Cerberus, please,” Allegra beseeched.

I turned my head but was instantly put back into place as her soft hand landed on the sides of my face.

“Please,” she whispered almost painfully.

I held her wrists, slowly pulling them from my face.

I wanted to tell her; I wanted to trust her; Allegra had that much of an effect on me, just like Celia did.

“I lost someone a long time ago. She lived here, at this orphanage.

“We were attacked in the woods a few years ago by rogue Demons who didn’t agree with the new ways of life. They killed her and made me watch as they did it. Something in me snapped, unleashing my Demon. I hadn’t let him out much; he scared me back then, so I didn’t have any control when he took over. He killed the ones who murdered Celia slowly and painfully, and he relished in their pain.

“Since then, my Demon hadn’t let my Angel take control. Part of him is afraid I will break; the other part of him is afraid of me being hurt. I was weak and useless that night. My Demon side has kept my guard up, so any threat is instantly eliminated. He thinks if I am revered, then no one would dare try to harm me.”

“I’m sorry,” Allegra said barely in a whisper.

“Aside from my parents, she was the only person who made me feel normal. She never steered clear from me; she wasn’t afraid of me or looking to use me for my powers like everyone else.

“I had enemies since the moment I was born, enemies that would do anything to try and capture the being who should never have been born.”

“Why would they try and kill you?”

“For power, for glory, in fear…

“Celia accepted me for who I was. She gave me a sense of belonging. Then she was taken from me. She didn’t deserve to die, not like that.

“Then I met you, and for some reason, you never shied away from me. You treated me as an equal, just like she did. I guess some part of me was reminded of Celia. I think that is why my Angel reacts the way he does towards you.”

“Celia’s death was not your fault, Cerberus. She wouldn’t want you blaming yourself or, worse, living a life where you see everyone as the enemy. There are people who care about you, people who want to help.

“Let them, Let me…” her eyes shone bright and bold, full of hope.

“Before you, I lived a life of anger and loathing. My bitterness gained me the title ‘The Dark Angel’, casting me even further from society. I lived up to my name, Allegra, and I did it well. My strength grew day by day until even my own parents, the most powerful beings in the world, feared that one day they wouldn’t be able to contain my destructive power.

“I have done bad things, things my parents don’t even know about, all for the sake of revenge and justice.”

“That is in the past. You were hurt in one of the worst ways possible. But I can see you want to change.” She stepped forward, placing her palm on my chest, “Your Angel is fighting for you, so fight with him.”

We stayed silent, staring into each other’s gazes until Allegra leaned further towards me. Her eyes travelled towards my lips; her breathing grew more profound.

I wanted to taste her; I wanted to hold her.

Yes, she reminded me of Celia, but it wasn’t that. Allegra had a fight in her that I admired. The obstacles in the way never changed who she was. She was true to herself; no matter how often she was beaten down, she always got back up.

I secretly admired that strength, a strength I didn’t have.

I wanted her but couldn’t have her; I shouldn’t.

I could hurt her. My Demon was still dangerous, even to her.

I broke the silence just as her lip brushed against mine, “We should get back.”

She stepped back, hands to her sides as a gentle blush settled over her cheeks.

“Y…Yeah, it’s getting late,” she said, nervously shuffling a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Viora

I teleported into the palace. I tried not to teleport too often; it drained a lot of my energy, but I had made Grace wait long enough.

But something didn’t feel right. I could sense something was in the palace, or at least was here. I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly, but it’s an energy that seems to be masked with a bind.

“Viora! You came!” Grace engulfed me in a long, throttling hug, knocking me from my thoughts.

“Sorry I came so late; I had something I needed to take care of.”

I never did manage to locate her, the one that broke from my curse; anything I tried came to a dead end.

“You’re here now.”

“I did say, if you ever need my help, I will always find you. I intend to keep my promise to your parents for as long as I live.”

“What was it you needed to take care of? I can help if you need me,” she said.

“Someone got out of a place they should never have been able to escape from,” I replied.

“Are they dangerous?” she asked earnestly.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” I smiled reassuringly.

“You are the strongest seer alive; no one can out-best you,” she replied.

Grace chuckled briefly, “It’s supposedly a good thing you don’t have offspring, Viora. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want to think of what they could be capable of.”

I let out a nervous laugh. She wasn’t wrong - it was likely that Cerberus would eventually surpass both Grace and Damien’s power combined. Typically, each generation is stronger than the previous one, especially if either or both parents possess incredible abilities.

As we walked down the overly lengthy hall, a door opened and in walked Cerberus, looking more grown than I had seen him before. It had been years since I last saw him. But something about him seemed different.

Even from a distance, I could see his golden eyes shining like a blinding light beam. I stopped in my tracks, lost for words. Cerberus lost control of his Demon years ago after the accident. I tried to help push his Demonic side back into submission, but nothing I was able to do was a permanent fix and only made things worse. His Demon was just too strong to conceal, so what changed?

Before I could ask Grace, another person, a woman, walked in.

I couldn’t see much from this far away besides her lengthy black hair that seemed to shine an unnatural hue of midnight blue.

Then her sharp, almond-shaped eyes glanced in our direction. As they did, her head unnoticeably cocked to the side, her eyes squinted then pain befell her features.

She buckled to the floor, her hands clawing at her head as she screamed just before passing out.

I followed Grace as she ran forward.

Cerberus had her in his arms.

“What happened!” Grace questioned, moving the fallen hair from around the collapsed woman’s face.

Then I gasped.

No!

It can’t be…

I didn’t catch what Cerberus said as I was too stunned.

“I’ll get Calcus,” Grace hurriedly said, then ran off as Cerberus took her away.

All I could do was stare in horror at the empty space Cerberus stood with her in his arms moments ago.

She was the one I had been looking for.

She was here all along.

They had no idea what she was capable of.

I have to do something; otherwise, she will be the one to bring Cerberus to his fateful end…

And the one to end it all…