Against the Gods

12. My Hallucinations Hate Me

^^ Nyx

Nyx's POV

I have no idea how long Eve has been away. Has it been hours or days?

My head feels fuzzy, and I feel like I'm burning up. Every nerve in my body is screaming with pain. It must be light energy reacting badly with the dark energy in my body.

I start coughing again, and blood comes up. I see it stain the white pillow underneath me. Suddenly, the stain transforms into a swarm of butterflies that fly up toward the ceiling before disappearing.

Part of my mind knows I'm hallucinating, but the other part just doesn't care.

I drift asleep exhaustion overcoming me.

When I wake up, there is a hand stroking my forehead. 

Their face is blurry at first, but I recognize the cold smile and dead, blue shark-like eyes looking down on me. He has long, light blue hair and a sharp nose. I flinch out of the way.

"Poor brother. It looks like you're going to die soon," he says still smiling, "My only regret is that I don't get to see this."

"Stop... stop it. I'm not going to die," I respond weakly. Even I'm a little shocked by how weak my voice has become.

"You and I both know that isn't true. Stop fighting it," he tells me in calm voice.

"No, I need to stay strong," I mutter.

"You know who else was pretty strong?" he says. " Daddy was strong. He's dead just like you'll be."

"You... you're the one... the one who killed him," I reply. 

He laughs, "Who will actually believe you? Everybody hates you. In fact, if it wasn't for me, they would have executed you. But, I guess it hardly matters now," he observes.

He wraps his hands around my neck to strangle me. At this point I'm too weak to fight it, and a large part of me gives up, wishing for the sweet release of death.

But no, I have to stay alive for something.

What was it again? 

Eve! I have to fight for Eve. 

I had vowed to dedicate my life to her. I can't die now.

His face morphs again. In his place, is a blue haired woman with the same cold blue eyes and sharp noise. Her red lips crack into a smile reminding me of a wolf bearing its fangs. My stomach twists in disgust.

"You look terrible, Crown Prince," she says, "Although I shouldn't be calling you that anymore. I wonder, is it going to be as fun watching the life drain from your eyes as it was when my pathetic husband died?"

"Why?!?!" I cry out, "Why did you have to kill him?!?!"

She frowns, "Don't pretend you weren't a little happy when he died. You were just too weak to do it yourself," she spits out.

"No, that's not true!" I shout, and blast fire at her. She bursts into a cloud of butterflies.

I start hacking up more blood. The red streaks have spread again. It looks like I shouldn't be using magic.

"Shhh," says a soft, comforting voice petting my hair.

I look up, and see a girl with bright red eyes like two jewels. She has pink lips the color of a cherry blossom petal. Her silver hair shines under the light coming from the window, making her look angelic. She smells faintly of roses, and is wearing a white, flowy dress with a ribbon on the front of it.