Book 2: Seven Demon's Hearts

Episode 77: Recollections

Episode 77: R e c o l l e c t i o n s

"Dalia." Natella stood in front of the cell, looking at the figure buried in the shadows. 

"Go away."

"Dalia, please," Natella begged, gripping the bars tightly. "I just want to talk with you, please." Her voice cracked. She hadn't sounded this desperate for a long time, and it even reached Dalia's ears. Natella wasn't doing well. She was pleading for help.

"What's wrong?" Dalia stood up, walking out of the shadows to approach the bars. Natella's brows lifted up in surprise, staring at her bloody torso. Being receptive, Dalia covered her chest and sighed, looking down to her feet. "I don't even have a heart and yet I'm still existing and breathing. I must be some sort of monster, right?" She cracked a sad smile.

"No, Dalia," Natella sniffled back her tears, reaching her hand out through the gap, "you're fine. I mean, look at me," she chuckled, "I'm literally a dead corpse."

Dalia stared down at her outreached hand, contemplating before she took the offer and held it. As soon as she did, they both fell into a laughing fit. 

"Our fates are so strange, aren't they?" Natella sighed, gripping Dalia's hand tightly. 

"Yeah. We always managed to get ourselves into trouble, didn't we? We weren't called a disaster duo for nothing back then." Dalia smiled to herself, recalling the past.

"Would you...would you like to go back to those days?"

"I don't think I can anymore, love."

"Oh, Dalia." Natella huffed, staring back into the girl's sad gaze. "You always look so sad."

Her eyes widened back at the girl's words. "Huh, I must look miserable. Everyone manages to tell me that. I don't know. I think I look pretty happy, I guess."

"I wish I could give you a hug." 

"These stupid bars...hey love! How about you find a way to let me out of here?" Dalia tightly clenched Natella's hands. "I can barely do anything now that the source of my Magik is in that demon's hands. I'm practically powerless. But they still locked me up in here! I mean, what harm could I really do at this point, seriously!" 

Natella looked back at her desperate face, contemplating. 

"Don't fall for her crafty tactics." 

Natella gasped, turning around to look at Jimin. 

"Well, why can't you just let her out among us? I mean, aren't you the one in control?" Natella argued. She wasn't quite fond of the other twin after all.

"Don't you realize it yet?" Jimin scoffed. "She's even stooping so low as to use a dear friend to get what she wants. In the end, it's all about her. Don't you get it? Dalia's always in control."

Dalia let go of Natella's hand as the girl lowered a sad, but knowing gaze. "So what," Natella mumbled. "So what if she uses me? If that's the only way I can make her happy, then that's all I'd want. I'd even give up my li--"

"Shut up!" Dalia surprisingly screamed back before Jimin could respond. "You bloody fool!" She gripped the iron gates, angrily scolding Natella. "This is exactly why," she scoffed, "this is exactly why I left you. You always go on and on about happiness and trying to please everyone except for yourself! What the hell were you even doing this whole time?! To think after six hundred years you're still the same stupid Natella! How truly pathetic!!"

"D-Dalia." Natella looked back at the enraged girl with a hurtful gaze. 

"Enough!" She let go of the bars and turned around, heading back into the shadows.