Nameless Ghoul

Oblivion

Itzal lay back and closed his eyes as a sense of peace washed over him. He realised that this could be it; in a few short moments, it could all be finally over.

No more having to deal with the soul-destroying guilt he felt daily over the sins that he had doled out and the lives he had taken for Santos. No more pain at the hands of the man he despised with every fibre of his being. No more worrying that his new-found friends and family - because that's what he realised they could be - would be hurt by the evil Satanic preacher.

He smiled once again, thinking of Santos’ momentary confusion when he felt Itzal die. He knew the preacher would not experience fear, more an all-consuming rage, that his pet had been taken from him, and that his life and his master plan were forfeit.

He hoped it would be painful for him. He wished it with all of his heart.

With Santos gone, everyone he had met since he came here would be safe from him, and he found peace in that.

Itzal scented Shay next to him, so he opened his eyes again and tried to focus on the old ghoul who looked down at him with kind eyes.

“Are you sure you are ready for this child?” he asked.

Itzal smiled. He was more than ready to end this and be free of Santos. His only regret would be that what could have been his last moments with Sunshine had been fraught with panic and fear. He hoped he would get to say goodbye to her as himself, and that she would want to see him for what could be the last time.

“Yes, I’m ready to be free,” he replied quietly.

His strength was waning. The mental battle to remain free of Santos’ hold was draining him, especially in his injured state. The wound on the back of his head was still bleeding, and he could smell the blood that must have matted his hair together.

Secondo and the witches approached, and he heard raised voices coming from the chapel doors. He turned his head to see, but his vision was still wonky, so he relied mostly on his sense of smell and his hearing. Sunshine, Omega and Alpha were walking down the aisle towards the altar, and Alpha was trying - and failing - to stop her from reaching him.

Shay and Secondo let her pass as she rushed to stand by his side. He could smell her tears and hear her frantic heartbeat. His heart was happy to have her near, his soul sighed in relief that she was here with him and he allowed himself a small prayer to the Dark Lord to ask that she be ok if this all went wrong and he couldn’t make it back.

“Leave her be,” said Secondo to the two ghouls.

Alpha was trying to grab her and persuade her to leave. He threw up his hands and cursed, then stormed off back out of the chapel. Omega sighed in resignation and stayed where he was.

Itzal felt soft fingers stroking his hair and he did his best to focus on Sunshine’s face as she kissed him on the forehead.

“I’m sorry,” he bit out, his voice breaking.

His teeth were chattering and he was shaking with the effort to stay himself, and he was so fucking cold.

“No, don’t say sorry. I know that wasn’t you. You warned me and I got to safety.”

He felt a tear escape his eye and it rolled down the side of his face. Sunshine grabbed his hand.

“If I don’t come back, know that you’ve made me happy. These past days here with you have been everything to me. You are everything. It was all worth it just for those few days.”

She closed her eyes and a sob escaped her, her tears falling unrestrained now.

“It’s time Sunshine. We have to do it now as midnight approaches. We need to wait thirteen hours until Papa can attempt to bring his soul back.”

She nodded and stepped up to the top end of the altar. Secondo moved to the side of him and smiled down.

“We will do everything within our power to bring you back. Whatever it takes. Are you ready?”

He nodded gently, uncaring now of the pain in his skull. Sunshine was by his head, stroking his hair gently as she cried silent tears and he gazed up at her.

Itzal didn’t look down and he didn’t flinch as he felt Secondo slice the blade up his left wrist, and Shay do the same to his right. He kept on looking at Sunshine.

They placed his hands over two large glass jars. As his lifeblood ran from his body, he inwardly laughed as he thought that this could be the last time that the cold ever bothered him. He heard Sunshine whispering softly as she lowered her lips to his ear.

“You fight to get back to me, Itzal! I will never forgive you if you leave me here on my own!”

His vision turned even fuzzier, and an echo of a buzz started ringing in his ears.

He heard Omega off in the distance trying to comfort her.

“I will stand vigil with you for him until Papa brings him back, okay?”

Itzal was glad that the quintessence ghoul would be there with her.

He didn’t hear her reply, however, because just then this world disappeared and everything faded to a soft, quiet grey.

The blurry image of Sunshine’s beautiful face was the last thing Itzal saw before he succumbed to oblivion.