Seraph Of Death

Chapter 17: Dreams and Darkness

††

Halle's pov:

My mind drifted into a deep slumber, the world around me dissolving into a murky haze. In this strange subconscious state, shadows loomed, pressing in on me from all sides.

Fear gripped my heart, though I couldn't what I was so afraid of. Before I had time to comprehend anything, through the swirling fog, a figure emerged, cutting through the darkness like a beacon.

It was a man, and he was mesmerizing. His presence so soft and gentle but I could see a whole other world in his eyes. Those damn eyes, a stunning shade of teal, locked onto mine, filled with an intensity that set my whole body on fire.

He stood tall, with broad shoulders and dark hair that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. There was an air of familiarity around him, like I had seen him before, even though i couldn't place him.

I felt myself in some indefinable danger, my mind unable to grasp its shape. But he was here, like a protector in the most of chaos.

"You'll be fine, darling." he said, his deep voice like a soothing balm to my soul.

Relief washed over me, but it was fleeting.

Panic surged through my veins as he knelt before me. Questions flooded my mind, desperate and insistent.

He paused, his eyes reflecting a deep, poignant sorrow. "You've seen so much you shouldn't have. Your mind must be racing with questions," he said softly, his words laden with regret.
"Forget everything."

Before I could ask why, he leaned in...and kissed me. The kiss was soft and ethereal, like the caress of a gentle breeze or the touch of a delicate feather. It was a moment suspended in time, a tender connection that spoke volumes beyond words. The warmth of his lips against mine sent a shiver down my spine, leaving my heart with an indescribable longing.

Then as soon as he appeared, he vanished. The shadows retreated, and the dreamscape dissolved into light.

My heavy eyes opened with shock, my cold fingers instinctively brushing my lips, my mind trying to remind me of something.

Everything I tried to recall had slipped away, I could only remember going to sleep last night.

But, something felt off..

Tears welled up in my eyes as I continued to caress my lips. The ghost of a touch a bittersweet reminder of something lost.

I laid there, trying to piece together fragments of my memory, when the bedroom door creaked open. My aunt Lois rushed in, her face a mixture of relief and exasperation. "Oh, thank God you are awake!" Lois exclaimed, rushing to my bedside and enveloping me in a tight hug.

I felt the love and warmth in my aunt's embrace, but my confusion was overwhelming. "Aunt Lois," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, "What happened?"

Lois pulled back slightly, her eyes scanning my face with a mix of concern and frustration. " Do you have any idea how worried we were? You've been gone for two days, Halle! Two whole days! We had no idea where you were. I was out of my mind with worry."

Guilty washed over me, mingling with confusion. "I'm sorry," I replied, though I didn't fully understand what I was apologizing for. The last clear memory I had was going to bed.

Lois sighed, her face softening as she brushed a strand of hair from my face. "I'm just glad you're okay. I had even started posting fliers you know, Bunny and I put them up everywhere. We reported you missing to the police too."

"Bunny?" I asked, the name sparking a faint recognition.

"Yes, Bunny," Lois replied, a small smile playing on her lips. " She's been restless since your disappearance, but she's in the kitchen now, cooking up a storm for you. She wanted to make sure you had a good meal when you woke up."

As if on cue, the smell of something delicious wafted into the room, stirring a faint hunger in me. Despite my confusion and the emptiness in my mind, I felt a sense of comfort and gratitude for my aunt and friend.

"I don't remember much," I admitted, my voice tinged with worry. Everything feels so blurred...but I had this dream," i trailed off.

Was it even a dream?. It felt real...I can't even grasp what it was or who I saw..

Lois squeezed my hand gently. "It's okay, Halle. You got your head hit badly and had a concussion. You don't really remember anything that has happened but that is okay. Just rest for now and forget about everything. The important thing is you are safe now."

At that moment, Bunny appeared in the doorway, a tray laden with steaming bowls and plates in her hands. Her face lit up immediately she saw me. " Hey, sleepyhead," Bunny said with a soft chuckle, though her eyes were red-rimmed with worry. "I made you some of your favorite soup. Thought you might need it."

I managed a weak smile,"Thanks, Bunny."

Bunny set the tray down on the bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed. " You gave us quite a scare," her voice thick with emotion. "But you are back now, and that's all that matters."

As I took the first spoonful of soup, I felt another wave of comfort wash over me. Despite the gaps in my memory and the lingering confusion, I knew i wasn't alone.

††**††

Deep in the Underworld..

As Azron and a dwarf demon, Cody, approached the foreboding door to the darker part of Seragg, the whispers of the demons around them seemed to morph into sinister hisses, their eyes glowing into eerie malevolence. It was as if the very air itself cracked with anticipation, a palpable sense of dread hanging heavy in the air.

Baal, a towering demon guarding the entrance, loomed like a specter of doom, his presence casting a long shadow over the corridor. His voice was like a rumble of distant thunder, echoing through the dark recesses of the underworld.

"Halt," he bellowed, the word carrying the weight of centuries of malice and scorn.

Azron, undeterred by the ominous aura that surrounded them, squared his shoulders and met Baal's gaze with a steely determination. " We seek passage," he declared, his voice cutting through the oppressive silence like a blade. "We come to negotiate."

Baal's laughter echoed off the walls, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Cody's spine. "Negotiate?" he sneered, his eyes narrowing into slits of contempt. "What could you possibly have to offer, Azron. You, who have been cast out and forsaken by your own father."

Cody felt a cold sweat break out of his brow as he stood shakily behind Azron, the weight if their precarious situation pressing down in him like an heavy blanket. The whispers of the demons around them grew louder, their words twisting and writhing like serpents in the darkness.

But Azron still remained unfazed.

"I may have lost my title and status," he admitted, his voice low and steady, "but I still hold sway over powers that even you cannot comprehend."

Baal's eyes flashed with a dangerous light, his skepticism giving way to curiosity.
"And what, pray tell, do you think you can offer Satan?" he demanded, his voice dripping with disdain.

Azron's lips curled into a sinister smile, a glimmer of something dark and terrible dancing in his eyes.

"Something that he desires above all else," he replied cryptically, his words hanging in the air like a curse.

With a reluctant nod, Baal stepped aside, allowing Azron and Cody to pass through the ominous doorway and into the abyss beyond. As they ventured into the darkness, Cody couldn't shake the feeling that they were treading on thin ice, their fate hanging precariously in the balance.
But he knew that with Azron leading the way, they stood a chance, no matter how slim, emerging from the depths of Seragg victorious.