Deathslayer: A Return to Damnation

Chapter Sixteen - A reflection

Celia stumbled into her apartment and slung Vladmyr over the bed in a panicked state. She quickly ran to her workbench and found the gauze, wrapping it around the wound on his hand. "I don't have a cloth-" she started, but the Vladmyr put one hand on hers. "My bag, it's two apartments down from yours. That's where I live. Go get it," he moved his hand and opened it to reveal a small key. She grabbed it and watched as his body fell limp. "Vladmyr? Vladmyr!" she shouted. Celia ran down the hall and jammed the key into the door, turning it quickly to reveal a barren room minus a desk, a chair, and a bag sitting on the desk. She quickly grabbed the bag and ran back to her room. She reached in and pulled out some herbs, she ran to her kitchen and ground them up quickly. "Water, you have to put them in water," Vladmyr moaned weakly. "Add pepper for effectiveness-" he croaked out. Celia quickly followed his instructions and watched as the water turned a beautiful shade of gold. She quickly ran to Vladmyr and prepared to pour the concoction down his throat. She slowly peeled up his mask and she saw why he didn't want her seeing his face before. Half of his face looked like that of a normal human being while the other half seemed to droop, almost melted. The flesh where his lips and cheek should be were missing leaving only raw muscle and teeth. He swallowed half heartedly and then laid there, lifeless. She stood there for a moment, concerned, and then she went to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Locking it and looking in the mirror.

"What are you doing Celia?" she asked herself. She began pacing around the bathroom, holding her head back and panting like a maniac. "He was going to marry you, you were his world and he's dead, fucking dead!" then she stopped and looked in the mirror. "You can't worry about Belfrick anymore,  it's only you left," Her reflection stared back at her. "He's a monster," she began pacing back and forth again. "You don't know what he is," she stopped in front of the mirror. "Well of course he's a monster didn't you see his face? and the way he runs around at night-" she began pacing again. "Have you seen your face, you're not stunning either," she heard a voice say. She quickly looked around the room, then the mirror caught her attention. "I'm not a monster," she said to the mirror. The reflection spoke back, "That's what you've been telling yourself but you just doomed the whole damn city. I think that's about s bad as any monster has done," her reflection giggled. She stepped back, startled by her reflection. "Then again what kind of monster would make someone love them then say no to marrying them after they're dead. Maybe you are just a human, just a mistake riddled human that can never truly love anyone," The reflection crawled out of the mirror and began approaching here. "St- Stop- I'm scared-" The real Celia choked out. "You're goddamn right you should be scared, things are in motion now. Things that you can't stop, but I can," Her reflection got all up in her face before the lights flickered and the bathroom door opened. It was Vladmyr with his mask on.

"We need to talk about today," He told her. She nodded and shot up from the bathroom floor, still slightly shook, and plopped down on the couch. He sat down next to her, taking off his cape and draping it over himself like a blanket. "Do you mind if I-" he started but Celia cut him off nervously. "Spend the night? oh sure no big deal I mean no I don't mind I mean-" she began to ramble. Vladmyr chuckled nervously, "Actually I was going to ask if I could turn on the watchbox but I can do that too I suppose. I shouldn't go out after all of that anyways, it wouldn't be good for me or safe for those who I've tried so hard to save," Vladmyr made himself comfortable before talking about what he needed to say. "We need to talk about the fire," he told her. "The sorcerers can probably contain it for a while but I don't know if they'll be able to extinguish it, why'd you do it?" Vladmyr asked her.

"I lost my tempter," she explained with a shrug before she pulled her knees up onto the couch and wrapped her arms around them. "If you're going to go out there, to do like I do and save people, you can't afford to do that. We don't know how many people who don't have all seven sins on their belt will die because of the fire-" Vladmyr told her. She shrugged and looked to the side. That's when they got a knock on the door. She shot up and walked over to it, peeking through the peephole to see the huge bulking figure of Styrkar there. She quickly backed away from the door as it fell over. "I wasn't done with you yet," Styrkar told them menacingly. 

Celia tried to punch him but ended up hurting her hand. Styrkar pushed her to the side and walked towards her workbench. "This is where you built the device?" Styrkar asked her. She shrugged meekly as Vladmyr stood up and charged towards Styrkar with his sickle raised. Styrkar grabbed the sickle and snapped it in two with a large red sizzle. "Try again, I want you to," Styrkar taunted. Vladmyr backed off. Styrkar turned to Celia, "I need your help," he told her.  "I need to get into Prok manor," Styrkar continued. Celia's jaw dropped, "Wait why do you want my help with that?" she asked. Styrkar pointed towards the workbench, "You've proved your skill in the field and with making things, and for my plan to work I need a thing or two," Styrkar explained. She stood there silently before Vladmyr walked out from behind Styrkar. "Don't do it Celia, all he's going to do is kill more innocent people," Vladmyr protested. 

Celia thought for a few moments but then she gave Styrkar a nod. Vladmyr's arms fell to his sides as Styrkar nodded and handed her a scroll. "All the devices I need made, you handle it and I'll do the rest," Styrkar told her. He marched out the door and Vladmyr stared at her, confused and angry. "Why would you say yes to him?" Vladmyr shouted. "He wants to get into Prok manor and so do I, I may be able to find some good weapons in there, ones that won't destroy whole cities like my last one did!" she shot back. Vladmyr tried to think of a response but he just dove out the window and flew off, leaving her alone.