C'thelli's Demonic Orphanage

30

When Feimo fell all hell broke loose. At first C'thelli couldn't understand why his warm hands were pushing her away. But then the sword had replaced her. Her sword, dripping red and jutting out of him. The smell of blood was overwhelming, and everything went numb. The only noise her ears could hear was his failing voice. His smile dropped, and his body followed, crumpling into her arms.

All around her the scene was abuzz. Reaper's yelled and struggled to apprehend Dom, Auster and Grim, flanked by the girls were demanding to know what was going on, and her disbelief converted into a stone hearted anger. 

Rising from her resting friend, a dozen vines and plants broke through the church's floor and tangled around the vampire, clinching his legs and arms and bringing him to ground like a stuck pig. He even sweated like one. Hanley, out of everyone, was the only one who hadn't moved from his position over the church. He didn't see the death of his friend. He was lucky.

Her dagger burned bright, her breaths laboured, and nobody could stop her from doing what had to be done. Someone cried out the demon's name, it was like a stab in the back that made her hiss. A reaper tried to keep her away, but no amount of death's chilling touch could smoulder the flames in her heart. A grip and a twist of  the ghoul's wrist brought the zombie to her knees and out of the way. She reached the end of the aisle  and stopped. The vampire knelt before her, struggling against the unwavering vines that constricted round his wrists.

As if noticing her for the first time, his eyes refocused, his efforts ceased, and his head bowed in defeat. Death was waiting for him, and she would gladly deliver him unto him. With her blade rising in the air, a firm hand grabbed her wrist. 

"C'thelli stop!" It was Auster. The peeling skin on his face was agape with worry.

"And why should I? Look what he's done... to Feimo. He can't live. I refuse." The devil's voice broke, shattered into a cacophony of choking gasps. She couldn't control herself, not like this. It was easier to be silent.

"Be as it may, he is still a clergyman of the church. Without proper excommunication, he'll just go straight to heaven. Please, put your faith in the system. Hell penitentiary is supposed to be pretty warm this time of year."

As if it wasn't warm enough, a thick root broke through the stone and punched a hole in the ceiling above their heads. For the first time today, no rain poured on their heads. Instead, sunlight streamed in radiant bolts of heat with a bone to pick with the priest. They attacked him, nipping at his ankles and slowly turning his skin to stone. 

Dom screamed in agony, and while the devil thought he deserved it, her surprise turned her attention to behind. Hanley was no longer looking down on them from the opening. No, instead he had shrunk back to his original form and stood over Feimo's corpse, frozen with a cocktail of emotions.

"Look, is this what you want for these children? To be as cruel as he?" Auster whispered into her ear as Dom writhed in pain.

Her breath hitched in her throat and her heart pounded with misery. Another vine smashed through and welcomed the additional light with open arms. No, this wasn't what she wanted. Nor would Feimo. They were supposed to do the hard things so the children wouldn't have to. Without even realising it, her trembling hand trailed up to her chest and squeezed the cross that hung from her neck.

Her eyes stung and her lip quivered. She tried to speak, but her throat was too dry, too tight for anything but a squeak. An understanding nod from the ghoul reassured her. Dom would go to prison, spend an eternity in Hell, and hopefully never see the light of day again. With a dash, she crossed the chamber, and swooped Hanley into her arms. 

He kicked and screamed, but like Feimo when she needed him most, she didn't leave. She didn't let go. Not when his struggling ceased, nor when his cries of hurt hollowed into convulsing sobs and hiccups. Not even when the Reaper's cleared out, and they were alone.