My Demons

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Silas squirmed against the rope, but it didn't budge. He slammed his back against the tree in anger. How could Tess have done something like this to him?  She seemed so upset when she had left him. She said she had seen the future. It obviously wasn't good. His head hurt from where Tess had hit him with a spear, he didn't understand why. Silas looked around, Tess had left his sword just out of reach, and he vainly tried to reach for it with his foot. He froze as he heard a branch crack,
"Who's there?!" Silas growled. A demon stepped out of the shadows. Silas cursed. Good, he was tied to a tree and now was an easy target,
"Akbar said you would be here," The demon growled. Silas arched his back, fighting against the ropes. They burned his skin. Tess had put a spell on them,
"Akbar seems to know a lot these days," Silas answered. The demon cackled and pulled out a dagger. Silas cringed, this was a cowards death. His brothers and sisters were out dying on the battle field while Silas coward before a demon. Silas pulled against his restraints as the demon swung his dagger through the air. To his surprise the ropes seemed to dissolve and Silas rolled, avoiding the deadly dagger. He grabbed his sword and unsheathed it as the demon let out an angry hiss. Silas thrust his sword into the demon. It gagged and fell to the ground. Silas stood up, sighing in relief. He sheathed his sword and spread out his wings. He shot toward the battle field, his thoughts focused on Tess. He needed to see her. He needed to know she was alive.

~

Silas arrived at the battle field and plunged into the fray. He fought, all the while looking for Tess. Eventually he spotted her. She was looking across the field. Silas followed her gaze and saw that it was locked with Akbar's. Akbar smirked at Silas.
I knew you would come. He invaded Silas's thoughts.
Now you can watch your love die. Silas pushed him out. He watched in horror as Tess charged at Akbar. Silas's gaze switched to the left as he saw a figure rushing towards Akbar. Silas realized it was Christian. Akbar whirled, locking blades with Tess's father. Silas watched as they fought. Silas could see the anger in Tess's fathers eyes as he fought Akbar. Silas realized Christian wasn't just fighting for the good of the army. He was fighting for Tess. Christian lunged and his blade cut Akbar's leg. Akbar grinned and raised his hand, it looked like he was gripping something invisible. Christian dropped his blade and struggled against the invisible hand that was choking him. Akbar stepped forward, grabbing Christian's shoulder as Christian dangled helplessly in front of him. He picked up his dagger and thrust it into Tess's fathers chest. Silas was nauseous as Christian gagged, his eyes stretched with horror. Akbar let go of Christian, letting his body fall to the ground, a gleam of satisfaction could be seen in his black eyes,
"DAD!" Tess's scream split through air.

~

Tess screamed as her father's body crumpled to the ground. She charged toward him, slashing through any demon that stepped in her way. She raced to her father side, dropping her sword as she reached him,
"Daddy!" She cried, holding his head in her hands. Christian looked up at her. He grabbed her arm before holding her hand,
"It's okay," He said. Tess sobbed holding his hand to her chest,
"It'll be okay, daddy," She whispered. Her father shook his head weakly,
"Take care of your mother," Tess kissed his hand,
"Daddy, it'll be okay. Just stay awake," She pleaded. Christian coughed and blood spread across his mouth,
"Tessie, my beautiful Tessie," Tess sobbed,
"Don't leave me, daddy," She pleaded. Christian smiled softly,
"I love you so much," He whispered. Tess put her head on his chest,
"Don't leave me," Her tears poured down her face and onto his clothes,
"You have to win," His voice cracked and he began coughing. Tess sat up,
"No, dad, don't leave, I need you."
"I l-love you Tessie, I'm so sorry," His eyes drooped closed. His hand went limp in hers,
"No!" Tess's body shook,
"Dad come back!" She screamed. His dead body gave her no answer. Tess bent down and kissed his forehead,
"I love you too," Tess sensed movement and saw Silas standing across from her. His eyes reflected her pain. She didn't know how he got here, but it didn't matter now. Tess's father had altered the future she had seen. Tess stood up and turned. Akbar was standing feet away from her, his gaze icy, but smug,
"Hello Tess," He spoke from within Levi's body, but Tess knew that Levi was no longer in that body. Tess shook as her rage boiled over. She screamed and thrust her hand out. Akbar crashed backward with a thud. He slowly got up, acting as if the hit didn't faze him. He smiled,
"You think a small hit will hurt me?" He thrust both his hands forward and Tess's feet were ripped away from the ground. She flew backward, crashing into another body. Tess tumbled to her feet, feeling a little shaken, but not hurt,
"You killed my father," She hissed,
"You will pay with your own blood," She concentrated on her heat, her rage. Fire formed in her hand, and she shot it at Akbar. The demon seemed a bit surprised, but dodged her attack,
"I see Gabriel taught you how to summon the elements," Akbar said,
"But can you fight them?" He shot fire back at her. Tess braced herself and pushed the fire away from her face, the heat warmed her skin. She could feel the energy leave her as she countered the attack. Tess glared at him,
"Lumen!" The light shown away from her palm and Akbar stumbled, blinded. Tess readied another attack,
"Caliga!" Akbar shouted. Tess gasped as cold hit her her abdomen, it traveled up her skin, making it hard to think. Tess stumbled, feeling numb. She looked at Akbar, who was slowly standing up. He glared at her, hate and spite visible,
"You are foolish to take on a demon," He hissed. Fawn watched him, even angels didn't have his power. Akbar grinned,
"Did you believe all Seers were good?" Tess shouldn't have been surprised that her foe was a Seer, but somehow it was. She definitely needed to get rid of him. The ground began to tremble and Tess fought to keep her balance. She focused her mind on a sword lying on the ground, it slowly began quivering. With a yell, Tess shot it at Akbar and the shaking stopped as he dodged it. The blade scraped his shoulder just enough to draw blood. It was enough to enrage him though,
"I was once like you! Powerful, but niave! The angels make you weak. Join me and have unlimited power!" Tess glared at him,
"I will never join you!" She screamed as a wind whipped up around both her and Akbar,
"I see this fight cannot be decided on your knowledge of summoning your powers," Akbar smiled,
"How well can you protect your mind?" Tess put shields up immediately, but none of her training prepared her for the icy tide that swept through her brain. She was frozen in place as the darkness wound it's way to her memories. It picked up on her closest one, Silas. She tried to force out the darkness, but it persisted. Silas was there fighting against Akbar. He was protecting Tess as she lay on the ground bleeding. Tess knew what was going to happen before it did. Akbar slammed his knee into Silas's gut, and the angel fell clutching his stomach. Tess screamed his name, tried to crawl to him, but she couldn't move. Akbar reached down, lifting Silas by the collar of his shirt. Tess screamed again, but Silas couldn't fight back. Akbar brought out his dagger, bringing it up to Silas's throat. Tess tried to move with all her might, but pain coursed through her body,
"You can't save him," Akbar growled. A wet slicing sound went through the air, and Tess's face was covered in blood,
"Silas!" She screamed, suddenly able to move. Tess ran to his body as blood gushed out of his throat. He coughed, choking. Tess cried, trying to stop the blood,
"No!" She watched the light begin to fade from his eyes. Tess felt energy being sapped from her body. Akbar was taking the life out of her,
"Tess!" The voice echoed through her brain,
"Tess, fight back!" Tess looked at Silas's dieing form,
"I can't."
"You have to," It was her father's voice. Tess froze as sadness turned to anger. Akbar was the one doing this. He was the one trying to take these things from her,
"You can't have me!" Tess screamed as her eyes flashed open. She attacked Akbar's mind with the energy she had left. The demon screeched, collapsing on his knees. He had not expected her to fight back,
"You will never have me!" Tess jumped onto to Akbar. The demon wrestled back. She struggled against him as he flashed his dagger close to her face. He slashed her cheek and Tess screamed as blood ran down her face. Then more pain as he slashed her arm. Tess finally was able to wretch her dagger free from its sheath and stab Akbar in the leg. He screamed and rolled over, giving Tess the advantage to get on top of him. She felt a sharp pain in her gut, but she couldn't stop as she put the dagger to his throat,
"Ego adstringo tibi ad abyssus dum longus dum tibi habere aspectus!" Tess shouted and drew her dagger across his throat. Energy was sucked out of her body, leaving her dizzy. Lightning struck in the distance and Akbar screamed. It wasn't any human scream. It was a scream Tess had never heard before, it turned her blood cold. His blood splashed on her face, and a black essence began to dissolve from his body. He looked back at her with horrified eyes as he blanked out of existence. Levi's body was still, his grey eyes lifeless. Tess let out a long breath before the pain hit her gut again. Tess stood up and turned toward Silas as she pulled the dagger out. She touched the gash with her hand, and pulled it away. Blood ran down her fingers, dark and thick, oozing out of the wound. She began to feel dizzy. The world spiraled beneath her and her whole body felt heavy. So this is what death is like. She looked at Silas and saw the horrified look in his eyes. She was going to die,
"Silas.." She whispered.