Souls of Ashes

Chapter III

     At once I felt the pressure on my mind recede, and it instead was replaced by something else entirely. I felt something -perhaps described best as two thick needles- sink themselves too easily into the flesh of my neck. I needed no thoughts of my own to know that they were the Demon's fang-teeth, yet I felt no pain whatsoever. In fact, I suppose I was hardly even aware of what was taking place. Visions flashed before my eyes closed tight like a night-flower in response to the sun.

     The milky-white moon, in full splendor, clouds dancing over the smooth supple surface before both were chased away by the harsh, blinding rays of dawn. A blooming midnight forest; the scent of the pines, the flowers, the leaves, were all so tangible it seemed as if nothing could seperate me from this soothing illusion.

     But alas, somewhere in my heart of hearts I knew it could not be so, and slowly I began to be released from his demonic spell. Still I felt no pain, though I was fairly confident that if his mind still wasn't drifting over mine, that it would have been emmense, unbearable.

     Slowly I opened my eyes; I felt even more fatigued than before. I was on the ground I noticed, my neck tilted at an angle; I felt one hand on my head, the other wrapped snuggly around my waist. Crimson swam at the edges of my vision as my heart slowed down until I could hardly feel it within me. Above all, I could hear the Demon's voice, unchanged.

     "You are almost ready for the Blood."

     The Blood?

     "Only in Death does one find immortality, and you are no exception."

     Now I knew what he had done. He had drained me to the point of death, and now he was going to...

     "Yes, boy, that is correct." How he seemed to tap into my thoughts on cue was unknown to me; it was just possibly my imagination. "Drained to the point of death is where you are, near to passing into the NetherWorld. You will help me better to understand this dismal age; with you does the legacy of our line lie. Perhaps my last Fledgling in this life. Alas, it could very well be."

     I could hardly listen to him. He words seemed to take up more expanse than the sky; I could feel myself almost passing to the point of no return.

     Suddenly I could feel my head, burning neck being lifted up. My mouth opened to moan out in protest, though my cry was stifled by something, something metallic, yet it flooded down my parched throat like liquid fire. I knew not what it was, I must have been too exhausted to realize what substance it was that I was now infatuated with drinking. It was like a narcotic, pure power flowing into me and giving even the tips of my callused fingers strength. My fatigued mind was washed away in the torrential flood, replaced by a knowingness and alertness that was unknown to me.

     "You...What..." I heard myself rasp the words while the Demon just laughed.

     "The knowledge you seek will soon be yours."

     Before I could even respond, I felt the tangible wet substance press against my yearning lips once more. Again, the power flowed into me while my eyes snapped open like that of a rabid animal. I felt immensly changed somehow, thought just how, I was not sure. Almost as if I had died and was now reborn to something other than the Light. Almost as if Satan himself had given me the Blood, and was now mocking me while my Lord and God looked down in disapproval.

     Shocked by my own thoughts I wrenched away suddenly, spitting up the crimson, now acrid vile substance upon the swept stone floor. My stomach convulsed as if it had a will of its own, and I emptyed the contents upon the ground. The blood I had just dranken was not there. Startled at the sight, my abdomen still heaving, I collapsed powerless while the Demon simply looked down at me in a silent scrutiny.

     "You are dying your mortal death," he explained quietly as I felt my heart gradually slow down, "It should be about time. You are expelling your waste, your mortality, to begin life anew."

     I did indeed feel my waste leaving me in a flood that was powerless to cease or try to stem the flow.

     "In a day or so your mortal life will truly be over, and then you will be expected to join Lasombra as the newest of the Childer."

     I was hardly listening to him. I instead was beside myself with what I had just done. Alligned myself with Satan, betrayed and abandoned Mother, Christdean, Ellisa- and more importantly, my Lord and my God. What had I done? He would surely strike me down as He had other blasphemers. What had I  done? The question would not expell itself from my mind.

     Suddenly the entierty of my body convulsed as a sharp pain radiated from my heart, which I felt had slowed down to a fatal point. My vision was blurred; black spheres swam infront of my pained, faltering gaze. The Demon, I supposed, was just silently watching me. It felt as if my life were ending as I spasmed without control; then abruptly I stopped at some unseen signal, some unseen force. But I knew what it had been; my heart had finally ceased to beat.

     Opening my eyes, my vision was restored with vigor. Colours I had never laid eyes upon were now more visibly to me than anything, and I could smell the scent of even the rain outside the now not-so-dismal cave. My senses run amuck, like a newborn child seeing the world for the first time, I was Reborn. And suddenly realization hit.

     My mother, sister, my fiance' were all gone. Dead. And now I was dead as well, in a sense, and in league with the Demons that had slaughtered them in the first place. I was a Monster, a Demon, just like them. And suddenly I realized I had not been breathing for minutes on end.

     Horrified I stood, and with my new strength, struck the solid rock wall before me. It crumbled like parchment; I stared amazed at my closed fist in awe. The light, bloodied scratches healed instantly before my eyes while I sank to the stone floor, suddenly fatigued.

     I wept, my face in my hands.

     I wept for Mother, Christdean, Ellisa, whom I made a mockery of with this new body. I wept for my Lord and my God, whom both I had abandoned and whom had abandoned me. And above all, I wept for myself.

     And it was only then that I noticed my tears were of blood.