Midnight's Plea

The Final Decision

Chapter Nineteen

The Final Decision

“Shadows of the night may be deceiving, but at the cost of the innocent those shadows fail to realize those blank notions. It was those shadows who drained the soul out of these poor, lifeless eyes, and left them a hollow shell of what they use to be.” I walked through the field of the dying, feeling my heart sink as I looked into the eyes of what once was. The words came flowing from my lips automatically, no emotion whatsoever. Every now and then I would stop in front of a few bodies, feeling my bony hands heat up at the sight of them, and my teeth click; these souls were purely evil.

My skin still hasn’t returned since the wind blew it off, so I was basically still a skeleton – I think. I felt a pulse, I felt my heartbeat, and I even felt myself frowning. I just didn’t feel skin. Maybe I’m imagining the whole wind-blowing-off-my-skin thing. Maybe this weightlessness is finally coming to my head. Or maybe seeing so many innocent wandering souls around me is making me sick. I don’t know – it’s hard to think about.

Every time I would pass a body, I expected to see their soul form staring back at me, but I didn’t. Wandering, wild souls could be a problem. I couldn’t let these souls escape – they need to return to their rightful destination.

“Midnight,” a voice whispered as I walked past their body.

“Midnight,” another voice pleaded as I walked further.

“Midnight.” “Midnight!” “MIDNIGHT!”  The voices just kept coming, but no souls were present.

I felt someone tap my shoulder, and I turned to meet a familiar pair of crystal blue eyes.

“Midnight,” Melony pleaded, “You know what to do. Do it.” Then, she disappeared.

Okay, now I’m freaking out. She said I know what to do. I racked my brain for all the information on death, and found nothing on warfare. Damn. I need help! What am I supposed to do?

Think, Midnight! Think!

Okay, so I’m an angel of Death, but I’m also part witch. I have extra power. How does that make me any different from the other previous angels?

“Midnight,” a casual, easy voice whispered from behind me. “You know what to do, babe. I believe in you.”

“Sammy,” I whispered, disbelieving. He laughed, and I felt his breath tickle the back of my ear.

“Use your power,” he whispered, wrapping his arm around my neck. “Save them. You know just what to do.”

I closed my eyes as the warmth of our proximity spread from my head to my toes. Then, a jolt of electricity shot down my back. The souls came out of their places, and every eye that wasn’t glaring was looking at me in admiration. Innocence shone in most of the eyes, while bright, burning evil shone in others.

I smirked.

“Death lives and will always be a burden upon the living,” I announced. “For every innocent soul, others burn with the hatred of the flames of Hell.” I cold practically feel the iciness rolling off of me in unpleasant waves. “Hi animarum morietur.” Those souls shall die. “Infernus erit semetipsos.” Hell shall be their home. “Mors mihi.” I am Death. “Ego vos in consummationem.” I am the end of you. “Misericordias ostendam!” I will show no mercy! “Tu es enim Vera mala mundi Quam ligula tuis audes labe terram meam? Quomodo audebas me vocatis destructionem vestram? Est tibi, qui est vera mala mundi Nunc ego sum exitium!” For you are the true evil of the world! How dare you taint my land with your nonsense? How dare you call me your destruction? It is you who is the true evil of the world! And now, I am your destruction! “Ego Caelum et infernum sum.” I am heaven, and I am Hell. “Amor me aut inimicos meos. Anima tua mea sunt.” Love me or hate me. Your soul is mine. “Sum vobis.” I am you. “Omnia sum!” I am everything! “Now DIE at the hands of your maker!”

A fire blazed around the souls. While most remained calm, some souls were frantic. A bat whipped around the blond head of a soul, and he snarled furiously at the demon bird. The bats of Hell rose to the surface, taking all the evil they could from the souls. The flapped furiously, screaming at everything they could and biting the necks of the souls they found tolerable to enter the fierce void of Hell.

The people who had black marks on the side of their necks began to snarl, their eyes turning into a shade of Scarlet red, and their hands turning into claws. Black fog rose around everything as I raised my scythe, preparing for battle.

I looked up, into a pair of blazing red eyes and an evil smirk.

A cold chill ran down my spine as the Devil himself continued to stare into my eyes. I noticed, after a moment of awkward silence, that he had his hand on Zeke’s soul.

Keep him if you want, said his voice in my mind. His soul, while still tainted with evil, still holds the kindness of love and the innocence of truth. It is purely your decision to switch its origin.

I can do that?

Yes, you can.

I whipped my scythe around, and felt all the presence of evil leave - all except for one last soul. It was a soul so familiar to me, it felt as if in saving him, I’d save myself.

I froze everything around me except for Melony, Zeke, and I.

I knew I had to keep her here, for she would want her bound mate to be saved.

I needed him to be saved.

I would need him forever. I love him. And love never dies – ever. And he was my first love, a very special love that would always be held deep within my heart.

So, in the end, it wasn’t me who saved Zeke from a life filled with evil. It was love.