Worlds Beyond: Shattered (ON HOLD)

Chapter Fifteen

"What the fuck was that?"

Good question, Cain.

We just witnessed Cecil's skin turn to steel. How was that even possible? Cecil was a human. Did he gain some weird abilities from eating the food of the underworld?

"Cecil, what's going on?" I heard myself ask, not being able to move. I was completely frozen in place, both amazed and confused at what we had just seen. Worse, Cecil remained silent, glaring at the red grass at our feet.

"Cee?" Cerberus asked after the longest time, bewildered. I could see strong emotions coming from him, relief and love, as well as betrayal and pain.

"Cecil, answer me. What was that?" He pleaded once more, reaching out to touch Cecil's shoulder, but he recoiled from his grasp. The amount of pain that Cerberus felt at that really struck my own heart. He swallowed down the pain that lacerated his heart before he continued, his voice cracking ever so slightly, "Cecil... are you a shifter?"

A shifter? Cecil?

I remember reading about shifters in books, stories of people that could turn themselves into creatures or change their appearance to their heart's content. But that was just in fantasy books... was it any different in reality?

Cecil remained silent, pain clearly visible in his celestial blue eyes, and sadly I still couldn't feel him. If he wasn't a human, then why couldn't I feel him? Were shifters hard to decipher? Cain groaned deep in his throat now, pinning Cecil down with a withering glare as he took threatening steps towards the blonde, until he stood right before him.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You're gonna stay silent, you jerk?! We just saw your skin turn to fucking steel! Say something!"

"I won't apologize." Was all Cecil replied. And it only infuriated Cain more.

"You assfuck! Why you lied to us? About being a human?"

"I have my reasons, and I won't apologize for that."

"I'm this close to punching your shitty face, asswipe!"

"Do it." He challenged the redhead, who happily obeyed. Before Cerberus or I could even move, Cain reeled his arm back to punch Cecil straight in the nose, a sickening crack echoing through the field. Cecil didn't even flinch at that. But Cerberus was on fire, literally.

"Don't touch him, midget!" He snapped angrily, getting right in front of Cecil to tower over Cain, who was a few inches shorter than the mighty Cerberus. His eyes were literally glowing with a sizzling fire that emanated from him, like an orange veil that fell over his eyes, making those amber orbs look twice as powerful. Cain took a step back, clearly sensing the same hatred that went through Cerberus right now.

"The fucker lied to us!"

"We all did, idiot," Cerberus returned, taking a step towards Cain so fast not even the redhead had time to react, as Cerberus took him by the front of his sweater to pull him closer to his face, those fiery eyes glowing menacingly, "We all lied, or did you forget dumbass? I lied about my name, about being the fucking guardian of the underworld, and so did you. You lied about being the literal spawn of Satan and now you're getting pissy because Cecil also lied? Did killing Abel take the last of your intelligence?" I winced at the mention of Cain's brother, and the amount of pain that went through me from Cain's sadness.

"Cerberus!"

"Don't try to stop me, Layla." He seethed at me with a venom so potent, it made me flinch. I think Cerberus noticed that, as he blinked and loosened his grip on Cain, violet waves of regret coming off his chest. He looked back at Cain for a moment, a look on his face as if wanting to apologize, but he seemed to suddenly remember Cecil and he whirled around to attend to the blonde.