The Witch's Toy ✔

11: the devil, morningstar

My eyes flew open as I woke with a start, gasping for air. I sucked in a deep breath before letting it out quickly, repeating the process a couple times until I felt less dizzy. My body was heavy, being weighed down by something invisible, and I half expected carpet where my back was supposed to touch the floor, but I wasn't on the ground. Someone was cradling me against their chest, my body laid across their legs.

"Yu... Rui...?" The voice was quiet, shaking in pain. I realized that it was the stuffed teddy bear who was talking — no. Maalik, wasn't it?

Pushing myself up, I balanced myself on my knees, eyes widening when I saw the pool of inky blood was already staining the carpet dark. A steady stream leaked from Maalik's chest where the gold talisman from my pendant had pierced him. "Ma —"

He gasped, pitching forward as his hands came to his chest, pressing the part that had already burned a charred hole through him. When his fingers came into contact, they flared as fire licked at them, crumbling before curling away like ash from firewood as if he was only made of paper.

His name was stuck in my throat, unable to come out. I didn't want to say it. I knew he'd disappear once I said it.

My hands came up, pushing black hair away from a paling face. This was him — another cursed angel who fell hard from heaven. Violets stared back at me, the irises pulsing with a steady black. The black ring looked like poison. "What do I need to do?" I whispered, voice cracking. "How — how can I help you?"

Taking in another sharp breath, he tightened his jaw, what was left of his hands bunching into fists. He was hurt — in agony, I could see at least that. "Say my name," he ground out.

"I can't," I breathed, eyes flickering all over his face. "I'll kill you."

"I'm dying already, Yu Rui," he said. The words were forced, strained. "It hurts more to live. Death is a luxury I desire."

"And I'll be the one condemning you to hell!" I cried. My throat tightened, incoming tears burning at my eyes like a fire that would never weaken. "Perhaps you may have been bound to that fate when I first met you, but there isn't any darkness behind your eyes anymore. Hell doesn't deserve you."

"You are not God," Maalik said. "You don't decide whether  I live or die."

"But —"

"Yu!"

I flinched, shoulders curling inwards and eyes flying close.

"Yu." The voice was softer this time, nearly inaudible. Burned fingers grazed my face, the ashes smearing across my skin as if it were charcoal.

The name sparked clips of memories behind my eyes, making my lips quiver.

"Yu, look what I got you! Don't little children like you adore stuffed bears these days?"

"Yu, are you eating all of the cookies again? I thought I told Azazel to put it higher up in the pantry. Or, was he the one who gave them to you?"

"Yu... Yu, dear, what are those tears for? Come here..."

I was crying now, I knew it. Tears spilled down, running down the curve of my cheek before plopping onto the carpet floor, mixing with Maalik's dark blood. I curled my fingers around his, uncaring if some were ready burnt to charred stubs. I had wanted to save him so badly — to see if there was anything that could reverse the curse. To see if all that good that had made his soul a blinding white could forgive him and promise him redemption. But it seemed as if I wasn't strong enough to do anything for anyone. I hated this. I hated being weak. I hated not being able to help anyone. I could barely even help myself when I needed to.