Desert Wings

Shadows, Souls and Spirits

I jumped after Hestia as she chased Aquarius down the tree, throwing all my stuff the the forest floor. I reached the ground just before they did. I watched their desent, waiting, wanting to time the moment perfectly. Just as Aquarius reached level ground and spun to face Hestia I jumped between them.
Hestia's hands clasped around my throat, her eyes ablaze as a maniacal grin slowly spread across her face. She didn't try to choke me, she simply held me and started to chant,"I am the echoes you hear at night, I am the thing under the bed. I keep you up at night, you keep me up all day. Your voices refuse me the solace of sleep, your very hearts beat to loudly. For me to hear anything, for me to sleep, for me to breathe, for me to be. At night I cower amongst forgotten toys and dust bunnies, because you slumber above. Grant me peace, let your monsters die. Let me go!" Hestia collapsed to the ground, quietly crying,"Let me go."
I glanced to Aquarius, unsure of what had happened,"What should I do?"
"Nothing." Hestia whispered shakily, slowly standing up.
"Are you okay?"
Hestia smiled,"Eh, as good as you can be after being possessed."
"You were just possessed? By what?"
"My demon, it's always there, never really goes away. Also partly why I love to make deals, I can't really remember if that was the case before the demon showed up though."
I shook my head,"So was that you talking or the demon? And who attacked?"
"We were both speaking, it's kind of a power struggle, almost unending. It was mostly the demon who attacked, I just realize possible actions I could take that may impact Fate and the demon might take over."
I nod,"Okay. Why did it not try to kill me? You just grabbed my throat really."
"I don't know. That doesn't happen very often, ussualy only if I fail to make a deal, not many things can actually die here."
"Why only if you fail to make a deal?"
"I don't know, that's just the demon's thing I suppose." Hestia shrugged,"I don't have much information on the demon, I just know it's always there and that it sometimes gives me more power. I ussualy don't have much of that." Hestia summoned a small flame, twisting it between her fingers like a living thing.
"Do you know where your demon is from?" Aquarius inquired.
"Uh, no, not really. We haven't really had a conversation. Why?"
"Just wondering." Aquarius replied mysteriously.
"Liar. What do you know?" Hestia growled.
"Not much, just theories."
"Well tell me those." Hestia's voice held as much venom as a snake and the flame behind her eyes rekindled itself.
"Fine. There are theories in some packs that are being tested that the things here other than us and everything that's been here from the start. There are theories that nothing dies. Not fully."
"Aquarius that made absolutely no sense. Explain, and do a better job this time." I accuse before sweeping my long hair out of my face. A wind picked up and tugged at the edges of my wings,"Preferably now." My temper for one reason or another burning short.
"Fine." Aquarius turned so he was staring straight at me, his yellow eyes almost glowing,"There are theories that the things you have been fighting. The shadows, the invisible things without a name, all those. They think that they are the dead of your kind, back from wherever or whatever the Plain mentioned in the Prophecy is. That once they are slain or injured here they return." Aquarius's voice was somehow altered as he said all of this, as though he had wanted to say it for eons but hadn't had anyone who cared enough to listen. "Those theories would include Hestia's demon."
I felt frozen as he continued, I didn't hear a word he was saying,"So if I die here, I turn into one of them?"
"As far as I know presently yes."
"I would try and kill my old freinds?"
"That seems to be the most common case yes."
"I... I would..."
"I don't really know Kara! These are just theories! None of this is guaranteed. None of us know what would happen if you died here, if you died anywhere."
"I've been killing my kin."
Hestia put her hand on my shoulder in an attempt to comfort me,"It doesn't really seem like they die..."
"You just don't get it." I hiss,"If that is them they are suffering! I might have murdered my best friend without even knowing it!" I thrash away from Hestia.
"I might..." I couldn't finish the thought aloud, it hurt enough in my own mind.
"Kara..."Hestia's tone had become patronizing.
"Don't." I grabbed my bag from the ground and made sure I had everything,"If I ever needed you, to make a deal or anything. How would I find you?"
"Light a fire, call my name. I'll hear you, I'll find you."
"Good."
"Follow the wolves." Aquarius interjected, I must have looked confused so he added,"To find me."
"I'll remember that." Is all I say with a nod before taking off so that they couldn't follow me.
Maybe if I flew high enough, fast enough I could forget what I had heard, what I had learned. Even though it was etched in my heart, my mind, echoing with every beat of my wings. Fearing that each wing beat fell in time with beat of a heart that could be laying and suffering a slow and painful end. Fearing that another monster would soon haunt the land, that another monster would be created by my hand.
For days I was on edge, because of the knowledge. I began to think that ignorance could really be bliss, a thing that has never before crossed my mind. Then I remember, that the knowledge would give me power, and I could continue on my journey again.

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This is still kinda short, sorry, with out this author's note 1,010 words.
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