The Gray Area

Chapter Six

The loud growl of night sky was frightening, the force too strong not to notice. It wasn't a thunder, though, but it sounded like one.

The moment you learned a new feeling, there was no way you could turned your back at it. It became unsettling and irritating, continuously pushing you on edge. That was what Morte felt right now.

Gone was the human form he had, vanishing like smoke in the air. Morte was in his ugly true form now, just like the demon creature he was, fiery lava beating underneath his dry tanned skin. But despite his massive maddening true from, he was far more beautiful compared to his brothers.

And it was because of his two-colored wings.

The right side was colored black while the other was white. It was like a yin yang and every angle, every inch of the feather glistened, like a glowing glass.

Releasing his wings hurt like hell, but he decided to punish himself for taking a glimpse of the unknown emotion creeping out on him. He soared up high to the clouded sky, the gush of wind was too damn strong as he flapped his wings. And as he reached the moon, Morte dived and launched himself down, his speed creating blue fire, mesmerizing and too badass. Before he hit the solid ground, he vanished with another loud growling sound.

And just like that, he was back home.

"The prodigal son returns," Lucifer said, his face bored, eyes vacant. He was seated on his throne, the silence lingering the air was too loud it could drive anyone mad.

Two doors stood at the right wall of the throne. Try to open one and be prepared to hear the agonizing torment the souls endured. Different punishment for different sins- it all varies with the seven fucking deadly sins: lust, wrath, sloth, gluttony, envy, greed, pride.

Lucifer had already prepared what kind of torment he'd give to the sinner, something that would drove anyone to their last shred of sanity and became a full pledge demon. Like a trained soldier, demons were made by different kinds of fire and suffering, torture and punishment.

The king of Hell had his own soldiers- his cronies. The fallen angels were those who were forsaken by the King and those who joined Lucifer when he fell.

"Make me human," that sounded like an order. Well, Morte intended it to sound like a fucking order.

"Really? That's your problem, you stupid boy?!" spat his father. "There are thousands of bodies out there! You forgot how to get inside and invade the human's weak soul? You that dumb, son?"

He huffed. "I don't want their faces!"

"The fuck I care?!"

Morte glared at his father. He was the least favourite son yet he knew deep inside his king father that he was the most favorable one.

"Make me human," he repeated.

Lucifer stood up and slowly approached his son. The king of Hell was so beautiful, just like the other archangels above. He was once the epitome of beauty and light. There was something different about his youngest son, though. Take his muscular wings, for instance, which had two colors. One side was a devil wing, the other side an angel wing. The sight alone was maddening.

"I put you out there to be punished for your stubbornness, son." Lucifer said, voice seemed to echo like a hiss.

"If it's for a punishment, then put me in hell, Father." Morte replied, no ounce of fright could be detected in his face as he talked back to the king of hell.

"Then, off you go," Lucifer waved his hand dismissively just as Morte found himself being thrown out with great force.

He stumbled on the ground as he realized he was back at the familiar place where Vita lived. He was back on human's world. Right in front of her apartment. He cursed and stomped, the invisible chain binding his powers were too damn strong he couldn't break free.

Using his tricks in human's world was not permitted. Flicking his hand for some magic would give his position away, and before he knew it, warrior angels would be at his ass, chasing him.

***

"I'm sorry," he heard her sweet voice. It sipped deeper down him, the feeling was electrifying.

Morte didn't answer. He was mad at her. He could still feel his eyes glistened in red, and that sign alone signalled he was not in the mood to talk. But at least, he was back to his beautiful human form.

The devil pretended he heard nothing. After all, she had chosen to ignore him. So now he was going to do the same. Pride- another fucking deadly sin.

"I know you're in there," she continued as silence dragged longer. Vita sat up from her bed and turned on the lampshade. She felt guilty about what she did and she had no idea why. "Morte?"

No answer.

She sighed as she rested her head on her knees, her arms wrapping her milky legs.

"You have a right to be angry at me, fine. But I just feel bad that you're trying to tempt my student Kiko to kill himself. He's too young, you know. He needed to be saved, not by death, but by hope. By giving life a chance."

Again, silence.

Vita grew impatient. She wanted Morte to acknowledge her words, wanted to accept the apology she made.

"You are the opposite force I was trying to repel. While you urge people to just die, I will convince them to live. We're opposite. Like heaven and hell."

Morte let her words sink in for a moment as he even out his breathing. He was mad at her but there was something in her voice that he couldn't just ignore. She seemed trying to understand him- the devil. And for the first time in his long existence, he felt a beat inside, finally admitting to himself that he wanted to be understood for what he really was.

"Like yin and yang," he finally chimed in.

Vita smiled at his response and sought him in the darkness but she couldn't see him still. "Like right and left."

"Up and down."

Vita couldn't help but to just give him a chance. "North pole and south pole."

"East and west," he added.

"Life and death," her smile grew wider. She slightly lifted her head and scanned the dimmed room. With just a blink, Morte was in front of her, their faces were so close his nose almost touched hers.

Vita leaned back a little, creating some distance between them. Her heart beat frantically, like she'd been electrified by Death's presence and it was the first time she felt so alive.

"You're beautiful when you smile, angel wings," murmured Morte, his eyes piercing hers, penetrating her very soul. "But you look adorable when your heart beats like that."

Without a word, Morte placed his hand on her chest. It stunned Vita, but above all, the soft touch fucking rocked Morte's being, sucking his core upside down.

There, beneath his palm, he could feel the pounding of her heartbeat. He had never tried touching a human before since it required a magic trick, a trick he was forbidden to do. And now, with all the will he could manage, he had finally able to do one tiny trick. He knew the consequences of his actions but the urge to touch her worth every damn danger.

His touch froze Vita, her chest heaved as she tried to calm herself and make her heart to beat normal again.

"It's pounding," he said, eyes not wavering from hers.

She was so beautiful that he wanted to fuck her right then right now.

Vita's hand slowly reached him out to touch his face but her hand just passed through him.

Confused, that fact saddened her.