Nox Inferno

Chapter 45: Distorted Reality

Even though I was away from all the dresses and feathers. I still felt the crushing presence of being overwhelmed lingering on. I no longer wore my fancy dress but rather the clothes I have quickly grown use to. My Nox Knight outfit.

“Are we sure this is a good plan?” Zephyr asked as he trailed behind me. He took the time to change out of his costume as well.

Even as I hear the music playing, I couldn’t feel anything. I didn’t feel happy like I did earlier. I just felt numb as if something bad was going to happen.

I smiled wickedly. If anything bad was going to happen, it was going to happen to Gabe. He is going to pay for hurting me and almost killing Nyra.

“I didn’t know you where so angry about that?” Nyra added, which shocked me out of the dark turn of thought. Me either.

“We don’t know Angel’s capabilities. If Gabe is really an Angel, how do we know he is not controlling her?” Alvina added suspiciously. Which only sent me back into a cloud of darkness.

I turned around, “You don’t need to follow me. But I don’t want to be here anymore. I’m leaving.” I jumped out of the closest window. Was this the price for becoming a demon? This boiling anger that laid just beneath the surface.

The wind smacked me the face, almost in a condescending way. Instinctively I began to shift. The wind snagged on my wings, guiding me towards the sky. The more distance I put between me and the palace, the happier I felt. Maybe, all this stress was getting to me. My body has undergone so many things in the past three weeks. I just need to relax.

But I couldn’t do that because when I turn back. I always see a small black bird holing onto a black snake. At a glance, it looked like a bird flying away with its prey. But I knew from their familiar eyes, who they were. It made me feel stressed out again.

“Shake them.” Gabe’s voice whispered into my ear. I slammed to a halt, almost forgetting to flap my wings. Why am I hearing his voice in my head? “Do it.” His voice seemed louder. His words seemed like the best solution to my stress. I think, I should listen to him.

Zephyr screeched at me. Without a second thought I stopped flying. I was falling towards the ground and fast. Zephyr screeched again when my foot skimmed the ground. I angled my wings, and once again I darted into the sky. I weaved in and out of trees. When I turned back, I noticed they were nowhere in sight. I let out a hoot and settled down on a branch.

When I saw Zephyr again, he was struggling to catch up. With the small nod of his head, I realized he finally caught onto what I was doing. At least, I hope he did.

He perched down on a near by branch and I once again took to the sky. For the first time in a while I felt free. I hadn’t realized I had this weighing feeling on my chest until it was finally gone. I flew through the air, doing a series of hoops and turns.

“Can we focus back?” Nyra asked, “We are almost towards the edge of the mountain.

“How do you suggest we get out?” I asked her.

“I thought you where going to get us out of here!” She exclaimed.

We where to close to the edge. Think about Ravenwood. Think about the school. I closed my eyes. This may work but if it didn’t, I do not want to see myself die.

“Well that’s very reassuring.” Nyra snorted as our wings brought us to the mountain.

When I opened my eyes, I let out a gasp. I wasn’t flying anymore but I wasn’t falling to the ground. I glanced down; I was human again. I let out a scream but that was a mistake. A jelly like substance entered my mouth and filled my lungs. This felt like the pound in my dreams and the magical wall that hid the Nox dining room. This was only a thicker version. I began to swim to farthest edge. This goo like substance allows us to teleport. The pound allows Satan and his family to come up into the mortal realm. The wall allows us to enter the secret room. If I’m right, this will let me go straight to the waterfall.

“Did you just figure out teleportation?” Nyra asked.

“Shush. Let’s see if I’m right.” I hushed her and cleared my mind.

As expected, I reached my hand out towards the edge. my body was pushed out of the mountain’s membrane. I feel like that word most accurately describes the goo-like substance in the mountain. What I did not expect was, to be exactly under the waterfall. The water hit my shoulders like acid. I let out a ‘yelp’ and stumbled onto solid ground.

“Well this is a pleasant surprise, mate.” Gabe appeared in front of me. His blonde hair was slightly tousled. He had red lines on the side of his face like he just woke up from a nap. He offered a hand.

“No it isn’t. You where whispering in my ear as I flew over.” I reached out, allowing him to pick me up. Once again, his touch filled me with a sense of dread.

“So you remember that?” He asked with a smirk, “I told you we were mates.”

“That has nothing to do with being mates. You know that. I know that. What are you hiding?” I jabbed my finger into his chest.

He grabbed onto my finger and lifted it to his lip. His lips where soft but that wasn’t the reason I gasped. He reminded me so much of a television character. I couldn’t for the life of me, remember who.

His eyes where such sparkling blue, “You are going to come with me.” He whispered. His breath fanning my finger.

My mouth moved on its own, “Where are we going?”

He rolled his eyes but pulled me closer to him. I couldn’t help but shiver as he tiled my chin up towards him. His lips brushed mine as he said, “To meet your-“

“Twyla!” A familiar voice shouted. I ignored the voice and focused on Gabe’s face. But his beautiful face was marred with a scar. I was yanked away from him and suddenly I was pushed back into reality. What just happened? I groaned and touched my head. I looked at my finger, it was covered in gold dust. I brought it closer to face for inspection, but my hand was slapped away.

“What the hell where you doing to me?” I shouted at Gabe, who stood there with a smirk.

“Who are you talking to?” Alvina asked.

“You will come back.” Gabe shook his head and walked away.

“Where are you going? Zephyr, stop him!” I pointed at Zephyr, but he just looked at me strangely, “What are you doing?”

“Twyla, who are you talking about?” Zephyr asked warily.

“He’s right there!” I pointed to Gabe. His smile turned into laughter. He was laughing like a maniac as tears fell down my cheek. He wasn’t real!

“Did you know?” I asked Nyra.

“No! That’s not right. We have touched him. Talked to him. He isn’t fake.” She replied in a panic.

I recoiled when Alvina tried to touch me, “DON’T TOUCH ME!!” I shouted.

How do I know this is real? Are demons even real? Was I so distraught from the pressure of my family, I fabricated this whole thing. Am I insane?

I didn’t even notice the world was spinning. I glanced at my hands; the gold dust wasn’t there anymore. I locked myself into a cradle.

This morning I was a happy teenage girl who found out she was part demon. My life became that of the books and movies I read. Now, all of that could just be fake. I should have known! I wasn’t special enough to be different. I wasn’t some magical being. I was a girl with schizophrenia!!

The world faded away before my eyes. I was left with nothing except darkness. Was this death? I hope it was. I wish it would just come and put me out of my misery.