by Emma DaSilva
Percy and Dominic looked at each other.
“I understand, but it’s dangerous. You’ll be safe if you keep your distance from us.”
I gazed into Dominic’s blue eyes and shook my head. “I do not know how, but I still want to help.”
There was no way this was happening, my weary eyes could not bring themselves to believe it. I stood next to the counter of the coffee shop I worked in and stared out in space.
“Tri! The order?”
Amber, a nineteen year old college student, and my closest friend, shouted. She must have noticed how dumbstruck I was while looking at the new waiter that was hired today at the shop. It was none other than Percy.
“I mean I know the new guy is hot, but you still have a job to do!” Amber remarked, shaking her head.
I nodded to Amber who curled her finger around a strand of her blonde hair while looking at Percy, he looked extra elegant ever since he changed his garb. Apparently, he will be accompanying me at work while Dominic will be accompanying me at school—all this just to find Ezrah as she is supposed to be present in either one of these places. Dominic had told me that Ezrah could have changed her name, which made it even more difficult.
This unknown woman had literally turned my world upside down. Percy was concerned about me exchanging aura’s with a random customer, but fortunately I work in the kitchen and barely interact with the customers. I stepped in the kitchen and started working on the order. Making coffee was not a passion but I was good at it and so, I decided to work there. Amber joined after me, she and I had been good friends since middle school even though she was a senior. I got startled when I turned to my right and dropped the cup of coffee. Percy did the floating thing again and thankfully, it did not spill on the floor. Instead, it was brand new again, with the same pattern of cream on the top that I had spent a minute on.
“I swear you were outside!” I exclaimed, while holding the cup. “Stop doing that! Someone might see you.” I figured Percy did some sort of magic trick to come inside, which he should not be doing.
“It’s bad,” he replied.
“What is bad?” I asked, setting the cup down.
“The demons might come for me and Dominic, stay careful when you’re around us.”
“But why would they come?” As dumb as it sounded, I needed to ask.
“To protect the Demon Child.”
I stared at the cup of coffee on the table next to me then folded my hands. “What demon child?”
Percy closed his mouth.
“I think it is about time you guys tell me, this mission, or whatever,” I asked, warmly. I genuinely wanted to know at this point. What was their mission?
“Diabolos has a son.”
I raised an eyebrow, not knowing who this new character was. “Diabolos? Who is that?”
As if Percy read my mind, he said, “Diabolos is The Demon King, he has been terrorizing Wildmere for the last two decades.”
“The demon child…what does he have to do with Earth?”
“The demon child was raised here. We have been searching for him for a long time until our agent, Ezrah, sent us the information. He lives on Earth.”
Shutting my eyes, I tried to fathom everything, “So let me get this right. The Demon King has a demon child on Earth and Ezrah is protecting him?”
“Yes … plainly said … yes,” Percy agreed, nodding his head.
I smiled, “And what is your plan?”
“Capture him, and use him as a hostage against Diabolos. We have tried everything, this is the only weakness Diabolos has.”
They needed to find Ezrah because she knew the demon child’s location. I thought about it, a notion came across my mind. “This demon child, he could harm Earth as well?”
“You see, Diabolos always wants more. For sure he will come for Earth next,” Percy agreed.
The perception agitated me, the demoness I had witnessed earlier was destructive. Knowing more of its kind could take over Earth, terrified me.
“Where the hell have you been!” Amber walked in and was flabbergasted at the sight of me and Percy, alone. She gave me ‘that look’…doubt was written across her face.
“N-No, it’s not what you think,” I tried to defend myself.
“Perhaps you know each other?” She asked, suspiciously.
I was about to reject her doubt, which was actually true.
“Yes, Astrid and I are good friends,” Percy spoke with a smile.
Amber left in a huff. She was not jealous or anything, it was because I had always told her everything, and now she had been left in the dark. Not mentioning Percy earlier was the problem. Percy’s simplicity was also a problem.
I grabbed the cup of coffee and left for the counter, while on my way I advised Percy to get back to work as well. “You do not want to get fired on your first day.”
4
Possessed
“Amazing, this box speaks,” Dominic praised the TV.
I sighed, knowing they still had much to learn. It was Sunday morning and we had nothing better to do, yesterday was spent teaching them how to use mobile phones, microwave food, do laundry and use money. A crashing sound made me and Dominic jump, it came from the kitchen.
“Oh Persia.”
I quickly got up, throwing the TV remote at Dominic, upon arriving at the kitchen, the first thing I witnessed was a fire.
“Demon!” Percy shouted at the burning microwave, standing in a fighting position.
I took off my jacket and started thrashing it against the fire, trying my best to put it out. This was a perfect time for Percy to show off his magical abilities but instead he was interested in quietly observing. Dominic also arrived and laid his back against the door such that he could see the living room as well. His eyes kept changing their directions between me and the TV. I was finally able to put out the fire without receiving any help from the two supernatural Emeres. I looked at the burnt food, nothing but black crust remained.
“You cannot microwave food with foil.” I covered my face with my hands as tears gathered in my eyes, my face was burning up with frustration. “My food, it’s all gone,” I said, sad. Getting involved in demonic matters could not make me cry but this was truly heart breaking. This was beginning to be too much. The doorbell rung, but I could care less. I was not having any lunch or dinner tonight, that was enough to disconsolate me.
“I—I am sorry, I will get you a new one once I get my first pay,” Percy said in a regretful tone, he truly seemed ashamed.
“An angel arrived on time,” Dominic muttered while entering with Amber. She had a couple of plastic bags filled with food in her hands, I could see the sandwiches through the translucent containers. But now was not the time to celebrate arrival of food.
Amber looked at Percy and Dominic, she was so dumbfounded that she dropped the bags to the floor. Dominic was quick to catch them before they reached the ground. Thankfully, he did not use magic.
“Tri, what the heck is going on?”
I pushed by Percy and Dominic and ran to her side. “Um, this is Dominic and you already know Percy. Please ignore the mess, a—actually.” I was trying too hard not to sound nervous, but I was. I had told Amber everything that had ever happened in my life ever since middle school, but she knew nothing about the current situation.
“Why are two boys in your apartment?” Amber asked, honestly.
I was the type who never called boys over, even if they were guy friends, I always advised Amber to do the same. But seeing two of them out of nowhere in my house did shock her.
Percy stared at the front door … then at Amber. “Dominic, who did you let in?”
Dominic gazed over at Amber, “She said her name was Amber.”
I looked cross at both boys. What was going on now?
“No,” Percy admitted, pointing at Amber again.
Without warning, Amber’s expression suddenly changed. She started to snicker with her head laid low. “So you can tell.”
I immediately stepped away from my friend. Her squeaky voice sent shivers up and down my spine. Amber spoke—but not in her voice. It was high—then low, a heavy, gloomy utterance—and definitely not the voice of my best friend.
“It has taken over her body,” Dominic stood alert and signaled me to get out of the kitchen.
God, first my microwave, now my whole kitchen is going to get destroyed! I tip-toed away from Amber, using Percy as a shield and got out of the kitchen.
Amber turned her head towards me and smiled, her eyes had gone completely dark. Percy clapped his hands vertically, similar to what Dominic had done before. As he separated his palms, a dark chain wrapped around his hand, was he going to use it?
No!
Amber walloped Percy with the speed of light. Percy had a hard time dodging her attacks, as she destroyed the shelves and cabinets on my walls while doing so. I could see her knuckles turn red with hues of blue from hitting the solid objects. She was possessed by a violent demon but her body was still human. I was concerned for my best friend whom I knew was still inside her own body.
Amber managed to hit Percy and sent him hovering over to the living room where Dominic and I both stood.
“Crap, I cannot let her destroy the TV,” Dominic jokingly replied.
I flinched at Dominic’s worries, he was about to pull out his sword again.
No! Don’t hurt her!
“I got this!” Percy shouted, as he blocked one of her attacks by holding her arm, twisting it around and wrapping his chain around her neck.
“No! Don’t kill her!” I shouted, knowing Amber’s body was still suffering. “She’s my best friend!” Her eyes met mine and I heard a voice ring through my head…
He is coming for You
I looked around, no one else heard it? In a flash, Amber slowly closed her eyes and Percy removed his chains.
“She passed out—the demon has left her body,” he said, trying to catch his breath.
It almost seemed like the demon only came to give me that message. The idea was frightening, what did I have to do with it? I grabbed Dominic’s arm. He noticed my discomfort and patted my hand, briefing me with his eyes that everything would be okay. I believed otherwise while looking at my best friend’s lifeless body.
Oh my gosh Amber!
5
Arrival of the Associate
The hospital room was very quiet, it was evening and Amber still had not woken up. She had bandages around her hands which were mainly used for punching. We reported it as a fall from the stairs, the doctor’s had a hard time believing the excuse. Thankfully, Percy’s weapon did not leave a mark on her neck. Turns out she did not pass out because of his attack, her body was just too weak to carry the demon’s possession.
Percy had left to search for Ezrah, using different magic tricks, hoping to find her soon. Dominic doubted they would work, he went downstairs to grab some snacks. It was just me and Amber in the room. I laid my head next to her on the bed, within a couple of minutes I heard her speak.
“Tri…”
Her voice was weary, as if she was forcing herself to speak. I got up and held her hand, a smile pasted across my face. I had never felt so relieved.
“Tri, I remember everything,” she said while looking at her other hand which was covered in plain white plaster.
This was bad, according to the guys, she was supposed to forget everything by the time she woke up. She wasn’t supposed to remember the possession!
“What is going on, tell me,” Amber asked, she was not weirded out by any of it.
I guess she had come to accept it as well, just like I did. I took a breath before explaining everything to her. She was surprised, but not too much, despite everything happening she seemed astonished.
“So this is like a fantasy movie?”
I giggled upon hearing those words come out of her mouth. That was Amber, the same bubbly old Amber. Slowly, her expressions turned serious. “Hey, the thing spoke to you didn’t it?”
“You heard it too?”
“Obviously, it was through my body. I could feel the zeal and passion it had towards this person who is supposed to come for….you.”
Her words sent shivers up and down my spine again. What exactly was coming for me? I had no idea, I thought the attacks were towards Dominic and Percy. Were they also related to me? I needed to speak to the demon again, instead of making the guys fight them. I needed answers. This meant I needed to be alone. The voice spoke to me when I was alone. Only I could hear that voice.
Dominic entered with two cans of soda, he passed one to me. “Speedy recovery? Miss Amber,” he said while taking a seat on a hospital chair.
“A little too good for a human, right?”
Upon Amber’s response, Dominic shot a quick look at me.
“She knows about everything,” I cleared it up.
The three of us remained quiet for a while, I checked my clock and it was almost four o’clock in the morning. “Um Dominic, could you look after Amber for the day? I cannot skip school.” I asked knowing that Amber did not have a good relationship with her father, I could not call him.
Dominic agreed but Amber looked rather shocked. She would get nervous around guys easily, especially guys as handsome as Dominic.
The seat next to me was still empty.
“Hey, where’s the new cute guy today?”
I looked up from my hands, “I don’t know.” Truth is, I wanted to be alone. I wanted to see if another message would come to me but that did not happen. No one was home the other night, I walked alone to school but there was still nothing. I got up and excused myself from the class. I told the teacher I would be going to see the nurse because I wasn’t feeling well, but instead I went to the rooftop. It was not my first time coming there, I felt the cool breeze blow against me, my long brunette hair floated above my shoulders, as I breathed in the fresh air.
I closed my eyes, a shush alarmed me. A man stood on the railing, well balanced as if it were no big deal. He removed his hood revealing his face, he had golden eyes while the white part of his eyes slowly turned dark, and one horn emerged from the right side of his head. This was new, I thought all demons looked scary but this one was different. He looked a bit human but that could not cover the darkness overflowing in his eyes. Possibly, demons could switch between their demonic and human form.
“I am the one who possessed your little friend.”
I gritted my teeth, this demon had hurt my friend? I quickly looked around me, we were alone. But I could not do anything against it because at the end of the day, I was only human—a weak human. “What do you want?” I asked, not letting a scent of fear escape my tone. This issue was not about Wildmere now, it also involved humans. I needed to remain strong for the people of Earth.
He started to chuckle. A low, grotesque growl. “What do I want? No, dear,” he chucked, “this is about him.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, not understanding a tad bit of his conversation. “Who?”
He jumped off the railing and walked closer to me. A mischievous grin was splattered across his face, I could see his pointed canines. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”
I remained quiet as he lowered his head to my level.
“Samuel, that old man did not tell you anything?”
Samuel was my grandfather’s name. This demon knew my grandfather? Although my grandfather told me fairy tales related to the situation in Wildmere and the realms, he never said anything strange related to me. I thought hard about it and finally remembered what he mentioned on my sixteenth birthday.
“Astrid, happy birthday …”
I smiled widely as grandfather placed down the cake he had baked. My friends had thrown a party for me but I did not eat their cake. I wanted to eat my grandfather’s homemade cake.
“Thank you!” I cut the sponge cake which was covered in frosting.
“You have grown up healthy,” he happily said, sitting down on a chair.
I nodded in the usual way, he had been telling me that for the past few years now, the same thing on my birthday.
“Astrid listen, in case someone comes for you and I am not around anymore,” he asked, patting his thigh.
I put down the fork I was using to eat the cake, I kept munching while curiously looking at my grandfather. What was he talking about?
“Believe in yourself,” he whispered.
I had no idea what to say.
“And remember, the old gun is your Providence.”
I could not understand a single word and decided to brush it off. I simply nodded my head and agreed with whatever he had said. “Oh grandfather, no one wants to kidnap me, especially when you stand bravely by my side.”
His wrinkly skin curled as he smiled, “Believe in yourself.”
“B-by Samuel, you mean my grandfather?” I asked while already knowing the answer. I did not know what to do, this demon could kill me within an instant.
“Uhhhh…”
I felt a pointy thing pinch my stomach, no, he had not attacked me. A third party had attacked him from the behind, piercing a spear through his intestines, which was slighting touching my stomach. He growled harder as the unknown person removed the spear. The golden eyed demon fell to the ground as dark blood puddled on the floor around him.
I looked across at the man who supposedly saved my life. He was bald, wore big sunglasses under his slightly creased forehead. A heavy mustache and beard covered half his face.
“These demons are going around too openly these days—you all right?”
Confused, I nodded. I looked at the floor, the demon had escaped within seconds. The unknown person made his spear disappear by clapping his hands together vertically, just like Dominic and Percy.
“You are an Emere?” I asked, blinking back what had just happened.
“Yes, my name is Ezrah.”