The Man with Many Names

I had to call my dad and tell him I ruined the unit, and when I did, he wasn't very pleased. He sounded frustrated, worried and he even mentioned that I was acting out, I wished that I was because that is infinitely better having a giant demonic dog trying to kill me. It's been a day since the whole ordeal, Ciel didn't leave me alone, he even started cleaning the place, he placed a lot of things by the doors and windows, a crucifix hung above all the doorways and salt by the windows. I was sitting in the living room waiting for Ciel to finish his shower, he said that I was safest in an open area, but with the condition of my legs running is impossible. I sat there browsing facebook when I heard the doorbell, I froze, a sense of fear crept up on me, for some reason I have developed a fear of the unknown and I didn't want to open the door, "Who is it?" I called out, no response, again I called, "Who's there?", silence.

"Ciel!" I called out to him.

"Just a sec", he responded.

"There's someone at the door", I said in almost a whisper, then Ciel walked out the bathroom he must have seen the fear on my face as I stared at the door.

"I heard the doorbell, who was it?" he asked, I shrugged, he proceeds to the door, he was cautious after what happened, it was a normal reaction. Again the doorbell rang, "Coming, who's is it?" no response, he got to the door and when he opened it.

"What the hell are you two doing that took you forever to open a door,'' I heard Uncle Ian's voice, I felt relief, it wasn't a monster or whatever. He saw me sitting on the sofa and walked towards me ready to tend to my injuries.

"Irithiel, good timing", Ciel said as he continued to dry his hair with a towel.

"Shut up, you exposed her to this so don't get all heroic", responded Uncle Ian.

He started tending on my wounds he looked worried as he cleaned and dressed my injuries. His hands were light and gentle almost as if they weren't there. Uncle Ian was silent the whole time, he didn't ask any questions and didn't berated myself or Ciel, he just performed his duties as a doctor. It was about 6pm when he finally finished, he sat on a bar stool and he kept staring at me, he looked exhausted after attending to my injuries. Ciel handed him water which he drank with vigor as if he just ran a marathon. He sat there in silence, looking at my wounds.

"You guys stay here for a bit, I'm going to get us some food", Ciel declared as he returns the pitcher back to the fridge, he turned to me, "he can protect you, so don't worry", just like that he walked out of the door. Uncle Ian just sat there for what seemed like ten minutes of silence, then suddenly he bolted up and began tending to my wounds again. This time, I noticed that my wounds didn't hurt as much, they were starting to heal slowly but they it was healing. I stared at Uncle Ian, was he the one doing it? I stared in both awe and confusion, just who exactly is Uncle Ian? After tending to my legs he proceeded with my arms, cleaning them, and putting some kind of ointment, again the same feeling, it wasn't as painful as the first time. It took him another hour to finish everything, without another word sat on the floor catching for air. He sat motionless for a good five minutes before standing up and walking to the fridge where he took out a jug and began guzzle down water, he was drinking so fast that he finished half the jug in just one breath. He paused for air and then continued with his drink, this went on for two and a half more pitchers, the unfinished one he held on as he walked back to the bar stool where he slumped down as if he had just finished such a herculean task. As he finished his third jug he looked me in the eye and giving me a very weak embarrassed smile.

"This must look so uncool, seeing your uncle reduced to such a state,'' he said meekly, how uncharacteristic of my always confident and suave uncle. I smiled back at him.

"You know Beth, vessels are not just dolls to be manipulated by demons. Most demons barely care for their vessels and they have more than one, but each has their favorites, and I am fortunate to be one of those who are not favored. Nonetheless, that doesn't mean that they are not aware of us, they simply just don't care, but we vessels are imparted with some gifts, there are usually two. First is to heal wounds inflicted by demons, given that they are not made with the use of worldly things, if those demons used guns or a knife to wound you my 'gifts' will not be of any use." He paused and downed the rest of the pitcher, it seems that talking was taking a toll on him, I wanted to stop him but he smiled at me shook his head, can he read minds too?

"What is the second 'gift' uncle?" I queried, but somehow I knew the answer, then I saw tears run down his face, what could be happening?

"The second gift is a half a gift, half a curse. We were to walk this earth until we are killed by the traveller that was meant for us. We stop aging at some point and all we can do is watch those around us perish," he replied, I went livid, I felt my hands and feet grow cold, Uncle Ian gave a half smile, a disturbing half smile.

"My dear friend will be very angry at me to see what has happened to his family," Uncle Ian suddenly began speaking as if he was talking to someone else, as if there was somebody else that he wants to address, I stared at him. He looked tired, his face dark and his breaths heavy, my heart ached for him

"Uncle?" I asked in worry

"You might find it funny but I have been involved in your family much longer than you know," he smiled weakly then continued, I just stared at him in worry, "my best friend is your many times great grandfather, Ramon Zarragoza, we met in school when his father sent him to a school in Europe, he was smart and friendly but he was scarred for life, he once told me saw his aunt die in the hands of his new tutor. I was young then too and back then I was called Miguel, my first and true name, I was still a person, but when we returned to the Philippines I made the biggest mistake in my life, I made a deal with a demon to save my own skin, it was the night that my parents died in the fire that consumed my family home Ramon was one of the first people who was there and he saw everything, but instead of hating me he promised not to let anything bad happen to me," he paused and looked back at me.

I stared back at him, one thing ran in my mind, poor man.

"In the course of the years your great grandfather and myself had stood beside each other, he was with me when I met the love of my life - Serafina", another pause and a half smile, my uncle sure is reminiscing quite a lot of things. "She was really pretty, Beth, if you met her you would say so too, though she was first attracted to your grandfather, and really hated me. But your grandfather was head-over-heels towards your grandmother, Celeste, and Sera noticed me, only then did she gave me a chance. You need to understand Beth, it was the beginning of the American occupation here in the Philippines, so there was still a lot of cross fire, and with Ramon's father a secret supporter of the revolutionists it made both our lives a bit perilous, but other than that we lived a peaceful life. Sera found out about my condition two nights before we got married, she almost called it off, thankfully she did not. My parents died early on so my Uncle was the only relative I had left to attend my wedding and of course your grandfather. Being married I feared many things, I was afraid for my life, knowing that one day I will be killed by a Person called a Traveller, I feared for my new wife what if she gets involved with the ordeal, I didn't know what to do. I aired to Ramon my fears but never did he turned away, he was the silent supporter, he told to man up that I must not forget that I am now married and that my life is no longer just mine. But karma is never far behind, for some time it was peaceful, it was even happy, I remember all the days", Uncle Ian burst into tears, is this a side-effect of using his 'gift' he remembers his past? I'm not so sure anymore.

"One day karma came, and it took all that I had built, my beloved Sera and my daughter Catrina, both were taken away from me. They were killed in the midst of the encounter of the Americans and Revolutionaries. I couldn't be killed but I watched them get shot by stray bullets. Sera was killed almost instantly but my dear Catrina... she... she died in my arms," more tears came. "When Ramon heard about it he rushed to where we were, and all I could do was cry. Celeste was the one to arrange the funeral for my family as I wasn't in the right state of mind at the time. After that my whole life fell apart, I focused myself in studying and locked myself away for long periods. Even your grandfather has grown concern for my well-being but I was a vessel even if I didn't eat I will not die unless I was killed by a Traveller that I never have met, and I was beginning to doubt if I will ever meet that person, chances are he or she is dead or maybe not even born yet, but nonetheless I was unable to join my beloved Serafina and Catrina. I went out to mingle once in a while as insisted by Ramon but it was on very short periods and usually it's when I was with Ramon and his family - Celeste and Leticia. I watched my dear friends grow old and die, and for the longest time I stood by them, even at Leticia's death bed. It was the reapers that saw me called me Irithiel, such an angelic name for a demonic Vessel, but they have been kind. Your family has been in privy to my secret for every generation your father was not an exception, it was because of that knowledge your sister fell victim to being a vessel. It broke me in pieces when your father asked me to save Annie's life, I wanted to say no, I wanted to tell him that it was going to be a mistake but he begged me Bethany. I prayed that the demon that would accept the deal was as laid back as my own but I knew how demons are, they are never the kind you can predict, and when I saw the hand that sealed the deal I knew that it wasn't going to be the same as mine, the demon that took over Annie's body was hungry, it wanted the world to burn, I tried to tell your father and mother about it but they didn't listen, all that mattered was Annie. When I saw your sister's dying body, I can't help but remember my own daughter, as a father I knew how your dad felt, he will do most anything to save her, to keep her alive, and the ritual - it kept Annie alive, and as long as she was alive all the world can burn down to ashes for all he cared, your father was wrong that is true, but he is a father. In my many years I have taken on many names, most I couldn't even remember I have seen the children grow into men and women of distinction, I watched them age, wither and die, it was painful to watch the same scene over and over but I made a promise to myself, on the grave of your grandfather that I will protect what he cherished in his life - his family, that is why I will protect you Beth with all that I have, I will protect you."

I wanted to comfort him but with my messed up appendages it's impossible to even walk towards him. Then I heard a click, my eyes darted to the door, so did Uncle Ian, from his forlorn state he stood up fast and took up a protective stance. Fear was in my throat, I was holding down a scream, but I can feel my body grew cold. He held my hand at his back, I was shaking - "FOOODDD!!!!" it was Ciel.

We both let out a sigh, it was Ciel, thank heavens. The sigh of relief was so obvious that Ciel laughed at us, but Uncle Ian still held my hand until it stopped shaking, gently I pulled on his arm, gesturing for him to lean closer, when he did I gave him the biggest hug that I can give.

"It's okay Uncle, your best friend is proud of your efforts." I felt warm tears on my shoulder as I hugged him.