Return of the Morning Star ~ Leviathan

All I felt was a searing hot flame on my skin, then a scream echoed through the hall. Then everything turned jet black before my eyes.

I felt extremely cold.

Is this what dying feels like?

Probably.

Just before I gave in to the calmness of the cold black tunnel I was spiralling through, I felt a tug on my chest, pulling me back.

My eyes snapped open and my body shot up into a sitting position. I immediately closed my eyes again, blinking slowly to adjust to the sudden change of light.

"L-leviathan?" I heard Lykfilia's soft voice behind me. It sounded stuffy, as if she'd been crying. Which I thought was a reasonable thing to do.

"You're alive! Oh thank the spirits of nature you're okay!"

I turned around and smiled gently at her.

"Lyka, where did Spectre go?" I asked her, already having my suspicions.

"I don't know. She tried to leave after you collapsed, but she passed out before she even reached the door. " she replied.

I looked at the ground for a moment, then back up at Lykfilia.

"You see, I'm not supposed to be alive right now." I said.

Lykfilia's smile faded. "What do you mean" she asked me gently.

"I died. The ascension ritual isn't supposed to work on hybrids like me. I actually died. " I replied, just as confused as she was.

Her mouth thinned into a line.

"Do you feel any different?"

"No," I replied. "Just....cold."

Lykfilia nodded. "You can tell me why you're not dead on the way, we need to get off this island." Her voice turned stale and serious, a very rare occurence.

I pulled myself up to stand, walking over to Lykfilia, who had her hand stretched out to me.

"How do you propose we get out?" She asked.

I froze. I had no idea. I sighed.

"I guess we should probably start by getting out of this building unseen. I think that's the hardest part."

Lykfilia nodded. "So, which way do we go?"

I took her hand, leading her out of the building.

"You were going to explain the whole all-of-the-sudden-not-dead situation?"

I swallowed. "Right." I sighed, wondering where to start.

"You know how angels have their designated roles, right?"

Lykfilia nodded.

"Well, Spectre was- is the angel of lost souls. Meaning, she guided the souls of the damned to the City of the Dead. She still does, occasionally." I took a deep, calming breath.

"This also means she had slight control over people's souls. I suspect- I mean, I know she did a thing, an ancient thing called a soul trade."

Lykfilia gasped.

"So-"

"So to put it lightly, Spectre traded her or someone else's soul for mine, and that's how I'm still here." I said, not particularly looking where I was going- until I collided head-first into something.

I sighed as I felt Lykfilia tense up beside me.

So much for being unseen...

"Who the hell are you?" The person asked.

I heard a sigh of relief from Lykfilia, and honestly, I didn't blame her. However, if the person had to ask me who I was, we still had a chance of getting away.

I looked up. My eyes were met with those of a young man, probably not much older than Sirius. He was of average height, grey eyes, spiky, dirty blond hair in a ponytail, wearing a coat and simple jeans. He had an odd- looking sword strapped to his back. He had a curious look on his face as he awaited my answer.

"Leviathan. You?"

"You're the one they're looking for!" he paused, suddenly silencing himself. "You're the one they're looking for, which means there's probably a reason why you're running, isn't there? Trying to get off the island unseen, are you?" he asked us.

I froze for a second, then Lykfilia replied.

"Yeah, we are."

"Ah. Well, I happen to be searching for an escape route on my own, so...need some help?"

I looked at Lykfilia, as if I was waiting for an unspoken permission to answer him. She nodded, silent as she had been five minutes ago.

I turned back to the yet unknown person.

"We need to get to the docks, preferably unseen. There is an underground tunnel to the mainland from there, but it's most likely guarded. Are you any good at distractions?" I asked him.

"Well, this is good time to find out, isn't it?" he replied with a smile on his face.

________________

We made our way down to the docks slowly, making sure nobody saw us.

The boy we met earlier went on ahead of us to distract the two guards at the tunnel as Lykfilia and I snuck through behind them.

She gently pulled at my arm, getting my attention.

"What?" I asked her.

"How are we going to get him through?"

I paused to think, then got an idea. "Do you know any sleeping spells?" I asked her, half-whispering.

She shook her head. "Not clearly no. I only remember the one that Spectre used on you the first time we met again, but I don't know if I can do it right. "

"Well, we've got to try. " I replied.

Lykfilia nodded and turned back to the guards, who were currently engaged in a rather snarky conversation with our distraction.

She carefully got up behind them, whispering as she put her hands on their shoulders. "Relaxat, somno, surgere donec requiem tibi." The guards collapsed, and Lykfilia gave me a thumbs up.

A few seconds later, all three of us were ready to leave.

After entering the tunnel and gaining distance away from Mizeareigh, I finally spoke up, addressing the unknown person walking behind us.

"By the way, you still haven't told us who you are. What's your name?"

He gave a light, airy laugh.

"Oh that's right, I forgot to ever introduce myself. My name's Demyx. Demyx Lynchfield, previously Ludevicus, but my family kind of disowned me." he smiled. "You see, I am only partially a demon. The rest of me is human, no worries about that."

My brain spun in circles trying to remember where I'd heard that name before. Ludevicus....where did that come from again? Then it hit me.

"Ludevicus? As in, Dagon Ludevicus of the Swordsmen?"

Demyx nodded. "I'm actually his brother's grandchild. But as I said, they disowned me after they found out that somehow human blood was mixed in with demon, so here I am, Lynchfield, because I had to change my name to keep my head."

Lykfilia looked so confused, but just shook her head.

"The demons really are obsessed with keeping the bloodlines clean, aren't they?" she said finally.

I laughed at her response. "Yeah they are. Except for my father. I never really got to know whether he was aware of the fact that my mother was a vampire or not, but I never really cared either."

I turned back to the road ahead, and I saw a glimpse of light in the distance.

"We're almost there guys, just a few more minutes. Then we'll have to get ourselves to Worthwood though, I'm not exactly sure where the tunnel comes out on Araycien."

A few moments later we were through. Demyx caught up with us and then paused for a second.

"I guess this is the part where I say thank you and go off to do my own thing ay?" he said.

Lykfilia tilted her head slightly with a questioning look.

"You're welcome to come along with us you know. You might have to sleep on the couch in the dining room, but that's just because all rooms are occupied. Well, Spectre's isn't, but lord knows what's in there."

Demyx thought about it for a while.

"Sure, I guess. It's not like I have anywhere else to go."

_________________

A day and a half later, we arrived at the White Helm at last. It was getting dark again, so we sped up a little in case they would put the traps on for the night.

I knocked on the door instead of walking right in, because I didn't want to risk getting stabbed with a sword. After a few seconds I heard footsteps an then the door was opened.

Reyna's expression went from bored as hell to smiling from ear to ear and almost glowing with happiness.

"Oh my gods, you're back! And you're okay! And- wait, where's Spectre? Who's that guy?"

Lykfilia and I looked at each other.

"Come on inside Reyna, I'll explain everything." I said. "We'll explain everything. Demyx, just take a seat and listen through the entire thing if you want, I'll show you around the place afterwards."

They all did so, and they were all pretty much just waiting on me at this point.

"Anyone want anything to drink?" I asked them. I got a few replies, so I went to prepare them. When I had finished preparing the drinks and laid them on the table, there were a few heavy knocks on the door.

Naturally, I went to answer it. Opening the door, I was met with the dark brown eyes of a demon. He was a bit taller than me, leaning on the doorway outside. He wore a shirt and a vest, an old, torn black coat on top of it. He had some sort of weapon strapped to his back, but I couldn't see what it was through the dark.

"Leviathan Lesauvage, right?" He asked me.

"Who are you?" I replied.

He straightened up.

"My name is Lucifer Dianthus, and I kind of need your help."