A Test of Faith

A:

"I--I--I'm a demon," I repeat. "From Hell?"

Lafayette nods her head.

"Yes," she says coldly. "You're a demon from Hell. I'm an angel from Heaven."

"And the reason I am even here is because of you?"

"Yes," Layafette says, nodding her head. "Two years ago, you led a charge against the Heavenly Gate. I, Jacob, and a few other angels all banded together to stop you. It took everything Jacob and I had just to knock you out. After we did, you fell from Heaven back onto Earth. I tried to follow after you but lost you. I've been looking for you since then."

"I--I cannot believe it," I say. I stare at my own two hands before staring at the ground. "But that would explain everything. My powers. Your powers. Even the holy water! I am a demon! I am a demon from Hell."

My legs feel weak. Unable to support me any longer, I drop to my knees

"A," Lafayette shouts. She runs to help me but I push her away.

"Why are you helping me," I shout. "You are an angel! I am a demon! We should not be talking with one another. In fact, we should be fighting one another! After all, this is why you are here! Is it not? Because you want to take me away! Well, come on then!"

I climb back onto my feet and stomp my foot, making a small hole in the ground. I raise both my hands before throwing a punch at Lafayette.

"A," Lafayette screams, jumping to the left. Dodging my punch, my fist instead goes straight to the wall of my gas station home. However, I could not care less. I pull out my fist and follow after Lafayette as she steps back.

"Come on," I yell again. "Fight me! Fight me!"

"A," Lafayette screams while dodging my punches. "Knock it off! I don't want to--"

Whatever Lafayette is about to say, I cut her off by throwing a telekinesis blast at her. She crosses her arms to block it but clearly, my power is stronger than her. My blast knocks Lafayette off her feet and to the ground. Even before she can get up, I run to her and grab her by her feet. Spinning around, I drag Lafayette across the burning-hot ground before throwing her to the side.

Despite all of this, Lafayette is not fighting back. Instead, she is trying to crawl away.

"What are you doing! Fight me! Fight me, you angel!"

Digging into the palm of my hand with my fingernails, I grind my teeth against each other as I stomp toward Lafayette. Lafayette does nothing as I grab her shoulder and pick her up. Pulling back my hand, about to shoot it forward, I stop when I see Layafette's face.

Layafette looked beaten. Her face is sweaty and red. Her hair is messy. She is breathing heavily as if she is exhausted. As I look at Lafayette, I start to feel my hand shaking. Turning my head, I see my fist is indeed shaking. It is not moving forward or back but shaking up and down.

"What--What is this," I ask. "Why is my hand shaking?"

I try to move my hand forward. I try to punch Lafayette but I cannot. As I look back at Lafayette, I lose the urge to fight. It is like the urge just vanishes. As it teleported away, and now, in its place is a feeling of...regret.

"Layafette," I say, letting go. "I am...I am so sorry."

As I let go of Lafayette, she falls to the ground.

"Lafayette!"

Dropping to the ground, I pick her up, my hand holding her head.

"Lafayette! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Lafayette does not answer me. All Lafayette does is moan.

"No, no, no," I say, looking at my hand. "No! Nooo! You may be an angel and I may be a demon, but nevertheless, you need my help."

I close my eyes and focus. I focus my power, channeling it into the hand. When I slowly open my eyes, I see my hand glowing. With my glowing hand, I wave it in front of Lafayette. As the glow moves from my hand to Lafayette, I watch as Layafette's face is restored to its original color. Her hair is combed and she is not breathing heavily anymore. She is breathing normally.

"Lafayette," I say, gently shaking her. "Lafayette! Please. Tell me you are okay. Please. Lafayette."

I keep shaking Lafayette until her eyes snap open.

"Oh my god," Lafayette screams, pushing me away. As she pushes me away, she gets back up onto her feet. "Please tell me we didn't kiss."

"No," I say, crossing my arms. "We did not kiss. We are enemies, and even if we are not enemies, you and I are not close."

Lafayette lets out a sigh as she wipes her forehead.

"Awesome," she says.

I shake my head as I look at Lafayette. Seeing that Lafayette is fully recovered, I feel like I can ask an important question.

"Why did you not fight back," I ask. Lafayette stops as soon as she hears this.

"What?"

"Why did you not fight back," I ask again. "The whole thing, when I was attacking you, you did nothing. We have similar powers, and I know you are not shy when it comes to a fight. So why did you not fight me? Is that not your mission? To capture me and take me back to Heaven?"

I hear Lafayette sighs again, only it is not a sigh of relief. She looks away, trying to hide her face by brushing her hair in front.

"Called it a leap of faith," Lafayette answers, still hiding her face.

"A what?"

"A leap of faith," Lafayette answers. "I wanted to see what you would do. What would happen if we fought and you won?"

"Why? Why would you do something so risky like that? I do not get it."

"I wanted to see if you would destroy me," Lafayette answers. She moves her hair aside and looks right at me. I look back at her and I can tell Lafayette is not lying. "I wanted to see if, somehow, being down here changed you. Like it changed me. A. The last time we fought, you were a merciless demon. You destroyed without so much as a second thought. You used your power to knock us angels around like we were bowling pins. Whenever we would see you, we fear for our lives, and we angels have close to eternity life."

As Lafayette goes on, I lower my head.

"Was that me?"

I only raise my head when I hear Layafette say next.

"But that's not you anymore. A, you changed. You didn't destroy me. You stopped. In fact, you not only stopped but you also healed me. I helped me, and I really appreciate it."

Layafette then nods at me. I cannot help but chuckle.

"Do not mention it," I say, nodding back.

With that said, Lafayette and I just look at each other.

"So now what," I asked. "Your mission is to capture me, right? Are you going to take me to the Heavenly Gate?"

"I have absolutely no idea what to do next," Lafayette answers, slapping herself on her forehead. "But I do know this. I need to talk with Jacob fast. Before he does anything else."

"Okay," I say. Lafayette turns around and bends her knees. About to fly off, I run and grab her hand.

"Wait, before you go, I have to know one last thing."

"What's that?"

"What is my name? Like, what is my real name?"

I am expecting an answer. I am expecting to finally learn my name. I am expecting something big. However, Lafayette only shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't know,' Lafayette answers. "We just always called you the demon leader. Frankly, I don't even know where you came up with A."

"I found some papers in my pockets," I answer. "I could not make sense of the writing on them. The only letter I could make out is A."

"Oh. Well, yeah. I don't know your name."

"Shoot."

I let go of Layafette's hand and she flies into the air. I watch from my gas station as she quickly flies and disappears into the city.