Silver Devil

Horrified by this new information, Vala raised her staff in alarm. Who had not heard the tales of despair from the demon of the North?

"Relax, " Zireael whispered, entering a drunken stupor, "I am in no mood for blood spread. Do not make a mistake you will regret for the rest of your pitiful life." he lethargically said, taking a swig of the amber whiskey within his palm.

Baffled by the odd turn, Vala frowned. She had seen many like this before. The feeling of a lost one. The hollow pit of malice that seemed never to fade no matter the cycles of moons that passed.

"I had not thought the Demon of the North would be like this?" Vala voiced, "How are these girls related to—"

" Just ignore my presence." Zireael asserted, walking past Vala, "Just worry about those, girls. One of them is a Wood Elf like yourself."

Glancing around for the perfect tree covered in the shade. The Young Lord faded into the distance finding a spot that worked perfectly for him. Falling upon the ground, he swallowed the whole bottle without a second thought. Suddenly the soft echoes of whimpering began to resound, quelling the winds and birds.

...

...

...

"Who is Zireael?" Sionn asked, noticing the grim expression of his aunt.

"A monster. " Vala muttered gravely. "A true demon, from the reports I received from Valmor. They say he has no regard for life. Killing when the mood strikes him."

"He is not like that!" Aurelia weakly said, slowly opening her eyes to a new day. Shooting up in haste, she touched her face that was completely healed. Knowing it was done by Lord Blackwater.

"And who are you?" Vala venomously asked, not in the mood for games. "To walk around with a Duke, you must also be someone."

Scrunching her brow, she peered towards Vala, noticing her pointed ears; the young girl's eyes sparkled. "Can I touch your ears? They look even sharper than Ella's." She asked, lifting her petite body off the ground.

"You do not fear us?" Vala questioned, studying Aurelia's expression for any signs of deception. It was a little far-fetched, but Vala knew anyone related to a duke could be a monster in disguise.

"Ella asked me the same thing. But I do not care. "Aurelia exclaimed, patting her chest, " I am Aurelia Morningstar, by the way. Zireael is taking care of me."

"A child is taking care of a child?" she mocked, a little bothered by the odd innocence radiating off the young girl. "You do not have a nobles disposition like Blackwater, but there is something off about you."

"How rude, Aunty Talia said one should never judge." Aurelia scolded. Pushing palms to her waist, "I am not a noble, but why does that even matter?"

"A nieve fool is what you are, girl. It would seem that Zireael is shielding you quite well." Vala dismissively scuffed, "you—"

CLenching her staff that had never left her hand's large tears began to fall when all of a sudden, three firebolt sigils arose. Biting the edges of her lips, the visions of being caged like dogs, the scent of shit she laid within for days, and the laughs of the knights all echoed into her head as she cried to be set free.

"What do you know about Zireael or me?" Aurelia hatefully questioned, "Both Ella and I were kidnapped, taken away by the knights. We were forced to lay within our own waste, and you say Dumb-Dumb shielded us? You know nothing of me!"

Shocked by the Golden Darkness pooling around the girl, Vala felt a slight tug upon her forest robes. "Aunty is mean," Sionn stated, fiercely glaring at Vala.

Knowing she was in the wrong, she clenched her fist. "The Great Spirit allowed you in, so you cannot be immoral. However, you cannot stay. Not when you are connected to that bastard of Ferrum." Said Vala turning her back to the children clenching her fist, recalling the bodies that laid before the aristocracy of Ferrum.

"Zireael listens to no one," Aurelia belligerently shouted, not at all scared. Crossing her arms, she stuck her tongue out, "Tell him that, I dare you!"

Not willing to turn back, Vala continued on, her gaze slowly turning darker with each step till dark clouds began to cloud her vision. Drawing blood from her tightened fist, she came upon a strange sight of various trees. Each tree seemed to hold the image of a human face weeping.

Pressing her bloody palm against it, she clenched her teeth, her fingers slowly digging into the bark. "That human trash!" Vala screamed as tears began to fall. "Zireael Blackwater! You will pay. You all will pay!"

"This is not the way," The voice of the ancient turtle echoed, entering her mind from the depts of the silver lake. "You know you cannot hate an innocent boy like him. His house has done nothing."

"Great Spirit, why should I not hate him? That is no boy! Can such a boy hold such complex emotions of loss? He is a monster, just like the rest. He needs to die, just like those of this forest."

"Vala," The Great Spirit whispered in sorrow, "This is not the way. Do not behave like humans; nothing good will come from it. I have turned a blind eye to your disgusting habit, but this time I warn you. Do not anger that girl with the staff, nor that silver-headed thing. The blade he carries holds more suffering than I had ever seen, and the staff she wields holds the power of Nightmares. I cannot protect our home should you defy my request."

Startle at this revelation, Vala raised her head towards the sky, "That girl is weak, but the boy. Is he truly that scary?"

"He may seem weak, he may even be weak but trust me when I say this. Trapped within that boy is death itself. Let him greave. He is no enemy to you nor I." The Great Spirit whispered, its voice fading. "Do not lose everything by angering the Silver Devil."

Biting her lips, the winds began to blow through the weeping trees as the echoes of torment began to radiate out. Slowly tears began to leak from the bark, bringing about a life-like cry.

"That's right, cry. Cry for this will be your eternal torment. My brothers and Sister will never cry again, but you will. You will cry till the sands of time begin to rust, and the air begins to stall. That will be you humans' punishment."