Chapitre 2: The Devil within…
'Everyone's got a devil inside.'
When you hear such saying, what's the first thing that comes into your mind?
Anger issues. Hidden phobia. A traumatic event of sorts. Dangerous impulsive thoughts. Scary alternate personalities? It may not even be as severe as the ones listed. In this world of gods and monsters it could even be mild. But I do agree with saying.
"Everyone's got a devil inside.'
My own little devil is a little bit generic, but much more… Literal.
Do you want to see it?
Ω
It's like a person sitting before the TV watching a horror movie, he obviously doesn't want to see. Unfortunately, his opinion never matters as his eye are pried open painfully from the eyelids. While he is forcefully sited in a dark lonely room, watching it happen again and again.
Meanwhile behind him, it growls, waiting for that certain day it'll be released once more…
A never ending spiral of torment.
I've got demons… They forever hunt my dreams.
…-…-…-…-…-…-...
"Just keep on running, son. Make sure to hold her hand and don't look back, God! What's wrong with this people?! She's just a little kid!"
My tired exhales were white, due to the coldness and tiredness from running through risen snow. For a transient instant, I vaguely wondered how such sequence of events has led to this precarious moment.
Joy to the world and stuffs like that… It was Christmas Eve, and like every other Christmas Eve, Dad sets time for us to get into a little shopping in preparations for the Big Day.
I can still remember beaming and nodding my head to the carols sung in the shopping mall. Dad would always ruffle my head and join in, as we both shamelessly disturbed the other customers with our terrible singing.
Good old days and stuffs like that…
But then, it wouldn't be a Devil if it were a good dream, would it?
"Kill the demon! Purge the devil's spawn from this world! God is with us!"
Both I and my dad stood transfixed at the roadside, as those Anti-Mutant groups, the ones outfitted in white gown-like dresses with black cross sewn on them, the Purifiers, matched across our street while chasing what appeared to be a little girl with an unhuman characteristics.
"Abram, why don't you stay here, while I'll go check on what's really happening."
Ever the diligent cop, Dad strapped his batch while holstering his gun. He had no idea what was going on, but for such hostility to be shown to a child... It was just wrong and as an officer of the law, it was required of him to demand answers for such barbarity.
But as expected, his stern questioning provoked angry replies, from both the pious murderers and the bloodthirsty crowds.
'You! Are you in cohorts with this demon-child to speak for her?'
'It's a child for God's sake! Do you expect me to just let you get on and be done with it?!'
A scuffled later got both my Dad and I on the run from a homicidal crowd not far behind. The Mutant -I still can't remember her face even till now- was around my age as I pulled her along, trudging through the snow that slowed our running speed.
Seeing the tears rolling down her eyes, as she cried for her parents, made me wince in phantom pain. Looking back, it was like we were being pursued by a large pack of heartless monsters.
Only that these ones can talk…
Is this how far they had stooped? She was around my age, probably lower even. And here she was, rather than under a Christmas tree with her parents decorating, she was under the cold running for her life away from people who saw her as nothing more than a freak of nature.
Within me, something roared in agreement and eldritch like flames stirred to life.
Hate… For a 12 year old, wasn't truly surprising. Hate green peas, hate school, hate certain people that wrong or offend you. They were natural qualities a child has to experience in life as he develops.
Mine though… Was a little bit different, as for the first time in life.
I wished everyone behind me should just Die.
Occasional gunshots rang out, as both Dad and the Purifiers exchanged shots.
'Damn it! Where are those X-men folks? Aren't they the ones that take care of this kind of shit?'
If it weren't for the situation at hand, I would have been laughing at Dad for cursing out loud. He was always the one that sternly instructed me not to be saying such foul words.
Dirties the mind and turns you into a society scoundrel…
Finally it happens.
A loud bang later, I felt something hit flesh and Dad grunting in pain.
It was here that I roared. Struggling to force myself awake. I didn't want to see this… Please, please. I don't want to see him go again…
.
'Abram…'
When I turned to look, but a hand clamped the hind of my neck forcing me to face straight.
'Just keep facing forward. No need to look back, son. Rather you… You look at her.'
His voice was muffled and haggard. I didn't want to hear that. I wanted him to turn me around and look me in the eye, assuring me that by the end of the day that this will nothing more than a bad memory.
But as I looked at the unrecognizable girl who was still crying. My heart clenched, and unintentionally, I pulled the girl up carrying her.
'Good… That's my boy. Protect her, that's all you have to focus on, for now…'
My legs still kept on moving even though every single cell within me was telling me to look back. At that moment, I didn't know what to think as I kept on running.
First get the girl to safety, and then Dad… That's what he would have done.
'Son… I want you to keep on going, while I'll try to hold back this rowdy nutcases.'
There was a pain and tiredness in his voice. One that told me something had happened to him. Tears fell down as I felt that this was the very last time, I was ever going to see him.
'Dad… What are we having for dinner?'
'… You…'
My question was one that warranted assurance. A 12year old that wanted this nightmare to end. A promise made from a father to his son that indirectly promised that they were all going home.
'How about key lime pie… Graham cracker crust. What do you say about that?'
'… … My favorite, I'll be waiting, Dad.'
'Yeah… I'll be right behind you, son.'
Letting out a shout, I spurred myself in the chill to run , run like I never had before. Howlers splashed behind me, from my Dad's and others, gunshots rang the air like crazy. Twice, I had felt something whizzed pass me. But I was too afraid to stop and confirm what it is…
How long… For how long did I run? How far away was I from those Purifiers? Questions asked, but unanswered.
The girl had already fallen unconscious due to the crying, while I felt faint and feverish as a result of the sudden unwanted exercise. My pace slowed down till I all I could do was lumber around, dizzy, tired, and in pain.
Black spots settled in as the darkness beguiled me into her bosom… The last image I could see before Mobius claimed my psyche was the color of orange and black shaped like an X.
Ω
I can still remember the burial.
It was in the morning of Boxing Day, a day after he was officially pronounced dead. There was no Wake as a result of financial issues, not like I had relatives to ask. Dad says that to them, he might as well not exist.
… … I can still remember the disbelief I had when I hollered for the doctor to check once more.
Dad always says, that just because you are an expert in something doesn't means that you will be right in everything that pertains to that something… But this, how was I to disprove this?
Not when I clearly recognized his form beneath that white thin piece of cloth, cold and unmoving.
It roared and thrashed, while I huddled in my seat, fruitlessly stubbing the heart-wrenching pain.
.
Not many people came in the end. The pastor who gave a short boring prayer, two undertakers to lower the coffin and some of my Dad's friends in the neighborhood. 12. That was the faithful amount that arrived to send my Dad off.
Concerning the Mutant girl, from what I had heard. She had been picked up by the famous Mutant, the X-man Wolverine, who had also sent me to the hospital for my fever which had been high owing to the cold.
Yes, in the end I did it, I saved the girl… Only to lose my father in the end.
If this were a Comic Book. This was the moment I would awaken a superpower and hunt down all those murderers who so callously murdered a good man.
But in this world, only one concept can determine such awakening.
Luck…
So I was left powerless, and inadequate as I watched the real Devils enjoy their Christmas holidays. With blood in their hands as they feasted lavishly, while praying to a God that was totally different from the one I knew.
A God that wanted only destruction.
It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair.
IT WASN'T FAIR!
.
'Everyone's got a devil inside.'
.
I think that was when It came out for the first time.
Something big and powerful, chains rattling slithering around its behemoth form like a snake, and eldritch green flames emanating wispily around it.
Unexplained murders…
On New Year's Eve, windows and doors were shut close and people were afraid to leave their houses after the sun turned golden, as a result of its setting. Someone or something was out there terrorizing the town.
A man speared through, like one would do to a fish with a roughly shaped stake.
A woman whose guts were spilled open and intestines wrapped around her neck.
Two men whose eyes were pulled off and stuffed in their mouths.
An elderly whose head was cut off and put inside his stomach…
Deaths too gruesome to describe. I too was among the horrified masses… That was until I got the message.
Murderer will never escape true Justice!
At that moment I felt strange. Somehow I knew that this being or whatever it is, was talking speaking to me… I never realized it, but at that moment.
They were all participants in his death…
I smiled… Maniacal laughter filling the lonely house, as a 12year old hooted with diabolical joy. Wishing that the demon should do more…
Let them suffer! Let them loss! Let them mourn! Let them fear! Let them never have peace!
Endless curses spewed from my mouth, as I wished for more and more to die. It wasn't an attitude of a 12year old, but for me that moment was more cathartic than I expected…
But that was when I remember his words…
'Son, it's always was easy to hate, easy to wish for everything to burn... But it's never easy to move on, and start again... You only have one life. So don't waste it on unnecessary grudges and focus on improving yourself.'
It wasn't a grand saying, it wasn't an inspirational speech. Just a simple sentence from a man who staggered in, tired from a hard day from work. But that doused me in cold understanding.
Dad's never coming back, and I'm all alone. Rather wasting my time happy that those bastards were dying or already dead, I should be thinking of how to move forward now that I without any form of support.
Their problems were theirs while mine was mine.
But I should have known, I should have suspected it was never so easy.
At that very night, just as I was about to retire to bed… I finally saw it. The one behind the others.
The signs were always there before me to pick up and deduce.
The lights flickered eerily while I was washing my face in the sink. The cold fogged the mirror so I couldn't see clearly, but I could tell… There was someone or rather something behind me.
The chains clattered like they always did, rising in hellish tempo as its otherworldly cry shook the Dream-realm. Meanwhile I shut my eyes like I always did, obstinately denying its existence.
Mechanically, I slowly cleared the fog beginning from the bottom. There I saw vermillion red and jet black.
Everyone's got a Devil inside. Hey, Abram Adams…
Like a child caught in a nefarious trance, I cleaned upward as I saw human like skulls decorating its form. Reaching its facial section, I paused, hands going a little higher drawing a single line.
Wanna see yours?
Baleful verdant eyes grinned at me and I screamed.
A loop that will always begin the next time I shut my eyes…
- Spawn Ω Archetype-
"Gaaa!..."
The boy's eyes snapped open, and from his mouth came out a terrified scream. Gasping, Abram looked around only to realize that he had fallen asleep on the couch near the fireplace. Sighing, he breathed calming down, and the 16year old wiped away the film of sweat on his forehead while reclining back into the couch.
"Dammit, it's always like that…" He muttered wearily, cleaning the edges of his eyes.
We bring to you, the public announcement for the 50-states Initiative, propagated by the Chief-Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, Tony Stark, codename, Iron-Man, which is set to commence on the 5th of January 20xx. According to the Chief- Director, he informs us that it is with hope that…
Shaking his head, Abram tuned out the rest of the news to orient himself. It was a ritual he always did after going through that. Popping the stiff bones on his neck and hips, Abram looked towards the window observing the falling snow.
'The yard is gonna' be a pain in the ass to clean up.'
Particularly the slowly plunging snowflakes that was sure to pill up. He wondered if he would actually have time to do that. Nah… Not when he still have some appointments to keep to.
"And speaking of appointments, what's the time? Just 30minutes after, Boss gave me 1hour more so I still got time to put something in my belly."
A rumble drew his hand to his torso, rubbing it. Although it was at that moment two soft pair of arms snaked around his neck while a beautiful figure rested her face on his shoulders.
"Hey, Sylvia."
"Hey yourself, sleepyhead."
Bright green eyes stared right into his, as Abram let out a smile at the smirk on his girlfriend's face.
"You know I had to prepare for work this morning. Boss said he'll give me a little extra, if I could get this done before the town properly wakes up."
"And you're done?"
"Yep."
"Good boy, maybe you deserve a little prize." Pecking him on the cheek, the raven beauty heard his stomach rumbling and she grinned.
"It isn't morning proper and someone's hungry."
"Well, can you blame me?" Abram stood up, stretching up his hands while giving his waist some experimental twists.
"I woke up early this morning, and went around almost half of town, slotting manila papers into postboxes. Not to mention the delicious aroma lingering around some houses due to the festive season. Of course, this little guy somewhat has the right to complain."
Soft hands wrapped around his as Sylvia pulled him along towards the dining.
"You're lucky Mister that you got me as your girlfriend, then. Before I went to sleep, I figured I should whoop something up for my hardworking family-man."
His brow raised, "What's on the menu?"
"Hmm… Nothing much just a little key-lime pie."
His mouth opened as he arrived at the dining table that had four chairs, situated in the middle was a tantalizing green and white pie just waiting to be devoured. Memories, painful but happy memoirs Abram kept deep in his heart flittered out, and his lips shook in appreciation.
'She actually remembered.' Spotting the sly smile on her face told Abram that she, like always, eerily knew what he was thinking. 'I'm so lucky to have met her.'
"Babe, thanks."
Sylvia chuckled as they both settled down. "Anytime."
…-…-…-…-…-…-…-...
"About the patio, I'll take care of it."
Abram stood by the veranda putting on his windbreaker, a red scarf went around his neck when he realized that the speed in which the snow was falling increased by a smidge. To Sylvia, the 16year old raised a brow at her declaration after she had caught on his absentminded mumbling.
"Let's just do it together, after the snowing stops. It'll be much easier that way."
Placing a hand on her hip, Sylvia looked up staring at him in the eyes. "Do you think you'll be capable of clearing the heap faster than me? Or have you already forgotten what happened last year?"
An eye twitched as the boy reminisced the embarrassing display that happened on a day like this.
Abram at that time, had told Sylvia that he was strong enough to clear away the entire snow around the house by himself. As a 15yr old kid, there was that inherent instinct to show some form of manliness. But with an unimpressed look, Sylvia took one spade while giving him the other.
'How about this, Abram. You go start there, while I'll start here. First to clean up their side is the winner, while the loser has to apologize for their rude remark.'
'Oh, you're on!'
Although now, Abram just wants to go back in time and bonk his younger self on the head for agreeing so assuredly.
He could remember huffing and puffing as he shoveled away the snow. Abram wasn't that confident in his strength but he presumed it was more than enough to triumph over Sylvia's whose physique was visibly slimmer.
Boy was he so wrong!
'I'm done.'
'What?! You're lying. I haven't even reached half and you're telling me you are already done with your portion!'
'Why don't you go check and see, then.'
Check he did and he was met with a wider yard free of snow. God! He could still feel that phantom heat of embarrassment emanating even to this day.
"Well, Mister."
The verdant eyes gorgeous incanted with a tone that brokered victory, lightly puffing her developing chest. While marinating in her boyfriend's blushing.
"Alright, alright. But after the snow falling. Let's not create too much work for ourselves." Abram acquitted with a rueful smile. His phone ringed which he picked up to see a message from his friend.
"Got to go, Kevin called. He's waiting for me so that we'll go see Boss together. Says he's got to leave for New York, this morning. Probably to celebrate Christmas with his relatives."
At that Sylvia had an unreadable gleam in her eyes. "So Prime's leaving, huh. That means it's today. Our quiet life is finally coming to end."
"I can't hear what you're saying, Sylvia, speak up."
But she waved her hand, languidly. "Nothing to worry yourself about, honey. It's just rubbish muttering."
"… … Ok, if you say so."
Watching as Abram trudged into the snowfall, mounting his bicycle and pedaling away. Sylvia who was left alone sighed closing her eyes.
'All-Father, give me strength.'
She would always hate Odin for being such a bastard towards her, but she couldn't deny that sometimes she had felt his love… However sparse it was.
Sylvia knew that this day would surely come. It took too many time-travels before it settled within her godly psyche that in one way or the other, the power buried within her beloved must resurface.
And with it, brings about the attention of many great and terrible beings.
'Please…' Sylvia crossed her arms rubbing the side of her arms while closed her eyes.
'We are having a life together, away from the fantastical and pandemonium of the world. We are in our own little heaven and now it's going to go away. Please All-Father, one who hears all and sees all, the one who has the understanding of the first stars. Show me a way to protect him. I sincerely beseech of you.'
Unfortunately, it was all for naught. The All-Father will not hear her both due to his alienation from earthly matters and her own doing due to magical obscuration. She just wanted to pray to affirm herself just as she always did.
Once, the goddess would have done everything to make Asgard acknowledge her. But now she was done with that, -that was for herself of the present- she just wants her own slice of happiness, however little.
"If the faith and Those Who Sit Above in Shadow think they can stop me… Ha… Hahahahahahaha!"
Sylvia swerved as her dress began to change. Velvety verdant clothed her form, on her head, a crown of gold shaped antlers was placed. Draping a fur cape, Sylvia or rather, Loki smiled impishly.
"Then they haven't see the True Loki! This time, I'll be giving this my all."
As she headed out into the snow white world, she gave a small smile. 'It's time to wake one flaming bird up.'
Then in a haze of green, Loki vanished into the unknown.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
vtorx_0867
vtorx_0867 In a way due to how, webnovel can't create space for bold and italics the story format may appear confusing so I apologize for that.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone