She was something of a sensation when she arrived at B.I.D. This charismatic, confident Succubus from somewhere in the countryside, taking the school by storm with her raw, aggressive charm. It didn't take much for her to build up a following of friends and admirers. Hell, by the end of her first month after transferring she was already one of the most popular students. Friendly, attractive, talented, witty... she had it all. She wowed the teachers with her intelligence. Blew away the A.D. instructors with her magical prowess. Earned the eye of everyone with her athletic abilities.
But her most daring feat of all - the one that earned her status as an icon - was putting a collar on Cobalt Atticus Trayer.
It happened behind closed doors, so nobody really knew what happened. Most were in agreement that some kind of bet was involved; some long-standing grudge from their childhood together. But whatever it was, it ended with Cobalt being forced into the role of her personal servant. A cruel joke that only soured as the months dragged on, and he went from carrying it out with his head held high to seething with unbridled resentment. People never really knew how to act around the Incubus, but seeing him carrying her books with that pink studded thing around his neck? It made him a laughing stock.
It was no joke to him. He had told Elya as much.
And that was why she stood outside of Cherry Lattess' window, staring into her darkened dorm room.
Who even was she? She blew in from Cobalt's hometown at the beginning of their third year, claiming to be his childhood friend, and yet all Cobalt had for her were words of dismissal. She treated him like shit, and once the collar was locked around his neck, she degraded him like a personal slave. He was already going through enough; the Incubus had been avoiding Elya, and she wasn't about to stand for it.
The window had been left unlocked, allowing Elya to slip inside. Cherry's room was about what she expected; decorated with all kinds of Succubus paraphernalia. Odd little glowing lights casted a dim pink glow over everything, from the crystalline ornaments sitting by the futon to the pictures hung on the wall.
Elya cocked her head. Pictures.
They were of the Lattess family, no doubt. A smattering of many different Succubi, taken at various stages in their life.
Bar one. A photograph of a young Succubus girl taken alongside an Incubus boy, both scowling and looking away from one another. Their clothes were dirtied at their were bruises on their faces, but despite the obvious signs of a scuffle, they were holding hands. Something was written in the corner with pen.
And they all made up in the end!
Elya felt a cold anger ignite in her heart at the sight of it. She caught a glimpse of her own reflection; her eyes burning violet in the dark, unimpeded by hair that she had recklessly slashed short.
Turning away from the wall, she approached the futon. Grabbing the handle sticking out from her blazer pocket, she produced a long iron dagger, warped in design and covered in tiny, indistinguishable runes. It was heavy, but in Elya's hand, it felt just right.
IT'S HER FAULT HE AVOIDS YOU.
She flipped the knife around. It was the middle of the night. There was no better time to-
"I can see you, you know."
Flinching, Elya whipped her head around to face the kitchenette. The lights were off, but in the dim gloom, she could just about make out a pair of eyes staring at her.
"You," the Fallen breathed, her voice low and inexpressive.
She heard a chair scrape against the floor as Cherry Lattess stepped out into the soft light of the Succubus chemical lamps. She was dressed in a handmade nightgown.
"Any reason why you're in my room with a knife?" she asked, nodding at Immoderata.
KILL HER.
"I do what I wish," Elya responded coolly, tightening her grip.
"Mm. Fair enough."
She casually brushed past the Fallen and sat on the windowsill, fishing a box of cigarettes and a lighter from a nearby dresser as she passed.
"You smoke?" she asked, offering one to Elya.
She shook her head, prompting Cherry to just shrug and light up. The cigarette smoke was a strange pink colour and smelled oddly sweet.
"Seen you hanging around Cobalt a lot. You two dating?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
A painful lump formed in Elya's throat.
"He promised himself to me. And me alone," she hissed, narrowing her eyes.
"So you're fucking, then?"
The pain only grew worse. Cobalt... ever since the night of his birthday, the night where everything went wrong... he hadn't touched Elya. Not in the way he did. Cherry seemed to recognise the look in her eyes.
"Ah. I get it."
"You don't understand a thing," Elya spat in response.
Rolling her eyes, Cherry flicked some ash out the window and turned to face the Fallen.
"I think I do. See, I've known Cobalt since we were both kids. I know who he is. Who he really is."
Her gaze seemed to pierce right through Elya.
"He's a dog. Simple, lovable, loyal... but an animal. He'll stick right by you until the day he decides to bite your hand. See, he and I used to be inseparable. They called us prodigies back home; destined to rise to the top together. But when he saw me rise just that little bit faster than him, well... he couldn't have that."
The Succubus took a deep drag.
"We'd fight. And that's where I learned something important," Cherry continued, smoke coiling from her mouth as she spoke.
ENOUGH OF THIS. KILL HER.
"... What?" Elya asked, loosening her grip on the dagger.
"Sometimes you've got to put people in their place. Cobalt thought he could just ditch me without saying a damn word, and I find him out here, acting like what we once had didn't mean anything? No. I'm not standing for it."
With the cigarette clutched between two fingers, Cherry rested her head in her hand and glared at Elya.
"So I can guess that's why you're here. To punish me for daring to lay a finger on your man."
There was something about her eyes. That self-assured gaze...
"That's it," Elya said simply, keeping her jaw set firm.
"Mm. Thought as much."
A sly smile slowly spread across her face.
"Shame that he was never your man to begin with, though, isn't it?"
Elya's blood ran cold as she reaffirmed her grip on the dagger. She could hear her heart hammer in her head as Cherry's smile grew all the more smug.
"Cobalt has always been mine. From day one. My friend. My classmate. My second. You wouldn't speak his name without thinking of me, that's how close we were. Because like I said, Elya, he's a dog. My dog."
Getting up from the windowsill, she took a step towards the Fallen. Every fibre of her being urged her to run the bitch through, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.
"Thanks for walking and feeding him or whatever you've been doing these past few years, but I'll be taking him back now."
KILL HER.
As if it had a mind of its own, Elya's right arm suddenly lashed outwards, dagger poised and ready to strike. The tip of the blade sliced through the front of Cherry's nightgown, but it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. She didn't even flinch.
"Cobalt loves me! Not you!" the Fallen spat, eyes burning with rage.
The Succubus just laughed quietly.
"I don't care. Love has nothing to do with this."
Grabbing Elya's wrist, she swiftly bent it backwards, forcing the Fallen to drop Immoderata to the floor. Almost immediately, she felt the strength drain from her legs, causing her to collapse as Cherry brushed past her. Conflicting thoughts tore through her brain, rendering her powerless as the Succubus swiped her phone off her bedside dresser.
"If you want my advice, Elya; don't delude yourself any further," she called, clicking a few buttons.
Hunkering down, she showed the screen to her, her cruel smile glinting in the pinkish light. It was a text to Cherry, sent twenty minutes ago. From Cobalt.
I need to see you.
"Dogs will always return to their masters, tail between their legs."
The phone snapped shut. The Fallen tried to do something - anything - but her body simply refused to obey her. With Immoderata lying so close yet so far, she felt completely paralysed, struggling to regulate her breathing as the Succubus smugly sauntered out of the room, not even bothering to bid her farewell. She didn't know how long she stayed there, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, mind ablaze with violent fantasies that would have horrified her only a few months ago.
GET UP.
She looked over at the knife.
That damned knife.
The cause and answer to all of her problems. If she could just muster the will to throw it away... to take out into the woods and bury it deep, as she should have done when she first picked it up...
GET UP.
Deep down, Elya knew it was the reason that Cobalt couldn't stand to be around her anymore. It was changing her, eroding her mind and forcing her to behave like... like...
She bit her lip. Mother hated girls who spoke ill of their parents.
She was losing the days. Slipping in and out of waking dreams that she had no control over. Sometimes Elya snapped out of it, finding herself lurking in shadows she had no business hiding in, stalking those she had no right to spy on. All the while violent thoughts that did not belong to her wormed their way into her mind, urging her to fall to their whims.
GET UP.
Gritting her teeth, the Fallen forced herself to her feet. She reached for Immoderata, but stopped herself. No. No, she couldn't let it think it had power over her. She was doing this because she wanted to. Nothing else.
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a roll of bandages and carefully wrapped the dagger up, taking care not to touch the iron with her bare hands. Concealing it back within her blazer, Elya staggered over to the window and clambered back outside.
"Tatum siroproc. Eralec," she chanted through clenched teeth.
Black wind gusted across the Fallen's skin, causing her body to shimmer and fade away into nothingness. Once completely invisible, she dove off into the night, wings spread wide as the updraft carried her up into the air. Circling the building, she aimed to land on the support struts connecting the two dormitory buildings, but stopped upon noticing a pair of figures darting out of the boys' dorms, hand-in-hand.
A brash Succubus in a nightgown, and an Incubus in a disheveled school uniform. They darted off into the night, like eloping lovers.
KILL HER. YOU KNOW WHAT SHE IS.
Deceiver.
That word had been on Elya's tongue a lot lately. Anyone who got too close to Cobalt, she knew to only be doing so for their own sake. They lied to him, pretending they cared, but she knew the truth of their nature. Lies. Manipulation. Deceit.
HE WOULD BE YOUR ONLY WITNESS. HE LOVES YOU TOO MUCH TO SPEAK AGAINST YOU.
"No. I'll... I'll just observe for now," she breathed, adjusting her flight path.
She landed in the trees along the path, darting from one to another as she stalked the two Lust demons. Cobalt was leading Cherry somewhere, a determined look upon his face. As Elya winged between different branches, she listened close to their conversation.
"There's no point in trying to be mysterious, pup. Just tell me where we're going," the Succubus sighed, her eyebrow raised as she was dragged down the path.
"Somewhere discreet," Cobalt replied, his voice low and barely-audible.
"You wanna be discreet? Where's this coming from?"
The Incubus glanced back at her. Around his neck, Elya could see the studded collar around his neck glint in the moonlight.
"No point fighting it. You told me yourself," he sighed.
The Fallen felt her blood plunge to temperatures she didn't think possible. She desperately wanted to draw Immoderata forth and rip Cherry to shreds. But she didn't. Such wants weren't hers.
Mother hated cowards.
But Mother took the coward's way out.
Elya would not be like Mother.
"Heh. Lead the way, then. Bear in mind that I'm very difficult to impress, pup."
"Not looking to impress you."
"Is that a fact?"
"Just... shut your mouth and hurry up."
KILL HER NOW. NO-ONE WOULD KNOW.
Patience. She couldn't be hasty.
Mother hated haste.
But Mother didn't think before she acted.
And now she's rotting.
Eyes never blinking, Elya followed the two Lust demons as they skirted the edge of the campus. She watched them approach the disused Sports Building, teeth clenched tight as they disappeared inside through a broken doorway. She knew she had to follow, but something was stopping her. Half-remembered rationality, perhaps. Still vying for control.
YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT.
Images were forced into her mind; imaginary scenarios that she just couldn't stomach. Cobalt and Cherry, tearing at each other as they found themselves a secluded room within the building, her laughing triumphantly as his reluctant facade gave way to subservience. She pushes him to the floor with her foot, and like an obedient dog, he lets her. Their clothes are flung aside, and as she lowers herself-
"No!" Elya spat, slamming the heel of her palm against her forehead.
GO. KILL HER.
Teeth gritted and mouth tasting like bile, Elya silently glided to the front door of the building and slipped inside. It was old; abandoned for nigh-on twenty years for reasons that she neither knew nor cared about. Empty trophy cabinets and faded banners decorated the wall, and as the invisible Fallen slunk down the corridor, she was alerted to sounds coming from a far room.
Thumping. Gasping. Grunting.
Her vision went white with rage as she reached for Immoderata, tearing it free from its protective wrapping. She stalked down the dark, dusty hall, keeping an ear out for the exact source of the noise.
She didn't have to look for very long.
At the far end of the corridor, a door suddenly burst open. Woodchips from the splinted frame went flying as Cobalt and Cherry toppled out into the hall, each locked in a violent struggle for control. Cobalt's uniform was torn and covered in blood from the scratches all over his face, whilst the Succubus was covered in bruises and was struggling to loosen his grip from her throat. As they rolled and thrashed against the floor, Elya flattened herself against the wall and watched on, eyes wide with intrigue.
She couldn't help but feel her heart swell with joy at the sight of him fighting back against the woman who had made his third year at B.I.D. a nightmare.
Eventually, Cobalt managed to gain the upper hand. Pinning the Succubus to the floor, he gave in inarticulate scream of rage and swiftly punched her right across the face, knocking her out. Cherry's head hit the floor, blood dripping from her nostrils.
"... This dog's got teeth, you bitch!" the Incubus spat, staggering to his feet.
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Elya just stared, completely awestruck. She watched the Incubus frisk Cherry, producing a small silver key that he used to unlock the collar around his neck. The flesh beneath it was raw and painful-looking. The Fallen direly wanted to reveal herself and tend to his wounds as she always did, but she was compelled to stay put and observe. This was his moment of triumph. She couldn't take it from him.
"Enough of this... agh... fucking bullshit... I'm ending this..." Cobalt continued, clutching his stomach as he wiped at the cuts on his face.
He looked awful, and not just because of his superficial wounds. His eyes were wild and manic, and his hair hadn't been washed in quite some time. As his gaze flitted about the hallway, Elya noticed something disturbing burning within it, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"Let's go..."
Leaning down, the Incubus latched the collar around Cherry's neck before grabbing it and dragging her down the hall, turning the corner and walking out of sight.
THIS IS LOVE.
"This... is love," Elya repeated dreamily, staring at the stains on the floor left from their fight.
Once the coast was clear, she crept forward and peered inside the room. A few pillows, some books, and some broken cider bottles; all the makings of a date. But it was clear from a glance that Cobalt had set it up as a ruse in order to get Cherry's guard down. He must have tried to smash a bottle over her head, but the Succubus had a thicker skull than anticipated.
Shaking her head, she left the room and slunk down the hall, fixing to follow the Incubus and find out just what he was planning to do with Cherry. As she turned the corner, heard shuffling noises from beyond a pair of double doors at the end of the hall; an old boxing gym, if the faded signage on the wall was anything to go by. The windows were far too dusty to see through, so the Fallen just held her breath and slipped in silently.
HER TIME IS NIGH.
Right as she stepped through those doors, Elya almost choked and gagged on the foul stench in the air. It was thick with the smell of gasoline, and upon looking around, it was easy to see why.
The old gym was mostly in ruins, bar the still-standing ring in the middle. Though the ropes had long since snapped, the stage was still solid, and over in the corner Cherry had been propped out against one of the posts, tied to it with old cords with the collar mockingly locked around her neck. All around the gym, petrol tanks and jerry cans littered the floor, each looking as though they had been taken from a different part of Brimstone. They had been spilled all over the floor, forming puddles surrounding the boxing ring.
Cobalt stood in front of Cherry, his fists clenched tight as he waited for her to wake up.
What the Hell was he doing...?
A few minutes passed in silence. Hidden from view by her magic, Elya parched herself atop a collapsed trophy case to escape from the spilled gas, but the fumes were making her feel a little woozy. Cobalt didn't seem bothered; he just kept glaring at Cherry as she slowly came to. The Succubus groaned and tried to rub her eyes, only to found herself tied up.
"What...?" she murmured, blinking her vision clear.
She swallowed hard, frowning at the collar strapped tightly around her throat.
"Oh, I see."
Her fiery gaze bored into Cobalt.
"This is your final stand, is it?" Cherry asked, her voice still carrying that mocking tone despite her predicament.
"Shut the Hell up," the Incubus spat, clenching his fists.
"Lure me into a set-up, tie me up, then what? Did you even think this through, pup?"
"I said shut up!"
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a box of matches. Elya felt a cold sweat flash across her skin.
LIKE A WITCH UPON THE PYRE.
"You couldn't just fucking stay away, could you?! You have to just ruin everything for me!" Cobalt cried, his hands shaking as he bared his teeth.
"The only one to blame here is you. You left Phrodival without saying a fucking word. No apologies. No goodbyes. Nothing."
"You didn't deserve either of those!"
Cherry scoffed.
"Didn't I? Need I remind you that without me, you'd be no-one! If it weren't for me, you'd be back in that playground, sad and alone because nobody wanted to talk to a freak like you!"
"Fuck you!"
"Not at the rate you're going, pup!"
Striking a match, Cobalt leaned in close and grabbed Cherry's nightgown. He was shaking.
"... Sixteen years. You've humiliated me for sixteen fucking years," he breathed.
The Succubus didn't flinch.
"It only seems that way because you're still acting like a damn brat. Quit trying to fight me at every turn and just heel. I might even pat your head."
"I swear to all that burns, Cherry. Don't test me. I'll leave you here to roast. I mean it."
Elya's eyes widened. His voice... unfathomable rage and pain, rolled into one. He meant what he was saying.
"Give it a rest, pup. If you wanna burn yourself to cinders, then go ahead. But leave me out of it," Cherry sighed.
Her gaze suddenly flitted over to where Elya was hiding.
"Leave us all out of it," the Succubus added pointedly.
The Fallen flinched, and Immoderata slipped from her grasp. The iron dagger clattered to the floor, drawing the Incubus' attention. Immediately Elya's vision began to swim as the strength left her body, forcing her to remain still as Cobalt clambered off the boxing ring and approached her position. Stopping by the dropped knife, he squinted into the darkness for a moment before bending down to pick it up.
"It's not too late, pup. Let me go, and we can go back to how it was when we were kids. You can't deny I treated you good. Hell, I'll even get you a collar custom-made. Leather and steel would look good on you," Cherry called, leaning her head against the post.
Lifting Immoderata off the floor, the Incubus stared at it for a moment, not saying a word. Right as Elya felt her stomach drop, however, he looked up, staring straight at the spot where she was hiding.
His eyes were turbulent purple.
"No. It's too late for that," the Incubus breathed, his voice a low and eerie monotone.
Striking another match, he tossed it aside, causing a puddle of gasoline to burst into flames. The blaze jumped from one spilled can to the other, until the boxing gym was filled with a massive ring of fire. As the heat hit Elya full force and smoke began to choke her, she tried to stand up, but something compelled her to remain where she was, watching helplessly as Cobalt turned back towards Cherry. The Succubus was clearly beginning to panic, but she kept a firm face even as sweat began to pour down her face.
"You could get expelled for this, pup," the Succubus warned, her voice wavering a little.
Cobalt took a step towards her, flames licking at the edges of his uniform. Reaching out, he plunged the blade of Immoderata into the fire, staring dead ahead as the black iron began to heat up.
"I don't care," he said simply.
"Tch. Sure you do. You're just acting out. If you think this is gonna scare me out of what I believe, then you can-"
"Shut your mouth, deceiver."
Elya's heart nearly stopped.
No.
Not him.
Anything but that.
Cobalt pulled the dagger out from the fire. The blade was glowing red hot, but despite the heat, Cobalt didn't falter. He climbed back into the ring and knelt by Cherry's side. Grabbing her face, he held her still as he brought Immoderata close.
"You don't own me. You never did. You never will. I could kill you right here. But first, I'll need recompense for all the torture you've put me through."
Clamping a hand over Cherry's mouth, he pressed the red-hot blade against the side of her face, filling the old boxing gym with her muffled screams. As the stench of smoke and burning flesh reached Elya's nostrils, she finally forced herself to her feet, feeling her heartrate climb to far beyond normal levels.
This wasn't right. This wasn't him.
She had to stop him before he did something drastic. Elya didn't like Cherry by any stretch, but she didn't deserve this.
Spotting a fire extinguisher mounted upon the wall nearby, she stumbled off the cabinet and pulled it free, almost toppling into the flames as its weight took her by surprise. She felt as though she could barely lift it; in fact, the Fallen felt as though she was barely present in the moment. Her limbs felt weak, her thoughts were muddled, and that shadow that was constantly at her back... it was gone.
Was she really so feeble without Immoderata...?
... No.
She couldn't fall to doubt. Not now.
Mother hated-
Oh, who gave a shit what Mother hated?! Mother hated everything! Right now, what Elya hated was the prospect of Cobalt doing something they'd both regret!
Her invisibility spell fizzled away right as Elya leaped into the ring, holding the fire extinguisher above her head like a wrestler's steel chair. Only Cherry managed to see her coming as she brutally smashed it against the back of Cobalt's head. The sickening crunch made her feel sick to her stomach, and as the Incubus crumpled to the floor, the Fallen almost fell with him. She could taste vomit in her mouth. She had hurt him. Badly.
Over by the post, the Succubus was staring at her, eyes wide and skin slicked with sweat. The red-hot dagger had left a large, angry burn on the side of her face, one that Elya knew for a fact would scar horribly. The flesh was warped from the heat. Third-degree; she could see the fatty layer of Cherry's skin.
"Wh- What the fuck...?" was all she could manage to say, gasping for breath.
Shaking her head, the Fallen snatched Immoderata out of Cobalt's hand. The idea of picking it up again filled her with dread, but it was better in her hands than his.
But when she held the iron dagger, it felt heavy. Listless. Inert.
And most jarringly, silent.
"M- My face... why doesn't it..." Cherry murmured, snapping her back to the situation at hand.
The blade would still cut, and that's all Elya needed. Rushing over to Cherry, she began to frantically saw through the ropes binding her to the post. All around them, the flames had grown more intense. The smoke with thick, and it billowed through the cracked skylights in the ceiling. Someone was bound to see.
"Y- Your facial nerves have burned away. It probably feels like it doesn't hurt, right?" Elya panted, slicing the first rope.
She was reciting medical knowledge for her own sake, to keep herself calm. Her brain felt like it was full of cotton wool; things that she felt she did know simply weren't coming to her.
"Why are you helping me?" the Succubus asked, helping her to break the second rope.
"I... I just don't want anyone to get hurt."
"Never gave that impression before."
"... I know."
With one final cut, the ropes fell away. Cherry pushed Elya back and shakily rose to her feet, rubbing her wrists where her bindings had chafed the worst. Looking back at the Fallen, she took a second to survey the chaos all around her.
"... He's always been prone to tantrums. We've fought in the past; he even broke my nose one time, and I gave him three busted ribs another. But never like this."
She raised a hand to her scorched face, but thought better of it, reaching for the fire extinguisher instead.
"Do you have a phone?" the Succubus asked, pulling the pin out.
"N- No."
"Right. Someone'll see the smoke anyway."
Aiming the nozzle at the flames surrounding them, Cherry began to spray them with foam, fixing to cut themselves a path to the exit. As she tackled the blaze, Elya knelt by Cobalt, shivering all over.
The bloodshot rage she saw... that terrifying violet stare... neither were the gentle amber eyes she had come to know and love. Something was direly wrong with him. When she placed a hand upon his forehead, she could feel his blood running much hotter than what ought to be biologically possible, and even as he lay unconscious she could faintly see a red glow eking through his skin, forming a roadmap of blood vessels all across it.
"Shit!"
Looking up, she saw the stream of foam die away.
"Fucking thing's out of date or something," Cherry swore, tossing the canister aside.
She had managed to clear a gap in the fire, just enough to let them through to the exit. But that window of opportunity wouldn't last long.
"I don't know about you, but I'm out of here," the Succubus breathed, edging towards the side of the boxing ring.
"B- But what about Cobalt?!" Elya cried.
She turned and gave her a look. She expected it to be same cruel, callous stare that he had come to expect from Cherry Lattess. But instead it was something more sympathetic. Regret and heartbreak, tempered by cold realism.
"If he wants to burn himself up like this, then I can't stop him. I'm sorry."
The Succubus leaped off the stage and burst through the double doors, leaving Elya alone with Cobalt. The flames began to rise as the air began to shimmer, but she remained where she was, with both hands on her friend's chest.
She...
She didn't feel strong enough to carry him. Cobalt was always the strong one, even though he would never admit it. But whenever it mattered, he would always be there to hold her upright, even in times when her mind was no longer her own.
Tears filled her vision as she leaned in the kiss the Incubus. It was a dry and limp gesture; he wasn't awake to reciprocate, but the memories were enough for her. The Incubus' taste had been imprinted upon her tongue, and within her as well.
Elya knew that deep down, the dream she had of a life together with him was just that; a dream. She was mired deep in something she never should have meddled with, and he... he was collapsing beneath burdens she didn't even know he had.
"I'm sorry..." the Fallen breathed, laying down next to him.
Taking his hand, she threaded her fingers through his. Whatever she had been told, it couldn't be true. It wasn't violence or pain, nor was it obsessive stalking or seething jealousy. This was love. Admitting to herself that it just... wasn't feasible. No matter how much it hurt.
"I... I love you, Cobalt."
Elya shut her eyes.
She couldn't keep them open if she tried.
The Fallen didn't know how long she lay there. Until the air was thick and unbreathable. Until the fire almost buckled the stage. Until the heat threatened to cook her. But even through all that, she clung to Cobalt, unwilling to leave his side when he had always stuck by her.
She was only awoken when a strong pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her to safety.
Elya could hear a lot of yelling. Stomping boots. Commands being issued. Sirens wailing. Water spraying.
When her eyes flitted open, she was outside, lying in a gurney. The night air was filled with ash and sparks, and when she turned her head to the side, she could see the Sports Building, half-consumed by fire. All around it, firefighters struggled to contain the blaze, and as she rocked her head back, she found a pair of paramedics rushing her over to an ambulance. Cherry was already sitting in the back as a medic fussed with the wound on her face, but the look in her eyes said everything.
"Wh... Where's...?" Elya choked, feeling extremely woozy.
"Miss? Are you awake? Can you hear me?" one of the paramedics asked, leaning in close.
"Where's Cobalt...?" she asked, blinking her vision clear.
"We're doing everything we can to find him. We just need you to-"
No. No, that wasn't good enough. He was right there, how...?
With a groan, Elya sat up, prompting the two paramedics to try to keep her down. But the Fallen shrugged their hands off and rolled out of the gurney, painfully hitting the ground. They yelled in an attempt to spur some of the firefighters to restrain her, but by then Elya managed to almost reach the front doors.
Suddenly, dark shadowy tendrils burst forth and coiled around her arms, pulling her back to safety. She tried to struggle free, but a hand upon her shoulder froze her in place. A familiar feeling, like she had felt it before.
"Mm. Mhm. I've got Miss Yalfre with me now, and Miss Lattess is getting treated. He's... still inside," spoke the voice of the Headmistress.
Craning her neck, the Fallen looked back to see Mistress Viola standing behind her, phone held to her ear. The look in her eyes was... scary.
"Right. Speed if you have to, Calvin won't begrudge you. Right. Gates are open; just get here as fast as you can, Jezzy. We don't have any other options, not anymore. No, listen to me. Face facts; it's happening earlier than we thought. Just... you know what to do. Call Elliott when you get the chance, get him to prepare a room."
She snapped the phone shut and turned to Elya.
"What happened in there?" she asked in a soft voice.
The Fallen's mouth opened, but no words came out. All around them, she could see curious students approach, only to be turned away and escorted back to the dorms by police officers.
"Elya, what happened?"
"C- Cobalt and Cherry, they... I don't know. One moment they were holding hands, the next... they were fighting, and Cobalt won and he just..."
The Headmistress sighed.
"I warned that girl. I told her not to keep pushing him."
She shook her head.
"Where is Cobalt now? It's imperative that we get him into custody."
"Custody? What do you mean-?"
"That doesn't matter right now, Miss Yalfre. Tell me; where is he?"
"I- I don't know. He was next to me and then-"
The sound of smashing glass suddenly interrupted their conversation and drew everyone's attention to the burning building. There, on the second floor, a window had exploded outwards, alongside the form of Cobalt Trayer. His arms were crossed in front of his face, his uniform was scorched, and the bottom of his trousers were actively burning. A cry of alarm rang out through the crowd as he plummeted to the ground, landing in a heap upon the scorched grass. A crowd of paramedics suddenly rushed to his aid, but as they picked the Incubus up and tried to carry him to safety, he began to kick and scream at them.
"No! No, let me go! Don't fucking touch me! You can't take me!" Cobalt Trayer screeched, violently punching one of the medics in the face as another tried to help him up.
Behind her, Elya heard Mistress Viola swear beneath her breath.
"Let him go! He's outbursting!"
They obliged her, dropping Cobalt to ground. He scuttled back with his back arched and his fists balled, resembling a beast moreso than a man. His blood vessels pulsed like an erratic heartbeat, and his tail was thrashing like a warning, urging everyone to keep back.
"You won't take me, you hear me?! I'm no-one's fucking dog! You cannot take me!" the Incubus roared nonsensically, twitching at every movement.
"Wh- What's happening to him?" Elya breathed, completely terrified.
"Shh," was all Mistress Viola replied with as she frantically dialed her phone.
As she held it to her ear, Elya heard a faint ringtone echoing from within the crowd. Turning her head, she could see someone frantically shoving past emergency service members.
"Move! Please, I need to see him! That's my boy!" cried a distraught voice over a chorus of irate firefighters.
The Headmistress put the phone down.
"Let her through!" she barked, urging them all to back down.
The crowd parted, allowing a matronly Succubus to step through. She was dressed in her nightclothes with a bag slung over her shoulder. Her face - imprinted in the minds of many as always being joyful and kindly - looked clammy and pale, and as she approached Cobalt, Elya noticed that she was shaking. She had never before seen Jezebel Trayer look so scared.
The Incubus' mother look at him before turned to look at Viola, who just gave her a nod. Tears streaked from her eyes as she slowly slipped a hand into her bag.
"Snookums?" Jezebel called, inching forward.
Cobalt's head twitched as he slowly turned to face her. His bloodshot eyes quickly looked her up and down before his posture relaxed.
"... Mom?" he replied, his voice cracking a little.
She nodded and took another step forward. A murmur of unease rang out from amongst the firefighters. They were clearly displeased at the prospect of allowing a blazing fire to continue, but for whatever reason, Mistress Viola's word was law.
"I'm here. It's alright," the Succubus continued, taking another step towards him.
She discretely pulled something from her bag. Elya knew a bottle of chloroform when she saw one.
"Mom, I... I don't..." Cobalt said, staring at his bloodstained hands.
"Shh, it's okay. Look, why don't you and I go home, alright? You can take a few days off from school, watch some of those movies you like, read some of your books... how does that sound?"
As the Incubus rubbed his eyes, Jezebel swiftly applied some of the chloroform to an embroidered handkerchief.
"That... that sounds nice..."
"There's a good boy. Come here; give me a hug."
She opened her arms out wide. All around her, Elya could see the various paramedics and firefighters hold their breath as Cobalt slowly staggered towards his mother. Even Mistress Viola was discretely biting her lip, her grip on the Fallen's shoulders growing tight enough to hurt.
After some hesitation, the Incubus collapsed into his mother's embrace. She wrapped him up in a tight hug, holding him close as she whispered reassurances into his ear. Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks, and she looked as though she was about to drop the handkerchief before she pulled back and wiped her eyes clear.
"Oh snookums..." Jezebel breathed, her voice shaky and uncertain, "What have you done...?"
She suddenly pressed the handkerchief against Cobalt's face. As his eyes widened in panic, she slipped around and grappled him from behind, keeping the soporific held against him as she pulled him into a tight headlock. She cried all the while, struggling to blink the tears away as her son struggled and thrashed.
"Don't fight it, don't fight it, don't fight it...!" Jezebel kept repeating, her voice racked with sobs.
Viola's grip wasn't strong enough to keep Elya restrained and the shadow tendrils she conjured had long since dissipated, but the Fallen still couldn't move. She just watched helplessly as Cobalt's eyes slid shut and he collapsed into Jezebel's arms, who held him close and whispered apologies. As the firefighters returned to their duties, she carried him over to Viola, a sorrowful look in her eyes.
"There... There's really no other option, is there...?" she breathed, looking at the Headmistress.
"... I'm afraid not. I'll join you at the hospital later once everything's ready. Just... Just need to get this all under wraps."
Elya heard her sigh.
"I'm sorry, Jezzy. I thought-"
"Don't. Just... don't."
Without another word, she pushed past her and disappeared into the crowd. With a heavy sigh, Viola turned Elya around and looked her dead in the eyes.
"I'm sorry you had to see all of that, Miss Yalfre. I'm going to be completely honest with you; it would be in everyone's best interests if you refrain from interacting with Mr. Trayer from here on out. He's going to be pulled from school activities, but even should you..."
She kept talking, but her voice faded away into nothingness. Everyone's did. The entire world went silent. Bar one, distinctive voice.
THIS IS YOUR FAULT.
Elya clenched her fists.
YOUR FEAR, YOUR HESITATION, YOUR UNWILLINGNESS TO COMMIT; IT HAS POISONED HIM. MADE HIM OVERLOOK YOU. BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK.
Tears collected in the corners of her eyes.
YOU ARE NOTHING WITHOUT MY STRENGTH. WITHOUT ME, YOU WILL BE FORCED TO STAND BY AND WATCH AS HE IS DECIEVED BY WHORES AND TAKEN IN MIND, SOUL, AND BODY.
"No..." the Fallen breathed, her voice barely audible even to herself.
ESPECIALLY BODY.
Those horrible images flashed across her mind.
OVER.
"Stop..."
AND OVER.
"Stop it!"
AND OVER AGAIN.
"I SAID STOP!"
Spreading her wings wide, Elya shoved Mistress Viola away and abruptly launched herself high into the smoky air. She soared upwards, until the campus was far beneath her, and the fire was little more than a burning speck. High above the miasma of smoke, the moonlight almost blinded her, and the wind cut her right to the bone. Blinded by tears, she ripped Immoderata from her blazer and gripped it tight, hands shaking and teeth clenched.
"What do you want from me?!" she screamed, barely able to hear herself over the howling wind.
YOUR OBSESSION. YOUR COMMITMENT TO WHAT YOU LOVE. YOUR LOYALTY.
"What?!"
YOU MUST STOP TRYING TO FIGHT IT. GIVE IN TO WHAT YOU WANT. HUNT YOUR LOVE WITHOUT REGRET. LET RECKLESS ABANDON RULE THE DAY.
"What does that mean?!"
BECOME A WOMAN WHO DESERVES COBALT TRAYER. BECOME STRONG. INDEPENDENT. RUTHLESS. CUNNING.
She felt a lump form in her throat.
"H- How...?" she asked, feeling weakness claw at her.
YOU KNOW HOW. GIVE YOURSELF OVER. IN MIND.
Her thoughts grew clearer as that familiar cold numbness crept in, returning her clarity of thought.
SOUL.
The fear, the anguish, the confusion... it all melted away.
AND BODY.
Elya stared at the black iron dagger in her hands. If she did this... she would be no better than Mother. But if she didn't...
Slowly, the Fallen nodded her head.
FIND HIM. HOLD HIM. KEEP HIM. ADORE HIM. TREASURE HIM. HIDE HIM. WORSHIP HIM.
"O- Okay..."
THIS IS LOVE.
She raised Immoderata and plunged it deep into her stomach.
~~~~~
Elya awoke to the sound of soft cooing. Her eyes snapped open, and the scent of loamy earth filled her nostrils. She was wet, cold, and tired. She could feel the stinging pain from wounds spanning her body, yet she couldn't identify where they were. Her mind dully told her that they were bullet wounds - gifts from the Imp - but at that moment, she didn't care. She just focused on the memories, clinging to them even as they slipped away back into the cold mist of her mind.
Durnall. Harriet. Cherry. Three deceivers laid low by Cobalt.
Deceivers. She had said it so much. But what did it mean?
He had defended her from Durnall. Kept her free from Harriet's machinations. But Cherry...?
That was different. That was a burden of his own. And yet, despite everything, Elya had saved her that night. Why? For what purpose?
She heard the coo again. Looking up, she saw Columba sitting a few feet away, staring at her.
"Columba..."
Elya slowly stood up and peered around, finding herself in the middle of a dark forest. She could scarcely see the sky with all the branches in the way. Stepping over to the pigeon, she gently picked her up in one hand. In the other she found herself clutching Immoderata. No surprise. She wasn't wearing any clothes to store it with.
Immoderata... Ever since she first picked up that dagger, it had Elya in a chokehold. Except for that night. When it left her right as Cobalt's eyes began to blaze purple. That-
ENOUGH.
Elya stopped thinking about it. Turning around, she staggered down the path, towards the glade at the far end.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
She cut her feet on splintered twigs and broken roots, but she kept going. Columba nervously pecked at her arm, but she paid her no heed.
YOU HAVE WAITED LONG ENOUGH. BRING HIM HOME.
"Bring him home," Elya murmured, nearly tripping over a fallen log.
WED HIM.
"Wed him."
DEVOUR HIM AS A WIFE DEVOURS HER MAN.
"Or be devoured as a beast devours his prey."
THIS IS LOVE.
"This is love."
She came to a stop at the entrance of a glade. Slowly, she looked up at the old house that stood in the very centre, backlit by the light of the moon.
"... Isn't it...?"