A War on Death

Chapter Six: Stained

"Moonlight..." His voice shakes like stone against a hammer, his world crumbling at my feet. The pools of blood grow, staining the tips of my wings black. His body could easily cease this flow, but he's stopped it. He's fighting healing his wounds for me. So that I'll forgive him.

"Erebus... I—" I can't bring myself to say it, still selfishly angry.

"Get it out. Hurt me if you must. It was a stupid attempt at control and I'm sorry. I hurt your heart and it's dragging you down and I deserve this. So do what you want. I can take all your anger. Give it to me. It's unfair that I caused you pain then wondered why you were hurting." His words are raw, as if torn from his tongue like sandpaper to chips of wood.

"Erebus, don't."

"I—" My steps cut him off, my fingers tracing the hilt of the bejeweled dagger my mother had given me.  My thighs press against the crevice between his neck and shoulder, my hands bracing on his back before I tug it out. It clatters to the bloodied marble, the rubies decorating its body gleaming in the moonlight. It makes me sick.

He grunts in pain, his bloodied fingers gripping my legs as he burrows his face into the fabric covering my burning skin. I freeze, watching blearily while his body stitches itself back together... like it never happened.

But it did happen. I did hurt him. He was in pain. Our bodies don't break like humans do, and it might just be our greatest weakness. There's a sense of comfort in feeling your body hurting with you too. He's still reeling, though his skin has healed.

How weak his mind must feel... how horribly unfair.

My bloodstained fingers trail softly down his back, his grip never once wavering around my legs. I trace the origin of his wings, where the skin blossoms into feathers. The feathers are the darkest here; no shades, no light... No hope.

My eyes once again flicker to the singular white feather tucked between the crevices of his wings. Hidden from the world. It's soft to my wandering touch, Erebus immediately trying to pull away; yet, I hold him there.

"What happened to you?" The sweet smell of his blood makes me nauseous,  my anger long since fallen.

The silence is eating away at my ears, deafening despite its gentleness.

"I was like you... Pure." He rises slowly his strength incomprehensible compared to mine, his hands never once leaving me as they settle onto my waist. My eyes scan his features, their dark beauty quieter now. "It didn't end well." His hands fall back to his sides deftly.

The urge to pry strikes me viciously in the chest, my hands reaching for his shaking shoulders to reassure him, but he pulls away.

"Nice strategy, Vee..." His teasing words fall flat on my downturned ears, his failed attempt at humor masking what I know is a world of horror.

"Erebus, wait—" he cuts me off with an empty look, my heart pounding harder in my chest. Beating itself against my ribs in hatred.

"Surprise." His hands wiggle in the air enthusiastically, like a sign of excitement. My tears have yet to fall... the disgust and anger now aimed towards myself. His front is back up... I don't know if I'll ever be able to see inside again. Erebus is many things, an idiot is not one of them. He will build his defenses ten times thicker— his instincts ten times sharper— until he is as inaccessible as the moon and her domains. Forever alone and forever mourning.

With a brisk nod toward my quivering chin, he whirls around and stalks to his room. I feel it in my gut. His mistrust. We've hated eachother for so long that I didn't seem to think how much I could lose. Sure, we fought. But he trusted me and I him.

There's so much to lose in the battle of control. So much that can tear you apart.

The door to his quarters slams shut, the echo causing me to jolt, still standing— frozen— in the pool— no, river— of his blood. My eyes don't seem to understand that I can see other things besides for him, still looking after him even though he is no longer there.

I don't notice the way his blood trickles through the crevices of the marble, falling into the stream and mixing with the water. I don't notice the way the tree seems to shudder, tasting him like poison in a wine you have already drank.

Witnessing your destiny that has, and forever will be, destruction.

The leaves seem to shrivel, the branches creaking with the power that overwhelmed its senses. The power of the shadows that threw a blanket over the light.

I can't help but believe I overreacted. Yes, he trapped me knowing I feared it... but did I go too far? Did I push his heart too hard— too fast? Did it finally give out?

I stand there till my legs turn numb. Until my knees almost buckle. Until my heart has nearly stopped beating within my chest. Until his blood has dyed the tips of my wings the most vibrant parts of the shadows.

I stand there until I can convince myself that I'm not some cruel monster, torturing the torturer for the mere crime of being tortured first.