"I was the one sending you visions."
Androgena's voice echoed around the great room. She was sitting on the floor as she leaned against her pillar. Magenta lay stiffly, her head in the older witch's lap, and her glassy eyes watched me as I pulled at the chains on her wrists as hard as I could. My palms were starting to feel raw from the friction, and I looked up at Androgena at her voice.
Her face was sorrowful as she looked at me. "I knew Apollo would go looking for answers, but there was no way I could contact him from in here without alerting Castrone. So I tried talking to you, since everyone knows you're his lover. However, I never dreamed - "
"That I didn't have my tattoos yet." My hands dropped to my lap slowly, and my eyes looked at the swirling blue tattoos on my forearms. There was no scar, but the memory of the dull pain there was fresh.
"I'm so sorry, my dear." Androgena's eyes were bright. "I never meant to hurt you. I stopped once I realized what was happening, I swear."
"It's alright, there's nothing to forgive." I shrugged and went back to pulling at the chains. They were delicate, but very strong. "I wouldn't have found you two if you hadn't done what you did. Everything that happened was justified."
Androgena nodded. "I'm glad you got your tattoos, so that didn't have to happen again."
"How were you sending those visions, though?" I looked up at her again, my face curious.
Her hair shone like water in the light that streamed through the windows. "Well, the magic is a little tough to explain - "
"No, I mean, those visions." I thought back to them. "How could you have seen them? You weren't present in any of them, it was just Castrone I saw."
"That's because those are his memories." Androgena explained. "It was easy to see into his head, my dear, it was just sorting through the darkness in there that was hard. There's no way I could send my own thoughts to you; he'd put up barriers so that my magic couldn't move past these walls. He just never prepared for me using his own thoughts to communicate with you."
"So those are his memories." I mused. I looked up again. "He had no idea you were using them?"
"None at all." Androgena reassured me. "He knew you were getting the visions, which infuriated him, but he had no idea that I was the one sending them. He thought it might be Welma communicating with you, or some other witch of our generation. He thought his protective barriers limited me absolutely."
"Soul switch." Magenta said suddenly, looking at Androgena reproachfully.
The older witch sighed, smoothing Magenta's hair tenderly. "He realized only after the body switching spell. I used it when he was away. He rarely ever leaves, and I'd been saving my strength for when he did. When he found out that I used it, he was terribly angry."
She pulled the sleeves of her robes up, and I inhaled sharply at the slowly healing cuts there. They looked deep, and there were many. Androgena smiled sadly at the look on his face. "He wouldn't let me die, though. He told me that once everyone else in the world was dead, he would spend the rest of eternity torturing me to his heart's content."
Magenta whimpered in fear, and Androgena made soothing sounds, returning to smoothing her golden hair."Don't fear, little one." She told her gently. "Lilah is here to save us, so there's nothing to worry about."
I bit my lips at her words, staring down at my hands and the golden chain that sat in them. "Androgena." I said quietly. I felt her eyes on me. "Don't make promises you can't keep. I can't break them, and I certainly can't save you. That was always Apollo's job, his specialty, and now - " I swallowed hard, blinking back my tears. "He's not here, and I have no idea what to do."
"Have faith, Lilah." Androgena's voice was gentle, and I looked up to see her looking at me calmly. "Magenta and I believe in you. Your Apollo believed in you too, and I know that things will turn out for the better."
"I wish I could believe you." I told her, looking back forlornly. "But I can't even break your chains - "
Suddenly, Magenta began to whimper in terror. Androgena and I looked down to see that her eyes had rolled back in her head, and that her whole body was trembling in fear. The light that streamed into the cavernous room suddenly dimmed, and Androgena and I looked around in dread as a weird, pale grey mist began to fill up the room.
Androgena's eyes suddenly flashed with understanding. Her hand grabbed mine firmly, and her neon eyes were serious. "Lilah, whatever you see, don't believe it - "
Abruptly, her hand on mine was torn away as I was flung into the air. I hit the wall with a thud, and I gasped as I hit the floor. I looked up hastily, ignoring the pain, and saw that the whole room was now obstructed by the mist. I couldn't see further than a few metres, and the moisture in the air swirled against my skin and immediately made my hair damp. I stood up uncertainly, looking around in vain for any sign of the two witches.
"Androgena!" I shouted. My voice echoed back to me."Magenta!"
There was no answer. The mist caressed my skin and made it bead with moisture, and I wiped impatiently at my nose. Any hint of the sunlight that was present just a few moments ago was gone; all that was left was the mist, and I knew with every fiber of my being what the pale grey mist meant.
"Castrone!" I shouted. "I know you're here. Show yourself!"
My voice echoed, but nothing emerged from the gloom. I shivered and rubbed my bare arms, taking a few cautious steps forward. What was this? What was going to happen?
"Stupid, little, floundering girl." A voice drawled.
Up ahead of me, a figure was waiting for me. He glowed slightly in the gloom; his skin shimmered like sunlight and sparkled like drops of rain, and his shaved head was bowed as he looked at the floor. Strong, wiry arms were crossed across his chest, and I saw that instead of the solstae suit I was used to on him, he was wearing flowing white robes. He lifted his head to look at me, and my heart leapt into my throat at the sight of his deep set, dark indigo eyes. They were as cold and hard as stones, and the sharp angles of his face only made him look more sinister. His dark eyes took in the shock on my face, and his lips curled in dire amusement.
"Remember me, Lilah Winters?" King Raea asked. "I've been on your heart a lot lately. Little things have reminded you of me, whether it be the solstae armour or curved blades. I'll always be in your conscious, won't I?"
"You're dead." I told him breathily. "You're dead, I killed you."
"So you did." He sounded bored. I watched as he rose a hand and inspected it closely. The mist swirled around him, but his skin looked dry and untouched. "You stabbed me in the throat. Clever, I admit." He nodded once. "You never would have been able to stab me through my suit. Did you know, I could feel that blade lodged in my windpipe?"
He looked at me interestedly, and I felt my stomach turn.
"My blood rose up around the metal like a great typhoon." Raea went on casually. "I'd never tasted blood before. Well, not my own blood, at least." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "The blood of those faeries though... it would splash on my face when I ripped them apart, and their blood tasted much better than mine. I wonder how yours tastes."
"Stop this." I snapped. There was bile in my throat at the things he was describing. "How are you here, Raea?"
"This mist." He glanced around coolly. "It pulls up the ones that torment your heart. I'm honoured that I'm one of them." He bowed mockingly.
"But.. but... "
"But nothing." Raea was suddenly right in front of me, and up close, he looked like a skeleton version of his son, Helios. "Why do I torment you so, little girl?" He smiled darkly at me. "Is it because I was the first person you ever killed? I regret that you were distracted when you took my life. The high when you kill somebody is something you need to be paying attention to closely to feel correctly."
"Only sick people feel elated at murder." I snapped at him, glaring at him with all my might. "You were terrible man, but I still felt horrible that I killed you."
"You feel guilt?" Raea rose his eyebrows incredulously. I watched as he threw his head back and began to laugh madly. "Of all the things you felt, you feel guilt? How impossibly archaic." He continued chuckling to himself, shaking his head. "So I haunt your thoughts because you felt bad for killing me, how pathetic."
"No, you were in my thoughts because I was afraid of you." I retorted. "You were a nightmare brought to life, and just because you died doesn't mean I was any less afraid of you."
"Honesty is becoming on you." Raea said smoothly. His dark eyes drank me in. "But you're really missing the point this mist is trying to make, Lilah Winters. You're supposed to be going mad with terror and anguish right now."
"Says who?" I glared at him. "This is the freaking magical world. The sight of you isn't so crazy, once I got over the shock. I felt bad I killed you, but I don't regret stopping you from getting the whole world to kill each other. The sight of you makes me feel better, of all things. It just reinforces the fact that your death was justified."
Raea tilted his head as he stared at me."You are a strange, strange girl." He mused dryly.
"Isn't she?" A new voice asked. I whipped around, and my heart jumped painfully in my chest.
A new figure was stalking towards me, his hands clasped casually behind his back. Ted Roscoe was exactly as I remembered; his dark hair was smooth to the point of oily, and his dark eyes were terrifying and bright with insanity. He was clad all in black, a bullet proof vest fitted over his chest. It was what he was wearing that night, when he came for me and stabbed Wei to death.
"She's crazy." Ted mused lightly, undressing me with his terrible eyes. "But she's sexy as hell."
I glanced back to see that Raea had disappeared, leaving me alone with Ted Roscoe. I turned to face him fully, trying to hide how much my hands shook. "You should be dead too." I told him tersely.
"Oh, I am, sweetheart." He grinned at me, beginning to pace leisurely. I turned as he moved, making sure I could see every movement he made. "I'm as dead as they come! In fact, right now, I'm rotting away under the ground somewhere in the woods by that damned house. Apollo Ambrosia tossed me in, and buried me under a ton of dirt. I guess I should be grateful he didn't leave me for the birds." He laughed loudly, and the sound grated at my ears. Ted's face abruptly sobered, and he scowled. "But I still hate that kid. He had the balls to stand up to me, when I ruled almost half of British Columbia."
"Well, he killed you." I told him. "I think we can agree who won out between the two of you."
Ted looked at me sharply, coming to an abrupt stop. "Where is that stupid kid anyways?" He growled. "I want to rip his throat out. Where is he?"
I didn't answer, trying not to think of Apollo lying in the cottage dying, but Ted grinned cruelly. "Oh yes, I forgot. He's dying right now. Gonna go head up the same highway that I did, isn't he? So, Lilah Winters." He winked at me. "I think neither of us drew the short straw. He's ending up the same place I did, except he's dying in a different forest. We're no different once he's cold and rotting."
"You shut up." I told him, my voice shaking. I hugged myself, my arms wrapping around my torso as if holding myself together. "He is nothing like you! You're a terrible, terrible man, and Apollo is the complete opposite."
"Why am I so terrible, huh, sweetheart?" Ted smirked at me and began pacing again. "Is it because of all the people I killed? How much do you want to bet that Apollo killed more people than I have in all the years I've lived? You're angel isn't as saintly as you'd like to think. Is it because I killed your daddy?"
When I flinched, he began to hoot with laughter. He pointed a finger at me, crowing cruelly. "That's it! I'm right on the money! I'm terrible because I offed Greg Winters, I see how it is! Well, I hate to break it to you, honey, but your old man wasn't so great either. In fact, he was so dead beat, he sold you off in a poker game. How many fathers do you know who can say they've done that? I did the world a service blowing his brains out."
"No, you stop it!" I exclaimed, my voice high pitched. My shoulders trembled, and I couldn't make myself be still.
"You never got to see him when he was begging for his life." Ted mused, smiling to himself. "That was a sight to see. He bled like a stuck pig, you know? I made all these little cuts, all over his body." Ted chuckled to himself. "And man, he looked funny as hell with his eye lids cut off. His eyes were always watering because they were dry all the time."
I began to sob, the terrible images he was painting of my father branding themselves into my mind.
"You know what the best part was, though?" Ted stopped again, turning so that we were facing each other squarely. His hands were still behind his back, and he leaned forward slightly so that he could sneer more effectively. "His eyes lit up with so much hope when he saw that your truck was empty. He thought you were safe, that you'd gotten away, and he wouldn't have to watch while I forced your legs open and banged you like a common whore. He got so hopeful, and I hated the sight of it, so I pulled my gun out. He was busy being happy that you weren't there, so he never even saw the bullet coming."
I fell to my knees, covering my ears with shaking hands. "Stop it, stop it!" I cried out, squeezing my eyes shut against the tears.
Cold hands grabbed my arms, and shook me violently. I cried out in fear, but I refused to open my eyes; I couldn't bear it, couldn't bear the thought of my poor father dying like that.
"He bled out on the ground, and I made my men pick him up and stuff him in the cab of your shitty red truck." Ted Roscoe hissed, his breath warm on my face. "I wouldn't let that truck be an emblem of hope, oh no, not on my watch. I made sure who ever looked at that truck next would feel horror, would feel like puking their guts out. I made your father into my messenger, I made sure that whoever saw him next would know that nobody makes a fool out of Ted Roscoe and gets away with it."
"Get away from me!" I screamed, pushing with all my might. I heard his footsteps as he stumbled back, but there was no thud that told me where he fell.
I opened my eyes to see that Ted Roscoe had disappeared. My chest heaved as I struggled to breathe; I looked around fearfully, my eyelashes sticking together from my tears. The mist continued to swirl around me, oblivious to the painful pounding of my heart and my weak hands.
What was Castrone trying to do? Drive me crazy with visions of all the terrible men that had plagued my life? What was the point of this, what was he trying to do by ripping open old wounds? I looked around for him, suddenly uncomfortably aware that somebody was watching me. What was it that Androgena had told me?
"Don't believe it." I murmured. "It's not real. It's not real!" I shouted, glaring around me at the mist.
"Isn't it?"
The new voice made me jump. I looked around fearfully, but he was nowhere to be seen. It was a beautiful voice, a voice I loved, but it had no place here. It couldn't have a place here.
As I looked around, he melted out of the mist, his steps gentle and slow. Apollo's hands were in the pockets of his jeans, and he looked so perfect it took my breath away. His green eyes were tender and gentle as he looked down at me, and his dark hair moved gently in a silent breeze. I watched, transfixed, as he walked towards me. When he was in front of me, he held out a pale, marble hand.
"Won't you stand up, my love?" He asked softly.
"You're not Apollo." I said through numb lips.
Apollo chuckled quietly and lowered himself so that he was crouched in front of me. His scent of pine trees wafted over me, and I almost fainted at the familiarity of it. "If I'm not Apollo, then who am I, then?"
"A vision." I whispered. "A ghost, I don't know. But you're not Apollo, and I'm not your love. Get away from me."
The pain that flitted across his face made my chest hurt. "Lilah, love..."
"No!" I said sharply. "I'm not your love! Get away from me, Castrone."
Apollo tilted his head at me in confusion. "Why are you calling me Castrone?"
"Because you are Castrone!" I shouted in his face. The tears had started up again at the sight of Apollo's beautiful face; this wasn't fair at all. It was a blow below the belt. "You're trying to break me by conjuring all these people up, and it's so petty and stupid - exactly like Castrone!"
Apollo's face didn't change, but I saw it - his eyes flashed for a quick second, and I knew. I was right. "You're Castrone." I whispered. "You're evil and immature and absolutely terrible. You're murdering the world right now, even as we speak, just because a man wouldn't let you have his son. How stupid is that? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You're the most pathetic villain I've ever had the misfortune of meeting."
Apollo stared at me quietly, his face calm as he crouched in front of me. "You shouldn't talk about things you know nothing about, Lilah Winters." He said softly, his musical voice deadly.
I laughed quietly. "Listen to your own advice." I told him. "I promise you, I'll be the one to kill you."
Suddenly, Apollo's hand shot out and grabbed me by the throat. I was immediately sputtering; my hands scratched at his hold on my neck, but his marble hand was unscathed. Slowly, Apollo stood up, raising me up as well.
His face was so beautiful and perfect, and it was perfectly straight as he watched me choke. I looked into the eyes I loved so much and saw that they were completely empty of emotion, completely devoid of all the musings and intelligence that shone from the real Apollo's eyes. Even without it, my heart ached to see him, to see him as perfect as he was, without the sickness glassing over his eyes and making his skin flushed and feverish.
My hand reached out and touched his face, and he flinched away from my hand, looking at me incredulously. "Kill me." I choked out. My throat was burning dully. "Kill me, Castrone. I want the last thing I see to be Apollo's face."
Apollo's lip curled in fury, and abruptly, he threw me away. I hit the ground hard, and I pressed my cheek against the cold floor, gasping eagerly for air. I looked up as the mist began to swirl away, retreating to the corners of the great room before disappearing into thin air. Androgena was standing with Magenta, looking at me helplessly as she held her goddaughter firmly. The sunlight poured into the room uninterrupted, and the great square of golden light made the floor shine brightly.
Apollo was drenched in the sunlight, and I saw how beautiful he really was in the light. The light lit him up like a god, and he was so beautiful it made my chest hurt. But his face was cold as he looked down at me, and no cracks or lines appeared in his skin from the contact that the sun was making. He wasn't the real Apollo, I knew it.
As if reading my thoughts, he sighed in annoyance. As I watched, his appearance began to melt into itself; a few seconds later, where my beloved Apollo had been standing now stood an achingly beautiful man with giant ebony wings. It was only his wings that were dark; his hair was ivory and shone in the sunlight, and his pale, translucent skin was smooth and perfect. His lilac eyes were gorgeous too - they were light and huge and perfect, even as they stared down at me scornfully.
"Lilah Winters." Castrone spat out my name as if i tasted bitter. "Somehow, I expected more of you."
"I was going to say the same thing." I retorted, my voice still hoarse. I stood up slowly, rubbing at my neck gingerly. I could already feel the bruise beginning to set in.
Castrone stared at me shrewdly. He really did look like an angel, with the sunlight pouring off of him gloriously and his wings unfurled to their full length. "Your lover had me under the impression that you would be my downfall, but you are just a pathetic little girl. How disappointing."
"You saw Apollo?" I narrowed my eyes. "What did you do to him?"
"Oh, don't fret." Castrone sounded impatient. His wings abruptly furled on his back, but they immediately fidgeted, as if longing to be stretched out again. "I did nothing to him. Death is coming for him anyways." He began to pace in a wide arc, his face moody. "You can't threaten a dying man with death." He muttered tersely.
I began to pace too, making sure the distance between us didn't lessen or grow. We were moving in a slow, calculating circle around each other. "Why did you go to him if you knew he was dying? To gloat?" I rose an eyebrow at him.
He threw me a derisive look across the great space. Our footsteps echoed around the huge room. "I went to watch him die. I wanted him to be aware of the fact that his death was completely his father's fault, and that he was completely helpless in his own fate. I wanted him to die angry and confused and hurt."
"Then why did you leave him?" I asked.
"Because he told me that you already knew where Androgena and Magenta was." Castrone snapped at me. "He crowed of your intelligence, of how I should fear you. Of course I had to leave him then."
My heart fluttered at the thought of Apollo speaking of me to Castrone. "So you're threatened - by me?"
"My fears were unjustified." Castrone smirked. "Their chains are still bound, and I can see now how easy it will be to crush you."
"Why is it so important that Androgena and Magenta stay chained?" I stared at him baldly, still massaging the tender skin of my neck. "Is it maybe that you aren't afraid of me, but Androgena?"
The older witch was looking between us, her eyes wide with anxiety. Castrone glanced at her coolly. "Androgena is part of the same generation as myself, foolish girl." He said quietly. "Of course I'm afraid of her. She knows all the old tricks that I know, and maybe more."
"But how about Magenta?" I asked boldly. "She's much younger, so why is she a threat?"
"She's not a threat at all." Castrone came to a stop, and I stopped too. I was now in front of the two imprisoned witches, and Castrone was now where I had been, by the giant door. "I just liked her since she was pretty." He smiled cheekily at the witch, and I looked back to see her eyes fill with humiliated tears.
"If you liked her, then why did you kill her brother?"
Castrone rolled his eyes, turning to face me squarely. His hands were behind his back, and his face was bored as he looked at me. "I never planned to kill Malius." He told me, his voice echoing. "Not until he started looking for his sister. When Abaddon Ambrosia, that impetuous fool, tried to kill me, I sent the disease off to random names that popped up in my head. I'd been brooding over how to get rid of him, and then things just seemed to... fall into place."
Magenta was making high pitched screeching sounds, her face wet with tears. Castrone shot a cool look at her, and held up a hand. Androgena cried out as Magenta was suddenly flung against the pillar; her head hit the stone with a sharp crack, and then she collapsed into a puddle on the floor. I stared in horror, watching as Androgena hurried over to the felled witch's side.
"It was kind of useless, now that I think of it." Castrone was watching too, but there was a glint of amusement in his lilac eyes. "Magenta has turned out to be such a failure as my pet. When I first started to woo her, I never dreamed she would be so pathetic. She turned away my advances, but she was vulnerable after the Faerie War. I thought I could keep her forever, but now I want nothing to do with her."
"You're the pathetic one." I glared at him, my hands clenching into fists. "A girl rejects you, and you kidnap her? Holy crap, how sad can you be?"
His eyes flashed. "Watch yourself, girl." Castrone said softly. "I can destroy you right now."
"If you were going to do it, you would have done it by now." I retorted. I took a few steps forward. "You probably want me to suffer more, which is why you didn't kill me right away. And on top of that, you wanted to show off, didn't you? You wanted to rub it in my face, the fact that you managed to bring the magical world to its knees."
"You are not the one I wanted to gloat to!" Castrone snarled, his face suddenly livid. "Why should I care about you, a weak little elf who used to be a disgusting human? None of this went according to my plan, everything was ruined by him, by Abaddon Ambrosia! I wanted to hold him close while he watched his children die, to rub salt in a wound that he inflicted on himself. Don't delude yourself into thinking you are valuable, you piece of scum."
"But he was too clever for you, huh?" I was unaffected by his insults. "He was too fast, too good at hiding. So instead of bringing him here and acting out your glorious plan, you sent hell hounds after him. And you don't even get to watch as they tear him apart." I sneered coldly at him. "How does that make you feel, Castrone?"
"Don't you mock me, girl." Castrone looked at me maliciously. His robes were floating around him gently, although there was no breeze, and I saw that little cracks and fissures were growing in the floor around his feet. I thought of how the flowers and plants around him had died in my vision, and I was suddenly acutely aware of just how furious he was. "If you weren't immune, I would strike you down with this disease and leave you to suffer."
I blinked, caught off guard for the first time. "What?"
"You're immune, stupid girl!" Castrone bellowed, his face twisted as he leaned towards me. "The ancient magic used to turn you into an elf is protecting you now, and I can't touch you with the disease. Nothing is going how I wanted!" His hand came up and sliced at the air, and the closest pillar abruptly imploded. I flinched and ducked as pieces of stone came rocketing through the air, and dust puffed up like little clouds. "Nothing is going according to plan!" He roared, swiping his hand again, and the next pillar crumbled with a groan as well. "Here we are, in the end game, and I'm stuck with a weak elf bitch and two witches I have no need for." He turned swiftly to stare steadily at me, his lilac eyes glowing brightly with his rage.
"Oh, I meant to kill you all long." He whispered, his figure suddenly still. "But I meant for you to die along with all of Apollo and Astera's loved ones. I wanted you to choke on your own blood while that shifter couple clawed at the marks on their skin. I wanted that bastard lover of Astera's to go mad and kill himself. I wanted all of Apollo's friends to die at his feet while he looked on, and then - only then! - would I allow him to die."
"Well, life doesn't always go how we want it, do we?" I asked him softly, staring at him incredulously. He was seriously deranged, wasn't he?
Castrone stared at me, and laughed ironically. "Your lover said the exact same thing to me." He mused. "However, what you don't understand is that I am the great Castrone, and if I wanted something, I got it. Everything always went my way, until I happened upon those accursed Ambrosias. Now, you must suffer for the mistakes of that family."
We looked at each other across the great space, and the silence was so loaded and heavy that it made my skin crawl. I could feel Androgena watching from behind me, her strength trapped from helping me by thin, delicate chains. I hoped Magenta was alright, but I knew if I went to her now than Castrone would definitely have me.
I knew in the moment before he moved when he was going to attack.
His black wings unfurled with a great rushing sound, and he was across the room in a matter of seconds. I inhaled sharply and ducked, rolling away awkwardly to avoid his advances. Castrone looked back at me, his face insanely amused, and launched for me again. This time, I wasn't as fast - his cold hands gripped my arms and slammed me against the floor.
He laughed in triumph, but I hissed at him. Exerting all my strength, I ripped myself out of his grip and punched upwards blindly. There was a hollow crack as my fist struck his jaw, and he stumbled away, his face twisted in pain and fury.
I hastily propped myself up so I could see him. I laughed at the look on his face. "Elf strength, you dirty bastard." I grinned at him cheekily, and his lip curled.
He reached for me again, and I kicked out, striking his leg. There was another crack, and Castrone roared in fury. His leg stuck out in an awkward angle, and I stared in amazement at the effects of my strength. "Not so fun, huh?" I gloated, pushing him roughly and making him stumble. "That should teach you to fly around breaking people's legs."
Castrone launched himself into the air and landed several meters away with a thud. I watched as his hand passed over his leg, his teeth gritted painfully, and his leg crunched as it righted itself.
"I have an advantage too, little girl." Castrone growled, moving forward gracefully. "I can heal myself completely."
His fist connected with my jaw, and I spun and hit the floor as pain bloomed on my face. Castrone didn't let me recover, I gasped as his foot connected with my stomach, and I doubled over from the pain. He was breathing heavily as he kicked me again, and he began to laugh as I cried out.
"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" Castrone crowed. I looked up at him blearily, and his face was evil and bright with enjoyment as he looked back. "I like it when my whores fight." He kicked me again, cackling as I cried out again. "Should I rape you like I did Hayane's sister? She was so lovely - so warm and pure. Are you the same, little Lilah Winters?"
"You piece of crap." I gasped through gritted teeth. I swung my arm out, but he avoided it easily.
I yelped in pain as his hand fisted in my hair and dragged me up. I rose up until our eyes were level, and Castrone smiled menacingly at me. "A death is a death." He whispered, his sweet breath fanning across my face."Although you're not dying according to my plan, I can still enjoy watching the life leave your eyes. Oh, how I wish Apollo was here to see this."
I spat in his face, and he flinched at the movement. He glared at me as his hand came up to wipe my spittle form his skin, and there were piercing cracks and splinters as the floor around him crumbled from his rage. "You're still a dirty human, aren't you?" He hissed.
Castrone abruptly threw me, and I flew and landed hard on the floor. Stars exploded in my eyes, and I gasped as I blinked rapidly to clear my vision. Castrone was advancing slowly toward me, his beautiful eyes bright with wicked delight as he looked down at my crumpled figure. "Oh, how lovely this is." He sang out. "Looking at your delicate figure crushed like a rag doll. Do you have any last words, Lilah Winters? You shall be with your love soon, for all of eternity. Everything will be peaceful and safe in death, little girl, and you will be oblivious to the havoc I'm wreaking with you and that vampire boy gone."
I watched through narrowed eyes as he walked closer and closer, his great wings fidgeting as he stretched them leisurely. "I'm going to kill you." I whispered hoarsely.
"Plot twist." Castrone laughed. "It is I who kills you, Lilah Winters. You failed in your quest, and the world is doomed at your mistake. Oh, how I will revel in your lifeless body, silly girl."
"Wrong." My eyes flashed, and my hand came up to hover over my arm. "Borte!" I shouted.
Castrone inhaled sharply in surprise as something unseen scooped him up and flung him through the air. The same moment he was thrown, the huge double doors across from me suddenly slammed open. A tall figure stood in the light that poured in, and for one, crazy moment, I thought I saw Apollo standing on the threshold as Castrone sailed towards him.
However, it wasn't my love.
Roan looked up, his jaw locked grimly, and watched as Castrone was hurled towards him. I could see a familiar bulge on his shoulder, and I wondered what Bono was squeaking furiously to his master in that moment.
"Roan - " I cried out, but I didn't need to.
Roan held both his hands out, and a great stream of orange flames roared from his palms. The great room was filled with piercing screams as Castrone's great, black feathered wings immediately went up in flames. There was a thunderous thud as Castrone hit the floor, and the flames that ate up his wings crackled and hissed.
"No!" Castrone bellowed in agony. I cried out, reaching out helplessly, as he threw an arm out. Roan went flying, hitting the wall to my right. He grimaced and got up, but Castrone wasn't done with him.
The witch was lying prone on his stomach, flapping his wings desperately in an attempt to put out the flames, but his furious face communicated the fact that he wasn't going to go down without a fight. His hands were still out, and I scrambled to my feet in horror as Roan was suddenly flattened against the wall.
There were sick cracking and popping sounds, and Roan cried out in tormented distress as the bones in his body were systematically snapped.
"No!" I shouted out, sprinting towards him.
"Lilah!" Roan gasped. His hand twitched awkwardly in its forced position to the wall, and something small and shiny fell from his hand and skittered across the glassy floor.
I paused and scooped it up; it was a light blue Swiss Army knife, and it's many blades glittered in the light as I turned it in my palm. I knew exactly what I had to do.
"Castrone!" I bellowed, turning to face him as I held the knife behind my back. "I'm the one you want! Take me!"
Castrone turned to grin at me, and behind me Roan collapsed into the floor in a heap. I could hear him moaning in terrible pain, but I was transfixed at the sight of the burning witch; he truly looked like Lucifer now, with his great, fiery wings and his glorious beauty. The sight of Castrone on the floor, grinning up at me madly as his wings burned would be an image that would be burned into my memory forever.
"As you wish, Lilah Winters." He sang, his voice as melodic and beautiful as the wind, and his flaming wings carried him through the air one last time to come meet me.
I bit my lip and flipped the army knife out, hoping against hope that it was the true knife that came out. Castrone descended on me like a great, fiery angel, the heat from his burning wings rolling over me like a tide, and I held my arm out to meet him. Castrone stared at me in surprise as the blade sank into his chest; black, warm blood spurted out and dripped over my hand, and his weight fell on me and almost knocked me over. I held him up though; as his eyes stared into mine, I clenched my jaw and twisted my knife.
Castrone gasped, blood bubbling past his dewy lips, and I smiled angelically into his lovely, lilac eyes.
"I told you." I whispered tenderly. "I promised you that I would kill you, didn't I?" I laughed lightly as I cradled him like a child. The heat from his wings was starting to singe my hair and burn my arms, but I ignored it.
I looked down at the beautiful witch as his life bled away, and his beautiful eyes were transfixed on mine.
"I promised I would kill you, and I always keep my promises, Castrone."
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