Page 3 of Virgil's Demons

Maybe I wasn't strong enough.

The demon's voice slithered, smooth as oil, filled with mockery. "You are no hunter?" It laughed again, louder this time. "You reek of sin, of doubt. You're no, holy warrior. You're a goddam joke!" It cackled, the laughter scraping against my skull and I dropped to the floor covering my ears.

I clenched my jaw, ignoring the chill that crawled up my spine. "You have no power over us! Get the fuck out of my head!" I screamed.

The demon tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing as if it were studying me. "Is that what you think, Virgil? That you're pure? That you're worthy to speak inHisname?" It hissed, and the shadows around the room grew darker, pressing in on us.

I tightened my hold on the crucifix until it bit into my palm. "You will be chained down, demon. Speak your name!"

It leaned closer, its breath cold against my face, Lucia's body thrashing violently beneath its weight. "Tell yourself whatever you want," it whispered. "But deep down, you know. You've seen the darkness inside you. It's the same as mine. You think you're above it all, but it's there. It's always been there, Virgil. You. Are. Not. Worthy."

I could feel the truth of its words digging into me, each word digging into me like a sharp knife. I wasn't perfect—I'd never claimed to be. The blood on my hands, the weight of the lives I'd taken, the constant battle with my own demons—they were all part of me. But that was the price of the path I walked. This is what He made me into. This is what God had put me on earth for.

"It's not my fault!" I screamed. "And that's the difference between you and me," I spat, forcing the words through the haze of doubt. "I have choice. I can fight my demons. You, on the other hand,areone."

The demon grinned, pulling Lucia's face wider, its cracked lips pulling back over jagged teeth. "We're not so different, Virgil. You hide behind faith, behind that pathetic lie of righteousness. But when the time comes, when you're faced with the truth, you'll fall. Just like the rest of them."

I lifted the crucifix higher, feeling that surge of power course through me. "Then let's see which one of us burns first."

I began to pray, the darkness engulfed us both. The doubt continued to gnaw at me. Suddenly, my voice was swallowed by an overwhelming weight of fear that gripped my chest. My legs buckled beneath me, and I stumbled backward, crashing into the corner of the room. I pressed my back against the wall, the crucifix slipping from my grasp and clattering to the floor. The sound was hollow, meaningless.

The power I'd felt moments ago drained from me like water through clenched fists. Confusion settled in and the crucifix, which was my weapon of faith, suddenly felt cold and useless. The demon's laughter echoed in my skull, louder, sharper, like nails scraping against glass.

"Fight back," I whispered to myself. "You have to...try..."

I watched helplessly as Lucia writhed on the bed; her screams muffled by the suffocating presence of the demon. Her eyes, now human, opened wide with terror, they flickered to me for a brief moment, begging, pleading for me to save her.

But I couldn't move.

"I... I can't..." I muttered, my voice barely a whisper. My whole body was shaking, the weight of my own failures pressing down on me like a thousand stones. I wanted to fight, but myarms felt heavy, my heart pounded in my chest like it was trying to break free.

"You were never going to save her," the demon taunted, its voice dripping with cruel amusement. I watched in horror as it hovered over her, its long, twisted fingers tracing her cheek, its touch leaving a trail of decay in its wake. "You're not a savior, Virgil. You are weak and you are as blood thirsty as I am."

"No..." My throat was tight, my voice strangled. "I…"

Before I could finish, Lucia's body jerked violently, her back arching unnaturally as the demon sank its claws into her chest. Her screams tore through the air, and I watched, paralyzed, as blood spilled from her lips, her body convulsing in pain. The demon was feeding on her suffering, her fear, relishing every agonizing second.

"Stop!" I tried to shout, but it came out as a broken plea.

The demon's laughter grew louder, more sinister, as the Lucia's body fell limp beneath its grip. Her chest heaved one final time before going still, her eyes dull and lifeless, locked on me.

She was gone.

I should have saved her.

I curled further into the corner, my head in my hands, shaking uncontrollably. The room was spinning, the edges of my vision blurring as guilt and terror consumed me.

How could I have failed? How could I have let it happen?

"You're pathetic," the demon hissed, its form looming over me now, casting a dark shadow across the floor. "You think you're special because He chose you. But you're nothing."

I couldn't even look at it. I could feel its eyes on me, burning into my soul, stripping away every ounce of strength I thought I had.

"You couldn't save her," it continued, voice thick with venom. "And you won't save the others. You'll fail. Over and over. Because you areweak."

I flinched as the demon crouched down in front of me, its grotesque face inches from mine. I could smell the rot on its breath, feel the chill of its presence on my skin. "I'll be back for you soon, Virgil," it whispered, its voice barely above a growl. "And when I do, you'll beg for mercy. But there won't be any."

It stood, straightening to its full, towering height, and for a moment, it just stared down at me, eyes gleaming with sick satisfaction. Then, with a final laugh, it vanished, leaving behind nothing but the suffocating weight of my own failure.

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