Page 15 of Ashes to Ashes

His hot breath sent shivers down her spine. His clawed fingers dug deeper into her neck still.

She screamed again, but this time it was lost under the rush of wind as he lifted her off the ground with ease. Her struggles only seemed to make him more excited, his grip tightening around her throat until she could hardly breathe.

With a primal roar, Belial slammed her against a nearby wall with such force that stars danced before her eyes. The impact sent shockwaves through every bone in her body as pain erupted from places she didn’t even know could hurt this much. She slid down the wall in a heap, gasping for air that wouldn’t come. Her lungs burned as if filled with fire, and each ragged breath felt like an eternity. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes as she braced herself for another blow—another punishment for daring to defy him.

He lifted one arm high above his head before bringing it down hard across her back, snapping bones and sending jolts of searing pain throughout her body. The scent of blood filled the air as he started tearing into her with his claws again, leaving deep gashes that ripped through her clothes and exposedtender flesh beneath them. Each strike sent fresh waves of agony coursing through every nerve ending in her body, making it impossible for Ashe not to cry out despite the threat of further punishment.

Now she begged for unconsciousness to take her.

Bracing for another strike, Ashe tried to see through the streams of blood and blurred vision. Instead of striking again, he stepped back slowly, walking away and leaving her to die.

As she lay there, gasping for air, blood pooling beneath her. She tried to stand, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. In the distance, she thought she saw something. A blur of light, a figure with silver wings?

Ashe blinked, and the figure moved, now kneeling in front of her. Ashe flinched as the creature reached out a hand, but the touch was anything but painful. The agony and fire tearing through her body began to subside, replaced with a soothing warmth that seeped into her very bones.

It was hard to say how many minutes passed as gentle warmth overtook the rage of pain. Ashe couldn’t focus on anything as terror started to grip her in the wake of no pain. The creature could have healed her so Belial could do it all over again.

The angelic-looking creature met Ashe’s gaze, her eyes a comforting shade of sapphire. “Shh, child, I am here to help you.” Her voice was like honey, rich and calming. “My name is Lily, and I’ve come to aid you.”

Ashe stared at her, disbelief etched on her bloodied face. “A-Are. . . are you. . . an angel?” she breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lily smiled, a soft, nurturing curve of her lips. “In a way, I suppose you could say that. I’ve been sent to guide you, Ashe. You do not belong here as a slave to demons.”

Ashe closed her eyes, the pain fading away with every soothing word Lily spoke. It was too good to be true. She must be dreaming. . . or worse, she was already dead.

Lily finished healing Ashe’s wounds, and then helped her to her feet. “Belial won’t harm you again,” she said, her voice firm. “He’ll have no way to get to you.”

Ashe’s eyes widened, but before she could ask, Lily continued. “We don’t have much time. My presence here won’t go unnoticed for long. I believe there is something you wished to ask me.”

Her mind was still shrouded in a fog of pain, the throbbing ache gradually subsiding. Despite her efforts, Ashe couldn’t summon a single coherent thought to ask the angel before her. The celestial being stood tall and radiant, its ethereal presence causing her head to swim with confusion and awe. She struggled to find the words to articulate her thoughts, but they were lost in the jumble of her mind. She could only stare in wonder at this otherworldly creature, wondering what secrets it held and if it would reveal them to her.

“I believe it has to do with why you found yourself bleeding on the ground, but I am bound from supplying answers to unasked questions.”

Ashe nodded, a light awakening in her with the gentle prompt.

“I need to know how to escape. . . to find my way back home.” She swallowed hard, her voice hoarse from pain and fear. “I don’t belong here,” she whispered, looking around at the dark, twisted world of demons that surrounded them.

“The only way out of this land is through a demon prince’s kiss, you see. His affection will unlock the path back to your human world.” Lily leaned in close, her cool breath tickling Ashe’s ear as she spoke in a hushed tone. “But it must begenuine, for the kiss of desire can be deceiving and only lead you deeper into darkness.”

Ashe shivered at the thought of being so close to such a sinful creature. Purposefully ignoring the way an image sprang into her mind of Levi’s arms wrapped around her.

The air around them seemed to thicken. Horned demons appeared, lurking in shadows while others passed by without a second glance. The sounds of their hooves echoed like thunder against the cold stone floors as they went about their business - some whispering conspiratorially about their master’s new acquisition while others merely laughed maniacally at some unseen joke. The stench of sulfur and rot filled Ashe’s nostrils, making it hard to breathe, but Lily seemed unaffected by it all. Her wings glowed softly as if this were just another day in paradise instead of an underworld filled with despair and suffering.

Ashe swallowed hard, feeling her heart race in her chest at the thought of facing such a monster. But hope bloomed.

“Time is of the essence,” Lily said, picking up her pace and moving toward the courtyard. “They cannot see you under my protection. Follow me, as my time here is limited to how long my wings continue to glow.”

As they neared a serene pond, Lily halted, her shimmering silver wings unfurling behind her. “Borrow my grace, child,” she whispered, her palm hovering over the water’s surface. The ripples stilled, revealing Ashe’s reflection.

“By the light that binds me, I grant thee the power to enthrall. Let your beauty shine forth like a beacon’s call.”

As the words left Lily’s lips, the air shimmered, and Ashe’s appearance underwent a breathtaking transformation.

Her red hair, usually tied up and hidden under a veil of cloth, now cascaded down her back like a river of rubies adorned with tiny sparkles that seemed to shimmer and shine whenever shemoved. Her ice blue eyes were no longer plain and empty but glowed like the northern lights at midnight. The plain gold ring on her necklace morphed into a dazzling circle of icy diamonds, capturing every glint of light that it could find. She looked like an otherworldly goddess from ancient tales of old. Her once dull skin now shone like the sun in the human sky, adorned with twinkling stars and gossamer moonbeams.

Ashe gasped, her reflection breathtaking even to her. “I. . . I’ve never. . . seen anything so. . . so beautiful.”

Lily’s eyes twinkled with pride. “You’ve always had it in you, child. Tonight, the realm shall see the true enchantress you’ve always been.”

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