Page 120 of Unbinding the Demon
The starless sky was eerily dark, and the warmth from the fiery blast had resigned to the freezing winter winds once again. The three of us were now huddled against Belzar’s warm, fluffy side, avoiding the off-putting undead area where his ribs were exposed.
William was delirious, mumbling about Oliver with his eyes squeezed shut, and Lacey was cold and unmoving. Her eyes were open but blank, as if she were staring off into some mysterious, unseen void.
My bones rattled and my teeth chattered from the cold. The pain from my injuries had long since gone numb. Belzar seemed anxious and somber. He tried to offer me comfort in his own unique doggy way. His massive abyss wolf head lovingly nuzzled against my cheek, tickling my skin with his soft fur while he whimpered.
We both snapped to attention as Azathoth appeared before us with a black poof. “Well, good news. I killed Adelstein. Bad news, I destroyed...the... town...” His voice died off, and his face fell as he took in the sight of us. He immediately rushed over to Lacey. “Shit! How long has she been dead!?” he asked in panic while putting his hands on her and healing her wounds.
Dead? No, no, no... She’s not dead... She’s not dead... She’s not dead!I psychotically chanted in my head to convince myself otherwise. Deep in the back of my mind, I already knew the truth. I just couldn’t let myself believe it. I was trapped in a state of hollow denial. It felt like I was frowning into some clandestine mirror and seeing my smiling reflection, deceiving myself into giving in to the illusion of hope and serenity.
“No, no, she’s not dead. She’s going to be just fine.Right, Azathoth?”Even I could hear just how desperate and delusional I sounded.
The sorrowful look he gave me caused my heart to sink further into my stomach. “I-I honestly don’t know if she’ll make it or not. I can only heal her body to allow her spirit to return. If she’s been gone for too long, then there’s nothing I can do to bring her back.” He swallowed while taking in the sight of her.
“Come on, Lacey. Please come back.” Fear and anguish entwined in my hushed voice as I gently shook her lifeless body.
Azathoth moved over to William and pulled the obsidian dagger from his stomach. Blood gushed out in thick crimson spurts, further staining his pink shirt. The bleeding ceased as Azathoth sealed his wounds. He lowered his head to William’s ear and quietly commanded him to sleep before he could open his eyes.
He moved to me next and lightly placed his hands on my shoulders. It felt like warm waves of electricity were flowing out from his palms and through my veins. I felt my bones shift back into place and fuse back together. My burns disappeared while every scrape and bruise faded away. I hardly paid any attention to it, though. I was too focused on Lacey, eagerly waiting for her to come back to life as I wrapped her limp body in my arms.
As he healed Belzar, a look of astonishment lit up his face. If I hadn’t been so distraught and distracted, I would have noticed that not only did Belzar’s injuries heal, but the decayed areas on his undead body also filled in with healthy, living tissue. Belzar made a strange noise and looked at his side in confusion.
“No, I didn’t know that was possible either... Is it really?” Azathoth smashed his head against Belzar’s big, fluffy chest, listening to his heart. “Holy fucking Hell, it really is... Yes, yes, I hear it. It’s actually beating... You’re a living wolf?” He looked at Belzar with wide-eyed befuddlement, then turned his attention back to me and cleared his throat. “Why don’t you bring William to one of the guest bedrooms? Get him out of the cold? The house should still be standing.” His voice was now much softer and somber as he spoke to Belzar.
They exchanged glances of sorrow and pity. Belzar nodded to him, then stood up and walked around us over to William. He gently bit down on his leg, and then they both disappeared together. I felt Azathoth’s arms wrap around me in a comforting embrace. His large wings folded forward, providing shelter from the harsh, freezing winds and enwreathing me in welcome warmth.
“Do you think she’ll come back?” I whispered while caressing Lacey’s soft, curly hair.
Azathoth lovingly squeezed me tighter into his hold, taking a moment to respond. “I don’t know.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I think that if she was able to, then she probably would have by now.” He kissed the top of my head, keeping his mouth there as he began to rock me back and forth.
My breath hitched in the back of my throat and tears swam up into my eyes. As I wept, the heavens also began to lachrymosely release their frozen tears down upon us. Each glittering snowflake danced a grievous ballet as they fluttered down, cooling the scorched earth with their icy touch. I held my warm hand against her cold palm, watching with blurry vision as the snow softly kissed her quiescent face.
Azathoth’s large, clawed hand slowly reached over and gently closed her beautiful brown eyes for the last time. The sight caused my chest to violently heave, and uncontrollable sobs wracked my fatigued body. Cruel reality had finally whispered its bitter verities to my bereft spirit, a voice that I could deny no longer.
“Shhh,” Azathoth softly shushed. “I’m so sorry,” he cooed, his gentle touch caressing my hair.
But not even he could comfort me. I was heavily burdened with sorrow and had already drunk from the poisoned well of guilt.This was my fault.
My heartstrings shattered knowing this would be the last time I embraced my beloved best friend, and that soon she would be embraced by the rich soil of the earth. The depths of my soul filled with oceans of grief as I gazed down at her. A deathly blue hue covered her brown skin and rosy lips. Large, fluffy snowflakes rested on her beautiful face, catching on her long, thick lashes and clinging to the silken ringlets of her hair.
Belzar reappeared beside us and gave her cold cheek a mournful lick. He looked at me with sadness in his glowing golden eyes, then lifted his head and howled a grievous elegy. My tears flowed like rivers, dripping down onto her lifeless, tranquil face as I cried my heart out. Azathoth softly muttered consolatory words, but nothing could make this better, and he knew it. And so, as a flurry of shimmering snowflakes swirled around us, he began to grieve with me.
The fires below burned down to nothing more than ashes, then disappeared completely beneath winter’s glimmering veil. The bodies of the dead rested frozen and dressed in peace, while each crystalline flake gently floated down upon them. And the silent valley was generously adorned in a glittering blanket of purity.
50. Weeping Winter Skies
A thick shroud of silvery clouds rested heavily in the awakening sky, draping low over the valley like dolorous curtains of bleakness. Snowflakes softly flitted down upon the frostbitten land, catching on the window panes to frame the bottom of the frosty, fogged glass in powdery white. The bedroom was dark and dreary, but the winter-dwelling birds still sang their chirpy matins, filling the gloom with a pleasant melody.
I sighed as I stretched beneath the coverlet and fluttered my dry, irritated eyes open. Pepper Paws was snuggled up against me, curled into a small ball with his precious little nose tucked into the crook of my neck. “Hey, Peps,” I whispered while stroking his soft head and pointy ears. He stretched his cute kitty paws, spreading them out before curling his tiny jellybean toes in toward himself. With a heavy heart, I blinked up at the crack in the ceiling a few times, second-guessing whether the events of last night had been real.
I couldn’t remember how I had ended up in bed, so I figured I must have passed out while still up on the cliff. My braid had been undone, setting my chestnut waves loose upon the pillow. The blood, soot, and grime had all been washed away, and I was wearing one of Azathoth’s big black T-shirts.
I pried my weary eyes away from the ceiling to look over at Azathoth... only, he wasn’t there? The spot where he normally slept was a bit rumpled, but it looked like he had never come to bed. With that sudden realization, I sat straight up. “Azathoth?” I meekly called out, but received no response.“Azathoth?”I called a little louder, with a slight tremor of alarm.
Oh no... He didn’t leave me and return to Hell, did he!?
I panicked and leapt out of bed. Pepper Paws mewed in annoyance, but I didn’t pay him much mind. In my haste, I didn’t notice that both the Teloch Axe and my swords were leaning against the far corner of the room next to the dresser. If I had, I wouldn’t have worried so much. But instead, I began freaking the fuck out.“Azathoth!?”My bare feet pattered across the cold, creaky floorboards as I hurried out of the room. The fear of abandonment gripped my heart. I didn’t know what I would do if he left me. I had just lost Lacey, and I didn’t think my heart could take it if I lost him too.
No, no, no! Where is he!?
