35 Call Me Nyx

I guess the demon's problem is more deeper that what you think... Grandpa.

~Zoey's Point of View~

\"It's really a good thing that Ash stopped your most stupid idea.\" Nami said.

After we've talked about the past while laying on bermuda grass field, I remember so many things.

\"You can really say that it was stupid.\" I said.

And that makes her grin, \"That's why I said it.\"

\"Yeah. And even after that happened, I still wanted to kill myself.\"

\"True. How stubborn you were!\"

\"Ahahaha! Beats me.\"

Then, we both laugh together. For some reason I feel relax after so long, even though just awhile ago we remember one of our precious memories together with the others that are no longer with us. That's right, it's an important treasure to me because that time was the day I was saved again by someone. I did intend to kill myself and he just saved me even though I was a stranger to him.

\"It reminds me, I totally forgot that Ash was also a person with a devil just like me.\" I said when I remember that she mentioned about the reason why he was in wheelchair. I've used to think that his body was weak. Now that I come to think about it, I feel like some part of my memories about him was removed on my mind.

Oh... That's right.

\"I don't know how you forgot it but yes, that's right. He had a mass killing devil. Once he set foot on the ground and his time limit over, he turned to a different person. And everything he saw, he killed. Victims would say in fear that it was the 'flame eyed demon' that attacked them.\"

Listening to what she said makes everything clear to me. Some missing part of memories about him is becoming clear, and there's only explanation to this.

\"It's you, right?\"

And as I said that through my head, I heard chuckles echoing on my head.

[ Bingo. Well, I had to, because it was very pain in the ass. ]

She answered me. That devil responds to me. I can't tell if it's a good thing or not that I don't feel any bad feeling when I heard her speak to me, but I'm sure to whatever she did in my memories doesn't give me any good vibe.

\"You know, it's best for you if you give more attention to it. Don't ignore it, make it yours.\"

These words... Hmp! As if I'll listen to that monkey. He only gives me headaches.

\"You can make it yours, Zoey.\"

But, I wouldn't deny that he had a point there. Besides, he said he can see someone's darkness which means he can see mine and that makes him more reliable. But, there's still a chance that it's a lie. Well, I don't think he would lie to me, after all I owed him for staying with me earlier.

[ Heh~ You knew already that he's telling the truth. Deep down, you can tell that there's something special about that noble guy. Found a new target to fall in to? ]

I ignore her. I don't need to talk to this devil casually, it may become a habit. She's just messing my head, anyways.

\"If Zoey forgot about it then... Did you also forget why he lost sight on his left eye?\" Nami asked as she sits down and averts her sight on me.

His left eye..? Why he lost sight? Wait... Why she asked that? Of course, I remember because it was my fault. It is me why he lost it. It's because I was being so stubborn that I tried to hang myself up using my neck, but he saved me. I don't know why but I suddenly gulp as I look at Nami.

\"O-Of course, it was because of my stubbornness of taking my own life. But he saved me and then, I went to rampage and sharp things accidentally hit his eye when he tried to calm me down. It was an accident but it was still my fault. That's how he lost his left eye, right?\"

Wait, why am I not so sure on my explanation? Everyone was there that time, including Nami so, I'm sure she knew everything about it. There's no way I could be wronged about it. It's my fault, how could I forget that.

But, what's this? Why she's just looking at me as if I just said something wrong, as if she expected this?

\"Hey, Nami... Don't give me that look. I said it right... Right?\" I uttered, more likely a mumble.

I feel nervous. My heart is beating so fast while looking at her serious yet sad face, and waiting to what will ever she says. It's making me sweat.

\"I knew you would say that . Don't hate me but... Leader wanted to hide this from you. He....\"

What... She's talking. She's saying something but I couldn't hear it clearly. It becomes blurry. What's going on? Shit! Is this her doings, again?

\"Playing with me, again?!\"

I shouted, but I can only hear its devilish laugh. It's making me sick. What does she want now? I want to know what Nami is saying about the truth. I want to know everything.

Do I have to live with a lie, again...?

\"Stop this!\" I shouted.

[ Oh dear, relax. I'm not doing anything bad. Actually, I'm helping you to remember on what really happened on that day... To what really happened between you and him. ]

All of a sudden, everything becomes black. I know this. Is she showing me a memory again? Those kinds of memories that I don't know because I was not aware of those, because I was being controlled by her. Then, that just mean that she controlled me while I was with Ash that time.

I wonder what she'll gonna show me. It's making me nervous.

After a few seconds in darkness field, it vanish and lead me to a different place. When I look around, I feel a familiar vibe coming from this place. This is the Mythics base, the place where I used to stay with them. As I look carefully to the surroundings, I confirm that I'm now standing at the lobby. But then, I get stunned after I hear a scream from above.

On the second floor.

I turn around and immediately climb up the stairs. And as I get on the second floor, I see everyone compiling in front of the room. But I can't find Akane there. When I look carefully, I'd say that it's where I used to stay. My room. Right, this was the time after a month of that incident at the bonfire night. I was so thick headed that I could not think of anything else but suicide.

I was so weak... I was so weak that I couldn't bring myself to move one and stand up again after what happened to that person. Even though Ash just saved my life from my hand.

I hardly close my eyes while gritting my fist. But I feel a sudden force that pull me over and when I open my eyes, I'm already inside my room. I get stunned. I can now clearly see everything on what's happening here. Right now, as I am standing beside 'me' of my past and Ash... I can see him confronting the me of my past. My heart is beating so fast. Everything inside the room was so messy like a hurricane just passed by, and the me of my past was pointing a machete at Ash. My legs are almost give up when I avert my sight towards him.

How I wish I could stay here so that, I could see him longer.

He looked stressed. Was it because of me? I was really a burden to him, really. As I look at him more, I notice that his clothes is ruined by cuts. But wait... Why was he standing?

\"Ela, hand over the machete. It's dangerous.\" he said.

\"What the hell is wrong with you? Just let me be, will you?! You're in the way.\" I yelled in anger----I mean, the me from my past. It's just the past, but still I can't believe that I was doing this to Ash.

\"Ash, let us stop her.\" Jinno said.

\"No. No one enters. I'm the who brought her here so, I should be the one who have to deal this.\"

\"But leader...\"

\"That's an order.\" Ash commanded as he glared at them. He was really serious about it.

Then, he looked back at Ela, me. \"Tell me, Ela. What do you want me to do... What do you want me to do for you to stop this. I'll do everything.\"

Ash... What would you gain for doing this? So, from the very start you were already treating me like this. With this, I might really think that you also had feelings for me but... You rejected me, and twice to that point. What am I thinking? It's impossible for him to love me. He already said it before. Why am I still hoping, even though this is just the past? What a dumb.

[ Aww~ You still love him when he's now a corpse. How sweet, Zoey. ]

Fucking hell. \"Shut up. Just what do you want me to see?\"

[ Well, just keep on watching. ]

I'm losing my patience. Just what on earth does she want me to see?

\"Ela, tell me. Why do you keep wanting on taking your own life? You should be glad that until now you're still breathing unlike those people who wanted to live more but couldn't. You've gone through a lot, learn from it and live on. Don't waste what you only have, Ela.\"

He said. I remember now... From this point, I lost conscious. After he said that, everything gone blurred. And I don't know what happened on that point, if ever there was. And what I'm seeing right now didn't fit to what I thought supposed to happen.

Until now, the me from the past is still standing. Ela didn't fall and lost conscious.

\"Ela...\"

As I'm staring at my past self, I can tell that something's really off. It wasn't me at all. That devil was controlling me.

And now, she's giggling. \"That's so sweet of you.\"

Hearing my own voice gives me chills. It's too obvious that it wasn't me. But on top of that, this is my first time seeing myself totally got controlled. It's different from that time I killed Caleb and hid in the crowd. Right now, I am witnessing everything.

\"Who...\" and even Ash felt it too that he was talking to a person controlled by a demon.

I still wonder why he was able to stand... Was he using his time limit to stop me from rampaging?

\"You said, you'll do everything?\"

\"Yes... If that'll make you stop from doing this.\"

\"Hmmm... But will you be able to grant anything I want you to do?\"

\"I will do it.\" Ash was so determined. I can see fire in his eyes... Wait, fire... Flame eye? I'm sure of it even though I'm on his right side but... His left eye is flaming red. Is he running out of time?

\"H-Hey... Ash. I don't think it's a good idea. We can clearly tell from here that she got over-controlled by her darkness.\" Jinno said.

\"It's an order. It's my decision of my own, Jin. If anything happens, don't let them in.\" he said. His eyes were unaverted. He was so determined.

\"Hmm~ Your eye is burning, I like it.\"

\"Say, demon. Will you make a deal with me?\"

Huh? A deal...?

\"Oh no no no no~ Don't call me that, I'm not like those low-key devils. Call me Nyx. Remember that. So, what's the deal?\"

\"You seem so carefree unlike the body owner, haha.\"

\"Why not? After all I can perceive a mundane's mind so, I don't need to be wary.\"

She's what? It's a little surprising but she can read someone's mind? And she said she's Nyx. So, even devils have names. How strange.

\"Now, tell me. Will you really do on whatever I want?\"

\"Yes, if we make a deal.\"

Nyx glared at him that made him stunn. \"Hmm... Do you even consider what it is like to make a deal with 'me'? Aren't you the one being careless here, hmm?\"

\"No matter what, I'll do it. I am certain.\"

He responded, then Nyx handed over a knife on him. This making me really nervous. I wish I could do something to stop it than just watching myself playing with Ash.

\"Then, leader... Can you stab that flaming eye of yours for me?\"

W-What did she say!? No, That can't be. I'll never do this to him. I won't ever dare to hurt Ash!

[ But this is wasn't your doing, remember? ]

I clench my fist hard. \"You..!\"

[ Hey, hey~ It's also a good thing for him and both of us ya' know? I was not yet ready to lose a body that time, and he was capable of doing it. It really had me no choice. ]

\"Ok, I'll do it.\" he said that made me avert my eyes on his direction. What is he saying?

\"But only if you won't bother her mind.\"

The me of the past smiled bluntly. \"Of course.\"

\"How can I believe that?\"

\"I don't lie~ Cheap and lowest demons only do that. And if you still don't believe then, you can take my kiss.\"

H-Huh!? Kiss?! What does that mean?! And as I'm being hysterical, I heard her giggling on my head. For sure, what was she offering is a curse.

\"A Nyx's kiss is a very sacred and powerful seal. It'll give powerful prowess that a person could have. It's like a contract to make an assurance deal to me, young man. You're lucky that I'm giving you this.\"

\"What does it help me?\"

\"A lot~ Coz for sure once I give you a kiss, I won't ever think of breaking the deal or else my soul will get suck out.\"

\"And what if I break the deal?\"

\"Then, your soul will be mine~\"

I knew it. It's really a curse.

\"OK then, let's finish this. It's for Ela after all.\" he said as he got the knife from Nyx and... Without hesitation, without second thought... he stabbed it on his left eye.

Ash...

He fell down on his wheelchair. While looking at him, I can tell that he was screaming inside. He was in pain, burning pain. But he just held it back. Even though the red flame subsided, his eye was still bleeding. It was bleeding black blood. The knife dropped on the ground and vanished as he fell down.

\"U-Ugh...!\"

Ash couldn't hold it anymore and he screamed, a loud one. It's painful to me too much just by watching him like that.

When I look at the doorway, Nami and everyone tried to approach Ash but Jinno stopped them just like what Ash told him to. If I were there in a different body, I would have dashed towards Nyx and kill her.

My eyes averted when she talked.

\"What an amazing person. But don't worry it won't last long. The Kira inside you will come out.\"

What did she say? Kira? Then, moments later, Ash screamed louder than earlier and a black smoke came out of his eye.

\"Damn you, Nyx! What did you do!!!----\"

It talked, and vanished into thin air. When I look at my past self, I saw her smile.

\"I guess... It's a long time no see? Haha, but now you're gone. You can finally turn back. Oh well~ As for my admirable young man, for the deal. Here's your reward...\"

She said as she walked towards Ash. She kissed him that made Ash calm. The bleeding also stop as his eye immediately healed and closed.

After seconds, she's gone as my body fell on Ash. That's when everyone came inside the room, and from that everything becomes blurry again which makes me close my eyes.

\"Hey, Zoey... Are you alright?\"

I hear Nami's voice, and it makes me open my eyes. Then, I see her giving me a confuse stare. Looking at her makes me review all what I just watched. It's really my fault then... Because I have that kind of demon.

I guess the demon's problem is more deeper that what you think, Grandpa...

\"Z-Zoey...\"

Nami called me, and I look at her. That's when I realize that tears escape from my eyes. How pathetic. I thought I would never cry again, but I just end up like this without realization. I can't even hold it, these damn tears just do as it please. Haha.

It reminds me, I was also like this in front of that monkey. Twice already, I think? Ugh, who cares. And why am I thinking of him at a time like this? Am I looking for someone to console, but for what? Yeah, he didn't do anything that much to console. He was just there and looking at me, that's it. Although, somehow I calmed down just like that. But now... Nami is here with me. I wonder if...

\"C-Can I hug y-you----\" I stuttered but then she sighs as she hugs me.

\"Stupid girl. It's alright though... Let it go.\"

Which I did.

To be continued...