CHAPTER 7

AKUMA

Lex stood up straight and his eyes changed to having no emotion in them. “How have you been, father?” Lex asked with a hesitant smile.
“Oh, I’ve been just fine. Though… I am a little upset that you ignored the orders of returning back home.” Akuma said, and fiddled with the tuft of grey hair on his chin. “Also, I was expecting that Angel’s head to come with you. Did you just not bring it with you, or… Or have you to yet kill him, son?”

“I…Uhm, I-” Lex stuttered.
“Because you know what will happen if you don’t answer my orders in time.” He looked at Lex with a displeasing smile. “Don’t you?” He added.
“Yes, I do, but…”
“Finish that sentence, son. ‘But…’ what?” Akuma asked and folded his arms.
“But why did you choose me to kill him!?” He yelled out, feeling himself mentally falling.
“Well, you became attached to an Angel before and that didn’t end well, did it? The Angels Antagonism tried to kill both you and the Angel. Do you remember who that Angel was, Lex?” Akuma asked and unfolded his arms, looking at his nails which now protruded into talons. He turned to Lex and dropped his arms. “Remember his name?”
“I-It was… Uhm, let me see--”

“Don’t waste my time.” He reached out to Lex’s face and Lex cowered down a little and squinted his eyes.
“A-Ariuk! His name was Ariuk!” Akuma dropped his arms.
“Well done, you remembered. But, I don’t think you know… Ariuk is now your best friend in The Angels Antagonism. Kurkoren – that is.”
“Wait, no… You changed Ariuk into… You’re lying; Ariuk and Kurkoren look nothing alike.” Lex stated and Akuma sighed and nodded.

“Yes, that may be right. But that’s because I wanted him to look different so you didn’t realize who he was. And I made him look different by drinking him dry of his blood and then injecting my blood into his body – completely filling it up.” Akuma explained.
“How does that make them look different?” Lex asked, eyes filled with disgusted curiosity.
“When I’ve changed Angels before, I only drink a little of their blood and then inject mine. And therefore they look like they always have, just with a Demons wings and mindset. Appearance otherwise will not change.”

“Oh.” Lex exhaled. “I see.”

Akuma growled like a beast. “But, we aren’t here to discuss things nicely are we?” His talons reached towards Lex but stopped as the tip of his claw met with Lex’s forehead. “We’re here to teach you why you need to kill that Angel. Anouke, that is.”

Lex’s heart thumped ferociously against his chest and there was a sudden muster of courage as he slapped Akuma’s hand away. “Oh, what’s this?” Akuma whispered.
His eyes were filled with rage now. The colour of blood permeated them and his pupils faded into a bright yellow, alike an untamed panther ready for the kill. “Are you trying to make me angry? I was going to go easy on you this time, but now you’ve asked for it.”

Akuma wrapped his hands around Lex’s neck and picked him up; his body lifted into the air and dangled like a corpse hanging from a noose. He gritted his teeth and tried to break out of his grasp, clawing at his hand as his own talons popped out. He threw Lex and he rolled into a cluster of chairs, hitting his head off the leg of the dining room table. “Ugh…” He muttered and stood straight back up.

“I’ve ordered you to kill that damned brat of an Angel and even gave you extended time and you still haven’t killed that ass. I’ve taught you before how to kill an Angel because you were so kind to them that I even doubted you were a Demon even though it was impossible for you to not be one. Looks like I’ll have to do those same teachings and cause terror to surge through your bones until you kill him.”
“Akuma… A-Akuma, calm down, you’re--” Lex began to talk but Akuma cut him off by running towards him, swinging his arm at full power, only just missing his head and punching his shoulder.

“Argh!” Lex cried out. His arm had come clean off. Before the blood could even seep out, his arm regenerated and Akuma paused in his tracks. “You’re… You’re a fucking Bai Ze!” Lex dragged his body backwards. "Demons can heal, but not as quick as that. Only higher ranks can heal quicky - and you're a higher-low - and it's still slower than that!" Lex's body hit a knocked over chair and he looked around the room. What a mess… All of this just because he wants to kill Anouke? What does he even hate… no- resent Anouke for? What did he do? It’s no use thinking this; I’ll have to ask him.

“Why do you even revolt him so much? So much that you’d torture your own son for not killing him in time?
“Because he killed her! He killed your mother… My… My wife!” He said, extremely tense.
“What!?” Anouke? No way! Would he even do something like that? Somebody so kind and caring killing my mother? If he did, then he has too of had reason. “Then… Maybe she did something to him.” Lex mentioned and stood up.

Akuma huffed and his eyes became sorrow – he looked like he was ready to break down in a fit of rage and trash the room more than it already was. “Well, I guess we’ll never know since we can’t ask her now. Word spread of a cursed Angel and I just so happened to hear what happened – who he killed. I nearly got to kill him myself before, but he got away, that asshole! But… He- He deserves to die!” Akuma panted in his wrath.

“And you deserve to die too – I can’t believe I let a Bai Ze into The Angels Antagonism.”
“I’ve done nothing wrong and you want to get rid of me because suddenly I’m the enemy?”
“Yes. You are the enemy – Bai Ze’s are on humanities side. How do I know that you haven’t already just gone and exposed the secret of the reality of Angels and Demons, huh?”
“Did you somehow forget that I myself am a Demon?” He dropped to his knees. “Or… Have you just forgotten that I’m your son?” He began to weep, digging the heel of his hands into his eyes to try and stop the tears from flowing. Akuma clenched his fists together and yelled out, almost sounding like a roar. Once he stopped he looked down at Lex as he wept. “I wish you weren’t my son.”

Lex gulped and the tears suddenly stopped; thorned vines of shock and horror wrapped around his confidence. “What..?” he whispered.
“How can my own son have the same abilities as a Bai Ze? There are no reasons for you to have that ability. There are no Bai Ze genes in our family at all. Yet you… You have the power of one. Does that mean you can change into one?”

Lex growled back, almost as if he was challenging Akuma. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Akuma looked back in confusion and also surprise. “You’ve changed. I liked it better when you cowered down when I came near you.”
“But, I still… I still don’t understand why you’re so desperate to have Anouke killed. I mean, I do, but you’re so angry about it. I get that you have an extremely low temper but this is just ridiculous, Akuma. And when you said that you wish I wasn’t your son, I also wish that you weren’t my father.” Lex said and began to walk out of the room.

“Don’t walk away from me, Lex. Nor turn your back. Not only am I unfortunately your father, but I am the Devil. All of you Demons are below me and there are no other Devils in this world.”
“I get it now. You get so angry and hungry to kill or torture somebody because you’re the Devil. It makes sense now. I can’t believe I never thought about that. So, I have the Devils blood inside of me, huh? Half Devil, half Demon? I just… I don’t know what or who I am anymore. Then what about this Bai Ze inside of me? Do I have some Bai Ze blood in me – is- is that even possible?” He began to ramble to himself, looking at his hand and he started to move his elongated fingers.

Kurkoren walked inside of the room and opened his mouth to speak but when he saw the room he paused. “What the… What happened in here? Actually, nevermind. I’ll let you guys finish up your ‘chat’ then come back later.”

“No, we’re just about finished. What is it that you want to say?” Akuma asked, yet it was a demand for him to speak. “Dayle still has not returned.”
“That dumb bastard,” Akuma scoffed, “I told him to come back ASAP. What the hell could he be doing? Oh, you take Lex back now. Take him to wherever; I don’t want to ever see his face again.” He demanded. Kurkoren nodded and grabbed Lex by the wrist and began to walk out of the room. “Oh, wait a second. I need to do one last thing. Akuma held Lex’s chin in between his index finger and thumb, staring right into his eyes, and clicked his fingers on the other hand.

“Owch!” Lex hollered and grabbed his hand which had a deep cut in - the shape of an X – Akuma had crossed out his rank in The Angels Antagonism. Lex couldn’t heal this though. “You’re no longer part of the group now, Lex.” All three of them nodded now, Lex and Kurkoren sullen. “Got it.” Lex said with a sigh. He’d been a part of this group since he took his first breath. And now he’s no longer a member.

He looked at his marked hand with the crossed out ranking. Kurkoren walked him out as Akuma panted, his anger eating him up from the inside. “I don’t want to ever see your face again.”

“Let’s go, Lex.” Kurkoren whispered.
“It’s been a while hasn’t it, Ariuk?” Lex turned to look at him before collapsing from the shock and exhaustion. Kurkoren grabbed him and stared at his face for a moment.
“So, you know who I am?”

He carried Lex carefully, taking him back to where Anouke last was. Is he even going to be there? Kurkoren thought to himself and leaped into the air, flapping his wings to speed up the journey. Kurkoren looked down at him. “You’ll be with Anouke before you know it, Lex.”

Kurkoren’s wings beat down heavily, causing an aggressive breeze to blast down at the forest ground as he searched for where Anouke could be – he flew down as he neared the area they had left Anouke. He dropped to the floor, carrying Lex carefully in both arms, and walked forwards, the giant trees casting dusty shadows on the floor. Lex started to wake up and rub his eyes; Kurkoren stopped and set him on his feet. “Can you walk?” He asked, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. He gave a sad smile.

“Yeah, I’ll just need a bit of support I think.” Lex admitted though he hated to be vulnerable to anyone. He leant against Kurkoren, looping his arm over his neck and they both walked forwards without any more trouble. A gap in the trees allowed light to leak through, like water breaking out of a dam, and shine upon the very place Anouke was. He was still where they both had left him.

He stood amidst the light, carefully cupping the petals of a wisteria which leant towards him in an arched position. His white cloak rested wistfully on the blades of grass. It seemed like he was inside of a large spotlight, there was light just on him, and around him were just trees. Lex looked up and saw Anouke. He looked like a God that had come down to the world.

Lex’s eyes widened as he saw him. He turned to the side and his hair partially fell down. His eyes seemed to glow in the sunlight, a golden glare upon the beauty of the forest. Though they seemed bold, his eyes were filled with a guilty sorrow. Lex stood up on his own, feeling fine suddenly. It was like a mother and a child being reunited after years of being a part. Anouke turned all the way around as he heard Lex’s footsteps as he sprinted towards him.

“A-Anouke!” He panted. They threw their arms around each other as their hearts began to beat in a silent but sweet and rhythmic melody with a synchronized sound. “Lex! Ah, I didn’t know if I’d ever get to see you again.” He pulled back from the hug but clutched his shoulders tightly as if he would suddenly disappear forever. “How did you get out? Did you escape? Were you caught?” He began to bombard Lex with a mountain of questions, asking one after the other without giving Lex the time to reply.

To break the tension, Kurkoren stepped into the light and cleared his throat, letting them both know that he was still there. “Oh, yeah – Kurkoren is the one who brought me back here.” Lex said and gave a smile. He had his marked hand stuffed into his pocket so Anouke couldn’t see. “I am a little tired,” Lex said and Kurkoren stepped forwards.
“Well, I’ll probably have to go back.” He said with a melancholic tone of voice.

Before he left, Anouke grabbed the edge of his sleeve and tugged him back a little. “I just have one question. You’re a Demon. And a higher ranked one for that – why are you just letting us go? Well, me – I’m an Angel, your target. Obviously I don’t want you to kill me or whatever, but I was just wondering.”
“There are two reasons I am leaving right now: I can only control my demonic instincts for so long – this has been the longest I ever have and I can feel myself losing control and I don’t want to kill my own brother nor best friend which – understandably – betrayed his own kind and own group. And the second reason being that I don’t know who may be watching. Dayle could be anywhere; I didn’t see him return to our place.” He began to walk away again. “Well, see ya.” He said and waved behind him without turning back around. Anouke didn’t stop him. Lex had stepped back as they spoke, not intruding on their conversation, so he didn’t hear that Ariuk – Kurkoren – was actually Anoukes brother.

He turned back to Lex and gave a small smile. “Let’s get back to the cabin and get you rested up.” He said and they walked away. The tiredness was beating him and slowing them both down. Anouke ended up carrying him on his back and flying. His wings were magnificent – Like a dove’s.

As they got back to the cabin, Anouke lay Lex down on his bed and dragged the duvet to cover him up and he slept through the days and nights like a housecat. Anouke worried about him most of the time – he hadn’t been awake for so long. He kept checking in on him, sometimes just seconds after he had last checked up on him.

Four months had passed.

Anouke didn’t know this, but after being marked down from the ranks, the Demons usually fall ill and sleep for about a month whilst they fight off the illness. Lex had slept another three months due to the before and after events of the degradation. Also, the exhaustion he suffered from; that surely wouldn’t help with fighting the illness off.

Anouke slept on the couch in the living room, the battered leather uncomfortable. 
“Lex, wake up soon, will you?” He whispered to himself as he struggled to sleep, feeling impatient, lonely, lost and worried – the thoughts of the possibilities of why he wouldn’t wake up ran endlessly through his mind, causing him to feel exhausted himself.

One more month had passed.