Dancing In The Void

It looks so much like him.

Nikolai thought to herself looking out from behind the milk-like glass of her prison. But, it can’t be him.

He wouldn’t risk coming here. And he’s already leaving, It wasn’t him. I knew it, I’m… all alone.

She shifted around, trying to find a comfortable position, but the glass was pressed against her body very tightly. The space was incredibly enclosed, and the dress she was wearing only made it more difficult. Air barely flowed inside, a small opening at the top through which ventilation blew. She felt like crying but no tears could flow, she had none left to spill.

Have I already died, and I have not realized it?

She looked away, to the few other people that looked at her similarly to how one would look at a particularly appealing piece of jewelry. Hate. Hate boiled within her veins, hate, disgust, and rage.

If I am already dead, is this my hell?

Nikolai gasped for air, feeling faint and dizzy, teetering on the edge between life and death.

No… Were I to be so lucky, this is just the beginning…

“Constantine, we can’t stay here.” Katherine warned her friend. “Best not to draw attention to ourselves, and overstaying here can do just that, especially if Azazel notices someone lingering around his prize for too long.” She looked around the hallway, but she could not spot the devil, perhaps that was for the best at that moment.

“Locked in a glass cage, like some animal.” He muttered, visibly shaken, Katherine could not tell if he was just furious or disgusted, she settled on a tumultuous mix of both. She could tell, something else also gnawed at his thoughts, but did not have the luxury of figuring out what at that exact moment.

“Memorize this location, when hell breaks loose you’ll have to find her fast.” Katherine said, pulling away on his shoulder.

”We should go, if I vomit here they’ll know something is up.” He said before he looked back at Nikolai one more time. She was looking away from him, probably thinking he was just another face in the crowd of people around her. Constantine repressed the knot in his stomach, gulped and turned back to Katherine, who already walked away.

He found her near a box that contained what looked like four or five small red hounds with horns and small white spikes that sprung up along their spines. Two of the dogs were jumping rabidly at each other, violently spilling blood from wounds that sealed as soon as they opened. A shiver ran up his spine when one of the dogs looked at him with the holes where eyes should have been. Constantine read the plaque: Hell-mutts.

“You’re scowling Constantine, be natural.” Katherine said with a nudge.

“If those are hell-mutts I’d hate to see Hell-Rottweilers.” He said quietly in a futile attempt to be humorous, despite feeling sick throughout his whole body..

“I suppose that works. Come on, we need to get through the restricted section. I’ve yet to see Azazel…”

A large curtain sectioned off the next section of the building, with a dozen bodyguards and inspectors awaiting before letting anyone inside. Constantine and Katherine felt a chill of fear as they approached, but with confident and relaxed demeanors they were let inside without issues.

“By all that is holy…” Katherine suddenly said the moment she laid on the first specimen.

Constantine turned to her. She was looking away from him at something that couldn’t see. He quickly walked up beside her.

“What’s wro-” Constantine immediately went quiet and looked away rubbing his forehead. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

Before them was a similar hallway as the one they just exited, but the glass boxes were different now. They did not contain monsters or antique objects, they contained people. Tortured, mutilated, still living people. The first one they saw held a young woman, tufts of blonde hair still clinging to her scalp as her skin was flayed off revealing the bloody muscles everywhere below her face. She was suspended by two hooks that dug deeply in her wrists and out her palms, creating a pool of blood that stagnated underneath her missing legs. Worst of all, she stared at them both blankly, and laughed. She was alive, in unimaginable agony and yet she laughed. Constantine felt his knees weaken and shake, leaning on Katherine to keep himself from keeling over. He moved away and unfortunately laid eyes on another body. Another woman like the one before, also flayed and missing limbs with this one hung by her chin. The way her blood squirted out of her mouth as her lips tried to form a distorted smile made Constantine turn pale. His breathing quickened as he saw more and more disfigured, fleshy corpses, all laughing silently at him.

“We need to get out of here, right now.” Katherine whispered. It was the first time Constantine had felt a tinge of fear in her voice. He wanted to say something, anything, but he was moments away from screaming and vomiting. Constantine felt his mind go hazy and fear crawl deep into his skin. All the other demons and people, all dressed in their sharp suits and fancy dresses seemed to appear out of nowhere just to stare at him. Their black silhouettes on the bright red walls all pierced his soul with their dead laughter and unblinking white eyes. Constantine closed his eyes and cried out in pain. Two white eyes stared back at him in his mind, forcing him to open them right back. His eyes darted from left to right in an abnormal fashion, searching for a pause beneath the sea of faces. Katherine grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled his face close to hers. Her miscolored eyes were the only ones that remained unchanged.

“Look at me!” She yelled in his face, trying to push against the despair that was rapidly drowning him.

Constantine’s mind continued deteriorating, as another image of the burning white eyes crawled into his head. They changed into the eyes of his father, his face moments before he shot himself. The lidless eyes that gazed from beyond, now staring at him. The gunshot rang in his head louder and louder, before the vision changed to what he saw moments ago, Nikolai’s face full of despair, the hanging bodies and the endless cacophony of silent laughter all ringing in his mind.

“Push it back Constantine.” He heard Katherine’s whispery voice cut like a dagger through the chaos. “Don’t let your thoughts fall prey to the shadow!”

Her voice forced it out of his mind, pushing it back. Constantine bit his lower lip until he drew blood in order to will himself to gaze into the abyss that was consuming him. He opened his eyes and fixed them upon Katherine’s. Only a moment passed, but it seemed an eternity, as the black mist was lifted from his vision, and the two of them looked at each other in a field of white nothingness. All Constantine felt once his consciousness returned fully was the soothing night to his right, and the peaceful ocean to his left. Reality crashed back upon him, and Constantine fell. Katherine grabbed him and quickly pulled him back up while his feet regained their strength.

“Easy, easy there.” She said, smiling in relief.

“What the hell just happened?” He asked when he found his voice, taking large gasps of air. Katherine placed him on a chair near a round table. It seemed they had made their way out of the presentation hallway and were now in a sort of restaurant, with hundreds of people around too interested in their mindless chatter to notice the newcomers. The tables were covered with crimson cloths lined with black and the finest cutlery this side of the city. Far away to their left was what looked to be a stage, and parallel to that was an exquisite bar. Katherine didn’t reply, she just sighed, and pulled herself a chair next to him. “It feels… wrong.” He continued, massaging his forehead with his right hand.

“This entire fucking place is wrong. That hallway was… truly repulsive. Just… try to be calm.” She put her hand reassuringly upon his and smiled meekly.

“So Katherine…? A-actually, hold that thought, I’m going to barf.” Constantine said as he immediately got up and rushed to the bathroom, leaving his partner to shake her head alone in worry.

“Oh God… Constantine… You god-damned fool, I can only hope you are not yet beyond help…” Katherine muttered to herself, angry and disappointed at what happened.

About ten minutes later Constantine returned, not looking much better but at least a lot less physically sick. “Weird guy in the bathroom just now… anyway what the hell happened to me, Katherine?”

“You just had an encounter with the horrific might of a Pale Shadow.” A rough voice responded from behind him before Katherine could answer. Both of them looked up in surprise, realizing who it was. Before them stood a familiar face, the face belonging to the man that saved Katherine’s life not so long ago.

“Oh my, is that an actual phantom tiger?” Wrath gleefully asked her partner Azazel. Her left arm was locked onto Azazel’s right as the two walked down the hallways, drawing all eyes upon them. Wrath took a large sip of champagne from a diamond glass which she carried on a black tentacle that protruded from her right elbow before continuing. “I thought they all went extinct during the middle ages due to The Executioners. They were natural enemies right?” She leaned forward to get a better look and read the golden plaque to confirm. Inside was a large tiger, with black fur and blue stripes. Aside from the odd coloring the only other notable feature was the extra pair of feral eyes placed above the tiger’s natural ones. Still, this beast was massive, easily larger than a normal tiger, its musculature nearly bursting through its fur, and its teeth and claws razor sharp. “It must cost a fortune.”

“Siiip… You’re right on the second part, Octavian estimated its cost will reach the hundreds of thousands, but we’ll have to see during the auction tonight.” The silver-tongued devil replied as he finished his own glass of champagne. The two walked further through the building, Wrath taking quite the interest in the reasoning behind the way the bodies in the second corridor were arranged. Azazel held off on explaining, knowing that one of his acquaintances was more invested in the occult arts.

“Speaking of, when are you going to introduce me to this friend of yours?” She said, taking another sip.

Azazel didn’t seem to hear her. His eyes were looking at the strange young man that ran through the crowd, leaving his ears deaf to her raspy echoing voice. “Bloody fool.” He chuckled.

“I’m sorry what?”

“Not you, babe. Amazingly, the pale shadow I brought here tonight revealed itself to that idiot that just ran by. That doesn’t happen often. That guy’ll be lucky if he doesn’t end up a vegetable after this.”

“Did it now?” Wrath asked him. “You told me your little shadow monster doesn't show itself except for rare cases.” She then turned to look at the running man and the white-haired lady that was tailing behind him. A familiar scent caused her to squint her golden eyes. She sniffed the air inconspicuously. Odd. She thought. This soul… so strangely familiar.

“I’m quite surprised myself. Listen, I need to take care of something Wrath. Wait here if you’d do me a favor. Or go to the restaurant, I’ll meet you up ahead.” Azazel said suddenly, breaking her concentration.

“Alright. Don’t take too long.” She told him, mainly just for show, her mind and eyes were both searching for that familiar soul whose scent piqued her interest. As soon as Azazel left to do his business, Wrath finished her drink, put it on the carrying plate of a passing-by waiter, and chased after her prey. She followed the two of them while keeping her distance, yet neither seemed to take notice of her.

Yes, yes, I recognize you two now! Wrath smiled to herself. Would you really be so foolish? I thought you were smarter than that.

The strange couple finally stopped and Wrath turned away from them, ducking behind a few talking men in black with slick combed over hair.

I see both of you. You especially huntress. Your broken soul calls to me like a lighthouse on the sea.

Her eyes scanned the environment as the two made their way into the restaurant. Wrath stepped away and watched from afar. Things quieted down, and not long after she saw one of them get up and stumble his way to the bathroom. Wrath chuckled, swiping an unknown alcoholic drink from another waiter passing by and downing it. She considered taking the Huntress on right there, but decided against it. When the Huntress’ partner returned, the amber stones from her face spied another man who seemed to follow him.

You… I do not know you however. Wrath paused.

The man joined the couple on the table and the three began talking. Wrath stealthily leaned against the wall beside the doorway, trying to be inconspicuous. From there however, she could only see them, and was unable to hear much. Wrath cursed in an unknown vernacular and turned to leave.

“Wrath, there you are.” Azazel called out to her. She looked at him and the man that stood besides him, immediately shifting her demeanor to not seem suspicious. “I’d like you to meet someone. Wrath, this is Octavian Bonfet. Octavian, this is Wrath, just Wrath.” He chuckled.

Wrath smiled and shook his hand. The man was about the same height as Azazel and similar in terms of body stature, but his face was a bit rounder and droopier. A pair of elongated glasses, white framed, rested over his unremarkable brown eyes. His dark-brown hair was long and slickly combed over. His costume was a dark blue suit with a black bow-tie loosely placed around his neck. On his chest rested a small yellow pentagram-shaped brooch beneath a VIP-card that was attached to his coat.

“It’s an incredible honor to make your acquaintance. Lady Wrath. The stories that I’ve heard failed to mention how utterly beautiful you are. I’m certain the other, deadlier aspects of the stories are true as well” He told her, nodding lightly in her direction. Wrath’s gray cheeks turned mildly purple.

“Thank you, Octavian, your compliment is appreciated. You’re also quite the sight yourself, though I haven’t heard many stories about you so I don’t have much of a reference. Oh except what the squirrel standing beside you told me which is limited to ‘He’s hosting the auction’ and ‘He’s a friend of mine’.” She shot Azazel a taunting look, to which he responded with a quick biting motion. “Also, I must admit, I love what you’ve done to these corpses. They look splendid.” As she spoke, Wrath took liberties in pointing out the butchered bodies in the glass boxes around them.

“It’s wonderful hearing such a thing, these wights were some of the hardest to set up for the auction. But we’ve had plenty of help from other demons such as Tervielas, Baroness Sharvinel, Lord Valeshii, and of course Azazel here, who in fact provided most of the bodies. Everything turned out better than expected.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help but notice your scent, you’re human aren’t you?” Wrath said once he finished. Octavian smiled back at her.

“Yes, Wrath, Octavian is one of the most powerful humans in the country and one that has been a friend of demons for quite a long time.” Azazel responded instead.

“Demon, human, it doesn’t matter, business is the lifeblood of the world, and we can’t just exclude the after-world from our plans can we now?” Octavian told her with a grin. “I must go now, but please, go have a seat at the restaurant, try our food and drinks, its all free! Most importantly enjoy yourselves, this auction will be one for the history books!”

Uriel paced around the grand hallway, her long white wings flapping at the rate of her footsteps. She had tried to sleep earlier but insomnia got the better of her. Now she just walked about the house waiting for time to pass, all while dressed in her long blue robe.

I’m staying here doing nothing, while they’re off killing the one who’s hunting me, how selfish can I possibly be. I should be there with them. Uriel’s face was one of sadness, worry, and fierce determination.

I can’t just stay here while they risk themselves trying to save her can I? Her eyes darted to the door ahead of her.

Maybe, but I promised Katherine. Her hand reached upon the knob and slowly pulled on it.

I promised her and yet… The door nudged briefly but remained closed.

Yet I cannot stop myself from thinking I should be there. Uriel bit her cheek. Her hand was on the door handle, but she lacked the will to pull and fly out. Her doubts, her fears held her back. She willed herself to pull, but the door remained shut. Something was amiss.

What is this? Uriel thought, greatly distressed. She then tried pulling harder, causing scarlet sparks to shoot from the door frame.

I’ve been… sealed inside from the looks of it… Why would Katherine… Perhaps it would be for the best if I just stood here and waited? Uriel looked at the door again, and backed off.

Perhaps it is right that she did not trust me… I can’t even trust myself… The old man said I have the power to save them but… how can I control that power if I am scared of what I became, how can I let that... in?

Uriel looked at the light that shone through the windows of the living room. A silver moon it would seem. She then spread her wings and flew up the stairs, and then up again, to the second floor, searching for a door that led to the attic. Once there she looked around until she found the half open window.

An opportunity, should I take it? She crawled through it and spread her wings, flying up upon the roof. Uriel’s eyes looked around the mansion, and saw the bubble of black and red energy that enveloped it.

It seems I have no chances of leaving here with ease. Her hair began fluttering in the cold nightly wind and her wings spread out revealing her true majestic holy appearance. Uriel glided across the roof until she was at the very top. She raised her gaze towards the enormous white moon above her. A smile crept on her lips as she bathed in its soothing light. The smile then faded, clouded by a sudden realization.

“What should I do?” She quietly asked in the night, as the moon’s eye watched over her. “Someone, please tell me what should I.. do?” Uriel kept asking, her voice getting louder. “I don’t know, I’m so afraid” A single tear ran down her cheek. “I don't know!”