Heart of Darkness

Rayven was once again surprised to see William coming to the training after the rumors that circulated about his father. This boy and his sister never failed to amaze him.

As soon as he arrived the other boys began to whisper and then one called him a traitor’s son. William ignored them and went to pick up his wooden sword to start his training but no one wanted to fight him.

“You.” Rayven pointed at the boy who called him a traitor. “Fight him.” He ordered.

“Yes, my Lord!” He said but cursed inwardly.

William took a steady grip around his sword ready to fight the boy and Rayven leaned back against the tree to watch the beating. It was more satisfying than he expected. William seemed much stronger than usual and Rayven knew all too well that the strength came from the anger inside. He knew that look in Williams’ eyes.

One could say he taught the boy a lesson and he would never be called a traitor’s son by the boys again. But someone’s parents would come here tomorrow and this time they would be more mad that an orphaned boy and a traitor’s son hit their son.

He looked forward to it.

No! He shook his head. He did not look forward to it. When did he ever look forward to speaking with humans? Something was terribly wrong with him and he knew it was his fault.

He got involved with them too much causing his heart to bleed. All this time he had caused trouble so Lucrezia would have enough and just kill him. But she only punished him. And now more than ever, she was not going to let him die. She thought there was hope for him because of the little red dot in his heart.

The woman was living in a fantasy world thinking this was a fairytale. If her bitter sister Luciana had been responsible for them instead, he would have been dead a long time ago. Lucrezia was too patient for his liking.

When the training finished and all the boys left, but William remained. Rayven thought he wanted to train some more, but he came to him instead.

“Why didn’t you take a few days off?” Rayven asked before the boy could speak.

Why could he just not disappear? Now when his will power wasn’t as strong as before he didn’t need things around that would give him excuses to see Angelica.

“I don’t need it.” William said.

“You are not sad about your father’s death?”

Why? Why was he asking such foolish questions? Of course he was sad.

William looked down at his hands. “I am, My Lord. I feel I shouldn’t be but I am.”

He tugged at his fingers and entwined them. It made him look nervous and vulnerable.

“Did you know beforehand what would happen to your father?”

William nodded. “I prepared myself. I tried to hate him as much as I could so once he left I wouldn’t be sad. But you can’t prepare your heart for what it is going to feel.”

His heart? He definitely had no control over it.

“My Lord, may I ask a question?”

Not the questions, but since he asked him a few himself he nodded.

“Do you find my sister beautiful?”

Rayven blinked a few times. What kind of question was that?

“No.” He replied.

William squinted his eyes. He didn’t believe him.

“She is not only beautiful. She is also very kind and clever. She can do almost anything that she puts her heart into and….”

“Stop! I am not interested in your sister and you wouldn’t want her with a man like me.”

He was all the bad things anyone could list. This boy was looking for someone to take care of his sister but Rayven could barely take care of himself. He was looking for his death, not to marry and take care of someone. Death was all he longed for. Nothing else.

“You have many bad qualities my Lord. But my sister is not perfect either.” He looked down. “She is a traitor’s daughter after all.”

What kind of sin was that? Rayven had gone through all sins. He had cheated, lied, slandered, manipulated and oppressed people for his own benefits. His tongue was filthy, his hands were stained with blood, his heart darkened. He was the evil and monster people called him. They just didn’t realize how right they were.

If not for his punishment he would have continued to walk down the same path, with no guilt or remorse for the things he had done and he might even go back to doing the same thing if he got his face and heart back. And then he would be punished again. It would become a long vicious cycle so he was better off dead.

“Find someone else for your sister.” Rayven said getting up. “Go home before it is too late.”

He left the boy behind swearing to never take him home again.

Rayven enjoyed riding back home these days. It helped him clear his unusually loud mind, thinking of things and people he shouldn’t care about. Once he reached home, he lit the candles and the fireplace with a simple thought. He liked the eerie feeling of his castle. It was dark just like his heart. Maybe even his soul.

He went to quickly grab one of the books he bought and went to sit near the fire to read. But these days every time he tried to read Angelica’s poem came to mind.

‘There is a way or two.’

He scoffed. What way could there be?

“May I disturb?”

Suddenly Acheron was with him in the room. Knowing that his silence was often a yes, he sat in the other armchair opposite him. He looked into the fire as well and they sat quietly for a while.

Another tortured demon. Rayven had seen him in his worst state and it looked ugly. The constant hunger could turn him into a monster.

“Did you feed?” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​

Acheron nodded, with an empty expression.

“Did you kill someone accidentally?”

“Almost.” He replied.

From the torture of constantly being hungry, to being punished if he accidentally killed someone. He always had something to worry about.

Rayven stopped asking questions and they became quiet again.

“What is torturing you?” He asked after a while.

A woman. No, actually two women were torturing him.

“Lucrezia said my heart was healing.”

Acheron blinked a few times in surprise. “Does that mean there is a chance of you getting your heart back?”

“If it heals completely.”

“You don’t think that is possible?” He noted.

“You know me, Ash.”

Acheron nodded. “I do. I know none of us are the way we used to be. We all have changed slowly without realizing.”

“You think we changed for the better?”

Acheron nodded. “I do think so. I couldn’t talk to you like this before. You were rude, arrogant and cruel.”

He couldn’t deny that and he knew that he still was those things. But Acheron was right. They had all changed and Rayven hadn’t even realized that. The blood in his heart was proof of it.

“Did she tell you what caused your heart to heal?”

“No, but she told me to find it if I wanted my heart back.” Rayven said.

But he knew that Lucrezia already knew what could have healed his heart.

“Do you have any idea of what it could be?”

What or Who?

Rayven shook his head. “I know nothing anymore.”

“Could it be the red-haired, blue-eyed beauty?”

“What does that mean?” Rayven asked getting annoyed.

“It seems you have taken a special interest in her.” Acheron said.

“And it seems like you have taken a special interest in me.”

“If one of us is saved it means there is hope. I am desperate these days.” Acheron said.

The usually handsome demon looked more tired than usual.

“And you think I am the one of all of us. You should know better.” Rayven said.

“You were the worst of us, but you are also the one who made the most progress. Look at me. I am still stuck.”

Rayven turned and stared into the fire. “Even if I am saved, you know what I will do when I get my heart back.”

“Even you don’t know, Rayven.” Acheron said.

*******

Lucrezia stood next to Angelica’s bed and watched her while she was asleep. Her brother was sleeping next to her and seemed to be suffering from a nightmare. She went and put her hand on his head to calm his mind and make him fall asleep. Because of her gift she could see the boy’s desires. He desired to protect his sister the most, but he also desired to feel the love of a parent. He was deeply saddened by his father’s loss.

A child only seeking a parent’s love.

She pulled her hand away when his sadness affected her. Strange child indeed. She looked closer at him. He seemed so innocent while asleep.

“You will suffer a lot child but don’t worry. It won’t go to waste. Only from the highest mountain can you get the best view, but you have to climb it first.”

Lucrezia went back to study Angelica. Definitely not a witch she thought with relief. Then she had to be a prophetess. Whatever she was, this woman could be the key to unlock someone’s heart.

The world was a cruel place for women and Lucrezia could see the dark path that awaited Angelica. Usually she wouldn’t get involved in humans’ fate but if this woman could save Rayven, then she needed to keep her alive.

If Rayven only knew how much she was trying to help. That bitter ungrateful demon. She didn’t know why she bothered with all of them when her job was only to punish.

Maybe her sister was right. She was becoming too involved with these demons. Her curiosity always got the best of her. Now she couldn’t stop to see where this path would lead. Would Rayven be redeemed?