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Part 6 | Part 7

*Trigger Warning*

Blood/Gore, Death

When Silas left, so did Alphonse.

“I’m off to do the job you failed to do!” Silas had said before disappearing. Alphonse almost spat at him.

The days that passed on Earth struck Alphonse with a chord of fear. He never noticed this fear until he met Cassandra and Antonio. Caring about people exhausted him. As much as he could tell himself he wished he didn’t care, it simply wasn’t true. Now that he felt closer to humanity than he ever did before, he never wanted to exist without it.

What did he hope to achieve? How was he supposed to stop Silas from killing Cassandra? If he couldn’t possess her, how the hell was he supposed to keep her safe from a demon whose power surpassed his?

Would he die for them in an effort to protect them?

Alphonse didn’t even have to think about the answer. The yes brimmed in his soul. Although, he wasn’t sure what dying would achieve if it meant Silas ended up victorious.

The chilled night worried him. No stars, no moon. Looming darkness engulfed the street. Even the street lamps were off. He understood one lightbulb dying out, but all of them?

And the ominous scent of sulfur filled the air… sulfur that wasn’t coming from his own corporeal form.

Alphonse whisked toward Cassandra’s home. The family should be asleep by now. With any luck, he could reach the kids before Silas arrived and keep them safe, somehow.

He didn’t bother with doors. Rather, he swept through them and floated up to the second floor. For a moment, his head stuck out of the floor of Cassandra’s room, cautious of anything he may see, but the teenager seemed to be asleep. He didn’t sense Silas’ presence in her body, though some demons of his tier mastered the art of hiding. The only hint of Silas being in the area at all was the odor.

“Forgive me,” Alphonse whispered to himself. Without hesitation, he occupied Cassandra’s body, a lot like he did the first night they met during his sad, pathetic attempt to possess her. This time, however, he had no intention of doing her harm.

Cassandra’s dreamscape never ceased to fascinate him. The floor that mimicked the ocean with the sky that mirrored the galaxy exuded a feeling of tranquility. In the midst of all her memories and ideas, he heard her nightly dream playing on the television.

Alphonse quickly swept toward the sound and sighed in relief when he saw her watching it with a bowl of spinach dip on her lap. “Hey!” she said, grinning at the sight of him. “I thought you fucked off! What’re you doing here? Oh my god, come look, I’m dreaming of a leprechaun giving me a puppy. I mean, I know Antonio’s got his hamster, but damn, a puppy is so ideal for me.”

“Listen, you’re in danger, and not from me,” he said, quick to get to the point. As she drew her attention away from the dream, the television grew fuzzy. She frowned and offered him the bowl of dip. “Thanks,” Alphonse muttered, devouring the rest of the contents in the bowl. Who knew he could stress eat?

“You wanna tell me what you’re talking about?”

“I left to keep you and your brother safe. But in doing so, I only drew attention to myself and how inept I am at possessing you properly. You’re a demon tamer, which makes a lot of sense, but there’s a demon, Silas, who’s known for overcoming demon tamers. He’s offered to destroy you, and I think he’s nearby.”

Cassandra took a deep breath, her eyes flickering with nervousness. “Okay… so what do we do?”

“There’s no we. You won’t stand a chance. I’m protecting you. And I don’t doubt he’ll try to kill your brother, too.”

“That’s bullshit!” Cassandra snapped. She stood from the couch and her feet splashed on the floor in anger. “Of course there’s a we. Yeah, I know someone who’s capable of possessing me is after me for once. But you’re here. Maybe the both of us can be strong enough together in my mind. And no matter what…” Tears pooled in her eyes. “Antonio lives. He has to be okay.”

Alphonse clenched his jaw, his mind racing. “Your mother home?”

“Yeah.”

“She can rot for all I care,” Alphonse muttered. Cassandra scoffed and he narrowed his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. She’s awful to you two! Besides… I think I have an idea as to where to take Antonio. I can buy us time for him.”

“Where?”

“I’m not telling you and risking Silas knowing if… if he’s possessed you by the time I get back. He’d only go after him. At least without you knowing, it’d take a little longer for him to find Antonio when he wants to.”

Cassandra let out a sob. “Okay. Okay, go, then. I’ll try to hold him off if he comes.”

“Keep sleeping. Let him possess you but try to hold his control on you off until I’m back. He’ll kill you if you’re awake and try to fight. From what I’ve seen, it’s your mind that has the power. Your body’s as susceptible as any other human’s.” She wiped her eyes and Alphonse frowned, reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, and he nodded. “I’ll be right back. I’m not leaving you alone with this.”

“Okay. Go! Before it’s too late to take my brother.” She hugged herself tightly and looked around worriedly.

Alphonse didn’t waste time leaving her body. Back in her house, he waited a couple of seconds, using his senses to listen intently, before he left her room and entered Antonio’s.

The boy was asleep, hugging a stuffed animal. Wasn’t the kid too old for those? Maybe not. Alphonse turned the light on and gently shook the boy awake. Antonio looked up at him and gasped in fear, but Alphonse put a finger to his own mouth, shushing him.

“It’s me,” Alphonse whispered.

“Oh…” Antonio sighed shakily and nodded. “Hello.” He yawned and rubbed at his eyes.

“We’re gonna go somewhere, okay?”

“Okay.”

“It’ll be fast, like that time I took you to play soccer.”

His tired eyes lit up at that. “Cool!”

“Yeah. Now take my hand.” Antonio was quick to comply and Alphonse smiled. “Close your eyes.” When the boy did, Alphonse teleported them to a stadium filled with fans, this time amongst the crowd in the stands. Argentina versus Brazil. Even though it wasn’t a real game and just an illusion, Alphonse made every aspect of it real, down to the scent of stadium food.

“COOL!” Antonio shouted, squealing with excitement. “Oh, my god! This is amazing!”

“You’re awake now, huh?” Alphonse asked, laughing softly.

“You bet I am!”

“I’ll come back for you after the game’s done. Look! It just started.” Alphonse said, pointing to the timer as the seconds were counting down. “Have fun, okay?”

Antonio was in his own world. His eyes were wide, watching the players running on the field with the soccer ball. “I will!” he said, grinning. “Thanks!”

Alphonse smiled sadly and nodded. “No problem, kid.”

He disappeared quickly, knowing he needed to get back to Cassandra. With Antonio safe, she was his only real concern right now.

Alphonse crept into her house and made his way to her room, silent and always on the alert for Silas or her mother. Although, he wasn’t sure if he could restrain himself from killing her mother if they did come face to face.

A new scent filled his nose, chilling him to his core. It was the scent of fresh blood. His mouth watered, but he couldn’t think of his hunger for flesh and blood. Cassandra needed him. Please don’t be dead.

“Cass?” he whispered as he opened the door to her room. Alphonse frowned. She wasn’t in her bed. She wasn’t in her room at all. Where had she gone?

With a groan, he left the room and looked into Antonio’s. Empty.

The bathroom. Empty.

He stood in front of their mother’s room. The scent of blood overwhelmed his senses. He bared his teeth and opened the door slowly, poking his head in.

Blood pooled over the floor, staining the wood and rug. The grotesque, dismembered headless body of her mother lay in the middle of the pool and her head by the dresser with a face full of terror. Cassandra’s hands were red with blood as she held her mother’s heart tightly and ripped into the muscle tissue with her teeth.

Her head snapped up, and she laughed a cold, wicked laugh that Alphonse knew didn’t belong to her. Not really.

“There you are,” Cassandra said, although it wasn’t her. She was taken over by another entity. There was a cold, monstrous undertone to her voice now, her eyes empty and dark. The possessed body looked maniacal. Cassandra was trapped in her own body.

Possessed Cassandra smiled even more and ripped the heart in half, tossing one of the pieces to Alphonse’s feet. “I’ll be nice and share with you.”

With a pang of guilt and defeated anger, Alphonse knew he was too late. Cassandra never stood a chance.