THE RED-WINGED SPIRIT OF LOVE

"Fucking life! Fucking life!" she kicked the wall while shouting on top of her lungs.

Her co-workers laughed silently as they passed by her.

"She's funny."

"She's insane."

She heard different things but she didn't care. She hated everything around her. She hated everyone she knew. She hated herself.

"Fucking life!" she shouted again as she stomped her feet. She squatted on the ground and placed her head between her knees.

She heard her thoughts, or was it someone else speaking to her.

That's right. Your life is fucked up. There's no point in living now, the voice said. No one would care anyway.

She remembered the reason why she felt so shitty. It was Vic. And she wanted to put all the blame on him. And she thought everything she ever knew right were mistakes. It was wrong to love a guy like him. Why did God ever let her love that shitty kind of guy. Everything was a mess and she hated it.

She stood up and decided to return to the office, when she heard someone calling her.

"Mary! Over here!"

She turned around and saw Nikki and John. "What were you cussing about? Did you and Vic fight again?" and they both laughed.

"Not funny," all she said.

"He's feeling down too. You should talk to him." Nikki encouraged her with what seemed to be a fake smile.

This woman. How could she smile to you after flirting with your  boyfriend. How insensitive or maybe she is trying to provoke you.

Mary turned her back again and ignored her, "Mind your own business."

Shrills of wicked laughter filled the air. That's right, good girl. Human, indeed are interesting. Ha ha ha ha. This person is so easy to deal with.

"Don't you ever think I can't live without you!" Mary thought out loud as she headed towards the cafeteria.

You can't trust him anymore. And the two of you aren't compatible anyway. It's time you love yourself more.

Mary looked around and saw Vic in a corner with a grim face, eating with his teammates. She trembled again upon seeing that Nikki was sitting beside him. They were all laughing and it looked like they were making fun of him. Nikki placed her hands on his shoulder and whispered on his ear. Their legs touched as he listened to her.

My dear, he doesn't really care about you. Look how happy he is. How about you go there and show him what he was looking for.

Mary stepped her feet towards their table but stopped suddenly.

What are you hesitating for? You don't care about the relationship anymore right? So it doesn't matter what you do.

Mary stepped another foot when someone grabbed her hand. "Mary, come to our table."

"Ken?"

The guy smiled at her and dragged her to their table.

No! The Fallen shouted. That's not what you're supposed to do!

"Hi Mary!" Hannah greeted her, "Sit here."

Mary sat at the table with downcast eyes.

"Have you had your lunch?" Ken asked her.

Mary shook her head and didn't say a thing. Ken and Hannah looked at each other and turned their eyes at the group of people in the corner of the cafeteria.

"Wanna come with us later?" Hannah said.

"Where?"

"In my place. It's my birthday." Ken said with a smile. "You can give my gift on payday," he said jokingly.

Mary pouted and looked at the two. "Can I think about it?"

The two shook their head

The Fallen went behind Vic, his face looked so dark and gloomy. Look at your woman, over there. Isn't she having fun with that guy. What's his name again? Oh, Ken.

Vic drank his cola as he took a peek at Mary who was at the table near the entrance door. He switched his eyes to the guy sitting in front of her girlfriend and looked away.

"Vic, your girlfriend is really funny." Nikki said, her hands still on his shoulder.

"Yeah, she was like shouting fucking life, fucking life while stomping her feet on the ground," John continued.

His teammates laughed in chorus as he bowed his head in embarrassment.

"Hey Nikki," the sturdy well built woman called her, "Get your hands off Vic. If Mary sees you, she'll get the wrong idea again!"

"Yuck!" Nikki said as she removed her hand from Vic's shoulder. "I will never ever do it with you! No way!"

"You disgust me too," Vic said.

"Disgust?" Nikki blurted as she hit him with her hands.

"You were so disgusted with Nikki that you were hugging her the whole time during the team building," Mitch said.

"Mommy Mitch, I don't know what you're talking about!" Nikki defended.

"Because you were pretending to be asleep on the way to Subic," the supervisor said.

"Not you too Mommy Jo!"

The Fallen stepped closer and watched Nikki's eyes. She got pretty eyes, he said.

Vic turned to Nikki and looked at her eyes.

"What?" Nikki said with wide eyes.

Vic turned his gaze away and shook his head as he drank the can of cola again.

"Himerus, what have you been doing?" A deep voice echoed behind the Fallen.

He turned around and scowled, "You again? What's your purpose?"

"I heard you're having a hard time. I see those two faithwalkers are here again," the king said as he scanned the place with his coal-black eyes.

"You dont know anything. Don't mess with me while I'm having fun with my humans."

"Well I do know, Prince Sitri is coming."

The Fallen stood tall and stared at the king, his beautiful face filled with contempt.

The King laughed, his voice sounded like thunder. "I talked to him myself and he just arrived at the East Station. He was ordered to take care of the Sanctuary himself. Isn't that wicked? Besides, a deluding spirit like you is a shame, anyway."

Himerus turned around and saw Ken coming. The other demon cursed as he shook in fear. "I'll take my leave." He flapped his large wings and disappeared.

"Hey sup," Ken greeted Joana. "How's it going?"

"Is that Mary with you?" Joana answered, looking at the table near the door. She smiled when Hannah smiled at her.

"Uh, yeah. We are going to Hannah's place after shift. Wanna come?" Ken looked at Vic who was busy with his plate.

"We have already reserved a place in Spencer's. Maybe we can drop by afterwards."

Ken nodded and smiled. "Yeah, sounds good," he said as he took a quick glance at Vic again.

The Fallen trembled and stepped back. He felt hot tears coming out of his eyes as he watch his hands slowly melt in pain. You will pay for this!  A shrieking cry echoed as the Fallen spread his wings.

Ken looked at the ceiling and watched as the red-winged spirit struggled to flew away from them.

"Tell Hannah, happy birthday," the supervisor said.

"Okay," and he left them with a smile.

Next: The Faithwalkers

KAFIR

A shadow as tall as nine feet made a thundering enormous sound and the two dryads were taken aback.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The whole house shook and smoke began to fill the whole room. The giant made a deep growl and rushed in front of the two dryads. The blue-eyed woman raised her two arms as the giant’s huge fists smashed at them. A wall of charged particles blocked the creature’s huge hands which continued to pound at them. When the giant realized that his targets were surrounded by a barrier, he was enraged. He gathered all his strength and hit the wall harder.

The blue dryad knew that any minute the barrier would be broken. Cracks had begun to form while her hands go numb. The monster’s strength was so enormous and can’t be compared.  “Ara, grab the girl! We are leaving.”

The woman with the green hair searched for Alunsina. The little girl was on the bed with her mouth covered with her hands. The smoke made her weak as she coughed repeatedly. Ara’s fingers extended like vines and coiled around Alunsina’s body.

“Nooo! Help me Kafir! Kafir!!”

The giant glanced at the direction of Alunsina’s faint voice. He was so furious when he saw that the girl was being lifted in the air. With one struck, his fist punched through the light blue wall and Fiuwe was smashed into the wall.

Kafir turned her head to Ara and there was an earthquake for every step. More vines flashed and Kafir's arms and feet had been entwined with green fibers and roots from the tree nymph. But the giant was so strong, the vines couldn't stop him from rushing forward. 

Kafir charged and raised his arms to reach for Al. Fiuwe slowly stood up and she raised her hands once again. Kafir tried to grab Alunsina however lights flashed and billions of firebolts rushed through his bloodstream as the explosives violently shattered his skin.  

“Aaarrgh!!”

When the two dryads thought it was over, Kafir suddenly pulled and pulled the twisted vines around his arms. His eyes are now bloody red and more smoke came out of his mouth. “You think you can beat me dryads? Imma burn you and rip you apart!!!”

Ara became agitated and screamed when she saw her vines burning, “What should we do, Fiuwe? Do something!!”

Fumes came out of Kafir’s mouth and pervaded the whole room. His harsh voice echoing through the windows, “You will pay for this!” His red eyes were filled with rage as he came closer and closer to Ara’s face.

The window glasses had shattered while the wall crumbled. Ara tried to neutralize the smoke but it was so immense her leaves were drying out. Gusts of gray wind permeated her thick fern hair as the tree demon strenuously howled.

Ara started to feel feverish. Her whole body started to moisten and she saw green saps seeping out of her veins. “Why are you provoking me tree demon? Do you want to see your ugly death?” 

She gave out a piercing cry and the stems covering her body swiftly lined up. The leaves became spikes and made their way through the smoke. However, as the small blades touched the giant's skin, they started to burn into ashes. “Impossible!”

She looked up at the huge shadow just above her head. On her left, Alunsina was still in the air locked by green dewy veins. Round smoky red-coal eyes were the only things Ara could see and they got bigger and closer as the monster plunged towards her.

Then she heard the crash of thunder and one loud heavy sound followed it. She blinked and Kafir’s red eyes suddenly disappeared.

Smoke began to cease and Ara saw a lightning sword at the back of the monster. Gradually, the light vanished into thin air and the tree demon moaned.

“We must go before he gain consciousness again.” Fiuwe pointed out to Alunsina who has passed out because of the heavy smoke.

Ara protested, “Shouldn’t we finish him?”

“Our mission is to get the girl!”

“But he burned my stems!!” irked Ara. “I will make him pay.”

Fiuwe ignored Ara as her hazy wings fluttered. She glided past the splintered door while the latter followed her.

“I can’t believe this!” mumbled the green dryad. She jumped through the windows and soared through the rushing wind and rain.

Alunsina’s eyes barely opened. It smelled of sulfur everywhere and she saw their house full of yellow smokes bravely bathing under the rain. She was sure that Kafir made an indistinct grumble as she caught a glimpse of him lying on the floor.

As the house became a mini doll house, she partially caught a sight of the acacia tree in the middle of the backyard. Creepy branches seemed to extend towards her. Bamboo grasses screeched as they collide. She saw two familiar faces standing at the protruded roots of the tree. Josh Mary. And she thought she saw her mom lying face down in the mud.

Huh? Ara looked behind her back where Alunsina was tied up.

“What is it?” Fiuwe asked.

Ara looked up again, “Nothing, I thought I heard her.”

And they flew beyond the dark clouds where the acacia tree can be seen no more.