#keltis

He let out a low growl, and tried his best to focus on one of the silhouettes in the distance… Yet paused as that one became much more clear. A woman staring back at him, a bright smile on her face. Raven black hair, almost like a crow’s feathers. Red piercing eyes staring at him. 

He quickly tried to throw his body forward, but he found that his body wouldn’t move at all. He tried to scream to say something, but his voice was caught on something within his throat. He tried to cry, but the tears never found their way to his eyes. The man struggled, his entire body aching as it tried to do anything as the woman slowly turned her head away. 

An overwhelming tidal wave of despair washed over him as she slowly disappeared from his sight… Then he gasped as he shot up from his bed, covered in sweat. Tears poured down his face as his breathing was harsh. 

Kelftis slowly raised his hands, and pressed them against his face… As they covered his mouth he let out a stifled scream that could possibly wake up the dead.  This same dream had been plaguing him for months, night after night.. Visions of people he could never see again. 

…Wiping away his tears, the demon of envy slowly got himself out of his bed, and went about his normal routine. Though at a much more sluggish pace than usual. He still made sure he was dressed to perfection, but he found it difficult this morning. Every few minutes his mind wandered. 

To the dream… To those that he failed to keep safe. To broken promises, from himself and others.

Eventually, Kelftis found himself before a mirror. Staring at himself as he realized something. This wasn’t his normal attire he dressed himself in.. But something different. Had he done so without realizing it?

His hair was combed, and put together well. Though there was no braid, he did have it’s length thrown over his shoulder, but letting it swirl downwards in a small spiral. His normal pinstripe suit changed for that crimson red jacket, with a vest of pure black underneath. A white ribbon wrapped around his neck, with a blue gemstone sewn into it. 

The ribbon being a gift.. One he never wore out of respect. Yet now he was wearing it.. He pondered as to why, but he already knew the answer. It had been months since he had last seen her.. Since she was forced to leave everything behind.

Leave him behind.. He sighed and stepped away from the mirror, not bothering to hide his scars with any sort of cosmetics. He was too tired, and he was running late as it was. He couldn’t afford to be late..

—

As Kelftis made his way downstairs he stopped as he heard the sound of small children running about. “They’re up early..” Kelftis thought to himself, but a smile formed on his face as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He peeked around the corner, and saw a group of small children, all demons.. Either naturally born, or formed from mortal souls, playing. 

He stepped into the room, and immediately the five children stepped up to Kelftis, smiling brightly. He knelt down and smiled to try and hide how tired he still felt. “Now, what are you all doing up so early?” 

The oldest of the orphans spoke up first, a small child with bright blonde hair, and neon-green eyes. A matching green spade-shaped tail behind her. “I wanted to surprise you, but everyone woke up because of me.. So now they helped too!” 

“Surprise me…?” Kelftis asked, but was quickly pulled by the small demon. He stumbled back up to his feet and followed her into the kitchen.. As Kelftis stared at the mess made by the children. Though that was his second concern, as he saw a rather.. Strange looking cake placed on the table.

It.. looked completely inedible, but he was pushed forward by the children. The one with the blonde hair is already taking a piece for Kelftis to try. She handed it to him, and Kelftis took it.. Taking a stealthy deep breath before trying a bite.

The overwhelming sweetness hit him like a truck, as not much else was there for the cake itself. The frosting itself felt more like a solid block of sugar he just bit into, but he managed to swallow the bite enough despite his mind protesting.

“Hrrk.. It’s.. It’s good Viola!” Kelftis said as he placed the plate down slowly. Viola staring at him confused for a moment. “I’m sorry but I can’t stay for long.. I’m going to have to head out for a meeting, but I promise to be back in just a few minutes.”

“But we worked hard on it!” Viola protested, and Kelftis smiled as he looked at the cake.. It did warm his heart to see that the children he’s taken under his care make something for him. 

“..I’ll have some more when I get back, alright? I won’t be gone for more than just an hour. I promise.”

Viola looked at him clearly not satisfied with the arrangement still. “..Alright, you promise?” She asked, and Kelftis gently patted her head again.

“I promise, watch after your brother and sisters while I’m gone. I’ll be back soon V.”

With that he turned and made his way to the door. Waving goodbye to the kids as he picked up his cane, and left through it. Twirling his cane, the nightmare was the last thing on his mind as he made his way to his work..

—

As Kelftis made his way through the winding halls of the Council’s headquarters, he hummed quietly to himself. Allowing himself to click his heels against the ground in a nice rhythm to his humming. Yet as he went farther and farther down he noticed how quiet it was. 

He hadn’t seen a single soul as he made his way to the large chamber door to the council’s personal meeting room. While strange, it wasn’t uncommon to worry over it. He placed one of his gloved hands on the door, and gently pushed..

As he walked inside he was met not by five other demons, but instead only four.. The holders of the seats of Wrath, Pride, Sloth, and Greed.. Gluttony was mysteriously absent. Lust… Lust was vacant for the time being.

Kelftis stared at them all for a moment.. Not sure what to say from the strange sight. The one directly ahead of him was a woman, the one holding the seat of Pride. Novilia Caroline. Her stark, banshee like white hair tied together in an elegant ponytail that draped itself across the floor. Wearing a form fitting icey blue dress, with flakes of white glitter thrown about it. Her lips were stained with a whitelipstick, and her face fairly colored despite her cold aesthetic.

“Greetings, Kelftis.” She spoke.. Her voice rang in the large chamber like a songbird. Her voice alone could call down the Angels to worship her if she wished to try..

“...Hello, Lady Caroline.” Kelftis responded, tapping his cane as he stepped towards the table. Taking his seat on the opposite end of the four.

“Glad you could come, Kelftis.” The Sloth demon spoke. Viran Erasch.

He was perhaps the most plain dressed man. A simple t-shirt thrown over his body. A tired look in his eyes. His misshapen hair showed he didn’t even try to pamper himself up when he had awakened this morning. His soft green eyes staring at Kelftis.. Not his original body, no. Perhaps one he stole from some unsuspecting mortal. While Kelftis didn’t enjoy the idea of body stealers, he had to admit Viran had a knack for such actions..

Kelftis grunted in response, and refused to look the man’s way. The chuckle of another man made him look over, seeing the Envy demon.. 

“Oh come now Kelftis, no need to be harsh. We’re friends here, no?” The tall demon had a mischievous smile on his face. The snake was named Calvian Westirn. He was the Greed councilman, and Kelftis trusted him the least of the four. Unsavory business deals, the disappearance of his predecessor… And more souls than one could even fathom.

His head was covered in a large hat.. Most likely to cover his receding hairline. His entire attire screamed his wealth at others. Rings of gold, silver, and diamonds covering his hand. He was dressed as if he was attending a royal ball. Wearing an admittedly beautiful suit that was made to perfection. The dark greens not enough to draw attention away from his several flashy accessories..

Kelftis stared Calvian in his burning yellow eyes before speaking. “Apologies.. I’m just a little tired, this morning there was a lot to take in.”

Kelftis felt a shiver run up his spine as the final demon talked. The Wrath, and one he legitimately feared. A warmonger, and known to have killed several people competing for his spot.. His eyes matched Kelftis with their piercing crimson. He was dressed rather simply compared to Caroline and Calvian, only in a simple vest with an undershirt underneath it. Brilliant reds and blacks contrasting against Caroline by his side. His hair was greying, and a matching beard was growing across his chin.

“I can assume as such Kelftis. You run an orphanage, do you not?” Tryian spoke. Kelftis had never learned his last name, as he was the reason Kelftis never revealed his.

Neither wanted their pasts to be exposed. So only their first names were given at all times.. Even to their closest confidants.

“...Indeed.” Kelftis said planely, suddenly feeling as if he was being interrogated. The piercing gaze of Caroline felt like ice. “...Where is-”

“Zacian? He’s away on business at the moment.. So he won’t be able to attend.” Viran interrupted Kelftis, leaning back in his seat with his legs propped up on the table. “So sorry your friend couldn’t come by Kelftis.”

“...” Kelftis stayed silent, the strange feeling not diminishing at all as the four council members stared at him. A silence fell across the room, but Caroline was the first to speak again.

“Kelftis, dear,” her voice sang, “you understand this isn’t a normal meeting right? We weren’t meant to reconvene till next month.” 

“I… I am aware. I had thought it’d because we were to discuss Noct-” he paused for a moment, and bit at his tongue… “...The Lust councilor’s replacement..” That stabbed at his heart, but he couldn’t let these hyenas have any purchase to his emotions.

“Yes, well.. People are concerned that she may have had some benefactors. Some people that might want to get her out of her imprisonment.” Caroline continued, and Kelftis stared at her with confused.

“Why.. Yes I’m sure there are, she was well beloved by many. Perhaps even still despite.. Her lies.” Kelftis was trying his best to keep his emotions under check. These four understood what Noctuelle was to him, and he wasn’t about to fall to their prodding.

“Yes yes that appears to be the case..” Calvian hissed out, and Kelftis turned to him, shocked. “We have found out that many people wish for her to be released. Or that she be given a chance to speak to the Dark Mother personally..”

Before Kelftis could respond in any way, Tryian raised his hand, and glared at the Envy demon. “We know you have been advocating for her release Kelftis. To not just the public, but to the Dark Mother herself. That you believe her imprisonment was unfounded.”

It was in that moment Kelftis rose from his seat, knocking it to the ground. His hands slamming on the table, and the echo of it resonating across the entire room.

“Now just wait a minute!” Kelftis growled, catching three of the four of guard. Tryian remained calm, staring at Kelftis intently. “Are you trying to say I’ve done something unlawful?! All I’ve done is speak my mind, nothing more!” 

“Indeed you have… Yet the council has.. Concerns.” Viran spoke, now wide awake from the sudden anger. “...Concerns that you mean to do more than just speak out in her defense.”

“What in the Creator’s name do you mean!?” Kelftis shouted out, and Viran backed away. The spineless coward…

“You are going to try and free Noctuelle. We have spoken about it in private… Zacian voted against it, so he is not here.” Tryian spoke, and Kelftis felt his blood run cold.

“...What did you just say?” Kelftis asked, looking at Tryian, and for the first time he felt true genuine horror. For this was the first time he was in the path of Tryian’s wrath…

“You have always been a wildcard, Kelftis. You do what you wish, and do not ask the council. You only spoke to Noctuelle, and heeded only her thoughts and opinions.” He spoke, and slowly rose from his seat, and walked over to Kelftis. “So we have deemed you a threat. To the council. To the Dark Mother. To the Veil.”

Kelftis backed away from the much taller man, trembling. Genuine fear filled his heart as he felt his back hit the wall. The other three demons rise and move to Tryian’s side, trapping him against the wall.

When was it he last felt this kind of fear? How many years had it been? Since he was completely powerless. “...What are you going to do?” Kelftis whispered, and Tryian snapped his fingers..

It wasn’t even a contest of strength. Kelftis felt all of his strength suddenly vanish as chains of silver wrapped themselves around his body. Glowing runes sapping away at his body as he fell to the ground. Gasping as the chains choked the air out of his lungs, he tried to struggle.. But his arms and legs failed to move.

“...You have been deemed threat enough to be imprisoned. You will be placed in Alcatraz, and remain there until the Dark Mother decides you have completed your sentence.” Tryian spoke in a low voice, and Caroline giggled as she covered her mouth. Viran suddenly having the confidence to kneel in front of Kelftis, and smirk. Calvian only laughed at the sight before him..

“You can’t do this..! I haven’t done anything wrong, I wasn’t-” Kelftis let out a choked gasp as he felt Tryian’s foot slam into his chest. He could feel a few of his ribs breaking apart from the strike as he curled up.

“Your sentence has already been decided… Viran, Calvian, take him to Alcatraz. Caroline, prepare to search for TWO new council members.”

With that, Calvian and Viran lifted up Kelftis by his arms, and started pulling him away.. Caroline only chuckling as she watched Kelftis get dragged out. Tryian knelt down, and picked up the cane that was left on the ground, and looked over it..

…With a quick swing, he snapped it against one of the pillars lining the wall.

—

Kelftis had already forgotten how much time had passed. He was placed in a cell alone… Pure darkness as his only companion. The chains had been removed from his entire body. Yet they were replaced with shackles around his ankles and wrists, still sapping away at his strength so he couldn’t try to break his way out.

He had spent a large part of his time crying. Crying for what had happened. For how he had failed to help Noctuelle. He only wanted the Dark Mother to hear her side of the story. To listen to her testimony. Yet now, in his efforts.. His enemies had turned that kindness against him.

A kindness she had fostered in him, to try and be the best he could. He might be a demon, but he could still have made a difference… And now he was imprisoned. Alone. He was scared. Scared for Noctuelle. Scared for himself.. Yet what scared him most was the orphanage.

What was going to happen to the children? He had promised he’d returned, and it’d most certainly had been past an hour like he assured them… Would the four take care of them? Would Zacian?

—

Kelftis found himself dreaming.. Mostly to pass the time. The nightmares had only worsened. He couldn’t ever find himself when he was in that void. He could never catch the silhouettes that appeared. Joining them was Noctuelle… Same with his mother, the woman with the raven hair, reaching out to him to embrace them. Waiting.

Yet no matter what he did, he could never find his way back to them. It was an endless cycle. He’d see the faces of Viola, of Zacian, Noctuelle, his mother… All of them. Yet he could do nothing to reach them.

Yet one night, the dream was different… He could… Feel. He could see, and hear. Yet the void still surrounded him, and due to his senses returning he felt overwhelmed at first. Everything was too loud, too cold, and too dark. He couldn’t see anything, not even the normal silhouettes. This dream was similar in so many ways.. Yet different.. As if.. As if.

As if it wasn’t his mind conjuring it. 

The moment Kelftis realized the danger, he turned around and clenched his fist… As he threw it, he heard the pained gasp of a familiar man. The man was sprawled across the floor, groaning in pain, and Kelftis watched him.. His vision slowly focusing enough to see Viran standing before him. His nose bleeding.

“What the hell…!? How did you see through that?!” Viran hissed, trying to rise to his feet, but found himself tackled to the ground. Kelftis’s hands wrapping around his throat, and squeezing with all his strength. “What the fu-?!” Viran gasped as the stranglehold of Kelftis suddenly shattered the dream. 

Kelftis woke up with a start, gasping for air… As he looked he saw the faint outline of Viran in the room. The Sloth demon trying to flee… Yet Kelftis reached out and grabbed his leg, and quickly pulled him closer, and grabbed at the Envy demon’s head.

“How did you break my drea-guh!” Viran gasped as Kelftis slammed the back of his head against the floor. Despite the pitch blackness, Kelftis could feel the blackened blood drip across his hands. Viran let out a choked gurgle, concussed from the strike.

“You… YOU!” Kelftis hissed, his crimson eyes piercing through the darkness, and staring deep into Viran’s own eyes. The Sloth demon having the look of a cornered animal, terrified.

“You took EVERYTHING from me!” Kelftis growled, and his grip on Viran’s head slowly tightened.

“I’m sorry- I’m sorry! Just let me go, and I’ll leave! I won’t come back, just let me go!” Viran cried, tears streaming down his face as Kelftis hissed like a snake. 

“Let you go…? Let you go…” Kelftis suddenly let out a soft chuckle, and pulled Viran’s face close to his. “Oh… alright… But I want you to do something for me. Tell those three you teamed up with that I will get out. That I will be coming for them. And when I do… They best hide, because no force they can summon will stop me.”

“Okay, okay, I will! Just let me go Kelf-” Kelftis hissed, forcing the demon silent.

“I’ll let you go… But you tried to break my mind. Tried to destroy me so you could eat my soul… Steal my body. Am I right?”

“Y-Yes! I-I thought with your soul I could overpower them! B-Become the ringleader!” Viran whimpered.

“Smart idea Viran… for such a pathetic coward. But I can’t let you go without some sort of recompense…” Kelftis’s eyes started to segment… Suddenly becoming four. Then eight. Then sixteen. “I’m going to have to break you, like you wanted to break me… Maybe afterwards, you’ll be something more than just a coward.”

Kelftis covered Viran’s mouth to hide his screams, as he peered into the Sloth’s mind… Viran was powerful, yes. Powerful in the ways to slither and destroy someone’s mind. To destroy their sense of self. Yet Kelftis was worse. He destroyed who you were. And made you into something completely different.

What Caroline, Calvian, and Tryian saw again wasn’t Viran, but a new mind that Kelftis made to torment them.

—

Kelftis had forgotten the time once more, and the nightmares had returned. Yet he found himself slowly growing used to them. Whenever they had arrived he simply closed his eyes.. Whenever he heard their voices, he pushed them out. 

He had eventually grown to stop caring about them. About Noctuelle, about Viola. About anyone really. It was easier… To stop his heart from hurting anymore. Yet he still felt a warmth in his heart. A warmth fed by the idea of one day breaking free. One day being able to see the look of terror and horror on the traitors’ faces.

Yet those thoughts were suddenly interrupted. For the first time in perhaps a century, Kelftis was blinded by pure light. A vine of pure ethereal light had broken through the wall, shattering the chains to the shackles around his wrists and ankles. He stared at the pure white tree-like appendage that had shattered his room apart… At first his eyes struggling to readjust to light. His entire body struggling in fact.

As he tried to move himself past it, he gazed past into the room next to him… The vine that had struck through the wall was in fact part of a whole. An entire structure had suddenly been planted in the middle of Alcatraz… A giant tree, a tree made of pure light.

Kelftis stumbled his way through the debris, following other prisoners that had taken this chance to flee.. And for the first time in so long he found himself outside. His body atrophied, but he could feel it’s strength returning as the runes on his shackles began to fail. 

He peered around, trying to find some sort of source for the tree. His eyes eventually fell on a couple that were standing alone.. A man with a white porcelain mask staring at a woman dressed in a black garb. Her green hair flowing over her shoulder as she spoke with the man..

…He would have to thank them later.

For now, something else had taken hold in his mind… He felt fear. Worry. An overwhelming concern for something he had thought he stopped worrying over long ago.

Kelftis slowly stumbled forward, picking up a small branch of light, and using it as a walking stick to aid himself.. As he made his way back to his home.

—

Kelftis felt his legs ache and moan with each step he took. Yet he knew he was getting closer. He still remembered the route he’d always take to come back home. Just a few more steps…

“Please… Please let it be there…” Kelftis whispered, and as he turned the last corner, he felt his heart sink to a depth he had never felt before. A new overwhelming dread as he saw the vacant lot..

The scorch marks revealed what had happened. They were old, incredibly old… Yet they were still there. To show that the four hadn’t had enough to destroy his life. But to destroy the hopes and lives of those he cared for. Kelftis stumbled forward, eventually falling to his knees as he tried to find anything… Anything at all that could show that someone was here.

Yet, he found nothing. No signs of anyone. Kelftis let out a pained scream of anguish. He had lost it. He had lost everything. Again.

For the second time in his life everything was gone… He had hoped when he found his way out he could maybe continue his life where it left off. To care for those who lost everything. Yet he himself had lost it. Nothing remained. 

Yet he knew exactly who caused this. The four people who had taken everything he loved and adored, and burned it to the ground. They had taken the only person to show him kindness since his rebirth as this demonic form. Reborn for a crime he regretted.

They had taken him from a family he had cultivated, to try and care for those who didn’t have one.

And even taken from him his own sanity. His life. Years gone because they saw him as a threat.

Well, now he was. He would have gladly left them alone… But they had taken all of it from him. So he would take all of it from them. Their empires, their riches, their very lives. He would take it all… And inflict upon them the same horrors they did to him.

“I’ll make them pay… Pay for this nightmare…” Kelftis growled, rising up… His eyes splintering and growing across his entire body. Each one starting to cry as he remembered Noctuelle, and the children who he failed to protect.