I could feel the demon taking hold of my mind, like the string was there, but it was now being used to move me at her will and against mine. I was then back in that empty space. But this time there was no light to reach out to. Just black, inky darkness.

"You're going to regret this, bitch!" I yelled into nothingness, desperate to fight the overwhelming fear that was overtaking me. The woman suddenly appeared at my side, her pink eyes illuminating her face.

"You're my vessel, sweetheart." She said, arching a brow. "There's nothing you can do now. There's no point in trying to fight it. I'll let you take the reins every once and a while, it won't be that bad. "

Fear and anger festered and burned in the pit of my chest, and I found myself spinning around with my fist clenched with all intent punch her in her pretty face. She was gone before I could, though.

"You better learn how to behave." She suddenly hissed through grit teeth as she reappeared behind me, pointing her slender finger at me and shoving me back just slightly once I turned around. Her pink illuminated face vanished, and I was now very, very alone, and feeling increasingly claustrophobic despite the vast space around me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, tears brimming along my eyelashes as I tried to breathe and calm myself. I had to try and find the light, but there was nothing to hold onto anymore. My hands felt like bits of ice were beginning to form along them. When I opened my eyes again, I was laying on the floor of the room I had woken up in before. I was in control again, but it hadn't been my doing. I really didn't care, though.

My mouth felt like dry cotton, and I could feel the faint trail of blood that dripped steadily from my left nostril. I slowly sat up as I stared at my feet for a bit, trying not to throw up before attempting to stand. The disgusting smell of rotting animals and undoubtedly mold did not help.

My fingers rubbed across leather-like fabric that loosely hugged my arms and shoulders. The demon was so offended by my horrendous fashion choices that she literally decided to cover up my now ruined sweater. I don't know whether to feel offended or weirded out, but I left the jacket for now. It was incredibly cold in the room, and any extra warmth was welcomed. My mind, while on the topic of warmth, suddenly seemed to travel to one thing that I associated with it. Kindle. Kindle was here, at least according to the other demon.

"Kindle?" I called out, my hand trailing across the chipped and damaged walls of the room. I was so concentrated on following the faint bit of light I was given that I ended up stumbling over one of the pieces of covered furniture that littered the place I was in. I cursed, loudly, before getting back to my feet and glaring back down at the bulging cloth. My jeans had ripped on one of the stray tools and my now dirtied knees had started to bleed. If I died from an infection and not a demon, I was going to be pissed.

I was about to walk away when I noticed something strange about the cloth. It was stained an odd pink color, and something seemed to be poking out from underneath it. I trailed back over to it, curiously crouching beside the lumpy figure. My fingers trailed at the seam of the cloth before I pulled it up, and I had never screamed louder in my entire life. A fucking body was right in front of my eyes. I fell backwards and hit my head on an actual piece of furniture, my eyes turning starry.

He was a bearded man, his skin pale and yellowish, like all of his blood had been drained out of him. His eyes had rolled up into the back of his head and his short hair had bloodied patches torn out. A long, jagged cut ran across his throat curling up to his mouth that was hanging open, his jaw chillingly loose.

I didn't want to see anymore.

I threw the cloth back over him as quick as I could, gagging and covering my mouth, hugging my knees to myself. I stared at my surroundings, struggling back to my feet with my shaking knees as I raced into the door, slamming into it as hard as I could. I could see a faint sliver of a glow coming from underneath it. I had to go towards the light.

It took a few tries, but the door busted open. I was in a barn, now, undoubtedly. I spotted some terrified horses occupying the few stalls in front of me. I stumbled out and my feet hit the hay littered ground, only a few lightbulbs swinging above me to provide any light.

I raced to the opening of the barn, desperately pulling at the dark blue doors that barely budged at my frantic tugging. They were probably locked from the outside. I felt my breath quickening and my back hit the doors as I slid down, gripping my hair. This was not happening. This was not happening. It suddenly felt like clawed, heavy hands were closing around my neck. I couldn't breath. I couldn't think.

I gagged staring up at the lightbulbs. My hands violently trembled as I tried to pull nothing off my windpipe. I let go and struggled to press them to my head as I drew in my knees, squeezing my eyes tightly shut.

A sudden violent and quick buzzing filled my ears as my heart began to pound so loud it sounded like thunder, and I heard a loud and shattering pop as the lightbulbs above me suddenly flared brighter, and then out completely. The glass shattered everywhere, and I quickly ducked down and covered my head as small remains of the glass landed across my back and in my hair. I felt suddenly exhausted, but I wasn't about to stay here.

The horses freaked out, and their shrill cries sent another wave of adrenaline through me. The heavy, choking feeling stopped suddenly, and I got back to my feet, my hands digging into the shards of glass, but it hardly fazed me. Only the light from the moon flooding inside gave me guidance on where I was going. I tried my best to avoid the dirty pools of water and rusted tools in the dark.

"Kindle?" I called out again, trying not to break out into sobs because holy shit I was terrified. My voice became forced and desperate. I strained my ears, hoping for some sort of noise. I heard a slight shuffle come from one the small room beside the stalls.

It was most likely small animals, perhaps something much worse. Or Kindle. I kept my hand on the wall as I cautiously but quickly made my way to it, looking in. A few stubby candles were lit on the desk in front of me, the red light illuminating all of the large tools that hung on the walls. Nothing.

I carefully walked to the second, which had two desks this time and a few crates stacked up near them. A sudden movement from the corner of the room startled me, and I spotted the faint soft yellow glow of eyes painfully peering up.

"Matthew?" I heard, very faintly. Excitement flooded through me.

I knocked into the desk in my vigor and hit the ground, but quickly crawled my way over to Kindle.

"Holy shit, Kindle." I reached out hesitantly, spotting the harsh ropes that tied him to the pipe that ran through the room. I fumbled with the knots due to my violently shaking hands, but eventually freed him. Before I threw them aside I spotted the markings painted on with what I hoped was actual red paint, but I doubted it.

He slumped forward after that, groaning in pain and confusion as he looked at me, relief in his own eyes. "Why...how?" He rubbed his wrists, harsh red marks now appearing on his skin. I searched his face, the genuine worry and the way his eyes were warm and kind as he stared at me. And the bond, I could feel the string that tied me to him entangle itself from how near we were. This was Kindle.

I don't know what impulses made me do so, but I threw my arms around him, carefully tugging him towards me. He seemed confused at first, but his own arms were quick to come around me in an awkward sort of embrace. I gripped him tightly, burying my face into the crook of his neck. I was hardly one to show much affection, but I was too relieved to dwell on the strange action from myself. His hand hesitantly trailed up as his fingers grazed the bottom of my hair as he pulled me closer. I wondered if he'd ever been hugged before. I sobbed into his shoulder, and he held me tight.

"It's good to see you, Matthew." He murmured, finally breaking away with a pained look in his eyes.

"We have to get out of here." I told him, frantic, and we both started up.

I stared into the dim light from the open door, Kindle close behind me. I carefully stepped forward, gazing around just in case there were any traps set for either of us.

There was a heavy sort of feeling in the air now. Our hug had briefly distracted me from it, but I now froze in my tracks. I quickly glanced to the corner of the room, Kindle hesitantly touching my shoulder. I turned to look back at him, my head swimming as it looked like shadows were crawling across him, pulling him down and turning his face ashen and bloodied as their claws reached for me.

I found sudden fear and pain rooting me in my place. My eyes snapped shut and I fell back to my knees just as a tidal wave of pressure came bearing down on my head. I trembled there, trying not to cry out as wave after wave of pressure just forced me back farther. It felt like someone was hacking away at my skull from the inside. I tried to fight it, resisting with all of my strength and willpower. Then I was drowning, being forced back into the vast darkness that seemed to be bearing down on me from every side. Whispers stirred in the back of my mind.

"No." I said, pressing my hands to my head and gasping. "No no no no." I was seeing out of my eyes again now, staring through my hair that fell across my face. My hands curled into fists on their own as they pressed against the ground.

"Matthew? Matthew! Please tell me you're okay." Kindle was desperately shaking my shoulder, and I wanted to warn him as I felt myself move very quickly.

Before I knew it, Kindle had been blown back into the largest part of the barn, crashing into the wheelbarrow that lay against a tall beam in the center of the barn, clutching his arm as he curled up in the faint glow of moonlight that fell across his back.

"Well." The demon said, testing out my voice. "That was very sweet, you two." She hummed, walking out and looking at Kindle as he writhed in pain. I tried to move my hands, say anything, but I was muted. Paralyzed. All I could do was watch as she moved me like a puppet on a string.

"Oh, Kindle, you have no idea how much you've managed to get on my nerves. I'm sure it will be so much fun to go to the higher ups again, huh? I can't wait to see you pay for your crimes." She said, voice trailing into a growl. It was surreal, feeling myself walk and talk without even having the slightest say in what I was doing.

"Leave...him out..of it." Kindle managed, hissing in pain as he pulled himself up, staring up at the other demon.

"Honey, he's a part of everything." She said, dusting off the jacket on me. "You know that."

What did that mean?

"I feel you scrabbling away up there, Matthew." The demon said, tapping my temple. "Pay attention. This is important." She lifted a hand, flexing my scarred fingers. "Now... Let us not forget the grief this boy has put me and my demons through."

She pointed a finger at Kindle, and I could feel my energy suddenly being sapped away. I staggered a bit, but she still rooted my feet in the ground as she suddenly formed a fist. Kindle doubled over, gagging and eventually crashing to his knees.

A slow oozing pool of blood began to leak from the corner of his mouth, a faint glow coming from underneath his eyelids. Slick black tears seemed to seep from his eyes, and small burns began to form along his chin and cheeks.

"Stop it!" I roared into the empty space. "That's enough!"

"Honey, you aren't the one in charge here." The demon muttered, the sound of her words in my voice making me uneasy. But she stopped. She pulled away my hand, dropping it at my side. Kindle's knees dug into in the hay and his own blood. It looked like an oil spill in the lack of light.

"Do you know what he did, Matthew?" The demon suddenly asked. "Do you know anything he's done?"

"He's not like you." I responded, suddenly gaining control of my voice. "He's a demon, and clearly became one for a reason. But he's fixing things. He-."

"He's a thief, for starters." She said, taking over once more. The tone of my voice and her weird personality turning bitter she circled him. She suddenly lashed out and kicked him violently in the side, Kindle coughing up another flow of blood as he sat there miserably. "He stole hundreds of souls to escape."

Souls? I could barely recall hearing about them. Snow, while acting as Kindle, had mentioned then once or twice. Something about power?

"Exactly about power. See, honey, demons and hell in general need souls to survive. You humans bid them and sell them, we collect them and use them. We have a system. Your little friend here broke that system." She kicked him again.

"Stop." I said, my own voice seeming to fade into silence.

"The ungrateful brat was working his way up the ranks, but it wasn't enough for him." She responded. "And you know what I find funny? He wanted this life. He made a deal because he wanted this. And then he goes and steals souls and cheats to become stronger, kills a couple higher class demons and decides he wants to just waltz out of hell. Can you believe it? Hundreds of years and then he just decides he's over it. He's over the life, and his choice he made so long ago. He tells you that he can fix all of the horrible things he's done to people. But he knows it doesn't work like that. He's already sealed his fate."

I felt myself coiling up for another strike at Kindle.

"What are you going to do to him?" I said quickly, and the demon stopped again for a moment. Kindle's eyes glowed a soft yellow as he stared up at me, his hand gently outstretched upward and I wasn't sure if I wanted to take it.

"I was personally sent after him once he stole the souls. I'm just here to drag him back down to where he belongs."

Stop.

I suddenly felt the hold she had on me slip away, for just a moment, and I took my chance. My senses flooded back as my nose began to bleed again, and I carefully lowered myself down to my knees beside Kindle with my ears ringing.

"Poor, faithful little thing." I listened to her voice reverberate in my head. "The most twisted part? He's just using you, darling. He knew from the start the power you had. Every creature for miles probably knows now, it was just muddled by that witch. He acted like your friend and wanted to get close to use you. He was just sticking around to save his own skin until I was killed. He was going to leave as soon as he could, no matter the repercussions. Kindle is a thief and a coward, nothing more."

I pressed a palm to my nose, trying to catch the blood.

"He's a burden to you. And he's not worthy of you, not with you who are." She said, her words seeming to wrap around me in a constricting sort of embrace.

"But me...Let me take him off your hands. Things will go back to the way they were once I free my mother and her siblings. You will be praised and protected by me and my family for the rest of your life. You will have some of the strongest on your side."

I stared at Kindle, not really sure what to feel anymore. The pull from my bond to both of them was muddling my mind, I couldn't think clearly. I just wanted things to go back to the way they were before all of this.

"He's just a stupid demon."

What if she was right? Kindle wouldn't be my problem anymore. The other demon wouldn't, either. She'd leave me alone. She just wanted to help her family...

"Matthew." Kindle looked down at me, the blood and bruises on his face making him seem nearly unrecognizable. His voice was a hoarse whisper. "I'm not going to lie to you, I did try to use you. To protect myself from her so I could leave. I was ready to throw you to the wolves as soon as she was dead."

My vision seemed to double and blur at the same time, and I grimaced and forced my eyes back up to him. Kindle pressed his palm to his mouth, attempting to wipe away the blood. "But things are different...you and Ryan have taught me so much in such a short time. Even if they are just small, minuscule things about being human. Your fascinating movies, complexities of friendship, hilarious lives and feelings that I've never encountered before because I never gave myself the chance. I know what I planned was selfish, and I know I can't take back what I have done, but I'm trying to fix things...myself... It did not take me long to realize I want to help you stop all of this, and I want to protect you both. I still have so much to learn." He grew desperate, grabbing my shoulders as I started to drift off. I wanted to stay awake, and stay in control, but it was much harder than it seemed. "Please just give me a second chance."

"That's enough." The other demon snapped, shoving Kindle back, and he coughed and grimaced at the pain of his wounds as he hit the wooden pillar and rested against it. "You chose this life. Stop thinking you can be someone you aren't anymore."

Kindle stared at me, at us, and pressed his hands to his face. "These feelings, Matthew. I hate them but I love them so much. It's been so long since I've felt joy or peace." He started, looking at me through his hands, eyes glowing a pale yellow. "You make me feel human."

"You killed your family." I said suddenly, gasping a bit as I regained control for a split second and Kindle dropped his hands from his face. I didn't notice the grey-colored tears racing down his cheeks. "I... saw you kill your family."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"My father was a terrible man." Kindle murmured, attempting to clean the blood and tears from his face. "He had been practicing bad magic for a long time. He turned twisted. He abused my brothers and sisters and my mother along with me. He sentenced my best friend to her death by accusing her of witchcraft, just because I was happy with her." Kindle caught his breath, staring at me. "I was scared and I was filled with rage. Unimaginable rage. So I turned his own magic on him." Kindle suddenly gasped, like he was struggling to breathe. His gasp turned into sobbing. "I was so focused on how evil he was that I ever realized I was becoming the monster."

"Kindle?"

"I've done terrible things."

He looked so helpless. So alone. So human. At that moment something else stirred inside me, and I never really was the same.

My mind suddenly became clear. I could feel the light and its warmth cascade over me and silence the other demon. It was a much needed feeling, and I closed my eyes in relief. I sat there in the silent bliss, knowing I eventually had to say something. Granted, I'm terrible with words, so it was a struggle to find the right ones.

"Look. There's still a lot I don't know about you, but I am sure of one thing. You have been trying so hard to fix yourself. You will never really erase the past, yeah, but that was then, and this is now." I opened my eyes again, the warmth still blanketing me as I looked to him. "Be your best now. Keep trying to make up for all that you did. That's what matters." I cleared my throat and coughed for a while, staring in a bit of a haze and amazement of the splatters and lines of blood that now laced my scarred palms. The peace slowly faded.

"Kindle." I said quickly, the demon looking to me in surprise. I was surprised myself. That was weirdly optimistic.

"Matthew?"

"You need to go." I said, feeling the enraged demon clawing back to the surface. I was much weaker than before, so she easily fought back my resistance. I doubled back over and clutched at my ears as she screamed in my head, sending lines of blood from my ruptured ear drums. I fought back the urge to scream in return, and managed through my grit teeth, "I'll find you, okay?"

"Matthew, don't-" he looked panicked, and attempted to reach out to me.

"Go!"

The next time I attempted to look up, my friend was no longer there. The other demon was unimaginably angry, screaming about killing everything I've ever loved and tearing me apart from the inside. All I could do was lay curled up on the floor and hope that my friends and family would be okay.

_______

After that, I wasn't in control for a long time. I sort of just wandered, as there wasn't much else to do but wonder what the demon was doing. The vast space I had been trapped in had nothing but me in the light, at least, not as far as I've walked.

I was walking right now, staring at my feet and using the glow from the small orb of light that I carried with me to see where I was going. The light was a weird thing. At first, after I had found it, it had just hovered out of reach. I sat underneath and stared up at it, begging for help. It just floated there, and floated, until it finally fell into my hands.

It was hot to the touch, but not scorching. I poked at it, and prodded at it, and couldn't seem to figure out what it was. It was as easy to hold as a feather and seemed just as fragile, but when I touched it, it had the density of a steel ball. It's hard to describe.

When it rested in my palms, there would be a soft hum from it, and the light would get a little brighter, but that was all. It didn't rise after that. I guess it was trapped in here too.

"Some advice would be really useful right now." I spoke out to nothing, squinting at the orb. "So, whatever you are, hello?"

It hummed in my hands, and I became irritated when it did nothing.

"Don't be like that!"

I couldn't really believe I was yelling at a ball of light, but with nothing to do and nobody to talk to for days on end, it kind of messed with your head.

I then did about the dumbest thing I could've at the time- I threw it. It sailed out of sight, the small tail of light that trailed after it vanishing quickly. I stared after the ball of light, wondering what the hell I just did and why.

I didn't expect it to come rocketing back at me, though. My eyes widened in suprise as the sudden light blinded me, and the orb nailed me in the chest. I was slammed onto my back, coughing and wheezing as my eyes swam. I lifted my head, groaning, looking towards the light. The orb had somehow vanished. Then where was the light coming from?

I stared at my chest, where a warm golden glow now resonated.

Me. It was coming from me.

"I'm losing it." I said to myself, letting my head fall back and hit the floor again.

I then felt like I was falling. I suddenly jerked back awake, as I must have passed out, my heart racing like a rabbit as I stared out into the darkness.

The light had vanished, but something seemed different. It was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and like I had just gotten the best sleep of my life. For once in my sixteen years, I actually had energy. Something was definitely up.

I could feel a soft resonation coming from the palm of my hand, and struggled to sit up before attempting to look down at myself. Everything was pitch black, there was no way to see. I wanted to see.

Now judge me all you want, but when the palm of your hand suddenly lights up with a tiny orb of light, you'd be pretty freaked out at the time too. I shrieked at the sudden action, grabbing my wrist with my other hand and staring at the ball of light, which seemed to be the same one as before.

I sat back and shook my hand violently to see if it would let go. It did not. It clung to my skin like it was now a part of me, and I watched as it settled itself back in my palm, gradually sinking down as glowing lines etched themselves into my skin in weird symbols. Everything was dark again, but somehow, when I blinked, I was now in a void of grey.

It was like a heavy fog blanketed me and my surroundings, which seemed to just be flat land from here on. I could faintly see a blue glow, however, coming from within the fog. I trained my gaze on it, starting towards it with nothing else in mind but to get out of here.

It was another ball of light, pale blue this time. It hovered above me like the last had done, and I reached up to it.

"Come on." I murmured, smoothing my hair from my face. "Get me out of this place."

The light raced down into my hand, and I accepted it. I held it in my palm and in a soft hum and glow of blue, it vanished into my skin the same as the other one. I felt even more energy, and was finally able to walk upright since what seemed like forever. I felt hydrated, relaxed, and content, despite my situation. I don't know how, but I could sense that I needed to look for these lights. It seemed like there was only one more... but I didn't think it was here.

A sudden, searing pain in my temple stopped me in my tracks, I became dizzy, groaning and nearly falling over. Being shoved this far back into wherever the hell I was couldn't be good for me. I had to get out.

I tried closing my eyes in the space, opening them again to see if I could spot the strings that tied me to Kindle and the other demon. Part of taking control was resisting the strings and attempting to break them off, of course, it never worked. I stared at my arms, where they were usually tied, and pulled my left arm up, feeling the faint strain of the string, and the odd static feeling of touching it.

I raised my other arm as well, pulling the second string until it was taut. I closed my eyes once again, trying to search how far away I was. I imagined myself back in that pitch black void, where everything was cold, dark, and silent.

It worked, as the next time I opened my eyes, they were opened to nothing. I just had to slip out of the other demon's grip for a moment at least, just to get a break and figure out what had been going on.

I flexed my fingers, not really being able to see them. I used to use the light to escape, but now it was a part of me, so I had to somehow figure out how to use it.

I imagined reaching out to touch the light, even though it wasn't even there. It felt like my stomach had been flipped inside out, and I nearly had a heart attack when I awoke standing, staring at my busted up shoes. I gasped, looking up just in time as I heard things whirring all around me and the sound of tires screeching to a halt. I realized that I was standing in the road, and all at once the streetlights exploded.

I stared with deer-like eyes at the truck that was now before me, the driver angrily slamming on the horn and shouting for me to get out of the way. He didn't seem to notice the lights. Cars behind him also screeched to a stop and started honking at him.

I stumbled off into the side of the road, down into the ditch. I tugged the jacket closer as a cold breeze hit me and sent me chills despite the usually warm, humid weather of the summer in my town. Was I even there anymore? My heels dug into the gravel and dew soaked grass as I backed away, the busy highway in front of me bustling with activity. Nobody really seemed to care for the sudden teenager backing his way up the ditch that the road sloped down into.

I didn't want to, but I knew I had no choice but to try and get a ride out of here and figure out where I was. Part of me wondered how long I was gone. It didn't seem like summer anymore.

The cars were moving again now, and I dragged my feet in the gravel as I walked back up the slope, sticking my thumb out and stretching my arm out into the road. Various vehicles raced past me, the wind from them whipping my hair and blinding me every now and then.

The muscles of my arm began to burn, and I dropped it in defeat. Were people really this careless? I decided to try one last time now walking down the way the cars drove, so hopefully someone would see me as they drove past.

I nearly cried out in joy as a car's horn blared, and slowly trailed off to a stop on the side of the road. It was a simple silver car, the type of which I didnt know or care for. I nearly fell over myself in excitement as they rolled down the window of the passenger seat.

It was an older woman, I guessed about forty, with silver streaks running through her brown hair. She was wearing formal work attire, that being a beige pantsuit. She adjusted the glasses that rested on her round nose as she leant over to look at me.

"Young man, excuse my language, but what the hell are you doing out in the middle of the highway?" She narrowed her eyes. "Are you hurt? Where are your parents?"

I stared at her hesitantly, waiting to see I got a strange sense about her. Nothing so far.

"I...can't remember." I said honestly, grimacing.

She leant over and unlocked the car door, to which I gratefully pulled myself into once it was open. The car was warm, and cozy. I closed my eyes in relief, taking in the serene silence for a little bit.

I felt the woman staring at me and opened my eyes, and she seemed horrified.

"What happened to you?" She asked, as I buckled myself. I didn't notice the smeared blood across my arms, hands and stomach at first.

"I..." Speechless, I just looked at the dark red coating now on my skin. I felt sick, wondering whether this was my blood or not. I turned to the woman, pleading. "Where am I? How far is Mooreshade?"

She paused for a second, gripping her steering wheel.

"I'm taking you to the hospital first." She declared, and I sat up fast.

"No! There's people- I need to-" but she cut me off again.

"You're obviously hurt." She said, starting up the car. "You can call whoever you need to there."

And away we went.