Nothing but a False God

Candy paced herself, her paws echoing in the empty woods. She felt a sense of regret creep into her mouth, leaving a sour taste. She slowed herself and listened to the ravens as they circled above with news. Nothing Candy wasn’t already aware of but like she could judge what was useful information and what wasn’t. Approaching a stream, Candy clambered down the banks and dipped her paws into the water.

Damian’s words still edged in her mind and no matter how she shook her head, she couldn’t clear his voice. Please. Listen to him. Please let me go…

Candy growled at herself and moaned. The voice had faded a lot since she was turned but sometimes it still made its way into her skull. Candy felt nothing but pride in her current state.Who she was before was weak and helpless. The her of the past deserved death. She wasn’t that weak little vixen anymore. No, now…

She was a God.

She would do her part, the part she was made to do. If she had to be the villain, she would be the worst. But some part of her deep inside did want Damian to waste her. Just Damian, only Damian. She felt a longing ache, begging to go back to before. Before her life was ripped away. 

She lifted her working ear to listen to the howling in the distance. Mitz was calling her, she shook the water from her paws and followed mitz’s calls. Mitz stood and a large rock as Candy came into view. Her ears pricked and she leaped off. “Alpha Candy.” mitz said, submissively. “Nice to see you again.”

“You don’t have to lie. I don’t like you and you don’t like me.” Candy murmured, pushing past her. Mitz growled deep in her throat. “Fine, let's skip the pleasantries and get to the point.”

Candy nodded so mitz continued, “did you see F-Chan?”

“No,” she shook her head, “but I saw someone better.”

Mitz raised a brow and Candy grinned. “Your favorite boy. Damian himself.”

Mitz’s pelt bristled. It was common knowledge that Mitz had a strong disdain for the little assassin, after all, he did take her horn.

 Candy’s smile grew wider and she rolled her shoulders. “Last time you saw him, did he say anything to you?”

Mitz lowered her nose and her heartbeat sped up. She whispered, “What do you mean?”

Candy exhaled but decided not to make a big deal as she said, “he said something about “souls” to me.”

“Souls?” mitz repeated. Candy shot a glance back at her and said, “he seems to know about...the-”

Mitz cut her off and said, “he did ask me if our souls resided within us. I’m not sure where-”

“Jay.” Candy growled, “the little bastard spilled everything before he diesd. The last thing 99 needs to know is...the last thing he needs is hope. False hope at that.”

Mitz gave her a skeptical look. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you felt sorry for the runt.”

“Good thing you know better!” she snapped, Mitz retracted slightly. “Now, make yourself useful and find me a new toy. I’m pissed off due to a prior conversation…”

Mitz hesitated, seemingly reluctant but she obeyed and left. Candy watched her go then looked at the stars and took in the night air. She shook her head, maybe she had given Damian too much information. He wasn’t supposed to know about the Stone of Souls. As far as he should be concerned it was the “Stone of Dark” and nothing more. NOTHING more. 

Candy shot a look into the evening sky and thought of her childhood. It wasn’t a happy time but everything was simpler then. She was simpler. Then again, that child she saw wasn’t even her. She had made sure to destroy that being and replace it with something far greater; herself. 

A God. 

“You’re nothing but a false God!” Damian’s words echoed in her head and she wanted nothing more than to tear him out of her head. But perhaps more that that…what she really wanted…

The one thing she wanted most…was to want nothing…to feel nothing.

To be completely and utterly numb.

Falling down with a plop, Candy found herself drifting off into another place. 

Maybe worse than this one.

She dragged her paws over the rough terrain. Her eyes darted every which way for any glimpse of danger. She could hear shallow breathing, it wasn’t hers. It was raspy and snorted in a way like it was fighting to breathe. Candy wilted against her fear as it took hold. She breathed in smoke as the fires blazed around her.

Her paws bled and her throat and eyes stung. She listened. It was coming. On shaking paws she took off at full speed, bounding through the fiery grass. She felt its breath hot on her heels. She slipped.

It swiped its claws, barely missing her head. She was saved by her fall. It turned around to look at her. Hollow blue eyes, a sick grin, a bat wing, spikes, and her face.

It had Candy’s face. No, she shook her head, that wasn’t her. It couldn’t be!

Her chest tightened til she felt it would burst. Her lungs screamed for air but she couldn’t breathe. The world around her became stained with ash and charcoal as the monster prepared. It leaped, engulfing Candy whole in its jaws. She was dead before she hit the ground, but she felt the impact.

The monster devoured her. Chanting in a hollow voice, “become one with me. Become one with me.”

She couldn’t even scream as the demon swallowed her. Candy was dead but she wasn’t numb nor oblivious. The thing streaded her, ripped her apart, body and soul until she was nothing but a memory. 

Well, if there was even anyone left to remember her.