Blooming after the ashes
Elíth was born to a Satyr father, Norton, and a human mother, Sibyl. The demon that possessed Elíth at her birth initially belonged to her mother. Sibyl had been in a prior relationship with her ex. They had a child, but an incident that resulted in Sibyl being possessed by the demon occurred and led Sibyl to start a new life. Years passed. Norton and Sibyl greatly enjoyed one another’s company, but something still felt as if it was missing. They both desired a child of their own to care for to both symbolize their long-standing love and to pass on their legacy. Both parents knew of Sibyl’s possession and feared that the demon may leave Sibyl, thus killing her and inhabiting the child’s body. The demon acted as a sort of punishment for those possessed by it. He was attached to Sibyl’s soul like a parasite, unable to be removed or exorcised. He could only be removed if he desired to leave the body – but if he did so, he would take the attached part of Sibyl’s soul with it, killing her. Aware of the risk, the couple followed their hearts, and months later, Elíth was born. As they feared, Sibyl passed during childbirth, and the demon attached himself to Elíth’s soul. He would feel her every emotion, just as he had with Sibyl. He absolutely despises the feeling of anxiety and stress. Whenever Sibyl and now Elíth feel those emotions strongly, he takes control of their body and transforms it into his true form. He would rampage for a time, tearing apart nearly everyone that crosses its path, excepting Norton. The love that both Sibyl and Elíth have for him is also felt by the demon, thus protecting Norton from his rages. Though the demon is not irrational or inherently evil, it is highly aggressive and impulsive. His low tolerance for feeling such powerful emotions and demonic instinct can overwhelm him and make him want to put an end to whatever is causing such pain.
Norton was devastated by the loss of his wife and the condition of his newborn daughter, but he was determined to give Elíth the best life possible. Sibyl had coached him in how to teach Elíth to manage her emotions. He was faithful in passing down her lessons and did his best to raise their daughter on his own. Father and daughter lived a humble lifestyle, but their basic needs were always reliably met, and they had one another to lean on. All things considered, the two were relatively happy – but it was inevitable that Elíth would be somewhat troubled as she grew, what with a deceased mother and a demon inhabiting her body. She was self-conscious about her dark secret in addition to all the typical insecurities a young teenage girl tends to have. Much of Elíth’s childhood was spent wearing a figurative mask, as she was reluctant to show much emotion at all in fear that it would all come rushing forth like a floodgate.
The young Satyr continued to be reticent and withdrawn to all until the day she discovered her childhood friend Liza’s condition. The two had known each other since they were five and kept no secrets. Liza knew of Elíth’s possession, and Elíth knew of her lycanthropy. The girls were able to empathize with each other’s hardships and did not judge when their friend made a mistake or struggled with their conditions. They relied heavily on one another and declared themselves to be friends for life, promising to aid each other through any problem.
When the two were both fifteen, however, tragedy struck. Elíth and Liza had been in the woods as usual. They enjoyed spending time there with one another, as it was a place of solitude where they could be their truest selves. Their usual activities of talking, playing, and laughing were interrupted by sounds of gunshots not too far from their location. They froze as an unscathed deer came running past them. A band of hunters followed soon after, stumbling into the clearing that Elíth and Liza were in. The girls had very little time to react – they could see that the hunters’ eyes went straight to Liza, noticing the features that marked her as a werewolf. Already, they began to take aim at her, their hatred of any ‘monster’ fueling their actions.
The two girls fled in different directions, heading to the riverbank that they had long ago established as their meeting place if they were ever separated. Elíth arrived at the bank first. She trembled and fought for breath as she waited for Liza to arrive. A few unbearable minutes passed without event. Elíth had already began to head back into the woods in search of Liza when she heard gunshots once more. She feared the worst but did not allow her mind to consider it – perhaps the hunters had missed, or Liza had managed to take one of their weapons. Elíth ran as quickly as she could towards the source of the sound, plowing through branches and brush. Already, she could feel her demon stirring deep within, upset by what she was feeling.
Nothing she could do mattered. She arrived to the horrific sight of the hunters looming over Liza’s corpse. Her best friend had been taken from her so quickly, so easily – without mercy, without regret.
One of the hunters knelt beside Liza, holding her up and grinning at Elíth.
“Aren’t you grateful, girl? We took care of the beast for you.”
The words barely registered in her ears. They were just fuel for the burning sensation in her chest. Tears flowed endlessly down Elíth’s cheeks and dripped onto the ground in front of Liza as the Satyr girl grew into something warped, something twisted, something demonic. The emotions raging in her heart died just as quickly – they had been converted, spent. Her thoughts and feelings were no longer present. The demon did not feel anything but his impulses to tear.
The woods were painted red as everything turned black for Elíth.
When she returned home that day, she had become a hollow shell of her former self. Her problems with insecurity were greatly exacerbated, as she blamed herself for Liza’s death and no longer had her friend to lean upon. Deep, dark depression consumed her to the point where sitting up in bed was an accomplishment. Years passed, and though the gaping hole in her heart remained, it became a little easier to manage the pain. Elíth took up gardening as a hobby and used it as both a distraction and healing method. A plant of some kind can be found practically everywhere you look in her home. They are treated with great kindness – a good amount of her time is dedicated to speaking to her flowers in a sweet voice every day. She dreams of one day becoming a florist and cultivating her own beautiful garden. Though it is feasible, she denies this dream for herself. She makes excuses about being unable to. She feels it is necessary to appease the bad influences who took advantage of her dark period and persuaded her to get into her work in the first place.
Deep down, however, Elíth is merely continuing to punish herself for the loss of her friend. Though she has made great progress with her self-esteem and sociability, the Satyr woman still denies herself true happiness.
If Liza was never able to have it, why should she?