Page 106 of Two Who Live On

“I spent months studying Dorian’s many facets. He’s obsessive and self-deprecating, but he certainly doesn’t hold this level of arrogant narcissism.” The chimera forced himself off his knees, resisting the awkward, pained stretch of the chains. “So, I’ll ask again, who are you?”

This chimera was clever. Almost too clever. He knew Dorian almost as well as I did, but that wouldn’t help the demon because he had no idea what I was capable of.

“It’d seem you don’t know Dorian all that well, after all.” I scoffed. “I do, though, and he’d be grateful for my intentions. Unfortunately, Dorian’s always been too pathetic to act. To try. To be happy.”

As such, I’d come to learn Dorian Frost didn’t deserve the happiness awaiting him. I did. I deserved everything. And Dorian—all Dorian deserved was death for daring to surrender Finn, not once, not twice, but three times.

“Who do you think I am?” I smirked.

“You’re not Dorian.”

“I am, and I am not. Life as a manifestation is quite the existential conundrum in that sense. How much of me is my own identity, and how much is a projection of Dorian, his identity, his desires? No. I am not the Dorian Frost you so easily stalked. I am not weak, selfish, or utterly pathetic like him.”

“A meager manifestation, and you consider Dorian the weak one.” The chimera clicked his tongue, hissing each syllable with disgust. His words were more an accusation than a question. “You are but a fragment of the whole, poor thing that you are.”

I fumed; I was more than a fragment. I was a piece that successfully broke away from Dorian. I was a manifestation that created his own willpower and freedom. I severed the strings linking me to Dorian.

Cracking my neck, I dulled the fury this brash demon’s insult sought to provoke. He was nothing. Less than nothing. I wouldn’t allow him to goad me. Not when I’d come so far and so close to achieving everything I rightfully deserved.

“You’re one to talk about weakness.” I smiled at the chimera. “Considering you’re but the wispy remnants of a fallen devil, forever dead. I mean, you’re less than a manifestation. You’re a gasping fish tossed upon the shore, deluding itself that flailing will keep it alive long enough to reach the desiccated ocean that no longer exists.”

“Cute metaphor.” His lips curled into a wicked grin; tar slicked along his bright white teeth. “But I’m so much more than that. Even a feeble manifestation such as yourself should realize what power this fallen devil holds.”

He spoke true despite my refusal to acknowledge it. When rescuing Finn, I contemplated saving the other souls required for thischimera’s bizarre use of resurrection, but I couldn’t gamble bringing along others. It already proved exhausting containing this demon and keeping Finn safely pacified, so I allowed Milo to banish them as Dorian wept like the coward he was. This chimera had integrated his consciousness inside each witch’s soul he’d claimed, perverting their essence to defy death, which he clearly feared above all else. I’d find another way to properly resurrect Finn, but first, I’d have to untether this demon’s mind without disturbing Finn.

“Perhaps breaking this hold will be easier than expected.” He rattled his chains, testing the magic I’d reinforced. Try as he might, nothing escaped my power inside a mind. “Once released, I’ll rip through this worthless witch you’re housing us inside, then find and claim Dorian’s body for myself as I should’ve when I first laid eyes upon him.”

I snickered, a slow, bubbling delight at this bastard’s arrogance.

“Oh, and the things I shall do to an unruly manifestation such as yourself when Dorian and I are united as the perfect devil.”

“Doubtful.” I laughed. He considered me unaware of his power, yet the fool lacked insight into everything I knew. “We both know why you asked Dorian nicely to let you in.”

I couldn’t contain it, breaking into an unhinged cackle. He remained silent, his eyes studying my shuddering body as I stifled laughter.

“It had nothing to do with starting things off on a positive note and everything to do with the full extent of Dorian’s branch. My branch.”

“There is a lot of power in my perfect host.” He spit tar from his mouth onto the dirt floor between us.

“A true complexity Dorian’s never faced, but I, the best of his manifestations, have carried the weight of his magic since it first blossomed.”

The fact was Dorian’s branch only evolved so subtly because I’d stopped taking on the burden he never found himself capable of handling. I refused to return after how Dorian let himself nearly die for those children, which in turn took Finn away. My Finn. With my absence, Dorian couldn’t summon any other manifestations, and of course, he was too stupid to notice my absence.

So long as I maintained my will and remained hidden in another witch’s head, I could plot and plan free of Dorian. Free of the burden he was onto the world. Free to be myself.

“Even so, Dorian—the real Dorian—with all his strength, couldn’t undo the binding that connects me to Finn’s being.” The chimera’s eyes were piercing, studying my reaction to his bravado. “You may understand the facets of such a unique branch, but you can only access a fraction of its power.”

I waved a hand, dropping the chimera back to his knees where he belonged. It’d take time, research, but I’d untether him from Finn. They were woven together like arteries and disease, and removing him would take patience and practice. I took a breath, recalling all that’d brought me here and how much more I’d have to do to ensure the happiness I deserved.

I’d seen every vision of every potential future Milo spent his life enduring that day Dorian and Milo kissed. Dorian was too weak to bear them all, fragile and delicate; his consciousness only absorbed a simple void vision. Worthless, as always. But I’d seen Milo’s world entirely and loved him all the more for it. He took too much on himself, sacrificing for an unworthy world, believing he didn’t deserve Finn back if it created a spark of destruction.

We could have it all, though. Finn. Milo. Me. The three of us happy forever.

First, I needed to purge this damn demon from Finn’s soul. Then, I’d remove the weakness that was Dorian Frost. Finn would liveagain. Milo would be overjoyed. They’d see I was the version of Dorian they’d always longed for, they’d see I was better than Dorian could ever hope to be, and Milo and Finn would thank me for everything I planned. They’d love me.

“Well, shall we begin?” The chimera tilted his head, resting it on his outstretched bicep. “Or do you wish to talk me to death?”

“I should warn you, I’m not entirely sure what to do. It’s going to be a lot of testing the waters, so it might hurt. And if it doesn’t, I’ll twist the knife, ensuring it does.”

“I’ve dwelled in more hellish realities than your tiny, manifested mind could ever fathom.” The fallen devil grinned. “Give me your worst.”

“Gladly.”

Approaching the chimera, I unraveled everything I could to make him wail. It’d take time, but I’d break his hold on Finn. Every strike of psychic torture I unleashed, I reminded myself that my entire existence revolved around Dorian serving as the second fiddle to his story, purely living for Dorian’s benefit. I was over that.

I wanted the life I deserved. I’d tell my story now.

THE END

…until second-year fall semester.