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“So, I get to be the sacrifice, huh?” I smile inwardly as I pick up a long hunting knife from a tray and examine it closely. The knife gleams in the dim light, its shiny surface marred only by an insignificant nick on the edge, probably from a miscalculated slice. I place the knife back in its original position by the drilling device. The tray is filled with other instruments that would subdue less-than-eager sacrifices, either quickly or slowly.

The room smelled of rot. Rotting books and things that I don’t even want to imagine rotted. I remembered the people of this cult always liked it dark and savored the smell of mildew.

The man looks as if he would be an endearing grandfather to some child. His smile seems kindly enough but the dark imitation of regular priest robes would make anyone change his or her mind about the man’s character.

I know he was lying. Only the priest and his intended victim ever saw the inside of the innermost chamber. To go against this tradition would forfeit any rank the priest had in the cult and sentence him to the “Everlasting Pain”, which I was grateful to have not experienced yet.

When I had first joined the cult they led me down to the basement, where many blasphemers and heretics were chained to walls, enduring the many variations to the “Everlasting Pain”. Each “Flesh Priest” had their own favorite way of dealing out punishment and the religion they followed praised creativity in their line of work.

On the podium was what appeared to be a wrinkled, brown-leather book; upon closer inspection, it didn’t seem like leather at all. I peer at it off-handedly while trying to look bored with the whole situation at the same time.

I flash him a look of distain like I knew what it was all along. “Don’t you have some summoning to do or something?” I say as I frown at him. He snickers and goes back to searching the book for the right ritual. I sigh and flick my long blonde hair back as I wait impatiently for the old man to start. “Are we going to do this today or what?” I say, obviously annoyed. The priest, seeming to have found the right incantation, starts chanting and waving his hands in a hypnotic pattern across the air around him.

Still writing invisible sigils in the air, his chant starts getting louder and louder. His voice crescendos and reverberates throughout the room. His usually calm brown eyes take on a wild light as his words grow in strength. A thick black mist starts to swirl in the middle of the room and a chill creeps down my spine. I smile to myself as I realize it is time. I quickly weave a darkness spell while the old man is preoccupied and my body fades out of sight.

With a rumble like a clap of thunder, seven dark shapes appear out of the mist. The figures have a slightly humanoid shape but seem to shift in and out of many forms constantly.

“Oh Great Lords, you are so generous with your compliments. I have here a healthy young female here for you to do as you wish so that you man continue your blessing and protect the temple from the disbelievers and blasphemers.” The priest says as he bows low.

“No excuses, priest. We know you have always kept up your promises but we cannot give you the luxury of thinking you can get away with missing even one sacrifice to us.” The leftmost lord growls as the old man cowers and pleads for mercy. “Since you have no sacrifice for us we will take the only flesh in the room.”

“You have two ways you can die.” One of the dark lords hisses as if the priest didn’t say a word. “You can have a slow death right here. We would rather do that. You would be a very nice plaything for us. We would play tug-of-war with your limbs and marbles with your eyes.” The lord in the shape of a cobra cackles. “Or you can let us dispense of you quickly, which wouldn’t be as fun for us but it is the choice we are obligated to offer.”

The priest, seeing that he had no chance at changing their minds to spare his life, slowly stands up and smoothes out the wrinkles of his robe. He inhales his last breath and whispers, “A quick death, please."

No sooner had the words come out of his lips when there was a spray of red and then only a crimson puddle where the priest was standing a second before. Some of the gore splashes onto me but by then the dark lords were already fading from sight. It was a blessing, even though it made me cringe a little. If they had stayed any longer the blood on my clothes would have given me away.

I release my spell and shimmer back into substance again. Glancing around to make sure I am still alone, I release my other spell that hid my true appearance. The blonde hair and acolyte robes slither off of me with a hiss. I unfurl my raven-black wings and stand up to my full height. My armor is leather the color of obsidian with swirls of silver contrasting the midnight black. My onyx hair sways about me as if there is a wind no one else can feel and my skin is pale and glows slightly with its own aura. My mercury-colored eyes see all. My rune-etched sword, forever at my side, will smite any that challenge me. I will bring down anyone that is on Death’s list. Race/sex/age does not hinder me from accomplishing my task. Pain and suffering accompany me. Madness is my eternal companion. Fear me. I am the Dark Angel.

Darkness. It is my friend. It embraces me in its shadowy arms and comforts me. My supposed best friend, my husband, has betrayed me. He is out with Her today. She takes all his attention. She is his one true love now. He hardly notices me anymore. He leaves me at home and takes Her everywhere. She has my poor John under Her spell. He thinks She loves him but I know better. She wants only to steal him away from me.

Wait! There they are coming up the sidewalk! Oh how I envy Her. With a flick of Her hair and a bat of Her eyelashes She bewitches him all over again while I try desperately to win him back. I have to get him back! I have to free him from Her grasp! Oh my God! He just kissed Her! He acts like it is just a fatherly peck on the cheek but I know the truth. She returned the kiss! Does She have no shame or any guilty conscience whatsoever? They disgrace me right in front of my house in plain view of everybody? I trusted Her and She does this to me. I cannot allow this to go on any longer!

Damn! Can’t find anything proper to use. No! They are walking up to the front door! Need to find something now! Ah! A candlestick! A little primitive but it will serve its purpose nicely… Oh hello John! How was your day? Wonderful? Well, that’s good to hear. Where’s Jessica? Oh, don’t worry about that. You go to take a shower and relax a bit; I’ll keep her company. Okay. I love you too.

Where is she? Not outside… not in her room. Jessica dear? Where are you? There she is in the living room. She is talking on the phone. Oh, what luck! Her back is towards me; she won’t be any trouble. The sound of metal hitting her skull is so delightful. She didn’t even know this was coming. Oh look, she dropped her toy phone. I can hear the cheerful little “Bing!” it makes as it hits the floor. Amazing! She is still conscious and still quite alive. I guess evil is hard to kill.

No. Please not that sweet, innocent look. I have to concentrate. She is bleeding from her head wound. I must finish it. I must kill her! For John! For love!

Now I sit here alone but not for long. She is gone and I can finally have him back. She will never get in the way of our love again. I can hear the shower running. Good. He will have a pleasant surprise when he gets out. But for now I sit here with the darkness, happy and content.