The pain that shot through my side brought me to my knees. I leaned on the sword that I had taken from my opponent. The sword was heavier then it looked and with every swing it reopened the wound that ran from my stomach to mid back. The demon in front of me laughed and I looked up to him with blurred vision. Behind me was Reality. The only thing between the demon and Reality was me, and I had to protect her. I had to keep her away from this creature that spawned from my over active imagination. But how could that be? An imagination does not draw blood from its victim. Imagination does not hurt. This battle made everything I had been telling myself a lie. I knew it was a lie when I told myself they weren’t real, but I couldn’t accept that. It was so much easier believing they were fake. Believing that I over reacted to the whispers in the wind and mistook them for the voices of these demons. After all, no one else could see them. Or could they? Reality could. She told me that when I first met her. But others couldn’t could they? They never acknowledged the creatures before. No one except Reality and I. And I had to protect her. I had to make sure these creatures, which no one else but she and I could see, would never get to lay a hand on her.

I used the sword to help myself stand, and then lifted it again as I held it at my side, ready to protect Reality from this demon. The sound of my blood dripping into the puddle below my feet echoed in my head. I knew if I didn’t get it taken care of I would die. I would die a slow and painful death and I already felt its approach. I felt death whispering in my ear that it was coming. That it was just around the corner waiting for the moment the last drop of my blood leaked out from my pathetically weak body and he could take my soul. Take my soul away from this fight, away from my imagination… and from my Reality.

I shook my head. I couldn’t let that happen. The demon smiled at me with his black eyes and yellow teeth. His teeth dripped with my blood and between them small pieces of my flesh could be seen from where he attempted to rip through my left arm. He managed to only swallow a few layers of flesh, thankfully, but it left my arm bleeding and now weaker. I watched him though. I watched him as he moved around me like an ape, hopping from one foot to the other trying to find a weak point on me. I had many but I wasn’t about to expose them to him. His black skin had burned through all the human flesh he ad once worn as a disguise by now. That was why not one else could see them. They hid from the world. They blended into our society so that they could control us like puppets from the inside. Wage their wars and move their pawns by their own hands. I was not a pawn though, no, I had broken free of that when I first saw them, when I first discovered their existence, when I first became known as the Dark Angel.

I held out my left hand and felt for Reality. I had to know she was safe. I felt her hands grab onto the back of my torn sleeve and the grip I had on my sword tightened. She was scared. I could feel her trembling. I could feel her sweet breath on my back as she stepped a little closer. I maybe a Dark Angel, but Reality meant more to me then anything in that very moment. In an instant the creature broke its pattern and ran at me. With out a moment’s hesitation I broke away from Reality’s grip and ran at the demon. I brought his own sword up and it met him across the face. The demon screamed and ran past me, holding its face in its black hands, blood pouring out between its claws. I slid across the ground to a stop, my hand catching me as I turned around on it and used it to help me push forward, running back. The demon was running towards Reality, and I had to stop it before it regained its vision and saw her. Before it could realize she was my true weakness. Before it realized that I loved her and she loved me.

The gravel beneath my feet flew as I ran after it, my sword raised. The demon lowered its hands has it ran. Its eyes fixed on Reality, and her expression was lit with fear. My own eyes fell upon hers as she gazed at me, too afraid to move. I yelled out as loud as I could, taking one more step before jumping into the air and bringing the tip of the sword down upon it’s master. The demon was reaching for Reality, but as it heard my call it turned. I watched as its eyes widened with confusion and fear. I watched as it smiled a little then closed its eyes just as the blade pierced its chest. I watched as the blade tore through its flesh and rib cage. I listened to it scream in pain before falling to the ground as I pushed off it’s corpse with nimble grace. As the demons life left its body I felt more of my own return. When I landed I was surprised that I was able to keep myself kneeling, that it was in fact easy for me to keep myself together. The pain in my side was virtually gone, and the wound on my arm had healed. I knelt in front of the demon’s corps for a moment, just as I had landed.

Reality slowly walked around the corpse. I did not watch her. My eyes were kept on the demon. I wanted to understand now, for the first time, what was really going on. I wanted to know what a Dark Angel really was, and why I was chosen to be one. I felt Reality place her small hands on my shoulders, and I felt her squeeze them. There was something about this moment in my life that makes me think of a dream. All around us there was silence, but I could hear the whispers, the silent whispers and sounds of the angels and demons searching for me. Searching for me for a reason I can barely understand. I got to my feet, Reality’s hands falling to my shoulder blades, she didn’t let go of me, and I don’t think I wanted her to. I felt her pull my hair back into a ponytail that had fallen out during the fight. I let out a sigh; I couldn’t take my eyes off the corpse of the demon. Reality wrapped her arms around my waist and I placed my hands upon her arms, gliding them up and down to comfort her.

“It’s alright…” I whispered, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

Reality gave me a slight squeeze in reply. I was guessing she had forgotten about the wound in my side but then I realized it didn’t hurt. I lowered my head and looked at my still bloody side, but the wound was gone. All that was left was my torn bloody shirt. I stared at it not knowing what to think. What was going on? Was I really just going crazy? I heard Reality give off a light sigh and I turned around to face her slowly, wrapping my arms around her. As I gazed into her blue eyes, all thoughts of me being crazy vanished from my mind. How could I be crazy? Here I was holding Reality in my arms and breaking all the rules to be with her. She smiled at me, that sweet smile that captured my heart.

Reality leaned forward and kissed my cheek, before letting me go. I let out a sigh and turned to look at the demon. It had been a rough battle, leaving my clothes torn up and bloody. He’d managed to rip my sleeve open, as well as other parts of my shirt, and tear pieces of my skirt away. I was cold now, shivering from the winter air as my body calmed down after the fight. The sweat that had been pouring out of my skin was making the wind worse as it blew past us. Yet as I looked upon it’s sword that was still buried into its ribcage, I couldn’t help but want to know what was going on. I was ready to accept what ever fate was trying to get out of me. I was ready to complete my journey to Desten. What was in Desten? I actually had no idea to be honest. Something was calling me there though, and it was Reality that suggested I make a return trip with her.

Reality… I stepped slowly over to the sword and placed my hand around its hilt and pulled it out of the demons body. I held it in front of me and examined its bloody blade. Ever since that night on the train when we first met… that day in the old house… our first kiss… and all the fights I have gotten into since it’s collapse I have felt something in me growing. Some little feeling that wanted to be free, and to know the truth. I lowered the sword looking out towards the horizon. The voices in my head were getting louder. Could I honestly keep telling myself they were just pieces of dreams and memories going wild? That everything happening was just my imagination tricking myself into believing something that wasn’t true? Could I honestly believe I was crazy…? No. I’m not crazy. I never was crazy. I kneel down and take the black leather belt from the demons waist, and wrap it around myself before placing the sword in its sheath. The sword was light now, and as I stood up I felt suddenly better. I turned around to find Reality watching me. She had that smile on, my favorite smile, the one she always had on.

The butterflies returned to my stomach. She always kept me sane, always within reach of reality. I walked towards her, with each step my heart racing. I reached out my hand and as it found hers I felt a wave of relief fill my very soul. Her hands were warm, and still held a touch of kindness that only I knew from her.

I don’t know why but we stood there looking at each other. We stood in the middle of that wheat field, surrounded by nothing but bloody wheat plant and the stars that were now beginning to appear in the sky. We were two girls. Two girls who probably didn’t know each others real names. Two girls who were in love. Two girls being chased by creatures I finally accepted as being real. And as I stared at her I felt free. I felt safe and free from so many of the chains I had bound myself with. I was still trapped but I felt better now. Reality was real, and so were the creatures following me. I wasn’t crazy, but I was still strong enough to protect Reality.

Who knows how much longer we stood there, but when we finally left the field, we were running. Running towards Desten just for he sake of running.