The Winged Guardian - 14 Never Enough

There was no girly chit-chat, only growling and snarling. While I was shock, Dylan appeared between me and the psycho woman, following by Nate who was saying. “…your mind, she’s dangerous! Heaven!”

Black wings grew out of Nate’s back and he jumped onto a tree instantly, yelping as he did. Dylan morphed into his demon form standing in fighting stance.

‘Isn’t she supposed to be a witch?” I said loudly in panic. “A kind witch who helps human cancel demon’s contract?!”

“Stupid!” Nate said from the tree above. “If she kills demons, how can she spares human?! Are you stupid?!”

Seems like I am!

Never enough.

SHE lived a life of a beggar in her childhood. There was never enough food to fill the void, enough water to quench the thirst, or enough clothes to keep her and her family warm. Wiping out all the crops with vicious weather, eliminating all the poultry with murderous flu, the land was never in her favor, and nature just loved to play on her. Unlike those beautiful quotes, to her family, hard work was paid off with the life of her mother and more hardship awaiting ahead.

But SHE wasn’t alone. Her only neighbor shared the fate. The only thing that differentiated them was the mind-set.

Amelia was the daughter of the neighbor and her best friend. Every other day the girls would venture deep into the woods in search for food. There was a colony of apple trees which constantly fed them on. Amelia loved them. SHE detested them. It was impossible not to dislike something you eat three times a day. For Amelia, it was better than nothing to eat.

Sometimes the girls would chat about their dreams. Or only Amelia would chat about her dream of following the sun, traveling to the east in search for a better land. And SHE would just remain silent. SHE had no dream. SHE’d never ever had one.

Soon Amelia had grown up into a fine woman. And her beauty that lied beneath the dirty clothes was noticed by a son of a wealthy family. Amelia had become a Madame within one night. Since then on, SHE lived a life of an envier.

SHE adopted the likeness for green. And with some money that Amelia had given her, SHE managed a little house in town. Her family was satisfied, but it wasn’t enough for her.

Amelia was now shine and clean and beautiful. SHE was still dirty. A number of her green dresses and the money from Amelia paled over the years. Why can’t SHE have new dresses? Why can’t SHE have those emerald necklaces Amelia has? Why can’t SHE live in a big house like Amelia? Why can’t SHE eat what Amelia eats? Why can’t SHE have a rich husband like Amelia? Why can’t SHE have Amelia’ money? Why can’t SHE have all the money in the world?

Nothing was ever fair to her.

Envy turned her green and turned her to the notorious witch of the village. SHE wanted a curse. The witch told her the world secret and SHE sought out the green dragon demon. SHE had now got one thing Amelia didn’t have. SHE was delighted. Briefly.

The green dragon would help her. One time. Only one time. That wasn’t enough. But SHE had no choice since the contract was made the moment SHE set foot inside his den. If there’s only one wish SHE could have, SHE chose the one on the top of her list, SHE wanted Amelia dead.

The green dragon granted the wish. Amelia was dead.

There were no tears, only an apple for the lifeless body of an old friend. SHE took a jade hairpin from the body. SHE’d always wanted it.

Before long, SHE realized it was her turn. SHE was terrified and ran aimlessly into the woods hiding among groves and thickets. SHE came across those apple trees, Amelia’ favorite trees, and kicked them angrily. A strong wind peeled the top of the trees and SHE remembered and started running again. The green dragon had come for her.

But it was not her to fear, for no demons on earth ever possessed a heart hole that could match hers, in term of both the depth and the breadth. SHE was limitless. Her desire, her greed was limitless. The one endangered this time was the green dragon.

The demon hadn’t seen it coming. He rummaged the whole wood with his thick powerful tail, smashed them down with an iron-like underbelly, and stood magnificently casting a shadow over a small greenish figure.

It was time for him to be fed. And as the light from the symbol on their forehead blinded both, SHE felt the pull and retched. In her heart, SHE couldn’t allow to let her soul go, SHE just had one soul, it’s not enough!

The table was turned. And SHE felt the pull no more, only the power, more power was coming into her. Finally, the green soul was fully taken. SHE laughed. But…that was not enough!

SHE sucked the soulless body of the green dragon in. SHE wanted everything. Every one last bit. SHE closed her eyes and took pleasure in her new treasure.

Even though the bottomless heart was able to control the new power, the mind and body of a mere human couldn’t. Continuous pulse beats started in her ears and grew louder. SHE shut both ears tight, but the noise drummed on. Something else swelled and expanded from her heart, slowly taken up her body, spread the green scale along with it. It finally came to her eyes and a curtain of mist closed on her.

Her mind was blocked. There was only one word left in her head. More.

Sanity was gone.

From that moment, SHE lived a life of a monster. Of something that was neither human, nor could she be called demon. Forever stuck and lost in between. Equipped with the jade hairpin, SHE went on staining the hair pin with girl’s blood, killing every one of them who had a good life, which was almost every girl on earth. SHE would stab and stab and stab until the other move no more, rewarded the prey with only an apple. And SHE would move on with her instinct, the instinct buried deep down that told her to aim eastward.

SHE became a horror and legends.

On foot SHE walked to the east for hundreds of years. SHE couldn’t age properly, the demon power might have twisted her look, but it lengthened her life span. With the civilization blooming, it was brighter at night, harder to kill, and the noise from the city added up to those in her head. Unable to adjust to the world’s changes, SHE took refuge in greens of leaves, moving from west forest to east forest. And when SHE encountered the water, She would turn into that green dragon and flew in between the dark clouds, had a little fun scaring the bird demons. Soon the demons of the sky were hiding whenever SHE was near, so SHE tread on the water playing games with those water demons instead, until non was visible to her sight or sense anymore.

SHE had now come to another green forest, prepared to carry on with the revolving journey. As SHE trotted along, bushes moved. It wasn’t of an animal. It was human. SHE sniffed the air. A human girl. Thrilled, SHE tightened the clasp on the hairpin. SHE hadn’t seen a girl in ages. Hadn’t kill in ages.

The girl came into her range, followed by two demons. She was nothing special. No jewelries or expensive ornaments, but she must have had a good life. And the desire was stirred, the power was ignited. SHE couldn’t hold back anymore.

Blood clotted hairpin raised in the air, SHE lunged forward.