I. Chapter 15: I know what your name is

To the midnight, a few minutes remained. Colin could not sleep, so I used a sleeping spell on him. I sat and waited, each next moment, I felt more and more fear, I was afraid that it might not work, despite this... I tried not to lose faith, deep inside I knew that it would work.

It happened... it was midnight, all this time I felt that apart from me and Colin, there was someone in the room, or... something... Something very evil. At that moment I heard a groan, it was Colin. I looked at him and saw him tremble, he looked as if he was felt intense pain.

There was a whisper in my head, it was in a strange language, I already knew what it was. The demon came for his sacrifice. At that moment, a whisper came from the corner of the room, I turned my head and saw something that looked like... black smoke from which the demon began to emerge, however... it had a different form. It was a tall, emaciated figure, with long claws and two horns on its head.

"Hello, Lulu. Is good to see you again" - Demon said, smiling

I frowned and looked at him angrily, the smile disappeared from his face but he quickly returned to her.

"What happened? Don't you happy seeing me?" - At this moment, the demon pulled out his claws and began to rub against each other, making a sound like the two knives being sharpened

"I'm not afraid of you, demon. Get out from here" - I said

"Strong words, well... No, he belongs to me..."

"He doesn't belong to you. You dammed viper" - I snarled

At that moment the demon made a very loud roar, the wind began to blow in the room. Colin began to tremble and writhe, even more, groaning very painfully.

"Stop it! why do you do this to him? Get away from him! Do you understand? Get out!"

"I love to see him suffer, it's music for my ears" - Demon said, stepping closer to the bed

I stood in front of the demon who stopped immediately. He looked at me, frowned, and smiled - "The boundary between courage and stupidity is very thin, and you will soon cross one of them" - He said, lengthening his claws

"Leave this child alone. Do you understand? He doesn't belong to you! Get out of here!" - I shouted, looking straight into his eyes

"Hah! you have no power over me, Lulu. I have a good advice for you. Run away from here while you still can"

"You are wrong, I have power over you, I know what your name is, demon... You are..." - I didn't finish

Demon grabbed me by the neck, then raised me up, I tried to break free, but I couldn't.

"Do not you dare say that, bitch..." - Demon said, then he threw me on the floor

I lay stunned on the floor, shivering and hissing in pain, the demon pressed me to her with his foot. He began to slowly raise his paw up, his claws extended even more.

"Sweet dreams..." - He said, doing a swing

I thought it was the end, but that's when someone fall something to him. The demon took a few steps back, grabbing his head, moaning and pronouncing words in this strange language. I looked at my savior, it was Nightmare Moon

"Hello... sister..." - Nightmare Moon said, standing over me and looking at me without any emotions, helping me to get up

Nightmare Moon was standing right in front of me, she looked straight into my eyes, after a while she approach and looked at the kneeling demon, smiling at him. The demon looked at Nightmare Moon, showing teeth and growling.

"What happened? You don't like a bit of silver and salt?" - She asked slyly

"You..."

"Yes, me. Do you remember?" - Nightmare Moon asked, coming closer

The demon rose quickly and began to retreat back, roaring.

"Well, now you are afraid, hah! You are pathetic, you are nothing more than a mere coward"

At that moment the Demon roared furiously, hitting Nightmare Moon, which fell to the floor. Demon grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up, it was the right moment to chase him away.

"Let her go, demon. Your name gives me full power over you, I know how it sounds!" - I said, spreading my wings

"Now or never, Luna. Do it!" - Nightmare Moon said

The demon dropped Nightmare Moon, then roared again, and the wind started to blow again. The curtains that were in the room began to fall and the beds shook, just like the whole room. Colin began to moan louder with pain, then I felt a growing anger, I soared up and looked at the demon, straight into his red eyes.

"You are Mavalath!" - I shouted

The demon stopped roaring, the wind stopped, and he began to dissipate.

"You are a parasite! A infanticide! A dammed serpent! And an ordinary coward!"

The demon roared again, that's when he said those words.

"Esaeu gaer'q kaq nig aem za maenawabbi. I lizz yaeza xoyt oresloes, yar. I lizz tizz esaeu" Then the demon pointed his finger at Colin who lying in bed, writhing in pain - "Xuq xamaena yoq soddar, esaeu lizz haeaet oq sael sa zummabbi, esaeu... lizz maah siz doir!"

"In on the power of the moon, I command you return to the abyss!"

Then the demon began to crumble, scream and roar in pain, then he was drawn to the corner of the room, he clawed against the wall and last time he looked into my eyes, then smiled.

"I lizz tizz esaeu oth ozz aem s'aez esaeu haewa" - He said, all the while trying to maintain - "Gia esaeu xiqkh!"

"I said... Get out!" - I shouted, then a ray shot out of my horn, which dropped the beast into the abyss

The demon gave his last roar, which had sounded throughout the castle, then... there was a deep silence. The wind stopped altogether, the beds ceased to shake. I looked at Colin, who was trembling and hissing, black veins on his body starting to disappear. I approached his bed, then he opened his eyes, from which tears flowed, he breathed very quickly, tried to say something, but ... he spoke very quietly and indistinctly, which made him unable to understand.

"Shhh... Don't be afraid" - I said, gently touching his forehead, which was icy - "It's over, see?"

Colin moaned again, slowly closing his eyes, suddenly stopped shivering, just... he froze. I was terrified, I was afraid that he died at that moment, however... fortunately I was wrong.

"Colin... Colin!..." - I shouted terrified - "Do not do this to me! You hear?!" - Then I put my head to his chest, then I heard his heartbeat - "He's alive... he... he's still alive..."

Tears of happiness flowed from my eyes, the black veins on his body ceased to be visible. I kissed him on the cheek, tenderly stroking his black hair. I heard Nightmare Moon approach me. I turned my eyes to her, she looked at me and Colin in bed, smiling.

"Nightmare Moon, I... thank you, if not you, I would not be here anymore"

"You don't have to thank me, Luna. I did what was to be done" - Nightmare Moon said - "But... I don't know if this is the right time for a celebration"

"Why?" - I asked

"Colin is still marked, did you hear what the demon said in this strange language?"

"Yes, but... I don't know what he said"

"It's the language of the abyss. He said you wouldn't get rid of him forever, he said he would come back soon, and then..."

"And then what?"

"Never mind... The important thing is that you did it. he lives, he lives because of you" - Nightmare Moon said

"It's also your merit, you... you saved me"

"You're welcome, and now I'm sorry, but I have to leave you. See you later "

Nightmare Moon began to retreat into the darkest part of the room, after a while, her silhouette disappeared completely.

"Wait, I wanted to ask you something" - I was answered only by a silence - "Are you there?"

I lit corner, lighted where her silhouette disappeared, nothing was there.

"See you..." - I said with a sigh

I wanted to ask Nightmare Moon for a few things. Among other things, how she managed to survive, or... how she knew this strange language.

I hung curtains that fell during the demon cast away, I looked at the corner of the room, where he disappeared. There was now a black stain and claw marks "Well... cleaners will have to do something about it" - I thought. Once I hung the curtains, I went to the bed where Colin lay, discovered the quilt and lay down next to him. I covered him with my wing and gently hugged. This child was now in my arms, weak and helpless... And that, which I loved as my own. It was then that I swore to myself that I would always protect him, even at the cost of my own life. After a short moment, I fell asleep, with Colin in my arms. From tomorrow, everything will be different, there is no demon anymore. One thing is for sure, everything will be fine.

I started to open my eyes, it was already morning. I raised my head and yawned, I found Colin lying in my wings, who was still asleep. He no longer had black veins on his body, and his skin was normal again. I left the bed, I decided to try to wake him up.

"Hey, Colin. Wake up" - I said, gently nudging him, he just moaned softly, changing his position slightly. I chuckled, then tried again - "Colin, wake up. It's already morning"

"Huh? What?... What is going on?" - He asked, rubbing sleepy eyes with his hands. He blinked a few times, then looked at me

"Good morning" - I said, chuckling - "How was your sleep?"

"Well, I had a bad dream, but it passed very quickly" - Colin said, grabbing his head and squinting

"What happened?" - I asked

"I... I feel weird. It's like... some kind of emptiness or something... As if someone has snatched something from me, and I feel dizzy"

"Don't worry, it will pass. This demon was a parasite, and they can hosts very strong, to their victims"

"What's wrong with me?" - He asked shivering and looking into my eyes

"You're just exhausted, you'll be fine, you just have to rest a bit, that's all"

Colin sat on the edge of the bed, in front of me, he grabbed his head again and looked at me

"Wait... It worked out?" - Asked, getting up from the bed - "I will see my friends again?"

"Yes, you are free!"

"Luna, thank you... I... I... uhh... Darn it" - he said, closing his eyes

"Hey, what is?..." - I didn't finish

Colin almost would have fallen to the floor, I managed to catch him in time, then I put him back in bed.

"My head..." - He said - "What happened?"

"You almost fell to the floor"

"I'm cold..." - He said shivering

"You should not get up. You better rest" - I said, covering him with a duvet

"What if he comes back?"

"You do not have to be afraid anymore, he's gone. Sleep well"

"I... thank you"

"You're welcome, now sleep. it's good for you"

"Goodnight" - He said, yawning and lying on his side, closing eyes

It took a few minutes, I sat by the bed and gently stroked his hair, he didn't even react, fell asleep very quickly. I loved watching when his sleep, this time... without any nightmares.

I kissed him on the cheek, then stood up and headed towards the door to the corridor. When I stood there with them, last time I looked at Colin, lying in bed, I smiled, then quietly opened the doors. I slowly started to go out into the corridor, then closed it.

"Sister?" - I heard behind me

I almost jumped up, turned violently and saw Celestia.

"Oh, it's you. You scared me"

"Luno, come with me, you have to see it" - She said, heading for the throne room

"Wait ... what do you want to show me?"

"Yesterday you cast away the demon"

"Yes, Colin is still alive, but... he's exhausted. He's resting" - I said, walking forward

"It's nice to hear it. let him rest"

"Sister, when I cast away the demon, he said that he would back"

"Not only you"

"Wait, what?"

"You will see in a moment..."

I and Celestia stopped outside the throne room, Celestia looked more disturbed. After a moment, she opened the door and went inside, I came in close behind her.

"What did you want to sho..." - I stopped

My eyes widened, everywhere on the walls, there were inscriptions that were painted with some black liquid. On the walls were written: "I will come back, I always come back", "You don't wanted to listen, now you will die", "He will die anyway, I will take care of it", "It was necessary not to interfere...".

"W-what is it?" - I asked, looking around

"That what you see, Luna. The demon has not gone forever, he will come back anyway"

"No, no, no... it's not happening. What now?" - I asked, sitting on the floor

"I thought about it this morning, we have to tell him that, he is..."

"Oh no. Excluded, certainly not!" - I said, immediately getting up - "It's still a child, he is not ready"

"Luna, that's it, it's his destiny. Colin is the next, the demon will come back, and he must know how to fight with him"

"There is no such thing as destiny, who puts such a messed up idea at all?"

"I talked to the Thormwald spirit, before this moment, he said..."

"I don't care what he said" - I interrupted Celestia - "Don't you understand that?" Colin is weak, physically and mentally, Celestia is just a child "

"In that case, what do you want to do? You know it is inevitable"

"I will not tell him anything and it's better you do the same. He is finally free, it will not be better if we give him some time?" - I asked, Celestia did not answer, only looked away, she looked like she was thinking over something - "Understand this. I want him to have childhood, at least a bit. Tell yourself what you want, I will not force him to this"

I turned to the door leading to the corridor and started walking toward them.

"Wait!" Celestia said. I looked away and I saw her come up to me - "You're right, that's the best way. We will not tell him anything, but if there are any signs that... It, is back, we'll tell him, okay?"

I smiled - "Thank you, I'm glad we've come to an agreement. I'm going back to the room, I wanna be sure everything's fine with him" - I said, moving again towards the door

"See you later, sister" - Celestia said

"Bye..."

I closed the door behind me and started to walk toward the room. It all overwhelmed me. The demon left, but... not for long. I was afraid. I was afraid of what could happen soon. At last Colin was free, he finally had a chance for a normal life and a chance for childhood. I decided not to tell him... that, It... would come back someday. I did not want to worry him unnecessarily, although... Celestia was right, it was inevitable. He would soon have to fight it.

End of Chapter 15...