Sam's bitter look faded as he heard Hollow's emotionless voice, but beneath the emptiness of that hideous voice, Sam could feel a faint trace of bliss.
It was a bizarre feeling, hearing a voice so devoid of emotion yet simultaneously filled with a copious amount of inconceivable feeling.
Staying still, Sam could only compare Amelia's worry and Hollow's and Malice's glee to his siblings.
Like Mila, who always worried when he did something reckless and hurt himself, fearing that Sam would do something that could not be undone. And Mikhail, even if Sam came back terribly injured, he would smile proudly the moment he saw Sam standing again. It didn't matter if Sam cried or couldn't walk for days. What mattered to him was for Sam to be strong and brave, to stand on his own feet, to not dread getting hurt again but instead look forward to it, because pain meant he was alive, and still fighting.
He exhaled, his chest falling as air left his lungs, and began thinking about Hollow's words. Burn myself? What does he mean by that? I don't want to. I can't uselessly risk my life until I bring my God back... But at the same time, I need more power to...
His eyes grew cold. Deep within his pupils, dark and seething hatred could be seen as he thought about the Sun, the Tower and the Storm.
I'm no fool... My Lord is no longer among the living, while they possess the authorities of His. They had a hand in the death of the Ancient Sun God. It's as obvious as the omnipotence of my Lord.
One day... Either I bring back my Lord and kill the traitors... Or die trying.
"Are you doing this again? An empty reassurance?" Hollow's voice was far more imposing and haunting than Malice's. To compare them would be to compare a child with an adult, one still playing, unaware of the world's disgusting truths, the other seeing everything clearly, no longer playing but working toward a goal.
It's not empty words. I truly wish to...
Sam was interrupted by Hollow, his tone carrying traces of disdain. "This path will demand many sacrifices, your family, friends, sanity and your life. Are you sure you can go to such lengths?"
Sam went silent, lost in thought as Hollow voiced the cruel truth, the harshness of it leaving him stunned. He wanted to say yes, that he would do anything for his Lord no matter the price, but even if he wished for it with all his heart, Sam was still a mortal. And it was the nature of mortals to let the seed of doubt rot their hearts, to water it with their own defeatism and trepidation and inevitably allowing that defiling seed to bloom into a dreadful flower that would swallow them whole.
I don't know...
"You will. Whether you like it or not." Hollow spoke with arrogance, perceiving himself as the dominant persona, the original, while the others were nothing but cheap copies. Then again, all of them thought the same.
How can you be so sure... Sam asked, feeling uneasy. Talking with Hollow always made him feel like an ignorant child. It was such a distasteful feeling, as though he were inferior in every way.
"Because it is my desire. And regardless of what you and Malice want, my desire will be materialized." Hollow stared down from above, sitting loftily as if the mind belonged entirely to him, his eyes contemptuous, saturated with both insanity and absolute conviction, so certain his words would become reality that Sam felt a sudden urge to believe him, entranced by his charisma and indomitable will. There was no trace of hesitation, not even the slightest hint of fear of failure, he truly believed he stood above all.
We have yet to see that... Maybe one day I'll swallow you both. Sam shot back with a dark smile, thinking about the day he would feel complete, every shattered piece finally interconnected. After all, fear alone had never been something that could hold Sam back, because of his absolute certainty in his Lord. No matter what happened, He would always stand behind him and bless him with His Loving Grace, for Him to provide-
"I feel left out. How harsh..." Malice laughed, interrupting with wicked glee, and for the first time, Sam truly understood why he was called Malice. His voice dripped with pure venom and disdain, permeated with malignancy, his eyes burning with resentment and hostility. "I'm still one third of Samael. It's rude to forget me, Sinner... and Hollow."
Sam, while at times fragile, was also indomitable and relentless, capable of standing back up every single time he fell.
Hollow was more mysterious, carrying himself with an arrogance and coldness that could freeze hell itself.
As for Malice, there was no motive and no intention. He was wicked for the sake of it, satisfying his every desire unapologetically, unbothered by consequence or conscience. He often seemed silly, his comments funny in some twisted way, however, he was the most malevolent of the three, because wickedness was not something he chose.
It was simply what he was.
A Malice.
__________
"Sam... Sam!" Amelia stared at him, her cheeks puffed up in irritation and arms crossed, playing with her coat. "You good? Who are you talking to?"
Sam snapped out of his thoughts, or rather, his mindscape as both Hollow and Malice drifted away, submerged in the sea of abyss within his heart.
He inhaled cold air, dragging himself back and leaning against the wall, wiping blood from his eyes with, thoughtful look appearing on his face, thinking about Malice and Hollow. "No one. Just talking to myself."
"When did you lose it, cretin?" Amelia huffed, shaking her head and sighing in exasperation, taking a towel from the desk and throwing it at him.
"Thanks." He nodded in gratitude, wiping blood from his face with a grimace, his body sore and aching, vital energies which made up his physical form was unstable, and that made recovery even harder. However, he wasn't that injured thanks to Amelia, just feeling exhausted, so tired that he didn't even wanted to move... Or so he thought.
"No worries, buddy. But you need a bath." Amelia grinned, pointing at the bathroom with her middle finger, then cringed abruptly as her own smell hit her. "Looks like I do too..."
For a moment, both Sam and Amelia went still, then glanced at eachother with narrowed eyes, only to dash for the bathroom simultaneously.
Amelia leaped onto a chair, yanking herself forward, but Sam grabbed her leg and pulled her back, throwing her on floor. Her head snapped back with anger, reaching the table and retaliating with a glass of water, smashing it over his head and falling on his back, driving him into the floor.
"Let me go, you punk!" He gritted his teeth as Amelia grabbed his hair and pulled at it like he was a horse.
"Fuck off, I'm first." She spat, her expression turning ferocious.
Frankly, they looked like children, and in a way, they were. Just very powerful ones.
And just as they reached the door, their hands outstretched in order to claim bathroom and enjoy heavenly warmth of the water, door swung open on its own, slamming them both in the face and sending them crashing back onto the floor.
Steam billowed from the bathroom as both of them looked up to see a slender leg. Amelia blinked once, glanced at Sam, blinked again and then looked back at the woman walking out.
She was wrapped in a towel, water droplets sliding down her pale, tantalising skin, dark hair clinging to her shoulders and arms.
For a moment, both of them forgot they had been fighting, just staring at the stunning young woman with a dreamy smile dancing on her lips, eyes half-lidded with satisfaction, nodding to herself with a blissful expression.
"I feel like I'm in heaven." She giggled softly. After spending weeks in the basement, dirty and cold, her only companions being rats, taking a bath felt euphoric. Her voice was pleasant and melodious, like that of a nightingale.
Amelia opened her mouth, then closed it while Sam looked away and whistled to himself, avoiding her gaze sheepishly.
"Ah-ah-ha-ha... Haaaaaaa..." Amelia's breathing grew quicker, her eyes wide with disbelief and shock as she leaped back to her feet, grabbed another chair, face twisted with desperation, and raised it.
Sam's eyes widened in horror, raising his jands to stop her."Wait! It's not what you think! I can explain!"
"No you can't! You've been entranced by her charm! Don't worry though, I'll break this witch's hex!" Amelia shouted, her smile trembling as Sam curled into himself, resignation flashing in his eyes as the chair inevitably came down against his back.
Again.
Trissy watched the scene unfold, her expression lost and baffled as Sam tried to explain himself while Amelia, convinced he had been bewitched, beat him relentlessly in an effort to snap him out of it.
"What the hell..." Trissy blurted out, not understanding a single thing happening before her eyes, nor knowing the fact that she was the cause of it all.