Chasing Demons

CHAPTER 7

The honor of an elf

Following Alastor to the Nevernever might not have been my best idea, ok; it might even feature on my top 10 list of my worse ideas ever. As soon as we arrived through the demon's weird magic I got busy keeping in my vomit. Forget roller coasters this would get your insides in a twist like nothing else. While gathering myself, Alastor was impatiently tapping his foot, how was also not busy emptying his stomach? No clue but it was probably some demon cheating. Maybe the fuckers just could not get sick? "Are you done with that display, Caleb?" the impatient tone was not helping my view on the fucker. "Just a moment more my stomach wants to get familiar with the ground," I sputtered finally managing to get my stomach under control. The environment was pretty surreal we were standing in what must be a giant cave; some bluish moss was providing light from the ceiling. Around us were rows upon rows of cocoons at first I ignored them until I realized one of them was moving; "The fuck are there like giant spiders around here like bigger than what even Australia has ever witnessed. Like the mother of all spiders big?" I got a boring look for my comment, and a dry response; "I fail to see how the state of the natural wildlife around here is a relevant topic of discussion." Right, of course, the problem of getting consumed by a giant spider was not something worth talking about. "Can I at least know the odds of us dying a horrible fate to giant spiders or is that also irrelevant to you?" I snapped back. Alastor rolled his cat-like eyes "High if you keep wasting time instead of getting a move on."

[A change of perspective]

Guilt was not worth it for an outsider. They had shown up out of nowhere slaughtered my people, and tried to make outrageous demands like giving them rights to sacred lands long held by my people. Still, as I sat in the camp the guilt refused to leave. Lathion had told me to let it go, no love to be spared for a warmongering outsider and so what if they died? That was their problem. I closed my eyes why could I not accept it being that simple? Was it because of the promise we made? A promise to an outsider meant nothing since they had no honor to uphold it on. Why did it still feel like I was the one abandoning my honor? Before I could conclude my thoughts I was visited; "Are you still sitting here?" my brother's voice made me aware of just how shameful my guilt was. "I was just thinking," I replied trying to keep my composure; "Hopefully not about that outsider again?" My brother easily deducted. "Not like that," I tried to defend myself; "I am just worried about what he is doing." "You swore on your honor he would not be a threat, are you know suddenly finding yourself unsure?" the scolding tone made me pause. "No, I just..." I just what I just felt like I had done something wrong? "Please do not tell me you have gone soft, softness has no place on a battlefield. Please sort this out you are being an embarrassment to the family," my brother declared leaving me.

*

Maybe I had gone soft but my concerns about the outsider, no, Caleb would not leave me. I knew he was being toyed with by a demon, and being an outsider he had no idea how badly he would be in for it. What was worse was that he had no allies, and therefore no way to track down his missing brother. A perfect pray for a demon ignorant and desperate was that not what I had exploited myself? The thought left a sour taste in my mouth. I was not a low-life demon who had to cheat and lie to get my way lacking any real might of my own. I was a child of the Flow and had the honor to fight my own battles and respect those who fought alongside me. The human was not of the Flow, but he had helped me despite everything, and it was cowardly to not repay the respect. Lathion would not agree I already knew that he hated all outsiders and I understood why. But behaving like them like slimy demons did not make us any better. It was cowardly either way. "Shadows be my guide and take me on the forbidden path to a place never once touched by the sun and her children," I had made my decision and I would find Caleb.

[Meanwhile elsewhere]

"When are we going to be there?" Alastor turned around glaring at me; "Could you stop asking me that." "No, please this time? I must have made you angry for you to forget your manners that much," no I knew pestering the demon was not helping anything, but I was on the verge of a breakdown just walking around here. We were out of a spider hell and had now instead entered a creepy cave filled with eyes growing on the walls. What was worse was that they were staring at us, and I was not allowed to express concern about that. Alastor decided he apparently was too classy to answer that and just kept walking. Why the fuck could the demon not act a bit pettier so I had something I could distract myself with? Now we walked in silence instead, and I was hyper-aware of the eyes looking at us as shameless as a group of paparazzi hunting a famous actor. Did they blink? My starring contest with an eye was rudely interrupted by Alastor who elected to just drag me. He was much stronger than in my dream, so my attempt to resist did nothing. I looked around one last time having a feeling we were being followed, probably just more eye-induced paranoia.

We arrived at our destination what could only be described as a fever dream of a horror author dealing with a bad trip. I get having a dedication to a certain aesthetic, but vomit-inducing neon blended with a not-so-subtle need to have everything be made by body parts and bones. I suppose that is one way to recycle and save the environment. I was not a fan, to be honest, but then again I had the feeling I was not meant to either, and that did not at all make anything better. While I was having a moment just slowly processing how fucked up everything was Alastor meanwhile insisted on poking me not reading my mood very well. Or he was just an asshole probably the latter. "Are you done stalling," he asked; "No, I am not stalling I am just having a moment," I replied. "Can you finish having your so-called moment so we can get a move on?" I rolled my eyes; "Sure I will just reschedule my breakdown here for another time totally how that works." Though I was relieved to be back to bickering it was a great distraction from my surroundings and the growing feeling I might just have made some really bad life choices to end up here. Yet I still followed the demon ahead, so not as I could complain. I mean I could and I would, but this was undeniably my own fuck up and my choice. The walk through the corridors of the bone palace whatever to call it was something I rather block from my mind. There was this creature-thing that reached out to me at some point. Bloodied and red the skin was glistering as it locked a hand around my ankle. I tried to get free but its grip was iron then my brain decided to freeze. Standing there I just looked at it and it stared back with hollowed-out eye sockets. It was Alastor who got me free and while we left he just kicked the thing, and it let out an unnerving cry.

We had walked through a few more corridors before it hit me why it had been so unnerving, that sound it had felt too much like a person. And as soon as that thought entered my head I could not get rid of it. Whatever this place was it was not a place I should be; ignored doubts and fear ran wild as I forced myself not to just run off. This was hell was it not? Probably not in name, but it felt too much like it to be anything but that. My brother was here I reminded myself I cannot leave him here. That thought was my lifeline the last defense of my sanity. I needed to get him out of here, nothing else was important. Still, I could not help but feel cold as I noticed Alastor's coy smile. I had a bad feeling he knew something that I should have known before agreeing to this whole trip. I doubted he would reveal his grand finally to me ahead of time, so I refrained from asking. Fucker did not deserve to gloat at me even if he was the one winning here. A giant door blocked our path as Alastor excused himself to go inside and announce my presence, leaving me to wait in the hallway. A perfect moment to bail on this nightmare, but we both knew I was not going anywhere. I was way too deep in this now.