Bond of a Demon

Chapter Eleven

We arrived in the field Shaiyala pointed out before. There was nothing else but the beautiful view for miles and miles. The sky was a marble of stark white and misty gray. The light reflected off the cool colors of the field in such a way it almost shimmered. I smiled at the lovely view.

"The Danyam Forest is there," Ghirahim pointed behind me. I turned around and my soul practically froze. In front of me was the complete opposite of the view behind me. It was a dense forest with thick, black trees that appeared charred and damaged. I grimaced at the sight. This isn't a place my instincts are saying I should enter.

"Beautiful," Ghirahim breathed. I raised an eyebrow at him in confusion and disgust.

"I see you still like the look of death."

Ghirahim shook his head with amusement in his golden eyes. He pointed up just past where I was looking. When I followed his finger with my eyes I gasped and my jaw dropped. At the top of the black, grotesque trees, were glittering, silver strings that cascaded down and ended just above me. I felt a smile form on my face. "I guess you're right about this one."

"Sometimes you need to look further to really understand something." He said so softly I almost wondered if I wasn't supposed to hear. I said nothing as we walked forward. I didn't think about his obvious double meaning.

The forest may be pretty on the outside, but on the inside it looks just as I originally pegged it to be. It was just dark at first, but as we entered deeper into the forest, a thick fog seemed to form. It was unnatural and suffocating. The way it seemed to swirl and form around us in a way that suggested it was alive.

"If this gets any worse, we're in trouble," I grumbled at the fog thickened. Ghirahim frowned and nodded in agreement. We made sure not to take any unnecessary turns and tried to remain on a straight path. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult. The temperature was beginning to drop now and I saw Ice forming on the branches nearby.

This cold wasn't natural or normal. I could feel it inside me as well as out. I couldn't see anything in my breath because the air inside my body was just as cold as the air outside. I crossed my arms and folded my shoulders inward in an attempt to warm myself. It worked about as well as an ice cube would though.

"We're here." Ghirahim stated suddenly. I looked ahead and squinted into the thick fog.

"How can you tell?"

Ghirahim placed a finger on his lips for me to remain quiet and walked ahead of me. I felt cautious and worried that he was moving ahead all alone and rolled my eyes at myself. Why should I care? I mean it's not like we're friends.

I heard a shriek, like a banshee and dashed forward with my sword drawn. Ghirahim stood defensively, holding his arm out for me to stop. "I know you're there! Show yourself!"

The fog parted so quickly I would have jumped if I wasn't on guard. A form that looked like an ink puddle slithered toward us on the ground. It shone just like a metallic liquid yet moved like a living thing. I tensed up at the sight. Every part of me wanted to draw my sword and attack. However Ghirahim's stance told me not to move.

The puddle stopped a few feet away and seemed to fall upwards. It pilled up onto itself as tiny strands of itself grew out and laced together until it created a human shape in about the time it took for me to blink thrice. It still shone and rippled like liquid yet held itself up like a human form. "None who enter here escape." It's voice was dark and deep like a monster... like a demon.

Ghirahim smirked, "None who are evil will ever enter the Danyam Forest. That was your sacred oath to your king before he was taken."

The liquid form seemed to hesitate a moment, but something about it seemed angry. "If you are one of Wenta's, you may forget about leaving here. You will not retrieve anything."

Ghirahim said with a confidence I didn't really share, "I am not one of Wenta's. I am the true Demon King!"

A black hand shot out with a shin finger pointed in our direction, "You lie! The Demon King is gone! All that is left, is his memory and forever loyal servants! Even that is dwindling to nothing! Unless you prove what you say is true, you will never leave this forest!"

I frowned and forcefully turned Ghirahim's head so that the earring was visible. The Demon of Darkness shrunk back with a low shriek.

"The shard! You have obtained the shard! How did you make it past Watah?"

Ghirahim's voice rose, "She is my childhood friend! And this is my blade that I forged myself!" He drew his sword and held it out for the Shadow Demon to see. He slithered closer and examined the blade.

"So it is." He glanced up at Ghirahim and his head shot to me. I felt ice down to my soul. It was hard to breathe and I shivered uncontrollably. "You may go. This one may not."

Before either of us could react, he broke into a formless, black cloud and surrounded me. He pulled tight around me and seemed to be forcing my body to absorb him. I felt the ice thicken and expand. My own skin was nothing but pain stretched over my bones. My mouth was closed shut and I couldn't breathe. I fell to the ground on my shoulder, bruising it. I couldn't hear anything because the shadow coated my ears and blocked all airways. I couldn't move enough to reach my sword or fight him off. The worst part was, it was like being shoved into a tight , sealed bag that shrinks!

My head was beginning to throb and ache and my chest was on fire. I fought hard, but nothing worked an my energy was quickly depleting. I'm going to die...

All of a sudden, the demon flew back and returned to the human form it was before. Air flooded my lungs painfully and I could feel consciousness return. I inhaled greedily and coughed from the sudden airflow. I heard Ghirahim doing the same and glared at the demon.

"It seems you are connected. No Demon with a black heart is given a Sora. You are the Demon King." The black form bowed, "Welcome back my Lord."

I recovered quickly and scrambled to Ghirahim. I helped him up and glanced cautiously at the black shape in front of us.

"You can welcome me by showing us to the shrine," Ghirahim gasped out with an annoyed expression. The shape nodded once and turned around.

"Follow me."

I shot a cautious look at Ghirahim who lightly touched my shoulder with assurance. For some reason, I felt that was enough reason to follow the crazy demon. We walked quickly to keep up with the slithering, black form. The fog parted in front of us as we walked, as if showing its approval. We came to a rough, weather worn stone with two words written on it.

Guardian Qif

My eyes widened and I looked at Ghirahim, "He's... gone?"

The shadow demon shook his head, "This is a decoy. In times such as these we cannot be too careful. I am the Guardian Qif. Now, use the key my Lord, and you will be shown the way..."

With that, he disappeared into the fog as it surrounded us once again.

Ghirahim took his earring out and looked at me.

"Are you ready Hero?"

I nodded and replaced my sword. Ghirahim pressed the two shards into the hole on top of the stone, and turned.