The Demons Collectors

Part 1: Chosen

Young children of the most poverty infested lands of the Solomon Nation are picked from their families and homes during the most fearful time of the decade. Every ten years, children from families that can't afford protection, are lined up outside the gates to Hell. Those who did not comply were not killed, but their lives were made as many times more miserable as was needed to teach them a life-long lesson. The children are then chosen individually by the highest ranking associate of the Devil himself, to be the apprentice of the best trainers around. Unfortunately you see, these children will never see their loving homes or families again, which is the horrible truth of this system. This may seem such a harsh reality to bring upon such innocent young children, but really the Devil is being kind. Jobs are given to those less fortunate, even if it is one that they can't ever escape. 

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'That one!' The Great Demon bellowed. His rotting finger pointed towards a skinny, fair-haired child to his left, who's emerald eyes grew wide with terror. He wore rags, passed down from his siblings, another poor beggar.

'But sir, he is nothing but a weakling! He stinks of fear. He will be no good for us!' Protested the Second in Command, scowling at the child, with the other guards mumbled in agreement. No-one wanted to deal with the peasants, this job used to be such a prestigious duty, thousands of years ago. 

'NO!' Roared the Great Demon. 'He is the one the Devil has chosen. He shall be the next to join the Collectors! You shall not question me again, or risk your life!'

The 2nd in command mumbled..'I-I am sorry master, I will send him into training right away, master.' He bowed and proceeded ahead with his promise. The Great Demon growled at him in disgust, even the ones with responsibility were wimps.  

The child was shoved forward, forced to follow the Second in Command. His feet were dirty and cut, his arms were cold, despite burnt from the heat of the chamber walls. His thin shirt and shorts did nothing to stop the freezing cold wind that flew through the room, which seeped into his nearly translucent skin. He resisted to shiver, as fear of the large monster before him froze him solid, he was defenseless. 

He followed the Commander down hundreds of flights of stairs, each step getting more jagged as they got deeper into the Earth. The walls surrounding him had turned from carved stone to thick clay. A lump filled the child's throat as the intense feeling of fear filled him towards from his core. The Commander snarled at the child, urging him to walk quicker. His bare, numb feet smacked hard against the solid ground, aching with each downward step. 

'W-where... ar-re we going?' Stuttered the child, peering up at the large Demon. 'Patience Child!' The Commander roared, slapping him on the back of the head. The Child whimpered, 'S-s-s-sorry, sir...' He promised to himself that he would never have the confidence to talk out of place again, so long as he lived. 

The child stared at the ground whilst being led down the last of the steps, where they arrived at a broad, oak wood door. He gasped at the sheer size of the door: it was bigger than anything he had ever seen in Solomon. The door was battered and discoloured, a clear indicator of its thousands of years old age.

The Demon pulled out a giant key from his thick, leather overcoat, and lodged it into the equally large keyhole. He proceeded to slowly twist it, and the sounds of thousands of tiny locks echoed into the silence. Heaving the door open with his shoulder, he looked straight into the Child's teary eyes with his own bloodshot pair, took a step towards him and grimly whispered in his ear...

'Welcome to training.'