𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 | 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐲

𝟎𝟎. 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

THE DEMON PACED RESTLESSLY DOWN THE HALLS OF HIS ABODE. His breathing gradually grew heavier as his patience wore thin. His glowing green eyes stared harshly at the door in front of him. Several flashes of light were visible from underneath the door as the commotion within grew more chaotic. He cracked. His large fists pounded on the door, threatening to tear it down.

"It should be finished by now!" his chilling voice roared.

The hue of his eyes flashed red with the fury emitting from himself. After receiving no response of acknowledgement, the demon pounded upon the door once more. Finally, the wooden door slowly creaked open. The large man standing before the demon cowered upon sight while trying to make himself appear smaller than he actually was. The demon looked expectantly upon the stooge.

"S-she s-says," he stuttered nervously over his words, "you c-can't rush genius."

The demon's eyes narrowed with a glare; however, before he could lash out another voice like nails on a chalkboard, could be heard from inside, "Kronk, you bumbling fool!"

The large man shot straight up, hitting his head on the stone arch of the doorway. He immediately winced in pain and placed a hand on his head while looking up at the impetus behind his pain.

The grating voice continued with no care for the man's well-being, "Get back inside this instant, I require more than one set of hands!"

"Coming, Yzma!" Kronk quickly shouted despite being relatively nearby.

Kronk turned on his heels, eager to rid himself from the demon's presence, and slammed the door shut. The demon growled and pulled on the horns of his head beyond frustration. In response, black tendrils leaked from his form causing the already decrepit stone structure to crumble further. His tantrum was halted when a lavender smoke began to emerge in wisps from underneath the door. Sounds of potions mixing while being poured into one another completed the effect of calming the demon. Moving on down the hall, he paused at another door. He raised his fist to pound on this second door; however, the door swung open before his fist came crashing down. He regained his composure before stepping into the room. Just in front of the open doorway rest an ebony bird on a pedestal.

"It's not time yet," the bird crowed cocking its head to look at the demon.

The demon swatted the creature aside only for the need to cover his ears as a high-pitched shriek emerged from the mouth of an elderly lady. She rushed to her beloved pet's side cooing over any possible injury. She turned and glared at the demon, who simply rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time for this, Witch," the demon growled, "back to work with your other spawn!"

Several of the women within the room frowned while surveying the presence of each individual and coming to a similar conclusion. Only one was bold enough to step forward and address the demon's misspoken words. With ice white hair sticking up from the top of her head, the purple skinned cecaelia approached him.

"Not all within this chamber are witches, there is a distinct difference," the cecaelia retorted while looking at a few of the other women with disdain.

"Does it look like I care about that distinction, Ursula?" the demon asked rhetorically with a frown before growling, "You each serve a purpose within this chamber, and if that purpose is not fulfilled consequences will be invoked!"

The cecaelia slunk backwards rejoining the other women with her eyes downcast. Silence hung in the air. The demon glared at the witches a moment longer before he turned his back to them and walked outside of the chamber.

"Just as I thought," he muttered audibly for them to hear.

He turned back toward them and grinned with satisfaction as each cowered. He reached out and grasped the rough wood of the door in his palm before slamming it shut himself. He turned on his heels toward the final door. He threw the door open, abandoning the thought of knocking, and tore it from its hinges.