Hellfire

Chapter 3 - January

            Daemonium stared at the sky while he sat in the snow. This was the same spot that he got intimate with a week ago. The memory still stung, though he wasn't sure which was hurt more – his pride or his face. He heard commotion and knew that the troops were waking and forming up before breakfast. Daemonium should have gotten up, but he didn't. The only reason he would have gotten the scouting mission last week was because someone had coerced is father into giving it to him, but nobody, no one, had that power. Daemonium thought he'd done a good job, but nothing changed. Nothing ever changed, apparently.

            Daemonium got up and began to brush the snow off him he trudged through the snow to camp, the last one to arrive in line. His father glared at him openly as he dismissed people to get their food. Daemonium was sure to be the last person in line, just to spend less time with his father eating. For as long as Daemonium could remember, he just wanted his father's approval – but not any longer. Now, now he just wanted his father to leave him alone. To acknowledge the improvement, or to leave him alone. He wasn't sure when this started, but he had been caring less and less about this army, about his father. Though, he hoped he was hiding it very well.

            Daemonium sat down with his food, most of the other Comondante's were finished. Daemonium said good morning to Eric, who responded by glaring at Educis. Educis shifted in his seat and looked at his son, right in the eyes. "Mortis Daemonium, I have a task for you, should you accept it." He always did that. Whenever formally talking to Daemonium, he always put his surname first.

            "What is the task, Comondante Mortis?" He was interested for a fleeting moment.

            "Another scouting mission."

            "Are no other squads available? I have much work to do with mine."

            "I will find another, clearly you dislike the responsibility."

            "With all due respect, sir, that is not what I said. I welcome the responsibility. I am very honored you would think of me and my squad for these missions. I was merely stating that there are others more qualified and with less progress that needs to be made."

            "As a leader you should be able to handle a little training and a scouting mission. They're very simple and everyone else is over-qualified. I give this task to you."

            "I refuse the task at this time," Daemonium looked at his father's eyes, desperately trying to hide his pain. "Sir, I apologize that I cannot accept this. Please understand." Daemonium stood from the table and pushed away his plate. He walked to his troops, they'd gotten into formation without him. Feeling defeated and irritated he stood in front of his troops, telling them about how much further they had left to go before the frost ended. He looked over to see his father arguing with Eric. That's who forced his hand. The only person who could ever sway Educis' opinion.

            Nathanial laid awake in his bed, staring at the imperfections found on his ceiling. His nightmares about his past, his mother in particular, were getting worse. He had dreamt Jeremy was alive too. It was impossible, the two people who loved him the most were still there to love him. Samantha was there too. They were together. He sighed, an impossible dream in every aspect. It was a comfort until his eyes opened and he saw where he was. He sat up in bed with a groan and held his head in his hands. Why was he this way? Always wishing for things he knew he'd never have. He stood up and relieved himself before going to work making a minimal breakfast. He didn't have much food in his house, not that he ever did. He sat down at his table and it broke under the light pressure of his plate. He had made it last week and expected it to break, just not with his food on it. Nathanial set to work cleaning up the mess, his mind still remembering his dream.