Demonheim

Chapter 9

Everything hurt. Roy couldn't quite remember how they had managed to get back to Demonheim but he was grateful to be alive if more than a little irritated. His relief hadn't lasted long before an ass called Warrick showed up to drag him out of bed away to the great hall.
"Why do you love to watch me in pain and discomfort so much?" Roy moaned.
Warrick chuckled, it sounded like giant rocks rolling down a hill.
"Because you are an arrogant bastard most of the time"
"Only most of the time? Well you're an ass all the time but you don't see me torturing you over it"
"Glad to see the dark world didn't strip you of your sense of humor" Warrick gave Roy a playful yet still quite painful slap on back which was enough to make the smaller demon drop onto the ground like a sack of grains.
Roy laid there, moaning in agony.
"Get up, we don't want to keep HER waiting"
"I'm not going anywhere unless you carry me" Roy replied petulantly.
"Boy" Warrick growled, "I'll grab you by the foot and drag you down to the demon lord's halls" Warrick threatened.
"Still won't have to walk there" Roy shrugged on the floor. Warrick grumbled lowly then reached down to pick the blue demon up like a rag doll and throw him over his shoulder.
"Uhmf! Don't manhandle me I'm the demon lord's consort!" Roy complained "Or is it demonhandle?" He mussed.
"That position won't matter soon" was Warrick's ominous reply before he plopped Roy down on his behind.
"Oww! What do you mean by that?"
Warrick stared at him deeply, "a change is imminent" he said then walked away leaving him behind in front of the towering doors of the great hall.
   Kalendrius looked like a child who had gotten a shiny new toy, she smiled and giggled a bit as he walked up to the throne. Roy felt extremely put off by it.
Her androgynous face gazed at him, drinking in his appearance.
Creepy! Roy resisted a shiver.
"You returned" she said, then added "alive!"
"Uh sure, yeah I guess I did"
She smiled again, a ghastly expression she simply would not stop making.
"Let me see it"
Roy blanched for a moment. Stall for time!
"Uuh my Lord!" he fidgeted and tried to fake a blush, "out here? I mean, if you say so I guess...."
He started reaching for the edge of the loose trousers he had been given.
Just before he pulled it down Kalendrius screamed.
"Stop!" She looked mildly bewildered, "show me the dark flames!"
Just as the tension intensified, the doors of the great hall swung open and Odiana walked in behind Dera.
A sense of relief washed over Roy. She looked worse for wear but alive nonetheless. As their eyes met a complex array of emotions swept across her face too quick for Roy to decipher what they meant.
Kalendrius's eyes narrowed to pinpoints as she gazed on the princess of Berrionheim. Not a good omen.
But her attention was only on Odiana for an instant before it shifted to Roy once more. All her excitement earlier was gone, he had sinking feeling in his gut, like a sinkhole had suddenly opened up.
"You've returned from the dark world, as promised you will be given a place by my side" she paused, "but there is one thing you must do. I want proof of your unyielding loyalty"
Roy blinked numbly for two breathes then asked unceremoniously, "whadd'ya want?"
Kalendrius smiled and her eyes flickered to Odiana. Two large demons appeared out of thin air and grabbed her on either side then forced her on her knees with her head bent forward in an execution pose.
"kill her for me and I will raise to positions far beyond your wildest dreams"
Roy felt a numb feeling settle on him. The tension in his heart eased to a steady rhythm. Badunk.......badunk.
It was an easy choice to make. He nodded at the demon lord and started to walk towards Odiana.
He thrust his hand forward and a plume of dark blue smoke billowed forth from his wrist to about three feet then disappeared instantly, leaving behind a long sword. [Weapon Projection]. The sword wasn't real, it gave off a dark surreal aura and the broad blade had blotches of rust on it and it looked ancient but the glint in the edges showed it was as sharp as ever.
Odiana stared up at him with wide eyes. Shock and betrayal written all over her face.
He stopped in front of her. His expression was blank. Then something flickered in his eyes, amusement.
"I'm truly sorry about this"
He slashed his sword sharply, decisively with a cold glint in his eyes.
Two heads plopped down next to her and the hands restraining her slacked as the life left their bodies.
His arm reached under her shoulder and heaved her to her feet.
"We don't have time for you to play shocked damsel!" Roy said urgently as he turned to face the demon lord in preparation for her attack but she sat on her throne, unmoving.
"You have made your choice?" She enquired calmly.
"There was never a choice in the first place!" Roy retorted.
She rose regally from her throne. The ground trembled beneath her as though in recognition of her annoyance.
"I will make you suffer" her eyes burned with unfathomable rage.
"Geez she's got a temper on her" Roy mumbled as he passed phantom sword to Odiana and conjured another one from smoke.
"I hate these weapons" Odiana said wrinkling her nose in disgust. Weapon forged from nothing, it was only a strong as Roy's will and that fact that it was light in her grasp didn't give he any confidence, that and the smoke coming off of it.
"Oh yeah?! Perhaps you'd prefer to fight THAT barehanded!" Roy pointed at a distorted space that rippled in a familiar manner and a giant worm came charging out it's cylindrical shaped mouth wide open with rows upon rows of serrated teeth on display.
Odiana leapt out of the way while Roy simply dematerialized and reappeared above the worm with a large spear in hand. He plunged the spear into the worm, prompting an ear splitting shriek from the infernal creature.
He managed to conjure another spear and sink it into it's soft flesh before it's twisting motions forced him off it's back.
Roy saw Odiana charging after the demon lord. She leapt up to the throne in a single bound, her sword was ready to swing and relieve Kalendrius of her bleached white head.
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A/N:............. life is a wind, blows e'ery which way it pleases. We're boats without oars, we drift and go wherever it takes us.
Thanks for reading 🙏🏾