The wandering story

Chapter V

Character: Erin (written by Ronja-lie)

I tried to punch the boy who held me in the stomach, but he took a step back and turned me against him. His different coloured eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Don’t worry, I’m a friend.” He grabbed my hand. “But come on girl! Run!”
Though my whole mind screamed how wrong it was to trust a complete stranger I found myself following him through the dark, dirty streets. There was nothing else to do. I glanced behind and saw the men following us. All of them were controlled by demons and had pale skins and glowering red, empty eyes. These demons are huge and their vessels are newly captured and strong. I can just imagine the taste of their blood, Joshua whispered in my head. It just makes them stronger. Come to me. I forced back a scream when the demon took over my body much faster than usual, but my legs got stronger and I could easily see all the beggars and street urchins sleeping against the dirty walls. I ran faster, and the boy gave me a sudden smile when he caught my speed. “We are there now, little malor, but I need time to open the gates. Please, give me space and prepare yourself to fight. ” I was taught not to ask questions in a pressured situation. To let everything go and do as I was told. I didn’t know this boy. He could be my strongest allay or biggest enemy, but right now there was no other choice than to trust him or die. I turned my back against him and faced the men. They were dressed like soldiers completely in black carrying heavy swords and axes. That would slow them down. I picked up my staffs, silently thanking the magicians, and kissed the black wood. My saliva made the silvery, poisonous spikes grow out at each top. The poison was strong enough to kill a man in a minute just by one stab, but the demons made the men much tougher. Eleven against one. I would not survive the night if the boy didn’t know what he was doing. I straightened my back and smiled at the men when they slowed down, watching me. There was not time being scared anymore. Come on, my love, let’s take them, Joshua said and laughed, filling my entire body. We threw ourselves at the nearest man, ducked under his axe and stabbed him with the staff. The others tried to surround us, but we were never standing still long enough to let them. Together we summoned a ball of raw energy and threw it at two demons lurking behind my back and watched them explode. Our body weakened by the drain, but there was no time to care. We fastened our speed even more, ducked and jumped and stabbed, but knew they were too many. It was only a matter of time before we were completely worn out. “What do you want?” We asked one of them as we caught his arm and stabbed him in the neck. He staggered, but the blank face didn’t shift. “We are ordered to take you to lady Ophiel.” I hadn’t heard the name before. The world seemed to grow darker and more painful, and my body screamed with pain, but it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing did, except survive and protect the boy.

I remembered a test during my apprentice time. I was twelve years old. The malors had locked me up in a dark room filled with demons, no weapons at all. That time I fought for my life, I had no chance at all, but kept going. When I was beaten half to death, the malors opened the doors and saved me. I didn’t cry. I never did. When Fargor came to see me I was so bruised I couldn’t even sit up.

“How do you feel?” he asked. I didn’t bother to answer, just looked at him and waited. “Are you angry?” “No.” He hesitated. “We watched you in there. You never hesitated, you never cried, panicked or screamed for help. Why?” “It wouldn’t help.” He watched me for a long time before he said: “We locked you up in there to see how you would react in a hopeless situation. You did everything right, except one thing: you should have screamed for help.” I was silent. We both knew I would never do that. “Would you like to leave if you could?” he asked at least, forcing me to meet his intense gaze. “I can’t. There is no place to go and you would never let me.” “True. It’s our burden to bear.”

I didn’t remember the end of the fight. When I woke up, the boy stood over me, his differently coloured eyes studying me.
“You are awake. Good”, he said with a small smile. I forced myself up to my feet with screaming muscles and aching head. “Where are they?” “Gone. Thank you for giving me time to open the gate.” Not until then did I look around. We were in a green, endless field covered in thick, grey mist. In the middle was a big river. “Where are we?” I asked coldly and raised my guard. “And who are you?” He smiled calmly and raised his hand. “It’s alright. My name is Jack and I’m the gate keeper. “Keeper of which gate?” I asked still on guard. “The gate between the worlds. It is safe here. I promise.” I didn’t understand, but nodded. “And where are we now?” “Nowhere. Everywhere.” He shrugged. “Please, follow me. There is someone who wants to meet you.” Quietly I followed him through the mist. It felt like a living creature touching me, striking my face and hair with invisible hands. I forced myself to remain calm, never losing my guard. It could have been seconds, minutes or even years before I finally saw a black shape in the mist. “It’s him.” Jack said. “Sarako Demari. The master of souls, death and time.” We walked to him. Jack bowed. “Master Demari.” “Thank you. Welcome malor Erin.” I couldn’t say a word. Just stare. The man, if it was a man, was very tall and wore only a pair of black pants. His skin was white and his face pure and angular with big, grey eyes without whites. The mist surrounding him seemed to take the form of long, silvery, white threads loosely binding his arms, legs and abdomen, to everything around him. His curly grey hair reached down to his knees and when he walked towards me the mist followed him like a cloak. “I am glad you came”, he said, cupped his hands around my face and calmly met my gaze. The threads touched my hands and I shuddered. “They are not dangerous”, he said softly. “They are the ties that bind me to every soul on the planet. Yours is there too.” I nodded and found myself smiling at him. “I’m glad you brought me here, but why?”

“Because you have a mission. There are many things happening in the world and you will soon be a part of it. You and three other creatures.” “Does it have anything to do with the demon I’m hunting?” I asked, feeling stupid. “Yes, in a way it does. That is why you accepted to come here, am I right?” I nodded, unable to say a word. “And you want to know where to find it. I will give you the answer though it is just a small part of this story.” He sat down in the grass with me in his lap, playing with my hair. “The demon has taken over Lady Seryan Mancer, the king’s own cousin. You will find her in the manor. Take her fast, my dear. The poor woman has suffered enough.” “I promise”, I said and closed my eyes, feeling unusually safe in the mist with his soft fingers in my hair. I felt like a small child again. Safe in my father’s arms. “What more do I have to do in this story?” “A lot, my dear. Maybe too much. Your task will be to find the source behind the demons. The man who created them.” “Were they created by a man?” I asked. Everybody thought they were the gods’ punishment to the world. The mere thought of a human able to create such monsters sounded ridiculous. “Yes. A man forced to live forever. Death is sometimes a freedom to us, have you ever thought about that? Like resting forever.” I nodded. “This man split his soul into hundreds of pieces and each piece turned into a demon. When one of them dies it returns to him and when another one is born a piece leaves. Do you understand?” “Yes, but why would anyone do such a thing?” “That is one of the few things I don’t know, but if he leaves your world the demons will follow. Your task will therefore be to bring him to me. I will keep him here in the field of death, maybe he one day will find the same rest as my sleeping souls.” He stroke over the threads binding him. “Would you do this for me?” “Yes. If I have to.” “You do. But you will need allies. I can see them. One man is hosting a demon against his will, searching for his father. If you find this one I would like you to bring him to me. I would help him to find what he is searching for. The other ones are fairies. One so powerful, but yet so weak, forced to serve someone who is hurting her every day. One is caught in another world.” “How do I find these people?” I asked. “You don’t. They will find you and you will recognise them. But take care, dear, they will be drawn to you like flies to honey, but they will also try to hurt you.” He rose and gave me one last hug. “Now it is time for you to leave. Jack will take you directly to lady Seryans house.” Seryan. I had nearly forgotten her. “Thank you,” I said. “But can you please give me something in return?” He smiled. “Whatever you want, my dear.” “When everything is over, can you just let me die then? Let me sleep here forever. Like all the people I have killed? I’m so tired and have no wish to live any longer.” “If that is what you want, you have lived a short life, but a hard one. Just don’t forget that it is also a lot of pleasure in living. Goodbye, sweet Erin.” He disappeared and I went back to Jack. “Please, take me back”, I said.

“As you wish.” Everything went black.

When I woke up I was leaning against the wall in a small, dark bedroom. I could hear someone turn in the bed, breathing softly. Silently I went to the bed and looked down at lady Seryan. In her sleep, her old face was very calm and innocent like a child’s. Though I knew the demon inside her would kill me as soon as it saw me. I picked up one of my staffs, pulled out the spike and stabbed her in her neck. The dead vessel wouldn’t feel the pain when I destroyed the demon. It fought hard when I forced it out of its body. The ball was nearly three times bigger than usual because of its pregnancy and it was angry. Really angry. As soon as it was out it punched at my chest, trying to break in and take control of my body. Joshua cursed, struggling to keep it out. Hurry, little Malor. I look forward to see this one in a million nasty little pieces, the demon growled. I ducked as the demon sent a blast of energy towards me, but we managed to kill it with our combined energy. Here is your blood, demon, I said, left the house and started to walk the long way home. When I reached the slum I suddenly saw a woman in a black cloak inside one of the pubs. I stopped and watched her. She turned around with a stern face. Her eyes widened when she saw me. “Malor Erin.” “Good evening, lady Ophiel. You have searched for me.”