Page 87 of Unbinding the Demon
Soft luminescent beams glimmered over her sweet smiling face, and she seemed like she was feeling much more comfortable than earlier. “You know, for a family of bloodthirsty demons, they sound like a bunch of goofballs.” She quipped with a light-hearted tone.
An amused laugh rumbled out from my chest. “They really are. I hope you’ll get to meet them someday and see for yourself.” I played with her hair, enjoying the moment.
Her cheeks blushed. “It’s funny. I envisioned we’d be in Finland, eating salmiakki around an old fireplace, and listening to embarrassing stories about your childhood when I met your family. I never imagined I’d be meeting demons in Hell.”
I let out a quiet chuckle. “I’m sure you’ll still be hearing plenty of embarrassing stories about my childhood.” A smile stretched across my face because she wasn’t shooting down the idea of meeting my family. In fact, it seemed like she was even considering it.
She yawned with heavy eyelids and nestled into me. “Can you tell me about the cities now?”
Her small gesture brought a swell of joy to my heart. Even though I was downright perplexed by how fast she was warming back up to me, I still relished it. “I’m getting to it.” I snuggled her, enjoying the closeness as I drew her nearer.
I explained to her that the military had drafted me because I was the oldest male among my siblings. I also shared how I fought in many brutal battles alongside my father. On my travels during the war, I met an ancient and infamous demon named Lareus. He was proficient at traveling between different dimensions. I, being a curious young whippersnapper, developed a strong interest in dimensional travel. Once my conscription was served, I went back and apprenticed under Lareus. He taught me how to get to Earth, and I worked hard to train and strengthen my powers so I could effortlessly travel between the two worlds.
“Are you sure you don’t want to hear all this once you’ve rested?” I asked, noting how sleepy Gwendolyn now was.
“No, I’m fine. Please continue. This is all very fascinating,” she replied, blinking her heavy eyelids with effort to keep them open.
“Alright, if you insist.” I stared at her with concern. I recognized her extreme exhaustion, but I continued.
“Once I mastered traveling to and from Earth, I found a beautiful little farming kingdom in what is now northern India. The kingdom sat atop a tall, rocky mountain. It overlooked an expansive lake and stretched down into a lush, sunny valley filled with fruit orchards and crop fields. I admired the way the sun set over the sparkling water every evening, and I visited often just to watch it. I stayed in my human disguise and hid my tattoos while there; then I befriended the people once I picked up the language. I taught them many useful tips and tricks to improve their standard of living. And for fun, I would single-handedly defend them against warring tribes and pillagers. To show their gratitude, they treated me like a god and built a luxurious palace for me to stay in whenever I returned. It was quite nice, too. I had my own fruit garden, a swimming pool, a wonderful view of the lake, and a large harem of women.”
“Wait a fucking minute! You had a harem!?” She shot up and directed a fierce glare at me, her face green with jealousy.
I yanked her back down against me. “Yes, Ihada harem over five thousand years ago. They were just women to fuck, nothing more. I never loved any of them as I love you,” I tried to reassure her. Still, she seemed jealous. She avoided eye contact, so I could tell she felt a bit self-conscious, too. “You’re the only one I’ve been with in the past five thousand years, and I plan to keep it that way. I want to make you my bride after all,” I gently reminded her.
“Yeah, yeah, just get on with the damn story.” She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes in irritation. “Oh, and you shouldn’t objectify the women from your harem like that! They were human beings, not just women to fuck, you big lecherous jerk!” she added, her face flushed as she poked at my chest.
I exhaled a long, vexatious breath. “Anyway... Word of my strength and power had gotten around to neighboring kingdoms. It eventually reached this worthless bitch named Yevorah. She was a sorceress from an infamously dishonorable tribe and was known for her unethical uses of magic. Using her sorcery, she seduced and married a powerful king named Harvaak. He ruled over the kingdom of Nahpara, which comprised many large and wealthy, but also very corrupt cities. She ensnared his mind with her witchcraft, turning him into a hollow shell and her personal puppet. Through him, she had full control over his kingdom.” I took Gwendolyn’s hand and held it against my chest, giving it a gentle, loving squeeze as I continued.
“So one day, the cunt had the nerve to show up at my palace uninvited, interrupting my cherished lounge time with my harem. She asked me to kill her husband, take the throne, and marry her. She proclaimed that her witchcraft, paired with my strength, was destiny. Together, we’d become an unstoppable force, poised to conquer and rule nations. United, we’d dominate like a tempest, leaving our imprint on every corner of the earth.... I straight-up laughed in her face and insulted her. I had no interest in that whatsoever. Earth was like a fun little getaway for me. The last thing I wanted was the responsibility of kingship in my chill vacation world. Besides, the thought of marrying her repulsed me to my core. She had decent looks but smelled like a dead reptile, and her soul was so disgusting I could barely stand to have her in my presence.” My face reflected my disgust as I recalled that foul ogress.
“She sounds like quite the catch,” Gwendolyn stated sarcastically, then giggled.
“Oh yeah, you have no idea,” I chuckled. “After I rejected her proposal with harsh words, she resorted to sorcery. She attempted to cast a spell on my resolve to change my decision. However, it had no effect on me since I am, well, you know, a demon, after all. This angered her greatly, so she stormed out of my palace, and unbeknownst to me, sought revenge.” I pulled her closer to me, causing an adorable, small squeak to escape her.
“Well, did she get it?” she asked, her eyes shining with enrapturement as I squished her body against mine.
“Yes, unfortunately, she did,” I murmured. “I had traveled back to Hell for a while, and when I returned to Earth, I found the kingdom I loved in ruins. The buildings and fields were pillaged and burned. All the people and livestock had been slaughtered. They impaled their headless bodies upside down around my palace, and lined the walls of my courtroom with their heads. No one had been spared, not even the women and children. My harem was raped and murdered. They were strung up like banners over my bed, left to decompose with Nahparian swords still down their throats and impaled between their legs.” It all happened a long time ago, but speaking about it excavated long-forgotten rage and sorrow like putrid carcasses buried within the depths of my soul.
“That’s so horrible.” Gwendolyn’s sweet voice pierced the darkness in my mind. She wrapped her arm around me in a gentle half-hug, pulling me back to the present.
“Yes, it was.” I smiled and kissed her forehead, then began stroking her back. “I distinctly remember the sunset that evening because it was the last beautiful thing I saw before getting trapped in The Abyss. I stood on my stone balcony, facing the pale orange and pink skies with determination. The breeze softly stirred my hair while I looked out over the peaceful, shimmering lake. I mourned my friends and the innocent lives that were lost. Rage consumed me as I thought of Yevorah. I knew without any doubt it had been her doing. There was no other reason why the Nahparians would have attacked and made it seem so personal toward me.”
She knitted her brows and gazed into my eyes. “So wait, I’m kinda confused. If you’re a half-violent, bloodthirsty fighting demon, then why were you grieving over the loss of innocent lives? Shouldn’t you be all heartless and cruel?”
Her question was ingenuous. But I was still a bit irked that the false negative stigma around demons had apparently influenced her. That was something I’d have to fix before taking her to Hell. “Because, even though certain types of demons specialize in violence and combat, we still have morals and emotions. Most of us are against slaying innocent lives.”
She nodded, and I continued on with my story. “I stormed into King Harvaak’s palace, killing a few of his guards on the way. There I stood in his sumptuous throne room before him and his council, demanding an explanation. His eyes burned with hatred for me that wasn’t his own, as he accused me of plotting his murder and raping hislovingwife. Yevorah stood behind him, a smirk of triumph on her face as she savored my loss. I realized I was wasting my time with Harvaak because he was just an empty vessel for her to speak through.”
“So, I erupted in a storm of furious shouts directed at her, calling out all her wicked deeds and egotistical accusations. I wanted to kill her right then and there, but I wanted to make her suffer more. She was an avaricious, power-hungry bitch, so I vowed I would take her kingdom away from her for what she had done. She would soon be the queen of nothing but ashes. Foolishly, I revealed my true form, then flew up through the ceiling and began destroying her precious criminal-filled cities. I created violent earthquakes and monstrous flaming whirlwinds to wreak havoc across her lands. I was swift to annihilate everything in my path, turning her cities into nothing more than crumbled stone and ash, just as I had promised.”
“That’s pretty intense,” she whispered with wide, tired eyes.
“Yeah, well, I was pretty pissed off,” I replied, sounding quite miffed.
“Once I obliterated and burned her cities to smoking smithereens, I flew back to her palace to gloat. I was arrogant and thought I was untouchable by anything in this world. Which was sort of true. However, unbeknownst to me, Yevorah had knowledge of abyssal magic. A magic that is not of this world and powerful enough to affect a demon, especially a young, naïve one. As I entered the throne room, the only light source came from King Harvaak’s dead mangled corpse as it burned eerily on his throne. It illuminated the butchered bodies of his loyal guards and the glistening blood that pooled around them.”
“Yevorah’s handmaiden and apprentice emerged from a shadowed corner and struggled to cast a spell over me. I scoffed at her, knowing full well her efforts were in vain. What I didn’t know was that she was merely a distraction. King Harvaak was a burnt sacrifice needed to raise the dark energies to bind demonic power. Yevorah hid behind the throne, casting the binding spell over me in secret. As I mocked the timid handmaiden, a sudden wave of agonizing pain forced me to double over, and I felt my powers drain from my soul. Yevorah’s bare feet gently splashed through the bloody puddles as she emerged from her darkened hiding spot, her malicious cackling echoing throughout the large room. She taunted me as I fought through the pain and stumbled to my feet, only to fall right back down.”
