The Descending Darkness

by Michael Chulsky

  Maedara grabbed Lydia by the hand and rushed to the second row, middle seats. She wanted to be as close to the podium as possible so she would be the first person the auctioneer would see. As she settled in, she couldn’t help but notice that nobody else made an attempt to sit in the second row with them. “I guess they’re giving me the space I deserve as royalty.”

  “Second row!” Lydia exclaimed. “This is incredible. That means we’ll get the first glance at whatever it is they’re selling today…like the mysterious item!”

  “And you’re sure you don’t know what it is already?” Maedara asked, readjusting the bag on her arm and bringing it higher up to her shoulder. “You always know all of the hot gossip…I find it hard to believe you’d be left out of the loop with this one. Dish, girl, dish!”

  Lydia opened her mouth wordlessly. She glanced around to see if anyone was listening in. “Okay, I’m not entirely sure…but I hear it’s something powerful and very dangerous. Something they don’t want falling into common hands.”

  Maedara smiled and flipped her hair dramatically to the side. “Sounds perfect for me. Because I’m very dangerous and not at all common.”

  “Mhm, well hopefully you brought a lot of money, because I hear there are some high rollers in here today.”

  Maedara laughed. “I don’t leave my house with anything less than a small fortune. Don’t you remember the shopping trips we used to go on?”

  Lydia smirked. “It’s been a while…but I remember. All high-end stores, all the stuff we bought, all the people you killed….”

  “Good times, good times,” Maedara replied dreamily. “Speaking of buying stuff, where the hell is the auctioneer? We’ve been waiting here for a long time. How dare he keep me waiting?”

  “It has been a while…but I’m sure he’ll be here soon. Besides, it’s fashionable to be a few minutes late.” Lydia fiddled around in her purse for a few moments. The sound of a door opening brought her head up. “Speak of the demon!”

  Maedara turned her head to the front and watched as a large demon made his way into the room with two armored escorts. She frowned at the sight of him: his skin a putrid shade of green and so tight it looked as though it were stretched out to fit him; he also had claws on his hands and feet, and horns jutting out from random places on his head – it was revolting. Not quite as revolting as Mezmir in her opinion, but a close second, definitely. She turned and tapped Lydia on the shoulder. “Is that him? The auctioneer?”

  Lydia nodded. “Mhm.”

  “How…unfortunate. I liked the old one better.”

  The auctioneer walked up to the podium and cleared his throat. “I welcome you all to the auction!” He paused as the audience clapped, and waited for the commotion to calm. “I’m sure you’re all very excited to begin, so I won’t keep you waiting. Let’s begin!”

  “I wonder what color his blood is,” Maedara wondered to herself. She contemplated taking off one of her stiletto heels and stabbing him in the chest to find out. Of course if that happened then there’d be no shopping which would be a total buzz kill.

  “Are you excited?” Lydia whispered.

  Maedara blinked, coming back to reality. “Oh, yes…I’m always excited to buy nice things.”

  The auctioneer beckoned to one of his guards, who proceeded to walk behind a curtain. When the guard came back, he was carrying a tiny satin bag.

  The auctioneer took the bag from the guard and made a show about opening it slowly and pulling out the item inside. It was a small vial of a swirling red liquid that pulsed with a strange orange glow. “Lot #1 and the first item up for bid…is a potion!” he said, and then paused for a second to create dramatic effect. “But this isn’t just any potion my friends…this is a potion that gives the imbiber the ability to shoot flames out of their hands!”

  Maedara looked around as the crowd gasped and whispers broke out in excitement. She scowled. “Oh, so they think the idea of someone setting fires is cool, but when I was younger and set things on fire, it was all, ‘No, stop, Maedara, you’re being irrational!’ Ugh, the hypocrites.”

  The auctioneer flashed a wide smile. “Shall we start the bidding at 15,000 dollars?” he asked, scanning the crowd. A few people raised their hands, and the bids poured in.

  “Ugh, why did he have to start the bidding so high?” Lydia whispered, leaning over to Maedara. “I was totally gonna try and lowball him for it!”

  “You want it?” Maedara asked. “I’ll buy it for you. You could always pay me back, or not. Whatever. It’s not like I’m hurting.”

  “You mean it?”

  “Of course. What are friends for?” Maedara replied.

  “The bid stands at 75,000 dollars. Going once….”

  Maedara raised her hand. “150,000!”

  “150,000? Is she crazy?”

  “Too rich for my blood!”

  “Oh, great, now she can shoot fire. As if her hands weren’t deadly enough!”

  The auctioneer stared at her for a long moment. “I have 150,000…going once.” He paused. “Going twice…come on everyone, bid before it’s too late! Remember, the winner of this item will have the power to shoot fire from their hands…are you all absolutely sure you want our lovely current bidder going around shooting fire?” He paused for one more second before letting out a huge sigh. “Very well. The fire potion, for 150,000 dollars, goes to Maedara!” He struck the top of the podium with a large metal gavel, and a guard came to collect the potion from him.

  Maedara pulled out a large wad of bills and held it out to the approaching guard. She retrieved the bottle and passed it to Lydia. “Ta-da!”

  “Oh my god!” Lydia exclaimed, wrapping her fingers around the potion. “Thank you so much.”

  Maedara waved it off with a flick of her hand. “Don’t mention it, seriously. I’ve bought clothing more expensive. Besides, you’re my girl.”

  Lydia smirked and put the bottle into her pocketbook. “Well the first item was interesting enough…I wonder what’s next.”

  Maedara shrugged. “I guess we’ll see.” She kept her gaze transfixed on the auctioneer waiting to see what other goodies were in store – especially the rumored mysterious item that everyone was so hush-hush about. Whatever it was, she was certain it would be interesting.

  A few hours later, lot #15 was auctioned off and the winning party received their spoils from the guard. The auctioneer cleared his throat and tapped on the podium. “My friends, I hope you’ve enjoyed this auction. Many magnificent rarities have been won today. I hope you all make good use of them. However, none of them will compare to lot #16…the final item.”

  Maedara leaned forward onto the edge of her seat as whispers broke out around her. She could understand the excitement because it echoed her own. She watched as a guard went behind the curtain and returned with a large chest, setting it down onto a small table near the podium. The chest appeared to be carved out of bone and was adorned with sapphires and skulls. “How pretty….”

  The auctioneer moved away from the podium and went over to the chest. He ran his hand along the surface and shivered. “I can already feel the power coming off this next one. For those who don’t recognize it…allow me to introduce the Chest of Ondeyr!”

  Lydia gasped. “The Chest of Ondeyr?!”

  Maedara glanced around the room as the crowd broke out in whispers. Several demons straightened up in their seats and others chatted in a spirited fashion to their neighbors. Apparently, the item was a big deal. She turned to her friend. “Lydia, you know what this…chest thing is?”

  “I’ve heard rumors…every demon and their mother has been searching for this thing for centuries, apparently. I’m not sure what it does, but its power is supposed to be cataclysmic. I wonder how it came to be here….”

  “Indeed,” Maedara replied softly. “Something like that is just too good to pass up. I’ll have to win it…or they’ll die trying.”

  The auctioneer returned to the podium and struck it with hi
s gavel. “Alright everyone, settle down, settle down!” The room quieted in an instant. “Thank you. Now how about we start the bidding…at 200,000 dollars.”

  A large skeletal demon raised his hand. “210,000.”

  The auctioneer nodded and pointed his gavel at the demon. “I have 210,000 from the Valacti demon.” He paused and cleared his throat. “Does anyone wish to bid higher?”

  A figure concealed in a large black cloak raised a shaky hand. “225,000.”

  “Alright, I have 225,000 from the Grim demon. Do I hear 230,000 or higher?”

  Maedara raised her hand. “250,000.”

  The auctioneer raised an eyebrow. “250,000…from Lady Maedara.”

  “300,000.”

  “I have 300,000 from the Grim demon!” the auctioneer said. “I believe that’s as high as we’re going to get, so–”

  “How about 500,000?” Maedara asked, raising her hand once more.

  The auctioneer stared at her for a moment. He cleared his throat to silence the crowd which was in an uproar over the high bid. “500,000…going once.”

  Maedara smiled. “Nobody in this crowd has the amount of money I do. The Chest of Ondeyr is as good as mine.”

  The auctioneer scanned the room. “500,000 going twice?” He looked pleadingly into the crowd, searching for bidders. “Friends, you have a once-in-a-lifetime chance in front of you. The chance to rule the world. Someone, please bid.”

  Maedara glared at him. She could tell that he was purposely delaying the proceedings but she couldn’t tell why. All she knew is that his insolence frustrated her. “He better continue if he knows what’s good for him.”

  “Come on…don’t be shy. I know someone else wants to place a bid on this fabulous item. It can be yours for just a few thousand more!”

  Maedara had enough. She stood up. “You have a choice. Either you strike that gavel and finish the bidding, or I’ll come up there and bash you over the head with my chair until it breaks, and then start shoving the pieces inside of your body like a carpenter piñata.”

  “The winning bid goes to Maedara,” the auctioneer proclaimed, striking the gavel. “For the price of 350,000 dollars!” A sour look came across his face. He placed the gavel down and then made a motion with his hand to the guard on his right, who nodded and walked off.

  “I won?!” Maedara said, placing her hands over her mouth. “Dear me, this is quite a shock. I’m absolutely and utterly speechless!”

  “You go, girl!” Lydia exclaimed.

  Maedara beamed at her friend. “I mean, there was never a question…it’s not like any of these peasants would be able to match my money.” She brought her gaze back to the auctioneer and her eyes narrowed as a dozen or so guards piled into the room. “What’s the meaning of this?”

  The auctioneer, seeing the look on her face, moved away from her and hid behind the line of guards. “I’m sorry…but we cannot allow you to have this item. You weren’t invited here, and the king decreed that only those with an invitation may purchase items here.”

  Maedara brought her hands to her hips and smiled unpleasantly. “Oh, really? Is that so? How interesting…well, I guess if you’re going to be rude and deny me my prize, I’m going to have to go up there and take it. Violently.”

  “Maedara, wait!” Lydia said, grabbing her by the arm. “You can’t kill all of these guards!”

  Maedara tilted her head to the side. “Why ever not, Lydia?”

  “You’ll get blood on your red Italian heels!”

  Maedara gasped. “Oh, my God, you’re right,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I could be so careless.” She reached down, slipped off her shoes, and handed them to Lydia. “Watch them for me while I handle this, will you?”

  Lydia nodded. “You know I will. Just be careful, okay? There’s like twenty of them.”

  “And?”

  “The numbers just aren’t good.”

  “Not for them,” Maedara said with a smile. She made her way to the stage and stared at the guards in a calculated manner. “Now, I normally don’t give people standing in my way an option, but I’m feeling…generous today. So either you give me my prize, or you give me your lives…and my prize. I honestly don’t care which option you choose because either way, I get what I want.”

  The auctioneer cleared his throat and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m not –” he began, but was interrupted as the large door behind them burst open.

  “Enough!”

  “Well, look who it is,” Maedara said, with a look of disgust on her face. It was the last person in the world she wanted to see. “Hello, father. Or should I say… your majesty?” The crowd broke out into gasps at her declaration and she responded by giving a royal wave.

  The man standing in the doorway grimaced at the sight of her. He strode into the room and the fine robes wrapped around his body swished around with every step, like purple and gold flames. “As far as I’m concerned, I have no daughter. You’re nothing to me.”

  Maedara scoffed. “How charming. I guess I just imagined seeing your pitiful face all the time growing up. But it’s not surprising you feel nothing for me…I’m not one of your whores.” She turned to face the audience. “You all must be so proud of your king.”

  “Maedara,” the king said, his voice shaking with rage. “You are not welcome here. You should have never come back. Leave now or be removed by force.”

  Maedara tilted her head to the side. “Not welcome here? Why would I not be welcome in the kingdom where I was born? Where my father rules?”

  The king’s face went a darker shade of red. “Because you were banished!”

  “Oh? And why is that? Why don’t you tell your…adoring subjects why their king would banish his daughter from the kingdom? I’m sure they’d love to hear. In fact, we could even make a game of it! Twenty questions to figure out who the biggest jerk in the kingdom is.”

  “You know why you’re no longer welcome!”

  Maedara rolled her eyes. “Of course I do, daddy, but they don’t. So why don’t we take a little stroll down memory lane? It’ll be fun…”

  The king growled. “There will be no discussion.”

  Maedara shook her head. “You haven’t changed in all these years, have you? All you ever cared about was barking orders and hoarding power. It was so dull.”

  “And all you ever cared about was shopping and causing mayhem!”

  Maedara shrugged. “What’s your point?”

  “My point is you will leave, and now. This is your last warning.”

  “Leave, and now?” Maedara repeated quietly. “But I haven’t received my prize yet…how about you give me that chest over there, and then I’ll go?”

  “You will leave empty-handed and like it.”

  Maedara pulled at her hair and screamed in frustration. “You are a terrible king, and an even worse father! You are awful, you know that? The worst. Ever. And I just really, really, really hate you. And I wish you were dead!” She shook her head over and over, stamping her feet and screamed again.

  “Guards!” the king called. “I’ve had enough of her theatrics, take her away.”

  The guards mobilized toward her. One of the guards grabbed her by the wrist. “Come with me, ma’am.”

  “That’s just…rude,” Maedara said, her eyes going wild. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you manners? You never touch a lady…unless you buy her dinner first.” She grabbed his arm and twisted until it snapped and fell lamely at his side. She smiled with satisfaction as he fell to his knees screaming – there was a broken edge of bone jutting out from the joint. “Well…for your sake, I hope this job came with health insurance.”

  Maedara turned to the other guards who were stunned and looking at her with shock in their eyes. Seizing her opening, she lunged forward and used the fallen man’s body as a platform to launch herself high into the air. She landed behind one of the guards and thrust her fingernails through the back of his neck and out his throat. H
e screamed as blood sprayed out the front of the wound.

  The guards yelled and pulled out their laser guns. They arranged themselves in a battle formation a few feet away from her. “If you move, we’ll fire!”

  “Didn’t I hear this already today? You guards should sing a new song.” Maedara said. She flicked her hand, sending the man’s body off her nails and flying forward into the group of guards. As they opened fire, she cartwheeled out of the way several times, avoiding every shot. The guns clicked empty and she landed catlike on her feet, in front of another guard. She extended her nails and raked them across his throat, and he collapsed on the ground, gasping for air.

  Maedara smiled sweetly as the remaining few guards stared at their dead friends in horror. She flicked her hair and wiped a speck of blood off her face. “Do you guys want to play, too? Or are we done here?” She stood there as the guards looked at each other and then promptly ran away. Shaking her head, she made a tsk-tsk-tsk sound and shifted her gaze to her father with a mock-apologetic look on her face. “It’s so hard to find good help these days, isn’t it?”

  The king stared at the carnage around him and didn’t respond. When he finally looked up, there was fear etched in his face. “Maedara…my daughter….”

  Maedara frowned. “Oh, so now I’m your daughter? Because I seem to remember a few minutes ago you said you didn’t have a daughter. I wonder what changed.”

  “Perhaps…I was being unreasonable. We need to talk…it’s been too long. Yes, we have much to discuss….”

  Maedara laughed. “But I seem to recall you said earlier that there will be no discussion. And to be honest, I agree. I feel like we’re beyond that, and…I’m bored. But you can help with that.”

  The king trembled. “Maedara, what are you…saying…” He took some steps back, putting distance between them. “Let’s not…do anything hasty, please….”