by Con Template
“You guys know about that too?” I was flabbergasted. If they knew about him being sick, why didn’t they take the initiative to help him? Why were they having a leisure dinner when their little brother was in a coma?
“He is a Dimmed Demon. From the force of the power he used, I’m surprised that it’s taken him this long to start to feel the effects. He should’ve fallen to ruins that very night when he exhibited what was left of his powers.”
“Wh-why aren’t you helping him?”
Sloth smirked callously. “He made his bed; now he can lie in it.”
“But you’re his brothers!” I shouted.
Behind me, I could hear Phix and Coco make shushing sounds, whispering for me to calm down in front of the Dark Majesties. I, however, was beyond reason. The only thing I cared about was helping Eclipse.
“You two can’t just sit here,” I continued hotly. “You have to do something—Ah!”
Tony was suddenly in front of me, clamping a hand over my throat before I could finish my sentence. His fingernails began to extend like the claws of a lion. The razor sharp edges dug into my neck, piercing through the delicate skin and causing me to shake in horror.
Tony glared down at me, his face swirling with rage that made his features look more feral. “How about I do something by ripping your head off, impaling it on a stick, and roasting it over the pits of Hell for fun?”
Behind us, I could see Sloth laugh cruelly at the show while Phix and Coco froze in horror. The misery deluging out of them was clear. They were worried for me and didn’t want me to die, which was a likely case now that I had upset the Demon of Gluttony.
Tony leaned in closer to me, his eyes scorching with ire. “The day I take orders from an insufferable pest such as yourself is the day when Hell freezes over. And let me tell you something . . . ” His grip on my neck tightened, the nails piercing deeper into my skin and causing me to quiver uncontrollably. I was too afraid to make a sound. “My monarchy isn’t freezing over anytime soon. So the next time you open that pretty little mouth of yours, I suggest you exercise a bit more restraint because I will not hesitate to kill you. Do we have an understanding?”
I nodded fearfully, and with an approving smile that brought poise back to his face, Tony let me go and eased away. On my neck, I could feel the fingernail marks heal at once. As quickly as the pain came, it was gone within a fraction of a second.
With all the strength I could summon, even though my most prominent instinct was to run, I buried my fears and warily restructured my question, “Can you please do something to help your brother?”
Tony’s perfect white teeth flashed in a predatory grin. The fear radiating from me was palpable, and it entertained him immensely.
“Well, look at you,” Tony mocked while Sloth chortled in the background. “Aren’t you a brave little human?” He laughed at me. “Here you are, scared to death of two Royal Demons, and yet you continue to stand here, feigning bravery because you want to save Eclipse.” He clicked his tongue in knowledge. “If I didn’t know better, then I would think that you’ve grown to care for our baby brother, Source.”
“He’s the only one who can help me.”
It eluded me why I added that statement in, but as if to save face and to assure myself that it wasn’t for any other reason, I felt the need to emphasize that.
“So you say.”
“He’s my friend,” I declared unthinkingly.
“Friend?” Tony laughed, sounding like he was choking on my stupidity.
He spared a glance at Coco and Phix, both of whom exchanged pitiable glances at one another.
It was clear that they thought I had said the most ridiculous thing in the world.
“Eclipse is your . . . friend?” Tony’s laughter grew louder and more taunting. “You fool,” he imparted between laughs. “You really do not know your place in this relationship—”
“Elder,” Sloth interjected courteously, an amused smile still carved on his face. “Let’s not ruin the fun. If she says that Eclipse is her friend, then he is her friend. Who are we to crush little Grace’s dreams and say otherwise?”
Tony’s thin lips twisted into a sneer. “I suppose if that brainless twit Eve was stupid enough to fall for our father’s temptation with the forbidden fruit, then it would make sense that this little human would be stupid enough to do the same.”
“I didn’t come here for you to laugh at me,” I stated, gathering some spine. My lips trembled, but I fought past the fear. “I know my existence is a joke to both of you, but this isn’t about me. Your brother is really sick. He needs your help.”
“Eclipse will be fine,” Tony bristled. He was obviously tired of my human voice. “He may be weakened, but as long as he doesn’t use the last of his powers, he should be able to recuperate.”
“B-but he’s currently in hibernation.”
The clinking sounds of a spoon and fork dropping onto an expensive china plate gushed into the air.
“Eclipse is in hibernation?” Tony asked, finally perturbed. He turned to Sloth, who had finally shown some emotion as well. They swiveled their heads to me. Their once stoic eyes rippled with indignation. “What did he use the last of his powers on?”
“To protect someone,” I replied promptly, conveniently leaving out that he was protecting a priest. I suspected in demonic terms, this information would’ve been the equivalent of me telling the Holy Father that a priest had prayed to the Devil in church. It was offensive and downright sacrilegious. Eclipse was already in enough trouble with his brothers. I wasn’t about to give them another reason to loathe him.
“That goddamn idiot,” Sloth said tightly, raking his fingers through his brown hair in irritation.
With an annoyed growl for Eclipse and his “ever growing stupidity,” Tony angrily snapped his finger.
Within the blink of an eye, at the further end of the room, appeared Eclipse. He was in his hospital bed, still unconscious with an IV attached to him.
I heard Phix and Coco gasp at the sight of Eclipse in this condition. They were stunned that he looked so helpless and so human.
I had to control my own emotions.
I had only left him for several hours and I didn’t anticipate my heart to thump so wildly at the sight of him again. It was difficult to see him in such a helpless state, but I kept my emotions in check.
In the midst of my palpitating heart, it didn’t escape me on how peculiar I was being today. What had gotten into me? Why was I so worried about him?
Because he’s your Guardian Demon, a rational voice inside me whispered. Without him, you won’t be able to find the missing part of your soul. I nodded internally at the reasoning. It made perfect sense. I was emotional because my one vehicle in finding my soul was broken. There was definitely nothing else to it.
“What a pitiful sight,” Tony stated, looking at his baby brother in revulsion.
We were all so used to Eclipse in his glorious state that it was hard for everyone to stomach his current condition. No longer finding it bearable to stare at an unconscious Eclipse, Sloth finally raised one hand up and whispered a spell.
After that he simply said, “Wake.”
Hearts racing, we turned to Eclipse in anticipation.
After a couple of minutes, when I was beginning to suspect that the spell hadn’t worked, something amazing occurred: Eclipse began to stir from his sleep.
Slowly, his lids lifted like veils.
Without even searching for me, his chocolate brown eyes rested their lethargic gaze on me. I felt something strange leap in my heart when our eyes connected. It felt like it had been an eternity since I had seen those eyes. I didn’t realize how much I had missed him until he was awake.
As he was convalescing, Eclipse began to close and open his eyes to wake himself up from his dream-state. Once the lucidity worked itself over him, Eclipse took a moment to assess the room. His eyes landed on the bed and eventually landed on the hospital robe he had on. Without de
lay, a look of annoyance flitted across his handsome face.
“Holy fucking pigs,” he cursed, holding an embarrassed palm to his forehead. “Don’t tell me I went into hibernation mode.”
He lifted his face slightly and opened his eyes. Once he caught sight of his brothers, another moan poured from his lips. He reburied his face into the pillow.
“Teacup, you didn’t,” he mumbled like a little boy, his voice muffled by the fabric.
“Yes, I did,” I retorted from the other side of the room. Aside from being relieved, I was still pissed at him for making me run around like an idiot. “Did you think I was going to allow you to slack off on your job when it’s your duty to watch over me?”
“Good going, Junior,” Tony snapped, utilizing the hostility he had for me and spitting it at Eclipse. I wasn’t the only one who wanted to berate him. “You were told to lay low and you decided to announce your existence to the rest of the world instead?”
Eclipse sighed before he ripped the IV out of his arm. He sat up on his bed and then snapped his fingers. It seemed that Sloth’s powers overrode Eclipse’s hibernation mode and returned his powers. At Eclipse’s command, a pair of black slacks, a black dress shirt, leather shoes, and his signature Rolex materialized in front of him. With his blanket covering him, he grabbed his pants and began to change into them.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures, Elder,” he said lackadaisically.
“You should’ve been more careful,” Tony plowed on, unfazed that Eclipse was changing in front of us.
Though he was changing under the cover of the blanket, it caused me to burn up nonetheless.
“My Source could’ve been eaten alive by Demons and you’re telling me to be careful about announcing my existence?”
Eclipse shook his head, standing up and buckling the belt to his pants. Without a care in the world that there were two females in the room, he carelessly threw his hospital robe off. His muscled upper body flexed to life as he buttoned up his shirt. Gone was the sick human-like being, and back in the flesh was the immortally perfect Demon.
He turned to Tony while snaking his Rolex watch back on his wrist. “I would have no existence if she dies. You know that.”
“By the way, good job on putting your own Source in danger by going into a coma,” Sloth broke into the conversation, standing up from his seat and staring critically at Eclipse. “With how often this human gets into trouble, it would’ve only been a matter of time before other Demons found her and killed her.”
I frowned at the verity behind Sloth’s words.
Trouble did seem to find me at the most inconvenient and frequent of times.
“Yeah, it would’ve helped if you told me your little minion over here was there to help. Instead, he went after Gracie and attempted to kill her, thereby forcing me to use all my powers,” Eclipse countered resentfully, causing Phix to drop his jaw at the fact that Eclipse had thrown him under the bus.
Sloth, however, wasn’t fazed. “It was a miscommunication.”
“Or lack of communication,” Eclipse corrected.
“It doesn’t matter the quandary, Eclipse,” Tony reprimanded.
He looked downright annoyed. I felt like I was in the middle of a family squabble rather than at a demonic restaurant surrounded by powerful Dark Majesties.
“The outcome shouldn’t have been what it was. When you popped up here, it was only the Royal Family who knew. But with your little display of power, the rest of creation pretty much knows you’re here as well. Your only consolation is that they do not know you are the Demon of Lust.” Tony smirked. “But that will undoubtedly change when they start looking for you.”
“Congratulations, genius,” Sloth scolded. “You just made this little odyssey of yours a thousand times harder than it already is.”
“Elders,” Eclipse began with an air of boredom. He sat back on the bed and let out an exhausted breath. “I say this with the utmost respect, but am I getting anything from listening to the two of you bitch at me or is this just a free for all? Because, as I’m sure you know, I do not appreciate being spoken down to unless there’s something in it for me.”
“Eclipse!” I finally chided, turned off by his behavior. I didn’t spend the entire night begging Demons for help to have it all fall to pieces because of Eclipse’s pompousness. “Just shush up! You need their help, so stop being so damn stubborn and ask for it.”
Eclipse kept his mouth shut with me and simply stared at his brothers.
An impressed look skated across Tony’s face. He took a second to scrutinize both Eclipse and me. “Oddly enough, it seems that your Source has a better handle on you than any of us combined.”
Sloth laughed. “Hence the reason he’s in this predicament in the first place.”
Tony cocked his head at Eclipse. “Or is it you who has her wrapped around your finger?”
There was an insinuating tone in Tony’s voice that I caught, but couldn’t quite comprehend.
“You must be enjoying this right now,” Eclipse observed heatedly, pulling me out of any emerging thoughts about the tone in Tony’s voice. “You must really love that I’m at your mercy.”
“Very much so,” Tony said guiltlessly. “Remember, baby brother . . . you were the one who attempted to overthrow our monarchy.”
Eclipse rolled his eyes as if he had heard this all before. “It was a mistake.”
“It was treason.”
“It was ambition,” Eclipse amended with a tired exhalation. “We’re Demons, Elder, not Angels. It is in our nature to do shady things like that, even to our own blood.”
Tony scoffed at Eclipse’s response.
“Now can we cut this bullshit?” continued Eclipse. “We both know that you’re not going to let me die, so let’s get to the point and help me.”
“I’d actually prefer to see you suffer some more actually,” Tony quipped at once.
“Think about what’s coming up, Elder,” Sloth said softly, now acting as the mediator between the two. “He deserves all the shit you’re throwing at him, no doubt, but he is our brother nonetheless. Considering what’s coming up, you can’t leave him like this. I already gave him Phix to help him out. Perhaps you should do the same.”
He grinned, taking a moment to appraise me.
“Moreover, don’t you want him to live so we can continue to watch this small little thing torture him? I don’t know about you, but this is my first time seeing Eclipse bite his smart tongue around someone. I’m enjoying every second of it.”
“She’s literally torturing me to death,” Eclipse supplied with restrained humor. “I mean, look at her.” He gestured at my jeans, pink jacket, and pink scarf. “All she wears is pink, she is a nerd on every spectrum there is, and she is the biggest prude I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.”
I resentfully narrowed my eyes. That asshole. How dare he call his friend out like this? This “prude” was the one considerate enough to run around like a fool to help him!
As the icing on the cake, Sloth added to Tony, “They will both be very entertaining to watch.”
Tony smirked at Sloth’s last words. He considered the suggestion for another second before he acquiesced with the idea. He locked eyes with Eclipse.
“This is the one and only time,” he emphasized sharply, getting down on one knee and laying his right hand flat on the red carpet.
An eerie silence began to submerge the room, making me feel uneasy.
I instinctively stepped further away from Tony. Whatever he was getting ready to do, I had the feeling that I didn’t want to be near the line of fire. I suppose I made the right decision because even Phix and Coco did the same. The only ones who remained rooted in their positions were Eclipse and Sloth. Their eyes were expectant. They already knew what Tony was getting ready to conjure.
Whoosh.
Though we were indoors, an unexpected draft started to filter into the room. The peculiar thing about this draft was that it fel
t warm—scorching.
Creak.
My gaze went upwards when I heard a loud creaking sound. Fear slithered over me once I observed that the large chandelier above us had started to swing back and forth. A multitude of whispers inundated the room as the draft grew stronger. Then—
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
My insides chilled when I heard the familiar popping sound that was indicative of water boiling.
I hesitantly shifted my gaze to the large fountain in the room. Loud gurgling sounds rang from the water before the fountain began to boil like volcanic lava. The temperature in the room became so hot that I had to brace myself to stabilize my impending nosebleed.
Boom!
In a lightning fast succession, an inferno overtook the room. Red-hot fire burst from the chandelier while flames consumed the stairs. The water from the fountain turned into a blazing bonfire and a circle of fire spread across the circumference of the three brothers.
While Phix, Coco, and I stifled a gasp at this display of power, the brothers remained unfazed. None of this was a big deal compared to what they did in their daily lives.
With a sigh, Tony finally stood up. From the palm of his right hand, a string of fire that seemed to have originated from the pits of the earth rose up with him like a ribbon. It wriggled from one side to another, resembling the likeness of monstrous snakes you’d only see in movies. I assumed it was my imagination, but I could’ve sworn I heard hissing sounds emanate from that ribbon of fire.
Eyes firm with purpose, Tony turned back to Eclipse.
“Sloth has given Phix to aid you, and I’ll show the same courtesy in light of what’s coming up,” Tony began stringently, the twine of fire spitting out sparks of snake-like flames, “but trust me, baby brother . . . if you fuck up again, no one will help you. In fact, the next time you screw up, I’ll happily watch you suffer the rightful consequences. Do we have an understanding?”
Eclipse merely inclined his head as confirmation.
Without wasting time, Eclipse raised his own right hand and motioned for the serpent flame to come to him. As though having a life of its own, the ribbon of fire detached itself from Tony’s grasp and slithered over the hot air towards Eclipse. As it approached its master, more fire came out of the pits of the earth.
