The Twisted Gate

by Matt Glicksman

  "Just like that. He's just frozen. I'm still in the chains. He's no farther from me than you are right now. I know deep down this guy could've killed us both. I'm talking serious high-level Anoctis assassin. And he's just crouched over Sonojj, steel resting against his neck. This guy is ready to execute Sonojj at a moment's notice, and I'm…I'm next if that's what this priest wants."

  Erynion shook his head. "And this story doesn't somehow end with you both in the Depths?"

  "I'll never forget the next part." The jester gazed out into the dark forest. "The assassin looked up at me. He wore this creepy white mask with an expressionless face, but it was his eyes that terrified me the most. His dead, soulless eyes."

  Flinch shuddered. "Next thing I know, Reaper jumped in and cut my chains. The whole commotion caused more priests to come out, and so we ran for it, leaving Sonojj behind. A couple of days later, we went back to the city and found him outside the walls. His eyes were gone. He'd torn them out."

  Erynion pressed his Devil's Eye through the cloth.

  Flinch stood up on the branch, held out his dagger, and fixated on the blade. "I have to go back and save him, no matter the cost. He already lost his eyes because of me, and now his paws. I don't know what I'd do if he were cleansed. I need to help him."

  The demon lord cleared his throat. "I'm sure you're a talented assassin, but I doubt the Shade himself could accomplish what you're planning to do."

  "But you and me together. You have the power."

  "What are you talking about?"

  Flinch snickered. "You don't have to pretend with me. I know what you are. Sonojj overheard Marksy talking to Sereyna about it. You're the demon lord, aren't you?"

  Erynion quietly nodded.

  "So, will you help me? Will you help me rescue our friend?"

  "Believe me. If I could help, I would, but I don't have any control over my power. Not to mention, Sereyna put up a barrier to prevent me from purging. But even that won't last much longer. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do."

  "Hmm, I guess it's up to me then."

  Before the demon lord could wish him luck, Flinch leapt away and vanished into the night.

  Left alone with his thoughts, Erynion wondered what Sereyna was planning, and more importantly, if he could trust her. She had been around for many years, and Erynion knew he was alive sixteen years ago during the Assault. There was no way the Sereyna from his dream was also the sister of the Seductress.

  "Erynion." The Seductress emerged from the trees with a solemn look. Maligus was close behind with his blade drawn.

  "What's going on here?"

  "I have a plan."

  "And that?" The demon lord motioned to the iymed's weapon. "Is that part of it?"

  "Only as a last resort. If I fail and the agony takes you, Maligus will relieve your suffering."

  "And what if I don't want him to?"

  Sereyna pressed her lips together. "I suppose you two can sort that out if it comes to it. In the meantime, we should get started. The barrier will fall soon."

  "So, what's the plan?" Erynion kept a close eye on her as she knelt before him.

  "Simple. You go back into your dream and discover who you are. Once you know your identity, you should gain control of your energy, at least enough to let me back in."

  He didn't believe her. "So, you're going to wait until I fall asleep?"

  Erynion straightened up as something pricked his neck.

  "Just relax," she said.

  His eyelids grew heavy, but he fought to keep them open.

  "I'm trying to help you. You need to relax."

  The struggle was futile and the dream swept in. The surroundings were identical to earlier. In the castle courtyard, the man with the wooden axe held the young girl prisoner while Batar huddled behind a tree. Kneeling behind a bush, Erynion was back in the body of a young teenager.

  "Come on, get up," Batar called to him. "Go around back and sneak up behind him."

  Erynion nodded. Maybe the Seductress was right after all. If he could replay this memory to completion, perhaps he'd learn his name this time. He shuffled from bush to bush until he arrived at the same hiding spot as before. Next step, defeat the villain. He parted the shrubs but quickly retreated when the Seductress materialized on the stone path.

  "I don't believe it!" she exclaimed. Though her appearance was the same—black hair, red dress—her voice was human. "Thoris Castle? It's been years since I've been in Light's Haven."

  The man with the wooden axe released his hostage. "Who are you? You don't belong here."

  As she sashayed toward him, the Seductress slowly produced a long staff with a hook on one side and a glaive on the other. "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just here to take what's mine."

  From his hiding position, Erynion quietly observed as the demon sliced through the man. As the blade ripped through the flesh, there was no blood. The body simply evaporated into the air, leaving nothing between the woman and the little girl.

  "Well now," the Seductress said. "This is certainly a surprise, Sereyna."

  The little girl took a step back. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

  "Seizing my opportunity. I'm here to kill your brother and take control of his body."

  "You can't do this. You have to leave. You've done enough harm."

  "Oh, that's so sweet. But, I can do this because I've done it before hundreds of times. I even did it to you."

  The child gasped. "You killed me?"

  "And took over your body. It actually happened in these gardens."

  Something clicked in Erynion's mind as he watched the scene unfold. Pieces of his past came flooding in. Sereyna was his sister. The Seductress had killed her during the Assault on Light's Haven. She knew who he was since the start. His head felt as if it were hanging over a fire. He placed his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. What was happening?

  "You're an evil woman!" the little girl hollered. "You lied!"

  Erynion winced in pain but managed to pry open his eyes.

  With a devilish grin, the Seductress grabbed the front of the girl's dress. "I've waited centuries for an opportunity to finally take back what's mine. What do you know? You're not even alive. You're just a shadow from the past in the head of a misguided fool."

  Kneeling behind the bush, Erynion clenched his fists. Blood flowed from his palms, as strands of white hair fell in front of his eyes and his heart thumped wildly in his chest.

  Princess Sereyna grasped the wrist of her attacker and struggled to break free. "Let me go!"

  The Seductress lifted her into the air so the two were at eye level. "This has been fun, reminiscing and all. But time is short, and your brother won't kill himself. If it's any consolation, he'll be joining you soon."

  The girl kicked and screamed. "No! No! Let me go! He's going to kill you, you fangling—!"

  The tip of the glaive pierced the little girl's throat. For a moment, she choked, but then her body transformed into sand, and she was scattered into the wind.

  "Mm, déjà vu. Good memories." As the Seductress smoothed out her red dress, she glimpsed at the tree where Batar was hidden.

  Young Batar peeked out before promptly retreating from sight.

  "Erynion, is that you?" she asked, facing the tree. "I have to admit, this dream of yours seems like such a nice memory. I almost hate to taint it."

  The demon lord rose to his feet and discovered he had reassumed his demon form. He glared at the back of the Seductress as she strolled down the stone path toward Batar.

  Does she really believe I'm the young boy? Erynion wondered.

  "You know, it's funny," she said. "That first night I met you, I was terrified. I knew what happened at the Assault. I didn't want to end up like Alejjir, sent back to the Depths and reduced to the strength of a fray. Verago promised it would be different this time. But when I saw you clawing at your body, I knew the agony was too great for you. In desperation, I used my talents to try to tame it."

&n
bsp; Her tail unwound from around her waist, and the needle point at the end hung in the air by her shoulder. With her index finger, she played with the sharp end of the tail. "But the energy was so overwhelming, it was the first time in a long time that I purged uncontrollably. I realized then and there, for whatever reason, I could harness your power. I'm still not sure why exactly. Verago made certain I couldn't enslave other demons. Perhaps you had so little control that your body let me in willingly. Anything to stop your agony."

  Erynion quietly followed the Seductress as she stalked her prey. Her deception infuriated him, but he restrained himself to listen to her confession.

  She extended her arm and leaned against Batar's tree. "Whatever the case, I figured out that piercing your neck each time brought me one step closer to gaining control over you. But then, you had to ruin it. I suppose I should've expected as much, but I didn't think your body would start building a defense against me so quickly. You would've shut me out completely if I hadn't acted when I did. This barrier I created not only stops your agony, but it's also my foot in the door to your mind."

  As she circled the tree, her fingers surfed across the bark. When she reached the opposite side, Batar fled from his cover. The Seductress lunged forward and hooked his leg with her staff, and the boy tumbled to the ground. She laughed derisively. "Look at you. The mighty demon lord. Stuck in this memory as a weak, helpless child. Once I kill you in here, I'll have control of your mind and body. You'll have no choice but to follow my every command."

  Batar slowly crawled backward as the demon in the red dress drew closer.

  Erynion leaned against the tree trunk and watched as she advanced on the young boy. Though anger consumed him, he felt a sliver of delight at her mistake.

  "Oh, Erynion, my dear," the Seductress said. "I'm going to enjoy leading you around, conquering the Surface, having my revenge. Thank you."

  The child mumbled inaudibly.

  "What's that? Last words? Come now, dear, speak up."

  "I'm not…I'm not Erynion," Batar said.

  "Well, of course you're not. You're just helpless Prince—"

  "I'm Batar."

  "You're…what?"

  Erynion pushed off the tree and loomed behind the Seductress. He cast a large shadow over her and onto Batar's face. The demon lord placed his claw on her shoulder, and she cautiously faced him.

  He curled his lip. "I am Erynion!"

  The eyes of the Seductress widened to their fullest. She launched her glaive forward, stabbing the demon lord in the gut. Unfazed by the injury, he secured a tight grip around her throat.

  "I knew you were full of lies," he managed to get past his teeth. As the Seductress struggled to pry his claw from her neck, she opened her mouth.

  "No!" His arm trembled as he exerted as much force as possible on her throat. "You will not speak! Your last words were probably the most truth you've uttered in your whole existence, and I will not let you foul it with your deceitful tongue. No, I like you better this way."

  ✽✽✽

  Flinch spied on the scene from the treetop. Sereyna had pierced Erynion's neck with her tail, while Maligus monitored the situation. The jester iymed desperately wished to infiltrate Royal Oak and rescue Sonojj, but as he was about to leave the camp, he overheard the Seductress's plan for Erynion. He had to decide which friend he could realistically help: Sonojj, trapped in a walled city guarded by watchers, priests, and paladins, or Erynion.

  Flinch dropped from his branch. "Hey there."

  Maligus stepped between the jester and Sereyna. "What are you doing here, imp?"

  "I was wondering the same thing about you two."

  "This doesn't concern you." The ogre threatened Flinch with his machete.

  "Whatever you two are doing to him does concern me. Because of this, Verago sent us to plant those seeds in the city, which caused Sonojj to get caught."

  "It's too bad you both weren't caught. Now be on your way, or you'll be seeing Verago sooner than you think."

  Flinch slowly produced both of his daggers. "Speaking of Verago, when he comes to the Surface, do you really think Sereyna can protect you? He's not keen on being betrayed, or haven't you heard?"

  "Ha! That coward would never show his face on the Surface while the Talisman still exists."

  "You're getting awfully good at repeating the thoughts of your master. I mean, I know you can't help the ugly, but don't you get tired of being so stupid?"

  The ogre gave the jester a death stare that could only mean one thing. "Now that was stupid."

  "Oh?" Flinch feigned ignorance. "Well, you would be the expert."

  "Why she kept you three idiots around, I'll never know. She's the only reason I didn't cut you down all these years. But now, you pose a danger in a moment of great significance."

  "Hmm, I suppose you're right. I guess you'll just have to deal with me."

  A toothy grin spread across the ogre's face. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure."

  With a swing of the massive machete, the duel was underway. Flinch used his size and speed to dodge the heavy strikes of the ogre demon. Darting back and forth, the jester waited for his opportunities, but every opening was closed. There was no way he could get close enough to even leave a mark. Maligus was surprisingly agile for a demon his size. After a few minutes of fighting with little to show for it, Flinch stepped back to catch his breath.

  "You're pathetic," Maligus taunted. "You're just a pathetic assassin. I'm a warrior. You really think you can beat me?"

  Flinch dropped to one knee. "Reaper's gone. Sonojj's gone. If you kill Erynion, there's nothing left for me here."

  The ogre sauntered toward the jester. "Just remember that you asked for this. You can walk back to the Depths, or I can send you the fast way."

  When Maligus was within range again, Flinch grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it into the face of his adversary. The ogre demon grimaced as the dagger cut through his leg. The second strike was blocked, and a counterattack forced Flinch to retreat once again.

  The jester iymed smirked. "Looks like you might see your brother before I do."

  "What did you say?"

  "Your dead brother. You know, the one that was killed by a don, the lowest class of the Candelux order. Now that was pathetic."

  "Shut your mouth!"

  "I remember when you got his energy. How you cried when you found out your brother was dead. Or was it because you were too weak to handle the agony? I can't remember now. Which was it?"

  The roar from the brutish iymed momentarily paralyzed Flinch. As Maligus bore down on him, the jester narrowly dodged the first attack which sliced through his hat. However, he managed to evade subsequent strikes with ease as the large demon's swings became more erratic. Flinch cut his opponent at each opportunity, but the injuries seemed to only fuel the ogre's rage. After dodging another blow, the jester iymed was knocked off balance by an unexpected left hook, followed by a powerful kick to the chest. Flinch tumbled through the dirt before scrambling to his feet. He brought up his blades to block the mortal strike from his opponent, but the attack came down with full strength. The daggers gave way, deflecting the machete into his right shoulder and cleanly severing his arm.

  Flinch wailed as he grabbed the wound and scampered backward. Maligus's smile returned wide as ever. The ogre kicked the severed limb into the nearby brush. "Satisfied? This is what you wanted, isn't it?"

  As the jester applied pressure to his injury, he tried to speak but then decided against it.

  "What's the matter? Did I get your tongue too?" Maligus inched toward him, and Flinch crept back to maintain the distance. "Originally, I was just going to kill you, but now I have a better idea. I'm going to cut off all your limbs and leave you at the gates of Royal Oak. Then you'll be with your Dardan friends forever with the—"

  The sound of choking interrupted him, and they both looked over to discover Erynion with a firm grasp around the neck of the Seductress. The demon lord bared his teeth,
and his arm quivered. Maligus shifted toward Sereyna.

  Flinch knew exactly what the ogre was thinking. "If you turn your back on me, I'll bury my dagger so deep in your skull, it'll be the only thing on your mind for eternity."

  Maligus's knuckles turned white as he squeezed the handle of his machete.

  Erynion gave his hand a quick shake, and Sereyna's body went limp. The demon lord's face was contorted by rage. His nose and eyebrows were scrunched together. With his claw still clutching her throat, he growled menacingly at the lifeless Seductress. As her body began to disintegrate into black dust, the ogre howled and stormed off into the night.

  "Yeah! You better run, coward!" Flinch shouted into the darkness. The jester lingered for a moment to make sure Maligus wasn't coming back before he put his dagger away. Sereyna melted and her dark energy was absorbed into the ground. Her tail was the last piece to go. The tip slipped out of Erynion's neck and burrowed into the ground like a snake.

  Flinch made his way toward Erynion. "Hey, what the depths happened?"

  The demon lord inspected his claws. "I don't know. She invaded my mind. She awoke something within me."

  "Like what?"

  "It wasn't—Flinch! Your arm!"

  "Oh, this? I came to stop them, and Maligus may have gotten a piece of me."

  "You came to protect me? Thank you. Does it hurt?"

  "A little. Not as bad as it did at first. Fortunately, Verago designed us to only really feel the initial pain. Agony excluded, of course. I'm just talking physical pain. Right now, it's just somewhat of an annoyance, like a reminder I've been hurt."

  "Well, we may have a problem. The barrier I told you about earlier is gone. I fear the agony will force another purge tonight."

  Flinch was silent for a moment before he perked up and made his way to the brush. "Wait a minute. I have an idea. You just need to use your energy, right?"

  "That's what I've been told."

  "And you probably have tons of spells sitting up in that mind of yours, but you can't remember them."

  "What makes you think that?" Erynion asked.

  "You don't think Verago would send you to the Surface with an empty head, do you? The last demon lord was trained by Umaro Lijjo, so it would only make sense that he taught you as well."