by Amber Cook
The demon's face contorted as the pulsing pain multiplied as Adira pried down, allowing her once smooth nails to become finely fashioned daggers. "Ah! I can't say! I don't know who! All I know is that we were given a large sum of money, your name, and your location."
Location? Hearing that only made the puzzle more complicated. Whoever had sent them had known that she would be here at this moment and this day. That meant it could only be a demon that had been there for that meeting. Her brows knitted as she tried to think, and the demon behind her took advantage of that.
Adira narrowly escaped the fist that was thrown at her as she let go of the demon's foot. A spear of Demonic Energy was thrown at her, and Adira hissed as she twisted away from it. The tip still buried itself into the side of her abdomen. In seconds, blood gushed out of the wound, and she pressed her hand against it, trying to put pressure on it to stop the blood flow. Her face whitened as she could have sworn she felt the edge of an intestine trying to slip out of the new opening.
Even though she could hear one of the demons approaching from behind her, Adira couldn't move her body. Even when she tried to move her fingers, they did not budge. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the torn mess that she called her 'body.' A puddle of blood pooled at her feet. Holes and gashes covered her body, tearing through both muscle and bone. No matter how hard she tried, it was as if she no longer controlled her body. It was failing, this useless sack of meat.
Pain swelled in her back as Adira was kicked, sending her toppling forward. She collapsed onto the ground, eyes wide in disbelief. Even now, even when she could hear them behind her and feel the warmth of Demonic Energy against the nape of her neck, she could not move. She was nothing more than a chicken, waiting to be grabbed by the throat and slaughtered.
"Truly, I was expecting more." The demon said as it kicked her side, rolling Adira over onto her back. Her milky skin was even starker, and her breaths were labored. The shimmer that had been in her crimson eyes had become dull, and beads of sweat rolled down her brows. "What did the instructions say to do?"
"Kill the demon named Adira, and retrieve the Orb in her chest."
"Hm..." It titled its head, fingers rapping against its chin before its face lightened. "I have an amazing idea."
The demon dropped, burying its knee into Adira's abdomen as it pressed its weight onto her. Adira could feel its hand against her stomach as it moved over to her hip, hands latching down on the dagger. As it was drawn, it shimmered in the licking flames behind them, and the demon's face turned into a broad grin. "Retrieve the Orb? She doesn't have to be dead to retrieve it."
Adira's eyes widened in alarm as the demon rammed the tip of the dagger into her breasts around the Orb. The sharpened blade cleanly slid into her skin and the decayed flesh. Adira tried to move her hands to stop the advancing blade, but they felt locked. The demon began to draw the knife through the tissue, beginning to try and cut out the Orb.
Pain caused Adira's eyes to blur, and the world around her was nothing more than a blackened mess. She could barely see the demon's face above her anymore; all she could see was a blurred image. She was trying desperately to stay awake, but the world was slipping away too fast. She needed to stay awake.
Adira tried to reach for something, anything to grab onto and pull herself out of the darkness, but there was nothing. Or at least she had believed that until a chilling hand grasped her own. Adira blinked groggily, and she was surprised that the world around her was so crisp. It was nothing more than a world of light.
"Where am I?" She whispered, her hand clenching down harder onto the one she held. "Am I dead?"
"Dead?" The Third Pillars Orb shook its head, its face soft and comforting. Unlike all of the other Orbs that changed their appearances frequently, The Third Pillars Orb was always constant.
Curling tendrils of blonde hair accented its scalp, and by physical appearance, one would believe it was a woman. Its bountiful breasts were uncovered, and Adira had learned long ago to not turn her eyes from it. Just like all the other Orbs, the Third Pillar craved to be in Adira's eyes, and only her's.
"I don't know if you can die. Your body's already dying, and yet it will never fully commit the deed." Its fingers gently caressed her arm, pulling Adira onto her feet. She shivered as she could feel its fingers against her breasts, hands splayed across the Orb. "Even if your body rots away, I'll put your arm back on. Even when you are nothing more than a pile of waste, you'll still be mine. You can never die, Adira."
Her eyes widened by those haunting, sickly words, but Adira could not push herself away. Even though those words unnerved her, she couldn't push the Orb away. Its arms enveloped her, and the Orb brought her face to her own.
"B-But..." She whispered, and Adira laid her hands over the Orbs. "I am dying."
The Third Pillar's Orb laughed and shook its head. "Stop joking around, Adira. Come here. Let me touch you."
"They're going to kill me."
"Adira-"
"Open your eyes!" She screamed, and the Third Pillar's Orb's brow darkened. "They're going to cut you out! They are going to take you away from me!"
For a few moments, the Third Pillar did not respond. It simply stood there, processing her words, but a moment later, its eyes widened. Its fingers clenched by its side, and its golden irises began to emit a piercing light.
The next moment, the blinding light disappeared, and Adira gasped for breath as the world around her sharpened. She could smell the fire surrounding her, as well as she could see the demon above her. The tip of the dagger still slid through her skin, but Adira couldn't focus on that. All she could feel was the burning feeling that tore through her chest, but the dagger did not cause it. It was being admitted from the Orb.
When she angled her eyes down, the usually calm surface was clashing. It was as if waves were being slammed against one another, and Adira could feel even the blood that raced through her veins beginning to thin.
"Let's get this done quickly. The sooner we get the Orb, the sooner we can get our money."
But, as soon as those words slipped from the demon's lips, light erupted around them. All Adira could hear was howling, a horrible, gut-wrenching noise, unlike anything she had ever heard before. It swelled in the air, only multiplying in magnitude as Demonic Energy gushed from the Orb. The darkened blood that surrounded her sprang to life, taking form without even Adira's command.
Adira watched as the still, burning forest erupted into chaos. The solidified blood took on the form of gruesome beasts, and Adira watched in horror as it tore through the air, penetrating the two victims. The mutts snapped their jaws in delight as their teeth tore through flesh and bone as if it were nothing. Horrendous screams filled the air as darkened blood flew around her, accompanied by intestines as the mutts latched their teeth onto their abdomen.
Adira tried to pull herself away from the chaos, even though it spilled from her chest, and her eyes widened as she heard a sickening thud beside her. When she looked over, the demon that had been trying to carve the orb out from her chest head was on the ground. Its crimson eyes still twitched, trying to focus on Adira as Adira grimaced at the sight of part of its spine still connected. Nerve endings were still attached, as well as loose chunks of flesh around the spinal cord.
Its lips twitched as it lifted its eyes. "Kill. I need to kill you. Come here. The Orb."
Shards of blood exploded from the soil beneath its head, penetrating through the skull and remaining flesh. Adira's eyes widened in horror as a single eyeball slowly rolled down the shaft of blood, mucus causing it to slow down.
When she looked to the side of her, the other demon was in a similar state. The blood mutts had torn it apart until their bodies were nothing more than clumps of smashed organs and shredded tissue.
"They didn't last very long." By her side, The Third Pillar's Orb accompanied her. Its golden eyes narrowed at the sight of the chaos before them, and it sighed. "I was hoping to enjoy it a little longer. It'
s rare that you ever call upon me to kill someone."
For a moment, Adira couldn't even remember why she had called upon the Third Pillar, but as the adrenaline wore off, she recalled. She collapsed onto the ground, grimacing and twitching in pain. Her fingernails dug at her skin as the pain came in waves, amplifying with each one.
The Third Pillar only looked at her in the corner of its eyes before it sighed. "Even though you are the strongest creature alive, I suppose you have your limits. It's this wretched place. This is no place for a demon of your making." The Third Pillar shifted, straddling her between its legs.
Adira's quivering eyes followed the Third Pillar's movements as the splattered and flowing blood around them began to thin. Even the blood that had soaked into the soil separated, condensing into one thick stream of blood. "Eat, Adira. I can't let you die yet." The thinned blood twisted and trailed up her skin and towards the Orb. The moment the darkened blood met the orb's surface, it was consumed by it.
The Third Pillar's lips were chilling against her own, but Adira did not fight them. The sickly sweet taste of blood and death was nothing but comforting, and Adira closed her eyes, wanting nothing more than to be taken away by their gentle embrace.
Chapter 5
Something cool pressed against her cheek, although she did not know what it was. She could hear the ever so soft chirp of birds overhead, and the gentle breeze of early morning kissed her cheeks, leaving them flushed. The previous night's events were hazy in her mind, but she could still taste the Third Pillar against her lips. It was almost as if it was right next to her. Slowly, she opened her eyes groggily.
The first thing she saw overheard was the crisp, baby blue sky and the glaring sun. Soft shades of green filled her vision as her eyes moved to look at the trees, and her fingers clenched by her side. It had been years since she had seen so many vibrant colors in one place. The sky was not a stark, crimson color. Vegetation thrived in the soft rays of sunlight. Suddenly, her eyes widened in alarm. She shouldn't have been seeing such things.
She wasn't in the Demon Realm; she was still in the Human Realm. She tried to snatch her hand to her chest to feel for the Orbs, but her hands wouldn't budge. It was not that she could no longer move her body, but her hand had been tethered down. When she tried to yank them free, something cold dug into her wrists, halting her.
Adira tried to lift her chest off the ground but was met with a sharp pain as she realized her hands were bounded above her. The metal that covered her wrists had characters inscribed into the fashioned sheets. They were similar to the very incantations they used on the talisman to imprison the Orbs. No matter how hard she tried to break free, all of her efforts would be useless as long as these chains were around her.
Something bitter tickled her nose, and Adira shifted to try and see what was around. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust, but she picked out that a fire had been lit. Curling wisps of smoke lingered in the air, tickling her senses. They were no longer near the town. With her advanced hearing, she could not hear the quiet conversations that she had once heard. Nobody was chattering about gossip or who had the best deals for the day. All she could see were vibrant colors and that man. Her body stiffened when his face came into view. By his side, uncovered and glistening in the stray shafts of light, was the Fifth Pillar's Orb.
Adira tried to jerk towards it but was met with a sharp pain as the incantations that bounded her came to light. The metal began to emit a hellish glow, beginning to sear Adira's flesh, but she stopped and allowed the chains to slacken. She hissed through her teeth, and the human before her could not help but laugh. Hearing his laughter only made the seed of rage in her stomach blossom.
"What are you snarling about, demon?"
"Give me the Fifth Pillar's Orb."
"We've already had this conversation. You can whine and yip all you want, but that will do nothing to help you."
"You don't understand." She snarled, but the man only shook his head.
"You don't understand. How could a demon not realize the havoc that such a creation can cause?"
"The Orbs have done nothing."
"Maybe I'm not talking about the Orbs."
Hearing those words made Adira still. If he was not talking about the Orbs, then what was it? The air surrounding the two of them felt heavy, stagnant enough where even breathing was difficult.
"If you don't release me, somebody will come for me."
"How will they know where you are?"
"How do you think?" She lowered her eyes to the beating Orb buried in her. "The Second Pillar's Orb will listen to his call; it always has. Even if I wanted to run from him and hide from him till the day I die, I never really would be able to."
"Then tell the Orbs not to tell him where you are."
"What?"
"If you really can control them, then even you should be able to do something so easy as that?"
Adira's brows darkened at his words. "Why would I tell the Second Pillar not to send him to me? I would rather him find me then stay shackled in this god awful place." Her words were filled with venom, and she spat in front of his feet. "Even the smell alone is enough to make me want to gag. It reeks of human filth."
The man reached forward, getting close enough where Adira could see the light freckles on his skin. The top of his shirt had been torn, exposing finely crafted muscles that seemed to glimmer beneath a light sweat. Even though it was quite a feast to see, Adira could not stop the repulsion that filled her. The stench that radiated off of his body was enough to cause tears, or at least the thought of them, to form. There was nothing seductive about his human body.
Using the tip of his dagger, the man pushed aside the shredded rags Adira still wore. It wasn't until now that she realized that she was still wearing her clothes from the previous night. Soaked in a combination of blood and intestinal juices, the thin shreds of clothing stuck to her body. Flashes of smudged, milky white skin peeked through the openings. When the man reached forward, peeling off one of the stuck pieces of fabric, Adira hissed as he tore off newly mended flesh.
In the Demonic Realm, even the gravest of injuries she would incur could be healed quickly within a day. She had learned early on, after experiences from her father's 'nightly studies,' that her body healed faster than most demons. And, if she were placed near the source of her power, it would be amplified.
Even though the Fifth Pillar's Orb was near her, the effects were not noticeable. Although not void of magic and different energy strings, the Human Realm was like poison to them. This realm was not created as a sanctuary for her kind but as a weapon. The longer she stayed here, the slower her healing abilities would become.
Gaping wounds covered her body, and shards of bone jutted out of torn openings. When Adira looked down, she could see her collarbone through the pierced flesh. A few of her ribs appeared to be in a similar state, jutting through the thin tissue, and a hefty portion of her abdomen was missing. If it weren't for the blood that twisted and contorted through her wounds, she was certain she wouldn't even be able to sit up. Those damn Orbs wouldn't allow her to die unless they told her to.
"But you're running from someone, aren't you? I saw you in the tavern. Some of these wounds were on your body before you even came there."
What he said was true. Adira was running from someone- no, multiple people- but it wasn't like she would just admit that. Her enemies were never-ending, but only one worried her the most. "What I do is of no concern to a measly piece of scum like you."
The dagger's tip lowered between her breasts, and he tapped it amongst the Orb's surface. "You're the First Pillar's daughter, aren't you?"
"Are you really that slow?" She hissed, scoffing at his words. "Who else has this thing buried in their chest?"
Although the man had seen the orbs before, they now seemed to shimmer with an intensity that had been lacking when she had been asleep. The twisting darkness that resided in it looked like storm clouds. Every move was sharp, chaotic, and
he could feel the hostility that radiated from it. It was like a power-war was happening within the glassy surface, clashing and fighting with a ravaging hunger.
Recent studies had increased humans' knowledge of demons, but there were still many things that they did not know. The Orbs had been their primary mission. As long as they at least had one in their possession, knowledge could be reaped from it no matter the time frame. And, depending on what they could learn, it could turn the wave. They might be able to figure out a way to kill the Demonic King, Kace.
All they had wanted was a minute, an hour, with an Orb, but they had been granted something better. Shackled before him was the cruelest creature he could think of. Her shimmering, crisp crimson eyes were finely fashioned like deadly weapons. The striking color could only resemble the blood of the people she had massacred. Even though her frame appeared sickly, the thin, scarred, and tattered flesh barely holding on, he knew it was the opposite. The strength that lingered, lying hidden beneath her eyes, was enough to wipe towns off the map with a snap of a finger. The Orb that was buried in her chest was a pulsing, chaotic vault of power, and it only listened to her. And he had ways to make her talk, or at least he had told them how to. It was almost like Christmas.
"Why are you smiling?" She hissed as she saw the warmth that filled his face, his lips turning into a thin smile. He seemed genuinely pleased, and Adira could see her reflection in his glazed eyes.
"Stupid."
"What? Did you just call me stupid?"
"All of you. We just needed one Orb, one thread to hold onto, but you gave us the greatest thing we could get our hands on. You gave us the source of the destruction, the source of their power."
Adira's eyes narrowed as his hand grabbed her by the face, nails digging into her cheeks' tender flesh. There was a glaze to his eyes, a lust to his face as a smile pulled on his lips. She had no idea what this human was talking about.
"You."
