Chapter 20: The City

Draak was the first to notice Chi gaping from behind. A look of startled confusion was plastered on his pale face.
“It’s the…” he murmured then turned quickly to Draak. “Who the hell are you??” It was strange how fear was laced through his words like trembling threads. Yet anger too tainted Chi: his eyes blazed crimson.
“Chi… are you well? Or still sick?” I asked, uncertain.
“It may not have worn off completely. He might still be hallucinating.” Draak explained professionally. He spoke as if Chi wasn’t there, which only increased the demon’s anger.
“I’m not hallucinatin’! Er… I don’t think… no, I’m not!” He yelled, though without full confidence. Frowning, I moved to stand up.
“Wait.” Draak murmured, grabbing my arm. “If he’s still sick he may take you to be a monster.”
“If he says he’s in his right mind than I believe him.” I answered, also lacking some certainty. But something was wrong with Chi, and I doubted it was the poison.
“If you’re sure…” Draak was reluctant in releasing his grip.
“Sure enough… come on, Chi. Tell me what ails you.” I snapped, leading Chi away.
“He’s… that’s… he’s real?” Chi asked, shaking.
“Yes… you aren’t hallucinating… are you?” I asked.
“No, no… it just… I dreamt of him! It was terrible… but I know it was him! He came to me… a sick grin on his face… and a voice told me he was a thief. He was a thief and he was going to take something from me…! I think… I think he’s going to try and kill me.” Chi whispered.
I flinched, glanced over at the bemused premature, then back to Chi.
“I think you’re still sick.” I said flatly.
“Axis! Come on, I wouldn’ lie about shit like this!” He snarled.
“Well then tell me. What reason would Draak have for wanting to kill you?” I challenged, sure that would set Chi straight.
“He might… Well, lot’s of people have reason t’kill me.” he grunted.
“Why? Did you kill someone he knew?” I asked, figuring this was the only plausible answer.
“No… it’s not him. It’s me.” He sighed.
“What…? Why? Tell me.” I asked. If it didn’t have to do with slaughtering others, then what other motive could Draak, or any other person for that matter, have to want Chi dead?
“I…” he paused. “I can’t. Please don’t make me.” He added. He must have realized if I really wanted to know, it would be very easy to penetrate his mind and find out. But Chi was obviously embarrassed by something. I respected him enough not to invade his privacy.
“Okay, Chi. But will you tell me someday?” I asked. This question was left unanswered, but such a small thing would bother me for many a day until the answer was revealed to me. It wasn’t often I didn’t know something or couldn’t learn what I wanted, so when something like this came up… it made me think and wonder endlessly.
Just as the taunting words of the Loci God continued to fog my thoughts. His demeaning words, claiming I wasn’t a true royal demon… what could he have possibly meant by that?
But he was just an overgrown Loci! What would he know about demons? He was just trying to anger me (and succeeded…) but they were only words.
Words that continued to make me wonder…
“Axis?” Chi asked, stirring me from my reverie.
“What?”
“I said I’ll tell you someday… just not today…” The fear was back in his eyes again.
“Okay. Eventually then… though I still believe your theory about Draak wanting to kill you to be false. The premature had previously saved you, worked to make you an antidote. He had his chance to kill you and instead purged you of a death-bringing disease. I believe there’s nothing to fear from him.” This time I was confident. I didn’t fear Draak and Chi shouldn’t either.
“Really…?” he mumbled. Finally, a bit of his stubbornness had been penetrated!
“Yes. So you’ve nothing to fear from him.” I concluded.
“But what about the dream? They said he was a thief!” Chi snapped, regressing.
“Well… he is. Was. So I’ll admit that part to be true. Though I highly doubt you carry any currency he’d be interested in stealing.”
Chi sighed, defeated. “Alright. Whatever. Besides, we’re not stickin’ around, anyway?”
“No. We still need to get back to the surface.” Chi had reminded me of our original mission, and the war that was surely waging above. The demons and Loci had to be clashing at this very moment. I couldn’t think on this too long. The guilt for not being there to guide them, the deaths that would certainly follow because of my absence…
It made my head reel. I didn’t want to think about things; instead I wanted action.
“The fastest way back is the Lavafall, but we still need to find a demon that can take us up.” I explained.
“So it’s wings you need.” Draak’s smooth voice cooed from behind us. “I think I can help with that.” He flexed his own stone wings with surprising elasticity. By the looks of it, they seemed cumbersome and heavy.
“You can’t possibly carry us.” Chi snapped. “We can find someone better.”
“Oh ye of little faith… I carried both of you out of the premature valley easily. You don’t think I can do it again?” Draak asked.
“Well, um…” Chi struggled for a good excuse and came up empty.
“Look.” Draak snapped, patience fading. “You’re in Amailia now. There are maybe a handful of demons here, most of them taking up space in the King’s dungeon. You’d be lucky to even find a winged demon in there, let alone in all of Amailia. If you think you can befriend another winged premature, you go ahead and try that. What I’m trying to say is, chances are you won’t find someone better than me. Take it or leave it.” he growled. The demon gritted his teeth, but even as stubborn as he was, knew the argument had been lost.
“So you’ll take us, then?” I asked hopefully.
“Of course. I’ve seen the tasks that await you overhead. If S… If Axis needs my help, then I’ll gladly give it to her… Even if it means helping her rude friend as well.” Draak added grudgingly.
“Thank you, Draak.” I smiled. Chi said nothing.
“You’re quite welcome. Although… there is one thing. To get to the Lavafall, we’ll have to get through the devil city. It’ll be dangerous, practically suicidal, but there’s no way around this. If we tried flying over the city, we’d just attract attention (which we don’t want).”
“No shit.” Chi muttered.
“Our only hope is to try and sneak our way through. It’s not impossible… the city is coated in shadows, unlike the rest of Amailia.” said Draak. It was true: lacking a sky, Amailia was perpetually bathed in the magical firelight. Though at times it was dim, it made for difficult espionage escapades.
“This is crazy. We’re going to end up dead.” Chi growled.
“But we’ve no other choice, and sitting around complaining won’t get us anywhere.” I snapped.
“Well if you guys are ready, I could fly us to the outskirts of the city.” Draak offered. “Hold on, let me just get my spear…” he walked back into the cave, leaving Chi and I alone.
“I don’t like him.” Chi snapped.
“Well maybe I do.” I retorted. Chi flinched.
“What do you mean?”
“Draak is more complicated than you understand, and he’s already done a lot for us. I like him.” I said slowly.
“But… you can’t be… he’s a premature!” Chi snarled.
“I’m not allowed to be friends with them?” I snapped back.
“No, it’s just…” an odd look of agony had wormed into Chi’s eyes. Then, more softly, “Axis…”
“Okay, so are we ready to go?” Draak’s voice was muffled as he reemerged. The reason for this flaw was a carved spear stuck between his stony jaw. Now a large gargoyle, Draak stomped closer, sitting down before us. The pale demon stared up at the beast.
“I have to ride that…?” Chi gasped.
“Oh get over it. Draak’s more civil than a Loci.” I snapped, hopping onto the stony back. It was rough on my skin, but I didn’t complain. I heard the begrudging demon scramble on behind me.
“Alright, everyone ready? Then hold on…” Draak effortlessly spread his heavy wings and shot into the sky. It was amazing how the combined weight of two demons and Draak’s heavy body could not only remain airborne, but excel in the sky. There had to be some magic at work here, but magic was not something easily understood. My curiosity would have to be content with more easily answered questions.
“God I hate flying…” Chi groaned from behind me. As if to antagonize the demon, Draak dropped lower only to swoop upward at a sickening speed. So much so that Chi took a strangled breath and vomited over the gargoyle’s side. I believe I was more embarrassed by Chi’s weakness than sympathetic. Draak, however, just laughed.
The flight couldn’t have last more than ten minutes, though I could barely imagine how long it would have taken on foot. Factoring in all of the prematures we would have had to fight through, and the difficult terrain… at least a day. That was valuable time that we didn’t have. How many lives could be lost Above in twenty four hours?
Draak landed a short distance from the devil city. It was impressive from a distance, but as we descended it became clear just how innovative the architecture was. The towers didn’t seem to obey gravity: they bent like rubber, spiraling uncontrollably until they gripped the ceiling. Walls connected to other towers, equally bendable. Each structure was lit with dozens of small, pulsing lights. They were arranged in clustered patterns without intentional design.
With this odd beauty aside, the immediate feeling that the city gave off could not be ignored. The structures willed us to get closer, beckoned us. It was not a feeling of warmth, but of desire. At the same time, fear was beginning to take hold. Were we meant to be afraid of this place, or to run and hide from it?
In the end, lust was meant to win, to pull us into the mouth of the beast, then snap tight just when we realize it was more than just a warm cave we’d ventured into. The teeth we’d taken to be stalactites would pierce us, the tongue would hold us to the ground.
Nothing good would come from this place.
“There’s no other way?” Chi whined.
“There’s no other way.” Draak replied, now reverted to his more human form.
“I don’t like this.” the demon sighed.
“I’m with you on that one… but we’ve no other choice. Let’s just… get this over with.” I sighed, taking the first step towards the foreboding city.

As we entered the dark streets, it became apparent that finding our way through would not be an easy task. The streets wove into one another. Some also defied gravity, reaching into the sky without any support to greet a tower. The doors to the buildings were rarely ever located on the ground. Most were on the sides of the buildings, far out of reach.
“It’s like a fun house.” Draak observed.
“A what? You gotta be kiddin’ me if you think this place is fun.” Chi grunted.
“It’s a human thing… the place was meant to make your head spin and confuse you. But those were just cheap tricks using mirrors and crooked floorboards. Nothing like this.” Draak mused.
“How is it made? With magic?” I asked.
“Something like that… I’d venture to say S.D.. Or Satanic Demi… it’s what devils use. More powerful than demi, but without the healing properties. Also, devils are far more susceptible to light. But, as you can see, S.D. has it’s perks. It can craft things, bend all logic. Devils are so adept at it, that they can travel through it.” Draak explained.
“Through it? How?” I asked.
“Well imagine that every object you see here isn’t an object, but a tunnel. The road we’re standing on, thin as it is, is a tunnel that devils can use to travel through. See how this road connects to that tower over there? Instead of walking on the road to get to the tower, the devil can walk in the road.” Draak continued.
“Really…? That’s unsettling. If what you say is true, then we could be standing on devils right now without even knowing it.” I gasped.
“Exactly… This is a terrible place.” Draak growled.

We carried along for maybe a silent half hour before things started getting hairy. Draak had lead us in the general direction of the Lavafall (which was no longer visible), but the roads had begun to weave together, creating a nest of confusion. They were above us, below us, and held us from both sides. Instead of losing ourselves in the mouth of the beast, we had fallen into it’s intestines.
“Now what?” Chi complained. “We can barely see the ceiling, let alone which way is out.”
“Just give me a minute.” Draak sighed.
“I don’t think we have a minute.” Chi hissed. He’d turned his back on us, facing the way we’d came. A few feet away, three figures emerged from the road. They were malformed, like purple ghosts. Each was identical: A large wisp for a body, a smaller wisp for a head, two horns atop it’s head, and a pair of disembodied claws. Their eyes were the same shade as the pulsing lights: a bloody crimson.
“Are those…?” I began to ask.
“Yes. Devils. Lucifer robs them of their individual bodies when they transform. Just another punishment. If you’ll look closely, you’ll see their bodies are connected to the road, bound to the S.D.. Once they enter the city, they may never leave.” Draak muttered ominously. Sure enough, a small line of the smoky substance connected the devils to the road.
“But now is not the time to admire The King‘s evil ways.” Draak snarled. “We’ve been spotted. If we can take these three out before more come, we may still be able to make it out of here.”
“Then what’re we waiting for?” Chi growled. He shrieked fiercely, sending out a powerful wave of sound. It knocked the devils to the ground, temporarily shattering their forms. When Chi’s shriek ended, Draak’s roar of rage began.
“You idiot! The whole point was to NOT alert the other devils of our presence! With your annoying cry, you’ve just told any devil within a three mile radius that we’re here!” the premature chastised. There was a pause as the demon realized just what he’d done.
“Shit.” he finally muttered.
“I second that notion.” I added bitterly. Seconds later, the road trembled beneath us. Clusters of devils emerged behind us, above us, surrounded us.
“Well, no point in bein’ discreet now.” Chi grinned. He shrieked once more. Everyone, including Draak, fell back. It made sense for Draak to be affected by the demon call: Draak was just one step below a devil, and was not immune to the demonic attack like I was.
The problem with Chi’s spell was it’s temporary effect. Devils were already dead. How could we expect to kill them?
I snapped their minds in rapid succession, which also pushed the devils back. But, aside from this, the devils seemed unharmed.
“Why aren’t they fighting back?” I snorted.
“They’re… waiting for something?” Draak guessed.
“Well let’s not wait for them.” Chi hissed. This time his shriek was of the transforming kind, gifting Chi with spikes and strength. The demon raced towards the nearest cluster and impaling three devils in one swoop. The devils remained motionless as they dangled by the demon’s spikes. Then the devils evaporated, leaving only a thin cloud of smoke behind. No blood, not even a scream.
“Fuck yeah!” Chi grinned. Beside me, Draak merely sighed.
“He’s a fool.” Draak muttered.
“Why?”
“Just watch.” Draak pointed to what was left of Chi’s victims. The devils may have lost their form, but the purplish smoke still hung in the air. Just then the smoke realigned, forming the same devils. It was as if Chi had never slaughtered them!
“What the…?” Chi asked. “Why won’t you fuckers die!?”
As if Chi had said the magic word, the devils sprung into simultaneous action. From their disembodied claws smooth poles formed. At the top of the pole were three prongs, like a pitch fork but more refined. Orbs of what I could only guess were S.D. floated between the two longer prongs.
In one synchronized moment the devils were all pointing their weapons at us.
“Be careful, Serenity.” Draak whispered. “This might not end well.”
“What’d you call me?” I growled. With that dreadful word I soon lost focus.
“Just… look out!” Draak tackled me to the ground as dozens of S.D. orbs flew overhead. Some of them hit Draak, but he seemed unaffected. Of Course! S.D. for Draak was like how Demi was for me.
Chi however was not so lucky. In Chi’s defense, he had managed to dodge a good number of the deadly orbs. But in the end, three had hit him right in the back. The demon shrieked and dropped to his knees.
“Dammit!” I yelled, getting up to my feet.
“Wait!” Draak yelled, grabbing my arm. “You’ll get hit too!”
“I’ll have to risk it.” I muttered and pulled my arm free. I raced over to my first servant. His shrieks continued to pierce the devils ears, luckily keeping them at bay for now.
“What’s wrong with him?” I yelled to Draak. The premature was just now catching up.
“The same thing that happens to humans inflicted with demi. He’s bathed in nightmares now… real nightmares.” Draak hissed.
“Damn… you bastards!” I screamed, striking down the devils with harsh mental blasts. Draak protected me at the same time, taking the blows. But the devils were growing closer, only feet away. Draak launched himself forward, catching three S.D. orbs. But his back was turned now. Three devils struck him in the head with their poles. A hollow clunk sounded.
“Goin’ down…” Draak murmured groggily. He dropped to the ground seconds later, leaving me defenseless.
I wasn’t giving up just yet. I jolted as many minds as I could, launched demi--
Five orbs of S.D. smashed into my torso, knocking me down into darkness.
I forced my eyes open. I was in a realm of blackness, surrounded by monsters. Not horned or fanged monsters, but humans. They were malformed, more terrifying, and armed with their strange weapons. They fired their guns, the bullets penetrating my skin. The pain was incredible, but not as bad as light. However, with each bullet the pain doubled.
Shaking with fear and pain, I forced a downward glance. There were no marks, no blood. Yet I was sure I had felt the bullets pierce me…
The humans changed, unified into one force I knew all too well. The sun was now blazing, instantly burning my skin to a crisp. I was too close, sure to die.
But something was wrong. The dreaded scent of burning flesh didn’t fill the air. Though the pain was real, it seemed… displaced.
“You are how a human is when inflicted with demi…” Draak’s words rang in my head.
Like demi… but demi was merely a painful hallucinogen for humans! Demi tricked the mind into believing the pain (brought upon by the hallucinations) was real. So if S.D. was the same… this pain should not exist! It was but a cheap trick, nothing more!
The pain receded, the sun sinking away. The blackness that surrounded me had begun to fade. But this freedom was bittersweet. Devils surrounded me, staring down like looming shadows. No sooner had I fully recovered than the devils brought their poles down on my skull, thrusting me back into unconsciousness.