Demon's Web (4 page)

Logan reached the doorway of the infirmary, something which was only as old as he was. Azamel never felt he needed one before Clarissa came. Demons either healed or died, it was the way of the world. However, Clarissa showed him a necessity, for herself and their children, should they require it. Plus, it was humane to have one for those who served him in the hunt and protection of the world. Mel relented to the woman he loved and had the most up-to-date infirmary established within the confines of his manor.

Most days the infirmary saw little to no action, but there were times, such as now, where it was a hustle-and-bustle of flourishing activity. Logan’s mother and Shara entered only moments before he reached the threshold. Santanya was already there, holding Zenthus’ fingers and leaning over him, brushing his hair back with her other hand, whispering softly to him.

Santanya looked up when the door opened for Shara and Clarissa, but instead of running and hiding as she normally would have done, she stood up and faced the small group, still holding Zenthus’ appendages.

Clarissa peered over at Shara who suddenly found her shoes to be fascinating. So, the woman knew about Santanya and Zen. Clarissa wondered if Mel were aware of this odd relationship between them as well.

Santanya was brought to the manor as a prisoner, a tool to make Dzhihibai Manido talk. Santanya was Mani’s mother, whom Mel realized was the leverage he needed to get Mani to confess who he had been hired by in order to eliminate the guardian of the Gem of Avarice. The guardian was, of course, Clarissa. With the full promise Santanya would be protected from harm, Mani confessed he was hired by Jes’Sakkid, who was Azamel’s older brother.

The stone Clarissa had been assigned to protect was eons old. Her maternal family had been given the responsibility to keep it out of the hands of all creatures, be they gods, demons or others. It was too powerful to even exist; the temptation was too great for the potent influx of energy it would provide to those who wielded the gem. Clarissa’s entire family had been murdered in order to achieve control of the stone she didn’t even know existed until they were gone. She inherited the duties, which came with protecting the world from its influence.

It was why Clarissa and Azamel had met. Mel was hunting a demon named Xon, who had escaped from the Nether Realm. Xon was focused on hunting for the stone, which Mel could also sense once he reached topside searching for the demon himself. Mel agreed to help Clarissa in keeping the stone safe and away from Xon.

It wasn’t until after Xon’s demise, and still the battle for dominance of the stone continued, that Azamel realized there was someone else searching for the gem and therefore the guardian, putting Clarissa in harm’s way. He had been forced to let her go back into the world, constantly fighting multitudes of demons set upon her. He had been unable to help by the order of the Elders Council, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t investigate on his own. He learned Mani was the demon who had sent Clarissa, and by extension, himself, to another realm where they barely survived, much less escaped. But, no matter the torture and punishment, Mel could not get him to talk. At least, until he realized Mani’s weakness: the care for his mother, Santanya.

He had the woman brought to his realm and his manor, then to the dungeons so her son could see the woman for himself. Zenthus had held her when he brought her in to face Mani

Entering the small room, Mel appraised Mani still hanging from twin pillars. Mani’s body was covered with scabs, dried blood and parts of his body had the skin torn completely away. Mel moved over to him and bent down slightly to make their eyes a bit more level.

“Any chance you will reveal the information I seek?”

Mani just shook his head no, keeping his eyes lowered. He knew he was in the wrong but he had to protect the deal he made even if it meant suffering for his knowledge. Mani heard the door open again but didn’t pay much attention to it at first, until he heard a soft gasp from a voice he had not expected. He jerked his head up with the thought he must have heard incorrectly, only to be floored as she appeared before him, held by the most massive creature he had ever laid eyes on. His gaze fell upon the beautiful woman. Silky white hair with milky-white skin and colorless eyes. A true albino, he couldn’t believe she was here in this hideous place, looking upon him with deep concern and sadness in her eyes. He turned his heated gaze upon Mel and scowled, his voice raspy from his earlier screams of agony. “How could you? Leave her out of this!”

Mel stepped over to the woman, his gaze appreciating her beauty. She was nothing like his Clarissa, but then no one was. Then he remembered, angrily, Clarissa wasn’t his to claim.

“You brought her into this by refusing to give me the information I require.”

Mel grabbed the woman’s face and jerked it towards him. “She is why you’re not talking, I would wager.” He released her and sauntered back to Mani.

“I really don’t wish to hurt her in any way but you may leave me no choice if you don’t answer my question. I’ll give you one more chance to respond. If you choose to continue your silence, then, well, you can watch as we employ the same techniques to her as we have been utilizing on you. The choice, ultimately, is yours.”

Mani glowered at Azamel.
‘How the fuck did he figure it out?’
He turned his gaze to his mother, Santanya, and his visage softened. She was so beautiful and she didn’t deserve this. It was because of her he made the deal with Jes to begin with, the arrangement which he was now wholly regretting and suffering in silence for. He would endure any amount of pain to make sure she was safe and unharmed. However, what choice did he have now? He either gave up Jes and put his mother’s life in danger later, or he remained silent and put her in danger now. It was a complete fubar situation. “You don’t understand. If I tell you, she won’t be safe.”

Santanya squirmed out of Zenthus’ grasp and ran over to Mani. She bent down and cupped his face in her hand before she released him as she turned back to Mel.

“Please. Let him go. Do whatever you want to me but please don’t hurt him any longer.” Her voice was soft and pleading, desperate to have him safeguarded as most mothers would protect their children.

“That’s entirely up to him, Ma’am.”

Mel looked back at Mani’s mother. A delicate woman to be sure and he understood the need to protect her. That was, for the most part, what sons did. Well, except for him. He tried to murder his mother, but then she betrayed him and tried to kill him first. He gave himself a mental shake of his head. His mother was the queen of evil, literally, and not all maternal figures were that cold and cruel. Obviously, Mani’s mother wasn’t considering what he was willing to suffer for her, do for her. Mel raked his eyes over Santanya once more and wondered what it would have been like to have a mother who would do anything for him and who loved him. A mother who would give her very life to protect him instead of trying to eradicate him permanently.

Grasping her wrist, Mel yanked her away from Mani and tossed her back to Zenthus with a warning glance to the hunter to keep her still. Zenthus wrapped his beefy arm around her waist, keeping her immobile, her arms pinned at her side. Swiveling back to Mani, Azamel lowered his voice as he kept it neutral and nonchalant. “Tell me who sent you to put the Guardian into another hell realm. Tell me who you’re protecting. I will make sure that neither he nor anyone else will touch your mother. She will be safe. You have my word of honor.”

The entire pantheon and demon realm were aware of how Azamel’s word meant everything. He, in all the millennia of time, had never rescinded his word when he gave it. Mani scrutinized Mel then glanced over to his mother before he hung loosely in supplication.

“On your word she will be protected from all harm, I’ll submit to your inquisition with the responses you require.”

“I already gave you my word. I am not one to repeat myself uselessly. Last chance. Who are you working for?”

Mani hesitated a few moments longer, weighing all his options, even though he was readily aware he had none. He sighed in resignation and uttered one word, “Jes’Sakkid.”

Azamel gasped, before he quickly recovered and let the stoic mask fall across his features.
‘Why am I surprised? Have I not been betrayed by all of them at one point or other? This is no different!’
Jes would want the stone for himself in order to overthrow Nanaboojoo and lead the Council of Gods. Jes was the god of Malignant Man, but aspired to be so much more. The Gem of Avarice would allow him to achieve all that plus anything else he so desired, once it was in his possession.

Turning on his heel, he called back to Zenthus, “See that Mani is imprisoned for thirty more days with the appropriate lashes given for his treachery. Then attend to Santanya by securing her a safe place within our realm where she will be untouched by those who might otherwise wish her harm.”

Zenthus had moved Santanya to quarters near his so he could continue to watch over her. Nothing and nowhere was safer than this manor. Zen also resided there as the head bailiff. He was the son of Boralium, once the best friend of Azamel’s, but never knew the actual cause of death of either his parents. Mel made sure no one knew or would ever know as he took Zen under his wing to raise him. In time, the man earned his ranks to the head bailiff position.

He made many look small and puny against his massive size and demeanor. At six foot nine inches, his biceps were the size of cannons, his thighs as thick as oak trees. He had a low rumbling voice which boomed when he talked.

When Mel first took over his profession to hunt, judge, punish and even execute rogue demons who wanted to disrupt the human existence, Nana granted him assistance to successfully accomplish his job. The work was extensive, for many demons wished to roam the Human Realm, feasting on mankind as a snack. Mel was allowed to choose whomever he wanted to train as his crew. Of course, he chose one man whom he trusted more than most, a close friend and confidant he could discuss his problems with and who found women to be as untrustworthy as Mel did.

Zenthus’ father, Boralium, stood by Mel through his transition of incorporating the demon into his body and finding a way to manage it. Boralium took him in when Mel’s mother tried to kill him.

Mel would never forget Boralium’s duplicity. He had just sat down with Boral late one evening over some roasted rabbit. To thank his friend for shelter, Mel willingly assisted with chores, including providing nourishment. Since the demon had been placed within Mel, his sustenance requirements had changed considerably. Although he could still eat and digest normal foods, Mel had different and special dietary requirements to actually survive as a result of the demon symbiont which resided within him.

Boralium was eerily quiet that particular evening. Mel wondered why, when his friend was usually talking his ear off, but didn’t give it much thought beyond a passing rumination. Boral knew Mel was always available to listen should he decide to discuss whatever was on his mind.

As Mel sat back against the small boulder watching the fire burn, he remained quiet, enjoying the peacefulness which surrounded them.

Boralium stood and moved to the bushes. Mel relaxed and even shut his eyes for a few moments. The demon within had been particularly troublesome in remaining inside the past couple of days and Mel found the constant struggle exhausting.

As he reposed, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. Surprised, Azamel gazed down to see an arrow shaft protruding from his shirt, rapidly becoming stained with blood. It took Mel a moment to comprehend what occurred when two more arrows pierced his chest.

The demon inside roared as loudly as his host did. Mel’s eyes immediately changed to an iridescent red as he gazed towards the location from where the shots were being fired. Pulling the shafts out, the tips still embedded inside his body, Mel scrambled behind the boulder, using the stone as a shelter. His powers forced the arrowheads out, his wounds slowly closing.

Mel realized there was some sort of poison on them, preventing his godly healing abilities to work effectively or quickly. Mel struggled to maintain control and not let the demon out but he knew the inner conflict he fought was a lost battle without his full powers.

Destruction had a reason to appear. He was being attacked and the natural response was to prevent any further damage to his host’s body. Mel’s voice was low and demonic as he called out to Boralium, “Boral! Help me!”

At first there was no answer as another arrow whizzed by then stillness enveloped the clearing before Azamel got a response, “I will help you, Azamel. I’ll help you die.”

Mel shook his head as he remembered how shocked he was to learn he couldn’t rely on his friend, for it was Boralium who fired the arrows. The last vestige of hope died with him then. Furious at the betrayal, he let Destruction free from his interior cage.

Once the demon received permission, he tore through Mel’s body, ripping sinew, muscles and bone to be liberated. Mel didn’t fight against Destruction, so the demon didn’t mutilate his host’s body when he emerged.

With quickened strides, Destruction burst through the trees and was in front of Boralium before Boral was even aware of his approach. Destruction’s massive claw wrapped around the man’s throat and pulled him up off his feet to gaze eye to eye with the much smaller man.

“Why?” Destruction growled. “We were friends. You have done so much for us. Why?”