Going Home at Last

Here's another scene from my short story, Through the Gates of Hell.  The main character's been travelling through Hell on a mission from the priestess.  He's gotten the help of a demon named Nybbas along the way in exchange for taking Nybbas with when he leaves - which he had no idea how to do when he promised that.  And the fact that he chases demons and evil spirits and sends them to Hell.  Just before this scene starts the priestess contacts him via something like telepathy where they discuss whether or not she will help him bring Nybbas with when she brings him out of Hell.  This scene was in part inspired by a prompt from Studio 30 Plus.  See if you can find the line and check out other great takes on this line over at Studio 30 Plus.

            He was just about asleep when he felt the ants in his brain again.  Sitting up he rubbed his eyes and stretched a little first.

            Good evening, priestess.

            “You are different.  This bears much questioning.  But that must wait.  All is ready to bring you back.  You and the demon.”

            Excellent.  I told him you would help him.  I think he still doubts me, but this will show him.

            “You must be in contact with the demon.  Then repeat the words ‘Novas veritum marnieas voratu lum’.  Then you will be brought home.”

            Novas veritum marnieas voratu lum.  Got it.  We will be there before you can blink.
            “It will take longer than that.”

            I didn’t mean it literally.

            “Go.  Bring the demon with you.”

            Yes, ma’am.

            He felt the ants crawl away.  There seemed to be an odd vibe to it this time, as if the ants were stomping rather than just walking.  But it also left him with an interesting conundrum.  One he wanted solved as soon as possible but had no clue where to start.  How did one wake a sleeping demon without being eaten alive once the demon woke up?  Not that he really though Nybbas would eat him, but he was sure the demon had some nasty tricks up his sleeve if he wanted to use them.

            “Nybbas.  Time to go.  You awake?”

            “Nybbas no sleep.  Not need.  Nybbas leave now.”

            “Yeah.  Like I said, time to go.  Get over here so I can get you out of here.”

            “You taking Nybbas with?”

            “Do I really have to say it again?  Get your tail over here.  No offense, but I’ve had enough of being here.  I am looking forward to going home.  So, let’s go.”

            He had to smile at the incongruous picture in front of him.  A demon bouncing up and down with excitement just like a 2 year old kid.  Certainly wasn’t an image he’d have ever thought he would see.

            Nybbas joined him, he took Nybbas by the arm and repeated the words the priestess gave him.

            That’s when it all began to fall apart.  Both literally as the cavern melted away into a swirling mass of color and shape none of which made sense, and in the figurative sense when a strong, painful melting sensation began.  It continued for several seconds before abruptly ceasing.

A Bargain is Struck

I'm hooking up with Studio 30+ for the first time in a really long time.  This is a segment of a short story I'm working on for Camp NaNoWriMo.  Here's a quick summary of the story to this point:  He's capturing rogue demons for a priestess after he lost the life he wanted.  The priestess has offered him a way out of his deal - deliver the latest spirit through the Gates of Hell and return alive.  Then he gets what he wants.

In this scene he's currently being held in Hell.  He knows he will be tortured until he releases the spirit he's captured.  This happens during the moments between his capture and when the torture begins:

The flashbacks stopped for a moment before a riot of sensory stimulation started.  He couldn’t make anything out the cacophony of colors, shapes, sounds and smells.  When he thought he would go even madder than he already felt, it stopped.

He felt like he’d been stabbed straight through the heart when the visions began once again.  This time it was his wife.  His daughter.  Tears slipped down his cheeks leaving cool tracks as they crept toward the floor.  Then he realized it wasn’t the past again.  They were older than that last time he saw them.  And happier.  He tried to reach for them only to be stopped by the chains.  They smiled and gestured to him.  Asking him to join them.  Welcoming him in.

It was more than he could take.  He collapsed, completely surrendering his weight to the chains uncaring that they would tighten to the point of destroying his limbs.  The vision, and he had to work to remember it was a vision and not reality, cut deeper than anything ever had.  It was everything he wanted, needed.  And it wasn’t real.

“But it can be.”

He opened his eyes to meet the glimmering burnt orange eyes of the demon before him.

“How?”

“Nybbas commands visions.  Dreams.  Things that may yet be.”

“How do I get them back?”

“Nybbas knows where they are.”

“Take me to them.”

“Swear to take Nybbas with when you leave.”

He took a deep breath.  Another oath.  If he swore he knew he wouldn’t be able to break it.  Not without screwing everything up that he’d worked so hard to accomplish.

“I swear I will do everything I can to take you passed the Gates of Hell.”

He hoped the little demon would accept his oath as it left him some room to maneuver without having to set the demon loose on Earth.  He just prayed the risk he was taking wasn’t too great.

The demon studied him for several tense minutes.  Hints of shrewdness peeked out of those dark rust colored eyes.  Just when he was about to give in to what he knew Nybbas really wanted, Nybbas nodded.

“Is good.  Wait.  Will come for you when time is right.”

With that Nybbas disappeared.  He had just evaporated like water through the Gate of Hell.