The Prince of Darkness And The Dishonored Lady

in #story3 years ago



"Asmodeus," she cried again in frustration, rolling her eyes. The ancient one only smiled in his own deep and sinuous way. "What have you done this time? What evil do you plan for my people?" she asked, running her hands through the wisps of her own hair beneath her golden crown, growing ever more exasperated as she examined the graphic on the screen before her.

"My Queen," he answered, his voice dry and slow, weaving its way about the air in serpentine patterns. "I know full well not to keep a beauty such as yourself disappointed, but there is only so much I can do with controlling the old brute. Certainly my own power is not enough?"

"Indeed, this time I fear you are not to blame. I'm afraid your valiant efforts have, as I feared, gone for naught. You see, the old brute has been robbed of all his magical skills," she explained, dipping her long bejeweled fingers into the well at her side to bring forth a glass of water and sipping at it delicately in the hot night air.

"Robbed? Usurped, seized, confiscated, stolen, pilfered, confiscated, stripped from?" the wise snake began to question, his eyes passive as he examined the blue screen before him.

"No, no, no, no, and nothing of the kind, I'm afraid. Our hero was a bit too conscientious with his cleanup, if you see the difference, and he simply managed to remove the brute's magic completely. For good, I'm afraid."

"This, then, is very disturbing news, my queen. We have not been successful with our plans thus far. Our forces have managed to take charge of a few of his magic-absorbing artifacts. But it has been many a year since we've had the chance to take advantage of his talents."

"Whatever is the solution to this terrible news? I realize he is nothing more than a fool, but I feel it is a shame to let a fool wander the land. Do you think this will dissuade him from his current plans? And, what are his plans? Surely you must be close?"

"Our ways are not your ways, my queen. I am no longer allowed to believe the mortal, not anymore. I must find him, discover his plans, and then eliminate him. This is your task. Find the fool before I do, and persuade him to you. Perhaps you should show him a bit of magic, my queen?"

"Very well," she said, nodding. "I suppose that is the solution, then. I should keep the fool occupied as you seek to destroy him. I shall do exactly as you say," said the queen, sitting in the soft white throne stationed strategically next to the great snake. The queen was younger than the she-devil, but had a power that even he could not resist.

"Yes, my queen. I will serve you in whatever way I can to serve us both. We must hold unification at all costs," Asmodeus said, as she nodded with confidence.

"Yes, 'tis true," was all she said as she sat atop her throne, pondering the ways to keep this foolish mortal distracted from his course just a little bit longer.

"Surely this time my powers will subdue him for good. We shall control him," the great leader of the forces whispered to himself.

Meanwhile, the great brute, the master of the witches, was unaware that he had recently been robbed of all that had made him such a hope for the forces of the abyss. But, even as he approached the castle of his enemy, the queen of the dark, he was not capable of bringing the dark creatures under his control, as he had done time and time again before.

He landed slowly, heavily, both his claws and his hooves striking the rock-like ground with a loud thud, his heavy wings thumping behind him, and he turned his great head. All around him, hideous creatures, beasts and monsters, their arms twisted and their eyes glowing, gazed at him with awe.

He eyed his foul followers back for but a moment, then he turned his head again to look at the demon before them all. One who stood only a few feet in front of the great brute. He was clad in a bright purple robe, strips of cloth wrapped around his waist and tied with a bright red sash. A small black gem was set as the button at his throat and dropped down between his billowing breasts.

A woman! The brute had never seen one in all his years, and he could not see this one's face completely. She was covered by a veil, nothing more than two small holes through which her almond-shaped eyes glowed red and her small horns were made visible, facing in two directions as was her forked tongue.

She stood in front of the brute, face-to-face with him, as if challenging him to make the first move. The brute was astonished by her form. She was far too small to stand before him, yet he felt she could withstand the weight of his great size.

This was unlike any demon he had ever seen, but the greater shock was the fire within her eyes. It burned with courage and true passion. She was not afraid of him.

This was unlike any woman whom he knew and he could not help but stare at every little quirk about her being, amazed at her grace and the sheer beauty of her. She lowered her veil in one motion, exposing her full figure to him.

She was complete. Her big forearms protected her from the cold and the wind, while the tight strip of cloth had remained around her hips, revealing only her thighs. Her body was pure and strong, and although she was covered completely, it burned with an intensity he couldn't quite understand. Her chest heaved and glowed, pushing her vessels out. She was perfect in her feminine display and he was unable to tear his eyes away from it.

This was unlike any woman he had ever seen, or felt, and he felt as if he had just been struck by a lightning bolt to the heart. He let out one fiery roar and his great bulk began to crouch forward, the lady in front of him barely on her toes to avoid his crushing force.

"You will not hurt my people," she called to him, her voice hauntingly soft yet strong and alluring. Something within him stirred and he stopped, lowering himself to his hind legs. She ignored him and moved a foot further away to gain an advantage over him. He watched her every move, taking in her magnificent form.

"I, Asmodeus, Prince of the Powers of Darkness, challenge you to a duel!" he roared, eyeing her fully. He turned his head back and forth, trying to understand this new foe. He stared at her endlessly, waiting for his fire to be released, waiting for the fire that would destroy everything about her, her essence, her being, stopping short of removing all that lingered.

Yet all he saw was a woman, and he didn't know what to do. He had come to destroy her, but he was unwilling, unable, to do so.

She glanced at the brute for but a second before turning her attention back to the demon behind her. She was waiting for something to tell her that she was unwelcome, that her voice was all but useless and her life would end instantly. But she heard nothing. The demons remained silent and stared at her without malice, just as the brute was doing. For the first time since she had come to this land, she could feel peace. She felt love. The brute, Asmodeus, felt it too. He felt a soft fluttering within his heart and in his stomach, and he understood that this feeling was not of his doing. It was something which grew within him at the sight of this woman, something that was unknown to him and he did not know how to grasp or understand it.

"Your ring, mortal," demanded the demon to his left, but she did not know that the brute was in fact a mortal. The demon looked at her and moved his finger, thrusting it to her small chest. She felt a strange shiver run through her, though she did not know why. She looked down at his long, spiky finger and reached for her pouch. She removed her red bag and placed it on the ground in front of her. She looked up at the demon and bit her lip.

"Is this it?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible to the devil, whose face was almost in front of hers. He merely nodded. She reached for her daggers, pulled them out reluctantly, and opened the bag, placing them inside. She looked at the demon and bent her knees slightly, non-threateningly, then closed the bag.

She shivered again and looked at the brute. He was waiting, unmoving, like an ancient and graceful creature. She had lost much in this land, but she did not yet know to call it a loss. She felt the strong need to protect the brute, protect him from everything, from all the demons. She felt love for the first time since she left her home. She was losing . . . her heart.

The great brute turned his head, gazing at the lady more deeply, examining every inch of her flesh.

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