Forsaken Vow/False Hopes
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
Summary
Contents |
Enemies From the Past
Reality had seemed to become a shattered stained-glass window that had released different shades of agony into the very core of her being. Fire and ice had ran through what had once been her blood in her mortal lifetime. As she had been lost in her suffering, she could remember what seemed to be hands of power skillfully rearranging the very pattern that made up her basic being. Someone had decided she required alterations to her already miserable form to enhance the eternal torment she was condemned to know without any hint of release. During what seemed the first moments of her earlier session, the one changing her form had altered her to silence the screams of agony that had become deafening in even her own ears before she lost any sense of where she had been when the day had started.
The pain had faded when her form had no longer been able to endure anymore of her prior torment. She did not know how long it had taken her body to heal and restore itself, but she could sense that her earlier tortures had spanned what seemed to be hours. As Valriel finally rememberd ‘who’ she was again, she found herself curled on her side on the cold floor of her master’s domain in Hades. Her body and will continued to repair themselves as she quickly realized she was not alone in the chamber. Without waiting, she rolled over to her stomach to prostrate herself before the dais of her tormenter’s throne. She had no desire to suddenly find herself punished for failing to follow a simple rule drilled into her for centuries.
As she adjusted herself, Valriel remained quiet for fear of drawing her master’s attention to herself after recovering from his earlier attentions. Once she had settled, she could feel a weight on the back of her leg along with an odd pain in her lower back. Arguile, her master, had threatened her with a new alteration in her form for questioning him before she had lost sense of time in the midst of her torment. Horror caused her to attempt to gasp as she realized what he had meant. He had not altered her soul as he usually did to ‘refine’ her, but added yet another inhuman feature to her already warped form. She tested the muscles gingerly to find he had added a long tail of the same organic stone that made up her construct form. Before she could react, however, she caught words being spoken by another creature in the room addressing Arguile.
“He has been located, Lord Arguile.”
Valriel remained quiet as the demon that administered this realm of torment took a long moment before replying to the statement she had heard. With her gaze on the stone floor, she was unable to see what the creature’s reaction had been to the statement or hints of what kept him in thought. After a moment, she could hear what sounded as if he had been shifting on his throne adjusting his robes lightly. The Arch-Duke finally replied softly, “What have we learned of his plans?”
The other speaker shifted slightly, possibly shrugging, “That we are unsure of at this time. There is an organization in the Rogue Isles that have begun ‘ministering’ to lost souls in different areas of islands. They appear to be targeting those down on their luck.”
“I see he is at his usual tricks then. Despite his intelligence, he seems to never change his style or technique.”
“He is known for being quite the showman, my lord,” the one reporting answered the demon. “Others of the Infernal Court have been unnerved by his presence showing once more.”
A snort came from Arguile as he chuckled before speaking, “Those old women always shivered when a hint of something threatening their power was even whispered. They will each wait until they see another doing something about it. You may go. I have something to deal with.”
A shiver ran through Valriel when Arguile referred to ‘something.’ It was how he referred to his slaves and constructs that he tormented within his domain. She had willed herself to remain still as she hoped that she was not the one that he had taken an interest in. As she waited, the speaker that had come to report made a crisp motion and took his leave of the chamber. Silence echoed in the large hall as Arguile took his time in taking action or addressing anyone that was in his presence. Hope was allowed to build to a peak within her until she suddenly found it shattered as Arguile suddenly spoke, “I see you have discovered your newest addition, Valriel. You are slowly beginning resemble what you warped your soul into over all those years. Perhaps, you’ll eventually learn that you are the slave. Though, I doubt you’ll figure it out until I’ve reworked you into something befitting your corrupt spirit.”
If Arguile hadn’t removed her ability to speak earlier that day, she would have been begging him to remove the new tail that she could feel. But, the only thing that had come from her when she attempted to do so was complete silence. Tears fell from her eyes as she kept her gaze on the floor. Her misery was suddenly interrupted, however, when Arguile continued to speak, “It would seem an old friend of yours has resurfaced after all the years.”
She remained in her enforced silence, unable to reply to Arguile. Valriel prayed that her recent alteration was also to be left eternally mute. As she waited for more information, she heard soft footfalls of another entering the hall from near the direction of Arguile’s throne. For a moment, she was at a loss of which servant of the demon that had been called upon to await whatever command was to come. Her ignorance was quickly dispelled as a painful, familiar whip struck across her back—Tearbringer. It had once been Arguile’s choice instrument of punishment of his constructs. Now, it had been a gift to his favored servant known as Hardith. The pain ran through her body and soul dredging up a memory of her of her sins from her mortal life. Tears sprang to life as she kept still despite the potential of another stripe.
No further lashes fell, but Valriel suddenly felt phantom claws dig into her being. Heedless of the threat of the whip that now hovered over her, she doubled over on her side as Arguile proceeded to casually alter the pattern of her being once more. The tears flowed more freely as she writhed in silence for another moment. After the demon was finished, the claws seemed to withdraw from her soul and left her gasping on the floor again. A female voice broke through her misery, “Show respect to your master, Condemned.”
Valriel shifted herself back onto her stomach to lay before Arguile once more. She replied as she cringed, “Yes, my lady.”
“I think I have her attention, Hardith,” Arguile gently spoke to his servant. The demon’s attention shifted back to Valriel as he continued, “Now that you have found your voice again, we’ll continue. Does the name Terzuil bring back fond memories?”
A tremor ran through Valriel as she recognized the name immediately, “He’s the one that I sold my people’s lives to, master.”
“A prompt answer,” Arguile replied approvingly. “I’m glad you remembered the name. Without him, you would have been no more than a powerless slave back in Shados kicking and screaming at the injustices of the world. You may have even avoided being a slave once again in the afterlife. Yet, now, the one that gave you the power to become such a monster goes free within the world while his beloved mistress cowers before me as we speak. It would seem that he his active once more within this world.”
When Arguile mentioned the injustice that her former ‘demon’ went unpunished, Valriel felt a fierce anger rise within her. It warred with the remorse that had been seeded into her mind. She closed her eyes for a moment as she felt the tears continue at the conflicting emotion. The words came from her mouth before she had a chance to check herself, “Master, may I please hunt him down?”
“And allow you to bring some comfort to your punishments?”
Her gaze strayed from the floor to Arguile’s eyes before her good sense caught up with her. Desperation to strike out at one of the causes of her situation pulsed within her with a furor. Before Hardith could bring the whip across her shoulders, Arguile gestured for her to pause. The demon looked back at Valriel and nodded for her to say what she longed to speak, “Yes, it would offer some comfort. But, you said I was also to work to prevent others from following my mistakes.. More than anything, I wish him to share the same pain that I have to endure.”
“He is an Arch-Duke, slave. It is his role within the world to tempt and test mortals. You simply were too weak to resist his lures. Why should he be punished for your poor choices?”
The idea that Terzuil would be held blameless among the demons goaded Valriel to no end. She knew what Arguile said was true. But, the desire to lash out at something continued to hound her. Her tormenter had left that much of her former self alive within her. The desperation continued to grow within her as she fought to find the right words to gain her master’s permission, “It was said that he used me to nearly destroy the Balance when he tempted me. If he finds another such as me here, he’ll try to do the same.”
“Ah….” Arguile smiled at her as he met her eyes. The smile was born of amusement as he considered her last answer. His talons tapped the arm of his throne as he leaned back watching her. He could feel her remorse and anger at a crescendo at the mere mention of the other demon’s name. “If I didn’t know your soul as I do, I would simply assume you were trying to bait me into allowing you something you so greatly desire right now. You are correct, Terzuil needs to be dealt with.”
“You said I was to keep your enemies weak, master. Please, allow me to pursue him.”
Arguile studied the construct once more as he searched her heart and soul. She had changed over her time under punishment to regret her actions—more out of remorse than due to the pain she suffered now. He folded his hands before him as he allowed himself to muse over allowing her to pursue something she wanted so much. If she faced her former corrupter and defeated him, she would find the key to make with peace with her existence as tortured soul. It was the key he had worked into her soul to allow to rise to something above the wretched creature she existed as now. He weighed her slow reform against the idea of allowing her to find that key, “I will allow it. Be warned, if you try betray me to him, I will find a new form for you. I promise you, that new form will also lack a spine.”
She took his threat to heart immediately. Arguile had already allowed her to experience her existence as a pool of slime in a corner of the infernal realm. Her gaze immediately dropped to the floor as she nodded her head quickly acknowledging his words, “I will not, master.”
Arguile smirked as he nodded to Hardith, “See that she is punished for forgetting her place earlier.” With his last command given, the Arch-Duke rose and stepped out of the room into his own chambers.
Valriel kept her gaze on the floor as she braced for what Hardith may have in mind for her. There was no movement on the other demon’s part as she remained silent for several long moments watching the prone Condemned. She stepped a few steps back as she knelt beside her charge. The Condemned suddenly cringed as the demon rested a hand on her back expecting her to begin altering her pattern to bring pain. Despite her fear, the expected agonies never came to life. A soothing cold ran through her body bringing an unexpected numbness that eased her earlier memories.
Hardith gently brushed her hair back along her shoulders as she rose to her feet. Despite the instructions she had been given, the other demon turned away from the Condemned and walked out of the throne room leaving Valriel alone—and completely confused.
Light in the Darkness
They had said the had found Terzuil’s trail in the Rogue Isles. What they had neglected to mention was that had not found anything further than he was in the Isles—that left quite a bit if ground to cover to even understand what had given them the idea he was lurking about the area. Valriel knelt on the top of a ruined building in the area known as the Gutters in Grandville. Above her, the shimmering towers that housed Recluse’s power spiraled towards the gloomy sky into a weave of cables that formed the heart of the Web he ruled from. Built on the bones of older settlements before it, the Gutters were the corpse of that earlier incarnation. Many lost souls had come to call the area home—a place of last refuge from the harsh society that ruled the streets in other areas of the Isles. But, even this area was not without it’s share of dangers.
She scanned the lost souls of a settlement she had found amid the ruins. Demons were commonly drawn to those down on their luck in order to find easy targets. Without more information, it seemed like the best place to start and begin eliminating from a list of various venues to investigate. As she watched the people work through the old buildings seeking food or other scraps to put to use, she felt her impatience grow. Her emotions caused her to sigh softly. Before she realized it, the tail that Arguile had added to her twitched reflecting her frustration. She glanced back at the addition mortified.
The demon had destroyed her old body and created a new one from some type of organic black stone. Unholy ice from her former prison now served as her new blood. Despite resembling a humanoid form, her form lacked any details beyond curves in her form that hinted at a female identity. Her outward appearance was a warning to others that would pursue deals with demons as she had. It also served as a source of endless embarrassment for herself. Not only was she trapped in this form, Arguile had worked some sort of enchantment over her that would cause any clothing or attempt to conceal it from others to decay or fail. The new tail only served to make her long for her own mortal form once more.
“I come bringing peace and healing for those in need, brothers and sisters,” a voice called out from the settlement of refugees below her.
Valriel forgot her own situation as she snapped her attention to the newcomer. A figure dressed in worn, dove gray robes stepped into pale light of the lanterns that burned. A hood hid his features from her view as the people below her suddenly began to react. There was an air of tension as the stranger caused the people to look for some way to defend themselves. Before the situation could escalate, however, a wave of calm and peace suddenly swept over the area causing the fear of those below her to settle into a wary caution. From where she watched, Valriel could also feel the odd sensation attempting to cool her own alertness. She narrowed her eyes as she looked back to the newcomer.
The stranger threaded his way through the people as he seemed to be looking for something or someone. He looked over their dwellings pausing near a building. The man tilted his head slightly as he spoke again, “A child was injured today. He needs attention.”
A couple standing by the building looked between themselves. Before the husband could reply, what appeared to be his wife darted back into the building. Valriel was quiet as she watched on. The woman returned with a sickly child cradled in her arms. Tears showing in her eyes, the woman knelt quietly as if the newcomer was some form of angel suddenly appeared within their numbers. Her broken voice echoed many like her as she pleaded, “Please, the spiders used him for one of thei…”
The man rested a hand on the woman’s head as he spoke gently, “For their inhuman experiments. I know, my child. They have shattered many of your lives. It is this that I have come to see an end.”
Without further words, the man gently rested his hands on the child. A pale, white light began to surround the man and touch the child. The healing light seemed to become a sphere about the stranger and began to expand into the community about him. It swept over the ruined community, even touching Valriel’s own perch. In its wake, a soothing calm seemed to fall over those gathered. Even the Condemned found herself set at ease as her caution of the stranger settled into mild curiosity.
The mother of the healed child began to cry in gratitude to the newcomer. His voice began to echo as he spoke of a new power being brought to men and women—one that would help them find a road to peace and escape from their dismal lot in life. The only cost of that new start would be that of faith in the power that the newcomer represented. As he continued, Valriel suddenly sensed someone else with her on the roof she was on. Her gaze snapped to look behind her. Another figure dressed in the same dove gray robes crossed his arms as he studied her quietly, “You doubt my brother’s words.”
She looked at the other man as she rose to her feet. Her tail shifted to accommodate her movements and offered the surprising benefit in aiding her balance. Valriel shut the thought out of her mind as she replied, “Many angels bring sweet promises to people.”
“Demons often come among men dressed in light, yes,” the man nodded. He stepped closer to the inhuman Condemned and looked over the edge at the other man working his healing arts and offering words on hope. “He honestly believes in what he does for others. It took me sometime to believe as well.”
“One of the rescued as well, I take it?”
“Yes, I was found injured overseas. I served in the war going on that my country was in. It was a senseless war, but soldiers are not supposed to question our orders. He found me on the field and healed me. He gave me something to believe in.”
Valriel still was not convinced, but she said nothing of her doubts. Her gaze went back to the healer amid the crowd as she studied him. She could feel no familiar corruption or traces of Infernal power. False prophets and other power were not of interest to her—something that had been made cleared to her in the past. But, she still watched as if judging what power was involved. The man near her looked back to her as if weighing her soul as well. His voice was almost compassionate as he spoke, “You literally radiate suffering yourself. You could free yourself of that.”
She shook her head as she watched those below them still. For some reason, she found herself talking about herself despite her doubts, “Not for me. I’m too far gone.”
“That’s for the Light to decide. Not mortals such as ourselves.”
The Condemned smirked as she looked back to him, “I’ve already been sentenced by the Light. Trust me, I’m too far gone for you to worry about it.”
The man pushed his hood back as he looked to the people below them. Pale blonde hair spilled down his shoulders framing hawkish face. She began to follow his gaze until she noticed his eyes. There was no color in their depths, almost fathomless as flawless diamond. The weak lighting that was caught in them seemed to be amplified to pure radiance that caused his eyes to glow with an unsettling aura. She took an involuntary step back from the man. For a moment, she had lost track of time and the nature of their conversation. Her fascination continued until he cleared his throat drawing her back to reality. Valriel shook her head as if clearing spots form her eyes brought on by looking at the sun far too long.
A hand lightly rested on her shoulder, heedless of the twisted figures of organic stone that wrapped about her shoulders. She flinched out of learned instinct given such gestures usually were followed with endless agony. But, to her surprise, a soothing touch spread throughout her spirit. For a brief moment, her internal conflict and remorse suddenly seemed worlds away. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the man, “What… how?”
The stranger smiled and removed his hand. As he did so, her inner turmoil suddenly surged back to life. Tears glittered in her eyes as the man answered her question, “Nothing is so far removed from the Light that it can’t be brought back. Punishment is meant to reform. You are sorry for what you did in the past, no?”
“Yes, of course. But, there is no freedom from being sentenced to Hades.”
“That only has power over you if you truly believe that, my child,” the man countered as he folded his arms before him. He seemed to give her his full attention,. The effect seemed to make her feel as if she was the only one who had ever suffered in the world. Once he had her snared, he continued, “Do you really want to exist as a tortured creature for the rest of eternity?”
She shook her head as she replied, “No. But, how can I escape from what I am? It can’t be as simple as saying I’m allowing myself to be tortured.”
“This is true. Belief is the first step. The next step is to act on that belief to give it form. You most show to the higher powers that have truly changed. Don’t focus on yourself, but on those in need. Pain can blind us to what is really important.”
Valriel looked away from the man back to the people below them. The other man she had come to take as a missionary was speaking of the same things as the one that had drawn her attention. As he spoke, he glanced up to where they were standing. He smiled and the light of the weak lanterns of the settlement also caught his eyes. Like his companion standing with her, his eyes reflected with the same intensity of a sparkling diamond. The similarity began to unnerve her as if she was facing some form of divine messengers. The speaker went back to his discussion with the lost souls now beginning to accept him at his words.
The man near Valriel stirred once more causing her to look back towards him. His glittering eyes drew her in once more as he continued to talk to her, “I am called Marcus. I was similar to the souls that you see below us. My son was dying and He came. He gave my son back his life. He went to leave, but I had to know how I could repay His kindness. Now, I serve to bring hope to those that have been cast adrift as I was back then. You felt the peace that He can bring you. Why do you turn your back on it when it’s just a choice away from you?”
Hope began to bubble within her heart for a moment, clashing with her wretched emotions. Valriel turned away from the man to break the spell that he seemed to be casting over her. As she did so, a part of her nearly cried out in desperation to taste the release he had granted her earlier—even for a second longer. She could feel that bubble suddenly burst into despair as she faced the reality of her situation again. “Enough.” She wanted to say more, but the word was all she could manage to utter.
“Your very being craves for escape,” Marcus whispered as he seemed closer now. “Your very soul is crying to know the peace you were cast away from because of your sins. You’ve learned since then. He can show you the way to that goal.”
The threads that made up the pattern of her being seemed to respond to the man’s words. Now that she was no longer meeting his gaze, she could feel his words strumming at the fibers attempting to coax her into his way of thought. She narrowed her eyes and stepped away from the man. As her eyes caught his again, she suddenly felt her fear melt away as he looked towards her gently. Tears began to form at the thought of doubting him.
Marcus touched her check to catch one of the tears as it fell. His touch radiated the same soothing calm that he had given her earlier. “No one expects you to simply say yes now. Patience is endless. He never turns away a late comer that has come to understand. When you are ready, you will find the path to Him.”
Before she could reply, Marcus turned and slipped along a pile of debris that served as an impromptu set of stairs to the roof they had shared. She wanted to follow the pair as they left the small community of outcasts. But, there was something else that she was supposed to be looking into instead. With reluctance, she tore her gaze away from the two men as they departed. The people they had ministered to had become committed to their following in the short time she had spoke with Marcus. Three of the people below her—two women and two men—looked over their fellows. As they did, their eyes reflected the light of the dawning sun that rose over the horizon. She drew in a gasp as she realized they had become one with whoever He was and now carried his peace within them.
It was also then she realized that her time among mortals was at an end and she was drawn back into Hades for the day to face her torments once again.
Enlightenmentt
Pain laced through her chest near her heart. She could feel the dagger enter hundreds of times—each time she could see herself smiling cruelly as her own hands lowered the blade. Each time, she begged herself to stop and realize what she was doing. Words attempted to form, but were choked away before they even be whispered. Darkness would take her and she would suddenly awaken bound to that cursed table again. The scene repeated itself over and over—different eyes and different people each time that she watched from their perspective as she fed her empire of blood on their lives…
A piercing cold ran through her soul as she was helpless to her memories. She was unable to move or even shift as she found herself encased in ice. Her attempts to scream were silenced by the unholy prison that held her twisted into a contorted position. Her realization of her situation would fade in and out as she continued to live her sins through the eyes of her victims. As it seemed to continue forever, her imprisonment was suddenly interrupted as she could hear the shattering of ice.
Valriel felt herself spilled out of the column of ice that had held her. She floundered to the dark stone floor of a large chamber as she tried to get her wits about her. As she looked about her, she suddenly felt a painful lash across her shoulders and she was at the mercy of reliving one of her sins again. Tears flowed freely as she recognized the source of the pain and instantly shifted herself over to her stomach to prostrate herself in fear that Arguile may be in the chamber. Her mind began to clear of her imprisonment, but she could still feel the fleeting temptation of the peace she had savored the night before. The temptation that Marcus had offered her taunted her as she found herself facing her punishments once more.
“I thought you needed a reminder of why you were here, Valriel,” Arguile’s voice cut through her distraction. “You seemed a bit distracted when you returned.”
She did not remember even returning. Valriel kept her gaze on the floor as she replied softly, “There was two men last night that were speaking about someone the referred to only as Him. One of them kept…” The Condemned closed her eyes and felt the hollowness within her spirit where the brief touch of peace had been offered. There was no words for what she felt that she could dredge up.
Her silence was broken by a scream as Arguile drove his power into her pattern once more. The demon began sift through her essence looking for changes or alterations that he had not granted her. As he sorted through the various threads, he chuckled as he touched the area of her spirit that wept at the loss of she had been offered. Pain ran through her frame as he twisted the area back into the form that he had given her. The Condemned shuddered as Arguile finished his work and banished the longing from her. Rather than drawing out her agony, the demon’s power withdrew leaving her alone.
“Interesting…” The demon studied her as he walked about her considering what he had found. “Someone was able to alter you despite my hand in your creation.”
Valriel kept her gaze locked on the floor as she replied, “There were two men in the ruins under Recluse’s stronghold, master. One of them was determined to get me involved with their idea of helping someone they just called Him.”
The Arch-Duke paused near her side as she explained. There was a shuffling of silk as if hinting of a movement of arms on his part, “Go on.”
She was quiet for a moment as a part of her mourned the loss of the temptation to seek out Marcus again. But, given Arguile had mentioned something about removing an alteration, the numbers were beginning to add up about what had happened, “They were speaking with the outcasts about pursuing some plan of peace and salvation through the one they served. One of them had a power of healing. Both had eyes like diamonds. When they were leaving, three of the people the were speaking with seemed to have accepted the promises they had offered. Their eyes were also affected by the same power—the diamondine appearance.”
Arguile began to circle her once more as he remained silent. The demon seemed to be lost in thought for a moment at what she told him. Eventually, Arguile addressed her again, “There are few that can grant others the ability to act in their name as this Him of theirs’ seems to be doing. The one you dealt with was able to alter your form, as you already know. It means whoever their benefactor is, He seems to have the gift of Recreating a person or thing by affecting their very pattern. Normally, those with the ability are not able to undo another’s creations. It would seem you stumbled into servants of one that can.”
“I did not sense anything demonic or Infernal from the power they used, master.”
A sigh came from the Arch-Duke as he turned to the Condemned, “After all this time, you still haven’t learned what you should it seems.”
As the words left the demon, a familiar touch tore into her essence once more. The demon’s power suddenly seized the threads that made up her being and began casually rearranging them. Pain once more surged through her body as she felt alterations being made along her spine. Bones warped as the power began to raise spurs to pierce her skin. A scream broke out from her as she felt her back arching at the sensation. Her eyes met Arguile’s as his power forced her to look upon him. It felt as if he was about to snap her in two has he continued. His voice was low as he cut through her agonies, “If I recall, the demon you made pacts with came to you as an angel of light. You, the ‘veteran’ demonologist, could sense no evil from him either, no?”
Arguile’s message settled in as another wave of pain struck her. Her answer was given form by her next scream, “Terzuil!”
The demon released his grip on her pattern and went to one knee beside her head. He cupped her chin and lifted her gaze from the floor to meet his own. A smile formed as he felt her tense at his action. Arguile drew a talon gently over her check to trace through the tears streaming from her eyes. He set a talon to her lips indicating for her to taste the fluid as he continued, “Yes, Terzuil. I’m surprised you don’t remember the eyes, slave. Everyone touched by a demon or angel bears a mark of that deal. For some it’s the demon’s mark, for others it’s more defining. The level of the change is defined by the master’s power. It would seem you failed to pay attention to some of your lessons you were taught here. Don’t tell me you wasted my time in instructing you to serve me.”
Valriel tasted the tears he brushed along her lips. Her orders were made clear in the demon’s last statement of what she was supposed to do now that they had confirmed that Terzuil was involved with this new group of followers. The Condemned trembled when Arguile mentioned her failings. “Please, let me try again.”
The demon continued to smile as he heard her words. Despite her fear, she still had the will to ask for another attempt at her target. He brushed her hair out of her eyes as he drew the locks along her back out of the way. His other hand continued to force her to look him in the eyes. “Why? Despite all your words at saying you repent willingly for what you did, some part of you must still wish to be free of me. His servant would not have been able to plant the silly idea that you can escape Divine Judgment without there being a seed of hope within you. You know that such a path will lead no where but back to my leash.”
“Of course I wish to be free of my torments,” Valriel replied to him. Her hand strayed from the floor to wrap about the wrist of his hand holding her chin. The Condemned still trembled in fear of what he would most likely do to her, but she wouldn’t lie to something that could read her heart on a whim. “Most people or Condemned have no desire or interest in suffering. I didn’t repent until I was sent here, yes. But, I have, I swear it.”
“Then why do you wish to be free of your punishments if you know you deserve them,” Arguile asked with a sinister tone. “I think you only wish to be free of your pain.”
“I….” Valriel stopped cold at his question. She cursed herself finding the questions once more twisted to lock her into some ethical argument. A part of her prayed so hard that her will would simply break and quit giving her tormenting false hopes. “I have no desire to suffer them, master.”
“That is why you are wrapped in my chains, Valriel. It is to make sure you do suffer them,” the demon spoke gently, as if to a half-wit. “I’m sure if you had half a chance, you would slip your sentence to escape.”
“No, master, I would not,” Valriel replied with an unexpected conviction. “I would return to you as expected each dawn.”
Arguile studied her eyes as she spoke. The inhuman depths gave him a window into her soul that allowed him to read her heart as if it was a book to him. He nodded at her statement as he tilted her head slightly from one way to the other as he considered what he found there. For a moment, his eyes slipped to her back that bore its share of scars from his old whip. The demon looked back at her before he replied, “I believe you would. I will hold you to your words, Valriel. Prove to me you’re something more than the wretch that’s always whining when she’s punished for being a fool so often. You will now choose when you return at dawn. I will no longer force you to come here at the assigned time. When you return, you will come to me and tell me of everything you have done during your time free. Afterwards, you will select the torments you will endure for that day. When it is over, you will remember you are the one responsible for selecting what you thought you deserved.”
The Condemned was shocked to here what he told her. Her eyes widened to reflect her reaction as she stammered over her words, “I… I will…” In the centuries she had known the demon, he had never offered something so straightforward without a catch. “I’ll remember, master.”
“See that you do, Valriel. If you fail this chance, you’ll never get a second one,” Arguile replied as he released her chin. The demon rose letting her lower her gaze again. “I’ve grown tired of waiting on you to act as something worth my time.”
The odd change in the demon’s tone caught her by surprise. She remained prostrate on the floor, but she carefully raised her eyes towards him. There was no backlash from Arguile as she weighed her reactions with care. A part of her knew there was no way she could promise that she would never fail him—no one was infallible. “I will obey to the best of my ability, master.”
Arguile nodded at her statement, the words chosen carefully. “I see you’ve learned to think before you speak. That’s a vast improvement—for you, anyway. You know what I expect of you. Well, you would if you would quit groveling in fear of what will happen to you if you make a mistake. You no longer have that luxury.”
Before Valriel could reply, the Arch-Duke turned away from her and walked out of the cavern she had been frozen within earlier. She looked quietly to the icy wall that had held her and trembled quietly. Internally, she could sense there were several more hours of daylight before it was time to escape Hades once more. She thought on what Arguile had said about her power of choice now. Quietly, she thought about what might allow her to suffer the least during her time she had left. After a moment, however, she thought about the demon’s last words to her and sighed. Her gaze slipped back to the icy wall that was part of the lowest circle she was required to inhabit.
She rose to her feet and stepped back to the wall. The Condemned bowed her head as the ice seemed to react to her intentions and reformed about her. With in a short time, Valriel found herself lost within her mind as the memories began to assail her once more.
Meeting to Remember
In one of the broken neighborhoods of Mercy Island, a low moan could be heard down one of the alleyways. Such noises were too common in an area littered with human outcasts and released prisoners from the Zig that had failed to crawl their way out of the first challenges to their new lives. A rattling came as the source of the groan finally realized where she was and moved to figure out where she was now. Valriel pushed a battered trashcan out of the way as she looked about her. Drops of water pelted her steadily as her mind slowly cleared of the residuals of her time in Hades. The nightmares gave way to the reality that a thunderstorm had broken over the island.
Her eyes narrowed as she leaned back against the alley wall grumbling about the foul weather. Several people wandered past the entrance of the alley. Her motions caused a few curious passersby to look at her. That curiosity was short-lived as they realized the source of the racquet was an inhuman appearing creature with a tail. A child walking past had yelled with delight at the strange ‘mutant’ lurking in the dark. The girl’s mother suddenly caught the girl by the shoulder and hurried her off after making a comment about lazy beggars.
Valriel snorted as she pushed herself up from the ground and stepped into the rain. She let the water wash away the muck from where she had landed as she looked out over the water behind the buildings she had ended up between. A heavy curtain of storm clouds seemed to have surrounded the island. The wind that howled off the sea caused the driving rain to lash against her body enhancing the icy cold of her magical blood. As she made her way through the rundown buildings, a few other people scurried away from her. She bowed her head and moved on past those that took even a remote interest in her.
Once she was out of sight, Valriel closed her eyes drawing on the powers that were infused into her over time. She ascended into the air quickly to gain a better vantage of the area. The Condemned began focusing on areas that were known for their bleaker aspects on the island. After her encounter with the ones in Grandville, the group had been focused on drawing in those that had no other options. Recalling what Arguile had instructed her on that day, she began to open her senses to feel more than what she usually associated with the demons she sought to target. The idea that such a creature could shield itself behind a veil of light and hope almost caused her stomach to turn.
Her search had spanned for several hours as Valriel came to a stop on one of the rooftops. She muttered quietly in her native language cursing the idea of having to track the group the hard way. Valriel focused on the buildings near her attempting to detect something. Her gaze eventually slipped to the streets watching those that either hurried home in fear of the night or those that had found a home within those same alleyways that she had awakened in earlier. A frown formed as she did not find any trace or hint of those she sought. Her words quickly concluded into a curse as she knelt to watch the nearby street half-heartedly.
As she continued to lose patience, she could hear the sound of several high-caliber weapons going off in the building before her. Valriel began to dismiss the matter—it was not uncommon for the local factions to turn a local structure into their battlefield for the night. As she looked away, she suddenly snapped her gaze back to the building. A wave of familiar energy hit her. A gentle flush of soothing calm flowed over her and into her heart. She rose to her feet as she noticed that the power did not affect her the same way as her earlier encounter with Marcus. Without a word, she soared back into the air and headed for the windows nearest the source of the energy.
As the glass shattered from her entrance, the battle she had noted suddenly broke into chaos. A group of figures were dressed in some form of battle armor illuminated with a blood red glow. They seemed to be the source of the high-powered weapons as she suddenly saw several such guns turn on her. While both sides of the fight gathered themselves from the fight, she rose from her knees and released a blast of energy. The concussive force threw several of the armored figures back allowing her to catch sight of their enemies. Several figures dressed in gleaming silver armor appeared to be holding their own with swords and shields of pure light. Valriel hissed as she recognized the familiar diamondine eyes of one of the leading sword fighters. A familiar energy coursed through her as she realized the source of their powers.
Taking advantage of the confusion her sudden entrance had created, Valriel summoned her swords and lunged for the closest of the ethereal figures. Her intended target whirled about from their high-tech enemies and raised his own sword in defense. The light-wielding man deflected her attack as he fought to overcome his surprise. Her advantage ended quickly as the blinding sword tapped hers away and suddenly seemed to ride along one of her blades to her arm forcing her to draw back. As she fell back, the shining figure shook his head and spoke softly to her, “I told you, you can be free of your curse. But, this is not the way about it, Condemned.”
“You offer a false hope, Marcus,” Valriel hissed back to the man she recognized now. “I know the demon you are serving right now. He’ll destroy you through your piousness.”
Marcus brushed his hood back allowing his features to show as he smiled at her words. He shook his head in pity and leveled the gleaming blade at her. The attack swept towards her, suddenly drawing from the feint to draw her swords low and slash at her chest, “Pity, you almost seemed within reach of salvation. Some people are so in love with their suffering, they cannot see any identity beyond it.”
The Condemned twisted out of the way of the blade as he foiled her defenses. She was shocked by the speed that Terzuil’s newest followers seemed to have inherited. Valriel had been twisted into a form build to endure pain. As she attempted to fight the man, she found herself quickly on the defensive looking for a way to simply avoid being hit by the power that Marcus had already used on her once before.
Behind her, Marcus and his men’s enemies had been caught by surprise by the sudden attack from the window. There were no shots fired as several of the men looked towards their leader. After a few moments, the commander frowned under his visor as watched the newcomer suddenly fall back as well. He considered his options and weight the fact that someone may be caught in friendly fire. The figure spoke into his comm link to the others, “Take the targets down. We’ll deal with the consequences after the fire dies down.”
There was no hesitation as the dark-armored figures trained their weapons on the illuminated enemy. High-caliber weapons suddenly spoke for them as they released what seemed an endless volley of bullets at their targets. As the projectiles streaked across the room, Marcus looked away from Valriel and shifted his position in their stalemate. His blade came in low to force the Condemned to turn her back on the incoming shots. As she reacted, Marcus pushed weight towards her and whispered to her, “Forgive me, but you left me no choice.”
Valriel did not have time to regret her single-minded attack on Marcus. Burning pain spread across her shoulders and back as the shots fired slammed into her. The sudden shock slammed her into the man and caused her to fold to the floor as her body struggled to cope with the sudden damage. Her mind screamed in anger as her body failed to react as the pain continued. She was only able to weakly twist her head in time to see Marcus and several of the survivors of the group slip out of the window she had shattered. As her eyes closed finally, she caught a fleeting flash of silvery wings as they fled the scene.
First Impressions
Reality came back to her painfully and slowly as she quietly cursed her impulsiveness. Valriel opened her eyes as she regained enough strength. She found herself suspended by her wrists in a darkened room. A single light source illuminated her preventing her from making out anything beyond the shadows that surrounded her. Muttering a curse she tried to shift and came to find her feet not touching the ground. Her actions caused her shoulders to protest as she realized how she was bound. She nearly rolled her eyes as she could almost here her master scolding her for this fiasco and what would probably afterwards. The wounds from earlier had healed to a dull throb mixing with the tension in her shoulders.
As she looked towards the shackles that held her, she suddenly heard footfalls in the shadowed area of the room. Valriel narrowed her eyes and looked away from the light. The echoes through the source of the sound off as the room seemed to distort it. She relaxed as she waited when the footfalls stopped. A male voice echoed through the chamber, the room seeming to warp the source once more, “What are you?”
She frowned for a moment, not knowing what she had got entangled with now, “A penitent.”
“I didn’t realize one found redemption jumping through windows randomly attacking people with swords,” the voice answered. There was a hint of amusement in his tone as he continued, “You heal very quickly. Most people or….” He paused for a moment as he seemed at a loss before he found a word to describe her better, “Creatures would not have survived that much damage without ending up in the medical system. We’ve already ran scans of you and found your make up rather interesting. Our mystics have already labeled you as something infernal or demonic in origin. That already throws a considerable strike against you there. I’ll toss in there not very bright as well.”
The Condemned could not help the smile that crossed her features at his last words about her. At the moment, she was very inclined to agree with the last part of the assessment of her mental state these days. She let the smile fade as she responded, “I’m called a Condemned. Your mystics are right about me.”
“Hmmm… I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the term. What is your place among the Infernal Courts?”
Valriel was quiet for a moment as she bowed her head. She hated discussing what and who she was with outsiders, but Arguile had forbidden her to lie about her past. Her words were softer as she replied, “Condemned are souls of former mortals that were cast into Hades. In the scheme of things, we rank below any demon and exist as either slaves or past times for the Infernals.”
“From your stunt, one would think you are one of those considered a slow learner,” the man chuckled as he remained out of her sight for now. “What are you being punished for then?”
Her voice caught in her throat as she fought to keep from replying. A flood of guilt rushed through her as she felt her mind rebelling against her will, almost as if a part of her was dying to simply confess every sin to the stranger questioning her. Valriel found herself physically trembling as the impulse that had been crafted into her fought to manifest itself. She resolved to keep silent against answering, but pain would eventually follow the longer she kept quiet—the man would have no need to force the information from her.
At her silence, the man did not speak for a moment. After waiting for awhile, a figure stepped out of the shadows directly in front of her. Dark hair spilled down his shoulders framing pale features. He was dressed in a form of bodysuit of a black material similar to a part of the armor she had seen his group in before in the building. As he drew near, she felt herself trembling again as her form fought with her. When he met her gaze, she suddenly twisted in her shackles as she recognized the diamond-like eyes glittering back at her. Before she could let out a curse, her words twisted into a scream as the pain of fighting the impulse to confess slammed through her.
The man stepped back in surprise at her sudden reaction to his presence. His eyes widened as he tried to figure out what had just caused her to react as she just did to him, “I haven’t…..”
Valriel locked onto the man’s eyes as she fought to keep from crying out again. But, the pain continued to build within her. She noticed his confusion at her distress and she lowered her gaze once more. When she could no longer endure the wrenching agony that had swept over her, she quickly answered his question, “I was an empress on a world different from yours.” Tears began to stream freely as she continued, “I entered a compact with a demon that worked through my actions. I twisted the empire from it’s old religion to one dedicated to feeding his appetites for blood. I’ve lost count of the souls I helped warp through the false religion I helped spew and those sacrificed to his plans.”
As she finally finished the hated words, Valriel kept her gaze lowered from the man. The pain suddenly disappeared as quickly as it had set in. Her form hung limply from the her bonds as the man remained silent for a long time. He did not respond as he began to walk about her. His hand brushed her hair aside once he stepped behind her. A finger ran along one of the scars along her back. The man spoke as he studied her back, his tone hard, “I hope your suffering has been very harsh then.”
“My master seeks to ensure it is so,” she replied softly. The judgment in the man’s tone almost made her recoil as she kept her gaze lowered. She could still feel him tracing the scars from the lash along her shoulders.
“Good. It’s refreshing to see that there is some balance for creatures such as you in this universe. After seeing so many seem to escape justice here, I’m glad that they pay eventually—in one world or the next.” The man let her hair fall free once more as he stepped back to study her features. “Don’t look away from me. You don’t deserve that luxury.”
She was shocked at how similar the man seemed to sound like Arguile. Her eyes instantly rose from looking at the floor to meet with those diamondine eyes again. This time, however, they almost appeared cold as steel as he learned more about her. She was at a loss of what to say as she saw the look of disgust cross his features. As the silence hung in the air once more, the man filled in the void.
“I’m called Exile. I’m the commander of a group working with the government dealing with matters involving occult disruptions. You ran into one of those problems we’ve been working on. The men that you saw us fighting are part of a cult that has began showing in the States and abroad as well. There has been concern that whatever is behind these folks is either a powerful immortal or something far stronger. We’ve been at a loss at the source of what is giving them their powers of late.”
Valriel nodded as she spoke in turn, “He’s called Terzuil. His followers have the same eyes that you do when they are granted the powers he offers. He is also the same demon I dealt with back on my homeworld. The tactic he seems to follow is to appear as a messenger of light. In time, he shows his true colors. What he is doing has the chance to cause a shift in power.”
Exile’s eyes narrowed as he continued to study her. The disgust in his expression was easy to read now as he folded his arms before him. If his voice could become colder, he somehow found a way to express it as he replied, “Then he is a demon. At least, that answers that question. You recover quickly from your injuries. That will be put to use as well. My team are humans for the most part. We have a few occultists that aid us as well. Given we’re both after the same target, obviously, I think that it would work to keep us from clashing about like a flock of geese.”
She nodded and asked, “What do you have in mind?”
“It can be simply put as you’ll be acting as cannon fodder. With your regeneration and limited common sense, it seems to be the role best suited for you. Who knows, you may even learn something about more intelligent approaches to dealing with a situation than busting through a window and getting cut down by friendly fire. That little stunt was quite fitting, Your Majesty.” His tone was sarcastic as he continued, “For now, you’ll just be called Treason among us. I really have no interest in your name beyond that. Unless, you have any objections to this plan?”
