It turns out being the brave and arrogant demon who ventures through a portal to save the soul of a queen isn't all it's cracked up to be. At least for Caliban, anyways. Too much time has passed for the exhausted Prince to just call it quits now, though. It's no secret that this whole rescue mission is a means for Caliban to prove himself worthy of ruling over the underworld. He just wishes it would be a bit more simple.

The cocky devil Prince snorted as he reluctantly reminisced on his earlier, more confident days stranded here. Wherever here even was. Caliban had no idea what he got himself into, only how utterly humid and brisk this environment was. The landscape was littered with splotchy red trees, some reaching heights that no plant should acquire. The sun was a boiling mess of fire in the sky that only disappeared when an alignment of four crimson moons surfaced among the clouds. Each step he took was met with oddly sharp grains of sand, the ground covered in it for miles and miles. There were hills and plummeting cliffs. Caliban at least got a laugh out of the rivers of actual blood.

The whole place resembled the inside of an organ, shades of red coloring the atmosphere as far as his eye could see. It made Caliban trade his confidence for paranoia, a lingering thought of "but what if" always plaguing his mind. Perhaps this was all a trick. Sabrina was never hidden deep in this portal. It was all a lie.

But then again, why would her painted face decorate the portal's opening? Surely she isn't just a random design hiding this scarlet plane of existence.

No, Caliban knew she was here. He could sense her anguish. Her fear. At first he believed it was some false sense of hope that this wasn't all some big mistake, but as more days turned to weeks, he knew there was someone else with him. Each day the feeling got stronger, as if Sabrina herself was tugging him closer and closer with a single thread. This thought always amused the demon Prince.

But currently, with a fire as pathetic as the warlock from the bar, Caliban questioned whether this journey would amount to anything great. How could he know that Sabrina would be glad to see him? After all, he was just a stranger in a strange land. But then again, wouldn't any damsel be relieved to see her knight in shining armor?

Caliban could only hope.

With a shaking sigh, Caliban mindlessly reached forward to slap the small pile of burnt stick and ash, clapping out any remaining flames. No more questions or doubts. For now, he needed to lay back and allow his body to relax. This tart, amaranth portal would still be here in the morning, as would Sabrina. A few hours would do no harm.

Letting tired eyes flutter shut, the demon slipped into a much needed slumber, the warmth of peaceful rest enveloping him. The rough texture of a wooden stump below his head was ignored, mind too consumed with the idea of Sabrina. He couldn't fathom that beyond the expanse of crimson sand was the ivory goddess he could only dream of. Caliban felt a warm pool of heat flood his senses, his body squirming against the makeshift bed he pieced together. He felt like a star moments before exploding, his hands curling around a patch of dead grass. His head filled with images of Sabrina, her wide eyes, plush lips, that smooth skin. She was angelic.

How could anyone even think of banishing a woman so pure and powerful? Even trapped in this barren wasteland with no notion of passing time, Caliban could feel her raw energy pulling him. It felt as if she was the sun and he was a simple meteor yearning for her gravitational ardor.

Each breath he let out slowed into a steady, sleeping rhythm, dreams piecing together allowing a small smile to sit unknowingly on his cheeks.

- - eight days later - -

Walking in a straight line was utterly useless at this point, Caliban concluded. Candy red dirt crunched below his soles with each step and filled his ears, the sharp gusts of wind the only other sound around. His eyes squinted as he stared ahead, an expanse of pure red the only thing he could see. These valleys of dirt and dried grass made the days mold together into an endless mess of dry heat and aching body sores. By now, Caliban was ready to tap out.

Fuck a gravitational pull, the demon Prince was surely slowly losing his clay-molded mind is all. He had embarked on this trek with such ignorance, such stupid arrogance. What convinced him that this was even a smudge of a smart idea?

Caliban sat annoyed on an eroded ruby rock, elbows carelessly set on his bent knees as he hung his head low. The sweeping breezes blew rough grains of dust and dirt across the seemingly endless valley of red. Perhaps this was all karma for the conceited demeanor he carried around him like a cloud. All of this was some sick turn of events to humble the rude Prince of Hell. Caliban mused at how simple and believable such a thing would be. He considered this portal his own personal level of Hell, that being an infinite wasteland of true nothingness. Each day tied into a loop, the sun blazing high in the sky only followed by treacherously dark, sleepless nights. Surely if Sabrina was trapped in this horrid environment, Caliban would have found some evidence, just a single trace of her existence. But each mountain passed and each valley crossed only led to more dangerous terrain.

The uneasy demon decided that if he could not find the fallen daughter of Lucifer before nightfall, he would circle the skin of his palm two times with blood and return to Hell.

With little hope and a weakened ego, the tall man of clay shot up onto his aching feet to begin his final adventure through the garnet desert.

Caliban couldn't hide how much it pained him to think of if he didn't come back with Sabrina. So many days he's spent longing for her, to feel her heartbeat pressed against his, their skin warming one another. His mouth watered for such contact, hungry for it. Caliban knew Sabrina wouldn't be one to be utterly devoted to him, but the former Queen also didn't seem to not show gratitude to her savior. The demon Prince could not wait any longer to just know. To be in her presence.

A sudden boost of confidence gave Caliban the adrenaline to keep going. He had to find her. That's why he left the mortal realm in the first place, so now was the time to claw his way up every mountain and sprint across every hollow of scarlet sand. He was utterly determined to bring back the Queen of Hell and have her rule beside him for their own eternity.

The scolding sun stretches over Caliban's head as he molds and follows new paths among the land. The boy lands on his hands and knees more often than his feet, but the furrow in his brow and sheer will power controlling his mind leads him up every steep incline. The sights of cherry stained clouds and uneven levels of currant ground gave Caliban that extra squint in his eye, his focus training on anything matching the magnetic painting he took days to memorize, but there were no indications. Hell, did the painting even rest among an insanely red landscape? He felt himself question his own sanity, quickly shaking away his negative thoughts to continue on his journey to salvation. Deep down he knew Sabrina was stuck here somewhere, and he had to be the one to find her.

Thankfully the demon knew he could not feel surges of pain because of his handmade birth from clay, so he was honestly more than a bit reckless climbing up and over these jagged, eroded mountain tops. His feet carried him along an unknown path as he found himself drawn to a patch of charcoal dyed trees that towered into each other in a large dark patch. The ebony forest loomed frighteningly at the foot of the mountain, taking the air from Caliban's lungs as he paused to gauge what he was about to do, about to find.

Was this it? Had Caliban reached his destination after all? Cycles of those intimidating four moons chasing the coiled flames of the sun constantly beating down on him, and after mindlessly chasing some unseen road up a particularly risky mountain had finally led him to his salvation? The realization struck his head and heart, eyes widening as he imagined his Queen strung up like meat among those pitch black branches. Would she cry out for him? Would she be dead? Caliban needed answers. So, swallowing his worrying doubts, the golden haired boy trotted hastily downside the uneven rocks and mahogany boulders. Pebbles slid quietly alongside his hurrying, dusted feet, almost guiding him through the minefield of sharpened stones to the grassy patches of land before the inky array of sky scraping trees.

Caliban landed with a stumble and quickly picked up his pace again, his face twisting with fear and distress.

His heart was racing, beating rapidly against his ribs as the soles of his feet beat harshly against the irregular, brutal stretch of land leading into the forest. The demon Prince felt like he was on fire, his fingers tingling with anticipation. He ran through the trees, not taking any time to get a good enough look at their soaring heights, mind too occupied with the idea of finally seeing her.

If he felt a gravitational pull before, then he must be getting sucked into a massive black hole now. Caliban swore he was flying through the utter jet black expanse of nature filling his senses. He was getting close. She was here.

A raising swell of heat gushed around him as he began panting, lungs on fire and legs chasing his salvation. He knew he was mere moments away from laying eyes on real flesh, Sabrina alive and present. Not a piece of art hung on a wall, but a physical being.

A huffed laugh left his lips as the demon tried to race against time, desperate to set his Queen free from this torment.

The boiling heat echoed off the trees and felt as if it blistered his skin, but that only made him crave it more. His ribs throbbed as he ran. Caliban hissed and felt a tear coarse down his cheek, the sheer reality of everything breaking down on him as he sped through the darkness. He could feel her calling him to him. Sabrina was so close.

Ahead a break in the trees lit up a sliver of nature before him. His breath caught.

Light. There was a light.

Caliban slowed to a jog, working desperately to steady his breathing and racing mind. There was no use, the girl he could only see painted on a canvas was just so close by. He could practically smell her.

Each step brought him closer and closer until he stopped completely, gathering a deep breath before pushing branches aside to walk into the bright clearing.

And there she was.

Loose twirls of snow white hair blew weakly across a sweet, resting face. Her face. It was her. Sabrina Morningstar.

Caliban felt a new tear build up and slip gently down to coil at his jawline, the pure release of euphoria bringing his emotions to an all time high. He found her.

His eyes dragged over every detail laid out before him. Sabrina was tied securely to a wooden fixture, some makeshift pole sprouting from the ground used solely to keep her in place. Her head was hung low against her collarbone, hair swaying over closed eyes. She had pale skin, as Caliban inferred from the painting, and a bulging bottom lip that made her seem doll like. Slender arms were strung up and tied at the wrist, holding her arms above her head while the rest of her body slumped into the ground. Sabrina looked dead.

The demon Prince gulped, a bob in his throat making him realize how stupidly emotional this made him. He stepped further into the clearing and made his way over to the helpless girl on wobbling legs. The running certainly did him no good.

"Sabrina?" His voice startled him, the shy softness surprising his usual low, arrogant tone.

No response led him closer to her, his hands noticeably trembling with nerve, sweat coating him all over. The mighty Prince of Hell was so painfully nervous. He felt so pathetic, but the need to nurture her back to safety blinded his inner judgements. Caliban had to save her. It had to be him.

With hesitant hands, the boy reached out still so unsure. She was so close.

Caliban didn't realize he had dropped down onto his knees until ivory strands of hair reached to tickle his nose. Sabrina was here.

The demon swallowed again, his eyes burning with the threat of spilling more tears, but he ignored it, too engrossed in the simple fact of her poignant aura. She radiated such intense emotion. Caliban finally touched her hair, carefully pushing some aside to get a full glimpse of the face he spent weeks dreaming of. Yet, no amount of time could prepare him for her otherworldly beauty.

Sabrina had strong eyebrows, dark and contemplating, so harsh against the fair complexion the rest of her face. She seemed molded from clay, just as him, with the gradual curve of her nose, the sway of long eyelashes, the dip of her Cupid's bow, and the sugary sweet blotches of blush splashing against pale cheeks. She was sentimentally gorgeous. Her features made Caliban's breath quicken and his heart tug. Sabrina reminded him of a freshly blossomed rose, soft droplets of water resting gently on her crisp petals. He knew that she was his life purpose, the reason he was sculpted from clay and raised from the depths of Hell. All of it. It was for her.

"Sabrina?" He tried again, voice even weaker than before.

Her lack of response only encouraged him to get closer. He had to free her now.

So, with eagerly shaking fingers, the golden haired boy began untying the rough restraints bruising the supple skin of her wrists. He worked quickly, not wanting his Queen to be restricted any longer. The coiled ropes slipped loosely around her hands and arms, draping low to signal she was free to go. Caliban wasted no more time.

There would be time to gawk at her later, he reminded himself. Now, the devil Prince pulled her forearms down, looking over her to find a way to carry her. With dirtied hands, he steadily moved to gather the Queen in his arms, so utterly careful with her fragile body that for a second he was no demon feared my many, but just a man in love.

Sabrina seemed to furrow her brows, but perhaps Caliban had imagined the movement. He was operating on pure adrenaline and impulse, so surely she was just peacefully asleep in his strong arms.

Caliban glanced all around the clearing, noting how nothing was out of the ordinary. It was no lie that the boy prepared to leave in a haste, thinking there would be some obstacle hellbent on stopping him from taking the fallen Queen of Hell. But maybe not. Perhaps her Hell was just a painful exile, nothing more. So, with Sabrina tucked securely against him, Caliban began his trek back to the mountain. He knew that he could just cut his palm and leave here, but the pure, black nothingness surrounding him was no warm invitation to do so.

And so he stepped forward.

- - one day later - -

The boy had taken hours to get them through the thick of that brutal forest, finally crying out when he saw the scarlet shine of the sun. He never thought he would be so happy to see the damned thing. Then, adjusting his clinging grip on Sabrina, he climbed cautiously upside the mountain he barely remembered stumbling down. With the added weight and Caliban's new severely protective nature, the demon Prince had no problem taking his time to narrowly miss certain stones and find secure footing if it meant Sabrina would be safe in his arms. So, eventually reaching the peak of the unnecessarily large mountain, he was gentle when he placed the Queen down on a relatively comfortable patch of dead grass. (Compared to raw boulder, she got the preferred seating.) Of course, Caliban took up a guarding spot right beside her, his eye focused on her peacefully resting form and occasionally the landscape to make sure she was in no danger.

Caliban watched Sabrina as she slept, wondering how long this would go on for and why she hadn't shown any signs of waking. He knew she was alive. Her heartbeat was always a simple, steady beat, and he would lean in close to feel soft puffs of air leave her nose. So, perhaps she was cursed to slumber forever. He laughed at how ironic that would be, then got immensely sad thinking about it. Surely she would just need a good shaking, or perhaps it was the environment keeping her unconscious. Would traveling through the portal wake her, Caliban wondered thoughtfully. Hell of a way to awake from however long of a nap.

He noticed the sky dimming just barely, watching as the two pairs of garnet moons rose high among the peachy clouds. Their alignment always made him roll his eyes, but sitting on this mountain made them seem so much closer. Caliban mused that if he stood on the tips of his dirtied toes, he could pierce through the sky and touch them.

He didn't realize it, but he was smiling.

A sudden thought flew into his head, an amused, thinking look greeting the boy's face. He then stood up and grinned at the moons.

"You're supposed to grant wishes, right?" He thought out loud, his voice comically loud enough for the moons to hear in case they had hidden ears. Caliban felt a bubbling laugh leave his lips before he crossed his arms and stood proudly, thinking of a wish.

His gaze suddenly fell on Sabrina, her hands laying beneath her cheek to give her head a familiar pillow. Caliban softened at the sight. And turning back to the floating crimson moons hanging above the two of them, he let out an exhausted sigh, a smile turning down into a frown as he pieced together his thoughts.

He opened his mouth, quickly deciding if he cared enough to speak his wish aloud or not.

Would it matter?

Caliban exhaled again, choosing to recite his hopeful wish over and over in his head.

His eyes fixed on the shadows of clouds moving like water across the stretch of land below them. Small breezes blew through the leaves of some dying trees and the soft rustle of water gushing over rock flooded his senses. He never felt so appreciative of the world around him, his body subconsciously fitting against a rock as he gazed out into the night. For a moment of peace and comfort, Caliban felt settled enough to stay.

It wasn't long after that he closed his eyes and let his arm drop by his side, fingertips unknowingly grazing the simple white cloth covering of Sabrina's thigh. The two slept among the stars.

Deep in his slumber, the golden haired demon dreamt of a rose tinted field, long, dewy grass tickling his knees and long, curled branches reached from emerald trees swaying around him. He was dressed in old timey clothing, a loose white tunic barely tied together over his torso, and simple brown pants tucked up above his knees. He had his hair out, curls flying freely against the warmth of breeze around him. He felt his smile against his cheeks, his eyes glinting as they gazed sweetly at a white blur in the distance. The beaming sun hid the features of this person, their clothing similar yet contrasting Caliban's. They wore a flowing dress of smooth, white cotton, the ends stained with light patches of brown dirt.

The sun was much calmer than the one in the portal, a simple yellow glow flooding his senses. Caliban felt so light, and calm. He felt human.

The person in the distance appeared to be dancing around in circles, their laughter making him smile wider. He seemed to love them. So he stepped forward, his bare feet carelessly walking among the slight decline of grassy hill before him. It was wet but not in an uncomfortable way, no. More like a cooling feature.

"Caliban, come dance with me!" The person called. A girl.

Who was she?

Caliban chuckled heartily and trotted down further, his legs carrying him gracefully towards the bright mess of whoever was dancing alone by the dandelions. Pale fingers came into his line of sights, along with a slender, slightly pink hand that disappeared under the long sleeves of her dress. The energetic girl dragged her palm against a patch of long wildflowers.

Her breathing was even, Caliban noticed. He finally slowed to a stop and watched joyously as the unknown beauty turned away from the sun and faced him. Sabrina. It was Sabrina. She had the widest smile that curled her eyes around the plump blush of her cheeks. Cute wrinkles creased her eyes but held no sign of aging. She was just so happy. Caliban watched as she came closer, her beautiful hand clasping around his as she pulled the two of them down the hill. Her hair waved like silk behind her.

"Where are we going?" Caliban questioned, his thumb curling to rub at her knuckles. Sabrina only kept running.

The golden haired boy felt his heart beat happily as he allowed himself the freedom to just follow her. The cool rush of air around them contrasted the hot glow of the sun, leaving an even temperature as they sprinted among the rich green plants.

He laughed again, no apparent reason why.

Caliban was happy.

- - the next morning - -

A harsh slap to his chest sprung him from his sleep. Caliban grunted and sat up straight, looking for whatever hit him. Two brown eyes met his.

He gasped.

"Finally, you're awake." A voice that wasn't his stated somewhat jokingly.

It was Sabrina. She was right in front of him.

"You okay?" She spoke again. Caliban must have broken his jaw the way it hung so openly. He couldn't believe she was finally awake, and he was totally blowing it! He quickly shut his mouth and gulped.

"I... did not expect you to wake so soon... m-my Queen." Caliban said.

Sabrina cringed briefly and waved her hand up to shoo away his nickname. The platinum blonde haired girl rolled back onto her shins and awkwardly stood up before him. She seemed slow and not quite adjusted to her new state of being active. Caliban had to slow his racing mind and start acting normal. He refused to look like some stupid fan girl in front of none other than the former Queen of Hell.

He gulped again and used the rock behind him to stand up, hiding the wobble in his leg as she turned her head to look up at him.

"So, you're the one who saved me, huh?" She asked with an annoyed tone.

"Mhm."

Caliban had no idea how to speak to her. In the flesh, anyways. She was really here!

"Do you know how to get out of here, uh..."

"Caliban." He finished for her.

"Caliban. Hm. Well, do you?" She questioned with a cross of her arms. Her voice didn't match up to what he imagined, but somehow it was infinitely better. Sabrina sounded so sure of herself. Confident, even in a time like this. Caliban loved that.

She raised a dark brow at him, waiting for something of an answer. Caliban cleared his throat and nodded.

"Yes."

Sabrina nodded slowly, gazing all around her to take in her surroundings before landing back on the awestruck boy in front of her. Caliban felt so amazed.

"What is it?" She asked slowly.

Right, he thought. Words. Use them.

"Dorian said I have to cut my palm and circle it twice with the blood. It should open the portal for us." He finally regained some mental strength to speak again. Sabrina was just a person, but he felt so flustered and dumbfounded. What was his problem?

"Dorian? You mean you traveled through one of his paintings to get to me?"

Caliban took a moment to process what she asked.

"Mhm. How else would I have found you, my Queen?" He asked with a slight sense of anxiety lacing his tone. Was there an easier way? Had Caliban used the worst possible form of transport to get to her?

"I don't know actually, that just sounds odd." She mused, a small smile gracing her porcelain features. Caliban felt his insides flutter at the view. She was so astonishingly breathtaking, and he still could not believe that she was really standing in front of him, just talking to him. Sabrina was perfect.

The shorter blonde took a moment to stare out into the distance. This was her first time seeing the environment, no doubt. She sighed and turned a bit to glance in every little direction. There was so much land to see. Caliban knew how she must've felt, absorbing the sheer red of it all. It was heart stopping. The wind gave her a chill and she quickly turned back to him, a furrowed look of newfound determination greeting his eagerly shocked features.

"I think we should leave as soon as possible. This place doesn't seem too inviting, and my father will certainly know I'm awake. We should get through the portal and then devise a plan, okay?" Sabrina suggested, her tone clear and precise.

Caliban nodded and looked down at the rocks by his feet, finding one sharp enough to cut skin.

Picking up a particularly jagged rock, he breathed in deeply and brought it down to his hand, dragging the piece of stone into his skin forcefully. Blood was slow to seep out of his wound, a thick drop sliding down his palm.

Sabrina held her hand out to squeeze at his wrist, a silent apology for the pain and a steady grip to prepare for leaving this realm. Caliban tossed the bloodied rock aside and huffed an exhale looking down at his palm. His eyes suddenly look up to find hers, a moment of silence and bubbling fear residing in both of their gazes.

"Ready?" The demon Prince asked in a low voice, a small smile pushed onto his cheeks to offer some sort of solace.

Sabrina smiled back, nodding dramatically as she stared at his palm. Caliban brought up his other finger to draw out a circle before a small hand clutched onto his, stopping his action.

"Before we go... thank you. For saving me." Sabrina interrupted.

She sounded so desperate, like she needed to say that in this very moment. Caliban only hummed in satisfaction and took her hand in his, gently bringing it up to kiss at her knuckles. Sabrina rolled her eyes with a smile.

"It was my pleasure, Sabrina."

And with that, she dropped her hand and allowed him to draw a second circle over the existing one. Caliban exhaled and they both looked around, puzzled. Where was the portal? Surely Dorian wouldn't lie to him. Caliban felt his senses heighten with nervousness as more time passed by with nothing to offer the two.

But before Sabrina could even ask a question, a small flicker of illumination sputtered by them. Grabbing the attention of the two blondes, they watched eyes wide as a slim line of fire dragged into a circle beside them. Caliban gasped as the setting of a gallery room he knew all too well formed amongst the circular portal of flames. It had worked. They were free from this torment.

Caliban glanced back to Sabrina, his eyes wide with relief. She held his gaze long enough before nodding slightly. With clutched hands, the two set their sights back on the portal, ready to step forward into the fire.

Together.

Xx