Wrath

"When will it be ready?"

"I told ye another week at best."

"That's not soon enough! Get it done! Now!"

I can't stand this uncertainty. I have no idea what he's doing to her. All I know is my cuff is no longer on her, and he walked right through the wards. That can only mean one thing, he's not Fae anymore. He's turned into something else altogether. Which also means his power is not from the Gods but the underworld. My sole shot at getting her back is that orb, and who knows what will happen to her in a week's time. Fuck!

I need information. In the past, I made it a point to stay out of my brother's business, showing him I had no interest in his affairs, all the while he obsessed over my every move. Now I know why. Never in all my lifetimes did I imagine he would use the knowledge against me. He was my brother; we were bound by blood to look after one another. I spit at the thought. In my eyes, he's no longer my blood. Just a shell of my brother hiding pure evil. I know what I have to do, and I know for sure where he's been...

I materialize to the gates of damnation. Some call the place hell. In a way, it is. The smell of brimstone is in the air. Fires surround the place, giving light to the absolute darkness and not much warmth. There are bones and carcasses strewn throughout its lands. The worst scavengers and vilest creatures populate this plane. It's where the angel mercenaries cast their filth they are not permitted to kill. It is rumored that this land's ruler is not the devil, but a god cast out because the other gods could not kill him. I hear the screams and howls beyond the gates; the stench has already settled in my nose, working my gag reflux.

To be permitted inside, you must give knowledge, strike a deal, or offer a sacrifice. I intend to make a deal.

"I expected you sooner."

The gates open, and the image is exactly as I expected. I have never been here myself, but I have heard reports from a few. To come here is to permit evil to live inside you, not my forte. The fact I'm here speaks loudly of my desperation. As for the infamous devil, he is not at all what I pictured. He's simply a man. No horns, reptilian skin, red glowing eyes, not even a tail. In fact, he is a common-looking male I could easily pass by and think nothing of.

"Come in, sorry for the wait. It's been a busy year."

I follow him, my hackles raised as I kick an oblong skull out of the way. Many eyes are on me. I can feel them. I follow him down a winding path, mostly free of the bigger matter that litters the wasteland. So much death, I can taste the blood in the back of my throat. He turns and dramatically waves a hand, then just like that, a small structure appears. It's shaped like a large rock and has a cave-like appearance, but there's a door in the center with light pouring out of it. He enters, stepping aside.

"Do come in. It's private. I don't discuss my business in the open."

He leans in and whispers in my ear.

"To many creatures listening."

Turning my head toward him, I glimpse his eyes as they glow red before the black swallows them up. I have to blink to clear my vision, convinced it was a trick of the light when they appear their normal brown again. He gestures me to sit in a chair facing the desk he settles behind. The devil's movements are abnormal as he turns toward a keyboard, flexing his finger. I wince at the cracking noise that seems to linger in my mind, scuttling around like spiders.

"So, Wrath, what delicious deal are we going to make today? How can I be of assistance?"

I look around searching for the perfect words, but I'm so out of my element I come up empty. It's not often I lack control. It's unsettling, to say the least.

"My brother holds power, I suspect from you. He has taken my future queen captive and threatens my kingdom. I want her back and to stop our lengthy feud. I'm the rightful king, and his claim holds no merit."

He fiddles with his beard, stroking it as he looks to the skies.

"Are you wanting both information and a deal?"

A slow smile contorts his features to an almost lupine appearance.

"Your bold statements are more of a question than fact, wouldn't you agree?"

He is tricky; I keep my mouth shut, avoiding the bait.

"I'll give you that information free of charge. Call it a favor."

His smile shows razor-sharp teeth that come to narrow points. I take the offer with a nod.

"Good, see I'm a generous man. Yes, your brother has been aided by me. I have granted him power and knowledge."

"So you are on his side?"

My question seems to have angered and entertained him all at once.

"Taking sides is trivial and wasteful. The only realm I care about is mine. The only thing I look out for is my interest and mine alone. Your squabbles bring you to me, and our exchange is my sole interest."

His eyes light red once more, and this time, I can't blame it on the light because he's cast in the shade. I wouldn't say it's fear I feel, but if I'm honest with myself, this is the most uncomfortable I've been since? Well, since ever.

"In order to be his equal, you will have to embrace the evil you loath. It will become a part of you for the remainder of your existence. Are you prepared for that?"

No, I'm not, not for eternity.

"Is there not some way I could use it then return it?"

This time, his smile is flat. He looks me dead in the eyes.

"You can not shed evil, only stop its growth."

The words lay heavy on my conscience. I wonder how much of this is for Rosa and how much for my kingdom. I know the answer, and I know it's selfish. Though I've never prided myself on being the perfect king. I have always put my people first. She is my people, and saving her is no debate.

"What will it do to me?"

I ask, but regardless of the answer, I'm still going to take the risk.

"That depends on you if you're stronger than the power allotted to you, nothing. If your moral compass is corrupt or your intentions are not pure?"

He leans back, beaming with harnessed excitement. A cruel laugh slides out of his lips. He stares back at me, placing his hands behind his head.

"It will consume you."

I swallow as the slightest bit of apprehension sneaks in. My eyes squint at his performance.

"Do you do this to everyone?"

His smile disappears, and he becomes serious.

"There are few as desperate as you, who come to me."

He gets up, spreading his arms, and turns in a circle.

"Look around. The only life here is what burrows in darkness. My usual clientele has at least one foot in the grave. I'm the last resort. You are an oddity."

"What about my brother? What group does he fall into?"

The smile is back in place.

"Dayzues is an idiot! My power will burn him up. He'll use it carelessly, and it will grow until it destroys everything around him until finally consuming him."

I study his expression, trying to understand the thoughts behind it.

"That makes you happy?"

He snaps his teeth at me, eyes flashing red. I can see the fire inside them.

"Of course it does. I feed off your useless souls. For everyone collected, my power grows tenfold."

He quickly stops as if he's shared more than he's comfortable with. I want to defeat my brother, but I'm not so sure I want him dead. If he hasn't harmed Rosa, I could still forgive him.

"What kind of bargain can I make?"

He sits back down at the computer.

"You tell me your desires, and I tell you what I want in return. Then we'll work out the details together."

Hmm, something tells me it is not that simple, but I've wasted enough time, and there's no way I'm leaving empty-handed.

"Could you not just take your power back from my brother? I could make it worth it."

He looks up from his down-turned head. The angle defies physics, making me cringe.

"I'm sure you could, but my and Dayzues's contract is binding."

I figured as much, but I had to try.

"Fine, I want enough power to take back Rosa and keep her. I'll figure out how to defend my kingdom on my own."

His delight is palpable as he types at a rapid rate. I scoff at the absurdity of my situation. I'm sitting at the infamous devil's desk as he types up a contract like a simple human lawyer. It's laughable.

"In turn, I want your first-born son."

My face falls, and I ready to object when he bursts out laughing, making me startle.

"Oh, that never gets old! The look on your face."

My eye begins to twitch, my jaw clenching with sudden anger.

"Cut the bullshite and get to the point!"

His laughter stops abruptly, and he becomes serious, good it's about gods damn time. His crass attitude offends me.

"Careful, fae. I like you so far. You wouldn't want that to change and be stuck with the raw end of the deal."

I bite my tongue and nod in agreement.

"Relax, my favors are always fitting. Makes the other party more sympathetic to my plights."

If it's said to comfort me, it does the opposite. And species call us manipulative tricksters. This guy takes the cake. The best part, he's completely open about it.

"Is it safe to say this is a noble act you're doing, one brought forth from love?"

I nod once, unsure where he's going with the question.

"I can relate to your predicament. I, too, am lonely. As you can see, I have all this beautiful land and no one to share it with."

I quirk my brow at his diluted opinion of the land. My plane is no wonderland, but it's free of decaying bodies, mainly and has homes with communities.

"I would like you to find a woman for me who will stay willingly. I'm not picky on the species, but no pixies or slime. That's a big deal breaker. My fundamental desire is someone who can please me both visually and physically."

He might as well ask me to hand him over my kingdom he'd have better chances. Finding a woman who would willingly stay here, let alone bed the devil, is an impossible task. Even addled, a woman can sense the evil lurking here.

"So, do we have a deal?"

I'm about to object when I realize he never specified a time limit. Could it be that easy? I jump before he realizes the slight.

"Yes, seems reasonable."

The grin is back as he types away at his keyboard, humming an unknown tune.

"Now let's work out those little details, shall we?"

Ah, it's not that simple at all. My skin crawls at his excited tone.

"I will deliver your power before you leave, but no takesies backsies. A month's time should be sufficient for you. I wouldn't want to rush you and not receive the cream of the crop."

My eyes bulge. There was no slight. He set me up, and I took the bait like he knew I would.

"A year I'll need at least that much time. As you know, I have a full plate at the moment. I must get my kingdom set to rights and stop my brother before I am able to leave my home successfully without defeat. What happens if I lose?"

He laughs at my hurried spiel.

"A year is ludicrous. You will defeat your brother in the next coming weeks. I will extend the request to another month, but I will add another stipulation for the extension. No fae of any kind. I want a surprise. A pleasant one."

His reasoning is brute. I dredge up the memory of a similar situation with Rosa. Is this how I made her feel? A tinge of guilt pricks me at the revelation. It's quickly replaced with surprise when I absorb his earlier statement.

"How do you know I will defeat my brother?"

His grin spreads across his pointed teeth.

"Because I will have a hand in it."

The printer goes off, and he places the stack of papers in front of me, flipping to the last page.

"Sign here."

My heart races at the number of ways this could go wrong. Hesitating, I wonder if I've made the right decision. I picture Rosa and think of my brother's sordid past with women. It's all the push I need. I look around for a pen, but he pushes his open palm face up with a sharp knife in the center.

"You know as well as I. These deals are always signed in blood."

Of course they are. I watch him slide the sharp tip across his thumb and blot it on the paper. I mimic the action, taking a deep, calming breath. When the deal is finished, he passes me a leather belt and tells me to bite down. I do as he says and brace myself for what's to come.

Our surroundings disappear, and I'm suddenly in an open space under a blood-red moon. My feet are grasped when skeletal hands brake the ground, locking around my boots and ankles. Spears spread from thorny branches that sprout from the ground and quickly grow in bounds around me. The thick branches wrap around my arms, digging into my skin and muscle as blood trickles from the roped cuts. An icy wind picks up, and a thick fog settles in. It's silent. I don't see the creature that stood before me just minutes ago. An inky black presence disturbs the fog as it slithers toward me. It's an essence without substance or features, but it moves around me like it's of a solid form. I watch it slink back and forth as if deciding what to do. It kicks back, coiling and bunching. Unimaginable images of death and torture flash through my mind, like they're being shoved in. My mouth opens on a silent yell, and the entity attacks, entering my body from any available orifice. First, my mouth, then when I shut it, the thing continues its invasions through my eyes and ears. My body fights back, trying to boot out the intrusion. The fight is painful. It tears at my every fiber and atom in my body. I heat to unimaginable degrees. It feels like I'm going to combust, then a voice in my head that's not my own tells me to relax, to concede. A loud below rips from my throat, and my body finally relaxes, giving up the battle. The fog recedes. I drop to the ground to watch the branches seep back into the earth before my eyes. Like, a blink in time, I'm back in his office sitting limply in the chair I occupied minutes ago.

"Here's a copy of the contract. I'll be seeing you soon."

I look up into the face that changed me forever and watch it glitch before realizing it's just a mask. I'm unable to get a clear image of what lurks behind, just slight glimpses that tell me the likeness is far from the mask it wears. Only then do I look away, and only because it's too painful to focus.

It's a silent walk back to the gates as if the creatures that stalked me earlier now sense a threat and have retreated. I know I've made a tremendous mistake, but a small part of me is already lured to the dark power, and that is the most disturbing part. I became what I needed to save the one I love, but it's made me into something that she may forever fear...