Maddona

Maddona

Setting: Portal

It wasn't long before we located the dungeon Prince Areall is being held in. We're balls deep into it, and we haven't caught sight of a single demon. Such an obvious trap.

Yesterday Chastity was able to find out their hiding place, making it less stressful to navigate through. I only told the Councilman the main location, not the layout. I wanted to vet the team they put me with.

The damp walls feel suspiciously human. No, humane. Alive. So alive, they breathe. For a dungeon, it's absurdly well lit. Angelic stones hang from the ceiling like falling stars with more scattered along the floor, casting a dark, club-like blue glow. Stylish. I'll give them that.

The only thing spoiling the aesthetic is the reek of death in the air. Prince Areall is clearly not the first person to be 'invited' here.

Ten pairs of silent boots echo through the corridor. The Dreymond heir leads. His father would be proud. A natural leader. Just like the old man. They're alike in too many ways.

We reach a junction. Five doors, five directions.

"Okay, we split into groups of two. Rescue anyone you can. Maddona with me. Everyone else to their assigned partners. Report back if anything goes wrong. We meet here."

My my. I feel special.

Nathaniel's command is crisp. Everyone moves like they're being hunted. In seconds, it's just the two of us.

He heads through a door into a tunnel-like corridor. The deeper we go, the hotter the air becomes. The walls pulse with it.

Why do I feel he wants us alone for a reason?

That's what I wonder, then his scent changes.

I almost laugh at the aggression pouring off his skin.

Another Dreymond silently losing his shit. Lovely.

We enter what looks like a holding area. Blood spatters and carved lines stain the floor. A pile of bloody shackles rusts in the corner. Clothes are strewn everywhere, but no bodies. Not a single one.

Hmm.

Iron-barred cages line the walls, most of them empty—except three. One of them holds Prince Areall, barely recognizable. His once fair wings are crumpled and soaked in blood, broken and bruised. He's unconscious, but alive.

Nathaniel doesn't waste a second. He shatters the lock and drags the prince out, laying him flat. Tries to heal him with potions, but the liquid seeps back out.

Paralysis.

I watch all of it from my peripheral. My focus is on the other two cages. One holds a child. The other, an older man—awake, trembling. When he sees me watching, he surges forward, gripping the rusted bars with so much force his already bloodied knuckles blush redder.

"P-please, help me. Please get me out of here!"

"Where are the others?"

Nathaniel glances back. Seeing Areall stable for now, he joins me at the cages.

"They… they killed them," the man sobs. "Killed all of them. They're all dead! PLEASE—GET ME OUT!"

His voice is shaking, body rattling with fear.

Nathaniel steps forward to unlock the cage, but I stop him—hand on his arm.

He flinches.

"What are you doing?"

I don't answer. I walk up to the cage.

The man looks like an angel. Onyx eyes. Cream-toned skin. Wings.

Even that fake divine aura they like to mimic.

"Why did they let you live?" I ask, kneeling down and taking his hand in mine. My face shows as much concern as I can conjure at the moment.

"I… I don't know. I didn't understand their language. They killed my wife. Please...."

Thump thump.

Footsteps. Someone's coming.

Nathaniel is quick to move. Now I'm alone with the two prisoners.

"I feel for you. I do.... Are you in pain?"

I scan his state.

He nods frantically, smiling wildly. His face looks like it's going to split.

"I hate being lied to, but I'll help you out."

He blinks slowly. One eye after the other like an extremely retarded lizard.

I let go of his arm to lift my glasses.

His true form ripples into view for a second. His eyes widen and he quickly looks away. I catch his face, forcing him to look at me.

He transforms completely. A lizard demon. Not grotesque—almost beautiful in a dark, predatory way. Succubus-adjacent. But still a parasite.

It's my first time seeing a somewhat sexy lizard.

I can't believe I just thought that.

Face pressed against the bar, he whimpers. Voice coming out in small cries, graduating into a full-fledged horror scream with more added pressure.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nathaniel snaps—then stops cold when he sees the body's shifted face, crushed against the bar. His skull is almost wrapped around it. Glasses back on.

I ignore him, staring at my clothes in distaste, trying and failing to get the liquids of.

Annoying disguises. You'd think the facility would account for them by now.

When I look up he's still staring at the body confused. Thinking like he's trying to remember something.

" Get the prince."

He does. Surprisingly.

"Who sent you?" he asks, quietly.

I ignore the question, unlocking the cage holding the demon child. He looks younger than my twins siblings, maybe nine or ten. He's incredibly emancipated. Red, purple, and brown cuts line his skin like tiger stripes. His thin body looks like it could break at any second.

As I move to pick him up, Nathaniel blocks me again.

"What are you planning on doing with him?"

"Calm down precious. I'm not going to kill the boy."

I lift the child into my arms and turn to face him. Nathaniel hesitates, then steps in and takes the boy himself. He heads toward the entrance, holding the two bodies on his shoulders with barely a look back.

I follow.

"How long have you been with the Dominion?" I ask as we walk, wanting to make conversation.

"Who sent you?" he counters, ignoring me.

Sassy. I like.

"Who do you think?"

"Did my father send you?"

The question is civil, despite his very public hate for me.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because it is definitely not a coincidence. A new 'special' member is brought in while we're in the middle of an oncoming war that's has ended thousand if realms already. Its not hard to figure out."

Ahh. There it is. The suspicion and badly veiled hate.

"What lies?"

" Don't act innocent. Its such an obvious act. Are you an actress or is that just your side job. Come on tell me how much are they paying you for your little act." He sneers. He's clearly trying to get me angry. Poking.

" W what are you talking about?" I stutter on purpose and he takes that as a ledge to jump off on.

" A lying whore from delsyvic has no place in dominion. So whatever little plot you have going on in that little head of yours, I suggest you rethink that before you get yourself in real trouble."

For a king's son he sure doesn't know a lot of things.

A whore he says. After I just killed in front of him. Is he blind? Or so high on his own pheromones he's hallucinating?

" But if that assumption eases your mind, then let's go with it, precious," I murmur. Ignoring his little speech

"And maybe dial back the pheromones. They're nauseating."

I flash him a smile as I walk past.

The way his face reddens, veins popping with frustration?

Delicious. This is fun.