Inner Demons

by Spider8ite


Interlude: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Everything was quiet in the night of the upperworld, but in the underworld a monster with bright eyes laughed proudly with his goons, sensing the prize that was within reach of his claws. The underworld would be unprotected.

“I always knew those vampires would finally join us!” exclaimed one of them happily.

The boss slapped his head. “Shut up, Banzai! You’re going to wake those stupid demons up…” He looked around, confirming that no-one was around. “We must go now. Vampires don’t like to be kept waiting — even more so when they’re waiting for their prize too.”

“We’re going to team up to take over the underworld?” asked Banzai.

The boss facepalmed. “No, you stupid, we’re going to get the king in the upperworld! He and his wife are there to pay a little visit on their daughter. Nosferatu told me. I know that even if we have our differences, we’ve both lost someone important because of that damned demon king.” He bit his lip remembering his beloved.

“But… why are we stealing the Red Rock, sir?”

“Without it the underworld can be invaded, and souls and people can get out. I’ll be saving people from hell — souls can escape and take over a new body. I’ll be the hero finally!” The boss smiled. “I want to see Dante devastated — like I was when he was gone…” Fenrir gazed wistfully into the distance, lost in his memories for a moment.

A female goon stepped forward and meekly asked, “B-b-but do you think this will work, Fenrir?”

Fenrir looked at her for a moment, angry at the interruption. “Are you retarded or what?! Of course it will! The vampires are finally in our side — we can work together in peace now. With two powerful species finally working together, this will make us…” He confronted the woman, staring straight into her eyes. “Invincible. Do you understand now, Kana?”

Kana gulped with fear. “Y-yes, I do.”

“That’s good.” Fenrir smiled. He led his goons to Hell's Gate where a vampire was waiting for them, eager to see the Red Rock and to finally go home. She wore a long black gown and the neutral expression on her face hid her fangs well.

“Finally! You’re back and…” The vampire looked at the Red Rock in Fenrir’s hands. “You’ve brought the prize. Now I don’t need to use my powers to hold open that damned door. Ugh…” She stretched, weary from her duties.

“Yes, you can relax, but it will still be some weeks before we have the results. Once they’re in, we can finally begin our work.”

The vampire led Fenrir and his goons through the gate and along the winding passages. Fenrir stopped and regarded the large staircase in front of them. The vampire looked at him. “King Nosferatu will be very happy to hear that.”

“Meh, I know. But he knows who will end up with Dante.”

“But… Dante is immortal, right?” Banzai asked, climbing the stairs, following the vampire and his boss.

“No, not immortal — just very long-lived. He will perish eventually, unlike us. Vampires and lycans don’t need to make their children princes and princesses, and you know why?” Fenrir looked at Banzai. “Because they’re not going to be kings and queens. We live forever and we don’t need other people to make our own work. And that’s why, my dear Banzai, demons are actually the weakest of the Night Creature species.” Fenrir laughed. “They’ll simply die if something too big happens to them.”

“And what will you do?”

“Something big, something good. You’ll see — and no-one will stop me. You know that no-one really likes them,” Fenrir mocked. “Even his own daughter didn’t want to stay there. He’s a disgrace to the Night Creatures.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little arrogant? Dante takes care of a whole realm to accept the souls of bad people that died. At least give him credit for that,” the vampire said. Fenrir gave her an angry look.

“He’s nothing to me! Nothing. We were friends, but what he did was something I could never forgive…” Fenrir looked at his goons. “Let’s go — Nosferatu is waiting to lock the portal. He doesn’t have all night!”

Transforming into their wolf form, Fenrir and his goons ran to catch up with the vampire. They arrived in the upperworld, stepping out of a rusty metal doorway of what appeared to be small shed or a hunting shack. Nobody walking in this part of the forest would could possibly expect that it was the gateway to the underworld. The vampire locked the door behind them, but it would probably be opened — or destroyed — by the floods of desperate people and souls who would escape, wanting their normal lives back.

“We did it,” Nosferatu said quietly, looking at the big black wolf in front of him.

Fenrir transformed back. “Yes. I did. Did you bribe the angel?”

“Yes, he won’t warn Faust,” Nosferatu said, inspecting the Red Rock that Fenrir had placed in his hands. “I feel proud, you know. We have peace, and we going to see our ‘dear’ old friend again in a few weeks,” he smiled, showing his sharp fangs. “And we broke one of the principal rules.”

“What’s the matter? We don’t need to worry about that!” Fenrir laughed and gave a playful punch on Nosferatu’s shoulder. “C’mon, we need to celebrate, right?” He turned to his goons.

Still in wolf form, they wagged their tails in excitement.

“I’ll buy the blood and you get the wine. How about it?” Fenrir raised his eyebrow and Nosferatu thought for a moment.

Nosferatu smiled. “You’re right — we’re kings! We don’t need to worry… I’m in!”

Fenrir slapped the vampire on the back. “That’s the spirit, my friend!” He looked at his goons. “Let’s go!” He transformed back and howled then ran towards a particular part of the forest — their home. His goons followed him, with the two vampires hot on their trail.

No-one suspected anything yet, but something wicked was coming.