Demon to the Rescue
Where was he? Striding through their shared room, the grey skinned demon made his worries more than clear. His spaded tail was making angry movements, while the golden eyes did not seem to notice anything in front of them. True, he had been quite annoying with his requests to Faeran to get him some special berries. However even the gryphon – for the drow had two souls inside his body, one of a dark elf and one of a gryphon – would be back now and growl into his ears and nick at them. So where was he?!
“Daios! If I have to come up to fetch you for dinner, you will be in a hell of a trouble! And don’t forget to bring Lukae with you!”
Startled the demon tried to compose himself. Nira. His cook seemed to have yelled at least three times for dinner already if she resorted to threats like this. He let out a silent sigh. While Daios ran the brothel and organized everything, Nira was the unspoken queen of the kitchen and everything meal related. One simply could not be late for eating without facing her wrath. Not willing to get another beating with a pan or another kitchen tool or having to do the dishes, Daios went and did as he was told, for the moment shoving his ill feelings aside. Lukae was already waiting for him and the blonde demon smiled as he closed his arms around the blind priest.
“Well little brother, shall we go to dinner then?” Lukae nodded and took one of Daios’ hands in his own. He was not really siblings with the older male but rather they were brothers in spirit, both having had similar experiences and carrying their own traumas around with them. Daios was extremely protective of his healer and thus allowed only Styx, an employee of him, to care for the blind priest and only if it were things Daios himself could not supply or had no time.
“Finally! Did you have to tidy up your toy chest first?” Nira glared at him and Daios thought her unusual orange eyes seemed even more like little flames than they usually did. He made no comment, for there was no need to let the others know what troubled him. Surely Faeran would be back on the morrow. Only Lukae seemed to sense something was off, but he only hold on to Daios’ hand a bit stronger for a while to let him know that he was not alone. The grey-skinned demon helped the priest find his seat before he sat down himself and on Niras signal began eating. Daios did not engage very much in small talk during the meal, but Nira seemed to think of this as normal, running a brothel was not easy and tonight her employer would be without his beloved drow for a bodyguard.
At least the night was an usual night. The patrons honoured the code Daios enforced in his etablissement and only a few drunkards had to be thrown out. Tired but satisfied with the coin he had gained the demon want into his bedroom, where he did not even take time enough to undress properly but dropped on the covers and sank into deep sleep.
However when he woke two hours after sunrise there was still no sign of Faeran and the blonde began to feel troubled once more. He never was that late, never! Not even a warm shower could drive his thoughts away from his missing crush and at breakfast he was sulkier than he had been the evening before. Nonetheless fate had decided to be even crueler. Daios got a letter, or rather a parchment scroll, neatly rolled around a lock of well-known white hair. On the scroll itself it only said: Mountain Cave, Come alone. The demon waved his tail sharply. He did not like this letter, did not like it at all. To make things worse he even had an idea who was behind this order. Nonetheless, the blonde decided to do what he was told, after all he had to save his drow somehow.
After he had evaded Nira and (this was the hardest) Lukae, Daios set out towards the mountains. He was not really armed, he wore his black leather trousers as always, although he had discarded his see through net shirt in favour of a plain white one. In regard to weapons Daios trusted his shadow magic and a slim riding crop, dangeling from his belt as well as a slim and hidden dagger. The demon was content enough with his life in the city and thus he had some difficulties adapting to the mission of hunting down whoever had taken Faeran.
Still, once he had entered the mountain area outside the city it became easier. The lush green that could be found in the parks had vanished long ago, pale yellow grass and dry shrubbery had taken its place. The blonde kept himself close to the mountainside, as the hot winds from the desert blew mercilessly. After hours Daios managed to reach the cave entrance. Entering with careful steps he looked around to see if there was any sign of the kidnapper. However there were only marks, like big claws had been sharpened. The demon suppressed a shudder and ventured deeper. “Faeran? Gryphon?” Where was he? Again his tail couldn’t keep still as his sense of misgiving grew and grew. When his ears caught a faint squeak, Daios nearly bolted. He knew this sort of noise… Steeling himself he went on, using a little ball of shadow as spy. He wasn’t able to see with it, but he would feel any movement – or so the demon thought. When he entered a hall, he had to rethink his strategy, for the moment he went fully into the vast space, something flashed, blinding him for a couple of heartbeats.
Coming to his senses again, Daios found the way back barred by a thick magical field, which his shadows could not penetrate. He might have had innate magic, but still was no wizard and a wizard only would be able to force their way through such an obstacle. He had no choice but go further, even though now the squeaking was audible again. He had lost all sense of time when he had entered the cave and now he was close to lose his orientation as well. Daios made little markers onto the walls, sacrificing some of his strength, as he used his shadow magic to bind them so they would not be worn out easily. After he had walked for an eternity, he finally caught a glimpse of white and ran towards it. “Faen!” The demon was right in one aspect: It was a drow. It was not Faeran, or Faen how the blonde called him fondly, but a female. A female with a very, very cruel grin. “Well well well. So it IS true. You’d really do everything for that traitor, wouldn’t you, darling?” Albeit the words where spoken in a voice minced with sweetness, they seeped like venom into Daios. He had always known that most likely this kidnapping had been only the bait to lure him, but he had not expected this. He knew the drow, faintly. She was the matron of Faerans former house. The drows love for her had been the reason why Faeran was on the surface as drow were not allowed to be in love. Daios and the drow and been forced to deal with her and a priest called Maslyn before, which had led to some very nasty experiences in the Underdark. With the help of friends like Kushiel and the star Marik Daios had managed to rescue Faeran from the clutches of the priest, reckoning that the matron had called of the hunt since then.
“What do you want?!” Daios was not in the mood for any games, although it seemed like the drow was. “Weeell…”, she answered, “let’s play a game, shall we? I want Faerans head and you… want to save him. Beat my champion and you may have your lover back!” “What sort of champion and why should I trust you?” That did not sound like an offer a drow would make and especially not this drow. “You’ll see and…. you will trust me, because else your dear Faeran would die, and you don’t want that, do you?” On cue there was a scream from somewhere, filled with anguish. “See? You don’t have much time to decide darling. It’s up to you. He lives – or he dies.”
Paying the clenching of his guts no heed, Daios nodded. “Alright. I will fight your champion.” “Good boy!” Smiling the matron extended a hand, pointing the way and Daios went into the direction given. Bile rose in his throat as he felt a hand on his back.The demon abhorred being lea in such a fashion, but he had no choice, lest the drow would change her mind. She led him into another opening. Daios saw a tunnel, high enough for him to crawl through. “Go!” The drow nudged him towards it. Warding himself with shadows Daios went to his knees. Slowly he began crawling. He was id-way through the tunnel as the squeaking returned and this time the demon could see the animal which made the noise. A rat. A very aggressive rat. Daios froze and reacted only when the rodent went for his fingers. Cursing he smacked it against the wall crushing its skull in the progress. However this seemed to be some sort of signal for more and more rats now streamed towards him. Daios panicked. Screaming he trashed around with is dagger and the shadows missing more often than not and his progress was quite slow. Barely he managed to pass through the tunnel and he stayed on his knees after he had managed and the rats were gone again.
Panting and nearly scared out of his wits Daios rose when he heard heavy movements and scratching. He wished he had not. For now he faced what had to be the mother of all rats. White-furred and being more than half as high as Daios she made an impressive sight. She would have eaten the blonde, had not there been a small and very tired voice. “Daios…” The demon startled out of his paralysis. Faeran! Not only Faeran… it almost sounded like… Gryphon. “My.. prey… you’re mine… not that of some rat!” It was Gryphon! However that rat was not idle either and lunged at the demon. Tears in his eyes, tears of pain and tears of love for his drow, Daios did his best to fight back. At the same time he wounded the rat, the rats sharp claws and teeth found their mark too. Wielding dagger and shadows Daios fought in earnest, he was out of shape, but having heard this declaration of Gryphon he wanted to show him that he wanted him, that his phobia of rats would not hinder him from saving his love. Finally he managed to blind the rodent and used a dart made of shadows to rip open its belly. With a last screech the rat fell down and died. With its death the small rats flew from the chamber and the demon was able to find his beloved, bound on a stone pillar, bleeding from many small bites and scratches. The golden eyes lay lovingly on the demon as he worked loose the bindings and caught Faeran in wounded arms. Tired they both sank against a wall and rested for some time. “I knew you would come, prey…” Faeran – or rather Gryphon – nicked lightly at Daios ear. From the other side there were shrill shrieks for a while and he stopped talking and listened. Then a smile spread on his lips. “One less thing to worry about. Let’s get some rest and then head home, shall we?” Tired and bleeding but happy Daios nodded. “Yes.”
