Demon of The Chasm

Demon of The Chasm

 Spirit drained from the journey, the weary villager barged into the tremendous estate. He can’t even bring himself to be lost in the grandeur the noble warrior indulges in. The common area was aglow with life; a troupe of bards played and sang such sweet music of the warrior’s stories of conquest from the great war. The noble warrior, mighty and cunning Apevti himself had glistening goblets studded with jewels overflowing with the finest wines he’d been gifted and acquired in war tours all across the continent in every fist in the room.

White eyes, imposing as a blizzard fell upon the ragged traveler. Amusement and joy ebbed to concern. He raised a fist sternly, and the festivities came to an immediate halt.

“Speak, neighbor!”

Apevti beckoned joyously. His voice as imposing as a crack of thunder, made all the more powerful in the open, echoing hall.

“But first!”

The ever-so-charitable warrior beckons the chambermaid to his left.

“Penelope, fetch our guest some refreshments, for his journey must not have been easy.”

At their lord’s command, Penelope and her companion scuttled to attend to their new guest’s needs. He was handed an overflowing goblet accompanied by a thick cut of prize lamb.

“Oh, noble Apevti.”

The villager raved.

“I cherish the gifts you bestowed upon me on this visit. Yet, my imposing upon your abode is not for my own pleasure, but rather, the needs of the many, the needs of your neighbors.”

The warrior’s lips grew thin as a bow’s string at the villager’s words.

“The ferocious dragon on the other side of the valley, the demon of the south, he continues to pillage our people and raze our lands!”

The villager wailed. His pathetic theatrics tested the charitable Apevti’s fraying patience.

“And to what end will the dragon’s demise serve me?”

He inquired.

“No demon is foolish enough to come for me nor mine.”

Apevti explained with a broad, sweeping gesture of his mighty sword arm. 

“And should one be, it would meet a most merciless end!”

The villager collapsed to his knees, weary and heartbroken by his people’s would-be savior’s disdain towards them.

“Aye, Oh mighty hero! You’re shortsighted to believe I’m but only one neighbor! More and more of us will be coming, begging and pleading for your help! We may not have anything as extravagant nor lustrous to offer as what you’ve surrounded yourself with now, but, surely, you didn’t cross the mountains, brave mighty oceans, and slaughter for your countrymen merely for riches, no? Surely, beneath your muscle and armor resides the soul and heart of an honest, noble, courageous man!”

“Enough!”

His patience finally fully tested, Apevti stood from his glistening throne, studded with rubies and emeralds. He towered above the villager, blotting him out like an eclipse.

“I had conquered rival nations for our people for decades, only to return home here for your lot, for, ‘my neighbors’.”

He’d mock the villager.

“It seems every day at dawn’s break, as the cocks raise to wake us ‘til the moon takes her shift accompanied by the stars, I’m implored by one of you or another to save you from this threat or that. I’ve grown tired of it. I tire of constantly being perpetually pestered by your lot.”

The warrior snarled. His blood boiled like the fires of the underworld below. 

You all cannot even dream to adequately pay me back for all the blood I’ve shed, all the brothers I’ve buried, for all the women I’ve widowed, for all the sons I’ve slain, that’s correct farmboy.”

Recalling the horrors of his long conquest, his blizzard-like gaze froze the villager in place at Apevti’s feet. 

“However, I cannot even find the time to truly grieve those men, men far, far better than your countrymen, nor remember them properly. Yet, I would be remiss not to oblige you all in one last effort. A noble, tremendous undertaking such as slaughtering the demon of the valley.”

The villager’s face was a glow with a newfound hope. All the while the warrior’s lips tugged to a Cheshire smirk.

“Oh! This is such wonderful news! Blessed be you, mighty, noble Apeveti!”

The fool actually bought this ruse!

“Return to our neighbors, and tell them of their good fortune.”

He nods to Penelope once more.

“Supply our guest one of my mares and more rations at once!”

Then to the next his gaze fell to the other.

“I shall embark immediately.”

Apevti decided.

“Prepare ample rations of meat and wines for myself as well as I adorn myself for the journey before me.”

He’d begin, spinning on his heels to go to the armory. Then, he’d stop half a pace.

“And prepare Hermes for our voyage.”

He’d add the final command with a smirk, before continuing away to the weapons he’d collected during his tours. Apeveti’s utter disdain for the insistent villagers was replaced with pride in himself, for his tremendous cunning. While yes, he will venture on his mighty steed Hermes to the chasm to find the demon, they shall never come to blows. No, Apeveti has a much, much more sinister plan brewing.

Finally, the shrewd warrior reached his personal armory.  Weapons and armors forged by the hottest fires of Hell’s hottest flames from the bones of various demons and dragons awaited him. He would adorn himself with golden armor, head to toe. Apeveti was like a mobile sun. Should you gaze upon him too long you risk going blind! The warrior only grabbed a single great sword, the blade that belonged to the former king of the fallen kingdom he’d assisted in overthrowing. The blade had tasted centuries of blood, and her last feasting on the nectar of life was from her former user. She’d starve a while longer, should his plan come to fruition. 

Finally, he marched out to the stables, where his housemaids had begun to prepare his mighty steed, Hermes, the single swiftest mount on the continent.

“Hermes is ready for your next flight, my liege.”

She’d report with a voice musical enough to rival any of the bards they’d entertain any given day. She looked towards him, knowing better than to look at him directly. She’d learned better during her days of polishing the armor.

“And so he is!”

Apeveti bellowed heartily, hopping up onto the mount’s back.

“I have but one more request. However, this is the most importance, and must be carried out with great haste!”

He instructed, commanding Penelope’s full attention.

“It’s been far too long since I’ve visited the heroes of the west, my brothers in arms from the great war. I believe we ought to change that post-haste! Prepare a carriage or two, load them to the brim with our goods, and be brisk in your journey to the palace of my brother-in-arms, Caveyrus! I’ll meet you there when the business with the demon of the canyon is dealt with.”

The mighty Apeveti proclaimed upon horseback. The maiden scurried back to the estate as the warrior and his mighty steed dased away. A half day’s trip thanks to Hermes’ unrivaled speed and they found themself at the jagged chasm. The gaping canyon rivaled a mouth, rugged and rigid and wide. The warrior hopped off his steed, gently petting Hermes’ mane.

“Rest now, noble Hermes. We’ll have a long voyage ahead of us upon return.”

Hermes whinnied in agreement, understanding his master. Apeveti began his share of the journey by foot, descending the steep rugged chasm. The farther down he goes the farther it seems the sun and her warmth stray as well. 

Finally,  

Apeveti reached the bottom of the cavern. The chasm’s base is littered with wide cave mouths all over. Deep within them, glistening treasures could be seen. Their luster seemed to be the only source of light. A terrible rumbling echoed through the caverns, and out one of the uppermost mouths slithered a night black snake of the sky. Its body seemed never-ending, pairs of clawed arms and legs adorning the torso here and there. The mighty warrior knew not what to expect. Some have compared the chasm’s demon to the length of dozens of warships. Now, seeing the beast with his own eyes, it was clear no meek comparisons did justice to the sheer size of the dragon. The unholy demon was akin to an endless stream of smoke. The mighty beast arched its serpentine boy forward, its snout inches from the warrior. Despite the glisten of Apeveti's armor, the dragon was simply unphased.

“Oh, foolish warrior.”

Mocked the dragon. His voice booming and bellowing in the wide chasm.

“Your kin who perished here before you bestowed the name Mephistopheles upon me. You shall not find whatever glory it is you wish to seek here, challenging me. You shall perish, as have many an army before you.”

The demon chuckled to himself. From his nostrils puffed putrid green smoke.

The warrior took a few paces back, shaking his head.

“Worry not, might beast! I have no intention to slaughter you!”

He proclaimed, much to the dragon’s surprise.

“For I am Apeveti! Noble and mighty hero of the great war. I come to you with a proposition.”

The dragon sighed once more, smoke spewing from his massive nostrils. Mephistopheles raised his wide, flat head to look down on his guest.

“And what would that be, mortal? Why should I, the mighty Mephistopheles, serve a worthless sack of flesh and bone?”

The dragon inquired. The warrior’s gaze followed his host’s. Apeveti observed as the dragon glided past him, like a convoy of vicious storm clouds. The upper half of the mighty demon’s body disappeared into one of the cave mouths behind him.

“There are those who wish to see you meet an end, oh mighty Mephistopheles!”

Began the warrior.

“To see you suffer a tragic end at the end of my blade!”

The dragon snarled. His snarl came from seemingly every direction. Despite a tremendous portion of his massive body still visible, Apeveti, dazed as an owl in the day, hadn’t a clue where the demon’s other half resided!

“But I have no interest in seeing your destruction. Rather, I’d like to see the weaklings you so torment finally perish.”

Mephistopheles cackled a moment. The cackling bellowed from the mouths of the cave. It seemed like there were millions of him!

“You come to me not to slaughter me, but to ask me to do the slaughtering?”

Mephistopheles questioned in doubt. The dragon reappeared emerging from a cavern entrance to the mighty hero’s left. He’d step aside in shock. The caverns are all intertwined, like a maze!

“And why, pray tell, mortal, should I assist...or better yet, believe you? Perhaps you’re laying a trap for me, and you have an army of millions of able-bodied men waiting eager to slaughter me?”

Apeveti threw his head back, letting loose a bellowing cackle from the soles of his feet.

“Oh, foolish Mephistopheles! The villagers who sent me after you can hardly fell a mighty oak to supply for their hearth!”

Mephistopheles sneered, brandishing angular fangs.

“And what of you, conniving warrior?”

Mephistopheles raised his head, bearing down his fierce gaze upon the unflinching Apeveti. The demon’s green eyes slanted like a cat’s.

“What of you, once our business is finished? Where will you lay your head come the ruination of your village?”

The knight grinned, brandishing his own teeth.

“Why, Mephistopheles, I get away scot-free!”

He replied.

“Those fools will believe me to be slain by you, and for you, oh great Mephistopheles, to have sought them out in vengeance! All the while, I shall leave these lands to others far, far away, where I can finally, truly retire and mourn brothers in arms long lost from this world.”

He brandished his blade, delicately setting it on the ground between them.

“For you, oh noble Mephistopheles, I offer you the blade of the fallen kingdom. I pass it on from one conquer to the next, in exchange for your services.”

Mephistopheles smirked a final time, eying up the glistening blade at their feet.

“Very well, oh conniving Apeveti! I shall gorge myself on your townsfolk. They’ll proclaim you to be among their ranks of the deceased, all the while you shall be long gone. A brilliant plan! For a mortal, that is.”

Mephistopheles slithered away, shooting up into the skies. 

And with that, the knight’s job was done. He scaled the steep chasm a final time, mounted noble Hermes, and off he was to his new life.