Mulock could already feel his consciousness slipping as he finally emerged from the tunnel and into the open air once more. Sunrise had brushed the sky, streaking it in warm pinks and yellows.
Mulock took in a deep breath, thankful to be above ground once more.
His vision was starting to blur, a familiar darkness fraying the edges like a vignette. He quickly glanced around, looking for somewhere to place Wheeler in case they decided to summon him back right then and there. To his relief however, Wheeler suddenly stirred against him.
Thank God.
Though, perhaps right now....God shouldn't be the one he was concerned about.
"Mully," Wheeler murmured, his voice rough as if he'd just woken up. Suddenly his eyes widened, the reality that Mulock was currently holding him in the middle of a field hitting fast and hard. "Where are we?" he gasped. "What...what happened? Last thing I remember, I was..." the boy's face paled. "Oh no."
"I'll explain everything soon," Mulock whispered breathily, gently lowering Wheeler to the ground. Everything was beginning to grow foggy, the darkness closing in.
"Are you alright?" Wheeler asked, the panic evident in his voice.
"Yeah," Mulock mumbled, "I'm...fine. I just..." It was growing harder and harder to speak. "I screwed up today. So that means...I need to meet...with a bunch of assholes."
And with that, Mulock's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted.
***
Mulock found himself in an all too familiar darkness. Sighing heavily, he looked around, knowing it was only a matter of time until they made some sort of grand entrance.
Those bastards always loved their dramatics.
As expected, the ground started to rumble, their massive shapes beginning to rise up in a circle around him, surrounding him on all sides.
Nothing could ever truly prepare someone for the appearance of an ancient demon. They were twisted and contorted in ways no humanoid figure should ever be. Their faces looked mangled, every feature awry, towering hundreds of feet in the air above Mulock. The demon had to crane his neck to peer up at them, seeing his reflection mirrored back a hundredfold in their insect-like eyes.
"Mulock," one said, its voice sounding like a thousand speaking in perfect unison. "You've made a grave error."
The demon bowed his head, ignoring the nerves clawing at his gut. "I know. You may punish me however you see fit."
"You've disappointed us," another said, causing the very ground beneath Mulock to tremble. "This is only your first human, yet already you break the rules."
"And I offer no excuses," Mulock said. "I take full responsibility for my folly."
"Step forward, Mulock."
The demon did as he was told.
"Since this is your first offense," the ancient demon continued, "your punishment shall be brief."
The moment the words left its mouth Mulock felt a sharp pain slash across the back of his legs, causing him to fall to his knees. Some invisible force struck him from the side, knocking the wind from his lungs and before he could even recover the feeling came again from the other side. He collapsed onto the floor, the invisible strikes continuing relentlessly. It took everything the demon had to keep his composure, to not cry out in pain or beg them to stop.
He couldn't look weak, not in front of them. He knew better than that.
Mulock attempted to turn his mind off, giving in to the white heat of pain as an invisible force suddenly grabbed him by the back of the head, slamming his face down hard against the floor. He could feel the warm blood beginning to pour from his nose as his head was smashed down a second time, then a third.
He took it all silently.
Then, for a moment, it seemed like it all had stopped. Despite this, Mulock didn't even attempt to rise from the floor. This wasn't over yet and they all knew it.
And that's when an excruciating pain tore down the length of his back. It felt like the massive claws of an invisible beast as it mercilessly ripped into his flesh. Mulock bit his lip so hard it split, doing everything in his power to muffle the scream of pain threatening to escape him.
And then finally it was over.
Mulock lay limply on the floor in a pool of his own blood, his chest heaving.
"You took it well," the first demon said. "Good work."
"Thanks," Mulock mumbled, his voice wrecked
"But be careful, Mulock. If you make another mistake, we will be far less forgiving."
Mulock nodded weakly, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"Now, you may return to your human," the third demon said. "But before you go, I must ask...do you recall the sins that made you one of us?"
"Of course," Mulock rasped. "How could I forget?"
"Fairly easily it seems," the ancient demon replied. "Might I remind you that the last time you offered up your heart, body, and soul to a prince it ended in flames."
"I know," Mulock whispered hoarsely. "And it won't happen again."
"You're the sin now Mulock, not the sinner. Such human error will not be tolerated."
"I understand, sir," he said softly, the blood still dripping from his lips.
"Let us hope that's the truth," the ancient demon replied flatly. "Because if you fall prey again to your worthless human emotions regarding that boy, the consequences will be merciless."