TW: I have bolded the paragraphs that mention corpses and a creature. I know that my story is fiction, but it does not lean heavily into the "horror" aspect, so if this bothers you, you don't necessarily have to read it! It's short enough and doesn't really contain pertinent information. I guess I was just in a silly goofy mood when I wrote it.
Stay safe!
~~~
"Finally!" Caiden cried out, his smile growing as we saw the edges of a house peeking out from behind a set of trees in the distance. I found myself nodding, my worried eyes traveling to make sure that Caiden was okay after seeing the... atrocities that occurred on our way here.
As Caiden mentioned when we first entered the Underworld, the smell that floated through the air burned my lungs. However, I couldn't quite understand what it was until about an hour into our journey. Caiden once more mentioned the walk, stating that his feet were hurting, and he hated the smell that seemed to get strong the deeper we delved into this world. I was about to offer to give him a break when I noticed it. Off in the distance were large piles. Of what, I couldn't quite tell until we were a bit closer.
The smell was so strong as we drew nearer, and swarms of flies, somehow still pests in the Underworld, swarmed the piles as if they were just freshly laid there. I heard Caiden gasp as we grew near, his body inching towards mine and moving to my left side, as far away from the mass as he could. However, there wasn't anything I could do, his gasp of terror only causing my heart to squeeze as we came to be beside the mass.
Piles upon piles of bodies lay in heaps, their flesh slowly dripping from their bones in the sun and their eyes long gone as if some wild animal had come to scoop them out for a midnight snack. Their bones slowly fell out of place and landed on the ground below, waiting to be carried away by a winter storm. Unidentified creatures squirmed within the mass, causing a few bodies to shudder and shake as if they were still alive. However, their grotesquely colored skin revealed the lack of blood necessary to spring up and walk away.
A low growl caused Caiden to let out a small squeak, his body trembling in the air beside me. I turned to look at where the noise came from and found myself shocked to see a humanoid figure. It looked like a human, but its limbs were out of proportion to its body. Its skin was a shiny grey and scaly like a fish. It had long greasy white hair that went down to the ground, shielding its naked form from our eyes. It hissed at us, revealing rows and rows of sharp teeth that seemed almost impossible to fit into its mouth.
"What is that?" Caiden whispered, his eyes seemed glued to the figure, even as he trembled behind me. We continued walking, Caiden and I watching the creature as we passed, our heads following behind our bodies as we kept it in our line of sight. But Akan and Iban never spared it a second glance, their forms continuing as if they hadn't noticed the scene that unfolded before us. It wasn't until we were out of view of the figure and almost the pile that Iban spoke up.
"It's a demon." Caiden basically jumped out of his skin as Iban spoke up, probably anticipating that we would stay in silence the rest of the way to Zing's home.
"A demon?" I asked. Iban nodded, his body moving in my arms so that he could hop free, sending rubble flying in small directions as he slightly jogged to walk side by side with Akan.
"A demon." He confirmed. "However, one that humans created."
"Humans created... that?" Caiden asked. Akan shrugged, his hands finding their way into his pockets so that he could fiddle with the lint in them.
"Humans want to monopolize everything," he stated, kicking a rock, "they want everything that demons have to offer. For a long time, they tried to create demons... out of humans. Live humans. They–" he nodded back towards where the creature was, "are the results of desire. Once they turn out like that, like some form of a monster, demons would find them and bring them down here so that they could live and not be killed by the humans. However, we realized that they are too hostile to live in a society with us. So, they opt to go live out in the wilds instead. They don't harm us, and they don't go out of their way to find us. As long as we don't bother them, they don't bother us. They find food where they can and live their days like that." Akan glanced over his shoulder once more, a sigh deep in his throat. "They're quite pitiful, aren't they?"
***
As the town slowly came into view, I found myself glancing around rapidly, waiting for any signs of movement. However, as we drew closer and closer, I realized that it was completely deserted. The houses all seemed worn down to their bare bones, with wooden piles decorating their insides. Furniture was scattered here and there, and glass was strewn about the place. Why would this place, where their former king lives, be so desolate?
"They all moved up, to another town," Iban spoke up. I frowned, a little displeased that he seemed to read my mind but didn't say anything in response. "Once the war ended with Melan's death, everyone abandoned it. They thought that it was too close to one of the main portals and that it was an unlucky town. One that only brought upon death and destruction." Iban trailed off towards the end, his head moving back and forth over the land as if he was seeing the war again in the stains that remained on the dirt and houses.
Akan cleared his throat, and I noticed that he seemed almost choked up at the sight before him. "Zing's house is this way." He whispered, taking a large step towards the left side of the town. Caiden and I glanced over at each other; Caiden's eyes were seemingly filled with worry as we trailed after the two.
We roughly hopped and leaped over pieces of homes that were left to rot in this town as we made out way to Zing's old home. Miraculously, it seemed to be the only house that seemed to have been maintained, with the exterior a wooden color, the blue shingles on the roof still in place, and a black wooden mailbox out front. As if the individuals who fled the other homes recognized that this was an important landmark to be kept safe.
Or, as if it were kept together with magic.
Iban walked right up to the door, placing one paw on it and I watched as it swung open, despite it being fully shut. Though, since Iban didn't seem to push it inward, it must have opened through magic, something Zing had done in the past that still affected the house. Iban filed right in, and Akan did the same. I turned to look at Caiden who turned to look at me at the same time. He gulped and shifted slightly so that he walked behind me as we made out way into the house.
The inside wasn't anything special. It was essentially one room, with a bed on the right side and a desk directly next to it, pressed up against a window so the individual sitting there could always look outside. Then, to the left of the door, was a wall of books, papers, and notebooks. Piled high and messily strewn about the shelves and floor beneath it. As if it were recently ransacked.
Caiden and I entered on Iban and Akan taking in the room, each respectively lost in their own thoughts. I chose to ignore them, and instead went over to the desk to glance at the books placed on it. I wasn't expecting to find anything specific, so when I was met with a piece of paper that had, "Hello Alan". Written messily on the surface, I was taken aback. I grabbed it and turned it over. I noticed some writing in English written on the back, further intriguing me. Caiden hovered over my shoulder as I silently read the letter.
I'm sure you're shocked to see English in this world, just as shocked as I was to find out that there were other worlds out there. Worlds with different languages, customs, ideas, magic, and more. I can't say for certain that I know everything, but I hope that I manage to make some things clearer for you. Or that I can persuade you to defend this world. I don't know much about you, and you don't know much about me other than what Iban has told you. And, considering how much I know Iban, he hasn't said much.
I'm not sure how much of an adventurer you are, but I'm thinking your curiosity will get the best of you either way and you'll follow along to figure out the end of this puzzle. I know I have extreme measures put into place to ensure that my home stays in the best condition possible and that no one can enter unless I specifical deem them so (you, Iban, Melan, a few others). However, I still have my letters to you spread out throughout this home, with each letter detailing where the next one would be. I doubt anyone else could find it even if they manage to tear the home down wood panel by wood panel. Still, I want to be as cautious as possible, considering what I have to say deals with the life and death of demons and humans alike. If you are still interested, please search for the next letter between pages 34 and 35 of Between the White Flowers. I have much to say.
Zing.
I looked up from the letter and turned to look at the shelves behind me. I watched as a gust of wind fluttered in from the still-open door, shifting a paper that was sandwiched between two books. It drifted to the ground with a soft fluttered movement, and I groaned. Zing really didn't want to make it easy for me. I wanted to give up right then and there and simply go back to the castle with Caiden and continue this stupid bodyguard business. However...
I gripped the paper tightly in my fist, causing it to crinkle and Caiden to look at me with a slightly shocked face.
"Alan?" He called.
However, although curiosity did kill the cat... satisfaction brought him back.
"I need to find a book titled Between the White Flowers."
~~~
Hey guys! Saph here! Thank you for reading another chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm really happy to be back and writing, I absolutely missed it. Also, I don't know how many of you remember/know, but I absolutely love Zing's character and I'm so excited to write more about him. He's going to be in the next chapter, so I hope yall are ready!
How did you feel about this chapter? Once again, sorry for the little bit of horror I wrote, I guess I was watching something scary and decided to add it in. Also, I start a new job at a bookstore on Tuesday so I hope I still have the energy to write!
Anyway, thanks everyone so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and continue to enjoy the series! Every chapter we get closer and closer to the end, but I think I'm gonna draw it out a bit more because I enjoy the process and I'm gonna miss them when it's over. Regardless, as always, thank you all so much for reading! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns don't hesitate to reach out and I'll see you all next time! Bye-bye!