Chapter 14
“Die? Well I must say you’ve piqued my curiosity again. You’re the first demon I’ve ever met who actually doesn’t fit the demon category and who seems to be more a person than some cruel and vindictive rabid animal that’s in desperate need to be put down.”
The Kitsune laughed, but it was hollow and tainted with sadness. “You must be new to our world, Human. I too am surprised. Most warriors of Order would have attacked the moment they opened that door and taken my head while my back was to them. Nevertheless, you will not need to take my life for it will soon be offered willingly soon enough.”
Reality of those words set in and Ethan said “You intend your wish to save your mother at the cost of your own life.”
This time it was the Kitsune who was surprised. It wasn’t a question. His long set of tails seemed to sag under heavy weights before he regained composure and brought them back in a fanlike pattern more stunning than any peacock could ever be. “That is my intention. Before I give my wish, would you hear my story? It is demon tradition for the higher classes who know it is their time to vanish.”
For some reason Ethan felt compelled to say “I’ll listen.” This Kitsune had the clear feel of a demon of great power, but lacked the killing intent he had felt from all the other demons he had faced so far.
The white fox sighed and his sleek shoulders lifted as a great invisible weight was lifted and his muzzle pulled back to reveal a kind smile of canines. He passed the left chain to his right, keeping a death grip on the Crescent Mirror and used his free arm to pass it over his chest and bowed at the waist. “Many names I have taken over the millennia’s, but I now go by Tokala.”
“Fox?” Ethan said stunned at the dual translation he heard naturally and what his silver bracelets altered. “I had a college friend descended from Cherokee and I remember certain animals and names. Tokala means a male fox!”
Tokala this time truly chuckled. “So my mother’s humor isn’t lost. She is also Native American, descended from Sioux.” He then sat on four of his tails and relaxed. “Please, sit and I will tell you of myself.” Those silver eyes noticed the hesitation. “As you have deduced, I have intentionally not harmed a single individual and I clearly could have. Not a single trap has even a thorn. My plants merely were tasked to bind any who used Spirit and Demon energies from getting too close. You though I didn’t account for. And it’s just my luck that a Fire Elemental passed easily through my most powerful barriers and plants. Still I feel your companions trying to break through. They will not succeed. Judging by your attire you have figured out only non-active energies of humans can pass through. Most would not pass without protection, but then you clearly are stronger than that small army outside combined. If we wished to fight I know my chances won’t be fair. You are my natural enemy and you clearly know it.”
“So it seems.” He shook his head and said “Well, Tokala, since you haven’t lied so far I’ll listen. My name is Ethan.” He walked closer, keeping a hair trigger on his power to be loosed at the slightest movement that could be seen as a threat. Despite the Kitsune’s promises, he was a powerful demon who could thwart the great power of Thor and over three hundred powerful teams of warriors without flinching. He walked, noticing how the inward facing floral lighting played with his shadow. The path took him towards the deceptively powerful demon and heard a strange sound behind him. Paused. And glanced at the door to see more thorny vines climbing the door he had entered until it completely disappeared. “Tokala, what is the meaning…”
The fox-man clearly said “I cannot expect other warriors to be so kind as you have been. Many kill demons on sight. Wizard fire is not powerful enough to even singe my plants, but you are no wizard and I want no other to disturb us. Please.”
Ethan watched Tokala pull a seed from his pocket and saw it grow into a thick, sunflower-like plant that was over four feet wide and wreathed in bright yellow petals, but it wasn’t a sunflower. In its center was a cushion that looked soft as felt. Tokala then gently tossed it ten feet in front of himself like an oversized Frisbee. Realizing what it was for, Ethan came over and felt it was both firm and soft under his boot. He walked calmly to the center of the flower and sat, earning a smile from the demon.
“Thank you for this. I never expected to tell my story till all was over… least of all to a human.” Tokala said gratefully as he sat the mirror’s chain around his neck and pulled his long white hair around for more comfort than anything.
“My story begins sixteen thousand years ago in Demon World in the Great Forest of the Fox, under the Fire King’s dominion. I am the only surviving member of my litter, born under my Kitsune parents. I grew my second tail a hundred years after my birth and was a guard of the great forest for much of that time and thereafter. I’ve fathered four hundred litters and am proud to say many still live. My tails continued to add and my power doubled each time. When I reached my fifth millennia I finally earned my ninth tail and I became a demon lord who ruled a fertile section of the forest and joined the ranks of aristocracy in Demon World. I became a loyal lieutenant of the Fire King in times of war and enjoyed all the vast wealth I either earned, stole or pillaged. Despite my rank I loved testing my limits, breaking and entering and theft.” Tokala had a twinkle in his eye as he said this. “None could bar me from sneaking in and stealing what I sought. I even broke into the Fire King’s vaults, much to his amusement. Nothing happens without his knowledge, but he liked using me to always strengthen his vast territory and guard the wealth so others couldn’t do as I. My cunning, patience and intelligence served me more than my great power. My band of thieves could not be stopped and for centuries it was my abilities that steadily gained me more prestige and power in demon world.” He swallowed dryly and watched Ethan closely for he knew the Elemental wasn’t going to like this next telling. “Also, you must know that I also had a steady supply of souls to consume.” Ethan sat straighter, his grey eyes shot daggers, but he held still. Tokala though felt more waves of heat and watched the human’s hair rising from the generated updrafts. No flames appeared though. “Listen, I know it is hard to not hurt me for it, but what’s done is done. As a Kitsune, I feed on avarice, greed if you prefer. Humans are especially greedy and always filled me and in my long years I’ve lost count of the souls I’ve consumed. For a few decades I’d only eat human souls on a weekly basis. No other souls is like human and even now I can taste it.” Tokala then held up a finger. “But my traits would be the end of me, like all Kitsune who aren’t tethered to another.
“Seventeen years ago I led my elite band of thieves to Vilorogue’s lair, Dragon General of my king. I coveted a precious ore that is rarest in all the universe for it is said any item or weapon crafted from it is inherently indestructible. Even a piece the grain of sand was worth more than all the treasure I ever collected tenfold.” Tokala smiled in sad remembrance. “My men were wholeheartedly against tempting one of the greatest powers in all of Demon World. The Fire King might have allowed many things to slide in my direction, but Vilorogue didn’t share our great master’s mentality. We all knew if we were caught the Dragon General would make sure we suffered for decades before killing us. But the ore was too tantalizing and just begging to be pinched by the old black dragon. Despite my men’s protests, I went after it.
“We entered Vilorogue’s domain and snuck into his mountain fortress. But little did I know that we were betrayed.” Tokala grimaced. “My second, an Elf by the name of Ildio, forewarned Vilorogue of my plans to steal his precious ore.
“We walked straight into an ambush. I knew immediately something was wrong when Ildo Translocated from my side. The obstinate old dragon brought in a dozen more greater demons, some I had thought died out millennia ago.
“I immediately erected my greatest shield as the Elf disappeared. Since I trespassed, Vilorogue had every right to do what he did. Even with my barrier, the dragon ripped it apart like paper and attacked.”
“Really?” Ethan said, flabbergasted at t
he mental images the words created. “This dragon broke through?! How is that possible… Thor! I mean, he hit that green barrier with power I’ve never seen before and it didn’t even ripple.”
Tokala tilted his head and flicked his ears. “I thought I recognized his familiar Spirit Energy. We met once, but I got away. He is a strong warrior to be sure, Ethan, but in Demon World are demons so powerful that they cannot leave or would risk killing lesser demons by being in their presence. In all of Earth’s Order, there may be six alive who can stand near Vilorogue and not pass out instantly or die… if he didn’t regulate his power. You, as an Elemental likely could. Even I would kill everyone nearby if not for limiting my power. So if Thor cannot break through, nor the others testing it, you can imagine just how great the old dragon is.
“The attack on me and my men were short and bloody. The only thing that saved me was my illusions, but even then I was greatly wounded. Allow me to recreate the scene.” Tokala spread his furry hands, palms and claws facing upwards.
Air rippled all around them like water and changed, but Ethan held still and watched in wonder. The illuminating flowers disappeared and was replaces by a giant cavern. Ethan knew he was seeing an illusion of immense power as even the smell of sulfur tickled his nose and for both he and the Kitsune sat where they were. Large wall torches burned while some kind of glowing moss grew in the roof. The floor was oddly smooth and polished with great care. Movement caught Ethan’s attention for out of a corridor first came Tokala’s illusion, followed by a shifty, yellow skinned Elf with long pointed ears who could only be Ildo. Also following was a second Kitsune with three tails, a Kelpie who was a beautiful black stallion that had long fangs extending down to its jaw like some kind of predator and it had blood red eyes, and lastly there were four hairy Goblins and a male Harpy.
They stuck to the rock wall, extinguishing torches along the way to hide in shadows. But then the Elf suddenly vanished as a dragon dropped from a dark hole in the ceiling where the glowing moss didn’t. The dragon was black like coal, had large yellow eyes that glowed with an inner power, from snout to tail was about a hundred and fifty to a hundred and seventy five feet long. Huge wings were folded along its back while four mighty legs held it up. Long, curved horns looked more like spikes protruded from his head. Then a dozen demons appeared at its side, some not even Ethan could adequately describe clearly except they were deadly and eager for blood. Without warning a green barrier surrounded Tokala and his men, but Vilorogue took a deep breath, arched a long neck and as it shot forward, out came a giant fireball from its great maw of deadly teeth. It impacted the green shield as if it were weaker than paper and engulfed the group.
The illusion faded as Tokala was barely seen running back the way his group came and his identical illusion pretended to be burning alive with his other companions. Only he wasn’t unscathed as his arm and tails were badly burned.
“After I fled Vilorogue’s fortress, he quickly discovered my ruse and sent those greater demons after me. Wounded as I was, I stood no chance whatsoever. So I fled to an ally, using every trick to throw off my pursuers, knowing full well they would hunt me to my last breath.” Tokala laid his hands on his knees and sighed. “I knew of only one way to get them off my scent and I had to disappear, fake my own death you could say. My ally sent me to this world, but it would have been only a matter of time before they caught up and those demons you saw were the best hunters in all of Demon World. I did what I must.
“I arrived on the mortal world and sniffed out a young human woman. She had recently become pregnant by a man who left soon after coupling, but when one as powerful as I looks closely enough, I could see Fate’s hand was going to make the child stillborn. So when she was asleep I took the greatest gamble of my life and intentionally shed all my power to enter her womb, taking the place of the fetus.
“Nine months later she gave birth to me. What she did was more than shield me from the Demon World hunters. She saved me. I could think as I always have after exiting her womb, but I was forced to physically grow like any mortal child. Doing what I did had consequences.” The lip flaps pulled back wistfully. “I remember clearly her first words. ‘My Kit.’ She said with such love that I was genuinely surprised. Immediately I knew she could see me for what I was, but she didn’t scream or shun me. Few humans have the power to see beyond the veil and it seems that her pregnancy with me opened her eyes. She named me Tokala, as her ancestors called the fox. She protected me as I grew up and slowly regained my powers and tails over the next seventeen years. She showed me love the likes I never dreamed of… what is that look for?”
“Sorry.” Ethan said, not realizing he was a bit more skeptical than he meant to show. “The way you speak, you love her don’t you? Not in a sexual way… like a mother and son. I just realized your eyes reminded me of my own. I loved my mother very much and would have done anything… But I have it on good authority she is well in Spirit World. I just didn’t think demons could love.”
“You’d be surprised what you don’t know, but I guess you warriors only see the gruesome side of we demons. I guess I was just as bad for a long time as I did consume many souls, torment people, steal and cheat. Eighteen years ago I probably would have been hunted down like many other demons Order needs to rid the worlds of. Just because we demons don’t have a soul doesn’t mean we do not have a heart. I’ve just finally found mine after so long.
“My human mother reared me better than my mates did with my kits. She knew I was older than her, for we talked openly as soon as she brought me home. None of that matters, a mother is a mother and she loved me unconditionally. Because I was little, I didn’t have my powers to grow even a sprout till I was four or a tree till eleven. My mother though taught me morals and boundaries. When I pinched things, she’d spank me.” Ethan couldn’t hold back a chuckle which Tokala joined in with. “Yes, she spanked me so hard I couldn’t sit for days. When I’d play tricks she’d ground me. She is a stern female, but that is what I needed to learn my lesson. When she learned I ate souls, she didn’t get mad, but told me that when she birthed me, I’m not what I was and warned that if I ever ate so much as an ant’s soul again she would kill me… and she meant it. She carries a knife on her all the time.” The Kitsune smiled sadly. “And for the past seventeen years I’ve been clean, not one soul. My love for my mother is absolute and no matter how badly I want a soul, each time I catch a soul’s scent I now see her disapproval look in my mind that could wither the greatest demon tree. Only now do I see that souls were a drug and now I see what is better, her. After me, she no longer had any other children, but she deeply loves me and says I am her bright ray of joy…” The fox’s silver eyes lowered to the roof, as if he could see his drug induced slumbering mother below. “But six months ago, as I was cleaning dishes with Mother back home is when I caught a horrible scent coming from her. When I looked closer I saw Fate had tasked her to die painfully.
“I took her immediately to this very hospital to make sure my nose” he wiped the black nose in question. “wasn’t playing me for a fool. We got the results back and found she had inoperable pancreatic cancer with six months to live.” The truth spilled out now. “When we got home I began making medicines no human has yet created out of herbs both from this world and Demon. But every cure I could treat with my power over plants didn’t work. Fate’s hooks are too deep in my mother. For the first time in sixteen thousand years I felt truly powerless and worried for the woman who gave me more than any treasure there could ever be. Right now she is heavily sedated and has only hours left as the cancer caused her so much pain. I want her to live a full life and die of old age, not cancer riddled.
“Then I remembered of an ancient talisman crafted in Spirit World by none other than the Spirit King, the Crescent Mirror who can grant any wish. I knew I was going to break a vow to my mother and never steal again, but I was desperate. My full power had returned last month so I sought the aid of a Siren and plotted my greatest heist. I s
ecretly slipped through Spirit World’s impressive wards and brought along the Siren. I really didn’t care about the lesser demon, but I required its talents to knock out the guards. I found the treasure room easily enough and the Siren lulled the guards asleep. We got in and I let my nose lead me to this.” He pat the sliver of a mirror on his furry chest. “I took it and as payment for aiding me, the Siren took one treasure which should never have been found…”
“The Mallatiatherium Sword.” Tokala’s eyes widened. “Yes, I know all about it. I killed the Siren who was in possession of it yesterday and I was forced to kill sixteen innocent people because it was too late to give the antidote. It was trying to raise an army, turning humans to demons. One unfortunately could have been saved, but was killed before it could call for reinforcements. The Siren worked quick, trying to build an army for something, but we managed to save many from the blade’s effects. The sword is now back in Spirit World, under heavy guard.”
“I see.” Tokala sighed sadly. “Well I take full responsibility. I should have killed the lesser demon, but I was too focused on my mother. I used my power to make realistic illusions to confuse any trackers, sending them randomly all over the city. But my traps would merely bind people. I’ll never kill as I once did without provocation, that is an unbreakable promise I made with my mother. I still never expected all of them to be attacked at the same time. I had forgotten how others would react to the mirror’s theft… and what it could do.”
Just as he stopped talking there was a strange hum in the air which was odd because the entire roof was void of sound from the outside. Tokala smiled grimly. “It is time. Thank you, Ethan for hearing my tale. I trust it will not be forgotten.”
“What?” The Elemental jumped in surprise as the Kitsune stood in a fluid movement.
The wrapping of vegetation capping the hospital began to part from the center. Despite the raging storm and constant flashing of lightning, it was too dark. From the fury of the storm, Thor was still desperately trying to break through, but no thunder boomed as it had. The glow of the flowers were all that gave constant light. In a breathless tone Ethan said “It’s night! How can that be?! It should still be daylight.”
Tokala chuckled and turned back to Ethan, removing the mirror from around his neck. “I’m sorry for the deception. These are plants from Demon World. Oh do not fear, they are harmless. The strong floral smell you no doubt noticed upon entering the dome was actually a mild sedative that makes whoever smells it see time pass more swiftly. To us only fifteen minutes have lapsed, but in actuality, hours have. Right now the full moon is out and I’m going to make the last wish of my life. Just see to it my mother knows I love her.”
Ethan just stood completely stunned at the reality of what was said.
Tokala felt his central heart thundering in his breast while his lungs constricted, making it hard to breathe as he held the mirror cupped in both hands and lifted it to the sky while telling all the plants to shrink back into seeds and never grow again. Around his inner sphere flew a Pegasai with glowing hooves crackling with power, but no matter how hard it stomped it could not break through any better than the thousands who stood outside trying. He had felt his barrier draining his Demonic Energies with each strike, especially from the gigantic Thor he spotted from the shrinking trees that once capped the building. In a deep voice Tokala shouted “By the power of the moon I call for a perfect wish!”
The power of the Crescent mirror shot a beam of light through the raging storm that soaked Tokala’s fur and tails. His sad silver eyes watched as the storm was pushed aside and nothing Thor could do could stop the celestial energies from working. The moment the full moon overhead reflected off the mirror, it began to change. As the phases of the real moon waxes and wanes, so too did the Crescent Mirror match. What was once a sliver grew into a perfect disc. It began to hum with energies of the universe and beneath the clear and starry sky came a rich feminine voice that was soft and commanding, the likes of which few in all of history ever heard. “I have heard your call. With the full moon so to shall your wish be perfect and lasting. Set me down and see your reflection before the moon to speak your wish.”
The Kitsune carefully lowered the now whole mirror on the ground and saw his sad and determined expression reflected with the moon surrounding him like a halo of blessing. “My wish is to see my human mother healed of her cancer and to live to old age before passing.”
“Such a wish is against Fate’s domain. To grant it the price must be your life in exchange. If you are willing to fulfill this wish, place both your hands on my surface and it will be done.” The woman’s voice said without care.
Tokala knelt and did as instructed. Light shot from the mirror, flying through his face like a great laser which blew his silver mane of hair straight up.
Ethan snapped out of his reverie yelling “NO!!!” long strides brought him over and he slapped his own hands onto the mirror too. “Mirror, Take me instead!”
“What are you doing, Ethan?!” Tokala yelled. “This is my wish! You have no reason to do this.”
The Kitsune gasped as steel grey eyes began to redden and somewhat glow. “No, I’ll not let you die. If there are good demons like you, I’ll protect you at the cost of my own life. I’ve already died once, but you don’t have a soul!” He growled deeply while the beam of light encompassed him too, but he shoved his human nose against Tokala’s. “When I die I’ll continue. When you die your existence is over! Finished! I’ll likely spend eternity in Nothingness, but it’ll be better than what you’ll face. There is no afterlife for you. My angel will understand, but your mother wont. Let me do this for you so you can be with your mother when she gets better and you can watch her live that full life you’ll miss out on sharing.”
“This is my wish! I can’t…”
Before either could say another word their vision went white, consumed in the light of the Crescent Mirror.
Forgemaster (Book 1 in the Spirit Guide Saga) Page 15