The Demon

by Rick Bonogofsky

  Erin’s eyes narrowed and she clenched her fists in anger.

  “Before you spout off into a tirade,” Dante scolded, “Let me just tell you that you were the one who wanted to come with me. I warned you that there was no exact schedule.”

  “You didn’t tell me we’d spend nearly a week in a place I could have come to all on my own, though.”

  Dante nodded, accepting her argument as valid. “Yes, however, I didn’t plan on being here this long in the first place, what with the whole thing with Staci and then the stupidity in the street. But if you want to leave, that is entirely your right. I never said you had to stay with me at all times.”

  Erin rolled her eyes and walked out of the inn, bringing a definitive end to the discussion.

  “Petulant child,” Dante muttered before heading into his room to sleep away the few remaining hour of the night.

  In the morning, Dante wandered through town, enjoying the small market and the fresh air. Staci was at the school teaching her students, so Dante had until mid-afternoon to himself. He occasionally felt as if he was being watched, and even the townsfolk he passed on the street seemed to keep their distance as they scurried about their respective routines. Dante shrugged it off, knowing the story of how he had killed the soldiers must have spread. Even the town guards kept their distance. They were smart to do so. Dante would have had no problem spilling their blood if they initiated a fight. However, he held no notion to provoke anyone. He had spilled more than enough blood the day before, and had no desire to spill any more. Even so, a tiny part of him wanted them to try.

  Miles away, Erin trudged along a lonesome road, leading, according to the signposts, to another town. She cursed Dante for a fool under her breath with every step. She had thought that with this long trip, she could possibly find love of her own, whether it be in Dante or some other handsome young man. With all of the stories her grandfather had told her of the demon, she held him as a hero in her eyes and wanted nothing more than to be like him. Or with him, whichever way it turned out was fine with her. She had thought of him as a knight from the fairy tales, and she could have been his princess. But after witnessing his true nature, Erin was at once heartbroken and terrified by Dante. She wanted so badly to be his that she firmly believed him to be nothing like the demons her grandfather had told her about. Dante wasn’t like the vicious bestial creatures from her grandfather’s horror stories. At least not until she saw him cut that soldier in half. There wasn’t a shred of mercy in his eyes, and it was as if a completely different person was standing before her. Gone was the talkative, almost jovial man she had met days before. There stood a true demon, a monster spawned in the pits of Hell and sent to Earth for one purpose: bloodshed.

  Erin shook herself out of her nightmarish memories and focused on the road ahead. If he wanted to stay in that small town, let him. As long as Erin was far away from him, she would never have to witness the horror of what he truly was.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Three years rolled by, during which time Dante and Staci’s relationship flourished. Dante stayed at the inn where Staci danced and made occasional trips home to gather more of his things. Eventually, Dante had carried nearly everything portable to his new home. Everything else stayed under the protective wards until he fully moved out. Victor kept his ever-vigilant eye on the demon, never relenting in his self-appointed task. He even went so far as to keep his existence a secret from Dante, and all thought of the angel eventually left the demon’s mind. Erin was still unheard from on her lonesome journey around the world. The people of Bethlehem lowered their collective guard around Dante, seeing from his actions that he was no longer a threat. He even took a few odd jobs for the townsfolk. Usually it had to do with keeping the peace, but some jobs required a more lethal approach. Staci hated when he would go on those jobs, but Dante made certain that the killings happened outside the town and that the targets deserved it. More often than not, Dante turned away offered work simply because Staci asked him to. They thrived together, neither remembering a better time in their respective lives.

  Things seemed to get better for the rest of the world, too. Electricity had been restored to many of the power plants that survived the war, which meant, slowly, more and more technology was being reintroduced into society. Many of the government’s top scientists had been saying the satellites were still in orbit above the planet and were even still functioning, powered by solar energy. This allowed communications arrays to be rebuilt, bringing the possibility of worldwide communication back into the realm of reality. Factories that had been in the process of being rebuilt over the past half-century were finally nearing completion. They began producing goods once more, sending better materials where they needed to go in order to rebuild entire populations. Poverty nearly disappeared as the general quality of living went up. Vehicles were still mostly out of commission, leaving much of the labor of hauling the new materials to horses. However, more and more boats were being fitted with new motors, allowing a wider range of travel across the oceans.

  Even the old battle simulators set up outside of the major cities were operational again. These simulators would help soldiers during the war hone their skills in a safe, secure environment. A central computer allowed for full customization of the program, letting the user choose the difficulty level, opponent, terrain, weather, and objective. Dante was well-versed in the use of these facilities as he and his entire class had been trained in one. One facility that Dante knew of was the one under Manhattan, where his parents had left him the day they died. That building had resisted the electromagnetic pulses from the nuclear warheads, but all entrances had been destroyed, prohibiting access from all but the most determined. Dante was the only one determined enough to find the secret tunnel leading to the heart of the simulation room. He had made use of the facility until a cave-in destroyed the support beams, causing the structure to collapse on itself. That was back when Dante was still only four-and-a-half decades old.

  Now that power was being restored to the facilities across the country, Dante made trips to the one just outside of Bethlehem. He got the computer running again, dusted off the inputs, and ran a few test runs. It took him a few months of tinkering, but he got the place in optimal condition. He spent most of his time there while Staci was teaching and kept his abilities honed. He even tested his magical abilities. His knowledge from the past aided his magical growth and sped his adaptation to the new spells. He felt nearly as strong as he did when Death had first given him the extra power.

  Victor saw it all, knowing his enemy was becoming stronger, more skilled. If Dante was going to be a challenge before, he would be nearly unstoppable now. The angel rued the day he decided to let the demon live. But Dante was being kind to his people and Victor could not ignore that. Perhaps there was some good in the demon after all. That would not stop him from keeping his eye on him, however. But, another problem was arising; Victor was slowly realizing that he had romantic feelings for Staci. He began to realize that he had loved her from the start but had kept his feelings to himself in order to maintain his focus on his duties as protector of the town. He knew he had to sublimate his feelings for her if he was to remain vigilant over Dante.

  “So how was training today, honey?” Staci asked as Dante came out of the bathroom. Wearing just his pants, Dante towel-dried his hair and walked up to her while she cooked dinner. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

  “Tiring,” he smiled. “Finally mastered that spell I’ve been working on though.” He moved to her left side and picked up a long spoon to stir the stew as she cut more vegetables for it.

  “The lightning bolt?” she asked. “I thought you had that one figured out already?”

  Dante nodded as he stirred. “I did. I was adding a flame coating to it.”

  Staci shook her head and playfully rolled her eyes. “You boys and your fire,” she grinned. “You know, one of the boys in my class almost set t
he building on fire once.”

  Dante put the spoon down and leaned over to kiss her on the top of her head. “I’m careful,” he promised. “You be careful with those knives. I sharpened them myself.”

  “I noticed,” Staci replied, holding up a bandaged finger.

  “Oh, gorgeous, let me see that.”

  Staci put the knife down and turned to Dante, giving him her hand. He gingerly unwrapped the bandage and looked at the cut. It was deep. He kissed it and gently wrapped his fingers around the wound. A soft red glow emanated from his hand and enveloped hers. A warm, tingling sensation flooded the wounded area as the skin knitted back together. When Dante took his hand away, there was nothing left of the cut, not even a scar. Staci looked at it in astonishment, never seeing something like that before.

  “I didn’t know you could do that,” she stammered.

  “Healing is easy. Wounding takes effort. You should tell me when you get hurt.”

  Staci shook her head and smiled at him. “Why would I bother you over a tiny cut? I was fine. Besides, you were training.”

  Dante shrugged it off and hugged her. “I suppose you were,” he sighed. “But you do remember how to get a hold of me, though, right?”

  She held up her right hand, showing a silver ring encrusted with rubies. “I concentrate on this, make a mental link with you, and boom, communicable brain-thoughts.”

  Dante nodded. “Right. You can use it even if you just want to talk, too. I’m always here.”

  Staci kissed him and said, “You better be. Otherwise, who will be my knight who lets the stew burn?”

  “What?” Dante whirled to check the stew. It was fine, other than needing to be stirred again. He turned and smiled at Staci, shaking his head.

  She stuck her tongue out at him, and returned to cutting vegetables.

  “So,” Dante said after a few moment’s silence, “the mayor approached me about a job today on my way here.”

  “What kind of job?” Staci asked. Her steady voice almost hid her trepidation, but Dante knew she was worried he would have to kill someone.

  “Turns out some teens stumbled onto a rather interesting find. A cave just west of here. Mayor said it may need some looking into.”

  “You get to go spelunking?” Staci gasped. Her jealousy was apparent; she had loved wandering through caves ever since she was a child.

  “You want to join me?”

  Staci grinned and nodded. “When do we get to go?”

  Dante thought a moment and shrugged. “Well, you have class tomorrow. We can go in two days when your students get a day off from their studies.”

  Staci nearly jumped for joy. The last cave she had seen was over ten years before.

  When the day came, Dante and Staci left hand-in-hand for the cave. It was a few miles outside of town, hidden among the forest and hills. Dante found a narrow path and led Staci through the dense vegetation. She had little trouble following him.

  “So when will we get there?” she asked in excitement.

  “Pretty soon, I think,” Dante replied. “Should be right around this rock outcropping.” They rounded a large spur of stone jutting out of the ground and found the entrance to the cave. The hole in the side of the hill was small, only able to fit one person at a time and even then if that person crouched. The ground slanted downward at a steep, yet comfortable grade. Cool air flowed out of the cave in a light breeze.

  “Looks dark in there,” Staci commented. She patted her pockets, then sighed. “Dammit, I forgot a flashlight.”

  Dante smiled and held up his hand, summoning a small, glowing ball of pale blue flame. It hovered over his palm for a moment then floated to a point over the two of them.

  Staci looked up at it, trepidation clear on her face. “I think the entrance mat be a bit small to trust that thing so close to us. Might get a little hot.”

  “No worries, dear,” Dante countered. “Touch it, it’s safe.”

  Trusting Dante, Staci reached her hand up and felt the flames. She immediately drew back in shock, holding her hand to her chest. “It’s cold,” she gasped. She touched the flame again and grinned. “You have the most interesting magic, honey.”

  Dante grinned and slipped into the cave opening, waving for Staci to follow him. Inside, the flame lit an area nearly twenty feet in diameter, showing a tunnel of soil that gave way to smooth, almost worn stone. The stone was so smooth that it seemed almost to have been worked.

  “What could have made this?” Staci asked in wonder.

  Dante shook his head. “Not entirely sure. Not water, it’s too uniform.” They passed several sets of what looked like claw marks. “Not a worm, then,” Dante surmised. “Perhaps… no… this isn’t the right area.”

  “What?” Staci asked. “Not the right area for what?”

  “A dragon.”

  Staci stopped moving. “You’re playing with me,” she smiled. Her smile seemed forced, as if she really hoped Dante was joking.

  Dante shrugged. “Judging by the shape of the tunnel and the occasional claw marks, I’d say a Chinese dragon. A fairly young one, at that, I imagine.”

  Staci crept along, staying closer to Dante. “Do dragons really exist? I thought they were just myth.”

  “Like demons and angels?” Dante quipped.

  Staci slapped his shoulder, drawing a chuckle from both of them.

  Eventually, the tunnel opened into a room roughly the size of a small hut. Two other tunnels branched from here, both large enough to walk upright.

  “Which way?” Staci asked. She unconsciously grasped Dante’s arm. Her hands shook with a mixture of fear and excitement. She trusted Dante to keep her safe, but the thought of meeting a real dragon set her nerves on edge.

  Dante scanned each tunnel, unsure. He willed his flame to float near the openings to illuminate the immediate area. Nothing stood out, other than a draft from the right-hand tunnel that seemed to cause the flames to flutter. “Well, it looks like right leads back out,” he stated. “So we’ll come back to that one later.” He drew his dagger and carved an arrow into the stone at the right tunnel, pointing down into the darkness. “Looks like we go left.”

  Staci nodded, steeling herself and following Dante into the dark tunnel. The flame showed a more natural look to the stone here, implying the previous tenant was small enough to not have to carve its way through. Some claw marks were scraped into the stone floor, causing Staci’s heart to rise into her throat.

  “What if there’s a dragon in here?” she whispered.

  “We hope he’s asleep,” Dante replied matter-of-factly. He made no effort to lower his voice and the echoes rang like church bells in Staci’s ears. “Shouldn’t be, though.”

  “What?!” Staci gasped.

  “Sorry, I was thinking out loud. I meant there shouldn’t be a dragon in here.”

  “How do you figure?”

  Dante stopped at another set of claw marks in the floor and brought the flame nearer to point them out to Staci. “You see how the marks begin fairly thin and shallow in the stone and gradually get deeper and wider? Shows the direction our scaled friend was headed. I figure he was headed outside. He bore that tunnel to get out, not in.”

  Staci nodded in understanding, visibly beginning to feel better. They continued onward. Then, Staci had another thought. “But that tunnel was worn smooth. That doesn’t happen right away. That takes time.”

  “Very true,” Dante replied. “It’s likely he used this place as a den for some time. But, judging by the age of the markings, I don’t think he’s been here for a while.”

  “But… I read in a fairy tale once that dragons can lie in slumber for decades, even centuries.”

  Dante smiled at her. “Then we really want to hope he’s still asleep. Nothing worse than a dragon awoken early from a good sleep.”

  They kept walking, Staci holding onto Dante’s arm for comfort. Her excitement at exploring a cave was diminished by her worry of meeting a dragon. Her worry was not hel
ped at all by the fact that Dante kept his free hand on his sword the whole time.

  Their tunnel ended, coming into a large chamber the size of a small house. Dante willed the flame to grow bigger and to float into the middle of the room, illuminating everything. One other tunnel exited this chamber, leading deeper into the cave. A large area in the middle was worn more than anywhere else and formed a small bowl-like formation. Broken stalagmites littered the area around it, while other stalagmites remained intact.

  “Must be where he slept,” Dante mentioned, pointing to the area. He looked up to the ceiling and noticed a group of stalactites directly above the nested area had been similarly broken. “Must have gotten tired of water dripping on him when he wanted to sleep. Odd...” Staci let go of his arm and wandered around the chamber. She marveled at the size of the debris. She climbed up one stone that was taller than her and hopped up and down in excitement.

  “This is so amazing!” she exclaimed, her fear of the dragon gone upon seeing its nest empty.

  Dante grinned at her, glad she wasn’t afraid anymore. “You’re just too cute, you know that?”

  Staci giggled, jumped off of her rock and danced over to another to climb.

  Shaking his head, Dante walked around the chamber, running his fingers over the ancient claw marks. He caught a glimpse of something shining in the pale firelight and went over to it. Jutting from the stone was a scale the size of a coin. It was stuck fast, but Dante managed to extract it without damaging the pale blue luster. It shone in his hand and seemed to radiate a faint, fire-like aura of icy-blue. Dante stuffed it into a pocket and continued surveying the chamber.

  An echo caught his attention, a sound like a heavy footstep on stone, but he figured it was just Staci at play. He turned back to his wandering and picked up a few more shed scales. While Staci was distracted with her exploring, he gathered all six scales he had found into one hand. Using his magic, he caused them to float in the air, forming a circle. Concentrating hard, he willed the scales to spin around each other, coalescing into one circular piece.