The Lesser Evil - 13. The Domain

“Do you think this will work?” Edwin whispered to Reiff as they observed the old mystic running her bejeweled fingers over the holy scripture, her eyes firmly shut. She would open them only occasionally to jot down some notes on a piece of parchment, muttering to herself as she scribbled some words.

The older man simply shrugged in response. “We can only hope, right?”

“Right,” Edwin nodded absentmindedly. “It has to work.” As he looked around, he couldn’t help but feel anxious and curious at the same time, even excited for what could happen. It was the same feeling he experienced when Sigrid visited him for the first time. That day, he saw the spirit of Mildburg from the afterlife and even talked to it, something he never thought possible until then. Perhaps this would be another one of those days, when something he believed was impossible would happen. All he knew was that he was becoming a believer. Life was so much more than he - and most other people - knew and experienced during their lifetime. There were other worlds, with their own rules and laws, which humans could not even begin to understand.

He glanced over at Isolde, noticing how she was also intently observing Sigrid, probably wondering what she was doing and praying that she would succeed.

Agilmar was doing the same. From his corner, he quietly observed the old woman, his face not betraying any emotion. Edwin wondered what they should do with him when this is all over. The most responsible thing would be to hand him over to the royal guards, but what explanation could they possibly offer them? Without any evidence, no one would believe the priest was responsible for the disappearance of two women, much less that he let the angels abduct them. If they came out with such a story, it was more likely that the guards would apprehend them rather than Agilmar.

“I’ve done my best,” Sigrid spoke up, interrupting Edwin’s train of thought. “I’ve let the spirits guide me down the right path, and hopefully I’ve managed to open the door for you. Still... we will not know if it’s any good until we try it.”

“Then how do we do this?” Isolde asked, looking around. It was clear to Edwin that she was willing to go even to the demonic realm to save her sister, and he was not ready to let her go alone.

“Whatever has to be done, I’m ready,” the shopkeeper replied.

“You are eager and fearless, but you must be wary,” Sigrid warned. “Even if this works, we do not know what dangers await in the other realm.”

“We don’t have a choice, do we?” Reiff stated, pulling his chair closer. “Now, what do we do?”

“Reiff, I know you wish to help, but I can’t let you risk your life for us again. You heard what Sigrid said, this could be dangerous,” Edwin turned to speak to him, hoping to talk him out of coming with them. There was no doubt they could use his help, but the younger man was already feeling guilty enough for what the other had been through. The last thing he wanted was Reiff’s death on his conscience. “Also, I don’t think we should leave him alone with Sigrid,” he added, glancing at Agilmar. “I would feel better knowing you were here to keep an eye on him.”

“Edwin is right,” Isolde agreed. “If we even manage to get to… wherever Ida is, we’ll need to be quick and stay hidden, and that is much easier with only two people. Stay with Sigrid, make sure nothing happens to her.”

“If you’re sure, then I’ll stay,” Reiff nodded.

“This should bring you back,” Sigrid leaned over, giving Edwin a piece of parchment with words written on it, which he quickly pocketed. “Now, I want you two to sit over here and read this.”

As Isolde and Edwin sat next to each other, looking at the altered prayer in front of them, the mystic handed them two orange crystals, placing them in their hands. “Here, hold these while you read the words. They should help you to channel the energies that connect these realms.”

Eager to start, the two friends squeezed the crystals and started reading in unison. With his other hand, Edwin found Isolde’s hand and took it. They were in this together. The anticipation and fear were making his heart race, but at least he wasn’t going into this alone.

“Close your eyes and focus on Ida,” Sigrid whispered to them. “Imagine her face, let it guide you to where you need to go.”

That was easy, Edwin thought as he shut his eyes, an image of his best friend coming to him easily. There was Ida, standing in a bright, summer dress, smiling. Her long, brown hair was blowing in the wind, but she just laughed, that infectious laugh that he loved. That was one of the things he liked the most about her - she could always put him in a good mood, even without saying a word.

“Edwin,” he heard a voice, but it wasn’t Sigrid. It was Isolde. “Edwin, look!”

The moment he opened his eyes, the young man gasped in shock, his mouth gaping open as he stared at the scene in front of him. Dark red skies streaked with gloomy clouds stretched above them, while a massive black fortress stood in front of them, ominous and imposing. If the burning Temple of Dawn was a scary sight to behold, this was a hundred times worse.

“Where… where are we?” he muttered, still in shock. “Did it… did it really work?”

“I think so,” Isolde nodded, looking no less confused as she turned around, taking in the new environment.

The land around them seemed barren as far as the eye could see, with no shrub or tree in sight, only black rock and dirt. There seemed to be some kind of a settlement far in the distance, with dark huts and houses in a valley beyond the large fortress.

Edwin reached out to touch the massive rock they were hiding behind, admiring its smooth and shiny texture. “Obsidian,” he muttered, recognizing the black volcanic rock. He had seen it a few times back home, but never in this state - only fragments, polished and turned into small crystals. Looking up, he noticed the fortress ahead seemed to be made of the same rock. He could not explain it, but somehow he could sense that was where Ida was taken.

“I think that’s where we must go,” he told Isolde, pointing at the citadel. The woman nodded in approval as she surveyed the area. Noticing a few demons passing nearby, the two friends crouched down behind the rock to avoid being seen. They waited patiently at their hiding place until everyone had left, only then getting back up and carefully making their way toward the fortress.

It was only when they got closer that Edwin noticed two large demons guarding the entrance. They looked deadly, with large polearms in their hands. There was no way anyone could get in without going through them first, Edwin thought as he gripped the blade Isolde gave him to protect himself.

“Let’s go around and see if there’s another way in,” the woman suggested, and so they quickly made their way around the fortress before the guards could spot them.

As they approached the building from behind, Edwin’s face fell in disappointment when he realised there was no back door after all. That would have been too easy, indeed. “I don’t see any other way in,” he whispered, afraid to raise his voice.

“Me neither, but I think maybe we can reach that window,” Isolde pointed to an opening in the wall. “Help me get up there, and then I’ll pull you up.”

Edwin nodded, ready to help his friend climb inside. Just as he approached the wall, a sudden voice from behind froze the blood in his veins.

“Well well, what do we have here? Are you lost, humans?”

Holding his breath, Edwin slowly turned around, Isolde following suit. Standing before them was a woman with a pale, cold face and long, black hair. Her eyes were red, just like Lothar’s, yet so different. Lothar’s were mysterious and alluring, but hers were just menacing.

They’ve been discovered, and the shopkeeper knew there was no use in trying to run. Whoever the demon was, she could simply blink and catch them without breaking a sweat. They could very well be taking their last breaths right now. He might die without rescuing Ida after all. Without seeing his family ever again.

“What’s the matter? Can’t speak?” the demoness asked, eyeing them like a cat that backed a helpless mouse into a corner. “How the hell did you get here anyway?”

“We mean no trouble,” Isolde spoke, trying to muster as much courage as she could. “We just came to find my sister and then we’ll be gone.”

“It’s cute that you think that’s up to you. You are coming with me,” the demon woman said, taking a determined step toward them.

Before Edwin could react, Isolde had already drawn her blade, pointing it straight at the demon. “Stand back!”

“Isolde, don’t!” the young man panicked, glancing between the two of them. “Please, put the sword down,” he pleaded, knowing his friend stood no chance against a demon. He knew very well how much stronger they are than an average human.

“At least your friend here seems to have some common sense,” the demon said in an amused tone, looking at Isolde. “But I’m curious, so I’ll indulge you. Let’s see what you’ve got.” With that, she drew a blade of her own, getting into a fighting stance.

“Isolde, listen to me, she’s stronger than you are!” Edwin tried to reason with his friend, but she paid him no mind, her eyes fully focused on her target.

“Edwin, shut up!” the blacksmith woman grunted, launching into an attack. As she slashed through the air with her sword, the demon easily parried the blow with her own weapon. The clanging of metal filled the air as the two women clashed, trading blows. With a sidestep, Isolde tried a different approach, swinging the sword low, but the demon once again seemed to be a step ahead of her - she dodged the blow and countered with her own, which Isolde barely managed to avoid, stumbling and almost falling to the ground in the process.

“Is that all you’ve got?” the demon teased. The blacksmith woman did not reply, quickly getting up and into position. The demon woman gave her no time to breathe - she went on the offense, aiming her blade directly at Isolde’s chest, but the blacksmith managed to block it at the very last moment, using her leg to kick the demon in the side, but without much effect.

Even though she held her own, there seemed to be nothing Isolde could do to best the demon. Every attack she attempted would get blocked, not even a scratch on her opponent.

“Alright, I’ve toyed with you enough. It’s time to end this,” the demon decided, giving Isolde an arrogant smirk. She swiftly rushed forward, swinging her blade with all her might, breaking Isolde’s sword in two. A strong kick in the knee followed, and the blacksmith woman was lying on the ground, panting, with a blade pressed against her throat.

“No! Please, don’t kill her,” Edwin pleaded, rushing toward them. “Please. We’ll come with you.” He did not know who the demon was or where she intended to take them, but anything was better than letting his friend die before his eyes.

“Don’t worry,” the demon woman chuckled with satisfaction, putting her blade away. “I only wanted to teach your friend a lesson. Now, come with me and don’t try anything funny. I won’t be so merciful next time.”

As soon as Isolde got off the ground, still trying to catch her breath, the demon grabbed them both by the shoulders and blinked.

Edwin had no time to think, no time to come up with a plan. The very next moment, he opened his eyes and realized they were inside a large, dark chamber, illuminated only by torches on the walls. He grabbed Isolde’s hand for support. At least they were still together. His heart feeling as if it would break out of his chest, Edwin turned around and realized they were not alone. Aside from the demon woman who took them here, there was another demon, much larger than her. He was sitting in a large chair carved out of volcanic rock, while a black panther lay at his feet. While the male demon promptly got up, his eyes trained on the two newcomers, the animal seemed to be sleeping, oblivious to what was happening around it.

Edwin stood motionless and watched cautiously as the large, red-haired demon approached, walking around him and Isolde in a circle. If he thought the pale demoness seemed hostile, it was nothing compared to this hulking figure.

The demon scowled as he observed the two friends, his skin darker even then Edwin’s, his thick, long dreadlocks covering his shoulder blades. He seemed to take his time as he stopped next to Edwin, sniffing the air around him. As strange as it seemed, the shopkeeper did not dare say anything, or even look at him. He silently prayed that Isolde would be smart enough to do the same rather than playing a hero this time.

“It’s you…” the demon slowly uttered, watching the young man as if fascinated.

Edwin stared ahead, having no idea what the demon meant by that. How would he know him? Did he know Lothar? Did Lothar talk about Edwin to his demon friends? Whatever it was, it did not sound good.

“Tell him to come,” the demon suddenly turned to the demoness, barking his orders. “And bring the girl.”

Was she his servant? Edwin knew little about the demon society and hierarchy, only what Lothar had told him. He knew there were demon lords who ruled parts of the Demonic Domain, and Lothar worked for one of them, Cromwell. Was that him? More importantly, who was the girl he mentioned? Could it be Ida? That would mean she was still alive, which was all Edwin hoped for.

He glanced to the side, his eyes meeting Isolde’s, but neither of them spoke. Whoever the burly demon was, he did not seem interested in talking to them, or even taunting them. Instead, the demon simply returned to his seat just as four more blinked into the room, accompanied by the pale demoness from before and a slim, brown-haired girl the shopkeeper knew so well.

“Ida!” Edwin and Isolde cried out almost in unison, but two male demons held the girl firmly, while the other two pointed their polearms to keep the humans at bay.

“Sister! Edwin!” the young woman spoke, her voice weak and cracking. She was on the verge of tears, but still managed to crack a smile. “How… how did you come here? You shouldn’t have,” she shook her head sadly.

As he watched his best friend, Edwin’s heart broke all over again. All he wanted was to wrap her in a hug and comfort her, take her back home and make her feel safe.

“We couldn’t leave you alone,” Isolde said.

“Ida, I’m so sorry,” Edwin pleaded, looking at his friend with concern. If it wasn’t for his meddling, Ida wouldn’t be in this situation. All of them were risking their lives because he placed his trust in someone he shouldn’t have. Somewhere deep inside, he knew trusting a demon was a terrible idea, but his heart was the one calling the shots.

“You don’t have to apologize, I don’t blame you for-“ Ida started to reply, when the sound of the heavy door opening cut her off.

Instinctively, Edwin turned around, gasping at the sight of Lothar standing at the entrance to the chamber. The white-haired demon had a similarly shocked expression, his mouth agape as he stared at the sight before him.

“Ed- Edwin? Nyra? What the hell is happening here?” Lothar muttered, his eyes darting across the room, from Cromwell to the demoness, but always returning to Edwin’s face.

“So it is him,” the red-haired demon spoke up, his panther finally opening her eyes and observing the scene before her without interest. Rising from his seat, the demon strode across the chamber, all eyes on him. It must be the demon lord Cromwell, Edwin was now sure of it. And Lothar had brought Ida straight to him.

“My lord, what…” Lothar tried to repeat his question, his jaw clenched, but Cromwell interrupted him.

“This is the human you’ve been spending your time with,” he sounded disgusted. Towering over the white-haired demon – and everyone else in the room – Cromwell stopped just in front of Lothar. “I can feel his stench all over you! I send you to Earth on a mission, but you go and fuck the first human you see!”

“My lord. I completed my mission, didn’t I? I found the girl and brought her, just like you ordered,” Lothar replied, trying to sound calm. “There’s no need for-“

“You completed it?! Then why are these two fucking humans here? Oh, right, they came to get the third one. No wonder you begged to take her back to Earth.”

Edwin’s eyes went wide in shock, locking onto Lothar. So he did try to save Ida after all. He wanted to bring her back, but Cromwell didn’t let him. The realization made little difference now, as they were all doomed anyway, but Edwin still felt a little better now that he knew. If only he could have a moment with the demon alone, to let him explain. There was so much he wanted to tell Lothar, but now it was too late.

“You wanted to make your lover happy. Are you taking his orders now instead of mine?” Cromwell continued, glaring at Lothar threateningly. “Because we both know what happens with those who betray me.”

“I never betrayed you…”

“My lord, that is true. Lothar did not betray you,” the demoness suddenly spoke up, causing Edwin to turn toward her. Lothar had called her Nyra, that much he remembered. Edwin was not sure who she was, but by the death glare Lothar was giving her, he could assume they were having issues.

“I know you wish to protect your friend, but what does friendship mean when the other person abandons everything we stand for and gets involved with a human?!” Cromwell growled angrily. “I should kill all of you right now. Starting with… you,” he took a step toward Edwin, grabbing him by the neck and lifting him off the ground as if he was picking up a feather.

“NO!” Lothar’s scream pierced the air as he drew his dagger and rushed toward the demon lord. However, before he could take another step, he found himself knocked down, the panther pinning him to the ground. Its wild eyes staring at Lothar’s, the animal held the demon down, its sharp claws cutting through his clothes and drawing blood.

“Good girl,” Cromwell said as he released Edwin and turned toward his pet.

Gasping for breath, Edwin stared at the scene before him, while Isolde brought an arm around him, helping him stand up. He could see Lothar’s arms and legs bleeding where the animal had cut into his skin. It seemed ready to tear him to shreds at Cromwell’s command.

To his surprise, the demon lord simply scratched the panther behind the ears, as if it were a house cat.

“Release him, Pang. He’s not going to try anything else, is he?” Cromwell ordered. The animal obeyed, getting off of Lothar. “Now, I could rip your head off right now, but where’s the fun in that?” he added, giving Lothar a devious look. “No, I’ll give you a choice.”

Slowly, Lothar got up, casting a quick glance at Edwin before turning back to the demon lord.

“Either I kill you and the three humans, which would be the quickest way to deal with this fucking mess… Or I will spare you and the two girls if you take his life,” Cromwell finished his proposal, pointing at Edwin.

Lothar shook his head vigorously, but Edwin stood calm, tears rolling down his cheeks. He wasn’t crying because he was afraid, but because he had failed. No matter what happened, he would not walk out of there alive. Either they all die, or just him, and the choice was simple. If he had to sacrifice himself for Ida and Isolde to live, then so be it. There was no use in fighting anymore. That was his fate, and he had to accept it. He knew it was coming anyway - Sigrid had predicted it.

His vision became blurry from the tears that welled up in his eyes and started spilling out. The sounds around him echoed in his ears, mixing with his loud heartbeats, which he knew were his very last. Ida’s soft cries, Isolde’s pleadings, Lothar’s protests, he could barely distinguish between them. He closed his eyes, picturing his friends, the way they looked before all of this took place - Ida looking precious in her priestess robes; Isolde’s strong and confident figure; even Mildburg, who would still be alive if it wasn’t for Agilmar. Sigrid and Reiff would deal with him, hopefully, even though Edwin himself would not live to see it.

His little trinket shop, which he had poured so much love and hard work into - what would happen to it? That place was his sanctuary after leaving home, and now he would never set foot in it again. All of the annoying and demanding customers, all of the jewelry he never got to finish - he would be leaving them all behind, just like he left his family.

His parents, who couldn’t forgive him for what happened to his sister, so they cast him aside. Do they ever think of him? Do they miss him at all? If only he could see them again and tell them how sorry he was.

Marcella, his precious little sister… He could give her a thousand apologies, and it still wouldn’t be enough. He would give anything to be able to hug her, tell her how much he loves her, and run with her once again through the fields of Ahrabet like before, chasing butterflies and laughing their hearts out.

It felt like an eternity had passed when he opened his eyes, seeing the man he loved standing before him, a blade in his hand. Just like his own, Lothar’s eyes were wet. The demon could barely contain his tears as he plunged the dagger into Edwin, whispering softly: “Forgive me.”

Closing his teary eyes, Edwin drew his final breath, just as the sobbing Isolde grabbed him from behind, stopping his lifeless body from hitting the ground.