SL Huang - Up and Coming - Stories by the 2016 Campbell-Eligible Authors

“I wonder what happened here,” said Esh.

Before Sheda had a chance to respond, Esh heard chains rolling, followed by rusty axles squeaking. He turned to see a figure in red robes entering the dungeon.

The figure halted at the center of the hall. Then it bowed. A deep voice greeted them, “May you burn in Hell for all eternity.”

Sheda looked at the figure, her face red, her eyes blazing anger mixed with flames. “Damn you!” she exclaimed, spitting venom. “Burning in Hell is exactly what I had in mind before your intervention.” She shook her head fiercely, pointing at the figure. “You summoned us to this cold filthy place. Speak your words and send me back to Gehenom!”

The figured bowed once more. “Forgive me, Mistress. I hold nothing but the greatest respect to you. I would have never called you to this mortal plain of existence if it wasn’t for a matter of grave importance.”

Sheda burst into rolling laughter. “You can remove your hood, Nakam. It is transparent to my kind.”

The figure bowed again and took off his head covering.

Esh flinched at the sight. Nakam’s face was rotten and decayed. His nose and both ears were absent. Bones could be seen through the eroded flesh. Little hair remained on the semi-exposed skull. What intimidated Esh most were two glittering diamonds in the sockets which were supposed to host eyes. Nakam ground his teeth in an incomprehensible gesture. If it wasn’t for the missing lips, Esh would have sworn Nakam was smiling.

“I don’t think he is human,” whispered Esh.

“Esh, dear,” Sheda chuckled, “this one is Nakam, the Lich Emperor of Sham-Rahok.”

Nakam took another step toward the pentagram. “I see there is no fooling a great daemon such as you, mistress Sheda.”

“What is it that you want of me?” she barked impatiently.

Nakam rubbed his skull, nodding toward Sheda. “My lady and your daemonic shape-changing ability could be helpful for this task.”

“You’re pathetic if you think I would help.” She looked around at the carnage, at the maiden elf, then at the pentagram.

Fire sparks trickled down Esh’s forehead. The flare burning within his chest pounded. He flinched at the thought of what Nakam might do to them if Sheda declined the offer. When nothing happened, he swallowed flames.

“Now,” Sheda put her hands on her hips, “by the names of all the daemons and devils in Hell, send us back to the abyss.”

Nakam just stood there in silence.

“I gave you an order, Lich.”

“Mistress Sheda,”—Nakam coughed and shook his head—“if you’ll allow me to speak, I shall explain myself.” He rolled his diamond eyes upward. “Surely, you don’t think I went through all the trouble of summoning you here just so I would send you back.”

Esh tried to read Sheda’s expression. She seemed ready to explode.

“What I want you to look into,” said Nakam, “is who this elf is and who these invaders are.”

All Hell broke loose. Thunder, lightning, fire shook the pentagram. Unimaginable shrieks and inconceivable screams filled the space around Esh. He shut his eyes and held his hands against his tiny ears. It didn’t help. The noise was immensely strong and the flashes strikingly bright. His small body was pushed and sucked, shattered and smashed, shoved and scratched, squished and smote, yet the force field remained intact.

“Send us back to Hell, you miserable piece of zombie excrement! I shall slay you. I shall scorch the earth, dealing death and destruction of apocalyptic proportions. I shall suck your life force and banish your soul. Even the Hell of all Hells is too good a place for a miserable worm-infested scum like you.” Sheda attacked the invisible barrier with all her might. But to no avail.

Seeing that the force field held against her attacks, Sheda’s rage subsided. Esh opened his agonized eyes. The Lich Emperor stood outside the pentagram in a stoic calmness.

“As I said before,”—Nakam bowed—“I called upon you to resolve a serious matter that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Our universe is at stake. All of us are in danger, mortals, undead and daemons alike.”

Sheda stared at Nakam, and so did Esh. Then she spoke softly. “Release the force field and I shall listen more.”

Nakam shook his head, “Only after you swear your allegiance and promise to investigate the origin of this elven maid.”

Sheda paused for a long moment before she nodded. “Three days,” she groaned. “Release me and I shall be in your service for three days. Then the deal is off.”

“I promise you,” she whispered to Esh, “a day shall come when Nakam shall pay for his insolence.”

“No doubt, Mistress.”

Nakam came closer, stopping in front of Sheda. He scanned her as if his diamond eyes could see whether she was telling the truth. “Deal.” He snapped his fingers and the glow radiating from the pentagram vanished.

The daemon slowly stepped outside the barrier. Her facial expression changed from anger to surprise and then to happiness. “Free! At last.”

Then it was anger once more. She spread her wings wide and hovered above Nakam, exposing her fangs. Lightning bolts discharged within her claws. “Now you shall witness the powers of Hell descending upon you. I shall smite you into oblivion.”

“Mistress,” screamed Esh in panic, “remember the last time you lost your temper?”

Sheda hesitated.

“Let us first hear what Nakam has to say,” said the fire imp. “If you don’t like it, you can always smite him into oblivion then.”

The Lich reached into his robe, pulling out an old-looking scroll.

“In recent months,” explained Nakam, “my domain has been invaded time and again by these adventurers.”

Esh nodded, examining the elven beauty who lay inside the cube. The maid had braided long blonde hair. She wore a green wool jacket, and a dagger was attached to her belt. He looked closely at the motionless body; his jaw froze in surprise. Her eyes were open wide, and her pupils moved back and forth.

“I spoke with other lords across the continent,” added Nakam. “Vampires, mummies, orc kings and even human warlords. All share the same tragedy.”

“Which is?”

“Adventurers!” Nakam muttered, lowering his voice to a bass. “We lived happily in our own realms, minding our own business. These invaders,” said Nakam, spitting on the floor as he spoke the words, “came out of nowhere with one purpose in mind: killing and pillaging. No one is safe from these evildoers. Not even I.”

“Fascinating,” hissed Sheda. “Satan had similar complaints. Tell me more.”

“They appear in the Temple of the Combined Elementals. From there, they set on a voyage of rampage against the inhabitants of this land.”

“Your Imperial Highness,” Esh coughed, “have you noticed her eyes?” He pointed at the elf, “They’re moving.”

The Lich fixed his diamond eyes on the tiny fire imp. “Of course they are.”

A few tiny sparks flashed. Esh said nothing.

“That’s the only way to hold those adventurers confined,” said the Lich. “I have tried several times to imprison them. After a brief moment, they all vanish. However, when showing them captivating illusions, they’ll remain confined, at least for a short while.”

“How?” Esh asked.

“Dream—one of my best illusions. Nevertheless, we only have a few hours before she shall find even the greatest of dreams boring; then, she too shall disappear.”

“These invaders of yours,” asked Sheda, “what kind of creatures are they?”

“Demi-humans,” replied the Lich. “Most are humans, some are elves, not to mention the occasional dwarves.”

“I meant what profession they hold, hmmm, besides being thieves and murderers?”