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

“Ah,” replied Nakam. “Paladins, warriors, rangers, wizards, clerics—you know, the usual trades.”

Sheda stared at the frozen elven lady. “She is an abomination. It’s as if she is a sort of…”

“Of what?” Esh and Nakam asked simultaneously.

“Unnatural.”

The she-daemon bent over the cube, gazing at the body inside. “I could shape-change myself into someone like her.”

“Splendid.” Nakam’s diamond eyes brightened. “I knew I made the right choice when I summoned you.”

“Don’t ever do it again,” snapped Sheda.

“Finally,” Nakam said, his shiny sparks glittering, “the riddle of the invaders shall be unveiled.” He paused for a moment. “Start to polymorph; we don’t have much time…”

“How do I look?”

Esh looked at the elven body which was his daemon mistress. He looked at her pointy ears, her bright complexion, the braided blonde hair and the simple clothing. “Beautiful. A fair Lady.” Realizing he might have offended her, he immediately corrected himself. “For an elf.”

“Perfect!” Nakam clenched his teeth within his lipless skull. “With your new look, you might be able to penetrate the Combined Elementals Temple.”

“Come, Esh,” said Sheda. “Let’s waste no time. We have a mission to complete.”

The small fire imp landed on Sheda’s shoulder. Traces of smoke appeared on her wool jacket as it began to burn.

A blow hit Esh. He smashed on the floor.

“Idiot!” Nakam snapped. “An elven lady can’t wander around town with a fire imp as her companion, especially while wearing a flammable outfit.”

Esh looked upon himself. There was something to Nakam’s logic. “But I must accompany my mistress,” he cried.

“Not as a fire imp!” Nakam said.

“So how would I go?”

“I can transform you into a small animal.” There was a hint of contempt in Nakam’s voice. “Something suitable for elven females, possibly an owl or a frog.”

“But what if the mistress wishes to speak to me? I must be able to talk.”

“Hmmm,” mumbled Nakam as he scratched an exposed piece of his skull. “Perhaps you’re right.”

Disguised as a parrot, Esh stood on Sheda’s right shoulder while she walked the streets in her new elven body. As they advanced toward the temple, merchants, beggars and a large number of nobles greeted them with the same dumb smiles.

“Mind your own business, mortals.” Sheda smirked.

“It feels strange walking upon human streets.” Esh struggled to speak in his new birdlike shape.

“Ha-ha,” agreed Sheda. “Last time I tried that, people ran away screaming, except for a few stupid ones who actually tried to attack me.”

“Aye,” agreed Esh. “Daemons are always hated and feared. I wonder why.” Using his beak, he scratched an itch below his feathery wing.

“You’re pathetically naive.”

“Why?” Esh asked. “All we want to do is to be left alone in Gehenom. If humans want to be upset about something, why don’t they pick on the wizards who summoned the daemons in the first place?”

His voice sounded so awkward with the high-pitched twittering—damn his parrot’s beak.

The houses on both sides of the road were two stories high. In most, the second floor was bigger than the ground level; supporting beams prevented the upper deck from collapsing into the open sewage. The open sewers scent was not as good as the sulfuric acid and brimstone Esh was used to, yet he couldn’t complain.

It wasn’t long before they reached the Combined Elementals Temple. It was a remarkable building made of marble, perhaps twenty stories high. Nobody knew how many levels extended below ground. The gate was open and Esh saw no guards.

Sheda walked toward the entrance. She climbed the stairs and—bang! An invisible barrier blocked their path. Sheda tried once more. She tried to throw stones. Nothing could enter the temple.

“Perhaps we should ask someone,” suggested Esh. “Maybe this beggar knows the secret.”

Sheda nodded, and climbed down the staircase to meet the tramp. He was an old man in ragged clothing.

The beggar extended his hand. “Can you spare a couple of coppers for a poor old man who lost his daughter?”

“Silence, old fool,” snapped Sheda. “Tell me how to enter the Temple.”

“How can I tell you anything, if you want me to be silent?”

Sheda grabbed the beggar and lifted him with one hand. “Tell me what I want to know, or I shall smash your spine and banish your miserable soul to Hell.”

“I seek no confrontation,” begged the beggar. “I shall answer thy questions, free.”

“How do I get in?”

The beggar looked at her with his eyes wide open. “All you have to do is to climb the stairs and enter the black gate.”

“Are you as blind as you are a fool?” Sheda said, her voice like ice. “My way was blocked.”

“Anyone who stepped out of the temple may enter.”

“What if one never stepped out of the temple?”

The beggar kept silence for a short while. “That’s impossible. I saw you come out of the gate a day before yesterday. You were kind enough to provide me a gold piece, don’t you remember?” The beggar paused for a moment. “I was the fellow who told you where the pub was; the one with your friends.”

Sheda shook the beggar once more. “Are you saying only those who came out may enter?”

“Aye.”

“Can you enter?” she asked, putting her index finger on his chest. Esh recognized the tone. It meant danger.

“Of course not. I’m a local.”

Sheda dropped the beggar angrily. “Didn’t I tell you to remain silent?”

“Can you spare a couple of coppers for a poor…”

Esh shut his eyes close as a sudden flash blinded his sight. A deafening explosion almost knocked him off Sheda’s shoulder. When he opened his eyes, all that was left of the beggar was a crumbling heap of ash.

“That shall teach him respect,” said Sheda.

Esh looked around, expecting the city guards to jump them. Nothing happened. The many nobles and few merchants just continued with their daily business wearing their silly smiles, as if frying people with lightning bolts was a normal occurrence.

Sheda shook her head. “This whole mission smells like a waste of my valuable time. Damnation bestowed upon Nakam.”

“What about the ‘friends’ mentioned by this, hmm, thing?” Esh stared at the heap of ash. “Perhaps we could find some clues if…”

“Let us seek that pub.”

Esh scanned the patrons in the pub. Most seemed ordinary folks like knights, priests, rich merchants, a street beggar and a couple of palace guards.

Sheda seated herself at one of the empty tables. “I’ve had enough of this mystery. I miss Hell.”

“I wish I could help, Mistress,” replied Esh, still standing on her shoulder.

She turned to the bartender. “Fetch me some sulfuric acid. Make it boiling!”

“I’m sorry, lady,” the bartender replied, staring at the elven maid. “We don’t carry that drink. Would you be satisfied with some warm tea instead?”

“Baah!” Sheda said. “Bring me the strongest stuff this miserable establishment has to offer.”

“Aye, my lady,” the bartender bowed.

The door slammed open. The inn was flooded with light so strong that for a moment, Esh had to shut his parrot eyes.

Most of the tavern’s occupants simply ignored the new arrivals. Esh and Sheda examined them closely.

There were three.

The first one covered himself, head to toe, with golden full plate armor. He held a huge rectangular shield. On his back, he carried at least three backpacks, an enormous two-handed sword, a large lance, a longbow and no fewer than ten quivers packed with arrows. He wore a polished golden crown, spotted with gems so bright that looking at them pained Esh’s eyes.