Chapter 51
Chapter 51
Sog stood on top of an obsidian building, gazing down at the pair of large demons who stood outside a door in an alley. “So this is the place? You’re certain?”
Voktraz nodded and adjusted her suit. “You do realize I have the ability to oversee the entire city and what all the citizens do? Nothing takes place that I am not aware of. It’s a shame you’ll only get me on this world and none of the others.”
“Why is that?”
“Because, if you don’t learn to watch out for these things here, they will run rampant on the other worlds,” Voktraz replied. “Part of being a god is finding leaders who can manage these things for you. A time will come when you cannot be on every world, and the demands to manage them all are impossible, even for a god. You’ll find yourself spending years in other areas, making deals and trying to build alliances. Right now, you need to realize that what you allow and promote will have a larger impact than someone else.”
Sog huffed and yet knew his helper was right. She was always right, and it sometimes bothered him.
Changing the way I do things isn’t easy. I think I finally understand what Max was complaining about. Part of me wants to be good , as Max calls it, but the other part just wants to slaughter everyone.
“Well, I guess we’ll see how this next part goes, won’t we?”
Voktraz only nodded as the two of them stood there, waiting for the real show to begin.
A minute or so passed when shadows appeared on the other buildings and the two demons who were guarding the doorway glanced up. Each of them grunted at the same time, their heads smashed together as a shape appeared above them, stuck to the stone wall. Both guards dropped like bags of grain as the demon with six legs and four arms, clad in black shifting armor, glanced to the end of the alleyway.
Sharazael appeared around the corner, a pair of hulking demons behind their queen as she strode toward the unconscious duo. Her armor had been colored black, matching her skin. She could change colors at will. Four of her arms held weapons, and she looked ready to go to war.
“She does seem like the right choice.” Voktraz chuckled. “I almost pity the ones she’ll find inside.”
“Almost?” Sog asked, glancing at his herald. He could see a slight grin as she nodded. Glowing red eyes stared at the building that the queen of the city was about to enter.
“Almost. If there is one thing I’ve learned from you all and from Max is that weeds need to be pulled out quickly. To quote something Cordellia might say, your garden needs a good cleaning.”
Sog grunted, turning his attention back to the scene below where Sharazael kicked in the door, rushing into the room. Shouts came from inside, and the sound of a few pained cries rang out.
“Don’t worry,” Voktraz said as Sog felt himself gritting his teeth. “I can see inside, and she is handling herself quite well. With your bloodline and spark, she’s well above them even without the…” His herald paused and winced before chuckling. “Well, that is going to leave a mark.”
“A mark?” Sog asked. “Should I go down and see?”
“No, let her handle this. You asked for my advice; it’s time to let the one you picked do what you commanded. Just know one of your children is missing both arms. Unlike their queen, they only had two to begin with.”
A low laugh echoed from the rooftops as Sog nodded. “Fine, let us go to the keep. She’ll be there soon enough, I expect.”
***
The mantle of leadership is far harder than I imagined… Max gave me advice, but I didn’t expect it to come to this so quickly.
Before him were five corpses, each one missing limbs that appeared to have been removed by force alone. A trio of demons, two small imps and a succubus, were bound and bruised. One of the imps was missing its tail, but didn’t seem to be complaining anymore after seeing the pile of bodies Sharazael had deposited next to them.
“So… you sit here before our Father and still don’t have an answer for why you chose to break the first rule he made? The oath we all swore by?” Voktraz asked, pacing before the three.
None of them replied, and the truth was Sog didn’t expect them to. Each of them had lost that light inside them. He could see that there was an aspect of acceptance of their fate.
This is my fault… I caused this. My greed… the thrill of betting and winning… always chasing the hope I’d come out on top.
Lost in his thoughts, Sog blinked when he heard Voktraz cough.
“Father, what penalty do you wish for them to face?” his herald asked.
Sog turned and looked at Sharazael, seeing her sitting on the obsidian throne, which had been crafted to fit her. She looked the part of a queen, her skin now blood-red, her armor still black, arms folded across her chest.
“I’m trying to consider what the right punishment is,” Sog replied. “This is our first real breaking of that rule. None have abused their own kind as these have, leveraging loaned money for gambling, giving beatings and worse. Tell me, Sharazael, what do you feel is just?”
She smiled and bent her head slightly. A wicked grin, displaying her dagger-like teeth, appeared.
“The worst ones have been slaughtered already. These three individuals facilitated and kept track of the debts. Part of me believes that death would be a mercy. I am not fond of mercy if it doesn’t have the outcome that is desired.”
She rose, moving toward the three who were bound. Sharazael leaned over, a hand reaching under one of the imp’s chin, forcing the creature to look up at her. “Tell me, what do you think would be fair?”
“I… labor? Earning back the debt we held?” it gasped.
She scoffed and removed her hand, glancing at Sog.
He could feel the connection with her, sense the frustration and the bloodlust.
She’s struggling to hold back. Part of her wants to tear them apart. The other part knows that doing so doesn’t teach others a lesson. Even worse… she told me the idea wasn’t a good one, and I still made it happen.
Stolen novel; please report.
“I find it hard to believe that anyone would want to hire you for anything besides manual labor. Your gifts don’t lie there, and I won’t turn you three into something that degrades our own kind. Slavery, as you are aware, is not allowed. You three made your brothers and sisters into that very thing. Forcing them to do things to survive.”
“But—”
The sound of Sharazael’s hand striking the succubus on the cheek echoed in the hall they were in.
“Do not speak unless you are spoken to,” Sharazael growled. “You have lost that right. Trust me, the rage I feel inside makes me want to skin you alive.”
Whimpers came from the two imps, and Sog felt their pain somehow. In his chest, he knew this would happen.
Can I really expect our kind to change? To be different? It’s my fault… it’s…
The answer came to him, and Sog winced. He saw Sharazael cock her head, staring at him for a moment.
“The punishment. What do you feel is right and will teach all my children that what was done was wrong?”
Sharazael tapped her chin as she walked to her throne and took her seat. Two pairs of hands interlaced, her sharp nails clicking together. “I believe that we should summon our people, lash them in public, let them live, but let their scars be a reminder to all that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior.”
Sog saw Voktraz nod slightly.
“Then make it so. Set the date for two days from now. We’ll use the amphitheater.”
A sob came from the imp without a tail as guards came and lifted them all like sacks of grain, tossing each one over a shoulder.
“I will make it so,” Voktraz said.
When none remained but Sog and Sharazael, he turned to the one he had given his bloodline to and moved to stand before her.
“This falls on me. I pushed for that place of gambling. I am the one who planted the weeds that sprang up. Remove it. Distribute the funds to those who lost and make it known that no more will be allowed in the city.”
He watched her study him, waiting for an answer that didn’t come. Minutes passed before Sharazael nodded.
“You surprise me, Father.”
“Sog.”
“Sog,” Sharazael corrected herself. “I did what you instructed because who am I to argue. Even when I knew it felt wrong and would potentially cause problems, I did it anyway. I went once, felt the desire it brought, and never returned. I can see you realize the truth also. I let go, inside that den of greed, and slaughtered those on the floor. I should have ended their lives quicker, but I did not. I savored it. Now I am wary of that.”
“The hunger never goes away,” Sog replied. “I feel it every day. Change is hard… much harder than I imagined.”
She nodded, eyes glancing at the floor for a few seconds before looking back at him. “Thank you for this. For trusting me and admitting the fault. I will do what I can to end this infection before it spreads too far. Know that it might take a while, even a few generations, before it might truly be gone.”
“What are a hundred or a thousand years to our kind?” Sog replied. “Thank you, Sharazael, for being the queen our people need. I shall see you in two days.”
***
Sog sat there on the highest point of the keep, looking down upon his capital.
“Tell me, Max. Is what I think the right choice?”
He felt his friend’s hand on his arm and turned, seeing a soft smile on the man who had changed his path.
“I think you’re showing that you’ve grown and understand the weight of what it takes to love and care for others,” Max replied. “Even more than just a party or a loved one, but a city, or a race. Every day, I am scared I might fail, that I’m going to make mistakes and it will lead to a problem, yet if I do, all I can do is admit it and try to fix it. You’re doing that. Most aren’t strong enough to even admit just that they were wrong.”
Sog nodded, the sensation in his chest still hurt as he wrestled with understanding it. “Thank you. For listening and your advice. And for everything else.”
Max laughed and punched him. “You forget that you saved me. When I was in Igarra’s tower and needed some rest, you came and gave me that time. You pushed forward when I was at my end.”
“I did… I did save you, didn’t I?” Sog teased.
“Yes. Now then, go do what you feel is right,” Max replied.
***
Three demons were bound, each of their hands wrapped with rope and attached to a stake. They were topless, facing away from the gathered demons who had come and filled the amphitheater, where they had agreed to abide by his rules. By his laws.
And yet I broke it.
No one spoke as he stood there, having removed his upper armor and clothes, showing the scars that had never fully gone away on his back.
“Father… I cannot,” Sharazael stuttered. “What you ask is—”
“Required,” Sog bellowed. He turned his attention toward the crowd, but his eyes fell upon the three who were facing him, their eyes wide and mouths open. “I broke the first rule! I harmed you all by desiring a place that would feed my appetite and lusts! I allowed this thing to enter our city even when your queen said it was not wise!”
None still said a word as he moved to where the imp on the right was bound, grabbed the rope that held him, and snapped it with ease.
“These three and those who died for their actions did so because I forgot that first rule. I gave in to the lust and the hunger we all feel. Inside each of us is something that yearns for that which we know isn’t good.”
He moved to the second imp and freed him as the first.
“So today, I will take their stripes. Today I will bear the marks for this mistake. Today is the day that I will reaffirm my desire for how we should live and how we should behave.”
Sog paused, staring at the succubus who stared up at him. “This is your one chance for redemption, daughter. Do not make that mistake again, for next time I will not take your punishment,” he whispered. He summoned a blanket and handed it to her.
“Today I will accept the blame, but know this,” Sog shouted, his voice turning harsher. “If you break the rule after today, I will not stand here ever again to absorb the whip that comes for your hide. I will not plead your case.”
He turned and nodded at Sharazael, who stood there, blinking rapidly as her arms trembled. Four hands each held a whip, yet she appeared ready to drop them.
“You must deliver the blows. Each of them as you had meant to upon them, daughter,” Sog said. It took effort to keep his voice steady. The pain that would come from the whips wasn’t going to be a discomfort, and yet he knew this would hurt elsewhere.
“But, Father—”
“Now. Show them a queen who does what is right for the kingdom, even when it might not be what we want to do.” After speaking, Sog turned his back toward the gathered demons, spread out his arms and grabbed the top of the poles closest to him.
He looked at Sharazael once more and nodded. She took a deep breath and sent four whips cracking through the air as she moved toward the spot where she would dispense justice.
Sog looked upward, staring into the clouds. He knew Max was up there, even if he couldn’t see him. Their thread was connected.
A tear fell and then another before the first strike came. Some were shed for what he had done. Others were shed because his friend watched him endure this. Most of what escaped from his eyes were tears of joy. Joy that he had a friend who wouldn’t let him endure this alone.