“You are mortals. Why would you–ah, I understand.” His red lips spread into a very Arachne-like smile. “You are children, are you not? Inexperienced in diablery, and the rest of the ways of life.
“It is really quite simple. This barrier separating us? It will not stop you. This prison is not intended for mortals. There is a separate facility for your kind. I would question your presence here, but that would be like asking Chance for her favor.”
Against her better judgment, Juliana brushed her fingers across the red barrier. As the demon had said, nothing happened to her. The tips of her fingers sunk through the barrier without resistance.
“That seems like a security issue.”
“This is Hell. How many mortals do you think are running around this prison?” He chuckled again as his chains rattled. Two meaty fingers lifted up from one of his hands. “Preventing other races would weaken the barrier against the strongest demons.”
“Juliana,” Shalise said in a warning tone.
“I know.” Juliana shook her head. She’d learned plenty over the last few months. Especially not to trust the first demon she summoned, or in this case, the first demon they came across.
There were plenty of the barrier-type cells. So many that she couldn’t see the end of them.
Plenty of choices if they did need help.
Though Juliana wasn’t sure that they’d be able to get out without help. Worse, if she were designing the facility, the higher security cells would be in the back. Or the center. As far from any exit as was conceivably possible.
If that was true, they had been heading in the wrong direction. If they had been heading in the wrong direction, this demon’s cell would be the last one they saw of the barrier-type.
“We’re going to look around,” Juliana said as she took hold of Shalise’s hand and dragged her further into the barrier section of the prison.
“Of course you are, but you will be back.” The demon’s voice rumbled after them like a freight train chugging down the hallway. “Take your time. You will not find a more accommodating demon within this prison. Or one more sane than I. Try not to die.”
Juliana tried not to listen, but couldn’t help it. If they came across another crossroad without a clear indication of the way out, she had already decided to come back.
Scanning the cells as she walked was not reassuring. Aside from the first demon, none were both sentient and coherent. There were a good number of animal-like demons, like the dog. A hellhound was the most likely identification for that one, in retrospect. In one cell, a snake with mandibles had actually escaped the chains at the back, though the red barrier kept it out of reach.
The few more humanoid demons were disappointing. They tended towards frothing at the mouth or screaming as Juliana and Shalise passed by. In the case of one unfortunate imp, he broke down and started uncontrollably crying. The loud noise had both of them covering their ears.
That imp had been twenty cells ago and Juliana could still hear the wails.
After another thirty cells, Shalise wrenched her hand out of Juliana’s grip and moved a few feet away.
“We shouldn’t split up,” Juliana said. It wasn’t like they actually could. There were only two directions to go and one of those lead back the way they had come from.
Shalise did not respond save for a small humph.
Juliana sighed. “I understand if you’re upset, but we shouldn’t be fighting here. Yell at me all you want when we get back.”
“You’re still thinking about freeing that demon. Even now, you’re eying up all the ones we pass by to see if they would be better.” She let out a small sigh. “And they’re not.”
Juliana didn’t say anything. After a moment, Shalise harrumphed. Out of the corner of her eye, Juliana watched as Shalise skulked off another few feet. She kept moving in the direction they were headed, but her feet kicked and shuffled against the floor.
As long as she doesn’t run off…
They continued on in silence. If Shalise didn’t want to speak with her, Juliana wasn’t going to force the issue. Not now, at least.
What a disaster, Juliana thought as she passed a cell seemingly full of nothing but a thin layer of black tar. The worst part of everything was that she still could not recall what had happened. What she could have possibly been doing that would have led to their current situation.
The only thing she could imagine happening was her summoning a demon that dragged them into this prison. Somehow. But why? Why just leave them in that cell? If it wasn’t for that earthquake, they would have been stuck inside. Potentially forever.
And if the red demon was to be believed, this wasn’t a prison designed for humans. Nobody would have been around to feed them.
The thought of food brought a growl to Juliana’s stomach. How long had they been walking anyway? It must have been at least a couple of hours. Not nearly to the point of starvation, or even real hunger. Just enough to be uncomfortable. She could keep going easily, thanks in no small part to her mother and the mage-knight club, but she wasn’t so sure about her companion.
Juliana glanced at Shalise. There were a few beads of sweat on her forehead. Her pace wasn’t quite the speed it had been when they had first escaped their cell.
No. They would need rest before long. Even walking became tiring after several hours.
Eventually food as well.
Glancing into a cell brought a disturbing thought. They could pass through the barriers without resistance. The goat like demon inside was chained to a wall. Helpless as it was, it wouldn’t be difficult to kill and eat it, but…
Juliana shuddered. She’d have to be a lot hungrier before she continued that line of thought. Besides, the demon would be raw. Who knows what kind of diseases uncooked demon meat had, if it was even edible in the first place.
Then again, that dog demon back by the red demon had a flaming tail. Maybe cooking it wouldn’t be that difficult.
Nope. Juliana shook her head. Not thinking about that topic again for another few days.
Shelter for a rest was another matter, one that could be solved in a similar manner. Since the demons were chained to walls, they could go just inside the barrier and take turns napping. The chains would protect them from the demon in the cell–at least as long as the demon couldn’t spit acid or something similar–while the barrier protected them from anything that might be wandering out in the hallway.
As she glanced into another cell, Juliana frowned. Something that looked like a statue stood next to the barrier. She blinked, and the statue moved. Each blink was like a strobe light causing the statue to angle towards her.
That was another problem. Whatever that was had escaped the chains. As had a couple of the demons that they had passed. Obviously, they would choose a cell that had a still-chained demon inside. The biggest question was how many demons hadn’t escaped their chains because there was nowhere to go, but could.
She didn’t want to wake up eaten. Or worse.
Juliana sighed for what had to be the hundredth time since they got here. She wished Eva or Arachne were here. Or Ylva.
Juliana was the worthless one here. Less than worthless. It was her fault that they were here in the first place.
You? No. Not entirely.
Juliana froze and glanced to a wide-eyed Shalise.
“Did you say something?” “Did you hear that?”
Shalise cupped one hand to her ear and shut her eyes.
Juliana copied her.
And waited.
“There it is again!”
“I didn’t hear anything that time,” Juliana said.
“It was a loud thud,” Shalise said without opening her eyes. “Again!”
Juliana frowned. “A thud? Not a voice–wait, is it that impaled demon?”