Chapter 28: Dealings with Demons
When Morgana exited on the other side of the portal she didn't know what to expect, but the minute she stepped out of the portal she was in awe by the sight. While there was a dense fog floating around the forested area looked old and untouched for thousands of years. The trees around her all seemed to touch the sky as they surpassed the clouds, the sky's yellowish hue empathized on the age of the area. As Morgana was in awe of the scenery she yelled and jumped in shock as a rip in the air seemed to come out of nowhere, from it a tentacled arm reached towards her. From the other side of the rip she could hear the sound of a diluted shout yelling,
"Summon me! I can gives you powers beyond belief!" Morgana scowled at the rip and angrily released a burst of dark fire into the rip causing the tentacled arm to recoil in pain along with shouts coming from the other side. On closer inspection Morgana realized that it wasn't mist floating in the air, it was the veil being solidified by the amount of magic flowing in the area. While the veil was visible it was obviously greatly weakened for a demon to reach its arm out for her, she was also angry for herself for jumping at the sight of a minor demon. If she was going to deal with a Greater Demon, one of the most powerful entities in existence she would need to be able to control her emotions. If she got surprised from a lesser demon what chance would she have against the Greater Demon? She took a deep breath and advanced through the forest in the direction she hoped the Yggdrasill was. As she continued walking she noticed that the veil was opening rips around her as random demonic body parts began reaching out towards her.
She kept her calm however and progressed through the forest stopping only to magically singe any demons that got too close to her. Unfortunately by the time that she saw the Yggdrasill it was almost too dark to see anymore, she made camp at the foot of a tree with the Yggdrasill in front of her for the next day's journey. She knew that the tree ahead of her was the Yggdrasill because it was ten time larger than any of the other trees in length and width, and if that in itself wasn't enough she could both see and feel the tendrils of dark power coming from the roots of the tree. Morgana had a feeling that the roots were much larger than they seemed, for there was only a brief view of the roots and the size of them did not seem to match that of the tree, and strangely enough the tree was pure white despite the dark tendril of power leaking from beneath. Not willing to worry about that now Morgana sets a number of protective spells around her makeshift camp, along with a small fire, and tries to force herself to get some sleep. She was restless and had too much on her mind, even with the aid of her healing bracelet she knew that sleep would not come easily to her tonight. Merlin was the main thing on her mind; she knew that Gorat and Gaius were probably doing what they could to help ease Merlin's pain but she worried that she wouldn't be able to save him in time.
No, she thought to herself. I can't think like that, I will save Merlin if I have to kill the Greater Demon to do it. She finally managed to force herself to fall asleep and woke up seemingly moments later. The sun was barely rising over the horizon but Morgana decided to start her journey anyway, time was not her friend this day and Merlin had already been restrained for 2 days at least, unless Gaius gave him something to surpass the pain Merlin wouldn't be able to last much longer. She walked quickly towards the tree and as she approached she could feel the sheer energy emanating off of the tree, never in her life had Morgana felt such pure energy before. However she could also feel the weaves in the imprisonment spell used to hold its prisoner, the spell was more complex than anything Morgana could ever accomplish and even at that she could feel power not from the tree leaking steadily from it. If the Euchdag was correct, it was most likely coming from the Greater Demon. Morgana walked along the base of the trunk until she found a set of stone stairs that seemed to continue to the deeper level of the tree, and hopefully the majority of the roots. Morgana went down the stairs that ended up spiraling and looping and at some times making it feel like she was going in an intricate circle, but she continued on without a doubt in her mind.
After what seemed like hours Morgana reached the bottom of the stairs, and the stairs ended at a small doorway that easily lead to the roots of the tree. Now that Morgana was farther down the trunk she could tell how long the roots stretched, they alone were at least double the size of the Citadel in Camelot, and that wasn't even counting the layers underground. Morgana stood at the small doorway for a moment, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.
"This is it," she said to herself. "Show no emotion," she warned herself as she walked calmly through the doorway. The minute she entered the doorway beneath the roots of the tree Morgana felt the temperature drop immediately to a near freezing temperature. She took a moment for her body to adjust to the drop (while casting a few minor spells to maintain her natural body heat) and continued in the dark depth that was within the roots of the Yggdrasill. It soon became so dark that Morgana was forced to summon a ball of light to follow her around just so she could see the area around her. As she progressed she couldn't help but feel that she was being watched, and judging on where she was currently she didn't doubt it for a minute. She continued walking until she stepped on something that made her stumble. She looked down and was shocked (though she did not show it) to see that the ground was made up almost entirely of skeletons and corpses, as she looked beneath her feet she noticed that she had been walking, up to that point, on a floor of skeletal remains. Upon closer observation she realized that she had been tripped by a flesh covered hand connected to a skeleton arm sticking up from the ground. As she backed away slowly as to avoid hitting it again she turned around to come face to face with the largest monster she had ever seen before, it took all her strength and focus not to let out a scream of fear or to show emotion of any kind.
"Well, it seems that someone has come to my lair to amuse me." The creature said coyly. The creature had a pale, human looking face that stood inches away from Morgana's. The face was the same size as most human faces but the rest of its body sent chills down Morgana's body. The face was connected by a massive Centipede like body that, upon closer observation, seemed to wrap around the entire area above Morgana along with intertwined between several of the inner roots. There were eight large pincer like growths that were above and beneath the creatures face; Morgana guessed they were normally used to keep a firm grip on massive prey, and while the other demons she had met, mostly Marion, sounded as if they had two voices speaking at once, this one had an obviously deep sounding male's voice. The Creature terrified Morgana and she believed that it knew that due to the menacing smile on its face.
"Tell me, who, after centuries of solitude, has come to my encasing prison to pay me a visit?" The Demon asked as it moved its face away from Morgana's and moved in a circle around her, as if to get a look at her entire form. Without breaking form or face Morgana said calmly and strongly,
"I am Morgana Pendragon, High Priestess of the Old Religion."
"Ahh a High Priestess are you? I must say that for the most part my visitors are mostly men or High Priests, but rarely do I get such a lovely guest," It said almost in a complimentary form. Morgana felt her face flinch but didn't give away towards her emotions; she knew the demon was trying to get a reaction out of her. She had to resist. The demon's breath smelt of rotting flesh as it surrounded the entire area around Morgana, she could feel her eyes tearing from the smell but she made no movement of emotion on her face.
"So, Morgana Pendragon High Priestess of the Old Religion, to what do I owe this unannounced visit? Had I known I'd be having company I would have cleared away some of the corpses."
"I have come to request aid of you," Morgana answered plainly, the demon tsked as it turned its face away from Morgana and climbed up the other layers of the roots.
"Tsk Tsk, you come claiming you need aid but you don't even ask my name, such rudeness in humans these days," The demon said in mock offense as it crawled out of Morgana's line of sight. Although she couldn't see it she could hear it slithering above her, probably planning to surprise her by appearing out of nowhere.
"Forgive me," Morgana said in a neutral tone. "Would you please tell me your name?" Morgana asked.
"Much better," the demon complimented. "I have been around for countless eons. Even before your kind imprisoned me I was old, and called by many names. You may call me what the others have called me though. My name in your tongue is translated to Roku," Suddenly Roku shot its front body at Morgana, Morgana took a step back and nearly recoiled when she saw that the creatures face had changed to that of a black Dragon, matching the color of its centipede colored body. Its head was inches from Morgana's face but did nothing to harm her, waiting for a reaction of any kind. When he did not receive one it pulled away, its face seemed to blink as it reverted back to the pale human looking face from earlier, it had a knowing smile on its face that made Morgana want to scream in horror.
"Your terrified by me aren't you?" Roku asked. "I can tell that you have had the fortune to meet and control a number of dark, powerful creatures. But never have you met one as old and threatening as me, have you?"
"How you make me feel is unimportant," Morgana said plainly, sweat beginning to form at her brow. "What is important is the aid I have come to ask of you."
"Of course," Roku said in mock kindness as it wrapped its body as close around Morgana as it could without physically touching her. "Tell your Uncle Roku what's troubling you," Morgana had to stifle and stiffen to show no emotion, but it grew harder and harder as the demon spoke and advanced on her.
"How do I know you won't lie to me?" Morgana asked, a small shake escaping through her voice, Roku must have noticed it for he wrapped his coils tighter together nearly touching Morgana's figure.
"You don't trust me?" Roku asked sounding genuinely hurt. "I guess seeing who you're dealing with; I can't really blame you, so why don't we play a game?"
"A game?" Morgana asked quickly.
"Oh yes, are you familiar with the spell of extended truths?" When Morgana didn't deny the question Roku continued. "Here's how you play, for every question you ask and I answer truthfully I get to ask you one where you must do the same. But if either of us lies, we will be injured gravely. Do we have a deal?"
"Only if I cast the spell and you release me for the duration," Morgana countered.
"Deal," Roku responded sounding disappointed as he unwrapped himself from around Morgana. She could feel her body shiver from the contact they had almost shared but Morgana took a deep breath before she uttered the spell, as she did both she and Roku glowed a slight green color signifying that the spell had activated.
"Ladies first," Roku offered generously.
"How do I know my spell will have any effect on you?" Morgana asked quickly, focusing on not showing any emotion Roku's pale face smiled as he circled around Morgana like a snake surrounding its prey.
"Clever girl, your spell will have worked because I allowed it to. Even though I am imprisoned beneath the Yggdrasill I am still strong enough to resist the enchantment's of lesser beings, however if I allow them to work then they will,"
"So you could be lying to me now then,"Morgana said pointedly.
"I am," Roku said before he froze and shook slightly. Morgana focused her light on the coil of Roku's body that shook and saw black blood drip from the body before turning to smoke after hitting the ground.
"I'm sure that answers that question than, my turn then. How is it that you managed to learn about me?" Roku asked as he circled his lower body around Morgana while his face remained glued to hers.
"Someone with access to the Diamir told me about you when I asked it for help, not knowing enough to help me it sent me to you." Roku smiled slightly before frowning, obviously expecting Morgana to have lied.
"Even though you aren't lying, you're wrong. The creature you met was the Diamir, a Euchdag if I'm not mistaken. A creature created by the Priestesses of old to give them infinite knowledge of their world; unfortunately they didn't expect it to learn that they'd misuse its power for selfish reasons and escaped back to its own kind."
"That is… interesting," Morgana said calmly, silently angry that the Euchdag had lied to her about the diamir.
"Your turn Priestess," Roku said pointedly.
"I need you to tell me about Stygian Iron," Morgana said, collecting some of her calm.
"That is not a question Morgana, that is a statement," Roku said sounding slightly disappointed. "Ask me a question about the Iron,"
"Fine, what is the Stygian Iron made of?" Morgana demanded as ice crept into her neutral expression. Roku smiled menacingly at noticing the slip of voice as he shifted his coils that remained in the top of the roots.
"The Stygian Iron is a metal powerful enough to restrain and torment powerful creatures of magic, but you already know that. Let me see… ahh yes, that's right, the iron is made with a combination of the Greater Demon's blood that forged it along with iron found only beyond the veil. Once the metal is forged and combined with the blood it is cooled in the river Styx, the river of death." Morgana was about to ask another question when she nearly backed into Roku's coils, she turned around and noticed that he had laid a number of them out behind her, apparently in the hopes to scare her. When she turned back to Roku she gestured for him to proceed.
"My turn is it? Very well, let me see… Why are you interested in Stygian Iron, even with the aid of the Diamir you would know very little about it."
"Someone I know is being restrained by chains made of Stygian Iron, since Dragon fire doesn't seem to affect the chains and the other remains of the iron were destroyed somehow we need another way to destroy them." She explained calmly.
"Assuming that he's mortal he's probably dead by now," Roku said absent mindedly, as if the matter didn't interest him. However he could sense the inner turmoil coming off of Morgana as he said it and felt that his chance to strike was approaching.
"You don't know that," Morgana defended, her voice near to trembling as her expression remained calm.
"Oh, Have I struck a nerve? Forget I said anything, please ask your question." Roku taunted. Morgana closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Concentrate, she said to herself. He's baiting you, Merlin is fine. When she opened her eyes she inwardly cursed herself for Roku had vanished from her sight. Knowing he was somewhere she kept her eyes peeled and asked her next question.
"Is it possible to open the chains without needing to destroy them?" she asked.
"Why what an excellent question, yes it is possible to open them without them being destroyed,"
"How?" Morgana demanded a little too quickly, Roku smiled a venomous smile as he lowered his face from the upper rafters and said simply, "The chains open when the one they are confining dies." At feeling Morgana's anguish Roku laughed manically as he circled above her.
"And if I'm not mistaken, you asked me two questions just then didn't you? It's only fair that I return the favor," Morgana cursed at herself again as Roku moved his coils on the ground closer to Morgana as he brought his face down close to hers.
"What is your relationship with the one restrained by the chains?" Morgana froze at the intimate question and turned away as to not need to look at Roku.
"That's personal," Morgana insisted, not wanting to have to explain herself to a Greater Demon.
"That is why I asked the question silly girl, now answer it." Roku almost demanded. Morgana took a few moments to compose her for the answer before finally saying in a calm, slightly trembling voice,
"He is someone, very special to me. Someone that I do not wish to lose." She looked up at Roku and saw his expression of mock sympathy that enraged Morgana; she had to struggle not to yell at him or launch a volley of dark fire at him. Would it even hurt him? She snapped out of her train of thought as she gestured for Roku to ask his next question.
"What's his name?" he asked simply. She was about to say Merlin's name when an idea crept into her mind, maybe the name he was given in prophecy would make him more willing to help him.
"The name the Druids have always referred to him is Emrys," Roku's eyes widened at the name and instead of the reaction she expected she was caught off guard by a series of manic laughter. She felt herself sweat under the pressure of not reacting but the way he laughed sent chills throughout her body. As Roku continued laughing he finally calmed down enough to speak again.
"Emrys, oh Morgana you've just made an old demon's eon. HAHAHAHAHAHA, oh you have no idea how funny this is."
"It isn't funny at all," Morgana stated as she tried to control herself from shaking.
"Oh but it is Priestess, here a free bit of knowledge that even your Diamir won't know. Your Emrys, he's a Dragon Lord yes? The last one after his father if I'm not mistaken. Did you never wonder where the power to control Dragon's came from?" He waited for Morgana to slip and ask another question, but he was having too much fun ranting and continued the explanation anyways. "Before my inevitable imprisonment I spent the century I had free in the mortal realm I spent my time creating the Dragon Lords and Dragons," to emphasize his point his face blinked again to that of the black Dragon.
"I created the most powerful creatures of magic, those that could destroy even a Greater Demon if strong enough. Of course in creating creatures of extreme power there needed to be a way to communicate with them, they couldn't speak in the human tongue at the time you see, so I gifted several individuals who could understand the Dragon tongue as the first Dragon Lords. They couldn't control the Dragons at first, I never intended for that to happen or for their eggs to need a lord to hatch them. I guess that's how their evolution took them over, and now you come to tell me that your lover is the last of my creations?" Roku breaks out laughing again actually dropping his top part of his body to the ground unable to hold it up under the strain of laughter. Morgana felt the rage building up in her when Roku spoke again.
"I guess that means your lover is one of my great-great ancestors then doesn't it? As he continued laughing Morgana had finally had enough, without showing any emotion but feeding her anger into her spell she sent a stream of dark fire at the laughing demon. Sensing the attack Roku avoided the blast effortlessly and looked expectantly at Morgana's face hoping for signs that she had cracked, at seeing she hadn't he looked at the pendant around her neck.
"All that power and no idea how to use it, oh Priestess. How humorous life is isn't it? That after eons of being trapped under this tree I am still able to affect the world so, and to think that the prophecy of the new world depends on my willingness to help you."
"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Morgana demanded. Roku stared down at Morgana before answering, blinking back to his pale human face.
"You don't know? The Prophecy that determines the end of Albion and life in the Mortal world as you know it."
AN: CLIFF HANGER! I know I'm mean, tell me what you guys thought of the chapter and I'll have the next one up ASAP, so until then.
