Chapter 3

"Seth. Seth Sorenson. Called a voice. Seth couldn't see anything. He was completely surrounded by darkness. It should have been overwhelming but for some reason Seth wasn't scared. He felt comforted somehow. Helloooooo. The voice called again. Don't ignore me I know you can hear me, you little brat." "Oi, Watch it, Seth called out to the darkness. There's no need to call me names. I can hear you just fine. I wish I could see you though, he muttered. Who are you and what do you want?" "Ah, finally, I've been trying to get a signal for ages. That blow to your head was really something else."

What blow to the head? Who or what was trying to contact him? And why did he talk like he was trying to access the internet without any wifi?

"Who are you, Seth demanded the disembodied voice. Why can't I see you?" "Foolish boy, the voice mocked. You can't see me for the simple reason that I don't want you to. You are completely at my mercy and you shall fear me, the mighty chaos." "Whose mercy? Fear who now? Seth asked incredulously. Are you even a real demon? Because it seem to me like you have some serious self-confidence issues. If you don't have anything useful to tell me, I'll leave now if you don't mind."

"Okay okay, Said the voice hurriedly. Don't go." Seth new it had been a gamble, but looks like this time he had been right. If the demon wanted to hurt him he probably would have done it already. Most likely he needed something and had come to bargain with him. Good thing too since Seth had no idea where he was or how to get out of there.

"I'm listening," he said. "You do want to know where your sister is don't you?" The voice asked. What? Kendra was back home at Fablehaven wasn't she. "What are you talking about?" " You mean you don't remember what happened last night?" "Would I be asking if I did," Seth growled impatiently. Don't get cross with me kid, I'm just trying to help, answered the voice. Do the words Demon prince of dragons and home invasion say anything to you?"

Suddenly it all came back to him. Navarog the demon prince was alive. He had somehow gotten past the barrier protecting the house and the yard from any unwanted visitors. Seth had been in Kendras room when… oh god Kendra. "Where is she?" "Look who's suddenly interested in what I have to say," Chaos chirped from somewhere in the darkness.

"This is not a game. My sister could be in real danger. If you know anything, you have to tell me." "I don't have to anything, but since I like you, I might just be willing to part with my secrets. But first you have to wake up. I'm sure your friends are already starting to get worried about you. Meet me at the old church ruins by the big oak tree at nightfall." "But I… Seth started but Chaos interrupted him: I have to go now, If you want to know more you know where to find me." With those words his presence disappeared completely.

"Seth, Seth, hey kid wake up." This time Seth recognized the owner of the voice. He opened his eyes slowly to meet Dales worried gaze. "Seth thank god we were starting to get worried, Dale said. You were talking to your self in some strange language."

Seth looked around the room as his eyes started to adjust to the light. He was in the living room. Lying on one of the sofas. A throbbing headache pulsed behind his temple. In addition to Dale, grandma and grandpa Sorenson were both looking at him with concern. "How are you feeling sweetie?" Grandma Sorenson asked worriedly.

Seth winced in pain when he touched the bump on his forehead. "I'm fine if you don't count the fact that I feel like I got hit by a bus." "Seth do you remember what happened? Grandpa inquired. Where is Kendra?" Seth quickly explained what had happened, while the others listened with grim expressions plastered on their faces.

"I see said grandpa after Seth had finished his story. Are you absolutely certain it was him?" Seth nodded. Grandpa rubbed his temples. "This is not good. This is definitely not good," He muttered to himself. Worry reflected from his weary face. "What do we do Stan?" Grandma Sorenson asked. After a while he finally answered: "First of all, we need to make sure Navarogs appearance didn't disturb the barrier or well have a whole new kind of problem on our hands. Seth I want you to contact Bracken and tell him what happened. He might have an idea as to where we should start looking. If only we knew where they were."

"I know someone who might," Seth spoke up. They all turned to look at him. Seth quickly explained his encounter with the demon that had contacted him. "Absolutely not, grandpa stated when Seth had finished. You are not going to go meet a demon, no matter what he claims to know. It could just as well be an excuse to lure you into a trap or an unwanted bargain. We have had enough trouble from demons for one life time." "But… Seth protested but got no further as grandpa interrupted him: "We will find another way to handle this. Nothing good has ever come from you bargaining with demons."

Grandpas words hit Seth hard and his words of protest died on his lips. Grandpa exited the room with Dale right behind him. Seth got up and took a couple of wobbly steps, before he strode out the room and up the stairs.

Seth reached for the coin that hung around his neck. He twisted it in his fingers trying to find the right words to say to his friend. How was he supposed to tell him that his fiancé had been kidnapped by an evil demon who they had believed to be dead until today.

Still with no idea of what to say he reached out with his mind. "Bracken can you hear me?" Seth got no answer. "Bracken?" Seth tried again. Nothing. Could it be that he was asleep? No. He always answered, no matter what time Seth tried to contact him. He tried a third time. Still no answer. Could something have happened? Could he have crossed paths with Navarog too? Seth hadn't even thought of that.

Bracken also had a cell phone, even though he didn't like using it. He said that humans always seemed to make life more complicated than it needed to be. To which Seth always replied by reminding him that most humans don't know anything about magic or have the ability to communicate telepathically. "But those who can should take full advantage of it," Bracken would say. "You're just afraid you wouldn't know how to use it," Seth would point out and they'd keep arguing.

In the end Seth had gotten him to agree to buying a cellphone by arguing that it would give him the perfect opportunity to spend time with Kendra. Bracken had blushed and answered that if he were to ask for her help it would be because he wanted to know how to use those damn devices, they were all so obsessed with.

It hadn't been hard to persuade Kendra to help him and at the end of the day they had been sitting together on the couch in the living room, Kendra spouting on about Youtube and other social media apps, but Seth doubted Bracken had heard a word of what she'd said. He had been too busy, staring at her with that stupid grin on his face, like he still couldn't believe she was real.

Right now Seth didn't hesitate to reach for his own phone and call Brackens cell. No one answered. He called him again with the same results. Damnit, Seth had a horrible feeling that something had happened. All he could do was hope for the best as he raced back downstairs.

The next day went by in a blur. Seth had slept until noon, though He had been woken up every now and again on the count of his head injury. When he finally went downstairs he had seen his parents in the living room with grandma and grandpa Sorenson. His grandma had been trying to console his crying mother. His father on the other hand had been looking blankly at grandpa Sorenson clearly at a loss for words.

His parents had been staying with grandpa and grandma Larsen the night before and had had no idea what had happened during their absence. "Seth, his mother had gotten up to hug him. Thank god you're okay." He had wrapped his arms around her. "Don't cry mom, we'll find her. I Promise," Seth had assured her.

And Seth meant to keep that promise as he trudged through the undergrowth towards the church ruins. Seth had patiently waited for it to get dark even though it had been torture. Slipping away undetected had been easy. Hugo had tried to stop him, but Seth had told him that he had to go in order to save Kendra and the golem had relented.

Seth had wondered whether he should take Hugo with him, but had decided against it, fearing that the golem would draw too much attention to himself.

Seth entered the clearing with determined strides and headed for the oak tree as he had been instructed. His confidence wavered a little as he got closer. Sure the demon had sounded harmless when he had contacted Seth but that could just as easily have been a trick, to lure him into trusting him or underestimating his opponent. He knew to keep his guard up. Thanks to Graulas, Seths first demon friend in Fablehaven who had ultimately betrayed him.

But if the demon truly had some useful information about Kendra or Bracken, wasn't it worth the risk? They hadn't been able to contact Bracken all day and Seth was really getting worried about his friend. First Kendra then Bracken had disappeared.

Grant it he was pretty desperate for any kind of information and therefore not in a good state of mind to be bargaining with demons, but there was no harm in hearing him out was there? He reached the tree and looked around. There was no one there. It had been dark for a good while now. Why couldn't the demon have been more precise? Like 11pm or 11.30. Nightfall was a vague concept at best. Who knew when the demon would think to show up.

Seth slumped against the tree. He must have dozed off because he was suddenly alerted by a familiar voice: "aww how precious. Decided to take a little nap, did we?"

Startled Seth looked up at a small cat like creature, with horns instead of pointy ears and a pair of wings on its back. It had short stubby legs with impressive claws. Its hairy tail flicked from side to side as it stared at Seth with unnatural amber eyes.

"What on earth are you supposed to be?" "I'm a demon you ignorant brat," he huffed. "But you're so tiny. I was expecting something a bit more…impressive. "I should brake all your fingers for such insolence, Chaos boomed." "So why haven't you," Seth countered. "Well it's not that simple." "You're not even a real demon are you." "I am a real demon I'm just… well dead." "So you're a ghost. Coooool." "No. Not cool and don't patronize me kid. I am a demon and if I had my powers I would kill you on the spot."

"But you don't, so if I'm not completely wrong that would mean that I have the advantage." "I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you. I have valuable information and if I'm correct that means you need me. Which gives me the advantage. The question now is how desperate are you for information."

Desperate. Really desperate. No one had any leads as to where Kendra or Bracken were. Seth was desperate for the smallest clue. Any bit of information the demon could offer.

"What do you want?" He asked. "A body, came his answer immediately. Do you know how frustrating it is being a ghost. I can't even turn a book page and I really do love to read. I like the stuff the pretty one reads." "Pretty one?" "the one that was taken by the Demon prince." "Kendra. Did you see her last night?"

Chaos chuckled. "do you honestly think I'd be stupid enough to just tell you. Do we have a deal?" "I'm not going to become a grave robber just to get some information." "oh, no no no. It'd have to be a fresh corps. Nothing that's been underground. Or dead for more than a day."

"Wait a minute. How do you know what kind of books Kendra reads." "I might have flown around her room and red over her shoulder. She never knows that I'm there." "You mean you've been inside the house? Doesn't the barrier keep you out?" "Of course not, I can go where ever I want. I'm just a spirit floating around nothing more. I can't hurt you or anyone else. I can't even touch you so there is no reason for the barrier to deny me entry. Besides no one can see me except for you so they don't even know I'm there."

"Then why on earth are we meeting out here. You could just as easily have come to me." "I just told you. No one else can see me, except you because you're a shadow charmer. How insane do you think you'd look if you started talking to yourself in demon tongue?"

"Okay that makes sense, Seth agreed. Wait am I speaking a different language right now?" "You didn't even know you switched languages? What kind of shadow charmer are you?" "Hey. Its not like its my fault. There wasn't really anybody to teach me this stuff." "Well do you at least know how to transfer my spirit into a new body?" "I don't know, Seth admitted. I've never resurrected a demon before." "This is going to be a lot harder than I thought, but since I'm out of options I guess you'll have to do. So do we have a deal?"

"Okay I'll get you your body, Seth promised. After I've rescued my sister and brought her home safely. "I'll take what I can get but I do have one condition. I get to come with you," Chaos countered. "Why would you want to come with me?" "Lets just call it, protecting my investment. If you die there will be no one left to get me my body."

Seth had no idea how the demon intended to protect him, considering how he couldn't even touch him or anyone else for that matter, but he nodded in understanding non the less. "Besides, Chaos continued. I've always wanted to see Zzyzx." "Zzyzx?! Seth exclaimed. You mean Kendra's inside the demon prison?" "Do I look like I'd lie?" "Yes." "Well do we have a deal or not?" Seth nodded. What other option did he have?