Chapter Twenty-Three: Detached
Looking left. Scanning right. Glancing left once again. He felt like he was crossing a busy intersection. Though he was in a hallway, the man did not want to be detected. Slowly and cautiously, Garfield tiptoed down the hall to his destination. There was not a peep in the hallway, since the other team members were asleep. Soon, he reached his destination. He looked up at the door, took a deep breath and twisted the handle to enter within. He had been in this room many times, but the room felt drafty and had a depressing mood in the air.
Finding his way through the darkness, Garfield fettled around the desk and found the lamp. Once the light illuminated the room, it brought back memories. Memories when he first started as a Messor, and when he accidently stumbled upon Raven changing. He sighed thinking about her. He truly missed her. Only a day had passed, and it seemed like weeks for him. Trying to ignore his emotions, Garfield quickly looked around for what he wanted.
He checked the Messor library. He investigated Raven's room. Nothing turned up. The only place he could think of searching was her office. What was he searching for? As stubborn as this man was, Garfield was searching for a way to go to the demonic realm. Though it would sound foolish, but for a man in love, it seemed reasonable.
Garfield started with the bookshelves. He was primarily searching for a book to reference upon, but if there were another way, the man would surely jump on the opportunity. Speaking of jumping, Garfield nearly flew out of his skin when he heard the door to the office open. Quickly he looked towards to door to find Cleaver standing near the threshold wearing a confused expression on his face.
"Logan?" Cleaver asked to the suspicious man ahead of him. "What are you doing? It's three in the morning."
Thinking for what seemed like forever, he tried to come up with a reasonable explanation. Suddenly, he came up with an idea. "Well, I was . . . uh, looking for something." He slightly stuttered. He felt somewhat guilty that he lied to a teammate. However, it was not a complete lie since he was looking for something.
Cleaver crossed his arms and gave the other man a skeptical expression. "Really? What, exactly, were you looking for?"
Yet, here it was, another opportunity where he needed to come up with an excuse. "A book." Garfield spat feeling his heart race.
Cleavers expression changed from skeptical to amuse. "Ha! You? Looking for a book? Now that's a complete lie Logan." The man chuckled. "Now tell me what you were really looking for."
Though he was slightly telling the truth, Garfield was now cornered, in a sense, to explain what he was really doing. Closing his eyes while he exhaled a loud sigh, he confessed. "Well, I waslooking for a book if you can believe it. What book exactly? Possibly, something to reference how to go to the demonic realm? I searched the library, Raven's room, and the only place left to look was this office."
Soon, Cleaver's expression changed once again. This time, his expression went from amused to serious. "Logan, how many times do I have to tell you? We are not going to the demonic realm to retrieve Miss Raven. It is far too dangerous for the whole team and would cut into our Messor time here."
"You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard that lecture from you and Dante. You don't think I know that? That's why I am going to find a way to the demonic realm by myself. I know it will be dangerous, but I can't stand to be here without her. I won't stop to find my way to here. That's why I'm looking and you can't stop me." Garfield raised his voice.
Cleaver shook his head and placed three fingers on his forehead. The two men stood feet away from each other in silence until Cleaver spoke. "Okay Logan. I know this may be out of line for me to offer this but I-"
"You can't stop me from doing this Cleaver." Garfield interrupted.
Cleaver walked closer to Garfield standing only a foot away from him. "And you do not think I know that Mister Logan? Before you interrupted me, I was going to say there is no book in here to reference ways to go to the demonic world." Garfield slumped feeling he had lost all hope. "However, I am a resource to go to the demonic world."
Suddenly Garfield jumped closer to Cleaver changing his mood. "How?" Garfield asked eagerly.
"I've been to the demon world twice in my life for Messor business and I can take you there." Cleaver explained briefly.
"Really?" Garfield feverishly grabbed the collar of Cleaver's polo shirt.
"Yes, now there are some conditions Logan." Cleaver announced raising his right index finger. Garfield inched closer. "First, I ask that you let go of my collar and step a few feet back."
Complying with the condition, Garfield released his polo shirt and backed away. Cleaver dusted and readjusted his shirt. "Thank you Logan. Second, we must not tell anyone of this. Especially Dante. Next, I will accommodate you to help guide you around and make sure you do not do anything stupid. Well, let me rephrase; anything more ridiculous."
Eagerly, Garfield shook his head with a smile on his face. "Agreed! Is that all the conditions?"
"One more," Cleaver said. "You must follow my commands in the demon world. It could be life or death there."
Garfield fiercely nodded his head. "You've got a deal! Now when can we go?"
Cleaver examined his watch for several seconds. "The portal that I will make can only work on a full-moon. Luckily, there is a full-moon in four days."
"Four days?" Garfield complained. "That's too long."
"Take it or leave it Logan. Wait four days, or wait another month." Cleaver crossed his arms once again.
Garfield lowered his head and sighed. "I guess I can wait four days. Maybe in that amount of time you can teach me how things work in the demonic world before we step foot into it."
"Great plan." Cleaver said walking towards the threshold. "Tomorrow we will start our training. Now, go get some sleep Logan we've got rigorous training ahead of us."
Garfield saluted Cleaver's demands. "You got it sir." He closed the office door behind him, and preceded towards his apartment a floor below. He wore a huge smile on his face thinking that in four days, he would see his mate.
In a separate dimension lay a new world for one to see. Blood red skies filled the above atmosphere. Throughout the land, molted rocks scattered the region and lava streamed rampant in the area. Ghostly black figures dispersed in areas and districts they called home. The air was thick with soot and ash permeated the atmosphere. Trigon's wrath and power filled the entire realm.
In the depths of the demonic realm, there lay a half-demon in a large Gothic-style castle in the center of the region. The woman lay in her king-size bed fully awake staring at the sheets that covered the lower half of her body. Though it was warm in the depths of the demonic realm, her bed felt cold and void. She was so used to having someone in the bed next to her to welcome her to a new morning. However, this was not a good morning. Every morning in the demonic world was not a good morning. She truly missed waking up to the sun in her face, and Garfield cradling her. Hesitantly, Raven withdrew the covers from her body and sat up in the bed. Slowly, she walked towards the large window in her bedroom.
She stood at the window gazing at the red sky above and flashes of lightning overhead. Her face was expressionless as her thoughts were silent as well. Only a few thoughts raced in her mind. Her team, her dimension, and certain the man she loved were all the things that floated in her psyche. She felt an aching pain in her chest whenever she thought about this man. It had been only two days since her departure, and she had already lost hope.
Ever since her arrive in this dimension; she had barely spoken a word. Within that span of time, her hair grew rapidly. Raven deeply hated having long hair, especially in this dimension, but was too depressed to take action. Another noticeable change in the woman was her outfit. Since she was royalty, Raven was required to wear a Victorian style dress. Oh how she hated wearing dresses but it was the only apparel she was given.
A soft knock at the door brought the woman back to reality. Without saying a word, two demon maids entered the room. Raven gave a blank stare to the woman. She knew why they were in her room. They were in her room to prepare her to meet her suitor Trigon had chosen for her. The women bowed to show respect, but Raven knew better. The only reason they acted proper was due to fact Trigon had ordered them to. She could see the expression in their faces when they got near her. They cringed at her scent and at times plugged their nose when Raven glanced away. Nearly all demons despised her in this dimension, but she did not care. In all honesty, she refused to associate with her kind as well.
Slowly she walked towards the vanity and sat in the chair facing the mirror. The women began to work on her appearance. They styled her hair, painted her nails, fashioned make-up, and finished with jewelry. Once they finished, they left Raven in the room alone. Raven continued to sit at the vanity staring at herself. She knew she hated looking at her appearance especially in this type of situation. Within a short time, she would be meeting her suitor and felt nauseated by the thought of it. She gave an exasperated sigh when another soft knock entered the atmosphere.
"Hello my dear daughter." A voice bellowed from the opening door.
She did not have to look to find the source of the voice. She continued to stare at herself in the mirror. Within a few seconds, he appeared behind her. Trigon withdrew from his large stature to a normal size demon. He normally returned to this state when he was not making a presentation or entrance. The demon smiled and laid his two large hands on his daughter's thin shoulders.
"You look beautiful my daughter." He whispered. Raven merely scuffed knowing he was lying to get his way. "Within a few minutes you will be meeting your suitor and am I expect that you will show the upmost respect to this male?"
Still expressionless, Raven nodded. Nevertheless, she had to control herself by nodding. Inside her mind, she wanted to turn around and strangle the demon behind her, but it would be useless.
"I expect you to be down in the imperial study in five minutes after you put on the dress I assigned you. Remember, there is no stopping what is meant to be." Trigon withdrew his hands from her shoulders, to his sides and exited the bedroom.
Raven continued to stare at herself in the mirror felling her strength dwindling away. To the right, a black and red gown hung from the closet door. Without destroying her newly styled hair, she put the dress on. Again, she looked at herself in the mirror, but there was something that had changed since she last looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red and tears began to form in her eyes. She closed her eyes hoping that she could wish it all away.
A few moments later, she opened her eyes realizing nothing had changed. Raven sighed and used her abilities to return her eyes to their original state. She looked in the mirror for the final time and exited the room.