"Ah, Zuel, you've waited for me!" Lord Asmodeus grins, walking up to the closed door his servant is standing in front of.
"Yes, my lord," he pauses. "Though I may not approve of that woman. I cannot stand another mortal stealing another mortal's soul." He clinches his fists at his sides.
Lord Asmodeus places his hand on his servant's shoulder, "What I would like to know, most of all, is who gave him the power to rip her soul out piece by piece? Shall we?" He motions towards the door. Zuel promptly opens it, letting his master walk in before him.
The chamber is cold and dark. No windows to let natural light in. Torches line the walls, flickering to the point of burning out. The occupants' shadows dance and play on the surfaces of the enclosure. Only the one door in or out. The walls are slimy with wet goo, dripping down to the filth on the floor.
A short, hunched-over man with six arms, places his tools of his trade out on a long thin metal table. To his left side, Darrell. With straps of leather, he is tied down to another larger metal table.
"Doc?" Lord Asmodeus announces his presence. "What type of torture can we inflict on him?"
The hunched man turns his gaze to his master. Six eyes swirl around with joy. His thin lip-less mouth smirks with the thought of the possibilities that await their victim. "Loads, my lord! With his solid form and this new drug I came up with. Oh, ha-ha, he'll feel everything!"
"Good!" Lord Asmodeus gives a mischievous grin towards Darrell.
"Where's my soul? You stole it from me! She belongs to me!" Darrell howls.
Doc takes a step closer to the table. With a quick jerk of Darrell's shirt sleeve, he reveals the man's skin underneath. He slowly penetrates the flesh with his needle, forcing the fluid into his vein.
"Give it a second?" Doc says, trying to contain his excitement, "Will you try, my lord?"
Lord Asmodeus walks over and flicks the man's nose with his finger. Tears instantly roll down Darrell's cheeks as he screams out in pure agony. Just a small tap on the nose shoots tremendous pain through him. The new drug causes its victim's pain to be amplified.
"Joy, Joy, Joy!" Doc skips around in a little dance. His six arms flailing about over his head. His feet doing a jig as his hips move from side to side.
"Wonderful! Now down to business! Darrell, who was it that gave you the power to rip her soul out?" Lord Asmodeus inquires.
No answer.
Lord Asmodeus turns and nods to Doc. He immediately smiles as he shoves a scalpel deep into the man's leg. No blood flowed. You can't make a ghost bleed, even if he's solid. Wails of torturous pain leave Darrell's throat.
"I will not ask again!"
"The demon. The demon did!" Darrell finally answers through grinding of his teeth.
"What demon?" Lord Asmodeus gives another a quick go ahead with his chin.
"No, no, no The demon Murmur!" Darrell screams in the anticipation of the next gab. Though he answers his master's question, Doc still stabs him, giggling at his own naughty behavior. Lord Asmodeus smiles, holding back a light chuckle at the sight of his servant.
"Why would a demon lord of music give you such power?" Zuel steps forward, gazing at the creature rot with pain.
"She signs, she signs!" Darrell insanely laughs.
"Signs?" Lord Asmodeus is perplexed.
"I found her. She is mine! Mine, all mine!"
"Where did you find her?"
"Oh, that's, that's the best part! She was alone. Living on the streets. Her family disowned her. All by herself, she was! I found her. Ho-ho, she thought I was kind and loving! But I had her fooled! I did! I did."
Lord Asmodeus snatches the blade away from Doc's hand and turns it onto Darrell. He slashes and cuts as many times as he can. Howls and screams vibrate though the small room and out into the hall. Everyone in the castle can hear the torture. Lord Asmodeus takes great care not to inflict damage to the black patches, he knows those parts are pieces of her soul. To damage them, is to kill her! He hacks away, watching the creature before him struggle against the pain until Darrell passes out.
"Wake him! Torture him even if he gives you information. If that drug wears off. GIVE HIM MORE!" Lord Asmodeus seethes with anger. "And do not damage those patches! Remove them carefully and place them in a jar! You harm them and I swear, Doc, you will not see another day!"
"Yes, my lord! Understood, my lord!" Doc's gaiety overflows with how much leaves he has with this new victim.
"What did I just say?"
"Don't harm the patches!"
"Good, then continue. I must get back," Lord Asmodeus turns to leave the room.
"My lord, I wish to stay and hear what this pathetic creatures has to say?" Zuel bows.
"Very well. Report everything back to me. Help in his torture if you must, but get what we need out of him."
"Yes, master!"
******
Signs? I have never heard her or her soul sign? Lord Asmodeus ponders his thoughts. How can she sign? Her soul is torn. Her body broken. Lord Asmodeus aimlessly walks through his castle. He has seen the torture that thing has put her through while he was living, but to continue after his death! What does she possess that makes him insane in his obsession of her? Answers will come and then he'll have to deal with Lord Murmur. After all, he is torturing his charge. Fresh memories of Darrell's cries bounce through his mind causing him to smile with satisfaction. He can't inflict the type of pain on him as he did Sarah, but this is good enough, for now.
He finds himself hesitating outside of Sarah's room. He broke her body, letting that thing have its way with her. He should be reveling in the destruction that Darrell has caused. He, after all, is a demon of destruction. But this, this saddens him.
"My lord?" a meek female voice calls out from the other side of the opening. The sudden sound snaps him out of his thoughts. He looks at the servant attending Sarah and steps over the threshold, walking past her. His eyes fix on Sarah, who is still unconscious.
"How's she doing?" he finally asks, sitting next to Sarah on the edge of the bed.
"Every now and again her breath is labored and she sweats from I think a small fever. If I have to make a guess, my lord, not good!"
"I see," he frowns.