"Ah, good to see you, old friend!" Lord Asmodeus greets Lord Murmur, generously smacking both of the other demon's shoulders. "Come, come. Let's sit in the drawing room and have a drink! The sun is bright and the room warm, just how you like it!"
"Good to see you, too, Asmodeus!" Lord Murmur returns with as much enthusiasm.
"Tell me. How's life in your domain?"
They pass through the double doors into a comfortable lounge. Plush leather coaches and chairs encircle the center of the vast room. Tables for playing games line one side. Four tall thin window rule one whole wall, bordered by massive maple bookshelves filled with ancient books from all over the world. A fragment of Lord Asmodeus' true library lies within in the confines of the castle. Lord Asmodeus motions to his guest to take a seat.
"You know how it is. Everyday one or more servants need to be punished. Though it is entertaining, I'm in need of relief. Boredom is setting in and quite frankly I am not cut out for that." Lord Murmur laughs, plopping himself down on a coach, flinging his legs up, lounging in the environment.
"Nothing new worth your time in the music business, then?" Lord Asmodeus asks, pouring himself a glass of fire wine. He holds up his glass in a gesture.
"Yes, please! - Nothing, the music business is flat. Too many good artists out there not willing to sell their soul to me. Times are a changing, soon. Mark my words, Asmodeus, I will have plenty of meat to sink my teeth into."
"Is that why you've thrown yourself in with the likes of ghosts? Out of boredom?" Lord Asmodeus smiles, handing over a glass of wine to Lord Murmur. He pauses before taking his first sip, waiting for the demon of music to answer his question.
"Oh, I heard you had something that belongs to me. I was wondering when you were going to get around to returning it." Lord Murmur remarks, sipping deeply on his drink.
"Yes, I'll gladly return your property to you! Zuel?" Lord Asmodeus waves his hand. Zuel bows. In a few short minutes, he returns with a half dead Darrell in his hands.
"Not him. I have no use for the likes of him. The girl. She belongs to me." Lord Murmur scoffs. Placing his empty wineglass on the end table.
"Oh, and how is it that you own this girl?"
"Through him. It's the deal we made," he chuckles. "Not a fair one if you ask me. All he wants is to continue to torment that poor thing."
"What was the price he paid for the girl? I mean who did he buy her from?" Lord Asmodeus curiously turns to Darrell.
"I didn't buy her! I found her. She belongs to me!" he snarls, trying to shake off Zuel's grip.
"Lord Murmur. If he didn't buy her, what proves his ownership?"
Lord Murmur frowns at what his host is asking. He knows without solid proof that a person is bought or sold, no ownership is established. In the world of demons, it is a must. One cannot own a soul without proof.
Lord Asmodeus turns to his end table, picking up a sheet of paper from it, "This should prove, that I own the girl and not your charge," he says, handing the document over. Lord Murmur shoves his hand out, refusing to take it. He knows he has no leg to stand on. He never received any proof that this mortal owns the other. It is his mistake that he'll have to swallow.
"I own her, Lord Murmur!" Darrell shouts his discontent at what is happening before him.
"The only property I will return, is him!" Lord Asmodeus grins. "Another glass of wine, my lord?"
Lord Murmur shifts himself, placing his elbows on his knees and frowns at his own misfortunes. He snatches the glass from its perch, shaking it for Lord Asmodeus to take to fill. Lord Asmodeus knows he's won. With a quick nod of his head, informing Zuel he can remove the disgusting creature from their sight.
A low knock on the door as it opens. Sarah fresh and vibrant stands in its archway. Asking with her eyes if she may enter.
"Come, come, Sarah. Meet Lord Murmur. Now that your owner has been settled, come introduce yourself!" Lord Asmodeus announces gleefully, clapping his hands a couple of times together. Pride dripping from his very being!
She gracefully glides across to them. Her hair pinned up with huge loops of curls. Two spirals lie on either side of her temples. Long lush loose coils dangle down from the large bun, tickling the back of her neck. Her features, lightly painted, accenting her eyes. A pale pink lip-gloss shades her mouth. Her white gown, gently fastened on her shoulders, leaving an opening until her elbows. Another delicate button, leaving another opening to her wrists to be fastened one last time. A wide green trimmed belt snugs her waist, pointing down in an upside down v. Two slits run from hip to floor, showing her sexy legs. A Goddess coming to meet her subjects. Every eye in the room is on her. Their jaws slack at the beauty before them.
"I could shoot myself right now, for not following the rules! That could have been mine!" Lord Murmur whispers. Lord Asmodeus laughs at the revelation.
Sarah stops in front of the two lords. She smiles to each of them. Turning her attention to Zuel. She nods to him. Her gaze shifts to the man in Zuel's charge. The demon servant releases him. Using all the strength he has, Darrell charges her. The two lord start to leave their seats. With a single hand gesture, Sarah stops them. They sit back and watch.
In one fluid motion, her right hand is up and under his chin lifting him off his feet and slamming him down to the ground. The sheer force of his attack and her movements gives her greater momentum in her defense. At the same time she pulls her body down onto one knee. Balancing herself with her free hand on the floor boards. Splinters scatter and explode out, threatening to impale the onlookers. With a wave of her left hand, it all freezes in place, stopping time. Darrell's limbs are stunned into submission. His trachea crushes from the impact. Shallow wisps of oxygen barely make it past and into his lungs.
"I have no need for you. You never truly owned me. Out of my misguided attempt to feel loved, I followed you. When I leave this room, every cell in your body will explode into oblivion. You will no longer exist. Never to be reborn. You will NEVER harm another living soul again!" she smirks into his ear.
Releasing her hold, she casually lifts her eyes to the others in the room. Each one frozen in a pose to protect themselves from incoming debris. Dancing around on tip toes like a ballerina. She jumps and spins, knocking the scraps of wood out of the way, stopping them from harming anyone. Thoroughly pleased with herself she covers her lips, letting out a childish giggle. Suddenly, she stops and turns her whole frame. In three quick steps, she is in front of Zuel. His arms raised to his face in a protective posture. She snickers as mischievous ideas run through her head. Without a second thought, she snatches up a permanent marker from one of the desks and bounces her way back. She frowns. She cannot reach his face. With extreme enthusiasm, she pulls a chair close to his frame trying desperately to hold in her laughter. Working around his arms, she draws two bubble eyes on his forehead and a bubble tongue hanging down by his lower lip.
"You never looked better, old man!" she snickers, placing the chair back from where she took it. Calmly, she makes her way to the doors, turning, placing her weight on them for support. She waves her hand.
The three men jerk, still attempting to protect themselves, only to find the debris gone and what is left falls straight down to the floor. Confused, they each look to one another. Lord Asmodeus and Lord Murmur's eyes fix on the artistic drawing on Zuel's face.
"What is it, my lords?" he asks with intense concern in his voice.
"Nothing. I do have to say, you've never looked better, old man!" Lord Asmodeus barrels out in laughter. Lord Murmur doing the same.
"Thank you, I think, my lord." he remarks, "Now can we get back to the fact that something happened here?"
"Yes, yes!" Lord Asmodeus chuckles, trying to contain himself. Lord Murmur not having any success with it either. "Sarah?" All eyes turn once again on her. "Please enlighten us as to what just happened."
"Nothing. I just put a rabid dog down!" she smiles.
All their eyes shift. Darrel is still buried in the floor. His body shakes and shudders every now and again, letting them know he is still alive.
"Oh, and Darrel, you still have something of mine that you stole! I'm taking it back." she demands, raising her hand in front her and squeezing her fist closed, pulling it back towards her face. His body starts to quake. Tiny black shards erupt from every point of his frame, briefly hoovering over him. Seconds later as if they found their rightful place, they shoot across the room towards Sarah. A magnificent blue-green force-field surrounds her. In slow motion each fragment passes through it, changing their color to the vibrant aqua of the shield before entering her. "I also want you to know. Any of your seed born from your loins will also disappear with you. Your lineage is destroyed!" she laughs, fling the doors wide. She exits. Her revenge complete.
Tiny popping sounds rise up from the floor. Darrell screams out in agony and terror. One by one his cells explode into nothing. Lord Murmur gapes in awe, watching the destruction of his charge. Lord Asmodeus lowers his eyes, clearly amused and takes a sip of his wine. Zuel stands stunned and turns to glare at the spot where Sarah once stood. The two lords turn their attention with his energy waxing in anger. Instantly, their concern disappears because of Sarah's art design all over his face. Laughter spills out, harder than before.
