Demonthorn Ch 03

It was almost dawn when the Horde approached the abyssal caverns that marked the openings to Below, the stronghold of The Master. Gortelesque rode his fell wolf proudly, as if he were already rewarded for his work. The unconscious fury lay across his mount in front of him, blood still seeping from the wounds in her back where he had torn her wings off.

The horde scampered ahead of thos on the fell wolves, eager to get any morsels of food left from the feeding pit. The 8 fell wolves and their riders rode up to the Keeper of the Door. This demons was in charge of keeping anything unwanted out of the Below and for caring for the fell wolves while their riders were resting. The other Arch-Demons dismounted and passed their captives and mounts along.

"You got a good haul tonight." Croaked the Keeper as the captives filed by. Gortelesque knew he was taking mental stock of each one and marking the ones for The Master's share, the prettiest and the youngest.

"You have no idea." Said Gortelesque.

"What is so special about that one?" Asked the Keeper, pointing to the woman still laying prone across the wolf's back as the Horde-master dismounted.

"I am taking her to The Master on my own." Said the demon calmly.

"Like hell you are!" laughed the Keeper. "You are not of a rank to see The Master without a yearlong appointment! And even then he is as likely to fuck you and throw you in the pit!"

"He will see me once your runner tells him what I have for him."

The Keeper stopped laughing and narrowed his eyes. He muttered to himself as he moved forward to inspect the woman. That was when he noticed the wounds on her back. He looked at Gortelesque questionably. The demon just smiled. The Keeper's eyes widened as he grabbed the woman's head by her hair so he could see her face.

"That is Jolie! The Arch-Fury of metal!" Gasped the astonished Keeper.

"Oh is that her name?" Gortelesque said nonchalantly. "I had no idea."

"Hirk!" Yelled the Keeper as he glowered at Gortelesque. "Send word to the High Guardian that he should grant an audience to The Master for Gortelesque, the Horde-master of the order to Perversion of Women."

Hirk went pale as he heard this, for many runners had lost their heads when they brought tidings to the High Guardian. Nevertheless, the long-legged demon did as he was told and ran off to deliver the message.

"You should stay here with that." The Keeper told Gortelesque. "In case she wakes up and decides to do a suicide thing and try and kill all of us."

"Fair enough Keeper." Said Gortelesque, his chest puffed with importance.

The Horde-master took the naked woman and slung her over his shoulder, drawing several snarls from a gaggle of nearby demons as their appetites grew larger. Gortelesque ignored them. He knew that he could destroy any of them before they reached him or his prize.

As the minutes dragged on, watching the Keeper and his minions go about his business bored Gortelesque. He was a warrior at heart and staying in the caverns and looking after things was just not something that he could do.

In order to keep his mind occupied he began to imagine what he would do to the Fury if he was allowed to keep her. He could feel her breasts against his shoulder and that started to make the fire of desire run through him.

He imagined her tied down to a table completely naked, her eyes glaring hatred at him as he disrobed before her eyes. He imagined her shutting those eyes and looking away, but spying through her eyelashes at his dick. He thought he would caress her with his claws gently, but enough to draw blood and excite his nostrils at some point. He knew she would enjoy the slight pain and pleasure high that comes with that.

He growled in pleasure and he felt himself begin to rise. The other demons nearby began to look away uncomfortably, because to get between such a powerful demon and his desire was simply an invitation to return to the Pit.

His desire grew until he just couldn't take it any more and he grabbed the unconscious woman around her waist and was just about to shove inside of her, Hirk the demon runner returned. Gortelesque shot daggers from his eyes at the little creature, but inside he was more ashamed at his lack of control than anything else.

"Horde-master Gortelesque, The Master himself bade me that you make all speed possible and meet with him at once." The little demon was out of breath and collapsed as he said this.

Gortelesque's foul mood immediately vanished. He would get what he wanted, an attempt before the Master himself to claim his prize and pervert her to his own ends.

"Good, Hirk. Here." Gortelesque reached into a pouch and pulled out a bit of cow liver that he had saved from the raid and tossed it to the exhausted demon.

The little one wolfed it down and smiled gratefully at the larger demon. Gortelesque knew it was never a waste of resources to build his power base, especially among creatures that other powerful demons tended to ignore. It was not inconceivable that he could become the War-master at some point, and he knew he would need every demon he could get on his side when he made that claim.

Gortelesque made his way from the Gate to he common areas, all protected from the sun, which hurt demon eyes. He drew the attention of most of the creatures that he passed, all curious to know what a demon was doing walking in the Below with a woman over his shoulder.

He passed from there to the holding pens, where all of the captives were stored. The moans of the prisoners was pitiful, but the screams of those being devoured made Gortelesque smile. He had done his duty as first an imp and then a lower demon, always desperate for more food to grow strong and gain more rank and power. When he took over his Horde from the incredibly weak Jukaress, Gortelesque had been little more than a graduate of the Perversion of Women. He used his good looks and charm to beguile a female Captain of the Guard at a Paladin base.

The woman had let him and his Horde in, where they slaughtered the men in their sleep and feasted on their bones and flesh. She eventually became his favorite Harpie, Garesh. He smiled when he thought of what his Harpies would do when they saw he had a new project. Garesh might even try and kill the Fury woman. That would be a fight to see, thought Gortelesque.

After the slave pens, he made his way down to the Pit. It was a cavern straight down, with a circular staircase along the walls. The center was a miasma of glowing vapors, trapped souls that waited in agony to be called to by the Master to be made into whole creatures again. Every soul that had been wicked or called upon the Master's name to get something they wanted was trapped in there until they were called forth by the Master himself to be made into a lesser demon or imp.

Gortelesque descended for what seemed like an eternity but was more like thirty minutes, haunted by his memories of being trapped and body less within the vortex of the Pit. He reached the bottom, where the Pit vapors swirled and returned upward. He saw a magnificent stone door, made of marble and quartz so that it sparkled with the light of the Pit. This was the Master's Chamber.

Two enormous Arch-Demons stood to either side of the staircase, their bodies dwarfing even Gortelesque. They were Delezhar and Forezhar, the hand-picked Bodyguards, grown and fed to be the ultimate defenders of The Master. It was said that they were only allowed to feed upon the purest souls so that their power would rival even the greatest Arch-Anjel.

They sniffed deeply from beneath their cloaks covering their faces and seemed to consider who was standing before them as the demon approached, the unconscious woman still over his shoulder. They seemed to reach some sort of consensus and a low rumble echoed through the chamber as they each pushed the stone doors open with their enormous hands. Gortelesque felt a trembling in his body that he thought might be the sound of grinding stone, but could only be fear.

"Enter." said the Bodyguards in unison, their voices thin and wispy in the cool air of the Pit..

Gortelesque, gulped and shifted the weight of his burden as he strode forward. It was not dark and gloomy inside as he had expected. Instead it was lit by glow crystals and candles so that it seemed quite cheery, even though it was hundreds of feet from the light. Books were stacked everywhere, some sprawled open, some as thick as Gortelesque was tall and some sealed with twine.

There were marble tables and comfortable chairs with animal skins on them. A bed that was simply enormous dwarfed the center of the room.

"You like what you see?" Said an authoritative voice that filled the chamber.

Gortelesque saw movement out of the corner of his eyes. There was a simple throne in the corner of the room, where a man sat. He was of average height and average looks, with long black hair and a black goatee. He wore a simple robe that was a deep maroon red and his eyes blazed with fire.

"My Master!" He breathed and dropped to one knee before the most powerful being in the cosmos.

"You didn't answer me Gortelesque!" The voice boomed again, although it did not seem to come from the man's mouth but from the chamber all around him.

"It is quite luxurious Master." Said Gortelesque, his eyes downcast.

Without so much as a whisper the man appeared before Gortelesque, his hand stroking his magnificent horns. The smell of him was incredible. Gortelesque's sensitive nose detected sandalwood, cedar and the rich smell of mahogany.

"It is only a vessel to hold my intellect until I can be free." Said the man as he waved a hand casually. "I plan to be free of this place soon enough, and I believe that what you have brought me may be the key to that."

"Yes, Master. This is Jolie, the Fury of Metal. She attacked my Horde on this latest raid and I surprised her, removed her wings and brought her to you unspoiled." said Gortelesque, his face still talking to the floor.

"Come now my demon friend. Don't speak to the floor, I can be looked at without risking eternal damnation in the Pit" Laughed the master and the laughter seemed to not echo across the walls but to come from them. It was a laugh without any humor in it, as if it were a poor imitation instead of an expression of mirth.

Gortelesque rose, dropping the Fury woman to the ground, where she landed with the sound of flesh hitting stone. He now saw that he was taller than this man and more powerfully built, but the Master radiated a sort of aura that suggested that he could put the demon in his place with just the slightest effort.

"My master, I bring you a gift as no demon has ever brought you." Said the demon.

"Yes you have." Said the Master, his eyes looking up at Gortelesque expectantly with a fire in them.

"As I am now the highest ranking member of the Cult of Perversion of Women with the best conversions, would you consider granting me a task and a boon at the same time?"

"I think I know what you want, but say it anyway demon." Said the Master in a low voice.

"I wish the chance to turn this Fury woman into the most powerful Harpie that has ever served you." Said Gortelesque with just the slightest tremor in his voice. "You are granted a powerful new ally that would demoralize the enemy more than anything we have ever done if I succeed. And if I fail, we still can kill the bitch or have you do whatever you do to the women we bring you."

"You are bold demon, I will give you that." Said the Master. "If I grant you this challenge, what do you get out of it?"

"I get the privilege and rank that comes with it. Extra food and a better Horde to command."

"And you would get a woman who is only loyal to you that could challenge my bodyguards in power." Said the Master with a bemused expression on his face. "Do you think that you are the first to think of deposing me? Only two have succeeded and then only just barely."

"The thought had crossed my mind, Master. But I know I am no match for you, and if I managed to turn Jolie, your Bodyguards would just overpower her and rip her to shreds after they had destroyed me. You are the strongest for a reason. You lead us for a reason."

"But you want to rise as far as you can go, to gain as much power as possible but just not having the responsibility of leading."

"I wouldn't mind the perks that come of being a powerful demon, my Master." Gortelesque gave the man a half bow.

"You may attempt to turn Jolie." Said the Master suddenly. "If you succeed, I will not take her from you and you may select your own Horde from the masses. You would train a new style of Demon, designed to accomplish tasks and not just pillage and destroy."

Gortelesque smiled. He had long thought that the key to winning the Above for the Master would require more finesse than simple butchery would allow for.

"And of course you will be provided with all the privileges and powers that such a rank would give you." Said the Master. "You will receive a doubling of rations, one unspoiled girl per raid for your own use and I will have the Master Crafter create a new cave for you. Does that seem fair, my demon?"

Gortelesque smiled until all of his sharp teeth were showing. Jolie stirred at his feet and he kicked her to make her still again.

"Yes it is more than fair my Master." Said Gortelesque.

"But just know that should you fail me, you will be going back to the Pit and you will never get out." Said the Master with as much venom in his voice as a whole nest of cobras.

Gortelesque hissed through his teeth. He had expected such a proclamation from his master, but to hear that the most powerful being in the universe was going to damn you to eternal torment if you failed would give any creature pause.

"I will deliver as I have said I would, Master." Gortelesque said with a nod of his head.

"Then go and take that hen with you." He pointed to the unconscious Fury. " You will not lead a Horde out until you succeed. The runner Hirk has proved himself useful to me. He will be your gofer until you have turned that thing you dragged in here. The Quartermaster is to give you anything you need to within reason until she is turned."

"Yes Master." Gortelesque scooped up the Fury and turned to leave.

"Gortelesque!" The demon stopped in his tracks and turned.

"That batch of captives you brought in had a number of lovely young cunts in it. Would you be so kind as to let Delezhar know to send them in to me. I can't wait to meet them."

The Master's pants bulged with pleasure and his smile seemed to stretch impossibly far across his face. Gortelesque nodded and left. Already imagining what horrors awaited the girls he was about to send to their doom.