Not What It Seems
Chapter 30

Her words haunted me for the next few days. She sounded so certain that we would make it out. And since I had left her in that cell once more, I had spent most of my time searching for a way to help her escape. I found one, as though it was given to me by divine intervention. There was a path from the cells that I found that no demons seemed to take. It led to an area that I was able to summon a portal to the mortal world. I just had to get her there. And I had to get her there tonight.

Tomorrow was the new moon, and I had no time left. I just hoped that the plan would work in such a way that she would be safe. First of all, I had to get to the cells without rising suspicion. Ripper didn’t pay any attention to me since he saw me drag her into Diab, and I suspect that Xegon told him of what I had said when he confronted me. I couldn’t think of a valid reason to get the guard to leave Zeriah’s cell. So, I had to do the next best thing. I would have to temporarily incapacitate them.

When I finally had the opportunity, I silently made my way to the dungeons. The guards came into view and I flexed my hand before forming a fist. One turned towards me.

“Vudu?” He greeted. “What are you doing here?”

I walked up to him and without hesitation slugged him with enough force to cause him to fall to the ground unconscious. The two other guards reacted in shock and quickly went into a fighting stance. Without waiting for their first attacks, I sent a wave of my power at them, causing them to fly back and hit the wall. The magic wrapped around them and covered their mouths and pinned them to the wall, preventing escape. It wouldn’t last long though.

Grabbing the keys, I ran to the door and greeted my Firefly with a smile. The door opened and her arms went around my neck. I quickly returned the embrace but pulled away, showing the urgency of the situation. We had to get moving. Grabbing her hand, I began to lead us through the maze of Diab.

It was still a distance before we made it to the path that would lead her to freedom, and I began to hear the voices of angered demons following us. They were catching up. So, as we ran, I began to place barriers and traps to slow them down. But word traveled fast, and many paths began to be blocked by oncoming demons. I had to replace different ways to lead us to the desired path.

Finally, we grew close to the hall I desired, and I pulled Zeriah in front of me, letting her run through first. Once she was past, I skidded to a halt and used my magic to call a set of bars to block off the path. She was safe. She would be able to get to the portal. I watched her form as she suddenly turned and skidded to a stop, falling to the ground. Her face showed confusion and sorrow.

Standing to her feet, she ran back over. My hand reached out and met hers halfway as she stopped before the bars. She stared up at me, and I couldn’t hide my sorrow. She reached up and touched my face, and I leaned into it.

“What are you doing?” She asked panicked.

I gave her a weak smile. “If I go with you... They will replace you. I can’t let that happen.”

“I’m not leaving you, Vudu!” Her grip on my hand tightened.

“You have to!” I nodded towards the tunnel. “Now go before they catch you again. I won’t be able to free you a second time.”

“No!” She fought. “I can’t leave you.”

“Zeriah!”

“I love you!”

All sound in the realm around me became mute to me. The only thing I could focus on was the young woman in front of me. I reached up and placed my hand on her cheek. She leaned into it and her eyes begged me to go with her. But I knew I couldn’t. There was one thing that I could do that would ensure that she would get to safety, and she wouldn’t have to worry about me. But I knew she was going to be saddened by it. I had little choice though. The sound of angry demons began to filter into the hall.

I moved my hand to the base of her skull and pulled her closer. “I love you too.”

Before I let her say anything else, I let my lips press against hers. A surge of electricity flowed through me and the sensation was magical. As if that kiss activated something special, I felt a freedom I had never experienced in my life as a demon. Pulling away, I gazed down at her with a new understanding of the feeling I always had around her. Love.

“Goodbye.” I whispered to her, and with a small flick of my magic, she flew backwards into the tunnel.

I watched as she tried to reach out to me before she disappeared into the darkness. My power would be able to get her through the portal, and it would close behind her. She wouldn’t be able to replace her way back to the entrance. And I hoped she wouldn’t try to replace her way back. I wouldn’t be here. My eyes became wet, and I felt tears on my cheeks for the first time. Falling to my knees, I waited for the inevitable that waited for me. The only comfort that came was knowing that my Firefly was safe.

Harsh hands grabbed my arms and dragged me away from the bars. The other demons broke through my barrier after some effort and ran in after Zeriah, but they were too late. She was in the mortal realm. My portal was closed. They had lost.

The first face I saw was that of my angered brother. With one motion of his hand, I was dragged away and thrown in a cell. I didn’t care. I was soon going to disappear from existence. I had no reason to fight. I felt that soon, I would also meet Xegon, and he would demand answers. But there was nothing more he could do to a dead man.