Wall

     I didn’t even get a second to see what became of Libero, the demons all around us, in front, beside, and charging from behind all bore down upon us. And I could tell, even with three demons in my suit, there were still plenty others in this tide of monsters that were just as strong if not stronger. I could use what I had, my fingers, my claws, my legs, my shell, everything, but where one demon was repelled, four more took its place.

     A stray hit knocked me to the ground and a wave of tooth and claw bore down on me. Was this it? Just like this? What was even the point? But then the end never came. I didn’t even realize I had closed my eyes and covered my face, but everything had gone silent suddenly. I uncovered my face cautiously and peeked through my guard.

     The demons that had been closest to me were impaled upon dozens of bamboo shoots sprouting from the ground. No matter how large or small, sturdy or lanky, each shoot pierced through their softest, most vulnerable point and lifted them off the ground. As I rose to my feet to look around, it wasn’t just the demons around me, it was every single one that had been approaching us. Those that weren’t held back by the bamboo were bound and brought down by vines, thorns and brambles. Even the flying demons were pulled from the air by so many vines that reached up into the air.

“What happened?”

“They were crowding me and getting too excited. And not the kind of excitement I like.”

     It was Siti’s voice, but where was it coming from? I looked toward where I remember her being, but all I could see was a dense wall of bamboo.

“Up here.”

     I turned my gaze upward and there, at the very top of the bamboo, Siti was balancing atop a single shoot on one foot. She stepped delicately from one to the other, yet didn’t even disturb them as she placed their weight upon them.

“You did all this?”

“Sure did! Didn’t I tell you how amazing I am?”

“You did but...seeing is believing I guess.”

“Huh?? Were you still doubting me?! Even after the suit and the hornyface!?”

“No! I mean! That’s impressive and all but that and this are different!”

“Different how!? I’m amazing so I do amazing things!”

“WILL YOU BOTH SHUT YER MOUTHS??”

     That was definitely Libero’s voice, but I’d never heard him so loud and angry before. In the direction of his voice, his smoking body emerged from a charred mound on the ground. His body was blackened and charred, but with a stretch and a flex of his body, all of those charred bits broke away, revealing that he was perfectly fine.

“You think THAT’S enough to stop the Demon of Freedom, Libero!? If I want to go somewhere, no one can stop me!!”

     He leaped up and towards the wall, looking like he would go clear right over it easily, but was met with a solid wall of lightning that blocked and electrocuted him, then knocked him away as another charred heap.

     “Libero!” boomed one of the guards on the wall, “I’ve heard your accursed name! A ravenous ancient king who ran across the lands, devouring all in his path! I don’t know how you got free, but you should have stayed imprisoned!”

“You make it sound like that was wrong! We’re demons! We fight, we kill, and we devour!”

     “Then you’re no better than the mindless beasts behind you!” Scoffed the guard, “Go then, fight, kill, and devour to your blackened heart’s content! Out there with all the others!”

“No! I want revenge on those scheming cowards that DARED to take away MY freedom and leave me to rot! And I’ve got a feeling that I can find some hints around here to where they are!”

     The guard boomed once more, “Regardless of your reason, no violent, mindless demons are permitted into Lord Sero’s territory! Only those who will follow his laws may be allowed entry!”

“LAWS!?!” Libero roared, “DEMONS DO NOT FOLLOW LAWS!! WE ARE VIOLENT, MINDLESS, AND FREE!! THE STRONG TAKE ALL, AND THE WEAK DIE! THAT IS THE WAY OF US DEMONS!!”

     The guard simply scoffed once more, “The demon realm has changed much since you were imprisoned. We have lords, kings, and gods. We have rulers, we have cities. We adapt and grow beyond such old, primitive ways. Try as you might, see if your ‘freedom’ stands up to this bastion of Lord Sero!”

     Libero, spurred on by that challenge, leaped once more, this time aiming directly for the gate, but before he could even get halfway to it, he was struck down once more by lightning from above, then blasted a second time from the front, knocking him back towards the grim bamboo forest.

Then Siti stepped forward, “Hiii~ So, what does a NON-mindless, non-violent demon have to do to get in then?”

     The guard looked across to Siti who was still standing atop the bamboo, “First, you must present a tribute! A piece of your territory, or of an other’s! Then, you must receive the brand of servitude upon your body! Lastly, you must observe the laws until you are able to recite them on your own!”

“Okay~! Let’s get started right away!”

“Wait, Siti!” I called for only her to hear, “What about me? How am I supposed to do any of that?!”

“The demon in your suit probably came from this place, no? I’m sure you can figure something out~” She spoke back. Then she turned her attention back to the guard, “I Offer all these demons as tribute! I don’t really know where their territories are though because Libero’s is kind of in the way~”

     “That is acceptable,” the guard replied, “We will find them and claim tribute. Step forward and receive your brand!”

     Siti hopped down to the ground and pranced towards the gate, seemingly safe from the lightning strikes. Near the gate was a slit with a covering on the inside that opened and projected the brand onto her arm. Then the laws she was meant to learn appeared in the air in front of her in glowing letters. After what seemed like only a few seconds, she read them, closed her eyes and recited them.

     The guard atop the wall boomed, “Little green demon, you may enter!”

To which Siti replied, “Ah, I’m with my friend here! I’ll wait to enter with him!”

     The guard turned his attention to me, “You! I sense the brand from you already! Come over here!”

     I walked toward them slowly, panicking, thoughts racing. What does he mean he already senses the brand?! It must be the demon in the suit like Siti said. Do I still need tribute? What about the laws, do I need to recite them?! What if they recognize me?! What do I-

     The guard interrupted my thoughts, I didn’t realize I was so close already! “Ah, Durus! You appear different. I apologize for not recognizing one of the Lord’s servants. Have you completed your mission?”

Mission? What mission? Wait, was it to acquire the human? Myself? I can’t turn myself in, so then what do I do? I...wait. I was clearly traveling with Siti and Libero, right? And I don’t obviously have a human with me, so I’ve clearly failed.

“No, I, uh, I-”

     “Hm? You’re quieter than you once were. Speak up!” The guard boomed while leaning over the side of the wall.

Right, he did shout and scream when he spoke. I just thought he was mad, but that’s just how he normally talks? Great.

“NO! I FAILED! I WAS CAPTURED BY LIBERO AND THIS, UH, BITCH! THE OTHERS ARE ALL DEAD!”

     The guard scoffed, “Hah! Unlucky! Or perhaps you have some fortune; the Lord isn’t here right now, so your punishment for your failure will be postponed for some time. Come inside and think upon how you’ll beg for mercy!”

     With that, the gate finally opened. Siti and I stepped through the gate and down the corridor under the wall, but as the gate was closing behind us, a loud THUNK, was heard. I turned back to see and find a hand keeping the door open.

“Don’t forget about me.”

“Libero!” The guard boomed, “How dare y-”

     But before he could finish speaking, Libero wrenched the gate open fully and flung himself inside, leaping over Siti and I without so much as a glance, and rushed into the settlement. Numerous other guards were called to attention and chased after him as sounds of chaos broke out in the settlement.

“Haaah,” Siti sighed, “He couldn’t just wait outside? And here I was looking to have a relaxing and peaceful time for once.”