NEW GODS: The Awakening

The Demon's Game

They had been walking for a few hours only, but he was beginning to feel restless in his own skin.

Of course, Havel, like the perfect little faultless soldier he was, was holding the map and guiding the team while everyone else happily followed.

Well, Anthalla and Doll appeared to be happy at least- Tummy was by their feet begging for attention and they were more than happy to give it.

Quaboth had the genuine and deep belief that his cousin, Xiris, was the absolute worse. He would happily punch him in the face the moment he got the chance. Him and Havel too.

“Let me recap. You willingly choose to participate in something you know is extremely dangerous. You disobey orders which were designed to keep you safe, thus putting everyone else in danger too. And all that is their fault. My dear Quaboth, you truly have the mind of a child,”

The demon-whose name Quaboth did not know and did not care to find out- was a horrible disease that was rotting his mind from the inside.

“I do not need to corrupt what is already rotten,” the demon scoffed condescendingly at him.

No matter what happened, it simply never fell silent. Thus, every second Quaboth had this constant noise disruption going on in his head like a bell constantly ringing right beside his ear. Even when he tried to sleep, the beast would jostle him awake with layered insults. It felt so invasive, having to share every living moment with another creature.

“Well, if you hurry and get me out of here, we can both be done with each other,”

When he got it out of there, he was determined to end the demon’s life. He even knew exactly how he would do it-.

“Don’t flatter yourself, mortal child. I came back from literal death. I think I can handle you,”

“You speak a lot for someone with no body,” Quaboth grumbled under his breath, worryingly glancing over at the others.

He did not wish for them to think he is going insane.

“But you are,”

Quaboth tried to focus on anything other than that revolting creature. He turned his attention to Doll and Anthalla on his side.

“I am telling you it is an anime about lesbian zombie idols. What more do you need?”

Doll apparently had dumped the topic of how amazing Tummy was in favor of raving about her latest obsessions. Her hands moved in erratic motions as if she was attempting to physically manifest her feelings into reality.

Anthalla was giving an annoyed and slightly disgusted look.

“I will never understand the useless frivolities of the Surface. Or your attachment to them…” she huffed.

Doll stared at her without blinking for even a second. Her mouth gaped slightly and her hands were twitching. She had this terror weaved into her gaze as if her newborn had been slaughtered in front of her eyes.

Her strong reaction distracted him for a second and he almost bent in half from the laughter.

“Yeah, Doll, why are you so frivolous?” he joked.

His friend glared at him, face blank.

“You are all blasphemous,” Doll seethed.

“We are Abyssals. Pissing off the Gods is like half our personality,” he responded.

“I am being serious,” Anthalla’s tone became defensive “You should put less trust in the Surface. This is not our home.”

“Thalla, chill. The earth is not gonna open and swallow us,” he groaned.