She would trade all the spells in the world if it meant she could tell a lie.
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Merle of Thorne is An Anthology of short stories made from prompts under the Fantasmical Contest 2023.
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Hell was not a place she wanted to be.
It wasn't until Merle arrived that she realized it. There were no trees or Greenland. There were no friendly animals she could communicate with and no sun.
Instead, the sky was red, and the ground was black and dry. The air was hot, and it glazed her skin in a light sheen of sweat, even though she rarely heated up.
She glanced at the group around her as she recalled the invite a member, Dylan, had given her.
It read, Would you like to go for a fun ride?
If this was their definition of fun, then some kind of group they were.
How she met Dylan and even got the invite was beyond her. And this fun ride was a common thing for them.
All they had done was take a vial of strange liquid, which would cause five bells to ring in their heads when their limited time here was up. Then they'd walked through a normal-looking door and bam!
The Underworld.
There wasn't much to be said about the Underworld, in other terms, The Dark Realm.
Humans knew it as a place of punishment for sins they committed up above, while Little Folk had no business with the place, and she could see why.
This was not the environment she could thrive in.
As they trudged on, light conversation sparked between the members. Rocco, the leader, walked ahead.
He had a big build and his whole body was covered in ink. She couldn't even tell him what his real skin colour was and the red sky wasn't making it any easier to do so.
The group of five were all covered in different tattoos. All except Cora.
The blonde-haired girl was a perfect contrast to her peers. Her porcelain skin remained as such, yet Cora only stood out in appearance. She was the one who had so cheerfully proposed the trip.
Therefore, Merle was quick to conclude that something else other than tattoos held the group together.
The Dark Five.
At first, Merle couldn't understand why they would have such a name. But if taking a trip to the Underworld was 'easier than taking a shit' as another member, Fernando had said, then she could see why.
"Why do you take those when you know Hell's tastes better?" the last member said to Fernando, who was juggling a lot of drinks in his hands.
She was yet to know his name as he hadn't said a word since. He wore dark sunglasses, even with the poor lighting around them.
"Because, Eryk, I need to show Levi what he's missing out on," Fernando said, and Eryk howled in laughter.
"Missing out on! Like he's gonna give a damn about that."
"If he doesn't entertain me, at least there's Bub. He's not gonna turn down an offer to drink." Fernando smirked.
"You get too comfortable with him and you'll become like him," Cora spoke with a tone of caution.
"I could give the same advice to Asmodeus and you. Every time you're with him, you always almost miss the bells." Fernando complained.
"What?" Cora whined before she continued, "He's good company. Very good company," Cora said, with a smirk and a dreamy look in her eyes.
Merle was finding it hard to keep up with their conversation; who were the people they referred to? She didn't have the chance to ask, as Rocco stopped.
"Alright! Time to have fun, but remember to be at the spot before the bells ring."
They all nodded in response before Cora, Fernando, and Eryk all set off in different directions.
Rocco was about to do the same when he noticed Merle's scowl.
"You don't like it here?" Rocco asked.
"She's new maybe—"
"I don't," she grunted, interrupting Dylan as she folded her arms in indignation. This was not fun.
Rocco studied her.
"You're Fae Folk, right? Come. I know just who'll help you loosen up," he said.
And so, ten tales, five dances and fourteen full glasses of White Cream later, Merle couldn't remember what exactly she hated about the place.
Was it the fact that there were no trees? She loved it; now everything was in view.
Was it the fact that there were no friendly animals to communicate with? She didn't care because now she had Lucifer dancing and playing games with her ever since she'd entered his lair.
Was it the red sky and no sun? It didn't matter, because everything seemed to shine. Or was it the sheen of sweat that covered her? It made her feel alive!
Though, that was more because of the amount of White Cream she had consumed in such little time.
She didn't know where Rocco, Dylan, or any other members of the group had gone. But she remembered their parting words.
She had to reach a spot where a golden stick protruded from the ground and hold on to it before all the five bells rang and there was one just outside Lucifer's lair.
If she didn't, she wouldn't be able to get back.
Ding-dong.
Merle had confused it for a beat from the music that blasted around them.
Ding-dong.
But when she heard it again, she knew what it was. She stood from her seat and onto wobbling legs before taking a step but stumbled.
She was about to fall flat on her face and wouldn't care because it seemed funny, but Lucifer held on to her.
"I... I have to go," she slurred.
"Stay a bit more," he said with his perfect smile, tempting her to do just that.
"But the bells—"
He merely shrugged. "What about them?"
Ding-dong.
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