Mages and demons don't mix

Who I was...

The Fade

Elijah sat draped across the throne one leg kicked over the armrest his head falling back behind the other armrest. The boredom had set in already and he knew he needed to do something to satisfy his need of enjoyment. He swung his legs back, so he was sat on his throne normally, he then stood up and walked forward out of the castle, he made his way down into the cells that held the spirits that he and his demons had captured. Today he would entail in his personal favourite hobby, turning spirits into demons. His favourite spirit to turn was that of wisdom as he was always irritated by their know-it-all nature, so when he is able to break them mentally it brings him immense joy. Unfortunately, this time all he had was a spirit of Faith who he had left there for nearly a few mortal months now. As he arrived he gave the spirit a smug smirk.

"Oh, how awful, a poor little spirit trapped in a cage" Elijah is pacing around the cage with a mockingly sad look only ruined by a sickening smile. "And a spirit of Faith now less, oh how could this ever happen?."

"You don't scare me demon!"

"Oh, really?"

"I am protected!"

"Are you now? And by what, might I ask?"

"The Maker protects me!" At this point Elijah burst out laughing, tears rolling down his as if he had not heard anything funnier.

"The Maker?! Who taught you that drivel? Don't tell me you've been listening to those awful sermons."

"There not awful, they give people hope." Elijah scoffs.

"Mortals need everything, tell them there's nothing looking out for them and they just fall apart. So fragile." He says leaning against the cage, inspecting and picking the dirt from under his nails.

"They're not fragile

"Oh really? If your Maker is so powerful, why are you stuck here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, you've heard the sermons. The Maker protects, the Maker forgives and yet here you are unprotected and not forgiven." As she takes a step back Elijah can already see the cracks forming and he begins to smile. "I remember hearing stories of the Golden city, how it gleamed its vast beauty unrivalled by anything the Fade could provide, the Maker's greatest accomplishment. Then when he finally saw what his creations had become he abandoned it so easily, and those towers of gold twisted to pitch black and those once hallowed halls become home to every monster, every nightmare and an all-consuming darkness. So, tell me is your Maker truly worthy of your faith?." Elijah's grin spread ear to ear as he watched the spirit her form shifting and changing. He could sense the emotions within her, the confusion, the pain, the fear and the utter despair and soon the walls of the dungeon echoed with unending cries, Elijah continued to smile. But as he watched the smile began to fade away until nothing was left but utter boredom with a quick motion his hand slammed into the door of the cell. The newly formed despair demon flinches in fear as Elijah lets out a small growl and looks to the floor. "So boring." Elijah looks back up and walks out. Elijah found a rare few areas of the Fade that would capture his interest. One was that of a lost elven city, its name long lost to any of those who could remember it and Elijah didn't care enough to try and discover it. The reason he enjoyed this memory so much was due to one simple reason, in its final days after the elves had been abandoned by their gods the few that remained here soon became enveloped by the nearby kingdom of men. Men, women and children all shackled in chains Elijah had always loved the screaming, the pleas to the gods as they were dragged away. But even here Elijah found himself consumed by boredom. As Elijah sat atop a tower overlooking the scene before him, he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as claws began to dig into his flesh.

"You left yourself open" A sing-song voice whispered into his ear. Elijah didn't react, only continued to stare down at the city below him. The pain in his shoulder lessened as the hand loosened its grip. It is replaced with an arm as a desire demon sat beside him and snaked their arm around him pulling him close as though it was a comforting embrace. "Why so glum chum?" Elijah doesn't replay, turning to face to the desire demon. "Oh, such a big frown. Was daddy mean to you again?" Elijah snarled as the desire demon only smirks in response. "There you go, was that so hard? I can never stand to see you sad."

"What do you want?" Elijah responds, turning his attention back to the elves below him.

"I just want to have some fun, I heard you found a lovely little spirit and I was hoping I would be able to have my fun." Elijah shuck his head.

"Too late, wasn't much of a challenge."

"Oh, you have all the fun without me. Wait, if you've already turned them, why do you look so down?"

"There's no challenge in it, it's become so easy."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember when we first met?"

"Oh, yes I remember there was that mage I was trying to possess them you were trying to use your mind powers on them, she was so cute."

"Remember how hard it was? No matter what you did she rebuffed you, no matter how hard I tried she was to quick-witted for me."

"Oh, yeah you were just a kid. So cute trying to impress daddy." They said with a teasing smirk.

"Please stop calling him that"

"He but he really likes it" Elijah couldn't tell if they were being serious or if they were just trying to get a rise out of him.

"And do you remember what happened?"

"She got away didn't she?"

"Exactly."

"Yeh exactly, I don't get it"

"They got away; we couldn't turn them. When was the last time we couldn't corrupt a spirit? Or I couldn't force a possession on someone?"

"Well, there was this one Tevintar mage, such a lovely little thing, we sat and ate grapes then he rebuffed me."

"Yes, but that was a mage, they are brought here to be taught how to avoid demons. I'm talking about a regular mortal. The farmers, the millers," Elijah jumps up fire in his eyes. "the butchers, the bakers, the candle stick makers." He looks down to the desire demon, but they look up still as confused. "There's no fun in it anymore, no challenge in it anymore."

"You're not making any sense"

"It's not fun anymore! Every spirit, every person, it's always the same thing!" Elijah takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. "I just want a challenge, something new." What could only be a moment felt like an eternity of silence only to be broken by a coy giggle. Elijah looked back down to the desire demon who was barely able to hold back their laughter. "What's so funny?"

"The prince of demons... angry because he's bored. What are you, a child?"

"I'm being serious" Elijah snarled.

"I don't doubt it darling" The desire demon replied giggling. "But, you have to see the funny side of this."

"If you're not going to take this seriously," Elijah goes to leave.

"Wait, wait, wait." She says stifling her laughter getting to her feet. "I think I can help."