Day 7 - Royal
#6 of Orctober 2020
And with this one we reach day seven, and the last story for this batch. This one is also part of a series of short stories based on prompts given by Dnddentist
This one grew to be darker than I first intended it to be, but I enjoyed writing perhaps a bit more than I should. Remember to always read your contracts carefully.
Large obsidian doors stood in front of Juh'ra, imposing, smooth and too heavy for even the orc to open. Or they would be, had he not been invited. Juh'ra swallowed back his apprehension and placed a dark green hand upon the smooth surface. A desperate wail tore through the sepulchral silence of the hallway, sending shivers down the orc's back before the doors opened on their own. The ceiling ignited with dancing blue flames that illuminated the wide throne room with their ghostly glow. Juh'ra bit the inside of his lips when his eyes fell on at the far end of the room. There, a throne of bones rested upon a dais and upon it sat a sinister creature, easily twice as big as the orc.
Juh'ra couldn't hold back a shiver when the piercing scarlet eyes fell on him. None of the orc's defenses could protect him from that unyielding gaze. His armor was like paper, his amulets were mere trifles and his years of training nothing but a fairy tail. And so, his soul was exposed to the Demon Lord, for them to judge and condemn. The orc's heart plunged to his stomach when a wolfish grin appeared on the demon's face, their sharp fangs in full display.
"So you've come at last Juh'ra,King of Tar'dok. Have you finally run out of excuses to postpone this meeting? Have all your lovers been sated? All your offsprings been seen to? Did you tour all tour lands and saw to their wellbeing?" The sinister form said with dark glee.
With a wave of a clawed hand, the orc king fell to his knees, the threads of compulsion cut from his body. Dark green eyes met scarlet ones, fear and confidence clashing across the room. The orc king touched the cold stone floor with his head, the phantom touch of the demon's still fresh in his mind.
"Yes, my lord Kalam." the orc king replied with a trembling voice, without an ounce of pride. "I have come to fulfill our bargain."
The horned wolf rose from his throne, his hulking form making the ground shake with each step. Gaudy purple robes covered his unnatural silver fur, while a crown of obsidian and rubies rested upon his unholy brow.
"Did you find it all to your satisfaction? Was your kingdom grand enough? Were your harvests bountiful? Did all your enemies die helplessly under your blades?" Juh'ra fingers scratched the floor, his stomach burning with nerves.
"Yes, my lord, it was all as you said it would be."
"I see. Tell me, did you not find countless treasures in your mines? Did you not prosper while others were struck by plague and misfortune? Did you not have many sons and daughters, both legitimate and not?"
The orc king shook in place as each word sunk like a needle into his heart. "Yes, my lord. I did."
"And finally, was your reign not a thing of legend? Did you not live seven times as long as any of your peers? Are you not considered a great king, even by your enemies? Did your plans not succeed no matter how unlikely they were or how many opposed you in your court? And did you not see wonders the like no other mortal ever has?"
"Yes, my lord. You granted me all those things."
The lupine demon came to a stop before the prostrated orc, his lips twisted in a devilish grin. Lord Kalam extended on clawed hand and from the tip of his nails, dark red smoke fell upon the orc. Like an twisted ritual, the smoke bathed the orcish king who could do naught but cough. The demon lord moved his hand as if he was picking up a cup of wine from a table, his claws glowing red with power. The effects were immediate. The smoke solidified around the orc's neck, forming bloody red binds around the orc's neck and hand. Juhr'a could only gasp in surprise was lifted into the air and his eyes were forced to stare into ancient scarlet pools.
"Good, Juh'ra, good. Do have you no regrets this time? Any complains about my services?"
Juh'ra racked his mind to find a way out, conjuring lies and plots to save his life but they all faded like smoke as soon as he thought then. His tongue was the next to betray him, thwarting any attempts at delay.
"No, lord Kalam. I have no regrets. Your part of the deal is done." Fire burst from the orc's stomach, burning away his clothes to reveal a twisted black brand. Kalam smiled when the brand shifted colors from black to gray and then to a red as deep as his own eyes.
"Yes, my part is done and yours has just begun. After so many years, so many gifts given, you're finally mine Juh'ra." The demon's eyes glowed like twin suns while a clawed finger pressed against the orc's brand. "Welcome, to your new and final home."