{"sf1_id":180447,"sf2_id":"4nAKpo3e","title":"Lyonesse, Prologue","author":"TrillsTheThief","words":614,"posted_at":"2010-09-23T07:05:00.000Z","tags":["Demon","Prologue","dagger"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/180447-lyonesse-prologue","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/4nAKpo3e","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/f8/8d/f88d0fbd-558f-43b4-934e-81ecb63fb1c5","description":"#1 of Lyonesse","content":"\u0026nbsp;\n\n_\u0026nbsp;Crunch, crunch, crunch._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Before we start with the official business, does anyone have anything unofficial to bring to my attention?\" Said a wizened old demon, leathery flesh wrinkled and patterned with scars. His one crimson eye scanned out across the high school auditorium, to the two-score demons scattered out amongst the rows. I sat in the back, in a dark corner.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n_Crunch, crunch, crunch._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Only one thing, Elder.\" Said a succubus, her voice as smooth and sweet as honey. She stood, her long raven hair ending in sharp spikes of steel. \"We spoke before the meeting of a possible lessening of the restrictions on my feeding. What is your ruling?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"In light of recent events, you shall adhere to your normal feeding schedule and allotment.\" Said the elder, from his chair on the stage. The succubus looked absolutely infuriated for a moment, then sat down without a further word.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n_Crunch, crunch, crunch._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Recent events?\" Asked one of the trio of imps dangling from the ceiling. One of them had a bag of chips, chewing on them nosily. \"Whatcha talkin' about?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"A trio of humans have begun to take an interest in us.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Just kill them, then.\" Said one of the musclebound _oni_ in the middle of the auditorium.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm afraid that is impossible at the moment. No, I called this meeting to choose who shall be bound to them, as per their request.\" There was a general outcry of fury, my own voice included.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Bound?!\" I cried, standing swiftly. My black talons slid along the concrete floor with a loud squeal, but left no mark. \"Bullshit!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Arkhmenius_!\" Hissed the elder, leveling a withered finger at me. \"Cease your outburst at once, for it is you who are selected for their service.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Since when!\" I shot back, barely restraining the flare of amber energy from my normally shapeless form. I had congealed into a raptoresque anthro, for just such an occasion. Best to blend in with the locals, you see.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Since now.\"\n\n\"Oh ho, I see the way it goes.\" Said the _oni_. \"Whoever yells the loudest gets assigned to one of these brats?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No. It is to me to decide who gets bound.\" The elder informed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then who else gets sent off to the humans?\" The succubus hissed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"First Arkhmenius,\" The elder gestured, and I fell to my knees. Illness ran through me, followed by a severe lightheadedness. The too-familiar sensation of a collar forming around my throat built as the elder listed off names, demons belonging to those names collapsing. The elder, seeing this, strode along the aisles with a sharp dagger in his hand, etching the names of the humans into our flesh. I had several of these scars along my back, all faded into unreadability due to the death of the humans.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNot by my hands, I swear! Really!\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI took the form of an _oni_, trying to force my way out of the collar around my neck. As I pried and pulled and grunted and strained fruitlessly, the elder strode up to me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Ah, Arkhmenius.\" He circled around behind me, a surprisingly strong foot pinning me to the floor. \"You're a fun case. Decided to be an oni?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Damnit, no, let me up and I'll-\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Okay, oni it is.\" He kneeled, scratching the dagger along one of my sets of scars.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Wait, no, what the fuck?!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Oh, you'll see...\" As he finished the last stroke, my senses suddenly failed. I felt myself drifting on an endless ocean, blind, deaf, and dumb.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nUntil I woke again.\n\n  \n  \n\n"}