Argus Filch
by Sierra
The land was hot and humid, though with no life one would associate with a healthy forest. The bark on the trees are a grayish brown color with pallid green leaves that weigh down the thick branches to the point that they brush the black soil.
This land, once beautiful and buzzing with life of all sorts, is barren and dead, no soul brave enough to trespass. But, every now and then, a poor soul will wander into the forbidden place, like this disquieted day.
Two weary travelers of unknown origin wander through this ever watchful wilderness, with no eyes to watch.
The tow men drift between tress and over large obstacles; the smaller and more exotic of the two trailing behind about five paces from the other man.
“There should be a resting inn at the other end of the woods. We just have to make time and get there!” the forward dark haired man says over his shoulder.
“I still don’t understand why we can’t just go over to my friend abode…” the flaxen haired man mutters just loud enough for the other man to hear.
“Your friend’s home is smack dabbed in the center of these freaken trees!” the other states matter of factly. The flaxen haired man lets out a sigh of frustration, looking at the back of his comrade.
“Oh, puch ‘nitch! You know just as well as I that we cannot make it to the other end of the woods before the sun gives to darkness! Even by horse back would it be impossible. We would have to set a camp outside, and I for one do not have the desire to do such a thing!" the man says in a frustrated voice. “This land is teaming with demons of all kinds!” the man continues. “But not just demons, there are men of evil whose souls have been corrupt!” the smaller man says to the other.
“Then we raise our swords and fight a good fight! Or, in your case, Endithar, bows.” The other says with an arrogance of one who always wins.
“There are times in this world where weapons cannot prevail!” Endithar says with a slightly raised tone. “I mean, you could hardly defeat me!” he adds smugly.
“Yeah, I know. But I did in the end, though. Binding such a powerful and connected li'll fox demon, huh!?” the other shoots back. “But, maybe you’re right for once…”
“Okay, lead the way!” the other man says with a broad smile. Endithar nods his head in agreement and shifts slightly to the left, his comrade close behind.
***
“We’re here!” Endithar says with a sigh, walking onto the stone path that heads to the twin doors of this friend’s home.
Before the two travelers is a small, black stoned castle that resembles more of a fortress than anything else with the thick wall that has a shared edge so people, or creature could not limb over it.
“You didn’t say your ‘friend’ lives in a freaken castle that probably came from the bowls of Hell!” the dark-haired man says to his flaxen haired companion.
“Yeah, yeah. What ever…” Endithar says, yellow amber eyes rolling in exasperation. “Come on.” He says as he walks up to the twin doors. Off to the far right, hanging about three feet above the brown grass surrounding the small castle hangs a five inch thick rope, grey form age and use.
“Can you pull that rope?” Endithar asks, pointing to the tightly weaved rope next to his companion. The other grunts his response, mumbling how he feel used under his breath, but doing it all the same. “Hey don’t be a prune!” Endithar says with a chuckle lacing his voice. The other lets out deep laugh turning to face Endithar as he reaches for the rope.
“If I’m a prune, then you’re a hag!” he barks back, voice rising in his mirth. He suddenly jerks the rope down letting out a loud, groan of a roar as a bell is struck.
The other yelps and falls back on himself, falling onto the dried ground below him. Endithar laughs at his companion, his hand covering his face as his voice passes through his lips.
“You really should be more careful, klutz!” Endithar manages out from between gasps. Endithar’s companion glares at him as he pushes himself up off of eh ground, dusting his butt off. The two of them become completely alert as the two large doors open, swinging inward. As the doors open a figure comes into view.
The man has long shoulder length curtain black hair, and, on closer inspection, amethyst eyes. The man’s deep frown suddenly lifts to that of a surprised expression, his eyes widening in his shock.
“Endithar!?” the man’s oddly accented voice gushes out in a gasping purr. Endithar smiles at the man before the two of them and walks up to him. The two hug one another tightly then pulls away.
“Hey, what’s with the human?” Endithar’s friend asks him in a hushed whisper.
“Well, embarrassing enough, he is the one that defeated me in my Kishta. You know the one I wrote about.”
“You were defeated by a HUMAN? The other asks in utter shock.
“Shhh! Not so loud, Ginouse!” Endithar says, distressed.
“Okay, okay. Anyways. What’s his name? I mean, he does have a name, right?” Ginouse asks with a mischievous smirk on his thin lips.
“Of course he does! It’s Dariqu!” Endithar says. “Anyways. We were passing through the woods, but we do not have the desire to stay out camping in these dangerous woods.
“We were hoping we could be aloud to stay here for the night.”
“Sure, I have many rooms as you could probably guess!” Ginouse says his lips curving into a happy smile. “Come on in!”
***
“There are many rooms, though some are kind of dirty because I’ve been using them for different things, such as libraries or storage rooms.” Ginouse says, throwing a smile over his shoulder.
“Do you two want separate rooms, or do you share?” he asks his two guests, his happy smile tuning into one of mischief.
Endithar glares daggers at his friend as Dariqu gasps and a horrified expression crosses his features.
“Separate!” Dariqu yelps out in a gushed breath. Ginouse smirks as he turns to face one of his servants that line the walls.
“Please take Dariqu-san to one of the rooms up stares. I need to
speak with Endithar alone! Ginouse says to the small boy. The servant bows low
and begins to walk forward, fallowed closely behind by Dariqu.
“Please, Endithar. This way!” Ginouse says as he leads the flaxen haired man down another corridor.
***
“What happened to you, Ginouse?” Endithar cries out desperately.
Before the fox demon is the grotesque form of his friend. The skin on Ginouse’s face was tight up against his skull, eyes gone, leaving 2 large eye sockets, his lips dried upward revealing rotting gums and falling out, brown teeth. Blood ran down his body leaving large puddles of blood where ever he stood though it seamed to not affect the living corps. The smell was almost too much for Endithar. It made his head light and made him feel nauseas.
“What happened? You happened! You did this to me!” the corps growled in fury. He spun around not letting his sight off of Endithar.
“That’s nonsense! I didn’t make you into a living corps!” he made large jump as a large fireball erupts making the table he stood on crumble and catch a flame, landing on Ginouse. Endithar didn’t hesitate to attack the stunned creature. He leaped for him but was blown all the way to the other side of the room.
His supposed-to-be friend stood, looking worse than he began. He dashed for Endithar and in the blink of an eye, Ginouse was on top of him, pinning him under his tore up body of bone and burnt flesh. Endithar struggled a bit but could not get loose.
“You came just in time to witness first hand the draining process.” Endithar gulped at this. He had been told through letter before the two of them drifted apart of him doing a ritual that drained a living creature of its life essence but he thought he was only joking, guess not.
Ginouse bent over to lightly, maybe even apologetically, lick his neck, then open his mouth to rest his sharpened teeth onto quivering flesh.
His teeth painfully tore into Endithar’s flesh. A shriek of utter horror, disbelief, betrayal, and, lastly, pain past his lips.
He felt his body weaken, becoming heavy with exhaustion. His vision blurred and his body went numb to the pain of his physical form.
He felt a small weight lift from above him and looks up to see Ginouse move away. He trails his heavy eyes down the path the creature was following and saw Dariqu standing in eth entrance of the room, horror struck.
Before he could even make an attempt to utter a word of warning, the foolish human lunged at the undead demon. He closes his eyes quickly as a gurgling scream of pain fills his ears and a thud sounded in the room.
A chuckle was heard and a voice purrs in his ear, “Guess that would be your fault, too. Huh?” Ginouse’s voice was the last thing in his mind as darkness took its hold and pulled him down into oblivion with its slimy hand.