HOME | DD

Description
Demi sat at the edge of a cliff that overlooked millions of red stalagmites and stalactites, as well as one of the gates of Hell. He held his face in his hands, the laughing from the other demons still fresh in his head. Then, he heard a familiar shrieking, the sound of Nikashiri yelling at some poor demon who probably did nothing wrong. The lieutenant looked down at the gate guardian who was being harassed.

“What is this?” his queen held up a white feather.

“That is an a-angel feather, my queen!” the large, armored demon was shaking in his boots.

“An angel feather.... mind telling me how it got here, gatekeeper?” she spoke in a soft, deceiving tone.

“Um, it... it wasn't here before...” Demi felt his stomach twist. This was one of Nikashiri's lowest forms of beating her warriors. Practically everyone she did this to KNEW that her wife was an angel, and the feather most likely was one she brought just for the occasion, but should they accuse their queen of trying to trick them? Or should they pretend that they allowed an angel to cross into Hell?

“How about you try finding your brain on the ground” the demon hesitated, but he did get on his hands and knees “No, no, you have lean back, but still keep your hands down” he leaned back, until he found himself bowing down at her feet “Theeere you go, do you know why I have my demons bow before me?”

“Um... as a sign of respect, my queen?”

“Well, that's one reason, but the other is so I can do THIS!” WHAM! Her boot kicked him in the face hard enough to throw his helmet off. The demon's body flew aside and rolled over. “Now, get up and do your damn job!”

“Yes, my queen” the large, muscular demon used his greatsword to help him back on his feet

“If I find even one angel down here, I'll be back! Got it?!” the demon nodded “Good!” and with that Nikashiri walked away. Only when she was gone, did Demi teleport down to the demon's aid.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yes, Lord Demi” he used his sword as a cane to keep himself on his feet.

“No, you aren't... you must be new here, or you wouldn't be calling me 'Lord' Demi. It's just Demi, Nikashiri hates the thought of me having any kind of authority when she's around. Come here” the gatekeeper stood still “I won't hurt you, I promise” taking baby steps, the armored hulk made his way within arm's reach. Demi reached out and touched his cheek, casting a healing spell on the guardian “What's your name?”

“Gotorek, Lor- ...Er, Demi. It doesn't feel right denying your appropriate title”

“Tell me about it” he gave the demon a pat on the cheek “How do you feel?”

“Like a million bucks! Heh, if money was a thing down here, anyway” Gotorek went to retrieve his helmet.

“You still remember your past life?”

“Oh, yeah, I've only been here for a couple of years. I had five cars, a big mansion, women whenever I wanted, a helicopter, my life was the shit... now my afterlife is just... shit.... I did a lot of things that I shouldn't have...” he gazed at his helmet “Now I'm locked up in this suit of armor all day, everyday” he placed the helmet back on his head and then looked over at Demi “....Why are your wings all tattered up?”

Demi kicked a rock and gave a weak grin “For the same reason you got kicked in the face”

“....Well, can't you just heal it?”

Demi furrowed his brow and turned around to walk away “I only made that mistake once...”

“So, you've never flown since then?” Flying. The word, the term was almost alien to the second in command who never got the chance to spread his wings. He didn't realize that he was frozen “...You never got to fly, did you?” he saw his superior's wings lower, a sign of emotional pain. The robust demon walked over to him “Want a ride?”

“What?” Demi turned around to make sure he had heard him correctly.

Gotorek shrugged “What do you weigh, a buck fifty? One sixty?” He turned around “Come on, hop on my back!” Demi's cheeks reddened. He made his way over to Gotorek and did a small jump for the height needed to reach the big demon's shoulders. His small hands gripped the guardian's shoulder plates. “You'll fall off if you grab there, here-” he took Demi's delicate fingers in his armored gauntlets and carefully pulled him up so his passenger's arms could wrap over his broad chest. “You secure?” Demi nodded “Alright, hang on tight!” As Gotorek opened up his massive wings, Demi hooked his fingers underneath the ridges of Gotorek's chest plates. Then, in one great flap of his wings, Gotorek was airborne and soaring higher with each flap. Demi held on tighter, the feeling of his stomach shifting almost made him dizzy. The lieutenant hunkered down and shut his eyes. “....Hey, buddy, you can look, now”

Demi opened up his purple eye, and then his golden one, and slowly, they became as wide as saucers. The view took his breath away. Flying amongst the stalactites was something he'd dreamed of doing, but never thought would be possible. Gotorek weaved between the rocky teeth with surprising dexterity, given his size. Demi looked over his shoulder down at the other demons flying below them, and of the specks of demons walking along the ground. It was something else entirely. He closed his eyes and leaned into Gotorek's exposed neck, getting comfortable for the ride...

Nikashiri walked out of a portal “Well, THAT was bullshit! Fucking peace treaties. If this shit keeps up, I might have to actually make my own meals” she kicked a red rock and growled “I need a punching bag...” she looked up at the sentinel and her second in command having fun, and her scowl transformed into a malicious smile “...Nothing cheers me up than making that whiny little bitch miserable” she took her hand and aimed a finger gun at the gatekeeper “....POW!”

Gotorek gasped and clutched his chest “Gotorek?! Gotorek! What's wrong?!” the mighty demon went limp, and his wings flew up, starting a freefall “AAAHH!” Demi's mind raced. He knew that by now, Gotorek must have died. Demons didn't get sick or have heart attacks, and the only way to kill a demon was either with divine energy... or be killed off by the queen of demons herself. He looked over to the left. Sure enough, Nikashiri wore a big smile and was waving to him like one of those animatronic mall Santas. He thought fast; his gaze landed on the two big wings. Demi grabbed one in each hand and straightened them, turning Gotorek's dead body into a glider. The effect was instant. Instead of plummeting, the duo was now gliding forward, steadily going down. Demi allowed himself a smirk at having outsmarted Nikashiri... until a giant hand grabbed him and his craft.

Nikashiri squeezed “So, you think you're soooo smart, huh?!”

“N-No, my queen! I-”

“Can it, Demi!” she opened up her hand to see poor Demi in a ball, wrapped in a fetal position and hiding his face “Look at me!” he slowly uncurled himself, seeing a soft smile on his goddess. “There, see? I'm not mad at you, Demi” she brought a finger over and stroked the top of his head “I am a fair ruler, wouldn't you agree?” Most demons would feel relieved, but not Demi, this wasn't the first time she had pulled this “I'm not a bad girl” act. He tried to hide himself underneath his wings “Nuh-uh-uh, don't hide from me, Demi” she delicately pulled his wing away “You know I care about you, my little second in command” she pinched his wing and grinded it in between her fingertips, making him squirm “You also know that as my top guardian, you are not allowed to have any fun. Those are the rules “she spoke in a sweet voice “Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes! Yes, I understand, my queen!” It took everything Demi had to not try and pry her finger off, knowing it would make her angrier.

“Good. Now, one of the things I am going to change around here is a clean-up campaign” she picked him up by the wing, putting strain on the fibers that connected it to his back “This place might be Hell, but it doesn't need to look like hell. I mean, I just want to come home to a clean, fiery pit and soak in some lava without smelling a dead body, or stepping over a demon carcass on the way, you feel me?”

“AAAUUGH! YES! Y-Yes, my queen!”

“Good, someone who understands. So, your mission, as well as your other duties, will be to pick up any dead bodies you see and dispose of them. Throw them into deep space, drop them in the lake, drop them down a hole, I don't care, just, out of sight, out of mind, get it?”

Demi had tears falling from his eyes and dripping down his cheeks “Yes, my queen” he meekly replied.

“I'm sorry, I didn't hear you” she smirked “Maybe I'd hear you better... in my mouth” she opened up her mouth and moved Demi closer to oblivion.

“No! My queen! I understand! Hell will be clean of the dead bodies!!” Demi cried. Then, the poor demon broke down and balled up again, bawling like a child.

“Theeerre, THAT'S the reaction I wanted to see” Nikashiri kneeled down and dropped him “Here, you can start with this one” she dropped Gotorek's armored body on top of him “Hmmm, hey, Demi, make sure you hit the gym on your free time, you're going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting” she stood back up “Do you even get free time? …...Whatever, make some free time and go work out some. I don't want to see you taking three years to move a dead body” the queen turned and walked away, her footfalls making the ground shake with every step. Demi sniffled and looked at the only friend he had made in a hundred years. He respectfully laid his head on Gotorek's broad chest, letting his tears drip onto his armor.

Description
Demi sat at the edge of a cliff that overlooked millions of red stalagmites and stalactites, as well as one of the gates of Hell. He held his face in his hands, the laughing from the other demons still fresh in his head. Then, he heard a familiar shrieking, the sound of Nikashiri yelling at some poor demon who probably did nothing wrong. The lieutenant looked down at the gate guardian who was being harassed.

“What is this?” his queen held up a white feather.

“That is an a-angel feather, my queen!” the large, armored demon was shaking in his boots.

“An angel feather.... mind telling me how it got here, gatekeeper?” she spoke in a soft, deceiving tone.

“Um, it... it wasn't here before...” Demi felt his stomach twist. This was one of Nikashiri's lowest forms of beating her warriors. Practically everyone she did this to KNEW that her wife was an angel, and the feather most likely was one she brought just for the occasion, but should they accuse their queen of trying to trick them? Or should they pretend that they allowed an angel to cross into Hell?

“How about you try finding your brain on the ground” the demon hesitated, but he did get on his hands and knees “No, no, you have lean back, but still keep your hands down” he leaned back, until he found himself bowing down at her feet “Theeere you go, do you know why I have my demons bow before me?”

“Um... as a sign of respect, my queen?”

“Well, that's one reason, but the other is so I can do THIS!” WHAM! Her boot kicked him in the face hard enough to throw his helmet off. The demon's body flew aside and rolled over. “Now, get up and do your damn job!”

“Yes, my queen” the large, muscular demon used his greatsword to help him back on his feet

“If I find even one angel down here, I'll be back! Got it?!” the demon nodded “Good!” and with that Nikashiri walked away. Only when she was gone, did Demi teleport down to the demon's aid.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yes, Lord Demi” he used his sword as a cane to keep himself on his feet.

“No, you aren't... you must be new here, or you wouldn't be calling me 'Lord' Demi. It's just Demi, Nikashiri hates the thought of me having any kind of authority when she's around. Come here” the gatekeeper stood still “I won't hurt you, I promise” taking baby steps, the armored hulk made his way within arm's reach. Demi reached out and touched his cheek, casting a healing spell on the guardian “What's your name?”

“Gotorek, Lor- ...Er, Demi. It doesn't feel right denying your appropriate title”

“Tell me about it” he gave the demon a pat on the cheek “How do you feel?”

“Like a million bucks! Heh, if money was a thing down here, anyway” Gotorek went to retrieve his helmet.

“You still remember your past life?”

“Oh, yeah, I've only been here for a couple of years. I had five cars, a big mansion, women whenever I wanted, a helicopter, my life was the shit... now my afterlife is just... shit.... I did a lot of things that I shouldn't have...” he gazed at his helmet “Now I'm locked up in this suit of armor all day, everyday” he placed the helmet back on his head and then looked over at Demi “....Why are your wings all tattered up?”

Demi kicked a rock and gave a weak grin “For the same reason you got kicked in the face”

“....Well, can't you just heal it?”

Demi furrowed his brow and turned around to walk away “I only made that mistake once...”

“So, you've never flown since then?” Flying. The word, the term was almost alien to the second in command who never got the chance to spread his wings. He didn't realize that he was frozen “...You never got to fly, did you?” he saw his superior's wings lower, a sign of emotional pain. The robust demon walked over to him “Want a ride?”

“What?” Demi turned around to make sure he had heard him correctly.

Gotorek shrugged “What do you weigh, a buck fifty? One sixty?” He turned around “Come on, hop on my back!” Demi's cheeks reddened. He made his way over to Gotorek and did a small jump for the height needed to reach the big demon's shoulders. His small hands gripped the guardian's shoulder plates. “You'll fall off if you grab there, here-” he took Demi's delicate fingers in his armored gauntlets and carefully pulled him up so his passenger's arms could wrap over his broad chest. “You secure?” Demi nodded “Alright, hang on tight!” As Gotorek opened up his massive wings, Demi hooked his fingers underneath the ridges of Gotorek's chest plates. Then, in one great flap of his wings, Gotorek was airborne and soaring higher with each flap. Demi held on tighter, the feeling of his stomach shifting almost made him dizzy. The lieutenant hunkered down and shut his eyes. “....Hey, buddy, you can look, now”

Demi opened up his purple eye, and then his golden one, and slowly, they became as wide as saucers. The view took his breath away. Flying amongst the stalactites was something he'd dreamed of doing, but never thought would be possible. Gotorek weaved between the rocky teeth with surprising dexterity, given his size. Demi looked over his shoulder down at the other demons flying below them, and of the specks of demons walking along the ground. It was something else entirely. He closed his eyes and leaned into Gotorek's exposed neck, getting comfortable for the ride...

Nikashiri walked out of a portal “Well, THAT was bullshit! Fucking peace treaties. If this shit keeps up, I might have to actually make my own meals” she kicked a red rock and growled “I need a punching bag...” she looked up at the sentinel and her second in command having fun, and her scowl transformed into a malicious smile “...Nothing cheers me up than making that whiny little bitch miserable” she took her hand and aimed a finger gun at the gatekeeper “....POW!”

Gotorek gasped and clutched his chest “Gotorek?! Gotorek! What's wrong?!” the mighty demon went limp, and his wings flew up, starting a freefall “AAAHH!” Demi's mind raced. He knew that by now, Gotorek must have died. Demons didn't get sick or have heart attacks, and the only way to kill a demon was either with divine energy... or be killed off by the queen of demons herself. He looked over to the left. Sure enough, Nikashiri wore a big smile and was waving to him like one of those animatronic mall Santas. He thought fast; his gaze landed on the two big wings. Demi grabbed one in each hand and straightened them, turning Gotorek's dead body into a glider. The effect was instant. Instead of plummeting, the duo was now gliding forward, steadily going down. Demi allowed himself a smirk at having outsmarted Nikashiri... until a giant hand grabbed him and his craft.

Nikashiri squeezed “So, you think you're soooo smart, huh?!”

“N-No, my queen! I-”

“Can it, Demi!” she opened up her hand to see poor Demi in a ball, wrapped in a fetal position and hiding his face “Look at me!” he slowly uncurled himself, seeing a soft smile on his goddess. “There, see? I'm not mad at you, Demi” she brought a finger over and stroked the top of his head “I am a fair ruler, wouldn't you agree?” Most demons would feel relieved, but not Demi, this wasn't the first time she had pulled this “I'm not a bad girl” act. He tried to hide himself underneath his wings “Nuh-uh-uh, don't hide from me, Demi” she delicately pulled his wing away “You know I care about you, my little second in command” she pinched his wing and grinded it in between her fingertips, making him squirm “You also know that as my top guardian, you are not allowed to have any fun. Those are the rules “she spoke in a sweet voice “Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes! Yes, I understand, my queen!” It took everything Demi had to not try and pry her finger off, knowing it would make her angrier.

“Good. Now, one of the things I am going to change around here is a clean-up campaign” she picked him up by the wing, putting strain on the fibers that connected it to his back “This place might be Hell, but it doesn't need to look like hell. I mean, I just want to come home to a clean, fiery pit and soak in some lava without smelling a dead body, or stepping over a demon carcass on the way, you feel me?”

“AAAUUGH! YES! Y-Yes, my queen!”

“Good, someone who understands. So, your mission, as well as your other duties, will be to pick up any dead bodies you see and dispose of them. Throw them into deep space, drop them in the lake, drop them down a hole, I don't care, just, out of sight, out of mind, get it?”

Demi had tears falling from his eyes and dripping down his cheeks “Yes, my queen” he meekly replied.

“I'm sorry, I didn't hear you” she smirked “Maybe I'd hear you better... in my mouth” she opened up her mouth and moved Demi closer to oblivion.

“No! My queen! I understand! Hell will be clean of the dead bodies!!” Demi cried. Then, the poor demon broke down and balled up again, bawling like a child.

“Theeerre, THAT'S the reaction I wanted to see” Nikashiri kneeled down and dropped him “Here, you can start with this one” she dropped Gotorek's armored body on top of him “Hmmm, hey, Demi, make sure you hit the gym on your free time, you're going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting” she stood back up “Do you even get free time? …...Whatever, make some free time and go work out some. I don't want to see you taking three years to move a dead body” the queen turned and walked away, her footfalls making the ground shake with every step. Demi sniffled and looked at the only friend he had made in a hundred years. He respectfully laid his head on Gotorek's broad chest, letting his tears drip onto his armor.