Turning, I see that the imps have taken a running leap into the air. They’re gaining the fire demons attention by … what? Throwing rocks at them? “Are you freakin’ kidding me? What the hell are they thinking? That’s their plan?”
“Give them a chance, little one,” Daxell’s demon urges. I adore his growl. “I’m fast. I just need them to garner their attention for more than thirty seconds and then we are off.” He hovers in a stationary position above the scene that is playing out below us. His sturdy wings beat patiently in slow downward strokes, as the three imps deploy their epic distraction.
“I should have stayed with Pipperton,” Poppy whispers, her voice wobbles just a bit, “they’re going to die a painful fiery death.”
“I’m going to kill Pip the next time I see him, their distraction is so lame. By the gods …” If the situation weren’t so dire, it would be comical.
“Calm down, little one,” my demon murmurs in my ear.
It’s at that moment that the three imps divide and begin their attack on the fire demons drawing their undivided attention from their skirmish. Pipperton is the imp on point as he dives and taunts these demons. I stifle a gasp as the fiery fiends direct their ire at his infinitesimal form. He looks like a sprite from here compared to their larger form. He speeds away, quick and agile as the other two cover his departure. The coordinated attack is having the desired effect. Daxell’s demon springs into action as soon as the demons turn to follow our imp friends. He’s quick. In the blink of an eye, we are speeding past the now empty lava fields heading toward the distant island, which is bigger than I thought it would be. The closer we get the more detail I’m able to make out. To the far right, there’s a mountain and at the foot of the mountain, a large open pantheon style temple stands amidst all the odds and ends. My heart sinks once again when I see all the stuff, things, junk. It’s everywhere. Piled in mounds with no rhyme or reason.
Poppy whistles, “Sassafras and scarab beetles, what an unholy mess. What now?”
42
Treasure
(Lillie Joanna)
We fly low over the dump of an island and I mean that in the most sincere way. Everywhere we look there’s stuff. Even on the shores that lead down to the lava lake. I’m left to assume that the demons who live here could care less about all the junk on the shores of this place. Little by little that stuff is falling into the molten rock never to be seen from again as the flames dance over the items as they sink into the depths to be incinerated. I guess that’s what eventually happens to all these discarded things.
We land not that far from the shore on one of the many paths that wind through all the piles of discarded items. Piles and piles are everywhere. Daxell has shifted back, and for an instance, I can feel a flicker of our bond and then it’s gone again. Looking up at him, I can sense that he felt it too because his face hardens into a mask of grim determination. He’s ready to get this over with and get me back to Faerie.
“All right, I have no idea as to where we should start. Do you think that we will run into any of these demons that seem to have a hoarding problem of epic proportions?” I ask, my voice low.
Poppy springs off my shoulder to flit here and there, anxiety coming off her in waves, “I think that we need to stick together. This place is giving off a bad vibe.”
“We stay together. As soon as we find what we came for we are out of here.” Daxell growl whispers to both of us.
Slowly, we begin to aimlessly look around, no real starting point, no real plan, because how in the world can you devise a plan to search this place. After what seems like hours wandering around not having any luck, Daxell stills and places his finger over my lips. He cocks his head, listening.
“What do you hear?” Poppy mouths as she ties her long ebony hair back into a high ponytail.
Then I hear it too. It sounds like someone in the distance is arguing. Picking our way through the winding paths, the three of us come closer to two fumbling, bumbling smaller than dwarf demons. Turning the corner we see the two locked in conflict.
“I founds it! Not you. Gives its back!” One of them hisses at the other. The two smaller demons fight between themselves, the object in question is a plain black backpack, I could swear that it is the one that we are seeking, it looks fairly new and obviously does not belong in this realm. The straps are being pulled in opposite directions, nearly pulling the bag in half as the seams begin to tear. The tiny brown-skin demons continue to grapple with one another over the very item that we have traveled over the Lava Fields to find. The gnome-like creatures with their dark leathery skin continue to bicker over the item as if it is a precious treasure.
“It be my treasure, my prize! I wants it back!” He squeals, his voice rising in pitch and irritation.
The other demon waits until his screeching companion pulls hard on his strap with a mighty yank, then he lets go, sending his opponent flying backward. Quick as a snake he’s on him and smashing him over the head with a random shoe lying next to them. “I be rewarded by our master. Not yous. Stupid yous. Yous wants to keeps it for youself. Stupid yous. Stupid.” He smashes the shoe over the other’s head one more time drawing a yellow like blood from
