The Messenger

“Whatever I've been sensing…is nearby,” she said as she danced slowly to the music. Grrbrool Lykin looked thoughtful, peering under the screens in the KTOX DJ booth, watching her. Faye’Li Vidae continued to dance, her hair twinned back and drifting over her shoulders as she began to speak rhythmically.

“I see…teeth without mouths, blackness enveloping every bit of the air around that gets under the skin, the gnashing…and in a hallow dream state…fire, pain. Not only eaten, devoured as they bear witness to the darkest dreams while they wake. Torture...and every torment of the mind...that is hell….”

“Nice definition,” came a low man’s voice from the stairwell. “It's not as bad as people may think, though.”

I danced in time with Faye’Li, turning toward the direction of the voice where a dark-haired demon stood. “Hell,” I murmured, “Where all one’s desires are fulfilled without a thought and nothing satisfies.”

Faye’Li’s eyes closed slightly.

“It is mind…illusion…and reality. And it's on the doorstep of this City.”

“Always has been, I think, Messenger. It’s what is so very wrong with this place,” Grr said, one paw adjusting controls at the booth. Blaze Wiles stood next to Grr, sorting through music, making requests and listening. She nodded her head as Grr spoke.

The dark haired stranger stepped into the room, looking directly at Grr. “Is it?” he murmured.

“I mean, shit,” Grr said, “We're 300 meters from an active volcano, right fuckin now.” I stopped dancing, thinking of the Pit, and walked around behind the DJ booth, wrapping my arms around Grr’s waist but not saying a word. He reached back and embraced me, holding me to his back, swishing his tail on my knees.

Blaze said dryly, “I bet a geologist could give you quite an exhaustive list of ‘bad’ things just regarding that little fact."

Faye’Li seemed to nod, but began speaking in the singsong voice again.

“They seek not the righteous nor the damned, they come for all…and when the gate grows wide enough….”

She rubbed her head and sat down.

“Yes? Go on…..” the stranger said quietly.

“She's a Seer, mate, sometimes there's more, sometimes that’s it,” Grr said watching Faye’Li through the glass.

I looked around Grr’s shoulders to see Fay’Li’s puzzled look. “It ’appened again?” she asked.

Grr sighed. “Yup… clear as a bell, and just as ringin.”

“She's not aware when that happens?” the stranger asked.

“Ya not so far,” Grr replied. “Messenger’s just dispencin wisdom we can’t quite understand yet.” The stranger nodded, looking at Faye’Li closely.

“You saw the devourer, Faye’Li,” I said after a moment.

Faye’Li looked at me with a question then said softly, “I see a darkness dat wants to eat everyting if dats what you mean. Is like da atmosphere is angry.”

“Well,” the dark-haired demon smirked, “That sounds normal around here.”

I turned to him. “The devourer . . . has no desire but to consume. The soul. The spirit. The mind. The heart. Leaving nothing. It is . . . insatiable.”

Blaze frowned, “That sounds disturbingly familiar.”

The stranger glanced at Blaze, “Yes, it does.”