RoD Chapter 5

“No! This can’t be happening!” Cainu cried out silently within his own head.

“It can, and it has.” His mouth replied.

“Stop that! Stop using my mouth to tell me things.”

“It’s not your mouth anymore. It’s mine and I will do what I want with it.” The demon was flying through the forest, weaving through the trees. Cainu could sense that the demon was enjoying being under the cover of the forest after the never-ending plain that Cainu was now a prisoner in. In some ways, Cainu felt sorry for the demon. The moment that thought went through Cainu’s mind the demon snarled. “I don’t need your pity.” He told Cainu.

“How did you…?”

“You’re such an idiot!” The demon cut him off mid-sentence, skidding to a halt and going to sit on the roots of a nearby tree. “You can feel my emotions right? Well it’s not a one-way path you know. I can feel your emotions as well. We are bonded more tightly than you realize. I just happen to be the stronger of us so I get the body.” The demon was studying the forest when he said this and Cainu sighed, wishing he could see the sky. When he had the thought the demon turned his head to look up through the branches at the clear blue color. “Happy now?” He growled.

“Well, not happy but better.” Cainu replied honestly. “Why would you do that for me though? I thought you hated me.”

“I do hate you for your blatant ignorance and lack of desire to learn, but I also just told you I can feel your emotions.” The demon muttered. “It’s annoying when you’re a constant storm cloud so I did what you wanted to get rid of some of that disappointment.”

“So let me have my body back!” Cainu countered, getting annoyed.

“Not a chance in hell.”

At that, the demon rose once more and set off in search of prey. He padded slowly through the forest with a skill that could only be natural. He soon found a herd of deer, but instead of stalking them slowly and then killing off his target quickly he just grabbed one of the males by the antlers with his shadow and held it down while the rest of the herd bolted. He walked slowly over to the braying beast, relishing in his power. He stood and held it there for a while. Cainu started feeling sorry for it. “Ruining my fun.” The demon growled as he reached forward and slashed at the creature’s throat. He then stepped back and held it down while waiting for it to die. “Honestly, why do you have to be such a downer!” Cainu just growled at him, refusing to answer the question. His eyes rolled, making Cainu growl once more. “Okay that’s it, time for the pup to go back to his room.” Before Cainu could ask what the demon meant, his vision flashed black for a moment and he found himself back on the endless plain once more.

Cainu started yelling at the demon at the top of his lungs. He could feel the demon’s irritation and started screaming louder, sensing he was pushing his buttons but not calm enough to think of exploring the bond. He was hating the imbalance of power and essentially the lack of control over his own life anymore. And he had thought his lack of rights and being forced to keep silent. Now he had the freedom to speak as he wished and it was all for naught. He hadn’t realized there could be an even greater lack of control than what he had faced in the pack. He was beginning to realize just how little he knew. The demon was controlling what he saw and when. It was just so unfair! The demon’s anger peaked and a rumbling growl sounded over the plains. Then a wave of heat washed over him, bringing with it a weight that crashed down over his body. His legs gave way under the pressure. Cainu fought to get up but his body refused to do what he was telling it to. The only thing he could move was his mouth and he kept up his yelling at the demon, his petty insults turning to curses with each second. Eventually his growls trailed off into whimpers. He was losing heart about all of this. He wanted his body back but he had no idea how to take it. The demon pressed down harder in a show of dominance before pulling away. He said nothing but Cainu got the message loud and clear. Piss me off and I’ll do more than just take your body!  Cainu curled up, wanting nothing more than to get some sleep but no matter how hard he tried, sleep would not come to him. After an hour of tossing and turning Cainu gave up and rose to his paws once more with a huff of annoyance.  He looked around, spotting the lone tree from before not too far away. He rose and walked over to it. Pausing at the base, Cainu looked up at the hammock once more. He knew that it was where the demon slept before he took over Cainu’s body. Standing back and studying the tree, Cainu realized he could see the path the demon had taken to climb up and that he could also make it. He was actually surprised he had not seen it before since it was so obvious. He didn’t know how he knew, he just did. Cainu stepped back a few more steps and took a running start, leaping into the tree. By following the demon’s path he made it to the flat spot next to the hammock without any real difficulty. He reached out a paw and the material swung away from him. “How and I supposed to get into this?” He growled, confused and annoyed but for once the voice of the demon was not laughing in his ear to give him any hints. He tried jumping into it for lack of any better ideas, but overshot and tumbled out of the tree. He landed on his tail with a yelp and heard a chuckle across the plain. “Oh yeah! Now you’re watching me! Where were you five seconds ago?” He yelled into the dark sky. He was answered by another chuckle so he just shut his muzzle and turned back to the tree as he thought about how he was going to get into that hammock. He was not about to let the demon see him give up, especially after being laughed at, so he ran up the tree again and leapt into the hammock. He almost fell a second time but managed to sink his fangs into the material and keep his balance until it stopped swaying. Cainu collapsed on the hammock, exhausted both mentally and physically but feeling good for having shown the demon he did have the will to do something once he set his mind to it, and fell immediately into a troubled sleep. He hoped that when he woke it would all turn out to be a bad dream.

 

Cainu felt like no time had passed when he opened his eyes to a sky that still looked exactly the same. He was feeling as hopeful about taking his body back as he was about the sky changing. He knew it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. He had been sleeping in the hammock whenever he got tired; assuming that at least a week had passed. With each passing day he felt like he was losing his will to fight. There was no changing of the colors or movement of the sun to tell him that time had moved. There wasn’t even a sun that he could see, just the ever-swirling sunset. At least he didn’t get hungry in the forsaken place. He ripped his eyes from the sky, unable to bear the sight. He glared down instead at the hammock below him, but all that served to do was remind him that the one who slept here before had taken all he had left and thrown it aside, just causing him more pain. He shook his head and leapt down, stumbling when he hit. His heart felt heavy and he threw his head back, letting out a howl for the first time in his life. He howled with all he had, the sound both beautiful and sorrowful at the same time. It echoed across the plain and he paused, surprised that such a sound had come from his mouth. He then lifted his head, deliberately this time, and howled to the sky with all his strength. He poured his heart into the mournful sound, releasing it. He felt his sorrow floating away on the sound and his strength returning. He was a wolf, and the howling was reminding him of the fact. He may have been born an omega, but his pack was not in control of him anymore. His life was his now, and even though he had no idea what to do with it, he was not going to let a lowly demon make the decisions for him. His howl cut off and he growled, wishing with all his might that he could see what was going on. He blinked and when he opened his eyes all he could see was blackness. I’ve gone blind! He screamed silently. He started freaking out, but a few seconds later he heard a sigh and the blackness cleared, like he was opening his eyes and he realized the demon had been asleep was all. He had lost track of time to such an extent? It was disheartening. “Looks like somebody finally woke up.” Came the patronizing voice from his own mouth. No thanks to you. He countered. The demon just shrugged. He rose and stretched, the red sigil on the foreleg winking back at him. Why did you kill him? Cainu blurted out suddenly, spurred on by the image winking at him. This stopped the demon short. “I have no reason to answer that question do I?” He asked softly, in a voice that sounded dangerous and Cainu flinched but nodded. You’re a demon. All you care about is bloodshed. You mess with my head all the time and kill just ‘cause it’s fun. The demon just shook his head and continued through the forest. Where are you taking me anyways? The demon shrugged and let out a little growl of annoyance as a twig snapped some distance away. “No idea.” He replied. “I’m just wandering. It’s boring. There’s nothing for me here.” The demon paused and shook his head. “Why am I even bothering to reply to the ungrateful brat?” Cainu growled at his muttered words but the demon didn’t give him a response that time.

He froze a short time later, his nose to the wind. He whipped around to see a wolf emerging from the shadows behind him and let out a warning growl. “Easy there pup, I mean you no harm.” Came a familiar voice and Cainu immediately relaxed, which only made the demon more tense. Cainu’s suspicions were confirmed when the wolf stepped into the sunlight and his orange pelt was visible.

“Leave now or I will rip you to shreds and leave you for the crows.” Cainu heard his own voice growl and he growled at the demon for the rudeness. Even if this wolf hadn’t helped him in any way, he did warn Cainu about the pack in the mountain. It was Cainu’s own fault for not listening. Aye, and I thank you for that. Cainu started at the demon’s voice in his head. He hadn’t known that the demon could speak to him verbally as well as silently. It was your own stupidity that gave me this opportunity to get a body of my own.

The male narrowed his eyes at Cainu and studied him carefully, his body suddenly tense. ”Well met, demon.” He said calmly. “But you’re not the one I wish to speak to, would you please relinquish control so I can speak to the pup?”

“Why do you wish to speak to a banished omega?” The demon countered.

“Banished or not, I want to speak with him because he’s from Hidden Springs.” The male said calmly. “I happen to know a certain wolf in that pack very well but I am unable to speak to her anymore.” He explained easily enough. He didn’t seem to have anything to hide, and he appeared clam even though faced with an unpredictable demon. Cainu felt something similar to respect for the male kindle in him, making his urge to speak to the male stronger. There was something about the orange-pelted wolf that intrigued him.

“Are you so desperate to hear about her that you’ll even seek out the lowest of the low to find out?”

The wolf simply shrugged as his tail wagged slowly, carefully neutral. “Not that desperate, but since I can’t exactly walk into camp I have to settle for the next best.” He pointed out. “I have been watching from afar for a very long time, but since the night she refused to see me again I have not once met her face to face. She meant it when she said she would never speak with me again.” There was sadness within the wolf’s voice that Cainu couldn’t understand.

“Who are you?” The demon finally asked, accenting each word clearly. His voice was dark and Cainu could feel the demon’s urge to kill even though he wasn’t acting on it… yet. “You who have no sigil. You obviously do not have a demon, but you claim to know someone in Hidden Springs, a pack which curses and casts out any and all who are born demonless. You can’t honestly think I’m stupid enough to buy that can you?” Realizing the demon had a perfectly valid point Cainu nodded, for the first time on the same wavelength as it.

The wolf sat and looked into the demon’s eyes, and Cainu felt he was staring straight at him, seeing that he was there watching him as well. “My name is Talmarik.” He said simply.

Something snapped inside Cainu at the sound of the name. It was one he had heard before and it echoed inside his head. He froze unable to move for several moments as the name reverberated around his skull. He then cried out in shock and pain. He needed to get to that wolf with all his strength. He didn’t know yet whether he wanted to get to him for revenge or comfort, but the strong desire was there. Energy surged through him and he let out a howl, hearing it reverberate through his head. The howl echoed louder and louder as his desperation grew. He broke off the howl with a growl and was shocked to hear the sound coming from his own mouth. He blinked and realized that he was starting to regain control of his body. He could feel the pressure of the demon trying to push him back down, but he would not submit anymore. He growled even louder, pushing back with all his strength and he felt the demon slipping. This was HIS body, and he was the rightful owner. They competed inside Cainu’s head until the demon finally relented, slipping away. You idiot! The demon growled at him as it slipped back away into the silent realm inside Cainu’s consciousness. He blinked a few times, getting used to being able to control his body once more and then looked to the wolf in front of him, who looked completely shell-shocked at what he had just witnessed. The shock of hearing this wolf’s name must have allowed him to regain control. He could hear the demon roaring in his ears but he ignored it. He had something more important to attend to. “Are you really that Talmarik?” He asked breathlessly. His eyes were intense as he stared the wolf down, waiting for his answer.

“Your name?” Talmarik answered his question with another question, sitting back and relaxing at the change of tone in Cainu’s voice.

“I’m Cainu.” He replied, looking the male in the eye fearlessly, holding his breath as he waited for his reply.

“Then yes, I am that Talmarik.” He replied. “And I have missed you and your mother so much…  my son.”

Reviews

[Hikaru]

OH MY FRICKING GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!