Chapter 14: In the Demon’s House, Which Way Should You Go?

Even as Eigis was asking her brother which limb he would like to lose, Bells finally reached the demon’s house, sometime around dawn, having followed her brother’s tracks to it. It was sometime after the demon had gone upstairs to check on the time. She had walked practically all night, stopping at one point to catch a few hours sleep in a tree, and have breakfast. She was a little tired, but ready for a fight.

The gate, a heavy affair carved from stone and set with steel bars, was neatly sliced in two, the upper half now lying flat on the white stone walk beyond, washed pink and purple in the new morning light. Bells guessed that this must be the work of her brother.

“Baka,” She muttered, stepping over what was left of the gate. “Ruining a perfectly good gate. Never mind that it belongs to a demon. What a beautiful place.” She looked around appreciatively.

On either side a gently sloping garden let to Eigis’s brightly lit, many roomed house. The wall was wide enough for battlements, and three people could walk around with ease. Every few feet a round diamond orb held silver magic fire, flaming bright against the dying night. The scent of different flowers filled the air, and the music of falling water from several fountains.

“Well, I know he came here,” She said to herself. “And there’s no tracks leading out. So that means he’s around here somewhere. Ah! Here’s where his feet crushed the grass.”

Her bells at the ready, she crept after her brother’s footprints, following around the edge of the garden, leading off to the right. Doing her best to make use of cover and keeping to shadows, she searched for sign of her brother while keeping alert for the demon. The noise of the fountains was not loud, and she could hear larks singing in the trees, which meant that if there was a fight still going on, it was either quiet or inside the house, or the fight was over and whoever won was too tired to do anything but sleep. Which was often the case after a fight.

Soon she reached the poppies and stopped, recognizing them at once, keeping upwind and at a distance where their spell couldn’t reach. Spotting Hiryu’s helmet shinning in the light of the brightening sun, Bells sighed heavily, and her shoulders slumped.

“Baka.” She muttered again. “Weren’t you paying attention when mother was explaining how dangerous poppies, especially demon poppies, were? Or how to recognize them? You’d better hope you’re alive Hiryu, because if you’re not, Mother will come revive you just so she can kill you herself.”

Bells waited until a moth, hovering above the red and purple flowers, showed her that the spell was dormant. She came closer cautiously, one hand pressed against her mouth and nose, ready to stop breathing the moment any of the flowers decided to open. But soon, since it was clear the demon was nowhere around, she moved through the flowers, quickly picking up the pieces of armor. She was glad when the cast off pieces led away from the poppies and up to the house.

Bells picked up the last piece (a shoulder pad) lying at the bottom of steps leading up to the house proper. Scratch marks, blood, and pieces of cloth and leather confirmed her suspicions.

“So the demon caught you with the poppies, and now he’s probably eating you. Maybe torturing you first. I wonder if you’re still alive Hiryu. But hey, at least the demon won’t be expecting me.” Smiling, Bells disappeared inside.

She paused just past the doorway. The place was enormous, all gleaming golden wood, sliding doors, colorful rush mats, and ceramic pots of exotic plants. Silk and gold hangings decorated the walls. There were numerous windows, lending an open, airy feel to the house. Bells was confronted with three hallways. One led right, one left, and one down the width of the house. There was a set of steps further along that wound upstairs, and one leading down. Which way should she go first?