An end to the Demonic Duke of Death Orcus, what an idea. It will get me killed, for sure. Why were those two like that all that time? They were eager to lay down their life just to prove something. I saved them from Death in more ways than one, yet they shouted at me back then; they looked as if they could’ve killed me then. Carl thought as he left the Skookum Crow for a bit. A small stone hit Carl on the head; when Carl looked up to see where it was coming from, he saw himself again. A younger version of himself, the one he’d been at the start of the journey through the Deeprealm.
"What’s the big idea? Accept already!" The devil inside Carl’s head declared. The devil that now most definitely resided outside his head, sitting on the roof of the Skookum Crow.
"What would you have me do? Die for a foolish endeavor? We didn’t stand a chance last time, and neither will we this time!" Carl answered, getting quite irritated; in lieu of a response, he got pelted by rocks.
"Ouch, why’d you do that?" Carl said, rubbing his balding head. The Carl, with a healthy crop of hair, laughed.
"You’re an idiot, a fool, you’re dense, a buffoon, you’re rude, and I could go on listing more things that you are, but one thing you are not is weak! Why do you make yourself out to be so weak to yourself and everyone? I gave you your strength; I gave you those powers. You ran away at the slightest sense of danger, and when you had the chance to fulfill our contract, to be rid of me and these powers, to return to a life of farming and quiet respite, what did you choose? Ah, yes, I remember. I remember you choosing to cast a spell that would put your chance at the life you want on another realm altogether." Carl looked upon him; this form he took was not to mock the changes time and worry had brought but to remind Carl of that time.
"I didn’t always run away! I fought well alongside them!" Carl shouted in defiance.
"Yes, but you could do so much more; fear holds you back! Do you not see Carl? You could’ve ended things years ago!" It almost seemed that the Devil was now outside his head, trying to talk him up instead of down, but that feeling didn’t last long. Roof-Carl dissipated like mist, a red blur forming in the corner of Carl’s eye. A man of great muscle appeared next to Carl. The man had toned muscles, his outfit showing off his torso and arms. He wore black leather pants, gloves, and moccasins with a red trim.
"My dear Carl, I’ve been your benefactor since that fateful night. You were so close to bestowing glory upon me through your deeds, but your cowardice has left me to look a fool!" There it is, the truth of it. I made him look bad, so now he wants me to risk my life again so he can have a chance at being a more noteworthy devil.
"Why should I do anything for you? The life I have is fine. Nathalie is safe, and I fulfill our deal with these jobs!" Carl was starting to have quite enough of it.
The devil laughed loudly, his body convulsing.
"Fine? Carl, I am in your head. You complain constantly and want to be back to your wife the moment you leave. Your life is not fine. You can fulfill the bare minimum to keep your powers, and I guarantee your wife will be safe. I’m certain you’ll keep it up for many more years, but is that the life you want?" He was right, of course, damn him back to the hells he came from. Carl thought angrily before sighing audibly.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"What do you suggest? You have some ideas beyond just me excepting this suicide mission."
"I miss them sometimes, the simple sort who crave power for the right to adventure. They called it what it was, at least. A quest, my dear Carl, and if you do it right, the last one you’ll ever have to do." Carl saw him make a dramatic pause, trying to get a good read on Carl. The devil ran a hand through luscious red locks and a head of hair that looked like a perfect mess.
"It’s simple, Carl, you go on your quest. I look after your wife, and after you’ve slain the Demonic Duke, I’ll free you from all responsibilities you have to keep up for the contract, thereby ending it. After these years, do you not wonder what it is like not to have me share that space up in that noggin of yours? Do you not crave to know silence and a bit of quiet?" He laughed heartily then.
"I suppose I already know, so go back and say you’ll accept. We both want to get rid of each other, Carl; no need to beat around that bush." Carl stood there momentarily, staring the devil right in the eyes.
"Years have passed; we will say our goodbyes, and I know not even your name," Carl said, unsure of what came over him.
"Kahmin, at your service for as long as our contract holds, may you wield my power well. I didn’t think you’d ever ask."
Kahmin wandered to lean on the door of the Skookum Crow. Carl looked over, almost eager to say something, but stepped back through the broken window.
"I’ll do it, Agazuul! If I do this one thing, I can return to my wife knowing I can stop looking over my shoulder." Carl tried to be as courageous as could be while he said it. Agazuul seemed to give him a confident silence as if knowing that’s what Carl would’ve said. They spoke of Lixiss and getting her back, thinking of where she could be. Something caught Carl off guard, though. He saw a man sitting in the otherwise empty Skookum Crow. Every other patron had left hurriedly when those rats came topside; how long had this patron been here? The unnerving part was how he looked, a farmer’s face. The man had freckles, a suntanned complexion with ginger hair and eyes of green. Tòmas was dead, Carl was sure he was, yet here he sat in the Skookum Crow. He smiled disarmingly toward Carl, acknowledging his presence and letting him know. He saw Carl looking over. Something was beckoning in that smile, and Carl went to the man who couldn’t possibly be Tòmas, leaving Agazuul midsentence.
As Carl got close, not-Tòmas leaned in and said.
"Good to see your face after all these years. I came to say hi. Now that I have, I’ll be off. We will meet again; rest assured of that." A foul laugh that seemingly only Carl heard was the end of that conversation as not-Tòmas leisurely walked away. Carl was too stunned to move or react.
End Of Chapter 10 - Carl 3