Bound - NaNoWriMo2020 11/11

                 The two women began sprinting, and did not stop for near an hour. Eventually exhaustion took them, Kassadi signaling a desperate need to stop. They slowed to a stop, panting and wheezing, Kassadi clutching at a cramp in her side. She fell to the ground, splayed out as her lungs gulped at the air. Madrona hazarded a look back, nothing following them. She frowned deeply and scanned the surrounding area, mostly the same as the last half day, a well trodden road surrounded by all sides by a vast open grassy field slowly becoming a hilly valley beyond them. She did happen to spot a fairly large boulder some 35 feet off the road, she nodded to herself.

“Keep watch, I need to take care of something.” Madrona said as she walked towards the bolder.

“Really?” Kassadi stammered, still heaving her chest in heavy breaths. “You gotta go right now?”

“Just keep watch.” Madrona snapped.

“Okay okay!”

                Madronna stomped her way to the bolder and walked around so that she was out of view from Kassadi. She took a moment to attempt to calm herself. She did not calm. Instead she straightened her hair, adjusted herself in her coreset, and brushed dirt and ash from her form. She frowned deeply, she was not exactly excited to do this.

“Mirrag!” She hissed out, hate on her tongue. “Mirrag show yourself this instant!” She looked around, there was no response. She growled, and dug a heel into the dirt beneath her. She drew her dagger and sliced open her own palm, pressing the blood against the stone before her. “Mirrag I demand that you answer my call!”

                There was a sudden change in the air, the cool morning breeze coming to a sudden stop. There was a sudden dryness to the area as if the very moisture of the world had been stolen, leaving a parched sensation in it’s wake. The heat rose, and boy did it rise, even Madrona felt the sweat start to bead on her fake and neck. She wasn’t about to show discomfort however, he liked that too much. Her brow furrowed and a sneer of disdain etched onto her features as she saw a form start to emerge from the rock in front of her.

Fingers with long claw like nails came first, reaching out from either side of the bloody handprint and pulling the rest of the body forward. The skin was a deep maroon, and the back of the palms and forearms were covered in a thick set of jet-black hair. The body was adorned in fine clothing, a silk red tunic under a fine black cotton jacket, black slacks and impeccable black leather riding boots. The sharp teeth of his grin emerged before the rest of his face, angular features with cheekbones you could cut yourself stroking and a thick but meticulously trimmed goatee, the eyes were all black save for two gently glowing red dots that served as pupils. Horns sprouted from his head, but unlike Madrona’s they were red and lacked any ridges, instead they were smooth and curved only slightly up straight into the air, coming to fine points. As he emerged fully his gaze took Madrona’s form and his smile grew wide and sadistic.

“Madrona, my favorite disciple.” The devil stated.

“I’m not your disciple.” Madrona said sharply. “What the Hells, Mirrag!” Madrona was angry and she shoved her finger into the Devil’s face. Mirrag quirked a brow, staring down at the finger. He placed a hand atop it and moved it from his face.

“I assure you, Madrona, I have no idea what you’re accusing me of this time. How about you catch me up?” He let out a sigh and leaned back against the bolder, crossing his arms lazily over his chest.

“The Hell-Hound you hapless fiend! Why did you send a Hell-Hound after me?” Madrona wanted to shout, but she also knew she couldn’t, her words came out in sharp whispers instead.

“Hell-Hound?” Mirrag shifted at this, straightening. “A Hell-Hound attacked you?”

“Yes.” Madrona stated.

“I had nothing to do with it.” Mirrag said. “Did you kill it?” He said with a grin.

“No!” Madrona threw her hands up. “I had to flee from it after it blanketed me with fire!” Madrona let out an exhausted breath. Mirrag looked concerned, she never saw him look concerned. “What?”

“Someone sent a Hell-Hound after you… My claim.” He said, Madrona blanched. “This wasn’t some hapless bandit with a lucky dagger strike, this is someone with connections to the Three Hells, possibly a denizen. That’s a slight against me.” He tapped a clawed hand against his chin, pulling at the hair of his beard. “I’ll look into it.” He turned to return to the rock.

“Hey I’m not done.” Madrona called, snapping her fingers at the Devil to gain his attention. Mirrag sighed in annoyance.

“What?” He said and turned his head to the woman, he was frowning now. “And stop snapping at me, I am not your puppy!”

“No but you’re supposed to be my teacher.” She glowered at the man, hands on her hips. “Eight months with these powers you’ve given me and you’ve actually taught me nothing. I didn’t even know I didn’t need to use this to cast my Devil’s Blast spell.” She said, drawing her dagger. “I’m walking around trying to pretend I’m a Sorcerer and making a fool of myself because I don’t know how my magic works!”

“Mmm.” Miragg murmured. She wasn’t wrong, and calling out a Devil for not keeping to their word, Miragg waved his hand dismissively. “I’m busy in the Hells, dear. Don’t you worry though I’m just about to free up and I’ll be happy to come around and give you the lessons I’ve missed out on, I’ll even show you a few new spells.” He furrowed his brow. “Who’ve you’ve been talking to that makes you such a fool in the way of Magic?” He grinned. “And why are you whispering.”

“Don’t you worry about that.” She said, guardedly.

“Oh no.” The devil’s grin only swelled. “Don’t tell me that Madronna Daae has found herself a friend?” He turned and peered around the boulder, there he saw Kassadi, sitting in the middle of the road, a boot next to her as she gently massaged a bare foot. Madrona grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back.

“She’ll see you!” Madrona hissed.

“A Wizard. You found yourself a Wizard to pal around with. Tsk tsk.” He clicked his tongue. “Not good Madrona, Wizards know their Magic, it’s what they do. She’ll suss you out sooner than later, best to abandon that one.”

“I can’t.” Madrona glared.

“Oh? Attached are we? Thought you didn’t like people.” Miragg was curious now, mostly because he could see it bothered Madrona.

“I don’t!” She shouted, pausing afterwards to await Kassadi’s response… none came. “She’s not a friend, I just…” She sighed deeply. “I’m wearing a cursed bracelet, I can’t be more than fifty feet from her now.”

                Miragg started cackleing. Madrona desperately tried to shut him up.

“Oh that is too much, Madrona.” He smiled wide, eyes gleaming.” I’m so happy I took you under my wing, dear.” His words made Madrona’s skin crawl. “From the first night we made the deal you were wonderful, so entertaining.” His smile became sadistic as he sank into the wall. “You really light up the night.”

                Madrona stood there for a moment, the words hurt her. Her mind flashed back to a night that twisted her stomach into knots, pride and anger and shame and joy all washing through her in waves and leaving her in the end somewhat nauseous. She walked from the rock, approaching Kassadi again. She did her best to look like she wasn’t upset, but couldn’t be sure she was doing a very good job. Whether or not she was Kassadi didn’t seem to intrude… On that at least.

“Uh.” The Wizard began. “I don’t want to get all up in your biz, especially that kind of business, but were you… talking to it?” She tilted her head at Madrona, a strange look on her face.