Pulling out her bow, Kira took careful aim. Before she could release the arrow, the demon face disappeared and the child looked at her in horror. Tears fell from her eyes as she began to sob.
“Please don’t kill me! I’m frightened! I want my mommy!”
Shaken, Kira lowered her bow and stared aghast at the child. She had the strange urge to comfort it. She took one step forward but stopped. Instinct took over and forced her to reconsider.
This was not a child.
She raised her bow again. “I’m not fooled by you, demon.”
The child snarled at her with its true demon face. Kira released her arrow but the demon dodged it and raced into the tunnels, Kira close behind. The demon child led her deeper into the tunnels, into total darkness. It was only Kira’s tiger vision that let her see where she was going.
The tunnel descended lower until it dead-ended in front of a large black iron door. There was no sign of the child demon. Kira walked the length of the tunnel again, but it was gone. A soft knocking drew her attention back to the door. Without even realizing, Kira found herself in front of it.
The knocking came again, a little louder this time, as if someone or something was trying to communicate with her.
It was an ancient door, thick and strong and bolted by three large metal rods. Whatever was locked away on the other side was meant to never come out.
Still, Kira was drawn to the door even as her gut raged in warning. There was a chittering sound on the other side, then a sudden hushed quiet. An expectant lull as if the creatures were waiting for her. Kira leaned against the door, listening. Only silence. And then whispering voices that spoke to her. Begging her to release them from their imprisonment. To be their savior. The whispering went on and on, filling her head so she heard nothing else. Her hand was compelled to reach for the first latch and rest there. Three pulls and the door would be unlocked, and they would all be free. The whispering reached a fevered pitch, urging her on. But her hand trembled in place, fighting itself as it touched the lever. And then it was immobile. Frozen by the screaming in her head that finally silenced the whispers. It took all her effort and force of mind to drop her hand.
“No,” she whispered. “I will not let you out.”
At her words, an explosion of shrieks and banging erupted against the door. So loud and so hard that it threatened to beat the door in.
“We will find you and kill you!”
“There is no place you can go to escape from us!”
“You are ours! Our master has promised you to us.”
The creatures banged violently against the iron door; so great was their fury that the top bolt broke in half. They howled and raged against the door with even greater violence, causing the second bolt to break. Kira watched in horror as cracks appeared in the third bolt. She rushed forward, bracing the door against the strength of the creatures on the other side.
Over and over the creatures crashed against the door. Kira’s hands absorbed the impact as the pain numbed her arms. How long would it take before they broke free? They pounded the iron door relentlessly, finally causing the last bolt to start to bend. How many were behind the door? The chittering sounds sent chills down her spine, and Kira pressed her body weight against the last bolt. Suddenly, the pressure abated and the door was still. Had the creatures given up or would Kira be stuck there forever, protecting this entranceway? Long moments passed. Then a powerful surge rammed itself against the door, shattering the bolt and sending Kira flying into the wall. She watched as the door flew open and screaming dark things poured out, engulfing her.
Kira woke up feeling like she was having a seizure, so painful was the unusual tightness of her chest. The fright of her vision was vivid and real. Something about the creatures scared her more than even the Demon Lord.
She paced the small cabin of Admiral Yi’s ship. Looking out the window, she saw that the skies were still dark. Needing a breath of fresh air, she stepped out onto the deck and stood in a quiet corner next to the railing.