My father told me before leaving, one must kill his demons. Starting with the midget-sized emps, along with the old hag and the spiders that crawled on legs with hands. The last and worst are giants. No matter how large or strong, they all must die. So, I left my place of birth and ventured into the wilderness. I took my spear and shield, nothing else. Armor is too heavy, I had to travel lite. The demons would kill me before letting me cross over. No matter how strong, they all must die.
I remembered the numerous missed opportunities and failed dreams. The countless tears I shed in a darkness where the demons tormented me. I asked why they did this. They responded, “Because you are nobody, and mean nothing.” Like a fool, I believed them. But today I will show them.
On arrival, the stench of decay greeted my nose. Dry dirt caked under my feet as I slowly crept forward. In front of me, stood darkness. The place where victors become heroes, and failures die as cowards. The valley of the tormented souls. Dark clouds hung over the horizon of black mountains and withered trees. Dried skeletons scattered the ground in contorted positions—scaly fingers still gripping its weapon. A scull’s mouth gaped open as if the fallen warrior died in agony. A reminder of what happens to those who fail to face their demons. I waved the spear in the air.
“I challenge you,” my voice echoed. “Come out and face me!”
Only silence answers. Jagged tree limbs rustle in the wind. A chill hovered over my skin, raising the hair on my arms. I questioned if challenging them was a wise decision. Too late to turn back now. I stabbed the spear into the ground, marking my stand.
“Come out!” Nothing but silence.
At the edge of darkness footsteps crunched the ground. A low gurgle rumbles in the soupy blackness. Suddenly, two glowing eyes blink into existence. Two more follow, moving closer. They stop before entering the light. Two yellow eyes bobbed with the sound of sniffing . They’re searching for the scent of fear. Soon more come, lighting the darkness like stars in the night sky. A group huddles near the edge of the darkness, hesitant to charge. They raise their noses inhaling the aroma of dread. A long tongue flicks along the jagged fangs of one. Good, they are here. I snatched the spear and positioned the shield. Today I will fight and avenge my past. Today I become my own hero.
A demon charges all claws and fangs. It slashed at me—sparks flew from the shield. I drove the spear into his chest, pushing my weight into the thrust—his body combusting in flames. He fell screaming as I kicked the flickering mound. I remembered this one, the one who constantly nicked at my heels, holding me back from going forward in life. I stomped off the embers and feel sting across my back. I turned and a demon latched on clawing at my shoulders. A pain cuts into my thigh. A smaller one sank its fangs, gnawing away at my leg. Soon more circle, clawing at my limbs. Frantically, I spin the shield and spear—clomps of demons fall in bursting flames and screams. Again and again, fought them off. Hordes rush from the darkness, lashing and nipping at my spear and shield. One by one they all fell to my blade.
Soon the noise stops. They’re gone. I thought it hard enough to kill a dozen or more. They underestimated me, as everyone has. Suddenly, an intense pang rips the back of my heel, bringing me to my knees. The hag emerged from the night and stood over me. The devil ran her retched fingernail across my forehead and down my cheek. A smile with broken teeth and drizzling black saliva spewed from her mouth. Her matted hair hid her grotesque visage. I remembered her. Every woman who brought me down had her grizzly stare. I saw her face in all of their eyes. She was their queen, their wicked goddess. She kicked the shield feet across me, and snatched the spear, throwing it yards away, making sure I was defenseless.
“Why did you come here to die?” she said. “Look around you, the ground is littered with men just like you who tried and failed.” Puss foamed from her ragged mouth with each word, inspiring me to vomit. She proceeded to spiral around me sitting there wounded, and defenseless. Dancing in a circle, cartwheeling and spinning in a chaotic wind of motion.
She ran her razor nail across my neck leaving a red wound—then squeezed.
“Die weak little man!”
My throat burned from the crushing pain. My thoughts spun along with my vision. I couldn’t breathe. No. I won’t die like this, fuck this ugly hag, I never liked her.
I grabbed her decrepit talons and flung them from my neck. With a swift movement I latched around her throat and squeezed with every fiber of strength in me. Her eyes bulged in disbelief of how strong I was. The boil spewed from her mouth as I crushed her windpipe. Die you ugly demon bitch, die! I pulled the mangled head from her body and tossed it. Like a rotten melon it wobbled across the ground, her mauled face staring at me. Damn, she was ugly.
Exhausted I stood staring at the dark mountains, bathing in triumph, and in pain. At last I killed them, even the hag. My stomach contorts, bringing me to my knees. I grabbed my side and my hand turned blood red. My wounds, I’ve lost too much blood. Everything is blurred and spinning. Suddenly a thunderous roar bellows from the mountains. A thud shakes the ground, followed by another and another. In the distance dozens of glowing eyes appeared. Half dead, I snatched my spear and shield and prepared for war. The roars grew louder as the stampede charged closer. First the emps, then the hag, now the giants.
M Spade 
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