Chapter Text
The summer was just starting to kick off, the sun hung lazily in the sky, the wind was fanning across the city, people were spending the best hours of the day with their families. But the day was overshadowed by an unsettling atmosphere. A languid feeling of unease that settled over me and made it difficult to focus on my job even from inside the restaurant, Linguine Palace, I worked at.
My mind fogged as I worked, placing bowls and plates on my tray with the ease of someone who has been working a job for too long. I took a moment to pop my shoulder before I wiped the table with a practiced flourish. I called the table ready over my headset before my tired eyes fixed on the square outside, watching the day and the world as it trudged past.
I watched cars drive in and out for a few moments before I felt a hand touch my arm. “Jon? We got a few tables turning.” I turned as David, a server here at Linguine Palace, pulled his hand away. I took a moment to focus on him and he frowned, “Are you ok? You seem kind of out of it today.”
I blinked a few times to help come to my senses. “Yeah, I’m fine. Something just feels off today.” I said lifting my tray over my shoulder and grabbing the tray jack it had been resting on. David raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes, turning away. My hand twitched to give him the middle finger but I settled for grasping the tray jack tighter and headed toward the back. I took small comfort that when he eventually quit I wouldn’t bother remembering him.
On my way to drop off my latest haul of dirty dishes I had to maneuver myself around the claustrophobic, yet brightly lit, kitchen. Three servers who weren't paying attention to what was happening around them, or maybe just not paying attention to me, blocked my path and I barely managed to get around them without dropping my tray on them.
I set the tray down with an oof and began to put the dishes on the counter for the dishwasher, I gave him a lazy wave, which he halfway returned, and turned away grabbing my newly cleaned tray. I stopped myself from looking at the clock as I passed it and headed toward the dining area.
I just couldn't wait to get home, not that I had anything to look forward to when I got there, but marginally better was still better. I only had a couple hours left in my shift when I heard my manager ask me to come to the office over the headset.
When I got to the office, really just a room jutting from the kitchen where the managers stuffed all the papers and the safe, I saw Linda. Her hair had fallen out of its bun a bit as she hunched over the small desk scribbling furiously on a piece of paper. I knocked on the door and gave her a few moments to finish up before she turned to me.“So who quit or called in?” I said leaning against the door frame.
“Hey buddy,” she said motioning me closer with a politely forced smile, “Come on in.” I took a step further into the office, the din of the kitchen somehow muffled by the foot or so I crossed. She turned to me and rose from the dingy office chair and placed a hand on my shoulder. “So I had a last minute call in and I was wondering if you could work tonight.” her hand lightly gripped my shoulder as she spoke.
Despite my desire to head home as quickly as possible I knew if I said no that it wasn’t likely she would be able to get any of the other bussers to cover, they weren’t… reliable, competent, good at their jobs…but she knew that so she called me even if she had to risk overtime. I felt slightly irritated as my eagerness to please and keep my good standing with the management overcame my inherent laziness. I gave her my best smile, my lips twisted slightly upwards.
“Yeah I got it covered.” she relaxed marginally and immediately turned away, letting go of my shoulder now that she had successfully secured my help.
“Thanks buddy.” she said over her shoulder, “I’ll be sure to buy you dinner.” It was an empty promise but it was a pill I was used to by now.
“Sounds good.” I said quietly she didn't acknowledge my words and I turned to leave the office, my smile leaving faster than it came.
As soon as left the office I felt the strangeness in the air thicken. I shivered as the feeling fell off my shoulders and down my spine leaving me feeling wrong, like I had walked into someplace not quite earth.
I made my way into the dining room my eyes drawn out the window by some unknown sense. As I moved in almost slow motion I saw other people take notice of the shift in the air. Servers stopped talking to their tables and guests conversations quieted down as we all turned to the window. My tray almost slipped from my fingers as I waited, holding my breath for a reason I couldn't quite place.
The world outside seemed unaffected by the atmosphere everything moving in direct contradiction to the feeling nothing should be moving at all. Something between the sound of breaking glass and thunder shattered the silence and people screamed as a portal broke across the square. Filled with burning chaos and shadows, out of the maelstrom burst forth what I could only describe as demons.
They raced across the square and for the first few moments everyone could only watch the horror raging outside. We watched as cars were broken into and people dragged screaming from their seats only to die on claws, horns, or whatever twisted tools the demons held. Shoppers at the strip mall across the square ran screaming as demons chased them, purchases forgotten in the floor along with the people not fast enough to get away. The air quickly filled with the smell of smoke and blood even from where I stood indoors and I felt the urge to vacate my stomach but barely kept myself contained.
A few moments of silence filled the restaurant before someone screamed and everyone at once sprang into motion. People pulled out phones or began to run for the exit.
As I watched, a ponderously fat woman lurched past me toward the fire exit. A moment later It registered what she was intending and I reached out and yelled for her to stop my movements slowed and voice muffled as if I was trapped in a ball of molasses
Either inertia or fear stopped her from listening because a moment later she was pushing against the door handle. Lights began to blare and the noise of the alarm almost drowned out the sound of people screaming and trying to escape. Across the square I saw a group of demons turn around, noticing the target that wasn’t right in front of them. One roared and the group ran straight for the restaurant. Now that I was moving I found I couldn’t stop I grabbed a man who had fallen and ripped him off the ground shoving him towards the other side of the restaurant where another fire exit, this one pointing away from the portal, was located.
I turned around to grab someone else and then a window shattered. I covered my face with my tray, the glass glancing of it harmlessly and fell to the floor. The eager demon that had just jumped into the restaurant reared back and roared at the panicking horde.
The demon was partially armored, protecting its chest and groin but revealing enough crimson skin to move freely as it raised a sword and brought it down on David. The weapon ran through his weak attempt at defense, cutting through his arm into his chest, blood gushed out of the wound and his death cry was cut short as his lungs were punctured. His blood splashed onto the demons two upwards curving horns where it then started dripping down onto its face. A tongue, too human to belong on this monster, wriggled out of its mouth to lap at the substance, making its chest rumble with pleasure.
It whipped its tail around to trip up a guest trying to run away from it and turned, arm raised to kill him as well. I was already moving as David fell tray raised and I smacked it across its face before it could finish off its next victim. More shocked than hurt, the blow made the demon stumble back a couple steps as another demon finished of the guest before running past us at someone else, the demon quickly recovered and we sized each other up. I struck it again but the demon raised its sword to block, its other hand reaching forward to take the tray from me.
It pulled the tray away and raised its arm to strike I let go of the tray and ducked under its arm and past the demon as it swung at me. Grabbing a wine bottle from the table behind it I turned and swung almost blindly hitting the demon behind the head. It stumbled forward and turned rubbing the spot I had hit with a snarl. It roared at me and I could see fire light the back of its throat.
It slashed at me again and I jumped back, hitting the table which made a glass fall to the floor, but I barely avoided being gutted by the creature. It stepped forward looking down at me as it raised its arm again. My eyes raced over its body looking for some avenue of escape. The sword came down just as I noticed another blade strapped to its side, far shorter but hopefully just as sharp.
Desperation flooded my veins with adrenaline as I dove forward, semi tackling the creature, my hands grabbing at the blade. It barely moved as I hit it but my maneuver caused the sword to miss, digging into the table instead. It pushed me back and I fell to the floor. I rolled back onto my feet with effort and gripped the dagger as hard as I could, my knuckles white and shaking. The demon barely registered the weapon, it actually chuckled darkly as it advanced as if amused by my struggle to survive.
Another demon roared from across the restaurant and someone screamed. The demon’s eyes glance toward the disturbance and in that moment I attacked. Ducking under its arm I drove my stolen blade into its unarmored side, the dagger sinking only a third of the way in before the demon shoved me back.
Blood, red to the point of being black ran down my dagger, the demon didn’t even seem to notice the wound other than the palm it roughly and bring the newly blooded claw to its face.
The demons face moved through a complex range of emotions starting at confusion and ending at anger. A moment later it chuckled and licked its hand clean of its own blood before turning back to me.
I had never been in a fight before, adrenaline and luck being the only thing keeping me alive up until this point, but even I could see the way the demons stance changed and it looked at me like it was seeing me for the first time.
Done taking me lightly the demon advanced again, this time carefully. A low but eager growl left its throat, barely heard over the din of the still blaring alarms. I held the dagger up, pointed at the demon and took a step back. I kept track of the tables we passed, my years working here telling me I was headed for a dead end.
I stumbled over a body but barely managed to keep my feet and the demon took the chance to take a practice swing at me. I slashed at its sword wildly our blades connecting but it knocked my dagger away easily. The blow numbed my arm past the elbow but I managed to keep the dagger raised. The demon grinned as it realized I wasn’t strong enough to block its blows as well as being an amateur at fighting and it reared back for a charge.
Outside the restaurant the portal flared brightly. Briefly blinding both of us and from the portal came the sound a dull roaring mixed with screams. Risking a moment to glance I watched in fascination as balls of fire shot out of the portal first rising into the sky out of view and then falling to the ground hard enough to make it tremble.
The demon charged and I raised my dagger to block. Just before the demon could strike both of us were blasted off our feet and across the room away from the window as one of the fireballs struck the side of the Linguine Palace.
I woke up a few moments later, I could no longer recognize the room around me, the vaguely Italian design given over to a present moment fitting apocalyptic style. A massive hole let in a soft breeze that I barely felt as my nerves came back online. Slowly I registered a brand new assortment of bruises and cuts. I shook the worst of the dust from my dark brown hair, soot staining my skin gray from its normal fair complexion.
My arm screamed in complaint as I tried to move it but It didn’t feel broken. I almost fell as my right leg gave out on me but I leaned against the wall. Through the hole I could see the portal in all its glory. It seemed to have grown despite how little time had passed, even stabilized, the crude outer edges hardening from reality tying maybe into reality traveling fact. But what really drew my gaze was what was standing inside the portal.
Against the apocalyptic background of the portal stood a monster of a demon. The portal only stood a couple hundred feet away and I could tell this creature towered over me even more than the demon I had been fighting.
Adrenaline shot through me as I remembered that demon. I ripped my gaze away from the Demon in the portal back to my surroundings, searching the rubble for my opponent. With the number of bodies, and fractions of bodies, that littered the floor I only noticed him once he began to move. He slowly began to push himself from his stomach up off the floor still grasping his sword firmly, I spared a moment to wonder if that was reflex or if he had trained to hold onto his weapon after a blow like that, before realizing my brain was trying to tell me I hadn’t managed a similar feat. My dagger was gone.
A brief survey told me I wouldn’t find the dagger before the demon had recovered but my eyes fell onto a broken timber that had once been part of the wall. Half a foot thick both ways with jagged edges the wood had been broken by the impact into an unwieldy four feet of bludgeoning potential.
I grabbed the log and pulled almost falling over. I planted my feet and willed myself to lift through my still recovering senses. The log rose slowly as muscles that had never lifted anything but trays tried vainly to lift the wood which was only a little over a foot and a half shorter than I was. I finally stood it up and lift it over my shoulder.
With a roar of my own I threw it onto the demon, hitting it across the head and upper back, trapping its left arm under the wood. The demon grunted softly, falling back to the floor, but continued to get up, the wood thankfully hindering its progress.
It swung weakly at me, missing by a mile and almost losing its grip. Its ability to hold onto its weapon blunted by the explosion and blow to the head. I grabbed its arm and fought with it eventually managing to wrench the sword from its grasp.
Almost as heavy as the wood despite being a good foot shorter I nonetheless managed to raise it high. Tip pointed down I drove it into the back of the demon before me. It gave out a roar, blood slipping past its lips, and grabbed my ankle pulling me down. I stubbornly held onto the sword and it roared again as my fall wrenched the sword out at an awkward angle. I kicked off its hand and rose pulling my last reserves of strength I raised the sword and gave another roar of my own and swung the sword down into the creatures neck.
The sword sunk into the creature with a sickening squelch and crack as I hit bone. It stopped about halfway through the neck and I struggled to pull it out, demon blood oozing around the blade and staining the dirty carpet. The demon twitched for a few moments before coughing up more blood and going still.
I fell back, sword slipping from my grasp and I took a deep breath, coughing as the air dragged on my suddenly dry throat. I sat for a few moments listening to the ringing, now becoming aware that sometime during our struggle the alarms had stopped, only the echo remaining in my ears.
I looked back through the gaping hole in the wall and a chill went through me as I realized the demon was still there.
The armor on this demon looked as expensive as it looked deadly, black and covered in details I couldn’t quite make out at this distance, it looked made to be noticed by ally and enemy alike, as if the size of the demon wasn’t imposing enough. The demon shifted, to turn more fully towards me flexing the wings that rose from its back, deep crimson skin stretched tight between bones that looked as thick as my arm. A tail twitched restlessly behind him, like a panther waiting to strike, it curved gracefully to a tip and was topped with spikes like obsidian. Two large horns curled out of his head twisting around to be almost as wide as his shoulders.
As my eyes traveled up its body another chill raced down my spine as I realized the demon was looking straight at me. It only lasted a few seconds, my brown eyes glued to his burning crimson, but it felt like we stared at each other for hours before the portal shuddered and spit forth another wave of demons who with much roaring and destruction mostly ran away from the Linguine Palace and the few headed this way moved slowly as the looked over the destruction, looking for survivors to torment.
The wave parted before the Demon Lord leaving the ground around him untouched save for two. Both demons were beautiful women and both walked with confidence that spoke volumes about their positions among the hordes.
One was strawberry blond with armor that barely covered her body, more a metal bikini and made to entice more than protect. She walked with effortless allure as if she was witnessing a high society ball rather than a demonic invasion. Her horns, tail, and wings only added to her beauty. Accentuating her features and moving in a way as if to beckon anyone watching to approach her.
The other demon stood tall and proud she walked with authority and contempt, killing a demon that dared come close to her as it raced from the portal. She shook the blood from her sword with disgust before kicking away the corpse. She wore full armor and her lack of helmet would seemed uncharacteristic if the look on her face didn't make anyone think twice before approaching, let alone attacking, her. Raven hair pulled back out of her way she watched the destruction with a critical eye her black feathered wings raised high behind her seeming ready to both intimidate and take flight depending on the opponent before her.
At the emergence of the demoness’ the demon lord turned away from me and I let out a breath. Standing shakily I turned away from the portal. I grabbed the sword as I walked past. Grimacing as my sore body screamed at me for exerting myself further. I ignored the feeling, I had to survive. I had to get home.
I limped from Linguine Palace. The sky was filled with the roars and screeching of demons and I could hear more roaring challenges and people screaming in the distance. The area around me seemed picked clean of both victims and predators so cautiously I made my way through the rubble of what had once been my home.