The Gift (Patreon)

"Well... I'm here... just get it over with." Said the imp once Lomas stepped away but not without a grin at the collared imp, knowing this was probably his last 'job'. Lomas carried a smile of relief. He was tired of dealing with this misbehaver, he didn't know why such a demon requested the least skilled, least liked, least cooperative imp. What Lomas did know was that this demon, if not satisfied, would discard their.. play toy. 

"hmmmm... so you do have a tongue behind you." said the large demon laying on the bed, the shadow engulfing most of his body like a blanket, all the imp could see was a tail swaying in excitement.

The imp grew weary... usually the demons that purchase his... uses would just get right to the point. Then again... they would usually purchase smaller rooms, those used for just what they need and then be over with it. This room was luxurious... which seemed like a waste. Why build such a room when all you'd used it for is to get your rocks off on some innocent helpless imp. Which is the predicament he found himself in right now. He squinted his eye, the other already swollen from the last demon who requested his... body. He was violent, but nothing he wasn't used to. Slowly... the imp approached the bed until his eyes adjusted and he could see the figure a little more.

"Yo- you... .... what are you doing here..." he asked as he looked away... why would such a high ranking demon be here. Surely they had the power to get whatever they wanted at the flick of a finger. Everyone knew them. One of them... deadly as they are generous.

"Hoooo... you clearly don't fear death, most imps would avoid it any way they can... but not you. Or perhaps you're looking for it. So tired of this miserable life you've gotten yourself into. You must think this is the way out. So you try and anger any demons you've been made to serve." the large demon said before leaning forward a bit. "And none of them gave you that satisfaction." their grin could be seen from the darkness and it made the imps stomach churn.

"Yeah? Well... I can still try. So are you here to grant a wish? If not just.. get it over with already." the imp stated, he had resigned to this pitiful position in this realm.

"How pathetic..." they said but the grin never disappeared.

"How, How is it PATHETIC?!" he stood up and stepped forward. "I DONT want to be here. I wanted to get out there and live and explore and do whatever the fuck I want to do. Just cause I'm an imp doesn't mean all I want is to raise my tail for other demons to use!" he shouted and grew visibly agitated. "Everyone keeps trying to engrave into my head that I'm an imp so I have to be some kind of slut or just a toy for everyone else's uses, but IT'S NOT WHAT I WANT. I am not born into this world just to serve ASSHOLES LIKE YOU!!" He sneered as he threateningly pointed at shadow dressed demon.

But the grin never faded from the demon. The imp noticed and felt mocked again... felt belittled and it only angered him even more. "UUUUUGH!!! If I had any form of control... any power! I would not be here!! HELL IF I HAD WINGS I WOULD HAD FLOWN FROM HERE BUT I DON'T EVEN HAVE THAT!!" He shouted from the bottom of his heart. The desperation in his voice was apparent as he pressed his head against one of wooden pillars that held up these fancy curtains. "Why are the others so happy in this stupid place.. why do I hate what other imps love..."

"Because you're different. Just because we are born to be a type doesn't mean we live to enjoy it. Some demons can break out of that label. You can't, cause you're just an imp. You have nothing and you'll never be more than nothing." those words cut deep. He knew it, but hearing it always hurt more. Why be born into nothing when there's so much other stuff you can be.
"Every other imp is happy being nothing, it's a simple and easy life. And you... you don't like simple or easy, you need more." the large demon finally moved... they were slow and took their time as to not appear threatening perhaps. Were they sat up? It was still hard to tell.

"I can change your life. Here and now." they offered along with their large hand. "I want to change your life from here on out."

The imp took a few steps back. His ears were as flat to his head as they could and his tail curled between his legs. "You? Change me? You expect me to believe that? You don't care about anything."  He said with a scowl on his face. "If this is a trick it's a stupid one, kill me and get it over with. If not have your use and be done with me." he said holding his arms to his side. The demon didn't move... they didn't withdraw their hand either. They just... sat there.

"Do you think I came all this way to use an imp? I can make anyone do as I wish. If I wanted you dead I would had someone do it by now." they said between grins. "So, you want change... let me change you." Their finger spread out a little bit more.

The imp felt frozen in place as he stared at the hand. His heart racing, but he couldn't tell if it was doing so out of anger or if it was the thrill of hope. "You're... serious?" his heart beats became louder... like he couldn't breath. The thudding felt right at the base of his ears... for such a loud place.. everything was quiet.. so quiet in fact that it was louder than the noises he was accustomed to. "But... Imps... aren't meant to have any power.. that... was the order of things." he said before he caught himself taking a step forward. "You'd be... breaking the balance... why would you do that?" he took another step... and the demon's grin spread.... Why was he so hesitant... was it because after all these years, his wish would come through, he'd be able to change this forsaken fate of being nothing. Or was it because his other wish would be granted and he'd seize to exist. He didn't fear death before but perhaps it was because death wasn't this close.

He took one last deep breath, either way this life ends here. Before he could reach the offering hand it grabbed and snatched him right off of the cold stone floor. The squeeze took whatever air he had taken into his lugs. "Now open your mouth... and let me give you my gift." said the large demon, they were larger than the imp thought. What kind of gift would the demon without care possibly offer? The imp could feel this distinct breath with every word spoken. It made him feel dizzy... he felt light even though the grip was tight around his body. "Open your mouth... if you want change." they said again. Was this the gift? Was this a trick? Surely this was a trick... but desperation didn't care either. It was fitting for whom was offering the gift. The imp opened his mouth as he was commanded and the demon opened theirs as well. Some words he couldn't hear or maybe he didn't understand this old language were spoken. The language spoken by the first demons. It felt taboo to listen to the words that twisted time and matter. When the words were done  he could still hear them floating around his ears before a tongue plunged deep into his mouth and down his throat.

He was being violated and it wasn't his first time, but this felt so new that it might as well be. He struggled... he coughed.. he struggled.... he gagged... he struggled.... he choked... and didn't struggle anymore. No.. he wasn't being violated. Something was being transferred to him. It was burning right through his veins... like a poison. His heart beats were so loud it was deafening.  He could barely keep his eyes open. Eventually the darkness the demon was in swallow the imp too. Ahh peace... silence.. nothing. No pain... no thoughts... no hunger or need. There was nothing.
Until there was... he began to blink awake. He was... alive? But he hurt... everything hurt. He reached his hand to rub some of this fatigue from his face before he felt the cool breeze around his naked form. Where was he and why couldn't he remember very well. He was outside... somewhere. He closed his eyes and rubbed his head and some memories flashed... the demon... the imp garden. The chains... the collar. The collar? It's what kept him in the garden.

He reached for his neck... and found nothing there... albeit his throat hurt a bit... maybe the collar was that tight... no. Another flash in his head and he remembered that grin... the grin that glowed from the shadows. The gift?!

The imp sprung to his feet almost stumbling forward, he gasped hard as if he had stopped breathing for far too long. As he caught his breath he looked around... confused... the gift? What was the gift? There wasn't anything around but rubble and chaos. What happened? Wait... this was... the garden. The imp garden... where demons came to feed on imps it was... rubble. The imp garden was no more. Did.. did they do this? Why bother with the garden.. why not just set him free?

"Y-you..." said Lomas who was crouched behind a tree that had long burned to a stump. "You did this... why... why did you do this?... How did you.." he said with tears running down their face. How long had he been there. Why did he looked so scared.

"Wha... what do you mean... I-" he was cut off by Lomas once more, as it was natural for him.

"You destroyed everything... you RUINED everything." they shouted behind trembling lips and shaking hands that gripped onto their own body for some form of comfort. He's never seen Lomas this way. Unlike himself Lomas loved his position in life. He was happy, being an imp. He was content with being nothing. "Why couldn't you just be an imp.... why did you have to change this... why..." he trailed off with a shaky tear filled voice. The dizzy imp turned to look at the rubble that was the garden. When his eyes focused all he saw was death all around... imps and demons alike. Their bodies laid on the ground... similar to the earth below them. They laid there... like nothing, because they were no longer anything. Did... he do this? Was this what won him his freedom? Was this... his gift? He didn't... want to end them all.. he just wanted to be free.. he just wanted to be something. He stood there listening to the wails of the only other imp alive in the area. He reached up to wipe some drool from his mouth. His own mouth tasted sharp and bitter, like it wasn't what he was accustomed to.

His ears were flat to his head. His hand rubbed at his arm to try and comfort himself as he turned to walk away from here. He got his gift...not knowing what that gift was, but he was free.. maybe that was his gift. There was no point staying behind to listen to the wails of distraught imp who cursed the very wind that flowed by. As he walked away all he could hear was the wails of Lomas that continued on this now empty land as the other imp walked away. "Why... why did you have to change this. Why... Why could you just be an imp. Why... Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone" that word echoed loudly like a cut through the wind. It was sharp to the imps ears as it traveled with tearful sorrow.

One imp walked away, given everything he wanted... the other slumped with pain, getting everything taken away from him.