The climb

After walking for what seemed like forever, we came upon a cliff and stopped, dropping our bags. I was sweaty and breathing ragged while the others looked like they had all just stepped out of the car. "Looks like keeping your humanity made you weak." Horde chuckled out. I rolled my eyes and B looked at me with empathy. Silence consumed the forest when just moments ago, it was alive with noise from various creatures. I forced Lamia forward when Horde asked "What are you doing?" Before he could finish, a vine appeared from nowhere grabbing Seli's leg. Seli pulled a sword from seemingly nowhere and cut it sending the stump flying right past Horde's head. Hoard reached up grabbing his shirt and pulled it forward. Where the tattooed man was, his demon form emerged billowing mist out of his mouth. B dropped his pack and grabbed each side of shirt pulling his form to the front smiling when his true self came out. B's markings were far more intimidating than anyone else's including mine. It was a stark contrast from his human form. A twig snapping was heard and we all whipped our heads in the direction it came from. A huge deer like creature with wooden legs and antlers made of vines stepped out from behind a couple of trees. B stepped forward yelling at it "We mean no harm, we wish to pass through here to domtivir.". The creature bowed its head as if saying it was ok and we began walking again. The forest sounds resumed normally. "Awe no fight" Lamia internally lamented. "What was that?" I asked her. "Oh so now you want to talk to me but if you must know that was a Leshy." "No way!" I remembered back to lazy Sundays binge watching a show that had them in it. "Not the same Mia. Humans always get them wrong.". "I kind of figured since the show had them as walking trees and that was a huge deer Lamia. Are they really demons to?" I asked. "They're neutral Mia. They have attributes from Heaven and Hell. They don't really interfere with us and our dramas unless we hurt the forests they reside in." "Oh so there's more than 1 of them?" I continued to pry. It may have been my obsession with the show but I wanted to know all about them. "Mia, there's not really alot known about them but it's known not to mess with their forest or the creatures in it.". "Party pooper" I responded. Making our way down the cliff, I realized how tired I was. Lamia had full control so that helped dull the muscle fatigue and pain that had started in my feet. "Ignore it Mia." Lamia spoke internally. "So, why were you so excited about that lady Seli and was it the real Pompeii?" I questioned. "As Lilith told you, there was more than one way to make a succubus and there's more than one way to make a demon to. I mothered my own branch of demons. I called them empusae. They were able to split from one another but gathered they were empusa. A fearsome creature who feasted on the flesh of men." "And they're extinct?" I prodded. "I thought they were but evidently one survived. When I found each of them, they were in a very bad place. Mostly being there because of the sins of men. Their hatred feuled their transition." "And how'd you choose who went into the vessel?" "Mia I know this all can be confusing but all demon souls come from humans or angels. In the case of your very powerful demons such as belphegor, they are fallen angels who turned at God's will of it but he left humanity open to their own choices. Human souls can turn into demons if the conditions are right. Take me for example. I was a mere mortal before my children were killed. That hatred and the will to avenge for them, turned my soul black and I can never go back.". "Whoa. So wait, I ate a fallen angel?!". "Yes Mia you did and we have no idea how you did.". I sat in silence and even my thoughts were quiet. I think I was in a state of shock. I wanted to know more about how all of this worked. I assumed control again but not before hearing Lamia ring out a line of complaints and expletives. I ignored her looking forward at B. "Hey B! How old are you and how'd you become a demon?". B responded chuckling "You know it's rude to ask a demon his age Mia but if you must know, I gave Jesus myrrh for his birthday." My eyes widened and my mouth fell open as he continued, "I began as a cambion. The day he was crucified something changed within me and I wrought a path of destruction.". Surprised didn't even describe this feeling, "You knew Jesus!?" I said as a few birds flew from the trees above us maybe louder than I had anticipated. "Yea I did. He was a cool guy. I got to be there when he turned water into wine. That night was so fun. Peter lost his pants." B said beginning to break out in a laugh. I turned my attention to Horde who had been quite this whole time. "And you?" I asked pointing to his face. "Don't know." was all Horde replied. "You don't know how old you are or what happened to you? I hardly believe that.". I said nodding my head. "I remember World War 2. Before that I dont know. I didn't retain any of my human memories." He said solemnly. "So you really don't remember?" I asked. "Nope." was all I got out of him. "So do you eat souls to?" "Nope. I eat pain. The more pain inflicted, the stronger I become. Comes in handy during battles." Horde said giving me a wink. "Seli? What about you?" I asked moving on from Horde. His wink giving me chills. She responded, "Hectate" I interrupted correcting her, "Lamia you mean?" she continued, "Well yes, Lamia had found me after an awful altercation with a male." "What kind of alteraction?" "Mia she was ra***, don't make her say it out loud." Lamia stated. Seli replied, "A physical one. I was to be saving myself for marriage. Women were treated vastly different then in comparison to now. My betrothed found out, blamed me, and then beat me within an inch of my life. He said Hera had spoken to him." rolling her eyes she continued. "Then he left me to die. Jokes on him though. Not long after he left, the volcano started erupting. Hectate er Lamia found me at that moment and I agreed to her proposal. Me and my sisters made Hera pay dearly." she said with a smile, her eyes lighting up at the destruction she was remembering. I sat quiet but internally questioned Lamia, "Sisters?" she replied calmly, "Yes Mia, you have them also. You probably saw your sister's pain." I thought through all the visions that the robed man had given me. "Yes Mia, those are your sisters.". I sat in silence again trying to organize my thoughts before finally asking Lamia, "What happened to her sisters? You said earlier they were extinct." . Sadly Lamia responded, "They mistook Zeus for a victim which I don't blame them, the man has enough on his consciousness to suffer that fate but they attacked and even not I could save them. Seli must have split off of them right before they died". I couldn't help but again feel sympathy for her. Her children and her creation destroyed by the same man who started it. Hearing my thought she responded "Don't feel sorry Lamia. I have already mourned and moved on.". "Who is Zeus anyways? He sounds like an asshole." "Zues, Thor, I think in Christian religion he was known as Raguel" Lamia responded. Makes sense since he 'rags' on everyone." I chuckled. Lamia groaned within my mind and i responded, "Did you get my pun? He's 'Raguel' cause he 'rags' on people?" "Ugh stop now. You humans and your humor". I pulled from our conversation when I heard B, "We're here." he said dropping his pack. The "here" he was referring to was an open field barren of anything but a fallen tree. "Seriously?" I groaned externally. Horde tapped my shoulder, "Watch this." He whispered pointing at B. B touched the log and twisted hard bringing his blood to the surface. The log soaked it in like it was drinking it. A loud creaking noise could be heard and the fallen part of the tree snapped upright. Unbeknownst to me, another snapped tree sat in the distance striking upwards in the blink of an eye. Once they were both snapped in place, a rainbow sheen appeared between them. "What in the holy hell is this?" I thought and Lamia chimed in, "Pagans call it the bi-frost but I think most other religions call it teleportation.". "No way." I said out loud with B calling out to me "Come on Mia or we'll leave you behind.". He stepped forward disappearing out of view. Horde and Seli were already through. "Mia step through" I heard Lamia saying. All I could think was I couldn't do it I was frozen in place. I watched the movies. I knew from the last one that I could dissappear away from everyone. "It's not like that Mia." Lamia stated. Before I could argue, a hand reached back out dragging me into it. I squeeled, closing my eyes, not knowing what would happen.