Chapter 5 The Demon's Castle

"Help! Help! No! Stay away from me!" Amanda shouted and screamed as the giggling harpy came closer to her. She could smell something vile and rotting from the harpy's breath. She is afraid that it will be her smell soon.

"Please! Anyone! Father! Help!" Amanda shouted as she struggled to pull her hands and feet away from the rope that bound her to the stakes on every corner of the stone altar. The harpy hoped and flapped her enormous arm wings and now rested on top of the altar. Amanda can see now why the Harpy had an awkward gait earlier, of course, her legs are shaped like a bird's. She could see the razor-sharp talon on the feet. Downy feathers wrapped the entirety of its thick thighs.

The harpy raised one leg and stepped on Amanda's chest to limit her movement. She was careful not to wound Amanda anywhere so she only lightly pressed on her. This is a very important sacrifice for the Lord and even the Harpy knows that putting this hairless creature to any harm would incite the wrath of the Lord. Even though she is ready to comfort the Lord at any moment's notice. These sacrifices started coming in 30 years ago, even before the Lord was born and none of the lesser creatures understood what it meant. They just did what they were told.

Amanda felt the weight of the harpy's leg on her chest and she wanted to wriggle out of it. She realized that the harpy was only giving it enough force and she found out the reason why. Amanda stopped moving carelessly. She knows that a wrong move could get her fatally wounded by the harpy's talons. It would be such a hard way to die. She felt her arms loosen up and realized that the harpy cut the rope. She could not believe that she is being set free.

"Are you an ally?" Amanda asked the harpy, "Are you here to free me?" she wasn't expecting any answer. The harpy was only giggling after all.

"Free you. Take you to Lord." Was the harpy's reply. She has grown up close to humans and so she can form simple words.

"What Lord? What do you mean? Where are you taking me?" Amanda started to panic again. She felt stupid for actually starting to trust such a creature. She tried to break free from the harpy's weight but the harpy only pressed down harder.

"Please no move. Human harm. Lord angry," she explained. The harpy nimbly pivoted and turned around after cutting off the rope that bound Amanda's other hand. She started to cut the rope on her ankles.

"Please. Let me at least go to my village. I want to say goodbye!" Amanda requested, taking her chances.

"Harpy sorry. Humans did not return any more. Abandoned. Left." The harpy said. She stopped giggling. Amanda's cries and the realization that her companion has been left alone made her feel sad. Harpies are fickle by nature and they have very strong emotions. She could feel the sadness in Amanda and it resonated within her but above all, she has her duty.

"Humans not worry. Lord make humans happy." The harpy said and giggled. She thought that Amanda would be happy the way she feels when the Lord asks for her. After all, being in service to the Lord is the pride and joy of the lesser creatures.

"I don't want you, Lord! I want to go home!" Amanda insisted she could feel the sympathy from the creature but she knows that she could never convince her to do what she wants.

"Human hold and stop moving. Humans will fall." Knowing that she has provided sufficient warning, the harpy grabbed Amanda with both talons and flapped her wings. She hopped a little and flapped harder.

No sooner than Amanda realized what she was about to do that they were already up in the air. Amanda's body was facing towards the sky but her head and legs were dangling from each side of the harpy's talons. She could see the forest below in an inverted view. She has never been this high up her whole life and she marveled and what she saw. The silver illumination from the moonlight gave the Dark Forest an even eerier visage, the place that they came from has become a small gray patch from the vast area of darkness.

She could see the lights from the village but it is receding. They are going in the opposite direction. Amanda realized where as soon as she saw the dark looming figure in front of her. Sure, she has always wanted to fly, and sure she has always wanted to visit the Demon King's castle on top of the hill, but she did not expect to do it in this manner. Certainly not inverted, dangling from the grasp of a harpy. She suddenly felt the urge to talk about this with her friends. Then she felt a pang of loneliness after she remembered them.

Amanda looked towards the castle once again and it has become closer. Amanda suddenly gasped in awe as she saw how huge the castle is. The harpy felt her amazement.

"Lord castle. Big. Very big. Pretty." The harpy said as she started to circle the castle. Trying to show off her Lord's castle to the new resident. Amanda took this chance to study the castle. From the top, she could see two concentric rings that are supposed to be the walls and ramparts. Between the two walls are a speck of what seems to be the roofs of houses and other building. The area seems to be vast but empty except for huge rocks and rubles, reminiscent of the war that ensued. Moss and vegetation have started to creep up the wall and most of the area between the walls is thick with bushes and grass.

Along the ramparts of the outer wall are 16 towers that were placed at a strategic distance from each other, making sure that all direction around the castle is covered. Torn and ragged flag lets still hang on poles at the top of the towers. The coat of arms is faded and barely recognizable. The inner wall has half the number of towers than the outer one. Each tower also had torn flag lets on the top. Amanda could see something moving along the ramparts of the outer and inner walls. Not human.

Along the outside of the inner wall is a large moat and a drawbridge that connects the outer and inner roads. If any attack was to befall this castle, it would be a very hard and long battle. Within the inner wall are a few houses, probably for the servants and other important residents, and within it is the huge palace. The palace itself only has four towers in each of its corners. It was towering about the walls and a large porch that run along the whole front side can be seen on the top floor. This must be where the Lord's room is located. Amanda estimates the palace to be 5 floors but by the look of things, she will soon find out if she is right. The harpy slowly descended and gently laid Amanda on the ground just in front of a huge iron double door.

"Harpy let go. Human do not move. Only stand up. Promise not run." The harpy said, trying to make Amanda agree not to run away.

"Of course, I won't run. I have nowhere to go anyway," Amanda said. She knows this creature would just swoop down on her and take her again if she ever tried to run. And who knows what horrible creature she would meet along the way. She does not want to find out what those creatures on the ramparts are.

The harpy knocked on a small side door on one of the huge ones and gave out a series of squeaks and screeches. Maybe this is how she talks. Amanda observed the door as the harpy exchanged screeches with growls and groans from within, 'they understand each other with that?' Amanda thought to herself. The door itself seems to be made by an expert artisan. Intricate shapes were sculpted along the large doors and even on the side door. Various shapes of creatures could be seen on the carving, along with runes and words from a long-forgotten time.

She surmised that their house could easily pass through these doors if they ever were opened. Thinking about her house reminded her of the village once again. Once she has finally settled here and once she gets the chance, she will investigate what happened to her and if the people who were involved in this were only hypnotized by the Lord of this castle. Surely, an evil lord could do just as much. She could not begin to think that even her servants would do this to her. Ever since her mother died, they have taken care of her and acted as her parent because her father has been too busy with the village.

The harpy is finally done with her exchange with whoever was inside and the small side door finally creaks open. As soon as it did, Amanda could feel a sudden coldness emanating from within. It was pitch black and she could not see beyond.

"Human not afraid. Harpy guide." The harpy offered and extended her hand towards Amanda. She took the harpy's hand and followed her into the darkness. Soon enough, Amanda was swallowed by the darkness inside the castle where she would encounter all sorts of things that she could only imagine; good and bad.