{"id":842,"date":"2019-06-01T05:01:50","date_gmt":"2019-06-01T11:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/?page_id=842"},"modified":"2019-06-01T05:27:57","modified_gmt":"2019-06-01T11:27:57","slug":"demon-heart","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/legends-13\/demon-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Demon Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\"  style='background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:30px;'><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row \"><div  class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion_builder_column_2_3 fusion-builder-column-0 fusion-two-third fusion-column-first 2_3\"  style='margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;width:66.66%;width:calc(66.66% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.6666 ) );margin-right: 4%;'><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper\" style=\"padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;\"   data-bg-url=\"\"><div class=\"fusion-content-boxes content-boxes columns row fusion-columns-1 fusion-columns-total-1 fusion-content-boxes-1 content-boxes-icon-with-title content-left\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:60px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-content-boxes-1 .heading .content-box-heading {color:#a0ce4e;}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .content-box-heading,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .heading-link .content-box-heading,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading 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.link-area-box-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::after,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::before,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .icon .circle-no,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .heading .heading-link:hover .content-box-heading {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcolor: #a0ce4e;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .icon .circle-no {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcolor: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box.link-area-box-hover .fusion-content-box-button {background: #f97000;color: #ffffff;}.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box.link-area-box-hover .fusion-content-box-button .fusion-button-text {color: #ffffff;}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .icon > span {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbackground-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .icon > span {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tborder-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-column content-box-column content-box-column content-box-column-1 col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 fusion-content-box-hover content-box-column-last content-box-column-last-in-row\"><div class=\"col content-box-wrapper content-wrapper link-area-link-icon icon-hover-animation-fade\" style=\"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\"><div class=\"heading icon-left\"><h1 class=\"content-box-heading\" style=\"font-size:18px;line-height:23px;\">Demon Heart<\/h1><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"content-container\" style=\"color:#747474;\">\n<p>\u200bBryan Lindenberger\u2019s \u201cDemon Heart\u201d appeared in <a href=\"https:\/\/smile.amazon.com\/Clash-Steel-Book-Three-Demon\/dp\/0975972782\/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1543358854&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=clash+of+steel+demon\">Clash of Steel: Book 3 \u2013 Demon<\/a>, \u00a9 2006, edited by Armand Rosamila and later appeared in <a href=\"https:\/\/smile.amazon.com\/Demons-Clash-Anthology-Blades-Presents-ebook\/dp\/B0045Y1LMS\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1543358921&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=demon+rogue+blades\">Demons: A Clash of Steel Anthology<\/a> (Rogue Blades Presents) 2010.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Sir Ritehart fired his sling. The hare that bounded across the grassy heath leaped only once more before it fell dead. A hound retrieved the animal, and Ritehart turned to the scholar, Priestess Risa Melicles. \u201cHow much time passed?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n<p>Risa examined her hourglass. \u201cFourteen minutes,\u201d she said and the other hunters applauded. Two hares and a pheasant had fallen to Sir Ritehart\u2019s bullets in under a quarter hour. In fact, Ritehart had won the hunt every year as far back as memory served, and none expected this year to be any different. He was, in fact, a hero.<\/p>\n<p>The wizard Set stepped forward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCelebrating so soon?\u201d he hissed, lips twisting over his embittered face. A crow sat upon his shoulder as it had now for days. The bird snatched and grabbed at darkness until it pulled Set\u2019s hood down to expose the side of Set\u2019s bald-shaved head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one has forgotten your turn,\u201d Risa told the wizard.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs well they should not!\u201d Set huffed, straightening his hood and swatting mildly at the bird. Set closed his eyes, lids aflutter, and the crow lifted from his shoulder into the sky. Sir Ritehart watched with fascination as the bird circled overhead before diving into a nearby grove. Without opening his eyes, Set released his first bullet. And then, another.<\/p>\n<p>And another.<\/p>\n<p>Ritehart and the others stood incredulous as two hares, a pheasant, and even a fox fell victim to his mark. For no reason than to flaunt his skill, Set downed a sparrow in flight, and the little bird fell with a plop at Sir Ritehart\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNeed I ask the time?\u201d Set scowled as he opened his eyes again. \u201cOr should I collect my prize now?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The hunters stood dumbfounded. Ritehart was the first to congratulate the wizard. \u201cImpressive work!\u201d he said. \u201cHow do you manage such a feat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI see what the crow sees,\u201d Set replied. \u201cWe are familiar, yes? So I can take only half the credit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen you should receive only half the prize,\u201d Risa Melicles said, resetting the hourglass. Her face, as beautiful as it was, showed no pleasure. Yet Sir Ritehart knew he\u2019d lost fairly and he patted the wizard\u2019s arm\u2014forgetting how much Set reviled being touched.<\/p>\n<p>Near the grove, one of the other hunters shouted a warning. He pointed across the hillside, but Sir Ritehart saw nothing. A foreboding wind fell from the north, and a shadow spread across the heath. Ritehart squinted at a whirl of dust and leaves in the distance. The hounds barked wildly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat is that?\u201d one of the hunters asked, but Sir Ritehart had never seen anything like it. Horror gripped him as the whirlwind swept hungrily toward the hunter. He tried to run, but the thing moved faster than any man or beast. It fell upon the hunter\u2014a blur of gray claws and yellow fangs and shredded the man before he could scream. Ritehart and his fellow hunters fired at the creature. Neither bullet nor arrow could penetrate its hide.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDemon!\u201d the Priestess Risa Melicles cried. Sir Ritehart had drawn his sword, and she pulled him by the arm. \u201cNo! Flee to the city gates!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The hounds howled and ran, and Ritehart called his men to retreat. Set was already on his way up the hillside toward the gates of Uenden. A sharp-eyed gatekeeper gave the cry, and the doors opened. Ritehart already felt the demon\u2019s breath hot at his back, and the smell of the foul creature was like a sulfur pool. When Set stumbled and fell, Ritehart gathered him over his shoulder and leaped through the city gate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDrop the portcullis!\u201d Ritehart cried, and a thousand pounds of spiked iron crashed upon the demon. The thing screamed from many mouths, a dozen claws lashing in every direction. Sir Ritehart set the wizard on his feet. He wiped sweat from his eyes, certain the demon had met its fate. Yet the winds rose again. Lightning flashed, and a swirl of a million colors restored the hellish beast outside the gate. The city walls shook. Archers gathered to fire from battlements and loopholes. It seemed nothing could kill the thing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInvincible,\u201d Risa said, chest heaving beneath her vestments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo creature is invincible!\u201d Ritehart declared. The wooden walls of the city trembled. Splinters whizzed through the air. Set, with the crow upon his shoulder, agreed with the priestess.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe must retreat to the castle,\u201d he said, out of breath but strangely calm. \u201cThe stone curtain should hold him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The people of Uenden poured from their homes and shops. Some of them cried and fell upon their knees as the city walls shuddered. Others gathered weapons, but Sir Ritehart commanded all of them to retreat to the castle. Men gathered their horses to spread the word. Others collected provisions, and a wave of citizens fled up the grassy motte to the castle gates. Finding his white steed, Sir Ritehart ushered as many townspeople as he could find. Over two thousand men, women, and children found salvation behind the stone curtain just as the city walls burst inward. The demon leaped into the city.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe must go now!\u201d Risa declared.<\/p>\n<p>Ritehart pulled her up behind him. He galloped his horse across the bridge and over the festering moat. He heard the screams of Uenden\u2019s as the creature tore open rooftops and ripped apart flesh, but no time remained to save those good people. Fleeing, the knight never felt so helpless.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere must be a way to kill it. Everything has its weakness\u2014even the gods!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The sky was cloudless, the moon full. On cool nights such as these, the people of Uenden usually built fires outside of town. They\u2019d eat good food, dance, and sing. But tonight the multitude made no sound. They clung to each other in the courtyard, and even the terrified remained silent as the demon flung itself against the stone castle curtain. Dust rose and mortar strained. The rumbling was terrible, and the beast seemed as tireless as it was cruel. The stone shield held fast for now.<\/p>\n<p>King Urides arrived from the keep. He hoped desperately to offer some solution and suggested that his men sally forward. Risa Melicles argued against it. Countless archers had fired flaming arrows into the demon without effect. Others poured boiling pitch over its shapeless body, and the demon replied with a vengeance by spewing poison clouds from its dozen mouths. Some warriors succumbed to the poison instantly and fell from the battlements. Others remained blinded for hours. The king retreated to his castle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a Kliton,\u201d Risa told Sir Ritehart. They sat together with several others in an area of the bailey clear of grass. Set stood over them with his arms crossed. Risa\u2019s face appeared yellow and grim in the flickering light of a small fire. \u201cA Kliton is a demon of Inos&#8230;or, somewhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSomewhere?\u201d Set mocked. He scowled down at the priestess. \u201cFor all your scholarship and learning, somewhere is the best you can do?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His crow chuckled in his ear, and Risa glared back at them. \u201cYou have offered no advice, wizard!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat about our brave knight here, then? Isn\u2019t it his job to slay errant beasts? Yes, I believe that\u2019s how the folk stories go.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe demon wants something. There\u2019s no other reason for it to appear now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPerhaps he wants your knowledge, priestess. How sadly disappointed he will find himself!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ritehart listened to the two bicker in vain. The priestess had taken his hand in hers. She held on and squeezed, but no comfort could ease the sickness in his heart. When he\u2019d heard enough, he pushed her hand away in frustration. \u201cThe wizard is right,\u201d he said. \u201cI can hear the whispers of our people. I can read their eyes. They expect me to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo do what?\u201d Risa sighed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo save them!\u201d Sir Ritehart shouted, and he saw that his anger had hurt her. \u201cRisa, please understand. What good am I to be a hero abroad when I cannot save my people at home? What use is the greatest hunter who cannot kill this monster?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSecond greatest,\u201d the wizard Set muttered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Set shook his head. \u201cHe is the second greatest hunter. Earlier today I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Risa Melicles kicked. Her heel struck Set\u2019s shin, and his bird squawked and flapped its wings. \u201cI\u2019m through with you!\u201d she said, standing to dust herself off as the castle curtain thundered from a fresh strike. She turned to Sir Ritehart. \u201cI\u2019m going to the library. Promise me you\u2019ll wait here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt would seem I have little choice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m glad you understand,\u201d Risa said, and she started through the crowd toward the keep. The guards all knew her. They snapped at attention and threw open the doors. Ritehart watched her disappear, then cocked his head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo you hear that?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d Set replied, rubbing his shin. \u201cI hear nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExactly,\u201d Ritehart said. \u201cThe demon&#8230;he has quieted.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPerhaps he needs a nap. That witch of a priestess could use one as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The knight frowned. He strained to listen, but all he heard were the whimpers of frightened children. \u201cAnything that needs rest can be killed,\u201d he said. \u201cSend up your crow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can see through his eyes, can you not? I want to know what the Kliton is doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The wizard Set got up and spat at Ritehart\u2019s feet. \u201cA sore loser, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll my life, I stood in your shadow. You can\u2019t stand that someone actually beat you at your own game. Now you want the demon to kill my crow. Well, I\u2019ll not fall for your tricks!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor the love of\u2014!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m going to my quarters,\u201d Set sneered at him. \u201cMy night chamber lies adjacent to that of the king. Where is it that you sleep, heroic knight?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe barracks,\u201d Sir Ritehart replied, and Set raised a bony finger at him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAha! And let you not forget it!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some things never changed. Set was one of them. He retreated to the castle keep, and Sir Ritehart curled upon the ground. He watched the moon. The castle walls thundered again before dawn, and the knight could only hope that his presence helped calm the people. There was little else he could do.<\/p>\n<p>When the sun rose, so did the smell of food. Ritehart opened his eyes from a slumber, and a child of no more than seven brought him a bowl of spiced porridge. The girl stood far back out of respect, and her blue eyes were wide behind her dirty face. Sir Ritehart smiled and beckoned her near. The girl set down the porridge and scampered away, shouting to her friends that she\u2019d met Uenden\u2019s most famous man.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou see,\u201d Risa Melicles said. She approached from the castle, and her eyes were dark from lack of sleep. She carried a bound book of leaves. \u201cYou still inspire our people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf only I could help them,\u201d Ritehart replied.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou will,\u201d Risa said. \u201cAnd I know how.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She showed him the book and read the important parts to him. The priestess was right. The demon was a Kliton, and his earthly form was strong\u2014but not invincible. To the north a great wall of fire masked a vast underground sea. Beyond both stood a temple door, sealed by magic, the Life of the Kliton hidden inside.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is his heart,\u201d Risa explained. \u201cHis soul. If you destroy it, the Kliton dies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/p>\n<p>Sir Ritehart took things one step at a time, and so concerned himself first with the fiery wall. Nothing could extinguish it, but a hero could pass through unharmed if he wore the proper armor. Only a suit woven from the silk of the yulan worm would do. Such worms dwelled in the burning embers of the sacred willow tree, and King Urides had once received such trees as a gift. One of them was immediately chopped down and set to burn.<\/p>\n<p>Second, Sir Ritehart needed a Hand of Glory to penetrate the magic seal of the temple doors. Such an item could only be made from the hand of a hanged thief. The castle dungeon was not lacking for such criminals, and the martyr King Urides chose seemed almost cheerful that the end of his life should come to some good. Risa chopped off his hand and prepared the rites personally. That left only the underground sea to contend with.<\/p>\n<p>The priestess acknowledged that this was the most difficult part of the task. It stretched for miles, she said, with no place to rise for air. The gill of the copper lancefish offered the only known solution. \u201cYou must apply its gill to your mouth,\u201d Risa explained. \u201cIt will allow you to breathe for very long periods underwater.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere do I find this fish?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt Black Lake,\u201d she told him. \u201cWe\u2019re already sending someone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo! I must go myself!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Risa smiled. \u201cWe can\u2019t risk your life. Not if you are going to acquire the heart and soul of the demon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Sir Ritehart, foolishly perhaps, ignored her warning. Few soldiers knew the way to Black Lake. They were too young to remember, but Ritehart had campaigned near there. He set out alone that very night with only a blade, a strong net, and a steady heart. A postern at the back of the castle led him outside.<\/p>\n<p>He sallied forth, hugging the shadows of the night. The demon, so busy hammering the walls and spewing poison, did not see him sneak away. Nor did it see him return six days later. Ritehart saw that the mortar curtain had cracked badly beneath the Kliton\u2019s relentless blows, and stone had crumbled. The wall would only last a few more days.<\/p>\n<p>Sir Ritehart found his people equally shaken and broken down. Some had gone mad. Others stared at the ground in front of them, awaiting their doom. Still, there was hope. The castle\u2019s finest seamstresses had gathered enough yulan silk to weave a suit of fire resistant armor. The Hand of Glory was sufficiently blackened, and its fingers curled like a dead spider to hold the magic within. Ritehart produced the copper lancefish, and Risa sliced it to remove the gills.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you enter the sea,\u201d she demonstrated, \u201cyou must hold these gills between your lips and teeth. Breathe through them, not your nose.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s hopeless,\u201d the wizard Set grumbled from nearby. \u201cAll this effort will produce nothing. This foolish knight got out through the postern and back again. That\u2019s what we should do!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd how many have died trying?\u201d Risa snapped at him. She looked back at Sir Ritehart and sighed. \u201cSo many, in fact, that I feared they would spoil your chances for return. Here. Let me help you with that yulan armor.\u201d The suit was heavy, yellow and orange threads glistening. Risa couldn\u2019t help but smile to see him in it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRather ornate, eh?\u201d the knight said, allowing himself a grin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMore than what I\u2019m used to!\u201d Risa replied, but her mirth soon faded. \u201cYou need only wisdom and bravery now. You have everything else that you need.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll but one thing,\u201d Ritehart said.<\/p>\n<p>In an act that would have brought him to the gallows on any day but this, the bold knight leaned in his glistening armor and kissed the priestess. Without waiting for a reaction, he turned and mounted his white stallion.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSir Ritehart,\u201d Risa said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, m\u2019lady?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She smiled up at him. \u201cWhen you return\u2014and I am sure you will\u2014make certain that never happens again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll cherish the memory,\u201d the knight replied before setting off into the night.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/p>\n<p>The map Risa had given Ritehart led through low-lying swamps to the east and mountains in the north. He found the ravine marked on it, and followed a stream into its depths until he came to a fissure in the rock wall. Larger than a man, this crevice blazed with smoke and fire so hot it caused the stream to boil. Sir Ritehart\u2019s horse whinnied at the unnatural heat and fiery roar, and the knight knew that he stood before the wall of fire.<\/p>\n<p>He dismounted and tethered his beast in the shade near the water, promising to return soon. He pulled the coif of his worm-spun mail over his face, and gripped its over-long sleeves about his hands. With every part of him covered, he blindly approached the source of heat. The roar of the blazing wall grew into a horrendous bellow, and his skin blistered even through the protection of his armor. The knight held his breath and hurried through.<\/p>\n<p>Heat and noise vanished, and Sir Ritehart emerged on the other side, surprised to be alive. He uncovered his eyes and found himself in a small grotto enclosed by rock. A small pool of water at its center mirrored the blue sky above. He stripped down to his tunic and breeches, and stuffed the gills of the lancefish into his mouth. He took a hesitant breath, then descended into the pool until the water closed above his head.<\/p>\n<p>The gills proved effective, though they did nothing to help him see. The knight felt his way through the slippery dark, following the meandering cavern for what seemed like miles without any need for air.<\/p>\n<p>At last, the watery passage arched and rose toward daylight.<\/p>\n<p>Ritehart crawled into the open air. Cold and dripping wet, he found himself in a place unlike any other. A green valley stretched to unseen distances. There were white deer and brightly colored flowers with petals that twirled on their stems. He saw vines with fruit as big as sheep, and trees that dripped golden honey from their stems. Perhaps this was the legendary Land of Promise, but he had no time to ponder. The object of his quest lay before him: a temple of stone with massive pillars and stairs that led to a high, golden door.<\/p>\n<p>He ran to the door, but found that it would not budge. Taking the blackened Hand of Glory from inside his tunic, Ritehart tapped the door with it while saying:<\/p>\n<p>Heed the call<\/p>\n<p>Of the hanged thief\u2019s fall!<\/p>\n<p>Open lock<\/p>\n<p>To the dead man\u2019s knock!<\/p>\n<p>The fingers of the dead hand opened, as did the door itself. Heartened, the knight tossed the expended hand aside. He dashed inside the temple and raced to the stone altar. Risa had told him that the heart of the demon-soul could be anything\u2014a pebble, even some small animal\u2014but that he would recognize it at once. Ritehart found nothing of the sort.<\/p>\n<p>Upon the altar stood the statue of a man. The man had seven arms, and in one of them he held a wicker cage. The cage door was open, and there was nothing inside.<\/p>\n<p>Sir Ritehart fell to his knees. The demon\u2019s heart\u2014whatever it was\u2014had already been taken. His people were in danger, and this foolish quest had only wasted time. Nearly weeping, he shook his fist at the cage.<\/p>\n<p>A bird\u2019s cage.<\/p>\n<p>Just big enough for\u2014<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA crow,\u201d Ritehart said. His chest seethed with anger. He shouted again, but not at the cage this time. He cursed the wizard Set, and now he understood why the demon had appeared so suddenly. He wanted his soul back, now in the form of that infernal crow.<\/p>\n<p>Dashing from the altar, Sir Ritehart stuffed the gills into his mouth and swam back through the watery cavern. He emerged in the grotto at nightfall, but his worm-spun armor was not there. He searched frantically, confused and afraid that he\u2019d swam in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs this what you are looking for?\u201d said a voice.<\/p>\n<p>Ritehart looked up. He saw Set, a black silhouette against the great wall of fire. \u201cBring me my armor!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The wizard chuckled. Ritehart had always hated that laugh. Now he had reason to.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut I like your armor,\u201d Set told him. \u201cOf course I have my own, and I spent months sewing it. Still the royal seamstresses do much finer work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGive it to me!\u201d Sir Ritehart commanded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cautiously, the knight moved toward Set. He wanted to kill the wizard, but the man stepped back quickly toward the fire. \u201cWhy, Set?\u201d Ritehart cried. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWant? I want the things that come so easily to you. I want to win the hunt. I want the admiration of my people. I want Risa. Mostly, Sir Ritehart, I want to be rid of you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor that, you\u2019ll see our city destroyed?\u201d Ritehart shouted in disbelief.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven I\u2019m not that cruel. No, I\u2019ll destroy the demon when he breaks through the walls. You can be assured of that, former hero.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With that, the foul wizard turned and started through the fiery wall. Ritehart had no choice. He would not let it end this way. He dove into the inferno.<\/p>\n<p>The fire chewed at Ritehart. It bit through his flesh and tore into his lungs. Yet he had hold of the wizard now, and no amount of agony could make him let go. The struggle itself was brief. Sir Ritehart pulled Set back into the grotto and grabbed both sets of armor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou won\u2019t leave me here!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEnjoy eternity,\u201d Ritehart said and marched through the flames.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/p>\n<p>Despite his horrible injuries, Sir Ritehart rode hard to the castle keep. He entered the postern as the curtain began to fall. Risa wept at the sight of him. All of his hair had burned off, and blackened flesh peeled from his arms. Every breath brought forth bitter pain and blood. She started toward him, but he wasted no time in hurrying up the tower and into Set\u2019s room.<\/p>\n<p>Ritehart found the crow and snatched it from its cage. The bird squawked and pecked at his scabs as Ritehart took it outside. The sun was rising. The air was still. The demon flung itself into the wall one last time.<\/p>\n<p>Stone crumbled and dust rose. The people ran screaming as the demon spat venom and charged. Sir Ritehart stumbled toward the creature, the crow held forward in both hands. He twisted its body.<\/p>\n<p>The demon froze. Then its multitude of eyes grew wide, and it screamed with all the fury of the heavens from all its mouths.<\/p>\n<p>Sir Ritehart tore a wing from the crow. The demon\u2019s limbs snapped. He tore off the bird\u2019s beak, and the creature\u2019s fangs shattered into dust. Soon a convulsing heap of flesh and gristle was all that remained of the demon.<\/p>\n<p>When Ritehart snapped the crow\u2019s neck, both it and the demon\u2019s remains burst into flame. The knight dropped the corpse and staggered back. Smoke rose into the blue sky, the fire quickly reducing horror to a pile of ash.<\/p>\n<p>Ritehart collapsed to the earth. Risa Melicles ran to him, but it was too late. The knight\u2019s flesh had been all but burned away, and his blood boiled like broth in his veins. The priestess applied ointments and balms to soothe his remaining hours, though she knew Sir Ritehart felt little pain. She had seen the gleam in his eyes and knew that he saw only the eternal green valley with the white deer. She prayed that he already tasted the honey upon his scorched lips.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .heading-link:hover .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box:hover .heading-link .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .icon i.circle-yes {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbackground-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tborder-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div  class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion_builder_column_1_3 fusion-builder-column-1 fusion-one-third fusion-column-last 1_3\"  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.fusion-read-more,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::after,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::before,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .icon .circle-no,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .heading .heading-link:hover .content-box-heading {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcolor: #a0ce4e;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .icon .circle-no {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcolor: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box.link-area-box-hover .fusion-content-box-button {background: #f97000;color: #ffffff;}.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box.link-area-box-hover .fusion-content-box-button .fusion-button-text {color: #ffffff;}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .icon > span {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbackground-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .icon > span {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tborder-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-column content-box-column content-box-column content-box-column-1 col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 fusion-content-box-hover content-box-column-last-in-row\"><div class=\"col content-box-wrapper content-wrapper link-area-link-icon icon-hover-animation-fade\" style=\"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\"><div class=\"heading icon-left\"><h3 class=\"content-box-heading\" style=\"font-size:18px;line-height:23px;\">Fiction<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"content-container\" style=\"color:#747474;\">\n<p>Fiction by Bryan Lindenberger<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-column content-box-column content-box-column content-box-column-2 col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 fusion-content-box-hover content-box-column-last-in-row\"><div class=\"col content-box-wrapper content-wrapper link-area-link-icon link-type-text icon-hover-animation-fade\" style=\"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\"><div class=\"heading heading-with-icon icon-left\"><a class=\"heading-link\" style=\"float:left;\" href=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/legends-13\/\" target=\"_self\"><div class=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/wp-content\/uploads\/fantasy150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" alt=\"Legends 13\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><a class=\"fusion-read-more\" style=\"float:left;\" href=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/legends-13\/\" target=\"_self\">Legends 13<\/a><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-column content-box-column content-box-column content-box-column-3 col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 fusion-content-box-hover content-box-column-last-in-row\"><div class=\"col content-box-wrapper content-wrapper link-area-link-icon link-type-text icon-hover-animation-fade\" style=\"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\"><div class=\"heading heading-with-icon icon-left\"><a class=\"heading-link\" style=\"float:left;\" href=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/magic-realism\/\" target=\"_self\"><div class=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/wp-content\/uploads\/contemporary.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" alt=\"Woman at mirror\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><a class=\"fusion-read-more\" style=\"float:left;\" href=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/magic-realism\/\" target=\"_self\">Magic Realism<\/a><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-column content-box-column content-box-column content-box-column-4 col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 fusion-content-box-hover content-box-column-last content-box-column-last-in-row\"><div class=\"col content-box-wrapper content-wrapper link-area-link-icon link-type-text icon-hover-animation-fade\" style=\"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\"><div class=\"heading heading-with-icon icon-left\"><a class=\"heading-link\" style=\"float:left;\" href=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/random-text-generators\/\" target=\"_self\"><div class=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/wp-content\/uploads\/random.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" alt=\"less than infinity\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><a class=\"fusion-read-more\" style=\"float:left;\" href=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/random-text-generators\/\" target=\"_self\">Text Generators<\/a><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .heading-link:hover .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box:hover .heading-link .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-2 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .icon i.circle-yes {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbackground-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tborder-color: #a0ce4e !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":804,"parent":784,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-842","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Demon Heart - Bryan Berg<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bryanberg.net\/files\/portfolio-fiction\/legends-13\/demon-heart\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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