Always Two There Are

The depths of the Inferno harbored many foul residents within its charcoal covered cities. Not just the souls enslaved and tormented but the demons who dwell on the granite and brimstone. Scriptures would say that the demons are vile beasts that feast off the flesh and bone of those imprisoned and forgotten by the Creator. Not the case for these denizens of the dark, for they share many roles and lives as humans, with the exception of some of their more monstrous appearances. They work, they lounge, and they party like all the rest. Their children, all of various age, attend schools for better education and knowledge of the ever growing universe. Yet there are few of these children granted with the gift of sorcery, to which they are offered the grand opportunity to be taught under the great mystics of the Inferno. 

With all the demon spawn that are chosen to train under powerful magic wielders even fewer were hand selected by the all-powerful sorcerer supreme, the ancient adviser of the devil, Legion. In his decrepit, six-fingered hand he carried a dying, wooden staff. He wore black garments that covered much of his insectoid body, a towering papal tiara on his round head, and a ragged scarf hid his face except for three pairs of black spider-like eyes. Those three pairs watched over his latest and most promising student. A small demon boy with red skin, pointy ears, and a messy patch of spiky, black hair, and a long, pointed-tip, serpentine tail. He also wore clothing that were every human from his blue jeans to his red-orange hoodie.

This boy, Dominic, one of the many sons of Moloch, practiced his magic with fireballs outside the home of the ancient spellbinder. The great arachnid's hut was crafted inside the trunk of dying tree, its bark made from the same wood as his staff. The fruit had long rotted off and the leaves have long since fallen and withered away.

For his lesson, Legion had instructed his pupil to hit various targets with his fire projections. Small green fireballs shot out of Dominic's three-fingered hands and he pitched them at the targets like a baseball. He threw one, then a second, then two at a time, followed by a fire blast that engulfed the whole target. Dominic smiled at his perfected performance and hoped that his master would acknowledge his improvement. 

"Your form has improved," The ancient demon commented. "But what of your fire art? Have you been practicing that?"

"Yessir." Dominic replied. "Everyday."

"Show me!"

Dominic took in a deep breath and exhaled out a stream of green fire. He then pictured the image he wanted to craft in his mind. Legion watched as his apprentice stroked the air like a painter brushing his artwork. With each gentle motion of the boy's hands the emerald blaze moved with him. The fire spiraled around and then his art came to form.

"Not bad," The old demon bellowed, carefully studying his student's work. "But you seem distracted."

Dominic looked back to his fire then gulped of what his teacher had noted. The fire he had outlined was in the form of a human girl, looking about his age, with the smoke that represented her black hair and beanie, and was even sure to detail that some of the smoke covered a portion of the girl's right eye. Dominic swiftly waved his arms out, which extinguished his art into a fading cloud of smoke. But his master had already recognized the model, much to Dominic's embarrassment.

"You still need focus, boy." Legion reminded his pupil, tapping on his spiky head with the end of his staff. "But for now let us move on to the next lesson: levitation."

"I can lift some small things," Dominic said.

"So I've noticed before, but now we'll move onto something more advanced." As Legion slowly raised his six-fingered hand into the air, three statues, all the etched into great demonic creatures, ruptured through the sulfuric earth. They became air born after being summoned from their earthly slumber. With a final wave of Legion's hand the statues dropped before his surprised pupil. "Lift these."

Dominic nervously stared at the statues. "But they're too big." He gulped.

"Only in your mind," His master gravely reminded him. "Concentrate. Clear your thoughts. Then lift them."

Dominic took a deep breath and focused on the three monstrous statues. He closed his eyes, focusing only on the statues. It was no different than levitating a ball or book. These were just much bigger, bigger than him and his master for that matter. Dominic held out his arms at the three statues. Each of his three fingers were spread out into obtuse shapes. He felt a connection between him and the statues. All he needed to do was lift with his mind.

The statues vibrated eccentrically. Chunks of dirt cleaned of their curves and edges the more Dominic focused on them. Dominic figured he they were lifting. His head flooded with thoughts of graduating to become a powerful, demon sorcerer and a date with a certain black-haired, beanie wearing, human girl at the success of mastering levitation. Dominic peaked one eye open but discovered that the statues only rocked around yet did not float in the air. 

He concentrated harder, then harder. His brows were soaked with his sweat. His sharp teeth ground against one another. Thoughts of achievement faded behind delusions of being disowned by his family and humiliated. He then dropped down to the floor after the statues wouldn't budge for the final time. 

"I can't do it!" Dominic pouted irately. "What you ask is impossible. I'm just not good enough. I'll never be good enough!"

Legion stared sternly at the young imp, who sat there with a tear dripping off his cheek. His old spider-like limbs crept him over to where he was. One of his six, skeletal fingers arched the demon boy's chin up, making sure that the boy's sad, hollow eyes were locked onto each of his six eyes.

"Impossible?" The old master grumbled. "The task is impossible because you deem it so. You believe yourself as unready or not good enough, and so your actions in the matter will follow. If you continue to see yourself as a failure then that is the only result you receive. Life will always keep you unprepared. It is up to you how you adapt to the situation. Now rid yourself of those tears. You know they won't serve you in my lessons. Concentrate, clear your mind, and lift them."

Dominic wiped off his last tear with his sleeve and picked himself off the ground. "Alright," he sighed. "I'll try."

"No!" Legion retorted fiercely. His old staff slammed against the ground, which cause his apprentice to jump. "Don't try. Only do. Trying will only give you the same results. Doing will give better solutions."

Looking back at the three statues, Dominic cleared his thoughts once more. Like before he held out his arms, thinking only about levitating them. His teacher stepped aside and waited for results. Dominic concentrated harder and harder than before. The stone statues all rumbled again. The connection between him and the three stones rose up inside like a hungry fire. Legion watched as the statues proceeded to slowly levitate a few feet off the ground then drop suddenly back to their spots. Dominic opened his eyes, now a more confident spellbinder. He looked to his teacher and eagerly awaited his comments.

"Your form needs work." The old demon grumbled. Dominic smiled at his criticism, knowing that is the best form of compliment that he'll get out of his stern teacher.