The Failure

A small group of injured people made their way down the passage way, its underground ceilings claustrophobic and cramped.

"Man," one of the men said, flipping his orange-red hair, "I can't believe you did that, Hawkins. You just like totally killed Finch! That was savage, man. How long have you two been partners?"

Hawkins was distant, monotonously trudging at the head of the group.

"Nearly ten years," he rasped, a flicker of pain passing over his face.

In the back of the group, a woman limped with difficulty, practically dragging herself across the stone floor. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Will you two shut up?" the woman hissed, rubbing a splotch of blood off her cheek.  "We've gotta figure out what we're saying to boss, since we lost his prize sacrifice."

"We?!" Asher hissed, "More like you lost it!"

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Arisha snarled, "You idiot men left me alone to fend off three intruders!"

"Well maybe you shoulda fought a little harder!"

"Maybe if you wouldn't have abandoned your post I would have fought harder!"

"Will you shut up?" Hawkins snapped, suddenly stopping and whipping around to scold his companions. "We have bigger problems on our hands!"

"Oh," a shrill voice cooed from the shadows, "what kind of problems?"

A petite figure stepped from the shadows, with a slim body type and malice filled eyes.

She touched her hands to her cheeks, smiling criminally. "Should I tell boss?"

"No, you obnoxious lap dog, I can tell him myself." Hawkins watched her with a heightened sense of anxiety, body tensed as he spoke.

"Lap dog?" she replied, an over dramatized tone of hurt in her voice. "That's rather rude, Hawkins. I'm a lap demon, silly."

Asher and Arisha stood behind Hawkins, both staring with the same suspicion Hawkins was emitting.

"Ah, well. I'll go and tell boss he has visitors." The demon scampered off, her red eyes flashing in the darkness.

Head down, Hawkins entered the wide room ahead of them, the lack of lighting making it impossible to see what it contained.

The room was muggy and uncomfortable, making Hawkins sweat under his coat. An oppressive sensation hung in the air, pressing down on Hawkins shoulders. It was obvious something was here, and it was powerful.

The atmosphere had affected his teammates greatly. A shadow of fear had fallen over Asher's face, the fae finally showing restraint and respect to the creature that lurked within the room. Arisha shuffled from foot to foot, her ivory skin drained of its subtle color.

"My servant," a deep, smooth voice boomed from seemingly every direction, making Hawkins flinch. He knew what was coming.

As involuntary tremors devastated his muscular frame, Hawkins knelt down, laying his hands out on the ground before him.

"My lord," he whispered, throat dry, "I have failed you."
The creature moved, two massive, glowing scarlet eyes igniting like flames in the thick, murky darkness.

Author's Note- aaaand, on that absolutely pleasant and totally not plot worthy note, this arc is finished! :D thank y'all so much for reading this.

Here are your final questions, and I'd like everyone who reads this to answer: Did you like this book? What book is your favorite so far? And, finally, do you think my writing has gotten better from when I began?