A friend of mine wrote this and did an amazing job so I figured I would post the story here as it progresses. So to all, please enjoy this captivating story of a mans curiosity and the tenacious demon known as "Requiem"



“Listen good, listen well
as I tell you this old Tale,
Turning keys may open locks,
But is that wise with this little box?
True, A Ballad may cause one to cry...
But a Requiem is the final goodbye.”
1. Sick




“I think I may have found something!” Rail dug deeper around the edges of the grim covered box. The pounding rain made the object more slippery as he tried to pull it out of the ground. Lahr bent to look over his shoulder as the box came free with a wet ‘Shluck’. He leaned closer as they dirt fell off, jumping back and falling in the mud when a very detailed demonic face peeked threw the mud in a silent roar.

“What do you think it is?” Lahr asked, watching Rail scrape what dirt remained on it. He wore his favorite cleaning tool, a headband outfitted with magnifying lenses that were pulled down over the eyes like spectacles. The curious little box sat in their workshop, under the giant lamp Rail bought with the last shipment of remains he found in the town ruins. In the light of the nearby fireplace it looked so...tempting? He shook his head and tried to focus on what Rail was saying.
“I don’t know...the records of that town were destroyed in the fire so it could’ve been a jewelry box or a -” He trailed off as a hunk of dirt fell off the side “Hang on! There’s a key here...” Lahr leaned over the table and sure enough, sticking out of it’s side, was a tiny golden key.
“A music box?” He was almost hypnotized as he gazed at the shimmering key, he reached over to turn it and Rail slapped his hand away.
“Don’t touch it! I haven’t finished cleaning it yet...I don’t want to clean up fingerprints too.” Rail pulled the magnifying lenses back down over his eye “Wouldn’t sell for much if it was ruined, now would it?” Lahr shook his head no.
“But who would want THAT demonic thing?” Though in this lighting it looked innocent enough, there was a certain aura around it...almost as strong as it’s sulfuric stench. Rail shrugged and continued to clean it with the most delicate tool he could find.
“Someone would be bound to want it. You yourself claim it’s hideous but I see the way you stare at it.” He chuckled “I would keep it for you, but we need more supplies...and the salvage guild would have my head!” It’s true that joining the Salvage guild was probably one of Rail’s worst choices, but they managed to get him a little extra money for the items he did find and sell. Lahr sighed and stared at the little box, watching with interest as the dirt fell away from it. Revealing more and more of it’s torn plush cover, and the dark red wood underneath. Rail whistled when all the dirt was gone and only the damage underneath remained.
“Would you look at that ugly sucker,” Lahr felt like the tension in the air thickened after Rail said that “Not even worth what a pig could spit. But if I fix it up a little, maybe it’ll fetch us a pretty penny.” He tapped his chin before chuckling and shutting off the light over head.
“Let’s worry about it tomorrow, eh Lahr?” Rail patted him on the shoulder before walking upstairs, but Lahr couldn’t take his eyes away from the music box.
‘Sick.’ That was the first word that came to mind when he looked at it’s crimson padding decorated with demons sewn in blue and black thread. He saw more than heard rail turn off the light’s upstairs...a sign he was going to bed. A sign Lahr should be sleeping too. He couldn’t help himself, he knew rail would be furious with him for even thinking it. But before he knew what was happening, he was across the room again leaning over the table and admiring the tiny golden key. He rubbed a thumb along the very edge of it before gently cranking the key, listening to the gears wind up and reset themselves before he released the key again. A tinkling tune played out, silently but loud enough to be the only noise in the workshop. The song now and then hit a bum note...a sign it was close to breaking. He smiled when suddenly the lid flew back and movement in the dark caught his eye.
Two yellow figurines danced about the box, The figure of a man and the figure of a woman. Both were made of a deep yellow stone, sulfur he assumed, and carved carefully so each detail was right on the dot. He was enchanted by the box...until the singing started.
“The town engulfed by tongue of flame,
Changes the odds of this little game,” It was a hissing demons voice, but at exacts moments both voice and song hit bum notes, like a voice close to cracking.
“Humans think turning keys opens locks,
It’s not the same with this little box.
Just know that as soon as I die,
A Requiem will be your final goodbye.” Both figurines were captured by large demonic hands set in the box, both doomed together. The song ended with a sour note and the lid slammed shut. He sat wide eyed and bathed in a cold sweat.
“That was the most repulsive song I’ve ever heard...” He mumbled to himself, but he knew it wasn’t true. He was addicted to the box’s song. He didn’t hesitate to wind it again. The tune poured out, the figures danced...then the same cracking voice.
“Humans just don’t learn do you?
Obviously you must need a clue.” The song and voice were breaking, cracking and going flat much more often now
“ Turn my key and open the lock,
I can only hope you won’t sit there and gawk.
What you find may cause you to cry,
But remember this is your last goodbye.
One more time, and you won’t be here anymore...
For he’s waiting...at the door.” Like clockwork the hands trapped the dancing couple and pulled them into the box before closing. He knew the song was a warning now...it hadn’t said any of that before. Lahr began to get the feeling he was being watched, it said he was out the door right? He couldn’t help but sneak a peek out the window closest the door. The rain still poured down in buckets, accompanied by a streak of lightning and a clap of thunder...long and weird shadows danced in the moonlight. But no one was out there...were they? One more glance over his shoulder at the music box was all it took...



Rail stretched as he slumped down the stairs. He scratched at his messy red hair and looked over the railing for any sign of Lahr.
“Hey Lahr, sleep down here last night? I didn’t here you come up.” He called out, worrying even more when he got no response. He sighed and walked down the rest of the stairs, peeking into what made up the kitchen. No sign of Lahr there either or any breakfast so he looked into the sitting room next. If Lahr was still sleeping it wasn’t on the couch. He tapped his chin in thought for a second before an idea hit him like a ton of bricks.
“Lahr, if you’re ogling that music box again so help me...” He stomped into the work shop “Lahr?!” He saw nothing in the room, no response... but on the floor a patch of white caught his eye. A limp and pale wrist. Rail panicked, he dove to the other side of the work table.
“Oh my...Lahr...” he touched the arm of his brother “Who did this to you?” Lahr was just a red stain on his floor, his limbs were tossed about the fireplace...but his head sat atop the mantle. Rail sat in Lahr’s blood and cried, until he heard the voice.
“I did it.” His head snapped up and he looked about the room, but he found nothing.
“Who...who said that?” He muttered to himself, looking back down at what was left of Lahr.
“I did.” The voice said softly, he looked up again sure he wasn’t imagining it this time.
“Where are you?” He felt nervous, the tension in the room thickening like when he insulted the music box. The voice didn’t speak for a while and Rail was sure he had just gone mad on the spur of the moment.
“...I’m in here, with you.” Rail felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and he looked up at a chair to his right slowly. He let go of the breath he was holding when he saw nothing.
“No...behind you.” He jumped and a feeling settled into his gut as the voice became clearer. It was the voice of a demon. Rail risked the glance over his shoulder, but his view wasn’t good enough to see anything. He turned around and his hands flew to his mouth.
In his chair sat a red monstrosity, decorated in scales like a mail shirt he caught the dying light from the coals of the fire place making him even redder. Atop his head was a crown of four horns that circled his head, his pointed ears curling up around the two on the side of his head. He blinked at Rail with double eyelids and a disappointed expression on his ugly face. He had his legs crossed and the hooves clopped as he tapped one in a rhythm. He cradled something close to his chest, but was sure to keep it out of view. Rail was sure that this was just a dream, he cooled his attitude before speaking to the demon in his seat.
“How did you get in here?”
“I was called.” He ran a clawed finger over the object in his arms and Rail heard a purring sound. He shook his head.
‘There’s a demon in my workshop, and he has a cat?’ He thought to himself, scratching his head. He jumped when the demon chuckled.
“Far from a cat, meus filius.”
“You can read thoughts?” He kneeled in front of the demon who nodded in answer. The purring stopped and he saw an almost forlorn look pass over the demons face.
“If it’s not a cat, what is it?” He was almost afraid to ask, but the demon almost obediently set down whatever was cradled in it’s arms. Rail frowned when he saw the object.
“Why, that’s my music box!” The room darkened slightly.
“Yours?!” He’d forgotten that demons don’t share, what’s theirs is theirs. The red beast stood up and glared at Rail.
“I mean ‘Your’ music box.” He put up his hands defensively and the demon grunted before sitting back down. He clopped his hooves in the rhythm again and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking back up at Rail.
“Ballad is Mine, he called for me and I saw that other human with him. My Ballad was crying, so I killed him.” he broke into a huge grin that might’ve split his face in two, it revealed his long hooked teeth “No one can touch this box but me.” Rail snarled.
“You killed Lahr, you killed my brother.” He growled and stood up. The demon saw aggressiveness and responded accordingly. He tackled Rail and sat lightly atop his back, so he wouldn’t crush the human.
“Yes I did, and I could’ve killed you too!” He roared and the room shook, darkening even more with his anger “But...I need your help...” He climbed off of Rail, hooves clopping as he still kept the same rhythm. Rail crawled back to his feet shakily and stared into the demon’s yellow eyes.
“Why should I help a demon?” The demon in question sighed before carelessly latching his hand around Rail’s neck. He kept his gaze to the floor as he lifted Rail up.
“Because I could kill you in a worse manner then your little friend over there, without breaking a sweat.” He looked up into rail’s eyes and Rail saw an odd gleam deep in the yellow of them. The demon wasn’t playing games. He choked for air before nodding, the demon smiled and dropped him to the floor.
“Good choice, Rail.” Rail gasped down as much air as he could as the demon crossed his arms, clopping. He looked up at the demon.
“You know my name, so what’s yours?” The demon laughed.
“You don’t believe that saying a demons true name gives them power?” Rail almost smacked his face, he had forgotten “No matter, I don’t have to give my true name to a human...I am the song that brings and marks a death, I am the mass going to place a body back into the earth...I am Requiem.” Rail nodded as the demon sat in the chair, hearing the wood of his favorite seat groan with the demons weight made him cringe. The demon continued tapping his hoof in a tune and stared at Rail, waiting for the question he already knew was coming.
“...what do you want from me, Requiem?” The demon bowed his head and looked fondly at his music box. Requiem sighed before turning back to Rail.
“...My Ballad is sick.”