Dance with the Devil

Written by Jane Barnaby for character development of Jane Azarok Barnaby

Come to me.

The command echoed in Jane's bones, drowning out all other noise. The words were clipped, filled with carefully contained anger. The three words ringed in her mind until all she could do was obey.

Without another word, she slipped out of the tavern and walked to the beach, her black cloak billowing in the breeze. The edges of her vision were tinged blue by the cerulean flames burning bright in her eye sockets. The demon inside stirred, uneasy at the command.

“ Tell me where we are going, Anna, ” Azarok said. Their low, gravel-like voice had an edge of fear.

She crossed the last few metres of sand and reached the shoreline. "Jones' be callin'. I cannae ignore this un. 'E seemed livid, an' I donnae like livid deities who own me soul."

When she was about to step into the water, the Grim Reaper seized her body and stopped her. “ Wait. We should bury the bottle of refreshmen- lost souls. I imagine the Lord of the Deep would not be pleased if he saw it. ”

"Fine. Did ye really need te freeze me fer tha'?" Although she grumbled unhappily as she dug a hole in the sand and took the jar from her belt, it wasn't the demon she was truly upset with. The command had unsettled her, and his tone even more so. As she stared at the little glowing lights bobbing around in the glass container, something told her this encounter wouldn't be pretty.

She lowered the jar into the shallow hole. After a moment of thought, she fished Cenwyn’s pocket watch from one of her cloak’s pocket and put it next to the jar, covering both items with wet sand. The tides would probably take it, but it would have to do. As long as Cenwyn’s watch was safe and Davy didn't see her walk up to him in the Locker with the souls on her belt, it was alright. Maybe another one of the demons would appreciate the 'refreshments', as Azarok called them.

As she stepped into the sea, she muttered her familiar mantra. "Nae hesitation. Nae fear. I's th' ex-Dread Capt'n. Go."

A calm descended on her as she cast away her feelings and disappeared beneath the waves.

* * *

Dark, cold water swirled around the skeleton as she descended further into the ocean. Azarok watched it with a wary gaze from the back of her mind. Something was lurking in the dark, just beyond sight, waiting to pounce on the two.

The demon bared their teeth, although it had little use. Their host had no fangs, and without any skin, her teeth were always bare. Despite numerous attempts, Anna had not relented on her human teeth, not wanting to give up on her ‘last shred of humanity’. Quite a strange notion for an undead skeleton inhabited by an entity such as themselves.

As the silence dragged on, Azarok searched through Anna’s mind, digging around for memories about Davy Jones. They had heard of the man -- if he could be considered such -- but had little hands-on experience. Their little host, on the other hand, had enough experience for several mortal lifetimes.

Cunning. Deceptive. Easy to anger. But most of all, powerful. The demon hissed faintly at what they found. Even if they were at full power, would they have been able to take on the Lord of the Deep? And now, at maybe a quarter of their true strength and half their soul already in the deity’s control, their chances were looking bleak.

“''I can feel ye pace en tharr. Git yerself tegether, mate. Donnae embarrass me en front o’ Jones.''” Their host’s voice reached out through their mental connection. It was strained with more worry than the demon liked.

“ It is likely your actions that brought us to this point, ” Azarok shot back, ruffled by the insult. “ Do not attempt to pin the blame on me. ”

“We will find tha’ out en jes a moment, eh?” Just a moment? the Reaper thought just as the entire atmosphere changed.

The pitch black waters turned opaque, almost fog-like, as their host continued to walk. Shipwrecks in various states of deterioration were scattered across the sunless sand, dark ghosts of lives long gone. Azarok swore they saw a spectre on the deck of one of the newer ships, but when they turned to look, no one was there.

In the distance, a fortress-like shape emerged from the fog. Anna moved steadily towards it, and the demon was surprised and oddly proud to find her footsteps didn’t falter as much as once. The little human truly was determined to show no fear or hesitation, just as she repeated to herself almost daily.

As they approached the grand building, more details revealed themselves. The wooden construction had turned black from water and rot, held together with seaweed and shells. An anguished wail came from the inside, and Azarok recognised the familiar sound as a tormented soul.

A deep sense of dread filled their being, and they forced Anna to yet another halt. “ You should not go in there. It is too dangerous. ”

“Well, stayin’ out ‘ere sure as Hell ain’t much safer, thankee very much.” She shook them off and continued, walking through the arched doorway. The way they were so easily dispelled made them hiss, but they didn’t dare act out. Some kind of beast was in there, and they did not want to alert it.

They entered a hall as dark and dreary as the rest of the abyss. Old masts from sailing ships held up the arched ceiling, carved intricately with depictions of krakens swallowing seafarers whole. Half-rotten figureheads lined the path to the dais at the back of the grande room, where a throne dominated the space.

A man stood in front of the throne of skulls and bones, his black, lifeless eyes boring into Azarok and their host. Despite standing as still as a statue, displeasure and anger rolled off of him, from the scowl on his face to the dark energy swirling around him.

Everything inside Azarok screamed to turn around and fly away, but their flames refused to sprout under water. Their host did not back down or slow her stride, either. With determined steps, she approached the man, kneeling in front of the dais.

“Jane Barnaby,” the entity said, pronouncing each syllable slowly and carefully. Even his very voice was filled with power. “I warned ye last time. This time, I’ll nay be so kind.”

Although the skeleton didn’t answer, Azarok sensed the fear that took hold of her bones, spreading like ink splattered across a parchment. Why was she not running? they questioned before the answer struck them. This was not an entity anyone could escape from.

“Th’ first time yer soul was taken by that demon, et were by force, an’ th’ Nightwatch did their duty and freed ye. An’ now ye come back ‘ere, with less than half yer soul still in my possession, an’ that demon willingly back in yer body?” With every word, his voice became louder, until the thunderous sound rattled the hall. “This be unacceptable, Barnaby.”

The little skeleton shuddered from the force. “I apologise, Lord. Th’ demon were goin’ te take me, an’ et were easier te let et happen voluntarily.”

Davy Jones laughed, but there was not a hint of amusement in the harsh barks. “Ye be mine, an’ I never let me possessions go easily. Ye thought th’ demon could jes do this without any repercussions? Did ye ‘ave that little faith in yer Master?”

Instead of answering, she meekly shook her head. Silence followed, made heavy by the dark gaze resting on both the ex-Captain and her host. Azarok sat as still as they could, but it had no use. The entity was looking right through Anna, at them.

The energy swirling around the man lashed out. As if a giant claw had grabbed them, Azarok was dragged out of their somewhat safe hiding place at the back of their host’s mind and yanked to the forefront. They found themselves kneeling, looking down at wooden floorboards covered in molluscs.

“Ye. Ye dare return an’ take over one of my assets?” the deity demanded. The energy grabbed Azarok’s jaw and forced them to look up in those bottomless black eyes. The rough treatment made their hackles rise, but they forced them down, not daring to hiss at the deity, whose scowl was only deepening. “Answer me.”

“ What do you expect me to say? The answer is ‘yes’, considering our current conversation, ” the Reaper replied, silently cursing the sass in their tone. They curled their skeletal hands into fists and awaited the repercussions, but none came. Davy Jones was looking at them, no, through them, and the uncomfortable sensation of something searching through their thoughts and memories made them queasy.

“Azarok, child o’ Kazroth.” The deity’s eyebrow rose ever so slightly. “A Grim Reaper heir, on th’ run an’ hidin’ in me territory. O’ all th’ things I expected ye te be, that was nay it.”

A soft hiss escaped them at the mocking words, but one look made the sound disappear. They swallowed their pride and fear and shook their head. “ I am calling this place my home, yes. ”

“Ye are nothin’ but a stowaway, hopin’ te evade notice. I can see ye ‘ave been pretendin’ te be part o’ me Watch, thinkin’ that protectin’ me territory might grant ye a free stay. Ye thought wrong.” He let silence hang in the air for a moment before he spoke again. “But I be willin’ te make ye an offer, Azarok.”

Inside of them, Anna protested, begging them not to do it. The demon heard her pleas and grimaced. Something told them this was not an offer they could refuse, no matter how the deity presented it. They steadied their voice and said, “ I am listening. ”

“I want ye an’ Barnaby’s whole soul. That includes th’ small bit o’ hers that ye deliberately stole from me, Grim Reaper.” The man shot them a warning glance before continuing. “In return, ye can become part o’ th’ Nightwatch, an’ find yerself a safe place on Isla de Oro, along wi’ some other perks te ward off th’ other demons.”

“ Our entire soul for a safe home, ” Azarok repeated. They acted indifferently, but inside, their mind was racing. Where was the catch? This sounded like the perfect opportunity. It was unlikely that they could ever return home, not with their brother seeking their death, and they did not trust Karnir’s and Wrath’s intentions. Even Eve was suspicious.

Jones nodded. “Indeed.”

“''Donnae do et! ‘E will enslave fer eternity ye like ‘e did te all o’ us Watch members,''” Anna cried. “Ye will never step foot outside o’ Jones’ domain again.”

As if having overheard their host’s pleas, the deity’s lips curled up in a grim smile. “Or would ye rather I hand ye over te th’ Grim Reaper Lord right now?”

“ No! ” Azarok blurted out. “ I will do it. I accept your offer. ”

“Perfect.”

The dark energy swirling around the entity moved forward at once, encasing the demon. Searing pain blinded them as their soul was ripped from their body and taken by the deity. Anna’s screams and Jones’ low chuckle were the last they heard before the energy consumed them whole.

* * *

Blue stretched out as far as Jane could see, tinged orange from the setting sun. She looked around, disoriented and lost. If she were alive, maybe she could have felt the waves lapping at her legs, the rough-hewn plank clenched in her arms keeping her afloat, tasted the stinging salt of the Caribbean gales. Instead, all she figured out is that she was bobbing up and down, adrift out at sea with no land in sight. Mentally, she prodded at the demon within, trying to stir them awake. Azarok didn’t respond, and she huffed. The little bastard was really going to make her deal with this alone, weren’t they? She crawled onto the piece of wreckage and gathered her bearings. Her soaked cloak clung to her bones, even more ragged than normal. The Reaper refused to get anything more fashionable. Well, now it might be the time for a replacement.

Searching her cloak’s pockets, she brought out bits of bone, several bottles of milk, and even one of her enchanted jars of flavoured frozen cream. Half a dozen knives soon joined the pile, along with her soaked flintlocks and the scythe that Azarok loved. As she looked at the pitiful collection, her hope disappeared. How was she going to make it back home with just this? Where did the piece of wreckage even come from? She started considering its origins, but quickly stopped. When Jones was involved, it was better not to think about it.

The sun dipped beneath the horizon, and darkness followed, blanketing the perpetually moving water. A familiar pull tugged at her, and inside, Azarok startled awake. The demon looked around using her vision and let out a soft hiss of pain and confusion.

“ Where are we and how did we get here? ”

“Donnae ken. But I ken tha’ way be home.” She followed the pull, gesturing in the direction it was trying to tug her in. Azarok’s wordless confusion about the pull followed, and she grinned without humour. “Welcome te th’ Nightwatch, mate. Yer one o’ Jones’ servants now, jes like us. Tha’ be what yer feelin’.”

“ Oh Hell, what did I do, Anna? ”

If the Reaper wasn’t the cause of their current predicament, Jane might have felt sorry for them and the panic in their voice. Instead, she picked up the scythe and started using it as a paddle. “Ye made a deal wi’ Jones. Yer soul an’ mine, along wi’ an eternity o’ servitude, fer safety. I s’pose they cannae split us apart anymore, nor can they take ye back te yer homeland.”

“ I can never return home? ” They went quiet, sounding more like a lost child than the dangerous demon they were supposed to be.

“Well, they were gonna kill ye ef ye returned anyways, right?” the skeleton said. She sounded harsher than she intended, and she let her tone soften. “Ye will come te terms wi’ et eventually. We all did.”

For once, the demon didn’t have a witty remark or a snide comeback. They were silent, only able to send across feelings of uncertainty and loss. With a sigh, she reached out and gently comforted them.

She picked up the pace as she paddled towards Puerto Dorado. This was going to be a long journey home.