What Following Brings

by S. E. Campbell

  She opened the cupboard and gazed inside and felt fear fill her soul like electricity. Large glass vials containing Satan Spawn had been lined up like medicine. Wisps of white mist with glowing Raiders’ faces floated in giant bottles. Small imps with glowing red eyes, spiked tails, and white fangs stood at attention next to herds of crimson, angry bugs. Cherry sludge glowed from inside short, fat vials. The sludge appeared as if it had come from the geysers Eden had seen while in the Blood Stone chamber. The similarity between the wicked caves and the sludge caused her to shiver.

  To the right of the Satan spawn, stood glass rows of holy water. Eden grabbed as many as she could and shoved them into her pockets. She then switched her attention back toward the Satan Spawn with wide eyes.

  She touched the bottled Raider and felt that the glass was like ice against her palm. She gasped and whimpered. She didn’t want to be stuck in here, not with these monsters around her. Just as she was about to sprint toward the door, she heard the sound of several feet marching down the hallway. Eden, knowing it was too late to leave, seized a bottle of the red sludge, the less deadly looking of the vials, and hid behind the table.

  “You two search those rooms and I’ll search these,” one of the Demons said. “Leave no room unchecked. We’re in for it if the girl gets loose.”

  Eden groaned and waited. In the room next-door, she heard the sound of banging and knew it would be only a matter of time before they found her in here. Hiding behind the table didn’t make her invisible. Maybe if I try to sneak around them, I could get free. But then what? The downstairs was probably just as bad as up here. She wouldn’t be able to get down there the way things were, with or without Sergeant Dale’s help.

  As she wrapped her hands around her knees, she heard the door bang open. A Demon came inside. He walked around the table and leered at her at once. His mouth dropped open and then he spun around, probably to yell for his comrades.

  Eden lifted up her arm and hurled the bottle of red sludge at the Demon before he could open his mouth. The bottle shattered at his feet. The moment the red sludge touched his soul, he caught fire as if he was gasoline and the sludge was a lit match. The Demon threw back his head and let out pained, horrified yells. A portal opened up in the ceiling and his soul disappeared into it.

  “Did you hear that?” one of the Demons down the hall said. “This way.”

  Two pairs of running feet came Eden’s way. She had two choices: be captured or use the Demons’ own weapons against them. Eden reached up, seized the first bottle she came in contact with, and felt a chill go up her arm. A Raider.

  She didn’t wait for the Demons to reach her to hurl it. She threw the bottle out the open door and into the hallway; the glass shattered and the mist spread along the floor. Eden then watched in horror as the mist formed a tall, cold woman with a blank expression.

  “Raiders,” one of the Demons said. “Raiders, run.”

  There was the sound of loud thuds as the Demons fled, but then she heard an even bigger bang and then loud screams filled the prison. It sounded as though one Demon had gotten away, but the other one had not been so lucky. Eden heard him scream and knew she had made a bad mistake. She had trapped herself in with the Satan Spawn. She wouldn’t be able to get away in time. Not from Raiders.

  The mist entered the examination room and headed toward her. She backed up against the wall as a cold Raider appeared before her. The Raider stared at Eden with emotionless eyes.

  “Please,” Eden said. “I let you out, didn’t I? Surely you can understand I gave you freedom.”

  The Raider was detached and cold. Evil. But she did not swoop down upon her. Instead her head moved slowly and she touched the glass vial where another Raider remained. Eden withdrew her hand from the vial as if the glass had burned her. The Raider glided back to Eden.

  “Free them,” the Raider said.

  “You can’t open the bottles yourself?” Eden asked.

  “Free them,” the Raider repeated, voice growing louder.

  Eden gasped. It appeared the Raider couldn’t open the bottles. But she knew if she opened them all, there would be no hope for her. Raiders weren’t the sort of creatures who would hold a soft spot in their hearts for somebody who had released their brethren. They were the sort of creatures who would wait for her to open all of the bottles and pounce.

  “I, I don’t know,” Eden said.

  The Raider sighed and put both of her hands on Eden’s shoulders. She stared into Eden’s eyes with a hard, cold, stare. Eden felt chilled as stared into blank eyes. She heard the sound of loud yelling behind her and the Raiders.

  “If I let them go, then you won’t attack me,” Eden said. “There are others on this floor. If I release all of you, then…”

  Releasing her, the Raider stepped back. Eden realized this was a “yes.” At least, she thought it was. The Raider disappeared into a faint mist at her feet as Eden reached up and grabbed the cold bottles from the cupboard just as five Demon soldiers rounded the corner and unsheathed their swords.

  “You’re in for it now,” one of the Demon soldiers said, stepping forward with his sword pointed at Eden.

  The Raider re-formed again with a breath of air and appeared next to Eden. The Demon who had been so cocky swore and took a step back but his escape was stopped by his four other frozen comrades. Eden dropped the Raider bottles on the floor and fine mist and glass coated the stone. White faces, pale and emotionless, appeared around her and then began to condense and gain bodies. A Raider placed a cold hand on Eden’s shoulder and whipped her around. Eden cursed herself.

  Then the first Raider, the original Raider who had demanded she free her brethren, whispered something inaudible to Eden. The one which held her released her, staring at her with cold, empty eyes. The Demon soldier swore again.

  “They’re on her side,” the Demon soldier said. “Run.”

  All Raiders, except the original one, moved back into a fine mist and followed after the soldiers. Eden shut her eyes as she heard the sound of screaming in the hallway when their energy was stolen, and she knew it was her fault. She grasped her chest, which hurt. At least the soldiers would only be in pain. Raiders only gave souls Morsus. They didn’t cause them to reincarnate.

  Eden felt cold again, unusual for a soul, and opened her eyes. The main Raider hovered before her. Fear filled Eden. She didn’t like standing before such a Satan Spawn with the goal of helping it.

  “You will release the others,” the Raider said coldly. “You will also break those hideous lamps on the outside walls so we may be free.”

  “Keep your friends from attacking me and the prisoners and we have a deal,” Eden said.

  “As long as the soldiers who imprisoned me are mine,” the Raider said, “then you and your foolish humans may pass us by.”

  “Okay,” Eden said. “We have a deal.”

  “Fine.” The Raider reached forward and touched Eden’s forehead. She felt it burn fire hot.

  “Ouch,” Eden said, eyes widening in surprise.

  The Raider surveyed Eden for a moment, a glowing white ghost with pale hair and a blank face, and then she disappeared into a fine mist on the floor. Eden opened the cabinet and grabbed more of the red sludge, just in case. She prayed she would never have to use it.

  I hope Yuri will be okay during all this. He won’t be protected by my alliance. Then she imagined his strong, defiant face and knew he would be.

  As she attempted to close the cabinet, one of the little imps pressed his face against the glass of his vile and stared at her with glowing red eyes. These are Satan Spawn. You don’t want them released. You don’t even know what this one can do. Yet, as the creature stared at her, she felt horrible leaving him in the bottle. Even for an evil creature, it was inhumane.

  “If I let you out, you won’t hurt me or the other prisoners?” Eden asked.

  The imp shook his head.

  “You swear?” Eden asked.

  The imp shook his head agai
n.

  Eden dropped the vial on the ground where it shattered into a million pieces and the small imp flailed around like a fish out of water. Bending down, Eden examined the small creature and then touched his horned head. His head was surprisingly hot.

  “You okay, little guy?”

  The imp wobbled to his feet and then gave her an evil grin.

  “Never trust a Satan Spawn,” the imp said in a, demonic growl. “We know no loyalty except to our Dark Lord.”

  The imp was no longer small. He began to grow larger and larger; Eden screamed and backed up against the wall as she was suddenly pinned in an examination room with a twenty foot tall monster with large horns and a pronged tail. Eden recognized this Satan Spawn. He was the same type of spawn she had encountered in the fields the night Adanna and Thema, Adanna’s little sister, had been captured.

  As Eden quivered, a horrible smell filled her nostrils. Like blood and burning fire. Eden dug around in her pockets and brought out a jar of the red sludge and hurled it at the Satan Spawn. The imp let out a dark, evil, cackle and spread his arms as the fire licked him.

  “The fire belongs to us, human,” the imp said and then he seized her neck and held her up against the wall. “You cannot extinguish a fire with more heat. You are foolish, just like the rest of your race.”

  Fire. Got to get rid of him. I can’t let it end here. Eden dug around in her pockets and found a vial of holy water she had kept to save herself. She hurled it at the Satan Spawn and the vile cracked and spilled around him. The water worked like acid on his face and the imp screamed and released her.

  Eden shoved her hand in her pants pocket, grabbed the rest of her vials, and hurled them at the imp one by one. The bottles shattered and burned his skin and black smog surrounded his body, as if the water lit him aflame like the red sludge should have done. Clutching his face, the imp began to grow smaller and smaller as his deep voice grew higher and higher. Soon he was nothing more than a burned midget upon the ground.

  The imp rocked back and forth on the floor in his pain, and Eden didn’t take any second chances with him. She realized the imp was like a bug. She slammed her foot down upon him and heard an awful crunching noise which made her cringe.

  I’m not letting anymore of them out. Eden raced out of the room and took to the hallway. She entered the room to her right and opened the cabinet. She pulled out all of the vials of holy water and stashed them in her pockets. Then she seized all of the bottles of Raiders and shattered them on the floor.

  A fine mist coated the ground and then white faces appeared all around her, glowing. All of the faces became “white ladies,” glowing beings of white with long, winding hair and Victorian style dresses which wrapped around them and flowed in an invisible wind. One of them glided forward and put her hands on Eden’s shoulders.

  “Wait,” Eden said. “I’m releasing the other Raiders. You need me.”

  The Raider leaned downward and then Eden felt pain fill her forehead again. She cried out and the Raider stared at her forehead with yet again no emotion. Eden expected this Raider to say something, as the original Raider had done, but instead all ten of the glowing white women disappeared into white faces and then, finally, a fine mist upon the ground. The mist left her and disappeared.

  Eden repeated these steps in each room she came to. After Eden left the fourth room, she heard the sound of running feet on the stairs. She had a hard time seeing around the white mist which surrounded her. She saw that somebody parted the mist like Moses parted the sea. She tried to focus and saw it was Yuri. He held a glowing white lantern to keep the mist at bay.

  “Yuri,” Eden said.

  Behind Yuri, Eden saw another person. A familiar person. It was Aaron, holding a lantern.

  “So it’s you who is doing this,” Yuri said. “A week in this prison and you’ve destroyed it. How is that even possible?”

  “Yuri, you should get out of here,” Eden said. “Just leave the prison. It won’t be here when this is all over.”

  “You humiliated me,” Yuri said, unsheathing his sword. “I don’t know why the Raiders aren’t touching you, but I won’t let you go.”

  Eden stole a frightened look at Aaron, who still lingered behind Yuri.

  “Don’t do this, Yuri,” Eden said. “Just go.”

  “Keep the light aloft, Colonel,” Yuri said, passing the lantern to Aaron.

  “Yes, sir.”

  The moment Aaron had the lantern in his hands, he placed it on the ground and tackled Yuri from behind, wrestling him to the ground. Yuri swore in surprise and confusion, but he managed to flip Aaron onto his back. Behind them the Raiders began to form and Eden ran forward to seize the lantern, shining it on the fighting pair. Eden knew without that, they would not be protected. She had bought freedom only for herself and the other prisoners. At least, for now.

  As Eden watched with wide, horrified eyes, Yuri gained control, straddled Aaron, and began to punch him in the face. Aaron groaned in pain and covered his eyes. He struggled and squirmed, but Yuri was much tougher than Aaron was and kept punching him.

  “So it was you who has been helping her,” Yuri said, still pounding Aaron’s chest. “I thought it was odd you volunteered to come get her with me, even though every man who has gone up that flight of stairs has not come back. You are a traitor, Aaron. A traitor.”

  “Stop,” Eden said.

  Yuri gazed up at her and scowled, locking Aaron’s arms above his head. “Give me one good reason why I should.”

  “Because I’m not the only one who is a prisoner here,” Eden said. “You are, too. You put yourself here to punish yourself, am I right?”

  Instead of responding, Yuri stared down at Aaron who was still being pinned with his wrists above his head. Aaron’s eyes were wide with fear. Eden didn’t think Yuri would finish Aaron off, but she didn’t want to risk it. She had to get Yuri away from him.

  “Your Dawn wouldn’t have wanted you to do this,” Eden said. “And I bet she’s never blamed you for the car accident. I don’t either. You shouldn’t have killed yourself, Yuri, and you shouldn’t be here. You can still change. It’s never too late.”

  Silence fell as Yuri stared at her open-mouthed and wide-eyed. Their eyes met and she felt a connection with him. It overwhelmed her, and she knew the feelings had nothing to do with the fact he was one of her five. If she had been alive her heart would have been pounding and she wouldn’t have been able to breathe; it would have been all Yuri’s fault.

  The moment was broken, though, when Aaron flipped Yuri over onto his back and pinned him to the ground. Yuri didn’t fight this time. Aaron began to punch Yuri in the chest. Eden grabbed Aaron’s shoulder and pulled him backward.

  “Stop it,” Eden said. “You’re hurting him.”

  “He clobbered me,” Aaron said, furious.

  “Just help me figure out what to do with him,” Eden said, desperate. “I’ve got to release the rest of the Raiders.”

  “What?” Aaron asked. “Are you insane?”

  “Why do you think I’m wandering around in here?” Eden asked. “They won’t touch me. At least, for now. Just pick up Yuri and let’s go.”

  “He’s way bigger than me,” Aaron said, pouting.

  “And you’re a soul,” Eden said. “His weight won’t matter anymore.”

  Yuri still remained silent, even as Aaron prodded his back.

  “There is some rope in the store room.” Aaron glared at Yuri. “Think you can handle him for a second while I grab some?”

  Though Eden felt nervous, she nodded. Aaron scrambled away, entered the third door to the left, went inside, and then came out a few seconds later with a couple of pieces of rope. He kneeled down by Yuri and bound his wrists.

  “I don’t mean weighty, I mean tall,” Aaron said, continuing to tie him up. “Let’s leave him in an examination room somewhere with the light and come get him when you’re done releasing the Raiders.”

  “Fine,” Eden said, watching as A
aron moved from Yuri’s now bound hands and began to tie a second piece of rope around his ankles to keep his feet together. “Then I’ll carry him. I’m not going to let him go. I need to protect him.”

  “The idiot’s trying to get rid of you,” Aaron said, standing now he had finished binding Yuri. “You’re just lucky the Demons are required to carry ropes to bind prisoners, or else Yuri would be attempting to slice us into pieces.”

  Frowning, Eden bent down and seized Yuri by his waist. Picking up a full grown man still caused her to feel uneasy. Though Yuri appeared solid, he weighed nothing more than a piece of paper to her. She swung him over her shoulder, and, even though she was tall, she understood what Aaron meant. Yuri was big. Not only was holding him obstructing her vision and hindering her defensive abilities, but she had the feeling Yuri would start acting up again soon. When he did, it would be easy for her to be taken. Yuri had more fight in him than she did. Plus, he had a foot on her, bound or not.

  “I can see your point,” Eden admitted. “Let’s put him in an examination room.”

  “Finally, she sees logic,” Aaron said. “Come on.”

  Eden walked with Yuri on her back to the examination room door. Aaron did not open it for her, so she had to bully it open with her one free arm and a lot of pulling. Just because souls weren’t heavy didn’t mean the doors weren’t. Eden entered the room and placed Yuri in a wooden chair. He continued to stare at her as she looked at him. She didn’t like it when he stared at her without saying anything and not fighting. She wished she knew what he was thinking. Maybe he was contemplating her words, but she doubted it. Yuri’s guilt, like her own, could not be whisked away so easily.

  “Yuri,” Eden said, touching his cheek, “I wish you would listen to me. I’m going to help you, but you have to let me do it.”

  Yuri stared at her and then gritted his teeth. “Help me? I don’t need anybody’s help. I do just fine on my own.”