Murmur stepped up a few paces and stood next to Tannin.
“I’m happy to earn my own transfer from your department. I’ll fight Andras to the death for my freedom.”
Tannin pulled Murmur aside.
“You don’t have to do this. Shadow already secured your freedom and I have enough demons to put Nightmare and his entire army in the ground if needed.”
“I’ve wanted to kill Andras since I was assigned to this department. If I join up with the department of jealousy, there’s no guarantee that I will meet him in battle. He needs to die. Now. I’m going to make sure that happens.”
“And you’re going to kill a conjurer with a bleeding nose and a couple of mallets?”
“I’d kill him with my bare hands if that’s all I had on me.”
Nightmare called to them.
“Andras accepts the challenge. Murmur will face off with Andras and fight to the death.”
Tannin looked like the challenge still worried him. Murmur hoped to reassure him that he would win.
“I got this. I used to train with Lord Shadow before we went through the trials. Lord Leech defeated Andras in the trails. I don’t want to imply that I’m a better fighter than either of them, but I’m confident I can put him down for good.”
“That’s actually not what I’m worried about.”
Tannin handed Murmur a grenade.
“It’s a smoke grenade. You’ll know when to use it. Now go kill Andras.”
Murmur wanted to ask why he would need a smoke grenade at all, but Tannin shoved him toward Andras and Nightmare. Nightmare stepped back a few paces and whispered something in one of his spy’s ears. The demon spy ran off and disappeared.
Andras walked to within a few paces of Murmur and pulled his staff off of his back. Murmur grabbed both of his mallets. A group of demons circled around them.
“Nightmare, I want a blood pact before we begin.”
“What’s wrong, Tannin? You don’t trust me?”
“Do I trust the department of lies? Hell no. We make a blood pact or we don’t do this.”
“Fine. It doesn’t matter anyways. Andras is going to kill the gorilla once and for all.”
Nightmare and Tannin both made a cut on their right hands and then clasped hands.
“We agree that if Murmur wins, he will earn his freedom and join the department of jealousy under my command.”
“We agree that if Andras wins, your army leaves without Murmur and without attacking my army. You’ll go home empty handed.”
The two middle demons shook on the terms. As soon as they finished shaking hands, Andras muttered some words under his breath and then touched his forehead with his staff. A few seconds later, he was running around Murmur with alarming speed.
Murmur tried to take a swing with one of his mallets but Andras kicked hard at the back of one of his knees and reversed direction. Murmur didn’t fall; Andras didn’t have enough strength to bring him down.
It was then that Murmur recalled a lesson he had learned from sparring with Shadow. Land a hit by swinging where your enemy is going to be. Murmur was in control of where Andras went if his last shot was any indication. He swung down with the mallet in his left hand and Andras changed direction. Murmur countered by swinging the mallet in his right hand horizontally straight at Andras’ face. It connected. Instead of a bloody Andras falling to the ground, the image of Andras simply disappeared. Within seconds, two wolves lunged at Murmur’s face. He was able to catch them both by the throat and crush them.
Murmur realized he hadn’t killed Andras, he had destroyed his decoy. That gave Andras the time he needed to start conjuring wolves. Murmur looked around but he didn’t see Andras anywhere. He saw several wolves circling him, waiting for the opportunity to strike and beyond that was… a dark mist.
Two of the wolves lunged from either side of Murmur. He took a step back and smashed their heads together. Another wolf jumped on his back and bit down on his left shoulder. He grunted and then flipped the wolf over his shoulder, let it fall to the ground, and stepped on its head.
Murmur knew he couldn’t just keep killing wolves surrounded by mists of darkness, so after slaying a few more that lunged at him he ran straight into the darkness. What he found was more darkness. He thought Andras had just cast a thin layer of mist around the area he was fighting off wolves but no such luck. He ran deeper and deeper in but the dark mists never faded and he never ran into one of the demons that were in a circle around him when he started fighting Andras. Clearly, Andras had become a better sorcerer than Murmur had seen in all of the battles where he was forced to carry his gear. Murmur guessed that he pulled out all of his powers for one-on-one battles but was forced to use different spells on the battlefield.
Murmur pulled a small stone from his pocket. Shadow had given it to him a long time ago and it glowed with a bright, white light. He had his suspicions where it had come from. He had heard the rumors about Shadow’s father collaborating with the angels. Even after Shadow gave him the stone, he insisted his father wasn’t a traitor so Murmur assumed there was more to the story.
Murmur held the stone in the air and said the words Shadow had taught him when they were kids.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”
As the final words left Murmur’s mouth, light began spreading out from the stone. He quickly put it back in his pocket as the light spread out from where he had held it and dissipated the dark mists. When the final remains of the darkness faded away, Murmur saw a very surprised looking Andras.
“But… you don’t have any magic. How the hell did you…”
Murmur threw one of his mallets as hard as he could and it connected with Andras’ jaw. He fell to the ground bleeding and unconscious. Murmur walked over to him and lifted his other mallet high in to the air. As he brought it down, Nightmare caught the weapon and thrust him back.
“Tannin was lying. There is no army surrounding us. Kill them all.”
This was the moment Tannin was talking about. The moment Nightmare discovered his bluff. Murmur pulled the smoke grenade from his belt and threw it at the ground. Then he sprinted after Tannin and his small group of demons, as they were already fleeing.
CHAPTER 11
“We can’t move in and kill them. He steals your soul if you get too close.”
“And that’s what you want to tell Agrat? She’ll kill us all.”
“I don’t think we should be expected to kill Leech the angel slayer. If the angels couldn’t do it…”
Leech grinned. Apparently his made up title had spread as far as Vixen’s army. When they first surrounded the two of them, Leech had killed several of them simply by using his parasitic touch at its new extended range. He used the added strength to shoot any demons with long-range weapons. Archers, snipers, and any other demons that looked like they could be a threat from outside the range of his parasitic touch were swiftly killed off by Leech. Lilith killed several demons on her own before the two of them were surrounded.
One of the minor demons stepped forward with a commanding presence.
“Don’t come any closer, Lord Leech. Agrat is on her way down and I will not allow you to…”
Leech took a step towards the demon which put him in range of his new ability. He had his life force drained within seconds and he shot a bullet right between the eyes of the demon on his left.
“None of you are in any position to make any threats or demands of me. You’re done attacking the two of us and all of you will sit down and shut the hell up until Agrat gets here.”
Demons looked at one another, wondering if he was serious.
“Sit the fuck down. Now.”
They all did as he commanded. Lilith looked like she really enjoyed the entire exchange and the power emanating from Leech but she wasn’t the one who spoke next.
“Just because you’re dating a bitch doesn’t mean you can treat my army like dogs.”
Agrat didn’t carry any weapons except for a few daggers on her belt but it looked like she wasn’t intending to use them. Her nails were sharpened into claws and she seemed to enjoy clicking them together while walking in a circle around Leech and Lilith. While he tried really hard to hate this demoness and focus his anger, he couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by her beauty. Lilith walked in front of him and was about ready to slap him. He was able to focus on her and shake himself back to sanity just in time to catch her hand.
“No worries, babe. You’re prettier. I’m going to kill her now if that’s alright with you.”
“No. She’s mine.”
“Shadow told me what happened when the two of you fought Abigor. I know the titles and rankings are stupid but she’s simply too powerful for you. I’ll kill her and you can thank me later.”
“But…”
“But nothing. Shut the hell up and stay out of my way.”
Lilith slapped him but then smiled mischievously.
“I’m still deciding whether I like Leech the powerful. I like all of the other versions of Leech but this one needs to watch his mouth.”
Leech was finally able to calm down and remember who he was talking to.
“I know you want to kill her but you have to see what I’m saying.”
“I do. Do you want me to sit down like everyone else?”
Leech knew it was a trick question and that he was being tested. He had no idea how to answer properly.
“Um… if you want to.”
“Good answer.”
Leech pulled the minotaur axe from his back. General Baal had cursed it during their last meeting and it glowed with a darker power than Leech was used to. He enjoyed knowing that he had the tools to kill almost anyone in Hell apart from the six who ruled the underworld and the Dragon.
“So the bitch won’t even fight her own battles then?”
“Says the girl who sent her army to kill us without coming here herself until most of her army was dead.”
Agrat laughed.
“That’s cute. You think I’m a hypocrite. Well I think you’re a lover… not a fighter.”
“Why is it that everyone in your department uses the same tired trick over and over? I’m not into you, there’s no chance of me being into you, and you’re wasting your energy and my time. Now take your best shot so I can kill you.”
“It’s not a tired trick if it works.”
Agrat moved in close to Leech, grabbed his right hand in both of hers, and started biting his ear. When he was almost ready to give in, he thought of Lilith and then realized that Agrat had walked right into the range of his parasitic touch.
“Ow! What the hell was that?”
“It was me proving to you that your trick doesn’t work on me. Mine seems to work just fine on you though.”
Leech attempted to use his parasitic touch again but nothing happened.
“You caught me slightly off guard, but your parasitic touch won’t work on me anymore. I moved in close so I could add your power to the list of things my ring protects me from.”
Agrat held up a ring very similar to the power-countering ring Leech had seen Shadow use as a minor demon.
“I’m just as happy to kill you with my axe if that’s how you want to play this.”
Leech charged and swung his axe in a wide arc. Agrat deflected the blow and countered by slashing his arm with her claw-like fingernails. After he stumbled a few more steps, Leech checked his arm. The cuts were deep; they had made it through his armor and left five long, bloody gashes.
“Care to try again, angel slayer?”
Leech pulled out one of his guns and took careful aim. The bullet whizzed through the air and Leech could feel a small portion of himself go with it. One of Agrat’s minions tossed her a shield and she blocked the incoming shot.
“You can take as many shots as you want. I’m pretty good at blocking and I hear that it drains you for ammunition.”
Leech didn’t like being humiliated in front of Agrat’s army but it was even worse being slowly defeated in front of his own. He put the gun back on his belt and charged again. Agrat blocked his axe swing again but he was able to aim one of his guns while still on his belt and fire. His bullet only caught Agrat in the foot but he got immense pleasure from watching her hop around on one leg while clutching her foot and screeching like a wounded animal.
While Leech laughed at her hopping around, she put her foot down and acclimated herself to the pain. Then she grinned back at him.
“You should be feeling it in a few seconds.”
Leech had no idea what she was talking about but her army was grinning at him like they knew exactly what she meant. Then it hit him. His back started stinging worse than his arm. As he reached a hand back to check the extent of his injury, he realized that she had slashed him with both claws. He attacked her one more time, full of rage. Agrat sidestepped the blow, grabbed his axe from his hands and tripped him so he fell to the rocky floor of Hell. Agrat moved in slowly, holding Leech’s axe in both hands and treasuring the knowledge that he would be in pain for his final moments.
“You know we could have worked something out. You had a chance to be with someone much better than my bastard sister. After all, you’re a cutie. After what you tried to do though, it’s time for you to die, angel slayer.”
Agrat slowly lifted Leech’s axe over her head and looked down at him. Leech flipped her off and she laughed.
“Goodbye, Leech.”
As she started to bring the axe down, Leech shot her through the throat. She thought Leech was too weak to shoot anyone after the damage she had done to him. Then she saw Lilith lying on the ground, within range of Leech’s parasitic touch. The last thing she realized was how she was killed. Leech stole some of Lilith’s life force and used it to shoot her. Victory had been stolen from her by her illegitimate sister.
“Gangrene!”
“Lord Leech?”
“Kill them all. Only spare those that will forsake Vixen and Agrat and swear an oath of allegiance to me.”
CHAPTER 12
“Any ideas yet, Azazel?”
“Nope. Give me time. It’ll take something ridiculously brilliant to fool the great, old lizard that lives at the bottom of Hell.”
Azazel looked over at Muan and noticed that he was still frowning. He hadn’t said a word since Shadow broke him out of the ice.
“What’s with your little tribal warrior buddy? Are you still mad at Shadow, little guy?”
Without turning to look at him, Muan placed a dart in his blowgun, put the blowgun in the side of his mouth, and shot a dart at Azazel.
“Ow! Do you have any idea who I am?”
Muan still didn’t look at him, but he finally decided to speak.
“You’re Azazel, the asshole that the angels cast out. Now I guess you’re some kind of asshole demon with a poisonous dart in his leg.”
“Shadow, your pet furball is pissing me off.”
“Leave him alone, Azazel. He has a right to be angry.”
Azazel opened his mouth to retaliate but realized neither one of them much cared what he had to say. As he had no desire to kill either of them just yet, he remained silent. Nessus the centaur approached them as they made their way back towards the river Phlegethon.
“There are three of you now.”
“Hello again, Nessus. The army that pursued me is fallen. We need to go further in so I can receive my appointment as major demon of the department of murder. Where can we cross the river?”
“You bring war to the circle of Hell that deals with violence. I guess it has its place here, but you nearly interrupted us in our duty to keep the violent suffering in the river. So I’m still deciding whether I should kill the three of you.”
Azazel snickered and went to remove the sword from his belt. Shadow caught his arm and shook his head.
&n
bsp; “We apologize. What can we do to make you rule in our favor?”
“A long time ago, a poet was guided through these circles. I led him across the river. He taught me about riddles and I must admit I really enjoy them.”
“So you’ve become a sphinx then, Nessus?”
“Nope. I’m still a centaur. You asked what you could do… well… you could answer my three riddles. If you can answer them correctly, I will guide you across. If you can’t, Azazel joins the tormented souls in the river.”
Azazel looked taken aback. He realized that several centaurs had their bows trained on him, ready to pierce him with arrows.
“Yes, we know who you are, fallen angel. If any violent creature deserves to be tormented in the river Phlegethon, it’s you. Do we have a deal, Shadow?”
“We have a deal, Nessus. Let’s hear them.”
Nessus grinned and waved his hand for his centaurs to lower their bows.
“If I drink, I die. If I am fed, I thrive. What am I?”
Shadow looked at Azazel. He shrugged. When he looked at Muan, Muan turned his back to him.
“Muan, do you have any idea?”
“Oh, now you need my help?”
“Yes. Now I need your help. I understand that you’re angry, but I wasn’t going to let them kill you so you could keep your pride intact. I need you to get over it.”
“If you’re so powerful then you can answer your own damn riddle.”
“Oh gotcha. You don’t know the answer. That’s all I needed to hear. So…”
Muan finally turned around.
“I know the answer. I just refuse to help you because you refused to let me help you earlier.”
“Muan, I understand that you wanted to help then. I’m sure you want to help now. It’s alright. You’re not Leech. I usually defer to him for book worm stuff like this so it’s no big deal if you don’t…”
Muan turned to Nessus.
“The answer is fire. If you pour water on it, it dies. If you feed the flames, it thrives.”
Nessus nodded.
Middle Demons (Angels and Demons Book 2) Page 6
