I stood up and felt victorious. “Now, stay down!” I said prematurely. He looked at me and began to growl. His head held low, back in the air, he began to snarl and show his teeth. The fear crept back into me. He jumped into the air and headed for me. I threw my arm up and hoped he would land on the sword, but mid-air he swiped it away. It flew against the wall fast enough to stick into it. In the blink of an eye he was on top of me, his mouth agape. I knew it was about to be over. All the work I had done to get to this point was all wasted. My “life” began to flash before my eyes. It was an all too familiar feeling that I had hoped wouldn’t happen again. The eternity was happening again; waiting for the teeth to sink through my armor and into my flesh, but it wasn’t happening. I opened my eyes and saw the mutt still hovering over me. I could smell his horrid breath and see his tongue frozen with anticipation of his next meal.
I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Of all the powers I had accumulated, time control wasn’t one of them. I looked around and couldn’t see anything. I could still move, so I crawled away from Theodus. I had to move under his massive body to get to the rest of the room. As I rose to my feet, I looked up and saw Marcus standing there.
“I once told you that you would be in need of my service, Jon,” he explained.
“What are you doing here?” I questioned. “Not that I’m complaining. You just saved my life. How can I repay you?”
“Jon, my service to you doesn’t require a payment of any kind. If you are willing, however, I would like to inquire something.”
“Anything, I literally owe you my life.” I wasn’t sure how or why he had helped me, but for once I was glad to see Marcus. He was actually helping me achieve my goals.
“Why are you here, Jon?”
“I’m trying to save Callista.”
“No, Jon, why are you in Greed?”
“Well, I’m not wanted in…”
“You are here because you need to be safe as you worked off the debt bestowed upon you by Charlie,” he interrupted.
“What’s your point?” I asked. I was beginning to lose the appreciation for him. “And how did you get in here? And the whole freezing time thing, what about that?”
“Jon, I thought you wanted nothing more than to be reunited with Shannon? I thought that was the goal of Jonathon Cowley?”
“It is! What’s your point? Stop avoiding the other questions!”
“Jon I have warned you of the growing darkness inside you. I can see it. It is beginning to consume you. You are becoming less of what you were and more of what Hell wants to make you. You are losing sight of what you wanted most. It’s a slippery slope that will lead you to the inevitable end that most men find here. You will lose yourself to the darkness. You will no longer be Jonathon Cowley. You will be something new.”
“I don’t have time for this! Thanks for the help, but I have something I must do.”
Indeed you do,” he said as he grabbed my arm again. “Hold your breath.”
In the blink of an eye we were in purgatory. I fell to the floor and began to cough and sputter.
“I told you to hold your breath,” he restated.
“What am I doing here?” I asked. “How do you do these things? Did you make a deal with one of the Elohim?”
“Jon, we are here so that you can make a decision.”
“WE don’t have time! I have to save Callista!”
“Your friend is fine. Greed is still frozen in time and no harm shall come to her as long as it stays that way,” he assured. “The time has come for you to decide. Are you Jonathon Cowley of Earth, or are you Jonathon Cowley of Hell?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Jon, every choice you make leads you down a path. It’s up to you to decide whether the path is right or wrong. Fate plays a small role in Hell. Your choices are your own. The choices you are making are leading you away from the path you originally chose.”
“Just tell me what you want!?” I demanded. “I’m so sick of this. I could be spending my time finding Callista instead of sitting here debating with someone who refuses to answer any of my questions and wants nothing more than to give me advice riddled with innuendo and clues as to what you actually mean! Either tell me what you want or take me back to the palace so I can save Callista!”
“I told you earlier that I didn’t want anything. As far as how I can do those things, that’s my business and you are not yet ready to understand the full truth of the goings on of my life. I can return you to Callista if that’s what you wish.”
“It is! Of course it is!”
“Very well, Jon.” He grabbed my arm once more. “Be warned, however, that your path is growing increasingly dark. It’s up to you to restore the light to it. You are being swayed by the alluring concept of heroism. Sometimes a hero is the one that sits out. Sometimes a hero is the one that plays it safe. You have the opportunity do something great. That is all.”
I blinked and again I was in the palace with Theodus hovering over me. I walked to the wall and pried my sword out. I walked back and held the sword into the mouth of the great wolf.
“Remember what I said to you, Jon,” Marcus’ voice said again as time unfroze.
The wolf fell onto my blade and it entered into his mouth. Blood erupted from him and covered me. He let out a whimper of a howl. The rage in his eyes began to fade as he fell to the ground. He continued to howl in pain and looked at me as if I was the first person to ever truly hurt him. I stood there emotionless as the beast died. I stared at him with no sympathy. I turned and exited the room.
As I entered the hall way, I could hear boots racing up the stairs. ‘Mammon’s men, no doubt,’ I thought. I turned to see a group rounding the corner.
With the deepest voice I could muster, I said, “There’s something wrong with Theodus! We have to tell Mammon!”
“What happened?” the demon in front demanded taking notice of my blood covered armor.
“I don’t know. You guys go see if you can help Theodus; I’ll find Mammon!”
“Good idea, soldier.”
I ran past them as they headed for the wolf. I rounded the corner and heard one of the demons shout, “Where did all this blood come from?”
I couldn’t stop and think about it. I needed to get through the palace before I was found out. Now that the guards were on alert, I’d have to be extra careful. I had hoped that I could just sneak through, but I could see that wouldn’t be a possibility anymore. I needed to rely on my speed.
I made it to the next floor. This one was guarded. I needed to be quick on my feet.
The first guard looked over and saw me. He walked over and pulled his sword. “What are you doing? Who’s blood is that?” he demanded.
“It’s Theodus!” I explained. “I think one of the slaves poisoned him! We need to find the slaves and see if one of them is missing.” He turned and began to run toward the other end of the hall. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”
“To the basement,” he said. “I’m going to check on the slaves. They’re down there preparing the feast.”
“Wait! The others need help with Theodus. I’ll go check on the slaves. You help with Theodus.” He nodded and turned. I started to head down the hall way to reach the stairs to continue down the palace.
As I reached the end of the hall, a voice boomed from the upper floor, “You fool, it was him! That’s Jonathon Cowley! Get him!”
I recognized the voice. It was that of Mammon. I didn’t know how he got to the top floor without me noticing, but his presence would make this all the more difficult. I raced down the stairs to the next floor. I looked down the hall and there were more guards, now on alert and looking for me. They turned and began to charge. I snapped my fingers and went to the end of the hall to the stairs. I went down them and did the same on the next floors until I finally reached the basement.
There was a great room in the middle and prison cells lining the walls. They were crammed with the women tha
t Mammon had captured. I frantically looked through them trying to find Callista. As I approached the last cell I spotted her.
“You!” a voice boomed from behind me. “Stop!”
I turned around and spotted a guard standing at the top of the stairs. I readied my sword and stood waiting for him. “Make me,” I challenged.
He charged down the stairs and I stood firm. He swung his sword at me and I blocked it. He hit hard and it pushed me back. I barely held on to my sword let alone my footing. He swung again and I fell over. He jumped towards me with his sword pointing straight down. I had to think quickly. I snapped my fingers and appeared behind him. He turned quickly and I barely had time to raise my sword and block his next attack. I jumped back and swung my sword. He blocked it quickly and knocked my sword away. He went to slice me and I snapped my fingers and appeared behind me. His follow through made him stumble. As he did, I plunged my blade into the back of his neck, right below his helmet. He let out a roar and fell before me. A giant black cloud exploded from within him, like the demon that died before.
I turned and ran to the cell where Callista was. “Callista! You need to come with me now!” I ordered.
“I don’t know who you are, but you aren’t going to order me around!” she retorted. “I demand to speak to someone above you.” I lifted my mask to show her my face. “Jon, is that you?”
“Callista!” I exclaimed. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. We have to get out of here!”
“Jon, what’s going on?”
“There’s no time to explain. Give me your hand and I’ll get you out of here.”
She reached her hand out and I grabbed it. All the other slaves began to reach out as well and were asking for help. I ignored all of them. I snapped my fingers and Callista and I appeared in Phillip and Jennette’s home. It was the only place I could think of to take her that wasn’t filled with demons that wanted me dead. I looked around and didn’t see Jennette anywhere. I was relieved.
“Jon, what’s going on?” Callista reiterated.
“I broke you out,” I answered.
“I see that, but where did you get the armor? How did you know that I was even there? Where did all the blood come from?”
“Well…” I began but was interrupted me. Callista jumped towards me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said softly. “You saved me. That’s all that matters. The details are for tea.”
“I don’t think it’s safe here,” I explained.
“This is the safest place I can think of in Greed. Phillip! Are you here?”
I cringed when she said his name. “Callista, we need to go. Is there some place else you can think of that we’d be safe?”
“Jon, stop being silly. Phillip will always welcome us. I’m surprised he isn’t here now. He’s always here.”
“Callista I need to tell you something.”
“What, Jon?”
“The reason you were imprisoned is because of Phillip.”
“I know. Mammon’s men explained the situation to me when they took me. When they killed my men I knew I’d have to go with them, but I had some questions.”
“You knew? Why do you seem so okay with it?”
“Well because of you. You’re always talking about being good and doing the right thing. I figured I’d take a page from your book and try out this whole good-guy thing.”
He words hit me harder than Ferrum’s blows. I had killed Phillip for her and I knew she wouldn’t be happy about it, especially after what she had just said. Callista looked down and saw all the blood on the floor.
“You’re getting blood everywhere, Jon,” she said. I wasn’t about to correct her. It wasn’t time yet to tell her what had happened in the room.
I grabbed her arm and said, “Callista we need to get out of here. Mammon will be looking for us. I’m sure he’ll look here, too.”
“Yeah you’re right,” she conceited. “Where should we go, though? You’re wanted in Gluttony and outcast from Lust. We can’t get to Sloth.”
“Let me think…” I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I had nowhere to go, we couldn’t stay in the house where I had murdered the man she thought of as a father, and we couldn’t continue on our journey to Sloth. “We could go back to the palace.”
“That’s a dumb idea. Mammon is looking for you. Once he figures out that I’m gone, he’ll be looking for me too. The first thing you could do is take off that hideous armor.”
I nodded. I reached for the amulet and when I put my hand on it, something came over me. “I don’t want to take it off,” I said. I didn’t know why I had said that. It was as if the amulets power was speaking for me.
“Then leave it on,” she responded. “I just thought I’d like to see my hero’s face.”
“If you insist,” I said. I pulled the necklace up and the light surrounded me. It faded and I looked at Callista who was looking at me with a puzzled face. “What is it?”
“Jon, did you always have those marks?” she asked, pointing to my arms.
I looked down and my mouth went agape. The veins in my wrist had started turning black leading up half way my forearms. “I don’t know what that is,” I said. I grabbed her by the arm. “We need to get out of here. If you can’t think of anywhere that’s safe, then we’ll have to use my idea.”
“Wait! Can you teleport us anywhere?”
“We can only go to places I’ve seen before.”
“Okay, so can you look at a place for the first time and go there instantly?”
“Yeah, why?”
“So the palace is the highest point in Greed.”
“Yeah, what’s your point?”
“We can go there and you can look out at the wall between Greed and Sloth. Once you see it, we can get on top of it.”
“That’s a great idea!” I wished I had thought of it. Callista seemed different towards me, even more so since we arrived at Jennette’s home the first time. I didn’t have time to waste thinking about it, though. I thought of the roof of the palace and snapped my fingers.
When we landed, Callista began to stumble. I caught her quickly and said, “Sorry, I’m not used to taking people with me.”
“I imagine not,” she said catching her breath. “Where is everyone?”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought this place would be crawling with Mammon’s men.”
“Not on the roof. At least there weren’t any here earlier.” I started walking towards the edge of the building, ducking behind a rampart. Callista followed in suit. The last time I was on the roof, I was shaking with fear. Somehow, with Callista near me, I felt brave. Even if it was just because I knew I needed to be brave for her or to save myself, it was a new feeling. I liked it. I had spent so much time in Hell being afraid; it was nice to be the hero for a change. Still I couldn’t help but think I was forgetting something.
“Jon,” Callista said, “what are you waiting on?”
“Sorry,” I responded shaking my head. “I thought I was forgetting something important.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing important. Let’s get going before someone comes up here looking for us.”
I didn’t respond. I looked out across Greed and saw the wall. I raised my hand up to snap my fingers and looked over at Callista. She was smiling at me, staring into my eyes. She was anxiously waiting on me to take her to the wall. She was willing to just follow me anywhere. I felt that if she knew what I had done, she wouldn’t be so forgiving let alone want to continue on by my side. I decided that I couldn’t tell her what had happened to Phillip. I needed Callista in my life. I wanted her with me as long as I was going to be in Hell, and I knew that she wouldn’t be there anymore if she learned the truth. I looked back at the wall and snapped my fingers.
“We made it,” I said. “We got out of Greed.”
“I never had a doubt in my mind you’d get us here,” she responded. “You’re so courageous and h
onorable.”
I looked down at my feet and a frown grew on my face.
“What’s wrong?” Callista asked.
“It’s nothing,” I told her. “We need to get off this wall before one of Mammon’s men see us.” She nodded. I looked down at the ground next to the wall. I raised my hand once more, but this time I felt someone grab my hand before I could snap my fingers. I turned and saw Charlie and his wicked smile.
“Hello, Jon,” he said.
“What do you want, Charlie?” I asked impatiently. “I have no time for you right now.”
“Have you forgotten so soon?” he asked.
“Let go of him!” Callista interjected. “We need to get away from Greed!”
“I’m well aware of your situation, girl,” he said. “I’m here for our friend Jon, though. If you insist on interrupting us, I’ll make an exception.”
“Leave her out of this!” I exclaimed. “What do you want? What did I allegedly forget?”
“My sword, Jon,” Charlie explained. “We had a deal, if you recall. It’s time to pay the price for reneging on our agreement.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I was plain when you asked me for help. I’d be lying if I didn’t explain I had a plan as soon as I learned of your needs.”
“A plan?”
“Yes, would you like to hear it?” Before I could answer he began to explain. “You see I knew that you would be too busy to recall. The moment you asked for my sword and explained the situation with Mammon, I knew exactly what to do. I agreed to let you borrow my sword on the condition you called for me when you were done with it. You failed to do so. I’ve been watching you since I left. You’ve made quite the mess in Greed.”
“What’s your point?” I asked. “It’s not like this is the first time I didn’t do exactly what you asked of me. In fact, it’s not going to be the last, I’m sure.”
“As I am sure it will be.”
“Stop it!” Callista interrupted. “It’s my fault. He was doing it for me. He forgot because he was rescuing me!”
“One more time, girl,” Charlie warned. “If you butt in one more time, I will take issue with you as well; child of Asmodeus or not.”
Hellbound: Chronicles Page 25
