peh’-shah looked up and recognized one face which he did not expect.
“EXAPOREH’-OMAHEE? I had not expected to see you at this meeting.”
The slender, graying demon merely nodded his head and acknowledged his presence among their number.
“I only seek the same answers as my counterparts here.”
He waved his hand to indicate the other six, vile figures who suddenly threw their weight behind the other side of the conflict.
“I will tell you what happened. I was there with beh’-tsah when it happened. Someone pulled the key from the leyline nexus—he must have had his minion do it just as I began to assert my dominance on the field of battle!”
The demons nodded. Some still appeared cautiously skeptical, but they certainly understood that the source of their power had suddenly switched off—this was the only answer. gay-ooth’ appeared more ready than others and he stepped up to speak.
“What does this mean for us?”
Nodding, they others threw their voices behind the question, crying for an answer.
“It means exactly what you think it means, brothers. This is no longer a coup or some mere power struggle. Forces of Babel, we are at war.”
***
Deep below the crust, an angry black smoke gathered above the roiling pool of souls. A singular consciousness awoke in the heart of Tartarus. Only vaguely was it aware of itself, so preoccupied with its primary thought. The mind was raw, churning with animal instinct.
Something has been stolen from me. It must be reclaimed.
Having no body, it reached out with ethereal tendrils of power. The feelers first found an underground aqueduct which teemed with subterranean life. It seized the living beings dwelling there. Shredding their ichthyic flesh, he called them to himself and built himself a body so that he could walk amongst the world. The guardian pulled the husk of a blind squid into his new form; it voided its excretory organs in terror as the invisible arm snatched it—the terror brought pleasure to the entity.
Flesh knit itself together in a terrifying cacophony of piecemeal fragments. But it was still naked. With a pulse of energy, ethereal tentacles of smoke latched onto a number of those angelic creatures bound above in the long hallways of Tartarus. It clutched them with a cold, vise-like grip and tore their skin from their bodies.
Barely aware of their pained shrieks, the mind paid them little attention. It called the pieces together and stitched the gruesome patchwork cloak together. It dragged the ratty flesh coat over the newly created body, staining the cape an iodine yellow with viscous and fishy entrail fluid.
Enveloping his body, the consciousness crawled in through the nostrils and found its home, sparking the form into life. It drew ragged breaths and looked through the darkness with new eyes.
The tentacled face twitched and the guardian caught the smell of his coveted item. He sensed that which he desired—tracked it.
He took his first two steps, leaving behind sticky, inky footprints upon the bare stone of the Tartarus floor. It sniffed again, ascertaining clear direction.
I smell what has been stolen from me. It will be returned. Thou shall not steal.
Forward the guardian walked.
***
Absinthium groaned as he blinked into the vacant sky. Pain like deep arthritis lodged in his joints and his head radiated torment from neck to scalp where meh’-red’s draconic mantle had immolated his head in an exchange for dark power.
The arch-mage pulled his dangling feet back from the hole that had cracked open over the top of the Babel Spire. He dragged himself back from the brink and stood over the corpses of a thousand of beh’-tsah loyal followers whose life forces he’d sucked dry in order to pursue the escapees—the mage had drained them like Domnish batteries in order to fuel the potent spell he’d blasted the angel with.
Standing on uncertain legs, Absinthium stared at the massive damages Paradise had sustained. The crater formed by the detonation had blasted all the way through the tower’s exit and destroyed the top third of the vertical passage. The top gate of the ascension had cracked and fallen off leaving a gaping hole where the crystalline flooring had once been.
He grimaced when he heard the sound of massive feet behind him. The talons made a distinct, faint skritching sound as they clutched at the dirty ground between he and the fallen bodies. The arch-mage knew the sounds of his master.
Absinthium turned to face the fifteen-foot-tall demon lord. beh’-tsah took a moment to survey the scene and then stared at his servant. His hollow, yellow eyes stared at his servant and his bovine tail twitched as he waited for an explanation.
So many things demanded answers. The hidden army beyond the Babel Keep, the betrayal, the escape of the demon’s prize, the deaths of a thousand minions, but most importantly—the sudden unfettering of the leylines which imbued the ranking demons with additional, supernatural energies.
“What I did, I did to protect you,” Absinthium stated weakly.
The demon only stared at him, searching his minion’s face.
“We have much to discuss, you and I,” he said with a hint of threat.
beh’-tsah stared at his man standing in the middle of the smoking rubble. His chief prophet had much to answer for… much that demanded atonement.
Appendice A
Dramatis Personae
The Christians:
Kevin
Rashnir
Jibbin
Jorge*
Kyrius*
Lo-sonom
Havara
Zeh-Ahbe’
Rah’-be
Sil-tarn
Nipanka
Drowdan
Rondhale
Werthen
Ersha
Gans
Thim
Thaadim
Erki
Katerna
Kadoz
Naphta
Dri’Bu**
Minstra***
Jaker***
(* angel)
(** ekthro)
(*** undecided)
The Luciferian Alliances:
Absinthium
grr’Shaalg**
tyr-aPt**
Prock
Wynn
Pinchôt
Shimza the Greater
Jandul
Krimko
Zilke
Dyule
The Demons:
[† denotates a demon seated on the Gathering]
[‡ denotates a demonic rebel involved in the coup]
hay-lale’ – deception (Lucifer, Satan)
meh’-red – (previous Gathering leader, slain by beh’-tsah)
beh’-tsah – bitterness †
exaporeh’-omahee – despondency †
raw-tsakh’ – murder †
zaw-lal’ – glutton, worthless †
gaw-law’ –naked †
shik-kore’ –drunkard †
makh-al-o’-keth -division †
tah-av-aw’ –greedily lusting †‡
gay-ooth’ –pride †‡
keh’-sem –witchcraft †‡
peh’-shah –revolt, rebellion †‡
sheh’-ker –untruthful †‡
kes-eel’ –stupid, fool †‡
gaw-nab’ –stealing ‡
khaw-nab’ –covet ‡
kah’-as –wrath, rage ‡
kin-aw’ –envy ‡
ter-aw-feme’ –idolatry
rem-ee-yaw’ –slothful
ked-ay-shaw’ –prostitute
nid-daw’ –incestuous filth
moot-teh’ –perverseness
eesh shek-o’-beth eesh –homosexual relations
eiztchkey
The Werewolves:
Zeh-Ahbe’ (Say-awr’)
Rah’-be (Say-awr’)
Sil-tarn (Say-awr’)
Mil-khaw-mah’ (Kaw-bade’)
&nbs
p; Sehkel-saykel (Ahee-sthay-tay’-ree-on)
Sim-khaw’ (Zaw-nawb’)
Khad-dood’ (Tsip-po’-ren)
Appendice B
Key Terms
Lexicon
‘ãbêdâh – Luciferians’ weapon protection serum, magic potion
Acolyte – mindless devotees, assassin disciples of Absinthium
anakim - also called the “sons of Anak” these men are giants
caisson – a small wooden box with filled with shrapnel and protruding spikes, contains some form of ignition (explosives or magical)
ceroscopy – a divination where the user observes wax drips falling into water
ekthro – term for all sentient beings (all nonhumans) created by Lucifer
Gathering – the governing body of demonic activity that was established after a time of war that followed the great flood; this body oversees the Luciferian religion.
kama – a sickle-type weapon like a miniature scythe, wielded by the Acolytes.
kil-yaw’ – the governing body of werewolf clans
Logos – the word of the Lord
lupine – the altered beast form of the werewolves
scald – magical ancient amulet, a devotee takes it in hand when red hot to burn a mark of alliance upon themselves, gaining shapeshifting powers
to-ay-baw’ – cursed, excommunicated from the kil-yaw’
toqeph – staff of power, usually magically imbued
qâsam – a magically linked seeing stone
vrykolakas – a type of shambling zombie, only stopped by fire or lightning, feed on the living
The Kil-yaw’
Shaw-than’ – urine (to-ay-baw’)
Say-awr’ – hair
Zaw-nawb’ – tail
Ore – hide
Tsip-po’-ren – claw
Shane’ – fang
Dawm – blood
Eh’-tsem – bone
Gheed – sinew
Kaw-bade’ – viscera/internals
Ahee-sthay-tay’-ree-on – senses
Appendice C
Geography of continents and mentioned countries
Continent 1:
Jeena- Very little fresh water is present here. It is flanked by ocean and wasteland, buffered by mountains. Here, people obey a strict code of honor and discipline.
Continent 2:
Briganik- This country is very feudal. Monarchy Anakin (sons of Anak: giants) live on the western half; the eastern half is low mountains. The mountains of Briganik are home to the Temple of Light, also called the Monastery of Light, and the first Babel tower.
Zipha- This country is basically closed off. It is ruled by tyrannical, trollish ekthro. It deals primarily in slaves and has a heavy military, run and policed by orcs and half-ogres. Also home to a rogue band of humans.
Jand- Allied with Ninda, it is a monarchy. Western Jand lives in constant fear of abduction by orcs and their troll masters for their slave trade; many of these slaves are sold in Briganik. Jand’s commerce and agriculture is based mostly on its large system of forests and mountains/hills. Much of its produce is gathered from the forests or can grow in hilly/mountainous areas or on vines. Goblin kingdom of the southeastern region is located just under the mountains of Arnak, north of Capital City.
Ninda- Allied with Jand, aristocrats control their own lands and make up a council which democratically dictates rule. The country is mostly flatland and primarily agricultural, doing a great deal of business in its ag trade. Ninda and Gleend were once a single monarchy, until Nindan nobles rebelled and formed their own country.
Lol- Composed of mining communities, it is rich in various metals. The terrain is almost entirely made of rocky badlands.
Gleend- A monarchy north of Ninda, Gleend has a large mixture of the races, (moreso than any other country,) and contains a working social system combining elves, dwarves, men etc. It is run by a human king, though he has advisors from each sentient group. Their King is revered as the wisest anywhere (Kevin’s Earth experience has identified him as having Down syndrome and thus sees things more readily as black and white than as shades of grey. His handicap is not enough of a hindrance to make him easily manipulated, and is looked upon as a gift.) The capital city of Xorst.
Mankra- Composed primarily of thieves and warlords, Mankra is broken up into districts owned by warring factions. These constantly try to expand their territory, fighting each other, and sometimes their neighbors. They are subject to an over-warlord who rules the country; tribes pay him a yearly tribute, etc.
Screep- a caste-based society ruled by the neighboring Anakim
Continent 3:
Very few human settlements exist in this region; those that exist are aboriginal in nature, jungle dwellers. The people here have been twisted through occult magics and many are cyclopses. Their children are born as men but wear a brace that off-centers one of their eyes as they develop; the other eye is later plucked out. Many of these people are cannibals. It is often known as the Land of Nod.
Vampire aristocrats live in the mountain peaks. Other subordinate vampire sects live abroad.
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Christopher D. Schmitz is the traditionally published and self-published author of both fiction and nonfiction. When he is not writing or working with teenagers he might be found at comic conventions as a panelist or guest. He has been featured on cable access television broadcasts, metro area podcasts, and runs a blog for indie authors.
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Discover other titles by Christopher D Schmitz
Grandma Ethel’s Donuts and Hollowpoints
One Star
The Last Black Eye of Antigo Vale
Burning the God of Thunder
Piano of the Damned
Shadows of a Superhero
The TGSPGoSSP 2-Part Trilogy
Father of the Esurient Child
Dekker’s Dozen: A Waxing Arbolean Moon
Dekker’s Dozen: Weeds of Eden
Dekker’s Dozen: Spawn of Ganymede
Dekker’s Dozen: The Seed Child of Sippar Sulcus
Dekker’s Dozen: The Last Watchmen
Wolf of the Tesseract
Wolves of the Tesseract: Taking of the Prime
Wolves of the Tesseract: Through the Darque Gates of Koth
Warrior: Gift of Sight
The Kakos Realm: Grinden Proselyte
The Kakos Realm: Rise of
the Dragon Impervious
The Kakos Realm: Death Upon the Fields of Splendor
The Kakos Realm Collection Alpha
Anthologies No.1
Anthologies No.2
Why Your Pastor Left
John In the John
Gospels In the John
The Indie Author’s Bible
The Indie Author’s Workbook
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