Devil Ash Deceit (Devil Ash Saga)

by Olson, Mitchell

  * * * *

  The execution was to take place that morning in a large public square in the middle of North Hell. It was the only place big enough where everyone could gather to see all the action, which involved a guillotine sitting on top of a platform that a team of workers raised overnight. There was even a grand stairway leading up to the execution platform.

  The area began to fill up with spectators before the sun was even formed. Some people even slept there overnight to get the best spot. Vendors and merchants parked their carts in the square, seeing all the potential for peddling their goods during the ‘event’. By the time the first flame shot up into the sky to start the formation of the morning sun, the square was packed and more and more people were still showing up in droves.

  Even the rooftops became full of resourceful spectators, looking to avoid the crowded square altogether. Many of the buildings in the area had rooftop patios with comfortable seating, and some even set up poorly constructed mini-platforms for their customers (who didn’t mind paying a hefty fee). Among those customers were Ash and Aura.

  The boys made it to the square and got fed up with being shoved around trying to find a ‘good spot’ to watch from. Ash was shocked at the atmosphere of the citizens. The crowd’s energy was akin to that of a sports arena full of lively spectators. They were at an execution, not a football game! Why did these people act like it was such a fun time?

  Ash quickly realized that these people were happy because of their ignorance. They didn’t know anything about Lucifer’s body slumbering just below their Kingdom. The citizens of Hell believed they had just been saved from a radical group of terrorists looking to install a new ruler. Only Ash knew the truth. The rebels were actually trying to save everyone. To celebrate their deaths seemed like an extra cruel twist of fate.

  Rather than battle the crowds on the ground or tire themselves out flying circles above, the boys dared to attempt a rooftop patio. They found that area packed as well, except for one platform that stood an extra ten feet above everyone else. Despite the incredibly unreasonable price, Ash dropped his life savings and ponied up the skorch. The boys climbed to the top of their own personal death-viewing tower.

  From high above everyone else, they could see the execution platform perfectly. They were only about thirty feet away, and the boys could already see the Royal Family standing on top of the execution platform waiting. King Al, Prince Darko, Wilhelm and Shiva all stood silently observing the crowd.

  Ash hadn’t told Aura about his conversation he with Phoenix that night yet. He wondered if he even should. He didn’t want to alarm his friend, and he was even afraid of Shiva finding out about her grandfather being the rebel leader. He worried that if she found out, she would change her opinion about him and lose the only decent family member she had.

  With people still adding their flames to the sun, the Royal Guard led by Goddard and Stryd started pushing their way out of the castle and towards the platform. This would be the last walk any of the prisoners would take. Unfortunately, it would be a terrible last walk for them. It would only last ten minutes, but for the people walking to their death it must have seemed a lot longer.

  Citizens threw all sorts of things like rocks or spoiled food at the prisoners, who had bags tied around their heads and lots of chains and shackles and seals put in place to ensure they couldn’t escape. There were eight prisoner rebels in total, and a whole lot more Royal Guards escorting them. The boys couldn’t even tell who was who with the bags covering their faces.

  Someone threw a large rock and knocked one of the prisoners to the ground. The Royal Guards all started kicking the poor person, then lifted him or her back up and continued their march towards death. Not surprisingly, a lot of the prisoners were sobbing under their bags. Their grim sobbing could barely be heard over the blood-lusting roar of the crowd.

  When the procession reached the stairs to the execution platform everyone stopped abruptly. Goddard and Stryd climbed the stairs up to the top, where the Royal Advisor addressed the crowd.

  “Citizens of Hell, the time has come to show you all what happens to those who commit treason against not only the Royal Family, but treason against all of the Kingdom!” Goddard called through his megaphone. He then handed it off to King Satan.

  “Yeah!” the King said. He lowered the megaphone and thought if he wanted to add anything else. Deciding he did not, he passed the megaphone to Darko. His son simply waved it away. Shiva and Wilhelm also declined speaking, so the King gave the final order. “Let’s begin the executions!”

  The first rebel was unchained from the group. The unfortunate victim was poked and prodded at with the blades of the Royal Guards who led him up the stairway. The trip was painfully slow and difficult to watch as the prisoner tried to milk every last minute of life. When at last they reached the top, the man working the guillotine removed the bag on the prisoner’s head.

  Seeing an entire Kingdom of people that hated you and gathered to watch you die was enough to cause this unknown man to burst into more tears. He struggled as several guards lowered his head to rest on the wooden chop block of the killing instrument. When they had him locked in place and unable to move, the man began to wail and cry furiously.

  Ash looked away as the guillotine blade dropped without any warning. He heard the gruesome sound of the beheading, and when he found the courage to look back at the platform he saw them hauling away the headless body while lifting up the small basket that was positioned to catch the head. One guard tossed the man’s head into a large sack that another guard was holding up.

  The process was repeated, with the next rebel prisoner stepping up to the platform and trying to remain calm. The man took deep breaths and kept his eyes closed, even after the bag on his head was removed. He willingly dropped to his knees, but refused to put his head down. The guards had to push him forward, where he finally opened his eyes and began to hyperventilate. The blade dropped, and once again Ash diverted his eyes involuntarily.

  The boy forced himself to watch the next prisoner’s full beheading. He decided that he would at least do these people the honor of watching their deaths. He was surprised at how quickly a life could be taken, with just a second-long drop of a thin blade. He’d seen a lot of graphic violence on TV and in video games, but the real thing just seemed so wrong.

  Over and over the boys watched the rebel’s lives end. Aura hadn’t said a word yet, and it was unusual for him to go so long without cracking a joke. His face remained hard like stone and his eyes never left the execution platform. Ash felt numb inside. The next prisoner to be executed climbed the stairs crying in a high-pitched feminine voice. The guard pulled the bag off her head to reveal Leona.

  The woman was sobbing uncontrollably and looked like she had been all night. She was still wearing the remnants of the ceremonial armor that Shiva had shattered, and her hair was a tangled mess. Through her emotional weeping, only one word could be distinguished from all the rest of her incomprehensible moaning.

  “Pax!!” she cried out, over and over. “Oh, Pax!”

  Ash noticed that Shiva was having a hard time looking at her former rival. After so many deaths, it appeared even Shiva was having second thoughts about this. Leona continued to howl in torment as the guards kicked at the back of her knees to drop her to the ground. With a well-placed foot to the back of her head, Leona fell forward onto the chopping block.

  “Pax!” she called one final time as the blade dropped. There was a horrible sound of metal chopping through flesh and the woman went silent. Her vocal chords severed, she could scream no more. Leona’s head dropped into the basket and wobbled back and forth. A terrified expression was frozen on her face, as her soul drifted peacefully away into the morning sunshine.

  Aura’s eye twitched as the lady rebel’s soul disappeared. Watching her death hurt every bit as much as he thought it would, and he hardly even knew her. He looked to see how Shiva was handling it, and both boys were startled to see something
they never thought they would: tears in Shiva’s eyes.

  Shiva was trying her hardest and failing at holding back tears. She was angry at the woman, but after their fight all of her anger disappeared. No longer did she think the woman had to be executed for her crime. Suddenly Shiva was having cold feet about seeing her former fiancé and friend die.

  Next up was revealed to be Lionel after the guard removed the bag from his head. The man, never failing to put on a show, immediately forced a nervous smile and started scanning the crowd. “Draxler! I hope you’re watching, cause I’m about to show you how a real man dies!” Lionel threw himself down on the guillotine to everyone’s surprise.

  Ash checked to see how Aura was doing. With tears forming in his eyes, the death toucher managed a weak smile.

  “Give me your best shot, you bastards!” Lionel screamed. “Let’s see what you got!” With those words, the guillotine blade came crashing down. The resourceful rebel surprised everyone by releasing his soul power, concentrating its powerful shielding ability around his neck. The blade came to a halt just as it touched his skin, a slight trickle of blood dripped down.

  “Is that the best you got!?”

  Commander Stryd’s foot came crashing down on the blade, giving it all the force it needed to slice clean through the defeated man. Lionel’s smiling head dropped, and a lone tear ran down Aura’s cheek before he wiped his whole face.

  Lionel’s last words ran through Ash’s head, and he knew he had to get everything off his chest. While the Royal Guards were carting Lionel’s body off the platform and tossing his head in the sack, Ash finally spoke up.

  “I have a lot to tell you,” he said. Aura glanced at his friend, giving him his attention. “I don’t know when I can, but… I promise, we’ll get through this.”

  The final rebel was led up the stairs of the platform. Even with a bag over his head, Phoenix walked proudly and bravely straight up to the top. When Stryd ripped the bag off his head, Phoenix’s eyes struggled to adjust to the light of the sun. When his vision finally cleared, he saw an entire Kingdom cheering for his death.

  Directly below was his family, crying in disgrace for their son’s terrible actions. Surrounding them were the rest of the Nobles, all with their chins turned up at the man. Everyone he had ever known or cared about was there to watch him die, and all of them truly believed he had done something to deserve it.

  Phoenix turned to face Shiva. The girl looked him straight in the eyes, refusing to look away in his final moments.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  Shiva stood shaking her head. She tried to respond, but no words came out. She struggled to hold back the tears.

  Phoenix gave her one last smile. It was time to atone. He stole one last glance at Wilhelm, who was trying his hardest to remain stone faced as well. The scars left behind by this day would stay with the old man until his final days. The sad thing was, this was all going according to plan. The worst-case scenario plan.

  Phoenix scanned the crowd for someone else. He stood idly gazing out into the sea of faces, all shouting and booing at him, until a guard grabbed him by the shoulders. The guard kicked at his legs and pushed him down to the floor. Phoenix never stopped scouring the crowd, but he was looking too low.

  As they pushed his head forward and locked him in place, Phoenix finally found the face he was looking for high above the crowd on a rooftop patio. There he locked eyes with Ash, who already had tears running down his face.

  “Phoenix Dawnfall,” Goddard addressed him. “You are hereby to be executed for the crime of treason against the Royal Family. It does not matter how you plea, you’re dead either way.”

  Phoenix wasn’t paying attention to Goddard’s ramblings. He had his eyes fixed on Ash still, a moment that felt like forever. Ash considered charging the stage and demanding a fair trial. He knew it would accomplish nothing other than making him look silly, so of course he didn’t move. He only stared into his friend’s eyes, his lip quivering.

  Phoenix mouthed something to Ash. The blade dropped. Although he did not hear his former mentor’s last words, the boy felt them in his heart and soul. As the glowing shroud of life arose from the man’s body and disappeared into the afternoon sky, Ash felt as if his own soul’s weight had doubled.

  Chapter Forty: Everything’s Gonna Get Better

  The citizens of Hell filed out of the town square immediately following the execution. With no more people to kill, the collective consciousness of the crowd dissolved and the denizens dispersed. Ash and Aura flew home, avoiding the foot traffic as much as possible. At home, with tears in his eyes Ash finally disclosed to Aura the details about Wilhelm taking him to see Phoenix.

  “Whoa,” Aura said after his friend was done explaining everything. “That’s a lot to take in.”

  “I’ll say! Think about it from my perspective!”

  “So what are you gonna do? Go along with Goddard and try to revive Lucifer, or team up with Wilhelm and try to destroy Lucifer?”

  “Neither, man! I told you before; I never want to see that creepy thing ever again! Just standing near it made me feel like I was dying.”

  “I hear you, pal. I don’t think we should get involved with that Nemo guy in the well, either. I feel bad about Wilhelm losing his memories. I already liked him, but finding out he’s the rebel leader makes me like him even more! But that’s his problem, not ours. We accomplished our goal and figured out what was hidden down there, and now we know to stay away from them. Let’s get back to our original plan of getting strong enough to bump off Prince Darko and escape from Hell.”

  “I like that plan. I guess the best thing to come out of all of this is how much stronger we’ve gotten,” Ash said, and to demonstrate his point the boy successfully managed to squeeze out some of his soul power. The steamy glow billowed off his body and even illuminated the room a little. The power stopped abruptly when someone knocking on the door interrupted Ash’s concentration.

  Without any other warnings Shiva pushed her way into the room. “Everything you own. Have it packed and ready to go in five minutes,” she commanded. The boys scurried around the room throwing all their clothing into two large trunks. The boys had no other possessions, so they were done packing in less than five minutes. “Let’s go!” Shiva barked.

  Outside, the boys must have looked funny to the people below as they flew overheard hauling their enormous trunks through the sky. Shiva led the way, but would not slow down even a little bit for them. She always took small opportunities like this one to give the boys that little extra bit of training that could (but probably won’t) one day save their lives.

  Their journey to the West concluded as Shiva landed in front of a large condo in an area that was currently being developed. The boys landed so quickly they didn’t have time to get a good look at the building. They were just happy to set their enormous trunks down and rest their arms. When at last they got around to inspecting the building before them, both the boy’s jaws nearly fell off.

  The condo was so big it made their flat look like a broom closet. Besides the obvious bigness of the unit, they noticed the surrounding neighborhood was rather barren and unoccupied, meaning they’d have some privacy finally. The big front door (with a lock!) opened and Goddard stepped out to greet them.

  “Well, what do you think?” the Royal Advisor asked.

  “It’s big,” Ash said.

  “Wait till you see the inside,” Goddard said.

  Everyone stepped inside to a spacious tiled entryway surrounded by a fully furnished living room and dining area. The boys left their trunks and rushed around excitedly taking in their new living space. There was a large staircase straight ahead of the entry, and both boys raced upstairs to claim bedrooms. There were three bedrooms, all stocked with beds and dressers, all of equal size except one that had its own bathroom.

  Ash was the one who found the room with the attached bathroom. Aura wandered in after him. “Well, I guess you get this room. You
deserve it the most, anyway.”

  “You can have it,” Ash said.

  “You mean it?” the death toucher asked with hope in his eyes.

  “Yeah. I know you’ll use it more than I would,” Ash said with a smile. Aura thanked him, and the boys returned to where they’d left Goddard and Shiva waiting for them in the entry. “We love it,” Ash said. “Thank you, Goddard.”

  “Yeah, it’s okay,” Shiva said. “But it’s no castle.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” Goddard said with a grin. “Perhaps living here will change your mind.”

  “What!!” they all shouted in unison.

  “Now Shiva, before you blow up, hear me out,” Goddard begged. “Those two boys snuck out of your wedding! That’s how they avoided getting captured by the rebels in the chapel! Clearly they need to be watched more carefully.”

  This was new information to Shiva. For some reason, knowing that her teammates had ditched her wedding didn’t sit so well with the girl. She looked to the boys, who only stood there with dopey looks on their faces. “Clearly,” she said.

  “That’s why I’m entrusting you with the task, Shiva.”

  “By making me live with them? That’s so… so… uncool!”

  “I could ask your brother to move in with them instead,” Goddard offered. “I know he could handle the job.”

  Here it was, another classic attempt by Goddard at getting Shiva to comply with his wishes. He knew all he had to do was mention her father or brother and she was putty in his hands. Shiva paused, thinking it over for a moment.

  “Please live with us,” Ash said. “I don’t want to live with Darko,” he added.

  “I just want to mention, my room is the one upstairs with the bathroom attached,” Aura said.

  Shiva sighed. She knew what to say. She would cave to Goddard again, but this time there was a key difference. This time she knew she was being baited. In the future, she would not let him use her family honor against her.