by Leo Romero
“You asked what the triads have got that the Dark Suits want,” Olev then said. “Well, it’s not what they’ve got. It’s what they had.”
He leaned forward and opened up the box. Intrigue rose inside me. Both me and Aurora craned our necks forward to get a better look. Olev reached in and pulled something out that writhed on the air like a crab. My eyes widened. It was a hand, a severed hand. The fingers wiggled like squid tentacles. The nails at the ends of the fingers were claw-like talons, the top part of the hand and the knuckles were coated in thick fur. The creepy thing looked like it used to be attached to a werewolf or something. I watched in bemusement as Olev placed it down on the coffee table, where it began to scuttle around on its fingertips. I felt my face scrunch up of its own accord as I watched it go.
Things had just gone crazy weird. I mean I went there to get answers about drug wars and this guy pulls Thing from The Addams Family out of a cardboard box? I glared at the disgusting item crawling across the coffee table in distain. I pointed at it. “Oh-kay. What the hell is that?”
Before I got an answer, raised voices came filtering in from somewhere outside. The shouting swiftly intensified before a rasp of gunfire split the air. Aurora started in her seat.
Olev’s eyes widened. “He’s here!” he gasped before grabbing the crawling hand and shoving it back in the box.
“Who?” I asked, but didn’t get an answer.
Olev snatched up an assault rifle from a nearby sideboard and raced to the window. Me and Aurora joined him. Outside, Olev’s guys were spread out, aiming and firing their AK-47s into the near distance. One or two had already shifted into bear form and were pounding across the vast lawn, where they vanished into darkness. Things went silent for a moment. I watched on in anticipation, my heart thudding hard and steady.
From the darkness, a ball of flame rocketed through the air like a meteorite. It landed on a Ferrari where it exploded in a raging inferno. Olev cowered back, the flames reflecting in his eyeballs. His guys outside scattered in fear, the fire like Kryptonite to them.
Olev crossed himself, his face wide with fear. I looked back outside. And that’s when I saw him. The tall, dark guy in a singed suit marching through the fires with deadly purpose toward the mansion. His hair hung scraggly toward his shoulders, his eyes two black pits. Both his hands glowed with flames as if he’d dipped them into a bonfire.
A bear came bounding toward him from the right. The guy aimed his palm at the bear; a stream of fire blasted from his hand, hitting the bear full on. The bear’s howls of agony tore the night apart.
“Bastard!” Olev growled.
The guy continued his march toward the mansion unhindered. He was a cyborg, a solider on a deadly mission. And nothing was gonna stand in his way.
Olev raced back for the door to the foyer, his gun at the ready.
I met Aurora’s stare. “You wait here!” I told her, following Olev. On my way, I drew Excalibur and held him up high. I focused some light magic in my palm and ran it down the blade, buffing it. The blade shone incandescent, giving off a golden glow. I fished out Bam Bam with my other hand. “Ready for action?” I asked her.
“Locked and loaded, sugar,” Bam Bam replied.
Olev leaped out into the foyer with a roar. I followed up, Excalibur and Bam Bam ready to play. Guys in both human and bear form were lining the foyer, aiming guns at the closed front door. Everything fell silent. And then came the bang on the door. It rattled in its frame, but held steady.
Olev barked instructions in Russian. Another crash on the door, this time a harsh crack echoed through the foyer.
Olev threw out more instructions, his voice a bear-like growl. I scanned everything, waiting in anticipation, my breathing shallow. That door wasn’t gonna hold that sucker back for long. A second later, the door exploded inward, showering everything with splinters of wood, causing everyone to briefly duck back. By the time we regained our focus, the fire demon was striding imperiously into the foyer, shooting fire left and right without giving it a second thought, his eyes smoldering like hot coals. Flames erupted all over the floor and walls, turning the place into a scene from Hell itself. An invisible wave of heat blasted me in the face, the foyer now a furnace. A couple of guys got caught in the streams of fire, their screams reverberating off the walls and back again, turning the foyer into a cavern of suffering.
A bear bravely rushed the demon, hoping to catch him off guard. The demon shot him a fireball. The bear caught the attack full on, the blast sending him reeling off to the side where he smashed into one of those Greco-Roman statues. It toppled and crashed to the floor, breaking into chunks. The hot stench of singed fur filled the air.
Olev released a roar. It was the cue for anyone still alive to let rip with their assault rifles. The intense stutter of machine gun fire played out like a stuttering car engine. The demon caught the barrage of bullets like he was Tony Montana at the end of Scarface. He juddered under the impact and was forced back, but he still remained on his feet. Olev and his guys didn’t let up. They soaked the demon with every slug they had, peppering the wall behind him like a Dick Tracy comic book.
The demon slouched over under the pressure, drawing his arms into his chest. My eyes widened in hope. We were finally getting the better of him. I got ready to step in and run Excalibur’s blade into his heart to finish him off. I was about to call Olev’s guys off when the demon bolted upright with a roar, puffing out his chest. He threw his arms out to the sides and a burst of radiant heat exploded out of him like a tidal wave. The world shimmered for a split second before an intense enveloping heat hit us all, throwing us all back on our heels. It left as fast as it came, but it bought the demon enough time to begin unleashing more fire upon Olev’s guys. More went down in flames, one of them running around the foyer, a human torch, his screams of agony splitting my mind in two.
Olev knew when he was beaten. He urged his men to retreat before they were all incinerated. His guys backed up, some of them heading up the stairs to the relative safety of the balcony. I met Olev’s concerned stare. He shook his head as if to say ‘there’s no other choice’. I faced the demon again. Flames burned all around him, licking at the floor and walls. He stood amongst it, perfectly at home. There was a dark grin on his bowed face, but his eyes still burned with that infernal intensity. He marched deeper into the foyer toward me and Olev. Olev backed up, but I wasn’t about to retreat. I needed to nail this guy, and he was right there for the taking.
I stepped up toward him, Excalibur raised. The demon lifted his palms and lit them both up, ready for action. I was too far away to swing my blade. Instead, I aimed Bam Bam and pulled the trigger. She exploded into action. The demon swung to the side so fast he left a blur. The far wall ruptured under the slug I fired. A sliver of panic cut through me and I fired again. The demon slid back the other way like the ground was made of ice. The slug missed him, hitting the door behind him this time. Without hesitation, he advanced.
“Shit!” I spat to myself. I holstered Bam Bam and got both hands on Excalibur’s hilt. I drew her back as the demon reached me. I swung my blade, the light magic leaving traces on the air as Excalibur cut across it. The demon advanced and threw out an arm, his scorching gaze fixed on me. Excalibur sliced the air toward him. The demon’s arm went rigid. Excalibur slammed into that arm with a blinding flash of light. I expected to slice right through his forearm, but it was like I hit a streetlight. There was a jarring and my arms flailed back the way they came. The demon seized the initiative. He thrust a hand forward, jabbing it into my throat, gripping it tight. He squeezed, constricting the blood in my head, I felt it build up in my eyeballs, my tongue popping from my mouth, guttural sounds squeezing outta my squashed throat. My reaction was to grab his wrist, but it was locked tight.
Still gripping me by the throat, the demon pulled me in closer, just as I began to choke hard. Any longer and I was dead meat.
Our eyes met. His burned red with wicked hellfire. He gazed i
nto my pupils like a crazed scientist observing an experiment, a frown on his face as he studied me. Then, a glint of recognition flickered in those eyes and they widened in pleasant surprise.
“Stone,” he growled in delight.
And with that one utterance, something triggered in my mind. Memories of an intense battle, a long fought encounter that I eventually lost. I saw sweat and blood and magic exploding across the rainswept streets of Chicago, buildings and cars damaged and crushed under the strain. A titanic battle like the end of a superhero movie, two mighty foes going hell for leather. An angel and a demon and only one could be victorious, and on that night, I was the fallen. I was the one whose soul was cast into purgatory where I’d eventually face Death.
And then I knew. Knew that the demon entity possessing the human form that had me in its death grip was one I had met before. Beelzebub. One of the Seven Princes of Hell. Shit just got real.
Beelzebub’s lips opened up into the scariest grin I think I’ve ever seen. Hannibal Lecter meets the Joker, but more scary. He’d just found his plaything, the angel he’d defeated in a blaze of hellish glory. Somehow that angel had clawed himself out of the pit to fight another day, but now all it took was a final squeeze and another angel’s soul would be diminished.
He squeezed my throat harder. “This time you won’t escape Death!” Beelzebub growled in a wolfish voice. He lifted me up from the ground like I was a doll. My legs kicked on the air, my arms flailing. I was blacking out fast and hard. Any longer and I’d be toast. The strength in my limbs began to peter out. The last thing I saw was his intense, maniacal grin on that trembling face as he squeezed with all his might.
“I’ll see you in Hell, Gabriel!” Beelzebub told me. And I believed him.
I threw out a desperate kick. It hit his chest, but it was like kicking a brick wall. Beneath me, the ground opened up into a pit of darkness where imps and devlins joyfully leaped out to grab my ankles and pull me down. Looked like purgatory was gonna be bypassed and I was going straight to Hell. They yanked and pulled, cackling with glee at the prospect of some fresh angel flesh to torture for the rest of eternity. My vision went black and my limbs flopped. It was over. All over. All—
Something hit me from behind like a bulldozer, sucking me back into the real world like a typhoon. A noise registered in my mind. A screech that would make irate banshees jealous. Next thing I knew, I was thrown forward, the grip on my neck loosening. I flew through the air like I’d been shot from a cannon, my arms and legs waving like paper bags on the wind. The far wall came into view and my eyes widened in panic. I smashed into it headfirst, that infernal noise still rocketing through my mind alongside the effects of the blow. I hit the floor like a bag of lead. Pain shot through my limbs. I groaned loud, but not louder than that infernal din. My eardrums began to tremor and I slammed my palms over them, my teeth clenched tight, my eyes watering under the strain.
With groggy eyes, I managed to look up and around. Beelzebub was on his feet pushing back against an invisible wall, one foot in front of the other, his hands held out ahead of him as if he was pushing a boulder up a hill. Aurora was standing there in the foyer ahead of him, giving him a sonic blast. She’d saved my ass, now she was taking on a Prince of Hell. The two were locked in battle. Aurora was holding him back, but Beelzebub was taking it. He was edging toward her with pigeon steps as if he was fighting against the wind. She was holding her own, but she’d eventually run outta gas. Her screech continued to rocket off the walls regardless, bouncing off in all directions. My head hummed under the strain. Olev’s guys were all backed up against the walls, hands clasped over their ears, their faces contorted.
Beelzebub growled and pushed back harder, building momentum against the onslaught. I had to help her. I got to my knees, my hands still clasped to my ears. Beelzebub was slowly turning the tide, a grin emerging on his face. He knew it was only a matter of time before Aurora stopped for a breath, then he’d have her. My eyes fell on Excalibur. I let go of an ear, getting a blast of sweet song that reverberated over my eardrum, making it fizz with intense agony. I withstood the pain as I grabbed up Excalibur. I released my other ear and the anguish went up in volume, but I did my best to ignore it while I created light magic in my palm. I slid it along Excalibur’s blade; it glowed incandescent.
Just as I did, Aurora finally let up. Her noise stopped dead as she took in an almighty gasp of air, her shoulders juddering. Beelzebub seized the opportunity. He marched up to her and grabbed her by the throat. He pushed her down so he could get a good look at her. He stared down at her with intensity, shifting her from left to right while he worked out what she was as if she was a mystery animal he was trying to identify.
A frown emerged on his face. “Dark Bearer!” he said in that delighted voice once more. “You’re coming with me!”
“Over my dead body!” I growled, plunging the tip of Excalibur into his back with all my force. There was a hot rip as Excalibur burst from his chest, lighting up his torso.
“Take that, hellspawn!” said Art, in triumph.
I gritted my teeth and pushed harder, causing Beelzebub to release his grip on Aurora. She dropped to the floor in a heap. I yanked Excalibur out of Beelzebub’s back, the glowing blade dulled by the sizzling black blood now smeared across it.
Beelzebub slowly turned to face me. He was grinning. The tear in his chest, which was glowing with light magic, must have hurt him, had to. He lifted a hand and it burst into flame. I flinched back, expecting him to blast me. Instead, he touched the wound on his chest with a nasty sizzle like bacon hitting a hot frying pan. He winced as the wound rendered itself shut, the stench of cooked meat filling the air. I gazed down at Excalibur in numbed disbelief. That attack should’ve killed him dead. There weren’t many demons who could survive a light-buffed Excalibur never mind actually heal the frickin’ wound afterward.
I gulped. It would need more than light magic to take this guy out. Before I could have another thought, Beelzebub advanced on me, his eyes burning with a cultivated hate. He threw back his arm ready to unleash a stream of fire on me and incinerate me where I stood. I whipped out Bam Bam and was about to fire when something smacked into Beelzebub from behind, sending him reeling. I watched on with wide eyes as Olev in his bear form came bounding across my vision with a roar. Covering his paw was that weird, freakish werewolf hand. And that was when I realized it was a glove, a gauntlet of some kind. Olev raised that werewolf gauntlet hand and smashed it down on Beelzebub’s back. He slammed into the marble floor with an ug!
He instantly jumped to his feet to face the massive bear. He whipped up more fire in his palm and Olev’s eyes flushed with terror. He responded instinctively, whipping that gauntlet-covered paw across the air, connecting with the side of Beelzebub’s head. Beelzebub staggered across the foyer, his arms flailing.
I watched on in amazement. Whatever that gauntlet was, it was kicking B’s ass. Beelzebub shook off his stars and managed to conjure up a ball of flame and lance it at Olev. It hit him right in the chest. Olev’s growl was deafening. His arms flapped, revealing the burned patch on his chest, the stench of burnt fur filling the air. He collapsed onto his back with a pained growl, the floor shaking under the impact. It bought Beelzebub the moment he needed. With both hands, he conjured up a mighty ball of flames. He nurtured it to full size as he gazed down at Olev’s battered body.
I reacted on instinct. “No!” I shouted as Beelzebub hoisted that fireball above his head like he was raising a sledgehammer, ready to bring it down. I leaped toward them both, Excalibur held out in front me like I was about to joust with someone. Beelzebub thrust down his hands, that fireball heading down toward Olev’s head. I jabbed Excalibur through the air, my teeth gritted. Olev’s eyes widened in horror. Beelzebub’s forearms slammed into Excalibur with a blinding flash, the force sending his fireball careering into the ceiling where it spread into flames that extinguished on the air, leaving a blackened mark. The intense flash of light blinded Bee
lzebub. He staggered, blinking repeatedly, his awareness momentarily lost.
“Stone!” Olev managed. With a ton of effort, he ripped off the gauntlet and slung it toward me. It landed by my feet where it began to wriggle its fingers on the air.
“Use it!” Olev urged.
I had a quick glance at Beelzebub. He was starting to shake off the effects of light magic. I picked up the disgusting hand by the wrist, holding it like it was a dead rat. It writhed in my grip, making me feel nauseous. The thought of putting it on was worse.
“Stone!” Olev growled at my hesitation. “Hurry up!”
I looked up. Beelzebub was staring right at me, and was already whipping up more fire.
“Oh boy,” I gulped as I reluctantly slid my hand into that gauntlet, the wriggling fingers sliding over my own. The bile in my stomach rose and I was about to gag when a sudden burst of energy shot through me. It intertwined with my limbs, making my muscles taut like they’d been pumped with liquid steel. A rush of immense strength flooded my body and mind, making me feel like I could knock down a mountain. My body was rock, my blood silicon. I was Superman, Batman and Supernova-I-Don’t-Give-A-Damn Man all rolled into one.
I stared down at that gauntlet in bemusement. It had done something to me. I didn’t know what, but whatever it was, I frickin’ liked it. I curled it into a fist and then met Beelzebub’s stare. I rushed him, roaring like a jackass, feeling like I’d been pumped with ten rounds of steroids. Beelzebub’s eyes widened in concern as they followed the trajectory of the right hook I was unleashing on him. He released his fire spell halfway cooked, more concerned with the werewolf gauntlet headed his way. Not only had my strength been increased, but so had my speed. Beelzebub didn’t know what hit him. My fist connected with the side of his head, literally mashing it in. That side of his face came off his skull like a rubber mask, revealing a red, flaming core. He was thrown to the side under the impact where he smashed so hard into the wall, he left a neat dent.
