by Eric Vall
Which, if the rumors were true, wasn’t very much to begin with.
Who the fuck knows? We could have just set my own downfall into motion. Perhaps Mephisto or Asmodeus were planning on simply using us as pawns in their own version of this twisted political game. Fuck, who knows if we were even playing the same game at this point?
Nevertheless, the strategy was set, and the players had already been sent into motion. I pulled the girls on each side of me closer, and then I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
I didn’t know how long we slept, but I certainly remembered the wake-up call we received.
“Wakey, wakey, Jakey!” I heard Todd exclaim as he began to shake my body violently.
My eyes shot open and then narrowed as I stared daggers into the imp’s eyes.
He was currently standing on top of my chest, with his hands wrapped around the scruff of my shirt and his hooved feet digging firmly into my torso.
“W-what is it?” I demanded and briefly thought about teleporting the imp to Antarctica.
“It’s Mephisto, bro,” the imp retorted as a large smile spread across his face. “He’s back, and he’s got some great news!”
Without warning, the imp knelt down, shoved his feet against my chest, and sent himself into the air. He tumbled like a gymnast as he moved away from the bed, and then Todd landed gracefully on the stony ground of the castle. Finally, he turned around and tapped the nonexistent watch on his wrist.
“Come on, Jakey,” he implored. “Time’s a wastin’!”
The succubi had heard Todd’s little reveille, and they started to stir as I sat up and rolled off the bed. Soon enough, the succubi and I were all on our feet, as good as new.
Or at least, as good as could be for people running on only a few hours of sleep.
“How long were we out for?” I asked the imp as I rubbed my eyes and followed him down the staircase.
“Probably about four or five hours,” Todd explained. “Or something like that. Enough time for me to watch a full match of our Shades’ Royal Rumble. I’m getting really tired of Terror Thompson winning, even if he is supposed to be the ‘hero’ of all the stories. Give me Fireslayer over that goodie two-shoes anyways.”
“Four or five hours?” I groaned.
There was no way this could be good news. Sia had told me the Demon Lords of Hell were all self-serving and refused to work with each other unless they absolutely had to. Likewise, Mephisto didn’t appear to be very well-liked in the local circles.
If he was back already, then some serious shit must have gone down.
The second we walked around the stairs in the staircase, my jaw hit the floor.
There, standing next to the orange-skinned Mephisto, stood a tall man with long, flowing brown hair. His face was somewhat elongated from his neck as if it were slightly too big, and his teeth looked like they jutted half-a-foot out of his lips when he spoke.
The succubi must have been equally as surprised, because a series of gasps rang out from behind me as they entered the room.
“Superbia?” Ira asked in disbelief. “Is that who I think it is?”
“Gamigin,” the madame uttered quietly. “The great teacher and historian.”
“Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?” I asked, seriously not knowing the answer. “That title doesn’t exactly bring up images of a great warrior.”
“Gamigin is one of the brightest minds of Hell, Jacob,” Cupi hissed. “Don’t let his looks deceive you. If he’s really committed to helping us, then we may be at a turning point in this conflict.”
Just then, the brown-maned demon turned and saw us. A smile slid up his asymmetrical face, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of a horse when I saw his bucktoothed grin. He hastily stepped over, extended his hand, and shook my own with force.
“My name is Gamigin,” the purple-eyed demon explained. “Mephisto’s told me so much about you, King Ralston. I only hope my brilliant mind can help you in your ultimate quest.”
“I hope so, too,” I joked. “Pleasure to meet you, Gamigin. These are my succubi, the Circle of Sin.”
“Oh, I know who they are,” he said through his toothy grin. “Azazel’s succubi were known around the Circles of Hell. I hear they weren’t too shabby on Earth, either.”
“No, they weren’t,” I chuckled. “If they had been, I don’t think any of this would have happened.”
“So, what you’re saying is you accidentally fell upward into becoming the King of the Fourth Circle simply because you wanted a sex demon?” the horse-man said with a raised eyebrow. “Your story is quite peculiar, Jacob Ralston. That’s one of the many reasons I agreed to come with Mephisto and swear my allegiance to you.”
“Because I keep falling upwards?” I asked.
“No,” Gamigin said as his eyes narrowed, “because you intrigue me. And to me, that is the most important quality of a man.”
“Well, I’m just happy to have you on board,” I admitted and then turned to Mephisto. “What happened with Moloch?”
Unfortunately, Moloch was not as perceptive to the idea as I had hoped. He, like all of the other Demon Lords I spoke with in the last few hours, refused to give you any sort of political backing until you had proven yourself.
“I killed Azazel,” I argued. “And I killed an archangel before that. What more do these demons want from me?”
“I dunno, bro,” Todd sighed. “Maybe Asmodeus was onto something with the whole candygram thing.”
You must understand how much is at stake here, my King. The demons of Hell don’t have any second chances. They don’t get any do-overs or forgiveness from Lucifer if they decide to hitch their horse to the wrong cart. Many of them simply want you to prove you are the right cart.
“How do I do that?” I sighed.
“By winning decisive victories,” Gamigin chimed in. “Once you have won a few battles as a Demon King, you will undoubtedly gain a following. That’s why I’m here, as well. To help you come up with the plans that will get you these ultimate victories. Observe.”
The horse-faced demon walked over to a large map spread out on the table and then motioned for us to join. When I got closer, I saw the map was of the entirety of the Fourth Circle.
“Now,” Gamigin began, “I hear you have issues with Beelzebub and Baphomet, correct?”
“Unfortunately,” I sighed.
“That’s actually quite fortunate,” the horse-faced man shot back. “Beelzebub cannot access your Circle of Hell without walking back through the entirety of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Circles. He could perhaps do it on his own if he were trying to sneak around, but an entire army? Ha! His forces will be caught the second he steps into the Seventh Circle, and Abbadon will not hesitate to make their lives a literal living Hell.”
“So, does that mean we’re completely safe?” I questioned. “Beelzebub’s army can’t get to us here?”
Gamigin shook his head somberly and then looked up at me with his violet eyes.
“They might not be able to make it at the moment,” he continued, “but Beelzebub is a master manipulator, even more so than our friend Mephisto here.”
You’re too kind, Gamigin.
“Then there’s the issue of Baphomet,” the demon continued. “Even if Beelzebub and Abbadon do not come to a mutual agreement, which I am sure they will, the King of the Fifth Circle is right here on your border. He could show up any time of any day without warning and try to take over.”
“I’d like to see him try,” I growled.
“Luckily for us, your little excursion to save Angelo Martatelli has bought you some time,” Gamigin explained. “Baphomet is far too busy trying to return order to his home after all the Shades were freed, and he has no time to fight in another Demon King’s wars while he’s doing that.”
“When you say we’ve got time … ” I started, but then both Mephisto and Gamigin shot me a dirty look.
“I’d give it a month or two, tops,” the horse-face
d demon promised. “Beelzebub will eventually find an agreement with Gressil and Abbadon, the Kings of the Sixth and Seventh Circle, and Baphomet will eventually be ready to aid his friend. If we sit around waiting until that happens, we’re screwed.”
“More than a red light district whore,” Todd giggled. “Or Raphey boy’s mom. Fuck, I really miss that ‘ol fuddy duddy.”
“Then what strategy would you suggest, my newfound ally?” I asked.
“First thing’s first,” Gamigin explained as he pointed to the cave that linked the Fourth and Fifth Circles. “You need to fortify this area. Currently, it’s the only place where our enemy’s forces can enter your domain.”
“Consider it done,” Cupiditas said with a nod. “I’ll send a small faction of men out there immediately.”
“Excellent.” The demon nodded. “Now, we need to talk about the forces we have so far. You say Asmodeus has pledged you his army?”
“That’s right,” I confirmed. “Outside of that, we have our own army of Shades, plus an army of cultists back on Earth Realm.”
Gamigin rubbed his chin curiously as he mulled over my words.
“Hmmm,” he sighed. “That may not be enough to defeat Baphomet head-on. However, if we were to form a two-front war with the Second and Third Circles, Asmodeus and ourselves could close in around them. We could take over the conquered domains’ forces, and then we could use them to launch a full-on invasion into the remaining Circles.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I said as I held up my hands. “Whoever said anything about taking over the other Circles? I just want to be left alone in my own domain, without fear of being invaded all the fucking time.”
Gamigin frowned and shot me a frustrated look.
“You’ll never have that luxury, King Ralston,” he admitted. “For a Demon King, it’s either kill or be killed. A preemptive strike on the Fifth Circle would keep you on the former part of that sentence.”
But why would we want to try and invade directly? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for us to try and infiltrate the different Circles and then sew dissent among the Shades? We could incite riots, topple entire Kingships … the internal chaos would be cathartic!
“I like where your head's at,” I admitted, “but that’s still not what I’m going for here. I’d much rather stay on the defensive and let the entirety of Hell know Jacob Raslton has powerful allies, and that he won’t be pushed around by half-rate Demon Kings. If they want to fight, they can bring it to us. But let them know that if they do, we will slaughter them all like the sorry pieces of shit they are.”
“So you have sent a preemptive message?” Gamigin asked as his eyes lit up. “What was it? Did you tar and feather one of their messengers? Did you slice off one of the Shade’s hands and send it back to his master?”
“Uh … ” I sighed. “Not exactly. I would have figured killing the deadly assassin they sent after me would have been enough.”
“Oh, King Ralston,” Gamigin sighed. “I sometimes forget you’re still a mortal. Demon Kings killing assassins is nothing new here. In fact, it’s very commonplace. If you want to let the other Demon Kings know you mean business, then you need to speak their language.”
Could we try to off one of the madames? They are always good victims for this sort of thing. No offense, Superbia.
“None taken,” the redhead said with a shrug. “Like you said, we’re perfect for sending a message. We’re not too high on the totem pole, but we’re important enough so it lets them know things are going to get serious.”
“What?” I gasped. “No! We’re not going to hurt any innocent people just to send a fucking message. We’re going to fortify the Fourth Circle, build up our army, and train our asses off until Beelzebub and his forces arrive at our doorstep. Then, we’re going to kill them on our turf. Are you guys in, or are you out?”
Both of the demons looked at me with hurt in their eyes, as if I’d just stabbed them in the back with a rusty knife.
I will do whatever you wish of me, my King. I would never even think of doing otherwise.
“I may not agree with your decisions,” Gamigin admitted, “but as Mephisto said, you are my king now. If you wish to play the defensive game, then we shall play the defensive game. In fact, trying to figure out how to make this work is going to be quite a fun little challenge.”
“Great,” I addressed the room. “Now that we’re all on the same page, we need to double our efforts. Cupi? I want you out there with our Shades every single day. Gula? Start seeing if you can make portable rations. Ira, Todd, and Sia? I want you to start brushing up on your negotiating skills. Tris, I--”
Before I could finish my sentence, Martatelli burst into the room shouting happily in Italian. He had a large piece of paper in his hands that was covered head to toe with scribbles and sketches, and he couldn’t help but wave it around excitedly as he tried to explain what was going on.
Superbia ran over to Angelo and listened closely. As she did so, her expression became more and more jubilant until it was fixed into a wide, toothy smile. The succubus turned back toward the rest of us, clapped her hands together, and made an announcement.
“Everyone,” she called out, and the full room’s attention turned to her. “Martatelli has just informed me he’s located the Porta ad Terram.”
My heart jumped up into my throat, and I felt a wave of joy wash over me. The “Portal to Earth.” Martatelli had actually found it.
If the crazy old Renaissance scientist was right, we could go home sooner than we thought.
Chapter 15
As our boat shot through the water of the Fifth Circle, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making the right decision. We were headed toward the Porta ad Terram, or the “Portal to Earth” in Latin, and soon we’d be back in the land of the mortals.
Of course, this was only a casual visit to let our friends and family know we were still alive and rally my cultists to their new cause. We’d be back in the Fourth Kingdom in a few days tops, and then we’d continue to fortify our domain against Beelzebub and his forces.
It should be open and shut, right?
“Something on your mind, Jacob?” Superbia asked curiously.
“Huh?” I asked as the succubus madame broke me out of my haze. “Oh, yeah … I was just wondering if this is a good idea.”
“Why would it not be?” the redhead shot back as she crossed her arms. “Beelzebub will surely want to reassemble his forces up here on Earth, and we can’t leave Jane and Oliver completely in the dark about the situation. I only hope we’re not too late.”
“Even if we are,” I reassured her, “my cultists are competent fighters. They can take Beelzebub’s sorry followers any day of the week.”
“Then what are you worried about?” Sia reiterated as she put her hand tenderly against my face.
“I’m just worried about leaving my kingdom, especially when we have such a massive threat breathing down our necks,” I explained. “Not to mention, now that Mephisto and Gamigan are in the picture, things could get messy in a hurry. We’ve been betrayed by our friends before, and those two aren’t even our friends.”
“Mephisto’s word is unbreakable,” Eligor butted into the conversation. “He may be a manipulator, but he’s no backstabber.”
“What about Gamigan?” I continued. “I know even less about him.”
“Please,” Todd scoffed. “What’s Mr. Ed gonna do? Whinny us to death?”
“Mr. Ed?” Libidine asked from across the dinghy.
Todd turned to the succubus and threw his hands on his hips.
“Have you seen that dude’s teeth?” he retorted. “He’s got more gums than a nursing home, bro.”
Sia let out a chuckle at Todd’s joke and then focused once more on our conversation.
“Gamigan won’t turn on us,” Superbia reassured me. “If there’s one thing he loves, it’s a good challenge. And defending the Fourth Circle against two powerful Demon Kings? You can’t get much more
challenging than that.”
“Besides, bro,” Todd spoke up, “we’re just hopping through the portal, giving Oliver the lowdown, and then probably snatching some goodies while you get your booty call with Jane. Like you said, day or two tops. God, I can already taste the sweet leaf on my tongue … ”
“Then there are our Sisters,” Libidine explained. “No matter what happens, they will keep order in your kingdom.”
Liby was probably right. Cupi had stayed behind to train the Shade army, while Ira’s Dom remained back in our castle so she could continue to act as Master of Torture for the entire Circle. Gula, Tris, and Invidia were sitting this one out, as well, but I knew they’d keep an eye on things for me.
“Also,” Eligor added as she pointed to my arm, “you can send your succubi back and forth between the realms at will, right? If we ever need their assistance down here or up there, they’re only an arm-touch away.”
I glanced down at my arm and inspected the tattoos that ran from my shoulder to the bottom of my bicep. Since I’d summoned all six of the succubi to Hell at once, I hadn’t been able to use the enchanted images for interdimensional travel. Instead, touching them just caused a small light show around whoever I was trying to summon, which would then fizzle out and disappear without much fanfare.
Since we were headed back to Earth, we’d get a chance to test Eligor’s theory.
Each succubi had their own symbol that hugged the skin of my arm. Cupi’s was a pair of dark angel wings, Liby was represented by a glowing purple eye, and Sia had a glowing hand. A lit joint was Tris’s symbol, while Ira and Gula were represented by their respective weapons.
Now that Invidia was a part of our team, we’d performed the soul-merging spell once more, and the Sister of Envy had her own tattoo on my body. It matched her personality quite well, as it was a small heart-shaped symbol with a pink and black plaid pattern on the inside.
“Maybe I’m being paranoid,” I explained. “After all the shit I’ve been through in the last few years, I’m just preparing for the worst.”
