by Mark Harritt
Mephistopheles patted the FBI agent on the chest with his other hand. The FBI endured the familiarity with stoicism. Mephistopheles let go of the hand, and took a moment to brush his suit, and straighten his tie. The suit was Brooks Brothers, dark navy blue, white shirt and lavender tie. He ran his hands along the side of his head to ensure that no hair was out of place, then he stroked his goatee to make sure it was perfect as well. He turned and walked towards the van. As he walked, he pinched non-existent lint from his suit.
He walked over to Lilith and stopped at arm’s length. He placed hand on hip, and spoke.
“Lilith, you need to stop what you’re doing right now.”
Lilith tilted her head, and looked up towards the sky as if she were contemplating her options. Then she shook her head, and stared intently at him, “No, I don’t think I will. I have a lot to do today.”
Lazarus could tell that Mephistopheles wasn’t used to hearing the word ‘no’. Mephistopheles glared at Lilith, trying for a semblance of authority, but he wasn’t able to pull it off. He could do haughty, vain, or self-absorbed, but his authority glare wasn’t effective at all. He just managed to look bitchy. He jabbed his finger towards her, “Look here!”
Lilith turned on him, “No, you look here, underling!”
It went downhill rapidly from there. Words like bimbo, tramp, slut, whore, plus some more lively curses and descriptions were thrown around, in several languages, modern and ancient. They hurled the insults back and forth like they were throwing knives. Lazarus was beginning to think he was going to see a demonic slap fight next. The two were right up in each other’s faces. Lilith’s biker gang was staring at the FBI, and Mephistopheles’ FBI was staring right back.
Small things could lead to dangerous situations in the heat of the moment. The potential for a free for all between the bikers and FBI was increasing rapidly. If that happened, they would kill each other, the aliens from another dimension be damned. Lazarus didn’t relish the idea of being caught in the crossfire of two different sets of possessed minions.
He put his fingers in his mouth, and whistled. It was a whistle that had been perfected over two thousand years. It was sharp, loud, and lasted a good long time. Everybody put their hands over their ears. Sam thought he was going to have blood gushing out if Lazarus didn’t stop soon.
When Lazarus had everybody’s attention, he said, “Ladies, you two can get back to your cat fight later. But right now, I’m working here. So, get your heads right, or get the hell out of here.”
There was a power surge. Everybody felt it. Dogs in Bisbee started barking. The magical potential was building. The energy in the area was increasing. Dust devils swirled across the ground. Then it stopped, silence fell, and everybody was very still, waiting for what was going to happen next.
A low, calm, voice spoke, sounding distant as the magical forces coalesced. “I’m going to see Mommy and Daddy again,” Darcy said.
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Chapter Twelve – The Double/Triple Cross
Across the darkling plain, lurid lights danced across the bruised sky, dark magic energizing the air. The world was dead. Nothing was left. The jagged mountains bled on the plains below as throats were cut and lives were sacrificed. The priests cried their prayers to the great destroyer, Ragosh, as they sliced the throats of the few thousands left. The people walked to the priests, all hope driven from them, knowing that only death and damnation awaited them. Struggle was futile, struggle was pain. Death was the only thing that could ease their misery. Souls destroyed, lives erased, their throats slashed, corpses dropped to tumble down the mountains, lying in pyramids of extinguished potential.
Flutes carved from the leg bones of sacrifices wailed through the air. Drums covered in the flayed skins of Ragosh’s victims throbbed in time to the beat of the destroyer’s immense powers. Rogosh sat, elephantine bulk driving down the thousands of slaves carrying the immense, hewn throne. Tentacles writhed where head should be, reaching out to grab corpses by the hundreds, stuffing the great gaping maw. The bulk was enormous, four legs setting to the sides of his dark throne. He fed, two great hands at the ends of arms that could hold up mountains crushed corpses into mush. Whorled tattoos splayed across red skin, shunting elder, darker magics in a whirling display. Dark gems shimmered against the skin, punctuating the tattoos, glittering as they sucked in the damned souls. In the middle of them all, one great jewel fluoresced as throats were slit, and the bound, wailing souls perished.
Corpses fed the bulk, souls powered the magic. Soon, the portal would open, and Ragosh would move onto a new world, a new dimension. Life was done here, ground down. There was nothing left, no animals, no plants, no life at all. The destroyer needed new corpses, new souls. He needed a new world. A billion, billion had died to bring him here. The carnage increased his hunger more than satiated it, the paste of the bodies flowing down the immense throat. Now, all of those destroyed souls would power his assault on the new dimension.
A dark figure stood on the peak, looking down at the hellish display below. Dargonth was Rogosh’s greatest warrior, destroying countless worlds for his master. He was first through the portal to secure it, established the bridgehead, and then summon his master’s army across the dimensions to the new world. There, Rogosh would bring damnation and despair. His arrival would herald a new slaughter.
Dargonth smiled, his sharpened teeth displayed. His was a long, lean muscularity. His dark hide was ink black with dark, dark indigo fur rippling across his skin. His hands held the great blade before him, a blade of power. He whipped it around his head, and heard the howling as it cried for new souls, the sword wailing its frustration as it hungered. The sacrifices on the plain shuddered upon hearing the keening sound over the wailing of the flutes and the drums, and they knew that there were other miseries worse than the one facing them.
Soon, Dargonth would reave new souls for his master. Soon, but not now. Now he needed to hunt, to feed. He looked at the pile of corpses, and knew that this would not satiate him. Instead, he looked at the lines of sacrifices walking to their doom. His eyes were sharp, and he found his prey. He walked down the slope of the mountain, the trembling sacrifices hoping they would not attract his attention. These shattered, damned creatures would not be as much fun, their spirits crushed, devastated. Still, he needed to hunt and chase. He needed terror. Terror would spice the meat perfectly.
He found a family with children. The children weren’t too young, and would be able to run for some time. He killed the father, feeding his sword, satiating it for the moment. The mother begged, though she knew there was no hope for the damned. She cried as her children were driven from her and beaten until they ran, their tears piteous as they were chased away. He gave the children time to run as he ravished their mother, hearing their cries, knowing that their tears would make the meat sweeter. Then he sent her to the priests, and began the chase.
Rogosh watched Dargonth hunt and feed, and a deep laugh boomed from the great bulk, resonating through the bones of the doomed and dying mortals. Ragosh could feel change in the air as the quality of the magic shifted. Reality was starting to change as power surged. Rogosh could feel the other dimension, tasting the diversity of life, knowing the new world would be unlike any other. He could sense the other across the divide of the worlds. The being was easily manipulated. A promise, a diversion, a prevarication, and he was able to lead the child down the path he desired.
Ragosh felt around for the context he needed. He found what he wanted, and shaped his thoughts around it. The gem scintillated as Ragosh initiated the connection. Power surged from Ragosh to his puppet, feeding the Judas Goat.
The final souls were being sacrificed on this side of the portal. He felt power grow as each soul was destroyed, each sacrifice claimed. Now, it would start, all components in place. Dargonth leap onto the throne. The general was miniscule compared to the great bulk, barely as big as a finger. The general had power, thou
gh. His strength would be needed as an anchor to the new world. A door opened in front of them, and wind howled as dust, rock and a few damned souls were sucked into the vortex and ripped apart, the path opening. Dargonth stepped through the open portal.
An uneasy feeling hit Ragosh. He felt an ancient enemy behind him. He knew that power, had fought it before. It chased him across numerous worlds, endless dimensions. It was too late though. Before him lay a new world, and once he was in it, the other would have to find a different way through, giving Ragosh a long time to prepare for the combat he knew was coming. That enemy was behind him. Now, he concentrated on the enemy in front of him.
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“Ah, sweet child, what have you done?” Lazarus turned to look at Darcy. A nimbus of spectral light surrounded Darcy as the power increased. Dust devils whirled around her feet. She glowed in the power of the magic that was forming. The intensity of the wind swelled. Dust, sand, and small rocks tumbled away from her. Energy was building.
Sam started to walk towards Darcy, but Lazarus put a hand on Sam’s arm and shook his head. Lazarus moved back, and Sam followed. Lazarus didn’t know what was about to happen, but he wanted to be in a position to fight without being surprised. The biker gang and FBI agents spread out as well. Lilith laughed, and Mephistopheles yelled at Lazarus, “I told you that Lilith was going to betray us all.”
Lazarus heard a voice in his ear as Major Hartman spoke, “Eli, we have a problem. Visibility is none existent. Plus, that wind is going to play hell with any precision shots.”
Lazarus gave a quick, “Roger,” to indicate that he understood what Hartman was telling him. He turned his attention back to the drama before him.
Lilith spoke loudly so that Lazarus could hear over the increasing cacophony, “Oh, no Mephistopheles, I’m not going to betray you, or my master. I’m not going to betray anybody.” She laughed, “I don’t have to. That’s already been done.” She pointed at Darcy, “Sam’s delusional girlfriend has betrayed the world. But it doesn’t have to end here, Eli.” Lilith pointed at Lazarus, “You can still be the hero. You can save the world. You just have to make a choice.”
Lazarus yelled back, “What are you talking about, Lilith?”
Her smile was mischievous as she explained, “You have three choices, Eli. Unfortunately, none of them are good for you. You can do nothing, and Darcy opens up the portal, and the alien monsters from another dimension come in and destroy this world. You can kill Darcy, and the portal will never open. But, she is an innocent, just like you said.”
Lazarus shielded his face from the flying sand particles, “You said three choices, Lilith. What’s the third choice?”
She pointed at Sam, “She’s going to need a human sacrifice, Eli. You have to take that pawn off of the board before the portal opens. You can kill Sam, and they won’t be able to bring their army here.”
Sam yelled, “What do you want to do, boss man?”
Lazarus suddenly understood. The ghoul crushed in the sphere was the clue. He had a good idea of where Darcy’s parents disappeared to. That kind of thing would really do a number on a child.
“You knew what happened to Darcy’s parents.”
“Of course I did, Eli. I put it together very quickly. Quicker than you ever would, I think. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen to me.”
A light went on in Lazarus’ head. Lilith knew him very well. She knew that he would never kill an innocent.
Mephistopheles stood to the side, “What do you mean, Lilith? How does this help our master’s cause?”
Lilith yelled, “He has to choose. Darcy can open the portal, but a sacrifice is required. Sam is that sacrifice. Lazarus can kill Sam, and make sure the others can’t cross over, or he can kill Darcy, and the portal will never open. But either way, he’ll damn himself with the murder of an innocent.”
Lazarus looked at Sam, his good friend. He looked at Darcy, a sweet, tortured young woman. Both were innocents. Darcy was delusional, but she was being manipulated, by whatever was on the other side, no doubt. She had no idea that what she was doing would kill everybody on earth. She thought she was bringing her mother and father back from wherever she had sent them. Ultimately, it was Lazarus’ choice to make, though. Uriel’s admonition came back to him.
The power grew. A small pin prick of light appeared in front of Darcy. The point of light was stationary, but, at the same time, it seemed to be rushing towards them.
Sam looked at Eli, “Boss, even Abraham was told to sacrifice his son.”
Lazarus looked at Sam, knowing what was being offered, and appreciated his friend even more because of it, “Yes, but Abraham didn’t have to sacrifice his son in the end. I’m not going to sacrifice you, Sam.”
Sam looked over at Darcy, his heart breaking.
Lazarus put his hand on Sam’s arm, and shook his head, “I’m not going to kill Darcy either.” He looked at Lilith, “I choose neither.”
Lilith smirked, “So, you’ll let the demon horde attack this world?
Lazarus smiled at her, “If that’s the only choice in front of me, yes. I choose to protect the innocent. I’m not going to kill either one.”
“You’re going to let them destroy the world?”
“No, I’m going to do what I came here to do. I’m going to fight the forces of evil. And, unless your boss wants to share the world with a new demon lord, you’d better help.”
Darcy was fully in the thrall of the magic. Lazarus wasn’t sure he could get to her anyway. A sphere of light and magic surrounded her. Lightening flashed around the sphere. She was floating above the ground, her arms spread wide, her head back, and eyes closed. Lazarus never had any indication that Darcy had that kind of power, not with the little parlor tricks she had done. There was no way that the power she was welding came from her. He would have felt it before now.
Lazarus’ attention was diverted from Darcy. A great ripping sound boomed through the pit as air pressure evened across dimensions. The portal opened, and a horror stepped forward. A voice sounded in Lazarus’ mind, and he assumed, everybody else’s in the pit as well.
“I am here, child. Where is the sacrifice?”
Lazarus looked at the fiend. It was physically imposing. Dark blue fur rippled across its lean body. It was taller than Sam, with bestial facial features. It had no clothes, it’s manhood on display, and it held a sword that was longer than Lazarus was tall.
The winds decreased, and Darcy slowly dropped, until she stood on terra firma. She bowed to the alien being, “Lord Dargonth, I have your offering.”
Lilith’s yelled at Lazarus, “You may not be willing to kill Sam, but I bet he is.”
Darcy’s hand closed in a fist, and Lilith’s laughed cut off, “What the hell?” Lilith’s arms snapped to her side as if a large hand had gripped her around the chest. Darcy turned, and looked at Lilith, pulling her fist into her chest. Lilith’s feet cut a furrow into the sand as she struggled against Darcy’s power. Understanding blossomed on Lilith’s face as she was pulled towards Dargonth.
“Darcy, what are you doing? You can’t do this.”
Darcy shook her head, “You’re a liar, Lilith. You told me I was a witch. You were going to make Eli kill me.”
Lilith shook her head, “No, that’s not what’s happening here, Darcy. He wouldn’t have touched you!”
“How’s that supposed to make me feel better, Lilith? If he doesn’t kill me, then he has to kill Sam. I love Sam.”
Sam’s mouth dropped open at this pronouncement. It closed quickly as sand flew in. Sam spit the sand out.
Lilith couldn’t stop the attack. The intensity of her struggles increased as she was pulled forward. Lilith was in danger, and she began to lose control, fear taking over. Hellfire was in Lilith’s eyes. Her red hair stood up on the wind, whipping back and forth. Her eyes smoldered as hellfire emerged. Smoke rose from her body. Lilith grew angry, “Darcy, stop this. He wouldn’t hu
rt Sam either. He’s not capable of that. You have to stop, or I have to defend myself.”
Darcy laughed, “How are you going to do that, Lilith? I have the power now, not you.”
Behind them, Darcy struck out. The bikers were thrown back, some as much as ten feet or more. Bodies impacted into motorcycles. Two of them didn’t get back up. Only the FBI were still standing.
Lilith turned to Mephistopheles, “Help me, you ass!”
He sneered and slowly shook his head, “No, I don’t think so. I’m enjoying this.”
Rage overtook Lilith. Her body burst into hellfire. Eyes smoldered as smoke poured out. Hands pointed, and flame shot out at Darcy. The conflagration hit, but the flames didn’t penetrate, sliding across the surface of the sphere.
Lazarus and Sam ran back from the fight. Neither one wanted to be around that kind of power. Bolts of primal energy were being exchanged between the Demon Succubus and her erstwhile apprentice.
Sam looked at Lazarus, “What do we do?”
Lazarus shook his head, “I honestly don’t know. If we intercede for Lilith, I have to fight Darcy. But the boss wants me to work with Lilith. Plus, if that creature kills Lilith, his master and demon horde explode onto our world. It’s all about the sacrifice. We have to stop that from happening.”
He glanced over at the big blue alien with the sharp teeth. Dargonth stood, waiting.
Lazarus made up his mind, “Okay, we’ll let Darcy and Lilith duke it out. You and I, we take the big blue guy. We can’t let Lilith be taken as sacrifice.”
Bands of force and bolts of fire ricocheted through the air. Rocks flew to batter Lilith. Stray fire licked around the edges of the curved shield of power to splash against Darcy. Lazarus ran forward, dodging as best he could through the magic in the air. Magic and hellfire seemed to bend around him. It was clear that he had protection. The necklace that Uriel had touched glowed, and felt warm against his skin. Magic blew by him, but nothing touched him. Sam ran back to the van to grab something that might put the big, blue guy down.
