Devil Ash Disarray (Devil Ash Saga Book 3)

by Mitchell Olson

  “And what are the Commander’s orders?”

  “He ordered every soldier out of the castle and onto the streets. Oh, and he wanted to see you and your team right away.”

  “Where is he?”

  “Last I heard, he and Captain Kilo were locked in the throne room with The Prince and The King.”

  Lady Shiva surprised everyone by slamming her fist into the hard gate door. Her teeth were clenched so tight they could be heard grinding. When at last she pulled her fist away, the outlines of knuckles were indented into the door.

  “We’ve wasted enough time here. Let’s go,” she said.

  Though he’d been there just the other day, the dim and desolate halls of the Royal Castle took on a more sinister air to Ash. As he crept down the main hall following the speed-walking Shiva, the human boy couldn’t help but imagine demons popping out from behind every corner and every door they passed. He made sure to stick close to Aura, just in case.

  They first encountered the main stairwell, which went both up and down. The team could have easily used those stairs to get down to Goddard’s lab. Shiva passed by them without saying a word. Instead of question her, Ash decided to hold his tongue and put his trust in the girl to not lead them astray.

  Shiva led the boys further down the hall to the far corner of the castle. When they arrived at one of the rear stairwells Ash realized why Shiva had avoided the main stairs. They would have had to pass by the Royal Guard barracks if they went down the main stairs. The team descended the back stairwell a flight and exited within sight of their supervisor’s laboratory.

  “Be on guard,” said Shiva. She headed down the hall toward the lab without slowing down. “He could be possessed already.” She put her hand on the metal ball and chain weapon at her side. When at last they reached the big door into Goddard’s lab, the girl paused for a moment to confirm her teammates were ready.

  She looked to Ash first. His face was more pale than usual. Dark patches looked painted on under his eyes. The boy wiped a full sleeve of clear goo from his runny nose and gave a nod of approval to move forward.

  Shiva turned to Aura and flashed him a look that said watch him as she motioned her eyes at Ash. The girl returned her attention to the door before her. She put her ear against the wood and listened. Hearing nothing, she proceeded to knock.

  “Goddard,” she said, keeping her face close to the door. “It’s us. Are you in there?”

  Without a response, Shiva knocked on the door a few more times. She whisper-yelled Goddard’s name. She peeked through the keyhole in the door, but couldn’t see much of anything. “Enough’s enough. I’m going in!”

  Shiva gripped the handle and pushed. The door to the lab denied them entry, refusing to budge one way or another. She released her grip and stepped back. With a hand on her chin she said, “Okay, new plan. We bust our way in.” She looked to Aura and jerked her head toward the door. “Let’s go boys. Right fist!”

  Like he’d done every day in training, Ash stepped forward and raised his right arm at Shiva’s command. He and Aura stepped forward and the three of them arranged themselves in front of the door. Ash gathered the energy of his soul in one vibrant mist that shrouded his fist. He gave it a little extra oomph to not look so deathly ill in front of his teammates.

  Lucky for him, Shiva and Aura were too focused on gathering their own soul power instead of watching Ash. When the three of them had shining fists full of soul energy ready, Shiva led the attack. The boys followed suit, striking simultaneous blows against the wooden obstacle.

  Wood splinters showered the lab as the door exploded off its hinges. Only the deadbolt remained in place, holding a small portion of the door to the frame. The largest chunk of the door flew all the way across the lab and struck the far wall. The team breathed a collective sigh of relief that it didn’t accidentally strike Goddard. The team filed into the lab slowly, examining every inch in their state of caution.

  The black blood of a demon decorated the walls and floor. It looked like someone had used a hose to spray the lab down. The various tables and desks that filled the work area, which were normally covered in papers, test tubes, beakers, and the various experiments of Goddard von Gosick, were practically bare. Instead the clutter was scattered across the floor, covered in demon blood and smashed to pieces.

  Ash was sure that’s what the dried liquid must have been. It smelled like demon’s blood. He’d definitely smelled enough demon blood by now to commit the scent to memory. And right now the lab reeked of it.

  More apparent was the hairy corpse decorating the floor. Not far away laid the motionless body of a Captain of the Royal Guard.

  The beastly demon Gnusek lay in a pool of his own blood. The carcass was mostly intact, aside from the numerous chunks of flesh that appeared to be torn off and strewn around the lab. The demon’s wildebeest-like face had caved in, its horns snapped clean off. There was not a single scorch mark on the demon. No burns of any kind.

  “What could have done this?” Ash felt vomit bubbling in his stomach, preparing to make an unexpected departure. He lowered his eyes and tried to breath through his mouth.

  “Goddard…?”

  Shiva gasped in shock, uncertain of what she was seeing. Across the lab in the far corner, Goddard laid flat on his back on the floor. His clothing was mostly missing, torn apart, and covered in a mixture of crimson and black blood. His glasses were lying on the floor next to him, both lenses smashed beyond repair. He was slouched forward, out of it, not moving.

  The Royal Princess sidestepped the demon corpse and went to her mentor. Ash followed her gaze and felt his heart almost plummet from his chest at the sight of the man’s abysmal condition.

  The team surrounded their unconscious boss. The stinging fear and gripping uncertainty that Ash felt receded at the sight of Goddard’s chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm of life. They knew at once that somehow the Royal Advisor had survived his encounter with the mammoth demon. The only question was how.

  Shiva shook the man and invoked his name until his eyelids fluttered.

  It took minutes for the blurry shapes hovering over him to register. For the ceiling candlelight to stop blinding him. The incoherent noises piercing his ears turned into voices. The feeling returned in his body and he became aware of the bony finger jabbing his shoulder.

  “Maybe he’s dead,” Aura said.

  “He’s not dead,” Shiva replied. “His eyelids are moving.”

  “Dead people’s eyelids move sometimes. I think I read that in a book once.”

  “You read a book once?” Shiva looked skeptical.

  Goddard surprised everyone by shooting up suddenly, breathing heavily. Everyone backed off, giving the man a little space.

  “You okay Goddard?” Ash asked.

  The Royal Advisor blinked several times, straining his eyes to make out the faces in front of him. “I feel like I’ve been kicked by a unique horn. Is that Ash?”

  “Your glasses are smashed,” said Ash. He handed his boss the broken frames. “What…happened here?”

  Goddard’s mind started to reboot. Images flashed. Some normal, like working on a cure for Ash. Others, not so normal, like squeezing demon flesh in his bare hands. He remembered speaking to Captain Miles. Throwing beakers around the lab. The wildebeest-like greater demon.

  He could see the unmistakable furry corpse of the enormous demon only a few feet away. He knew what it was even without his glasses. There was no mistaking that shape or smell. He looked down at his own hands, covered in black. He examined the black on the walls surrounding him. Black splattered all over the floor, on his lab equipment, even the ceiling.

  “I clearly defeated this demon… with my superior hand-to-hand combat skills… that you didn’t know I possessed,” said Goddard. It was half-truth, half-redirection. The Royal Advisor remembered one key detail he would not be sharing with the group: his consumption of the ‘medicine’ he’d been working on for Ash.

  That w
ould be a secret he’d take to his grave if he could help it.

  “That’s impressive,” Shiva replied, taking a knee next to the roughed-up man. “But we’ve got bad news. That demon Prince is in the body of Stryd.”

  “I know,” said Goddard. “There are at least two greater demons left. They’re in the throne room… with your father and brother. We can only hope that Prince Killian was able to handle them on his own.”

  Goddard strained his muscles trying to stand. His body was too weak to move. Ash and Aura moved to lift him, but Goddard shook his head.

  “Don’t bother with me,” he said. “I don’t have the strength to go anywhere. You all need to go to the throne room this instant!”

  “That’s all you had to say,” Shiva replied, the corners of her mouth bending into a satisfied smile.

  “I hate to have to ask this right now,” said Ash, trying not to sound too anxious. “But do you have any more of that medicine for me? I’m all out. I could really use some more.”

  Goddard hung his head shaking it side to side. “I am sorry, but I’ve failed to complete a fresh batch for you. I’m all out too.”

  Ash’s heart was like a stone sinking through an endless ocean. His breath was stolen as if he’d been punched in the gut. He couldn’t muster a reply.

  “Get to work on a new batch then,” Aura said. “We’ll be back for it after we take care of our little demon problem.” He winked at Ash, hoping to instill a little confidence in his friend.

  “It will take me longer with these wounds,” said Goddard. He tested his strength by struggling to climb to his feet. “Check back with me… when you’ve completed your mission.” The Royal Advisor leaned on a table as he spoke, looking to the members of his team one last time.

  “This is the most important mission we’ve ever faced. Failure is not an option. Protect the King. Protect each other. Eliminate any and all greater demons. And most importantly, don’t let them take Ash!”

  The human boy felt touched that Goddard considered his safety so highly. Unfortunately, those good vibes weren’t enough to erase the anxiety he felt at not being able to replenish his stock of feel-better pills.

  “We got it,” Shiva replied with confidence. “We’ll kick some demon ass!”

  “Damn straight we will!” Aura said, raising his gauntlet-clad fist.

  The team left Goddard alone in his lab. Ash watched through the open doorway as the Royal Advisor hobbled around inspecting all the damage. The boy hoped that the damage done to his lab wouldn’t impede the scientist from completing his work before it was too late. Ash left the lab following his friends closely, putting every fiber of faith in his body in them to keep him safe in these trying times.

  “Look at all this free blood,” Goddard said to himself in amazement.

  The trip to the throne room was silent. No one spoke, and there were no guards or servants around to be heard. With the artificial sun dimming outside, the halls took on an eerie orange dimness that felt somehow just right. No one knew what to expect when they reached the throne room. They had plenty of ideas, but not enough time to think about it.

  They were at the large metal double-doors that stood between them and the King in what seemed like no time. Shiva placed her hands on the doors, testing to see if they were locked. She applied only a small amount of pressure and the doors parted slightly. The Royal Princess shoved her way into the throne room, joining the most unbelievable situation she’d ever seen.

  Standing in the middle of the spacious throne room was Prince Killian. His back was turned to the team, but he looked like he was in mid-swing of his giant sword Infernos. The strange thing was, the Prince was not actually moving. He stood frozen like a statue in mid-swing of his sword, staring straight ahead.

  Before him, lying at the bottom of the steps leading up to the elaborate Satan family thrones, was a familiar body clad in all-black, spiky armor. Commander Stryd wasn’t moving, and it was not possible to tell if he was breathing.

  Up the steps to the thrones, three more people were gathered. At least, two of them were people. One was definitely not a person, but the all-too-familiar blue-and-black greater demon.

  Demon Prince Otozek.

  Prince Otozek stood before the middle throne chair where King Al Satan sat. The devil King was in a more pathetic state than usual. He sobbed uncontrollably as the demon prince’s pointed tail leveled at his forehead. Captain Miles stood idly by, observing happily.

  “Sh-sh-Shiva!” the pudgy King Al called out in glee seeing his daughter.

  “At last,” Prince Otozek said. His arms crossed in boredom, his back turned to the devil King, he stared straight at Ash. “You came.”

  “Get out of here!” They couldn’t see his face, but they knew it was his voice. “I’ve got this under control! I’ll kill all the demons!” Prince Killian said.

  From his perch, King Al sobbed as Otozek pushed his pointy tail into the King’s skull. After a few seconds, the devil King’s whimpering ceased.

  “The noises this one makes were driving me to madness,” the Demon Prince said.

  “Leave him alone!” Shiva said, stepping forward. “I’ll fight you instead!”

  “Shiva…” Aura said.

  “I know,” Shiva replied. “They’re faster than even Killian. We’ve got to be careful.”

  “You okay, Ash?” Aura asked, turning to his friend.

  “Yeah, actually,” said Ash. His body was calm, any trace of worry removed from his face. “I feel good. The nausea hasn’t kicked in yet, but I don’t want to go any closer to him.”

  “You won’t have to,” Aura said, unsheathing the sword he borrowed from his friend. “My guess is he got the jump on Killian with his tail stingers. But since we already know about those, we won’t be taken by surprise. I’ll charge in first and-”

  “Would you throw away your King’s life so easily?” the demon Prince asked, amused. “Do you really think you can cross the room to attack me before I pierce his brain and take his life?”

  Shiva grit her teeth and clenched her fists. She wanted to grip her bolas and toss it at the smug demon prince, but she obeyed her instincts instead. The greater demons had them for the moment.

  “We’re not giving you Ash,” said Shiva. “And you’re not killing my family!”

  “Silence, devil scum,” the Captain, possessed by the demon Moskazek, spoke up in defense of his master. “You have no right to speak to the Master like that. Right now he is committing a beautiful act of mercy on your behalf.”

  “Just what are you talking about?” Shiva asked, uneasy. Mercy from a demon could not mean anything good.

  “Our time here has come to an end,” the demon Prince said. “I must return to my father’s side. It appears Gnusek has failed to return alive. No matter, now that we have a fresh human with us.”

  “Come over here and try taking him!” said Aura, stepping in front of Ash.

  “While I could easily wipe you all out here and now, I unfortunately do not have time to spare. That’s why I’ll be speeding things up from here.”

  “Get ready to run Ash,” said Shiva.

  “Uhh…” Ash said, unmoving.

  Whatever the boy might have said was interrupted by the demon prince’s next action. His long tail flicked, quick as a flash. Instead of piercing King Al’s forehead any further, the prince repositioned his deadly weapon. The thick demon tail found its way into Al’s open mouth.

  Shiva and Aura took an instinctive step forward, moving into action before their brains could process the situation. They stopped dead in their tracks as Captain Miles stepped forward as well. There was a sword in his hand, the tip of the blade brushing against King Al’s side.

  “Keep in mind,” said the possessed Captain, “I can still end your precious King’s life any time I choose.”

  The team was forced to sit and watch as Otozek entered the King’s body. His entire tail first wormed in through Al’s mouth. Then the demon prince began to shr
ink, his body twisting and melting into impossible shapes as he force-fed himself to King Satan.

  Chapter Thirty-Two: The Stolen King

  King Satan swayed on his throne like he was nodding off during an important meeting. Only his eyes remained wide open, his mouth gasping and gurgling like a broken dishwasher. The pudgy commander in chief rocked back and forth, his eyeballs rolling back in their sockets.

  Then it stopped. King Satan ceased his babbling and sat up proper. The King focused his eyes on the people before him. There was an unusual air of sophistication in his demeanor.

  “Welcome devils.” King Al rose from his throne. “And of course, my guest of honor, the human.”

  The girl could take no more. Twin fireballs formed in Shiva’s hands.

  “Shiva, don’t.” Ash dared to be so bold as to put a hand on Shiva’s arm to calm her.

  “I know.” Shiva grit her teeth and extinguished the flames. Her eyes focused on the tip of the blade pointed at her father’s throat.

  The demon riding in the Captain’s body laughed. “You think you’re faster, little devil girl?” The Captain whipped his blade forward faster than a blink. Pierced through the tip of it was a small moth that had gotten into the chamber. The creature had just happened to fly by to help prove the demon’s point.

  “AAARRRRRHHH!” Prince Killian was still frozen in mid swing of his sword, but he sounded like he was holding up alright. “I will exterminate your demon filth from this world!”

  “I guess that puts an end to Operation: Taily-Slicy.” Aura slid his borrowed blade into the sheath attached to his back. He turned to Shiva. “So what do we do now, leader?”

  Shiva kept her mouth shut. Her eyes glued to the King. The Demon Prince, in control of her own father. This was her worst nightmare come true. She clinched her jaw shut, fighting the urge to cry out.

  “Weak.” King Al’s voice. But it wasn’t really Al, of course. “This body is so weak. It’s agonizing. Being stuck inside such a pathetic creature.”