by J. C. Diem
“Loki’s allied himself with faeries,” Lexi said in a tone that reflected her concern. Looking through Mr. Jingles’ eyes, she saw more of them scattered throughout the neighborhood. They’d apparently teamed up with the Grimgorg and were helping them round up the civilians.
“Did you say ‘faeries’?” Elijah said incredulously. “They’re real?”
“They are on my world,” she replied grimly. “Unfortunately, they aren’t cute, friendly little sprites most of the time. They’re dangerous, manipulative and some of them are pure evil.”
“Since these ones have teamed up with Loki, I think we can guess which type they are,” Brie said dryly.
“Can you see Loki anywhere?” Nat asked. Her swords were in her hands and she hadn’t even realized she’d drawn them. They were an extension of her body when she was in full battle mode. From the faint red light that emanated from her eyes, they were glowing in anticipation of the hunt.
“Not yet,” Lexi responded.
“Knowing him, he’s probably headed for the local news station,” Violet said. “He’ll no doubt want to trumpet his intentions to the entire world.” That was what his likenesses in the other realities had done. This version of him probably wouldn’t be any different.
“It’s the diva in him,” Nat agreed. “He craves recognition, even if it’s from being infamous and hated by everyone.”
“He’s probably well acquainted with infamy,” Lexi said as she prodded Mr. Jingles back into action. “He has a bad reputation on most worlds, after all,” she added.
Giving the faeries a wide berth, she guided the dog towards the center of town. A far larger crowd had gathered and were watching some electronic billboards. She couldn’t see over their heads, so she leaped onto the hood of a car so she could see what they were watching. As she’d expected, Loki was on the screen. He wore his full black, green and gold battle outfit. He held his shiny sword in one hand as he waited for someone to give him the nod that the cameras were ready. From the blood that stained the blade, he’d killed someone who had attempted to stop him from entering the newsroom.
“People of the United States of America,” he said gravely and everyone quietened down to listen. “I am Loki, of Asgard.” He turned to the various cameras that were trained on his face, knowing that millions of people would be watching him. Soon, all seven billion souls who resided on this planet would know his name.
Nat rolled her eyes when Lexi relayed the speech he’d prepared. It was similar to the ones he’d given on hers and Lexi’s worlds.
“My Grimgorg and fae allies have begun to round up the citizens of this fair city,” he said in a tone that was deceptively friendly. Lexi bared Mr. Jingles’ teeth at his charming grin as he continued. “You will not come to any harm if you do not offer any resistance.” Holding up his bloody sword, he looked at the blade meaningfully. “This is what you will receive if you dare to defy me.”
Placing the tip of the weapon on the ground, he leaned against it. “I am sure you believe the angel known as ‘Hellscourge’, and her celestial friends will come to your aid,” he went on. Murmurs of agreement swept around the newsroom and the crowd that surrounded Lexi. “Your hopes are in vain. My faery companions have sealed the gates that lead to heaven and hell. No one is coming to save you.” Staring into the middle camera, he unleashed the full extent of his charm with a wide smile and a final sentence that spelled out their doom. “Your world now belongs to me.”
“Like hell it does,” Reynolds muttered as Lexi repeated his speech to them. He felt useless stuck outside the dome. His fellow police officers who were trapped inside didn’t stand a chance against the sheer number of Grimgorg aliens Lexi had reported seeing. Their guns would be no match for magic.
Chapter Twenty
~~~ Violet’s World ~~~
USING MR. JINGLES AS her spy, Lexi watched the Grimgorg and faeries as they worked together to round up the populace. They were quick and efficient and only used their magic when it was absolutely necessary. Some of the braver humans mounted a defense, but they were quickly made an example of. Their torn bodies were left on display to warn of the folly of defiance.
Lexi reported everything she saw that might come in useful. Reynolds noted it all down so he could pass the information on to his superior. If angels and demons couldn’t be called in to stop the invasion, they would have to come up with another way to defeat the aliens.
Keeping watch over the faeries, Lexi saw them create gigantic plants to overwhelm their enemies whenever a group of them banded together. One faery in particular caught her attention. His hair and eyes were silver and he was particularly handsome. At five-foot-six, he was tall for their kind. He was a little too thin and effeminate for her tastes, but she couldn’t deny that he was attractive. His hair fell to below his shoulders and his green and brown clothing were molded to his lithe body. His dark magic and charisma were so strong that he barely had to catch the eye of a human to ensnare them in his spell. From the way the other faeries deferred to him, he had to be their ruler.
“I think I’ve figured out who the leader of the faeries is,” she reported and described him to the others. The poodle was close enough to overhear what he was saying to his kin, but she couldn’t understand him. They slid sly glances at their little green allies that spoke of treachery to come. “Hang on,” she said when she saw the silver-haired faery flick his hand at one of the shamans. Instantly bedazzled, the Grimgorg sorcerer followed him into a house. “He’s up to something,” she added and sent Mr. Jingles in to spy on them.
Creeping over to the building, she poked Mr. Jingles’ head in through the door to see the two aliens standing in a dark living room to the right. The leader of the fae put his hand on the shaman’s head and his eyes pulsed dark gray. Letting out a strangled scream, the Grimgorg rapidly began to deflate as his essence was drawn out through his tiny mouth. As purple as his blood, his magic swirled through the air and was sucked inside the faery.
Eyes turning as black as midnight, the fae ruler’s expression was ecstatic as he absorbed the extra magic. Even through the poodle, Lexi felt evil swell inside him. “I think we have a serious problem,” she said and made the dog scurry away before he could be spotted. Relinquishing control of him, she gave Mr. Jingles an order to return to his yard.
“What is it?” Violet asked in trepidation. Lexi had only told them snatches of her ordeal when she’d saved her world. They didn’t know much about faeries.
“The faeries can ingest the magic of their allies and it seems to make them stronger.”
“From what you have told us, there are only a few hundred of them,” Nathan said.
“One was enough to put my entire world in jeopardy,” Lexi said dryly. “Five hundred or so could wreak untold havoc.”
He had to concede that she could be correct about that. He’d never dealt with the fae before and he had no idea what to expect.
“How are we going to get inside the dome?” Nat asked. “I take it you can’t use the zombie highway?”
Lexi shook her head. “I tried earlier and it didn’t work.”
“We have to find a way in,” Violet said in growing desperation. “We need to take Loki and his sidekicks down before they become too strong for us to evict.” Even with their celestial power, her friends weren’t going to be able to save the day this time. Their allies had all returned to heaven after being locked out for nearly two decades and none had returned yet. They were now trapped in their own realm, which meant Violet and her few friends were all that was standing in the way of Loki’s army.
“We could try to dig our way in,” Sam suggested.
Nat shook her head. “The soldiers on Lexi’s world tried that. The Grimgorg knew what they were up to and blasted them to death with magic.”
“They must be able to sense it when someone breaches their defenses,” Elijah said.
“Your doppelganger could make holes in the barrier without them knowing about it,” Violet t
old him.
“He was a warlock and I am just a simple priest.”
“There was nothing simple about what you and your fellow men of the cloth did during our last disaster,” Sophia said in response to his modesty. He and the other priests had used their faith to help save the population of Manhattan.
“If we were dealing with demons, I might have been able to help more,” he said wearily. “I am afraid there is not much that I will be able to do to assist this time.”
“We should head back to our base,” Reynolds said. “There’s nothing we can do right now and we need to strategize.” Standing outside the dome and watching as the civilians were being hunted down wasn’t doing anything for their morale. He needed to meet with his captain and pass on everything he’d learned. “Can someone take me to my car?” he asked. “I’ll fill my Captain in, then head back to the store.”
“I will take you,” Leo offered. The pair disappeared and Nathan whisked everyone else back to their lair.
“Is anyone hungry?” Sophia asked when they appeared in the front room.
Violet, Lexi and Nat nodded. “I need to feed already,” Nat said. “I guess I’m a lot weaker in this dimension.” As the only pure human in the room, Elijah blanched when she flicked a glance at him. Clearly, he wasn’t going to offer her his blood.
“I will escort you outside to find a meal,” Sam offered quickly. He wasn’t a full angel, but he had enough magic to keep them both safe if anything bad happened.
Nathan’s lips twitched slightly in amusement. “Try not to run into trouble,” he suggested.
“We will be fine,” Sam replied with a grin. “I will be with Natalie rather than Violet. Surely, she will not be as prone to accidents as Hellscourge seems to be.”
Violet sent him a sour look, but she didn’t argue with his assessment of her. She did tend to get into trouble when she went off without her friends. “Don’t count on it,” she said. “Nat is just as likely as I am to stumble across something dangerous.”
“V’s right,” Nat agreed with a smirk. “That’s something Fate’s warriors all have in common. Getting into trouble is how we fumbled our way through our versions of the apocalypse.” Lexi nodded to back her up.
“That fills me with confidence,” Brie muttered.
Sam tugged on the vampire’s hand and drew her towards the door even as she shot a glare at Brie. He waited until they were half a block away before speaking. “Try not to let Brie’s sour attitude get to you,” he said apologetically.
“What’s her problem?” Nat said with a scowl. “She seems to hate me.”
“I think she secretly hates everyone, except Leo and Sophia,” he replied. “She has actually mellowed a lot since the last time we saved the world.”
Nat rolled her eyes and sauntered along beside him. Her powers weren’t as strong here, but no one paid her any attention despite her leather outfit and the twin swords that were strapped to her back. Some of her natural vampire mojo had to be working. “I’d hate to see how snarky she was before she became mellow,” she said.
“Brie is an angel,” Sam said with a shrug. “They tend to see everyone else as lesser beings.”
“Sophia, Nathan and Leo don’t act like snobs.”
“They have a lot more tolerance,” he said with a small smile.
The streets were clogged with cars and the sidewalks were dense with pedestrians. It shouldn’t be too hard for her to find a meal. Passing a narrow alley, Nat glanced into it and saw someone cringing in the shadows. Even with her enhanced night vision, she could barely make out the creature’s features in the darkness. Pulling one of her swords, she stepped into the alley.
“What is wrong?” Sam asked in a hushed voice.
“I can see some kind of monster lurking in here,” Nat replied just as quietly. Whatever it was, it had pure black skin and was very nearly skeletal. It was huddled on its haunches with its face buried in its knees. “It isn’t a demon, but something that looks a bit like one,” she added.
Peering over her shoulder, he saw the pitiful being and was flooded with empathy. “That is not a monster,” he said and stepped around her. “He is just an imp.”
Violet had explained what imps were and she reluctantly put her sword away. “What’s he doing here?” she asked.
“He must have left hell recently and has become overwhelmed by being back on Earth.” Crouching beside the imp, Sam put a hand on his shoulder. “It is okay,” he said when the creature flinched and cringed away. “We will not hurt you.”
Looking up fearfully, an expression of wonder came over the imp’s ugly face. His cheeks were far too hollow and his forehead was heavy, which made his eyes seem squished. He wore a filthy loincloth and his ribs stood out starkly. “Sam?” he said in such hope that it almost brought a lump to Nat’s throat. “Is it really you?”
“Yes,” Sam confirmed. He sent a bashful look at Nat when the imp wrapped his arms around his waist and began to sob.
“You know him?” Nat asked.
“No,” he replied as he gently patted the poor imp on his bony back. “But I am well-known among my former kind.”
Nat’s eyes widened. “You were an imp?” She stared at the unnaturally black skin of the former human who had been taken to hell against his will, then back to Sam again. “Why do you look like a normal human?”
“I redeemed myself,” he replied with a sad smile. “I made the ultimate sacrifice and God rewarded me for it.” Pure white wings sprouted from his back and the imp’s weeping increased when he wrapped them around the wretched creature. “All imps have the capacity to change their lives for the better. This one has taken the first step by leaving hell.” Standing, he picked the pitifully thin imp up. “Come on,” he said, “I will take you both to Elijah’s church.”
Before Nat could warn him what a terrible idea that was, he teleported them to the Upper East Side.
Chapter Twenty-One
~~~ Violet’s World ~~~
STILL CHUCKLING THAT the humans thought angels would come to their rescue again, Loki left the newsroom. He’d imparted his message and it would no doubt spread rapidly. No news travelled faster than bad news, after all. His spirits were buoyed after destroying the hopes and dreams of humanity and he felt energized. He went in search of a unit of Grimgorg warriors to join. He didn’t have a stockpile of silver collars, so there wasn’t much point in hunting alone.
Seeing a group of six green aliens in the front yard of a house, they didn’t appear to have a shaman with them. The humans they were attempting to capture were fighting back with crude garden tools. He was about to offer his assistance when one of the warriors sent a blast of wind at the group to knock them off their feet.
Surprised by the display of magic, Loki cloaked himself in shadows a moment before the unit of Grimgorg warriors glanced around to see if they’d been observed. None of them were wearing the tattered black cloaks that signaled they were magic users. Clearly, Rho had deceived him. For all he knew, every single one of his allies might be shamans in disguise. The only reason he could think of for this deceit was so they could eventually betray him. A small part of him almost admired them for their duplicity. It was exactly what he would have done if he’d been in their place.
The shamans pounced and the humans were fitted with collars. Instantly docile, they allowed themselves to be herded into a group. Releasing his illusion of shadow, Loki approached the disguised Grimgorg warriors. “May I be of any assistance?” he asked with a charming smile that he knew had no effect on them at all.
They barely hesitated before bowing. “Of course, Lord Loki,” one of them mumbled. “We would be grateful for the use of your magic.”
Seeing the sneers on their tiny mouths, he knew exactly what they were thinking. They didn’t want, or need his help. But they would play their parts, as would he. Knowledge was power and he would keep this secret to himself. It never even occurred to him to warn the faeries about Rho’s duplicity. He needed ever
y edge he could find when it came to dealing with the fae.
Moving on to the next house, they found the door barred. Unable to use magic to break it down while Loki was with them, the warriors did their best to smash it open with their crude bronze swords.
“Allow me,” Loki offered politely. He waited for the six aliens to step aside, then kicked the door open. It smashed into the wall and frightened screams rang out from the end of the hallway. Bright light flared and a gunshot sounded. Well aware that some Americans were armed with guns, Loki had already erected an invisible shield to protect himself. The bullet stopped millimeters away from his chest and fell to the ground. Smirking at the terrified inhabitants, he stepped inside and drew his sword. “Is that any way to treat your new overlord?” he asked in a playful voice.
They attempted to flee, but he created an illusion of more Grimgorg warriors behind them. Believing themselves to be trapped, they huddled together. The father held his gun in a shaky hand, then surprised Loki by pressing it to his wife’s temple. “I love you, honey,” he said and pulled the trigger. As her body fell, he turned the gun on his two children and pulled the trigger twice more. Madness filled his eyes as he snarled at the invaders. “We would rather die than become your slaves,” he said and put the gun to his head.
Loki took a dagger from his belt and flicked it at the man before he could end his own life. It sank deeply into the human’s wrist and he dropped the gun. He began screaming and thrashing as the six hunchbacked creatures surged forward. He finally stopped fighting when the collar was around his throat.
Crossing to the mindless captive, Loki pulled his dagger out of the man’s arm and wiped it on his t-shirt. That disturbing episode had been a lesson that humans were unpredictable and sometimes highly irrational. They were willing to make sacrifices that he would never have contemplated to avoid becoming slaves.
Perturbed that the man had murdered his own family, the shamans could barely fathom why he would do such a thing. This kind of emotion was outside their sphere of understanding. “Humans are insane,” one of them muttered.
