by Zoe Knights
She could escape. She waited for a moment, a few minutes at most, just to make sure Lucifer would not still be on the other side.
Slowly, while gripping the burning necklace, she closed her eyes and walked straight through the disguised door.
Her eyes snapped open on the other side as she stood alone in a long, empty hall.
She glanced left and then right, before heading for the latter. Sam had to be here somewhere.
She drew closer to the end of the hall where a little more light was ahead, though still tinged with this strange sheen of grey. There were barred grates at the top of the walls here, and strange sounds began to grow from outside the closer she drew to them. Wails… screeches… sounds so morbid and terrifying they had her shaking on the spot.
But, she pushed on.
A little further ahead she could hear the sound of roaring flames, dull flickering orange light beckoning around the next corner.
Silently she crept forward, at any moment afraid she might come face-to-face with a demon.
She turned the bend, and heat hit her in the face, forcing her to stumble back, gasping for air. White flames blocked her way through an arch, their heat unbearable, yet she could only feel it when she turned the corner.
Through the flickering fire, she could just make out a grand chamber with stunning etched stone pillars and at the back… a throne?
She backtracked quickly, stumbling slightly in her step. Thoughts of her current reality threatened to overwhelm her, but she pushed them back. Right now, the fact that she was a living human traipsing the corridors of the Devil’s fortress in Hell did not matter. All that mattered was she needed to find Sam and get out of here before this Azrael could steal her memories.
She kept walking, but as she continued, she began to hear a strange chittering sound echoing around the corridor. She looked back quickly, her stomach churning uncomfortably.
But, there was nothing.
She sped up her pace, peering down corridors and through arches but to find no one and nothing.
The chittering got louder.
Her heart began to pound, fear building in her chest, fogging her mind as panic settled in.
The sound was so loud she was certain it was right behind her, and so she spun on the spot, crying out in the hopes to sound intimidating – but it turned into a scream the moment she turned.
Something dark and with red eyes was fluttering right there in her face, it screeched at her scream and flew up to the high roof above her, chittering loudly.
Eddie stared, trying to gain control of herself. She took a few steadying breaths, staring at the small, bat-like creature. She couldn’t call it just a ‘bat’, for it wasn’t. Its wings were akin to a bat, but its face reminded her of an owl. It was quite cute, despite the blood red eyes gazing at her from the ceiling.
Eddie remembered how friendly Neeshka was and she tried to smile at the creature.
“H-hello…” she began tentatively.
But then, it launched at her!
She cried out again, falling back against the wall as this thing fluttered and flapped at her chest. She went to hit it with her hands, but its sharp little claws grasped her necklace and with strength greater than she thought it could have, it pulled the chain, breaking the clasp before flapping away with the pendant.
“No!” Eddie cried, instantly running after it.
She could hear it chittering and flapping, occasionally catching its shadow as she ran and ran with no account to where she was going and then –
She stopped. For the bat had stopped, nesting above a large doorway.
They remained locked in a stare before the little creature dropped the necklace on the floor of the doorway.
Eddie hurried forward, grabbing it off the stone.
Instant relief hit her the moment the warm metal touched her skin, and she clutched it tightly.
The creature was chittering again, loudly, before it flew suddenly through the archway. Eddie frowned… but, followed hesitantly.
Her heart jumped to her throat.
“Sam!” she gasped. For he was there, in the centre of the chamber, standing perfectly immobilised inside a small circle of runes. He was shirtless, his pure white wings folded behind his back, uninhibited by the grey sheen that coated all else.
His eyes met hers, but his head didn’t move. Nothing did, his dark irises swirling.
The little bat-like creature was circling the runes and making a strange hissing sound.
Eddie rushed toward him, her eyes flickering over him to check for wounds, but he seemed okay other than being entirely frozen.
She tucked her necklace into the pocket of her school skirt, then looked down to the dark stone ground. There were more markings than the trap that had held him at Rae’s place. And they were etched deeply into the obsidian, Eddie had no idea how to break them.
She looked back up, desperation in her eyes at the mute, frozen Sam.
“How can I get you out?!” she whispered desperately.
Sam’s lips were twitching, trying to form words.
Eddie leant closer, listening intently as a broken whisper attempted to form in his throat. “L…u…d…” a hoarse sound escaped, and Eddie’s stomach flipped.
She frowned, and he attempted to repeat himself.
“Lud…?” she murmured back, her mind ticking over this quickly. “Lud…blood?!” she gasped, and something lit up in Sam’s eyes. “Blood, I have to put blood on the markings?” she gushed.
Sam’s head just twitched in a slight nod. “D…-ils…l..ud…”
Eddie understood, swallowing thickly. “Devil’s blood…” she whispered. “Lucifer’s blood. Your blood.”
Sam gave another minuscule nod.
Eddie turned to look around the room quickly for something sharp.
She realised this must have been his ‘bedroom’. There was a large bed, black metal and dark sheets. A black wood desk with thick grey parchment and charcoal, several musical instruments crafted from more materials she did not know and books – shelves and shelves of books. It was all akin to what she’d seen on earth, and yet… wrong and all tinged with grey. Like a shadow of their true form. She was hit with a sudden moment of realisation that perhaps this was why Sam always seemed to add bright colour to things where he could on earth.
She hurried to the desk, her eyes travelling over it till she found a dark quill and several vials of ink. She grabbed one bottle and the quill, pouring the ink out onto a blank sheet of parchment, then she ran back over to Sam.
“Okay…” she showed him what she had, and once again he forced a tiny movement with his neck to nod. She swallowed again, “I… I’m sorry if it hurts,” she whispered, before picking up her courage and stepping right up to him.
She took to his forearm, turning it over before bringing the quill to the underside of his skin. She cut him, her hands shaking as a dark plume of blood bubbled over his skin. Quickly she pressed the little bottle to the wound, gathering several drops till she had enough drip over a rune.
“Will this… this do?” she whispered, waiting for another tiny nod of affirmation.
She received it and then hurried over to the markings, tipping up the vial.
Slowly the blood dripped out, along with lingering ink, and it hissed and sizzled upon contact with the markings.
Sam gasped, falling forward and out of the circle. He collapsed to the ground, visibly shaking, his muscles spasming as though they’d been locked and tensed this entire time.
Eddie rushed to him, her hands grasping at his arms. “Sam, are you ok?!” she whispered desperately. “Sam!”
Sam pulled himself up, his breathing heavy while his eyes betrayed every emotion that must have been coursing through him. And he didn’t hesitate.
“Eddie…” her name fell from his lips and in less than a moment he’d wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap and into his bare chest, his cheek pressing against the top of her head, while hi
s wings spread to embrace her, taking her fully into his hold.
Eddie was instantly overwhelmed. Feelings cascaded over her, the turmoils of the last twenty-four hours getting the better of her as she broke inside his embrace. Her arms found their way around him to hold him just as tightly, while she squeezed her eyes shut, breathing deeply to hold back her tears and let herself be engulfed by his scent and warmth.
Her eyes glistened when they finally pulled back, Sam’s arms still holding her close as she sat in-between his legs on the floor.
“How did you find me?” Sam whispered hoarsely. “How did you… get out?”
“Your necklace…” Eddie whispered. “It just… I don’t know, got really warm and I fell through the door!” she explained. “Then this… bat thing stole it, and I chased it till it dropped it… here.”
Sam breathed out a shaky laugh of surprise, his eyes flickering to the little creature that had remained in his room, watching them from a grate near the ceiling. “Inbari…” he smiled slightly. “I was friends with a few. It must have gotten stuck in the fortress. I guess it recognised your humanity. And my feather.” Then he looked back at her seriously. “We have to get out of here,” he told her lowly, pulling them abruptly to their feet. His dark eyes flickered over her face, but his expression was soft. “I’m so sorry this happened, Eddie…” he whispered.
Eddie shook her head at him. “Don’t, this isn’t your fault,” she insisted. “I knew what I was getting into. I still do, and I’m still here for you. So let’s… let’s just get out of this literal Hell hole. Are…are you okay to move?” she added, for he looked incredibly weak.
Sam nodded quickly. “I’ll be fine – I’m just glad that blood thing worked.”
Eddie stared at him. “You didn’t know if it would?!” she spluttered.
Sam shook his head. “That’s the first time he’s done that to me…” he muttered. “He used his blood to seal it… so I hoped…” he inclined his head. “Anyway. It worked. Let’s move.”
He went to turn but then exhaled slowly, holding her gaze with a smouldering one of his own. He looked down, shaking his head jerkily as he gruffly sighed under his breath. “He wants to take your memories of me,” he blurted suddenly before looking back up. “To let you go back to a normal life.”
Eddie held his gaze. “I know,” she said with a furrowed brow. “I won’t let him. Sam – you know that’s not what I want.”
Sam stared at her, his brow pinching. “Even after all this?” he urged quietly, his tone so uncertain. “You don’t want to forget-”
“No,” Eddie urged almost angrily. “Sam, I- do… do you want me to forget?”
Sam’s eyes flashed scarlet. “No,” he said vehemently. “You… brought meaning to my life, Eddie,” he continued strongly. “You gave me hope that… that I could have a life outside of what… they all want for me. But, that doesn’t mean I’m not being selfish in wanting that. I…” he paused, his eyes flickering away as he took a quick breath. “I want to know that you’re… happy. And if that means-”
“I am happy,” Eddie growled viciously. “Don’t you dare take that away with some bullshit, noble idea of it being for the best!”
Sam didn’t say anything for a moment, and Eddie desperately tried to read the swimming depths of his eyes to no avail. “You’d choose… this?” he murmured finally.
Eddie held his gaze firmly. “Yes,” she said without an ounce of hesitation.
Sam exhaled roughly. “I will never let him near you…” he urged softly.
Eddie nodded just slightly. “Okay then…” she whispered. “Then let’s… let’s move before he can.”
Sam looked like he almost might have smiled, that tender glaze coating his eyes for a moment. But, seriousness took over his gaze in an instant, and he turned away abruptly. “We need a few things first,” he said lowly, darting to his bed.
He disappeared beneath it, and Eddie heard the sound of something heavy shifting.
He crawled back out, his wings rustling and brushing against the frame before he stood and threw down two large daggers in sheaths on his bed. He hurried to a large wardrobe next and pulled out a long, glittering black cloak. It shimmered strangely in the grey light. Eddie found herself distracted by the ethereal wings folded on his back. He looked so inexplicably right with them there. He swung around, bringing the cloak over to her and holding it out.
“Put this on,” he urged, and Eddie took the strange material, finding it icy cold to the touch. “Though er… it’s hot out there,” he added hesitantly. “So you might want to…”
Eddie nodded in understanding, shifting to remove her jumper. Sam turned away quickly when she began to unbutton her school blouse.
She stripped down to just her singlet, school skirt and shoes. Discarding her warmer clothing to the side of the room. Then she swung the cloak over her shoulders. It was too big for her but flowed around her.
Sam returned with one dagger strapped around his hips, still shirtless and only wearing his school trousers. It was a tribute to his chest that Eddie’s eyes were drawn away from his face even in such dire circumstances.
He reached her, standing directly before her, and blood rushed up her neck, her eyes flickering quickly to his.
He offered her the other dagger. “This can hurt anything – infernal or divine,” he explained quietly. “I’m not expecting to need it, but I’d rather you had it in case…”
Eddie swallowed, nodding quickly and taking the weapon. She strapped it around her waist, doing the buckle and meeting Sam’s gaze once more. “Where are we going to go?” she asked as firmly as she could muster. “How do we get out?”
“We need Neeshka for that,” Sam said quietly, then his eyes dropped to her bare neck. “Where’s your necklace?”
Eddie pulled it out of her pocket, showing him the broken chain.
Sam took it, inspecting the clasp. Without warning he moved closer, leaning over her shoulder to tie the chain in a knot at the back of her neck, shifting her braid gently out of the way.
He moved back slowly, moving his fingers to press the locket against the skin of her chest before his eyes flickered back to hers.
They looked at each other for a long moment, then Sam softly took the hood of her cloak and pulled it over her head. His hands grazed her collar bone as they pulled away, then he held one out in the air for her to grasp.
“Take my hand,” he told her softly. Eddie did, without hesitation, her fingers entwining with his and holding them tightly. “Don’t let go,” he urged, then he turned, and led her quickly from the room, the dull fluttering of the ‘inbari’ following them behind.
Their footsteps echoed loudly as Sam hurried them onward.
“Why are there no… demons around?” Eddie whispered. “It’s so… empty.”
Sam looked at her from the corner of his eye as they hurried around another bend to face more endless corridors.
“He’s questioning their loyalty with all that happened…” he murmured. “I think he didn’t want to risk any of them helping me out – that or… they’re too afraid to be near him in his current… wrathful state.”
“Oh…” Eddie muttered, ignoring the fear churning in her stomach.
“No one can get in here unless he allows it,” Sam explained further, now taking them down a corridor that Eddie recognised, the grey light outside the grates was even darker now and the wails and screams from outside much louder. “And even when they’re in… these halls are a labyrinth.”
Eddie shivered. “Sam… there’s fire blocking the way ahead. We-”
“I can get us through,” Sam cut in, his hand gripping hers so tightly Eddie suddenly realised perhaps his holding it was as much for his benefit as it was for hers.
Eddie stared at him, but the moment they turned the corner, intense heat hit her once more, but only for a moment as then Sam’s wings spread around the both of them, blocking the heat like a shield.
Pure white light s
urrounded Eddie, and she watched in awe as Sam lead them forward, and the flames parted, the inbari flapping wildly within Sam’s wings.
Brimstone and sulphur clung to her nostrils, and when they finally reached the end, she coughed and spluttered, her eyes watering as she looked up only to see they'd entered the large chamber she had made out earlier with great pillars and stone floors. Right in the centre stood a huge and terrifyingly magnificent throne set upon a ledge three stairs high.
Nothing she had seen previously could compare to this hall. The ceiling hung three stories up at least, curved beams and structures with beautiful carvings embraced the chamber. And the roof had Eddie’s jaw dropping open. For there was no roof, instead, the empty space sparkled with hundreds of beautiful stars.
Sam did not look at it at all, leading her briskly toward two grand obsidian doors.
“There are stars!” Eddie found the words falling past her lips in awe, and she remembered the time when Sam had shown her the shooting stars.
“Hhn. Well, he was the light-bringer once…” Sam muttered dully. “He still has his ego.”
Before Eddie could ask for more information, the huge doors in the entrance swung open with a dull yawn to reveal what lay beyond.
Sam did not take pause, gently tugging Eddie through the opening while her eyes widened at the world outside.
They were set upon a cliff, jagged grey rock their mantle, a long winding path leading down the expanse to a smoky valley below. A sheet of grey covered the horizon, dark, vengeful clouds spreading their tendrils across the sky, occasionally flashing like they held lightning within their black mass.
And it was hot. Uncomfortably so. Suffocatingly, heat sat still in the air. Sweat beaded her forehead while loose strands of hair fallen from her braid stuck to her neck. The air burned her throat raw, and her eyes stung.
The fortress behind them must somehow shield this heat, as she had not been affected by it indoors.
The cloak helped to protect her from the brunt of the warmth, the cold material a welcome caress on her skin. But, it did not help the air she breathed.
Eddie coughed as they began their way down the mountain, ash slowly fell like fresh snow, coating each breath, tainting her tongue.
