by Erik Lynd
Silas quickly filled her in on what had happened while she was unconscious, leaving out the part where he had almost given up.
“You’re hurt,” she said and squatted next to Leonard.
“It’s the club. It uses the strength of the wielder and well… I’m getting too old for this shit,” Leonard said with a smile. Then he grew serious and forced himself to stand with the help of Lily. “We cannot stay here. Come, let’s go. I will tell you the rest at a safe distance.”
He took the torch from its sconce and walked down tunnel. Silas and Lily fell in behind him after grabbing her pack of gear from the floor in the hall. A few more twists and turns down the tunnel, and he started talking again.
“The purpose of the Nataepu was to remember what had happened and to guard against the time when the Wyrm woke again,” he said.
“So there are others like you?” Lily asked.
“No. That is the problem, I am the last. And now that it might wake I am too weak to do anything about it.”
“This is all very interesting, but we need to get going. We have to find Abigail and stop an army.”
Leonard turned to him and held the torch up close to Silas.
“You don’t understand mahtan’tu, Webb and his army are waking the Wyrm. Your goal and mine are the same. We must stop him, but we must not wake the Wyrm.”
“So you’ve been skulking around down here watching Webb trying to figure out what to do?” Silas asked.
“Yes. After I saved the priest I started following Webb and his lieutenant, Coth, who seems to have a personal vendetta against you. They led me to your bar. When I saw them attack you I thought perhaps we could be allies,”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend?”
“Yes, but I watched you from afar and tried to figure out what part you played in this.”
“The name you called me a moment ago, you know what I am don’t you?”
“Mahtan’tu. Yes it means Devil,” Leonard said pausing in his fast walk to look at Silas. “You are an evil spirit.”
“Then what makes you think you can trust me?”
“Just because you are mahtan’tu that doesn’t mean you are all bad,” Leonard said and starting walking again.
“What? That doesn’t make sense,” Silas said.
“Sure it does. It means you are an asshole, but deep down you really care about humanity and its survival,” Leonard said with a shrug. “Believe me, you would not be my first choice as an ally, but I am too weak and time is too short to keep looking for something better. So I have to settle for you.”
“You really know how to inspire confidence,” Silas said. “Besides, I am not going to be much help with these on.”
He held up his arms to display the manacles. Leonard turned to look at them critically.
“These were made in the underworld?” He asked.
“Straight from the pits of hell, so the story goes.”
Leonard grasped both bracelets in his hands. “I am a shaman and have traveled the underworld many times. I have an understanding of it. Let me see what I can do.”
Leonard held Silas arms with his eyes closed for a moment. Then he started chanting. Silas did not recognize the words, but he did feel the pulse of magic in the air. The bracelets on his arm grew warm and began to vibrate angrily. Leonard frowned and chanted louder. Silas glanced up the tunnel. Leonard was loud; hopefully none of Webb’s soldiers were nearby.
Silas felt a sharp pain in his wrists. He gritted his teeth as the pain grew. Just as it felt like his wrists would break, there was a clinking sound and the bracelets fell off. He gasped in relief and immediately reached for the part of him that had been stolen. He felt it, but it was still out of his reach.
“It’s not working, my demon self is still gone,” Silas said in frustration.
Leonard nodded. “I could remove the device causing the damage, but it is up to you to heal the damage done. It will heal, but I don’t know when. Could be hours, could be days.”
“Don’t start pitying yourself again,” Mort said in his ear. Lily had been updating Mort as he and Leonard talked.
Mort was right, although Silas would never tell him that; there was nothing he could do about it, he would just have to wait. Unfortunately, Silas was not very good at waiting.
“We have to go rescue Abigail. Mort, do you still have a fix on her location?”
“Silas,” Leonard said sadness in his eyes. “We don’t have the time. Saint Abigail is a good being, but if we don’t stop Webb, millions of people are in danger. Abigail wouldn’t have wanted us to wait.”
“Leonard is right, we don’t have much time, and you and I both know there could be more at stake than millions of people. I don’t like this anymore than you, but it’s the right call. It’s the call Abigail would have wanted you to make,” Mort said.
“We can go after her once we have stopped Webb,” Leonard said, but his eyes shifted down when he spoke.
He and Silas knew the same thing. They might not be able to stop Webb; in fact, the odds were against them. And then they would not be able to save Abigail. He, more than any of them, knew what was awaiting her in Hell if Mephisto dragged her there. He could not let her suffer like that.
“You don’t think we should go after her, Mort?” Silas asked.
Mort paused then said, “Not until we have stopped Webb.”
“And what would Moreales say? What would be his direction?”
Again Mort paused, probably because Silas had never asked what Moreales would want. “Yes, he would want you to stop Webb first.”
“So everybody agrees we go after Webb first?”
They nodded. Silas reached down and picked up the open bracelets and slipped them into his pocket. He couldn’t have these just lying around.
“Well, what good is rock and roll without a little rebellion? I go after Abigail.”
“Silas…” Mort started.
“No. Discussion done. I go after Abigail, but I will be able to save her a lot faster with a little help.”
“Silas, I am too weak to go after Webb myself. We need you,” Leonard said.
“Sounds like a personal problem old man. Thanks for helping me with the manacles, but I got to go see a demon about a girl.”
Silas started to walk away.
“Mort where is she?” He asked.
“Silas…” Mort began.
“Mort, don’t try it. If you don’t tell me, I won’t go after Webb. I will come up to your van and use your equipment to find her for myself. If you get in my way, I will kill you.”
Mort sighed, “I will try to get a location give me one moment.”
Lily grabbed his hand and pulled him to a stop. “We will go with you and try to help.”
Leonard nodded behind her, “But we do this quick and then stop Webb.”
“Sure old timer, whatever you say.”
“Um, Silas,” Mort said into his ear. “I think I know where she is, and you aren’t going to like it. According to the most recent maps I have, she is somewhere in the Bazaar.”
“Great,” said Silas. “So much for keeping a low profile. Well guys, it looks as though we are going to the big city. Hope you’ve both had all your shots.”
13
Silas could here noise ahead. They were reaching the outskirts of the bazaar.
“So when did you fall in love with Abigail?” Lily asked next to him.
“What?” Silas said. Lily was looking at him with a smile. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Oh come on, you’re risking the world to save her. I’m pretty sure that might be the definition of love.”
She was actually smirking.
“I’m a demon. We are physically incapable of love, we’re made to hate,” he said. “Look, I’ve come to appreciate her as a partner, which I’ll admit surprises me as much as anybody, and she has helped me in some situations lately. So you could say I owe her--but love? No, I don’t think so.”
Lily didn’t say anything, but the smirk remained on her face. She wasn’t buying it.
“We’re just partners. Like buddy cops in the movies; we make good partners.”
“Uh huh. I think she likes you too,” Lily said.
“What makes you say that…” Silas started.
“We are close, Silas,” Leonard said. “I know of this Bazaar, but have only been to the fringe a few times. What can we expect?”
“Think of it as a middle eastern bazaar on steroids. It sprawls across several large caverns, and some shops spill out into nearby tunnels like the bar we passed. There’s everything from small booths to grand shops and houses. Keep in mind, by grand I mean compared to the rest of the hovels you see the homeless living in down here.”
“I still don’t know how something that big could exist down here and never be found?” Lily said.
“You’re chasing after a saint captured by a demon with another demon and a real life shaman, then we are going to fight a sorcerer and his lizard creature army and you are surprised a city can be hidden under New York? The truth is that while it’s hidden by the Pale, it’s the repository of the refuse from the world above both the human rejects and its trash. Frankly, nobody up there wants to know this place exists. Just like no one really wants to go hang out at the local junk yard. The Bazaar is protected by humanity’s apathy, and that works better than any camouflage.
“When we get there, keep your eyes down and don’t talk to anyone. You might be tempted, intrigued or even seduced by what you see, but keep in mind this can also be the most dangerous place on earth.”
“Silas,” Mort said in his ear. “I can’t get an exact location on Abigail; there is too much rock in the way and interference from the Bazaar.”
“I need an exact location. The place is too big to do a search.”
“Sorry Silas, all I have is somewhere in the Bazaar. I will keep trying.”
“Great. Searching that place would be like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Silas said.
“Is there some place that it would make sense to start looking for her? Some way we can narrow it down?” Lily asked.
“No, I don’t know why Mephisto would even come here. He can carry Abigail away to hell at any time… wait,” Silas said.
Silas felt a coldness growing inside him as he realized why Mephisto was at the Bazaar. The cold anger became heat as his demonic fury reacted. Lily and Leonard took a few steps back from him. He slammed his fist into the tunnel wall, sending shards of rock flying in every direction.
“Looks like you are getting your mojo back,” Leonard said.
“Abaddon, lord of the pit,” Silas growled.
“Who is that?” Lily asked.
“Abaddon is one of the most powerful of demons and guardian of one of the entrances to hell. And the entrance he guards is not one you would like to use if you were trying to get there. If hell is like a septic tank, then going through Abaddon would be like going through the garbage disposal first on your way there.”
“If Mephisto can send her to hell anywhere, why would he take her here?” Leonard asked.
“So she would suffer even more,” Silas said and punched the wall again, sending another shower of rock flying.
“Jesus, Silas can you watch it?” Lily said as she dodged small rocks.
“Also, it’s a way for him to brag. If he displays her for Abaddon and then casts her in, he will get more attention from the Infernal Host.”
“So it is just a PR stunt?”
“Exactly.”
“Do you know where this pit is?” Lily asked.
“Yes, it’s on the outskirts, but on the opposite side from us. Come on, we have to hurry. If Mort still has a signal then that means she hasn’t been thrown in, but we don’t have much time.”
He took a right turn and they were confronted by the sights and sounds of the Bazaar. He had not been exaggerating when he had described it. Even though he had been here many times before, it never ceased to amaze him. He walked from quiet, deserted tunnels to a bustling medieval metropolis. The cavern opened up, revealing row after row of shanty structures and streets thronged with people and non-people moving from shop to shop mostly ignoring the hawkers trying to get their attention. This was still the edge so most structures were shoddily constructed lean-tos and booths, but in the distance you could almost make out some of the larger structures. Lights of all types hung from shops and makeshift street poles. Gas, electric, even some running on magic caused a strong enough glow to illuminate the streets like the city above.
“Oh my God,” Lily said.
“Yeah, it stinks doesn’t it?” Silas asked. The smell of many unwashed bodies wafted over them. “They’re also not really concerned with sanitation down here.”
“No. I mean this is amazing. To think this has been under my feet nearly all my life and I never knew it.”
“Come on,” Silas said and began to shoulder his way through the crowd. Vendors called to Lily and Leonard trying to entice them to see their wares, most of which were pieces of refuse and other semi-usable objects. The true wonders of this place were deeper in, but the vendors could smell fresh meat. Silas pulled Lily after him knowing how easy it could be to get distracted for the first time.
He wove in and out of alleys and shops to avoid any areas where he might be recognized. Even so, he had to pause occasionally to get his bearings. The Bazaar was fluid and ever changing as people came and went. He led them down paths that lead to the darker parts of the Bazaar where people were scarce and looked at them with suspicion, and in some cases, open malice.
He stopped outside a booth selling various metal jewelry, charms, and metal decoration. It was all pretty beat up and dirty. Silas didn’t want to know where it came from.
“Wait here, and don’t talk to anybody. I have an idea.”
He slipped inside the small hovel that served as the store. Moments later he emerged with two bracelets on his wrists. He held them up for the others to see.
Leonard knew what he was up to. “They look pretty good, but you can tell they are different if you look close.”
He was right; these were black, but with a green tint and one was darker than the other, but it was the closest match he could find. Silas had possessed several accomplished poker players over the years, and he knew that the secret to a good bluff was all attitude. Silas was good at attitude.
“Is any of your strength coming back?” Leonard asked.
It had come to him back at the tunnel, but only in a trickle and now it seemed to elude him again. “I think it’s getting better, but still inconsistent.”
“Is this Abaddon stronger than you?” Lily asked.
“Sort of. He is an Incarnate. Most demons, like me, have to possess a human body to walk this world which means we are trapped by the confines of this world and we have to limit our powers.”
Silas grabbed Lily’s hand and started walking quickly; they had to reach Abaddon before Abigail was thrown in.
“A demon incarnate would have immense power; it would be like dropping a nuclear bomb. Obviously a destructive force like that would not go unnoticed and upset the balance, so it is forbidden for demons to incarnate on earth.”
“But you said Abaddon was an Incarnate?” Lily asked.
“Yes, but he is confined to the gate he guards.”
“So he is like a contained nuclear reaction at a power plant,” Lily said.
Silas paused, “Yes, yes exactly. Mort, are you still reading Abby?”
“Yes there has been no movement for a while. I think they have reached their destination,” Mort said, his voice breaking up. The depth must be affecting their communication devices, regardless of what Mort had said.
“They had quite a head start, but I suspect Mephisto made some stops along the way to brag and display her,” Silas said.
Silas took them out of the main cavern and down a side tunnel. Immediately the smell got worse. People were sitting against
the wall, some in their own filth. Others looked through hooded eyes, red from drugs. One reached out to touch Lily. Silas punched him in the gut--no demonic fury there, just good old fashioned biker muscles. He doubled over and started retching.
“You didn’t think the lord of the pit to hell would live in the nice part of town did you?”
As they moved away from the Bazaar, the people disappeared and the passage they took slanted up. After a few more turns he stopped them.
“We have almost reached the Pit. This area is honeycombed with tunnels and passages and a lot of them lead to the chamber of the Pit. I am going to enter from one of the upper entrances because I don’t think it’s the one that Mephisto would have used. He’ll most likely be on the ground next to the pit summoning Abaddon. This will give me a chance to look around.”
“Do you have a plan?” Leonard asked.
“Yeah, I just told it to you. That’s as good as it gets. I have some ideas for the rest, but for the most part I’ll just be winging it.”
“You really know how to inspire confidence,” Lily said.
Silas grunted. “You two will stay here. No arguments. I need to move quietly.”
“I wasn’t going to argue, I have no desire to see a pit to hell.”
“I’m with her,” Leonard said. “Not really a prime tourist attraction is it? More your element anyway.”
“Great, so much for Indian braves,” Silas grumbled and headed up the passage.
He reached an opening and peered around the edge of the doorway, being careful to stay behind cover as much as possible.
The room that housed the Pit was large, with a dome-shaped ceiling. It had once been a large sewer junction long since abandoned, but appropriate for a pit to hell. The junction itself was about forty feet across. The bulk of the room was taken up by a large pit that dropped away into darkness. Around the edge was a ten-foot wide lip. Channels were cut into the lip in four directions as foul water running from old sewers lines poured in.
