by Michael Todd
Pandora sniffed. Dude, just let the big bro loose on their asses. You will see what his plan is. We can do our own thing. Trust me.
Katie wasn’t sure about it, but she was going to trust Pandora. “All right, Terminator, go…terminate.”
He nodded and stepped forward, but turned back to Katie. “I’ll be back.”
“Go!” she shouted, pushing him.
She watched as he started to run, picking up speed. His momentum carried him forward like some huge, insane cannonball. He jumped over large rocks and landed on others, crushing them to small bits. He leaped straight at the first group of demons and slammed his fist into the ground, creating a crater. Demons flew in all directions. Juntto snarled and lashed out with his large hands. He grabbed demons and pulled them apart, their limbs flying off and their heads rolling until they turned to ash.
Katie found herself just watching the carnage. Damn, that dude is rollin’ out there.
Pandora laughed. See? I told you, now get your shit straight. You have some demons to kick. Don’t let that fool outdo you. You are Katie, the demon angel, the sex goddess. You are Slut Girl.
Katie shook her head and took off at a run toward the oncoming surge. I’m not sure if that was meant to be a motivational speech, but it sucked. And I’m not Slut Girl or a sex goddess, although I can live with that one.
Pandora thought about it for a minute. I’m now picturing us more like Wonder Woman, only without that stupid lasso.
Who needs a lasso when you have a demon? Katie leaped into the air and pulled out her guns.
Juntto let out a loud roar and beat his hands against his chest. His eyes shimmered brightly, but not the searing red like the demons. They flashed through all the colors, looking almost like cat eyes for a moment before turning a bright ocean blue. He slashed his fists back and forth, knocking out demons. Given his sheer alien strength, everything he touched pretty much turned to ash. Those who didn’t writhed on the ground with giant holes in their bodies in the shape of fists.
“Arnold hates demons,” he screamed and grabbed two demons by the throat.
He threw one on the ground and kept his boot on its throat until ash billowed up. He lifted the other demon high in the air and reared his fist back, letting loose with all his might. Black blood splashed his shirt as the demon’s head exploded, and he gritted his teeth and threw the dead demon to the ground. Claws reached for him, and Juntto started throwing powerful punches as fast as he could.
Right, left, right, left. Heads flew off scaly black bodies and went rolling across the ground. Black goo splattered all over the place, but it didn’t faze the frost giant in the least.
The demons started trying to run from him instead of attack him, so he chased them down. His hands were like stone vices, and once he gripped a shrieking demon, he would not let go until the thing was ash. He grabbed one from behind and popped its head off like it was a plastic doll. He threw the body at a trio of fleeing demons, spraying the demons with blood, and then dust. A small band of braver fiends began to gather to his right, and Juntto turned to meet them.
He grabbed a large demon by the horns and shoved his knee into the thing’s chest. Bones broke and the demon howled in pain, encouraging his comrades to retreat. Juntto snarled at the group and slammed his knee into the demon one more time. His leg went through the demon’s body and stayed there. Juntto growled, pulling and pushing the body to free his knee. He finally twisted out of the thing as it exploded.
He spat on the pile of ash before giving it the middle finger. He turned to the group of demons, growing bolder with numbers. Juntto waved at them. “Watch Arnold.”
He put up both his hands and turned them back and forth. The demons peered at them as his fists grew larger. When he finally stopped, he looked more like Wreck-It Ralph than Arnold. He laughed as he sprinted toward them, raising his huge arms over his head, then jumped into the air and landed right in front of them. The demons roared at him. Juntto roared right back and brought his hammer hands down on their heads.
His hands battered through their tough, unholy bodies forcefully, ripping several of the demons in half. He tilted his head back and laughed loudly, filling the ears of everyone in range with his mirth. Over and over, he chased the demons and used his fists like he was playing Whack-a-Mole. He slammed his fists into their heads and split them completely in half. The piles of ash were growing larger by the second, and by now most of the larger demons were keeping their distance from him. One ugly brute hissed in the demonic tongue, “He’s not human.”
His horned companion shook his great head. “No. Moloch will want to know what he is, though.”
“You go ask someone.”
“Fuck yourself, angel-bait.”
Their heads exploded as special bullets tore through them, and then the demons were ash.
Katie landed with one knee on the ground and quickly stood up, pulling the trigger over and over. Six demons teetered in front of her, and she leaned forward and blew lightly on them. That was all it took to send them tumbling like dominos before turning to dust. She smiled, extending her other arm without looking and blasting an approaching demon in the forehead.
Pandora was actively watching Juntto, not to make sure he was doing the right thing, but to gawk at his sick-ass moves. Duuude, he just grew giant arms and is splitting demons like they’re fucking logs. That is a sick-fucking-move. I forgot how awesome he can be.
Did you happen to forget that he talked about violating you and then killing us both?
Pandora scoffed. Meh, just Viking talk. We survived without his grubby hands touching us, right?
I suppose.
Katie ran forward, firing her gun into the crowd of demons. They went down all over the place, but finally, her guns clicked, no bullets left. She hadn’t even put an extra clip on her belt. She had been told the mission would be quick.
Pandora tsked. Coming unprepared. Guess you will just have to go full Juntto on them.
Katie smirked and put her guns back in the holsters, then pulled two short swords from the sheaths on her back. Like her other weapons, they gleamed with special metal. She slapped them against each other, sending sparks flying everywhere. She reared back and sliced through the air, spinning in a circle and coming to a stop back where she’d started. She looked around at the demons still standing, albeit with no heads, and grinned darkly.
They turned to dust, and she raced through the floating debris. She flipped over a large boulder and landed on the shoulders of a medium-sized demon.
Katie spun her swords and shoved them into the thing’s spine. He roared and slashed at her, but she dodged his claws, pushing her blades deeper. She rode him to the ground, and when his knees touched the stone, she pushed off him. She turned to the crowd of demons without looking back. She knew he wasn’t getting back up. The crowd of demons kept flowing toward them.
Katie fought, but they weren’t trying to kill every demon in hell. They were just trying to buy enough time for the drones to get into the air.
Katie sliced her swords, stabbing whatever got into her way. A larger demon at the back bellowed toward her, and she stood her ground until he was close enough. As he raised his leg, she slid on her knees and brought her swords out to both sides. The metal cut through the demon’s thick black scales like butter, and he toppled face-first to the ground. She quickly ran up his back, pushing one of her swords through the base of his skull. He growled loudly, and she dove off as he exploded into ash.
Unfortunately, her movement was anything but graceful, and she flew headfirst into a snarling horde of demons. Juntto saw the whole thing and bounded forward, catching her in mid-air.
They landed on the hard ground, and there was a moment of calm in the storm. She looked him in the eyes. “Thanks.”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “No problem.”
Then he jutted his arm out, his eyes never leaving her face. His fist slammed into the two demons charging her from behind and turned them t
o dust. She laughed and shook her head, giving him a high five. Katie looked at the top of the hill as several of the drones began to shimmy upward.
Brock gave her a thumbs-up.
Katie turned to Juntto. “We are almost there, but we have to push these bastards back, or we aren’t going to be able to get out.”
Pandora cleared her throat. I think I can handle that. Let me out, and I’ll push them back with my magic as we get everyone out of here.
Katie looked at Juntto, but he sensed that something was wrong. He pointed a massive finger at her face. “She’s coming out, isn’t she?”
Katie nodded and closed her eyes to concentrate. She reached inside her chest, into the core of her being, and pulled Pandora out. Pandora, Queen of hell, burst into being with a loud growl.
Juntto put his arm out and stabilized Katie so she could catch her breath.
Pandora stepped in front of the sea of approaching demons, and the fiends slowed when they saw her. She was known.
She extended her arms out wide and began chanting in demon, “Ozz ya zokiy aem ya gont realm yaeza qae za ir yiz knaoq saeun. Xnirdh ya daelabbi aem lith oth thunder qae zes palms. Dul’t xoyt ya hordes charging yiz juaar aem sazz oth thrust yaz xoytlong iaiae ya knaoq abyss.”
The wind blew wildly around them as sparks shot from Pandora’s palms. She turned her head toward Juntto and Katie. “Go! I’m right behind you.”
Juntto grabbed Katie and sprinted toward the others as the last of the drones took off into the sky. Pandora slammed her palms together, sending a shock wave rolling toward the demons. The ground cracked and burst apart as lava spewed up from new fissures. The demons squealed, terrified, but they could not avoid the molten rock. Some landed in the streams of lava, screeching and sizzling. Others slammed into the cliffs and slid down to the ground half-conscious.
Pandora turned and ran toward the team. They had set up a perimeter and were fighting off the demons that had broken past Juntto and Katie. She knew the spell wouldn’t hold the demons long, but she only had one burst of energy left, and she needed that to get back into Katie’s body.
The team was battling viciously in front of her. More demons had appeared, their claws bright as they slashed and snarled at the team. Eddie and Sean had pinned a small group of larger beasts down, but Turner was being backed against a ledge. One gnarled and twisted demon appeared over him and leaped onto his back, slashing wildly.
Turner managed to get his gun around and he pulled the trigger, blasting the demon between the eyes. With its dying strength, the demon raised a wicked claw and jammed it into the base of Turner’s neck.
Turner screamed. The demon burst into ash, but Turner dropped to his knees, blood pouring from the back of his neck.
Pandora knew it was bad when human blood began to spill, but just how bad had it gotten? She wasn’t sure. She just knew they had to get out of there.
9
Pandora ripped open a portal to Earth and leaped back into Katie’s body. She leaned against Juntto and let him help her along. Pandora was weak and Katie wasn’t much better, but Pandora held the portal open for the rest of the team.
Sean came through first, holding Turner’s legs. Eddie had his upper body, clutching the wounded man under his arms. Eddie’s gear was splashed with blood, and not the black ooze the demons leaked. Brock was the last through, watching their back and firing shots into the depths of hell as he left.
“We need help,” Brock yelled.
Katie mustered her strength and hurried over as Brock and the other two laid Turner on the floor. She kneeled on one side of the kid and Brock dropped down on the other, holding onto his hand. Blood gushed from the wound at the base of his neck and shoulder, and a trickle came from the corner of his lips.
Katie didn’t know what to do. Pandora, can you talk to his demon?
Pandora coughed. I can try. I am very weak.
Pandora mustered as much of her strength as she could, pulling from Katie’s reserves as well. Katie gasped and fell. She tried to prop herself up, but her strength was gone. Pandora reached out, calling out to Turner’s demon. Help him. Help him now.
The demon was indignant. Why should I?
Do you know who I am? I will not only send you to hell if he dies, but I’ll call in the last few favors I have and make sure that you suffer greatly for this. You won’t see the light of Earth’s sun for centuries.
The demon quivered, stuttering, Yes, Queen. I didn’t realize… Yes. I’ll do what I can.
Pandora curled up inside of Katie, exhausted. That should help.
The stream of blood from Turner’s neck began to slow. Katie backed up as the medics rushed out and wrapped his neck and shoulders with bandages. They put him in a neck brace and loaded him onto a plastic board. Brock stood by helplessly; he could only watch. Katie walked around and grasped his arm. When the medics carried Turner out of sight, Brock pulled away angrily.
Katie could feel the anguish vibrating from him. “Pandora talked to his demon. It’s going to help heal him. He may have been close to death, but now I think he’ll pull through.”
Brock threw his hands out. “This is bullshit. This should never have happened.” Everyone stood still, letting him erupt. “We need better suits for fighting and weapons that handle the heat better. My gun stopped working after six shots because of the heat. Turner was throwing fists because his knives were too hot to hold. Sean couldn’t even kick out or use his hand-to-hand combat skills because the suits are too restrictive. Eddie was throwing rocks, for fuck’s sake. Rocks! At demons! We are going to die down there one day, and it can be avoided!”
Katie staggered up to him and put her hand on his arm, trying to calm him. “I’m sorry about Turner. I don’t want to see that happen to anyone else. We’re doing our best.”
Brock shook his head, deflated, and began tearing his protective gear off. “I gotta go make sure.” He walked off in the direction the medics had gone, Eddie and Sean following him.
Juntto ran his hand across his chin and looked at the men standing on the sidelines. He walked up to a soldier, who was staring at him with his mouth open. “Do we have any weapons like the ones I saw on the RTS game I’ve been playing?”
The soldier looked around. “I don’t know what that is.”
He looked at Katie, who just shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t play those kinds of games.”
“I do,” a voice called from the back of the room.
They looked over as one of the soldiers jogged forward, two more in tow. “We all do. What game are you playing?”
Juntto thought about it for a second. “I lead soldiers into battle. Does that help?”
Angie’s voice rang out from the back. “He’s playing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.”
Juntto nodded. “Yes, that one.”
All three of the guys nodded in recognition. A kid with glasses gave him a thumbs-up. “That’s a good one, man. Lots of action and way better graphics. StarCraft has always been a go-to for these games.”
Juntto stared at them. “There are a ton of badass weapons in that game. Where are these weapons?”
The guy in glasses thought for a moment. “Actually, you know the P500 pistol? So, in the game, the thing is strong enough to blow a head off above the jawline. Originally, they were only given to the military, but Special Forces Major Esmerelda Ndoci got one before it was even cleared for military use. The thing looks like a handgun on steroids. It’s fucking fat and heavy as shit, but packs a fucking punch. And they are engineered for heat. All our stuff is.”
Juntto pursed his lips. “Yes. This will do. Do we have something similar to that?”
The guy nodded. “Yeah. They call it ‘the King Slayer.’ There are like five or six floating around the military demon hunters.”
Juntto glanced at Katie, who sighed. “I’ll ask the general about them.”
Another guy pointed at the back case. “We have something else similar to one of the weapons, too. You know
the AGG-12 grenade launcher?”
The other guy snapped his fingers. “That’s what I was thinking of. The one passed down from Rhett Shearon to his daughter Ritt, who used the last grenade to kill the zerg spire at Anvil Rock.”
Katie was clueless, but Juntto and Angie were nodding.
Juntto cleared his throat. “And we have something like that?”
The first guy chuckled. “Even better. The one we have launches grenades encased in special metal. They not only throw out shrapnel of the demon metal, but they release a toxic gas that has the metal in it. You don’t really want to use it around infected mercs, but if we’re redoing the suits, we could talk to the techs. Make the suits double-lined so nothing gets through, and they can fight straight through it.”
Juntto slapped two of the guys on the backs, causing them to tumble forward. “I like you guys. You know your game, too. I’m just a newb.”
Katie groaned. “Good Lord, start the nerd convention somewhere else.”
“Hey, this shit could help us. Simmer down, angel.” Juntto walked to the weapons area and looked over what they had lying there. “Do you have anything like the Hellfire shotgun?”
The young soldier in glasses nodded enthusiastically. “That gun works through mini explosions, giving the shot an incredible arc. That would be amazing, but I have to say we do not have anything like it. I mean, we have launchers for nonlethal ammo, but nothing like that.”
One of the guys pulled a large handgun out of the cabinet with a barrel that looked more like a flare gun. “This one, though, is like the—”
Reaching for it, Juntto interrupted, “Slugthrower.”
Moloch kicked the broken lava hard, punting a piece of rock into the back of one of the demon’s heads. The demon yelped and ran off to join the others, unsure what was going on. Baal picked up a slab of ash and let it sift through his claws.
They stood at the scene of the latest fight. The humans had ventured deeper into the bowels of hell than they had the time before. The heat radiating from the space had to be at least twice as hot as the outlying areas. Still, Moloch couldn’t put his finger on why they had been there.