The Infernal Games

by Reed Logan Westgate

  “The hall,” Amber gasped, drawing Xlina’s attention to the hallway, which was obscured by a thick fog. Xlina slammed the door shut and locked the dead bolt, turning to lean against the door and look at the now frightened and bewildered Amber.

  “We’ll be okay, Amber,” Xlina said reassuringly, but she didn’t know if she believed it herself.

  “What the hell!” Amber exclaimed. “Fog in the hall? It must be smoke, right?”

  “No,” Xlina said with a grim shake of her head. “That’s not smoke.”

  As if on cue, a low growl cut through the tension, then another. The sound of claws scratching wood came from the door, and Xlina’s heart sank. They were looking for her, and Amber would be caught in the middle of it.

  “Hide,” Xlina exclaimed, pointing to the bathroom. “Lock the door and hide.”

  “What’s going on?” Amber whispered; her voice panicked. The fear had taken hold; she was no longer registering Xlina’s words or the commands she shouted. She collapsed to the floor on both knees, trembling as if it were all just a bad dream she desperately wanted to wake from. The door shuddered under the weight of the beasts clawing at the door, and the growls turned into vicious howls and barks that pierced the senses with a supernatural keen like that of a banshee. Amber’s hands went to her ears defensively as the tears began to flow from her eyes. As a normal human, she was defenseless against the creatures’ ethereal wails.

  “Amber,” Xlina repeated firmly. “I can’t hold the door. I need to fight these things, but you have to get up; you have to get to the bathroom.”

  Amber just wailed in terror. The bottom left quarter panel of the door exploded inward in a blast of splinters as a paw the size of a baseball mitt clawed and scratched through. Xlina rolled forward on instinct, coming up to a crouch just as the swipe of the claw ripped the central frame of the door free, leaving just half of a bottom panel. She could clearly see the beast, though it was still partially obscured by the remnants of the door. It was large and dog shaped like a mastiff, except for the two large ram-like horns where its ears should have been. Instead of fur, its body was lined with black scales on its back and sides that were interwoven like those of a fish. Its bottom maw was split vertically into two jowls with three rows of barbed teeth, while larger hooked canines extended down from the roof of its mouth. The beast had no eyes to speak of, seeming to rely instead on the sense of smell granted by its massive, thick nose. The creature howled again—an eerie howl that chilled to the bone and sent shooting pain through the ears—before lunging forward, its prey in sight. The thing crashed through the remnants of the door, sending wood and splinters cascading toward Xlina.

  Not wasting a moment, Xlina lunged forward, summoning all the energy she could muster into her fist. The crackle of blue energy enveloped and cascaded through her hand as she released it in a devastating right cross, which caught the mastiff-like creature on the side of the head with a bone crunching explosion of force. The massive creature spun end over end before crumpling to the floor with a whine. Another of the brutes responded, coming barreling through the door and striking Xlina in the midsection, ram horns down. The creature was easily two hundred pounds of sinew and muscle, and its assault sent her sprawling back and tumbling to the floor.

  Amber shrieked. There were no words, just a guttural cry of terror. The first beast stumbled to its feet uneasily. The skin was scorched clean off at the site of impact from Xlina’s punch, revealing bone and chunks of bloody meat. It snarled angrily and circled to the back of the second beast. The pair of dogs looming ominously over the prone Xlina, who scampered to get to her feet. The second mastiff-like creature charged just as she found her footing. She was quick enough to grab the beast by the horns, which saved her torso from the snapping jowls, but the sheer mass of the beast had her skittering across the tile floor until her back was against the wall. The creature pressed on hard, its maw snapping eagerly, pushing forward to get its jowls close enough to find flesh. She screamed in protest, focusing all her strength on her vice-like grip on the ram horns, bending the head back and up to keep the jowls from reaching her. The beast lifted its front paws, slamming them on her chest and pushing her against the sheetrock wall until cracks formed around her. Standing on its hind legs, its jowls rose to face level, and it pulled its head back, freeing its horns from her grasp.

  Amber scampered backward on the floor as the half-faced beast lunged for her. Her feet came up on instinct or accident, Xlina wasn’t sure which, as one sneakered foot landed on the chest of the beast, the other foot not nearly as lucky. The beast’s jowls snapped shut on the sneaker. A wail of anguish came from Amber as the crushing barbed maw cleaved the sneaker and found flesh beneath.

  Xlina found the rage welling inside of her. Amber’s wails spurred her on as the beast pinning her to the wall thrust its head forward greedily, searching for flesh of its own. Her hands shot in and braced the neck of the beast as its maw drew close. She could smell the death on its breath and feel the hot blasts of the beast’s exhale on her face. She focused all of her strength into her hands, channeling her nightmare energy forth as they crackled, burning into the mastiff-like creature’s neck and sending trickles of blue energy to wash over its flesh like tiny lightning bolts over its scales.

  Amber wailed again as the mastiff locked on her foot shook its head violently, dragging her on the floor like a rag doll before jerking hard to the side and releasing her to go tumbling head over heels back toward the sofa. She hit the wooden floor on the bedroom half of the studio apartment hard, slamming into the wood after being roughly flung by the massive beast. She landed on her stomach and thrashed into a crawl, desperately trying to escape the beast but having nowhere to go. It pounced on her from behind like a cat on a mouse, its bulk weight coming down on her back and slamming her into the floor. She whimpered as the creature’s head came in fast, clamping its jaws tightly on her shoulder and lifting, folding her in an awkward bend as its full weight pinned her lower torso to the floor.

  “Damn you,” Xlina scowled in a fit of rage. The anger drew the emotions into her hands, and the smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils. It wasn’t enough. She knew it wasn’t enough. These creatures had come for her, and she couldn’t save Amber. The despair welled inside of her, her stomach churning as she buried her fingernails into the beast’s throat. She felt the skin peel away under her energy, finding the bone, wet and hard beneath her fingertips. She focused on the rage and the pain, sending more of the nightmare energy through the beast. It had stopped snapping, stopped snarling, but it didn’t matter as her feral scream took over. She pushed forward from the wall, bending the exposed neck until she could feel the pop and crack of the joints in her hand. The beast folded over backwards, but her blood lust would not be sated so easily. Her right hand pulled back, relinquishing her hold on the now broken neck. It was silhouetted in dark blue energy that flicked and flared like a blue flame up her forearm. With a powerful thrust she punched forward, her fist landing on the creature’s ribs. The bones splintered under the explosion of raw energy, sending their shrapnel through the beasts lungs and heart. She cast the corpse to the floor and turned a glare on the beast that was shaking its head viciously with Amber’s shoulder in its mouth.

  In two long strides, she closed the gap between herself and the creature and sent in a left hook that crackled with power. Her fist landed just behind the ram horn at the base of the skull. A sickening crack and shudder found the creature keeled over, its weight and jowls off of Amber, her head crashing to the floor. Xlina could see a large semi-circle of rowed gashes that went down from her shoulder to her lower back. Blood seeped freely from the wound, and her eyes were wide and blank. Shock was beginning to set in. Xlina cradled her in her arms, tears rolling freely down her cheek as she hugged the girl’s head against her chest. Blood stained her shirt as she rocked lightly with a quiet shush escaping her lips, as if soothing an infant.

  “Xlina,” a familiar voice called from the d
oor, and she snapped her head in that direction to see Oxivius. His eyes met hers and she saw concern fade to relief. His purple vest was dark on one shoulder, stained by blood from a fresh wound. He staggered slightly as he moved into the apartment, leaning heavily on his cane as he approached.

  “Ox,” was all she could say, looking down at the prone Amber into those distant and glazed eyes.

  “She’ll live,” he replied coolly as he reached Xlina’s side and placed a reassuring hand on her head. “She’s hurt bad though. We need to get moving.”

  “Why are you here?” Xlina asked, shaking her head in denial. “I didn’t dream this... I didn’t see it, Ox.”

  “Yes; they moved quickly on obtaining the information,” he stated. “They knew anything less would give you a warning. Now put her down; it’s time to go.”

  “I’m not leaving her,” Xlina barked back, cradling Amber’s head in her arms.

  “We can call for help as we leave,” he pleaded. “But we must go.”

  “What, an ambulance?” Xlina said, choking back tears. “When they ask what happened, they will call her crazy. She’ll be terrified and alone with no answers.”

  “She is human.” Oxivius shrugged. “It’s their way. She is more resilient than you give credit for, love. She’ll recover, but she won’t if your assailants regroup to finish the job.”

  “I’m not leaving her,” Xlina repeated firmly.

  “Bother, woman,” he retorted with a fluster, pushing Xlina out of the way with his cane before dropping it on the floor. He scooped Amber up gingerly in his arms. “Grab my cane.”

  “I need shoes,” Xlina said, looking down at her feet as she grabbed the cane.

  “No time,” Oxivius said, making for the door with Amber limp in his arms. “We’ll come back for your things later.”

  He passed through the door and disappeared into the Mist still hanging heavy in the hall. Xlina eyed her sneakers, scooping them up and running barefoot through the door after him. The hall was a blanket of fog as she followed Oxivius’ dark silhouette to the stairs.

  “What about everyone else?” Xlina asked, struggling to keep up with him as he struggled down the stairs; she could hear him grimace and grunt with each step.

  “They are not after them,” he called over his shoulder. “You want to save them? Get out of the building. Most of them are huddled terrified in their homes from the cry of the Cu Sith.”

  “You know those beasts?” Xlina asked as they descended the final stair. The first floor lobby smelled acrid, and she gasped as she saw a body face down on the floor, still twitching. A bubbly green acid was still melting the back of his head, having dissolved the flesh and bone to reveal a pink mush that used to be the brain, accented by an acidic sizzle. She glanced at Oxivius, who only shrugged nonchalantly and continued to the front door of the building.

  “Yes,” Oxivius responded. “The Cu Sith, soul collectors who serve the fairies. It’s said that if you’re killed by Cu Sith, you suffer in both this life and the next.”

  “Fairies,” Xlina protested, reaching the door and holding it open for Oxivius and Amber. “What the hell did I do to the fairies?”

  “They don’t like demons,” Oxivius said through grunts as he came to a stop on the sidewalk, looking down the street both ways suspiciously. “Be careful; there is still one out here somewhere. My ride is down the side street to your right.”

  “I’m not a bloody demon,” Xlina protested, heading toward the side street warily.

  “You’re marked, love,” Oxivius scoffed as if it were the same thing.

  “How did they know?” Xlina rebutted in frustration.

  “You blabbed to someone,” Oxivius added, reaching the street and turning the corner. Xlina came around the bend and gasped in surprise at the sight of the long black hearse idling on the side street. The hearse had purple flames emblazoned on the hood and front panels and a bumper sticker in the back window that read Raise Hell. The license plate was a Maine plate that read Styx.

  “That’s your ride?” she said in awe. “Wait, you can drive?”

  “That ride back from Pandora’s was fun.” He smiled, nodding to the rear door. “Would you please?”

  “Sure,” Xlina said nervously, reaching for the silver handle and opening the rear hatch of the hearse. The interior was a deep wine red, and there was plenty of space with no back seats.

  “I wanted one of my own,” he smiled, placing Amber gently down in the back and gesturing for Xlina to join her. Despite the old superstition Xlina took the cue and climbed into the rear of the hearse, supposing it was okay if you were getting in of your own volition. Oxivius shut the door behind her and scurried around to pop in on the driver’s side.

  “I’m still learning,” he called back, and Xlina couldn’t tell if it was an explanation or a warning as he put the hearse into gear and quickly accelerated down the side street.

  “Where are we going?” Xlina asked, crawling up so she was right behind the driver’s seat and could hear Oxivius clearly. She scooped Amber’s head into her lap and absently stroked the unconscious girl’s brow.

  “My place,” Oxivius called back over the roar of the engine as he accelerated. Xlina looked out the window, expecting to see the streets of Portland but seeing only the heavy fog blanketing everything.

  “Your place?” Xlina asked incredulously.

  “Yes, love,” he affirmed. “Your friend needs rest and healing for one, and you need a moment’s respite from the fae.”

  “The fairies,” Xlina shook her head. Animations and cartoons had depicted them as cute, winged, minute creatures that bopped around and loved the woods. The druids knew them as the Tuath Dé, fae folk, supernatural beings from the Otherworld who came in all shapes and sizes. They were fickle and often cruel to humans, though some could be friendly. They were an isolationist species who generally left others alone unless threatened.

  “Yes, the fae,” Oxivius said flatly. “Who did you tell, Xlina?”

  “Wait, how do you know it was me?” she questioned.

  “Because, love,” he said over his shoulder with a smile. “After our disagreement in the park, I went and got tanked. Then I went and got wheels.”

  He patted the steering wheel before quickly grabbing hold and swerving to miss something in the fog. A set of red fuzzy dice swung from the rearview mirror as he steadied the hearse. She made eye contact with a skeleton on the dash dressed in a hula skirt that shimmied and shook as Oxivius careened down the road.

  “Chicks dig the car, right?” he smiled back as he grabbed the wheel firmly.

  “Can you even see the road?” Xlina asked nervously.

  “Love, where we are going, there are no roads,” he laughed before flooring the pedal and sending the roar of the engine rumbling through the hearse. Xlina looked out the window and felt lightheaded; flashes of purple and blue seemed to arc strangely in the fog.

  “I don’t feel good,” she murmured as she groggily tried to steady her head. Her efforts were in vain as her eyelids drooped. She could feel the panic within, the fear of falling asleep and harming Amber washed over her, but she was so very tired.

  “No worries, love,” Oxivius called. “I’ll wake you when we get there.”

  Chapter Eight

  The Necropolis

  “Xlina,” she heard Oxivius’ voice call faintly. “Xlina, we are here.”

  “Here?” She asked groggily.

  “We’re home,” she heard him answer. Her eyes fluttered as if waking from a long dream, except for the first time she could remember, there had been no dreams. She had just slept. Nothing but darkness came to her slumber. She could feel Amber’s hair in her hands and looked down to see the girl’s head still cradled in her lap. She was still bleeding from the shoulder, and her sneakers showed signs of blood leaking through, but she was alive and unharmed by Xlina, or rather her dreadful nightmare energy. She breathed a sigh of relief and allowed the feeling to wash over her exhausted body. />
  “What the hell, Ox?” she snapped, remembering the danger he had placed Amber in as he let her drift off to sleep.

  “My home,” he replied. “I really couldn’t think of anywhere else to take refuge once you insisted on bringing along vanilla bean there.”

  “Not that,” Xlina said, looking down at the grievously wounded Amber and stroking her head gently. “If I had violent dreams, I could have killed her. What were you thinking?”

  “Simply that there are no dreams between worlds, love,” Oxivius smiled back. He was in an odd catcher’s crouching position in the back of the hearse, looking down at her with those icy blue eyes. “The Mist holds neither hope nor despair. It is the in-between, purgatory. You’ll find no nourishment there, my young Baku.”

  “That would mean...,” Xlina hesitated. “You brought us through the Mist! We’re in the Otherworld.”

  “Indeed,” Oxivius nodded, examining Amber’s wounds with care. “Time moves differently here, and your vanilla bean needs healing. If she succumbs to the bite of the Cu Sith, she’ll carry the wounds into the afterlife.”

  “Her name is Amber,” Xlina corrected. “She can’t stay in the Otherworld.”

  “Just a respite,” Oxivius nodded. “Help me get her inside.”

  He turned and hopped out of the back of the hearse, motioning for Xlina to follow. Xlina gingerly lifted Amber’s head and swung around to extract her body from the hearse before reaching in to lift the girl in her arms. She carefully lifted the prone girl and cautiously backed away from the hearse. Turning away from the hearse with Amber in her arms, she was greeted by the sight of a massive cemetery stretching in all directions as far as the eye could see. Small mausoleums dotted the landscape, and a pale moon cast an eerie pallor over the place.

  “Over here,” Oxivius directed, pointing to a nearby mausoleum. Its pillars were old, ancient perhaps, and showed signs of ages of wear. One was practically crumbling, with large chunks of mortar loose around its base in a pile of rubble. The mausoleum itself looked like a small church the size of a garage, with two cherry-wood doors that arched at the top and seemed to be lined with some kind of iron inlay.