by Carl Alves
Kate sat at the table. He took the seat opposite her and stared into the eyes of the demon, finding only cold malice.
"Give me your hands," Andy said.
Kate reached across the table. "That's a bit forward for our first date."
"I'll kill you, Asmodeus. I swear I will."
Kate smiled. "We shall see."
Andy held her hands and entered Kate's soul.
Chapter XXII
An ominous feeling bombarded Andy as he rushed in through the chilled atmosphere of Kate’s soul like a Boeing 747 about to crash land.
Andy had to blink several times to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. The landscape was so vastly different than it had been the last time. The last time, Kate’s soul had been a fiery pit, just like Dante’s Inferno. Now it had transformed itself into an arctic wasteland. In every direction, frozen tundra surrounded him. Glaciers, icebergs, frozen lakes, and mountains of snow covered the landscape. Normally impervious to the climate in the world of the soul, he could not help feeling the icy chill in the air.
He landed in a big mound of snow, and quickly became covered in white powder. He stood and shook off the snow. As usual when he ventured into the world of the soul, he wore light armor under his normal clothes. This would not do. He conjured a thermally insulated suit to protect him from the elements, replacing his current outfit.
There was no time to waste. He had to find Kate, kill the bad guys, and get out of this wintry wonderland.
Kate’s voice screamed in his head. Andy! Help me! Please, Andy!
Andy trembled. “Where?”
The ice prison, Kate’s voice sounded in his head.
He looked up and spotted a massive fortress made of ice. He closed his eyes, pictured Kate in his mind, and felt a strong pulse. She had to be there.
He began to run but kept slipping. Getting traction was impossible. He tried to go full speed but lost his footing and crashed into a snow bank.
Andy roared in frustration. After pulling himself out of the snow, he smashed it with his fist. He needed a quick way to get to the ice fortress. A snowmobile would do the trick. He had never owned one topside but had driven one before. He pictured it in his mind, and it appeared in front of him.
He hopped onto the snowmobile, turned it on, and began driving. It zoomed across the plane, blasting through hills and dips, crossing frozen waterways, and picking up speed as he went along.
“Hang on, Kate. I’m coming for you.”
He wanted to go faster, but the terrain was too treacherous and he risked wiping out. Even if it did not injure him, it would cost him time.
Kate’s calls echoed in his mind. I’m scared. Please come for me, Andy.
He did not know if he could telepathically communicate with her, but he tried to send her mental messages to let her know he would be there soon.
He continued to bust through snow and ice. The fortress loomed ominously in front of him. As badly as he wanted to rescue Kate, he dreaded the upcoming battle.
He swallowed hard, but his throat was dry. He had to find her and get her to a safe place. His job would be easy if all he had to do was grab Kate and escape, but the only way to exorcise her was to kill the demons.
As he got closer, her voice sounded even louder in his mind. I’m so cold. Help me, Andy.
“I’m almost there,” he kept repeating, almost as a mantra.
He stopped his snowmobile in front of the massive structure. There was no welcoming party when he reached the front door. The demons were undoubtedly nearby. Typically, the demons residing in the person’s soul fled when they realized he had arrived. The demons possessing Kate would not be running. They would be waiting for him, probably in ambush.
He tugged at the door. It did not move easily, but he would not be deterred. His power here was immense, and there was no door or wall that could stop him. Taking a deep breath, he pulled at the door. This time it moved, slowly at first and then more steadily.
He stepped inside. The place looked like a medieval fortress with a drawbridge crossing a frozen waterway. A large wall surrounded the perimeter. Turrets, where a defending army could be strategically positioned, lined the fortress.
“Kate! Where are you?” Andy’s voice thundered with such resounding depth that she had to hear him. That meant the demons would hear him as well, but they already knew he was coming.
Kate’s voice sounded inside his head. I’m in the tower.
Andy looked up and spotted a tower looming high above him. It would take too long to reach the tower by going inside. Fortunately, he had other means of getting there.
He stepped back, ran, and jumped, ascending toward the tower. When he reached the top, he grabbed a piece of ice that jutted outward. He pulled forward and used the ice to propel himself inside the tower.
He stepped through an open door. Mist covered the room. He waved his hand, trying to clear it away.
“Kate?”
“I’m over here. Please help me, Andy.”
“I’m going to get you. Just hang on.”
As he walked toward her voice, large jagged spikes of ice rushed at him from the opposite side of the room. Without thinking, he hit the floor as the spikes flew overhead. He was expecting an ambush, but not of this variety. They couldn’t believe that this type of crude weapon could kill or seriously injure him. Probably just trying to throw him off his game.
He stood, ran across the room, and entered a long hallway. There was no floor, only shifting ledges that floated in the air. He shook his head. Was this some kind of game they were playing? He looked down and found vast emptiness. He swallowed hard. Perhaps not a game after all. If he fell, who knew how far he would drop and what would be waiting for him at the bottom.
He jumped onto the first ledge, using his arms to maintain his balance. The floating ledge moved a few feet and banged into the wall. He jumped onto the next ledge but could not control his landing. He gripped the ledge to avoid plunging into the abyss. Crawling on his knees, he used his body weight to push forward until he bumped another ledge, then grabbed it and slid onto it. He got to his feet, steadied himself, and jumped onto the next ledge. Getting the hang of it, he made his way across the hallway before jumping off the final ledge and into another room.
The room had vaulted ceilings with a massive mural. The scene it depicted was so lewd that Andy did not even want to look at it, and he wasn’t easily offended.
As he was crossing the room, he stopped suddenly. The big boss demon stood in his path. “My dear Andy, this way only leads to your demise. Leave now while you still can.”
Andy began to shake. He felt nothing but raw fear, an emotion he was going to have to defeat if he had any chance of saving Kate. “Get out of my way.”
The big demon did not move.
Andy ran forward and attempted to tackle his foe. He expected to be repelled. Amazingly, he ran through the demon with no resistance. He smashed into a wall of ice, face-first.
“What the hell?” Andy turned back, but there was nothing behind him. The demon had disappeared. Andy rubbed the bump on his forehead. More likely the demon had never been there. Just an illusion. If they were trying to keep him off balance, they were doing a damn good job of it. He was jumpy, skittish, and scared.
“Kate!”
“I’m here.”
She was in the next room behind bars of ice. Her hands held the bars, and her entire body shivered. She looked pale and tiny inside the cell.
“Did they hurt you?” Andy asked.
Kate shook her head. Her teeth rattled as she spoke. “Th-they s-said they would-wouldn’t do anything t-to me unless you d-d-didn’t come here, b-but I kn-knew you would come for me.”
Andy smiled. “I’ll always be here for you. Now, let’s get moving.” With his forearm, he smashed through the bars. He lifted Kate out of the cell and hugged her. Tears streamed down his face, quickly frozen by the frigid temperatures. “I’m so sorry that you have to go through this.”
<
br /> Kate felt small and helpless in his arms. “I want to go home.”
Andy put her down. “The first thing we need do is warm you up. He conjured a warm parka and snow pants to go on top of Kate’s clothes. He also outfitted her with a scarf and gloves. “Better?”
Kate nodded.
“We need to find a place for you to hide while I fight the bad guys. Okay?”
Kate shook her head. “Don’t leave me.”
Andy put her down. He looked deep into her eyes. The eyes that stared back filled him with despair. “Kate, when I fight the bad guys, I can’t have you around. The only way we can get rid of them is if I beat them. Then they’ll never come back, but I can’t do that if you’re with me. Do you understand?”
Kate did not say anything, but her eyes pleaded with him.
“I know you’re scared. I’m scared too. All we have is each other. The bad guys want to hurt us. That’s why we have to be strong for each other. I won’t be able to do this unless you stay strong. Do you trust me?”
Kate nodded.
“Then you have to do what I tell you. Okay?”
Kate nodded again. “I’ll find somewhere to hide.”
He held Kate’s hand as they left the room. They found a stairwell and descended. He wasn’t sure if he was better off keeping Kate in the fortress or having her hide outside. He had seen caves where she could stay hidden, but she would be warmer here. Then again, if he fought the demons inside the fortress, the whole place might collapse.
They walked down three flights of stairs. Andy decided to stop on the next floor. They walked into a large room, and Andy abruptly stopped. Instruments of torture filled the room. He identified a guillotine, an iron maiden, and over a dozen items of which he could only guess what their gruesome purpose might be.
“Let’s get out of here.” Andy turned back to the stairwell, still holding Kate’s hand. Before he could reach it, the unmistakable, naked figure of Malachai stood in their path. The frigid temperatures did not seem to bother him.
Not sure if this was another apparition, Andy did not hesitate. With a mean snarl, he grabbed Malachai by the throat. This time, his hand did not go through the demon. This was Malachai, in the flesh. Andy squeezed hard, picked him up, and threw him, surprised by his own strength as he watched Malachai sail through the air.
Andy turned and grabbed Kate’s hands. “You have to go now. Find a place to hide.”
Kate nodded and took off down the stairwell.
Andy clenched his fists. His fear was gone. It was time to roll up his sleeves and do some serious ass kicking.
Chapter XXIII
Andy turned to Malachai.
The blue demon had malice in his eyes. “Andy, it’s so good to see you again.”
Andy motioned with his fingers for Malachai to come forward. “Is that right? Without your friends to back you up, you got nothing for me.”
Malachai flew through the air, extending his fist. Just as he was about to reach him, Andy leapfrogged the demon. Malachai sailed past him only stopping when he reached the first solid thing in his path, a brass pole extending to the ceiling. The demon’s head snapped backward.
Andy landed on his feet. He grabbed the pole and grunted with exertion as he wrenched it from the floor. As it came loose, rubble fell from the ceiling. Holding the pole with both hands, he used it to smash Malachai.
The demon howled, got to his knees, and tore into Andy’s abdomen with his clawed hand.
Pain ripped through Andy’s body. His eyes watered. With fierce determination, he continued to bash Malachai’s head with the brass pole. Fortunately, the demon released his hand from Andy’s abdomen. The pain had been intense. He could only imagine what his belly looked like.
Andy remembered the torture chamber down the hall. A smile lit his face as he dragged Malachai toward the room. How convenient that they would leave devices that he could use against them. He threw Malachai into the room. The demon landed near a series of ropes and pulleys.
Andy opened the door to the Iron Maiden.
Malachai’s eyes went wide. He charged at Andy, knocking him off balance. Gripping the cast iron edges of the device, Andy kept himself from falling into the metal spikes that lined the coffin. Swinging his forearm, he connecting solidly with Malachai’s jaw. He punched him twice for good measure, then picked up the demon into a fireman’s carry. Malachai fought him along the way but could not prevent Andy from thrusting him into the spiked coffin. Malachai screamed so loud Andy thought his head was going to split. The demon’s black eyes bulged, glaring hatred. Blood flowed from so many openings that it was hard to tell where he had been pierced. His blue skin turned crimson as blood poured out of his mouth.
Andy closed the door of the Iron Maiden. “Sweet dreams, asshole.”
He wasn’t sure that this would kill Malachai, but it would at least take him out of the picture, giving Andy one less foe to worry about. He contemplated finishing Malachai, but the other demons had to be nearby. He intended to heed Lucas’s advice and take the fight to them, a task that would be easier if he didn’t have Malachai to worry about. With any luck, he would not make it out of the coffin.
Andy, you need to beat them, came Kate’s voice in his head.
“Are you safe?” he asked.
I am.
Andy smiled. When he reached the spiral staircase, he heard movement from below as Baphomet approached. This demon was ugly as sin. He had green skin that looked like vomit. Tufts of red hair were scattered on his mostly bald scalp. His face was marked with craters, and his odor made Andy want to jump out of the nearest window. He also had a vicious streak that few of his kind could match.
Andy climbed onto the railing. “Hey, double ugly, looking for me?”
Baphomet stared up at him and growled.
“No, don’t come up. I’ll go down and get you.” Andy raised his arms and jumped off the railing, shooting through the air like a bullet. Baphomet made a big target for him to hit. The demon appeared stunned as Andy crashed into him.
They went through the railing and plunged further into the fortress, both trying to grab something to break the fall, but neither having much success.
They landed with a thud onto the wooden floor. Aching everywhere, Andy was having difficulty breathing. Not even sure which part of him took the brunt of the fall, he tried to get to his feet and made it to one knee before collapsing.
Baphomet staggered, shook his head, took a step forward and stumbled, holding onto the stairwell for support.
Andy pushed himself up and moaned. Maybe that had not been such a good idea. He seemed to have taken more damage in the fall than his foe.
Baphomet raised his axe. The blow came swiftly, and Andy scrambled out of the way.
Andy grabbed the axe handle with both hands. They struggled against each other, Baphomet piercing him with his green eyes. As they each tried to impose their will, Andy came to the realization that he was physically stronger than Baphomet. He had gone head-to-head with the major demon before, and although Andy had defeated him, Baphomet had always been stronger. Not anymore.
He grinned as he thrust Baphomet to the ground. Monsignor Curran was right. He was getting more powerful in the world of the soul. He did not know why but was thankful for it. At least it gave him a fighting chance against this horde of demons.
Baphomet rose and stared at Andy, his smug confidence gone.
Andy tilted his head and sniffed. “What’s that I smell? I think it’s the scent of fear.”
The demon still held his battle axe. Andy was going to need a weapon of his own, something lightweight and sharp. He thought of the weapon he wanted. In his hands appeared a long shaft with two sharp blades on either end. This wasn’t exactly what he had been thinking of, but it would work.
He twirled the shaft and approached Baphomet. The demon swung his axe, a move that seemed tentative and unsure. Andy spun away from the axe and used his weapon to slice Baphomet’s thigh.
; The demon grunted but showed no outward sign of distress despite the blood gushing down his leg.
“That must have hurt,” Andy said. “You want another?”
Baphomet snarled and attacked again. He was slow and clumsy with his strike. Andy bent his back all the way down so that his head touched the floor. When the blade of the axe passed him, he sprung up and thrust his weapon into the demon’s belly. This time Baphomet howled.
Andy moved forward, ready to slice and dice Baphomet, when a deep growling noise came from behind him.
“Andy Lorenzo, I vowed revenge and I will get it.”
Andy turned. His eyes narrowed as he focused on Asmodeus. The last of the Three Stooges arrived to spoil his fun.
Asmodeus bared sharp teeth but did not advance. He pulled out a dagger from a side pouch and hurled it at Andy. Andy dove for cover. Asmodeus began to pitch more daggers. Within seconds a half-dozen flew at him.
“Damn!” Andy rolled left but not quick enough to avoid a piercing dagger. His breathing became labored. His eyes watered. He gritted his teeth and pulled out the dagger, blood spilling down his side.
Andy looked up and found another dagger coming at him. He did not have time to react, and it plunged into his shoulder. Clutching the dagger, he dropped and cursed at the top of his lungs.
As if sensing his peril, in his head, Kate’s voice echoed, Be strong.
“I’m trying.” Andy grunted as he pulled the second dagger out of his shoulder. He looked up to see Baphomet wearing an evil grin. He grabbed Andy by his hair and yanked him to his feet, then slapped him across the ear with a massive hand that resembled a grizzly bear’s paw. A loud ringing filled his head.
As Andy tried to stand, Baphomet wrapped his arms around Andy and squeezed. It felt as if his life was being sucked out of him. Even with his newfound strength, Baphomet’s grip was suffocating him.
Andy gasped for breath. Just before he passed out, Baphomet released his grip. He had barely regained his breath when he looked up and found Asmodeus wielding an electrified whip.