The City of Flame and Shadow

by Kim Richardson

  Silence. The demons seemed to be trying to grasp what she’d just said.

  Their leader said, “You’re bluffing. You’ll say anything to keep us from ripping you to ribbons and feasting on your souls.”

  “I’m not,” said Alexa and she straightened. “Why do you think we came here? We came for the sword.”

  “And if what you’re staying is true,” said the demon, “why would you share it with us?”

  “Because,” she said, “I like my soul. I’d like to keep it.”

  The demon hesitated. “If there is such a sword, why do we need you? We could use it ourselves. We could eat you—and then—use it ourselves.”

  “Because only an angel can wield it,” said Alexa, the lies flowing naturally. “Why else do you think none of you have ever left? Because you can’t touch it. Only we can. And we’re prepared to share its power… if you let us pass.”

  The mass of demons shifted. There was a crackling sound, and Alexa realized it was a language. They were talking to each other.

  Finally, the lead demon spoke. “Some of us have been here hundreds—thousands of years, and we’ve never heard of such a sword. You’re lying.” The demon moved forward.

  “She’s not lying,” said Milo. “Look! Look at the green light,” he said and pointed straight over the demons.

  The demon turned slowly around and then back again. “Green light? What green light? There’s nothing there. This is another trick. More lies from the mouths of angels.” The demon scowled. “I’ve run out of patience.”

  Alexa and Milo shared a look.

  Milo stood gripping his spirit sabers, his eyes wide in breathless bewilderment.

  “Alexa,” he whispered, “I’m sorry…”

  But Alexa wasn’t ready to give up. She stared at the deadly mass of monsters, the eyes glimmering in hunger. What was going to happen to them now? She stood, thinking of the daunting, complex mission she had gotten herself and Milo into, and felt a stab of regret. Milo was an excellent warrior, but even he couldn’t fight a hundred demons.

  The demon pulled its face into what might have been an attempt at a grin and stared at Alexa. “I’ll taste your flesh first. I’ll take your soul while there’s still a drop of life in you, so you can feel the darkness, the end. I want to see it in your eyes. And then I’ll take his—”

  Suddenly, there was a hard impact to the air, like a clap of thunder with no sound. The violence of it made every joint in Alexa’s body cry out in sharp pain. Dust lifted around them, spreading outward in a ring.

  The demons charged in a frightening rush. Alexa was frozen, her blade raised in front of her, and she braced herself for the impact—

  “Stand down!” came a voice from somewhere inside the horde of demons.

  And to Alexa’s surprise and immense relief, the creatures halted.

  A boy, about eleven or twelve, strolled his way through the crowd of demons. They scattered away from him like rushing water around a stone, giving him a wide berth. A few made visible gestures of distaste. A demon with the body of a snake and head of a woman slithered away hissing and spitting at the boy. Even the demon leader shuffled slowly away from the angels, mumbling in a language that sounded like claws on rock.

  He wore a New York Giants baseball cap, his pants brushed his ankles, and his shirt hung loosely over his body. His clothes were mismatched from different eras, as though he had gone to a thrift shop and grabbed everything from the first rack. His eyes were dark, almost black, and ancient. And when he smiled up at Alexa and Milo, his face was innocent looking, full and soft-featured like a growing boy.

  He jammed his hands in his pockets and said, “I can take you to the bone sword.”

  CHAPTER 18

  ALEXA STOOD STUNNED, staring at the strange boy. She had to remind herself that it wasn’t a boy, but a demon wearing a human body. But why had it chosen the wear the face of a such a young person?

  The boy leaned back on his heels. His body was lean and slight, his face smooth and innocently young. But his heavily lidded black eyes were ancient and knowing. The smile that twisted his lips did not belong on such a youthful face.

  She pulled her gaze from the boy and turned to Milo. Tension rolled off his shoulders and his arms as he held his swords, alarm in his expression. For a moment, she felt he was about to strike the kid demon.

  Alexa saw the boy’s eyes linger on Milo’s serpent sigil, and something like satisfaction shifted across his face.

  Alexa and Milo stood alone, angels in a forsaken place, in the sudden silence.

  But the boy broke the silence. “I can take you to the bone sword,” he repeated in a voice as youthful as his face.

  Alexa struggled to find her voice for a moment. “You can?” she said carefully. “Really?”

  The boy’s grin grew. “Of course I can. It’s why I came to fetch you. It’s not far. You were on the right path, but you’ll need my help if you want to get there… alive, that is.”

  “All we have to do is follow you, and you’ll take us straight to the sword?” asked Alexa as she eyed the demons surrounding them, still hissing and spitting. But she also had the feeling they were hissing at the boy.

  The boy shrugged, an innocent smile on his face. “That’s right.”

  “Wait,” warned Milo. Alexa turned to face him. He watched the boy suspiciously, his face wrinkled in a deep frown. He raised one of his sabers and said, “What do you want in return? There’s no way you’re doing this for free. What do you want?”

  The boy kept smiling. “Nothing.”

  “Really? You’d help us out of the goodness of your soul?” said Milo. “No strings attached?”

  The boy put two fingers to his forehead and said, “Scout’s honor.”

  Milo frowned, clearly not impressed. “I don’t believe you.” He turned to Alexa. “He’s lying.”

  “Well, then, there’s really no more I can say on the matter,” said the boy. “It’s really up to you. Isn’t it? It’s your choice. You can either follow me, and I’ll lead you straight to what you came here for, or I can turn around and leave you with these demons.” He watched them with his black eyes. “What will it be?”

  “I don’t trust you,” said Milo. “Demons are liars. You have no conscience. You’re predators, soul snatchers. You kill because you enjoy it. And from my experience, demons always do what’s in their best interest. They don’t do favors unless there’s something in it for them.”

  “And I can say the same about angels,” answered the boy. His voice had lost its youthfulness and was now harsh and cold. Alexa could detect the older demon inside for the first time. “We’re really not that different.”

  “We’re nothing like you,” hissed Milo as he raised his saber threateningly. “Don’t ever say that again, demon.”

  The boy demon was silent. A small frown materialized on his face making him look a lot older. The demons around them grew agitated, shifting nervously as though they were waiting for orders to strike. And if they did, Alexa knew it would be the end of the angels.

  “Milo,” Alexa whispered as she leaned forward, aware that her lips were nearly touching the skin on his neck. She pulled away slightly and added, “If you don’t stop, there’ll be nothing left of us to return home. What was the point of coming here if we can’t use the sword because we’re dead? I know what you’re going to say, and I don’t trust him either. But it’s either one of him—or—all of them.” She gestured to the monsters that surrounded them. “He said he can take us to the sword. We should go with him.”

  She looked over and saw the grin on the boy’s face widen as though he was pleased with what she was saying. She turned to Milo. “Did you see how the other demons moved away from him?”

  “Yes, that’s what worries me. This is no mere boy.”

  But Alexa wasn’t listening as she turned to the boy demon. “How do we know this isn’t some trick to lure us from these demons here so that you can bring us somewhere else and feast o
n our souls?”

  “It’s not a trick,” said the boy, his voice pleasant. “I said I’d take you to the sword, and I will.”

  “Why do you want to help us?” said Alexa.

  “Look around you,” said the boy. “There’s nothing else to do here except watch these lower demons feast on each other, like the beasts they are. But with your arrival, I saw an opportunity to do something new, an adventure, maybe even have a little fun.”

  “If these are lower demons,” said Alexa, eyeing the strange boy, “what are you? You don’t look like a Higher demon, but maybe you’d look different in purgatory.” She remembered the gray-skinned demons, with black, bottomless eyes and white hair. They were tall and broad-shouldered, wearing the faces of middle-aged men, not children.

  “Doesn’t matter what I am,” said the boy. “I’m stuck here for eternity, just like the rest of the them. And if you don’t want to suffer the same fate, I suggest you take my offer.”

  Alexa turned to Milo. He twisted his head to look at her, ashes shedding off his silver hair like snow. His features softened a bit, the harsh lines becoming more inviting, vulnerable even. He gave her a look that pretty much said, You decide. I’ll follow you whatever you decide.

  “If we come with you,” said Alexa, “do you promise not to harm us in any way?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how stupid they were. It was like asking a cat not to eat the mouse.

  “I promise I won’t harm you,” answered the boy, casually as though commenting on the weather. “They won’t touch you if you’re with me.”

  Alexa surveyed the boy demon one more time to see if she could recognize any falsehood on his face. When she didn’t, she pulled out her watch. It was thirty minutes past twelve; they’d already wasted a half hour. They were running out of time.

  Alexa looked at the boy and said, “Fine. Lead the way.”

  CHAPTER 19

  ALEXA AND MILO WALKED ALONGSIDE each other, following the boy through the streets of the city. The demon boy was true to his word. The demon horde didn’t attack them as they passed. Instead they scurried out of the way, something that didn’t settle well with Alexa now that she thought about it. Still, the demons followed behind like a river of mangled bodies.

  They walked silently for block after block. A glimmering black river ran along the edge of the decrepit, filthy cobblestone walkway. Below, abandoned and crumbling posts were all that was left of an ancient dock. Alexa stared out across the black waters. There was no breeze, but the waters stirred, as though something was swimming beneath the surface, something dead and vile. And then Alexa saw hands, thousands of hands breaking the surface. They reached out as though to grab on to something and then were pulled under again.

  She had the horrible feeling that these were not demons but trapped human souls trying to break free. A chill that had nothing to do with the cold air licked up her spine.

  Alexa pulled her eyes away from the black lake. “Who are you, anyway?” she asked again. “Do you have a name?”

  “You can call me Markus,” answered the boy.

  “That’s a big strong name for such a small boy,” said Milo.

  Markus only flashed him his teeth.

  When he turned back around, Alexa hit Milo on the arm and mouthed, You’re not helping! Alexa fought with the idea of thanking Markus. She knew the demon wasn’t doing them any favors, but what choice did they have? He had saved them from a true death. But what if this was all part of Markus’ plan? What if what waited for them was a fate far worse than dying at the hands of those lesser demons?

  “How long have you been here, Markus?” Alexa asked.

  “Too long,” said Markus his voice low, and Alexa sensed some anger in it. After a short pause he added, in a voice all too innocent, “Which is why your visit is such a welcome distraction.”

  They walked in silence after that until Markus turned down a side street and walked up to a colossal black stone temple wedged between two buildings. The black rock was worn, and the columns flanking the entrance were imbedded with various shards of bone. Green light spilled from inside, revealing a round, open space with a single stone altar in its center.

  And suspended above the block, as though held by an invisible rope, was a sword.

  Its blade shone like a brilliant green star, the only true color in all of purgatory. Alexa blinked against the brightness of it. It was beautiful, and she ached to grab it.

  Alexa let out a little cry. Smiling, and after sheathing her own blade, she dashed through the entrance and ran up to the stone altar. She reached out, her hand towards the hilt—

  And was thrown backwards with incredible force.

  She hit the ground hard, landing on her side and her head smacking the ground. The pain was real and she tasted ash in her mouth, as though she’d swallowed an ashtray.

  “Alexa!” Milo was at her side in a flash. “Are you all right? What possessed you to do something so reckless? It didn’t occur to you that it wouldn’t be as easy as just taking the sword?”

  Alexa narrowed her eyes. “I wasn’t thinking.”

  “No, you weren’t.”

  Alexa wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and turned to meet Markus’ smiling black eyes.

  His eyes gleamed as he said, “Welcome to the Inferno Trials.” The mischief in his eyes sent a pang of fury right through her.

  Alexa smacked Milo’s hand away and jumped to her feet, anger welling in her chest. “You tricked us!” She shot forward, her blade at the boy’s throat. “You never intended to help us, did you? I should cut your throat right now!”

  “Please, lower your weapon and I will explain,” said the boy calmly.

  Alexa glanced at Milo and then lowered her blade, but kept it pointing at Markus. “This better be good, ‘cause I swear I will cut you—and I keep my promises.”

  “I gave you my word that I would take you to the sword,” said the boy, “and that’s exactly what I did. The sword is here—as you can see—but if you want to take the sword, you must complete the Inferno Trials. Only then can you claim the bone sword, and only then can you take it with you.”

  “You lied to us! You never once said anything about trials!” said Alexa. Her voice shook.

  “You never asked.”

  Milo swore. “I knew there was something the little bastard wasn’t telling us.”

  Markus continued as though Milo hadn’t interrupted him. “You can claim the bone sword when you’ve completed the trials.”

  Alexa heard shuffling of feet and saw hundreds of demons piling through the entrance, keeping to the edges of the round space. The cacophony of laughter, shouting, and unearthly howls worsened as the monsters made their way through the chamber. She didn’t understand what the demons were shouting, but she had a good-enough idea. There had been no attempts to decorate the torch-lit chamber. The demons stood still, waiting as though anticipating a grand moment. She tensed as the demon who’d attempted to kill her appeared through the parted demon crowd, grinning at her with row after row of teeth.

  Alexa looked around the room. The chamber floor was a stretch of polished onyx covered by a carpet of gray ash, and small fire pits shone with incandescent white flames. She spotted a dais behind the stone altar, and above it, a massive black, throne-like chair piled with pillows as dark as nightmares.

  It should have been cold, but the air was warm against Alexa’s face, soft and poisonous. Everything about this place reeked of death, even the scent of the fire pits, as if the flames were burning flesh. A crowd of rotten corpses stood along a far wall. Over their heads, she could make out the arch of a doorway. A way out.

  Alexa lowered her blade and glanced back at Markus. “Let’s say we do participate in these trials. What happens if we can’t complete them?” she asked. But already she knew the answer to her own question.

  “Then you will remain in purgatory indefinitely.”

  “Not indefinitely,” said Milo and he turned to Alexa. �
��We can start to find the way out now. Forget this sword. It’s another trick, a trap. They only wanted us to fail. Let’s take our chances with Hades and find a way out of this hell before it’s too late.”

  Alexa searched his face. There was tenderness there, so tender that she nearly reached out to touch his cheek. She thought of the black lake they’d passed, and the horror that was inside. She hadn’t seen any other source of water. Alexa couldn’t suppress the feeling that those black waters were not a way out, but rather a way in—to a prison of endless darkness.

  “The only way out of purgatory,” said Markus, “is by completing the trials—”

  “Bull.” Alexa whipped her head back to him and laughed without humor. “That, I know is a lie.”

  “It’s not a lie.”

  “Really? Then why didn’t any of you participate in these trials? If it’s really the only way out, why didn’t you claim the sword for yourself and leave? Because this is a trick. This isn’t the way out.”

  “It’s no trick.” Markus’ expression remained stony and impassive. “We cannot participate for the simple reason that we’re demons. Our souls are blackened. Only a clean soul can wield the bone sword, and it will show you the way out. It’s why it’s been kept hidden here in the first place. It’s a beautiful piece, sharp and powerful, but we can’t use it. Don’t think for a minute that I wouldn’t have used this sword if I felt it could help me escape because I most certainly would have. But like I said, it’s useless to us demons.”

  Milo seemed to read the struggle on Alexa’s face. “Alexa, don’t believe him,” he said. “He’s lied to us the whole time, and he’s lying to us now.”

  “I’m not,” said Markus casually. “Think of it as a back door for angels only.”

  Alexa could feel Milo’s eyes on her. Her hands shook as a panic threatened to devour every last shred of common sense.