Evenstar

by Darcy Town

  Andy’s tongue snaked out between his lips. “Helion. Shut the fuck up already.”

  Dahlia gagged. “Oh God, he’s conscious.”

  Andy heard her. He turned his head, flaking off dead skin. His eye sockets were desiccated pits. He addressed her, “You will not do or say anything that could put your life in jeopardy. Do you understand?”

  Dahlia whispered, “Yes. Andy, I’m so sorry—”

  “Will everyone stop saying that? It doesn’t make me feel any better.” Andy shifted in his chains. Metal scraped away at blistered skin. “This looks worse than it is. I can heal while you cannot. Remember that.”

  The door swung open and a man in an iron-latticed lab coat walked in. He ignored the girls in the cage and looked at Helion. “Demon, are you ready to tell me where the City is or shall we continue to burn this one?”

  Helion’s eyes blurred with tears. “I do not know!”

  The man did not look convinced. “Where is the burning demon’s lamin?”

  Helion shook his head. “I do not know! I don’t know what that is!”

  “Where were you headed before we got you?”

  Helion struggled to hold the words in. “The City.”

  “But you do not know where it is?”

  “No!”

  The man hit a set of controls and the fire raged under Andy. Andy flinched, but did not make a sound. The snap and pop of burning flesh filled the air along with Helion’s renewed crying. Dahlia held in the curses that threatened to spill out of her mouth. The man leaned over Helion, and she saw the flash of Helion’s lamin around the man’s neck. Her eyes fixed on it.

  The fire stopped. Andy sagged.

  The man smiled, intrigued by Helion. “I understand you have recently joined the Fallen. Why did you slip from the perfection that is Heaven?”

  Helion screwed his mouth shut. His body shook. Blood dripped out of his nose and ears.

  Andy hissed. “Helion speak, you weaken yourself unnecessarily!”

  Dahlia eyed Andy. One of his eyeballs reformed and he looked at her, the command to stay silent clear. “Helion, stop!”

  Helion listened to Andy; the words tumbled out of his mouth, “To stop them from doing it again!”

  “Doing what?”

  “Imprisoning her.”

  “Who’s her?” The man consulted a clipboard.

  “Ladriam!”

  The man had heard this name. He referred to a piece of paper. “Where is Ladriam? We need her. Michael seeks her out. I can stop the pain for you both if you tell me where she is.” He looked between Helion and Andy.

  Helion fought against the compulsion. He tried to find a way to answer honestly without giving up Dahlia. “Ladriam is everywhere!”

  “What do you mean?”

  Helion blinked away blood. “She is matter, she is in all things.”

  “She is a person.”

  “She is half the universe.”

  “What is the other half?”

  “Lucifer.”

  “That is blasphemy against God.”

  It was not a question, so Helion stayed silent. The man grimaced, and turned the fire on. Andy stretched away from the flames, but he could not escape the heat. His body quivered with tremors of pain.

  Dahlia read his expression. He was bluffing. The burning was as bad as it looked.

  In Andy’s mind, he had retreated to a forested place, with birds, a blue sky, and Belial. She wasn’t killing anything. They rested hand in hand and stared at the clouds. Belial sang along with the breeze, a melody he had not heard from her for a long time. She smiled at him. He could almost imagine the pain away, but not entirely.

  His skin and flesh burnt, a cosmetic wound, but inside his blood boiled and his organs baked. Andy had stopped breathing to keep scorching dry air out of his lungs, but the pain did not lessen, instead it changed. The places where he touched the grate had seared through skin and muscle, and his bones cracked where they touched glowing metal. The signs of the seal beneath him were rescored into his flesh with each cycle, binding and holding him in place.

  The fire stopped, but his agony did not. With each cessation of the flame, his body began the tiring and painful process of healing. Skin grew on top of blistering muscles, and pores opened on the surface. Hair follicles pierced new skin and stood on end. His eyes filled with fluid and blinked white and gray once more; his eyelids reformed over dry orbs. His tongue and lips grew back so that he could form words. Andy took a painful breath. “Fuck God, fuck Michael and fuck you.”

  The man hit the dial on the fire and Andy was engulfed in flame. The man smiled. “This is what Hell will be like for you once the day of reckoning comes. The final purge is at hand and then the beginning of Revelations. Your kind will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.”

  Two men entered the room. They took in the scene, bored. “The game is on TV soon.”

  The first man sighed. He waved them over to the TV. “Go ahead. We will not be able to get anything useful from this Helion until he is broken.”

  One of the men looked over and glanced at Whitney and Dahlia. “Why don’t you try one of them?”

  The man scowled. “They barely even register as Lilliam at all. These two were probably planning on eating them or sacrificing them to Satan. I doubt they know anything.”

  “Then can we have them?”

  “Not while I am working, watch your stupid game.” He glared at Helion. “Outstretch your wings.” Helion did so. The man grabbed a pair of bloody pliers from Nukka’s operating table and pulled out Helion’s feathers in bloody clumps. In the background, a local sports station came on drowning out the low whimpers that escaped Helion’s closed lips.

  Dahlia and Whitney watched in horror, the spectacle of torture bumped up against something as commonplace as watching a baseball game. Whitney closed her eyes to shut out the sight of Helion’s blood.

  Dahlia stared. She was not terrified. She was enraged. Her clear pendant flooded with red. With each pull of the pliers, Dahlia strengthened her resolve to kill every human in the room, then the building.

  She shifted to get a better view of the metal circle that held Andy, and the lamin that flashed around the man’s neck. Those were the keys and she would figure them out, but first she had to get untied.

  ***

  Belial tried a different hairstyle. “This Super-Mart smells like human sweat.”

  She stood in front of a full-length mirror examining the henna tattoo that Spider had covered half of her body in. Shoppers wandered around her, unaware of her presence. Overhead, speakers blasted announcements about a pre-summer sale. The others sat off to the side feeling mildly embarrassed and nervous. Seeing Belial completely naked, except for high heels, was still taking some getting used to.

  Belial looked over. “Are you finished with the blades?”

  Jacob, Tracy, and Celeste sat on borrowed outdoor furniture and fumbled with a headdress made out of knives. Tracy shook her head. “We’re new to making a…anything out of steak knives okay.”

  Belial stuck her tongue out, then her hand. “Give it to me. I don’t have anything to do now that I have the perfect set of heels.” She spun around in her steel-toed pumps. She’d filed the stiletto points to spikes; three razors had been imbedded in back of each heel.

  Belial grinned, showing off fangs. She picked up the rows of strung together knives and bent the metal between her fingertips weaving the blades into an ornate braid of sharp steel. She sat down next to Jacob, making him blush scarlet. Belial looked over her handiwork. “In the City I have a headdress made from human bones, I used to have a belt of skulls too. You can see it once we get there, if you want.”

  Jacob gulped. “Oh yeah, uh, sure. Sounds great.”

  Belial grinned. “I used to dye my hair with ashes from funeral pyres too. Kind of gothic of me, don’t you think?” She smiled. “I like this better than skulls. Shiny.”

  Spider walked out of the toy aisle with the Chulyin and
Tokala at her side. She smiled at the trio of new Lilliam. They leaned away from her. She held out a brilliant piece of shimmering red cloth. “For you.”

  Belial hopped to her feet and let Spider secure the fabric to her waist. The cloth hung in front and in back with slits on the side from ankle to hip. Belial danced to one side. “Good for being mobile.” She high kicked the air. Jacob looked at his hands.

  Spider smiled and touched Belial’s hair. “I know what you like.” She braided Belial’s blonde locks, interweaving more of the red material in with the blonde. Spider took the blades from Belial and bent the metal, securing it throughout her hair. She examined her work. “We have notified the local Lilliam and my human followers. They have cleared Phoenix, only non-converted humans remain behind.”

  Belial nodded at her. “Good.” She stared at herself in the mirror. “I am so badass.” She pointed to Tracy and Celeste. “Do you have outfits for my priestesses?”

  Spider nodded. “Of course dear.”

  Tracy looked up. “We’re priestesses?”

  Belial grinned. “Now you are.”

  Jacob looked at the two girls. “What am I then?”

  Belial bit her lip. “I never really had guys around alive. You can be a eunuch, but not literally. Now all of you strip.”

  The three balked. Celeste stood up. “What?”

  Belial snapped at them. “We have to match outfits! So strip!”

  Spider finished braiding Belial’s hair and let the web of fabric, hair, and blades settle into place. She walked up to Tracy, hooked a finger in the girl’s shirt, and sliced her clothing off. She handed Tracy a dress that tied at the side, open from ankle to underarm. Tracy slipped it on.

  Celeste stripped to her underwear before Spider got to her. Spider handed Celeste a dress. Celeste took it down an aisle to change.

  Spider stilled. She stared off into space.

  A boy materialized near a rack of candy. Set looked at Belial and bowed. “Greetings.”

  Belial smiled. “Set.”

  Spider took the boy’s hand. “I must go. Lucifer needs to be healed.”

  Belial waved her away. “We’ll be fine. Give my regards to everyone and get a TV going. I want an audience.”

  Set smiled grimly. He recognized her outfit and intent. “Everyone will appreciate the gesture. The Mother has not yet returned.”

  Spider nodded. “We will send someone for you, to bring you in if we can. Otherwise, you must take the Old Road.”

  Set stepped back, pulling Spider with him. They faded out. That left Belial and the others alone.

  The Chulyin leaned on his blade. “What do the prince and I do?”

  Belial fiddled with her hair, sliding it over her bare breasts. “Cover us. We’re going to get sniper fire. I want you flying high and taking them out. Tokala, Morgan will be pissed if I let you get hurt, so lay low.”

  Tokala shook his head. “I am one of many princes. I owe it to my people to do this. Besides.” He smiled. “It will be good for morale. It is a prince’s responsibility to make the people happy.”

  Belial shrugged. “Your choice.”

  Jacob stood up. “So, what happens after you kill a bunch of people?”

  Belial turned to him. “After? I never think about after.”

  Tokala answered in her stead, “We will either be picked up or we hike to the City on the Old Road. But focusing on that is not the right mindset for battle.”

  Tracy chewed on a nail. “Battle? I don’t know how to battle. I’m an office manager. I order coffee mugs and reams of paper.”

  Belial grinned. “You just stand around and be lucky for the rest of us. Think of yourself as our sexy mascot.” She looked at Celeste. “You are a natural, and you.” She glanced at Jacob. “Well…you’ll figure it out I hope.”

  Jacob skin turned bluer. “Great.”

  Tokala pulled Jacob into a hug. The air shimmered around them. He let Jacob go. Jacob wobbled, tripped, and fell. A blast of air kept him from hitting the ground. He careened into Celeste, just missing Tracy. Tokala helped Celeste to her feet as Jacob slammed into shoppers.

  Jacob came to a stop and shook his head. His hair was translucent, and his eyes had turned silver. Jacob’s skin was transparent, underneath was a milky blue mist full of moving lights.

  The girls appraised him. Celeste smiled. “You’re like a human shaped jellyfish.”

  Jacob half-smiled. He stood on his own two feet.

  Belial waited for him to look up. She flashed him.

  Jacob shot backwards, wind blowing up the clothing and hair of those around him. He hit a stand of toys, but was blasted up to his feet before he touched the ground. “I can’t control it!”

  Tokala laughed. “Calm down. You’re an elemental. Your emotions and powers are intertwined.”

  Jacob closed his eyes and the air around him stilled. He breathed in and out slowly. “So what do I wear?”

  Belial clapped her hands. “You go naked or—” she pulled Tracy’s dress off. “Make a toga out of that.”

  Tracy covered herself. “What the hell am I supposed to wear?”

  Belial pointed at the excess woven knives and smiled.

  Tracy shook her head. “No way.”

  Belial picked up the blades. “You won’t get cut because that would be unlucky.” She grabbed Tracy’s wrist and wrapped her in a curling sheath of blades, starting at her pelvis. Tracy froze, petrified. Belial pulled at the metal and braided it over one shoulder. She stepped back. “Righteous. Makeup time!”

  Belial pulled an entire stand of makeup over. “Do yourselves up, trashy streetwalker to the max. Jacob, you don’t have to, but if you’d like, there’s some nice shimmer powder for your skin. It’ll bring out the glow lights I think.”

  Jacob shook his head. He tied the red material around his waist. “No thanks. If Tokala doesn’t have to, I’m not going to.”

  Tokala grinned and turned into a giant fox. “I don’t need a costume.” He settled on the floor at Celeste’s feet and closed his eyes.

  Celeste put on lipstick. “Why are we dressing up for this anyways?”

  “Half of religion is the show.” Belial covered her eyelids in black powder. “In the old times there were contests of gods, my god is better than your god kind of thing. The better the show, the better the god. People were a lot easier to please then though.”

  “So, we’re making you out to be a god?”

  Belial shook her head. “Nope!” She dabbed her lips with burgundy lipstick. “We’re here to promote Lucifer and Dahlia. I am just an avatar tonight.”

  “Why don’t you just storm in there and kill people?”

  “I’m trying to make a point and I like to dress up. Plus, it will really piss off the Solomon guys and it’s preparing the way for our repossession of the planet. The humans need to get used to us being in control again, they need to learn that we get angry easily.”

  Jacob frowned. “Repossession?”

  Belial grinned. “Now that Dahlia’s here, it’s only a matter of time before she gets her powers back, and once she does we’re going to have a final purge of our own. What?” She looked at their shocked faces. “All is fair in war and genocide.”

  Celeste picked out a tube of mascara. “It’s love and war.”

  “Same thing.” Belial rubbed gold dust on her neck. “When is this game thing starting?”

  Jacob looked at a clock. “Fifteen minutes.”

  Belial broke a bottle of expensive perfume over her head. “Well I’m ready.”

  Celeste dropped her makeup to the floor. “Me too.”

  “One sec.” Tracy held up a finger and curled her eyelashes. She stared at herself in the mirror and fluffed her hair. She glanced over at Belial. “I guess I’m ready.”

  Jacob adjusted his toga. “Me too.”

  The Chulyin shifted to a raven and flew out of the store to scout ahead. Tokala got up and padded alongside them. The group walked out of the store and started in the direct
ion of the stadium, the roar of the crowd audible.

  Belial let Tokala go on ahead. She turned to the trio. “If you feel the need to vomit or faint, fine, but do not run, do not hide. Fake your superiority if you have to. Do not get separated or things will go badly for you.” She made sure they were watching her. “I am going to do something that will get the angels’ attention.”

  Celeste frowned. “Why?”

  Belial smacked her lips. “Because I’m supposed to and as far as I’m aware my orders to draw their attention still stand.”

  Jacob folded his arms. “You guys got your asses kicked last time.”

  Tracy nodded. “Yeah what do we do then? You guys couldn’t do anything last time.”

  Belial pulled off one of her knives and shaped it into a circle. “They have these pendants around their necks that make them invulnerable. If any come then I’ll have to get them off, which will make them vulnerable.”

  Celeste grinned. “Sounds simple. Then we beat them up?”

  “No. The angels are my responsibility, got it? I don’t want any of you doing anything stupid.” Belial waited until they nodded. She turned and walked towards the stadium.

  Celeste followed on Belial’s heels, dancing from foot to foot, anticipation stirring her blood. Belial skipped along with her.

  Tracy shook her head. “They’ve become quite the pair now that they both have someone else to beat up on.”

  Jacob tightened his toga. “Better someone else than us.” They wove through late-arriving fans and ticket hawkers.

  The stadium parking lot was packed. Despite the riots and violence, people flooded to the game, looking for something normal when everything frayed at the edges.

  Belial spotted Solomon Soldiers. She stopped and watched them; their backs were turned to her. The men and women held signs and preached about Revelations and demons. Most people walked on by and ignored them, but with the riots in the cities, some stopped to watch and listen. Belial pointed. “See, we compete for attention.” She smirked and kept walking. “Glad to know they’re nearby.”

  She found a back entrance and kicked the door in. Tokala sniffed out a route.

  Feet pounded on cement above their heads. Belial danced. “Crowds, so many warm bodies!” She ran up to Tokala and hugged his furry neck. “This is going to be so much fun!”