Road to Hell

by J. C. Diem

  “Are you sure this is the best place for us to search?” I asked. “We kind of stand out here.” Most of the faces were Asian and we didn’t look as if we belonged. We received curious looks as we loitered out front of a fish market. The smell was overpowering and I wrinkled my nose in protest.

  “We will split up again,” Nathan decided. “Stick to the plan and we should get through this without suffering any casualties.” He and Brie disappeared and teleported half a block away.

  “The Lord and his minions should be just around the corner,” Leo informed us. I was sandwiched in between him and Sam. They flanked me a little too closely for my liking. They were like Secret Service agents who were too enthusiastic about their body-guarding duties.

  “Let’s get this done,” I said and headed for the corner. Taking a quick peek, I saw the usual group of five lackeys guarding their master. All had taken possession of Asian vessels so they could appear as if they belonged in the neighborhood. They’d gathered in front of a grocery store and were watching people pass by with menacing, hungry stares.

  Leo and Sam took a look as well then ducked back around the corner. “I wonder what they’re doing?” I said as we waited for Nathan to signal us.

  “They are waiting,” Leo replied.

  “For what?”

  “For their master to break the gates open and for their brethren to be freed.”

  “It must get pretty boring just standing around like that. No wonder they chase after me so quickly when they see me. Or Sam when he’s pretending to be me.” Tense and nervous, Sam gave me a strained smile.

  Standing directly across the street from us, Nathan lifted his hand and clenched his fist. “That is our signal,” Leo said. Sam briefly touched me and assumed my likeness. Then he removed his bracelet and sauntered over to the corner. He turned his head and pretended to see the pack of demons. They spotted him at the same time and he panicked. Still not used to modern life, he ran out into traffic and barely avoided being run over by a taxi. The horn blared and the driver shouted something unintelligible. The lord snarled an order and his minions took off after our decoy.

  Waiting for Sam and the lackeys to disappear around the corner across from where I stood, I stepped into view and started walking towards the Demon Lord. My bracelet was in my pocket and he recognized me immediately. Our eyes locked and he bared his teeth in a grin. His vessel’s face was overlapped by the hideous visage that only I could see. Before he could celebrate his victory at finding me, Nathan appeared behind him and zapped him back to our lair.

  Thankfully, the takedown went more smoothly this time. Brie appeared at my side and teleported us to our base just as Sophia was handing Nathan a length of rope. It had already been made into a lasso. He tossed it over the bellowing demon’s head and it fell down over his shoulders, hampering his movements.

  Brie lunged forward and drove her sword into the hell spawn’s heart. His essence oozed out and I stepped forward to take it into myself. More memories of atrocities assailed me, adding to the horrors that already clogged my mind.

  It didn’t take me as long to recover from assimilating him this time, but Sophia advised us not to overdo it. Absorbing two demons in one day then having a rest for a day was the plan and we stuck to it. Each time we captured and took down a Demon Lord, my bracelet, and the glow from my dagger darkened, and more images appeared on the stone. I caught Nathan staring at the bracelet speculatively, but he didn’t point out the changes to the others. We didn’t really know what effect that absorbing all this evil was going to have on me. Only time would tell what the cost would be.

  By my count, I’d taken in a total of eleven Demon Lords when our plan finally went off the rails. We’d been demon hunting for nearly two weeks and it had become almost routine by now. Sam had been practicing his skills and could hold his illusion for around three minutes. It was more than long enough, but practicing was something he could do while watching his beloved TV shows. It was almost disturbing how quickly he’d come to love watching the programs.

  Nathan had chosen the outskirts of Harlem to concentrate on this time. During their reconnaissance, the three angels had located dozens of Demon Lords and their small entourages. As we’d expected, word had begun to spread that they were under attack. The lords tended to stake out their territory and they rarely left it. It was in their nature to defend their turf from other demons. Yet they’d overcome their instincts enough to trade information and now they were on the alert.

  It never occurred to me that they might set a trap of their own until I walked right into one.

  Examining the group of six hell spawn lingering on a basketball court, Nathan gave us our instructions. Sam was to walk right past them and lead them further down the street. I would appear on the other side of the court and lead their master in the opposite direction.

  At first, we thought the ruse had worked. Sam took on my appearance and sauntered past the court. The five minions took off after him and I stepped out from behind cover so the Demon Lord could see me. What I didn’t anticipate was that she would teleport right in front of me then zap us both away. With my bracelet tucked in my pocket, Nathan couldn’t follow me to wherever I’d just been taken. The spell only worked if I was wearing it.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Scarlet light blinded me for a few moments. I was getting used to being teleported, but it still disoriented me momentarily. Blinking to clear my vision, I saw that we were in a large, empty warehouse. Hearing water lapping and the cry of seagulls, I figured we were near one of the rivers.

  I turned my attention to the Demon Lord who was looming over me. “You think you are so smart,” she said with a sneer. “You thought we were too stupid to catch on to your tricks.”

  “Well, it did take you a couple of weeks to figure it out,” I said with a responding smirk. “I’ve absorbed eleven Demon Lords now.”

  Her eyes widened in disbelief. “That is not possible. You are a mere human. You do not possess such power over us.”

  “Am I just a mere human?” I asked and pulled my dagger. The glow had darkened to a ruddy orange that bordered on red. “That’s still under debate.”

  Glancing at my weapon, she shrugged off her misgivings and grated out a scornful laugh. “You would be no match for me in battle, but we have been given instructions not to harm you.”

  “So I’ve heard, but I don’t have anything to hold me back from slicing your heart open.” I slashed at her chest, but her reflexes were too fast. She took the blade on her arm and it was cut open to the bone.

  Examining the wound, her long, forked tongue flicked out to taste the blood. “You will pay for that, girl,” she said in a low growl that promised retribution.

  “That’s Hellscourge to you,” I retorted and spun into action. Absorbing the essence of nearly a dozen warriors, plus a few minor lackeys, had increased my fighting skills substantially. I was stronger, faster and far more deadly now. Her weapon appeared as she was driven backwards. It was an axe with a twelve-inch spike on the top.

  Swinging her weapon at me, her hideous face was contorted with rage and frustration. She towered over me, but I wasn’t as easy to subdue as she’d thought I would be. It helped that she was restricted from hurting me too badly. She knew I didn’t have the same ability to heal as angels and demons did. It would be all too easy to end my life. Her fear of her new master was too strong to allow that to happen.

  Brie and Leo had continued to train me in between demon hunting. They were both impressed with my new fighting skills, but I was still a novice compared to them. At least I’d improved enough not to trip over my own feet and impale myself on my adversary’s weapons.

  Moving backwards and deflecting my strikes, the lord’s frustration was palpable. I could see it in her eyes that she longed to kill me. We were at a stalemate, but I was already growing tired. It took a lot of energy to sustain a battle and I was panting for breath. Then luck was on my side and sh
e stepped on a discarded bottle and lost her balance.

  My dagger was streaking towards her heart before she could do more than scream in denial. She grabbed my arm as she went down, taking me with her. It took me several tries to pull the dagger free as exhaustion came crashing down on me. My weapon clattered to the concrete and I waited for her essence to escape.

  As her vessel expired, the ooze was expunged. It gathered into an oily cloud then circled me as if I was prey before settling over me and sinking into my body. Her memories flooded into me. There were far too many to focus on them for long.

  She had also seen the master gate. I saw a short vision of her watching as another Demon Lord challenged it. Then he was fighting something that she couldn’t see. Something bit him, tearing a gigantic chunk of flesh from his side. Screaming in terror, he turned and tried to run, but was knocked down. I saw his body compress as the invisible thing stood on him. His screams became shrill as tears appeared in his neck then his head was bitten clean off.

  When the images dissipated, I found myself lying on my side next to the body of an ordinary young woman. Her face was frozen in a rictus of horror, as if she’d also witnessed the same things that I had.

  Pushing myself into a sitting position, I saw my dagger lying a few feet away and crawled over to pick it up. The moment I touched it, crimson light flared to life. My blood ran cold as I studied the heatless flames.

  Hearing movement, I turned to see that I had company. All five of the Demon Lord’s lackeys had arrived to spring their trap. They stared at their dead leader in shock then switched their attention to me. Taking in the blazing dagger, they exchanged glances. Without a word, they disappeared again. They were probably on their way to call for backup.

  Taking the bracelet out of my pocket, I slipped it on. It had also turned scarlet. I hoped that didn’t mean the spell had been broken. Nathan arrived a moment later, dispelling my fears. He took in the dead girl, examined my blazing dagger and bracelet and couldn’t hide his concern. Each time I’d assimilated a lord, the bracelet had received more faint images that I couldn’t quite make out. They only marked a small area of the surface so far. I wondered what it would take to fill the stone completely.

  “We should leave before the minions come back with another Demon Lord or two,” I suggested. My voice sounded husky from exhaustion.

  Nathan offered me his hand and helped me to my feet. I wobbled a bit and he steadied me with a hand on my shoulder. “I suggest you put the dagger away,” he said.

  Still feeling disoriented, I nodded and slid it inside its sheath. He tugged my sleeve down to cover the bracelet then teleported us back to our base.

  Sam surged to his feet the moment we appeared. Leo beat him to my side, but only just. They threw their arms around me and enfolded me in a hug. “We were so worried!” Leo scolded me, as if I’d deliberately been kidnapped.

  “I feared that the Demon Lord had taken you before her master,” Sam added.

  I mustered a smile. “Nope. I shredded her heart and added her to my collection.”

  “You look awful,” Sophia said as she entered the room. I wasn’t at all surprised to see her carrying a tray of tea.

  “Thanks,” I said wryly and gratefully sank into my seat.

  “You two defeated the Demon Lord together?” Brie asked with an arched eyebrow. I had the feeling she was miffed that she’d missed out on the fight.

  “The demon’s vessel was already dead when I found Violet,” Nathan said.

  All eyes swiveled to me and I hunched my shoulders. None of them could believe that I’d defeated her on my own.

  “You took on a Lord alone and won?” Leo asked. His eyes were wide with a combination of disbelief and awe.

  “I knew she had to hold back or risk killing me,” I explained. “She was more afraid of letting her master down than being beaten by a puny mortal like me.”

  “You are very lucky that he wants you alive.”

  “I just wish I knew why he wants me at all.” My frustration showed in my clenched fists. “I’m supposed to be the scourge of hell. Shouldn’t he be ordering his minions to kill me?”

  Sophia tipped her head to the side in consideration. “That is something I have also wondered about. It would seem that he has a purpose for you, which makes it all the more crucial for you to remain out of his clutches.”

  Sorting through the memories that I’d been inundated with, I couldn’t find anything that would shed some light on the subject. None of the lords or lackeys that I’d assimilated knew of their master’s plan.

  “You should rest,” Sophia said. “You look as if you need it.”

  I’d barely touched my tea, yet I nodded in agreement. I felt like I could sleep for a week. I usually had nightmares after absorbing evil into myself. I hoped that this time would be different. Reliving the horrors that my disembodied mind-squatters had performed was always hard to bear.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Moments after my head hit the pillow, I was sucked into sleep that was closer to unconsciousness. A dream formed, but it wasn’t a nightmare this time. I stood in the shadowlands with mist swirling around my feet. The twelve Demon Lords surrounded me in a tight circle. The few lower level lackeys that I’d absorbed were grouped together behind them.

  “We were once Lords of hell,” the twelfth lord that I’d absorbed said, “and now you have reduced us to mere specters.” The lords wore black leather armor with the same metal bands on their wrists as the captains. Their armor was better quality and was more intricate.

  “We are less than nothing now that we are trapped inside you,” another hissed.

  “If it were possible, we would carve our way out of you,” a third one intoned.

  “Gee, I’d be scared if you weren’t just harmless phantoms,” I said mockingly. Sounds of rage swelled from the crowd. “Instead of threatening me, uselessly by the way, maybe you should be thinking of ways to help me.”

  “Help you?” the twelfth demon said incredulously. “Are you insane?”

  “I’m getting there,” I muttered. I was speaking to a bunch of demons in a dream after all.

  “How would helping you be beneficial to us?” another of the disembodied spirits asked. It was the fearsome one who had sliced Nathan’s face open.

  “I don’t want you inside me any more than you want to be in me. Maybe if we work together, we’ll find a way to get you out.”

  Drifting away from me, they gathered into a circle again to discuss my proposal. I caught snippets of their conversation and picked up on their frustration and sense of helplessness.

  Finally reaching an agreement, they walked back over to me. This time, they formed a line rather than encircling me.

  “What do you require our assistance with?” Nathan’s attacker said. He seemed to have been chosen to be their spokesdemon.

  “I need to find the master gate to hell.”

  They weren’t completely surprised to hear that, but his answer wasn’t as helpful as I’d hoped. “Some of us have been to the master gate,” the spokesdemon said, “but only from inside hell. We do not know exactly how to locate it from Earth. Besides, even if you could locate it, the portal will be inaccessible due to the wards that have been erected around this city.”

  I already knew that, but I had a feeling I’d find some way to get around the problem. Fate would make sure of it. “Do you know anything at all that can help me?”

  He hesitated before responding and he sounded almost embarrassed when he did. “It is rumored that the master gate can be accessed through a cliché.”

  “A cliché?” I repeated. “What does that mean?” I knew what a cliché was, just not how it could apply in this instance.

  “We do not know,” he said and shrugged. “That is all the information that we can give you.”

  “Even if you do find the master gate, there is no possible way you can defeat it,” the twelfth demon said. “You will die and we will
most likely be destroyed along with you.”

  “Then you should be thinking of ways to keep me alive,” I suggested snidely. “As long as I’m around, there’s a chance we can find some way to expel you.” They weren’t happy about it, but they didn’t have any other ideas.

  The dream faded and I fell into a restful slumber that lasted for a couple of hours. I felt a lot better when I woke up. Stepping out into the hallway, I almost tripped over Sam. He sent me an anxious smile and scrambled to his feet. “You are looking much better, Violet.”

  It had taken a lot of effort to get him to stop calling me mistress, but he was getting used to not being quite so subservient. It might have been my imagination, but he didn’t seem quite as ugly now. It was possible to get used to anything with enough time.

  “I really needed that nap,” I agreed and headed for the bathroom. He’d learned to give me some privacy and waited near my bedroom for me to return. “Did I miss anything while I was sleeping?” I asked.

  He shook his head then fell in behind me as I walked down the hall to the stairs. “We are all very worried about the toll that your mind and body are taking.”

  “I feel fine,” I assured him and it wasn’t a lie. Ever since I’d absorbed my first demon, I’d felt turmoil inside. Everything felt much calmer now. It seemed my conversation with my growing legion of hell spawn had worked. They were no longer fighting to escape.

  Sophia had tea and cookies waiting for me. I sent her a sunny smile that took her aback. “You seem to be much improved,” she said almost suspiciously.

  I took a cookie from the pile on the plate and bit into it. I waited until I’d swallowed it down before responding. “I had a dream that let me chat with my evil hitchhikers,” I said.

  Leo looked confused then his expression cleared. “You mean you spoke to the demons that reside inside you?”