by Laura Hawks
Mel shook his head over the nostalgia which seemed to flood him recently. He would never forget sitting down with Boralium late one evening over some roasted rabbit. To thank his friend for shelter, Mel willingly assisted with chores, including providing nourishment. Since the demon had been placed within Mel, his sustenance requirements had changed considerably. Although he could still eat and digest normal foods, Mel had different and special dietary requirements to actually survive as a result of the demon Symbian which resided within him.
Boralium was eerily quiet that particular evening. Mel wondered why, when his friend was usually talking his ear off but didn’t give it much thought beyond a passing rumination. Boralium knew Mel was always available to listen should he decide to discuss whatever was on his mind.
As Mel sat back against the small boulder watching the fire burn, he remained quiet enjoying the peacefulness which surrounded them.
Boralium stood and moved to the bushes. Mel relaxed and even shut his eyes for a few moments. The demon within had been particularly troublesome in remaining inside the past couple of days and Mel found the constant struggle exhausting.
As he reposed, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. Surprised, Azamel gazed down to see an arrow shaft protruding from his rapidly growing stained shirt. It took Mel a moment to comprehend what occurred when two more arrows pierced his chest.
The demon inside roared as loudly as his host did. Mel’s eyes immediately changed to an iridescent green as he gazed towards the location from where the shots were being fired. Pulling the shafts out, the tips still embedded inside his body, Mel scrambled behind the boulder using the stone as a shelter. His powers forced the arrowheads out, his wounds slowly closing.
Mel realized there was some sort of poison on them, preventing his godly healing abilities to work effectively or quickly. Mel struggled to maintain control and not let the demon out but he knew the inner conflict he fought was a lost battle without his full powers.
Destruction had a reason to appear. He was being attacked and the natural response was to prevent any further damage to his host’s body. Mel’s voice was low and demonic as he called out to Boralium, “Boral! Help me!”
At first there was no answer as another arrow whizzed by then stillness enveloped the clearing before Azamel got a response, “I will help you, Azamel. I’ll help you die.”
Mel shook his head as he remembered how shocked he was to learn he couldn’t rely on his friend, for it was Boralium who fired the arrows. The last vestige of hope died with him then. Furious at the betrayal, he let Destruction free from his interior cage.
Once the demon received permission, he tore through Mel’s body, ripping sinew, muscles and bone to be liberated. As with his mother, Mel didn’t fight against Destruction, so the demon didn’t mutilate his host’s body when he emerged.
With quickened strides, Destruction burst through the trees and was in front of Boralium before Boral was even aware of his approach. Destruction’s massive claw wrapped around the man’s throat and pulled him up off his feet to gaze eye to eye with the much smaller man.
“Why?” Destruction growled. “We were friends. You have done so much for us. Why?”
Boralium’s feet swung as he tried to kick the massive beast. His hands clawed at the arm which held him chokingly aloft. “Because you killed the woman I loved and cherished. The mother to my son.”
“You lie! You’re not even married.”
“I had a mistress in the other village. The village you raided two nights ago. You killed her and several others of her clan.”
“Why did I not know about her?”
“Why should it have mattered? You’re no longer a man. You’re a monster, an abomination who should be eradicated.”
Before Azamel could attempt to halt any further damage from Destruction, the beast savagely thrust his free claw into Boralium’s chest, through his rib cage as he ripped the spinal column from his friend out the front of his body.
“I don’t get eradicated. I eliminate,” Destruction exclaimed.
Despite his torn up body and loss of blood as well as his general weakened state from the poisoned arrows, Mel struggled to get to what was left of his friend before he collapsed.
When Azamel came to, Destruction had returned to his cage and he was healed enough to investigate Boralium’s claims only to discover the truth of them. Zenthius was the son who was now an orphan by Destruction’s hand.
Azamel took the child and raised him, never letting Zenthius know he was the cause of his parent’s deaths.
Entering the small room, Mel appraised Mani still hanging from the twin pillars similar to the ones he had just left but moments ago. Mani’s body was covered with scabs, dried blood and parts of his body had the skin torn completely away. Mel moved over to him and bent down slightly to make their eyes a bit more level.
“Any chance you will reveal the information I seek?”
Mani just shook his head no, keeping his eyes lowered. He knew he was in the wrong but he had to protect the deal he made even if it meant suffering for his knowledge. Mani heard the door open again but didn’t pay much attention to it at first, until he head a soft gasp from a voice he had not expected. He jerked his head up with the thought he must of heard incorrectly only to be floored as she appeared before him, held by the most massive creature he had ever laid eyes on. His gaze fell upon the beautiful woman. Silky white hair, with milky white skin and colorless eyes. A true albino, he couldn’t believe she was here in this hideous place, looking upon him with deep concern and sadness in her eyes. He turned his hated gaze upon Mel and scowled, his voice raspy from his earlier screams of agony, “How could you? Leave her out of this!”
Mel stepped over to the woman, his gaze appreciating her beauty. She was nothing like his Clarissa but then no one was. Then he remembered angrily Clarissa wasn’t his to claim.
“You brought her into this by refusing to give me the information I require.”
Mel grabbed the woman’s face and jerked it towards him. “She is why you’re not talking, I would wager.” He released her and sauntered back to Mani.
“I really don’t wish to hurt her in any way but you may leave me no choice if you don’t answer my question. I’ll give you one more chance to respond. If you choose to continue your silence then, well, you can watch as we employ the same techniques to her as we have been utilizing on you. The choice, ultimately, is yours.”
Mani glowered at Azamel. ‘How the fuck did he figure it out?’ He turned his gaze to his mother, Santanya, and his visage softened. She was so beautiful and she didn’t deserve this. It was because of her he made the deal with Jes to begin with, the arrangement that he was now suffering in silence for. He would endure any amount of pain to make sure she was safe and unharmed. However, what choice did he have now? He either gave up Jes and put his mother’s life in danger later, or he remained silent and put her in danger now. It was a complete fubar situation. “You don’t understand. If I tell you, she won’t be safe.”
Santanya squirmed out of Zenthus’ grasp and ran over to Mani. She bent down and cupped his face in her hand before she released him as she turned back to Mel.
“Please. Let him go. Do whatever you want to me but please don’t hurt him any longer,” her voice was soft and pleading, desperate to have him safeguarded as most mothers would protect their children.
“I figured as much.”
Mel looked back over his shoulder at Mani’s mother. A delicate woman to be sure and he understood the need to protect her. That was, for the most part, what son’s did. Well, except for him. He tried to murder his mother but then she betrayed him and tried to kill him first. He gave himself a mental shake of his head. His mother was the queen of evil, literally and not all maternal figures were that cold and cruel. Obviously, Mani’s mother wasn’t considering what he was willing to suffer for her, do for her. Mel raked his eyes over Santanya once more and wondered what it would have been like to have
a mother that would do anything for him.
Grasping her wrist, Mel yanked her away from Mani and tossed her back to Zenthus with a warning glance to the hunter to keep her still. Zenthus wrapped his beefy arm around her waist, keeping her immobile, her arms pinned at her side. Swiveling back to Mani, Azamel lowered his voice as he kept it neutral and nonchalant, “Tell me who sent you to put the Guardian into another hell realm. Tell me who you’re protecting. I will make sure that neither he nor anyone else will touch your mother. She will be safe. You have my word of honor.”
The entire pantheon and demon realm were aware of how Azamel’s word meant everything. He, in all the millennia of time, had never rescinded his word when he gave it. Mani scrutinized Mel then glanced over to his mother before he hung loosely in supplication.
“On your word that she will be protected from all harm, I’ll submit to your inquisition with the responses you require.”
“I already gave you my word. I am not one to repeat myself uselessly. Last chance. Who are you working for?”
Mani hesitated a few moments longer, weighing all his options, even though he was readily aware he had none. He sighed in resignation and uttered one word, “Jes’Sakkid.”
Azamel gasped, before he quickly recovered and let the stoic mask fall across his features. ‘Why am I surprised? Have I not been betrayed by all of them at one point or other? This is no different!’
Turning on his heel, he called back to Zenthus, “See that Mani is imprisoned for thirty more days with the appropriate lashes given for his treachery. Then attend to Santanya by securing her a safe place within our realm where she will be untouched by those who might otherwise wish her harm.”
Azamel headed back to his office. His brother Jes was behind all of this? Question was, was he working alone or was he also in cahoots with someone else as well? Jes was really not smart or conniving enough to plan something this elaborate for a powerful stone, or was he? Mel needed to prepare then he would go and visit someplace he had not been to in eons, Jes’ home. Somehow, he was pretty positive the meeting wouldn’t bode well for any of them.
Chapter Sixteen
Coyote watched and waited patiently, bid his time. He kept a close eye on Clarissa and the movements she made. He knew Jes was watching her as well. Coyote snorted. How could one not know he was following her, trying to get at the stone? The bungling oaf had done nothing but consistently send minions to die in the attempt to acquire the coveted piece from a Guardian whom Jes knew nothing about, nor tried to ascertain. Coyote, however, had carefully watched and learned. He paid attention to the extent her powers and abilities had grown. He previewed how she moved in hand to hand combat and the techniques she employed. In a way, he was gratified Jes was idiotic enough to test her limits for him so he could bide his time as he learned her weaknesses, of which apparently appeared to be few and far between. The greatest weakness he had seen thus far was her minute distractions, when her face would change for a split second which, unless you really paid attention you wouldn’t even be aware of. He was ever curious about what thoughts she had at said particular moments when a shadow would gloss over her features before it turned back to full concentration and her survival instincts would take over.
He had to admit, even if only to himself, she was a fierce warrior. He was gratified in making sure she stayed alive, escaping the utter annihilation he encouraged of her family. On that day, he witnessed a young woman who wasn’t even aware of the destiny which awaited her. A female pup just beginning to enter the exploration of her manifesting powers within the sheltered safety of her family home which was suddenly and violently disrupted.
In all honesty, Coyote regretted not going to her then. He should have seized the initiative to take her under his wing until the stone appeared for him to obtain but he had thought it best to let her discover where it was first before he approached her. He played that entirely incorrectly and lamented on his decision to wait and plan. Had he pursued her at the onset, he wouldn’t be playing these games with Jes and the others to try and serendipitously secure the Gem of Avarice for himself.
Coyote was well aware Jes had sent Mani in to get rid of the Guardian by transplanting her into a realm she was ill equipped to handle. He couldn’t believe what a fool Jes was if he believed for one moment that Jes would be able to retrieve the stone while it resided in the Hell Realm of his brother, Azamel. Without access to the various rooms within that facility, the stone would have been permanently unattainable by all but a minute few. One of which he had been carefully working with. Had Jes and Mani succeeded in eliminating the custodian, plans would have been underway for Shara to remove the stone and bring it to him. However, Jes didn’t have the foresight that Coyote had, or the deviousness. Jes was as covert as an avalanche and as innovative as a saltine cracker.
Coyote realized it was time to interfere once again and plan a visit to Jes to encourage him down the path which would be most beneficial for the trickster God.
Clarissa roamed the crowded streets of Chicago’s State Street. She was still amazed at the hustle and bustle of large, cosmopolitan urban centers such as this when she had spent her entire life on several acres of farm land, isolated from the mainstream population or big cities.
As she looked into the window of a large department store at the display of black leather vests and pants, she caught her own reflection. Mesmerized, she was astounded at how much older and leaner she appeared now from just a few months ago. However, since leaving Azamel’s realm, she had literally been fighting for the protection of the gem every day. She was grateful for her own fast healing benefits, a tribute to the curative powers of her wolf.
Today’s battle had not come yet but then she realized that they usually didn’t happen until she was hidden safely away from the majority of a human audience. At least they had the sense to keep their own preternatural powers obscured from mortals who walked in blind ignorance of the extraordinary creatures that mingled within their own societies.
As she looked past her own reflection, she noticed a man in the background watching her and trying to not be perceived but instead blend in with the myriad crowds around him. Sighing, she pretended not to notice him as she turned away from the windows and strode down the busy sidewalk. She knew he wouldn’t attack in such a crowded area, nor was he likely alone. He was waiting until the perfect moment in which to strike and she would be ready.
Chapter Seventeen
Coyote paced the grand foyer of Jes’ home, waiting for the God of Malignant Man to grant an audience with him. Jes wouldn’t even be aware of the stone, or if he felt the vibrations the gem produced, wouldn’t be able to hone in on it without Coyote’s help and guidance, so the fact Jes was purposefully making him dawdle around waiting for him just pissed the Trickster God to no end.
After an interminable amount of time and the utter loss of his patience, an old man dressed in traditional fringed buckskin hide beige leggings entered the foyer. The haggard man had leathery skin, weathered and worn from the harshness of his crimes encouraging the ill treatment of other humans as he walked the earth centuries ago. At a glance, Coyote knew the life history of the man.
Raised in a time when the first Europeans began arriving at the shores of what they called the New World, the Native American male who now stood before Coyote planned the murders of those who ventured off the ships. The man knew the oddly dressed creatures coming off such a huge conveyance from the indigo seas would bring only chaos to his and his people’s way of life. He led raids- terror skirmishes in hopes of making them depart from whence they came. Encouraged by Jes in his dreams, the male was ruthless in his waged war against the creatures who explored the unknown land. When his own life was snatched during a vicious battle, he was brought to Jes. He was the perfect warrior for the deaths of others, the malignancy of man and therefore an appropriate servant for the God who instigated the man’s path of atrocities.
The male ushered Coyote into Jes’ office, where Jes
watched him while leaning back within his massive brown leather chair, his hands steepled in front of him. Jes’ dark brown eyes were narrowed in consternation as he gazed at Coyote’s entrance.
Jes was fully aware Coyote wanted the stone for himself. Hell, who in the world wouldn’t be desirous of such a coveted artifact.
The power the gem would bequeath to those who wielded it was immense and would definitely be the advantage one desiderated for. However, why Coyote was here inspired his curiosity enough to meet him. To get him frustrated by waiting was just an added bonus. Jes assumed having Coyote idle unwillingly wouldn’t only make him reckless but would also get him to speak his mind and quickly depart.
Jes, however, wasn’t about to reveal his intentions. Smiling as Coyote entered, he arose to greet him. “Welcome. Welcome. Nice of you to drop by, Coyote. Sorry you had to wait but busy, busy. You know how that is. So what do I owe this pleasure?”
Coyote immediately knew Jes was playing him. Shit. He was the Trickster God. Did Jes really think he would be able to pull one over on him? If he did, Jes was a bigger fool than Coyote gave him credit for. However, Coyote was willing to play his game and have him believe he was in full control.
“I have been noticing all the creatures that have been attacking the Guardian of the gem. Seems someone is trying extremely hard to obtain it in a very tedious manner. However, it’s nice they have been giving her practice to build her powers and her fighting skills and allow us to see where her weaknesses are for us to utilize against her.”
Jes was a bit surprised at this tidbit of information. He had not realized his pushes against the female wolf had been so noticeable. He had been so focused on trying to eliminate the custodian by sending veiled dreams to those he thought could do the job, only to watch their subsequent failures, he had paid little to no attention of what her own weaknesses were which could be employed against her.