by Joe Vadalma
Mandy signaled to Legion to come over and take a look. After he saw what Nicholas was doing, she edged the door closed without making a sound.
"What do you make of that, Vic?"
"He's obviously in a trance. I believe that he sent his aura somewhere else."
"Aura? What's that?"
"His soul or essence or ego, whatever term you prefer."
"People can do that?"
"I've heard that almost anyone can do it. I've never tried it myself. But, of course, I am not human, so do not have a soul."
"Oh yeah. That's right. You're the Frankenstein monster. Okay monster, how about a roll in the hay."
Legion's eyes twinkled. “I guess we're safe to do that for a while. Apparently Nicholas has gone on a psychic trip."
CHAPTER 16. LABYRINTH
Rhami Deju knew that he and Longfeathers were in deep trouble. Once their spirit guide abandoned them, they were lost in the cold, damp, gloomy labyrinthine catacombs. What was worse, he began to hear strange noises, like faraway whispering or screams, sometimes it was footsteps as though someone or something was tracking them. The worst was the slithering of some terrible beast.
Deju kept calling for Sheila. If she heard him, she did not answer. Finally, he said, “What should we do, Robert?” His voice quivered. He felt that he was about to burst into tears.
"There's not much we can do except to try to find our own way. I brought along a stick of charcoal. As we pass through an arch, I'll draw an arrow showing the way we went. At least we won't wander in circles."
"What about the dangers? What if we should encounter a demon or that beast we've heard slithering along?"
"I've brought weapons.” He showed Deju a spirit bag which held herbs, stones and other items to ward off evil spirits. Strapped to his ankle was a hunting knife. “We should each take one of the torches off the wall. If we encounter the beast, fire may frighten it. Also, we must check each chamber for traps like the one you almost fell into."
Deju stiffened up his slumping shoulders. “Thank you for your foresight, my friend. And for you're calmness. If you weren't along, I would've gone into a complete panic.” He placed a hand on Longfeathers’ arm to show his gratitude.
They each took a torch from the stanchions and plodded on through the labyrinth. Longfeathers marked each doorway with a black arrow that showed which way they had traveled. After they had traversed through several chambers, Deju put a finger to his lips to signal silence. They heard Sheila's voice. It seemed to come from the chamber on their left.
"Sheila,” Deju cried. “Why did you leave us?” He ran into the room where he had heard the voice. It was empty. However, it had exits in each wall. He looked around bewildered. Suddenly, he saw Sheila's naked form cross in front of one exit and disappear. He went after her, calling, “Sheila, Sheila.” The next chamber was similar to the one he had just left, having exits on all four wall. Again, he looked around bewildered. Which one had she gone through?
All at once, he realized that Longfeathers was no longer with him. He knew his friend was a plodder and never hurried. He turned around to face the archway he had just came through and called out, “Robert. I'm here."
There was reply. He went back into the room where he had left Longfeathers. The Native American was no longer there. He shouted again as loudly as he could. “Robert. Robert. Where are you?"
Again there was no reply. Deju felt faint. Somehow he had become separated from Longfeathers in the awful demon-infested labyrinth. He sat down in a corner of the room and began to weep. He lost all hope.
After a while, however, he heard what sounded like horses’ hooves in an adjoining chamber. He got up to see. Standing in the middle of the room was a unicorn. Unicorns are supposed to be lucky, he thought. Maybe it will lead me out the labyrinth.
He touched the unicorn gently just below its horn. It nuzzled him. “Can you show me the way out of here?"
The unicorn nickered, and a voice inside of Deju's head said, Of course, I can. Get on my back.
Deju climbed on the unicorn's broad back and held the creature's mane to steady himself. “What's your name, unicorn?"
Amducias, you fool. I once possessed your companion, Robert. I made him play the Devil's Dance on his violin. Now it's your turn.
A trumpet sounded from somewhere. The unicorn vanished, dumping Deju unceremoniously on his rump. Something evil forced itself inside his head, and he began to sing loudly a devilish song with blasphemous words.
* * * *
Longfeathers saw Deju rush through the archway on his left toward the sound of Sheila's voice. He shook his head at the impetuousness of his companion. It would not do to rush around in this abode of demons. He followed at a more leisurely pace, making sure to mark an arrow on the edge of the exit. The next room had an opening on each wall. Otherwise it was empty.
"Rhami,” he called out. There was no reply. He took his torch and peered into each of the three adjoining rooms. Deju was not in any of them, neither was Sheila. He examined the dust on the floor. It was not disturbed except for his own footprints. Surely, Deju could not have come this way. He would have had to float above the floor. Yet, he had seen him enter the room.
There's black magic here, he thought. He examined the other doorways. Not one had a charcoal arrow on it, not even the one he had just marked. He scratched his head. What do I do now? he wondered.
He sat cross legged in the middle of the chamber to meditate. He planned to send his aura to investigate the labyrinth. This was a dangerous thing to do. While he was away from his physical body, a demon could easily take it over. But he did not have a choice. Wandering around a magical labyrinth would be worse than useless.
Before he went into a trance, a hawk flew through one of the doorways and landed on his shoulder. He turned his head to gaze directly into one of the hawk's eyes. “Where did you come from?"
The hawk squawked, and a voice in Longfeathers’ head said, From my master.
Longfeathers was not surprised that the hawk communicated with him in that manner. He assumed that the creature was some demon's familiar.
"Who is your master?"
Agares.
Longfeathers felt that he had heard that name before, but could not recall from where.
"What does he want with me?"
He did not say. He wants you to follow me.
Now this presented Longfeathers with a dilemma. He was not sure whether he really wanted to meet this Agares. On the other hand, perhaps Agares could show him a way out of the labyrinth. He decided to take a chance. “Okay, hawk. Show the way."
The hawk flew up and through one of the archways. Longfeathers followed. Once he was in the chamber, the hawk flew through another opening. This went on through several rooms. Finally, they came to a chamber where an old man waited. The hawk flew to his shoulder and rested there. Slithering around the old man's feet was a crocodile.
"Greetings Robert,” the old man said. “We meet again."
"We've met before? I can't say that I recall having the pleasure."
"Oh, the pleasure was all mine. Don't you remember? I taught your friend Rhami Deju how to dance."
Longfeathers took a step back. A chill ran down his back. There were not many things that frightened him, but this was one that did. Agares was one of the demons who had possessed Deju, Flebert and himself. He did not want to be possessed again. It was too much like being a slave. There were times when the demon had taken over his body and made it do things he did not want to do.
"No,” he cried and turned to run out of the room. But he found that he could not move. He was frozen in place.
Agares advanced on him. “Now I am going to teach you how to dance too. Won't that be nice?"
The old man and his pets vanished. Longfeathers felt something evil enter him. He began to do a native American dance.
* * * *
As much as Flebert tried to get Lucinda to tell him who had sent her to murder him, she refuse
d to tell him. Finally he gave up. “Well Lucinda, I guess I'll have to either leave you for the vampire or take you with me to a place I don't think you'll like very much."
"Where are you going, Mister Flebert?” asked the robot.
"To the dimension where Michael Ellul is being held prisoner."
"Do you think that's prudent? Remember what happened last time."
"I'll take precautions. Do you want to go with me?"
"Yes. But, we must take this woman with us. Otherwise the vampires will kill her."
Lucinda stopped trying to struggle out of her bonds. “What's this about vampires you keep yapping about?"
"There are at least two vampires that abide in this house,” said Isaac.
"You're kidding. You're just like trying to scare me. Well, it like won't work."
"Ignore her,” Flebert said. “Michael had some items he used to defend himself from demons. Where does he keep such stuff?"
"In the basement laboratory."
"Okay. But first I want to get something to eat. Do you think that there's anything fit in the kitchen?"
"Oh yes. When Mr. Legion and Miss Blake were living here, they stocked the kitchen with groceries."
"Mr. Legion and Miss Blake? Who the hell are they?"
"Mr. Legion used to work for the contractor who was fixing the place up a few years ago. Two years ago he came back to live here. Ms Blake was only here a couple of months. A few days before you arrived, she and Legion left with a man called Nicholas Bongiglio."
"Nicholas Bongiglio, the presidential candidate?"
"Yes. It was him. I have seen his picture on TV."
"It sounds like a complicated story. You can tell me all about it while Lucinda and I are eating.” He went to a cabinet where he knew Michael kept a pistol. He got out the Colt 45 and loaded it. He pointed it at Lucinda. “I'm going to tell Isaac here to untie you. If you're good and don't cause any trouble, we can have a nice dinner together. Otherwise, I might have to put a nice little hole in the middle of your head."
"I'll bet the robot won't let you do that. I've read about robots, and they won't allow a human being come to harm if they can help it."
"But I can shoot you before Isaac can stop me. Promise to be good?"
"Okay. I guess my mission is a failure."
"I hope so. Isaac, untie her and don't let her go anywhere near any knives or anything else that she could use to do me harm."
After Lucinda was untied, she meekly went with Flebert and Isaac into the kitchen. Flebert asked Isaac to cook a meal while he kept an eye on Lucinda. In a few minutes, the robot had microwaved a couple of TV dinners. While Lucinda and Flebert ate, Isaac told them all that happened from the time Legion came to live at the mansion.
Flebert said, “This Ms. Blake. She sounds like some kind of hobo or something."
"You may be right. When she arrived, she seemed like a homeless person. In fact, I recall her saying that she came to Moonwood because it was abandoned."
"And this Legion guy, if he's a big and ugly as you say, he sounds like the Frankenstein monster. I wonder what Bongiglio wanted with them."
"I watch TV quite a lot, especially the news shows. Bongiglio married Ms. Blake."
"Weird. I wonder why a big politician would marry a homeless tramp. Also, it's quite a coincidence that his last name is the same as the contractor who was fixing up this place and who this Legion guy worked for. It's quite strange."
"Yes, it is. We need Sherlock Holmes or Sam Spade to solve the mystery."
Lucinda and Flebert laughed. Lucinda said, “You like to read detective novels, tin man?"
"Yes, I do. I don't have much else to do since I cannot be seen in public."
"Why is that?"
"Agents from the NSA are after me."
"Why? Are you like a spy or something?"
"No. They want to examine my central computer. They want to make others like me, but without a conscience to use for war."
"There must be a substantial reward for the person who reports your whereabouts.” She had a smirk on her face.
Flebert said, “Don't get any ideas, Lucinda."
"Just wondering. Y'know you're going to have to either let me go or kill me."
"Or leave you in a place where you can't harm us.” He got up from the table and waved the gun at her. “C'mon. We're going there now."
"What have you got? Like a cage to lock me away."
"You'll see."
He brought her to the library. Isaac followed behind. Flebert went to the bookshelf and opened the secret panel.
"Wow. Secret panels,” Lucinda said. “What a spooky old house."
"You haven't seen anything yet. Go down that spiral staircase."
After Lucinda started down, Flebert followed. Isaac climbed down last. When they reached the bottom, Flebert herded Lucinda into the laboratory. He said to Isaac, “Watch her while I look around for stuff we can use while we're in the other dimension."
Lucinda remarked, “First it was vampires, and now you're like going to other dimensions. Maybe that's why someone wants to kill you. They don't think a nut like you should be running around loose."
As Flebert searched through various drawers and cabinets, he said, “Perhaps. I was in the loony bin twice."
"Oh yeah. What for? Are you schitzo?"
"No. I was possessed by demons."
Lucinda gave him a look. “So that's it. You are psycho. Possessed by demons is it? I suppose they told you that there were vampires here and that you could like travel to other dimensions."
Flebert did not reply. After he gathered everything he wanted, he said, “Okay Lucinda, I'll let you take the flashlight and go first. Isaac and I will be right behind you. My gun is still trained on you. So don't try anything funny."
They went through the doorway that led to the underground tunnels. They plodded on for a long way. After a while the tunnel opened up into a vast cavern with grottos, enormous stalactites and stalagmites and side tunnels. The sound of rushing water signaled an underground river.
Ahead was the glow from lights. They proceeded toward its source and came to an artificial archway of stone blocks. At the top of the arch was a stone python ready to strike, its open jaw showed ice pick teeth and a forked tongue. The edges of the entrance were carved with a relief of strange beasts, skulls, monsters and hieroglyphics. Past this, at the end of a short tunnel was a room had been carved out of the surrounding solid rock. Along its walls were stanchions with glowing ovals in them. No wires or cables were attached to them.
The small square room with its high ceiling was choked with cobwebs. Two inches of dust lay on the floor, and its walls were covered with hieroglyphics and faded frescos that depicted people being tortured by demons. By the far wall, an oblong block of stone was covered with strange beasts, serpents and monsters. It appeared to be either a sarcophagus or a sacrificial altar stained with irregular dark spots. In one corner was a jumble of human skulls and bones.
"What the hell is this place?” asked Lucinda.
A figure came out the dark shadows of the corner. It was the vampire, Sylvan Macrome. “It's a gateway to that place you named."
"What? Who are you?"
Macrome bowed. “My name is Sylvan Macrome."
Flebert said, “He's the vampire we spoke of. Say Sylvan, how would you like to take a few ounces of blood from this woman?"
Isaac said, “I cannot allow that. It would harm her."
"Not really, Isaac. But it would make her less dangerous. She would be Sylvan's slave and would not be able to rat on you to the NSA or try to kill me."
Sylvan grinned, showing his long incisors. “I'm afraid I cannot do that. This person is not a human being and has no blood."
"What?” cried Flebert.
"No. Actually, she's a demon."
CHAPTER 17. THE ELECTION
Nicholas bowed before the archdemon Asmodeus. “All is prepared for my election to the presidency of the nation known as Un
ited States of America."
The ram head of the monster said, “You wish to use my minions to ensure that occurs?"
"Yes, father. They may be needed. I looked into the future, and it is cloudy."
"I understand. Even with my great powers of prophesy, your future is in doubt. I do not know why this should be. Some factor is concealed from my second sight, some bit of chaos that I do not understand. Hence, I grant you all my minions to aid in your triumph."
Asmodeus waved its scepter into the air and cried, “I place all my vast army of darkness under the command of Nicholas, son of my loins. Make it so."
Thousands and thousands of tiny demons came out of the scepter and flew through the air in a great cloud like a swarm of mosquitoes. They crowded through a large circle of stone to one side of the throne room and vanished.
When all of the demons had passed through the dimensional gate, Asmodeus’ bull head said, “There is danger from several quarters ahead of you, Nicholas. I sense it, although I am not sure from where they originate."
"Tell me about them, sire, so that I may prepare."
"First, why did you go to the place called Moonwood and bring those two persons into your coven?"
"Morgaine, the witch, told me to go there to meet my future wife, Mandy Blake, who is now my bride. This fellow, Victor Legion, seemed like someone I could use to further my aims."
"Yes. I know of Legion, the soulless one. Listen to him. He will help you conquer the world. But this woman, she could be trouble."
"But Morgaine, your slave, sent me to fetch her."
The bullhead snorted. “Aye. She is a slave under my and Lilith's command. But she is headstrong and has a tendency to follow my orders in her own obscure way. When I told her to find you a wife, I pictured someone from the American middle class and conformist, not a wandering trollop. Nonetheless, it is too late now. Keep an eye on your new spouse. She, like Morgaine, follows her own agenda, which could lead to trouble."
"I'll watch her carefully. Is she my only danger?"
"No. Morgaine has a slave that she has stolen from the material world. His name is Michael of Eilenberg, known in the modern world as Michael Ellul. He is a sorcerer, but Morgaine has taken away his power. Nonetheless, he has friends who will try to free him. They must not be allowed to succeed."