Arise

by Michael Dean

  For several minutes, the tour continued to call out to the night, and for several more minutes the entity continued answering their every question. I watched as the portal began to pulse and get a little larger. The connection was growing stronger. I feared that I would have to come out of the shadows and do something to halt this séance before this demon could attach itself to someone and follow them home.

  As I contemplated on what I could do, something else began to happen. Behind the bar, surrounded by shelves filled with hundreds of period looking bottles of liquor, sat a humongous mirror on the wall that ran almost the entire length of the bar. Again, only my demon eyes could detect this static charge that began to flash inside the mirror, like small pulses of electricity.

  Deaf to the human ears in the room was the sound of white noise, or static, every single time this charge lit up the mirror. The tour group was actually getting a touch loud at this point, elated about their ongoing conversation taking place on the board. I was getting very worried. Something much larger, much stronger, was trying to enter the physical plain through that mirror. The humans continued laughing and relishing in the connection to the other side. Just as they were peaking in excitement and conversation, I saw that large mirror crackle and flash one more time before giving way to a gigantic, swirling Hell portal inside it. Of course the group was completely oblivious to the developing situation.

  The cheery and confident group watched in terror as the empty chairs that surrounded the handful of tables scattered throughout saloon began to suddenly shoot up off the floor and overturn, returning to the floor with a crash, one at a time. Bottles began to explode, one by one, behind the bar. Glass shot everywhere in symphony with the wooden chairs overturning themselves. The horrified tour group scattered in confusion before scampering outside, leaving the Ouija behind.

  Then, to my long awaiting eyes, the horrid, but ravishing Agrelia reached her pale arms out of the mirror like she was climbing out of the manhole entrance of a sewer and pulled herself out. She shot on top of the bar and very elegantly brushed her white gloves that stretched all the way up to her elbows across both sides of her dress like it had a hint of lint on it somewhere. With her nose in the air and her eyes nearly shut, she arrogantly hovered over to the table where the séance had been taking place and gracefully landed on the floor in front of it. She placed one hand over the top of the Ouija and I watched as the planchette moved on its own. At the same time, the small portal that was under the table caught on fire and burnt up like a piece of paper in a campfire.

  “Oh, you naughty little creature, back to the ember for you,” she concluded; sealing the pathway on whatever it was that was trying to get out.

  The sound of a creaking door echoed across the room. Agrelia looked to see the front door to the saloon opening back up. A flashlight pierced the dark as the tour guide poked his head nervously around the door. Agrelia, invisible to him, waved her hands in front of her and one of the now chair-less tables turned on its side and hurled itself straight at the door the guide was peeking through. The table crashed into the door, slamming it shut, knocking the poor guy on his butt outside. I guess he was coming back in to get his board and see what happened, but thought better of it after almost getting decapitated by the self-guided missile of a table. I could see out the windows that the group thought it best to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Just to make sure they left, she thrust her hands forward once again and an ice cold blast of strong wind hurled out in every direction, blowing out every window in the saloon. She looked suspiciously around the room, as if she knew she wasn’t alone. With a clearing of her throat, she primped herself and patted her hair before floating out one of the shattered windows.

  She was here now, and it was time to get reacquainted with her.

  Chapter 6

  CHASE

  I materialized and cautiously walked to the table with the glass covered Ouija on it. In Agrelia’s humorous but sadistic way, she moved the planchette over the word “goodbye” on the board before closing the portal on the entity. My feet crunched upon more broken glass lying all over the hardwood floors as I made my way over to one of the blown out windows. I kept my head low and looked down each side of the main street of the town to see where the siren had gone. I didn’t see her yet, but I could sense she was very close. I saw the cars of the people in the tour group departing in a hurry. Not even the guides decided to stick around to see what else may occur. I thought it was quite ironic. They spent night after night looking for something to happen, and when it did, they fled. The words of poet H.P. Lovecraft echoed throughout my mind, “Do not meddle with things you don’t understand.” Indeed.

  I needed to get outside and see where the queen went, but the last thing I wanted was to let her get the drop on me first. I took one more look out the window, then very slowly walked up to the front door, pulling the table away that was blocking it fas quietly as I possibly could. The modern door was hanging by one top hinge. The impact from the table had busted the other hinges. As I pulled it open as silently as I could, it scraped across the hardwood floor. It was dead quiet outside and the noise of that door dragging seemed to carry out into the night like a car being crushed in a junkyard. At least to me it sounded like that. I knew this more than likely would draw Agrelia’s attention to me in a heartbeat.

  “To Hell with it,” I murmured as I yanked the door completely off the hinge, tossing it behind me. I gave up on trying to remain stealthy. She had to know I was here. She’s an overlord for Hell. It’s her job to detect evil. Especially demonic entities like me. I felt she was toying with me.

  Mustering up my courage, I strutted into the middle of the street, trying to put on the bravest act possible, but inside I was as terrified as a boy getting caught kissing his girlfriend by her father. This was likely the last time I would get to walk the earth, or even exist ever again; too little…too late now. I felt the very real outcome of declaring Diccitidel on the council. It was a death sentence. There was nothing for it now, I was in waist deep.

  Even the other souls that permanently roamed the streets of Tombstone were completely out of sight. I couldn’t blame them. Agrelia was on the scene. While standing in the center of the main street, I looked to my left down the road, to my right; I saw nothing and no one. It was entirely too still. I understood the old saying of hearing a pin drop meant because it was so quiet I could have. With the hardest gulp I’ve ever had to swallow, I called her out.

  “I’m here, Agrelia.”

  No answer. I looked both ways again, and saw nothing. Just as I opened my mouth to speak again, I looked each way once more, and on the second take, to my right, about twenty yards away, stood the most feared hostess in history, nonchalantly holding an open Victorian era umbrella over her head, in the dark, with no rain. I think it was her way of showing me just how small of a problem I was.

  “Look what the rat pulled out of the sewer, the lovestruck demon. Christian had such high hopes for you. What an insubordinate worm you’ve become.”

  I listened intently at the fast speaking Goyle. Her words pile upon one another like cars in a traffic jam. I remained silent as I watched her pull the Demon Blade out of the base of the umbrella and slide it between her cleavage. She was playing mind games by showing me the weapon she aimed to kill me with.

  “I have to admit, Leo, I have been looking forward to this fight. It seems you’ve become somewhat of a celebrity in the underworld…a hated one, but famous nonetheless.” She primped her hair again.

  “I’m glad I could be the source of your entertainment.”

  “The only problem is that I am not entertained, I am bothered. You’re a fly about to get swatted; a minor aggravation that unfortunately has cut into my precious time. So, let us get on with it.”

  “As you wish, my queen.” I bowed to her while thrusting out my wings.

  I was scared, but I made up my mind that I was going to go on the attack first by rushing her. I had no idea w
hat I was going to do when I got to her, but I raised my head anyway and charged the arrogant Hell Siren. She didn’t even flinch. Once I got within a few feet of her, her voluptuous face turned into its true form. Her yellow eyes burned as her once placid but perfect mouth opened so wide I could have fit my entire head in it with room to spare. Her chin stretched down below her breasts as her ears turned into small horns. Just as I was about to make contact with her, the veins behind her pale skin pulsated from her neck to her forehead, stretching her skin; a prelude to the most horrid sound I have ever heard.

  Agrelia’s feared siren scream emerged from deep within her and hit the airwaves in a blitz. I could actually see tremors in the air around us as she fired her bellow at me. Instantly, I was brought to my knees. Her piercing scream was so paralyzing the only thing I could do was hunch over on the ground. I held my ears tightly, unable to move, weakened by her tumultuous cry. But no matter how tight I held my hands on them, I couldn’t escape the volume. I wrapped my wings around my face, creating a barrier between myself and her. This still didn’t mute the sound of her scream. I kept waiting for her to take a breath, a pause of some kind, but nothing. Her song was deadly and steady with no fluctuations.

  All of a sudden, while in this defensive cocoon, the splitting headache that I had felt in the past just before seeing the blurry images of that woman in the colonial dress with the young girl, returned, only to be followed up by that very same vision again. This time, I could see them a little better, although the vision still pretty foggy. Before I couldn’t make out any words they said, but this time I could hear the cries of both females more distinct.

  “Please, do what you will, but leave…”

  The words faded like someone slowly stuck their fingers in my ears, and as fast as the vision came, it was over. The migraine stopped and I was left confused. Why did I keep seeing this?

  I didn’t have time to sort it out now, I had to think of something fast. Agrelia would be on me in a minute and this fight would be over before it started. I thought back to when I was fighting Darryl, how I created a shell around myself with my wings, kind of like what I was doing right now. Maybe I could get the same results I did when I fought him. I felt her grab a hold of the back of my neck through a crevice in my wing shield. She forced me to the ground at her feet. In her continuous cry she communicated to me what she was doing.

  “Bow before your queen, Drift Demon, kiss my feet like the peasant you are and maybe I will show you some mercy before I run you through.” Her voice vibrated along the waves of her screams.

  Courage welled up within me. I began to remember what I really was; something to be feared. Suddenly, I got really pissed off. My fear went out the window. Strength entered my body and without hesitation I rose up and thrust open my wings. Once they came undone, it was like I pitched her scream back at her in a blast. Her deathly call came to a screeching halt as she soared backwards through the air before slamming into the street with great force, digging up a small trench of asphalt as she slid back a few more feet after impact. The look on her face when she stopped told me she’d never experienced that before. No one had ever broken the Hell Siren scream, and I just did it. Agrelia knew she was in for something a little more than just bouncing demons back into Hell, and now I knew it, too.

  Although bewildered at what just occurred, she raised back up to her feet, dropping her umbrella. I guess she was taking me a little more seriously now.

  “I can see that you are going to be more of a nuisance than I originally thought. So be it.” She dusted herself off.

  I said nothing and charged her again. But this time she was a step slow in getting out her dreaded yell, or I was a step quicker in getting to her. As soon as she dropped her jaw, I was on her, grabbing the lower part of her mouth in my fist, over her pointed teeth.

  “Forgive me, my lady, but suck on this.” I clenched my free hand into a ball and rearing back, clubbed her straight in the face.

  I let go of her mouth as soon as I hit her and she flew through the wall of one of the shops, crashing deep into the store. I followed quickly behind her, tromping through the broken wood and tattered items scattered everywhere inside. Agrelia jumped up from where she fell and shot me one mighty ‘go to Hell’ look.

  “I know, I know, I’m not supposed to hit a lady…but you’re no lady.”

  “And you’re no gentlemen…chivalry is obviously a thing of the past, especially in your case.” She again primped herself as if she’d just walked out of the bathroom, like her stuff didn’t stink.

  I shook my head with a confident smirk. “You know, Agrelia, your act is about as fresh as a Foghat concert.”

  She grinned sadistically. “And you are about to be as dead as one.”

  “Well played.” I raised an eyebrow.

  In a flash, Agrelia flew over the top of me and grabbed both my wings, this time crashing me through the building and back outside. She carried me in the air like a hawk holding a rat over a few buildings before throwing me into a corral. I crashed into an old, rickety cabana and through an adobe wall before landing in some hay that was stacked around as a prop. While trying to gather my wits, I looked up to see Agrelia soaring down after me. She plowed into my gut with both feet, and it hurt. I couldn’t even gather my breath before she mounted me, sliding one of her now filthy and torn gloves across my cheek.

  “I can see why the human girl loves you, such a pity to destroy something so…beautiful. I just wish I could be there to see her heart crushed when the realization arrives that you’re never going to return.”

  I didn’t even have a second to retaliate before she began pounding me with a flurry of blows. Adding insult to injury, she screamed at me again. Her arms pummeled my upper torso from my ribs to my face so fast that her arms were a blur. She must have landed a hundred blows in mere seconds. That punishment combined with her scream was unbearable. I thought I was finished, and apparently so did Agrelia.

  Pausing from the beat down she was laying on me but maintaining her yell, she took a second to reach into her brassiere to pull out the Demon Blade. Sensing she had me ripe for the picking, she stopped her cry to leave me with some parting words before she stabbed me with the only blade that could kill a demon.

  “Bravo, young Leo, bravo. You’ve put on a good show for the council, some exquisite entertainment we haven’t seen in years. But the final act in this sideshow has come. Thanks for being mildly amusing, but I’m pulling down the curtains.”

  She reared back with both hands over her head, placing the blade between them, ready to pierce me, but her final verbal shot gave me just enough time to gather my senses for some defense. She came down with her strike and I caught both of her wrists with one hand, stopping the blade just inches from my chest. She grunted and pushed down harder, trying to get her kill.

  “You talk too much, Agrelia. Next time, go for the kill, not the glory.”

  With those words I pushed up with my wings and used that leverage to throw her over the top of my head and behind me. I didn’t see how or where she landed, but I heard the distinct sound of the Demon Blade hitting the ground in a series of clanks. I flew to my feet to see where she went. Stealing the weapon would be a pretty good safety measure for my own self preservation, so I looked to see where she dropped it. I saw it lying a few feet away from me, next to some of the debris from our fight. Taking no time to locate the fallen Hell Siren, a tactical error on my part, I could only think to get in possession of the mighty weapon. I figured it was safer in my hands than in hers. I lunged at it, picking it up, actually holding it…only for a second. My failure to find Agrelia before going after the long dagger led to a hard punch to my chin that lifted me into the air, causing me to drop the blade, smashing my back through another wall that bordered the corral.

  I wiped rock and mortar off my face in time to see the siren flying over the top of me with the demon blade back in her grip. Instead of trying to come at me once more, she soared away from me, lik
e she was running. I knew exactly what was about to happen, she was going to open portals to jump. I had to stay on her tail. If I didn’t get in the portal she opened, I would lose her and she would then be free to jump back to Hell to regroup. Something I didn’t want her to do was to revaluate how to kill me. Her arrogance was her weakness at this point. Agrelia underestimating me was my best weapon against her and now was my time to strike.

  I fluttered my wings into flight, doing my best to keep up with the fleeing queen of Goyles.

  Momentarily, I lost track of her. I knew what direction she hovered away in, but I didn’t see her as I flew in haste. I frantically searched until I saw her darting into one of the old silver mine entrances on the outskirts of Tombstone. These mines were the lifeblood and the lure of the old boom town in the nineteenth century. Just beyond the pitch black entrance of the mine that Agrelia was shooting into was a swirling, fiery red and yellow Hell portal that she’d just opened. I rocketed towards her and watched as she slid into the wormhole. It flashed and crackled behind her as she disappeared into it.

  I flew down to the funnel as fast as I could, but decided to land just before entering it. I feared that since I didn’t know where she opened the portal to, it wasn’t wise to go helter-skelter into it at a million miles an hour, only to crash into the side of a mountain or get stabbed by the Demon Dagger when I came out the other side.

  Playing it safe, I looked it over carefully before sticking my hand into it. I felt a static charge of some kind tingle throughout my hand. I’d never been this close to a portal before so I was a little reluctant about what to expect. Whatever it takes, I thought, and backed up a few steps and lightly jogged inside of it.

  A brief, bright white flash overtook my entire line of vision before giving way to the sight of dirt and rock covered canyons. I placed one step on solid ground after exiting the funnel, but before I could pause to assess my surroundings and try to locate the Hell Siren, my second step was met with nothing but the cool night air.