Alfonzo walks into the kitchen and snoops around for something to eat. She finds an apple, picks it up, and inspects it.
“What are you looking for? Worms?”
“Why, yes, how did you ever know?”
Alfonzo smiles back at David. She holds the apple in one hand and uses her demon armor to cut the apple in half. Holding an apple half in each hand, Alfonzo creates a flame to cook each of the halves. She sears the cut open side until it is slightly burnt. Blowing out the flames around the apple halves, she lets them sizzle in her hands.
“I find that when one cooks an apple, the apple becomes sweeter to the taste.”
Alfonzo offers an apple half to David as she bites into one half, “Mmmmm, exceptionally breath-taking.”
David accepts Alfonzo's offer and tastes the sweet charbroiled apple. The juices run out of the corners of David's mouth, onto his neck, and stop at his shirt.
“Dear God, this is good.”
“No, dear Alfonzo,” Alfonzo smiles at David.
David finishes his apple and gets something to drink before getting ready.
David thinks to himself, ‘Where’s Zaria?’
Alfonzo sits silently in the living room sipping on some water as David walks into the living room. He stands fully dressed in front of her.
“Before you ask, she left before the sun came up,” Alfonzo completely ignores the fact Zaria is nowhere in sight. David is in shock that Zaria is gone.
“Where did she go? What is she doing? We were going to take the day off and let someone else take care of the fruit stand today.”
Alfonzo stands up, walks over to the window, pushes it open, and then turns to face David. She transforms into a phoenix and hovers in the air by using the heat off of her flaming wings to keep herself afloat.
Speaking to David in his head, ‘Are you ready to go home?’
David nods. He transforms into a dark blue phoenix then flies out the window.
“Catch me if you can!”
Alfonzo laughs at David and bursts outside to catch up with him.
‘You’re going the wrong way silly.’
She darts to the right making David feel foolish.
A couple of minutes later, David catches up to Alfonzo and acts as if nothing were wrong. Alfonzo laughs.
“Today we are going to take the back way. Only a handful of people know about this back way into Eden-Hell. My father jokes around about this way because it is cold and frozen over. I take it when I’m in a hurry.”
“I never knew that there was a back way into Eden or Hell.”
“Well, there is. When we get close to the entrance, you must fly as I fly or you will never find your way out. The path changes as you fly and if you do not use the right path then you will be trapped within the labyrinth,” Alfonzo glides smoothly through the air and enjoys the wind tickling her feathers.
They fly over jungles, cities, rivers, deserts, and snowy land for a half of a day. Everything was a color of white as far as the eye can see. The only difference was the elevation of the land covered in white. The hills with houses quickly changed into mountains with no houses in sight. The temperature dropped to below freezing. Bitter winds whipped the snow around the cliffs. Neither Alfonzo nor David could tell where the ground starts and where the mountains collide from their high elevation.
“We are now at the beginning of the entrance. Now you will see why nobody has made it out of Hell on foot,” Alfonzo speaks while banking to the right then back again as she bobs and weaves through the mountains.
“Because it is impossible to make it through here if you don’t have a set of wings!” David laughs a little. “Will this insanity ever end?”
“Yes, but the path ahead only gets worse.”
Alfonzo dives under an ice bridge that connects two mountains together, “We are halfway to Eden. I made this bridge by breaking through an ice wall made by storms over time.”
David wonders what is ahead of them and if it will be good or bad. He follows Alfonzo into a cave located halfway up the side of a mountain. The fiery glow of their wings reflects off the icy walls and illuminates the path ahead. The colors of red and blue flames dance in harmony on the walls as they fly through the maze of caves. After ten minutes in the maze, they emerge to find themselves soaring above a huge open snow covered field enclosed by icy mountains.
“How did you know what path to take?”
“I used my claws to mark the ice with arrows to lead me but after a while they melted due to my body heat. I memorized the correct path to take. Now I can do it with my eyes closed,” Alfonzo looks around on the ground for something.
David sees the next cave and begins his descent towards the caves opening. He sees a large snow mound twenty-five yards in front of the cave’s opening. As David gets closer to the snow mound, the wind blows and some of the snow shifts to reveal long, thin silver spikes. The silver spikes blend with the snow, making it very hard for David to see them.
Alfonzo flies higher than David has a better view of the overall area. Little beams of light reflect off the ground, and get Alfonzo's attention.
The wind blows again, this time across the front of the mound, and reveals more of the monster that lies within. Its eyes and nose are visible now. The monster cracks its eyes open to see if it is light or dark. With a snort, the monster blows the snow away from its mouth. After breathing the air in, the monster catches a whiff of different smelling air and ponders why the air smell burnt.
Overhead and slowly descending, Alfonzo watches the snow move without any wind blowing it.
‘Shimmers in the snow? Blowing snow with no wind? Where have I seen this before?’
Alfonzo flies closer to get a better look at the front of the mound. Shimmers disappear into silver spikes outlining different shapes of the snow mound. Two small slits are open in two large ovals. The slits in the ovals are pointed straight at David. The snow mound shivers with anticipation. More silver spikes show with each shiver revealing the monster beneath.
Alfonzo thinks back to the first time that she went through this section of the exit.
'What did father say? I usually fly through here so fast that I don’t bother anything but the wind. What did he say?'
The snow on the mound falls to reveal a pair of front feet. Upon seeing these front feet, Alfonzo remembers.
As David turns to stare at the snow mound, he only sees two giant paws coming straight at him with claws extended. With a thunderous thud, David is pinned against the icy walls of the cavern with a giant beast staring him deep in the eyes. The beast sniffs the air to confirm what it suspected before showing itself.
“You are not the flame red phoenix, but you are a phoenix, nonetheless. You smell different, and your coloring is darker as if you’re of a different race. I have but only one question to ask you before I destroy you.”
The giant beast puts its face inches away from David’s head. David’s head is only a tenth of the size of the giant beast’s, a beach ball to a walnut.
“Where is Alfonzo?”
A gust of wind hits the beast’s back. Then it feels three points of pressure; two on its back, and one on its forehead pulling it back. Alfonzo stares the beast in the face with full demon armor covering her body. The beast snarls at Alfonzo as she laughs back at it.
“Ask and ye shall receive. Knock and I shall kick the door wide open.” Alfonzo smiles, “Haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?”
Alfonzo let goes of the giant beast’s head and flips backwards to land behind it. “Oh, Stytch, come on. Smile for once. It’s not my fault that you’re stuck here until the days of judgment. Remember, I like you and your masters. You’re like an old family friend that I grew up with and never want to lose.”
Stytch drops David to concentrate only on Alfonzo. As Stytch turns around to face her, Stytch spikes shift from pointing up to laying down, interlocking them to make armor. Stytch lets out a giant roar blowing everything around Alfonzo as she h
olds her ground. Stytch snorts in annoyance.
“Look, I am sorry for the last time that we met. I didn’t know that there was that snow pile up above you on the side of the mountain. I really didn’t know that it was going to fall on you,” Alfonzo says as Stytch advances.
Alfonzo signals David to get into the cave. David transforms into a human and retreats into the cave. She takes her eyes off of Stytch for a spilt second. She feels a blast of wind hit her in the chest. Looking back Alfonzo sees two paws with claws out. The force of a runaway train collides with her. The force of the impact pushes Alfonzo into the ground making her level with the topsoil.
Alfonzo laughs as Stytch pounds her repeatedly into the ground driving her further down. Stytch gets mad as Alfonzo laughs harder and louder with each pounce.
“Why are you laughing at me, demon?” Stytch screams.
“Because you cannot harm me. I am half djinn and you cannot break djinn armor, silly animal.”
Alfonzo catching one of Stytch’s paws, then kicking Stytch in the chest with both feet, making Stytch fly backwards into the air with legs kicking. Flipping 315 degrees, Stytch lands on its feet and digs its claws into the side of the mountain. Snow shifts and ice breaks due to the warmth of heated winds.
Alfonzo stands up from the hole in the ground, “Now do not talk too loudly or you just might regret it.”
Stytch screams at the top of its lungs. “I will do no such thing, Halfling! I shall speak in whatever tone I choose!”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Alfonzo points behind Stytch at the snow. Stytch looks over its shoulder at where Alfonzo is pointing. An avalanche is beginning to form above Stytch.
“Oh no, not again,” Stytch says as time slows down as the snow inches closer.
Alfonzo blows a flame covered kiss and waves good-bye to Stytch as she disappears into the cave to meet up with David. A thunderous boom fills the air and snow flies into the cave. A little flame floats through the air and stops above Stytch’s place in the snow. Alfonzo snaps her fingers while in the cave. The little flame becomes an expositive ball of oxygen-enriched fire that burns all of the snow away from Stytch, leaving it in a daze.
“I thought that you hated it,” David says.
“Dear, no, it just thinks I do. A small misunderstanding, I am hoping that one day Stytch will learn to trust me.”
Alfonzo starts to walk away from David as he is left to wonder what is next. As Alfonzo and David approach the front step of the Castle of the Forgotten, David is left to wonder what is behind the front door and what Alfonzo’s father is like.
Once known is Castle of Joyful Heart, the castle was filled with love and caring for everyone to share, but now is now bursting with cries of pain echoing throughout the hallways. The rooms are filled with the souls of the damned being torched by demons. These demons know only pleasure. Their pleasure comes from the suffering of others, others like the damned, the forgotten, and the winners of the seven levels of hell. The only well kept rooms are the ones that Alfonzo and her father occupy. The rest is covered in blood by the damned souls hoping to escape this eternal torture.
“Where do you normally find your father?”
“He normally sits in the throne room watching for people to offer a contract they cannot refuse.”
The entryway is two stories tall with golden columns helping to support the ceiling with its glass dome. The glass dome has a partial transparent mural illustrating the seven days of creation. Each day has no picture of God or anyone else in them. The pictures are only of things and actions. Large stone flowerpots with fire consuming all contents within help to light the entryway. The light from the fire helps David see the path that Alfonzo leading him down.
“Are you hungry? I am starving.” Alfonzo turns right, heading down a hallway with David following.
“Yes, but what do you have to eat?” David questions Alfonzo because all he sees and hears are death and torture.
Alfonzo turns left and walks straight into the kitchen. David sees a full staff of cooks, dishwashers, and food preps preparing a feast fit for a king.
The kitchen staff stops, bows to Alfonzo, and says in harmony, “Hello princess Alfonzo.”
David’s jaw drops at the word princess. Alfonzo looks back at David.
“Pick whatever you wish to eat but do not get too full because we have a dinner date with my father.”
David nods his head and goes straight for the fruit. He sees many different types of fruit. Some he has never seen before, but one fruit that stands out is the star fruit.
“Where did you get this?”
“From this cute little stand that sells the best tasting fruit in all of the earth,” Alfonzo replies smiling back at David.
Alfonzo and David exchange no words, only flirtatious glimpses, as they eat. Alfonzo eyes follow every move David’s hands and lips make. She wishes that his hands were holding hers, his lips kissing her lips, and his hands caressing her hair. She would pull away just long enough to look into his eyes… those deep blue eyes.
The kitchen staff continues to prepare for the grand feast that night. They try not to look at David or Alfonzo, but all the staff knows what is on Alfonzo's mind. The kitchen staff works as Alfonzo and David snack on the fruit of the world.
Chapter 55
Devan stops midway through the portal. He realizes that he never got to ask the questions he wanted answered. They are answers that he needs to know before he can continue with his grand plan. Devan turns around to travel back through the portal. He finds himself standing in front of the same building. This time he will have his answer. Walking back through the hallway that Pandora lead him down, Devan notices that the sound he first heard is gone. The sewing needles have stopped. Devan walks into the sewing room and is surprised that it is vacant. With his back turned to the front wall, Devan feels eyes watching him.
Chapter 56
One of the kitchen staff walks up to Alfonzo.
“Madam Alfonzo, your father requests your presence within the great hall.”
He bows and disappears back into the kitchen.
David is still shocked to see all the kitchen staff bowing down to Alfonzo.
“Do you want to leave to meet up with your father?”
“Nope,” Alfonzo takes another bite of her apple. “I am eating my fruit. He can wait. He always waits.”
David gets nervous because he is a guest in a strange castle with strange beings.
“Don’t worry, he does this kind of thing to me all of the time. He personally thinks that it is cute because he is the king down here.”
Alfonzo leans back in her chair and smiles at David. Fruit juices run out of one side of her mouth as she tilts her head to one side.
David giggles, “How long do you usually give him before he begins to get mad?”
A screaming man’s voice booms throughout the castle, “Alfonzo! You get in here at once.”
“About that long. Hum, it sounds as if he is grumpy tonight. Maybe the torturing is not going well tonight. Sometimes people just don’t get into it as daddy gets into it. At times, he can be a difficult man to satisfy.”
David is astounded at what is coming out of Alfonzo’s mouth.
“Does he cheer up when he sees you?”
“Every time," Alfonzo says with a smile as she stands up. "Daddy loves his little princess.”
David lets Alfonzo take the lead as he follows Alfonzo out of the kitchen. Entering into the great hall, Alfonzo and David can see Alfonzo's father waiting at the opposite end. He sits upon his throne eating an apple. Bite by bite, each piece slides into his mouth gracefully like a veteran ballerina dancing across the stage. Alfonzo waves at her father to get his attention. Alfonzo’s father smiles at them then vanishes into thin air leaving no dust disturbed by his actions.
“Where did he go?”
Quietly reappearing behind Alfonzo and David, he slowly puts his arms around them both, “Who’s the kid?”
“Daddy, this is David Turner. David, this is my father, Lucifer.”
David is now standing next to one of the most dangerous people in all of existence. This person was so dangerous they named a sin after him. He was banished from heaven for that very reason. Lucifer was one person that David wanted not to meet. David was hoping that Alfonzo’s father was actually someone else.
“David Turner. Why does that name ring a bell?” Lucifer thinks for a second then snaps his fingers. “I know; you’re the young man that lost his parents in that barn fire. I’m truly sad to hear, or you could say, that. But you must be a particularly special person if you have made it this far in life. I mean that you are standing next to my daughter… my little princess… is the best part of all. She hasn’t eaten you yet. Usually she has tortured her victim by now then started to feast on their cooking corpse as a light snack.”
“Daddy, stop it. You’re not scaring him at all,” Alfonzo pushes her father away from her and David.
Lucifer smiles at Alfonzo and walks away from them with his back to them, “Did you know that a djinn will show his true colors or being by what harsh experience they have had or will have done to them?”
“Daddy, you’d better not do what I think that you are about to do.”
“You did want me to help young David out, right?” Lucifer points at David. “Wasn’t it the point of bringing him was to help him solve a problem he has?”
“Yes, but not this way, Daddy.”
“In what way? How are you proposing to help me?” David steps forward as he joins in the conversation.
“How about a friendly duel between two people of questionable powers?” Lucifer replies holding out his hand. “And, since you are my daughter’s guest, I promise not to cheat.”
“A friendly match? No cheating?”
“Daddy, stop. You are not going to hurt him!”
“Whoever said anything about hurting anybody? All I am suggesting is a friendly duel between two friends. No cheating of any sort. Just two buds, pals, old friends, having a fun quarrel between themselves,” Lucifer says as he dances around like a cage fighter getting ready for a fight.
Enigma of the Soul - Book 1 - Pieces Page 20