Made to Suffer (Journeyman Book 3)
Page 22
They had to leave.
Marcus hobbled his way over to where Joey had been, picking up his gift that had been so callously thrown to the deck. He felt like crying, overwhelmed with a sense of failure wrapped up in a bundle of guilt.
Om’s voice, calm and collected, came back over the ship’s speakers. “Gage, we are recharged. Shall I fire the Omega again or depart?”
Shattered, Marcus gripped the necklace tightly and carried it over to Gage. He pleaded with him and also to Adrienne as she approached, “Guys we have to go after him!” Marcus begged, his words so deep and broken that Adrienne had to turn away. “He’s counting on us! He needs us… needs me…”
The horde was getting closer.
Was this the last wave or were there more?
“Gage,” Om persisted, “do we stay or leave?”
Gage’s heart was in complete agreement with Marcus, but his mind was saying no. Seeing the oncoming tide rushing at them as Adrienne rubbed on his still sore back, the decision was pretty clear. “I am so sorry,” he told Marcus, watching the tears stream from his eyes into his beard. “This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made and you can kick my ass later for it… Om, get us out of here. Now!”
Upon command, the Odyssey’s engines burst to life, the airship banking hard to starboard as her hull sealed itself up. With a mighty push, Bennett Peak receded from view, engulfed once again by the clouds. They were gorgeous, but one less member of the crew was aboard and his innocence was something they already missed.
“Joey,” Marcus whispered through his clenched jaw. “I'll find you.”
“GAGE FUCKING CROSSE!” a voice bellowed through the gloomy damp of Bennett Peak.
With eyes on fire and a mighty scream, Dajjal punched the floor of the chamber and its brittle stone disintegrated beneath the power of his fist. The chaotic noise mingled with the distant cries of a man, tortured wails filling the air. Those screams were unrelenting, chilled with incredible amounts of anguish and loss: so much the walls wept along with him.
“Ah, Mr. Mosely… don’t fret,” Dajjal muttered almost kindly, finding relief in the callous concerto. “You’ll soon be out of this place, off to far greener pastures.”
Rising up, the demon’s labored breathing fell away as he marched over to an outcropping. Taking a seat on the tiny shelf of stone, his mind flicked between thoughts of Hell Knight Botis, the artifacts, and back again. The former was off gallivanting somewhere in the worlds, while that latter piece of mortal shit had four of demon kind’s prized treasures adorning his body.
“How ever do you manage, Gage, being so grand?” Dajjal asked sarcastically as another scream tore through the grotto. He lowered his voice to a whisper, so as not to upset the glorious sound. “You're skilled at outsmarting things that are far superior than yourself, but that luck will soon run out.” He scoffed as another thought entered his mind. “Supernatural indeed… There is nothing super about this pathetic legacy left behind by Lucifer. Under my rule things will be –”
Gage Crosse does not have it … a strange voice murmured, coming from all directions.
Dajjal jerked up his head before pushing off the rock. “Who dares speak that name here… to me?”
A… friend. Your friend…
Dajjal laughed, moving to leave the chamber. “A ‘friend’?” he mocked. “Do you think I'm stupid? Please! Now if you're finished, I have much larger things requiring my attention – more important than than some wayward ghost.”
Such as a crown, perhaps? One worthy of your majesty? Its persuasive voice was now focused from one direction.
Dajjal stopped, his attention piqued. He turned his gaze left, where the voice was coming from, spying those grand doors that resided in the Chamber of Light.
We can help you, the words continued, definitely coming from behind the monstrous carvings. Beyond this threshold is the very thing you seek…
Dajjal found himself advancing and with each step, the words became more appealing.
Come now, open…
He spotted the handles, glowing with a luster from within, wanting nothing more than to be touched and used.
“Your Eminence!” Ronove called out as he entered from a nearby passageway, well aware of those same voices that haunted him day and night.
Their muttering of poison had reached his ears, even beneath tons of rock in the tunnels below, and he had hobbled with as much speed as possible to get to the chamber. His weakened condition certainly a detriment, Ronove had to stop Dajjal from doing what he feared most, at all costs.
“Do not listen to the voices,” his coarse voice exclaimed, hoping that it was not too late, “and for Lucifer’s sake, do not open the door!”
“Fuck Lucifer!” Dajjal said arrogantly as he drove on, closer and closer to the doors. “Him and his failed kingdom!”
Seeing that his words were having no effect, Ronove was left with no other choice than to stop him by force. Thrusting his arms forward, his tattered robes lashed out, wrapping themselves firmly around Dajjal. Ronove then yanked back, expecting to force Dajjal to topple, but a quick flash of silver made sure that was not the case. His bindings had been cut, now fluttering effortlessly to the ground.
Dajjal stopped anyway, the glare he directed at Ronove filled with pure hate. “Are you trying to stop me?” he asked, trembling with anger.
Ronove began to cower in his failure. “I… You… cannot open the door! There is too much power beyond; can you not feel it, your Eminence? It is pure evil.”
Dajjal shook his head before unleashing a sinister laugh. “You're a fool, Ronove! There is nothing in all existence that is more evil than I am.” His anger turned to pleasure. “Here, let me remind you.”
Dajjal extended his own arm and his beloved razor flew toward Ronove with purpose, cutting into his pale arm at the wrist all the way to the shoulder, lancing it in two. The butterflied flesh fell away to reveal bone, blade looping around with such veracity that the injured demon had zero chance to move. Up, down, and every direction in-between, the razor slid its way through his delicate skin, shredding it like paper until Ronove’s host was rendered beyond recognition. The mutilated body dropped to the cold stone, yet still hung onto life by a thread.
Dajjal turned away, now unhindered, resuming his way to the massive doors.
Yes… Come… Open…
He placed his hands on the handles. They were warm as he pushed, a sensation rushing through his body like morphine, driving him to shove even harder.
Ronove craned his hemorrhaging neck, watching as his vision began to fade around the edges. He heard the doors groan before they cracked open, releasing howling wind and snow into the chamber. Screams rode the gusts of white, while two massive arms grabbed the doorframe, crushing them beneath an arsenal of sharp claws.
A set of yellow eyes loomed above him, their insipid light peering out from the darkness upon the demon.
“Who are you?” Dajjal demanded his most imposing voice, tendrils of hellfire spawning behind his body before slithering around the chamber like serpents.
The reply was brief but powerful, shaking the entire mountain.
“Your end.”
THE END
Homeward Bound (Journeyman Series One)
Seal of Solomon (Journeyman Series Two)
Made to Suffer ( Journeyman Series Three)
COMING IN 2017:
The Devil’s Highway (Journeyman Series Four)
Then Hell Followed (Journeyman Series Five)
Running on Empty (Journeyman Series Six)
STANDALONE SPIN-OFFS COMING IN 2017:
Stories of the Order - Shadowmen
(Pronunciations in parenthesis)
Gage Crosse
Adrienne Elkins
Joey MoselyHenry Abington
Marcus Sheridan
Councilor Jane Carter
Councilor Timothy Randall
Councilor Allete Popov
Dax Wallace
Brandon Byrne (Burn)
Gabriel Shepard
Onoskelis | Keli (On-os-kel-is | Key-lie)
Hell Knight Paimon (Pay-mon)
Hell Knight Astaroth (As-tar-oth)
Dajjal (Da-jal)
Eligos (El-i-gos)
Councilor Fenran (Fen-ran)
Councilor Drogir (Dro-gear)
Councilor Tyrol (Tie-roll)
Councilor Quileth (Quill-eth)
King Danann (Dan-an)
Princess Meriden (Merry-den)
Head Vampire David Evans
Ronove (Row-no-vay)
Steinolf (Stein-olf)
Hell Knight Botis (Bow-tis)
Hell Knight Asmoday (As-mo-day)
Hell Knight Purson (Person)
Hell Knight Beleth (Bell-eth)
Kahli (Ka-li)