Purgatory: The Devil's Game

by M. A. Carlson

  “No!” Theo screamed and resumed his attack on Billy with more ferocity than I’d ever witnessed. He’d gone berserk. I wanted to rage just as badly but I forced myself to push it deep down. My wrath wouldn’t do me any good right now. What I needed was to get Billy focused on me.

  “Oi, Billy!” I shouted.

  Billy didn’t spare me a glance, focusing instead on Theo, though he did respond, “What? What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy here? I’ll get to you in a minute.”

  I needed to get his attention and I needed it now. I did something epically stupid. I opened my inventory and pulled out my scroll, stopping the killer in his tracks and costing him a deep gash along the thigh from Theo.

  “If you want it? Come and get it,” I said, dropping the scroll behind me and grinning at the man. It was entirely possible he had more helpers hiding, but that was what I had blockade for. If anyone tried to get around me to get to my scroll, I’d be there. And if Billy thought sending them to sneak up behind me was a good idea . . . well, I had a plan for that as well.

  “Larry, Victoria, get it, get it now!” Billy screamed, focusing back on Theo, and pushing harder at the Viking.

  I grinned. “Silas, Era, now!”

  Roots shot up all around my scroll, catching both of Billy’s assistants while Era sprayed cold air over both men slowing them and giving all the time Silas needed to fully bind both men, thus completely removing them from the fight.

  I clapped my mace on my shield a few times and shouted, “Come on Billy, you can do better than that, can’t you?”

  Billy snarled and kicked out at Theo, knocking the Viking away. “Fine, I’ll kill you myself. I suppose I’ve done enough damage here. They’ll reward me for all my hard work.”

  “Not if I kill you first,” I shouted back.

  Shadows suddenly swallowed Billy and he vanished from view. I reflexively turned and raised my shield as I caught motion on my right, just as twin daggers hit my shield with a clang. I struck with quick strike, hitting Billy in the gut. Finally, that one hit would inflict irrational pride ensuring he kept his attention on me.

  Billy struck fast with his daggers, frequently finding the gaps in my armor, and leaving behind a nasty poison. Thankfully, Raphael’s blessing seemed to be able to keep up with it, preventing the poison from taking ahold.

  I countered when I could, but the rate at which Billy attacked didn’t leave me many opportunities.

  Thankfully, Theo rejoined the fight, though it looked like he was favoring his ribs. The kick from Billy must have done more damage than I thought.

  I chanced a quick glance at my EP. I was low, very low, just ‘37/500’. I needed to hold out, play defensively until I recovered more EP. I focused on blocking and occasionally countering, trying to keep irrational pride working to force Billy to attack me and only me. It gave Theo a lot of opening to cut and chop into the wannabe demon. But it seemed like no matter how much damage Theo dealt, Billy never got any weaker. If anything, Billy was getting faster. His strikes came faster. He started dodging my attacks with regularity until I missed one too many attacks. Irrational pride faded and Billy was free.

  The weasel faced man blinked a couple times as if he was surprised. He snarled, “You actually managed to get me with something. What was it? No, doesn’t matter, I can’t let you live. You’ll become a problem for us later if I do.” Shadows swallowed him again and I was left looking around for him to reappear. I kept turning sharply, expecting him to pop up behind me.

  “Say goodbye, Victor Goodspeed,” Billy said.

  I turned to see him in the middle of Silas’ bramble patch, the roots slowly crawling up his legs. He had my scroll in one hand and a dagger in the other. My eyes widened helplessly. I couldn’t close that distance.

  It felt like the world slowed down as the dagger drew back. I tried to run. I activated everything I had that could help me close the distance, but it wouldn’t be enough. Speed boost and locomotion just weren’t enough. I wasn’t going to make it.

  Somehow . . . Theo was there. He tackled Billy, knocking him into the roots and everything went still for a second.

  “No!” Billy screamed. “Let go, let go, let go! I won’t kill you! It won’t be that easy!”

  I finally closed the distance and stood over Billy. His dagger was plunged into Theo’s chest instead of my scroll. Theo had a hand wrapped over Billy’s hand that was holding the dagger and was clutching my scroll in the other hand. I wasn’t sure if he was holding the dagger in or trying to force it out. All I knew was that Theo saved me and it was my turn to return the favor.

  “Say goodbye, Billy,” I snarled. Billy looked up at me in surprise just in time for my mace to come down on his unprotected head with a crushing blow. I burned whatever energy I had left repeating the attack over and over again, even when I was out of EP and wanted nothing more than to collapse. Finally, the head deformed, and black blood poured out. I collapsed back, desperate to catch my breath.

  With Billy dead, Theo finally wrenched the dagger free with a spray of blood.

  “No,” I gasped, crawling over to put pressure on the wound. “No, why did you do that? We could have gotten you to a healer.”

  Theo’s smile was bloody. “No, it’s time. I . . . I’ve been fighting for so long. I think . . . I think I’ve earned a rest, no?”

  “No, you don’t get to rest, not until you’ve earned your place in heaven,” I argued, though it was clearly futile. This wasn’t right.

  “It’s okay,” Theo reassured me. “This Valhalla was good to me. Maybe that’s where I’ll go next, yeah. Have . . . have a little . . . little faith.”

  “It’s not fair. You, Rebecca, Theodore, you three were all supposed to walk away from this. It’s not right,” I argued but Theo wasn’t responding. He was staring up at the sky, panting to catch his breath. I knew he never would, and it was wrong.

  I cried out for help, “Someone! Anyone! Help us!” I sobbed as I held my dying friend. “Please, someone . . . anyone,” I pleaded weakly. “Ramy, please, help him. Please, this isn’t right.”

  I didn’t expect the Dominion to actually appear, let alone kneel next to me. “Theo Skjoldung, do you repent for your sins?”

  Theo’s eyes moved to the angel, and he smiled at him. He no longer had the strength the speak. He could only nod, if just barely.

  I looked at Ramy, hoping and praying that he would save my friend.

  “In the name of God, I absolve you of all your sins. Go with the grace of God, the Father,” Ramy said, closing Theo’s eyes and bowing his head.

  I feared the worse for a moment but then Theo’s body glowed with golden light until he dispersed into motes of light, much like my mace or armor when I released the divine call.

  I wiped at my face and looked to the angel. I needed to ask,” Is he . . . did he?”

  “Theo Skjoldung has ascended to make his choice. A reward that is long deserved,” Ramy answered.

  I felt relief but also great sadness. I didn’t know how long it would be before I saw him again. I also thought about the price we paid. The price I would still need to pay. “I . . . I killed him. I killed Billy . . . Oh God.”

  “Calm yourself, Victor Goodspeed,” Ramy ordered harshly. “The one you knew as Billy was subsumed by demons long ago. What you fought was an infernal corruptor, a dangerous and deadly demon, one that had been allowed to stalk Purgatory for far too long. What you did was of great service to God and, in this moment, more important to me. It was an act that is deserving of a reward. Additional proficiency slots? Perhaps I could break the limit on one stat? Tell me, what do you need?”

  I felt relief flood through me. I wasn’t going to hell. It might have been on a technicality, but it was still a major relief. More, I was to be rewarded. I considered what he said but as I looked around the small battlefield, there was only one thing I could ask. “What about . . . Rebecca and Theodore? Are they . . . gone?”

  Ramy frowned, “Are you sure
that is what you would use such a valuable reward on?”

  I nodded, “I’m sure. If it’s in your power to bring them back, please do. They should not be made to suffer for helping me.”

  Ramy nodded then looked at the two still bound up in Silas’ roots. His voice boomed when he spoke next, directing anger and fury as he said, “Your souls are forfeit. We do not take kindly to those who side with demons.”

  The two were burned in brilliant gold fire that made me turn away. It was too much for my eyes to handle.

  “My work here is done,” Ramy said, presumedly vanishing before my eyesight could be restored.

  “What about Theodore and Rebecca?” I yelled toward the sky.

  “What . . . what just happened?” a familiar voice asked, making me spin toward the source. Theodore was in place of the man.

  “And why are we wrapped up in roots?” Rebecca asked, standing just opposite the young man.

  They stood where the two who had been punished stood only moments earlier. I glanced skyward and mumbled, “thanks.”

  “Seriously, what happened?” Theodore asked.

  “Silas, can you set them free,” I asked of my tree formed guide.

  “Of course,” Silas answered.

  I looked back to Rebecca and Theodore then said, “Have I got a story for you.”

  Chapter 45 – Envious Endings

  I was never what you might consider philosophical. I took most things for what they were. I never spent time considering the meaning of life. I never asked myself deep questions. I had my belief that you live, then you die, and everything in between is all you get so you better make the most of it. Something, I didn’t exactly do.

  For the last few years, that world view, that philosophy of life, had been challenged repeatedly. I’d been forced to ask myself the deep questions. I spent time considering the meaning of life. And sadly, I was no closer to figuring out all the answers than I was the day I came into Purgatory. Or at least, I didn’t think I was.

  I knew myself better. I had changed, hopefully it was into a better person. I’d like to think I was a better person than when I came into Purgatory. And yet, I still couldn’t figure out what Envy wanted from me.

  Day after day, I went in and tried to figure it out. I still felt a want for what the people going through the pearly gates had. The jealousy clawed at me. And yet, every day, I turned away and denied my jealousy. Every day, I repeated the process, hoping that I would just . . . somehow . . . get over it. I had a feeling I needed to decide I really didn’t need heaven. I needed to be happy with what I had. Unfortunately, what I had was Purgatory. And while Purgatory wasn’t quite hell, it wasn’t exactly heaven either.

  Day after day, I would enter and search my soul in the hopes that I would find a way past this feeling of envy.

  Days became weeks and weeks became months. Time blurred. I had drinks with Theodore and Rebecca often until one day neither of them showed up. They both ascended if the rumors were to be believed. I was okay though. I still had my companions. I had even started pulling a Theo and picking up strays, guiding them along as best I could. It wasn’t the same, but it was something. And then one of them ascended before me. I didn’t care for how that made me feel envious. That was my entire problem. I felt envy for those who were moving on while I was stuck.

  I had long run out of things to spend my experience points on, not that I was gaining much anymore. I had reached what I heard the Cherubs refer to as the mortal limit. I had gone as far as I could without ascending. I was sure that was a slip up on their part. I had a feeling I wasn’t supposed to know there was more after I moved past Purgatory. It was probably something reserved for the ones that joined the army. Anyway, I had saved up more experience points than I would probably ever be able to spend.

  I sighed as I looked at the door in front of me. I walked into the black void and into the never-ending lines to wait my turn to pass through the pearly gates. A destination, I could not reach. I felt the immediate pull of jealousy, envy. I knew it wasn’t real and yet I still felt the desire. I still wanted so much for that to be me passing through those gates. I sighed and turned away, making the floor vanish leaving the stairway down just in front of me.

  I walked down and sat up as usual. “How many times is this now?”

  “I believe that is your four hundred and seventh time,” Silas answered.

  I could check my scroll to be sure, but Silas was usually right about these things. I left the morgue and walked right back in again.

  This time I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the feelings of jealous and envy the floor seemed to emit. I stood where I was and let people walk around me. It was painful to do so but I did it. Stood there for hours, repeating in my head to ‘be patient’.

  This was the pattern I’d fallen into for the last several months. I entered once in the morning to see if it still held sway over me and if it did, I left. Then I went back in and spent the rest of the day bathed in those feelings. Trying to build up an immunity. So far . . . it hadn’t helped.

  Day after day, week after week, month after month. Either I would break free of this floor’s influence, or . . . I would break free of this floor’s influence. That was the only option. I was determined to see this through no matter how long it took or how many times I had to repeat the floor.

  Eventually, I started torturing myself for longer periods of time until one day, I simply sat down and watched everything pass me by. I watched the line advance. I watched as later groups started cutting the line. I watched as everyone around me turned into demons and leaped into the gates, slowly rusting and corroding the gates until they fell. I sat there and waited as the never-ending army of demons marched forward, through the now open gates unabated.

  I watched as in the distance, far beyond the gates, something burned. It was . . . it was a city. Was that always there? I couldn’t remember seeing it before. I sat and I watched the city burn to the ground. Then I watched the demons return, they were stronger and seemed overly pleased with themselves. Then I saw the ground open up before me, creating a tear in the world. I looked into the pit . . . it wasn’t a pit. It looked like . . . that looked like the earth on the other side. The demons began pouring through the tear in space, flooding the world as one demon after another went through. I watched as the world burned until the last demon had passed through, and I was alone. I was left in this desolate place where heaven burned to the ground, earth burned to the ground, everything and everyone burned until there was nothing left. I was left in a world of nothing.

  I didn’t know how long I’d sat there watching events unfold. It must have been years. I sat by and watched the demons destroy everything in their path and I did nothing to stop it. I did nothing to save my former home. I did nothing to save that place I wanted so badly to go to. Was I really okay with that? Was that acceptable? Was my inaction responsible for this outcome? Could I be satisfied if I went to heaven and did nothing to stop this from occurring?

  No, I couldn’t be happy with this outcome. I stood and turned around, ending the vision. I walked down the stairs into darkness once again. I exited the morgue and went back in once again.

  This time, I cut the line. Not to be the first to pass through the pearly gates, but to be the first to defend them. I pushed through the crowd, not attacking but not letting anyone stop me. When I stood before the pearly gates, I’ll admit, I was tempted to just walk through. I even felt someone whispering behind me to do it.

  Instead, I turned and faced the horde of demons before me. “You want in? You’ve got to go through me!”

  The demons roared and charged forward. I fought as hard as I’ve ever fought, but there was no stopping this horde. I fought on after losing an arm. I fought on when I lost a foot, an eye, a chunk of my ribs and a lung. I tried to bite the demons to death after losing all my limbs. That last one might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but the point stands. I fought to my very last breath to protect the innocent people tha
t earned what I so coveted. And . . . I was satisfied to die doing it.

  I sat up with a gasp and immediately checked to make sure all my parts had been restored. It took a moment for me to realize I was someplace . . . not the morgue. It was more like an office, and I was laying down on a soft leather chez lounge. There was a large wood desk near the foot of the chez and a chair across from me. It was reminiscent of what I thought a therapist’s office should look like.

  Ramy faded into view, sitting in the chair, looking rather comfortable and smiling softly, “Well done.”

  I swung my legs around and set my feet on the carpeted floor. It had been so long since I’d felt carpet between my toes, I couldn’t help but close my eyes and curl my toes through it a few times to remember the feeling and the good memories associated with it. I smiled as I enjoyed the moment.

  Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked upon Ramy. “Is it done?”

  Ramy smiled a little wider and nodded. “You’re done.”

  That was it. A simple ‘you’re done’? Nothing about how I am now a ‘better person’? A purer soul? Nothing? Just . . . ‘you’re done’?

  Ramy chuckled before I could ask exactly those questions. “Now, you need to make a choice. Will you go on to heaven where you will live in peace and harmony? A place where you’ll never want or need for anything. Where every day will be your image of perfect. No more fighting, no more demons.”

  I’ll admit, that sounded pretty good. After how many years of fighting for my mortal soul in Purgatory, peace and quiet sounded pretty good.

  Ramy continued, “Or . . . will you be the shield standing between the hordes of hell and the innocent souls in heaven? Will you fight the demons and damned and keep them from burning the Silver City to the ground? It will mean an eternity of battle and war all for the sake of an eternity of peace and prosperity for the innocent.”