by Dan Farris
“Power? Is that all you care about?”
“You know that’s not true.” Pursan tried to hug Rebecca, but she quickly turned away. One of the demons that returned with Rahab from the Pit, Gressil, entered the tent.
“While I’m away at the Lake of Fire, you’re in charge of all my territory,” said Pursan.
“Me?” Asked Rebecca.
“Gressil will stay at your side at all times. From now on, only you will be able to see him.”
“But you’ll need him for the battle against Samael.”
“If I’m not sure that you’re safe, then the battle against Samael is pointless. I love you. We’ll discuss the changes that you want when I return. I must go now.” Pursan kissed Rebecca before taking to flight. Rebecca went outside the tent.
Achcauthilli kneeled down. “My queen.” Then Stalin and the other members of the council did the same. “My queen.”
Chapter 41-Samael
Samael had just landed back at the lake of fire when A’isha came running towards him.
“My people, they’re all gone!” Cried A’isha.
“I told Lucifer to do them no harm. He will pay for disobeying me.”
“It wasn’t Lucifer! We were in his palace when his soldiers stormed into our room. We tried to escape, but only I was able to get away. They’re all gone. I’m all alone now. The last of my kind. God’s mistake.” A’isha fell to the ground, tears running from her cheeks.
Samael kneeled beside her and hugged her. “You’re not alone. I’ll take care of you. I’ll protect you from now on. I promise.”
Samael was consoling A’isha when demons started to arrive at The Lake of Fire. Millions of demons, in the sky and on the ground. They kept their distance from Samael, except Salikethal, who walked toward him until he stood a few feet away. “My king, my army is now your army. We all serve at your command.”
More demons arrived. These demons also kept their distance from Samael, except Pursan, who flew toward him until he landed next to Salikethal. “My king, we attack Heaven on your command.”
“Lucifer has been overthrown,” said Samael.
“Not surprising. I had to put down my own little rebellion,” said Salikethal.
“We are about to attack Heaven, seize the entire space, and fools bicker over this place? I’m going to Lucifer’s territory, and I’m going to destroy every last one of them. Wait here until I get back,” said Samael.
“Another suggestion, if I may? Your arrival did upset the delicate power structure we had in place. It was inevitable that some would seek to seize upon the opportunity.” Said Pursan.
“Are you questioning my judgment, Pursan?”
“No, my king. I’m merely stating our current predicament. Beelzebub and Berith should have arrived here before me and Salikethal. Their territories and armies are much smaller than ours. Their absence, like Lucifer’s, suggests that they too have been overthrown or are dealing with their own coup.”
“I’ll destroy all of them then!”
“With respect, we’ll need them when we attack Heaven. Allow me and Salikethal to go with our respective armies to restore order and bring the others here.”
“I don’t need you two to do it. I’ll do it myself.”
“Forgive me, I just thought that with the creature, you would want to...”
“I would want to what?”
“Nothing, forgive me.” Samael looked at A’isha.
“Bring them here. If you aren’t back in due time, I’ll come for you, and I’ll destroy every demon in Hell if I have to.”
“We won’t let you down.”
“Salikethal,” said Pursan. “You lead the way.” Pursan took flight, followed by Salikethal. Soon, their entire armies followed them.
“Why didn’t you go with them?”Asked A’isha.
“They can take care of that minor distraction. I’m about to invade Heaven soon. Besides, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I am nothing. I loved someone who used me. I watched all my people get slaughtered through the ages, and now I am alone.”
Samael kissed A’isha. “I thought you hated me? I’m just a monster, a mistake.”
“Stop saying that. You are not a mistake.” They continued kissing and made love next to The Lake of Fire.
Chapter 42-Sean
Sean was driving the down, with Luke as his reluctant passenger. Weeks had passed since Sean and Luke began hunting down witches and warlocks in Sean’s hometown. It had become Sean’s obsession, occupying his every thought. He was doing God’s work and nothing was going to get in his way.
“Are you sure this is the last one?” Asked Luke. “We’ve been all through the city. You’ve killed dozens, even some off- duty police officers. The whole city is terrified; they think a serial killer is on the loose. The FBI has been brought in. If you keep this up, they’ll determine it’s you eventually.”
“You think that worries me? I’m doing the will of God. You know what happens when you interfere with God’s will? Ask Rameses.”
“You would kill innocent people?”
“Evil must be destroyed. It’s my destiny. Anyone who cooperates with demons must be sent to Hell! It’s why God gave me this power.”
“You think it’s God now?”
“Of course, I figured it all out.”
They arrived at the house they were headed toward. It was in a gated community. “Go check,” Sean said.
Luke exited the vehicle and returned shortly. “Are they marked?” Sean asked.
“Yes, but you can’t do this?”
“What do you mean I can’t do it? You think their demon can protect them from me? Where have you been the last month?”
“Sean, there are children in there. Small children. We can’t do this.”
“Are the kids marked too?”
“If they were, would you kill them too?”
“Are they marked?”
“No, they’re not.”
“Good, I’ll just kill the parents then.”
“You can’t! The kids may wake.”
“I don’t care. Their parents worship the devil.”
“Can’t you wait until the parents are alone? Perhaps when they’re headed to work?”
“You can wait in the car, but I’m going in there.” Sean got out of the car, walked to the house, and knocked on the front door.
A middle-aged man answered. “You scared my wife. It’s past midnight, what do you want?”
“You’ve been watching the news, right? Some of you were smart enough to leave town, but not you.”
“It’s you!” The man ran inside the house, and Sean followed, closing the door behind him.
“This is a nice house. You two must make a lot of money. Or maybe you asked for wealth when you sold your soul.” The man returned from his bedroom with a shotgun and fired it at Sean. The bullet stopped inches before reaching Sean’s chest and fell to the ground. “Put the gun down and sit on the couch.” The man put the gun down and walked to the living room.
The man’s wife, a middle-aged woman, came out of the bedroom and spoke the angelic language.
“You think your prayers to evil will help you? Shut up and go sit on the couch with your husband.” The woman walked to the couch in the living room and sat down.
Sean stood in front of them. “I was telling your husband that you two should’ve left town.”
“Please, don’t kill us. We can help you.”
“You think I would work with evil like you did? You think I would sell my soul, make a deal with demons? Betray someone I love just to save myself? That would anger God, and I’d end up right where you’re about to go. You two shouldn’t look so scared. The demon promised you territory in Hell, right? Right?! I’m doing you a favor.”
“Please, our master has not answered us in a long time. We don’t want to go to Hell. We’re afraid,” said the woman.
“Doubting your faith, huh? You two should have thought about that
before you sold your souls.”
“Please, we have children,” said the woman.
“Yeah, kids that were going to grow up to be evil like you. Before you go to Hell, I want you to know that I’m going to kill them after I kill you, unless you give me some information.” The married couple began crying uncontrollably.
“Anything!” They screamed.
“Where is the next closet coven from here?”
“New Orleans!” Yelled the woman. “We’re not lying. Will you let our kids live?”
“I lied, I’m going to kill them anyway. Now, you two can’t breathe anymore.” The married couple both began struggling for air, until they died. Sean had a big smile on his face.
“You said you would leave the kids alone,” said Luke.
“I am.”
“You’re becoming cruel, Sean.”
“I’m doing God’s work. People who make deals with demons deserve no mercy.”
“Sean, I know she hurt you...”
“Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t ever mention her again, got it?”
“Got it.”
“Good, now let’s get out of here.”
Sean and Luke walked back to Sean’s vehicle and got on the highway. They headed to south Louisiana.
“What’s your plan, after you kill them all in New Orleans?” Luke asked.
“We keep going until they’re all dead. Every last witch and warlock on the planet.”
“That’s a lot of people.”
“It’s the will of God. You ever read Genesis? The flood? That was a lot of people too.”
They were on the highway for a few hours until Sean got off at the exit to Lafayette. “I thought we were going to New Orleans,” Luke said.
“There’s someone I need to speak to.”
Sean drove through the city of Lafayette until he arrived at an old house. “Who’s in there?” Luke asked.
“A man of God.” Sean and Luke got of the car and knocked on the front door. Brother Boudreaux answered the door.
“Sean, is that you? It’s good to see that you’re well.”
“Hello Brother Boudreaux.”
“You two come on in.”
“He can see me?” Asked Luke. Luke and Sean followed Brother Boudreaux inside the home. When they entered, it was a small kitchen to the right, and a small living room to the left.
“You want some iced tea?” Asked Brother Boudreaux.
“Sure,” replied Sean.
“You can go sit in there,” said Brother Boudreaux.
Sean went into the living room, there was an old box T.V., with an antenna, a rundown red couch, and a comfy chair. Sean and Luke sat on the red couch.
Brother Boudreaux returned from the kitchen and handed Sean the iced tea. “What’s your name, fella?” He asked Luke.
“Uh, it’s Luke, sir.”
“Sorry I didn’t offer you nothing to drink, Luke, but I reckon the dead don’t need to drink anything.”
“Yes, sir. How can you see me?”
“A gift from God.” Brother Boudreaux sat in the old chair.
“Brother Boudreaux, I’m sure you heard about what happened to Father Adams?” Sean asked.
“He was a good friend and a good man. Terrible how he died, in that church fire.”
“There’s more to it than that.”
“Oh?”
“The fire and his death were not an accident. Since you’ve last seen me, I’ve started to figure out how to use these powers I have. A woman… a ghost working with a demon killed Father Adams. They were after me.”
“Ghosts don’t interact with the living, and demons aren’t so direct like that. They killed him?”
“Yes, and there’s more. When he died, he didn’t go to Heaven, he went to The Darkness. But I sent him to Heaven.”
“You can send souls to Heaven now?”
“The power that God has given me.”
“I’m glad to know that Father Adams is in peace, but the power you have, it’s not God.”
“What is it then?”
“I don’t know.”
“It has to be God. I’ve become a warrior for God, like you said at first. I’ve been destroying evil back home. Now we’re headed to New Orleans.”
“You mean all those deaths up there, that’s been you?”
“They were evil; they all worshipped the devil. Why are you looking at me like that? You destroy evil, just like me.”
“No, Sean, I send demons back to Hell. I don’t go around killing people.”
“What’s the difference? Anyone who makes deals with demons should be sent to Hell. It’s the will of God.”
“It’s for God to decide who lives or dies, not you. You can’t go around murdering people.”
“You’re being foolish. They are evil! They killed an innocent tribe in Brazil, and who knows the other evil they’ve done!”
“Brazil?”
“I went there looking for answers. An angel recommended it.”
“You speak to angels now?”
“Yes. Well, I did.”
“I knew you were something, but in all my years of serving the Lord, I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“We both serve the Lord now, in our own ways. Thank you for the tea. I just wanted you to know that Father Adams was in Heaven.”
“I know I can’t explain all of this, but you should look to God. I don’t think he wants you to go around killing people.”
“Let’s go.”
Sean and Luke left Brother Boudreaux and headed to New Orleans. They arrived there a few hours later.
“I need to go rent a hotel room before we get started,” Sean said. “If the size of the coven is anything like back home, we’re going to be here awhile.”
After Sean checked into a hotel, he and Luke drove around New Orleans. “Have you ever been here before?” Asked Luke.
“Nah, first time.”
“You were only a couple hours away when you were in law school.”
“I went to law school to become a lawyer, not party.”
Sean drove through New Orleans, sending Luke into every house and building they saw until Luke came back from looking inside an abandoned factory building. It was located next to old train tracks.
“Someone is there?” Sean asked.
“Seven of them.”
Sean walked up to the abandoned building until he found an entrance. It was locked. Sean touched the lock, and it evaporated. He went inside, moving slowly. It was too dark to see at first, but after a moment a light appeared. As Sean neared the light, there were seven people, four women and three men, sitting in a circle. Next to them were several candles. The people spoke the angelic language.
“You guys are bold, to meet up like this. They stopped doing this back home, after the first were destroyed.”
One of the men rushed at Sean. “Stop. Sit back down. And don’t move. None of you may move. Oh, and if you’re thinking about praying, it won’t help you.” The man that rushed at him sat back down. Sean proceeded to sit in the middle of their circle.
“Do you know who I am?”
“You’re the one that’s doing all the killings up north,” said one of the women.
“Doing is present tense. I did kill them all.”
Everyone except one woman begged Sean for mercy. The woman who didn’t wore all black and had piercings in her nose and ears. She had pale skin, and her hair was dyed black and pink. She had a rather ordinary face.
“Aren’t you going to beg too?” Sean asked her.
“You’ve made your mind up.”
“What’s your name?”
“Does it matter?”
“It may.”
“Lucy.”
“Lucy, why do you serve the devil?”
“Better than serving God; he’s never given a shit about me.”
“Sounds like you’ve lived a hard life.”
“Are you a psychiatrist? Do what you c
ame here to do.”
“All of you, except Lucy, bite each other’s necks until you’re dead.” The other men and women bit each other’s necks like cannibals, killing each other.
“You don’t seem too sad about what just happened to your friends,” Sean said to Lucy.
“I don’t do sad. Why haven’t you killed me yet?”
“Sean, what are you waiting for?” Luke asked.
“In a minute.”
“Who are you talking to?” Lucy asked.
“No one.”
“Well, why haven’t you killed me yet? Oh, I know what you want.”
“What do I want?”
“You want to fuck me?”
“No, I don’t! You’re evil. I’m here to send you to Hell.”
“Yes, you do. I know what it means when men look at me like that. You may be a killer, but you don’t seem like a rapist. How about if we fuck, you let me go?”
“I wouldn’t do anything like that. What type of person do you think I am?”
“The kind that goes around killing people.”
“Sean, what are you doing?” Luke asked.
“Go wait in the car.”
“Sean...”
“Now.”
“Who are you talking to?” Lucy asked again.
“No one. If I let you go, you’ll warn the others. I can’t allow that.”
“No, I won’t. I’ll leave town. Get far away from here as possible.”
“You think I’d trust you? I don’t trust anyone.”
“Even if I was lying, after what you did up north, there’s no way any of us can run from you, is there?”
“No, there’s not.”
“Let me move.” Sean nodded, and Lucy pulled Sean toward her and began kissing him. “Is this what you want?”
“Yes.” They had sex on the floor of the old abandoned building.
As they exited the building, Lucy smiled at Sean, and he headed to his car.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Luke said.
“Aren’t you the one that’s been questioning me about killing all these people? I let one go and you’re upset.”
“Yes, but that was dirty and sleazy, what you just did. It was wrong.”