《The Black Sheep》


 Prologue

    The detective slipped a plastic bag over his hand and reached into the fountain to retrieve a bagel that was floating slowly by.


    "Is that a finger?", asked another officer as he pointed to something laying on the stone rim of the fountain.


    "Looks like it. Tell crime-scene to grab some shots of that and around the perimeter, too." He held the bagged bagel up close to his face and illuminated it with his flashlight. "I hate poppy seeds. They get stuck in your teeth. Eat one of these and you''ll be pulling them out for a week."


    "Well, I wouldn''t suggest eating that one. And Jesus, man. Practice some good oral hygiene. If you brush your teeth, the seeds aren''t a problem." With his flashlight, the second officer scanned the ground, trying to imagine the events that transpired. "So, Steve, got any theories?"If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Steve glanced at his notebook and back at the smattering of broken headstones, smoking patches of grass, and then back to his notebook. "Let''s see, we''ve got a crime scene in the oldest cemetery in the city. We''ve got what appears to be the dismembered..."


    "Exploded." interjected the other officer. "Forensics say the burn marks indicate he exploded."


    "Right. EXPLODED remains of a Caucasian male. Another corpse burnt to an unidentifiable crisp. What looks like exhumed remains. Hundreds of casings from multiple calibers of weapons. Impact points in every direction that indicates it was a pray-n-spray. Tire tracks that appear to be from a truck or SUV. Apparent burn marks on a dozen headstones and crypts.  No signs or connections to known drug activity or gangs. And given the corpse...or at least the upper torso, was still wearing a gold necklace, it kind of rules out a robbery. Am I forgetting anything?"


    "The bagel."


    "Oh. And a half-eaten bagel. So, yeah. One theory."


    "Oh yeah? What''s that?"

 Chapter 1 - Bagels

    Chapter 1 - Bagels


    The door to the van slid open.


    A tall, sandy blonde-haired, muscular young man ducked in and excitedly shook a brown paper bag.  "Who wants bagels?"


    "''Bout damned time, Martin!" said a young woman as she swiftly reassembled a pair of semi-automatic pistols.  With dexterity and precision that can only come from repeated practice, she fluidly inserted a full clip into each, popped the slide forward, and dropped the pistols into her hip-strapped holsters.  She turned towards Martin and held out her hand.


    "I''ve got seven different kinds.  What''s your poison?", he said as he peered deeply into the bag.


    "Plain.", she said.  Her voice was serious and her expression doubly so.  Her eyes squinted for a moment, breaking her severe look.  "Unless you have something with garlic."


    "Well, I guess we know young Emily isn''t a vampire.", said another figure from the back of the van.  He was a thin man of early forties with frazzled reddish-brown hair.  He reflexively reached with his index finger and prodded his round-rimmed glasses back up his nose as he spoke. He held a large tome inscribed with arcane symbols that seemed to glow faintly.  Gently, he closed the tome, placed it in a worn wooden box, closed the lid, stood, and made his way towards the bagels.


    "One poppy seed coming right up Heinrich.", said the man holding the bag.  His hand searched blindly through the bag until it emerged holding a seed covered bagel.  He handed it to Heinrich.


    "Thank you, Martin.", Heinrich said.  He held the bagel up in a gesture of thanks, did a little bow, and returned to his spot in the rear.


    Martin held the bag in the direction of the man sitting in the driver''s seat.  "How about you, J?  You want one?"


    "No.  Thank you, though."  The man in the driver''s seat appeared to be in his thirties.  He was tall, olive-skinned, lean, and athletic.  He glanced around at the collection of people in the van, considering their faces and demeanor.


    An older gentleman sat in the passenger seat and stared into the darkness of the cemetery that spanned outside of the van.  "Joshua never eats before we work.", he snapped.  One would think you''d know that after three years."


    Martin shot back, "I do know that, but it''s still polite to ask.  Maybe this time he felt like a bagel.  Geez.  What''s got your undies in a ruffle?"


    Joshua glanced over at his old friend.  "You do seem a bit tense.  Did you see something that''s got you worried?"


    Douglas looked at his hands.  "No.  Everything is fine.  Just pre-show jitters."


    Joshua leaned towards Douglas and asked quietly, "How long have we known each other?"


    "I''ve lost count of the years."  Douglas smiled.


    "A long time." Joshua whispered. "I''ve known you since before you could tie your shoes."


    Douglas chuckled and nodded.


    "And in that time I''ve learned to tell when you''re being straight with me."  Joshua paused.  "I don''t feel you''re being straight with me."  The tone of Joshua''s voice was serious, but his expression remained calm and kind.  "So, tell me again.  Did you see something?  Should we back this van out of here and leave?"


    Douglas looked up from his hands and stared into Joshua''s eyes.  His eyes held back fear.  "I didn''t see anything that should sway us from this path.  We are where we need to be."


    Joshua looked at his friend and put his hand on his shoulder.  "Alright.  If you say so.  It''s almost time."  He said as he turned to address the rest of the crew.


    "Ok guys.  The darkness is upon us.  Let us be ready.  This one isn''t your run-of-the-mill vampire.  As I said during the briefing, everything points to this being a Lichen. Heinrich, wanna give us the rundown again?"The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Heinrich stood and cleared his throat.  "The uh, Lichen is the soul of a human wizard or warlock that has bound itself to an earthly item.  It then feeds on the life-force of others to maintain itself indefinitely. It retains any powers it had during its mortal time, as well as the ability to gather new strength and power from the astral plane.  We''ll be looking for its mooring or anchor.  It will be something buried or entombed with the physical remains of the wizard."


    Emily took a large bite of bagel.  "So, how do we find this ''mooring'' or anchor or whatever?"


    Martin pulled some leather batting gloves from his back pockets and squeezed his hands into them.  They seemed two sizes too small.  Then he reached over and grabbed a large wooden baseball bat sitting next to the door. It was engraved with glyphs and wrapped in barbed wire.  "This is where Heinrich comes in handy."


    He twisted his hands around its handle and tested his grip and continued, "He may be nerdy on the outside, but he''s one bad mofo when it comes to magick."


    Heinrich pushed his glasses up and stuttered, "Ah, y.. yes, thank you for that compliment.  I uh, well, I will use an incantation that will help us find the mooring.  By charging it with enough ethereal energy, it will resonate in the visible spectrum, allowing us to pinpoint it in darkness."


    Emily motioned with her bagel, "So...it''ll glow?"


    Heinrich responded excitedly, "Precisely!"


    Martin held up his bat in a way that reminded Emily of He-Man holding his sword.


    "Heinrich, hit me!"  Martin said with a slight dramatic flair.


    "Oh!  Uh, yes."  Heinrich closed his eyes and held his palms out towards the bat.  He began to quietly mutter some words.


    Emily winced and grabbed her ears.  "What the hell?"


    Joshua placed his hand on her shoulder.  "It''s ok.  It happens when you''re this close to a spell being cast.  It''s a good thing.  If you can feel it in your head, it means it''s a real spell.  It means it''s powerful.  It means you should be glad he''s on our side."


    Emily grimaced and looked at Heinrich while still trying to comfort her head and ears.  "If you say so. I have to say, though, I feel a little violated."  Then she turned her attention to Martin''s bat.  The symbols were now glowing and there was a faint hum.  Red arcs of electric-like energy began to jump and travel along the barbed wire wrapping of the bat.


    "That''s the stuff!" said Martin, holding the bat with both hands.  "Time to kick some demon ass!"


    Heinrich finished his incantation and dropped his hands to his side.  "Uh.  Technically, this isn''t a demon, Martin.  It was human.  A human wizard."


    Martin rolled his eyes.  "Yeah, yeah yeah.  You know what I mean.  It sounds cooler to say demon than ''Former human wizard ass''."


    "So, can you do that for my guns?", Emily stood admiring the magic glowing bat in Martin''s hands.


    "Uh, well, of course, yes.", said Heinrich.


    "Right!?  Let''s do this shit!  That''s what I''m talking about!"  Emily looked around the room for any shared enthusiasm.


    "However," Heinrich added, "we would need to determine the proper glyphs to etch onto your guns before we could incantate them with energy.  Unfortunately, we don''t have the time for such research, now."


    Emily looked at her guns and then back to Martin''s glowing bat.  "So, will my bullets even hurt this thing?"


    Heinrich nodded, "Oh.  Absolutely.  It will sustain damage to its corporeal form.  While it won''t die, so to speak, any damage it sustains will weaken its ability to interact in the physical world - physically.  It will still be extremely powerful from the ethereal side."


    Emily motioned to Martin''s bat.  "So, what does that do?"


    Martin''s face stretched into a giant grin.  It was highlighted by the red glow from his bat.  "It will knock that bastard back into the next life.  That''s what this will do.  It''ll light him up like a Christmas tree and send him straight to hell!"  Martin glanced at Joshua, "No offense."


    Josuha nodded back to Martin, "None taken."  He turned to Douglas.  Douglas had turned his attention back outside and was lost in thought.


    "Hey."  Joshua said.  "You sit this one out.  There''s no need for you to be out there in the thick.  You''re more useful here.  If something pops up, just radio us.  Or blast the horn a couple of times."


    Douglas looked at him.  His face contorted into a slight smile, but it was clear something weighed heavily on his mind.  "Yes.  Perhaps it''s for the better."


    Joshua patted Douglas on the back, turned to the driver''s seat, and grabbed a black tactical vest slung over the back of the seat.  He slung it on, putting a large caliber pistol on his left and a long dagger on his right.  The dagger''s blade was a bronze spear-head. Instead of being fixed to the end of a pole, it had been set into a curved-bone handle adorned in etchings.  Joshua headed toward the door of the van and addressed the crew one last time.


    "Ok guys.  Let''s make this place sacred, again."


    Martin let out a "yeah!" in support.  He started to head out of the van but suddenly stopped and turned back to Douglas.  "Hey old man.  Why don''t you have yourself a bagel?  There''s a few left in there.  Help yourself to whichever one you want."


    Douglas reached out and gently grabbed Martin''s hand.  "Thank you, Martin." he said.  His voice was filled with sadness.


    "Sure. I mean.  It''s just a bagel.  J actually paid for them so..."


    Douglas interrupted, "No, I mean, thank you Martin.  For always having such a kind and pure heart."


    Martin looked puzzled.  "Uh.  You''re welcome, I guess.  Why you gettin'' all sentimental?"


    Douglas stared at Martin''s hand for a moment and then smiled and took the bag of bagels.  He reached in and pulled out a bagel.


    "Ooh!  Poppy-seed.  I do enjoy these."

 Chapter 2 - Afzarizel: Fallen of Fallen

    Chapter 2 - Afzarizel: Fallen of Fallen


    It was completely dark save the light from one flickering streetlamp bulb. It''s amber light bathed the already dirty stretch of street in a sickly yellow, making it that much more sickly.


    Just out of reach of the light, an ember from a cigarette began to glow and then recede. The owner of the cigarette stood quietly waiting and watching.


    A minute later a door burst open and out stumbled two drunken figures. The man was middle-aged, balding terribly, and dressed as nicely as his accountant''s job and gambling addiction would allow. The hooker at his side, a young woman with shoulder-length red hair, was too drunk to support her own weight, let alone his as they stumbled down the stairs.


    When they reached the last step, the strap on her purse snapped, hitting the ground and spilling its contents everywhere.


    "Oh God damn it." the woman slurred and bent over to pick up the items.


    As she did, the man who was depending on her for balance fell to the ground with a thud and passed out.


    "You still gotta pay me, asshole." She kicked him slightly, sat down, and with some degree of difficulty, drunkenly scooped the remainder of the spilled items back into her purse.


    A voice slithered out of the darkness. "Looks like your friend had a bit too much to drink."


    Startled, the woman jerked to face the direction of the voice. Someone stepped into the light.


    The woman blinked her eyes. Her inebriation had her doubting her own senses. The figure appeared to be made of shadow that shifted and writhed. She rubbed her eyes. She could now see he was a young man of twenty or thirty. He was handsome and well-groomed. He was wearing a nice sporty suit with pinstripes. His hair was styled like a 1950''s businessman. She liked his style.


    He had a thin mustache that reminded her of a gangster from one of the movies she had seen as a kid. She liked that, too. As a matter of fact, he was the embodiment of everything she found physically attractive in a man.


    "Oh. Uh. Yeah. He..we, we kinda had a lot to drink. Shit." She looked down at the passed out man and then at the sidewalk. A hand stretched out in front of her. Her eyes followed it back to the man standing before her. He had a charming smile. She took his hand. Without so much as a tug, it was almost as if she floated back to her feet.


    "Thanks," she said timidly. She hadn''t been this nervous around a man in quite some time. Most of the time, they were the ones acting awkward.


    "You''re very welcome. Will your boyfriend be alright? Should I call a cab for you?"


    "Yeah. I... no He''s got a car." She turned and looked at the unconscious man laying on the ground. "I mean, I''m not really with him, though. He''s not my boyfriend." She stammered as she turned back to the stranger.


    "I see. Well, I hope you have a lovely evening, miss. And I hope your not-boyfriend recovers in a timely manner. This neighborhood isn''t the best, you know." The man smiled, winked, and began to walk down the street back into the darkness.


    She took one more look at the passed out man.


    "Well, I guess, I actually could use a ride. You know, on account of him being drunk and all." She had raised her voice. She was excited. She hoped she didn''t sound as desperate as she felt.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    The man stopped and turned. A smile grew across his face. "Perfect teeth," she thought. It was the most handsome smile she''d ever seen.


    "You know, I''m parked very near here. I''d be happy to give you a ride to wherever you need to go."


    "Oh. Thank you. I shouldn''t. I mean, I couldn''t." The woman glanced around at the empty street. The danger of getting into a stranger''s car was very present in her mind, but she did feel at ease with this charming man. He had started walking away. She was the one who stopped him. Certainly, if he meant her harm, he would have already done something, or at least encouraged her more than he was.


    "Alright. I will call you a cab." The man reached into his suit pocket, pulled out a phone, and began to dial.


    "Actually!" The woman said quickly. "I''d rather ride with you if that''s OK. I''m not much for cabs."


    The man smiled and chuckled. "Of course! I''ll call a cab for your friend."


    "He''s really not my friend." She blurted. "I mean. Yeah, a cab would probably be best for him."


    The man chuckled. "My pleasure." The man dialed a number and gave the dispatch the address. "Your friend..." He stopped himself and gave her a charming grin. "Your acquaintance will be fine. The cab is on its way. " He slid the phone into his pocket and motioned down the dark street. "I''m just down here."


    The woman stepped over the passed out man started following her new acquaintance.


    "It''s not too far." She said. "My apartment. I live pretty close, actually. So you don''t have to worry about driving me all over town."


    "It wasn''t a concern. Just doing a kind deed." He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. His charm was overwhelming her. This is the kind of guy her mother would have tried to get her to date. She was glad her mom would never see her with the trash she was with lately.


    She walked beside him as he casually strolled. He was so at ease it put her at ease. It had been a long time since she had felt that way. She wanted to take his arm. It seemed natural. The impulse was almost too much to resist. She couldn''t take her eyes off of him.


    "I''m Misty, by the way."


    "Wonderful to meet you, Misty. I''m Afzarizel." In a flash, the young and handsome face was replaced by something twisted and horrific. She jumped back.


    "Are you alright?" the man turned and looked at her. His face was young and handsome.


    "I...uh." She nervously looked back down the street from where they had come. It was pitch black. She looked back at the young man. His warm and charming smile had returned, but now instead of lust and attraction, she felt a strong urge to run.


    "Are you Ok, Laura? You look like you''ve seen a ghost."


    "I''m. I''m Ok. I just... I just thought you were a monster." As the words left her mouth she started to chuckle at how ridiculous they sounded.


    Afzarizel laughed. "I get that all the time." He suddenly held up his hands in a claw-like manner. "RAWR!"


    The young woman jumped and then realized the joke. She felt a bit more relaxed and slightly more foolish. She began to laugh a bit more. Afzarizel laughed with her. He held out his arm for her. She smiled and took it.


    They resumed walking. The street was empty. Not a single car or another person. She wondered where the cab was? It would have had to go by this way. She felt like such a fool. She stared at her feet as they walked. She was nervous that if she looked up at him, she''d see something terrifying again. She felt ridiculous.


    "I''m kind of offended you thought I was a monster. I mean, I know I''m not a looker, but..." Afzarizel laughed.


    She looked up and was relieved. He was handsome. She smiled and started, "Oh, you''re certainly a looker..."


    Cold panic ripped through her heart. She dropped his arm and stopped. She couldn''t move.


    Afzarizel turned and looked at her. "What''s wrong? Am I a monster again?"


    She could barely get the words out. "H...how did you know my name?"


    "What? You told me your name."


    "I...I told you my name was Misty. You just called me Laura. How did you know my real name?"


    A smile crept across his face. It didn''t stop where it should have stopped. His purplish lips stretched from ear to ear. The perfect smile was replaced with hundreds of jagged yellow teeth. His eyes, now empty and black, flickered like candles in the streetlights.


    "I''m ...an acquaintance of your mother''s."

 Chapter 3 - There Are Two Paths You Can Go By

    Chapter 3 - There Are Two Paths You Can Go By


    The crew filed out of the van one by one. Joshua turned back and poked his head into the door. "Anything funny and you call us back. Got it?"


    Douglas nodded and held up the radio.


    "Alright. We have a strong reason to believe the Lichen is in the old Westridge Family tomb. One of the patriarchs had ties to The Forge. We suspect it''s him."


    Martin shook his head. "Man. Why is it always The Forge?"


    Emily raised her hand, "Hi. New here. What''s The Forge?"


    Joshua drew his gun and clicked on a green laser sight. "Heinrich? Wanna give her the Cliff Notes version?"


    Leaning in close, Heinrich lowered his voice. "The Forge is a clandestine group of mages whose origins predate the historical records. They''re unscrupulous, dangerous, and they practice all forms of dark magicks. They''re responsible for every major war, catastrophe, and plague that has ever blighted humanity. It''s highly probable they are responsible for the last great mass-extinction event."


    "Holy shit! They killed the dinosaurs?" Emily exclaimed.


    "Uh...No. Not that far back." Heinrich chuckled and continued, "The one that nearly wiped out humanity. Reduced us back to the threshold. They put us clear down to the minimum viable population."


    "Why? What''s their beef?" Emily asked.


    Josuha raised an eyebrow and said, "It''s not their beef."


    Emily paused in thought. "So, who''s is it?"


    Movement in the cemetery cut the conversation short.


    "Did you hear that? That sounded like something heavy moving," Martin whispered excitedly. "A stone door sliding, maybe? Didn''t it? I thought it sounded like a stone door to a tomb for sure."


    "Let''s be calm and professional about this," said Joshua as he slowly started to move in the direction of the sound.


    "Oh. We''re gonna be professional. I''m gonna professionally smash this ghost''s head in with my Louisville of Eternia", said Martin with a whisper.


    "Hah! I knew you were doing a He-Man thing in the van!" Emily chuckled quietly. "God, you''re a giant nerd."


    "Well, you''re a nerd for catching the reference." Martin sneered playfully.


    "Good point."


    "Ok. We''re all nerds here. Stay focused." Joshua added.


    "Sorry boss." Martin regripped the bat and smiled back at Emily.


    "Yeah, sorry." Emily said, smiling at Martin as she spoke.


    The four moved quietly towards the center of the cemetery.


    "Joshua," Heinrich whispered with urgency. "The compass is behaving in a very peculiar fashion. I believe we are near our target, but..." The needle of the small strange-looking compass hanging from his belt spun wildly.


    "What do you mean peculiar?" Joshua asked.


    Heinrich started, "I''m not entirely sure, but it can''t seem to focus on the source of the black energy. It''s almost as though..."


    A green plasmatic fireball blasted past Joshua''s head, barely missing him.


    Joshua rolled to his left and took cover behind a large headstone. The rest of the crew followed quickly, each finding their own cover.


    Heinrich spun around and put his back against a large stone monument. He pulled a small silver sphere from his satchel and began to utter an incantation.


    Emily winced as the words and energy from the spell penetrated into her head. A second fireball blasted the headstone she was hiding behind, reducing it to dust. She fired a few rounds in the direction of the attack and then quickly jumped behind a stone sarcophagus. Martin was already taking cover there.


    "Hey." She said catching her breath.


    "Hey," Martin replied, happy to see her sitting down next to him. "Are you alright?"


    "Yup! Just fine!" She smirked. "Are you gonna use that thing or just make small talk with me all night?"


    "Um...Small talk, of course," he said with a large and goofy grin.


    "Where did that fireball come from? I thought we were supposed to be able to see this thing." She popped the clips out of her pistols, counted the remaining rounds, and quickly replaced them.


    "So, you''re gonna figure this out on your own, but these things never go as planned," Martin said with a playful tone. "One time, we thought we were going to be expelling a standard poltergeist, instead we ended up spending two nightmarish days trapped in an old bed and breakfast in Indiana. Turns out the house itself was possessed. A ghost house. It''s a thing."


    A plasma ball shot past where the two were hiding and exploded against the monument where Heinrich was taking cover. He flinched but continued chanting over the sphere in his hand.


    "What''s he doing?" Emily asked.


    "Hell if I know." Martin shrugged. "He''s always got some trick up his sleeve. If we''re lucky, we won''t even have to lift a finger to fight this thing."


    Emily frowned. "How is that lucky?"


    Heinrich opened his hand and the silver sphere launched straight up. It zipped overhead and abruptly stopped a few feet in front of where Joshua was taking cover.


    "Thank you!" Josuha called out.


    "You''re very welcome," replied Heinrich.


    From between two large tombs, a seven-foot-tall figure slowly levitated into the main garden. It had clearly once had a face. Now it looked more like a desiccated piece of leather with two glowing green embers that served as eyes. A tattered mage''s cap lay atop the leathery husk of a head. Covering its thin body were folds of flowing crimson fabric that nearly reached the ground. Every slight movement revealed glowing arcane symbols in tight rows stretched across each inch of the fabric.


    Raising one arm, it gestured and a ball of green plasma-like flame flashed into existence dancing above its palm.


    In a failed attempt to remain stealthy, Martin''s foot slipped on dust and rubble as he tried to get a better look. The creature turned towards the sarcophagus where Martin and Emily hid, hurling the fireball.


    The impact engulfed the sarcophagus and chunks of stone and dust exploded in every direction. The creature moved toward the sarcophagus, but as it did, Heinrich''s sphere began to hum and spark.


    Arcs of electricity jumped from the sphere to the creature below it. Hundreds of electrical tendrils raked their way across the creature, burning its flesh and robes. The Lichen reeled in pain and let out a deafening and unearthly screech.


    The laser sight from Joshua''s pistol projected a dot directly between the creature''s eyes. He began firing methodically and repeatedly as he approached. Each shot caused the creature to recoil as the shots found their mark.


    Taking a cue from Josuha, Emily moved from her point of cover and took aim. She was awestruck as Joshua fearlessly engaged the creature.


    "Wow. He''s kind of a badass," she said.


    Martin rolled his eyes, "Yeah. Badass. He does have a laser sight, you know."


    Joshua holstered his gun and drew the dagger. The lichen hung in the air, immobilized from the energy bombarding it from the sphere overhead. With a swift jump, Joshua lunged at the Lichen.


    The blade stopped short of its target. The Lichen had caught Josuha by the neck and was now holding him at arm''s length. Joshua squirmed as his neck was being crushed.


    Dropping the dagger, he grabbed onto the creature''s hand, and try to pry its fingers loose. The creature tightened its grip and Joshua started to go limp.


    "Oh my God!" Emily cried, and she opened fire on the creature. She precisely unloaded round after round into the creature''s side and head. The creature recoiled from the attack and released its grip. Joshua fell to the ground.


    He sat for a moment, gasping for air when his eyes caught sight of his dagger. He reached for it, grabbing the bone handle and curling his fingers tightly around it.


    Emily continued to rain a barrage of gunfire onto her target. She moved to its side to get a better position and reduce her risk of hitting Joshua.


    The energy from the sphere began to wane. The lichen began to move its attention towards Emily.


    Joshua pulled himself to his feet and raised the dagger to attack. The lichen swiped at him and connected with a massive blow across his chest. The impact sent Joshua upwards and back, launching him into some nearby trees.


    The lichen turned back towards Emily. She had burned through two clips and started to reload. In that instant, the lichen had closed the distance between them and was now directly in front of her, its arm raised to strike.


    "Boom!" Martin''s bat collided with the lichen. With a red flash of magical energy, the impact folded the lichen in two and rocketed into a nearby tomb wall. It fell to the ground sparking and smoldering.


    Martin stood before Emily holding a batter''s pose like he just hit a home run. She looked to the smoking pile of robes and back to Martin.


    She smiled. "That was pretty badass."


    "Nah," Martin said smiling. "You were pretty bad..."


    A blue flame blasted into Martin, knocking him back ten feet and engulfing him instantly. He reached out for Emily, but seconds, his skin, muscles, and sinews melted away, leaving nothing but blacked bone.


    Horror washed over Emily as she fell to her knees in front of Martin''s charred remains. She turned, suddenly, to see another Lichen. It was awash in robes of gold, and it wore a golden miter upon its putrified head.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As Emily''s eyes matched the creature''s gaze, she froze. From the creature''s mouth came the sounds of Hell; screams of pain and torment, the voices of millions of souls in eternal, unrelenting agony.


    The color faded from her eyes and drops of blood started to trickle from their corners. She was helplessly trapped in the Lichen''s power as it started to rip away at her very psyche.


    It fed on her pain and torment of watching Martin die, and on the agony, it was inflicting upon her, now. Siphoning her lifeforce made it more powerful, while her anguish added to its delight.


    The lichen suddenly jerked forward and heaved awkwardly breaking its gaze from Emily. It lurched again and the tip of a bronze spear erupted from its chest and the creature bellowed in pain.


    "Don''t like it so much, yourself, do you?" Joshua chided.


    Emily collapsed.


    Joshua rammed the dagger further into the creature''s back until the bone handle prevented it from penetrating any more. In one fluid motion, he pulled the dagger upwards, slicing a deep wound, stretching the length of its torso, then he yanked the dagger from the creature''s body and slashed across its neck. The lichen''s head fell to the ground. Energy and light poured from its neck until its body shuttered and collapsed to the ground.


    Joshua lifted Emily to her knees. White streaks began to form in her jet black hair. Gently, he lifted her face to his and looked into her white, lifeless eyes.


    "Emily. Come back."


    A cacophony of growling, unnatural voices slithered up from somewhere deep inside Emily''s throat. "Who are you to take what is ours?"


    Anger washed over Joshua''s face. His voice boomed throughout the cemetery. "It is I! I command you to release her."


    The voices screamed out. "Please! We are sorry! We did not know she belonged to you! Please! She is free. Do us no harm!"


    Emily''s eyes filled with life and color. She coughed and fell into Joshua''s arms.


    Heinrich rushed over and leaned over to catch his breath. "Where...where is Martin?" He asked, scanning the area.


    Joshua solemnly pointed to the pile of charred bones.


    "Oh no! No no no no no." Heinrich said as he backed away horrified. He looked back at Joshua.


    Joshua''s face was grim as he sat holding Emily.


    "Joshua," Said Heinrich slowly. "I know some terrible things have just happened, but we have to finish this. These lichens will pull themselves back together very quickly unless we find their anchors and destroy them."


    Joshua looked down at Emily. "Hey, Heinrich is right. I need to help him finish this. Can you make it back to the van?"


    Sniffling, Emily wiped the tears and blood from her face. "I''m coming with you. I''m going to make sure these bastards burn in hell."


    "Oh, believe me." Joshua said, "They will."


    The three made their way toward the heart of the cemetery. In the center of the great yard stood a crypt that was adorned in statues of demonic figures.


    "Whew, someone has a thing for messed up gargoyles," Emily said. Josuha was happy to hear her make a joke. After what she had just witnessed, he was surprised she was even able to speak.


    "They''re demons," Heinrich said. "Gargoyles were used to scare off evil spirits. These were placed here to honor them."


    Emily loaded her last clips into her pistols. "Great."


    Motioning with his hands in much the way a tour guide would gesture to points of interest, Heinrich began a surprisingly unrehearsed speech. "This is the Westridge Family Tomb. Dating back to the early days of the city, it''s adorned in statues of thirteen minor demons. The family is known for its dark dealings. These extend well beyond bribing senators and mob ties. They have dealt for just as long in dark magicks." Heinrich frowned. "That''s odd. The tomb is sealed."


    "Maybe they closed the door behind them? You know, save on energy bills," asked Emily.


    Joshua slowly turned and looked at the cemetery. "How did we find out about these Lichens?" He turned to Heinrich. "Who told you that there was a lichen here?"


    "Well, it wasn''t me who received the call. I''m not sure who the call came from. I was just going off the information that was given to me." Heinrich said.


    Joshua tilted his head slightly. "If you didn''t take the call, who did?"


    Heinrich''s face twisted in puzzlement. "I thought it was you."


    "Who told you about the lichen, Heinrich?" Joshua asked urgently.


    "It was Douglas. I thought you knew."


    The van''s horn started blasting.


    "Douglas!" Joshua broke into a run and started back towards the sound of the horn. The other two looked at each other and quickly followed.


    The horn stopped. In the darkness, the cemetery seemed more like a labyrinth and the trio found themselves turned around. They took turns shouting for him.


    "What about the radio? Did you try the radio?" Heinrich asked.


    Joshua shook his head and rubbed his lower back. "I landed on the radio and smashed it I was thrown."


    Seconds later, the horn blasted again. They ran in the direction of the horn, leading them right back to the great fountain. The lichens still lay motionless.


    Douglas stumbled out and approached the group.


    "I''m so sorry Joshua. I..."


    "Are you Ok? What happened? Are you hurt?"


    Douglas touched a small cut above his eye. "I''m fine. I''m fine. I have to tell you something..."


    "Douglas." Joshua''s normally friendly face was now very serious, "Who called you about the lichen? Who reported it?"


    Douglas lowered his head. "That''s what I have to tell you. I''m sorry, Joshua. They''re not lichen."


    "What do you mean?" Joshua asked.


    "They''re drekalo." Douglas said mournfully.


    "Drek..." Heinrich said loudly, then lowering his voice, "Drekalo? Why did you tell me they were lichen? We would never have come knowing it was Drekalo. Not without preparation."


    Douglas looked at Joshua. "You have to understand that it''s vitally important that we came here tonight."


    "Douglas," Joshua said. He was upset but not angry. That was the thing about Joshua, it took a lot to anger him. "I''m not sure what your reasoning is behind all of this, but Martin died because we came here. Emily almost died because we came here. And if what you''re saying is true, we can''t even hurt these things. We can only slow them down for a few minutes."


    "Wait." Emily grabbed Joshua''s arm. "What do you mean we can''t even hurt these things? Martin smashed one into oblivion and you decapitated one. Not to mention I put at least forty rounds in one of them. You said my bullets would work." She looked sharply at Heinrich.


    "We thought they were lichen. Human souls twisted by black magic and evil. They''re nasty, but they''re still human souls. They can be captured and contained." Joshua glanced at Heinrich. "In some cases even destroyed. These are drekalo. These are demons brought into existence when a child is murdered. And judging by what they were wearing, these two have been around for a while. The older a demon is, the more powerful it becomes."


    "Ok? So? Can''t we just destroy their anchors or whatever?" Emily asked, looking at Heinrich for confirmation.


    Heinrich shook his head. "No. A drekalo doesn''t have an anchor. They are their own anchors. The pain of the murder that took place anchors them into our reality."


    "So, how do we kill them?"


    There was immense sadness in the look that passed between Heinrich and Joshua. Emily didn''t like the look. It gave her a cold sinking feeling.


    "The only way to exorcise a drekalo," Said Joshua sadly, "is through willing sacrifice."


    Emily chuckled for a moment and looked at the faces of all three men. "Heh. Like, a goat?"


    Heinrich looked at her with a greyness she had only seen at funerals. "A willing human sacrifice."


    Emily pulled her guns and pointed them at the men. "Not a chance. Not a goddamned chance."


    Joshua held his hand out, "Please. Put your guns down. We don''t mean you. It wouldn''t be a willing sacrifice if we forced someone."


    Douglas started to walk to the van.


    "Where are you going?" Joshua asked. "We need to figure this out."


    "I need to get something from the van. Something that will help sort this out." Douglas opened the passenger side door and retrieved something from the glove box. A bagel rolled off the seat and into the fountain. He slammed the door shut and walked back towards the group.


    "Here." Douglas handed a photograph to Joshua.


    It was a picture of a young woman in her twenties standing expressionless in front of a plain and modest-looking house. Joshua flipped the photo over. On the back, someone had penned the words, "Sophia Ring. 865 Marbach Ln."


    Joshua passed the photo to Heinrich and Emily. "Who''s the girl? What does she have to do with this?"


    "It will all make sense in due time. Please we must deal with these drekalo." Douglas started walking towards the headless demonic corpse.


    Heinrich looked around, "These two will be recorporealizing themselves very soon. We need a plan. I think maybe it''s best if we just leave now. Regroup. This isn''t a fight we can win."


    Joshua turned to Heinrich and started to speak but something interrupted him.


    "What is it?" Heinrich asked.


    "I think it''s too late to run now," Joshua said as he watched the first drekalo start to reform. It slowly unfolded and began to float upwards.


    Emily shouted, "Uh...guys. This one is up again, too. His head is back on."


    Douglas called to Emily. "Here! Catch!" Emily turned just as Douglas tossed her an assault rifle he had pulled from the van. She fired, hitting it a few times, but it quickly vanished and reappeared a few feet away.


    Joshua fired at the red-robed demon, hitting it in the chest multiple times. It recoiled back but quickly recovered.


    "We need a plan here, guys!" Joshua yelled. "Something quick!"


    A fireball hurled towards Douglas. Emily tackled him to the ground, causing the flame to miss by inches.


    Douglas stood up, brushed himself off, and began waving his arms. "Over here you vile spawn. Come and get me."


    The demons turned to face Douglas.


    "What are you doing? They''ll kill you!" Joshua yelled.


    Douglas continued to wave his arms. "It has to be me. This is the sum of all my visions. This is what must happen."


    Joshua moved to put himself between the drekalo and Douglas. "What are you talking about? What did you see?"


    The Arch-drekalo heaved a fireball at Joshua.


    "Look out!" Emily cried, surprised to see the fireball stop short of Joshua. It appeared to hit some invisible barrier. Emily turned to see Heinrich clutching an amulet around his neck muttering.


    "What did you just do?" Emily shouted at Heinrich


    "I''m buying us some time.", Heinrich said. "The barrier spell will keep them at bay, but not for long."


    Another fireball erupted around them. The air smelled like sulfur. Douglas stopped waving. "I saw the End, Joshua. I saw the End and the Darkness won." tears started to stream down his face.


    "No. Maybe it was a false vision."


    "I wish it was," said Douglas sadly. "But...I''ve always known this day. I''ve lived it in my dreams a million times. I''ve had to watch Martin die a million times. And I''ve had to watch humanity perish...a million times."


    "So it''s inevitable?" Joshua asked.


    The two demons crashed their bodies into the shield and shrieked in anger as the barrier knocked them backward. Heinrich squeezed his amulet, quietly chanted, and pushed more energy into the barrier. "Not a lot left, Joshua."


    Douglas shook his head. "It''s not inevitable. There are two paths. One leads you to the girl in the photo and one that leads to Darkness. If you don''t find her," he paused, "we lose."


    One of the demons began twisting its hands in a circular motion. A large dark circular void began to form in front of it.


    "Uh...Guys! Can we focus on the important part, here? The two really pissed off demons? Remember them?" Emily shouted as she watched the prepare its attack.


    She fired a few rounds. They passed through the barrier and struck the demon in the face, disrupting its spell.


    "Hah! Yeah!" Emily yelled, "Take that, you bastard!"


    The demon screeched back at her, its eyes blazed with rage.


    Joshua turned to look back at Douglas "So, how do we find the girl. How do we choose the right path? You''re my seer. You''re supposed to guide me!"


    Douglas smiled. "You start by letting me go."


    A huge blue plasma flame erupted over the barrier, causing it to flicker.


    "I don''t think it will stop another one", Heinrich urged.


    Douglas turned to Heinrich. "May I have your amulet?"


    "What? Why?" Heinrich clutched the amulet and motioned it away from Douglas.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t have time to explain. This is how it must happen. Please. Your amulet." Douglas was completely calm. More calm than Heinrich ever recalled him being.


    Another fireball glanced off the shield. Emily fired more rounds into the demons, filling the air with the sounds of demonic howls and gunfire.


    "If I give it to you," said Heinrich, "the shield will instantly collapse. We''ll be exposed."


    "Yes. Precisely," Douglas nodded. "When the moment is right, please, charge it with the Incantation of Methstarial."


    Heinrich stood in puzzled amazement, unsure of how his friend even knew of the incantation he was requesting. "I''m not even sure I can...it''s incredibly powerful."


    "I''ve seen you cast it a million times," Douglas said as he held out his hand. "You''ll do fine."


    Heinrich hesitated. "You don''t have to do this. We can find another way."


    Douglas smiled, "A willing sacrifice. You know it''s the only way."


    Heinrich paused for a moment. He looked at Joshua and back to Douglas. He nodded and said, "Get ready."


    Emily fired two controlled bursts at each demon, distracting them briefly.


    Heinrich pulled the amulet from around his neck and placed it in Douglas''s outstretched hand. "Now!"


    As he ran to the opposite side of the garden, Douglas placed the amulet around his neck. "Over here!" He shouted.


    Both creatures quickly advanced and in seconds were upon him. The golden-robed drekalo grabbed Douglas by the head, lifted him off the ground, and began to squeeze. The other drekalo bit into his leg, ripping out a large chunk. Douglas screamed, "Do it! Do it now!"


    Heinrich ducked behind the large stone monument and began to speak the incantation. The words rang in the air and pierced through their minds like daggers. Emily and Joshua fell to the ground behind a large stone crypt. The pain caused by the incantation was almost unbearable. Heinrich focused, pushing all of the energy he could draw from the ether into the amulet around Douglas''s neck.


    Peeling his flesh from his body, the demons writhed in ecstasy as Douglas screamed. Feeding upon the torment they inflicted, they carefully worked to postpone his death until the last possible moment.


    "It is finished..." The words barely escaped from Douglas''s mouth just as one of the demons bit into his throat, almost decapitating him.


    Heinrich looked to the sky and uttered the final word of the incantation.


    Everything fell silent.


    A small bead of light began to rise from the amulet. The demons stopped their feast and gazed in a stupor at the speck of pure white light floating up between them.


    With a crack like thunder, the small speck exploded. Pure white magical energy engulfed the demons and half of the cemetery. In an instant, they were obliterated from existence.


    The light faded like dust.


    Joshua and Emily rose from their cover. Douglas''s corpse lay slumped against a tomb wall, his head hanging to one side. His left arm had been bitten off at the wrist.


    Joshua kneeled and placed his hand on Douglas''s head. "I''ll see you again, my friend. Thank you for all you''ve given."


    Police sirens began to blare in the distance and were quickly growing louder by the second. Running to the van, Heinrich called to the others, "I''m sorry, but we''ve got to go."


    Emily and Joshua ran back to the van, and with one final look toward their fallen friends, drove out of the cemetery.

 Chapter 4 - The Ascended

    Chapter 4 - The Ascended


    Sirens blared a mile or two down the road. In minutes Brightwood Cemetery would be full of cops and emergency response teams. The gunfire went mostly unnoticed, but the explosion of white light garnered enough attention for someone to finally call the police.


    Afzarizel approached Martin''s remains, bent down, and picked up his skull. "Poor Martin, I knew thee well." He let the skull fall haphazardly from his hand. His attention turned to the corpse leaning against the tomb wall, "Ahhh. Douglas." he sneered.


    "Douglas, Douglas, Douglas. What''s the matter? Didn''t see this coming?" He said to the lifeless corpse.  "Oh my! What''s this?" The amulet around Douglas''s neck caught his eye. "A Node of Sethariel? Now, what are you doing with such a powerful and gaudy piece of jewelry? Which, for the record, doesn''t match your outfit at all."


    Afzarizel reached down and grabbed the amulet. A white flash of light pulsed from it and sent him sailing back twenty feet into a sarcophagus. Instantly he was back to his feet, his eyes dancing with rage and fire.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    A heroic and diving being of pure white light stood before him. Afzarizel growled and hissed.


    The being began to speak, ringing out like a million voices singing in harmony. "Afzarizel. Your plan will fail. Your master''s plan will fail."


    "Douglas, you look atrocious. Not a good look for you, I must say." He brushed the dust from his suit jacket. "So, what? You''re ascended, now? You must''ve been a very good boy. You get to scamper around and be His errand boy?" Afzarizel motioned with a grand gesture to the sky, "What a wonderful benefits package!"


    "Silence! You stand before a Martyr. You will show reverence." The being''s voice boomed forcing Afzarizel to fall to one knee and bow his head.


    Afzarizel roared, unable to move.


    The lights from the emergency vehicles were close enough to color the headstones and monuments with alternating blues and reds.


    The being''s voice rang out again, "Your continued interference with His plan will not go unpunished. So is His will."


    "As is His will." Afzarizel hissed with pure disdain.


    At once the being was gone. Afzarizel rose to his feet, fixed his tie, and adjusted his and cuff-links. He began to walk away, but stopped, and turned his head back towards Douglas''s corpse. A wicked smile curled across his face. He snapped his fingers. The corpse exploded, raining pieces all over the main yard. "That''s a better look for you."


    Lights from the police vehicles flooded the cemetery. Afzarizel was gone.

 Chapter 5 - Empty Chairs

    Chapter 5 - Empty Chairs


    "Demons can''t be trusted.  Period."  Heinrich was emphatically trying to make his point to Emily as the van rushed down the highway.


    "So why does anyone make deals with them?" Emily asked.


    "The lure of power is oftentimes greater than the strength of reason.  The summoner either disregards their knowledge of the demon''s nature for deception or is dangerously ignorant of it." Heinrich explained.


    "You''d think that if they had dedicated their lives studying this stuff, they''d see, I don''t know, a trend?  I mean, you''ve figured it out already.  You''re what, thirty?  Thiry-five?" Emily posited.


    Heinrich smiled. "Not necessarily.  Demons are immortal.  Men are not.  A demon can play a game of manipulation for a very long time.  Multiple lifetimes.  And regardless of what you think about their character, demons are fiercely intelligent.  Magnitudes above that of mortal man. It''s often not clear what their end game is until years, decades, or even centuries later."


    Joshua spoke up without taking his eyes off the road.  "Even the purest heart can be tempted and mislead by evil.  It can start small; the corruption of Darkness, and can spread so slowly that you don''t even realize it''s there until it''s devoured you."


    Heinrich and Emily gave each other a serious glance.


    A large, weathered, corrugated steel building with a sign that read "J&H Furniture" doubled as the crew''s headquarters.  It was full of assorted equipment one would find in a woodshop.  Saws of various sorts, belt sanders, disk sanders, drills, stains, and brushes were organized in their respective places.  Furniture and wood pieces in varying states of completion were stacked and stored, waiting for attention.


    Below the main floor,  things were less mundane.  One room contained a large library housing rare books and tomes on every topic from demons and angels, to ancient rites and prophecies of cultures long forgotten.  In another, an assortment of modern and ancient weaponry.  Guns, swords, daggers, spiked crosses, and even what looked like a hand grenade with a small crucifix atop.  There were, of course, familiar sights.  A kitchen for preparing meals, two separate bedrooms with multiple military cots in each, and a room containing old arcade machines and a pingpong table.


    A final room contained a large wooden dining table and chairs.  At the table sat Joshua, Emily, and Heinrich.  Emily''s head rested on her arms.  Her eyes were closed and a small pool of tears formed near her hands.  She occasionally sniffled and shifted her head.


    Heinrich was absorbed in an old tome, occasionally muttering to himself, "I just don''t understand.  How could I let this happen?"  He was frantically flipping pages, referencing one, then flipping back to another.


    Joshua sat quietly staring at the empty chairs.  His heart was aching over the loss of his companions.


    "Heinrich,"  he said softly.


    Heinrich continued flipping through pages, paying no regard to Joshua.


    "Heinrich,"  Joshua said, reaching out and touching Heinrich''s arm.


    The touch jolted Heinrich''s attention back to the room.  "Oh. Yes.  Sorry."


    "This isn''t your fault."


    Heinrich sat quietly for a minute.  "But I should have known, Joshua.  It''s what you depend on me for."  He left the table and went into the library.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "It was my fault.", said Emily weakly.  "He saved my life and then...I just watched him die."


    "This wasn''t your fault.  If anyone here is responsible, it''s me."  Joshua said solemnly.  "I led you all there.  This wasn''t your fault."  He paused. "And if what Douglas said is true, it had to happen this way."


    Emily looked up angrily, her face wet with tears.  "It had to happen this way?  Martin had to die?  Douglas had to die?  Who''s dealing these cards that good people have to die?" She angrily mocked his words,  "Happen this way??"


    Joshua sat silently staring at his folded hands.  "Emily, I understand and share your pain.  They were my friends, too.   I know what I said brings you no comfort and does nothing to make sense of this.  I have faith that it will, though.  I have to believe that Douglas did this for a reason."


    "You''re right."  She snapped.  "It doesn''t bring me any comfort.  And you''re right.  This wasn''t my fault.  It wasn''t Heinrich''s fault.  It wasn''t even your fault.  This was Douglas''s fault.  He lied to us.  He lied to us and got Martin killed."  She stormed out of the room.


    "Emily!"  Joshua called after her, but she was already gone.


    Joshua''s cell phone rang.  The screen read "A. Hawkin"


    "Steven.  How are you?"


    "Joshua.  I''m fine.   How are you?  I just left a mess of a crime-scene in Brightwood Cemetery."


    "Yeah."  Joshua sighed.  "I''m fine."


    "Joshua."  Steve''s voice was quiet.  "Was that Douglas?"


    Joshua''s head lowered.  "Yeah.  That was Douglas.  Martin, too."


    Steve muffled the phone and swore.  "What happened out there?  It looked like a warzone.  Body parts everywhere.  I couldn''t even tell it was Douglas at first."


    Joshua raised his head.  "What do you mean?"


    "What do I mean?"  Steve said loudly and then lowered his voice.  "What do I mean?  I mean, he exploded Joshua.  It''s not as easy to identify someone when they''re in pieces."


    "Steven, " Joshua said, "Douglas wasn''t..." he paused "he wasn''t exploded when we left.  That''s not how he died.  And I suspect you were just minutes behind us, judging by the sirens."


    "You''re saying someone or something exploded his corpse after you had already left?  Why?  Who would do that?"


    "Someone who didn''t like what Douglas had done,"  Joshua said.


    "What did Douglas do?", Steve asked.


    "He saved our lives,"  Joshua said.


    Steve sat silent for a moment.  "He was wearing a node.  Douglas was wearing a node.  I assume you know that."


    "Yeah..."  Joshua said.


    "I kept the node.  I left the chain so they had something for evidence, but uh, the node is safe."  Steve said quietly.


    "Thank you.  That''ll be a tiny bit of relief for Heinrich."


    "So, how''s the new girl?"  Steve asked.


    "She''s tough.  I mean, she had a rough time out there.  She took a full psyche attack from a drekalo and she''s still talking.   And skill-wise, she''s everything you said she would be.  Quite amazing."  Joshua smiled a bit.


    "A drekalo?"  Steve was speechless for a minute  "Wow.  Well,  I''m glad you''re giving her a chance."


    "I wish this hadn''t had been her first job.  I''m worried it may be her last."


    "Joshua,"  Steve spoke a little louder, "That girl has been through more than you can possibly imagine.  Give her time.  Giver her time to make the choice on her own and she will stick with you.  I''d bet on it."


    "Thank you.  I hope you''re right,"  said Joshua.  "And about the incident..."


    "Incident?  Hell of an ''incident'' Joshua.  But yes, you''re in the clear, for now.  The going theory is a satanic ritual gone bonkers.  Grave robbing, fireworks, teenage kids listening to metal.  But you know, they''re likely to identify Douglas sooner or later.  Is there anything that will lead back to you?"


    "No.  I don''t think so.", said Joshua quickly.


    "Ok.  I''ll keep you posted if anything of concern pops up,"  Steve said.


    "Thank you."


    Steve added, "Oh hey, one more thing.  I hate to ask, given everything on your mind, but, I need your help."


    "Yeah, sure.  What is it?"


    "We had a homicide that is, well, seems to be delving into your areas of expertise.  The victim looks as though she''s been mauled, but the teeth and claw marks, well, forensics can''t place them." Steve said.


    "That doesn''t sound like something you need me for,"  Joshua said.


    "That''s not all of it."


    "Ok?"  Joshua said.  His interest was now piqued.


    Steve''s voice lowered again.  "Her eyes were missing.  Of course, forensics noticed that.  But what they didn''t see, couldn''t see, were the sigils.  In the empty sockets of her eyes, there were energized sigils."


    Joshua stood straight up.  "What do you know about the victim?"


    "Uh.  twenty-four-year-old woman.  She was working the area.  An escort.  Went by the pseudonym ''Misty Miraculous'', but her real name was Laura Ring.  Record of minor drug infractions, solicitation, but... "


    Joshua interrupted, "What did you say her name was?"  He reached into his pocket and retrieved the photo Douglas had given him.


    "Laura Ring.  Do you know her?"


    Joshua flipped the photo over and re-read the name: Sophia Ring.  "Any chance I can come and see the body?" he asked.


    "Sure.  Of course.  When?"


    "As soon as possible," Joshua said urgently.


    "So, I was right?   You can help with this?"  Steve said sounding slightly relieved.


    "I''m not sure, yet.

 Chapter 6 - Devotion

    The chamber looked as though it had been carved directly from the dark stone that made the walls, floors, and massive ceiling, which stretched upwards with cathedral-like grandeur. In fact, it was. Shadows filled every corner and the farther reaches of the room were completely black, as the only light came from the multitude of candles and a massive brazier that sat in the center.


    Thirty-two figures surrounded the brazier, their hands folded, chanting in unison, but at such a low volume the exact syllables were almost indistinguishable. Each wore a robe of red and adorned in glyphs and symbols of gold, their faces completely hidden by hoods.


    At one end of the room stood an immense wooden door. It bore an ornate carving of demons and angels in battle. At the very top of the carving, an image of God, arms spread wide, looked down upon the battle. His expression was troubled. At the bottom, another figure. This one had long flowing hair and resembled Michaelangelo''s David in physical appearance. It was Lucifer. His arms, too, were extended, embracing the battle which lay between him and The Creator. His face showed a similar expression of angst at the battle which unfolded. Neither side appearing to have the advantage. Around the frame of the door were carved thirty-three robed figures. Each figure faced the battlefield, their arms extended as though they were offering something.


    The door opened and a figure in a golden robe and hood emerged, joining the others gathered around the brazier. The figure lifted their hands and chanting stopped in unison.


    The golden robed figures voice resonated throughout the chamber. It was in a language that only a handful of mortals know, and one that even fewer speak aloud.


    "It is by His will that we gather here tonight."


    The group repeated the words in unison.


    "Oh, great Lord. We have done what you have commanded. The pawns of your grand game are in play and soon we shall witness your return."


    In flash, all of the candles and brazier were extinguished, leaving the room silent and completely dark. A terrible voice began to fill the room. It spoke in the same language as the robed figure.


    "Know that this plan is mine. You are not the architects. Know that you are mine. You are not here of your own will. Know that your lives are mine, to take or grant as I choose. Know that your souls are mine, to devour."


    From the blackness, the group responded in unison. "We acknowledge this, Lord."


    "The seer will be delivered to you. You must extinguish the light within her. She must be the last." rumbled the voice in the darkness.


    "Yes, my lord. She will be.", said the golden-robed figure.


    The dark voice hissed, "Your devotion has been witnessed, and those who witnessed now fear me. You have been a trusted and useful servant and you will be rewarded."Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The robed figure replied, "Thank you, my lord. It is by your power and will that I succeed."


    "However, concern has emerged."


    "Oh? What is that, my lord?"


    "There is a powerful mage in play, now. One that had remained unseen. Hidden. Their potential is incredible. They must be found and given to me, either through choice or through sacrifice."


    There was a moment of silence. The golden-robed figure stammered and said, "I...I will personally see to the elimination of this new mage, my lord."


    The dark voice rumbled, "I know."


    <hr>


    The van pulled into the morgue parking lot. Joshua turned off the ignition and rest his head on the steering wheel. "Some days it''s almost too hard.", He said quietly. A knock on the window jarred him to attention.


    "Hey. Ready to do this? We''ve only got about an hour before the morning guy gets here." Steve said through the window.


    In the morgue, Steve rolled a corpse from one of the freezers. It appeared to be a young woman. Her hair looked blood red against her pale white face. Her eyelids were sunken in, giving her face a skull-like appearance. Small black lines stretched out like roots in all directions from her closed eyes. The expression on her face was locked in pain.


    Joshua gestured to Steve for permission to look closer. Steve motioned with his hand obligingly. Joshua gently opened her eyelid and a dark yellow glow from the sigil burst out of the empty eye-socket. He jumped back quickly.


    "It''s corruption. The sigils are corruption." Joshua quickly said. His voice was distressed. "They''ve damned her soul."


    "Who did? Who did this?" Steve asked.


    "I should have brought Heinrich. Those sigils...I can''t be sure." He paused for a moment in thought. He seemed deeply troubled. "You mentioned something about bite marks?"


    "Uh, yeah." Steve paused. "I hope you haven''t eaten anything recently." Steve had a disgusted look on his face. He pulled back the cover revealing the rest of her body. From her neck down to her hips was a gaping hole. What remained of her internal organs looked like they had been chewed and ripped. Her rib cage had been gnawed on and broken. She had been almost completely hollowed out.


    Joshua winced. After a moment he looked at the girl and touched her face gently. "You poor thing. You didn''t deserve this." He leaned in and whispered something into her ear. The dark tendrils on her face began to recede until they were gone. Her face relaxed, the expression of pain faded and all that was left was an appearance of peace.


    "You know she was a prostitute, a drug addict, and we''re pretty sure she was involved with some really shady people, right?", Steve said.


    "Sometimes, people lose hope in the darkness. They forget what it''s like to exist in a world where evil and hatred aren''t waiting for them at every turn. That doesn''t mean they don''t deserve to find their way back to the light. And...she didn''t deserve this." Joshua looked endearingly at the young woman.


    "Sorry. I...you''re right," Steve said and hung his head.


    Joshua placed his hand on Steve''s shoulder. "It''s Ok. We all find ourselves lost in those dark places. Some of us make it out. Some of us don''t. You see a lot of darkness here, too. Don''t lose your way, friend."


    Joshua reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. "I need your help finding this girl." Steve looked at the photo and then at the corpse on the table. The resemblance was clear. He flipped the photo over and read the name.


    "This wasn''t a coincidence, was it?" Steve asked.


    Joshua looked at the girl, "Not at all. It rarely ever is. The weaver''s web is wide and we''re all caught in it."


    "We haven''t contacted the next of kin, yet." Steve handed the photo back. "Do you know anything about her?"


    "Yeah," Joshua said as he pocketed the photo. "She''s gonna save the world."