Tribulation r-2 Page 5

  All at once, the tunnel began to level off. They were no longer in the volcanic mountain. This, Sam reflected, seemed to be a better way to travel than across the plain where he was continuously exposed. Once again, Sam had no idea how long they were traveling for but all at once, Yeth came to an abrupt halt. Sam almost slammed into his rear.

  Sam sensed other evil presences in front of his Hellhound, and sure enough, a demon Prince and a horned demon were blocking the way. Sam’s glamor was still in place, so the Prince had no idea he was behind the demon dog.

  The Prince was addressing Yeth. “Make way. I have important business to conduct. Move aside.”

  Curiously, the humanoid demon did not try to win the Hellhound’s service. Perhaps they knew when one of the great dogs already had a master. Or perhaps they just assumed that any Hellhound away from the lava pools in the volcano was already spoken for. Sam didn’t know or care, but he was interested to know how some of these things worked. He had a lot to learn about Hell. Knowledge, after all, was power.

  Sam could sense the indecision in Yeth’s mind. This was a Prince, a superior that lesser demons obeyed. However, Yeth’s master was also a Prince and his needs came first. Sam knew that Yeth was wrestling with conflicting desires. Finally, one won over. Decision made, the Hellhound did not move.

  “Move! I command it!” yelled the demon Prince, his voice rising in a combination of anger and consternation. A disobedient Hellhound was obviously not a creature to be taken lightly. In fact, it appeared to be a subject of some concern.

  Sam risked a peek around the flank of his Hellhound. Just in front of Yeth, the tunnel opened up into a much larger chamber, the space filled with the Prince and the other huge Horned demon. On the far side of the chamber were two other exits.

  Sam saw the Prince’s eyes widen suddenly when he registered his presence. Clearly his glamor didn’t work at such close proximity. Sam saw recognition there. Someone or something had already raised the alarm, spreading the word and Sam’s description.

  The Prince stepped aside, allowing the Horned Demon more space in the chamber. “Seize him!” he screamed, pointing in Sam’s direction.

  Sam was about to move and intercept the massive demon’s charge but Yeth moved quicker than Sam thought possible for such a great creature. It flashed in front of the Horned demon, which brought its mighty stone mallet down just in time, smashing directly onto the flank of the Hellhound. It may as well have hit a wall made of solid iron. The mallet bounced off; Yeth simply ignored the attack and went for the throat under the goat-like head. The huge jaws locked around the neck of the other demon, puncturing straight through the thick, corded muscle around the throat. The momentum carried both creatures to the ground where the Hellhound managed to pin its foe to the ground, intent on crushing the life out of it. The ground shook under the bone-crushing impact.

  Yeth’s body ignited into flame and the Horned Demon bellowed in pain. It may have been a demon, accustomed to the burning pits of Hell but Hellhound flame was an altogether different heat. Sam could withstand it but it seemed not many other demons could.

  Sam stood frozen to the spot, in awe of the conflict playing out in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his fellow prince doing the same. A battle between a Hellhound and a Horned demon couldn’t be something that happened every day and both were mesmerized. Sam would’ve moved into action if that had been required, but Yeth seemed to be on top of things and this Prince seemed no threat as yet.

  The Horned demon wasn’t out of it yet. It had bulk and strength on its side. It probably weighed twice as much as Yeth. Not only that, but it had four arms. Ignoring the flames, it managed to get two of its hands up, locking them around Yeth’s jaws. It started to lever them open even as its other two hands encircled the Hellhound’s throat.

  Sam didn’t have any doubts that Yeth would win. Not many demons could defeat a Hellhound — especially a Greater one. Yeth was a juvenile, and would fight for longer, but Sam just didn’t have time for this.

  The other Prince still hadn’t moved. Sam darted over to the two massive struggling demons and drew his sword. Taking careful aim, he plunged his sword straight through the eye of the Horned demon. It had time to emit a single roar before it disappeared in a cloud of ash. Sam looked over at the Prince. Their eyes locked for a moment and then the Prince just disappeared. One second he was right in front of Sam, the next he was gone.

  Sam cast his eyes around the chamber, desperately trying to figure out where the creature had gone. He couldn’t sense him with his mind either. Two options presented themselves. Either the prince was invisible, still in the chamber and able to shroud his mind and presence so effectively that even Sam couldn’t sense him, or — he was gone. That implied some form of teleport ability. It seemed there was a great deal he didn’t know about other demons.

  If the demon was still around, there was nothing he could do about it. He shrugged, and then became aware that the Hellhound was on his feet, staring directly at him. If Sam didn’t know better, the look might have been interpreted as reproachful. Sam attempted a smile.

  “Sorry,” he said aloud. “We were running out of time. It’s not that I doubted your abilities or anything.”

  Yeth growled low in his throat. He darted one more accusing look in Sam’s direction and then set off again, taking the left hand exit without hesitation. Sam hastened after him at a fast jog. Yeth certainly didn’t like to drag his heels.

  If the alarm had been raised, it certainly wasn’t apparent as they sped through the tunnels. They started to angle downwards again — not at an extreme angle like before — but they were certainly descending. Yeth had extinguished the flames from his body and there were no sconces filled with magical fire along these corridors, so the two of them ran on in darkness. Yeth, it seemed, was just as comfortable in the dark as Sam was and was apparently intelligent enough to douse his fire, knowing that a flaming Hellhound moving along these darkened tunnels would announce their presence in a loud and dramatic fashion.

  Some side chambers were filled with the sounds of human suffering and Sam deliberately avoided looking in those directions. Many chambers were almost swamped in lava. Sam had to pick his way through them, leaping from one rocky island to the next. In some of these lava filled chambers, Sam saw other curious demons. They seemed to be comprised entirely of living lava, size and form that of a normal man. They ignored Sam and he did likewise for fear of drawing too much attention to himself. Yeth simply waded through the lava like a normal dog through a shallow pond. He seemed completely immune to the heat, but that came as no surprise to Sam.

  These large open chambers began to get bigger and bigger until the largest could have easily contained the biggest cathedrals in the world. Yeth led Sam straight through one of these. In huge lava pond directly in the middle of the room stood an imposing figure.

  As they got closer, Sam blinked in awe. It was a massive demon that he’d seen pictures of before. It had no name as far as Sam knew, only that it met the stereotypical description of demons depicted though history: a giant humanoid, maybe twenty feet high, with flaming red skin, large curving black horns and black wings that would’ve put an average sailing ship to shame. And, luckily for himself and Yeth, it did not seem aware of them at all. In fact, it appeared to be frozen.

  They ran directly past it, underneath its very nose and still it didn’t move. Yeth sensed the question and consternation in Sam’s mind and it did the equivalent of a mental reassuring pat. Not to worry. Will not move, was the general gist of what Yeth was saying.

  An archway at the very end of the chamber loomed ahead of them. Yeth led him directly into and then abruptly stopped with a sigh of satisfaction. It seemed that Yeth had brought him where he wanted to be.

  As soon as he entered the chamber, Sam’s mind and ears were bombarded with sound. Screams. The sound of human torment.

  This chamber, whilst relatively large, was still dwarfed by the bigger ch
amber inhabited by the great frozen demon. Like that chamber, it had a circular pond of lava in the direct center. The difference though, was that this pond was not inhabited by a great demon. A heaped pile of bones sat in the middle of the lava, somehow impervious to the intense heat. Disturbingly, the jaws in the skulls were open, and Sam could have sworn that the screaming was coming from their long dead mouths.

  What really drew his eyes was what rested on top of the pile of skeletons. It was a rack made entirely of bone. Strapped to the rack with what could only be human sinews, was a figure Sam barely recognized. Her eyes were closed and her face was twisted in some unimaginable pain, her mouth open and slack, drooling saliva which never hit the mound of bones, instead sizzling into gas from the intense heat. Her clothes hung in smoldering tatters about her, sliced like her face and body which were covered in bloody welts and deep cuts, mostly still weeping blood.

  “Grace,” whispered Sam.

  He wasn’t sure if she was still alive and that thought brought a surge of emotions — mostly anger and remorse. He prayed that she was but how could any human possibly still live in such conditions? Another thought then intruded. This was Hell after all — death did not end human suffering here. He prayed once again that she hadn’t already died. If she died in Hell, she would remain here for eternity.

  He moved past Yeth on shaky legs until he reached the end of the lava pond. So intent had he been on Grace, it was only then that he noticed the demon. It had been partially concealed by the mound of bones, difficult to detect because of simple camouflage ability. In the form of a giant skeleton, it blended in completely with the other bones around it. As it moved from crouching to standing, Sam suddenly comprehended its scale. It was at least ten feet tall. Its skull was massive, at least three times that of a normal human and out of proportion with the rest of its body. The long, bony fingers of one skeletal hand clutched a whip formed from a material that glinted in the warm lava glow. Even from several feet away, Sam could see what appeared to be dry blood on the weapon.

  Rage filled him; rage such as he’d rarely felt before. It was uncontrollable. One second his eyes were black, the next filled with crimson anger. He leapt, drawing his Katana as he flew through the air, channeling every ounce of his power into one blow just as the skeleton demon stepped forward, barring Grace from his sight.

  The timing couldn’t have been better. His sword — forged from the densest, purest iron that had fallen from the sky, then blessed and quenched in holy water — was a weapon unlike any seen in Hell before. It was more than a match for this demon. His blade struck the precise point between the skull and the second vertebrate, separating them as neatly as any surgical saw. The demon’s head flew into the lava and sank immediately; the body, still holding its cursed whip, stayed upright for one moment before toppling sideways, clattering down in a jumble of bones, supplementing the pile that it had once guarded.

  Sam moved immediately to the rack where Grace was being restrained. Cutting with savage energy, he severed the bonds that held her and she slumped into his arms, unconscious… or dead.

  With no conscious thought and with strength he didn’t know he possessed, Sam leapt back to the solid rock where Yeth waited patiently. The leap, from a standing start and carrying an extra body, had been eight foot. Rage, it seemed, had lent him more strength than he knew he possessed.

  He could feel the rage subsiding now, his eyes returning to their normal color. He laid Grace gently at the feet of Yeth and felt for a pulse. Yes, there was one; he could feel it — just, fluttering like the wings of a tiny nervous bird. Relief washed over him. She was alive — but that was here in Hell. The question was, had she already died? The only way to find out would be to get her out of here, back to the relative safety of Earth.

  Go now, said the voice of Yeth. To Sam’s mind, it sounded nervous. Scared even. He hadn’t heard Yeth sound like that before.

  My mother, responded Sam. And others too. I have to search for others.

  No time, was the response. Go now. The voice was insistent and urgent.

  We can’t go, said Sam impatiently. I have to find my mother.

  Another time, said the Hellhound. We go now.

  Sam was about to ask what the rush was all about but then he knew. Something was stirring in the massive adjacent chamber to this one. The giant demon in the pool was awakening.

  He resigned himself to leaving but not before making Yeth promise one thing. We’ll return for my mother… yes?

  Yeth’s head swayed ominously, then, Yes, came the answer.

  It would have to do for now. It was terribly disappointing but at least he’d accomplished one goal. At least he had Grace.

  Time to go. In order to create a portal back to Earth, he’d need to make another pentacle. Sam searched frantically for chalk in one of his many pockets as he visualized the church from whence he had come — but then he stopped when he realized what Yeth was doing. Of course, demons like Yeth had no need for pentacles. Full-blooded, powerful demons like Hellhounds could open a portal just by willing it.

  At once Sam could sense the gate opening, the connection being made to Earth. Yeth snatched the image of the church from his mind, and the connection was becoming stronger when a sharp jolt like an earthquake momentarily distracted the Hellhound. Cracks appeared in the wall next to Sam; before the archway into the giant chamber, Sam could see the massive legs and knees of the demon. There was another massive impact, this one shaking the rock beneath them. Larger, jagged cracks appeared, and rock fragments rained down from the roof.

  “I’d hurry up, if I were you,” said Sam. He sensed Yeth concentrating but then there was another titanic shudder as the giant demon tried to force its way through the wall. Yeth’s concentration broke once again.

  Sam left Grace’s side and moved to the archway, resigned to one course of action. He’d have to buy Yeth some time.

  No, said the Hellhound in his mind, but it was too late, he was already outside, face to face — actually knee to face — with the huge demon.

  Action was required here, and action was something Sam excelled at. He darted in, both swords out and swinging. The demon above him, intent on the rock that blocked it from its prey, didn’t notice the insect below it. Sam went for the weak spot — or what he hoped was a weak spot — behind the knee, intending to hamstring the beast. He rolled, coming up behind it and struck out with both blades, slicing with all his might at the vulnerable joint. The blades bit home. Satisfied, Sam felt the creature flinch but then he looked at his own handiwork a bit more closely. Both blades had inflicted wounds alright but they were just scratches. He had a moment to feel slightly dismayed and then something struck him with all the force of a freight train. He was suddenly in flight. In his dazed and stunned mind, it was kind of relaxing as he flew through the air and then it was over. He struck the ground with incredible force, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him stunned and prone.

  He managed to raise his head slightly, groaning. With great strides, the demon was approaching. Sam tried to rise but it was clear that his leg was broken. This would need time to heal. And time was a luxury he didn’t possess. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he rolled and stumbled to his feet, limping away from the deadly creature as fast as he was able.

  The demon took one mighty step and then it was upon him, poised above, a massive fist raised, ready to pound him into the rock. Sam turned to face his doom. His leg gave out and he toppled to the ground. He knew he wouldn’t survive such a blow but at least he could face it like a man, as best as he was able. The fist descended.

  Sam raised one arm in a feeble attempt to ward off the blow and lost sight of the fist for a moment, expecting nothing but death. For a second, nothing happened. Then another second. Still nothing. Sam peered over his raised up. Above him, the demon stood frozen, much as it had been when Sam had first seen it.

  Cautiously, he staggered to his feet again. He could feel his bones knitting but he would still
need a few minutes. With any luck, the demon would remain like this for some time. He didn’t know why it was frozen but at times like this, you didn’t question your luck.

  “Hello, Sam.”

  He flinched at the unexpected voice, his eyes darting towards the sound. A few feet away stood a figure in a dark, hooded robe. The hood obscured the features but Sam knew who it was anyway. The last time he’d seen this person, had been here, in Hell.

  “Hello, Joshua,” he said.

  Joshua. His one-time friend. His betrayer who had sold him out to his brother and father. The last image of Joshua had been him falling into an ocean of fire during the battle with his brother.

  “I suppose you’re surprised to see me,” said Joshua, moving a cautious few steps towards him.

  “I suppose I am,” admitted Sam. “I thought you were dead.”

  Joshua smiled. “Clearly not. It seems that Hell had a few surprises for me.”

  Sam nodded. This didn’t surprise him one iota. “I’d like to say this is a nice surprise, but it’s not really. I kind of hoped you were dead for real given what you did to me. And Aimi.” Under his jeans, Sam could feel his leg knitting. In a few more minutes it would be fully healed. His fingers twitched towards his swords. If Josh was still alive — and it seemed as though he was — then they had unfinished business. He sheathed both swords in an attempt to give Joshua a false sense of security. They would come out again soon enough.

  “You’re probably wondering why I’m here now, right at this very moment,” said Josh, sounding more confident and assured than Sam had ever heard. “Before you ask, yes it was me that froze the Immolator here,” he said, gesturing upwards to the massive demon. “In a sense, I saved your life. You owe me one already.”