Demon_Child
02-25-2004, 4:58 AM
Deranged Evolution Part 3 – Maelstrom
“Eyes. Heart. Flesh.
Pierce them all to burn the rest...”
-Author Unknown
Chapter 1
Demon Child rises to his feet for the first time in 150 years. His muscles tense as he lifts his sword “Masamune”. He forgets how old the blade is. It was given to him moments after his creation. The once shining sword was often envied by many an angel in Heaven. Now it has become tainted from the darkness of Hell and centuries of dirt. DC feels the familiar pain of regret that he’s experienced time to time during his long existence. Now, that same regret comes flooding back as he looks at the last friends around him. Carnage looks himself over, stretching. The young warrior is slightly immature, but still experienced. He has truly tasted the sting of loss and the hardships of war. Redsoldier, wearing his green and brown fatigues, appears exhausted. The poor human has died more than once and has seen the splendor of the afterlife, yet he still returns to fight for what is good. Yet, Demon Child knows Earth’s end could be any moment. Looking towards Shankz, who is clad in black leather from neck to toe with metal chains and other pieces, Demon Child sees the look of fear in his blue eyes and the frown on his pasty skin. His blue hair is ruffled. Protosschick99 looks the worst. Her purple robes are torn in places, revealing the light blue armor underneath. A burn mark on her chest designates the exit of the Heart of Light. Her staff flickers in her three fingered hands, reflecting her mood. Demon Child once would of sacrificed them all for the sake of Earth, but now he feels different. He just wants one thing… the head of Zykuzal. He wants the damned beast to pay for every lost life. He wants him to suffer. Demon Child’s eyes burn as he faces the woman in the black cloak. Her face is dirty, with sky blue, almond shaped eyes. She smiles weakly, then offers her hand.
???- “Demon Child? Are you truly the commander of the Demon Knights?”
Demon Child looks at her hand, then back to her face, and nods.
DC- “Yes. I am. Who might you be?”
The pasty skinned woman, about 20 or 21 and 5’ 8”, lowers her hand, and then looks at the ground. Demon Child notices the look of her body; unhealthily slim. Her hand is thin, with cracked fingernails.
DC- *thinking* “She must’ve suffered starvation her whole life… poor girl.”
Fe- “My name is Felicia, but people just call me Fe.” She smiles stronger.
DC- “Hmm… people? So, people have survived on this planet?
Fe- “Yes… *looks at the ground* We live in shelters from long ago… *a tear begins to form at the corners of her eyes*
Protosschick99 approaches Felicia and wraps her arms around her in a hug.
PC99- “It’s ok. Shhh… just let it all out.”
Fe- “I-I’m sorry… I’m just so happy that I’ve finally found you.” She looks around at the tired, but honest faces. “Please, you must come with me to my village. The stasis must’ve made you all very hungry. You must also meet the elders. They’ll tell you all that’s happened since you’ve slept.”
DC- “Lead the way, child. Let’s go.”
Fe leads them throw the same narrow hallway they walked through so long ago. They come upon a ladder and she motions for them to climb it.
Carnage- “Perfect. We get to slosh around in the swamp again.”
Fe- “Swamp? What’s… a swamp?”
The Demon Knights turn to face her and what they find is a look of total bewilderment.
DC- “You… never saw a swamp?”
Fe- “No…” Her puzzled expression just grows.
Carnage climbs the ladder and pokes his head up above the ground. His fellow warriors below hear him mutter an obscenity in absolute shock. He climbs to the surface and the others soon join him. Protosschick99 falls to her knees and holds her hands over her eyes. Shanks quickly bends to comfort her, holding her tight. Carnage, Redsoldier, and Demon Child look in three directions, but they all see the same thing; desert. A desert as far as the eye can see faces them. There’s no sign of any life. No cacti. No birds. Not even rocks.
Carnage- “The sand is black. Why is the sand black?”
DC- “Not sand… *he bends to scoop up a handful, then let it fall* Ash…”
Shankz- “Human ash…”
The heat is almost unbearable and Redsoldier makes a comment about how unusual it is to be so hot at night. Felicia tells them that it actually daytime, but she’s not certain.
Fe- “There’s no way to tell between day and night. The clouds never move. My elders speak of wind, yet I have never felt it…”
PC99- *rising, wiping tears away* “No… wind? No sunlight?”
Felicia shakes her head sadly, and then points to PC99’s staff.
Fe- “That’s so beautiful… I’ve never seen a light glow that way…”
PC99- “You mean… blue?”
Fe- “What is blue?”
PC99- “It’s a color. What, don’t tell me you have no colors!?”
Fe- “Only black and the lighter black…”
Demon Child becomes frustrated. He feels nothing but pity for crippled Humanity, but he is growing impatient. He wants to learn everything as quickly as possible. He has many questions, so he walks up to Felicia.
DC- “I’m sorry for your loss, but the faster we get to your village and learn what’s happened, the faster we can set out to fix it.”
Fe- “Yes, forgive me. This way…”
Felicia leads the group through the desert, which is nearly pitch black. The Demon Knight’s keen eyes and apparently Felicia’s eyes see through the darkness. Redsoldier finally pulls some night vision goggles from his side pack and puts them on. The Demon Knights walk for about three hours, following footsteps that come from their location. All they see is endless desert. There is nothing but black ash, the new fauna of a dead world. Finally, they reach what appears to be another patch of desert, save for a symbol similar to a seven dug into the sand. Felicia reaches down and knocks on the ground. The clang of metal is heard underneath. A trapdoor opens and a set of hazel eyes peek out. The trapdoor then opens all the way as a young man, about 17 years old and clad in the same type of cloak as Felicia, looks up. He opens the hatch and walks over to her. She hugs him, then smiles more brightly than in all the time spent with the Demon Knights.
Fe- “Eric, how’s your new duty going?”
Eric- “It’s boring, sis. I spend most of the time drawing my drawings. So, you’ve found the Demon Knights?”
Fe- “Yes. Just as the elders said I would.”
Eric- “Very good. *He motions to them all to follow* This way, people. Be warned, the journey is wrought with danger from here on in. I cannot tell you how many of my fellow watchers have been dragged to agonizing and seemingly pointless deaths…”
The Demon Knights stare at each other.
Fe- *laughs* “You’re such a goof! *she shoves him playfully* He’s just kidding. Everyone knows him as the joker around here.”
Eric- *smiles* “I try. This way.”
Shankz- “Bout time.”
Protosschick99 jabs him with her elbow just before they all head below ground.
Chapter 2
The Gateway.
Lightning crackles in the sky around the raging maelstrom. Spirits of the dead howl in a cacophony of pain and sorrow. The ground is moist with blood around the grand monument to genocide. The Gateway is, in reality, a mound of flesh. Living creatures from insect to Man make it up. Bones and petrified flesh. Walls that pulsate and drip saliva-like slime. The only entrance is the top, like an ant hive. Corrupted humans swarm around it. Infected with the crimson death for so long, they’ve changed. Deformed faces with the lips pulled back, revealing black fangs. Multiple arms and legs with scythes sprout from the back and sides of each infected man and woman. They are no longer humans, but living incubators, which will soon be used to give birth to a new race. The Netherspawn will no longer be without substance, but will have new forms with which to journey forth into the universe and destroy world after world, galaxy after galaxy. In the deepest, darkest pit of the Gateway, Zykuzal screams in agony. He has become a sight not meant for any eyes, Man or Beast. Saffron’s curse, which has employed her own soul, has deformed him beyond recognition and stolen his most needed ability. Saffron made it so he would have to do something before the maelstrom is open. He must sacrifice one last Demon Knight to the gods of the Nether, but he can’t find his enemies. In his glee of destroying the world so long ago, he forgot where they were hidden. Writhing deep in the darkness, Zykuzal sees through the eyes of his minions as they patrol the world, searching for the blasted warriors…
Zykuzal suddenly screams louder. Out of his own mouth, a woman’s voice speaks.
“You’ll never find them Zykuzal…” Saffron speaks.
“Sssilence, you wretched human.” Zykuzal replies to the darkness.
“Your time grows short. The Nether gods have been patient for far too long and even they have their…” She starts again, but is interrupted.
“Ssshut up, you bitch!!!” Zykuzal screams.
He stands from his throne and drags his body through the dark room. As he comes into the light of a great crystal, his features are revealed. Even the corrupted around him wince at the sight. He waves an appendage over the crystal and waits. What he has waited for so long is revealed to him, a trail of footprints in the ash.
Zykuzal- All thingsss come to thossse who wait…
He raises his head to the ceiling and screeches in the hellish tongue at such an extreme rate, that the corrupted cower away from their master. Far away, two great leviathans emerge from the black sky and descend over the trail. They begin to follow it…
Meanwhile…
Demon Child follows Fe and her brother through an underground cave. Finally, they come upon a stone doorway, upon which is carved the same symbol that resembles seven. Eric knocks on it, then shouts.
Eric- “Hey, Damien! It’s me! Open up!”
No reply is heard. The stone doesn’t budge. He repeats himself a second time, and then turns to Fe.
Fe- “Something’s wrong…”
DC- “Allow me.”
He shoves his sword through the crack at the bottom of the square entrance and begins to lift. Carnage and Shankz hurry to grab hold of it. Demon Child helps them lift it all the way to the top. They all enter, and DC drops it behind them.
Fe- *sniffs* “That smell… *she turns to see a corpse next to the doorway* Damien!?”
She falls to the ground and cries. Eric helps her to her feet. They all gaze around the massive chamber. It’s about the size of a regulation football field. Below, dozens of huts made out of dried clay have been crushed to the ground. The group descends a staircase that leads them to an underground temple made of shining metal. Demon Child has to duck his head as they enter. The path leads straight to the elders’ room. Upon seven chairs lie the remains of what were once old men and women. They are now dry husks, void of any liquid. Demon Child starts to say something, then grabs Felicia and her brother, pulling them backwards and to the ground.
Eric- “Ow! What the hell!?”
Fe- “Why’d you do that!?”
A giant spider the length of a semi-truck dangles from the wall, dropping corrosive slime on the floor mere inches from the Demon Knights, who now stand ready to fight.
Shankz- *charging at the beast’s head* “PC!”
PC99’s eyes flare blue as a beam of ice fires from her staff, hitting the spider’s head. As Shankz goes to drive his sword into the spider, it smacks him to the side with a leg as thick as a tree trunk. Demon Child hurls a fireball at it, setting it on fire. It screeches like a banshee, then falls to the ground.
Carnage- “Wow… that was unusually easy.”
DC- “Don’t get cocky. *points his sword towards the entrance of the temple* Here they come…”
Dozens of corrupted minions crawl through the entrance. One, standing 8 feet tall, swings both his arms at PC99, trying to take her head off with the mantis-like scythes, but she shoots ice in his face. DC draws his sword and takes off at the horde; using the blunt side like a wall he sends them tumbling out the temple and into the larger chamber.
DC- “Kill them all!”
Carnage turns his fists into axes and leaps into the nearest crowd of corrupted. As they chatter and swings their massive cutlery, he spins like a top, slices them in halves and cutting off limbs. Shankz leaps into the air and brings his sword through the top of a head. The crimson soaked eyes flare and thick saliva drips from the fangs as Shankz cuts his enemy in half right down the center. PC99 shoots a frost nova at a group of the monsters just as the scramble for her then Demon Child hits the ground beneath them with a mighty punch, breaking them to pieces.
Fe- “Eric! We must get to safety!”
One of the corrupted leaps to the ceiling using its spider-like legs then proceeds to chop down a stalactite, which flies right for Felicia’s skull.
Eric- “Look out!”
He pushes his sister out of the way as the massive spike hits him in the back. Felicia turns to see the tears in his eyes and his gapping mouth as the rock drives deeper into the ground, making a giant hole tear him. Blood streams from Eric as he chokes. Fe walks over to her brother and grabs his hand. He squeezes gently before he stops breathing.
Red- “They’re everywhere!”
The corrupted are pouring into the room a flood. Demon Child shoots fireballs left and right, but they do nothing to stem the tide. Protosschick99’s frost magic is also useless. Redsoldier shoots his guns, dropping them to the ground. He reaches into his pocket and finds he’s out of ammo. Just then, he turns and sees the crying Felicia beside her dead brother. He runs to grab her arm as gently as he can.
Red- “I’ve got to get you away from here so you’ll be safe, Fe…”
She pulls her arm from him, then turns to face him. Redsoldier sees something in those eyes. Tears, but unlike any tears he’s ever seen. Liquid blue the same color as her irises begins to stream from those eyelids. They cover her entire body beneath the black cloak. She stands a full 2” taller. Blue tendrils come from the backs of her arms and legs making her look almost like a squid, but with big bug eyes and a huge mouth of teeth. She screams with such sadness and anger, that Redsoldier falls to the ground and starts to back away. Felicia turns to the oncoming hordes of corrupted and raises her palms over them. Tendrils as thin as spaghetti shoot from her hands. Millions of tendrils descend upon the corrupted, tangling them as they fight to cut off the alien appendages. Suddenly, each and every corrupted in the room lights up like a Christmas tree. The high voltage from the tendrils is enough to fry them until the falls to the ground in steaming heaps. After a few moments, Felicia pulls back the tendrils and looks over the death she’s brought then turns to the Demon Knights. The sky blue symbiote returns inside her and she falls to her knees, then to the ground.
2 hours later…
The Demon Knights sit around Felicia as she regains consciousness.
Fe- “Guess… I should explain.”
DC- “That would seem the likely course.”
Fe- “My grandmother… er… I mean… my symbiote’s grandmother, Phoenix, died long, long ago. Before she did, however, she had a spawn. His host was my father. Together, they helped the Order of Light fight the corrupted so long ago. Before he died in this very village, he shared the knowledge of his secret power and friend with me and me alone. Shortly after he died, I chose to let the spawn of Phoenix’s spawn merge with me. We’ve been together ever since. Over so long though, she’s become more powerful than her grandmother, but also has more humanity than Phoenix. I… I’d like to join you in your fight against Zykuzal. I know everything from the passed down memories in my symbiote. Please, let me join you.”
DC- “That’s a great request. We’ll have to discuss it…”
Fe- “I understand.”
The Demon Knights leave the room and discuss for about 3 minutes, then return.
DC- “You’re in. Those powers will definitely come in handy.”
Felicia smiles, then goes to stand. Carnage helps her to her feet.
Fe- “Thanks. Hmm… I guess you would be Carnage.”
Carnage- “That’s right.”
Fe- “My symbiote remembers you. Phoenix hated you so much, but the truth came to her before she died. I want you to know that she didn’t die hating any of you…”
Shankz- “That’s sugar-coated shit.”
Carnage glares at him.
Fe- “Of course it is, but it’s not shit.”
The Demon Knights, except for Carnage, just laugh.
Chapter 3
The Demon Knights sit around a slab of rock that’s been used as a table. Redsoldier is playing solitaire with some cards from his pocket. Protosschick99 is chatting with Felicia. Demon Child paces back and forth. Carnage is watching him do that while he sits Indian style on a slab of rock used as a chair. Shankz bites his nails and every now and then spits them to the ground.
DC- “We need a plan guys. I can’t think of one at the moment so any ideas?”
PC99- “Felicia, what do you know about Zykuzal? Do you know where he is?”
Fe- “I already told you I had no idea that horde of monsters had a leader until you guys told me…”
PC99- “Oh, that’s right.”
Shankz- “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m getting pretty sick of waiting around for the next attack. I suggest we find a new place to regroup.”
Carnage- “Shankz is onto something. They know where we are.”
DC- “Where would we run to, Shankz? Earth is now a desert.”
He looks to see Felicia looking at him with open disgust.
DC- “It’s the truth. Deal with it.”
Redsoldier- *not looking up from his game of solitaire* “What the Hell are we gonna do…?”
DC- “Wait. That’s it. That’s [I]it[I]!” *he draws his sword and holds it in one hand*
Redsoldier- “What? What’d I say?”
To everyone shock, Demon Child stabs his palm and smears the fiery blood on a nearby wall, spreading it out to form a door.
PC99- “DC… doesn’t that hurt?”
DC- “No pain. No gain. I hate doing this…”
He speaks in the backwards language of Hell. Once each pervasive word passes his lips, the door explodes into existence. A mirror that ripples glows brightly, revealing the gateway to Hell.
DC- “If I’m not back in 10 min, keep waiting.”
He steps through the door and the temperature immediately rises 5000 degrees.
Carnage- “Wtf’s he doing!?”
Redsoldier- *still not looking up from his game of solitaire* “My guess is he’s going to Satan to have a little convo.”
Shankz- “Sounds like a fucking party…”
Meanwhile…
Demon Child flies over the burning seas of Hell. Every now and then, a damned soul attempts to jump at him from far below. After a few minutes, he comes upon the black citadel. He nods to the guards as he passes and enters the main building. The song “Hells Bells” by AC/DC plays on the elevator he takes to the 666th floor. The receptionist starts to protest as he heads for Satan’s office, but DC just throws at fireball the wall near him and that’s enough to give him the message.
Satan- *spins around in his chair to see DC approaching him* “Shit… wth you want?”
DC- “What’s with your eyes?”
Satan- “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Demon Child smashes a cookie jar shaped like a coffin on his desk. From the remains, he extracts a handful of joints.
Satan- “That’s not mine.”
DC- “Bullshit. What’s the deal, Satan? Since when are you addicted to anything but mortal suffering?”
Satan- *his whispers twinge, then he points a paw at Demon Child* “Hey! Don’t tell me how to run Hell! I’ve been running Hell since… *looks at his paws* Whoa… my paws are HUUUGE…”
Demon Child raises an eyebrow at Satan.
Satan- “They can touch anything but themselves… *touches them together* Oh wait…O_O”
DC- “Uhh… I’ll just help myself to Hell’s Vault.”
Satan- “Hell can’t like… own a vault, man. It’s one of Mother Earth’s precious creatures…”
DC- *inside the vault* “Wtf would Mother Earth’s creature be in-… nevermind. Ah. Hey, what’s this?”
Demon Child pulls a sword off a rack and examines it. The name “Hellplague” is inscribed on the handle. Demon Child takes a sheath from a box and puts it on his other side. He then sheathes Hellplague and sets out to leave Hell.
DC- “Got what I wanted. Later, Satan.”
Satan- “Later… crater… no… waiter. Heh. I have no idea what’s going on… ^_^”
Demon Child appears back on Earth with his new sword and shows it to all the Demon Knights.
DC- “This’ll come in handy.”
Carnage suddenly spins around and looks towards the entrance. The walls around the stone door are cracking apart as a massive trembling shakes the caves.
Shankz- “It’s coming from the surface…” *he draws his sword, Malice.*
DC- “Definitely. Let’s go.”
The Demon Knights and Felicia run through the stone door and for the hatch. They stop just below it.
DC- “Carnage, check it out.”
Carnage- “What? No way!”
DC- “That’s a direct order!”
Carnage- “Why don’t YOU check it out?”
DC- “I’m too important to the group so I can’t die, now get your symbio-ass up there before I kick you to the surface!”
Carnage- “Damn…”
Carnage climbs the stairs and lifts the hatch to peek out. The other Demon Knights wait anxiously as he looks around then goes through the hatch completely.
Carnage- “There’s nothing up here!”
PC99- “What!?”
Carnage- “I said, there’s nothing up-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Carnage is hit and sent crashing to the ground by a flying leviathan. In a snap, the Demon Knights join him up there. Fe changes into the sky blue symbiote and gets ready. Demon Child draws Masamune and Hellplague and runs to defend Carnage. They others look around for any signs of another attack.
DC- “You okay, Carnage?”
Carnage- “Anyone get the number of that semi?”
PC99- “Holy SHIT!”
DC- “That’s not like you PC to use such- *turns and sees what she sees* Holy SHIT!”
The gigantic monster reveals itself, rising up out of the ground as tall as the Sears Tower, the sandworm shrieks like a bat outta Hell and makes a U-turn, coming for the ground at at least 80 miles per hour. Its maw opens, revealing a dozen rows of teeth around a circular mouth. The Demon Knights scatter as it hits the ground, tunneling, and creating a whirlpool of ash. Each of them goes sliding towards the quickly filling hole, fighting all the way.
“Eyes. Heart. Flesh.
Pierce them all to burn the rest...”
-Author Unknown
Chapter 1
Demon Child rises to his feet for the first time in 150 years. His muscles tense as he lifts his sword “Masamune”. He forgets how old the blade is. It was given to him moments after his creation. The once shining sword was often envied by many an angel in Heaven. Now it has become tainted from the darkness of Hell and centuries of dirt. DC feels the familiar pain of regret that he’s experienced time to time during his long existence. Now, that same regret comes flooding back as he looks at the last friends around him. Carnage looks himself over, stretching. The young warrior is slightly immature, but still experienced. He has truly tasted the sting of loss and the hardships of war. Redsoldier, wearing his green and brown fatigues, appears exhausted. The poor human has died more than once and has seen the splendor of the afterlife, yet he still returns to fight for what is good. Yet, Demon Child knows Earth’s end could be any moment. Looking towards Shankz, who is clad in black leather from neck to toe with metal chains and other pieces, Demon Child sees the look of fear in his blue eyes and the frown on his pasty skin. His blue hair is ruffled. Protosschick99 looks the worst. Her purple robes are torn in places, revealing the light blue armor underneath. A burn mark on her chest designates the exit of the Heart of Light. Her staff flickers in her three fingered hands, reflecting her mood. Demon Child once would of sacrificed them all for the sake of Earth, but now he feels different. He just wants one thing… the head of Zykuzal. He wants the damned beast to pay for every lost life. He wants him to suffer. Demon Child’s eyes burn as he faces the woman in the black cloak. Her face is dirty, with sky blue, almond shaped eyes. She smiles weakly, then offers her hand.
???- “Demon Child? Are you truly the commander of the Demon Knights?”
Demon Child looks at her hand, then back to her face, and nods.
DC- “Yes. I am. Who might you be?”
The pasty skinned woman, about 20 or 21 and 5’ 8”, lowers her hand, and then looks at the ground. Demon Child notices the look of her body; unhealthily slim. Her hand is thin, with cracked fingernails.
DC- *thinking* “She must’ve suffered starvation her whole life… poor girl.”
Fe- “My name is Felicia, but people just call me Fe.” She smiles stronger.
DC- “Hmm… people? So, people have survived on this planet?
Fe- “Yes… *looks at the ground* We live in shelters from long ago… *a tear begins to form at the corners of her eyes*
Protosschick99 approaches Felicia and wraps her arms around her in a hug.
PC99- “It’s ok. Shhh… just let it all out.”
Fe- “I-I’m sorry… I’m just so happy that I’ve finally found you.” She looks around at the tired, but honest faces. “Please, you must come with me to my village. The stasis must’ve made you all very hungry. You must also meet the elders. They’ll tell you all that’s happened since you’ve slept.”
DC- “Lead the way, child. Let’s go.”
Fe leads them throw the same narrow hallway they walked through so long ago. They come upon a ladder and she motions for them to climb it.
Carnage- “Perfect. We get to slosh around in the swamp again.”
Fe- “Swamp? What’s… a swamp?”
The Demon Knights turn to face her and what they find is a look of total bewilderment.
DC- “You… never saw a swamp?”
Fe- “No…” Her puzzled expression just grows.
Carnage climbs the ladder and pokes his head up above the ground. His fellow warriors below hear him mutter an obscenity in absolute shock. He climbs to the surface and the others soon join him. Protosschick99 falls to her knees and holds her hands over her eyes. Shanks quickly bends to comfort her, holding her tight. Carnage, Redsoldier, and Demon Child look in three directions, but they all see the same thing; desert. A desert as far as the eye can see faces them. There’s no sign of any life. No cacti. No birds. Not even rocks.
Carnage- “The sand is black. Why is the sand black?”
DC- “Not sand… *he bends to scoop up a handful, then let it fall* Ash…”
Shankz- “Human ash…”
The heat is almost unbearable and Redsoldier makes a comment about how unusual it is to be so hot at night. Felicia tells them that it actually daytime, but she’s not certain.
Fe- “There’s no way to tell between day and night. The clouds never move. My elders speak of wind, yet I have never felt it…”
PC99- *rising, wiping tears away* “No… wind? No sunlight?”
Felicia shakes her head sadly, and then points to PC99’s staff.
Fe- “That’s so beautiful… I’ve never seen a light glow that way…”
PC99- “You mean… blue?”
Fe- “What is blue?”
PC99- “It’s a color. What, don’t tell me you have no colors!?”
Fe- “Only black and the lighter black…”
Demon Child becomes frustrated. He feels nothing but pity for crippled Humanity, but he is growing impatient. He wants to learn everything as quickly as possible. He has many questions, so he walks up to Felicia.
DC- “I’m sorry for your loss, but the faster we get to your village and learn what’s happened, the faster we can set out to fix it.”
Fe- “Yes, forgive me. This way…”
Felicia leads the group through the desert, which is nearly pitch black. The Demon Knight’s keen eyes and apparently Felicia’s eyes see through the darkness. Redsoldier finally pulls some night vision goggles from his side pack and puts them on. The Demon Knights walk for about three hours, following footsteps that come from their location. All they see is endless desert. There is nothing but black ash, the new fauna of a dead world. Finally, they reach what appears to be another patch of desert, save for a symbol similar to a seven dug into the sand. Felicia reaches down and knocks on the ground. The clang of metal is heard underneath. A trapdoor opens and a set of hazel eyes peek out. The trapdoor then opens all the way as a young man, about 17 years old and clad in the same type of cloak as Felicia, looks up. He opens the hatch and walks over to her. She hugs him, then smiles more brightly than in all the time spent with the Demon Knights.
Fe- “Eric, how’s your new duty going?”
Eric- “It’s boring, sis. I spend most of the time drawing my drawings. So, you’ve found the Demon Knights?”
Fe- “Yes. Just as the elders said I would.”
Eric- “Very good. *He motions to them all to follow* This way, people. Be warned, the journey is wrought with danger from here on in. I cannot tell you how many of my fellow watchers have been dragged to agonizing and seemingly pointless deaths…”
The Demon Knights stare at each other.
Fe- *laughs* “You’re such a goof! *she shoves him playfully* He’s just kidding. Everyone knows him as the joker around here.”
Eric- *smiles* “I try. This way.”
Shankz- “Bout time.”
Protosschick99 jabs him with her elbow just before they all head below ground.
Chapter 2
The Gateway.
Lightning crackles in the sky around the raging maelstrom. Spirits of the dead howl in a cacophony of pain and sorrow. The ground is moist with blood around the grand monument to genocide. The Gateway is, in reality, a mound of flesh. Living creatures from insect to Man make it up. Bones and petrified flesh. Walls that pulsate and drip saliva-like slime. The only entrance is the top, like an ant hive. Corrupted humans swarm around it. Infected with the crimson death for so long, they’ve changed. Deformed faces with the lips pulled back, revealing black fangs. Multiple arms and legs with scythes sprout from the back and sides of each infected man and woman. They are no longer humans, but living incubators, which will soon be used to give birth to a new race. The Netherspawn will no longer be without substance, but will have new forms with which to journey forth into the universe and destroy world after world, galaxy after galaxy. In the deepest, darkest pit of the Gateway, Zykuzal screams in agony. He has become a sight not meant for any eyes, Man or Beast. Saffron’s curse, which has employed her own soul, has deformed him beyond recognition and stolen his most needed ability. Saffron made it so he would have to do something before the maelstrom is open. He must sacrifice one last Demon Knight to the gods of the Nether, but he can’t find his enemies. In his glee of destroying the world so long ago, he forgot where they were hidden. Writhing deep in the darkness, Zykuzal sees through the eyes of his minions as they patrol the world, searching for the blasted warriors…
Zykuzal suddenly screams louder. Out of his own mouth, a woman’s voice speaks.
“You’ll never find them Zykuzal…” Saffron speaks.
“Sssilence, you wretched human.” Zykuzal replies to the darkness.
“Your time grows short. The Nether gods have been patient for far too long and even they have their…” She starts again, but is interrupted.
“Ssshut up, you bitch!!!” Zykuzal screams.
He stands from his throne and drags his body through the dark room. As he comes into the light of a great crystal, his features are revealed. Even the corrupted around him wince at the sight. He waves an appendage over the crystal and waits. What he has waited for so long is revealed to him, a trail of footprints in the ash.
Zykuzal- All thingsss come to thossse who wait…
He raises his head to the ceiling and screeches in the hellish tongue at such an extreme rate, that the corrupted cower away from their master. Far away, two great leviathans emerge from the black sky and descend over the trail. They begin to follow it…
Meanwhile…
Demon Child follows Fe and her brother through an underground cave. Finally, they come upon a stone doorway, upon which is carved the same symbol that resembles seven. Eric knocks on it, then shouts.
Eric- “Hey, Damien! It’s me! Open up!”
No reply is heard. The stone doesn’t budge. He repeats himself a second time, and then turns to Fe.
Fe- “Something’s wrong…”
DC- “Allow me.”
He shoves his sword through the crack at the bottom of the square entrance and begins to lift. Carnage and Shankz hurry to grab hold of it. Demon Child helps them lift it all the way to the top. They all enter, and DC drops it behind them.
Fe- *sniffs* “That smell… *she turns to see a corpse next to the doorway* Damien!?”
She falls to the ground and cries. Eric helps her to her feet. They all gaze around the massive chamber. It’s about the size of a regulation football field. Below, dozens of huts made out of dried clay have been crushed to the ground. The group descends a staircase that leads them to an underground temple made of shining metal. Demon Child has to duck his head as they enter. The path leads straight to the elders’ room. Upon seven chairs lie the remains of what were once old men and women. They are now dry husks, void of any liquid. Demon Child starts to say something, then grabs Felicia and her brother, pulling them backwards and to the ground.
Eric- “Ow! What the hell!?”
Fe- “Why’d you do that!?”
A giant spider the length of a semi-truck dangles from the wall, dropping corrosive slime on the floor mere inches from the Demon Knights, who now stand ready to fight.
Shankz- *charging at the beast’s head* “PC!”
PC99’s eyes flare blue as a beam of ice fires from her staff, hitting the spider’s head. As Shankz goes to drive his sword into the spider, it smacks him to the side with a leg as thick as a tree trunk. Demon Child hurls a fireball at it, setting it on fire. It screeches like a banshee, then falls to the ground.
Carnage- “Wow… that was unusually easy.”
DC- “Don’t get cocky. *points his sword towards the entrance of the temple* Here they come…”
Dozens of corrupted minions crawl through the entrance. One, standing 8 feet tall, swings both his arms at PC99, trying to take her head off with the mantis-like scythes, but she shoots ice in his face. DC draws his sword and takes off at the horde; using the blunt side like a wall he sends them tumbling out the temple and into the larger chamber.
DC- “Kill them all!”
Carnage turns his fists into axes and leaps into the nearest crowd of corrupted. As they chatter and swings their massive cutlery, he spins like a top, slices them in halves and cutting off limbs. Shankz leaps into the air and brings his sword through the top of a head. The crimson soaked eyes flare and thick saliva drips from the fangs as Shankz cuts his enemy in half right down the center. PC99 shoots a frost nova at a group of the monsters just as the scramble for her then Demon Child hits the ground beneath them with a mighty punch, breaking them to pieces.
Fe- “Eric! We must get to safety!”
One of the corrupted leaps to the ceiling using its spider-like legs then proceeds to chop down a stalactite, which flies right for Felicia’s skull.
Eric- “Look out!”
He pushes his sister out of the way as the massive spike hits him in the back. Felicia turns to see the tears in his eyes and his gapping mouth as the rock drives deeper into the ground, making a giant hole tear him. Blood streams from Eric as he chokes. Fe walks over to her brother and grabs his hand. He squeezes gently before he stops breathing.
Red- “They’re everywhere!”
The corrupted are pouring into the room a flood. Demon Child shoots fireballs left and right, but they do nothing to stem the tide. Protosschick99’s frost magic is also useless. Redsoldier shoots his guns, dropping them to the ground. He reaches into his pocket and finds he’s out of ammo. Just then, he turns and sees the crying Felicia beside her dead brother. He runs to grab her arm as gently as he can.
Red- “I’ve got to get you away from here so you’ll be safe, Fe…”
She pulls her arm from him, then turns to face him. Redsoldier sees something in those eyes. Tears, but unlike any tears he’s ever seen. Liquid blue the same color as her irises begins to stream from those eyelids. They cover her entire body beneath the black cloak. She stands a full 2” taller. Blue tendrils come from the backs of her arms and legs making her look almost like a squid, but with big bug eyes and a huge mouth of teeth. She screams with such sadness and anger, that Redsoldier falls to the ground and starts to back away. Felicia turns to the oncoming hordes of corrupted and raises her palms over them. Tendrils as thin as spaghetti shoot from her hands. Millions of tendrils descend upon the corrupted, tangling them as they fight to cut off the alien appendages. Suddenly, each and every corrupted in the room lights up like a Christmas tree. The high voltage from the tendrils is enough to fry them until the falls to the ground in steaming heaps. After a few moments, Felicia pulls back the tendrils and looks over the death she’s brought then turns to the Demon Knights. The sky blue symbiote returns inside her and she falls to her knees, then to the ground.
2 hours later…
The Demon Knights sit around Felicia as she regains consciousness.
Fe- “Guess… I should explain.”
DC- “That would seem the likely course.”
Fe- “My grandmother… er… I mean… my symbiote’s grandmother, Phoenix, died long, long ago. Before she did, however, she had a spawn. His host was my father. Together, they helped the Order of Light fight the corrupted so long ago. Before he died in this very village, he shared the knowledge of his secret power and friend with me and me alone. Shortly after he died, I chose to let the spawn of Phoenix’s spawn merge with me. We’ve been together ever since. Over so long though, she’s become more powerful than her grandmother, but also has more humanity than Phoenix. I… I’d like to join you in your fight against Zykuzal. I know everything from the passed down memories in my symbiote. Please, let me join you.”
DC- “That’s a great request. We’ll have to discuss it…”
Fe- “I understand.”
The Demon Knights leave the room and discuss for about 3 minutes, then return.
DC- “You’re in. Those powers will definitely come in handy.”
Felicia smiles, then goes to stand. Carnage helps her to her feet.
Fe- “Thanks. Hmm… I guess you would be Carnage.”
Carnage- “That’s right.”
Fe- “My symbiote remembers you. Phoenix hated you so much, but the truth came to her before she died. I want you to know that she didn’t die hating any of you…”
Shankz- “That’s sugar-coated shit.”
Carnage glares at him.
Fe- “Of course it is, but it’s not shit.”
The Demon Knights, except for Carnage, just laugh.
Chapter 3
The Demon Knights sit around a slab of rock that’s been used as a table. Redsoldier is playing solitaire with some cards from his pocket. Protosschick99 is chatting with Felicia. Demon Child paces back and forth. Carnage is watching him do that while he sits Indian style on a slab of rock used as a chair. Shankz bites his nails and every now and then spits them to the ground.
DC- “We need a plan guys. I can’t think of one at the moment so any ideas?”
PC99- “Felicia, what do you know about Zykuzal? Do you know where he is?”
Fe- “I already told you I had no idea that horde of monsters had a leader until you guys told me…”
PC99- “Oh, that’s right.”
Shankz- “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m getting pretty sick of waiting around for the next attack. I suggest we find a new place to regroup.”
Carnage- “Shankz is onto something. They know where we are.”
DC- “Where would we run to, Shankz? Earth is now a desert.”
He looks to see Felicia looking at him with open disgust.
DC- “It’s the truth. Deal with it.”
Redsoldier- *not looking up from his game of solitaire* “What the Hell are we gonna do…?”
DC- “Wait. That’s it. That’s [I]it[I]!” *he draws his sword and holds it in one hand*
Redsoldier- “What? What’d I say?”
To everyone shock, Demon Child stabs his palm and smears the fiery blood on a nearby wall, spreading it out to form a door.
PC99- “DC… doesn’t that hurt?”
DC- “No pain. No gain. I hate doing this…”
He speaks in the backwards language of Hell. Once each pervasive word passes his lips, the door explodes into existence. A mirror that ripples glows brightly, revealing the gateway to Hell.
DC- “If I’m not back in 10 min, keep waiting.”
He steps through the door and the temperature immediately rises 5000 degrees.
Carnage- “Wtf’s he doing!?”
Redsoldier- *still not looking up from his game of solitaire* “My guess is he’s going to Satan to have a little convo.”
Shankz- “Sounds like a fucking party…”
Meanwhile…
Demon Child flies over the burning seas of Hell. Every now and then, a damned soul attempts to jump at him from far below. After a few minutes, he comes upon the black citadel. He nods to the guards as he passes and enters the main building. The song “Hells Bells” by AC/DC plays on the elevator he takes to the 666th floor. The receptionist starts to protest as he heads for Satan’s office, but DC just throws at fireball the wall near him and that’s enough to give him the message.
Satan- *spins around in his chair to see DC approaching him* “Shit… wth you want?”
DC- “What’s with your eyes?”
Satan- “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Demon Child smashes a cookie jar shaped like a coffin on his desk. From the remains, he extracts a handful of joints.
Satan- “That’s not mine.”
DC- “Bullshit. What’s the deal, Satan? Since when are you addicted to anything but mortal suffering?”
Satan- *his whispers twinge, then he points a paw at Demon Child* “Hey! Don’t tell me how to run Hell! I’ve been running Hell since… *looks at his paws* Whoa… my paws are HUUUGE…”
Demon Child raises an eyebrow at Satan.
Satan- “They can touch anything but themselves… *touches them together* Oh wait…O_O”
DC- “Uhh… I’ll just help myself to Hell’s Vault.”
Satan- “Hell can’t like… own a vault, man. It’s one of Mother Earth’s precious creatures…”
DC- *inside the vault* “Wtf would Mother Earth’s creature be in-… nevermind. Ah. Hey, what’s this?”
Demon Child pulls a sword off a rack and examines it. The name “Hellplague” is inscribed on the handle. Demon Child takes a sheath from a box and puts it on his other side. He then sheathes Hellplague and sets out to leave Hell.
DC- “Got what I wanted. Later, Satan.”
Satan- “Later… crater… no… waiter. Heh. I have no idea what’s going on… ^_^”
Demon Child appears back on Earth with his new sword and shows it to all the Demon Knights.
DC- “This’ll come in handy.”
Carnage suddenly spins around and looks towards the entrance. The walls around the stone door are cracking apart as a massive trembling shakes the caves.
Shankz- “It’s coming from the surface…” *he draws his sword, Malice.*
DC- “Definitely. Let’s go.”
The Demon Knights and Felicia run through the stone door and for the hatch. They stop just below it.
DC- “Carnage, check it out.”
Carnage- “What? No way!”
DC- “That’s a direct order!”
Carnage- “Why don’t YOU check it out?”
DC- “I’m too important to the group so I can’t die, now get your symbio-ass up there before I kick you to the surface!”
Carnage- “Damn…”
Carnage climbs the stairs and lifts the hatch to peek out. The other Demon Knights wait anxiously as he looks around then goes through the hatch completely.
Carnage- “There’s nothing up here!”
PC99- “What!?”
Carnage- “I said, there’s nothing up-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Carnage is hit and sent crashing to the ground by a flying leviathan. In a snap, the Demon Knights join him up there. Fe changes into the sky blue symbiote and gets ready. Demon Child draws Masamune and Hellplague and runs to defend Carnage. They others look around for any signs of another attack.
DC- “You okay, Carnage?”
Carnage- “Anyone get the number of that semi?”
PC99- “Holy SHIT!”
DC- “That’s not like you PC to use such- *turns and sees what she sees* Holy SHIT!”
The gigantic monster reveals itself, rising up out of the ground as tall as the Sears Tower, the sandworm shrieks like a bat outta Hell and makes a U-turn, coming for the ground at at least 80 miles per hour. Its maw opens, revealing a dozen rows of teeth around a circular mouth. The Demon Knights scatter as it hits the ground, tunneling, and creating a whirlpool of ash. Each of them goes sliding towards the quickly filling hole, fighting all the way.