Devil Ash Days (Devil Ash Saga) (17 page)

Luckily for him, one
presented itself as he ran past a large stack of crates. He could hear the clucking of chickens inside, and as he dashed past he chucked a small fireball at the stack. Not big enough to blow the stack of crates up, but big enough to cause the bottom crate to collapse and knock over the entire tower of boxes. Demon chickens scattered everywhere, running for their lives. Unfortunately for them, the mammoth demon dragon was right on cue for snack-time.

With the flame-rainer distracted by the scurrying mini-meals, Apsat made his way to the safehouse. He knocked on the fr
ont door, crying to let him in.

“Go away!”
came a voice from within.

“Please, the demon is right outside! Please let me in!”

“Absolutely not! Now get out of here, before you draw its attention to us!”

“I won’t leave!” Apsat
said. “You’re going to have to let me in! I have loot here that I’ll share with you! Please just let me in!”

At that, a curious eye appeared in the crack of the boarded-up door. The eye belonged to a very angry devil named Sars, still in a bad mood f
rom the events that transpired at the Missing Piece bar that morning.

“Go away, Apsat. We’ve no use here for you or your looted goods,”
he said.

“Please, Sars! I’m begging you!” Apsat
said.

Sars would
never allow him in. First and foremost, he did not care for Apsat in the slightest. He knew he was an incompetent thief of the lowest caliber, and it was because of his stupidity that he was caught outside with the demons now. Secondly, the door to their safehouse was boarded shut. In order to fit Apsat and his cart of stolen items inside, they would need to remove the entire boarded-up door, and that would easily allow the flame-rainer access. It may have been cruel, but Sars was looking out for not only his own best interest, but also the safety of his gang and all others currently taking refuge inside their safehouse.

“Get out of here, Apsat.” Knowing that he would not leave, perhaps Sars felt a little sorry for him. Still quite angry at Aura for his abandonment earlier that day, Sars decided he’d give Apsat at least one chance for survival.

“Head to the abandoned weapons plant,” Sars said. “Aura hides out there all the time in a secret basement, so you can probably take shelter there.” He was disappointed to discover that revealing Aura’s secret spot didn’t do much to make him feel any happier.

The giant flame-rainer finished consuming all the escaped chicken demons, and
now turned its attention back towards Apsat and his cart of goodies. Apsat didn’t have time to question Sars further. He cursed at him and took off with his cart once more. He knew exactly where the weapons plant was and started in that direction. Everyone in South Hell knew about the weapons plant. It had once been the premiere weapons manufacturer in all of Hell, but was shut down several years before due to lack of staff and the smaller merchants putting it out of business.

Apsat made it ten feet before the flame-rainer pounced. It landed on top of the cart, smashing it
to splinters. All the goods he’d looted spilled everywhere in the street and the thief took a nasty tumble. Maybe if the demon were interested in material goods, it would have left Apsat alone. Being a demon of lesser intelligence, it only had eyes for
food.
Apsat backed up against a wall, certain that death was incoming. He closed his eyes as the demon reared, ready to chomp down on him and end his pathetic life.

He waited, but
death evaded him. He heard the flame-rainer squeal, which he was certain meant the creature was about the bite down, but it was actually a squeal of pain. Apsat opened his eyes with caution to see the demon struggling with a squad of Royal Guards who appeared in the nick of time to save him.

How ironic,
he thought,
that the Royal Guard just saved my life.

A Royal Guard Captain appeared
at Apsat’s side, attempting to calm him. “Fear not, my unfortunate merchant friend!” the Captain said, trying to sound heroic. “The Royal Guards are here to protect you!” With that, the Captain and his men jumped courageously into battle with the demon. There were six soldiers along with the Captain fighting the beast, and as they hacked and slashed away at it, the demon managed to snatch two of the men in its jaws, killing them instantly.

This was the closest that Apsat had ever been to a demon of this caliber and he was not enjoying the experience. Finally, the Captain logged his spear into the demon’s neck and the flame-rainer keeled over dead. The Captain
and his men cheered in victory, and afterwards turned their attention back to the frightened Apsat.

“Are you hurt, sir?” the Captain asked. “I am Captain Meeter of the Royal Guard, South
Division. Do you have someplace you can go for shelter?”

Apsat hesitated to reply, still partially in shock from his close encounter. Unfortunately for him, one of Meeter’s men recognized him. “Sir!” The soldier
said. “I know this man! His name is Apsat, and he’s no merchant! He’s a common thief!”

“These weapons,”
said another soldier, picking up a sword from the wreckage of Apsat’s stolen cart. “These are from my father’s shop! He was looting during the attack!”

“Looting, eh?” Captain Meeter
said. “Is that true, sir?”

The thief abandoned his spoils and fled.
He got about five paces before the Captain tackled him. The thief tumbled to the ground, pushed himself back up, and even though he knew his wings were useless, brought them out. Some of the soldiers gasped while others snickered in disgust. One of Apsat’s wings was smaller than the other, and wrinkly like a raisin. It was a shriveled, useless wing; the direct result of having been cut off and regrown.

H
is attempt to use his wings did not work. He leapt into the air and came down on his face, then got buried under the weight of the remaining Royal Guards that jumped on top of him.

Back to the present…

Now that the threat of the flame-rainers was over, the tied-up thief was transported to the castle where he’d be held for his crimes until further notice.
Gears turned in Goddard’s head as he watched Apsat being dragged away.

A thief…

At once, Goddard’s mind was a flutter. His brain worked rapidly, connecting the dots of his next scheme together into a perfect plan to test his new team. 

I can use this thief! So many variables! So many outcomes! Oh, the possibilities! As a scientist and a scholar, I simply cannot allow this opportunity to pass me by!

There was a lot to be done, and very little time to do it. But the Royal Advisor was confident he could pull it off. He always loved a good challenge, especially one that held so much potential for collecting valuable information. He rushed back to his laboratory, inspired by the thought of accomplishing what he was about to attempt.

Come morning, his team would have their first Mission.

Chapter Fourteen: First Mission

It’s here...

Still in her sleeping gown, Shiva unfolded the piece of parchment attached to her bedroom door.

It’s here.

She read the note, which was short and to the point. It said:

Assemble your team and report to the conference room immediately. It’s time for a mission. – G.v.G.

It’s here!

The girl
was all fired up now. She rushed into her room and threw on her armor as quickly as possible, still in the process of tying her hair up as she ran down the halls of the castle, heading towards the entrance.

It’s here! It’s here! It’s here!
She repeated her mantra, ecstatic at the prospect. Outside the castle she leapt from rooftop to rooftop on her way to Ash’s flat, using her wings every so often for an extra-springy jump. She felt like she was walking on air. She even felt in such high spirits that she’d occasionally call down to the citizens below her: “Good morning!” “What a lovely day it is!” “How do you do? Me? Oh I’m splendid!” “It’s a beautiful day in Hell!”

The artificial sun was not even fully formed when Ash’s door almost burst off its hinges – Shiva not bothering to knock.

“It’s here!” she said, frightening Ash so much that he flopped out of his bed thinking there was another demon invasion. When he realized there was no warning siren blaring loudly throughout the kingdom, the boy calmed down a little. At least until he realized he was only wearing boxer shorts. Embarrassed, he grabbed the blanket off the bed and wrapped himself up.

“What’s here?” he
asked.

“Our first mission!” she replied, kneeling beside him and grabbing his shoulders. “Now get up!” She pull
ed him up, but being wrapped up in the blanket as he was, the boy tripped and fell on top of Shiva. Under ordinary circumstances she may have lashed out at him for such an offense, but being in such good spirits, she just pushed him up and onto his feet, hopping up after him.

“Come on!” she
said, strutting over to his closet and digging through the clothing she found there. She tossed various articles of clothing at Ash, and as he tried grabbing for a shirt the blanket slipped to the floor revealing his near-naked body. He snatched up some of the clothes she tossed and threw them on quick.

“Can I eat first?” Ash asked
.

“Absolutely not! This note from Goddard clearly states-” she produced the letter from Goddard, flashed it in Ash’s face, and tucked it away before he could even get a look at it, “-that we’re to be at hi
s conference room immediately!”

Ash
stood still, watching Shiva’s dramatic gestures as she spoke. It was hard to believe this was the same girl he’d met before. The girl before him seemed different: giddy, excited, positive and - dare he think it – kind of cute.

“You look ready, so let’s go!” She rushed towards him and
pushed him out the door. Ash only had time to reach for his jacket off the coat hanger before Shiva moved him outside, slamming his door shut. “Keep up!” she said, and without another word the girl released her wings and leapt up high, flapping down powerfully once to launch herself to the top of the nearest building. “Come on!” Ash followed the best he could, with Shiva always twenty yards ahead of him.

As they approached the castle, Shiva showed no signs of slowing down. Ash wondered why she was sticking to the rooftops instead of hitting the ground and running. When they reached the building closest to the front gate, the answer became clear. Shiva sprang off the ledge of the building, extended her wings and soared directly over to the castle wall. The Royal Guards on patrol there went into a frenzy, thinking they were being invaded.

“Out of my way! Lady Shiva coming through!”

It was all the guards could do to dive and duck out of her way as she landed briefly on the top of the wall, before moving on to the inner courtyard. Ash followed, hoping it was okay for him to enter that way too.

“
Sorry!” he said to any guards that were listening. “I’m with her!” The boy jumped from the castle wall down into the courtyard, following Shiva to the entrance. Only here did Shiva finally slow down, but only because she had no choice. The Royal Guards standing at the castle entrance hadn’t even begun to open the castle doors to them yet. She called to them from afar, but they either didn’t understand or were ignoring her.

“That
Draxler
,” Shiva said once Ash was within earshot. “He’d better show up! If he decided to play hooky or skip out on his new duties, he’ll have hell to pay with me!” Ash had more than once wondered what exactly guaranteed that they would continue to show up and fulfill their duties. It certainly seemed as though they were given enough freedom to disappear if they so chose to. But then Ash remembered that even if they did decide to sneak off, there was nowhere they could run to. They were trapped in the Kingdom. If a citywide search were initiated, they wouldn’t stay hidden for long.

“I’m sure he’ll be here,” Ash
said, though he couldn’t be certain. All he had to go off was that Aura seemed to be lazy, and the thought of him spending the rest of his life sneaking around attempting to hide from Royal Guards didn’t quite match. Aura was also very social by nature, and Ash thought he couldn’t bear to be alone and in hiding. He smiled to himself, thinking Aura’s motivations were so simple and silly.

I
nside the castle, the two made tracks up to Goddard’s conference room. Shiva entered first, eager to begin their day’s mission. She was not in the least surprised to see Goddard already there and waiting for them, going over his usual stack of paperwork for the day. He had dark bags under his eyes, as it appeared he had not slept that night. He didn’t even flinch or look up upon hearing them enter.

“We’re ready!” Shiva said. “Let’s hear our first mission!”

“You are not ready,” Goddard said. A puzzled look appeared on Shiva’s face, and before she could reply in outrage, Goddard added, “Where is Mr. Draxler?”

Shiva cursed, realizing they were now at the mercy of Aura.
“You won’t give us our mission until
Draxler
joins us?” she asked. “But what if he doesn’t show up?”

“You will be at peace to know,” Goddard replied, “that I saw Mr. Draxler lurking the castle’s halls not an hour ago. All you need to do is track him down.”

“That
trash
is walking around the castle freely?”

“Calm yourself,” Goddard said. “Any place that is off limits is guarded. There is nothing he can do here, save for wander about.” Shiva huffed in defiance, but said nothing more on the topic. Ash could tell she didn’t like the thought of
the pervy boy on the loose in her home.

“Fine then, let’s go
find him quick!”

It didn’t take much searching to find Aura. He was sitting at a table in the cafeteria with his head down on the table, sleeping. Several bottles of alcohol and lots of empty plates surrounded him. It looked like he’d been drinking and eating the night away, alone. Ash spotted him and approached first. He gently nudged Aura’s shoulder and called his name.

Aura stirred, but didn’t immediately wake up. Shiva tried next, and her attempt was far more effective. She shoved him
and shouted “Wake up
Draxler
!”

It worked. Aura shot up wide-awake, blinked his eyes a few times, and turned towards Ash and Shiva. His eyes were bloodshot and red, and his usually perfect hair was disheveled.

“What’s cracking?” he said.

“Get your ass up and come with us!” Shiva
said. “We have our first mission!”

“We’re all here!” Shiva said to Goddard, who once again did not look up as the team entered his conference room. “So what’s the mission?”

“This,” Goddard said, sliding forward a scrap of paper.
On the paper was a drawing of a large gemstone wrapped in a golden shell. Right away, Shiva recognized it.

“That’s my father’s necklace.”

Ash remembered he had seen the same necklace during his meeting with Satan. “What about it?” he asked.

“It was stolen last night,” Goddard said
.

“Stolen!” Shiva repeated
. “How? Where? When?” The boys could tell that Goddard was annoyed with Shiva’s raised voice and questions, but he persisted in not letting it get to him.

“As I said, it was stolen last night. King Satan awoke this morning to find it stolen right off his neck.”

“He sleeps with that thing on?” Aura asked with a smirk.

“He hasn’t taken it off since the
day he first put it on. That was ten years ago,” Goddard told them.

“Even in the bath?” Ash asked.

Ignoring Ash’s question, Goddard’s focus was on Shiva. She was being unusually quiet, which Goddard secretly loved. Shiva’s mind and mood weighed heavily on family matters.
Why did father not mention it to me immediately?
she thought.
It must have been because I took off too quickly this morning for the mission
.

“We’ve got to find the thief!” she said.

“Yes, that will be your first mission,” said Goddard. “But first, there is some information you must know regarding that amulet.” He paused to pull out the book ‘Myths, Legends, and Fairy-Tales of Hell’. He opened it to a specific page and slid it forward on the table so the team could read it. “Read,” he commanded. Everyone gathered around and read silently. On the page was an illustration similar to the one of Satan’s necklace, and the page was titled ‘God’s Blessing’. It said:

The enchanted amulet known as God’s Blessing is a miraculous item. It was created by God and given to Lucifer during his peaceful days in Heaven. The amulet allowed Lucifer to achieve incredible feats using the full force of his Soul. But it also had an adverse effect: it allowed God to peer into Lucifer’s soul, revealing Lucifer’s inner-nature and exposing his ulterior motives. Even after Lucifer’s soul power was unlocked, he was still no match for God. This powerful item was last seen in the care of Hell’s Royal Family, but disappeared several hundred years ago. Since the publishing of this book, God’s Blessing has never been able to unlock or increase a Devil’s soul power
like it did for Lucifer, nor provide any other benefit except for its aesthetic appearance.

Ash’s interest peaked. “So this thing m
akes people stronger?” he asked with a hopeful glimmer in his eyes. An item that could make him more powerful just might be his shot at finding a way back home! With more power, he could force Goddard to take him home, or at least have a better shot at finding his own way.

Goddard took note of Ash’s increased interest, and as if to crush his hopes deliberately, he replied “Exactly how thoroughly did you read that article? It was clearly stated that the amulet does not work on devils.”

“Do you have any idea who did it?” Aura asked.

“If we knew who did it, this wouldn’t be a problem,” Goddard said. “Search the castle, ask the staff; there must be at least one person who saw something suspicious.”

“Just like playing detective,” Aura said, raising Ash’s interest even further. When he put it that way, it almost sounded like fun. Ash romanticized about the thought of being a detective, evoking images of the great Sherlock Holmes and even Batman. He’d grown up admiring Batman, but could he actually play the part for real?

“You have three days to complete this assignment.”

“That’s it?” Ash asked. He and Aura exchanged a worried glance, remembering the penalty for failure:
discipline.

“Why did I ever leave my carefree life of doing nothing?” Aura asked.

“Under normal circumstances, I would tell you to search the scene of the crime first. But, as the scene of the crime happens to be King Satan’s bedroom, which is absolutely forbidden for anyone else to enter, you’ll have to start elsewhere. Which is just as well. I’ve already conducted a thorough investigation of The King’s bedroom and found nothing. The thief simply entered through the door, snatched the necklace, and left the same way he came in.”

“How did the thief get past the guards?” Shiva
asked, her voice full of concern. If someone could make it into The King’s bedroom, then certainly anyone could enter her room as well.

“That is for
you
to figure out,” Goddard said. “If you’d like to get started now, Ash, you may.”

“Just me?” Ash ask
ed, puzzled. “What about them?”

“Lady Shiva and I must discuss proper ca
stle etiquette with Mr. Draxler, but
you
are free to begin the mission now,” he said. 

“Oh, okay. I’ll get going now, and I guess we’ll meet up later.” Ash exited, leaving the three of them behind.

* * *

Once he was gone, the room grew silent. Shiva, although itching to get started on the mission, looked forward to lecturing Aura. Aura was not the least bit thrilled. Neither of them expected the following instructions from Goddard.