Gods From the Machine (31 page)

“
We have an obligation to deal with this situation now,” Paul said.

Nick
tiptoed to the door with Paul so close they kept bumping into each other. Paul twisted the knob on the door slowly. They glanced quickly around the area, paranoid at the thought of something suddenly popping out from the shadows.

Much to their surpris
e, the room was nothing special. It was a condensed version of the Garrison library. The room was decorated with bookcases and cabinets with few furniture pieces for sitting and lounging about. Papers were scattered around a large desk in the center of the room. A chair behind it had been flipped on its side. Strangely, there was nobody in sight. Perhaps the voices they heard were nothing more than a heightened paranoia. However, that did not explain why Nick felt that familiar tingling sensation in his body.

“
I don’t see anything out of the ordinary, aside from it being messy. Graves must have made this into a private study.” Paul picked up a stack of papers, sifting through them. “Though he claims he hasn’t been down here in ages, someone must have found this room and made no subtle attempt to hide that they were searching for a particular document.”

“
This looks like a good clue.”

Nick
grabbed the folder splayed open on the desk and flipped to the front page that held the words “Soul Eater Project” scrawled across the center. As he turned the pages he saw multiple graphs and images of the Dolere Flos and the blueprints of Graves Tower. There were even maps of the Glenhaven region. He checked the log dates—all of this had been planned and calculated six years ago.

“
Nicholas, come take a look at this,” Paul said. Nick looked up to see Paul holding vials of blue liquid.

“
What is that?” Nick said.

“
It’s Doctor Numerous’ plan. He’s calling it ‘Soul Eater.’
Apparently he’s run quite a few tests already.” Paul showed Nick the test tubes that were each labeled “Soul Eater” with numerical numbers labeled next to them.

“
What could this possibly be?” Nick held up a vial to look closely.

“
How should I know? I’m a warrior, not a scientist,” Paul said.

“
It’s been recorded in these files which date back about six years ago. Sound familiar?”

“
That’s around the same time Doctor Numerous went rogue and was banished from Fyria’s Garrison,” Paul said.

“
Exactly.”

Paul snatched the packet of papers that Nick was looking through and
flashed it in front of Nick. Paul stuffed them into his coat pockets. “This may not mean anything to us right now, but if it’s excerpts from this journal he’s been keeping then it’s bound to be worth something to someone else. Whatever this ‘Soul Eater Project’ is, it’s been years in the making and we can’t afford to let it fall into the wrong hands.”

A
small piece of paper fluttered to the ground in front of them. They looked up simultaneously to find a giant rat-like man with large red eyes gazing down at them, and hissing menacingly. It was wearing a white coat over his dark brown fur. It dashed at them with its fangs bared, ready to kill. It was the demon Nick sensed!

Nick and Paul jump
ed back as the rat dove at them. It missed and hit the floor, but the demon had managed to whip its tail after, narrowly hitting Paul, but catching Nick in the chest. Nick crashed backward into a bookshelf. The entire section of tumbled down upon him.

Paul
pulled out his sword and swung viciously at the demon. His metal blade clashed with the demon’s fangs, and they were locked in battle of strength. However, Paul possessed the superior might. He pushed the rat demon backwards, and struck its claws with the blade. The rodent’s arm thudded to the ground.

The rat demon recoiled
with a squeal and fell on the floor. It thrashed about, knocking down the rest of the bookshelves. It settled in a corner after a while, licking to its wound.

Pau
l took the opportunity to close in on the demon with his sword pointed at its throat. “Well, well what do we have here? Vermeek, I had thought a demon as pitiful as you would have been long dead by now.”

“
Paul Evans! I knew waiting for Lord Bergice to return was a foolish mistake!” Vermeek hissed.

Nick was
back on his feet now. He went to stand next to Paul, blocking the exit to the room.

“
What exactly are you doing here?” Paul said.

“
Business that does not concern you humans!” Vermeek snarled.

“
I took your arm just now, but I can take much more if you anger me.” Paul stabbed the demon in the shoulder and twisted the blade, causing it to screech in pain.

“
You can torture me all you like, but there’s nothing you can do to me that I will make me betray Doctor Numerous! I will never talk!” Vermeek said.

“
Is that so? Maybe you have forgotten what Luxilight feels like?” Paul charged a glowing ball of light in his palm.

“
Wait a second, Paul. Let’s not go overboard and end up killing our only source of information. He came to this room to gather the files pertaining to ‘Soul Eater Project.’ I doubt Doctor Numerous would be too thrilled if he finds that his previous research was destroyed,” Nick said.

Nick swept the via
ls of test tubes onto the floor. They broke on impact. The blue contents seeped into a nearby drain. The demon scrunched against the wall, eyes wide. Through his feral visage, Nick could tell that it was angering him.

“
I will not break so easily,” Vermeek said.

“
Fine. Paul, give me the files,” Nick said.

Paul pulled
the contents of the Soul Eater Project out of his pocket and slapped them into Nick’s hand. Nick lit the opposite arm on fire and moved it dangerously close to the documents.

“
Fire? Who are you?” Vermeek said.

“
Stop trying to change the topic, Vermeek. No more games. I know you were keen on getting this information, so there’s no use in trying to pretend. We’re running low on time and I’m not a very patient man.” Nick guided his fiery hand closer and closer to the files.

“
Wait, stop!” Vermeek said at the last second. “I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

“
Good choice.” Nick tossed the files back to Paul for safekeeping.

“
How are you able to control fire like that? I’ve never seen a human capable of controlling the elements,” Vermeek said.

“
You’re talking to Agrian, the Prince of Rage,” Paul said.

Vermeek
’s eyes widened. “A Crowned Prince? You’re just a boy!”

Nick stepped closer, staring darkly at the man.
“It doesn’t matter who I am, but what I need from you is information.”

“
I work for Doctor Numerous as his assistant, nothing more. I was never privy to any of the inner workings of his plans like Astaroth. What I do know is that he has long since completed the Soul Eater, and only requires the use of his special notes to put on the final touches.”

“
He’s holding a friend of mine in the laboratory. Take us there and you are free to go. Do we have a deal?” Nick said.

“
Lord Agrian, if you’re trying to rescue the girl he has imprisoned then I suggest you give up. Even if you manage to get past the obstacle Doctor Numerous has placed, the odds of you surviving an encounter with an Infernal are very slim,” Vermeek said.

“
We’ll take our chances, rat. Now what other obstacle has Numerous set to stop us? Was this maze not enough of a challenge?” Paul said.

Vermeek was nervously shaking on
the floor and clutching the stub of his arm. “There’s a powerful demon he’s summoned at the end. Far more powerful than the average one of its type, it has an unrelenting thirst for blood.”

“
There is no demon alive that cannot be defeated by my blade,” Paul said.

Vermeek shook his head.
“Even a master knight like you cannot hope to defeat this demon alone, Paul Evans. It will require more than the brawn of the Garrison. That being said, I will accept your offer and take you to the girl.”

“
A demon’s word means next to nothing,” Paul said.

“
This is our best choice. Having a guide would be better than wandering aimlessly around this labyrinth,” Nick said.

Paul sighed.
“You better hope you’re right about this, Nicholas.”

He grabbed Vermeek
by the arm and yanked him to his feet. Paul wrapped his arm around the rodent and pressed the sharp edge of his blade to the demon’s furry neck. They left with Paul slowly escorting the demon out. Once back into the labyrinth, he kicked Vermeek in the back, holding his sword so the tip of the blade rested on his coat.

“
Walk. You’re leading the way. If you try anything stupid, you die.” Paul jabbed him in the back, careful not to actually impale him.

“
A-as you wish,” Vermeek said obediently. Nick felt a bit badly for the treating him so harshly, since the demon was already wounded, but it was the only way to ensure that it wouldn’t try to escape.

The plan now was to use Vermeek as the access for the demon barrier that Doctor Numerous had said was impenetrable. And with Paul
’s already extensive knowledge on the blueprint of the area, it was absolutely failsafe, just as long as the rat man stayed true to his word. Also, having a hostage put them at a much needed advantage.

“
You’re lucky you’re too pathetic to kill. If Nicholas wasn’t so weak I would have slit your throat the moment you tried to speak,” Paul said as they walked through the dark corridors.

“
Contrary to your beliefs, Paul Evans, demons are far more crafty than you humans moonlighting as holy beings,” Vermeek hissed. “Even with two full scale wars, we have survived total eradication, our resilience knows no bounds. One of our most powerful demons also hails from your Garrisons! You are the pathetic ones!”

They
bickered between themselves as Nick trailed behind, keeping his attention elsewhere. He thought of Alyssa and how it would feel to hold her in his arms once more, to experience the warmth he had been craving. How were they treating her in the laboratory? Even if they managed to make it to the end, could he trust Bergice to keep his word? A thought struck Nick, and he interjected their argument with a new question.

“
Vermeek, where has Bergice gone? He said he would to be here at the stroke of dawn for the project launch.”

“
When Doctor Numerous designed the Soul Eater, he did it with the intention of impressing the Crowned Princes. It succeeded in intriguing Lord Ozarael, but the demon king sent Lord Bergice as his extension to monitor the progress of experiment and report back the findings. I presume Lord Bergice has gone back to deliver the last report before it launches,” Vermeek said.

“
It feels like we’ve been down here for hours. How much farther till we reach the end?” Nick said.

“
You’d better not be leading us in circles,” Paul said.

“
We are almost there,” Vermeek promised.

“
What exactly is Doctor Numerous’ power as an Infernal?” Nick said. “There are four Infernals: Famine, Pestilence, War, and Death, but I haven’t found a single clear answer.”

“
He is known as the Infernal of Pestilence. Though I cannot say what his abilities are because he refuses to display any of his powers, unless provoked in combat. The only hint of an Infernal’s given powers is related to their namesake,” Vermeek said.

“
Pestilence? Nicholas, are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Paul said.

“
The Dolere Flos. It explains why he would be obsessed with poison plants, but why would he need to grow so many for all these years? What do they have to do with the Soul Eater Project?”

Paul nodded.
“Something tells me we’ll find out soon enough. First thing’s first, our task is dealing with the ‘trap’ he’s laid out for us at the end of all of this.”

“
What type of demon are we facing?” Nick said.

“
Have you ever heard of the Specter?” Vermeek said.

“
A Specter?” Paul said suspiciously.

“
They are demon guards. Highly resilient and very powerful. Doctor Numerous has placed one at the entrance of the lab and his experiments. The only way to bypass it would be to answer a riddle. It acts as a failsafe should any intruders stumble upon his research.”

“
I know what a Specter is,” Paul said with mild annoyance, as if suggesting otherwise offended him. “But I didn’t know Doctor Numerous had the ability to summon one.”

“
It is another ability reserved for the Infernals,” Vermeek said.