The Search - part 2 (569 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: Kaote
Rating: 2 on 16 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by kaos-king (antius777) (View user info) at 2005-09-29 12:09:12 EDT
Last Chapter - http://www.ubersite.com/m/76055
Coby stood in line, weeping. He couldn't believe it, couldn't believe he was here. He tried to brush away his tears, wiping dirt across his face and stared up at the sky. A rolling ocean of liquid flame cascaded high above, black clouds of brimstone hovered just low enough to conceal a dark crimson sun. Hunting parties of giant vampire bats swopped down out of these horrible skies and occasionally found a victim. Their struggling forms could be seen carried away.
He shuffled forward in line. He had been chained at the ankles and the wrists. The ones binding his legs weren't as bad as the ones at the end of his arms. The wounds there still openly bled, and the clamps dug into the scored flesh of his wrists. It had seemed so right at the time, so necessary. Meagn had left him and he had lost his job at the newspaper. It was just like drifting to sleep in the bathtub, he hardly even noticed the pain in his fingers.
The screams were all he could hear. They called out ahead of him from the head of the line. His imagination taunted him, teased him. He couldn't fathom what awaited him at the end of this. How did he deserve to be...
"Excuse me?"
Coby turned to see a small framed girl in her early twenties standing beside him.
"Is this the line for suicides to be cast into eternal torment?"
He stood there starring at the young woman. She had blue eyes and short black hair. A pretty girl, in a fragile sort of way. What was she doing? Why wasn't she shackled and why wasn't she cringing at the horrors around her? My god, she looked annoyed!
"You there! How dare you defy the edict of the Infernal Messiah! Your flesh will torn into strips, your blood will be..."
"Xerxes, will you shut the fuck up. You're not impressing anyone," the girl casually replied.
The demon who had been charging up towards her suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and turned a pale pink. He fell down upon one knee and began bowing deeply.
"Forgive me your Highness! I did not realize you had returned to us. It has been so very long."
"Have you seen a guy about my age wandering around here. This tall, Chaos mage, goes by the name of 'Ed.' He's here with me."
"No I haven't, your Majesty, But I will keep all nine of my eyes out for him."
"Never mind, here he comes."
The Kaote, Edward Sands came strolling up the line towards Grace and the demon. He was shaking his head. Princess Grace frowned.
"I talked to the head guy at the front. He says that no way has a fallen angel come through here, suicide or not. Something like that would have been given special treatment. I think it's time we went and saw your dad."
Grace rolled her eyes. She had assumed as much. She called the five points of contention and formed a portal. Stepping through, she looked back and saw the man she had first asked a question to stare at her wide eyed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The royal chambers. Grace had not stepped foot in here in years. Hopefully, her mother was out. She needed to speak to her father in private about this. According to the information that Maximillian had received, Vasquez had never made it to Hell. Grace couldn't be sure of that. She would have to know for a fact that her former lover wasn't being tortured in the mutilation pits with the rest of the Damned.
Asmodeus waited for them outside the throne room. His horns had been recently sharpened on the bones of infants and he looked quite pleased to see her. She embraced her old friend warmly.
"Hello, Asmodeus. How are things down here? Mom and dad keeping you busy?"
"Oh, quite so Princess! Numbers are up, and we are beginning construction of a new wing on the Tower of Babel. We have missed your antics around the palace. Edward, it's good to see you again. I'm glad that the Princess has found a respectable consort on the midguard."
"Well, I don't know how respectable I am," said Ed, shaking hands with the demon, "But I thank you, none the less."
Asmodeus nodded. "Come, the both of you. Satan and Lilith are waiting."
Grace looked at Ed. Asmodeus's comment about Ed's "respectability" could have only meant one thing - her parents knew about her relationship with Vasquez.
When entering the throne room, Ed was taken back by how beautiful it was. He had expected something far more horrible. Everything was done in gold, black and crimson. A large vaulted ceiling lay high above and thick velvet curtains hung down long windows. Lanterns were lit all along the wall, giving the room a soft and inviting glow. Had it not been for the score of demons running about, he would have thought he was in somewhere definitely more positive.
A desk had been set up in front of Satan's throne. He sat there signing documents that his minions brought to him. He appeared in his late forties with thick, wavy brown hair that came to his jaw line, graying at the temples. Small spectacles sat precariously on the end of his nose, behind them, the same deep blue eyes as Grace. He looked up long enough to smile when his daughter and her boyfriend entered.
Her mother had two of her diabolic handmaidens holding up maps. Lilith was making marks on them, sectioning off areas to be made into new holding pens for the Damned. Her face was long and thin, framed by hair as black as Grace's. She had taken a form that belied her age as a mother to someone with a twenty-something daughter, but was still quite beautiful, only a few wrinkles to show age. The second humanoid on Earth did not look up at her daughter.
Of course both the Morningstar and his wife were unbelievably ancient. They just took the appearances to play the roles for their child.
Grace stood there with her arms crossed watching them, shaking her head. Ed stood just a few feet behind her, taking it all in. He couldn't believe the bureaucracy involved in all of it. Earth just kind of functioned, as far as he knew. He wondered if those Above had paper work they had to fill out. Shortly, Satan finished with his demons and shooed them away. Lilith sighed and dismissed her assistants.
"Dad," said Grace. "Mom," she added a little more coldly.
"Back so soon from your vacation, dear?" dripped Lilith with obvious faked sarcasm.
"No mom, you'll be glad to know I'm still on extended leave of absence."
"Then why are you here, darling?"
"Lil..." said Satan. "Edward, It's been quite a long time. Not since you had that small incident with those extra dimensional Pirates, as I recall."
"Yes sir. Your minion Gascs sent those mercenaries to the correct prison. I was lucky that time. I hold that demon in my debt. One of the many reasons I voted to release the plague your people had cooked up a few years back."
"I remember that. Too bad your minor kaote vetoed the plan."
They were treading onto dangerous territory. Ed had forgotten what a slick tongue Lucifer had. So quickly had he manipulated the conversation back to Andrea. Ed coughed and tried to regain his control of the topic.
"Eh, yes. I believe she's doing well for herself now. We haven't spoken in some time."
"Ummm, that's too bad. It's a terrible thing when friends stop communicating with one another. Even worse when the two have once been lovers..."
"So obviously you know why we're here daddy," said Grace cutting in.
"He was an Angel," spat Lilith. "What were you thinking?"
"Ah, he was a tarnished Angel," pointed out Satan. "And I find it quite amusing."
"You would," smoldered Lilith.
"Is Vasquez here now, dad?"
"Ed, how does this make you feel?" asked Satan, folding his hands underneath his chin. "The love of your life has come down to, well, Hell itself looking for her ex-lover. You must have an opinion on this."
Ed sighed. "Sir, Vasquez was my friend. I'd like to know where he ended up. We're both concerned about him, and it really doesn't have any bearing on my relationship with your daughter."
Lilith laughed. "That was a political answer."
Resting his chin on his hands, Satan peered at the two youths for a moment with out a word. His wife sipped on distilled unicorn blood and ignored them. Grace stood her ground and stared back at her father, while Ed just stood there unsure of what to do.
"Edward, I like you. And regardless of my wife's attitude at the moment, I know she does, too. The Chaos Avatars are powerful agents on Earth, and more importantly, you treat our daughter as a normal individual. Something she sorely needs, I should point out. Don't argue Grace, let me finish. Now I have some questions I need answering before I can go any further with this inquiry. Why do want to know where Vasquez is? Why does it matter to you so much? And once you find out, what do you plan on doing with this information?"
Grace and Ed looked at each other again. They really hadn't thought this far. Ed assumed Vasquez was in Hell, Grace had assumed he wasn't.
Ed spoke up first. "I want to know, because he was my friend and because if he not in Heaven or Hell, then where is he? He's got to be some where. I guess I just want peace of mind."
"No," said Grace. "I want to know that he's at rest."
"What if it's not possible for him to be at rest?" asked Satan.
"So he is in Hell?" asked Ed closing his eyes.
"I didn't say that," replied Satan.
"Dad!"
"Edward, Grace... your friend was a member of the Heavenly Host. He was forced to fall, not of his own accord. He took his own mortal life, leaving Earth behind. Now while most suicides would be directly sent to me because of a loophole in the Divine Plan, Vasquez is not here. Your friend is not in Hell."
"But what can this mean?" asked Ed to nobody in particular. "Did Heaven reinstate him? Reincarnation, perhaps? I mean, I know he was a special case but..."
"No Ed. Vasquez no longer resides in the Archguard Trinity. Not Heaven, Earth, or Hell."
"But, but... how is that possible? All things with souls must live among one of the three! He couldn't have just ceased to exist!" exclaimed Grace.
"Lucifer," warned Lilith.
"One day I will step down when I tire of this post," said Satan. "My daughter will reign as the Queen of the Underworld. She will be privy to all the secrets that I am now. Besides, I am the Prince of Lies, the Great Trickster. Why not give her and a God be damned Chaos Avatar some clues?"
"Clues to what?" asked Ed.
"One of the most guarded secrets in the universe, of course!"
User Reviews
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-26 13:54:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I like the names, creative. Now I have to continue after the last line...
Submitted by morontian (user info) at 2005-10-08 17:22:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
rather than trying to manufacture a comment, I have decided to leave a stamp to show that I was here and read. Here's what the stamp looks like.
STAMP*
I never said it was a very good stamp, it's just a stamp.
I'm shutting up now....
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2005-10-02 22:48:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nicely done.
Submitted by iradney (user info) at 2005-09-30 03:44:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
ooooooooooooooooh!
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-09-29 23:33:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thank you!
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-09-29 19:00:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I like how you incorporated the legend of Lucifer's talent for deception and half-truths into the the conversation. Oh, and I liked how you slipped gascs in there.
I think you play up the notion of the Satan Family as just a normal family a bit too much for my tastes though.
Submitted by Magic_Monkey (user info) at 2005-09-29 18:35:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2005-09-29 13:06:35 (#)
Ranking: 2
Maaaan, your writing is like crack. In its addictive qualities, that is.
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Yup , that says it all
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-09-29 16:10:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-09-29 14:13:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by NOWorNEVER (user info) at 2005-09-29 13:30:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
cant wait for the rest of this, its awesome!
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2005-09-29 13:06:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Maaaan, your writing is like crack. In its addictive qualities, that is.
I really, really, really dig your writing style. I think it'll have a positive effect on my own.
Submitted by ahumblefool (user info) at 2005-09-29 12:48:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Quality
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-09-29 12:45:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Your good at this writing malarchy. If Mr. Barker wasn't so happily shacked up with his young photographer then I'm saw he'd be seething with envy and wishing he had half of your talent.
Submitted by Average_Dan (user info) at 2005-09-29 12:32:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
If you recall my earlier comments on the surroundings, I would call this the "Crimson Scene"
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2005-09-29 12:29:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
oooo, papi, me love you long time... as long as your keep this going anyway.
Submitted by nitty34 (user info) at 2005-09-29 12:10:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Again...