Chapter Forty-Two

The stench of soot and sulfur that assaulted his nostrils was almost too much to bear. As Aeron's eyes shot open, he scowled and rubbed his aching head. "I guess this means that the toxin has worn off," he thought as his vision slowly adjusted to the blinding light that surrounded him. When they finally did, he was met with a sea of burning blood and a familiar intense heat. "It looks like my trick worked." God had damned him. There was no doubt in his mind about that. However, something was wrong. "Hmm," he mused as his airways began to constrict. For some reason, he detected an oddly bitter scent wafting around his immediate area. "Is it a Demon?" That was a possibility. He knew of several species that excreted a similar smelling substance. "Where am I?" he whispered as he pushed himself up off the ground—his bones creaking with every minute movement. Sadly, before he could get his bearings, an ominous flapping sound reached his ears.

"Can you sense him yet, Dr. Leeson?" a crackly voice said from high up in the sky. The source was a large, winged horror carrying a giant gondola in its claws. And sitting inside of said gondola was a devil that he knew all too well.

"I'll be damned," he thought as he watched the giant Demon land on a small bluff nearby. "I didn't think he'd come personally." A few seconds later, Aeron watched as Dr. Leeson walked over the crest of the hill and started to make his way towards him.

"Mr. Weber, it has been a while," the Demon greeted as he stared at him with an infuriatingly smug grin—the bastard already knew everything. After all, he had obviously flown all the way out here to pick him up. The question was, how did he accomplish such a feat? "You're wondering how I was privy to your damnation. I can see it in your eyes," the brute continued, holding back his laughter like a horrid jester. Thankfully, Dr. Leeson managed to keep his composure and quickly answered the Cherub's query. "Hmph… you have no respect for the lord of this realm, huh?" he hissed. "You, of all people, should know better than anyone how rare it is for us to be graced by an Angel's presence. Whenever one enters our borders, we know instantly. Especially if said visitor turns out to be a more… permanent resident." As he spoke, Dr. Leeson's eyes darted to something hovering just above Aeron's head. His serpentine pupils seemed to bounce and dance as they followed the object, almost as if he were staring at a fly.

His curiosity now peaked, Aeron looked up to uncover the source of this confusion. "That's… abnormal…" he thought as he reached up to touch the hovering aberration. The silver halo which flew above his head had undergone a shocking change. Instead of looking like a simplistic glowing ring, the symbolic proof of his holy status had become partially melted and charred. Parts of the metal—which were still red hot—had broken off from the ring's main body and were orbiting around it like planets would a star.

"That's likely the result of your damnation," Dr. Leeson exclaimed as he excitedly clapped his hands together. "I'm shocked," he said, "in all my years, I've never once seen such a mesmerizing sight." The shimmering hues that the molten relic gave off shone like a beautiful rainbow. Showing that, even though Aeron was technically damned, he was still a blessed being. "I guess, for someone like the Templar, it'll take more than just a simplistic damnation to shake that divine aura off your back," the Demon surmised as his fingers twitched. Aeron—who could tell that the fiery halo was making the devil uncomfortable—sighed and tried to get it to disappear. However, after a few seconds, he realized that such a feat was now impossible.

"I guess this thing is supposed to serve as a permanent reminder of my damnation, huh?" he muttered to himself as he scratched his head and turned back to Dr. Leeson. "So, I'm not sure if you know this, but I'm in a hurry. I need to talk to your boss as soon as possible." While he was stuck here, Zia was fighting with all of her might back on Earth. He couldn't afford to waste time on useless conversations.

"Hmph… this is the first time I've ever seen you so serious," the Demon commented with a suspicious glare. Luckily, it appeared that Satan's right-hand man was also on a tight schedule. With that, the devil smiled and snapped his fingers, causing the winged beast that carried him here to fly over. "You're lucky; Lady Satan wants to see you as well. Otherwise, I would've thrown you into Tartarus the second I landed." His words enveloped Aeron like a swarm of rats—shooting an unfamiliar shudder throughout his body.

"Hah," Aeron chuckled. "Am I afraid?" he continued as his body shivered like a newborn babe in the middle of a snowstorm. "I guess this is what Zia felt when she first came here—the unimaginable fear that only the damned know of." It took an incredible amount of energy to keep his composure. By the time he'd finally managed to calm himself down, he was on his knees. Dr. Leeson simply watched his struggle from inside his gondola without a care in the world. Once he had regained enough strength to stand up, the fiend slapped the side of the winged Demon, causing it to slowly hover up into the air.

"I'm assuming that you can still fly, right?" he asked. After gulping down a few more precious breaths of hot air, Aeron nodded and unfurled his wings. They, like his halo, were now charred to a crisp and seemed to shed flakes of ash with even the tiniest movement. Thankfully, at least for now, they worked without any complications.

"Okay… let's go," he announced as he hovered up into the air. With that, Dr. Leeson nodded and rocketed off towards Satan's palace. "I should keep in mind that my position has changed," Aeron thought as he stared at his left hand, which was trembling due to the excessive heat. It wasn't his imagination. His body, no, his soul had become weaker. "This is going to be a problem," he pondered as his lips curled into a slight grin. For some reason that he couldn't describe—even though he felt weaker and afraid—there was also this… feeling of liberation that tickled him to his core. "This is interesting, very interesting." As he contemplated this new array of emotions, Aeron looked up into the hellish sky and breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, after all this time, he finally felt truly free.

As Aeron flew behind Dr. Leeson, his view darted down to the familiar city he'd visited with Zia during the summit. The bustling streets, packed with Demons just a few weeks prior, were now relatively quiet. Of course, there were the usual lines of commuters filling the sidewalks and buildings. However, at least in his opinion, the town had lost its edge. Several craters and destroyed buildings dotted the landscape—no doubt remnants of the citywide clash that he'd participated in. "Demons… they sure are something," he mused as he watched a group of horned children play in one of the larger pits—a few of them he recognized.

"Angel! I'd keep your eyes forward if I were you. We're almost there!" he heard Dr. Leeson call out from his gondola. The gigantic palace in the center of town had also gotten a bit quieter with the summit's passing. Without the massive crowds of ambassadors to block his gaze, he was able to study every inch of the building's foreboding architecture. "We'll be landing in front of the main gate soon. Please try not to get your wings caught on the statues; we've just had them cleaned." As the Demon spoke, Aeron nodded and quickly glided down to the complex's main entrance. Now that he had a moment to look at the towering structure from a damned soul's perspective, he could feel a strange tingling creep slowly up his spine. The blood-red brickwork and ominous statues—which he previously found morbidly interesting—brought fear and discomfort. While these strange emotions tore through his mind like a wild tornado, Dr. Leeson hopped off his transport and joined him.

"So, this is what Hell feels like… it's… incredible." Even though he was terrified, Aeron couldn't help but find a strange fascination with it all. For the first time in centuries, he was finally experiencing something completely different.

"You'll have plenty of time to stare into space after your meeting," Dr. Leeson grumbled, clearly agitated by the fallen Angel's curious demeanor. With a surprising amount of care and finesse, the monster reached up and gently placed his palms against the giant doors. After that, he gritted his teeth and, with a mighty push, flung the entrance open. As the massive obsidian slabs parted, light poured out from the breathtaking main lobby. The many table sets—which had been set up for the summit—were gone, replaced with an entire gallery of demonic art. There were numerous statues, paintings, displays of pottery, and various other works. In particular, a piece that grabbed his attention was a strange painting hanging from the ceiling via a large web of red twine. Housed in a gloriously carved golden frame, the image itself depicted an Angelic spider spinning its web. But, unlike regular arachnids, this one's silk was as black as night.

"Has Gloria's Spider caught your attention?" he heard a familiar voice say from the other end of the lobby. It was none other than Satan—who was busy admiring one of the smaller marble statues. While she studied the strange artworks, he and Dr. Leeson walked deeper into the foyer, their boot heels making an audible clink with every step. "You know, while I do house forsaken Cherubs in my realm, there aren't that many of them," she started as she reached up and placed her gloved hand on one of the paintings. "They aren't like the typical damned souls that roam my streets—whose population is so high that I can't keep track of them all. It's child's play for me to sense when a new member of my kin cracks their halo. Chalk it up to old family ties. However, even with all my power, I couldn't predict this happening," she gabbed with an oddly sad gaze. "I never foresaw that you, God's templar, would end up down here." Aeron scoffed. He'd always been the black sheep in Yahweh's flock. Honestly, he should've seen this coming. "I'm sorry, did I say something that you found funny?" Satan asked in a severe tone that shocked the fallen Angel. "Unlike the Pantheon, who deserved their damnation, you served the Almighty with every fiber of your being. Sure, you did it for your own reasons, but the fact remains that you were one of Heaven's most helpful Angels. So, with that in mind, I'd like you to tell me why you're here." As she spoke, Satan turned to another piece and stared at it, awaiting his response like some sort of regal lord.

"It's simple, really, you couldn't keep up your end of the bargain," he clapped back, stopping the Devil in her tracks. She probably thought he landed himself in this position because of some idiotic goof. "Tell me, my kin, after you gave me that little tour of Tartarus, did you ever take a moment to inspect the Pantheon's armory? Because I'm fairly certain that a few items are missing." Aeron had to stop himself from smirking when he saw the Demoness' eyes dart back to him. Even with her unholy intellect, there was no way she could've predicted this.

"I hope you realize what you're saying," she hissed as the color drained from her pale face. There were few things left in the Universe that could spook the ruler of Hell, and this was one of them. After all, if a damned soul could escape Tartarus, what would that mean for the rest of her realm? Once that sudden wave of shock washed over her, Satan regained her composure and lightly coughed into one of her hands. "I'm assuming this is the reason why you put a bullet through your skull?" she asked as she walked up to him and Dr. Leeson. Aeron didn't know how she knew about that, but at this point, he didn't care. That trivial detail wasn't important right now.

"My transmitter was broken, and I had to get this news to you by any means necessary." The determination that burned in his stare shocked his demonic hosts. Neither of them had ever seen the Cherub so serious. As she watched the flames flicker and toil in his dark pupils, Satan grimaced and pinched the bridge of her nose. If she were thinking logically, she would've called him crazy for making such wild accusations. However, she knew he was telling the truth. It was hard enough to get Aeron Weber to take a task seriously; it was nearly impossible to get him to care.

"Dr. Leeson," she sighed. "I want you to take some soldiers and inspect each of the circles. Leave no stone unturned. If you find a soul trying to escape, throw them right back to where they started." With his orders received, Dr. Leeson rushed out the main doors. "You, Mr. Weber, will accompany me to Tartarus. We've been long overdue for a cell shakedown." Not wasting a moment, Satan hurried towards her office with her guest in tow. The entire place was as quiet as a morgue, so silent that he could hear the Antichrist's heartbeat. It fluttered and reverberated with every step—like someone was playing it like a drum. After a few more minutes of this horrid waiting, they finally arrived at Satan's office. Without a word, she swung the entrance open and rushed inside. "I hope you know how to use a sword," she said as she leaned over and pressed her hand against the room's shadowy floor. Suddenly, the void beneath their feet began to shimmer like water, and then, a few moments later, a red hot safe ascended out of the nothingness.

"Um… I know a thing or two from my time on Earth, but why?" Aeron answered as she quickly opened the infernal box—pulling out a bizarre short blade. Runes and charms were engraved along every inch of the weapon's edge, and it seemed to emanate a strange sort of holy aura. When Satan picked it up, Aeron heard a peculiar humming reverberate through his head. Almost as if God himself were singing into his ear.

"This is one of my weapons, take it," she said as she tossed him the sword and its sheath. Even though he was still confused, Aeron did as he was told and quickly fastened the scabbard to his side—putting it right next to the holster that housed Zia's pistol. "I can tell that you don't have your gavel," Satan started as she cracked her neck. "If a fallen Angel did escape, that dinky little mortal weapon you're carrying won't do anything. You're going to need something stronger." As she spoke, the Demoness pointed to the blade she had given him and shrugged. "That gift is my personal property, but trust me, it isn't anything special. To make full use of it, I recommend getting some practice in." Unlike Zia's pistol, Satan's souvenir could permanently harm Angels. The way it glowed a sickly red, almost like spoiled blood, told him that the artifact was cursed. It was something that wasn't meant to exist, and yet, here it was. "Okay, now that you're properly armed, why don't we get going?" With that, Satan turned around and waved her hand through the air, summoning forth a familiar chained door. The silver ripples Aeron had seen on his last visit slowly echoed through the void. However, this time—with each one that swept by him—he felt his heart noticeably start to beat faster.

"You've been damned, Mr. Weber, now you're getting to experience what Hell truly feels like; the crushing unease that comes with the realization that the rest of your existence will be filled with never-ending pain. The unrelenting horror that—no matter where you run—I and my Demons will always be able to find you. Everybody in your position has had to go through this now and then. Even your friend, Ms. Lombardi." When Satan said Zia's name, she grinned and wrapped her hand around the chained door's handle—opening it in one fluid motion. "But don't worry, if you give it time, it'll pass."

"I sure hope it does," he muttered as he followed the Devil down the stairwell. When she wasn't looking, he stared up into the dark nothingness and sighed. Paired with this uneasiness was another unfamiliar feeling. Was it joy or intrigue? He couldn't tell, but, for some reason, he found himself savoring every moment he had in this hellish wasteland. It was a change that was very disconcerting, and yet—at the same time—almost expected. As he contemplated this sudden shift, he turned his attention back to his new weapon and grinned.

"It has finally started," Satan thought with a smile as she stole a glance of his joyous expression. "It's only a matter of time before you fall completely." And once he did, she'd gain a new knight in this inter-realm game of chess. "I've just got to wait a little more, and then it'll be my turn to put you in check, Yahweh."

From the desk of Jeremy Knight...

You know, sometimes I can't help but wonder what's going through Aeron's head. The Templar is a bizarre Angel—that's for sure—but there's something off-putting about him that I can't seem to put my finger on. Granted, that's how most people feel after coming to know my winged buddy. However, even though I've grown used to this strangeness, I just can't help but feel uneasy. For, even after all this time, an idea passes through my mind that keeps me up at night. After he gets back from an assignment, I can't help but sit back and think, "Do I really know Aeron Weber?"