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I looked back at the entrance to the cave, knowing it wouldn’t be long before they all spilled out of here and started wreaking chaos on the world. Which meant I only had one chance at this. Hector was already getting his army into ranks as soon as they made their way through. At least fifty Demon soldiers now filled the space quickly.
So, in the seconds I had left, I thought about all the people I had cared for in my life. An image of my mom, standing in the kitchen smiling at me, replaced the one of her dying on that bridge. An image of Arthur the day he picked me up and put me in his truck, telling me only two things I needed to hear,
‘You’re safe, kid… I am taking you home with me.’
The sight of the cabin I loved and its warm glow from inside. Even the picture of Denise and her quirky coffee shop flashed up.
But then last of all was Ryker. A flicker book of the times we had shared, and all of them possible because of the world he protected against these types of things from happening. The Enforcers, there to fight for mortals when we couldn’t possibly hope to win against the Hell they knew was potentially waiting for us. Waiting to burst free just like it did now.
But my mind refused to look back at all my happy memories and see them tainted by what was to come if these things managed to escape this cave. I knew what I needed to do.
So, holding out the scepter as a weapon, I walked toward the portal, thankful to see that the Demons all avoided me. The power of it came out in waves, making it harder to hold the closer to the portal I got. Which made me grit my teeth against the pain, the scepter shaking in my hands and my fingers aching against the strain, I reached up and did what the vision had shown me.
“What are you…!” I vaguely heard Hector calling out, his angry voice only spurring me on. I gripped the body of the bird and with a quick snap of my wrist, I twisted it all the way to the left, forcing it to release its hold on the earth.
“STOP!” Hector roared as he started running. But then I looked back at him and smiled,
“Bye, bye, asshole!” I said before touching the portal, at the same time lifting up the heart stone, one he didn’t even realize he had lost, making him look down at his wrist to see it gone. It was no longer wrapped there but instead held in my fist. Then as the portal started to flow a different way, I did what I had done back in the bathroom that day and tossed it inside.
“NOOOOOO!” Hector screamed as the portal erupted into red flames and started to suck everyone back through. So, I closed my eyes, accepting my fate and let myself be dragged through with the rest of them. And all the while doing so with a smile on my face, knowing that now, all that mattered the most to me in life would live on.
But most importantly,
Ryker would survive.
Survive without me… as I died.
“Whoa… there you are… I’ve got you, Little One,” I heard this new voice say the second I felt myself being caught in impossibly strong arms. So, I braved opening my eyes, feeling strangely comforted by the voice, and what I found made my eyes widen in utter shock. But more than anything else, I found myself saying in a breathless way,
“You have his eyes.” It was a comment that made the man chuckle as I stared up at him, unable to believe what I was seeing. Christ, it could have been Ryker’s brother! Although considering he hadn’t mentioned having one, I knew there was only one other possible explanation to what I was seeing, making me gasp,
“You’re Ryker’s father!” At this he grinned once more before putting me down back on my feet. Then he took a step back and bowed his head down at me.
“I am King Mammon, ruler of the 4th realm of Hell and you, Little Mortal, are Evelyn Leucosia, my son’s Fated Siren,” he said with a devilishly handsome smile playing at his lips. Lips that, unlike Ryker, were framed with a trimmed beard as black as his hair. Hair he kept tied back off his face, and it looked long enough to be past his shoulders. He also had a jawline to make most women weep, possessing that natural authoritative air about him, screaming that this guy was the royalty he claimed to be. Of course, being dressed in golden armor, he reminded me of some fairytale knight, ready to save the princess.
“How… how do you know…” At this he smirked, and it was all Ryker when he did because the sight was so similar. This was before tapping on his slim nose, telling me,
“A king has his ways and makes it his business to know them, especially in all matters that concern my son.” I released a sigh and told him,
“Yes, well I think your son is going to be furious with me after what I did,” I admitted in a deflated tone.
“Yes, for I have no doubt considering the danger you put yourself in… however, I selfishly must thank you for it, as your bravery rewarded my needs greatly.” I frowned, now asking,
“How so?” To which he held out a metal plated arm and pointed behind me, making me turn and gasp at the sight.
“You brought the enemy to my gates, brave little Siren.” At this I couldn’t help but take a frightened step back, finding myself stepping back into him. His metal clad hands came to the tops of my arms, holding me steady.
“Be at ease now, for don’t let the sight frighten you,” he told me, his voice full of confidence. Of course, in sight of the Hellish battle now going on, I couldn’t help but gasp. It was a battle with what was clearly his army fighting the ones that had been sucked back into this realm, and it was clear to see which of those were Mammon’s men. Or should I say Demons, because each were dressed the same, in black and gold armor. The gleaming sea of soldiers each wore horned helmets, and were swinging gold tipped swords, they looked like something out of Rivendell from Lord of the Rings. Oh, and they were making short work of killing the bad guys.
As for the land, this was a vast open desert of red sand, with dunes surrounding the space the size of mountains. The sunbaked ground beneath my feet was cracked and a gentle breeze was pushing the red sand along the floor, before disappearing in those crevices.
“Can they… reach us?” I asked fearfully. He scoffed a laugh behind me, before dipping his head to my ear, his tall frame most likely needing to bend quite a bit to reach me because he was even taller than his son.
“They can try, but they would find my blade before I let them reach you.” I turned quickly, spinning on my foot and catching the ground as I nearly tripped. Something Mammon prevented when he reached out with lightning-fast reflexes, taking my arm and holding me steady.
“You would protect me?” I asked once he released me and, again, my question seemed to amuse him.
“But of course, for even if you did not mean the weight of the world to my son, you have done me a kindness by bringing me back my scepter, I would be a foolish king indeed if I didn’t protect those who are loyal to me enough to do as you have done.” I shyly brushed my hair behind my ear and admitted,
