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  “Old friend!” his voice boomed. “It is good to see you.”

  “I might have used a different choice of words, but I am not unhappy to see you,” I told him. “I guess I’m glad you were finally able to return home, such as it is.”

  “Yes. I cannot imagine this would be an appealing place for you, but to me,” he took a heavy breath in through his nose, “it is where I most of all desire to be. I figured it was only a matter of time until you joined us. I would very much like to hear what finally did you in.”

  “This one here came down of his own free will,” Eliza answered.

  “Is this true?” He was looking at me. “I thought the way Jack quipped about your lack of forethought was merely jest! And even if it was not, how could anyone be quite so…what is the correct word?”

  “Unintelligent, dim, thick, dense, stupid, take your pick,” Eliza said.

  “That somehow hurts more than your punch,” I told her.

  “Why would you choose to come here?”

  “Someone I thought I knew and loved asked for my help.”

  “I am not a Sage, Talbot, and I do not pretend to be. But you should perhaps re-think this traveling into other realms to help those in need.”

  “Sounds like sage advice to me,” I told him.

  “She is of your kind?” he asked, gesturing to Eliza.

  “In a way. We share very different philosophies on how we should live our lives and let others live theirs.”

  “Are you the cause of all this current strife?” He was looking to the advancing polion line.

  “I don’t know how that could be, but I’m not going to discount it completely. At least two people down here were expecting my arrival, though all of this seems excessive.”

  “Could be you are merely the spark of ignition. Let us leave this place; polions are nothing to be trifled with and a Luvier demon has been killed. This world will be turned upside down for quite a while as they seek the responsible party.”

  “And what happens when they figure it out?”

  “For comparison, let’s say the Archangel Michael was killed, blood smeared across the walls in his own home. What do you believe the heavenly host might do about it?”

  “We are leaving here.” Eliza wisely cut the conversation short. I had done everything but tell Kalandar it was me that had done the deed. There was no possible way I could predict what his reaction to that news would be. And did she know? Or was her distraction just timely?

  “Come. I can find a temporary shelter from the tempest.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think so,” I told him. “This is all a little too coincidental. You just happen to stumble across us by the gate? Fuck, I hate to say this, but I’m going to stick with this one.” I pointed to Eliza.

  “This is territory we have already covered, Talbot. There is little you could do if I wished to harm you or take you.”

  “Once upon a time, old friend, I would have agreed with you. That time is long gone. Either help us be free of this place or you should get out of the storm.”

  “You certainly seem confident in your words. Had we the time, I think I would test you merely for the sake of curiosity. Unfortunately, that is a luxury we do not have. So, what is your plan for exit?” He seemed bemused, like he had been in prison for decades and had heard untold times how inmates were going to break out though barely any had even tried and none had ever succeeded.

  “Without a soul, I am told the gate itself is no longer a barrier,” I said.

  “True enough. And them?” he asked, pointing beyond and to the very interested Gate Guardians.

  “Straight through them,” I said, seriously enough, yet Kalandar laughed.

  “There are a great many reasons as to why the gate was created and even more so the Guardians. The highest minds and the greatest powers from both sides met for centuries in the design and implementation of these barriers. There is a similar design in what you might call ‘Heaven’.”

  “This fence and the pearly gates are similar?”

  Kalandar nodded.

  “Saint Peter is a Guardian?”

  “Let us just say your kind might not have named him a saint if you knew even a quarter of his deeds, but…yes. Our histories are so bloodied and filled with death that we decided it would be best if we kept separate realms between ourselves and all other worlds.”

  “Doesn’t seem like it has worked all that well.”

  “There is always bleed through, someone who wishes to revisit the old ways or demons who grow weary of their own hell. Those circumstances are dealt with as they happen. Yet, for many centuries there has been a relative peace among the realms, at least from our influence. And by ‘our,’ I mean them as well.” He pointed up. “That is also a relative term,” he added, though he did not elaborate.

  “Michael.” Eliza nodded her head to the polion line that was fast advancing upon us.

  “We’re leaving,” I told him.

  “Godspeed.” He smiled.

  Thought that a strange phrase. “Not sure I want it, but thank you,” I told him.

  Eliza grabbed my hand and pulled me to and through the gate. I felt something akin to a small electrical current pass through my body and then we were staring at dozens of feline eyes. I did not relish the thought of fighting my way through them; they were doing a job they were created for, a post most cats only dream of, so I’m told, but I’d be damned if I was going to stay here.

  Chapter 2

  Azile

  The dendrun hole came to an abrupt halt. Azile could feel the ground underneath her shifting, filling up, though she stayed buoyant and above it.

  “Fourth floor: ladies lingerie, housewares,” she said.

  “What?” Linnick asked.

  “Sorry, that sounds like something my husband would say. I have been around him far too long.”

  “How is it that you mated with him? Was the dark so absolute that you were able to block him out? Perhaps an incredibly strong glimmer charm? Were you compelled?”

  “Come on, we need to leave,” Azile told her.

  “I don’t think I’m stopping you.”

  Azile did a small incantation and they were once again hovering and moving forward at great speed.

  “Polions,” Linnick said looking off to the west.

  “We should be able to stay ahead of them.”

  “You don’t believe that,” Linnick replied.

  “Just because you know the truth, breatine, doesn’t mean you should always lend voice to it,” Azile muttered some more words and they were moving even faster, the air rushing past her pushed her hair and cape up and behind, giving her an ethereal look.

  “I liked it better in Tallboat’s pocket.” Linnick ducked down and wrapped herself up, completely expecting that they would eventually encounter some bone-breaking, shell-shattering object.

  Azile felt that Linnick might be right; she was moving as fast as she could, she was nearly striking a traditional, superhero flying pose. Her head was far out in front of her feet and still, the polions looked as if they would beat her to the gate.

  “Linnick, I need you!” Azile had to shout to be heard.

  “Busy!” she replied.

  “I will leave you here!”

  “As ugly as Tallboat is, he never threatened me like that,” she said as she poked her head above the lip of the garment.

  “What do you see up ahead?” Azile sounded exasperated.

  Linnick strained to see. “The large demon is easy enough to see. The distance mutes the ugliness, but the overall distorted, twisted and deformed form appears to be Tallboat. There is also what looks like a female of your species, but even from here I can sense something untoward within her. They…” She paused. “They’re going through the gate.”

  “Is the demon doing nothing?”

  “It is waving.”

  “Are you kidding me? He’s getting a send-off? I swear I cannot let that man go anywhere!”

  “Red Witch
, we are not going to make it.” The edge of the polion darkness had reached the far side of the gate. The two watched as the demon got down into a three-point stance; they could see the muscles in his arm and neck strain as he pulled a column of energy up into the air and over his head. He grabbed the force with his free hand and pulled it down around his body.

  Azile wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing but she had the wisdom to slow her approach to see exactly what happened before proceeding. The energy field built up in the ground at the demon’s feet before radiating out in a circle around it. The blackness of the polion tide was pushed back as the shock of energy rolled over them; it was impossible to see the effects of the power upon the cursed animals but they had been momentarily stopped. Azile waited for the outer rim of the spell to dissipate before she started moving again. The demon had turned and appeared to be departing the area until he caught sight of the flying witch. He held out his right hand. A ball of blue flame began to swirl within his palm, seemingly pulling energy from the fire encompassing his body. Azile touched down lightly no more than twenty feet from the demon.

  “I mean you no harm,” she said.

  “It is not my safety I am concerned about,” he replied.

  “Michael? You are concerned for Michael’s safety?”

  “I have a debt of sorts. Have you come here on Apollyon’s summons?”

  “Michael is my husband; I came here to save him.”

  “Save him? Is it not apparent that Zeus himself personally watches over that man? My name is Kalandar. You must be…what did he call his mate?” Kalandar struggled. “Tracy! Ah, how could I forget. He went on and on about how he needed to get back to her as he professed his undying love. I wish it were under better terms that I was allowed to meet the force which drove him so relentlessly.”

  “This is Azile, the famed Red Witch. Did he not mention her?” Linnick asked.

  “This is a strange feeling I have in the pit of my stomach; I am embarrassed for the both of us,” Kalandar said. “In fairness, our discussion took place many long years ago; this day was not the time to catch up and we barely spoke. I am, at least, thankful the one accompanying him today was neither her nor you,” he added hastily. “This one, well, was fair enough for your species, but one did not need to dig too deeply past the veneer of her appearance to realize she had rotten fillings.”

  “That was Eliza,” Azile replied, “and you read her correctly.”

  “If it makes it any better, you are a lovely creature as well, I would imagine,” Kalandar said.

  “How is it that males can be so dense across multiple species?” Linnick asked. “Whoever put them together built too much of their thought process into their genitalia.”

  Azile could not stifle the short laugh that issued forth. “We must get through the gate.” Azile pointed past Kalandar.

  “Seems to be the theme of the day. I will not attempt to stop you. As I told your mate, who has most likely already suffered a deadly fate, this is not something taken lightly. If you wish you may come with me; I offer a temporary sanctuary.”

  “Temporary?” Linnick asked.

  “I could not hide you forever. Unique individuals will have many eyes looking for them. I would not hand you over, if that is what you are asking, breatine.”

  “Linnick,” she said to him. “He’s telling the truth,” she said to Azile.

  “As many merits as your offer presents, I think I would much rather leave your world sooner than later.”

  “The second half of what you said is true,” Linnick said.

  “It is called diplomacy; there is no sense in spurning him,” she replied quietly.

  “Are you quite sure you wish to see your husband in his current state?” Kalandar turned to look through the shimmering opaque gate. Azile felt like her heart thudded to a stop as she watched the features on Kalandar’s face drop.

  “What is it?” she cried as she ran forward.

  Chapter 3

  Mike Journal Entry 2

  “I did not think to see you alive again.”

  “I wish you weren’t so excited to see me, Sebastian,” I said sarcastically, and yeah, the cat understood it.

  “You know a Guardian? You are indeed full of tricks,” Eliza said. “You will let us pass!” she said authoritatively.

  Sebastian could not contain his mirth. “Why? Because you say so, vampire?”

  Eliza didn’t take the slight well. “I command it!” She was shaking with rage.

  The guardians moved in closer.

  “One last chance, Michael. Go back from whence you came. Do not attempt this again, for I will not allow a second time.”

  “Allow? How dare you, you insolent creature!” Eliza bared her fangs as the large cats around her hissed, their tails twitching in anticipation of a fight.

  A black and white tom, more massive than the others, had come in close, stalking in preparation to pounce. Its belly was low and parallel to the ground, the muscles in its shoulders bunching up. I was thinking this was it, until the cat raised up, its head tilted to the side in confusion. It mewed deeply before stepping back. Suddenly all the guardians felt it; they were looking around at each other.

  “I have subdued them!” Eliza exclaimed. “We need to press the attack.”

  “Yeah, hold up there, Toothy. Something else is going on.” I didn’t have any clue as to what it was, but I got the feeling they didn’t want to fight at all. Although I could have been a hundred percent wrong; there’s not a one of us that has ever petted a cat who has not received a nasty scratched hand or cheek when said animal decided on a dime that it no longer cared for our ministrations. Never got a warning when those small felines struck; had to imagine it was the same for their bigger brethren. Duplicitous jerks.

  “Do not attempt to strike out,” Sebastian said as he pranced closer.

  With the guardian so close, it was all I could do not to attempt to brain him. He was a cat, but that was not what drove the desire to strike out at him. If he got in my way of escaping this hell, then it was him or me. His whiskers twitched as he sniffed all around me. I guess he could sense something in my stance as well because he stayed wary and made sure his eyes were always on mine.

  “What have you done?” he asked as he stepped back.

  “There’s no way I’m answering that, Sebastian. It leaves me wide open to confess to entirely too many things and I’m not sure which ones you know or which ones would land me in more trouble. Learned that lesson when I was like, six. You tell me what you think you know and we’ll work it from that angle.”

  “You are Michael Talbot, the same man who somehow convinced my Red Witch, one far superior to you in every way imaginable, to bond-mate with her; is that correct?”

  “In every way imaginable?” I asked. “I don’t think so; my penis is bigger.”

  Sebastian’s head sagged. “That answers that question.”

  “I should hope so!” I heard from behind me.

  “Azile? Is it you?”

  “It is,” this from the pint-size breatine in her pocket.

  “Linnick?” I nearly sobbed.

  “Ah, the great Red Witch. I have heard much about you. Sadly, Michael, not much of it has been good,” Eliza said. Her eyes appeared to give a concerned slant, but the up tilt of her lips told me she loved giving me this news. “My, my, my. How you have grown into your power. I wonder if it wouldn’t have been wiser of me to kill you all those years ago when you were a babe.”

  “Luckily for me, that time has long passed.”

  “Unfortunate for the multitude of your victims, I suppose.” Eliza smiled, yet there was no warmth within it.

  “Kalandar?” I asked as the giant demon came through.

  “Hmm, I did not think that would work,” he said as he stared at his hands and arms as if they might mysteriously begin to evaporate. “The gate is down,” he said as he looked sternly at the guardians as if that might be a good enough reason for them not to attack him. I
didn’t think that logic worked; just because a bank vault is left unlocked that doesn’t mean you can take from it at your discretion and not suffer some repercussions. Kalandar seemed to realize this as well, and added to his argument. “After using my powers to repel them, my retreat was cut off by the advancing Polions. Logically, if I made it through, it is within reason to believe they can as well. I think our fight should be directed behind me.”

  “Why are you here, Azile?” I asked as suspicion and hope warred within my head and heart.

  “Are there not more pressing matters?” Eliza asked.

  “Not for me,” I told her.

  “I’m here to help,” she pleaded.

  “Help like the gummint? Or like my wife, the woman I love?”

  “How many wives can one man have or love?” Kalandar asked.

  “Not helping,” I told him.

  “When I realized that you were being set-up I came here as fast as I could.”

  “…Or she is attempting to hinder your escape. Her timing is fortuitous, do you not agree?” Eliza was undoubtedly adept at fanning the flames of discontent and doubt.

  “Do not even begin to tell me you are considering believing anything from her!” Azile yelled, pointing a finger at Eliza. “Oh, I’ll help you escape. Then I’m going to flay you alive!” See, here she was talking to me. I knew for sure because only I could make her that angry.

  “Linnick?” I asked.

  “Don’t you dare!” Tough to say who Azile was talking to, the breatine or me. “How dare you attempt to discern my truth from another’s lie.”

  It was with great willpower that I kept from looking down at Linnick, like, even more than when I would go to the beach with the entire family and a bikini-clad jogger would pass by. Yeah, that difficult to not look. What I wouldn’t have given for a pair of dark sunglasses. Well, either situation presents hazards not worth broaching.

  “I trust you,” I said.

  “Fool! Where did that get you the last time?” Eliza asked.