Demons Ascension - About That Favor

[Posted by Ted H]

The end is soon. Gonna try to have a little something ready for afterwards to bridge the gap a little to October before I disappear before NaNoWriMo.

---------------------------------------------------

[Demons Ascension - About That Favor]

            Watching Croatoan stumble backwards and fall into the now ankle deep pool of blood was almost satisfying enough to watch for James after the long ordeal he had endured to this point...almost. He sprang up in a fit of rage, barely able to contain himself as he got right into James' face. "Guess I only needed one shot, eh?" James said as a shit eating grin crept across his face.
            All emotion drained from Croatoan's face as he tried to comprehend what James just said. Then there was a spark in his eyes that mean he figured it all out. "You weren't aiming for me," he said through his clenched teeth as he began to shake from anger. He reached back and made a fist before punching. James easily caught it, spun Croatoan around and threw him into his own alter.
            "I kept asking myself on my way up," James said as Croatoan struggled to recover "How on earth did they manage to stop you the first time? How did they get Virginia Dare away from you? Then I realized they didn't." Croatoan screamed and rushed James, who easily sidestepped and Croatoan grasped at air as he fell to the ground again.
            "There's more than one way to spoil a ritual sacrifice," James said as Croatoan stood up. The two began circling each other, one waiting for the other to strike. "Sure it would have been nice to get Amanda out of this alive, but I realized that if she died by some other means besides your ritual, then maybe her soul would pass on and away from your clutches."
            Croatoan then quickly ran to James and swung, but James was easily able to swat the punch away, then swing his fist back around and into Croatoan's face. "You must not be used to this mortal thing," he said as he punched Croatoan in the face a few more times before dodging another punch then kicking him in the torso "You're not as strong or as fast as you think, and you're certainly not invincible." Another punch to Croatoan's face drew blood.
            Croatoan slipped and fell to the ground, splashing blood about as he scrambled away. "All the chanting and rituals and carving of symbols you know won't help you now," James said as he followed "They might hide you from demons and angels or whatever else isn't suppose to be here, but this realm is my turf. You can't hide yourself from a human." Croatoan rose to his feet and James could see him reach behind his back.
            "Go fuck yourself," Croatoan said as he pulled out his blade and swung at James. James dodged, then grabbed Croatoan's arm and spun him around as he continued to twist the arm quickly until he heard a snap. Croatoan dropped the blade and screamed as he fell over, clutching at his useless arm. James reached into the pool of blood where the blade fell and retrieved it. He then approached Croatoan.
            "I am going to kill you," Croatoan said, half delusional as he attempted to attack again. "No you won't," James said as he checked the mortal demon into his own alter. Croatoan collapsed onto the table and struggled to get up. James held him down with one arm as he held the blade overhead with the other.
            "I WILL return!" Croatoan shouted as he spit up blood.
            "Again...no," James said as he brought the blade down into Croatoan's right eye. He then pulled it out quickly and plunged the blade into the other eye. Croatoan made little noise as his arms flailed for a moment before going still.
            Satan, who had watched the whole time, began to laugh as he clapped his hands and stepped towards the altar. "That's one way to get the job done," he said with a smile as he reached into Croatoan's body and pulled out his soul. For the first time ever, James saw a look of pure terror on Croatoan as two shadowy figures moved in and without a sound took Croatoan's soul and disappeared with it into the darkness.
            "Looks like I owe you one," Stan said after all the other black figures disappeared.
            "Look like it," James said, noticing that the red glow was slowly starting to fade.
            "And here I thought I heard you say once you wouldn't kill anyone in cold blood."
            "Croatoan was different."
            "Sure," Satan said with a mocking tone. James started for the exit. It would be pitch black in a few moments, and he didn't feel like being in the dark with his current company. "So," Satan said as James turned back to look at him "A favor for a favor. What'll it be, huh? What does your heart desire?"
            James pondered it for a moment. Here was a god, albeit pure evil, ready to grant him anything he desired for stopping Croatoan. The whole situation seemed odd, but that may have been from the bias instilled on him from being told his entire life about evil.
            "This something I need to decide right now?" James mused out loud. Satan scoffed. "If you so choose," he replied "But this isn't something I'd advise waiting on. A no strings attached favor from me is quite rare."
            "Let's stick a pin in it then," James said with a smile as he made for the stairs.
            "So be it," Satan said as the red glow faded and he disappeared into darkness.
            "See you around, Stan," James said.
            "Sooner than you think," a voice from the darkness replied.