Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Ok, that's close enough boys. Leave em be"

The Witch Hunters snarled their disapproval at the command but they didn't draw swords or close in. a woman in a long flowing scarlet dress came striding across the carpark. The first thing that struck Jason was the woman's beauty. Her face was truly angelic, her big brown eyes were deep and sensual but there was something odd that also caught his attention. Over the dress she wore a trench coat just like the hunters and it seemed to bulge oddly at her shoulders. She pushed through the ring of hunters and came to a stop directly in front of Jason. To his surprise, he saw that the lumps at her shoulders twitched and moved.

"You four need to leave this world right now!"

Jason took a step back, not from the commanding tone she used but because the lumps under her coat continued to twitch and move.

"Why should we leave? Who are you to order us around?"

"Who I am is irrelevant. Firstly you four are dead to this world. What if you run into people you used to know? More importantly he knows you are here and these things are his pets, my authority over them only goes so far"

Jason traded confused looks with the girls, he could see they had all noticed the oddities under the woman's coat

"Who knows?" demanded Jason.

"Please just leave" hissed Lucifer "As soon as he gets here, I will not be able to stop these things. This is your window of escape and it is closing fast"

Jason's face darkened, as he glared at the princess of hell a thought struck him

"You work for Bishop Leo III? I should like to see him again. I'll show him who the real meaning of resurrection"

Lucifer was thrown by that, out of all the things she had expected that didn't even make the list. Although she did know Jason's history very well and she could understand why his thought train would head down that track.

"No, I do not work for the bishop. In fact I work for no one. Think of me as a.......free agent if you like.

Jason frowned at the woman, he didn't know who she was but he didn't think she could be trusted. Lucifer's lips curled into a sneer, something cold and hard came into her eyes. She was desperate and needed the druids gone immediately. What difference did it make if they knew the truth?

"These things are Satan's pets, he rules them. Him and him alone. He created them to do his evil work in this world"

The words delivered the impact that she had hoped. Both Cassie and Alexia gasped in shock at the mention of Satan. Eva scowled, the name held some meaning to her but she couldn't really make the connection. Jason alone barely reacted to it. He had speculated as much from the beginning. In fact, he was willing to believe that the lost gospel of the bible and the revelation of 02.02.2020 being judgement day was an elaborate forgery created by the prince of hell himself to unleash evil in the world. Of course he had no proof, it was just speculation. He balled both his fists and desperately willed fire into them. Once again nothing happened. Lucifer watched Jason steadily, the lumps at her shoulders were twitching harder as her agitation grew. She softened her tone as she spoke.

"I am not your enemy, I have no wish to fight any of you. By now you must have realised that magic does not work in this world" a look of deep sorrow crossed her face "Even my powers are greatly diminished here"

"Who are you?" demanded Jason "What do you want from us?"

Lucifer's eyes flashed with anger, Jason could see flecks of crimson in amongst the brown. Her coat twitched more violently

"I told you, who I am does not matter. I told you that I want you to leave now! For some reason Satan's magic still works in this world when no one else's does. You must go, you must head to Nidaviller with all haste"

Jason bowed his head, he knew full well of the dwarf's plight but Odin had refused to help them and without an army, what possible use would four Druids be?

"We know all about the upcoming war but Odin has spoken, we will not help, Asgard will not help"

Lucifer swore loudly as she kicked at the tarmac. Asgard was the dwarf's last real hope. There was no other reinforcements she could find for them. Still this information did confirm her suspicion of just how deep into Odin's council these four had become. Jason even spoke with the cold authority of a god. There was so many questions that she needed answers too. If she could convince these four, then maybe she could sway Odin's mind but one look at the ring of Witch Hunters reminded Lucifer that now was not the time or place. They would repot every single word that passed here back to Satan. She had probably already done enough to end up in deep trouble as it was but she had to know one thing.

"Leave us now!" commanded the princess of Hell.

"NO!" the lead Witch Hunter's voice was deep and gravely, it barely sounded human. He stepped up to Lucifer and stared her straight in the eyes

"We have orders to capture and detain these four, they will not leave Midgard. Only our master can say otherwise"

Lucifer glared hard at the hunter then looked pleadingly at Jason, hoping that he understood how limited her control was over these creatures.

"You must return to Asgard right now! Convince Odin to join the war!"

"SILENCE!" growled the Hunter "Our master comes!"

Lucifer's eyes widened in terror as two of the Hunters moved in and grabbed her arms. She was able to slip out of her sleeves leaving them holding nothing but an empty trench coat. The princess of Hell unfurled her black angel wings and looked pleadingly at Jason

"Go, right now! Tell Odin that if Nidavellir falls then the balance will shift too far, it may never be able ......"

Lucifer's words were cut off as a Witch Hunter clasped a hand over her mouth while two more seized her arms.

Jason looked at the other Druids and said "let's move"

The four of them drew out their raven necklaces and whispered the word "Asgard" into them. The remaining Witch Hunters lunged to seize them but it was too late. As Midgard began to fade and blur, Jason saw a man in a very expensive looking suit materialise out of a flash of crimson fire. Briefly their eyes locked, Jason felt a sheer cold terror seize his soul. He was looking the devil in the eyes and all he could see was the purest and most ultimate evil. Satan's roar of fury filled the air. The final thing Jason saw was Satan delivering a hammer blow of a punch to Lucifer's face. He watched as the princess of Hell fell limply and lifelessly to the ground. Midgard faded to black and the Druids were gone.