Beautiful Monster

Prepare to Depart

Evelyn took his head. “Where are we going?” Evelyn asked as Asmodeus pulled her off the bed.

“Well I need to check on the status of the preparations for our departure.” Once Evelyn was firmly on her feet, Asmodeus wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her towards the door.

“What specifically are we going to check on?” Evelyn asked as they walked down the silent hallway, their echoing down the hall and the only other sound beside their voices.

“First I have to go to the kitchen to see how the food preparations for our journey are going.” Asmodeus said as they turned a corner and the dining hall came into view. The doors were wide open, leaving a view of the trees of the forest reaching for the sky through the windows. Evelyn shivered.

“You guys are going to bring food with you?”

Asmodeus nodded. “An army marches on its stomach after all.” They walked into the dining room and turned toward the double doors leading to the kitchen.

“Isn’t that a quote?”

Asmodeus walked through the kitchen doors and held one open for Evelyn. “Yes it is.” He said as Evelyn walked through the door and into the cacophony of sounds that could only belong to a bustling kitchen.

All the cooks looked up when they heard the door open and immediately went back to work except for a haggard looking man who hurried over to them.

“What can I do for you sir?” The man asked, running a hand through his already tousled dark, gray-streaked hair.

“I’m merely here to check on how the war preparations are going.” Asmodeus said.

The man blinked his light gray eyes. “Oh.” He turned and started walking towards the back of the kitchen, leaving Asmodeus and Evelyn to follow. “Well we’re making long-lasting, portable food. Some you can eat as is, such as the dried fruit, but most require a little preparation.” The man stopped in front of a large steel door and opened it to reveal a large space half-filled with boxes. “We have prepared about half of you food you requested.”

“How long do you think it will take to prepare the rest of the order?”

The gray-eyed man scratched his head.” About half a day.”

Asmodeus nodded. “Thank you. I’ll you to your work.” The man nodded and then headed back to rejoin the kitchen crew.

“Are we finished?” Evelyn asked when the man with salt and pepper hair disappeared into the frenzied kitchen.

“Far from it.”Asmodeus wrapped an arm around her waist and started walking towards the kitchen exit.” Now I need to how equipping our soldiers with weapons is progressing.”

Asmodeus and Evelyn exited the kitchen and continued walking outside the dining room. “So are we going to the sparring room? It’s full of weapons.”

Asmodeus shook his head and laughed. “No that is not where we store our weapons that we give our soldiers, where everyone can gain access to them.”

Evelyn scowled. “Well where do you store them.”

Asmodeus grinned and lightly tapped her nose. “In a vault that very few people have knowledge of.”

“Well that clears everything up.”

Asmodeus laughed. “Happy to be of service.”

Just then a man came running down the hall and came to a stop in front of Asmodeus and Evelyn. “You’re a hard man to track down.” The stranger said to Asmodeus.

Asmodeus cocked an eyebrow. “Was a reason you were looking?”

“Lucifer seeks you.”The stranger replied and, having delivered his message, continued running down the hall.

“It appears the weapons check will have to wait.”  Asmodeus said, turning around and walking in the direction the messenger disappeared off in.

“Where are we going to meet Lucifer?”

“The meeting room of course. The messenger didn’t specify a place to meet Lucifer so the meeting room the default place.”

“If you say so.” Evelyn said.

When they arrived at the meeting room the doors were wide open and Satan and Lucifer clearly visible in the center of the room.

“Asmodeus you’ve finally arrived.” Lucifer said once Asmodeus and Evelyn stepped inside the room.

“I was checking on the status of the preparations for the troop’s departure.” Asmodeus said.

“Well that related to what we called you in here to discuss.” Lucifer said, and Satan threw a folder stuffed with paper that Asmodeus caught as it came toward his head.

“That is the information we have gathered about the rebels and their movements.” Satan said.

“And now that you have that we need you to review it and move out as soon as possible. These rebels cannot continue to exist.” Lucifer said.

Asmodeus sighed. “Okay, but does Mammon have a copy of this information and do you happen to know where he is?”

“No he doesn’t and we are not his keeper, find him and inform yourself.” Lucifer said, and he and Satan walked around Asmodeus and Evelyn and out the room.

“This means I must speed up the preparations.” Asmodeus scowled. “And I can never locate Mammon, I’m positive that he hides from me.”

Evelyn laughed. “He probably does, and you have to find him again.

Asmodeus kissed the side of Evelyn’s head. “And that I most certainly will.”