Devil Ash Days (Devil Ash Saga) (11 page)

“As you know, I have brought this boy here from Earth. He was being attacked by demons and made a deal with me for power in exchange for servitude. I gave him the devil’s blood, and made him one of us.”

“We’ve had humans here before, but never have we had a successful conversion,” Satan said. This was news to Ash, as Goddard had never mentioned that there had been other humans brought to Hell. Then the King’s words really sank in, and Ash realized they’d tried converting humans into devils in the past, and all others had died.

“The previous one didn’t last long, did he? Wasn’t he struck down by one of your men, Sepultura?” Satan asked, looking towards the guard in the rear of the room.

“I struck him down, your Highness. On orders from The Prince,” the man in the black spiky armor informed him.

“That’s Sepultura Stryd,” Goddard whispered to Ash. “Commander of the Royal Guard.”

“Tell me Goddard, what makes this human any different?” Satan
asked.

“In only a day, this human has learned how to fight
somewhat decently, as well as use his wings.”

“So we are to understand that he is as competent as a child?” The Prince
asked. With all of his snide comments, and the fact that he had the last human assassinated, Ash was beginning to think that maybe he had something against humans. Having witnessed first hand his strength, Ash did not wish to make enemies with The Prince. Too late for that, though.

“And what of his fighting abilities?” Satan asked.

“From what Lady Shiva has told me, he has made an enormous amount of progress from his, shall we say, ‘humble’ beginnings. When you consider that he has had no previous combat experience, this fact is made even more impressive. I believe in time he could be trained to be of much use to us.”

That almost sounded like a compliment
, Ash thought. He couldn’t believe that Goddard thought that highly of him.

“Maybe I should put his skills to the test!” The Prince said, standing up.

Ash began to sweat, hoping dearly that it was just talk. He knew he’d never stand a chance at beating The Prince in a fight.

“Sit,”
his father said. “We wouldn’t want you to kill him yet.” Turning to Shiva, he asked, “Would he kill him, Shiva?”

“He would kill him,” Shiva
said. The Prince took his seat again, all the while glaring at Ash.

“What do you think, Goddard?” Satan asked. “What do you want to do with him?”

“I would like to start him out on some smaller tasks, perhaps have him lighten the load of the Royal Guard, and continue to evaluate him while tracking his growth.”

“Very well, we could always use a whipping boy,” Satan
said, without seeming to give it much thought. “He can help out on some of the cases the Royal Guard doesn’t have time to deal with.”

“Your Highness!” Commander Stryd
said. “The Royal Guards are more than capable of handling our own matters!”

Satan held his hand up, forcing silence upon the room again. Stryd could say no more, even though he clearly wanted to.

“The Royal Guards’ time is best spent defending the kingdom from the demons,” he told Stryd. “With the boy handling your lower-priority tasks, that will allow you to delegate more time and resources to defense.” Stryd seethed in silence. “Who will be in charge of supervising the boy?”

“He made progress with Lady Shiva. I would like to keep them together to see if it continues to be beneficial for him.”

“Then Shiva will continue to train him, and remain in charge of him,” said Satan.

“
What!?
” Shiva said.

“Be a dear and watch after him for a while,” Satan said, adding slyly, “unless you are not capable of such a task. Perhaps he should be left in your brother’s care;
he
can certainly handle it.”

Shiva gritted her teeth and swallowed back her argument. “No, the boy would surely die if left in his care. I will handle this, Father.” 

“Then it’s settled,” the King said. “I leave the boy in your care. You may do with him whatever you please.”

“Very good, My Lord,” Goddard said, bowing his head. “We will take our leave now.”

Almost on cue, the doors behind them opened again. Ash and Goddard turned to exit the throne room. As they walked out, Commander Stryd shot Ash a rather troubling glance. If Ash had to guess, he would have said the look on his face meant
stay the hell out of my business!

Once they were out of the room, with the doors behind them completely closed, Ash exhaled a deep breath that he felt like he’d been holding the entire time. Without a hitch, Goddard continued down the hall. Ash followed, uncertain
of what would happen next.

“It would be best if you went back to the meal hall now,” Goddard told Ash. “I suspect Lady Shiva will be looking for me, and she won’t be happy.”

“Okay then,” Ash replied. He wasn’t hungry at the moment, having just eaten. Still, he was happy to oblige, as Shiva would probably be shouting. He didn’t like it when she shouted.

Ash was sitting at a table by himself sampling several different drinks when he felt a hand on his shoulder grab him and jerk him around. The person he was faced with subsequently shouted into his face. Even before the shouting started, he had a feeling of who it might be.

“
You!
” Shiva started, “I should have been done with you! Now we have to work together!” Ash was so startled he nearly spilled several of his cups.

“I’m sorry?” Ash said
. He wasn’t sure how to react in this situation.

Shiva responded by slappin
g some of his drinks aside. The cups crashed to the floor, spilling their contents all over the place and turning a number of heads in the cafeteria.

“Come on,” Shiva said, abruptly pivoting on her heel and turning away from Ash.

“Uh, sure. Where are we going?” he asked.

“To complete our first task
as quickly as possible.”

Ash stood, following her out of the cafeteria nervously. “So what do we have to do now? More training?” He shuddered, thinking she was leading him to another beating session.

“No,” Shiva said. “Goddard doesn’t seem to think a two-person team is good enough. He wants us to add a third member.”

Chapter Nine: Death Toucher Aura

Shiva stormed out of the castle with Ash on her heels. She was already in a bad mood, and he didn’t want to annoy her any further by being a straggler. She had made it quite clear that she wanted to get this task over with quickly, and anything that prevented or prolonged her would be subject to her wrath. Outside the castle gates, Shiva stopped and confronted him.

“Can you fly yet?” she asked, her voice still full of agitation.

“Kind of,” he said and then quickly added, “I flew for a little bit this morning, not for very long but I think I’m rested enough to fly some more. I really should continue using my wings though! You know the saying: practice makes perfect!” Ash knew she wasn’t going to like his answer. She replied with a throaty groan, knowing that flight would be a struggle for him.

“We’re heading to
South Hell. It’ll be a lot faster if we fly.”

“Lead the way,” Ash
replied. He wasn’t about to ask her to take it easy on him, but he really hoped he could keep up with her. The best he could do was try his hardest and hope he didn’t lag behind her too much.

The pair brought out their wings and took to the sky. Ash followed behind Shiva as they circled around the castle and gained altitude. It felt as if the castle was sinking beneath them as they flew higher up. Ash’s heart rate quickened as he
flew higher than he ever had before, with only his frail-looking wings keeping him airborne. He was terrified and excited all at once. It was the longest amount of time his feet had gone without touching the ground.

From the height they were flying at, the
Kingdom below looked like a model city. Ash could see the entire expanse of the Northern section he’d walked through, and realized he’d only seen a fraction of it. There was much more to be explored, as North Hell stretched on for miles. When they straightened out and started flying south, it was easy for Ash to tell where the sections of the Kingdom were divided.

One of the biggest differences between the Northern and Southern sections were the streets. The cobblestone paving of
North Hell stopped abruptly, and what continued in its place into the Southern section was gravel with occasional patches of dirt. The quality of the buildings also decreased noticeably. The homes and shops of South Hell all looked old and dilapidated, like they hadn’t been repaired in decades. Most of the buildings there were made out of old wood, crumbling stone, or a bamboo-like material. None of the buildings were larger than two stories, save for one giant, white, box-shaped factory that stuck out. Spread out far off into the distance, pressed all the way up against the enormous (unfinished) wall that kept the kingdom safe, was farmland.

Though the two were in the air for only ten minutes before Shiva began descending, Ash would have liked to do more sightseeing from up high. It was probably a good thing they were landing though, because Ash was losing steam. Being up that high and running out of stamina was currently at the top of his list of fears. He actually looked forward to flying again, and examining the entirety of the city from above once more.

Their descent was much easier than trying to gain elevation. Gravity played more to their advantage. Shiva’s landing was soft and firm, her feet placed easily on the ground and actually coming to a stop. Ash’s ‘landing’ was a bit rougher. He approached the ground from an angle, and with so much speed that when his feet finally touched down he was in a dead sprint and trying to slow down, but ended up stumbling and falling down. He rolled on the ground till finally coming to a stop at Shiva’s feet.

Amazingly, he wasn’t hurt. He jumped up to his feet as quickly as he could, and still a little dizzy, brushed the dirt from his jacket. “I’m alright,” he told her, as if she cared. “Have to work on those landings though.”

“You came down at an angle,” she said. “When you land, you want to approach the ground straight on.”

“Thank you, I’ll remember that.” A real tip from the girl that hated him! What progress!

“We’re looking for a place called The Missing Piece bar,” Shiva informed him, while scanning the area’s various shacks and huts.

“I can’t even tell which one is a bar, they all look the same,” Ash said, looking around trying to distinguish one trashy looking structure from the next.

“It
should
have a sign,” Shiva said.

The people in the surrounding area
stared at Shiva in obvious wonder, and Ash even caught a couple of looks coming his way. Unlike the well-dressed people in the Northern Section, these people looked shabby. Again, the fashion was a strange melting pot of different Earthly eras. Some people wore rags that looked similar to outfits worn in medieval times. Others wore dirty suit coats that looked like they’d been ripped right out of the American Great Depression.

“They’re staring at us,” Ash whispered.

“Of course they are. I’m a Satan, and you’re a half-human,” she said. “Neither of us belongs here. That’s why it’s best we do this as quickly as possible.”

“How do they know I’m a half-human? They can’t tell just by looking at me, can they?” Ash asked, confused. He had begun to wonder if there was something that set him apart from the other devils. As far as he knew, there wasn’t. In fact, to his understanding if a devil had his wings hidden it would be impossible to tell him apart from a human.

“It’s your scent,” Shiva told him.

“I smell different?” Ask asked, alarmed.

“You don’t smell like a devil, that’s for sure,” she said.

“What do I smell like?” He wondered aloud.

“Just
different,
” Shiva said.

The two walked through the slums, paying attention to any building that looked like it could fit a bar inside. For Ash it was a particularly nerve-wracking experience. The inhabitants of
South Hell followed behind them, keeping a close watch on the two. Ash could feel their stares piercing him in the back.

After nearly an hour of searching, they came across an old ruin of a building with a sign above the door. It read:
Th  M ssi g iece
. Several letters were missing from the sign, but it was clearly the bar they were looking for. Shiva began to climb the steps leading to the entrance, when Ash decided to do something stupid: speak up.

“So what exactly are we doing here?”

Shiva stopped. “Why should I tell you?”

“Because Goddard, and even
your father
, said that we’re teammates now.”

Shiva bit her lip, and decided to cave. “Okay,” she said, “I’ll brief you quickly, so listen up!” Ash almost let a smile slip out in his triumph, but contained himself. He remained stone-faced, and listened. “Inside this bar, we should find a
guy known as ‘Death Toucher Aura’. He’s become a big deal around the kingdom lately, because of his…ability. You’ll see what I mean. Anyway, he’s been red-flagged as a person of interest, and so Goddard wants us to recruit him to our team so he can keep tabs on him.”

With that small chunk of briefing, Ash understood why Shiva was so irritable. She had basically been assigned to double watch duty: on the one hand, she was babysitting him. On the other hand, she’d now have to keep a vigilant eye on this mysterious other man, Aura. That was if they could even manage to find him.

“That good enough for you?!”

Shiva’s shouting snapped Ash out of his thoughts. He nodded his head fiercely; the faster he shook
, the more appreciation it showed.

“Good,” Shiva said.
“Lets get a move on.”

Ash joined Shiva in climbing the steps. He could hear piano music, clanking of bottles and glasses, and a whole lot of chatter from the devils inside. As he reached the top, a thought struck him. This was just like one of his video games! In ‘Final Quest 6’ the player started with only one character, but as the game progressed other characters would eventually join in the quest. He
became excited at the prospect of adding a new person to their team.

Inside, the place was a dive bar, but deceptively nicer than the outside appearance would lead one to believe. The floor was made of old distressed
hardwood. On the walls hung skulls from creatures that couldn’t be found on Earth. Some looked almost human, if not for the giant tusks sticking out of their jaws or horns from their foreheads. Most of them looked like creatures straight out of a Dungeons & Dragons bestiary.

As soon as they stepped through the door, the scene was like an old western movie. The music stopped and all eyes were on them. It seemed that every devil in the room knew who Shiva was. If they didn’t, they could tell she didn’t belong by her fancy armor. Shiva looked around the room, sizing up its patrons, and looking for their guy.

“I need a drink!” Shiva said, breaking the tension. Almost instantly the music started up again, and the people went back to their conversations. The two walked over to a table where three men were sitting and chatting.

“
Leave
,” Shiva commanded.

The men stared blankly at her, their expressions defiant.

“
Now
!” she said. Without hesitation, the men quickly stood up and backed away from their table, grumbling as they went. Ash and Shiva took their seats. After a quick scan of the bar, Shiva located their man.

“I think that’s him,” Shiva motioned to the back of the bar. “Funny, I thought he’d be older though. He looks like he’s our age.” In the furthest corner of the bar, surrounded by women and men alike, sat their target: the death toucher Aura Draxler.

Decked out in all black, Aura sat in a booth against the back wall with his arms around two women. They were stroking his cheek and running their fingers through his shoulder-length black hair. He appeared to be having a good time, as his company would frequently burst into fits of laughter and praise, and the women would swoon and gush over him.

“I
hate
his type: good-looking, and very aware of it,” Shiva said. Aura was a handsome young man, even Ash thought so.

“You see that metal gauntlet he wears?” Shiva asked, referring to Aura’s right hand. Ash sneaked a look without being too conspicuous. “It’s not just for looks. Though judging by his personality, that’s probably a major contributing factor.” In between fits of laughter, Aura would cast glances over towards Ash and Shiva. They weren’t threatening stares, but curios glances.

“Underneath that gauntlet,” Shiva continued, “is his ‘death touching’ hand. It has the power to rip a soul from a body, killing whoever he touches.”

“How is that possible?” Ash asked, astonished. Having your ‘soul ripped from your body’ didn’t exactly sound like a pleasant death. Ash hoped he wouldn’t refuse their offer to join them.

“There are a couple different stories floating around as to how he got that ability. The one I hear the most says that he fought Death and won, and was rewarded with that ability.” From her tone, it didn’t quite seem like Shiva believed it herself.

“Wow, he must be strong

“Whatever. It’s just a
rumor
,” Shiva replied.

“So what do we do now?”

“We bring him back with us.”

“What if he doesn’t want to go?” Ash asked, addressing the biggest flaw in the plan. Though he already had an idea of how Shiva would handle a rejection…

“He doesn’t have a choice.”

Shiva stood, and Ash followed her lead. Together, they strode across the bar to the backmost area where Aura was sitting. He was in the middle of another hearty laugh with his crew, which consisted of three men and the two floozies. As soon as they were approached, the entire group grew quiet.

“Aura Draxler, I presume,” Shiva said.

“You presume correctly,” Aura
said, and then flashed a cocky smile to his friends. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Miss Princess of Hell?”

Shiva clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. Ash could tell she did not like being called ‘princess’, and knew that given her short temper, Aura wouldn’t be given another strike. He felt he had to break the tension.

“We’re here to recruit you,” Ash said, trying to sound authoritative. Aura and his crew merely stared in disbelief at the ‘nobody’ who made the announcement.

“Me? Join you?” Aura asked. “I’m ho
nored for the invitation, but unfortunately I must decline.” His sarcasm did little to help ease the tension. Instead, it ground further on Shiva’s nerves. While it was funny to Ash seeing Shiva so annoyed, he knew a fight was imminent. 

“You will come with us, as we're on official orders from my fa-…” Shiva had to sto
p herself from saying that word. “From
his Royal Highness,”
she said instead.

“Ah, the head honcho! The big boss man!” Aura
said. “I don’t much care for him, so I’ll have to pass.” This got a big laugh from his group.

Shiva was at the end of her limits on polite diplomacy, and instead opted for a less subtle approach. She grabbed their table, lifted it high and tossed it across the room. Instantly, the three men in the group stood up, ready for a fight. Ash remembered that in most of his video games, whenever he
tried to add a new character to his team, they would usually outright refuse and only join after being defeated in a fight. And unlike a video game, real fights
hurt.