DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
"Are you positive you've got everything?" asked Juhziz for the fifth time. He was standing over a complex penetacle, outlined in a circle, with runes on the outside, and written in blood. He was quite frankly nervous, and like any sane person about to face one of the primal forces would be. However, Salamader was every bit as nervous, having left his body to expect the writing himself.If all went right, Mackenzie would be saved, the train would be safe, and nobody would be worried. However, if all went wrong… well, it wasn't worth worrying over. We would all be dead by that point.
"And more importantly, that symbol looks just a littlelike the symbol for Iblis. Is this safe?" Shut it will you? This is kinda important. And to be precise, that symbol has been used by summoners for thousands of years. A bunch of power hungry lunatics watched a couple of summoners set this baby up, and get blown away by Helios Megiste. Then, they used Helios aka Iblis as a rallying banner to set up Islam. Not that I could blame them.Power drives men crazy. And women, since I have accused of being sexist… by people who probably wouldn't go to heaven for their treatment of women. I mean, come on! This is polygamy we're talking about here!
"Riiiight... Next thing, you'll be telling me that the Bible really was printed by God, and that he created the world in 7 days, that Dubya really is the "Great Satan", and that UFOs really did land at Roswell." Um, uh…I understand that your beliefs are rather fragile, so I won't speak without proof. So… uh… yeah.
Let's see, where should I start? Well, first of all, I was actually there, so I can say with conviction… the being you guys call "God" is really the patron spirit of Jesus Christ, the Middle-Eastern prodigy. Y'see, every now and then a spirit chooses a baby to protect. The more powerful the spirit, the less often this happens. Jesus was trying to spread peace, so God, aka Zeratul, Lord of Chaos and Balance, aka Polaris the North Star, Light of the Realms mind controlled a poor sucker without and ounce of talent to print this so-called Bible to help him promote peace.
Unfortunately, he later ended up doing the same for Moses,Mohammed, and the Buddah. So then they got in a big ol' fight over who was right. Only, they were all right so they were incapable of proving the others wrong. But get this. The guy who originally printed the Bible? Leonardo DaVinci! Only thing was, at that point he was a frigging idiot. But, enough of Polaris's light stayed in that head to make him a damn genius! "I don't want to hear any more." Juhziz mumbled in a monotone. "The historical weight of the world lies on my shoulders. I refuse to be incriminated in the greatest scam the world has seen since Hollywood and Ian Flemning started bllshitting about spies."
Aw, cheer up pardner! You've been reading too many John Grishams. Oh, and did you know, Ian Flemning was a wizard who enchanted his books to be more readable? Yeah, no other way his hack author novels woulda sold.Cheer up! Its like Santa Claus. There are somethings that you have to hear are true at some point in your life. He emphasized the last part with a good bit of beak poking.
It took a few moments for what he had said to sink in, as he had been dully nodding his head. Then, the outburst, "OH MY GOD, THERE REALLY IS A SANTA CLAUS?!? HOW DEEP DOES THIS CONSPIRACY GO??? DOES IT EVEN END? Is the Pope really a WIZARD?? Are all Chinese genetically modified super-soldiers?? IS STAR TREK REAL???" The potential consequences of said Santa being real were shattering to his little world, especially considering that he had used up most of his cognitive abilities just a few years ago deducing that there wasn't a Santa Claus. Then he realized that his outburst had been extremely loud, and the entire train was probably staring at him right now.
"Sorry, just going insane over here. Carry on." He said in his best projecting yet soft voice. They did continue with what they had done before with a few knowing knods, mainly staring at him. A highly amused pheonix murmered in his ear Yes, pretty damn deep, not that I know of, not this one, the last one was though. The Chinese haven't been genetically modified since the Gang of Four was disbanded in the 70's, and even then only the taxi drivers.Finally, only Next Gen is real. That I know of. Or that I believe. Or hopefully, since you have know idea how embaressing it was when our ambassador ala Kirk kept shagging the local hot stuff. Got them declared persona non grata couple of times. At least with Riker we could claim that we knew nothing of his… habits.
"I know nothing of this!" Juhziz hissed. "Let's get back to work." He quickly brushed the memories from his mind. Santa Claus? Star Trek? The pope? The realization that there was still a lot of stuff that he hadn't known had hit him, hard. No matter what though, there was going to be something else to learn, but still… the realization had left him feeling empty, like a dwarf in a giant's body. And underneath the tranquil surface, it frightened him. A whole new world, a whole new set of people to be navigated, charted, and avoided. He had never felt so different. So foreign. Everybody else seems to avoid me, giving me looks behind my back. Making comments where they think I can't hear them… ever since he had come to Britain. Everybody else was comfortable there, and him… It was like going to Mars, and finding out that you have nothing in common with the people there.
Alright, I'll tell you the rest later. Back to work. With that, the mocking laughter disappeared as quickly as it had come. Now, all that's left for you to do is to memorize the words, which even though are fairly long, shouldn't be that bad. "Hold on a sec, aren't you going to be saying them with me? Because I'm no good under pressure." Helios resides in a land where no spirit can reach him. In other words, I can't directly bring him here. And two, if you just repeat what I say, it's no good. Summoning is a very precise art and requires total silence. The last guy who tried to summon him… well, what he summoned wasn't all that different, just a greater hell-beast. Took half of Iran to get it back under control. Anyways, now repeat after me. Dures Elcatre Helios Megiste! I, Juhziz bind thee to me. By the name of those who reside above in Heaven and Hell, by the force of the eternal vow made in millenia past, by the honor which I do swear on my clan, come forth! And so on it went, driling it into his mind to the point where he could've recited it in his sleep.
All right, let's fucking do this! "Jeez, chill. This is potentially the biggest event of my life, and you've started getting hyper about this!" But underneath the facade, he was afraid. This is the biggest thing that's ever happened to me… what happens if I screw up? Not only will Mackenzie die, but so will everybody else! And Kaitlin, she trusted me to keep him alive! And Mackenzie himself… I can't do this! I fucking can't do this! I mean, if I mess up, should I mess up, because I know I'm going to mess up, and-Shut up, now. It snarled at him fiercely. The time when you had any choice in this has long passed. This is no longer your life, but Mackenzie's. Now grow a fucking spine and let's do this!
It does have a point… but no, I can't do this! I can't, I just can't! I'm going to mess up, and, "I JUST CA-"
"Yes you can." Juhziz turned his head to see Daniel grabbing his shoulder. "You're the only one who can do this. And more importantly, you have the raw ability to do it. We know it, Kaitlin knows it, Salamander knows it, and Mackenzie knows it."
"Yes I may have the basic ability," Juhziz grudgingly admitted, "But…" "But nothing. How is this any different than all of the other spirits. Just because it's older, and more powerful, and could potentially blow most of England into itsy-bitsy pieces," he admitted, "doesn't mean you shouldn't try."
"Fine. Just fine. " Without any further words, he walked over and vertically dropped his wand onto the center of the pentagram. The wand landed head first on it, and balanced on the wood paneling. Then, the floor rippled like a drop of rain touching water, as the wand started sinking into the floor. When the wand had fully disappeared, Daniel looked quizzically at him. "Are you sur-" Suddenly, a great gust of wind blew in from the circle, and knocked him to the wall behind him where he let out a scream. Juhziz however, was ready, and he dropped down into a crouch letting the wind go over him.
"Danny!" he shouted, "Are you ok mate?" But as quickly as the wind had started, it vanished, and when he looked back at the circle, a small ball of light was floating inside it. It didn't have a mouth, but he heard it speak clearly in some language to Salamander, who was looking extremely ashamed. Then it turned on Rodall. "Who are you? Why have you called me here?" The voice seemed to penetrate through him, and he found it hard to even look at the light.
He tried to speak, but he found that his mouth wouldn't make any noise. He decided to wait for it to finish talking. "Answer me!" But he continued to refuse to say anything. "I said ANSWER ME!" With those last words, flames shot out of it, and leapt around it, before shooting outwards. However, light shot out of the circle, and held the fire. Still, Juhziz could feel part of himself being tugged in to maintain, and for the first time he felt a sense of emanating power and fury.
Seeing no other option, he turned to it and started the ritual. "I am Rodall Juhziz, heir to the Wazir clan to bind thee to me by the force of the ancient vow made in ages past. Heed my call, and bend to my will. I am Rodall Juhziz, and I shall not be denied." Even as he spoke those words, a thin chain wrapped itself around the light, which expanded into a human shape, but made entirely out of light and with its features erased. It was only about as tall as him, but somehow it seemed much more threatening than the ball.
Well, if that's the way you want it, thought the spirit, fine by me. "I have many names, Polaris, Allah, God, Satan, Iblis, and Zeratul, but I am Helios Megiste since the tides of time. I who rule through time and space, who are you that dares to ask of me?" it said in a stylized response as old as time itself. It was one it had repeated many, many times before.
"I am Rodall Juhziz, and by the honor of my ancestors, those who made this vow in ancient times past, harken to me. Spirit of my clan, spirit of my land, spirit of our world, I call thee to me. Heed my call, and bend to my will. I am Rodall Juhziz, I will not be denied." Again the chain rose and finished wrapping his leg, before he finished speaking. And then Helios replied in turn, the two of them acting out roles set for them centuries ago.
"As one who came before, as one who answered the call, I am bound to this vow. However, who are you, to call upon me? I am one of the ancients, those who have served for all the others, as steward, guardian, and blade. My name is Helios Megiste, and I will not be chained." There, just have to get him to slip up… then POW! God, I haven't had human flesh in so long. I wonder what he tastes like…
"I am Rodall Juhziz, he who has come before, and he who shall come again. By the ties that bind me to thee, and thee to me, I call upon thee. Let me take of your will and streng-." "Gotcha!" the spirit interrupted him in triumph. He looked at the light, which was crouched down and pointing to the circle with its one free hand. Juhziz walked over to the circle, and indeed the rune that had been drawn was slightly chipped. "And you know what that means don't you?"
He looked up with an expression of genuine fear on his face. He gulped loudly while staring at the light, whose wicked grin was starting to form on its face. "-strength. I am Rodall Juhziz, I will not be-." "Too late!" screamed the spirit, and indeed the chains that moved around its arm were thinning, and the extensions were growing smaller and smaller. It pointed its fingers at the small patch of light shooting up from the circle that was slightly darker, and a small red spark shot out of them and shattered the barrier in that section. Laughing maniacally, it walked over to Juhziz and raised its fist.
Well, if I'm going to go down in history as the guy who managed to destroy Britain before he turned twelve, I might as well go fighting. Or at least, that's what he kept thinking to himself. In reality, he was quaking in his sandals, as the light came forward. Come on Juhziz, now or never, let's do this before we're all dead! At the same time his inner voice of sanity was screaming Juhziz! Fucking run! Fucking now!
"I will not be denied." He finished, in an attempt to stop the advancing figure. The chains now covered all of his arm, but he didn't seem to have any problems moving it. It brought his fist back in a mass of lightning, and he closed his eyes, as if it could avert his death before it was too late. Then, there was darkness. And blood dropping to the floor around him.
He tentatively opened his eyes, but all he could see was a mass of red. Then, "Juhziz, finish the ritual!" He looked up, and he saw Helios Megiste being attacked by a flying bird. It was going for his eyes, and when the light managed to grab him, it would dissolve into acid that burned its skin. Mentally thanking him, he continued, "I-I-I am R-R-Rodall Juhziz, and by the p-power of Heaven, Hell, and all that lies between, I b-b-beseech of you! Grant me your will so that I may end my j-journey of pain. I am Rodall Juhziz, and I will not be denied." He stammered it out, all while watching the colliding light of red and yellow.
The chains widened, and it seemed for a moment like it would hold it. Then, screaming in agony, it roared at him, "THAT IS IT! I AM HELIOS MEGISTE AND I WILL NOT DIE!" The light dissolved back into the ball, which the chains quickly closed upon. However, it soon started trembling and shaking, like a miniature earthquake, and the ball grew bigger and bigger.
All of a sudden, the chains snapped as the light exploded into a million pieces, each of them floating and grinning at Juhziz. He glanced around frantically, but the chains were lying in little segments across the room. "Now, now, that wasn't very nice," they said in a flat monotone. "You deserve what's coming to you. After all, it's partially your fault that this guy's almost dead." Then the voice changed to a pompous sneer. "You didn't help him did you? You didn't help Daniel did you? In fact, you've barely done anything at all!" But when they turned to look closely at Juhziz, they saw him muttering to himself. In an unanimous metallic screech they yelled at him, "What are you doing? Answer me! Answer us! I demand it!"
But by the time that they finished, Juhziz brought his head up in a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "That's game mate." With a look of horror on their faces, they rushed at him, screaming, "No, no, NO!" It was a terrible sight, thousands of tiny pieces of light, sharp as a blade, coming at him, all of them bent on killing him.But he kept smiling and only spoke one simple sentence. "Dures Elcatre!" From his point of view, it looked like nothing less than a laser light show. It was one of those effects where everything starts moving in slow-mo, and with the adrenaline pumping, you can see every single one of them.
But as quickly as they had come, the shards started flying backwards, until they all reached the center of the summoning circle, where light flashed, and it reverted back into its normal form eagle-spread. However, before it could get up, Juhziz waved his hand and 5 spears made of some mystical and warped metal materialized above it, two of them landing on his hands, two on his feet, and one that went straight through his forehead. But where there would be blood, there was only darkness. When it screamed, Juhziz just airily brushed it off. "Come on, it's not so bad. After all, you don't seem to object to doing it to others."
As he waved his hand back, the chains flew around it and completely wrapped it in metal. "Alright, alright, I give. What do you want?" Simple, thought Juhziz. "Just for you to stop time for this guy." He nudged Mackenzie with his foot. "He'll die if you don't." The spirit burst out into uncontrollable laughter. "Oh man, that is just good! I mean seriously-," "I'm serious." The mask of laughter on its face dissolved, and in its place was the same unfeeling give-nothing, take-nothing mask that Mackenzie had been wearing.
"Hmm, I don't really know if I can do that," it said thoughtfully, "I mean, I'm only an aspect, plus if I messed it up, I'd kill him." "But you have to try! It's his only chance!" And if he dies… It'll be all my fault!
"Well, the problem with that is… say, how long until the train reaches Hogwarts?" Three hours, give or take an hour or so. They all turned to see the calm face of Salamander. Look, all we have to do is to get the healers waiting for him. Get Snape to brew some kind of miracle potion, and have him meet us at the front. He rushed into Juhziz's body, and called out, "Oy! Who has an owl on them?" Several students raised their hand, and he yelled at one of them to send an owl telling Snape what sort of potion he should bring to him.
Good Lord of Hades, this had better work, he thought in silence. It was most unlike him, but his easy going warmth had been chilled by the gravity of the situation. Plus, Helios Megiste had almost killed him one of those times he had gone for the eyes.
"Chill, Sal, aren't you normally the hyperactive one?" "Uh huh, and this is coming from the "I can't do it!""I can't take the pressure!""He's gonna die!"and "They trusted in me! I can't do it!"guy? I think not." But still… it was unsettling. Now, how to break it to all of them that Juhziz was going to die for saving Mackenzie's life… this'll be fun. Not.
Meanwhile, one highly ecstatic Kaitlin Kusagawa was holding on to the front edge of her little surfboard and riding the wind over their heads as she tilted the edge upwards and started rising in height. "YEAH! This rocks! I don't have to worry about knocking them over or anything, and- oh look! It's the poor sucker prefects!" As she flew directly over their heads, she waved at them, while they looked at her like she was some kind of maniac. Which she might've easily been, since she was high on speed wobble.
All right Kaitlin, get it together. You're almost there, don't want them to think you're an idiot. But as soon as she had turned around to look at the fading prefects, she failed to notice that this section had a slightly lowered divider, and she crashed into it at high speed, her board dissipating flung her through the crowd, tumbling all the way to where Helios was still pinned down, Sal in the form of an enormous phoenix on Juhziz's shoulder, and Juhziz were sitting, where she landed head first. "Oh, my apologies, but- Hey Juhziz?" He turned to acknowledge her and she couldn't help but notice what she had seen on the way in. "You've got glowing eyes. Blue glowing eyes."
He sighed, and motioned for her to come. He then looked back at Sal, who was visible to only him, perched on his shoulder. "Well, a rupee for your thoughts, Sal?" The majestic phoenix slowly shifted its body to stare at him. "Um Sal? What are you doing?"
"You're going to die." "… Besides the obvious, what else do you have to say?" The morbid statement hadn't made much of an impression on him, apparently he'd seen it coming. Nice to see someone who had an idea of the consequences nowadays. "Well, your friends'll take it pretty badly if I may say so myself. " He waved the idea away with a stroke of his hand. "It's no big deal. I die, everybody else goes away happy. Everybody wins. Now, Helios. What exactly can you do?" Sal merely sighed.
Seeing as how he wasn't really listening, he slid over to Kaitlin in human form. "Hey." She looked at him with surprise, almost like she hadn't seen him… oh right, she hadn't. He'd been too busy possessing Juhziz. "W-w-what the hell are you?" She took a moment to compose herself, and hastily added, "I apologize, I merely lost composure. Again, I apologize. It was entirely my fault and I resolve you from any blame."
"Look, Kat, Kait, or whatever your name is, and that's not really important right now, but Juhziz is going to kill himself when this is all over." She frowned, then shrugged. "If he wishes for the solace of eternal sleep, then who am I to deny him that comfort? Oh, and it's Kait."
Mentally cursing, he tried to make her understand. Why was it always the thick-headed moral ones he ended up doing this to? "No, he's not going to kill himself, he's doing it as a sacrifice. You see that guy made up of light?" She nodded, as it had been visible to the entire room. "Well, it's Helios Megiste, and in exchange for saving Mackenzie's life, he'll take Juhziz's life. Don't you get it?!?"
Kaitlin just sighed back. "Look, I do not know if you know this, but we have this saying, an eye for an eye.. It basically means that if you have something done to you, you return the act. I believe the same principle applies to spirits as well. You see, in exchange for services rendered, you must give payment, equal to the service provided. If Helios Megiste will save his life, then we cannot act against it."
Before Sal could ream her ears out, Juhziz turned to him. "Hey, Sal? We've come to a conclusion. It'll slow time for him, which should last until we get to Hogwarts. Then I'll give whatever payment it deems necessary, alright?"
Gnashing his teeth in fury, Sal let out an exasperated yell. "Uh, Sal? Sal? What are you doing? Salamander, speak to me!" He heard the flame being start to weep, and turned back to Helios. "Alright, let's get this show on the fucking road!" "Spirits, you're starting to sound like Sal!" It shot back. "Just chill out, alright? But first, let me fucking out!" Juhziz sheepishly waved both of his hands, and the spears disappeared, and the chains, while not completely leaving gave him enough leeway to kneel over Mackenzie.
Holding both of its hands together over his body, it whispered a few things to itself, before its hands started glowing blue. Looking rather smug, it pushed its hands to both sides, and covered Mackenzie's body with the same blue glow. Ignoring the confused looks, it whispered something else, and Mackenzie's body started floating, as it stared at him, sweat forming on his bwow. But without any more warning, it smashed both of its fists together, and as if he had punched it, a crater formed underneath Mackenzie's body with a sickening crunch, while his body sank like a stone.
As it fell, a green light expanded from his body, and the spirit started sweating heavily as it fought to control the sphere. It was pale green in color, but there were cracks all around it as it pushed the air and everything else near it away. Wherever it touched Mackenzie's body, it hissed and smoked, before the smoke was expelled. Sweating heavily to maintain the field, it pushed its fists even harder together, and the light cushioned his body from the fall, and it lifted him up as it grew. When it covered his entire body, Helios separated its fists with a ripping noise, and let out a primal yell of triumph.
"Gotcha! Nasty little bugger. Frigging time-space continuum wouldn't warp." Wiping the sweat from its forehead, it turned around to look at Juhziz. He was nodding his head, so it reclined its head, and set down to sleep. At the same time, Salamander was watching from besides Kaitlin. Utter bastard, he thought, it can't be allowed to do this!
A/N: Please review! I don't really care if you flame me or if it's just a few words, it's nice to know that someone read it and thought it was of enough import to write a review. Anyway, next chapter will feature the explanation of Mackenzie's sick and twisted mind, some minor foreshadowing, and overall filler.
