ELEVEN
Cole didn't know what was going on. Magic didn't seem to work in this
realm. Which meant that he shouldn't have been able to change to Belthazor.
Not to mention the fact that Belthazor no longer existed. He had been
vanquished months ago.
"Please, I didn't know," pleaded the demonis at Belthazor's feet. "I was
not told. Please do not punish me, master. It was not my fault."
Belthazor could sense the fear coming from this pathetic little creature.
It was a sense he had relished for decades. The creature was so terrified that
it would do virtually anything Belthazor said.
"Remove these," Belthazor commanded, extending his hands.
Nervously, the demonis began to undo the shackles. It was shaking so
badly from fear that it had trouble manipulating the catch devices on the
manacles. Belthazor just smiled as the creature finally opened the latches and
the shackles fell to the ground. Without hesitation the demonis dropped to its
knees and removed the shackles around Belthazor's ankles.
"Release them," Belthazor command, pointing at Piper and Paige.
Hurriedly, Amador and Parno began to remove the shackles binding the two
sisters. Within seconds the shackles lay on the ground and the sisters were
freed. Belthazor smiled. Suddenly he shimmered and resumed his guise of Cole
Turner.
"Please, master," the demonis in front of Cole continued to plead, "I
meant no disrespect. I did not know who you are. It was not my fault. I was
not told."
"I'm not going to hurt you," said Cole, smiling slightly at the sisters.
"What's going on?" Piper whispered to Cole. "I thought your magic didn't
work here."
"I don't know," said Cole. "But I'll tell you one thing. I could feel my
magic in me. While I was in the form of Belthazor I could feel the magic
coursing through me. Somehow I have access to my magic while I'm Belthazor."
"How could you be Belthazor?" Paige asked. "We vanquished him."
"I know," said Cole. "It must be something genetic. You stripped
Belthazor from me but I still have demonic genes. They're half of who I am.
Somehow this place allows me to alternate between my human and demonic form. In
my human form I'm no more powerful than any other human. But in my demonic form
I have complete access to all of my demonic powers."
"Well that's something anyway," said Piper. "Now, we need to find Gastion
and Phoebe."
"I have an idea," said Cole.
He turned to Amadon.
"You," said Cole. "I'm looking for someone named Gastion. He'd be like
me. About your height with yellow skin. His eyes are blue. He has pointed
ears and three fingers on each hand. A red strip runs from his neck down both
arms. And there are small markings covering both arms."
"Please, master, I do know know this demon of which you speak," pleaded
Amador. "We are a small village. No one knew. We were not told. I plead with
you. Do not punish us for another's' mistake."
"Stennish said nothing to me," cried Grannor. "Please, master, if he had
told me we would have treated you withproper respect. Amador is correct. We
are a small village. Please, do not punish us for this transgression."
"Relax," said Cole, "I'm not going to punish anyone. Stennish said
nothing because he didn't know. And there's no way you could have known. So
don't be concerned. No one is going to be punished."
"Bless you master, bless you," cried Amador. "You may stay in my home.
It is the best home in the village. My gadlings are at your disposal."
"Lead on," said Cole.
As they rode to Amador's home, Cole and the sisters discussed the
situation.
"Apparently," said Cole, "I'm some sort of celebrity of some kind. And
they seem to be terrified of me. Or rather Belthazor. Maybe demons are like
the top of the food chain here or something."
"Well, whatever it is," said Piper, "they sure seemed to change your tune
when you changed into Belthazor. And you're right about one thing. He scares
them to death. But why don't they know Gastion? I would imagine he'd be just
as terrifying as you are. It doesn't seem likely that they wouldn't know about
him."
"They said this was a small village," said Paige. "That implies there are
others. Maybe Gastion is in one of these other villages."
"Which could make finding him extremely difficult," said Cole. "We have
no idea how far from here he is. He could live over the next rise or hundreds
of miles from here. There's just no way to know for sure."
"Maybe we'll get some answers at Amadors' place," Piper suggested. "But I
wouldn't suggest asking too many questions of one person. They might figure out
you're not this master they keep blabbering about and we could loose our only
edge."
Amadors' home turned out to be a spacious ranch about a mile outside of
town. It was full of humans moving about the ranch performing a variety of
tasks. There were also several demonis' moving around. As the party rode into
the ranch everyone stopped and stared at them. Apparently news of what Cole was
had all ready reached the ranch.
Amador gave them very spacious rooms. By the standards they had witnessed
in the village the rooms were quite luxurious. He also set an elaborate meal
for them. All types of delicacies were served most of which neither the girls
nor Cole could identify. Human slaves were assigned to attend to their every
need.
"We're not getting anywhere this way," said Piper as they ate. "We have
no more idea where Gastion or Phoebe are than we did when we first arrived here.
And we still don't know where Leo is. I can't even be sure that was him I saw
in the village."
"Just take it easy," said Cole. "At least we know that my demonic form
holds some power over these demonis. I think the dominant life form here are
these demonis, sort of non-magical demons, if you will. Humans, or gadlings as
they're called, are considered nothing more than animals. And demons like me -
demons with powers - are probably the elite. That's why they were so frightened
when I changed."
"I'll just be glad when this is all over," said Paige. "I'm a city girl,
born and bred. All this open space is a bit overwhelming. I'll be real glad to
get back to San Francisco."
"San Francisco?" questioned one of the women who was serving them. The
woman looked to be about twenty years or so older than Piper. "You're from San
Francisco?"
"Yes," said Piper. "It's, uh, the name of our village. It's a long way
from here."
"I'm from San Francisco," whispered the woman.
"You are?" questioned Cole. "What's your name?"
"I am called Dolcine," said the woman. Then, in a whisper she added, "but
my real name is Margaret Channing."
Cole looked at the sisters. They were thinking the same thing he was. If
Gastion had found a way out of this domain without going through the Émigré
there might also be a way into it. And if this woman was from their San
Francisco, she might know how to get out.
"Tell me," said Cole. "How long have you been here?"
"About ten years," said Margaret. "I was, uh, walking home one night when
I just suddenly appeared here. I don't know how I got here. It's like I walked
through a doorway or something."
"Well," said Piper, "our sister was brought here. We've come to get her
back. When we leave you can come with us if you want. Assuming we can find a
way out of here."
"I'd like that," said Margaret. "I can show you where I first appeared in
this place. Maybe there's a doorway or something that leads back to our home.
When I found out what this place was like I was heading back there to find a way
home when one of these demonis' captured me. I've been here ever since."
"That's a good start," said Cole. "If there is a doorway that's the best
place to start looking for one."
"You don't know how long I've prayed that someone might come to help,"
said the woman. "Thank the goddess."
Piper and Paige looked at each other as the woman caught herself. Cole
looked at her and then stood up.
"Out," he ordered. "Everyone get out now."
The other humans immediately began to file out of the room as quickly as
they could. When they had all left, Cole walked over and closed the door and
locked it.
Cole didn't know what was going on. Magic didn't seem to work in this
realm. Which meant that he shouldn't have been able to change to Belthazor.
Not to mention the fact that Belthazor no longer existed. He had been
vanquished months ago.
"Please, I didn't know," pleaded the demonis at Belthazor's feet. "I was
not told. Please do not punish me, master. It was not my fault."
Belthazor could sense the fear coming from this pathetic little creature.
It was a sense he had relished for decades. The creature was so terrified that
it would do virtually anything Belthazor said.
"Remove these," Belthazor commanded, extending his hands.
Nervously, the demonis began to undo the shackles. It was shaking so
badly from fear that it had trouble manipulating the catch devices on the
manacles. Belthazor just smiled as the creature finally opened the latches and
the shackles fell to the ground. Without hesitation the demonis dropped to its
knees and removed the shackles around Belthazor's ankles.
"Release them," Belthazor command, pointing at Piper and Paige.
Hurriedly, Amador and Parno began to remove the shackles binding the two
sisters. Within seconds the shackles lay on the ground and the sisters were
freed. Belthazor smiled. Suddenly he shimmered and resumed his guise of Cole
Turner.
"Please, master," the demonis in front of Cole continued to plead, "I
meant no disrespect. I did not know who you are. It was not my fault. I was
not told."
"I'm not going to hurt you," said Cole, smiling slightly at the sisters.
"What's going on?" Piper whispered to Cole. "I thought your magic didn't
work here."
"I don't know," said Cole. "But I'll tell you one thing. I could feel my
magic in me. While I was in the form of Belthazor I could feel the magic
coursing through me. Somehow I have access to my magic while I'm Belthazor."
"How could you be Belthazor?" Paige asked. "We vanquished him."
"I know," said Cole. "It must be something genetic. You stripped
Belthazor from me but I still have demonic genes. They're half of who I am.
Somehow this place allows me to alternate between my human and demonic form. In
my human form I'm no more powerful than any other human. But in my demonic form
I have complete access to all of my demonic powers."
"Well that's something anyway," said Piper. "Now, we need to find Gastion
and Phoebe."
"I have an idea," said Cole.
He turned to Amadon.
"You," said Cole. "I'm looking for someone named Gastion. He'd be like
me. About your height with yellow skin. His eyes are blue. He has pointed
ears and three fingers on each hand. A red strip runs from his neck down both
arms. And there are small markings covering both arms."
"Please, master, I do know know this demon of which you speak," pleaded
Amador. "We are a small village. No one knew. We were not told. I plead with
you. Do not punish us for another's' mistake."
"Stennish said nothing to me," cried Grannor. "Please, master, if he had
told me we would have treated you withproper respect. Amador is correct. We
are a small village. Please, do not punish us for this transgression."
"Relax," said Cole, "I'm not going to punish anyone. Stennish said
nothing because he didn't know. And there's no way you could have known. So
don't be concerned. No one is going to be punished."
"Bless you master, bless you," cried Amador. "You may stay in my home.
It is the best home in the village. My gadlings are at your disposal."
"Lead on," said Cole.
As they rode to Amador's home, Cole and the sisters discussed the
situation.
"Apparently," said Cole, "I'm some sort of celebrity of some kind. And
they seem to be terrified of me. Or rather Belthazor. Maybe demons are like
the top of the food chain here or something."
"Well, whatever it is," said Piper, "they sure seemed to change your tune
when you changed into Belthazor. And you're right about one thing. He scares
them to death. But why don't they know Gastion? I would imagine he'd be just
as terrifying as you are. It doesn't seem likely that they wouldn't know about
him."
"They said this was a small village," said Paige. "That implies there are
others. Maybe Gastion is in one of these other villages."
"Which could make finding him extremely difficult," said Cole. "We have
no idea how far from here he is. He could live over the next rise or hundreds
of miles from here. There's just no way to know for sure."
"Maybe we'll get some answers at Amadors' place," Piper suggested. "But I
wouldn't suggest asking too many questions of one person. They might figure out
you're not this master they keep blabbering about and we could loose our only
edge."
Amadors' home turned out to be a spacious ranch about a mile outside of
town. It was full of humans moving about the ranch performing a variety of
tasks. There were also several demonis' moving around. As the party rode into
the ranch everyone stopped and stared at them. Apparently news of what Cole was
had all ready reached the ranch.
Amador gave them very spacious rooms. By the standards they had witnessed
in the village the rooms were quite luxurious. He also set an elaborate meal
for them. All types of delicacies were served most of which neither the girls
nor Cole could identify. Human slaves were assigned to attend to their every
need.
"We're not getting anywhere this way," said Piper as they ate. "We have
no more idea where Gastion or Phoebe are than we did when we first arrived here.
And we still don't know where Leo is. I can't even be sure that was him I saw
in the village."
"Just take it easy," said Cole. "At least we know that my demonic form
holds some power over these demonis. I think the dominant life form here are
these demonis, sort of non-magical demons, if you will. Humans, or gadlings as
they're called, are considered nothing more than animals. And demons like me -
demons with powers - are probably the elite. That's why they were so frightened
when I changed."
"I'll just be glad when this is all over," said Paige. "I'm a city girl,
born and bred. All this open space is a bit overwhelming. I'll be real glad to
get back to San Francisco."
"San Francisco?" questioned one of the women who was serving them. The
woman looked to be about twenty years or so older than Piper. "You're from San
Francisco?"
"Yes," said Piper. "It's, uh, the name of our village. It's a long way
from here."
"I'm from San Francisco," whispered the woman.
"You are?" questioned Cole. "What's your name?"
"I am called Dolcine," said the woman. Then, in a whisper she added, "but
my real name is Margaret Channing."
Cole looked at the sisters. They were thinking the same thing he was. If
Gastion had found a way out of this domain without going through the Émigré
there might also be a way into it. And if this woman was from their San
Francisco, she might know how to get out.
"Tell me," said Cole. "How long have you been here?"
"About ten years," said Margaret. "I was, uh, walking home one night when
I just suddenly appeared here. I don't know how I got here. It's like I walked
through a doorway or something."
"Well," said Piper, "our sister was brought here. We've come to get her
back. When we leave you can come with us if you want. Assuming we can find a
way out of here."
"I'd like that," said Margaret. "I can show you where I first appeared in
this place. Maybe there's a doorway or something that leads back to our home.
When I found out what this place was like I was heading back there to find a way
home when one of these demonis' captured me. I've been here ever since."
"That's a good start," said Cole. "If there is a doorway that's the best
place to start looking for one."
"You don't know how long I've prayed that someone might come to help,"
said the woman. "Thank the goddess."
Piper and Paige looked at each other as the woman caught herself. Cole
looked at her and then stood up.
"Out," he ordered. "Everyone get out now."
The other humans immediately began to file out of the room as quickly as
they could. When they had all left, Cole walked over and closed the door and
locked it.