The Chaos Chronicles
Lady Death
Dark Alliance
Part Five: Defeat
The large, heavily scarred man, bleeding from a dozen wounds, staggered through the shimmering portal into the abandoned church known as Sanctuary. A tall, pale-skinned woman leaned wearily on his shoulders, barely able to hold on to her glowing sword, as her body was sorely bruised and beaten.
"Thank you, Cremator," the woman murmured. "You have always been my loyal guardian."
"'Tis my honour, Lady Death," he replied.
Lady Death looked up, and saw that they were not alone. Four other women and a skull-faced man were also there. On the floor of the church was the corpse of a large man, and one of the women was kneeled beside the body, weeping softly. The other four looked at Lady Death as she entered, and the expressions on their faces spoke of defeat.
"What happened?" Lady Death asked.
The skull-faced man walked over to her. "It was a trap, pale-face. Neox was there, and he was waitin' for us."
"Surely you must have recognised the trap, Bedlam?" Lady Death asked him.
"Yup," Bedlam replied. "But Rakshasa and Silence were also both there as bait. We had no choice but to attack. When we did, Neox summoned the big guy himself, Lucifer, and that's when things went real bad real quick. It was Lucifer who killed Gallows, he died saving Oblivia's life."
"How did the rest of you survive?"
"We almost didn't. My powers were being jammed, and we didn't stand a chance against ol' hornhead. It was Sarah who saved us. That girl has power the likes of which even I have never seen before. Lucifer was forced to focus all his power on her, and that must have been what allowed me to teleport them all back outta there."
"I see." Before Lady Death could question him further, one of the portals behind her shimmered, and a red-skinned woman with wings and horns flew into the church. An oriental vampire, bloodied and torn, was being held in the winged vampire's arms.
Dropping the other vampire to the floor, the winged vampire immediately landed and ran towards Bedlam.
"Did you find my Rakshasa?" she asked, almost desperately.
"Ah'm afraid not, Purgatori. We found her, as well as Silence, but Lucifer took them away again. There was nothing we could do."
"Damn!" Purgatori hissed.
Once more, one of the portals in the Sanctuary shimmered, and a pair of winged women flew into the church. Both women were badly burned, and their wings were charred and blackened. The two of them crashed to the floor in pain and exhaustion.
Lady Death ran over to the two of them and knelt down beside one of them, who only had a few strands of golden hair left on her head.
"By the Abyss, Vandala!" Lady Death exclaimed. "Was the battle so terrible?"
"It was...worse." Vandala choked out through cracked lips. "Vulnavia got the Pipes of Pan away from Pagan, but he was still somehow able to control the flame giants. There were too many of them to fight, they almost overwhelmed us. We tried...cough...to kill Pagan, but our weapons had no effect. He healed every wound instantly. Even my light failed to affect his darkness. We would...have died. But Pagan disappeared suddenly, taking the flame giants with him, leaving us to return here. I am sorry, sister, but we failed."
"Hush, sister," Lady Death told her. "There is no shame in fighting against overwhelming odds."
"How did your fight go, Jade?" Bedlam turned to the oriental vampire, as she slowly picked herself up off the floor.
"Not much better, I'm afraid," Jade replied. "Séance's control over the water dragons was total. None of my dispelling magics had any effect. Purgatori's blood alchemy was equally useless. It was all we could do just to survive. But then, as the battle reached its peak, séance just disappeared, leaving the water dragons to collapse back into the water."
"The Lords of Hell are more powerful than ever!" Lady Death growled, clenching her fists in anger. "I have fought and defeated Asteroth several times before, yet this time he fought both me and Cremator to a standstill! But then, he also disappeared, just as the battle was getting interesting. Lucifer must have empowered them, somehow, given them all a portion of his own power."
"I see you didn't have much more success," Jade said to Bedlam, as she nodded at the body of Morgan Gallows.
"No. We didn't," Bedlam replied sadly.
"Then this 'alliance' is over," Purgatori hissed. "I am going to find my Rakshasa, even if I have to tear this whole planet apart!"
"Now hold on, Red," Bedlam urged her. "This isn't over yet. I think I know a way to track your missing girls. We can still find them."
"Then let's go!" Purgatori growled.
"Not yet," Lady Death told her. "We need to recover, first. Between the three of us we have enough magic to heal our injuries, so let's do that before leaping into battle again."
"Chastity, I noticed an old tv and vcr in the back," Bedlam said to one of the other women, one who had red hair. "Could you bring it out here, please?"
Chastity nodded and ran off. "What do you want that for?" Lady Death asked him.
Bedlam took out a video tape from the inside pocket of his jacket. "Gallows had visions. He had an idea somethin' bad might happen, and he left me this tape, just in case."
Chastity soon returned, wheeling a small desk with a portable television and a video recorder upon it. Bedlam moved the television to the front of the church and plugged it in. He then inserted the tape, switched on the television, and they all gathered round to watch. Even Oblivia looked up, from where she knelt by Gallows corpse.
After a few moments, Gallows face appeared on the screen, as strong and as confident as when he was alive.
"If you're watching this, then I'm dead, just as I saw in my vision. This means that I now have no choice but to tell you everything. Each one of you was a part of my vision. Lady Death, Purgatori, Jade, Bedlam, Chastity, Bad Kitty, Cremator, Vandala, Vulnavia, Oblivia, Sarah Wilson, even Silence and Rakshasa, you are all needed if we are to defeat this apocalypse. You must all fight together, or separately you will fall! I don't know what the enemy's plan is, or exactly how to stop it, but I do know that fighting them head on will not be enough. Only by figuring out their plan will you stop them. Fighting is what they expect you to do. If you're to beat them, you must find another way."
"Well, that's helpful," Jade commented.
"Oblivia, the rest of this message is for you, alone."
Bedlam reached over and stopped the tape. Lady Death turned to the young vampire. "What could he have to say to you that does not concern the rest of us?"
Oblivia stared back at her. "He's my dad."
"Oh." Lady Death turned away.
"Come on, let's give the girl some space," Bedlam said. "We'll continue our discussion outside." Bedlam led the way out of the Sanctuary, and the others followed him out. Chastity was the last to leave, and before she did she put her hand on Oblivia's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, kid," Chastity told her. "He was my friend, as well as your dad. I'll miss him too."
When she was at last left alone in the church, Oblivia restarted the tape, bringing her father's face back onto the screen.
"I'm sorry we didn't spend more time together, Oblivia, and I'm sorry I was never there for you. There's still a lot you need to learn about yourself, about your identity and your destiny. I want you to know that I'm real proud of you. You're as tough as you are beautiful, much like your mother. It's time I told you about her, about Serena."
Oblivia sat back to listen, and fresh tears began to flow from her eyes.
Outside, Jade held her hands over Vulnavia's body, enveloping her in a green glow. When the glow faded, the severe burns over her body disappeared, leaving her skin unmarred. Only the emptiness of her left eye remained.
"I cannot heal that injury," Jade told her.
"Don't worry, nobody could," Vulnavia replied.
The rest of the alliance stood around, having been healed of their injuries by Jade's sorcery. Suddenly, Chastity, who had wandered off somewhere, came running back.
"Everybody, come quick!" she cried. "You have got to see this!"
Chastity ran back down the street, and the others followed after her. The red-haired vampire stopped outside the window of an electrical store, where a television set on display had been left on all night. They all gathered round to watch, and stared in horror at the screen.
On the television was a news report, which came from San Francisco. A camera crew hovered in a helicopter over the Golden Gate Bridge, and broadcast the battle between Jade, Purgatori, Séance and the water dragons. The camera recorded in horrific detail the slaughter on the bridge, as the dragons caused untold havoc to countless vehicles and people. There was a close-up view of Séance and Purgatori, as the vampire sank her fangs into his throat, only to choke on his acidic blood. There was static on the screen as Jade cast her sorcery at Séance, only to be blocked by counter- spells. And the cameras recorded the scene when Purgatori transformed scores of innocent people on the bridge into blood warriors, to be sent into battle against Séance, only to be massacred by the dragons.
The news then switched to Chicago, where flaming giants burned down an entire street. Vandala and Vulnavia flew down and attacked Pagan, who was controlling the giants with the Pipes of Pan, and though the women seemed at first to be trying to protect the people on the street, they soon became caught up in a berserker fury, and they both concentrated on attacking Pagan, leaving the giants to incinerate the crowd.
Finally, there was a report from Times Square, where a crowd had gathered to watch a heavyweight boxing contest, only to be massacred by the demon centaur Asteroth. Lady Death appeared and attacked him, and the battle left no room for innocent survivors.
"Oh my god!" the blonde-haired woman known as Bad Kitty exclaimed.
"I fail to see the point of this!" Purgatori said.
"You wouldn't," Chastity hissed. "This will be all over the news, soon. There's no way to cover this up. We're out in the open, now. We're exposed. The whole world now knows about the supernatural. There's no hiding anymore. Vampires, werewolves, witches, all of us will now be hunted wherever we go. We've just seen the beginning of a new Inquisition!"
The television then switched to a live broadcast of Neox, who was speaking directly to the viewers.
"I want to hear this," Chastity said, and she punched her fist through the glass window and turned up the volume.
"Now you know the truth," Neox preached. "The old gods have revealed themselves. They fight among themselves with no regard for the mortals that once worshipped them. Their battles will kill thousands, millions, and they do not care. They are arrogant and prideful, and they value our lives not at all. Only my Lord truly loves us, and he will protect us. We must destroy these false gods wherever they may be found. My Lord will protect you, and give you the strength to slay them. My Lord speaks directly to me. He tells me where they hide. Even now, some of them cower in an abandoned church, that they call Sanctuary, on 53rd and 4th street in New York's east side. Find these false gods! Slay them! My Lord will protect you! Do not be afraid!"
"Great," Lady Death closed her eyes. "Just great."
A van came speeding down the street and stopped just outside the church. Several people climbed out; one carried a microphone and another held a recording camera over his shoulder. They all focused on the church, they did not notice Lady Death or her companions up the street.
"We'd better get out of here," Chastity suggested.
"I'm not afraid of humans," Purgatori sneered.
"You'd better be," Chastity told her. "Even you can't fight the entire U.S. Army."
"I have my blood alchemy." Purgatori responded.
"They have napalm!" Chastity answered back.
Bedlam held up his hand, and with a bright flash of light they all suddenly found themselves somewhere else. It was the hall of an enormous cathedral, with the walls decorated with gargoyles and demons and spectral reapers.
"Winterhaven!" Lady Death recognised her old home.
"I'll be right back," Bedlam told them, and disappeared.
Oblivia looked up as Bedlam appeared beside her in a flash. The television screen was blank, as the tape had finished.
"Come on, we're leaving," Bedlam told her, as he held out his hand. Oblivia, beginning to hear a crowd gathering outside the church, nodded and took his hand.
Bedlam and Oblivia appeared in Winterhaven, to find the others still waiting for them.
"Why'd you bring us here?" Lady Death demanded to know.
"It was the only place I could think of that the president ain't likely to nuke anytime soon," Bedlam replied. "Now I think I know a way to find Silence and Rakshasa. I have a way with portals and rifts, and part of my power lets me track the direction of a portal, no matter who opens it. If we return to that CODA house, I should be able to reopen the portal through which Lucifer came, and through which the two girls fell. It's risky, but it's the only lead we have. Is everybody coming?"
"Take me there!" Purgatori snarled.
"Lucifer will die, forever this time," Lady Death agreed, Cremator and the green-skinned troll, Brock, beside her.
"Count me in," Chastity spoke up.
"I will rescue Silence, and kill anyone who has harmed her," said Jade.
"My sister and I are with you," said Vandala, standing beside Vulnavia.
"I guess I'm coming too," Bad Kitty reloaded her guns as she spoke.
"I will see an end to this!" hissed Sarah.
"Try and stop me," growled Oblivia, her eyes filled with determination.
The dark alliance gathered around Bedlam, as he held up his hand, marked with the Chaos Crest, and teleported them back to Earth. They appeared outside the gutted wreckage of the shelter, of which only blackened timbers remained. All the bodies of those who had died within had been taken away. The alliance dug through the wreckage until they found the stairs leading below. They entered the cellar, which was only a charred and empty ruin now.
Standing before the wall, Bedlam held up his hand and cast out his power, reopening the portal that had been opened there just a few hours ago. The wall folds in on itself, opening to another place.
One by one, they stepped through.
On the other side, they appeared upon a large stage. Gathered before the stage was a crowd of thousands of people, and speaking to them was Neox. The crowd screamed as one as the dark alliance appeared behind him.
"Dammit!" Bedlam said upon realising where they were. "Talk about falling for the same trick twice!"
Neox slowly turned around, and as he did so, his features shifted subtly.
"I know you," Purgatori gasped. "Saviour, you served me once, as we tried to kill...something!" Purgatori blinked in confusion, as she found her memory to be strangely blank.
"I do not fear you!" The Saviour cried. "I do not fear any of you, for my Lord is with me!"
"I will teach you fear!" Lady Death summoned Apocalypse and Scynister into her hands, but Bedlam held her back. "It's a trap, Lady!"
The Saviour held out his hands, and two robed figures walked towards him. They kneeled down beside him, and threw back their hoods, revealing their faces.
"Rakshasa!" Purgatori cried.
"Silence!" Jade cried at the same time.
"Rakshasa, come to me!" Purgatori held out her hand to her beloved, but Rakshasa simply continued to gaze up at the Saviour in adoration, as did Silence.
The Saviour placed his hands on their heads and stroked them as though they were pets. "They have seen the light," he told them. "They belong to the Lord, now!"
With a scream of fury, Purgatori charged at the Saviour, her claws reaching for his throat. The Saviour caught her wrists in his hands, and at his touch her skin burned and sizzled. Purgatori howled in furious agony.
"The light of my faith burns demons like you," he told her.
Lady Death threw off Bedlam's hold on her and ran forward, Apocalypse held high. The Saviour took out his holy amulet and held it up, and it began to glow in his hands. Lady Death hacked at him, but her sword bounced off an invisible barrier around him. Bad Kitty and Bedlam fired their weapons at him, but the bullets also bounced off the shield.
Jade summoned her emerald dragon and it reared up over the Saviour. It thrust its jaws down at him and swallowed him whole. The dragon then convulsed, and there was a burst of light from within its stomach. The dragon exploded into green mist, which dispersed to reveal the Saviour standing, unharmed.
"Girls, punish them for their blasphemy. Kill them."
At the Saviour's words, Silence and Rakshasa leapt up, casting off their robes. Silence drew out a pair of katanas and ran at Jade, who fended her off desperately. Rakshasa transformed into a giant demonic panther and bounded at Purgatori, tearing at her with her savage claws.
"Rakshasa, no!" Purgatori cried out in despair.
While Jade and Purgatori fought for their lives against their dearest friends, Lady Death, Chastity, Oblivia, Cremator, Vandala and Vulnavia all hacked and slashed and beat at the impenetrable barrier around the Saviour. Bedlam and Bad Kitty continued to fire at the barrier, but were unable to penetrate it.
Sarah Wilson also threw her power at the Saviour, but even her dark energy was unable to penetrate the barrier around him. But with every attack, she noticed the amulet in his hands pulse with light.
Concentrating, Sarah focused the dark energy around the amulet, and hid its light from view, blocking it out completely.
The barrier around the Saviour collapsed. Lady Death wrapped the chain of Scynister around his throat, pulled him forward, and thrust the blade of Apocalypse into his chest, all the way up to the hilt. The Saviour fell down, dead at her feet.
Upon the Saviour's death, Rakshasa and Silence immediately ceased their attack. Rakshasa changed back to her human form and sank her face into Purgatori's arms.
"Oh beloved," she sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Purgatori stroked her hair tenderly. "It's okay, my love. Everything's going to be okay now."
Bedlam gazed out over the fleeing crowd, listening to their screams of terror and despair. He also glanced at the cameras at the back, and saw that the broadcasting lights were on.
"Time to go." Bedlam murmured, and with a bright flash of light, the dark alliance disappeared from the stage.
In Winterhaven, the dark alliance discussed their future.
"Things are gonna get nasty back on our world, now," Bedlam told them. "We just murdered a holy preacher in front of a crowd of thousands, live on national television. We are about as popular now as Bin Laden. There ain't nowhere we can go that we won't be attacked on sight."
"Nevertheless, Lucifer is there, somewhere," Lady Death replied. "No matter what happens, I am going to find him, and kill him."
"We will guard Winterhaven for you, sister," Vandala told her. "I suggest you leave Cremator and Brock here with us."
"I belong with Rakshasa," Purgatori spoke up, "and Rakshasa belongs on Earth. We still have to find a place called Kelethar."
"Hmmm," Bedlam replied. "I might be able to help you with that."
"I will not abandon China to the Triads," Jade said. "Return me to my home."
"I still have friends on Earth," Chastity said. "I have to make sure they're okay."
"I don't belong here either," said Bad Kitty, stroking the mangy cat on her shoulder.
"Neither do I," said Sarah. "I need to find out what's happening to me."
"Very well," Bedlam said. "I will take you all to where you need to be. But we have to stay in contact. I'll leave a bit o' my power with each o' you. And if you find yourselves in need of each other, think of that person, and you will be brought together. But this will only work once. So be careful."
Bedlam held out his hands, and each member of the dark alliance placed their hands upon his. Their hands began to glow, as the alliance was sealed, and their destinies brought together.
On Earth, in a room that did not officially exist, five men met. Four of them sat around a table, drinking strong coffee, while the fifth stood before them.
On the back wall, a bank of television screens replayed the death of Neox, along with the terrible slaughters in Chicago and San Francisco and Times Square. The faces of those involved in these events were focused on and frozen on the screen.
"As you can see, Mr Molto," said the man in front of the screens, "these people are extremely dangerous. Gallows' visions have proven to be true. If you had listened to him, all those people might still be alive, now. Gallows himself might still be alive."
"Well he isn't," spoke Mr Molto, one of the old men who was seated at the table. "Gallows' body was discovered in that church Neox told us about, his heart torn out of his chest. How was I to know he was telling to truth? God! How was I to know that magic was real and that vampires and werewolves and monsters actually exist?!"
"Well, now you know."
"You have a plan to stop them?"
"Yes, Mr Molto, I do. All I need is the authority to do whatever I need to do."
"You have it, Mr Lourde, you have it."
Lady Death
Dark Alliance
Part Five: Defeat
The large, heavily scarred man, bleeding from a dozen wounds, staggered through the shimmering portal into the abandoned church known as Sanctuary. A tall, pale-skinned woman leaned wearily on his shoulders, barely able to hold on to her glowing sword, as her body was sorely bruised and beaten.
"Thank you, Cremator," the woman murmured. "You have always been my loyal guardian."
"'Tis my honour, Lady Death," he replied.
Lady Death looked up, and saw that they were not alone. Four other women and a skull-faced man were also there. On the floor of the church was the corpse of a large man, and one of the women was kneeled beside the body, weeping softly. The other four looked at Lady Death as she entered, and the expressions on their faces spoke of defeat.
"What happened?" Lady Death asked.
The skull-faced man walked over to her. "It was a trap, pale-face. Neox was there, and he was waitin' for us."
"Surely you must have recognised the trap, Bedlam?" Lady Death asked him.
"Yup," Bedlam replied. "But Rakshasa and Silence were also both there as bait. We had no choice but to attack. When we did, Neox summoned the big guy himself, Lucifer, and that's when things went real bad real quick. It was Lucifer who killed Gallows, he died saving Oblivia's life."
"How did the rest of you survive?"
"We almost didn't. My powers were being jammed, and we didn't stand a chance against ol' hornhead. It was Sarah who saved us. That girl has power the likes of which even I have never seen before. Lucifer was forced to focus all his power on her, and that must have been what allowed me to teleport them all back outta there."
"I see." Before Lady Death could question him further, one of the portals behind her shimmered, and a red-skinned woman with wings and horns flew into the church. An oriental vampire, bloodied and torn, was being held in the winged vampire's arms.
Dropping the other vampire to the floor, the winged vampire immediately landed and ran towards Bedlam.
"Did you find my Rakshasa?" she asked, almost desperately.
"Ah'm afraid not, Purgatori. We found her, as well as Silence, but Lucifer took them away again. There was nothing we could do."
"Damn!" Purgatori hissed.
Once more, one of the portals in the Sanctuary shimmered, and a pair of winged women flew into the church. Both women were badly burned, and their wings were charred and blackened. The two of them crashed to the floor in pain and exhaustion.
Lady Death ran over to the two of them and knelt down beside one of them, who only had a few strands of golden hair left on her head.
"By the Abyss, Vandala!" Lady Death exclaimed. "Was the battle so terrible?"
"It was...worse." Vandala choked out through cracked lips. "Vulnavia got the Pipes of Pan away from Pagan, but he was still somehow able to control the flame giants. There were too many of them to fight, they almost overwhelmed us. We tried...cough...to kill Pagan, but our weapons had no effect. He healed every wound instantly. Even my light failed to affect his darkness. We would...have died. But Pagan disappeared suddenly, taking the flame giants with him, leaving us to return here. I am sorry, sister, but we failed."
"Hush, sister," Lady Death told her. "There is no shame in fighting against overwhelming odds."
"How did your fight go, Jade?" Bedlam turned to the oriental vampire, as she slowly picked herself up off the floor.
"Not much better, I'm afraid," Jade replied. "Séance's control over the water dragons was total. None of my dispelling magics had any effect. Purgatori's blood alchemy was equally useless. It was all we could do just to survive. But then, as the battle reached its peak, séance just disappeared, leaving the water dragons to collapse back into the water."
"The Lords of Hell are more powerful than ever!" Lady Death growled, clenching her fists in anger. "I have fought and defeated Asteroth several times before, yet this time he fought both me and Cremator to a standstill! But then, he also disappeared, just as the battle was getting interesting. Lucifer must have empowered them, somehow, given them all a portion of his own power."
"I see you didn't have much more success," Jade said to Bedlam, as she nodded at the body of Morgan Gallows.
"No. We didn't," Bedlam replied sadly.
"Then this 'alliance' is over," Purgatori hissed. "I am going to find my Rakshasa, even if I have to tear this whole planet apart!"
"Now hold on, Red," Bedlam urged her. "This isn't over yet. I think I know a way to track your missing girls. We can still find them."
"Then let's go!" Purgatori growled.
"Not yet," Lady Death told her. "We need to recover, first. Between the three of us we have enough magic to heal our injuries, so let's do that before leaping into battle again."
"Chastity, I noticed an old tv and vcr in the back," Bedlam said to one of the other women, one who had red hair. "Could you bring it out here, please?"
Chastity nodded and ran off. "What do you want that for?" Lady Death asked him.
Bedlam took out a video tape from the inside pocket of his jacket. "Gallows had visions. He had an idea somethin' bad might happen, and he left me this tape, just in case."
Chastity soon returned, wheeling a small desk with a portable television and a video recorder upon it. Bedlam moved the television to the front of the church and plugged it in. He then inserted the tape, switched on the television, and they all gathered round to watch. Even Oblivia looked up, from where she knelt by Gallows corpse.
After a few moments, Gallows face appeared on the screen, as strong and as confident as when he was alive.
"If you're watching this, then I'm dead, just as I saw in my vision. This means that I now have no choice but to tell you everything. Each one of you was a part of my vision. Lady Death, Purgatori, Jade, Bedlam, Chastity, Bad Kitty, Cremator, Vandala, Vulnavia, Oblivia, Sarah Wilson, even Silence and Rakshasa, you are all needed if we are to defeat this apocalypse. You must all fight together, or separately you will fall! I don't know what the enemy's plan is, or exactly how to stop it, but I do know that fighting them head on will not be enough. Only by figuring out their plan will you stop them. Fighting is what they expect you to do. If you're to beat them, you must find another way."
"Well, that's helpful," Jade commented.
"Oblivia, the rest of this message is for you, alone."
Bedlam reached over and stopped the tape. Lady Death turned to the young vampire. "What could he have to say to you that does not concern the rest of us?"
Oblivia stared back at her. "He's my dad."
"Oh." Lady Death turned away.
"Come on, let's give the girl some space," Bedlam said. "We'll continue our discussion outside." Bedlam led the way out of the Sanctuary, and the others followed him out. Chastity was the last to leave, and before she did she put her hand on Oblivia's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, kid," Chastity told her. "He was my friend, as well as your dad. I'll miss him too."
When she was at last left alone in the church, Oblivia restarted the tape, bringing her father's face back onto the screen.
"I'm sorry we didn't spend more time together, Oblivia, and I'm sorry I was never there for you. There's still a lot you need to learn about yourself, about your identity and your destiny. I want you to know that I'm real proud of you. You're as tough as you are beautiful, much like your mother. It's time I told you about her, about Serena."
Oblivia sat back to listen, and fresh tears began to flow from her eyes.
Outside, Jade held her hands over Vulnavia's body, enveloping her in a green glow. When the glow faded, the severe burns over her body disappeared, leaving her skin unmarred. Only the emptiness of her left eye remained.
"I cannot heal that injury," Jade told her.
"Don't worry, nobody could," Vulnavia replied.
The rest of the alliance stood around, having been healed of their injuries by Jade's sorcery. Suddenly, Chastity, who had wandered off somewhere, came running back.
"Everybody, come quick!" she cried. "You have got to see this!"
Chastity ran back down the street, and the others followed after her. The red-haired vampire stopped outside the window of an electrical store, where a television set on display had been left on all night. They all gathered round to watch, and stared in horror at the screen.
On the television was a news report, which came from San Francisco. A camera crew hovered in a helicopter over the Golden Gate Bridge, and broadcast the battle between Jade, Purgatori, Séance and the water dragons. The camera recorded in horrific detail the slaughter on the bridge, as the dragons caused untold havoc to countless vehicles and people. There was a close-up view of Séance and Purgatori, as the vampire sank her fangs into his throat, only to choke on his acidic blood. There was static on the screen as Jade cast her sorcery at Séance, only to be blocked by counter- spells. And the cameras recorded the scene when Purgatori transformed scores of innocent people on the bridge into blood warriors, to be sent into battle against Séance, only to be massacred by the dragons.
The news then switched to Chicago, where flaming giants burned down an entire street. Vandala and Vulnavia flew down and attacked Pagan, who was controlling the giants with the Pipes of Pan, and though the women seemed at first to be trying to protect the people on the street, they soon became caught up in a berserker fury, and they both concentrated on attacking Pagan, leaving the giants to incinerate the crowd.
Finally, there was a report from Times Square, where a crowd had gathered to watch a heavyweight boxing contest, only to be massacred by the demon centaur Asteroth. Lady Death appeared and attacked him, and the battle left no room for innocent survivors.
"Oh my god!" the blonde-haired woman known as Bad Kitty exclaimed.
"I fail to see the point of this!" Purgatori said.
"You wouldn't," Chastity hissed. "This will be all over the news, soon. There's no way to cover this up. We're out in the open, now. We're exposed. The whole world now knows about the supernatural. There's no hiding anymore. Vampires, werewolves, witches, all of us will now be hunted wherever we go. We've just seen the beginning of a new Inquisition!"
The television then switched to a live broadcast of Neox, who was speaking directly to the viewers.
"I want to hear this," Chastity said, and she punched her fist through the glass window and turned up the volume.
"Now you know the truth," Neox preached. "The old gods have revealed themselves. They fight among themselves with no regard for the mortals that once worshipped them. Their battles will kill thousands, millions, and they do not care. They are arrogant and prideful, and they value our lives not at all. Only my Lord truly loves us, and he will protect us. We must destroy these false gods wherever they may be found. My Lord will protect you, and give you the strength to slay them. My Lord speaks directly to me. He tells me where they hide. Even now, some of them cower in an abandoned church, that they call Sanctuary, on 53rd and 4th street in New York's east side. Find these false gods! Slay them! My Lord will protect you! Do not be afraid!"
"Great," Lady Death closed her eyes. "Just great."
A van came speeding down the street and stopped just outside the church. Several people climbed out; one carried a microphone and another held a recording camera over his shoulder. They all focused on the church, they did not notice Lady Death or her companions up the street.
"We'd better get out of here," Chastity suggested.
"I'm not afraid of humans," Purgatori sneered.
"You'd better be," Chastity told her. "Even you can't fight the entire U.S. Army."
"I have my blood alchemy." Purgatori responded.
"They have napalm!" Chastity answered back.
Bedlam held up his hand, and with a bright flash of light they all suddenly found themselves somewhere else. It was the hall of an enormous cathedral, with the walls decorated with gargoyles and demons and spectral reapers.
"Winterhaven!" Lady Death recognised her old home.
"I'll be right back," Bedlam told them, and disappeared.
Oblivia looked up as Bedlam appeared beside her in a flash. The television screen was blank, as the tape had finished.
"Come on, we're leaving," Bedlam told her, as he held out his hand. Oblivia, beginning to hear a crowd gathering outside the church, nodded and took his hand.
Bedlam and Oblivia appeared in Winterhaven, to find the others still waiting for them.
"Why'd you bring us here?" Lady Death demanded to know.
"It was the only place I could think of that the president ain't likely to nuke anytime soon," Bedlam replied. "Now I think I know a way to find Silence and Rakshasa. I have a way with portals and rifts, and part of my power lets me track the direction of a portal, no matter who opens it. If we return to that CODA house, I should be able to reopen the portal through which Lucifer came, and through which the two girls fell. It's risky, but it's the only lead we have. Is everybody coming?"
"Take me there!" Purgatori snarled.
"Lucifer will die, forever this time," Lady Death agreed, Cremator and the green-skinned troll, Brock, beside her.
"Count me in," Chastity spoke up.
"I will rescue Silence, and kill anyone who has harmed her," said Jade.
"My sister and I are with you," said Vandala, standing beside Vulnavia.
"I guess I'm coming too," Bad Kitty reloaded her guns as she spoke.
"I will see an end to this!" hissed Sarah.
"Try and stop me," growled Oblivia, her eyes filled with determination.
The dark alliance gathered around Bedlam, as he held up his hand, marked with the Chaos Crest, and teleported them back to Earth. They appeared outside the gutted wreckage of the shelter, of which only blackened timbers remained. All the bodies of those who had died within had been taken away. The alliance dug through the wreckage until they found the stairs leading below. They entered the cellar, which was only a charred and empty ruin now.
Standing before the wall, Bedlam held up his hand and cast out his power, reopening the portal that had been opened there just a few hours ago. The wall folds in on itself, opening to another place.
One by one, they stepped through.
On the other side, they appeared upon a large stage. Gathered before the stage was a crowd of thousands of people, and speaking to them was Neox. The crowd screamed as one as the dark alliance appeared behind him.
"Dammit!" Bedlam said upon realising where they were. "Talk about falling for the same trick twice!"
Neox slowly turned around, and as he did so, his features shifted subtly.
"I know you," Purgatori gasped. "Saviour, you served me once, as we tried to kill...something!" Purgatori blinked in confusion, as she found her memory to be strangely blank.
"I do not fear you!" The Saviour cried. "I do not fear any of you, for my Lord is with me!"
"I will teach you fear!" Lady Death summoned Apocalypse and Scynister into her hands, but Bedlam held her back. "It's a trap, Lady!"
The Saviour held out his hands, and two robed figures walked towards him. They kneeled down beside him, and threw back their hoods, revealing their faces.
"Rakshasa!" Purgatori cried.
"Silence!" Jade cried at the same time.
"Rakshasa, come to me!" Purgatori held out her hand to her beloved, but Rakshasa simply continued to gaze up at the Saviour in adoration, as did Silence.
The Saviour placed his hands on their heads and stroked them as though they were pets. "They have seen the light," he told them. "They belong to the Lord, now!"
With a scream of fury, Purgatori charged at the Saviour, her claws reaching for his throat. The Saviour caught her wrists in his hands, and at his touch her skin burned and sizzled. Purgatori howled in furious agony.
"The light of my faith burns demons like you," he told her.
Lady Death threw off Bedlam's hold on her and ran forward, Apocalypse held high. The Saviour took out his holy amulet and held it up, and it began to glow in his hands. Lady Death hacked at him, but her sword bounced off an invisible barrier around him. Bad Kitty and Bedlam fired their weapons at him, but the bullets also bounced off the shield.
Jade summoned her emerald dragon and it reared up over the Saviour. It thrust its jaws down at him and swallowed him whole. The dragon then convulsed, and there was a burst of light from within its stomach. The dragon exploded into green mist, which dispersed to reveal the Saviour standing, unharmed.
"Girls, punish them for their blasphemy. Kill them."
At the Saviour's words, Silence and Rakshasa leapt up, casting off their robes. Silence drew out a pair of katanas and ran at Jade, who fended her off desperately. Rakshasa transformed into a giant demonic panther and bounded at Purgatori, tearing at her with her savage claws.
"Rakshasa, no!" Purgatori cried out in despair.
While Jade and Purgatori fought for their lives against their dearest friends, Lady Death, Chastity, Oblivia, Cremator, Vandala and Vulnavia all hacked and slashed and beat at the impenetrable barrier around the Saviour. Bedlam and Bad Kitty continued to fire at the barrier, but were unable to penetrate it.
Sarah Wilson also threw her power at the Saviour, but even her dark energy was unable to penetrate the barrier around him. But with every attack, she noticed the amulet in his hands pulse with light.
Concentrating, Sarah focused the dark energy around the amulet, and hid its light from view, blocking it out completely.
The barrier around the Saviour collapsed. Lady Death wrapped the chain of Scynister around his throat, pulled him forward, and thrust the blade of Apocalypse into his chest, all the way up to the hilt. The Saviour fell down, dead at her feet.
Upon the Saviour's death, Rakshasa and Silence immediately ceased their attack. Rakshasa changed back to her human form and sank her face into Purgatori's arms.
"Oh beloved," she sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Purgatori stroked her hair tenderly. "It's okay, my love. Everything's going to be okay now."
Bedlam gazed out over the fleeing crowd, listening to their screams of terror and despair. He also glanced at the cameras at the back, and saw that the broadcasting lights were on.
"Time to go." Bedlam murmured, and with a bright flash of light, the dark alliance disappeared from the stage.
In Winterhaven, the dark alliance discussed their future.
"Things are gonna get nasty back on our world, now," Bedlam told them. "We just murdered a holy preacher in front of a crowd of thousands, live on national television. We are about as popular now as Bin Laden. There ain't nowhere we can go that we won't be attacked on sight."
"Nevertheless, Lucifer is there, somewhere," Lady Death replied. "No matter what happens, I am going to find him, and kill him."
"We will guard Winterhaven for you, sister," Vandala told her. "I suggest you leave Cremator and Brock here with us."
"I belong with Rakshasa," Purgatori spoke up, "and Rakshasa belongs on Earth. We still have to find a place called Kelethar."
"Hmmm," Bedlam replied. "I might be able to help you with that."
"I will not abandon China to the Triads," Jade said. "Return me to my home."
"I still have friends on Earth," Chastity said. "I have to make sure they're okay."
"I don't belong here either," said Bad Kitty, stroking the mangy cat on her shoulder.
"Neither do I," said Sarah. "I need to find out what's happening to me."
"Very well," Bedlam said. "I will take you all to where you need to be. But we have to stay in contact. I'll leave a bit o' my power with each o' you. And if you find yourselves in need of each other, think of that person, and you will be brought together. But this will only work once. So be careful."
Bedlam held out his hands, and each member of the dark alliance placed their hands upon his. Their hands began to glow, as the alliance was sealed, and their destinies brought together.
On Earth, in a room that did not officially exist, five men met. Four of them sat around a table, drinking strong coffee, while the fifth stood before them.
On the back wall, a bank of television screens replayed the death of Neox, along with the terrible slaughters in Chicago and San Francisco and Times Square. The faces of those involved in these events were focused on and frozen on the screen.
"As you can see, Mr Molto," said the man in front of the screens, "these people are extremely dangerous. Gallows' visions have proven to be true. If you had listened to him, all those people might still be alive, now. Gallows himself might still be alive."
"Well he isn't," spoke Mr Molto, one of the old men who was seated at the table. "Gallows' body was discovered in that church Neox told us about, his heart torn out of his chest. How was I to know he was telling to truth? God! How was I to know that magic was real and that vampires and werewolves and monsters actually exist?!"
"Well, now you know."
"You have a plan to stop them?"
"Yes, Mr Molto, I do. All I need is the authority to do whatever I need to do."
"You have it, Mr Lourde, you have it."