III

He awakened some unknown amount of time later to the clang of a deadbolt being drawn back and instantly pinpointed the source of the noise; the heavy iron door that barred the end of the cellblock. The sound was immediately followed by the muffled thumping of approaching paws accompanied by a harsh miasma of blood, sweat and filth. Soldiers, in other words…or at least that's what they liked to think they were, rather than just some religious fanatics who were so engrossed in their own twisted form of the occult that they were blind to the fact that it was falling down around their ears. Their coming could mean one of two things; they'd had enough of drilling him and had decided to finally send him off to Judgment, or they were merely coming to smash a few more bones and spill a little more blood before taking him down to the Chamber for another round.

In truth, he actually welcomed the likelihood of it being the latter rather than the former. It would only give him yet another chance to prove his Faith. He turned his face up to the light spilling in through his open cell door and felt something close to amazement. He couldn't be seeing this…could he? He squinted and sniffed, trying to rely on his malfunctioning, blood-clogged nose for reassurance and yes, he discovered, it was true after all.

They'd brought food…and not just that, but water as well.

His stomach grumbled urgently beneath him and saliva flooded his mouth and spilled down his chin as he unconsciously swiped his ragged tongue over a bloody upper lip. He paid no heed to his hunger for now however, as all his attention was fixed on the fur bearing the silver tray. He was a badger, of all things, with sleek iron-gray fur, dyed a deep amethyst purple along the right side of his face. He stood in the doorway, flanked by two others, his posture erect, his spotless beige uniform newly pressed, wearing a red armband that bore an insignia that looked something like two crossed lightening bolts. He stood there, surveying Ash with eyes like granite, assessing the damage, lingering momentarily on the lupine's shattered arm and noting the absence of several fingers and toes. Finally, he turned and spoke briskly to the other two in some throaty foreign tongue that the starving prisoner could not identify. The badger obviously held a higher rank than the two of them, for they snapped a sharp salute that he returned and then marched off, leaving him alone with Ash. The officer watched them go, then stepped inside and bent, placing the platter and pitcher before him.

Ash starred at them for a moment, already somewhat suspicious, trying to comprehend the meaning of it all. Why the sudden change in tactics? They'd never given him food before, or water either for that matter. Were they hoping to illicit a confession out of him? He puzzled over this, decided that such questions could wait, and returned his attention to the officer, who had procured a small folding chair from somewhere out in the hall and now sat before him, hunched forward, hands clasped loosely between his knees, watching Ash's every move with his iron eyes. His face remained stony, betraying not a hint of his true intent.

For several minutes, neither moved, or even said a word. They merely stared at each other, the prisoner with his ravaged body and exhausted face, the soldier in his crisp uniform, still as a statue. Then, amazingly, the badger broke the silence.

"…Aren't you going to eat something?" His voice was thick with an accent that was somewhere between French and Italian and although it was rich and inviting, those lamb slaughterer's eyes never softened.

Ash shook his head.

"Why not?"

He was forced to swallow several times before he was able to cajole his tongue into forming distinguishable words. "…Poison."

The badger nodded dolefully, as though this did not surprise him. "Smart fur." He allowed, "but I assure you both the food and water are clean."

"…Why…?" It was getting harder to talk. If he wanted to continue this conversation for very much longer, he'd have to take the badger at his word and drink something, if only to allow his mouth to function properly and douse the dry fire burning in his damaged throat.

The other shrugged, interpreting Ash's query without need of further explanation. "You're a stubborn bastard, I'll give you that much." He smiled. There was no trace of warmth in it. After producing a pack of American Spirit cigarettes and firing one up with a gold lighter, he went on. "For weeks we have cut you, shot you, burned you, maimed you, even cut off your balls, anything we could think of…and still, you refuse to recant." He exhaled a cloud of pale gray smoke. "Even now as you stand on death's very doorstep, you remain unchanged."

"You…didn't answer…my question…." He needed the water – more, he wanted it – but for now, he held his ground. He was in need of nutrition yes, but right now answers interested him more than food or drink.

The badger grunted and tapped ash onto the dirty floor. "All right…to the point then." He paused, dragging on his cigarette, expelling the acrid smoke from his nose in a sigh. "I simply want to keep you alive long enough to satisfy my curiosity before I send you to hang." His lips spread in a hard, grim smile. "Now, what do you think about that?"

Ash did his best to imitate a shrug of indifference. "It…makes no…no difference…one way or…the other." A raging forest fire burned in his throat. If he didn't drink soon, it wouldn't matter how much he wanted to continue to preach, for his voice would fail him, perhaps forever this time. He tried swallowing, but his mouth was a dry dessert void of any lubricating fluids. "In the end…I'll go…to His Kingdom…."

The other snorted. "All right then…It seems your mind's made up? You refuse to recant?"

"You should…know…better than…to ask me, Sir." He smiled. "I could never…never renounce Him."

The badger nodded as if he'd expected nothing less. "I see…may I ask why?"

Ash's eyebrows went up. "You…really wish…to know?"

"Yes."

"Ah…" he smiled. "First…answer me this…do you…believe in God, Sir?" a shake of the head. "Can I…ask why not?"

"What sort of God would allow those whom he supposedly holds closest to him to die as you are now?"

"A great and…loving one."

"You truly believe this?"

"With…all my heart…Sir."

He officer snorted. "Then you are a fool."

"If you only…only knew Him, Sir…you wouldn't…think so."

The badger's hand flashed out, fast as lightening, the fingers seizing Ash by the hair and yanking him cruelly forward. Blood once more spurted from Ash's broken nose as his face was raked and smashed against the unevenly milled concrete floor, causing him to give a low cry of pain as new wounds joined in the chorus of the old, half-healed ones in an internal choir of suffering. His head flared in pain as the Officer adjusted his grip to better grind his face against the bloody floor one final time before roughly jerking him backwards, bending his neck at a cruel angle.

"I'm sorry…I though I heard you say something about me getting to know God?" The question came in a low growl of utter hatred and loathing, spit flying from between the badgers lips as he pressed his muzzle in the cup of Ash's ear.

Ash tried to smile, but all he could manage was a weak twitch of the lips. He spat a mouthful of crimson fluid into the rapidly spreading puddle on the floor in front of him before finally getting the twisted rag of his tongue to work properly, his voice seeming almost to bubble forth as he attempted to clear the blood running down the back of his throat and keep from choking on it at the same time.

"…That…I did…."

A blow to the face sent him sprawling back against the wall, the back of his head exploding in a pain as it connected. Half-blinded by the searing pain that now filled his head, he looked up just in time to see the other advancing on him, cracking his knuckles viscously. He had no time to prepare for the assault, for the badger was on him once more, grabbing him by the collared front of his ruined shirt and shaking him like a terrier with a rat in its jaws, raining blows down on him with a fist like iron.

Finally, the Officer straightened, pulling his uniform back into place. Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, he began to methodically wipe the blood from his furry knuckles, rising the them in the pitcher of water. He hawked and spat into the now tainted fluid before tossing the vile mess into Ash's bloody face.

"Will you repent?" The voice had lost its sympathetic edge and was now as hard and soulless as steel.

"…. No…."

"Then I have but one choice." The badger stood, towering over Ash's slumped and beaten form, his eyes glinting. "I hope you understand my reasons…."

Ash's head bobbed imperceptibly, his mouth twitching in a futile attempt to smile through his agony. "Aye…do…your duty…Sir."

He closed his eyes, giving silent thanks to God for once again blessing him so greatly as to give him the chance to continually prove his Faith over and over again when so many were falling away, his lips moving in silent prayer even as he heard the officer call the guards over once more, not bothering to change languages this time. No, he wanted the bleeding wolf to hear his orders and know what was coming. Ash would've grinned in spite of himself if he'd had any control over his face. What fools they were, to still think pain could in any way change his mind even after all this time…

Having finished his silent praise to his Lord, the bleeding, starving lupine who had once been arrested for assaulting a skunk who had been trying to rape a young bear cub squinted his eyes against the light flooding in from the now open door to better see what torture they had in store for him this time….

The two furs left him, their hands and faces stained red as a testemate to their bloody work of the last three hours. Ash watched them go, barely conscious, his left eye swollen almost shut, but glad. Not, not just glad; content. Contentment had come at a high price however, but he wasn't complaining. They had done their worst yet…had carried half his tail off with them, taken one of his ears, four more of his toes…five of his teeth…but they had not broken his spirit. Not so much as made a dent in his Faith. He didn't hold them any ill will – they had just been following orders…and after all, his body was merely a prison from which God would soon deliver him….

And I'll get to see her…. He thought, his heart swelling at the thought. I'll get to see Central again…. Beautiful Central…. He sighed slowly, wishing he had the strength to move his broken jaw and swollen tongue even a little…for he wouldn't have needed much to sing.

Aww…poor little Ashley-kins, Are we all tapped out already, ass-bitch?

Crap.

His face twisted in an involuntary snarl of distaste. The Demon was back…and it couldn't have picked a worse time to make its appearance. Then again, that was probably the idea, he reasoned. It had probably hung around in the corner, whispering to the Officer, watching with primal glee as the guards went to work on him…whispering softly into their ears as well. He had no way to be sure if it had done so or not, but he wouldn't have put it past the thing. It was evil after all, pure evil. He shook his head weakly. No, no, can't dwell on that now…. He had to focus all his will on keeping it at bay. He tried for confidence, it was his only chance…he hadn't the strength to fight him off again so soon.

Back for more, are we Kane?

Oh so she told you my name, did she? Figures...but you know I could never, ever leave you, my little blood-spattered angel, not after all the blood and shit and piss we've been through together. A dry laugh like the grating of a rusty door hinge rang out. What sort of friend would I be if I just up and left you without even saying goodbye, and right when you need me the most?

Get out, right now.

Make me… A dry chuckle, oh wait, that's right; you can't.

If his teeth ground any harder, they'd crumble to powder before long. He swallowed, a grime of sweat beginning to run down his face with the effort of maintaining control. Can't let it get me, not here, not now, not ever again!

Get out…or I'll –

You'll what? It interrupted, taking on the mocking tones of an elementary playground bully. Just what kind of gun have you got left to hold to my head and force me out the door with? You can't fool me, buddy-boy; you used your last shell back there…and in this game, there ain't no reloads and your only clip is empty.

Are you sure about that, Friend? There was a moment of silence from the other side. He grabbed it with both hands – it might be the only opening he'd ever get. You can try to scare me all you like, but I know the truth – you're blind as a bat. You've got no idea how much I've really left in me…and you know in your heart of hearts that your powers are no match for His. So…still like to try your luck?

He knew he was all but dancing in Death's cold embrace, but it was the only card he had left in his hand; a blatant lie. Despite how clever the unnamed demon in his head might think itself to be, he knew better. Even Satan in all his dark prowess had his limits, and his minions were no exception. The thing might want him to believe it could read his innermost thoughts, sense his dwindling reservoirs of stamina, but he knew better. Yet this time, whether it knew it or not, the thing was right; he really had almost nothing left now. All he could do was pray for the power to cast it out once again, or at least push it far enough away to regain control…and beg Him and all His angels that it wouldn't call his bluff before his prayers were answered.

Finally, it spoke. Don't get comfortable, My Pet; I'll be back later…to finish the job. You'll crack eventually. How many do you think I've taken? Eons worth, Ash-shit; I've had dozens, hundreds, thousands…and they all turned in the end. They were all too weak to keep going…and you're no different…you'll be mine yet, just wait and see….

Then it was gone, receding from his mind like a black tide…and he was left with only the sounds of his own heart thumping away in his chest for company. That had been close…too close. He needed help…needed Central…but did he dare call her, an Angel, a Servant of the Almighty, to come to him? For some moments he lingered on the verge of unconsciousness while he pondered this…but eventually gave in and prepared to summon all his energy to call her. Who was he kidding…without His help, he would succumb to Kane sooner or later – his body would just refuse to take the abuse and there was no telling what Kane could do to him if he somehow got a hold of him in this weakened state.

He might be playing with a loaded deck, he thought grimly as he mustered his last vestiges of strength, dropping all his defenses, trying to call out to her, but I've got a trump card….

He reached and reached; praying with all his might…but there was nothing. He tried again, pushing harder this time…and still, nothing. Not so much as a glimmer of light. He panted, his head pounding from the strain. He still had enough left for one more push…but was it worth it? She hadn't answered the first two…so what guarantee was there that she would answer the third? He frowned, glaring down at his twisted hands, debating. If he should call her again, his strength really would be all gone, every last ounce of it…and even though he couldn't read his thoughts, instinct would alert Kane to his opening…he would be leaving himself wide open for the fiend. If he didn't call her, Kane would come again anyway, sooner or later…and in his present state, Ash knew Kane would tear through what little power he had left to shield himself with as easily as if it were tissue paper…and he needed to be ready when that happened…. But…

A sudden darkness flooded his mind, a swirling, and festering cloak of night blackening all it touched. His eyes widened, the dull, coppery taste of fear flooding his mouth as he realized what had happened. It was –

Should've been more careful, Ashley. Kane sneered, his voice thundering inside his head as if from a surround sound system. The pressure in his head began to climb skyward once more, only in sharp jabs and jolts this time, making him crumple into a ball, his eyes watering, blood pouring from his mouth, nose, ears…eyes.

I'm back for good…and this time, I'm taking you with me, my peach. His eyes widened in horror as what felt like a mental scalpel embedded itself in his throat, cutting off his air.

No bitch to save you this time…you're mine now.

No…no… he tried to scream but his throat refused to work. With his last ounce of strength, he threw caution to the winds and prayed with all his might, trying desperately to block out the insanely thundering voice that was slowly but surely stealing away his lifeforce.

God…please….Please…help me….

Blood darkened his shirt as blood rushed to his broken head and he began to choke and gasp, his empty stomach doubling in on itself, his guts writhing inside him. His vision faded, the darkness swarming over his eyes, seeming eager to gobble up whatever sweet vision he might have left.

Sorry, the Bitch can't come to the phone right now…time to come with uncle Kane.

A red-hot railroad spike was driven into his stomach, followed by another and another…and another. Tears streamed down his face and he let out a breathless scream of utter agony as the monster sank its talons deep into him, ripping at his already battered body from the inside out.

Yes, yes, yes! That's it! It roared in black, sadistic triumph. Suffer! Suffer and die, oh Willing Servant…It's what you get for all the shit you put me through all those years ago…what goes around comes around…and lady Payback's a true bitch! The darkness…it was so powerful…too powerful. He couldn't fight it, not matter how much he wanted to. He began to sob uncontrollably, not only from pain, but from despair as well. The thing was going to ravage him…it was going to win…and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

That's right, you can't stop it! You'll NEVER stop me! You know why? It's because I know what you did before you died, before you made the mistake of leaving me to rot in Hell all by myself, you shit! You and Jack - you killed them all, you sniveling little Christian FUCK! You killed every last one of them and that waste of a Sin doesn't even remember you! I still don't know what God was thinking, giving a cock-sucking little baby killer like you a second chance! You don't even deserve to suck my -

A sudden bright light exploded into life inside his head, driving the black specter away from him with the force of a flash flood. He heard a cry of outraged disappointment, followed by a roar of pain as she began to drive the thing from his head, trying to banish Kane to the dark realm from whence he'd come. He gasped, breathing heavily, his back arching, body twisting freakishly, his heart pounding as his skull reverberated with the force from her entry…God, but she was strong!

You MONSTER!

No you don't, BITCH! Back off! He's MINE!

Like HELL he is!

A primal snarl of rage followed by a roar of pain as she lashed out at the beast, driving him away. Kane roared and tried to flee from her advance, but he was no match for her speed; she was on him like a harpy, ripping into him with all the savage fury of a mother Grizzly protecting her young cub.

And all of a sudden, he was gone. The darkness had been driven back…. A sudden calm descended over him…it was over. She had won…Kane was gone… He collapsed back onto the dirty floor, his body broken and shaking, his right shoulder dislocated, all his muscles burning like the fires of Hell itself. His ragged breathing slowed. A sudden peace descended over him…and he feel into unconsciousness, already feeling her hurrying to catch him before he fell. He knew even as she ran to him, he was close to death.

Ash! Oh Ashley…hold on, please…hold on….

His eyes slipped closed…and he drifted off to that wonderful world again…ran to fling himself into her open, waiting embrace...

For you…he thought, as he faded from consciousness, I'll hold on...for you…my Angel.