Chapter Twenty One: Linda

Linda gritted her teeth, digging her heels into the ground in a vain attempt to resist the guard. The guard hauled her forward and dropped her on a pedestal before stomping away, armor rattling.

Addonexus gave her what might have been a pleasant smile. To someone. Somewhere.

"Hello, Linda. Doing well?"

She didn't even want to answer, the irritated girl just glared at the Hellhound whom was once again wearing his body concealing cloak. She stuck her tongue out at him and earned a smirk in response.

"Well well. Be that way. Your final performance will be arriving soon." He clicked his forked tongue, eyes bright, flaming tattoos visible thanks to his pulled back hood. Linda just turned her head away, but Addonexus wasn't bothered at all.

"Sire," panted a guard from behind her. Linda turned around on her platform, eyes narrowing against the orange stone amongst the fire and darkness around her. Addonexus looked at the guard coolly, obviously wondering what the trouble was about.

"What is it? Speak, Lukewarm."

Lukewarm, a ghost in human form with a round head, pointed ears, and a rough zigzag mouth spoke hoarsely. "Melas has been killed, along with Infernose. Word has just reached our spies."

The Hellhound narrowed his eyes. "Oh really? Most terrible indeed. That means the Rising Rain clouds have stopped progressing. That is fine; we have more than enough energy to fuel my plan." A pause and a thoughtful look crossed the Devil King's face. "How did Melas die?"

"Ari and his associates, my Lord."

Linda felt her heart swell. They were okay, and kicking butt from the sounds of it. She didn't even try to hide the fact she was listening.

"I see. Unfortunate." He frowned. "They have the Spiritus, do they not? They shall be here any moment, I suspect, to rescue their dear friend."

"Coracinus is out of the action, Sire. He's moved on." Lukewarm looked nervous, and Linda wondered why. She wasn't often brought into the Hellhound's direct presence, but she had never seen him lose his temper before.

She felt sorrow pierce her heart, Coracinus had left? She would miss the Shapeshifter, even if his name was insanely complicated. Coracinus Versipellis, she thought unhappily, rest in peace.

"No, not dead. Most likely his soul escaped to the Spiritus. How unfortunate. Luckily he didn't die the special way to come back." Addonexus growled slightly as he remembered that the Shadow Evil King had discovered the secret way one needed to perish to return to life. One whom had did no wrong. What better candidate than the Hero, Rosalyn, especially when she was full of righteous fury?

Unexpectedly, Linda remembered how she became captured again. Stan had something to do with it. She made a mental reminder to kick Coach's butt later. She felt some minor comfort that Coracinus was in the Spiritus, whatever that was.

"Lukewarm, alert the guards. Use every ghost present. I don't want them here until my preparations are complete."

"We shall try our best, sir."

Linda nervously clasped her microphone, grateful she still had her bag. Epros must be with the others, she thought, and they were coming to rescue her.

It had been a long few weeks. But at least they didn't starve or hurt her, but she was always suspicious of the food.

"Epros, hurry." She whispered so quietly it was little more than a light sigh.

***

"Epros, hurry up!" Rosalyn called, racing down the street to get the attention of the magician.

"It is important we rescue Linda, yes, but even we need to rest."

Everyone blinked in surprise. "Usually you want us to race ahead to save her! Where'd this come from?" The Hero asked.

Epros didn't get to answer, because then Ari popped up. "He's right, even with the Spiritus we need to rest. Several of us are injured."

"Fine! But not long," Rosalyn fretted, looking around the almost deserted streets of Madril. The friends had come here after the battle with Melas to deliver Maggie, but unfortunately the fight had taken a lot out of everyone, and even though Rosalyn wouldn't admit it, Ari knew she was exhausted.

"Just one night. Afterwards we can rush straight to him." Ari assured her. A call made the redhead turn, and he smiled at the sight of Maggie and Robert rushing toward him.

"Thank you, for finding her." Robert gave him a grin, and the boy was surprised by the respect in his eyes.

"Yeah, thanks!" Maggie skipped in place. "I was so freaked out."

"You were really brave, actually." Rosalyn told her, and the girl smiled.

"Supplies, rest, food." Ari reminded them.

Epros nodded, and the friends prepared to do the necessary things before their fight with the Devil Evil King.

***

Ari experimented with opening and closing tunnels through the "dimensions", with Shiro instructing him in his head about the proper ways to close and open them. Now that they had Melas's key, which had dropped in the spot he had vanished from, they were scheduled to leave and fight Addonexus in a matter of minutes.

Open.

Close.

Open.

Close.

Ari knew the powers he had, not counting the generic ones the others had, were the most dangerous. He would have to beware using the tunnels, if he messed it up there was a good chance they'd die in between the dimensions. It wasn't something he looked forward to.

Though Ari barely slept, he did sit and try to relax, and the energy gradually returned. Throughout his periods of wakefulness he asked Shiro everything he could about what was going on, and about the Spiritus.

The Spiritus was some kind of physical representation of the usually untouchable Spirits, and he felt a sort of awe for the powerful creatures. If Stan was a Demon, the Spirits were like Angels.

It was necessary to kill Rosalyn because she was good enough, filled with enough Light, to be an Angel. Coracinus was accepted into the Astral Plane because he had enough light.

Ari didn't ask, but he wondered if these divine beings were actually angels, and maybe the Necomortis were the demons.

He found he could call the Spiritus from its position safely between planes, able to withstand the insane turbulence. There was so much to learn that Ari was a little frightened, but he wanted to lead the group correctly and thus got the least amount of sleep, but learned the most.

Ari found out the others all had a guiding Spirit that spoke to them. Foxes, wolves, birds, cats. All sorts of animals that pointed out things they knew and offered their wisdom.

Shiro warned him about the Necomortis, but told him the effects of the Rising Rain could be negated and the landscape restored by a "seraph", but the dragon said sadly there were no "seraphs" in Madril, nor amongst the friends.

So that meant they had to find a "seraph" and that would fix the environment problems.

Now, as he stood carefully constructing and break down tunnels, knowing that if he opened or closed it wrong there could be permanent damage to the dimensions, he told himself what they needed to do.

First, they needed to find Linda.

Second, they needed to fight Addonexus.

Third, they had to find a "seraph".

So simple, and yet so very complicated. But at least since Melas was gone, the Rising Rain had stopped. That brought them some time, but Stan had a feeling Addonexus was doing something, why else would the Devil Evil King withdraw like that?

Rosalyn approached him. "Okay…we're ready."

Ari looked at all of his friends, whom looked back at him. "Think we can…?" He said uneasily.

"We can't get any more ready." Stan growled, sinking into Ari's shadow.

"That's true, undoubtedly." Kisling said.

Big Bull punched the air, dancing on the spot. Epros just looked at Ari, who sighed, turned around, and pierced the dimensions.

Once the dark portal had opened, he was the first to plunge inside.

Opening a portal to the Diablerie drained a lot of the boy's energy, not to mention the forces here acted very different than on the mortal plane. It was only with Shiro's help that he didn't completely lose his concentration and end up crashing the tunnel down on their heads.

Once they emerged, it was all Ari could do to keep the portal stable until Big Bull hauled himself out, then he closed it.

Hands on knees, the boy gasped for a bit, and then felt Marlene's hand on his shoulder and the cooling rush of healing energy.

Giving her a grateful smile, Ari straightened up.

"Haven't been here in a while." Stan said at last.

The Diablerie was bleak and gray. In some places fire erupted from the ground, and in other places trees hung limply. Ari thought he saw dead bodies among the branches, but another glance revealed it to be dark shadows.

The sky bled hungry, scarlet colors across the cosmos, and the sun hung forever in one position, on the horizon, turning everything blood red. The dirt below their feet was red too.

A field, pale mauve in color, eclipsed them on three sides. And in front of them…

Was a dark, black citadel. It was the shape of a coliseum, and the building was stained with things the boy would rather not think about.

Ari led the way, charging straight into the building.

Inside were rows…and rows…and rows...of ghosts.

***

It became apparent her friends were here by the sounds of cursing, flashes of light and wild battle cries that couldn't be anyone other than Big Bull.

His terrifying roars sent ghosts fleeing for their lives out into the Diablerie "foreverset" the native name for the permanent position of the sun in the sky, hanging low.

Addonexus didn't seem bothered, just continued to chalk up a strange circle around Linda, whom couldn't move thanks to a spell that locked her inside the platform. She glared at him, touching the invisible barrier, heart thumping in desperation.

She kept expecting her friends to appear any moment now…But she saw the blood stained skeletal guards in their glowing armor, and wondered if-

Screams of terror around her again, and Linda looked over her shoulder as Lukewarm limped toward his King, his head almost completely covered in blood.

He had a head wound, was all, and head wounds bled a lot.

"Master, they're breaking through."

"Hold the lines," Addonexus said lazily.

"Hold, Sire?"

"Hold. There are thousands of ghosts and ghouls outside, they will not win. If they do, they'll be too tired to fight me. That's all that matters."

Lukewarm gasped. "But-Sire-we-"

Addonexus stood up, eyes glowing. "Do not worry about your death, Lukewarm. Once I hold both the Necomortis and the Spiritus I can bring back anyone." The demonic canine laughed roughly.

Lukewarm gave a fearful titter but did as he was told. Linda gave a triumphant smirk.

"My friends are going to get you!"

"So you say." Addonexus still seemed unfazed by everything, continuing to draw his circles, now with green chalk.

"What're you doing?" She asked, knowing he wouldn't answer, but just wanted to be distracted from the sounds of bloodshed outside.

"It is time you fulfilled your purpose, my little cherub."

Unsure what a cherub was, but knowing it couldn't be good by the tone of his voice, Linda hunched over, holding her microphone tightly. "What did you call me?" She asked, curious despite herself.

"Cherub." He replied. She thought his speaking pattern was very unlike how he usually spoke, all grand and evil, and she realized he was anxious.

She laughed. "You're nervous!" She giggled again, unable to stop herself. "You're afraid of-"

Addonexus snarled standing up, and a raging fire struck Linda in the face. She screamed, clutching the burned flesh on her hands which she had used to block the flames.

"Silence! I will not be trifled with or mocked."

Linda healed herself, glaring with hateful eyes at Addonexus. He looked back at her calmly.

"Yes, you are special. From the Diablerie, did you know that?"

"No…I was born in-"

"You were born here. That's why you have horns. Humans do not have horns. But you're not a ghost either."

"W-what? Of course I'm a ghost." Linda exclaimed. She was one of the sentient ghosts that lived among the humans, hence her horns. Right?

"No. You're a human slash ghost hybrid." The Hellhound disagreed. "You grew up in the Diablerie, but due to your unique mixture, such a long period here 'messed' with you. It gave you amnesia, and probably made you scatter brained because of it." He smirked. "Yes, your mother gave you to your aunt and uncle, safely away from the Diablerie."

Linda blinked in surprised, then asked in a whisper, "So…?"

"Still blank as ever." Addonexus rolled his eyes. "You were rather looked down on for being a mix, back then anyway."

"Back then?"

"It was a few decades ago that you were here. But I thought such a mixture between an innocent human and a demon…"

Linda leaned back, gasping. No way…it couldn't be, she thought bleakly.

Addonexus pulled his hood over his face with one clawed paw. "Yes, I'm certain you're a cherub. I'm finished now, let your friends come, and I will make them wish they had never left their mothers." Insanity glinted, bright and very, very real in his eyes, and Linda was too stunned to react to the dangerous tone in his words.

***

Ari blasted down a large, wooden door with his friends behind him.

"How many of those ghosts did we get?" Rosalyn asked between breaths. Big Bull shrugged.

"Lost count after…Er…"

"Somewhere around two thousand?" Kisling guessed.

Marlene leaned against a wall. "I can't believe we fought that much! And I'm not really tired."

"Shiro says the Spirits, all of them in the entire Astral Plane, are giving us their power. They much really be afraid of this Necomortis." Ari looked thoughtful.

Not afraid, Shiro disagreed. The Necomortis is just as normal as the Spiritus, but it needs to be placed back in its proper position among its warlock guardians. The same as the Spiritus, it belongs in its correct place, protected by the priests.

What if it isn't there?

The Diablerie becomes unstable. The Diablerie does not look this barren and bleak everywhere. With the Necomortis, the Symbol of Death, which is just as necessary as life returned here that is all that has come back. When the Spiritus is placed here then life will also return.

Why are the ghosts against us? Ari asked, running through the corridors of the massive arena.

They fear Addonexus, but by birth right he is their King. Stanley is also King, just as rightfully, but the Hellhound was here first. Many thought Addonexus dead, and Stanley has begun to fade from the minds of his subjects after so many years trapped in his bottle. Shiro told him. Addonexus is not related to Stanley, but when his bloodline vanished from the throne, it was Stanley's dynasty that took over.

Ari suddenly blasted down another door, and gasped at what he saw.

They were inside of the arena now, and in the arena there was a raised platform. Two figures were standing on the platform, one cloaked in a grayish black robe, the other in a light pink dress.

"Linda!" Epros called in delight.

She lifted her head, green eyes wide and scared, and then hope flared in their depths. "Eppy! Ari! Everyone!"

Addonexus flicked his hand out, unexpectedly snatching Linda by the back of her dress and hauling her upward. She grimaced but didn't react, and the Hellhound looked down on the friends.

"Come at last to rescue her, have you? You're too late." Pointing to the intricate design of runes on the floor, he continued. "The cherub shall sing her song, and with the Spiritus and Necomortis in my possession, all creatures, mortal, ghost, Spirit or Demon, will answer to me. All creatures will bow down before Overlord Addonexus!"

Linda couldn't help but cry out now as fire encased her arm, turning it orange as the strangely jello like substance left a strange mark on her limb. "One rune is already complete, and now all I need…is the Spiritus."

Ari and the others prepared for another battle, and Addonexus quickly locked them in with a wave of his arms. Strange barriers encased them in the arena, and Linda was back inside her imprisoning bubble.

With a wild howl the Devil Evil King leaped toward them, cloak burned off, claws and teeth aimed for Ari.

Pillars of a strange gray mass rose around Ari, and he scrambled backwards to avoid the substance. The smoke caught Big Bull, but he charged through it and tried to deliver a blow to the Hellhound's side. Addonexus teleported rapidly and the next thing anyone knew he had caught Rosalyn in the back with a flying kick.

Teleport. Got Kisling in the chest.

Teleport. Got Stan in the shoulder.

Teleport. Just missed Epros, whom had a naturally evasive physical form.

Finally catching him, Ari let loose a rain of lightning down on the Devil King. He kept coming, attacking in a frenzy, and they all skipped backward to avoid him.

Rising from the smoke came strange shadowy figures. Rosalyn led an attack on them with Kisling and Big Bull. Stan, Ari, and Epros decided to focus on Addonexus.

Marlene hung back, and her quick heals saved everyone many times during the battle.

Addonexus tried to circle around or teleport near Marlene, but Ari was always by her, ready to take any hit or try anything he could to protect her. Stan and Epros were constantly harrying the Evil King, but he kept coming.

More tendrils dragged down the friends, and the light, even Stan's corrupted light, was flickering violently, desperately, in the gloom.

Struggling to be seen through the blackness.

Addonexus slammed the ground, causing the earth to rise up and unbalance the friends. Swooping down on them, the strange gray creatures whom had multiplied in the fog delivered vicious wounds to the acquaintances.

Ari asked Shiro again for help, and the Spirit did the only thing he could.

Spirits emerged into the realm, draining some of the friends' powers as they did so. They swept down in gleaming forms like silver water, attacking the gray beasts. Shiro himself encircled the sky, roaring in defiance, before unleashing a torrent of white fire.

Addonexus paused for just a moment, awed by the Spirits, watching his own creations struggle against them. Ari delivered a would-be fatal blow to his neck, but the Hellhound was far more resilient and the blood lost barely bothered him. He knocked Ari back, then summoned more monsters before turning to fire more blasts of energy at Stan.

Epros drifted away from the fight, floating upward out of the fog. He peered down, seeing the moving white forms of the Spirits as the circled and fought the darker forms of the enslaved gray beasts.

Linda placed her hand against the invisible barrier, and Epros did the same. The only thing separating their hands was the shield.

Epros suddenly sliced with his cards, and it broke the barrier with an odd sound like shattering ice, or glass.

Linda looked in wonder at the broken barrier, and then threw her arms around Epros's neck.

"You came," she said in delight.

"Of course. Our friends need help." He added, pulling her back. She remembered he disliked heavy physical contact.

"You didn't rhyme," she said in surprise.

He just laughed softly, taking her hand, and hauled her back into the fog.

Ari was fighting two of the gray beasts off, their faces devoid of features like eyes or noses, just a long mouth full of teeth. At the same time he struggled to pay attention to Addonexus, whom was almost constantly causing ice to sprout from the floor to trip him up.

He tripped, and one of the beasts launched itself at him with a terrible snarl, smoky pelt streaming behind it. Ari's reflexes were too slow from so much fighting, and he knew he couldn't block it in time

He didn't have to. Both of the beasts similarly vanished as a white being flowed toward them, swift as a river. The being paused, his round, muzzled face looking back at Ari. Wings, smooth and feathery, were stretched across the blinding fog.

"Coracinus!" Ari said in surprise, looking at the angelic form of the Shapeshifter. He smiled in return, helping him to his feet. "Quick, to Addonexus. I'll hold off the beasts."

Ari nodded, leaping to combat the Devil King again.

Addonexus turned to face him, claws flashing out to block every sword thrust. Ari got in as many hits as he took, and even though Marlene healed his skin, deep inside he was still losing energy.

He stumbled due to a wound in his leg, and cried out in pain as Addonexus brought down his claws across his back.

Stan appeared out of nowhere from the choking fog, blasting dark energy. The Hellhound flipped through the air but landed on his feet, lightly, lithely.

"You won't win," he cried.

Stan smirked, crossing his arms. "Looks like we already did, halfway, at least."

"What makes you say that?" Came the reply.

"Look behind you. Missing something?" Rosalyn teased, breathing hard but still standing strong. Ari thought she continued to glow the brightest of them all, but then again her natural Light energy combined with the Spiritus would make her shine very brightly indeed.

Addonexus didn't even need to look. "Where's the cherub?" His eyes, still insanely bright, roamed left and right. "Where's Lukewarm…no, you killed him! You killed them all! Humans kill everyone, they don't deserve to live! When all creatures bow to me I will slay every human in sight! EVERY HUMAN!" He almost fell over, but the Hellhound instead leaped toward Ari again.

Epros's card caught him in the ear, completely tearing it off. Ignoring the wound, Addonexus kept coming. The raging gray beasts combined with the blinding smoke was making Ari tired, and weakening him too. He fell backward, dropping his sword, as the flaming Hellhound caught him. Addonexus prepared to deliver a fatal blow, but Ari summoned up some energy and blocked the hit. Grabbing his sword, he slashed at his legs.

Addonexus barked in pain, but suddenly his attacks slowed down considerably. Ari found it easy to dodge them, and that's when he recognized the dancing music notes around his foe.

Linda. She was singing softly, her tones no longer as harsh but that seemed to make her spell more effective. Addonexus snarled in fury, but he was too slow to block Ari's blow to his throat and chest.

But the Hellhound wouldn't die.

Ari knew Linda couldn't keep it up forever, and he gave her a thankful look as she performed a spell that healed them all. Not as effective as Marlene's or his individual healing technique, but still efficient since it healed everyone at once and not separately.

Addonexus chased after Ari again, for some reason determined to get him in particular. The fog was clearing, and they realized their long battle with the mad Evil King was finally nearing its end.

Coracinus appeared beside Ari, bounding along in wolf form. "Ari, I don't think he's coherent right now."

It was true; Addonexus was snarling unintelligibly, eyes unnaturally bright.

"He's lost it." Ari agreed, turning to face the Evil King.

Kisling pulled out the old book from Abterqen again, and he looked at Ari for permission. When the boy nodded, Kisling looked down at the pages, obviously making sure he got it right.

Addonexus tore into Ari's arm, and he grimaced, too used to pain to cry out, as his sword arm became injured and he dropped the blade. Rosalyn intervened, but the Evil King wasn't distracted for long, no matter what Big Bull or the others tried to do. He kept struggling, frothing at the mouth, to get back at Ari.

Strange words from a demonic tongue flowed from his lips, and Addonexus suddenly burst into flames. Big Bull hung on though, struggling to hold him still, but to no avail. Away he went, barking madly, and Ari was too tired to do anything as he was hit again.

Linda healed them once more, and then she tried to sing. Her own voice stuck in her throat, for whatever Addonexus was saying seemed to be making her sway. Epros took her farther away from the Hellhound, and she leaned tiredly against him. Marlene ran to Linda's side and seemed to be checking her vital signs. Her eyes kept flicking to Ari's, but out of all of them she was one of the most exhausted. Healing was a difficult and tiring practice.

Ari was pinned into the soil, and he struggled wildly to escape the scratching claws. One last gray beast was decimated by Shiro before the dragon vanished along with the other Spirits. They had taken power by arriving, and now they gave it back. The surge of energy let Ari escape from the Devil King and unleash one final spell.

Circles of light imprisoned Addonexus, kept him still and frozen, and the Hellhound howled in distress to the "foreverset" sky.

Kisling at last began to speak. "Powers above and below…"

Addonexus's eyes widened in recognition and he struggled at his bonds, the circles beginning to fray.

"…this being has abused his powers as King to the Diablerie, not knowing the difference between good and evil. He was told to use wisdom, strength, and courage as he led his people, and he has failed. Addonexus, the last Hellhound in the Diablerie, as disgraced his people. May he be banished for all eternity to the Fell Pits."

Addonexus began to shatter, and he twisted, almost breaking his bonds. Still, he couldn't get a single coherent word out, not even in his own language. He kept trying to recite whatever spell it was that was affecting Linda, but during his final moments, mad from grief from his past, his own conscious, and pain, the Hellhound found he couldn't.

He vanished, and the last tendrils of fog left with him.

And silence returned to the Diablerie.

***

No one knew what to do afterwards. They just hung around in the old coliseum that they found out was called "The Sacrifice Dome", and did nothing but rest and talk.

Relieved conversations started all around them, along with energetic pats on the backs and hellos. Everyone kept asking Linda what happened, how was she, was she okay?

So much had happened, she was fine, and yes she was okay.

Kisling still didn't put away the odd book that only appeared in English during important moments. With the exorcism of Melas and Addonexus complete, everyone thought he could put it away.

But he didn't. He kept fiddling with the pages and looking at the odd, sideways runes.

Linda looked over his shoulder, looking downward at the book. "Restore, rejuvenate."

"I'm sorry?" Kisling asked.

"That's what the book says. 'Song of Life', restore, rejuvenate, and some more odd words."

Everyone exchanged looks, and Linda wondered what it meant. Ari sat up. "Shiro, that's the dragon Spirit I told you about, remember, he says you're a seraph!"

Unexpectedly Linda huffed, turning her head. "Am not!"

"Wait, that's not bad. You can fix the landscape." Ari told her excitedly.

She looked back at him curiously. "I can?" She brightened considerably. "I can! Let me see the book!" She took it gently, flipping to a certain page by sheer instinct.

She stepped onto the platform she had been imprisoned on, microphone in hand. She looked at the book thoughtfully again, then said, "Ari. You should give the Spiritus back, y'know?"

He nodded, calling the sacred object to his hands. "Oh, where's the Necomortis?"

As if on cue the object appeared in a whirlwind of black power, drawn to the Spiritus naturally now that Addonexus had gone. Both of them, one black orb, the other white, jumped to hover beside Linda.

She ignored them, holding the book in one hand and the microphone in the other.

And she began to sing.

Her voice rose and fell like the wind, softly and beautifully, and Ari couldn't recall at that moment she had ever been a bad singer. Music notes floated around her, and an orchestra seemed to accompany her as if from nowhere.

Suddenly, there was a golden spark in the sky. Streaking down from the heavens like shooting stars came strange balls of pure light.

The light made the entire world glow faintly yellow, illuminating the friends. They were surprised, unable to move as Linda continued her beautiful song that spoke of green, growing things and the wonders of life all in one, a continuous stream of pure majesty and beauty.

The Diablerie seemed to stop looking demonic. It blossomed into a world of strange beauty but beauty all the same, unique and unusual, with plants and flowers made differently than anything seen in the mortal world. But still stunning.

The landscape had a certain harshness to it though, that spoke of a cruelty as terrible as its citizens. A strange creature bounded into the foliage before Ari could get a better glimpse of it, and he wondered if that was a river of blood or not in the distance, the thick liquid licking at the banks.

And Linda sang, skipping from side to side, eyes closed in bliss because she knew the entire world was listening and appreciating her song, and it was like the best concert ever to her. Not just the Diablerie was being affected and hearing her beautiful melody, the mortal plane was changing too.

Everyone heard. And everywhere the negative plane was decimated and people returned to their normal realms.

And even though the Diablerie was still locked in its blood red, harsh-but-beautiful sunset…

In the mortal realm…The sun rose.