Maizie groaned as her senses became alive. She opened her eyes as her hands reflexively jerked. The sounds of a chain rattled, and she looked down. She found herself against a large stone pillar, surrounded by snow. She felt weak. The snow under her feet were red. Blood pooled under her and led to a stone slab. Another chain wrapped around her chest and the pillar, blocking any chance of her escaping. She looked around. She found Liz lying on the stone. Hellboy kneeled on the ground chained up by some kind of wooden contraption that held his hands.
She spotted a woman hammering at the belts Manning had given her. There goes their escape. She turned as she heard a voice. A man stood in ceremonial robe holding a book. She recognized him from earlier.
Grigory Rasputin.
She yanked the chain bounding her wrist. The noise rang and Rasputin turned.
"Ahh…the girl awakes."
The woman stopped her hammering to look. She had a grin on her face. Maizie thought she looked crazy.
"I'm glad you're awake girl. It would be good to have a witness to see my son's rising," Rasputin crooned.
Maizie stayed silent. There was no point in attempting to reply. Rasputin turned around. Hellboy stirred. She looked over to him.
"Hellboy!"
Hellboy jerked awake at her call. The wooden contraption rang with the chains. He looked around and saw the same things she did. Rasputin's voice spoke, catching their attention.
"And I looked and beheld an Angel, and in his hand the key to the bottomless pit…"
Hellboy jerked the wooden thing in anger. It creaked as he tried to break it. Rasputin brought their attention to a pile of stone pieces.
"These were the words I heard as a peasant boy in Tobolsk. And now, the door-sent by the Ogdruh Jahad so that they might at long last enter our world," Rasputin turned around as he spoke.
"You are the key!" The woman screeched. She went up to Hellboy's face. "The right hand of doom!"
Hellboy looked at the stone sculpture that Rasputin had indicated. There were three handprints.
"What did you think it was made for? Open the locks," The woman said.
Maizie realized with horror as Hellboy looked at his stoned right hand. He stilled as he contemplated it. She surged forwards, the chain pulling her back.
"No! Don't do it! Hellboy!"
The woman sneered and walked over to her. Maizie looked up at her. She lifted a foot and kicked. Maizie's head snapped and she fell over. She laid slumped over the chain, breathing hard. She watched in silence.
"Silence!"
Above them, the ceiling moved to reveal a large full moon. The moon had a shadow at its edge. An eclipse. Maizie looked up. She sat back up. She knew something big was about to happen. She didn't need her new-found powers of premonitions to tell her that.
"Imagine it…an Eden for you and her…"
"No."
Rasputin looked at Hellboy.
"No?" Rasputin said. He turned to Liz. He went towards her and around the slab. He ran a finger down her face. "In exchange for her life then, open the door."
Maizie shook her head just as Hellboy did too. Rasputin tsk'd.
"As you wish…" Rasputin said as he leaned over Liz. He slipped a hand under Liz's head and lifted it. He bent down, gripping her jaw. He opened his mouth just as Liz's did.
"No!" Hellboy roared.
Maizie watched in horror.
A silver whisp of magic went from Liz's mouth to Rasputin's. He inhaled it as Liz's back arched. Hellboy roared and jerked at the chains. Rasputin set her down and Liz's head lolled to the side. Rasputin walked around the slab and to Hellboy.
"Her soul waits on the other side."
Maizie gasped at the implication of it. She looked up. The moon was almost halfway eclipsed. She looked down at her hands. She closed her eyes and focused. She hadn't used her powers in this way before, but this would be the best time to try. Grey wisps of smoke surrounded her hands and the chains fell. She opened her eyes. She was almost free. She looked up at Rasputin's voice.
"If you want her back," Rasputin spoke as he put a hand on Hellboy's head. "Open the door and claim her."
Maizie struggled to release the chains around her, but she couldn't get them to open or break apart. The woman hadn't noticed that she had freed her hands. She was too engrossed in watching Rasputin and Hellboy. She looked up to see Hellboy still.
No.
She knew he was giving up.
"For her."
Maizie pulled at the chains.
Rasputin leaned down next to Hellboy, "Names hold the power and nature of things. Your true name…say it. Become the key." Rasputin ripped off the rosary beads Hellboy held in his human hand and threw it. It flew and landed by Maizie's feet.
Hellboy slumped down back on his knees. He felt limp everywhere. He closed his eyes and whispered.
Anung-un-Rama
Maizie watched as the chains around the wood broke. It broke apart and collapsed on the ground. Hellboy was free but Maizie knew he truly wasn't. Hellboy rotated his neck, stretching out the muscles. Rasputin stepped back. Everything seemed to darken as the Eclipse nearly finished and Hellboy stood up. Red hue of light appeared, and his horns glowed. Once flattened, his horns now grew. It grew to points and a ball of flame appeared between them. Hellboy stood almost majestically as he looked at his stoned hand.
Fucking shit.
Maizie knew they were in trouble now. She had to stop it all. She pulled harder on the chain. It only budged a little. She looked up when Hellboy began moving. He passed her and the other woman. Hellboy glanced at Liz as he walked up to the big stone monument. He inserted his stone hand into one of the holes and twisted. Lines glowed and he tipped his head back and roared. A column of light and fire shot up into the air. Maizie watched as it hit the eclipsed moon and it looked as if it exploded. Whatever was happening up there would probably be even more terrifying than right now.
She took advantage of the distraction. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It didn't matter how weak she was, the situation was too dire. Grey wisps smoked around her, and she appeared standing, just a foot away from her previous position. She jumped into action. She bent down and picked up the rosary beads.
Hellboy pulled back his hand. The column stayed lit. He slipped his hand into another hole.
"The final seal. Open it!"
The woman finally noticed Maizie and she lunged. Maizie raised a fist and hit her. The woman went down quickly. Hellboy turned his wrist. Maizie ran for Hellboy. She slipped the beads into his hand and held it. Her eyes glazed over white.
Together they saw a future.
