That left only one person. The guy was well-built and over six feet tall. He was handsome too, with a nice smile, that he flashed to her. “Don't worry, the best has been saved for last,” he said, lounging in the seat. As he sat, he undid the button of his gray dinner jacket. He wore a pale red button up, and slacks. He reminded her of someone, but she couldn't place him.

  “So do you have a name?” She asked.

  “Rath is what people call me. What's your name?”

  She giggled. “I've been introducing myself to everyone, surely you've heard it by now.”

  “That's just hearsay, I want you to tell me,” Rath had a smokey way of speaking, it was like his words just sounded richer.

  “Lexa, Alexandria Jerez, in full. So what magic do you have Rath.”

  Rath casually snapped his fingers, and a flame hovered in the air above his hand. “I've heard what you said to the rest, and this should work.” He held out his other hand, and Lexa gave him her wrist. Rath showed no hesitance, despite it having just attacked someone. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, in a sensual motion.

  Moving the flame underneath her wrist, Lexa could see the slime pull away. It wasn't even hot, but the bracelet was clearly afraid. It crawled up, raising itself into a little tower. Suddenly the flame disappeared, and the slime collapsed back into a bracelet. Rath tutted. “Not until we get off this infernal train, I'm afraid. I had entered expecting my date to let me off, but it seems she has stood me up. I hope you understand, I've been hurt. It is just too early for me to trust again.”

  “I guess that's fine,” Lexa agreed. It was fair, he had no guarantee that Lexa really would let him off if he removed the bracelet. “You're hired then,” she told him.

  She cleared her throat, and stood up to make the announcement. “So I've made my decision. It wasn't easy you all were great applicants, baring a few exceptions. I hope no one takes this personally, and I will be making note of your names, in case I get the opportunity to let more of you get off. However, I can only take one person, and Rath has displayed the ability to easily remove the bracelet, so it will be him. If anyone wants to make your goodbyes, please do so now.” She smiled at Rath, and waited for the others to say goodbye.

  There wasn't exactly a rush. The rest of the people just looked around awkwardly between each other, none seeming to want to talk to Rath. “I never did get close to them,” he explained to Lexa.

  “That's a shame, it doesn't seem like there is much else to do. I would think you all would get pretty close.”

  “I would like to get closer to you. Do we have time to talk before your outside companions summon the train?”

  “Probably, I've no clue when they are going to,” she answered.

  “What?”

  “I'm not sure they have any idea how to summon the train either. I've just been hoping they will figure everything out.”

  Rath's expression twisted up for a second, then he regained his composure. “I'm sorry, I just been hoping to get off as soon as possible. It has only been an hour or so since you entered, plenty of time. This will just give us more time to get to know each other.”

  Rath changed his seats, now sitting next to Lexa, instead of across. “So the barrier of reality has finally been shattered. I had thought it would last till mankind withered, how did it happen?”

  “No clue. My phone started freaking out, so I went outside. The sky was torn open and this huge eye was looking down at us all. It got nuked, then everyone woke up a week later.”

  “And the sky is still torn open, yes?”

  “No, back to normal. That's good, it made me feel all spooked. It made me feel weird to, but it's not like you have to look at the sky.”

  Rath chuckelled dryly. “I suppose not. I wonder what happened during that week to fix it. Are the barriers truly broken then?”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Sorry, I've got no idea about any of that magic stuff. I don't really get what was even going on with the gang.”

  “You said there were others with that bracelet, those are your gang?”

  “Well they aren't my gang per say. So there was this dude, he said his name was Sariel,”

  “Sariel?” Rath said, aghast. “If you wish for me to do battle with an angel, then I must refuse.”

  “Don't worry about him. I...” Lexa dropped off. Rath seemed like a cool guy, but she didn't want to admit to murder, in case it scared him off. “Someone killed him.”

  “Really, he is truly dead?”

  “If he wasn't I wouldn't be here.”

  “So Pleiades is unguarded, ripe for the taking?”His voice was hungry.

  “Did I mention Pleiades?” Lexa asked unsure.

  “When you were speaking to the witch. You mentioned it was being fed bodies.”

  “Yeah Sariel had us abduct people to feed it. Never seemed like a very angel thing to do. Wait, did I say he was an angel before.”

  “Yes. I didn't think it would be one so highly ranked.”

  “I think it was all made up, being an angel. They're supposed to be the good guys.”

  “Depends which side you're on.”

  Tiberius, came up now to say goodbye. Maybe they had a thing together. Rath was pretty hot, and Tiberius was Demiurge. Tiberius had regained his composure since the interview, and shot an apologetic look to Lexa. Lizzie the witch had come with him. It was good that Rath had at least a few friends. “Rath, exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus.” They shouted together. Tiberius splashed some water at Rath. The water steamed and hissed as it struck Rath.

  Rath let out a piercing scream, and rushed at the two. He struck an invisible wall, bouncing off it. Lexa had been ignoring the mime, and not noticed it approach with the others. Rath struck at the barrier, the bones in his hand making a terrible crunch. “Stop now, and I'll spare your lives,” Rath bargained. “I can't blame you for trying. If she picked any of you cretins I would have killed you all.”

  Tiberius and Lizzie just kept chanting. Rath shrugged, and fire rolled out from him, passing through the mimes wall like it wasn't there. Which made some king of sense as it wasn't really there. Lexa tried to wrap her mind around it. The imaginary wall had stopped a real person, but did nothing to the magical fire.

  Even with it directed away from her, she could feel the heat. Pink spores exploded into the air, and a frigid cold replaced the heat. Cole the racist, had done something to stop the flames, and hadn't even let it hurt the middle-eastern guy.  Rath glared at the group, all ten of the others seemed to have teamed up against him. “You think any of you deserve to be free. I can't stay here, one day Hell will call my name and force me back. The rest of you are just pitiful humans, what does it matter if you live the rest of your days in this can? You heard the stupid girl, your world is dead, just give up”

  Rath's speech didn't seem to change anyone's mind. Lexa was getting suspicious that there was more to Rath than he had let on. The way he was acting was beyond self-preservation. His superior tone reminded her of one her old ex's. Dirk had been a total asshole, and refused to take responsibility for anything. Nothing that happened was ever his fault.

  “Fine, stop or I kill the girl.” Rath declared his ultimatum. In a flash he was at Lexa's side. His fingernail, which had seemed manicured, now looked like a talon. It pressed against her neck, and she could feel blood welling up. The chanting began to falter, but something bit off Rath's finger. Lexa only saw it for an instant, but it was a foot long gremlin, with a human face. The imaginary friend guy cheered, and the gremlin blushed, before it vanished.

  Rath bit back a curse, and swiped at Lexa with his other hand. Aliek has seized the gap, and charged in. He bore Lexa to the ground, and Rath instead struck Aliek. Lexa lost her head, and started screaming as a spray of green blood erupted over her. Aliek's head had been torn clean off by Rath.

  His body landed on top of her, pinning her beneath. She was quickly freed as Rath tossed the body with unnatural strength. It slammed into the mimes wall with a wet thud. Rath smiled grimly at Lexa. “Sorry, but they haven't stopped.” A spinning card struck Rath in the face. It didn't cut him or anything, but for some reason stayed attached to his face. A bloody symbol, Lexa had no idea how to describe it, glowed on the card.

  Rath was momentarily frozen, seeming stunned. It lasted less than a second, then the bloody glow faded. The card dropped to the floor, landing on Lexa. She looked to see the magnificent Malcolm, had thrown the card. Malcolm had more cards, and threw a hail of them at Rath. Maybe seventy percent hit, but each froze Rath for another precious moment.

  The chanting reached a crescendo, and Rath roared in pain. His body bubbled into black ooze, falling to the floor in a pile. Lexa scrambled back, and stood up. The ten looked awkwardly at her. Some seemed angry, most looked bashful. “I would like to thank all of you,” she began. The group relaxed, seeing she wasn't upset. “I don't know what Rath was,”

  “A demon,” Azaquoth interrupted.

  “Oh, okay. It was probably for the best I didn't take him with me. It probably wouldn't have ended well. I'm proud you all came together to help. With Rath... um.” She stared at the pile of ooze. The mime began sweeping the stuff towards the door. “Out of the running, I guess that leaves Aliek.”

  “I hope none of you take that personally. I think he saved my life, so I will take it personally if you all kill him. Oh my gosh!” She shouted, remembering what had happened. She looked to Aliek's beheaded body. It laid on the floor, but the flesh of the neck bubbled. Two necks were beginning to grow, and would probably continue into two heads. She was relieved that Aliek wasn't dead. Still, he was in no state to help her. She had no idea how long it would take for him to regrow heads.

  With a screech the train lurched, and started to slow. The train's doorman appeared out of nowhere and called out. “Alexandria Jerez, you have been called for.”

  That sent everyone into an uproar. They all asked for her to take them, each making wild promises. Everyone was drowned out by the general cacophony. Lexa was ushered out by the doorman, before she could say anymore.

  She stepped out into the subway station. Cassie and Derrick high-fived seeing her. Beside them was a huge church bell. Cassie hugged her. “I'm so glad you're okay. We've had a hell of time figuring out how to get you back.”

  “Did you find anyone?” Derrick asked.

  “Sort of,” She turned to the doorman, her mind racing as she judged the remained people. The mimes powers had been impressive, but it was still a mime. Lizzie had shown some skill with the exorcism, but what if she refused to come out. The imaginary friend guy had helped save her life. Belatedly she realized she still never learned his name. Azaquoth had seemed competent, but could she even say his name right?

  Only one person had displayed magic as powerful as Rath's. “Bring me out Cole,” she declared.