In a corridor, Tiara shoved the spear through a guard's back and kicked him toward the wall. She pulled the spear out while another guard charged her. She lit the spear on fire and tossed it straight through the guard’s skull.

Instead of retrieving the spear, Tiara charged forward through the corridor and up the stairway. She could fight better with her fire magic, and most demonic soldiers weren’t fireproof.

At the top of the stairs, she stepped through a square doorway with two stars. On the other side, she entered a large domed chamber with a giant glass window at the front. Computer panels stretched around the entire chamber, but nobody was present. A tall throne faced the window at the center, and Tiara could see the Earth’s orbit outside the glass.

So far, the vessel hasn't left Earth yet. If Zira moved the beacon away from the blue planet, she could keep the Earth until she turns it into a barren. But why leave the bridge empty? Someone needs to pilot the ship, unless…

A female voice laughed behind the throne, and Tiara spread her feet out into a battle position, lighting up her fists.

Zira stepped from the throne and faced her young half-sister. "I knew you would come after my guards alerted me."

Tiara grinned. "Is that why you emptied your bridge?"

Zira raised her palm. "Who else could fly my ship if you kill them all?"

"Leaving yourself unguarded seems kind of stupid to me."

"I don't need anyone." Zira pointed her thumb at her chest. "I protect myself?"

Tiara laughed. "Our father said the same thing, and look what I did with him."

Zira snarled. "You will wish you stayed in your fucking sarcophagus, little sister! Because when you lose, I will make you suffer for eternity this time!"

Tiara shrugged. "And your bullshit empire will crumble after I roast your ass off."

Zira pulled out two long swords from behind her back. Flames spread around her blades without licking the handles. "May the best Hell knight win!"

"I thought you were a queen now?" Tiara asked.

Zira swung her swords around. "In my blood, I will always be a Hell knight sorceress. And you will be a soulless pile of shit, just like your mother!"

Tiara’s blood boiled through her veins. She violently screamed and charged her sister. Nothing will hold her back.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

*****

John entered the cargo bay, which looked bigger than the hangar. Red glowing cubes stood in stacks across the floor under the arched ceiling. A giant metal claw hung in the ceiling. Probably a crane to move the mysterious cargo. But so far, John didn’t spot any guards.

He sauntered quietly as possible, although his metal feet tapped the floor with each step. But if anything tries to ambush him, he will sense them before they will notice his reaction. Keen smells and heightened hearing were his best tools to avoid unexpected attacks.

Near the stack, something screamed. John jumped toward the stack and took cover behind it. He peeked at the other side, but he saw nothing. Jump scares definitely piss him off.

The male scream returned, this time very close to John. When he stared at the cube, a ghostly face screamed at him from the inside.

"The fuck?" John jumped back and glanced at the glass cube closely. His heart raced as a chill ran down his spine.

Inside the cube, the ghostly faces of men, women, and children cried in agony as they swirled in the redness. Moans, groans, and screeches tremored the cubes as if something tortured them.

John’s mouth dropped. The cubes contained the tortured souls that the demons collected from their victims. Tiara said her kind used souls to power up their technology. So basically, the soul cubes were batteries, suitable for the demons to insert into their vehicles and power plants.

This is so fucked up! John placed his hand on the cube. A soft tingle charged through his bionic circuits from the glimmering supernatural energy.

In Hell, souls become fuel for the demons' unholy civilization. Trapped in endless pain while their masters live in freedom.

"I'll get you out soon…" John must break the beacon first before he could shatter the cubes to free the souls. If he breaks the cubes now, hell will keep the souls trapped forever. It might be better if they wander through normal space than stay inside clammed cubes.

John continued through the chamber and stopped in front of a giant round door on the wall. It has a six-star pentagram with a goat head, shimmering in a yellow spectacle.

John switched his vision to x-ray and scanned the door. The beacon’s image appeared inside the empty chamber without hidden traps or alarm triggers. It looked easy, but how in the hell can John open the vault? If Tiara was with him, she could open the vault without trouble.

Maybe John could blow the vault door wide open. He has two grenades and one detonator. They might fail, but John knew trying was the only way to see the result.

John pulled out the detonator and placed it on the vault. He set the timer to one minute, which won’t take long to blow up.

On his right, a round red portal appeared behind his eyes, then a tall humanoid creature stepped out, carrying a two-handed ax. He has a red bull head on a black armor suit. Sharp dark horns above his pointy ears, and his eyes glowed yellow like flames. About nine feet tall that outmatched John’s height. The demon made John look like a baby compared to his size.

John gulped. "Who the fuck are you?"

The bull demon smiled and pointed his ax at John. "I am Barzid, the hell knight for Zira. Your head will be mounted on my head!"

John changed his left arm into his mini-gun. "You smell like bullshit."

The creature snorted and lowered his head, aiming toward John.

John stepped back and aimed his gun at Barzid. That bomb better blow the hell up soon!