Chapter Twenty-Six

The descent into hell took them a while longer than they had hoped and with every step down the heat intensified. When Tracy and Rick finally reached the ground, they were relieved by the beautiful sight of a wide river running off to some unseen place.

A silence had fallen between them as they walked beside the river – it had to lead somewhere didn’t it? Rick had been watching the fires spread here and there for reasons he didn’t want to know. Were there damned angels down here in charge of keeping the fires going?

Tracy watched the water and tried to see fish swimming, but she had no luck; the water was either too murky or just plain black – she couldn’t tell by the fires’ light. But, like the water itself, Tracy felt something dark and murky swimming inside her head and she had to force herself to crouch to the ground before she fell down.

Your little Momma sure is a fine specimen. Perhaps she would make a fine Dreamkiller, Orion said inside Tracy’s brain. She knew that he was talking to her, alone. She knew that he was trying to torment her.

Don’t you touch my mother, or so help me God, her mind screamed in return.

She heard Orion chuckle – now he was certain of her fears. Who’s going to stop me? You may have killed Alexius, but what makes you so sure that you could possibly defeat me? He felt Tracy’s body trembling under his own control. She has a weak body. I am stronger. I can convert your mother with ease.

Tracy closed her eyes; she could find no words to say to Orion. Although she was trembling, she remained calm though tears fell from her closed eyes; she was still somewhat in control.

And when I’m through with her, I’ll convert you.

Tracy wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head as she trembled from fear. Rick looked down at her and saw that she was shaking her head faster than before and he bent down. “No, get out! Get out!” She now moved her hands up to her ears and began weeping.

“Tracy, don’t do this.” Rick looked into her eyes, which were unfocused and wide. “Don’t lose it now – I need you to be strong.”

He put his hands on her shoulders and brought her face up to his.

“Tracy, Laura needs you to be strong – for humanity’s sake,” he said and this seemed to have produced a reaction.

She stopped shaking and regained her composure and he heard a deep inner sigh, she blinked her eyes, which had regained their focus. Tracy smiled and looked at him with her own eyes once again. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Orion was pissing me off.”

Rick smiled and nodded. “The mind conversation?”

She cocked her head to the side and grinned. “Well, yes. How’d you know?”

“Because he talked to me, too.” Rick answered and tried to turn their minds to the present time. “We’ve got to go. He’s beginning to get desperate. I think we’ll be alive again soon.” He helped her to her feet and she began walking as he limped by her side. “You know, it doesn’t hurt that much anymore.”

Richard, stop, Orion shouted. Don’t go any further.

He stopped and let out a sigh. This game was becoming too boring now that they were beginning to learn all of Orion’s little tricks.

Good, I knew you weren’t that stupid. Now, let me teach you my secrets, Orion almost pleaded. I told you the truth about Eden being the Forbidden Realms. Join me.

Rick took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’ll die first,” he called out to Orion and Tracy turned to look at him.

“Orion?”

He nodded and squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. We’re almost there. I can feel it.”

The river went up a hill where it began to shrink in size. It was not as wide as it had been and, by the look of it, it didn’t look as deep either. Which was a good thing; by the time they reached the incline, the walls on either side became flushed with the river so they had no choice but to wade in the water.

It was hard work, especially with a broken ankle, but Rick and Tracy climbed the rest of the way to the crest and saw that they were overlooking the delta of the river. Deep inside this cavernous world, Tracy and Rick stood there in the water looking out over an enormous body of water.

There was no way around this obstacle. Rick wasn’t about to attempt to jump in for fear of the depth. He lowered his head and shook it in defeat.

Tracy watched the ripples in the water – a boat could easily tread this – and her eyes went up across the rocky ceiling. “There!”

Rick looked up and followed her eyes and saw what she was excited about. An iron gate had been embedded into the rock separating this world and whatever lay above. And as Rick followed the gate down, he also noticed that a case of steps had been carved into the rock so long ago that it was almost impossible for them to see.

“And there,” he said and led the way to the steps. It pained him to do so but he took to the steps – one step at a time, shifting his weight with every one taken.

“There’s no way that’s going to open,” Tracy called to him as she studied the gate.

He agreed, but Rick had to be somewhat optimistic. When he reached it, he gave it a shove with his shoulder and, to their surprise, it pushed up with ease. As if,

“He’s here,” he called down to her. “He must’ve opened it himself.”

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“Let’s kill him,” she said as hatred consumed her soul. He had killed her friends and Laura. Her father was led to believe that she had killed him. Orion must pay.

Rick hoisted himself up onto a stone floor and moved to the side and held out his hand. She grabbed it and he helped her into a darkened room.

They couldn’t see much, but the scent of burnt wood and ash was overwhelming. It only took them a short while to realize that they were standing in a fireplace; they turned and saw the light from the room beyond.

Tracy emerged first and almost gawked at the room they were in. She looked around the room and first saw the altar, and then she noticed the chair and doors. As Rick came out of the fireplace, two arms wrapped around his body from behind. She turned and saw Allen holding Rick’s body at bay.

She took a step forward to help Rick, “Back off, Bitch,” he said and turned his attention to the altar.

There he stood, in all his cloaked glory. Orion was standing still as he watched Rick struggle in vain.

Tracy was silent as she watched Orion and Allen. They, too, had become silent. Whatever Orion was thinking, he wasn’t telling them. He lifted his arm and pointed at Rick with a skeletal index finger and then a slash went across Rick’s chest.

“That’s for defying me, Boy!” Orion shouted in hatred. “The next ones will not be as stimulating,” he grunted.

“Stimulating?” Rick finally found his voice and he blinked his eyes. “You call cutting people’s chests open, stimulating?”

“We are talking about my stimulation, Boy,” Orion chuckled.

Rick lowered his head in defeat. “All right. I don’t want any more pain,” he began and stared at Tracy in hopes that she would read his mind. “You win. I’ll join you – you satisfied? Just let Tracy go and I’ll be one of your damned Dreamkillers!” he screamed with a disgusted expression.

“What? No!” Tracy screamed.

“The Cause,” Allen was calling out to his master with a firm hold on Rick. “We can’t let this fucker live – he’s too dangerous.” He looked hard into Rick’s face and grinned. “Let me kill him. No, please let me kill him. Now.”

“I decide who lives and dies. Not you, Allen.” There was a pause. “You are reckless.”

Allen began trembling with rage. He wanted so much to spill Rick’s blood. He wanted to wash his face in the fountain of blood when he cut off his head like he had done to Tracy’s father when he donned the beautiful disguise of Tracy.

To be pushed aside! This he could not allow. He will taste the blood of Hopman and Kingston. But for now, he let Rick go and watched in disgust as he made his way over to Tracy.

“Tracy, maybe my life wasn’t meant for your reality. Maybe another world and dimension,” he said and she shook her head.

“No, we went through this together. I won’t let you give up this easily,” she protested and he sighed.

“I must,” he said and pulled Tracy over to him. “I love you. Your love will always have a place in my heart. You’re the best friend anyone could ever have,” he said and then took her in his arms. Once they were together, Tracy felt Rick take something out of her hand.

When they parted, Tracy saw something in his eyes. She thought she saw confusion in them.

“I must have the book back or he’ll haunt you until you really die – and possibly thereafter,” he whispered and she nodded.

She reached out and held the book. When they each held an end of the book, “I’ll be seeing you soon,” he whispered and then turned back to face Orion. “I’m ready,” he announced, and as an afterthought, he turned back to Tracy. “You’ll soon have proof of the final level – going straight through the snake’s mouth.”

There was a short pause, and then Orion sighed. “If she is to be set free, she must leave now.”

Tracy understood but was reluctant to leave her friend to die. Rick shook his head. “Please, go,” he called to her and she turned her back to him with tears in her eyes and slowly walked out of the room through the open door.

As they watched her exit the room, they saw a bright light shining all around Tracy and they saw her vanish from this world.

“As for you, Richard,”

Rick remained still as he stared straight ahead.

“I was hoping that you would have stayed so we could have chatted a bit. Those gladiator scenes can be so dull, don’t you think?” Orion replied behind no emotion and lifted his right hand and Rick gawked at it.

Allen formed a sadistic smile as he made his way over to his master and stood behind Orion.

It was a squid-like arm with no hand attached. On its tip, it separated into three tentacles with tiny suckers on the ends of each. Rick guessed that the suckers would be implanted somewhere on his head, and as expected, they closed in on him and placed themselves on his forehead – one on either temple and one between his eyes.

Laura lifted her arm, “Come here, Richard,” she said and he took her hand. “It was great while it lasted, huh?” she asked as tears filled his eyes. “I love you,” she whispered.

Rick stared at the dark figure – he could not see his ominous face, the hood foreshadowed his features. “I’ll never see you again,” he whispered with the image of Laura in his mind.

Rick’s eyes of fear and confusion turned into those of hatred. He stared deep into the black shadows and thought – just for a moment – that he saw the fiends’ eyes. Those red eyes looked almost exactly like those of the winged demon flying near the entrance.

“Laura!” he shouted. “I love you!”

To Orion’s error, Rick pulled out the dagger he had, and severed all three tentacles. Green pus squirted everywhere as Orion screamed.

“Perish in your own private hell!” Rick screamed and when he had concluded his statement, Orion’s cloak was blown back, and Rick was too thunderstruck to make any further advances. It was like looking into a mirror; the evil grin on Orion’s face could easily have been his own.

What is he doing with my face?

“There are secrets that I could teach you; prophecies to be fulfilled. The Forbidden Realms will be mine – stop this nonsense and join me!”

Rick felt his eye twitch and the fear of looking at himself changed to that of hatred.

Allen felt this hatred and quietly slipped out the open door; Rick and Orion paid no notice as they were engulfed in their own mental battles.

The grip on the snake was growing tighter.

“Richard, listen to reason. I am the reason.”

“No!” he screamed and lunged at Orion with the blade slicing through the air. He jumped on Orion, driving him to the floor. Rick repeatedly drew the blade in and out of Orion’s head. “Die!” he kept screaming to the Master of Dreamkillers.

Orion had ceased his defense and allowed himself to be mauled, stabbed, and punched. It was as if he had given up entirely. He smiled as he stared up at Rick who was still on top of him.

“Damn you,” Rick screamed and finally drove the blade deep into the heart of Orion.

As his heart was penetrated, the beating pulsated around the room in such a high decibel, Rick thought he may go deaf before it stopped beating.

But the pulsating slowed and then ceased altogether and Rick witnessed the awesome body of Orion collapse on itself, leaving behind it a supernova that rocked the world which Rick knelt in.

The room he was kneeling in had begun to shake and Rick glanced up and noticed the ceiling cracking. Before he could even stand to sprint out of the room, the ceiling came down on top of him just when he thought he would live again.