A God and Several Hundred Demons

Chapter 6: Prison Pyramid

At the pyramid, all was quiet and still. A bubble of air had been set up by the Travelers so that future civilizations could study the mysterious pyramid.

This silence was broken by Marin's ship landing near the entrance. Marin only had seconds to get herself and Ash out of the ship before Grim's ship crashed into Marin's smaller ship. Marin's ship suffered heavy damage while Grim's ship was basically undamaged.

As Marin and Ash ran into the pyramid, they could hear Grim's footfalls behind them. They could also hear what sounded like wood against the stone floor.

"WHO'S CHASING US?!" yelled Ash as a blast from Grim's blaster seared the stone near her.

"I don't know!" said Marin as she looked around her pockets for any sort of weapon. "I just hope that it isn't who I think it is.".

A thud could be heard as Rave Pharaoh - who had used the power of magnets and his disco ball to fling himself - smashed into the pyramid.

They could then hear the Vanguard landing nearby the pyramid.

Ank jumped out of the Vanguard and ran into the pyramid - with the other Resistors following him. Loboto paused for a second to ask "Wait, whatever happened to Phage?" He then realized what was happening and ran into the pyramid.

As Marin listened to the footfalls, she began going into a panic. "Oh god they're going to break in. They're going to kill us. If I can stop them..."

Ash gave her a shocked look and asked "Who's they?!" Marin yelled "It isn't important!" to try and calm Ash down. It didn't work.

Hydrium then ran into Ash and Marin. He pointed his gun at Marin and yelled "Stop!". He then looked at Ash. "Ash, get out of here! You're clearly in danger!"

Rave Pharaoh then jumped into the room - attempting to tackle Marin. He (unfortunately for him) had overcalculated his jump and smashed into a nearby wall.

Marin used this distraction to run further into the pyramid. Reaching a room near the center of the pyramid, Marin jumped in and bolted the door shut. She then turned her head to Ash. "Did they send these people?! Who are they?!"

Ash gave her another confused look. "I've told you I don't know who 'they' are. The people outside are friends of my father."

Hydrium began banging on the door. "Ash. Do you seriously trust this person?! Open the door!!"

That was when Marin could sense something that made her heart drop. She could only watch as nearby spacetime was ripped - a giant gash forming.as something - or someone - stepped out.

Hydrium broke the door down - the bolts snapping and the thin stone smashing as it hit the ground. Inside, Hydrium could see someone standing over Marin and Ash. An impressive figure standing at nearly seven feet tall, it looked powerful. The figure had brown leathery skin. Massive teeth were set into a muscular jaw. Evil slitted eyes sat above it. On top of the head were two yellow horns that jutted straight up. Claws that could rip flesh from bone extended from the tips of its fingers. A tail with two long arrays of teeth near its top extended from the creature's behind. It was completely nude - revealing a finely-muscled body. The figure was definitely female. A look of hateful joy was set on her face.

Marin was standing as straight as she could be - trying to match the figure's height. The figure (Hydrium named her "the demon" in his mind) looked at Marin with the look of someone who's dog has brought them the newspaper without tearing it.

The demon grabbed Marin's chin with her clawed hand. "I see you have finished the summoning. I knew you would. You have always been - and will always be - our servant."

The demon's head turned towards Ash. A look of sheer hate-filled joy crossed her lips. "And you have brought me a sacrifice."

Marin then broke away from the demon. "No." With this, the demon's look of joy fell - becoming a look of sheer hatred. "She's my lover. Not your victim. You can't have her or the people of Sarra!"

Rave Pharaoh then tore himself from the wall (with large damage to the stonework) and attempted to tackle the demon. This failed as he immediately fell onto the floor - it seemed that smashing into a wall had disoriented him.

Grim took out a dagger and threw it at the demon. The demon simply grabbed the dagger and chucked it back. Grim managed to dodge the dagger - which crumpled on the wall. The demon then grabbed Grim by the throat. As Grim looked into the demon's eyes, he could sense an immense hatred for everything. Grim had faced off against Magmothi, Union of Terra torturers, and even a god. But the hatred in those eyes sent a wash of primal fear he hadn't felt since he had been a child watching the videologs on the ancient Cyber-wars. He had witnessed and been deathly afraid of Cybermen warriors - their cold, emotionless faces meshed with their atrocities scaring him witless for months. And now he felt that same fear. He knew then that he was going to die. Or worse.

"I could convert you here and now.". The demon's voice was filled with thinly-veiled hatred."I could tear your throat out."

Ank then stepped forwards. "But you won't." he said with hatred to match the demon's hatred in his voice. "I know what you are."

The demon then stepped towards Ank. Ank was a head shorter than the demon. "Why should I not, little man?"

"You stay away from my daughter and everyone else on this planet."

"No.".

The demon then grabbed Grim's head. Putting a finger into her mouth, she then jammed it into Grim's mouth. Grim could feel as every nerve in his body began burning. Grim was then tossed down onto the floor by the demon.

As Grim started to convulse, Ank stared at the demon. "You. Should. Not. Have. Done. That."

The demon then grabbed Ank by his shirt - her eyes boring holes into his soul. "It has already been done. He has been infected. There is NOTHING you can do about it. Witness as it happens and see what will happen to everyone else on this pitiful world."

Loboto then looked at the demon with a look of anger and confusion. "What are you?" he asked after several seconds of silence.

"My name is Ha'kleth. Servant of the god K'eph." Ha'kleth then brought her head up in what looked to be pride. "My people are known throughout reality for mass carnage and death. We are the monsters under the bed. The bogeymen that you run from in the night."

Grim attempted to stab Ha'kleth at this point, however, Ha'kleth simply shattered the knife in her hands. Many other demons had entered the room - easily outnumbering the Resistors.

Ha'kleth went back to her speech. "We are the creatures that eat you in your sleep. We bring fear to a thousand universes - watching as their neighbours die."

Loboto - growing angry at not getting a straight answer yelled - "Stop acting so pretentious and vague and give me a straight answer. WHAT ARE YOU?!"

Ha'kleth ignored this.

"We are the demons. The nightmare creatures. The destroyers of dimensions."

A then turned on Ha'kleth. Despite being only half of Ha'kleth's size he provided an intimidating figure. "Let. Ank. Go."

Ha'kleth simply tightened her grip on the struggling Ank.

Grim then stopped convulsing. Looking at him now, Hydrium found with fear that he had morphed into one of the demons. "I'm sorry guys... I just wanted to help..."

Ha'kleth looked at him with sheer malice and joy on her face. "He is one of us now. He is one of the demons.:

Grim then stood up. His face took on the malice that Ha'kleth shared. "We are the Mirik."