Meridian Chronicles: Keepers & The Soul Key (#4)

Chapter 4 Pt. 5

Talon brought his arm up swiftly and knocked Relic backward off his feet, while still maintaining eye contact with Lahash, who now stood arms crossed, looking down on Relic, with delight. "Wow Talon, I sure like how you handle your group here. So any chance I could borrow you for a spell?" Lahash uncrossed his arms and pretended to examine his imaginary watch. "Oh, time is short."

Talon grabbed Lahash by his shoulders. "No! Where is Echo? The guides? My son?"

Lahash stared down at Talon's large hands and claws that were sinking deep into the tops of his arms. "Talon, now look what you have done? Perfectly ruined, this suit. Look at the state of it. You really should get a manicure. Those nails of yours really do not do you any justice." Lahash slowly pulled away from Talon's grip. "You look like you are about to burst. Since you were so kind as to accept my invitation and bring me such a wonderful gift, Echo. I must oblige to you. So, here the door does exist by the way. Why don't you all accompany me and I will take you to your guides?" Lahash turned around, and the door began to open.

Pramlee said, "What about Aiden?"

Lahash turned around to face the angry group, "Well, Aiden, he is well, I can't say at the moment. But if you play along, I think we can come to some arrangement."

Lahash brought his arm up with his razor-like claws ready to go, and Ridge ran up and grabbed Talon's arm. "Sure Lahash, this is your party. Whatever you say. We would like to see Charity, Brennan, and Chance released."

Lahash smiled. "At least someone here has manners and some sense. Yes, the dark one does not wish to keep them any longer. Their time here has run its course. We no longer need them." Lahash said as he walked through the doorway and the group began to follow him.

"Lahash, why are they no longer needed? What is the deal? Is something going on with Warrick?"

Lahash continued to take them down the long dark hallway, still lined with Iron. He looked back at the fairies. "Amazing, the power Karma has here. You all seem to be doing so well." Lahash looked to Ridge. "We do not keep guides as prisoners; This is the first time in centuries we have had any of you here. Even we have bi-laws to keep, and we only did it as a favor to Warrick. You know so he could keep up his facade."

Talon held back his rage; his breathing rushed. "I want to know where my son is. Is he here? Is that why we are really here?"

Pramlee and Kieren shook their heads at the same time, looking to Slaten for an agreement and support. "That makes no sense, he was not a dark soul, there is no way he could be here, stop playing games Lahash," Pramlee shouted at the demon while her brother came to her side.

Lahash turned around with a severe face. "I always play games, and I always win. Do not allow your common sense and logic to come into play. That does not exist here."

The journey down the long hall ended and opened up to a sizeable cave-like setting with stalls made of stone, housing fire pits where demon soldiers congregated doing their work for the dark one. Screams were audible throughout the cave as they carried out their demon work on the dark souls who inhabited the dark realm.

Lahash lead the group through the vast area where the shadowy apparitions flew. "Is this where humans go, the dark ones? Is this the place that many humans believe to exist?"

"Lahash turned around, "Do not be silly. You all believe that the dark one takes all human souls who are bad. Very rare does our soul collector, Moloch truly gets to do his job. Usually, those who submit their selves to the dark are the only ones we can collect. I think that is the way it should be. We don't want them all here, we need them on Earth for our energy. We actually thrive on the humans who just can't learn their lessons, the longer they stay, usually the worse they become, then they come here, but not in this room. Here is where the fallen Warrick has cast out sends his guides." Lahash locked eyes with Talon.

Karma interrupted, "Lahash, why are you telling us all this; the fairies know these things. Why share?"

Lahash and Selena locked eyes. "Yes, Karma, you do. So, Selena, why don't you tell your guide friends why you and the fairies know of this information? Why not share the many other things you know so much about our kind." Lahash smugly said.

Selena's eyes tightened, and her jaw locked. "Now is not the time for any of that. Where is Aiden? Where are the guides? Answer now!"

Lahash remained silent and continued his slow gait through the dark realm, leaving the sizeable cave-like room and into a different area of the realm that was lighter in color in comparison to the crimson atmosphere that engulphed the rest of the dark realm. It seemed quieter, less stressful, and at first glance, there wasn't a soul in sight. Lahash stopped at the door without hinges or a knob to pull.

"Here, this is where we keep the prisoners. Behind this door, you will find the guides that we have kept." Lahash said.

Talon pushed his way to the front of the group with a vengeance. "Why should we trust you? Why would you release the guides back so easily?"

Lahash crossed his arms and leaned on the door, dropping his eyes to stare at the space just beyond his own feet. "I do not have a craving for power. I quite enjoy my existence, and things were fine until Warrick banished Meridian and started this war. If I release the guides to you, then you all can go and face Warrick and fight your own battles. Confronting him will help you move him out of power. There are enough dark souls on Earth for demons. When Warrick cast guides out as fallen, such as Talon, it does not help as much as you would think. It only helped Warrick. Talon can tell you how he is viewed as an outcast and the demons on Earth, it was tolerated because Warrick is considered a high demon. I don't care if he stays in power or not; it makes me not a bit of difference."

Ridge said, "Why did you tell Talon you knew where Aiden was then? A trick to get him to bring Echo here?"

"Who said I didn't know where he was? Who says that just because I have shown you where the prisoners are will mean you can leave easily? Who says that you will not find Aiden? I do not care about you all. Once the demons see you leave with the prisoners, you will fight. I never said that I would help you get out." Lahash sneered back. "This is where I take leave of you. Good luck." Lahash disappeared, and upon his exit, the prison door that held the prisoners opened.