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

Chapter 15 Pt. 3

"Can we now? We can portal just about anywhere we want. Are you sure about that?"

Lahash dropped his hand and remained dismissive. "Sure, yes. I know we can't go to the fairy realm and the only reason Etheria has a portal is because of Warrick's disguise. Soon if there is an Etheria left, that will be gone."

"Lahash, how do you think I infiltrate dreams? By going to Earth and stand at a human's bed? This portal reads a human's memories of dreams. We can read a human's memories when we lock our eyes with theirs. But with this, this ball transports me to a human's subconscious mind, where all the repressed memories and dreams live. Where true psychological warfare takes place. This is where I go when I infiltrate the dreams, the mind...to Aiden."

Lahash jerked his arm away from Astaroth. "Why have you not shared this with the others?"

"Oh please, all demons have their own gifts. Why should I share it with all of you? Most of you treat me as though I am a nuisance. All a bunch of male demons; I feel outnumbered here as the only demoness at court. When you all, especially Moloch treat me as though I make a difference in the plan, then I will share. Count yourself lucky. I shared a glimpse at what this creation is capable of."

Astaroth walked away and toward the painting on the wall that Lahash had previously referenced. She stood and stared at the image in the painting that was herself. "Yes, that is me. A long time ago."

Within the painting was Astaroth half-clothed, spread across a large bed made of dark wood, with red drapes hanging from the wooden canopy used for enclosing the bed.

"Europe, the late 1700s. This painting is a representation of a man's dreams. At one time, a human man came to know me through his dreams. He fantasized about blonde women, with pale skin and dark eyes. At night his dreams would take him to whore houses, from times passed when he would have his indulgences with the women in white wigs. Such a travesty. I did so enjoy him very much."

Lahash watched Astaroth closely. "What happened to him and how do you mean travesty? Your story sounds very much the truth of who you are."

"I killed him, just like the rest; to him, it was a travesty," Astaroth said with a grin.

"Why? How did you kill him?" Lahash briskly walked over to her and joined her in her gaze at the large painting of herself.

"It all works the same, or it did in those days. I infiltrated his dreams more and more, kept him up with his nightmares. After so many weeks without rest, others began to believe he had lost his mind. He slit his own throat. His goodbye letter read that he couldn't sleep and no amount of liquor would help him sleep. He believed it was God punishing him for his lustful ways." Astaroth snickered.

"Why? Why would you want him dead if you enjoyed him so much?"

"I enjoyed him so much for the very reason I hate men like him. They always want what they can't have."

"Astaroth, if you feel so strongly about it, why don't you join the nymphs. They give humankind problems, deliver their karma. Sounds like you would fit in well with them." Lahash hissed and walked away.

Astaroth was incredulous. "How dare you! I would never lower myself to join with them. They aren't all about lust. They are about love as well. They can choose to deliver good and bad karma. I do not believe the scum on Earth deserves good karma."

Lahash stopped and he dropped his long arms down by his side where they were hidden by the overture of his long, leather jacket. "It didn't sound like your favorite wanted what he couldn't have. It sounded like he got what he wanted to have. You do not make any sense." Lahash had grown bored of the conversation and began to leave her chambers. "It sounds like you are projecting on me, you want what you can't have."

As Lahash was about to open the door he heard a blood curdling shrill that came from Astaroth and when he turned to look at her, she was headed right for him. She changed into her real form of razor-sharp teeth and nails to match. A gruesome image of a loathsome and vile creature was headed straight toward Lahash who nonchalantly stepped out of the raging demoness's path.

He appeared in a flash on the other side of the room, standing with his arms crossed. "Now Astaroth, you shouldn't allow your temper to get the best of you." Lahash waved his long index finger in the air as he spoke.

Once again, fired up and angry she headed right for Lahash and this time she was determined to get a hold of the pompous demon that she shared a past with. She attained a grasp on Lahash's neck with one hand and she reared back the other hand to slash him with her razor-sharp claws. Just as she brought her large claw like hand down for a scathing blow, Lahash vanished and reappeared by the door.

"Astaroth, you know this routine. We did it so many times during our dem-rotica escapades. How many times did you win those matches?" Lahash stood with his shoulder leaned up against the door and examined his fingers as though he was unphased by Astaroth's temper tantrum.

Out of breath and full of rage, Astaroth's words were driven by heavy gasps. "I hate you." She leaned over holding herself as her body moved up and down to change back into her most deceitful persona. She quickly shifted back to the light skinned, straw colored hair version of how Aiden remembered her.

"Now now Astaroth, I thought we were finally getting along. Which by the way was the reason for my visit. Why did you help me with Echo? What is in it for you?"

"I helped you, because in the end, if you prove the others wrong and you are not under Echo's spell, you will take her out. The nymphs will be short an element. The element of Earth. From there we will get the sword, invade Etheria and there will be no more spirit guides. No more Meridian. Then I will have my Aiden. His soul can't move on and he will be here with me. Then I will be truly happy. If you are what the others believe you are, well the dark one will destroy you."

Lahash removed himself from his relaxed posture, holding up the wall as it appeared and approached Astaroth who had once again, taken her crystal ball back down to the smaller form as she held it in her hands studying it with a grin. "Astaroth, since Aiden is no longer a human, he doesn't really sleep, you cannot infiltrate his dreams any longer. He is now with Meridian; you cannot have him back or here. All you and Moloch have managed to do is trap him in between dimensions."

Astaroth's face changed, her smile left and she quickly snapped her eyes closed and let out a loud sigh, "Lahash, I do not need to infiltrate his dreams. I have infiltrated him with my own spell. He has no idea what is in for him upon my return to Earth."

Lahash was now interested in what the demoness had to say, "What is going on? What is it about Aiden? You could have any other man on Earth, even a demon. What is it about him?"

Astaroth stood inches from Lahash's face, "He is a pure soul and one that is hard to come by. He doesn't want a woman for lust. He is humble and caring. I want his soul...I want to be of it. When I return to Earth, I will find him and he will have no other choice but to come to me. I am Meridian, I am what he wants, what he dreams of. I am his dead mother and everything he will ever want."

There she stood, long platinum hair, bright green eyes and a soft innocent smile. Lahash was momentarily taken back with Astaroth's words and illusions. He swiftly grabbed her wrist and held on tightly with venomous anger. "You do not bear the mark." Lahash turned her wrist over and exposed a blank wrist devoid of the infinity mark that Meridian carried.

Astaroth, jerked her wrist from his grasp and gritted her teeth. "I do not need that stupid mark. When Etheria is destroyed, Meridian is no longer and none of this or that stupid mark will matter. Aiden will be the only thing that survived the destruction and I will see to it that he stays with me. Now get out!" Astaroth pointed toward the door, hissed with rage her voice heavy with anger.

Lahash's eye brows raised and with a smirk, "Have it your way, but like Warrick, I believe in the end you will be disappointed."

Astaroth shouted out, "You are the only one with disillusions and your nymph!"

There she stood alone, hollering out at the vacated place where Lahash once stood and she muttered to herself, "Echo will destroy you Lahash and your days of getting everything you want will end your darkened soul."

Lahash left Astaroth, but not as confidently as he intended, and it showed to Valefor who happened to be looking for Lahash himself.