Order of the Golden Dawn (Neophyte Series 2)

CHAPTER 20: THE LAKE OF FIRE

        With a slight twitch of her hand the leaves rustled behind me and the atmosphere instantly brightened as my guide's jagged wood-like fingernails grazed across my cheek. I flinched with fear as the odor of sweat, blood and festering wounds filled my senses.

     'Rise to your feet my fleshy pet; you must follow my lead to repay my debt.'

    Backing away from her, I turned my head cautiously to inspect the opening between the leaves behind my head and as I looked back, she was mere inches from my face.

    Taking a deep breath I stood and dusted myself off, pretending as best as possible that I wasn't at all disturbed by her grotesque appearance or eerie actions.

    Turning my back to her once more, I pushed the unusual leaves aside and stepped onto a road made of smooth, ivory-colored, spherical bricks.

    She stepped out into the open, and upon getting a better look at her face, I couldn't help but reveal an expression of disgust, for in the center of her eyes a big X had been sewn or embroidered with coarse thread.

    'Mind your step, for the path we walk, shall listen and taunt, even bellow and talk.'

    'Do you always speak in rhyme?' I asked, hoping that she'd drop the theatrics. Considering where we ventured, it wasn't making the journey any easier, but her lack of response was an answer in itself.

    A quick scan of my surroundings did not reveal the reason why I sensed that I was being watched. The forest all around us seemed a bit . . . off. The trees seemed to grow in a way that I had never seen before, as branches pointed downward rather than up, and the bark seemed to be glistening and wet.

    Crouching down, I examined a fallen leaf. Like the patches on my guide's body, it seemed to be made up of human flesh, though it was obviously dead as it was dry and somewhat shriveled.

    'This forest is alive, isn't it?' I asked as I tossed the dried patch of skin aside.

    'What you are seeing is what a Demon Lord does; they recreate their realms to mimic what was.'

    So, nothing natural can grow in this place. This is why Belial was so ashamed of his reflection. So much, that he felt the need to hide his true form from me. It seems that demons do crave the natural world; at least that's what I pieced together from what I had been shown thus far.

    My guide proceeded straight ahead and I cautiously ventured behind her taking in every small detail along the way; my heart beating harder with every step I took toward Baal. Suddenly I came to a halt, for I could hear whispers high above my head.

    'Did you hear that?' It seemed that the whispers were coming from different directions above; voices conversing in the darkness of the trees.

    'There's something up there.'

    As she waved her wooden-like fingertips once more, the leaves parted above, mimicking a hauntingly familiar ability. Focusing my eyes on the light that she had allowed within the darkness of the blackened canopy, I was horrified to see hundreds of bodies hanging from their necks from the branches above. Most of them were wearing uniforms which I did not recognize; but I noticed upon their upper sleeves, a red and white sash on which was embroidered the mark of the crooked cross. It was the very same symbol that I had seen tattooed on the crucified men.

    'What does that symbol mean?' I asked, unable to peel my gaze from the horrific sight.

   'It is the symbol of the Nazi.' The response came from a naked woman who slowly lowered to meet us at eye level. Her body looked to be more tree than human but her eyes quickly gave away her humanity. My rag doll guide quickly intervened.