The High Order

13. Ghost mask Guy

13. Ghost mask Guy

1. It was late morning across the skyline of Hell. smoke bellowed from many a chimney. Dan was soaring through these skies as one of the few of Hell's residents with the ability of flight. It was a gift that he could enjoy, seeing everything from a bird's eye view, including the demonic birds of Hell that provided only a temporary hindrance as his flying skills improved greatly. He was on the clock, a job requested by Satan himself as he touched down outside the Always Halloween Store in the district of Glutton. It was a shop of endearing proportions standing perfectly intact not far from the charred remains of what was once the puppet shop. 

Halloween was held in especially high regard by the denizens of hell as one of their national holidays, with numerous dazzling parades and carnivals across the realm every year to celebrate all Hallows eve. There were even occurrences of demon children dressed in costumes trick or treating on the streets, constituting the worst of the worst infants from the human world. It was also common to see a Purgatorian or two out to enjoy the festivities. Dan stood up from his landing and proceeded to chime the bell on the front door of the store. Inside were numerous skeleton and pumpkin decorations for that one special time of year. Dan perused through the aisles of candy and makeup supplies to find the white mask of a wailing ghost's face, just what he was looking for before a door opened in the well-lit store.

"good morning sir. Anything I can do for you today" a small old man in spectacles and a moustache appeared with his tall young apprentice. Both were dressed in the suits of bellhops and hotel curators minus the funny hats or luggage, still smartly dressed for a convenience store.

"hey, I'm on an investigation by royal pejorative of Satan. He told me about a series of assaults across hell. very bloody, this guy would have killed instantly if that was possible. Some people caught him on camera, and he looked to be wearing one of these masks. Have you seen anyone suspicious enter this store recently?" Dan asked the two behind the counter.

"there was one man. Tall, black, bald. Not sure what he would need in a place like this. He was carrying a machete in a holster, but as I say, you can't be too careful on these streets. He was actually very kind to us when he bought the mask, then he just left" the apprentice spoke.

"Did you see where he went?" Dan held the white mask in his hand.

"no, but I know there is only one person him Hell who specializes in swords like that. Solomon Mbaya, a former guerrilla fighter from Africa. Read in the newspaper that he published a manifesto wanting to launch a war against the current order of Hell and become the new leader. Highly unlikely if I do say so myself" the old man replied.

"is this Mbaya local?"

"across the river. No one takes him seriously just ranting from his warehouse on the riverfront in Gelwin. Kind of the old coot of Hell. you want to buy the mask sir?" the apprentice pondered.

"no keep it, but thanks though" Dan ran out of the store and flew off the ground across the city to where the two shopkeepers said: a dark silver block of a warehouse along the River Dis. He landed on the top and peered through a skylight to find a pudgy African man in the multi badged green uniform of a military dictator amongst his work colleagues on assembly lines creating machetes and Ak-47s from scratch and piling them into wooden crates. Dan swooped down to a soft landing on the pavement beside the building and banged on the steel door. A slit opened and Dan chirped:

"Can I borrow some sugar?". Dan was taken in by several hands as the door slammed shut and he was brought before Solomon, who was curious to the newcomer and arrived before him, inspecting him like a cash cow. His men were armed, but Dan could see in Mbaya's eye that he was not in the mood to unleash their wrath on him, for the moment.