The Raven Part 5: Hell On Earth

Chapter 6

Rebecca was beginning to get anxious on the inside. It wasn't the demons pouring out of these insufferable portals, however, it was how long Jake and the others had been gone. Five days now, five incredibly long and worrisome days. She'd sealed the majority of the doorways I'm Citiville, and the ones she may have overlooked were of little concern. The women, and some men surprisingly, who had pledged themselves to her were more than capable of handling the straglers. Some of the women were more formidable than others, but so long as they all banded together things would be fine. And Elizabeth had the nerve to call her a self centered sociopath. If it weren't for her, those people would be lying in their own blood or resting in the bellies of these monstrosities!

She'd taken one of the women and her dog of a man up on their offer to get her back to Metropolis. She wasn't one for charity, but the young woman made a compelling argument. She'd spun it into a sort of tribute claiming that a Goddess in living form didn't deserve to have to walk the beaten path. Between the girl's insistence and the fact that she'd already trained her man, she felt inclined to accept the offering. The questions and praise were also a nice distraction from the burdens she carried inside. The questions also helped to fabricate the new scripture she had been working on as well.

"So you see, child, through me you become a new creation," Rebecca explained from the passenger seat, "All of your old ways have fallen away, and in their place comes purpose and a peace that surpasses all understanding."

"Madam, forgive me, but may I ask a question?" the voice of the woman's betrothed asked, "I-if not then please forgive me for speaking out of turn, dear Goddess, and I will cut out my tongue so as not to offend you and your eternal glory."

This boy was promising. She smiled at his willingness to give her and his own mistress the respect they were owed, "That's quite alright, Michael was it? Ask your question."

"Yes, Goddess, thank you, Goddess," Michael replied, "While it is an honor for someone as lowly as myself and the rest of my gender to be in your presence, I fear that many may not he as receptive to your wisdom. I require nothing from you, but I would like to know how I may persuade other men to see the light of truth that you offer. What shall I tell them, Goddess? If you, and my own mistress, will permit me, I would like to spread the gospel of your grace and power."

"Michael, I'm sure that our Goddess does not require any assistance from your idiotic mouth!" the girl, Chelsea, snapped.

"Don't be so hard on him, child, his heart is in the right place," Rebecca said, "He merely wishes to preach to his gender so that they may too be reborn and take their rightful places. Isn't that right, Michael?"

"Yes, Goddess that is correct, and forgive me for speaking mistress," Michael replied.

"If our Goddess can forgive you, then so can I, dear," Chelsea replied.

"In answer to your question, Michael dear, let me say this," Rebecca said turning to face him, "Through me is the only path to true salvation and peace. Where others baptize with water, I baptize with fire, my dear. The wickedness of man has brought nothing but pain and suffering to this planet, and I am the light of change and rebirth. I offer freedom through submission, rest for the weary, and peace in a world otherwise fraught with war and strife. There will be those who choose to stand against me, both men and women, but they are but the dying remnants of a bygone era. All of that to say this, dear Michael: tell all who will listen that I am their last and only hope. If they wish to keep their lives, achieve peace, and contribute to this world, they will take their place at the feet of those superior and will serve accordingly."

"Such wisdom and truth, my Goddess!" Michael exclaimed, "Hail the Goddess, praise be in her name, and let all who oppose her suffer a fate that makes them beg for death! Let those who have ears hear, those with eyes see, and let them know the truth: through you, my glorious Goddess, is the way of peace, through you they may be reborn into something more than this worthless flesh!"

The boy lacked nothing in enthusiasm. If only all were as receptive to her preaching as these two. She would achieve it one day, this she was certain. Once she had Jake back by her side, all would be made right with the world. She would tear it down and remake it in their image. "Be silent, Michael," Chelsea snapped, "Your words may be kind, but your voice is like nails on a chalkboard. Mind your tone, dear."

"Yes, mistress, forgive me, mistress," Michael said quietly.

"Chelsea, dear," Rebecca began, "Speak truthfully, do you love this boy?"

"I-yes, Goddess, I do," Chelsea admitted, "He may be inferior to me, but he longs to please me and strives to improve. It's endearingly sweet and while I know it is wrong, I cannot deny that I care deeply for him."

"It isn't wrong, dear," Rebecca said, "Allow me to share with you the story of my Raven while we make our journey. Long ago, in a time long since past, there was a boy who showed kindness and favor to an oppressed young woman. He was, and still is, the light by which mankind may be redeemed, but alas tragedy befell him and me…"

And so it went. Rebecca regailed them with the tale of her past, and the story of Jake's heroism. She told them of the betrayal, the robbing of her powers, her time spent as a mere mortal, and her ascension back to godhood. Both Chelsea and Michael listened intently, and neither breathed a word while she spoke. So it was, that when she had finished these two were the first of many true conversions to her faith. She could feel their emotions churning with every word of her story, and when she had finished she felt the calm wash over them. They believed in her, in her preaching, and in all of her promises. They felt right as they were, together as mistress and slave, and no longer did either feel shame for the feelings they held for one another. She had promised Jake she would be good, but what was more good than what she had done here? She'd given these two hope, peace, and love that they both needed. She would close down the portals, save this world, see her Raven brought back to her, and take her rightful place as this world's ruler. In her newfound mercy, she resolved to offer even the traitors a place in her new world. Should they survive the trip to Hell, it would be only right to absolve them of their crimes. Passion was something she understood all too well, and something she could forgive, even from the likes of Elizabeth if need be. Now she just needed them to come back in one piece.

While five days had passed in the land of the living, it has only been a day for the heroes trapped in Hell. The imbalance of time was a mystery to them all, but in the end it was irrelevant. They had to press on if they had any hope of stopping Dorothy and her plot. The division that the trio had felt had manifested into a physical form now. Jake had been forced to separate from his friends in an attempt to save them, and Beth and Pam were left to find their own way. What Jake didn't know, however, was that he wasn't completely alone. Alexis had charged after him, but he hadn't heard her calling out due to the horde of demons pursuing him. He had to figure out a way to either deal with them or lose them if he had any hopes of reuniting with his friends.

"Stand and fight, human!" the head demon roared, "You do your kind no honor with this cowardly display!"

"What is with the formal bullshit?" Jake mumbled to himself as he ducked behind a stone slab, "Is it honorable to have such a large group fight one man?!"

"Do not lecture me, human!" the big demon replied, "Hide all you like, we will find you and deliver you to our Queen!"

"Evading the question seems pretty cowardly to me," Jake said, "Maybe you're afraid of fighting me one on one!"

"Impudent little morsel!" the demon roared, "How dare you-"

"Jake! Where are you?!" Alexis yelled from over the hill, "I told you to wait for me!"

Great, just what he needed. The added flair of his crazy stalker to add to his current struggles. "The traitor!" the demon growled, "Seize her and bring her to me!"

"Shit," Jake mumbled, he couldn't let them take Alexis when she was trying to help him and his friends, "Hold up! I'm the one you want, let her go!"

"We will deal with you in a moment, human," the demon snarled.

"Jake, there you are!" Alexis yelled, "Back off dickheads! Beat it, and I won't tell Dorothy you're trying to steal her prey!"

"You don't know, do you girl?" the demon laughed, "You've been declared a traitor by the Queen herself for abandoning your post! There is a bounty on your head, and securing you will earn us a place by her side."

"Well damn, that was fast," Alexis remarked.

Jake had a sinking feeling as he felt something, or someone, touch the fringes of his mind, "I challenge you!" he yelled, "Face me in one on one combat, and if you win we will go with you!"

The horde froze before breaking into a fit of raucous laughter, nearly doubling over from the hysteria of Jake's challenge. "Who are you to challenge me, human?" the demon demanded.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but here goes nothing," Jake thought as he stepped forward and boldly proclaimed, "I am the one chosen by the Earthbound Goth Goddess herself. I have served in her resurrection, and have more right to challenge you than any other mortal on this plane or the next!"

"That wretched harpie?!" the demon mocked, "Hold your tongue, boy, and wait for your turn."

"Are you refusing the right to challenge?" Alexis asked, stepping forward, "You may not support his claim, hell I hate that bitch, but she's the one who usurped Lilith. The rite of challenge has been issued, shit-bird, and declining it will mark you as a lowly coward in the eyes of Dorothy. Are you afraid you might lose?"

The horde ceased their mocking laughter, and turned to face their ringleader. He snarled at her before turning back to Jake, "I, Artemis the Devourer of Souls, am not afraid of anything! If this puny boy truly wishes to suffer at my hands, then so be it!"

"Okay then," Alexis said, skipping down to Jake, "Let me talk with my little bird real quick."

The demons grumbled and spread out as she passed. She stopped next to Jake and whispered, "How did you know about the rite of challenge?"

"I didn't," he admitted, "It was just a stab in the dark."

"So you have no idea how this works?" Alexis asked and he shook his head, "Okay, so you either have to kill him or get him to yield to you. The rules are pretty straight forward. No one can aid either combatant, and you two can use any means necessary to subdue the other. He's no Arch Lord, but he's almost at the rank of Greater Demon. He's got more power than any of these other little shrimps, so you need to watch yourself. Don't hold anything back, Jake, because he's not going to show any mercy after those insults."

"Arch Lord, Greater Demon, what the hell are you talking about?" Jake asked, not understanding any of the titles Alexis was naming.

"I'd wager he's probably a Pride Demon based on how he reacted to being called out," she mused aloud.

"Alexis, what does any of that mean?" he asked, trying to get her attention.

"Huh?" she asked, realizing he was asking her questions, "Oh, right, I forgot you're still new here. There's a ranking system for demons here, and there are different types of demons as well that determine their personalities. I'll explain later, all you need to know is that this one is strong, mean, and probably stupid. You just need to worry about beating him, though."

"Let's get on with the challenge!" Artemis growled.

"Alright, alright!" Alexis yelled before getting behind Jake and pushing him forward, "Knock 'em dead, pretty boy. Seriously, no judgement down here if you kill one of these assholes."

"Any suggestions?" he asked.

"Yeah, don't die," Alexis replied as she circled around him and stood between the two of them, "Alright, the challenge has been issued! By the Ancient Order of Blood and blah, blah, blah we are all forbidden from aiding these two! Any attempts to interrupt the challenge will result in a forfeit on the part of the other challenger. Now, let's see some blood you two!"

"With pleasure," Artemis said as he twirled his trident, "I'll leave you alive, boy, but only barely. You shall never forget my name!"

Jake rolled his eyes behind his mask and drew his escrima sticks. Artemis was huge compared to him, but he'd fought villains twice his size several times in the past. Alexis stepped out of the way, and the two of them began circling one another. Jake kept a careful eye on Artemis' centerline, and took note of his tail that whipped back and forth as he walked. With a mighty roar, Artemis lunged forward attempting to skewer Jake with the end of his weapon. He rolled out of the way and under Artemis' attack. He flipped the switch on his escrima sticks and they crackled with electricity as he spun them around and thrust the sparking ends into Artemis' leg. The demon growled in agitation, and quickly spun his own sparking weapon around vertically and slammed it into Jake's side. He howled in pain as volts of amber hell energy coursed through him and knocked him away.

Jake rolled as he hit the ground, and before he could recover, Artemis was thrusting his trident at him. Jake spun, threw himself back, and pushed himself up into a back handspring just in time to avoid the points of the trident. The ground around the trident was shot up as the energy surged out of it and into the dirt. Jake flung one of his sticks at Artemis and the crackling end connected with the demon's shoulder. It richocheted off of him, and Jake caught it as he charged forward. He ran up the demon's massive arm, leapt off in a spin, and the side of his foot collided with Artemis' head. It was like kicking a tree, but impact was enough to stagger the monster. Jake landed on his feet and swung his weapons upward with as much force as he could muster. His sticks slammed into Artemis' jaw, and the beast's grip was loosened on his trident.

Artemis growled once more as he recovered from Jake's forceful kick to the side of his head. He wrapped his hands around his trident, and spun around in an attempt to sweep Jake's legs with his tail. Jake saw the swipe coming, however, and managed to jump over the spiked appendage. The momentum was enough to free his weapon, though, and he followed through by swiping it at Jake. The end of the trident smacked Jake in the side knocking him backward. Jake managed to catch himself, and was forced to dive out of the way of another blast of hell energy that shot out of the trident. He was forced on the defensive as Artemis rushed forward with a flurry of successive jabs of his trident. Years of training were put to the test as Jake narily avoided multiple stabs. Left and right, he continued stepping back and evading the polearm's sharp points.

He needed to find an opening fast, or else he would surely find himself impaled. He tried to block one of the incoming stabs with his escrima sticks, but they were knocked out his hands by the force of the blow and the jolt of energy that surged through his arms. Artemis capitalized on his sudden pain by ramming the ends of his trident through Jake. Jake managed to avoid a fatal blow, but the sharp tips pierced through his armor and dug into his shoulder. He cried out in pain as Artemis lifted him into the air, and hurled off over his shoulder. He hit the ground with a thud and a bounce. He let out a groan of pain that was drowned out by the cheers of the other demons.

"Jake!" Alexis yelled, "Get up, please be okay!"

Jake grimaced as he rolled onto his stomach, pushed himself up, and forced himself back to his feet. "Pathetic little boy," Artemis mocked, "Surrender yourself and spare yourself further agony and humiliation."

Jake's arm was practically useless. The blood poured down from the stab wounds. He bared his teeth as he used his good arm to pull out one of his blessed birdarangs. "What's the matter, scared?" he asked through gritted teeth, "I'm not backing down, you ugly freak!"

"Fine then, let's see how quickly you fall with one arm!" Artemis laughed.

Jake spun the birdarang around, holding it like a dagger as he took a wide defensive stance. His adrenaline was pumping as Artemis stalked forward. He fell back on the defensive when Artemis rushed him with another series of quick thrusts. His arm made him feel off balance, but he managed to dodge the jabs all the same. He ducked under and circled around one of Artemis' thrusts and sliced the demon's calf with his birdarang. Artemis howled in pain as the holy energy surged through him, and he quickly pounced on his back. He drove the edge of the birdarang into Artemis' scaly back and shouted as he forced his wounded arm to work for him. The pain was immediate, but he had to do something. He hadn't made it this far just to die at the hands of some demon!

He wrapped his good arm around Artemis' throat, and held on for dear life as the demon began trying to throw him off. It was a struggle, but Artemis couldn't wrap his claws around Jake's body from his advantageous position. He summoned all of his might as he ripped the birdarang from Artemis' back and drove it into his shoulder. The demon howled in pain, dropped his weapon, and threw himself back in hopes of crushing Jake. He was too fast, though, and Jake kicked off of Artemis' back just in time. He ignored the pain shooting through him as he rushed forward, grabbed the trident, and plunged it into Artemis' chest. He found the switch on the weapon and pressed it. A blast of amber energy blew the demon's torso to bits and he dropped the trident, having clinched victory by the skin of his teeth.

He turned to face the horde of demons who's cheers had gone silent. He looked around their stunned faces and barked, "Run!"

They scattered over the hills, some tripping over the others as they scurried away. Once they were out of sight, he fell to his knees and felt his adrenaline begin to wear off. Alexis ran to his side to check on him, "Jake, holy shit, are you alright?"

"I just got stabbed in the arm, Alexis," he replied through gritted teeth, "Other than that, yeah I'm fine."

"That was awesome!" Alexis praised, "Not the getting stabbed part, of course, you kicking that freak's ass. You're even more incredible than I remember!"

He smiled before wincing, "Thanks, Alexis," he said, "I don't know how much more use I'll be on this little journey of ours though. I also don't know how we're going to find Beth and Pam. Guess I didn't really think my plan through."

"Don't sweat it, I never do," she beamed, "Those two can take care of themselves. Plus they could probably use some alone time. The big question is, what are we going to do with you? Can you walk?"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to be much good in a fight," he replied, "Any idea where we are?"

"This place looks familiar, but I can't quite place it," she said putting a finger to her lips, "I've been here before. My job was to track down high priority targets and either recruit or eliminate them, so I've been all over this little slice of paradise."

Jake pushed himself back to his feet and nearly fell back down. Alexis caught him, despite her smaller stature, and helped him to get steady. "Paradise?" he repeated, "Of course you'd think this wasteland would be a paradise. What were you saying about different demons? Something about Arch Lords, Greater, and Lesser?"

She helped him along and together they started a slow trek through the rocks towards one of the many rivers of lava, "Oh yeah, sorry totally slipped my mind. So, down here there are different classes and clans of demons. You've got your Arch Lords, that's like what Lilith used to be and what Dorothy is now. They're the head honchos and the ones with the most pull. Then you have classes below them which are your basic Lords that reign over clans and the like. Below them you have Greater Demons, generals and other demons who either have raw physical power, bigger brains, or some kind of magical abilities. Finally, you've got your Lesser Demons which are your grunts. Those are the ones you see the most of down here. You've also got variants that are classified by the sins they embody. Pride, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, Vanity, Greed, and Envy are the titles they tend to take. Arty back there seemed like a Greater Pride Demon just by the way he talked and how easily he accepted a challenge."

"So which of those are you?" he asked.

"None of the above," she replied, her voice taking on more of a lucid tone for a change, "I'm a fallen soul who was supposed to be used as food or pleasure by the others. Dorothy knew about me from before, and these dumb fucks couldn't break me no matter how hard they tried. I'm the exception to the rule about Demons being in charge down here. Dorothy saw something in me that she could use, and so she chose to liberate me from the basic torture to put my talents to good use. I guess you could call me an honorary Lord, or at least you used to could call me that. I guess No-Nose took my sudden leave as a resignation or something."

"What has been going on down here?" Jake asked, "From what Beth said, and what we saw, this place seems more like the DMV than a place of eternal torment."

Alexis gave a slight hum as she tried to figure out the best way to explain everything, "From what I understand, things changed after Dorothy's last defeat. Once she got banished back here, she took to running the whole place more like a business than the chaos that had previously reigned. She was already an Arch Lord back then, but she really took things to whole other level when she returned. Everything down here is powered off of souls and torment, but Dorothy decided to monopolize all of that. It all comes from the Well of Souls in the lowest levels of The Spire, and she decided that if she was going to have complete control and eventually take over the world of the living, she would need to be able to harness every bit of that. Your dumbass girlfriend sped her plan up by breaking down the barriers between worlds, and now everyone who dies up there goes straight to the Well and into her."

"So everything happening up there was inevitable?" he asked.

"Yup," she replied, "Don't worry that pretty little head of yours, though. Dorothy hasn't finished her plans yet and you've got me!"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asked as they slowly began ascending another hill.

"Listen, Jake," she said, "You might not see it, but I'm you and your group's biggest advantage right now. I know the lay of the land, the cities, the backdoors, Dorothy's plans, and even the hierarchy of this place. Without me, you three would have been wandering around scrambling to figure out a way to stop Dorothy, and let's be honest, it probably wouldn't have ended well for any of you."

"Appreciate the vote of confidence," he grumbled.

"I'm a realist, and your track records aren't exactly stellar," she said, "And I'd appreciate it if you'd at least try to show some appreciation and not be an ass. I love you and all, but you've been nothing but mean to me since we found each other. Aren't you at least a little happy to see me?"

He sighed as he was reminded once again that Alexis was human. She was crazier than anyone he'd ever met, but she still had feelings. "I'm sorry " he finally said, "It's not that I'm not happy to see you, I promise. It's just after everything that's happened, I've changed. Despite all the trouble you caused, it is nice to see a familiar face that isn't out to torture or kill me. Hey, how come you weren't surprised by Beth being with Pam?"

She smiled as she replied, "I was surprised to see it was Pamela Lavely, I admit, but I have spot on gaydar."

"That's not a thing," he said, chuckling slightly.

"Is to!" she argued, "Course it helped that one night we both got drunk and she came onto me."

"Now you're just lying," he said.

"Well maybe that's a stretch, but she was certainly receptive to my advances," she said with a grin, "She's got a talented tongue. Not as good as yours, but she's a natural with it."

"Okay, that's enough about that," he said, not enjoying the picture forming in his head.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"You just did, but go ahead," he said with a small grin of his own.

"Why did you do it?" she asked, "Giving in to Goth, serving as her little pet, taking the abuse, and abandoning the people who care about you."

His face fell as he considered the question. It was one he'd been asked, and asked himself, several times in the past. He took a deep breath and looked up to the red sky above as he answered, "At first, I did it because I thought it was the only way to save Metropolis and everyone in it. I didn't know that Rebecca was still moving into my city until it was too late. Honestly, part of me always kind of knew it would happen, but another part of me wanted to believe the lie. Her and I met long before we fought, and I couldn't get her out of my head. Her powers weren't to blame either, it was my own desperate need to be controlled and dominated. I had no idea the chaos, damage, and pain that would come from me making the choice to sacrifice everything I was either. Beth, you, and everyone in Metropolis suffered in one way or another because of that choice. Some more than others, and some sooner than others. What really gets me is that even though I know she's still up to something, I can't seem to break away from her. I almost did with Ashley, but that night she...she bit me and it didn't do anything. Then, without a word of explanation, she took the stake in my hand and drove it into her heart. I never meant for things to go this far, for so many people to get hurt."

"I guess it isn't all bad, though. Beth and Pam got together because of it, I actually got closer to Sam, and Beth managed to reestablish a relationship with her aunt Salley. I just wish so many people hadn't have suffered because of it. I admit, I'm glad you're doing alright down here. There were a lot of nights that I relived seeing your death, so it's a relief to see you thrive here."

"Fifth Street put their dumbass ambitions aside?" Alexis asked, "Get out of here."

Jake shook his head, "Not the whole gang, just those two. The rest of then sided with Rebecca when she was in control. I think the ones that are left are too scared of Beth to make much noise."

"I'm not surprised," she said, "I saw what she can do with those pistols. The girl is a true artist."

"Now you sound like Pam," he said with a smile.

They were quiet for a moment as they walked before Alexis asked, "Do you ever miss the way things were? You and Beth, Birdboy and Catgirl, fighting side by side against me and the others."

"Sometimes," he replied, "Things were simpler then, that much is for sure. Back then, I didn't have to worry about everyone knowing about my submissive side. My city didn't hate me either, and all I had to worry about was putting criminals behind bars with my best friend."

"For what it's worth, I miss the old you," she said quietly, "I'll love you no matter what and I've always known you were a sub, but you've let yourself get so beat down by Goth. You're still you and you still have that spark in you somewhere, I know, but it's like she's stolen bits and pieces of you over time. That's why Beth is so mad at you. It's not just because she feels irrelevant, it's because she cares about you and hates seeing what that woman does to you. She's stealing the best parts of what makes you you."

"When did you become a psychologist?" he asked.

She shrugged slightly, being careful not to jostle his weight while doing so, "I studied more than just chemistry, Jake. I was on my way to a PhD at the time. Psychology was a perquisite to…oh shit, now I know where we are."

Jake was about to ask until he looked down. The hill gave way to a basin with several odd rock formations with purple and red flames dancing on the tops of them. That wasn't what caught his attention, however. It was the familiar figure standing in the center of the rocks. The feminine form, regal stance, and crimson hair filled him with hope. He stared down at her and watched as the air around her shimmered as if swayed by some strange unseen force. "Is that?" he asked, looking over to Alexis.

She nodded, "This is Ash's turf. I don't head over this way often. It's always either to check on her, chat, or to get Dorothy off my back about recruiting her. She keeps to herself more often than not. Come on, she needs to see you more than you need to see her."

"Alexis," he said, "I don't...I don't know if I can handle this. You said she's trapped here, right?"

"She is, but you're the one who said you needed to talk to her," she replied, "She needs to see you too, Jake, there was a lot left unsaid between you two."

"I can't do this," he admitted, weakly.

"I say this love, but you're going down there if I have to throw you down the hill," she said, "I usually make it a habit to avoid getting close to people, but when Ash got down here she was a wreck. She was broken, like me and Beth were, and maybe that's what drew me to her. You've seen her beyond the veil, yeah? She's been using her own life-force to enter your world. She's been killing herself to communicate with you. She deserves to see you in person one last time, physically face to face. Fuck, what happened to me? How did I get softer after dying and ending up here in Hell? Guess I'll ponder that while you two are catching up."

"You're not coming?" Jake asked, genuinely surprised.

"Are you kidding?" she asked, "Look, there aren't many people I won't fuck with, but I am not playing third wheel with Ashley fucking Bilefoot. Now, remember to tuck and relax on the way down?"

"What's that supposed to-woah!" he started before Alexis let go of him and gave him a shove that sent him tumbling down the hill.

The trip down was painful, and he let out several swears and obscenities on the way. The incline prevented him from finding any way to recover, and each time he tried it resulted in a painful bounce. He finally stopped when he hit one of the rock formations at the bottom of the basin. "Oh, I am going to kill that woman," he grumbled, "I'm gonna have Pam bring her back to life, take one of Beth's pistols, and I am going to-"

"Jake?" a familiar and sultry voice asked, "Jake Blackridge, do my eyes deceive me?"

"Ash-Ashley?" he asked, "Uh, I...uhm, sorry to drop in?"

Looking up at her, it was clear this was the woman who had eluded him since that fateful night. The black and red corset over her white flowing blouse, those tight leather pants, and those impressive boots of hers were all her distinct style. Her eyes, twin shards of blood glistening in the light, twinkled as she smiled and showed her fangs, "That bad joke confirms it," she said, "You're earlier than I expected. Your entrance could have used some work, love, but it warms this cold heart to see you again."

He struggled to get to his feet, but he felt her strong hands gently take hold and help him. "Yeah, you can thank Alexis for that," he said before adding, "Crazy bitch."

"You'll have to give her my thanks for escorting you to me," she said before moving to inspect his shoulder, "You're hurt. What happened?"

"Just a little scrap with a demon," he said, "You can...I mean, if you're hungry that is, I wouldn't be upset if you…"

She smiled at his offer, "I'll pass, love, but I appreciate the offer. I've missed you. You're all I've been able to think about since that night. How are you holding up?"

He couldn't bring himself to look at her as he answered, "I've been better."

"Still under the witch's thumb?" she asked as she circled him, "I should have killed her when I was still in your world, my love. You deserve better than what that harlot gives you."

"Part of me wishes you had," he mumbled.

"It was not, and still is not, my place to fight your battles," she said, "Much as I would love to drink her dry, this is something that you must overcome. Do you still think about our last night together?"

"Every second I'm alone, everytime I ponder my regrets, and everytime Rebecca belittles me or my friends," he replied, "Why did you do it, Ashley? You had me, I lost."

She shook her head and gave him a sad smile, "I told you that night, my love, I had lost before I began. You are immune to my curse thanks to that archaic whore and her magic."

"But I would have chosen you over her!" Jake argued, "I'd already made my decision during our fight!"

"What sort of life would that have been, Jake?" she countered, "Your friends and I would have had to watch as you withered away in age. My heart was doomed to break, so I made a selfish choice...what I did to Beth and Pamela hurt me as much as it did them, and your world is better off without me in it. Admittedly, I had hoped that through my death you would find the strength to break away from the witch."

"You left me alone, Ashley," he said, his voice cracking slightly, "In sparring yourself the heartbreak, you broke mine!"

"You were never alone, my love," she said, "Beth may be incredibly hot headed, but she would never abandon you. Pamela's attachment is to Beth, yes, but that girl has a larger heart than she will admit. I knew that they would stay with and carry you through the darkness that I knew would follow in that whore's wake. I've also been projecting myself into your psyche during my time imprisoned here in hopes of providing some comfort and guidance."

"Yeah, you know I actually thought I was going crazy for a while there," he said, "And I'm guessing you've overlooked the bit about the three of us having a falling out. Everyone has been at each other's throats after Ravenfalls and Abigail."

"So I've seen," she said as she walked over to take a seat on a stone bench, "I admit, I was surprised to see you three turn to such constant in-fighting, but I've also seen that you and Pamela have banded together. Beth is hot headed, my love, but I saw with my own eyes the depths of her compassion. She care about you and simply adores that young Pamela, so I have no doubt that she will forgive you both in time."

"What do you mean, you've seen?" he asked, following her over to the bench.

"I may not be able to project myself to you as much, but we are connected, my love," she explained, "My curse may not have taken effect, but our hearts still beat as one. At least for the time being that is. It costs more of my life-force to speak with you each time, but I am always with you. I see what you see, my love, feel what you feel as well. It pains me that you're still buried beneath the darkness that Rebecca has brought into your life."

He stared at her for a moment, and he noticed that the sheen of her hair had lost some of its luster. Her eyes had also lost some of the old fire he remembered, and beneath them were dark circles from exhaustion. "You're dying," he said sadly, "Ashley, you can't do this to yourself again!"

She gave a small and sad smile as she mused, "How can one who's already dead die again? The irony of my demise is not lost on me, but I would die a thousand times over if it meant I could see you again. I've held on because I knew you would come to me sooner or later."

"How could you possibly know that?" he asked.

"Alexis gifted me with a Seer's Stone some time ago," she replied, "The girl is mad, but I believe Beth left more of an impression on her than either of them realized at the time. I've known for some time that you three would arrive here eventually, just as I knew that you would survive Ravenfalls thanks to Pamela. I wish I could say that your trials and tribulations are coming to end, my love, but they are doomed to get worse before they get better."

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," he said, "I'm scared, Ashley, and I just keep failing everyone. You, Beth, Alexis, Pam, my city, everything and everyone I touch suffers because of me."

"You still cling to the shadows, Jake, your perception is tainted by then," she said as she placed a hand on his thigh, "You see yourself as burden to others, but you are so much more than that. You've done more than you realize. Your influence is what drove Beth to be the person that she is, and as a result it rekindled a fire inside of Pamela. You brought this aged and cold heart warmth it hadn't felt in centuries, and even as much as I hate that woman, you've had more of an impact on her than anyone realizes. The citizens of your city do not despise you, you've merely heard the voices of a few. Fear is easy to manipulate, it turns to hate with ease, and from there it can wielded as a weapon by those who seek to exploit it. Do not let the actions of some dictate your opinion of yourself. Step out of the darkness of denial, my love, and embrace your newfound place in life. You must forge ahead as you did before, cut your own path in life, and rise from the ashes of your old self."

"I can't do it alone, Ash," he said quietly, "Rebecca has broken me."

"Haven't you been listening to me?" she asked, "I have already told you, my sweet, you are never alone. I am with you, now and forever."

"You can't keep doing this to yourself because of me," he argued again, "I'm sick of people dying for me, because of me! I never asked for any of this!"

"The day you chose to dawn that mask, you accepted this as a possibility, my love," she said calmly, "The path of a hero is not meant to be an easy one. If it were then any fool would take on the role. Your city needs you, they need you."

"I'm not a hero anymore," he said, admitting the truth he'd been denying for so long at last, "Heroes don't fail the way that I have. Sting, Dart, Beth, Alexis, you, the list of people that have suffered because of me goes on and on."

"Is that what you believe?" she asked as she got to her feet, "Heroes are not some infalliable beings that do no wrong, they are the ones who continue to stand after they fall. Have you considered the possibility that those that came before you did so because they believed in you? Rise, my love, my time is coming to an end, but I have one final gift to offer you."

"Ashley, please," he begged, "I can't lose you again."

She took him by the hands and pulled him gently to his feet, "Do you trust me, Jake?"

"Of course I do," he said, "I...I love you, Ashley."

"How quick you are to throw that word around," she laughed, "I know you mean it, though. You have a big heart, my love, no matter how heavy it might feel. If you trust me, then stand before me one last time. Grant me one last kiss, and I promise you that you will never be alone again."

"Ashley, I-" he began before she placed a finger to his lips.

"This is not goodbye," she said before gently caressing his cheek, "This is a new beginning for you and I. You may be immune to my curse, but if you are willing we can still be together. If you consent, our souls will bind together in this life and the next. Will you accept me and all that I am?"

"Yeah, of course," he replied.

"Then kiss me one last time, Jake, and I will always be with you," she said, "Our souls will join together, and I will be with in both body and mind."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked.

"I can never have you any other way, my love," she replied, "At least this way I can be at peace knowing that we will always be together."

"I love you, Ashley," he said, a hint of sadness in voice.

"And I love you, Jake," she said, "Don't be sad, my love, we have an eternity together to look forward to."

"Will I ever see you again?" he asked.

"Once you've returned to the world above, speak with Pamela about this," she instructed, "Until then, you'll see me in your dreams. Know that anytime that happens, I am reaching out to you in spirit. As you continue on your journey, know that I will always be with you."

He nodded and their lips met. The fires around them grew in size as they kissed. Their magical essence poured into the atmosphere, saturating it as their bodies began to glow. Ashley deepened the kiss and Jake welcomed the intimacy. She was cold to the touch, but somehow he began to feel a warmth spread through him. He closed his eyes and let all of his fear and doubt fall away for a moment. This was the farewell that he had needed. The idea of joining together with Ashley was beautiful in a poetic and heartbreaking sort of way. He closed his eyes as he lost himself in the moment, but it was fleeting and over before he knew it. The last words he heard from her were a simple, "Be strong, my love," before she faded away. Ashley Bilefoot was gone, now and forever more.

He opened his eyes as the hot winds of Hell blew across his face. He was alone once again, and yet he could feel her presence within him. He sighed and went to turn around, but a menacing voice called out, "The pretty boy looks like he might cry."

"Dear sister, let us not mock this one and his sorrow," another voice replied, "His heart is broken already, and we mustn't mother waiting."

"Let us have a taste, sister," another called out, "We won't drain him dry, and it is so very rare for us to have such a chance!"

"Silence, Cherrie," the second voice replied, "You know that we owe ourselves to our mother, and she wishes to see this one for herself. The puppet of the false Goddess will answer to her, and then perhaps we may have our fun."

"Victoria, why can't we-" Cherrie began as she manifested on the winds.

"You heard our sister, Cherrie," Analise said as she rose from the stones, "Besides, it's best to let the pathetic worm get his tears out before we feast. They taste so much better when they're filled with sorrow and hopelessness!"

"Get away from me," Jake snapped, "I'm not-"

"Sleep, mortal," Victoria said as she appeared behind him and pressed her hand to his head, "Do not fight, or we will devour your crazed little friend. She is of little consequence to our mother dearest, but if you're a good boy we may yet let her live!"

Jake snarled as he saw Alexis floating beside Cherrie who wore a maniacal grin. He could feel the tendrils of ethereal magic pulling at the fringes of his mind, but he'd dealt with enough of these sorts of magic to know how to fight it. He heard Ashley's voice whisper in the back of his mind, "Don't fight this, Jake, these three will take you where you need to go."

It didn't feel right, but he listened to Ashley's instruction. He let himself succumb to the sleepy feeling that clawed at his mind. His body started to feel heavy as did his eyes. The last thing he saw was the sadistic grins of the sisters circling around him, and the last thing he heard was them giggling as they closed the gap. He hoped that he was making the right decision.