The Watchtower Read online

  ***

  The meeting room under the occult shop was eerily still. Artemis brought over a serving tray of beverages and placed it on the table in the center of the room, and began unloading the tray.

  Martin sat next to Barb in one of the heavy, high back chairs. He was still trying to wrap his head around the situation. How could Barb have seen a dead man walking through the airport gate? Wasn’t that physically impossible?

  No one was in a pleasant mood. Their fact-finding mission put more tension into their situation. Martin watched as the Scot paced back and forth in front of Apollo, who leaned against the wall rubbing his lips with his thumb.

  Jezryall sat in the chair directly across from Martin. Her eyes shifted nervously back and forth. She reminded him of a frightened child; lost and scared.

  Artemis picked up a delicate shaped cup, poured some steaming brown liquid into it, and set it down in front of Barb. At first, Barb didn’t acknowledge the gesture, but a nudge from Daniel on her other side broke her concentration and she reached for the cup.

  The Scot stopped and faced Barb. “Are you sure it was a Russian envoy you saw come through the gate?”

  Barb took a sip and rubbed her forehead. “I’m positive. I’ve seen him on the news more than once. Speaking on behalf of the Embassy.”

  Artemis looked over at Martin. “He was their Public Liaison.”

  Martin shook his head. “I don’t get it. How could she see a man who’s been dead for over a week? It’s impossible!”

  Apollo leaned forward, taking a few steps toward them. “Nothing is impossible.”

  “I don’t like where this is going,” Daniel whispered, and got up from the table. He kept his gaze down as he shuffled his way to one of the dark corners.

  “Neither do I,” the Scot said, and took Daniel’s place at the table. “Only a twisted mind would desecrate a dead body in that manner.”

  “Twisted, or desperate,” Apollo said, standing next to the Scot. “There is a lot of dark magic around this. If you continue to investigate, you will need to proceed with caution.”

  “So what are you saying?” Martin asked. “This guy’s like a zombie or something?”

  Jezryall’s gaze rested on Martin. “Not like, Mr. Cunningham. Is.”

  Martin rolled his eyes. This was ridiculous. “There’s no such thing as zombies. It’s just a story made to frighten people, and make bad movies.”

  Barb reached out and grabbed his arm, looking him in the eyes. “Remember when I told you there would be times you would need an open mind?”

  “Yeah.”

  Her eyes flared with anger. “This is one of those times!”

  Martin scoffed and yanked his arm from her grip. “Believing in the worm was one thing, it was alive, but there is no way you can bring the dead back to life.”

  He pushed himself away from the table. The chair scraped along the flagstones as he stood up. Screw two weeks’ worth of pay. These people weren’t worth it. He walked out into the entrance foyer and headed for the door. The sooner he got away from these nutcases, the better. If anything, he could chalk this day up as one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

  Artemis’ soft voice called to him before he reached the door. “Mr. Cunningham? Where are you going?”

  Martin stopped, his hand on the knob of the door. “I’m leaving. What does it look like?”

  It was the oddest of things. Martin knew the woman was walking up behind him, but she made no sound.

  “You do not believe what Barbara saw was real?”

  “You could say that.”

  Artemis placed her hand on top of his. “And yet, you’ve seen some incredible things today. Why do you not believe in those?”

  Martin turned and looked at her. She was beautiful, Greek goddess beautiful with a sense about her that dampened his annoyance. “I saw a one-eyed worm with fangs hiss at me. I saw fire shoot out of some guy’s fingers, and I have no idea how Jezryall got here, but she didn’t ride with us in the van.” He paused for a moment. “I know Barb said to keep an open mind, but bringing the dead back to life? That’s asking for too much.”

  Artemis entwined her arm around his, and pulled on him to follow. “Please, Mr. Cunningham, walk with me.”

  She led him through a stone archway just to the left of the entrance foyer. He wanted to break free but Artemis’ hold was strong. He was all but lost to follow her through the dark curtains and into a circular room.

  The stone walls were etched with one continuous row of white Runes, connected in a corkscrew line that encircled the room. A large pentagram was embedded in the centre of the floor, with another directly above on the ceiling. One lone drippy candle was mounted on the wall, and Martin felt his stomach flip as Artemis pulled him to stand in the center of the circle.

  “What is this place?” he asked, as his gaze darted around the stone walls.

  “A portal, of sorts,” she said. “It is a room that allows me to see places and things that are not of this world.”

  Martin frowned. “Not of this world?”

  Artemis walked to the edge of the circle, and then faced him. “Close your eyes.”

  Martin complied and at once strange noises began to fill the room. It was a tearing sound, or a burning sound, he wasn’t sure, and there were distinct growls and snarls in the distance.

  “Open your eyes.”

  The lone candle flickered as the Runes on the wall pulsed with an ethereal glow. The limestone wall expanded and retracted, distorting the texture of the stone. Martin focused on a spot directly in front of him, as a claw tried to push through the masonry. It was muscular and large and looked animated. It couldn’t be real. This was some kind of projection. He stepped to the edge of the circle and reached out. The claw swiped at him, the tip of one talon slicing the palm of his hand.

  He jumped back, pulling his injured hand to his chest. “What the hell is that?”

  Artemis ripped off a piece of her clothing and wrapped it around his hand. “Demons, Mr. Cunningham. Creatures that have haunted the footsteps of mankind for eons.” She tied off the bandage and stepped to the edge of the circle. “We are safe here, within this ring of protection. The Runes etched on the walls keep them from crossing through to our world.”

  Martin looked down at his hand. This couldn’t be real, could it? The pain shooting through his hand was real enough. “You mean these things come here? Into our world?”

  “Yes. All the time.”

  Martin watched another part of the wall expand and retract. “How?”

  Artemis walked along the edge of the circle. “Portals, human vessels. The mode is as diverse as Hell itself.” She faced the wall and held up her arms. “Curator of elementum! Aufero is terra obex!”

  The floor vibrated as a rumbling sound filled the room. Martin watched in awe as the stone walls crumbled away, but the glowing line of Runes stayed in place. He looked down. Wisps of black smoke licked his shoes, and at once, he was overcome by a noxious odour.

  He covered his nose. “What is that smell?”

  “Brimstone,” Artemis said. “It is an odour you will never forget.”

  In the background, he saw a landscape of ghostly images. A lush field and forests with a river of red liquid cutting through the ground. Martin felt a cold chill wash over him even though a warm breeze blew through the room. “What is this place?”

  Artemis walked over to his side. “This is the first level of Hell, Mr. Cunningham. In ancient times it was called Acheron, but now it is known as Limbo.”

  Martin looked at her. “Limbo? Are you serious? I thought that was just some made up place.”

  “Oh, no, it is a very real. As is Hell itself.”

  Martin watched as hundreds of ghostly shadows wandered aimlessly around, placid looks on all their faces. Some would pass through the gnarled trees and bushes, but for the most part, they didn’t interact with their surroundings.

  “What are they doing?”

  “Waiting to be chosen for a place on the list.”

  “The list!” Martin’s eyes flashed. “I met a guy in the mail room of Terin Global who was afraid he would lose his place on a list.”

  Artemis smiled. “Souls who are in Hell or Limbo must work their way up the list to gain entry into Heaven.”

  The landscape moved--or maybe the room moved, Martin wasn’t sure. He felt his stomach flip as other landscapes came and went. “Why are you showing me this?”

  “To help you understand.” She took him by the arm and led him to the edge of the circle. “When a person dies, their time on Earth is evaluated by how well they lived their life. Not through material possession or accomplishment, but how they treated themselves and others. If one does something bad, it can be balanced out by doing something good, but if there is no balance, and the soul becomes too heavily tainted, it cannot pass through the veil into Heaven.”

  The background changed to a barren landscape with a large castle off on the horizon. The sky was blood red as huge dark clouds spawned whirlwinds that battered the landscape, tossing ghostly apparitions around. Martin flinched as outstretched arms flailed in every direction, trying desperately to cling to something. Small fires dotted the foreground, illuminating groups of people huddled by the fires, the winds not affecting them at all.

  Martin couldn’t look away from the pathetic scene. “What happened to them?”

  “Lust, Mr. Cunningham. Lured by Sirens into a life of their own selfish needs. They put their desire for sexual pleasure, money, anything, ahead of everything else, and at the expense of others.”

  A trail of black smoke darted across the skyline, and then came straight down in front of them. It hovered for a moment; dark red eyes focused on Martin. The smoke churned into a female form. Her size reminded Martin of the middle-aged woman from the bus. The smoke rolled around until the form of the same woman stood before them. She gave Martin a wicked smile, and he turned away when he noticed she was naked.

  “Lucra,” Artemis said.

  “A demon?” Martin asked.

  “One of the oldest. Demons on this level are the offspring of the lustful unions between the gods. They feed on the lustful energy created by humans.”

  Martin kept his focus on the woman’s face as the demon walked around to a young woman standing near a campfire.

  “I saw some of that black smoke trailing off of Jezryall earlier today.” He looked at Artemis. “Is she one of those things?”

  A proud smile lit up Artemis’s face. “Jezryall is special. She is a very rare creature.”

  Again, the landscape changed. This time, to a frozen wasteland. Cold winds blew through the small room as their view focused in on a rocky valley. There were no trees or vegetation of any kind. Only a frozen lake with a large winged creature trapped in the center, half of its body submerged below the ice.

  Martin’s blood ran cold. He didn’t need to ask who the creature was. “He is real.”

  Martin sensed Artemis stiffness. “Lucifer is very real. As it everything you see.”

  Martin couldn’t take his eyes off the frozen image of Lucifer. His exposed body was frail and black, like it was burnt in a fire, his wings like leather and charred. There were no horns or tail, and the more Martin stared at the creature, the more he was filled with a sense of sympathy. He knew he should be repulsed at the sight of him, but there was something about the look on its face that made Martin feel sorry for him.

  Two more creatures came into view as they walked around Lucifer. One looked human; his body scarred deep with long gashes and burnt flesh. The other took the form of a skinless and grotesque animal that walked on all fours.

  His stomach heaved at the sight of them. “What are they?”

  “The demon hound, Korthos, and his master, Satan.” Artemis crossed her arms. “They tend to Lucifer.”

  “Tend? Wait, I thought Satan and Lucifer were the same thing?”

  “No, they are two separate entities.” There was an unmistakable coldness in her tone. She turned and smiled at him. “But that is enough for today.” She released her hold on his arm and raised her arms in the air. “Elementum tutela, EGO scisco habeo terra obex recidivus!”

  Again, the ground vibrated as the limestone tumbled upward, reforming the circular walls of the room. Martin held his breath, unsure if he was in a dream or awake. This has to be a dream. Everything he was shown--it couldn’t be real? His palm began to throb again. He looked down at the bandage and clenched his fist.

  Artemis took his hand and rubbed the injury with her index finger. A warm tingling sensation filled his palm. “There is much in this world that people do not see. Much they do not know.”

  Martin unwrapped the bandage. The gash was gone, but a thin pink line remained.

  Astonished, he clenched his fist. “Wh-what happened?” He looked into her eyes. “Who are you? Really?”

  “I told you who we are.”

  Martin balked. “Greek gods? Come on!”

  “My brother and I were created to watch over and help guide mankind.”

  “So you tell us what to do? Protect us from…” He motioned toward the wall.

  Artemis turned and headed toward the dark curtain. “We provide a balance. Just as Hell has its disciples doing their best to lure you in, the Guardians of Man whisper an alternative to the demon’s temptations, but it’s up to the individual to choose their path. We cannot choose it for you.”

  Martin followed her. He wasn’t confused anymore. Just the opposite now. The idea of what could be out there waiting for him was more frightening than the worm.

  He walked out into the entrance foyer and stopped. The door leading upstairs was wide open. All he had to do was just keep on going. Could he? This job was becoming more dangerous than he could imagine, and if Lucifer and demons were real, what other nightmares could be out there waiting to strike?

  Artemis walked up to him and cupped her hand around his face. “Remember what you saw here today, Mr. Cunningham. It will come in handy.”

  “How?”

  “Trust your instincts. Your mind sees more than your eyes.”

  He watched her return to the group and took another look at the open door. The choice was his. He could walk out and never have to worry about this again, but that wouldn’t make him forget what he’d already experienced. He looked at the table and the people gathered around it. This was just a temp job; he’d only known these strangers for less than half a day, so why was he hesitating?

  Martin reached out and grabbed the doorknob. It felt cool in his grip. One thing he knew for certain, someone was after Jezryall. Whoever it was meant business, and who was to say she would be the last target? He straightened his stance and pulled the door closed.

  He strolled back into the meeting area and sat down at the table. Everyone was in the exact same place; even Barb’s cup was still full. He stretched the tightness out of his back as he leaned into the chair.

  Jezryall tilted her head to one side. “Did you find what you were looking for, Mr. Cunningham?”

  “I’m not sure,” Martin said, looking at each of them.

  The Scot leaned on the table. “We are discussing how we should proceed with our investigation. What are your thoughts?”

  Martin looked over at Artemis, and then at her brother. They were one of these Guardians of Man, and she led him into that room to help him understand. It was all up to him now. He closed his eyes and thought back to the last level of Hell and the pathetic look on Lucifer’s face. The sympathy he felt for this creature washed over him.

  “You all seem to think this is a horrible thing, and maybe it is, I don’t know I’m new to all of this, but if it is, then don’t we have a responsibility to try and find this person or persons?” He felt a warmth flow through him, a confidence he’d never felt before. “Their first attempt wasn’t successful. They may try again, and an innocent person could end up paying the price.”

  “How do you know it will happen again?” the Scot asked.

  “Because it was too easy for them to get that egg through customs. Who knows what other dangerous thing they will try to bring in next?”

  “Next time,” Daniel said, from the far end of the room. “It could be set loose on the public. Can’t imagine what kind of panic that would bring.”

  The Scot leaned back in his chair. “Aye, and more headaches than we need.”

  Martin felt his stomach tighten as he looked over at Jezryall. “So, where do we begin?”