The Untruth Told (Epilogue)
The Untruth Told
{Epilogue}
Hell is empty and all the devils are here.
~ William Shakespeare ~
He could hear the faint sounds of laughter coming from The Magroth Edge Inn. Three distinct voices; apparently, he was the last to arrive. This meant that he was either late or the rest of the group was early - and he seriously doubted that they were early. Oh well, he always did like to make an entrance.
He reached out for the decorative doorknob and had to grin a little. Same old Azure, same old tricks. The knob was wet and he knew, just knew that the water on it had been blessed. They were never really worried about humans interrupting their evening, but they would not tolerate an intrusion by some lower level demon. And really, compared to them, all other demons were lower.
There were very few of them left - the older demons. And, holy water did not affect them the way it did the younger ones. So, any black-eyed child who tried to enter here would have a stinging surprise waiting for them in the form of a Coptic Cross burnt onto its palm. Secret code words just weren’t their style.
“Ah,” he said as he walked grandly into the Inn, “my friends.” To which they all laughed. After all, they weren’t ‘friends’ - they were peers who had vowed not to destroy one another without provocation, but that was hardly grounds for friendship.
Looking around at the new faces, the man-masks, he new who they were right away. They were very predictable in their choices and rarely strayed from forms they had long ago taken a liking to.
Azure was always a wise, old man. The human would have a vast knowledge and a great amount of higher education. It was a perfect cover, Azure told him once, because no one suspects a frail elderly man… until it was too late.
To the old man’s right sat Jade. Always a tall, thin woman who was only slightly more curvy than a runway model. And, the woman would never pass beyond the 30-35 human-year-old range.
To Azure’s left was the newest member of the group. Plum was brought in only to fill the void left by Ruby - a true loss that he and the others didn’t want to talk (let alone think) about. Plum always took the form of an obese human, very obese. Though the demon wouldn’t admit it, they all knew it was a fondness for human pastries that led to the choice.
They never called one another by their real names. Names held far too much power in their world and to try and wield that power could mean war. Battle lines were never completely straight and rivalries ran far too deep - a battle between demon factions would only end in a loss too excessive to be considered a win for either side. And those losses would put them at far too great a disadvantage to the humans.
Years ago one of them saw a movie in which four subway hijackers identified one another using colors instead of names. They all agreed it was cliché, they all agreed to use the idea anyway, but they could not agree on who had watched the movie and suggested it in the first place.
Humans hold the belief that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Well, like so many other theories, this is only half right. The eyes are the windows to the inner being. For humans, this might mean soul, but demons have always been proud of the fact that they are devoid of such flaws. But, the eyes of the shells they inhabit are indeed windows and they show the true colors (where did you think that quote came from?) of the demons inside - so, this is how the names were distributed.
“Ah, Amber,” Azure addressed him, “finally we can begin the game.” Amber took the seat across from the old man.
The four elder demons met every 42 days to play poker. Again, it was cliché, but demons happen to love playing card games. They had tried playing bridge and euchre, but found that games that required partners did not work so well. Though they remained cordial, they would never be close - trust was always an issue.
They had been playing for over an hour, discussing accomplishments and evil deeds, when Plum broke the comfortable chatter. Perhaps she (as Plum chose a corpulent, middle-aged woman for the evening) meant nothing by the question, but more likely than not she was getting angry at Amber calling all of her bluffs…
“Amber,” she said with a slobbery sneer, “word around town is that you allowed a few of your prey to walk away unscathed.” She tsked and shook her head in mock-disappointment. “That’s so unlike you.”
“Well, I’m afraid that you heard wrong,” he said, trying to keep the snarl from his voice.
“Really?” Plum returned, again mocking him. “Actually, I was trying to be polite… what I really heard was that you weren’t able to kill them.”
“Children,” Azure said in warning when the two demons began glaring at one another. He was the oldest at the table, but not so much that the word ‘children’ was appropriate.
“I’ve heard varying tales,” Jade entered into the conversation. “Is it true that you went after the hunters?”
“Yes, they have been a project of mine for over twenty years now,” he said with a smile, happy at the awe in Jade’s voice.
“Too bad you weren’t able to finish off that project,” Plum taunted again.
“Now,” Azure came in again, “that’s enough. Amber, I’ve also heard strange things of these encounters. Though no two stories are the same, the one fact they seem to have in common is that the hunters survived. Yet, I have heard of no recent slayings by their hands.”
“Yes,” Jade sat up straighter in her chair, “I’ve heard that as well. What happened?”
“Well,” Amber began his story, “like I said, this is a project I have been working on for years - but it has not been my only task. As you all know, I happen to have a fondness for humans with certain… abilities. Years ago, when I found one such infant, I went into his room to retrieve him but was interrupted.
“I had taken children before this incident and have taken a good many since, but this one… well, this one was the one that got away. I tried for years to move on, but it was impossible. I couldn’t stop thinking about that child. However, when I found the family again, I discovered that they had changed. They were no longer the same oblivious humans - they knew about our kind and had found ways to destroy us.
“I spent over twenty years studying the family - while I wasn’t taking other children away with me, of course. Then, not too long ago, I came face to face with the one. Now a man, he was also in possession of a weapon that is rumored to be able to destroy even us.”
He paused for dramatic effect - Jade gasped and Azure and Plum stared at him wide-eyed. They were now all leaning closer to hear his story.
“Luckily, I am quite quick because the Psychic took aim and fired - obviously, I got away. But, not before I realized that I had to come up with a plan. With the help of my children, I seized the Warrior. From there, it was simple to get hold of the Psychic and the Protector.
“I had, of course, planned to kill elder two on the spot. However, I felt the need to get confirmation.
Where’s the colt?
Don’t worry, Dad. It’s safe.
“I had every confidence in my daughter - but something told me to ask. I expected her to get the weapon, but not only did she fail; now it was somewhere safe. Well, I couldn’t risk killing any of them yet.
“The Psychic and the Protector, predictably, helped me escape my imprisonment. But my son, my boy, he did what all good sons should do and tried to come to my aid. He tried to help me bring the Protector down and subdue the Psychic.
“And, before I was able to stop him, to tell him in some way that I didn’t have the gun… he was gone. Both of us had underestimated the Protector. The young man was thrown across a street and onto a car, and yet still lifted himself up and killed my boy. Not only that, apparently he had hidden the truth from his own brother, a clairvoyant, and had the gun with him the whole time. Had I only known…
“At the cabin, the boys left me alone to rest. I could hear them move about and speak to one another, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. I crept out into the hallway just outside of the small main room and heard the Protector.”
Killing that guy, killing Meg… I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t even flinch. I mean, for you or Dad… The things I’m willing to do or kill, it’s just… It scares me sometimes.
“But, I took that terrible news of my daughter’s death and used it - I found my way in. I knew what the boy wanted to hear, knew what he needed to hear. I put my hatred aside and steadied my man-mask.”
It shouldn’t. You did good.
You’re not mad?
“Oh, he was so eager for approval and affection from Daddy. His human weakness made everything that much easier for me.”
You watch out for this family. You always have.
“Then, I just performed a few lowly parlor tricks - a simple flicker of the lights - and the wide-eyed children looked to Daddy for security. After sending the Psychic away, I focused my sights on the Protector - my last obstacle. I told him the demon was close and to hand the weapon over so that I could make the big, bad monster go away.
“But the Protector - well, we’ve all misjudged the Protector. He is more powerful than we originally thought. Even though my true eyes were hidden, he saw through the disguise and turned his gun on me.”
Once again, Amber paused, and once again Jade gasped.
“So, there I was, faced with a weapon that could destroy me - and in walks the Psychic, who quickly sided with the Protector. There was only one thing I could do…”
You’re both so sure? Go ahead. Kill me.
“So, I bluffed. And, it worked! Once again, their human weaknesses came out. The Protector lowered his gun and lowered his eyes.”
I thought so.
“And I struck! I had them all at my mercy - the Warrior was trapped inside himself and the children were in my firm grasp - their backs were against the wall (again, where did you think that quote came from?). After more than twenty years, I could see my glorious victory right in front of me. If there is anything more sweet than human pain, I have yet to find it.”
Looking around the table, the game clearly forgotten, Amber could see his fellow demons licking their lips and agreeing with him. If there was any way he could skip the next part of the story, he would, but they knew too much to allow for that.
“I savored the anguish I brought the Psychic - telling him of his role in the deaths of his mother and of his lover. I enjoyed every sweet second of agony I gave the Warrior - letting his be the face that smiled as he hurt his precious sons. And the Protector… ah, the Protector…”
I bet you’re real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh wait, I forgot. I wasted’em.
“I devoured his torture. I watched as his life-liquid oozed from his body, barely hearing the desperate cries of the Warrior inside and the Psychic behind me.
“But, these hunters… they have such a strong power when they’re together…
“Just as the Protector was fading, the other two ganged up on me. The Psychic began projecting his power and the Warrior gathered his strength and took control back for a moment. It was all they needed - I was distracted and the Psychic pulled free of my hold and grabbed the gun.”
You kill me; you kill Daddy.
“The Psychic used the gun, but the magic bullet hit the Warrior’s leg. I tried to keep possession of him, but with that special bullet inside, I couldn’t.
“I took to the floorboards - hid underneath so I could spy on my enemies - and listened in as the hunters made their plan of escape. I couldn’t keep them from leaving, but I was able to follow unobserved. Leading me to their vehicle, I called upon my nephew to help me defeat them.
“I saw the pair of death-lights, but the hunters didn’t - and for that, I laughed. And, as the three men lay unconscious in their car, I saw my second chance to take the Psychic and kill the others.
“However, as I went in for the attack, I found some sort of protective shield around the Warrior and the Protector. I couldn’t believe it! Even in his current state, the Psychic was safeguarding his family!
“I realized that the armor was thin and that I could’ve gotten to one or the other easily, but I also knew that the Psychic would merely harness all of his strength onto the opposite; creating a defense I, in my weakened state, could not even begin to penetrate.
“I considered taking out of one of my obstacles, but then something occurred to me. If I killed one hunter, the other two would most definitely return with renewed vengeance. And, after all the trouble they’ve caused in the last two decades after the loss of their female, I didn’t think that our side could risk that kind of retribution.
“Then, inspiration struck and I realized the perfect way to get rid of my enemies without risking my own life! Why destroy them when I could simply disconnect them? After all, their power comes from their devotion to one another.
“It was easy enough to discover their deepest desires - after all, the hunters, like most humans, keep their wants and wishes so close to the surface. And here is the brilliance that I came up with:
“By separating them and giving them each the perfect life free of the memories of past battles and pains, I have extinguished their power without exterminating the men.”
“I think you’ve been spending too much time with Azure here,” Plum laughed the triumphant look right off of Amber’s borrowed face. “Extinguish, exterminate? Those are some big, fancy words when failed to kill would do just as well.”
“As much as I hate to, I have to agree with Plum,” Jade said, sounding disgusted with herself. “I mean, yes, this plan of yours has lessened their strengths - so why not attack now?”
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?” Amber laughed. “They might not remember who they were, but they are still hunters.”
“Yes,” Azure agreed. “The skills and abilities are innate within them. They may not remember their teachings and trainings, but the lessons remain hidden within their minds. And, they will not remain concealed if provoked.”
“However,” Amber continued, “in their current states, they aren’t a threat. So, as long as we keep our distance, they will remain harmless.”
“But,” Plum said again, receiving an exaggerated eye-roll from Amber, “I’ve heard rumors that the hunters are fighting the charm. They get closer to remembering their past lives every day. Wouldn’t it be better to attack now before they come together again?”
“Let me explain this to you one last time,” Amber said fiercely. “The hunters are no longer a danger to our kind because of me. Is any of this leaching into that thick skull that you chose for yourself? To nullify the charm completely, all three hunters must agree to give up their current idyllic lives and go back to their miserable reality full of death and sorrow. I think it’s a safe bet to rule that out. After all, what kind of humans would trade heaven for hell?”