The Second Time Around Ch. 12

Warning: There is violent, non-consent in this chapter so if you are squeamish, please don't read. Then again this is the final installment, so skipping over it is advised.

*******

It all happened so quickly that Gina was left in shock. One minute a demonic army was charging towards them and the next a quarter of them was left standing. Brigitte was winded and Caid was in the midst of defending himself against three other opponents. The demon they called Abdigar was inert save for his numerous eyes that were in constant motion.

He seemed to be buying himself time, allowing his obliterated arm to regrow. It pulsed violently, boils erupting and spraying acid around his clawed feet, melting some of his troops in its wake. He made sure to always avoid direct contact with either Caid or Brigitte any time they seemed to approach.

Gina decided that she should be more useful than a prop against the wall and rushed forward into the chaos. She dodged several attempted attacks, ducking and crawling when she was too afraid to put up a fight. Although she was terrified, Gina trudged forward deciding that since Abdigar refused to engage them in battle, she would bring it to him. She didn't know what she could do, but the scepter seemed to be guiding her as she swung it forward releasing a powerful blast that sent her flying back into the opposite wall.

"Damn," she replied. That was most unexpected. She had even obtained Abdigar's attention instead of accomplishing the sneak attack she had set out for in the beginning. She didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing to have him glaring at her, but the fear that he invoked was once more engulfing her as his claws rapidly clicked in her direction. "Oh God, help me," she cried as she scrambled to her feet and ran out of the damaged room.

"There is no God here, you worthless mongrel. Give me the scepter."

"I would tell you to go back to Hell, but we're already here," Gina shouted over her shoulder as she ran. She didn't know where she was going, but hopefully it was far away from him. She looked back hoping that Brigitte or Caid would be able to come to her rescue fore she had bitten off way more than she could chew. She never considered how she would handle a one on one fight with a demon who made her want to piss herself like a child. Besides, she was a damn good runner and as long as her legs worked, she wouldn't stop for anyone. And this time she wouldn't make the mistake of looking back like she did with Belial.

Abdigar snarled, acidic spittle and mucous dripping from his snout as he chased after Gina. He watched her clear a railing wondering if it was due to her own ability or the help of the scepter. He growled in frustration. If he couldn't possess the orb, the scepter would do just fine. He could free the prince with the scepter then return for the Collaborator's power source to strengthen his ruler. Either way, the prince would be released and able to reign upon the earth. Times would revert back to The Dark Ages, disease would run rampant, crime and death would become a mundane part of life. He nearly guffawed with laughter as he considered the near future.

"Abdigar!" Brigitte yelled. She disintegrated the minion before her then ran after him. Gina's fleeting feet were taking her exactly where she shouldn't be going: towards the enchained prince. If she tried to stop Gina, Abdigar would have her in his grasp; however if she reached the prince: the mere aura of the scepter could precipitate his release. She couldn't allow that.

"Caid, go after Gina, bring her back while I deal with Abdigar," she told him telepathically. She compelled Abdigar to remain with her as Caid finished up with what little of the army was left.

Caid looked at the remaining ghouls resting before him and lifted his scythe. In one fluid swing he destroyed the lingering foundation of the room, crushing them in the process. His blue eyes glowed as he rose off of the ground and shot after a panicked Gina. At first he thought that she was running away arbitrarily, but he soon realized that she was being pulled in the prince's direction. The demonic lord was calling her to him.

The power of the scepter made it more difficult to gain upon her retreating form, nevertheless Caid pushed forward until he reached the second floor with no sight of Gina. "Give me your strength," he whispered to no one in particular.

Brigitte didn't release the power orb in her hands until Caid was gone. She was ready to finish what she had started with Abdigar once and for all. She was shocked to find it returning in her direction, slamming into her and crushing her against a broken railing.

"Fool, don't you realize that your abilities are useless against me here? My plan to separate you from your companions has worked and once I have your power orb in my possession, the prince will finally be set free."

Brigitte stood to her feet, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth as she smirked at him. "Do not underestimate me, Abdigar."

They charged, colliding into one another as they grappled for control. His slime made it difficult for Brigitte to maintain a firm hold of him nonetheless she left bruises where they count.

"You bitch!" he spewed after she had gauged out several of his eyes. "I will make you pay for this!"

"I am ready when you are," she told him defiantly, doubling over in pain as his claws sunk into her side. She fell to her knees, gasping as the ache took her breath away. Yes, she was more vulnerable with Caid's absence and her scepter not being in close proximity; nevertheless she wouldn't allow Adigar to intimidate her.

"Today is the day you die," he spat as he towered over her. "But don't worry, Alexandra, your death will be the revival of our honorable society."

Brigitte spat at his feet laughing to ignore the pain, "There is no honor among dogs. I would rather die a noble death defending the earth than to die in vain by your hands."

"Either way you die. Isn't that the goal?"

Brigitte looked at the blood staining her left hand and grimaced. "Either way you will die with me."

Abdigar stood silently for a few seconds before speaking, "Then again, a woman as capable and as powerful as you would be useful to our kingdom. How about becoming the prince's personal whore? After being imprisoned for hundreds of years, my great lord will be seeking release."

Brigitte sneered at him in disgust, her stomach lurching at the idea of any other man besides Caid touching her. She had made the mistake of marrying Paul in order to get over his death and was still dealing with the repercussions of her actions. "Here's what I have to say to that," she said with an uppercut.

********

Gina was tired of running however her feet refused to stop. She had no inkling where she was going. This must have been the fourth staircase she was descending. "Where am I going?"

"Keep coming."

"Who is that?" she asked out loud having sworn that she heard a voice. "Brigitte? Is that you?" Her footsteps slowed yet never ceased as she slowly dismounted the last step then wandered the corridor.

"I should turn around. What did they tell me was on this floor again? I can't remember, but I shouldn't be here alone," she told herself.

"No, you're going the right way. Come to me."

Gina looked at the scepter as it continued to glow in her hand. The radiation seemed to become unbearable to her eyes the more she advanced. "Who are you?"

No response.

She huffed. "Well, I'll have you know that I don't obey nameless voices that refuse to cooperate. So whoever you are, you can kick rocks." She turned to leave yet found that her legs felt heavy. Something was impeding her retreat. "I don't know who you are, but you better let me go," Gina warned.

"Come to me."

"I don't think so," she refuted. She would prefer to stay rooted where she stood than go to only God knows what and get herself killed.

"If you will not come to me willingly, I'll make you move."

********

Caid felt spiritual pressure begin to weigh him down. He took it as proof that he was approaching Gina. Whatever it was that was attempting to keep him away from her wasn't strong enough to stop him all together.

"Go back."

He scoffed at the menacing voice in his head and continued on. "I only take orders from the great Almighty." His scythe burned his palm the closer he became to Brigitte's scepter. Like their owners, the weapons responded to one another. When connected they contained the power necessary to destroy one third of the galaxy.

"Go back now!"

"You are not the boss of me," Caid snorted.

"You will regret this."

"We will see," he said likewise.

*********

"Wait! I said wait!"

"No," Brigitte retorted digging her heel into Abdigar's shoulder.

He cried out in pain as he struggled to relinquish himself of her hold. "We can make a deal if you would only hear me out."

"Ever heard the expression if you lie down with dogs you will come up with fleas?" Brigitte asked pressing harder until she heard a snap. "I prefer to remain clean, thank you. Besides, you and I have unfinished business to tend. Your death will be the end of it. Say goodbye." She held her palms down toward him and blasted him directly in face, jumping away as he once more reflected them back at her. At least two had landed before being refracted.

"I was giving you an opportunity to save your worthless life, Collaborator, yet it seems as if you value nothing, not even your crumby existence." He reached his arm up snatching Brigitte's foot and slamming her back to the ground. She landed with an umph, unable to defend herself as he grabbed a hold of her neck. "Who wouldn't want the opportunity to witness the new world order?"

"And what exactly would this new order be?"

"Why, us ruling the earth, of course. There will be utter chaos. Starvation, complete debauchery and lust." He laughed in excitement.

"What do you plan to achieve with all of this?"

"Your death would be the first, then the death of every single Collaborator on the earth. And once this is accomplished, we will bring down the great Almighty himself. No one will be able to contest our rule. Mothers will sell their children for food, fathers will abandon their families to wage war with one another, and we will use their negativity to become stronger."

"You are insane," Brigitte managed to say with his hand still squeezing her throat.

"Think what you must, but once you are out of the picture no one will be able to stop me."

Brigitte simpered, "That is why I will destroy you right now." Her golden eyes smoldered until they flared with light, once more burning the newly regenerated side of his body until it melted away.

Abdigar cried out in anguish as he stumbled away from her. He couldn't allow her to gain the upper hand. "You will pay for that, you pathetic excuse of a life force."

*********

Gina was tired. After fighting for as long as she could, her body had given in to the beckoning of the creepy voice. Even the scepter wasn't able to stop her progression. "Where am I going?"

"The wrong way."

Gina swung around to see Caid and smiled in relief. "Boy, am I ever glad to see you. My legs can't seem to stop moving."

Caid smiled, lifting her off of her feet to carry her away from the seventh floor. "I was beginning to think that I would never find you."

"Where's Brigitte?" Gina looked about for their friend, returning her eyes upon him when she didn't see her.

Caid retraced his path holding Gina closely against him as he increased his speed. "She is right where we left her."

"With Abdigar? We're going back?"

He heard the apprehension in her voice yet still nodded his head. "Abdigar must be stopped."

"Then why did you come after me?"

"You were heading directly for the prince. In his current state, even if he was to be liberated, he would be too weak to cause major harm; however with the scepter being in close proximity, and in the hands of someone inexperienced, he could easily drain its powers and strengthen himself. You said that your legs kept moving, well that is because he was calling you to him for a reason."

Gina shivered. If this prince looked anything like Abdigar or Belial then she didn't want to be in arm's length of him. "Caid, what happens when all of this is over? Will things go back to normal as in us never meeting one another?"

He had never thought of that before. He knew their life before Abdigar's appearance would return, but would that include him being in Adriano's body? Would he officially die? Would Brigitte find happiness with someone else? In that very moment nothing mattered anymore. What was important was getting Hell back under control.

"I do not know, Gina. Right now we do not have the luxury to ponder such things."

"I know," she admitted. "Still, when I think about a life without you and Brigitte, I feel sorta morose." They flew in silence closing in on Brigitte when they were suddenly propelled upwards having been struck with a dynamic force.

"Where do you think that you're going?" Abdigar asked from below them. He looked even worse off than before. The small part of him that had successfully regenerated was once more missing. His snout was ripped clean off, he was missing one clawed foot and half of the eyes adorning his back were oozing out goo from having been damaged.

"Brigitte, are you all right?" Caid asked shielding her and Gina from their inevitable impact. Her broken groan made his stomach curl. She looked to be in bad shape herself. "Do not worry about Abdigar, stay with Gina and allow me to take care of him."

"No, he is stronger than he appears to be. We need both of our strength to be rid of him," she wheezed. "I have held him off as much as I could on my own, but this is as far as I can go alone."

"I am here now," Caid reassured her. "We will do it together."

They didn't slam into the wall as expected. Somehow Gina had willed the scepter to bear the brunt of their collision. However, she was dismayed to see that they had been sent in the very direction she and Caid had only left minutes ago.

"Since you won't willingly meet my prince, I have given you a one way ticket to see him in person," Abidgar announced.

They gently slide on the grimy floor, landing several feet away from jail cells. Wherever they were it was hard to respire. The air was filled with the scent of sulfur, coal, and death. There was a cloud of darkness that seemed to disperse all around them like a thick mist. Chains rattled in the background, teeth gnashed, screams and cries echoed in the silence. There was an eerie red glow mere inches away from them where the shrieks seemed to be louder.

"Welcome to the seventh level of Hell." He grunted after his brief introduction, proceeding towards them.

Brigitte hobbled to her feet utterly exhausted. Abdigar seemed to be getting stronger as time went on. She needed to vanquish him which would be a lot easier if she had her scepter, but that would leave Gina at risk. The hot, slick trail of blood dripping down her arm made her hand sticky. She was losing sensation in the right side of her body. Her abdomen was already numb from where Abdigar had dug his claws into it. "Thanks for the invitation, however we will not be staying long."

Caid stood to his feet resting his scythe at Gina's feet. It strengthened the shield provided by the scepter around her. "Do not move," he advised her.

Gina nodded her head vigorously, huddling between the two weapons with her knees pressed against her chest. She was still fearful from her last attempted attack on Abdigar. She watched with bated breath as her two friends charged head on. Even with half of his body in horrible shape, Abdigar was still putting up a good fight.

Brigitte stumbled into Caid's support, the copper taste of her lifeblood staining her palate. "I will take his rear and you the front."

"Brigitte, I cannot let you go any further. You do not look too well."

"This is not about us. We must sacrifice our lives to protect humanity," she told him wiping the corners of her mouth.

"I understand, but I will not lose you again."

She straightened her posture and shrugged. "If we get rid of him now you will have no more worries."

"This is adorable, the two of you plotting against me so deviously," Abdigar stated. "Let's end this now."

"My sentiments exactly," Brigitte added. She hoisted herself in the air in his direction as Caid lunged for his claw. Acid dripped from his wounds, burning their flesh and impeding their strikes. He snarled devilishly in delight, using the opportunity to counter attack.

Gina cringed at the numerous failed efforts of Brigitte and Caid. Each time they tried, Abdigar would find a way to toss them about as if they were ragdolls. Caid did his best to shield Brigitte nonetheless she experienced a great deal of pain yet she remained undeterred, willing to push herself over the limit for the sake of defeating this demon.

Gina decided that she couldn't look anymore. She had to do something, but what? She surveyed her surroundings hardly able to see two steps in front of her. What they say concerning overcompensation of your other five senses was correct. She was picking up on the minutest of sounds in spite of the tortuous screams and cries for release being echoed in what she thought to be a cavern. Small ticking made her ears prick. Soft scratching against the walls had her head swinging in every direction. She wished that there was more light. Aside from the glow being emitted from the two weapons and the sparks igniting from the ensuing battle, Gina was in utter darkness.

Clanking. She just heard the clatter of chains approaching behind her. Something or someone was moving. Gina jumped to her feet, grabbing the scepter and scythe in both hands and squeezing them against her chest for protection. Something touched her, perhaps a finger. She couldn't specify in her state of panicked alertness. She felt the urge to run and just as her left foot lifted from the ground, Gina was snatched back into the pit of darkness with an alarming scream in her wake.

"Gina!" Brigitte slammed Abdigar to the ground and quickly scurried after Gina's rapidly disappearing corpse. She held up her hand as a lantern to guide her steps, grasping onto Gina's flailing hand before she disappeared behind the bars. "Let her go, you beast!" She sent an orb behind the confinement, snatching Gina against her as the bright light exploded inside of the cell. Taking the two armaments, Brigitte combined them, using their power to teleport them back to "safety."

"Gina, are you all right?"

She looked shaken still she nodded her head positively, hugging the combined artillery against her body. Whatever it was was made of pure evil. Its grasp had touched her inside and Gina couldn't remember ever feeling so cold and lost in her entire life.

"Good," Brigitte replied then slumped into her.

For her lithe, athletic stature, Brigitte was still heavy. Her sagging body weight caused Gina to stumble awkwardly until they were both on their knees. "Please, Brigitte, you can't go on any further. I'm afraid for you."

Brigitte gave her a weak smile of reassurance. "We all came here together and we will leave here together."

"Okay," Gina said with tears in her eyes. "But take it." She tried to give her the spear, but Brigitte pushed it back towards her. "Please," she begged. Her shoulders were shaking from her soft sobs as she entreatingly regarded her friend. Brigitte looked to be a breath away from death. Her respiration came in jagged heaves, blood poured and dripped from her torn flesh, even her golden eyes were slowly tinting to grey. Gina was more terrified of losing her than worrying about her own safety.