The Raven Part 5: Hell On Earth

Chapter 11

“You have got to be kidding me,” Beth said, seething with rage after Jake had finished recounting what he had seen from Lilith to everyone, “I should have put a bullet in that witch’s skull when I had the chance. I knew that we couldn’t trust her!”

“We knew the risks when we left her alone, Kitten,” Pam sighed, “What’s done is done, all that matters now is that we make it out of here and back to our plane of existence. Once we do that, we can put a stop to her.”

“She nearly killed me last time!” Beth argued, “Now that she has her powers back, how are we supposed to stop her?”

“Awe, is Kitty-Cat afraid?” Alexis teased.

“Fuck you,” Beth spat.

“She is,” Pam said, earning a glare from her girlfriend, “You know I can sense your fear, Kitten, and there is nothing wrong with being afraid.”

“Well how am I supposed to feel?” Beth asked.

“You are not alone this time,” Pam said, trying to reassure her, “I told you, I am with you until the end. Jake accepted that mark from Lilith, stupid though it may have been, and I believe that he is with us in this fight this time as well.”

“Don’t forget me,” Alexis beamed, “I don’t want to stick around once Dorothy is deposed, and I’ve got a score to settle with that big bitch for killing me and taking my man!”

“I am not-ugh, nevermind,” Jake said with a groan, “Yeah, I’m not letting her get away with this again. I only gave myself up last time because I thought that she would spare everyone I cared about. Too many people have been lost already because of her, I am not going to let her destroy everything and everyone I care about. We deal with Stinkromancer, then we put this whole Rebecca business to bed once and for all.”

Jake had been leading the four of them back towards The Spire, and the way he spoke brought a smile to her face, “You know something, for the first time in a long time you sound almost like your old self. You’re an idiot, but when you talk like that I can’t help but believe you.”

He grinned and shook his head, “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this confident about something. I’m tired of letting people get hurt because of me. I put on the mask to protect the people who couldn’t protect themselves, and somewhere along the way I lost sight of that. I might be a sub, I might have developed some kinks along the way, but that doesn’t mean that I can just turn my back on people that need me.”

“There’s the man I fell in love with!” Alexis said, throwing herself onto his shoulders.

“Get off of me,” he snapped, pushing her aside with a smile.

“You can be a real douche sometimes, you know that?” Alexis pouted, “I thought that seeing Ashley again would have put you in a better mood, but I guess sucking on a demon’s toes made you all sour.”

“Can you not bring that up?” Jake asked, his face turning red.

“She’s not wrong, though,” Beth chimed in, “We did find you with that bitch’s foot in your mouth. Do you not have a gag reflex? I mean, even I can’t deep throat that well.”

“Oh. My. God, will you both please shut up?” he asked, growing both embarrassed and annoyed.

“I bet you could fit my whole foot in your mouth now!” Alexis exclaimed, “Why don’t we take a break, and you can see how much you can get?”

“Beth, can I borrow your gun?” he asked, “I’m already about to die of embarrassment, might as well make it an official death.”

“You’re so dramatic,” Beth chided, “No, dumbass, we still have a city and a world to save.”

“Moving away from this colorful discussion,” Pam interejected, “Jake, do you mind if I have a look at your mouth? There is something different about your aura, and I noticed that your teeth seem to have more of a glint to them than usual.”

“Thank you, Pam, and if it will change the subject, sure,” he replied as he came to a stop and turned around.

Pam walked over and he opened his mouth. She inspected his teeth and gave before circling him, “Hmm, what exactly happened between you and Ashley? Where is she now?”

“That’s kind of hard to explain,” he replied, “She’s gone, but I think she’s right here at the same time.”

“I am never far from you, my love,” he heard her voice whisper in his ear.

“Describe what happened as best you can, Jake,” Pam said, eyeing him curiously.

He sighed as he tried to remember what she had said, “We talked about everything that happened, but then she asked me for a last kiss. I was happy to oblige, and when I opened my eyes she was gone. She said something about binding our souls together, but the only thing I know about that is when Rebecca tried to absorb me into her nightmarish form.”

“I see,” Pam said as she stepped away, “Ashley was a powerful warrior, but she was also something of a sorceress in her own right. If I’m correct, then I believe that she transferred what was left of her essence into your being. The two of you are forever bound together, and as a result you’ve inherited some of her more unique abilities. Your teeth appear to have taken on more of a fang-like shape, you’ve received a significant boost in your strength and agility, and I am guessing that she occasionally speaks to you. Rebecca will be most displeased once she learns that you let this happen, and she will be doubly furious when she discovers the mark of her former matriarch on you. I hope you’re prepared to deal with the fallout from her anger. I’ll be the first to admit that I am possessive of Beth, but my possessiveness pales in comparison to Rebecca’s.”

"She’ll get over it,” he said offhandedly, “After everything she’s done to me, I think I’m owed at least this one little thing.”

“I don’t disagree with that, but I just want you to be prepared for the ramifications,” Pam said, “Getting over things isn't exactly one of her strong suits, or do I need to remind you about your wedding?"

"You married that psycho?!" Alexis asked, "You said I was too crazy for you, but you'll be with that overgrown bitch!"

"I didn't marry her," Jake snapped, "She had this grand plan to bind our souls together until time stopped, but that's when Beth and Pam got me out of there. Unfortunately, that's when things went from bad to worse. Her crazy really came out, and she used the stuff for the ritual to make some concoction that turned her into a real monster."

"A lich to be specific," Pam added.

"You're shitting me," Alexis said and continued when Pam shook her head, "She was willing to go that far to have you to herself? Here I thought kidnapping you and holding you in my basement for a week was going too far."

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked, "You've held me captive before, but never for that long."

"You don't remember?" Alexis asked, "I've still got the scar on the base of my skull from when you broke free."

"I've got no idea what you're talking about," he said.

"How do you not remember that?!" she asked, "I'd never seen you move that fast or get that angry. I mean, you've gotten a leg up on me before, but that was one for the record books."

"You sure it wasn't Jason?" he asked, "The two of us do look an awful lot alike."

"That fungus-brained idiot?" she asked, "Not a chance, I know you're cute whimpers and struggles anywhere, plus your tongue is the only one to work wonders on my toes! Sorry, Kitty-Cat, but then I guess it's a good thing I don't feel that way, right Pammy?"

"Mm," Pam replied, seemingly lost in thought.

"I'm telling you, that never happened," Jake said, "Maybe you took a fall to get the scar and dreamed the whole thing."

Alexis was silent as they continued toward the capital of Hell. She wasn't sure if Jake was right or not, but she remembered that week vividly. She'd hallucinated before, sure, but this felt too real to be one of those times. Maybe Jake repressed it, but that didn't seem likely. After everything he'd been through with Goth, why would this be something he repressed? Something about it didn't sit well with her. She pushed the feeling aside, however, in favor of concentrating on the task at hand. She could worry about the misplaced memory after they'd dealt with her former boss.

While the heroes continued their trek back towards the city, Lilith's daughters paced in outrage beyond their mother's domain. "What was mother thinking, giving that boy her blessing?!" Analise fumed.

"Calm yourself, Analise," Victoria said as her sister angrily paced, "Mother clearly sees something within him that we do not. We have to trust her as we always have."

"But what about the other three?" Cherrie whined, "They would have been fun to play with and I'm so hungry!"

"If mother is correct, then we will have more toys and meals if they succeed," Victoria said, trying to appease her sisters, "All we need to do is continue being patient, trust her decision, and do as we are told."

"How long have we done just that, Victoria?" Analise snapped, "How many of these empty promises must we endure before we say enough? Don't tell me you didn't feel that boy's soul. The pain, the suffering, the longing inside of him, he was beyond ripe and we had him!"

"And if he fails, he will be returned to us," Victoria said evenly.

"What about the other three?" Cherrie asked, starting to side with her irate sister, "If they fail, we lose three toys! The little one looked like a squirmer too."

"See, Cherrie, is with me on this!" Analise said, her voice rising into an angry yell, "The boy may come back, but those other three mortals were ours! The blonde is a mage, and you know how delicious a soul is when it is touched by the arcane."

"And what would you have me do, Analise?" Victoria asked, growing frustrated with her sisters' continued complaining.

"We are stronger together than our mother is by herself," Analise replied, "She uses us to do her dirty work, so why not leave her and strike out on our own? Perhaps it's time that our talents were put to a better use than simply spying and foraging for scraps."

"You would stand against the very woman who birthed us?" Victoria asked, disbelief evident in her tone.

"Why not?" Analise asked, "She is a shadow on a world that has long forgotten her! We've all heard the stories of what happened from her trusting mortals. Her faith in them is exactly what reduced her to the frail shell that she's become!"

"And what do you say, Cherrie?" Victoria asked, overlooking her sister in favor of hearing from the youngest.

"I'm hungry, Victoria, and bored," Cherrie replied, "I love mother, I really do, but Analise makes some good points. Humans are weak, pathetic, and their only use is to serve as toys for our amusement. Mother may trust those four, but that doesn't mean that we have to. Who's to say that we won't end up in the same boat as her if we continue to follow her?"

"See, even our idiot sister is making more sense than you!" Analise exclaimed.

"Hey!" Cherrie pouted, "I am not an idiot, I'm just more fun than you, grumpy butt!"

"Do what you wish, girls," Victoria said, coldly, "If you go, you go alone and you sever the bond we have. I've seen what mother does to those who betray her, and I will not turn my back on her. Besides, when you two fail and those four succeed, that will just be more food and fun for me. I wonder if she'll let me keep you two as pets?"

"Coward," Analise spat, "You are supposed to be the sensible one, Victoria, yet you would choose to follow mother's delusions so blindly. We are sisters, we should fight together!"

"I am the sensible one, you hot-tempered buffoon," Victoria snapped, "That is precisely why I am going to remain here. Whether they win or lose, eventually this realm will belong to mother again. Even if they fail, the battle between The Spire and Earth will weaken both forces considerably. Mother's former disciple has grown in power, and she will inevitably force Dorothy to retreat. I have seen it, and when she does then mother and I will strike at her. The Well will be ours again, and from there all who enter into our world will belong to me. As I said, you fools, go if you must, but you leave me out of your hair brained schemes. If Abaddon could not best those four, then what chance do either of you have?"

"You'd really turn your back on us?" Cherrie asked, her tone muddled with sadness.

"You two are the ones turning your backs, sweet sister," Victoria replied, "I urge you, Cherrie, to consider the merits of our hot blooded sister's plans. Do what you will, but I will not join either of you on this foolish errand."

"Fine, we don't need you," Analise snapped, "Come, Cherrie, if we hand the mortals over to Dorothy, then we will surely be rewarded. With our aid, she will be able to handle that pretender on Earth. All of creation will be ours to do with as we please."

"I don't know, Analise," Cherrie said, "What if Victoria is right."

"I am always right, sister," Victoria said.

"She is blind," Analise snapped, "Think of all those cute little mortals just waiting to be taught their place. Think of the fun you can have breaking their spirits!"

"It does sound tempting," Cherrie admitted.

"I'm going, you can catch up with me if you wish, but I'm not waiting around for another disappointment!" Analise snapped as she phased into the ground.

"Sweet Cherrie," Victoria said softly, she had always had a soft spot for her sister's devious innocence, "Go with Analise, I know that's what your heart desires. Should you two fail, I will be sure to plead with mother so that you be given mercy over our other sister. I cannot save you from her punishment, but perhaps I can keep you close to me and away from the void."

"Do you hate me, Victoria?" Cherrie asked meekly.

"I could never hate you, Cherrie," Victoria said softly as she glided over to her, "I do not hate either of you, but I will not be a party to this plan. I will make it clear that Analise bullied you into joining her plan, and implore mother to let me keep you for myself. You will be taken care of, whether you succeed or fail."

Cherrie threw her arms around her sister, "Thank you, sister!" she exclaimed, "I promise that if we succeed, you will join us in glory!"

Victoria hugged her sister back before pushing her back to arms length, "Go, Cherrie, Analise will need your creativity if she is to succeed."

"Won't you please come with us?" Cherrie asked, "Analise is always so hateful to me, and we need your guidance, sister."

"My place is here, Cherrie, someone has to try to keep you safe," Victoria replied, "I will look for your return, dear sister, but whatever happens promise me you'll have fun."

"Yes, Victoria," Cherrie beamed before zipping off after Analise.

Victoria watched her sisters depart with a heavy heart. Mother would not be pleased that she had allowed them to do this, but Analise was always trouble. She only hoped that their mother would show some mercy on Cherrie. Maybe she should have tried harder to convince her to stay, but then what if Analise was right? This way, she could play both sides of the field. Her mother had always said that life was a game, and if one was to succeed they needed many irons in the fire. Now she just had to figure out how to keep her mother from ripping their essence to shreds if they failed. She would figure it out, given time and patience. Her faith was always rewarded, and Cherrie was only doing what she was designed to do: cause chaos and mayhem. It wasn't her fault that Analise was such a bully, and she hoped that their mother would understand that. Time would tell.

"You honestly don't recall nearly wiping out downtown Metropolis?" Jake asked as he and the rest of his friends climbed down into the sewer system of The Spire.

Alexis had been the one to bring up the idea, and they all agreed that even with their newfound strength, the element of surprise was a much needed advantage. "I am telling you, I was not in Metropolis on that day," Alexis argued for the fourth time, "I was meeting with a supplier in another state to get more chemicals."

"How can you know that for certain?" Beth asked as she followed behind the two of them.

"Because when I was alive, I met with my people on specific dates," Alexis explained, "I couldn't risk either of you two super dorks discovering my formula, and going out of town was the best bet. Blackridge Inc. has a freaking monopoly on the chemicals in Metropolis, so if I wanted to try to increase any of my abilities I had to go through Jake's stupid bureaucratic channels. I tried it once with a fake name, and you two busted me and sent me back to jail!"

"That didn't happen," Beth said, "That is something that I would remember."

"What is going on?!" Alexis exclaimed, frustrated and exasperated.

"Something is amiss," Pam said, after being silent for some time, "There are spells to create gaps in the memory of a subject, but this seems far too bizarre for that."

"Okay, so it's not just me," Alexis said as she hopped off the ladder, "This is weird, right? What has been happening back on Earth?"

"Apparently, Rebecca has been busy, but other than that nothing too out of the ordinary," Pam replied, "Jake, didn't you say you had a meeting with a support group that tried to kill you?"

"That's not out of the ordinary?" Alexis asked.

"For Metropolis, no," Jake answered, "Yeah, Meg Myers led the group, and everything was fine until she and the rest of those people turned on me. I've never had to fight civilians like I did that night."

"Did you say Meg Myers?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, she's running for political office or something," Jake answered.

"Uh, yeah, no she's not," Alexis said, "She's dead, Jake. She was one of my assignments from Dorothy months ago."

"What?" he asked, "That can't be right, I saw her not long before we came here."

"Dorothy might be full of herself, but her intel is always on point," Alexis replied, "On top of that, I saw that blonde rat myself. Dorothy thought she could be of use to her organization, but Lilith got to her first. I'm guessing you didn't mention her name to your new master, did you?"

"She's not my master," Jake argued, "And no, I didn't think that her name was relevant."

"Taking that mark and her deal made her into your master, Jake," Alexis replied, "Ever heard the saying the devil is in the details? That's never been more true than it is down here. Any little tidbit of information can and will make a difference. Dorothy didn't just seize control through sheer force, she studied the weaknesses of Hell's infrastructure, learned what made the demons tick, and figured out the best way to capitalize and exploit them. The result was the well oiled, albeit boring, machine that you're dealing with now. She just didn't count on you being such a dumbass and striking a deal with the one demon who refuses to bend her knee to her."

"I already told you all, I'll deal with Lilith after we've finished Dorothy and Rebecca," he said with a sigh, "Pam, you've been awfully quiet back there. Something on your mind?"

"Yeah, are you alright?" Beth asked.

"Just thinking about something I found back in Ravenfalls," she said as she held out a hand to create an orb of light for them, "Between the gaps in your memories, the news of Meg Myers' death, and even Jason resurfacing, it makes me wonder if there is something more at work than what we are considering. Our focus has been on the here and now, but what if there are other people pulling the strings?"

"Hold on, when did you see Jason?" Jake asked, "The last I'd heard anything about him, Rebecca had given him to Aurora. I thought she'd killed him."

"She did, that much I can confirm," Pam replied, "Yet he's walking the Earth as twisted shadow of his former self. Filled with hatred for Rebecca and others who abuse their stations of power. You said the Brunswick Corporation was in ruins and your company had absorbed the remnants of them, right Jake?"

"Yeah, it happened back before my dad passed," he said, "Emily was brilliant, but she just suddenly disappeared. I've seen the records from her labs, and the equipment that was there was well beyond its time. The lead researchers at my company still don't know what they were working on before they vanished. Why didn't you say anything about Jason being back, and when did you see him?"

"Ravenfalls, he's the one who gave me Beth's new guns, and he made it clear that he didn't want to be discovered," she replied, "He said he was a ghost and that he wanted to stay that way until the time was right. He said that someone had brought him back, but he refrained from saying just who it was. Given the Brunswick equipment in Ravenfalls and that mysterious journal, I am beginning to suspect that they may be involved."

"So we've got a dead guy walking around back in our world, a possible secret invasion, and we're just now finding out about this why?" Beth asked.

"You refused to speak to me for what felt like an eternity, and honestly I was depressed," Pam replied, "Love is a double edged sword, it can raise one to new heights, but it can also cut deeper than any knife I've ever felt."

"Preach," Alexis said with a somber nod.

"Okay, so what do you think is going on?" Beth asked.

"If I were planning something on a grand scale, I'd want to ensure that my plans wouldn't be disrupted," Pam explained, "Utilizing the likes of people like Abigail, Rebecca, and others would create a perfect distraction for someone to operate in the shadows. The greater the threat, the larger the shadow cast."

"You don't think they're worried about Rebecca or an invasion from Hell?" Jake asked.

"They have the power to raise the dead, and possibly the power to alter memories," she replied, "That magnitude of power would make even someone as powerful as Rebecca seem trivial by comparison. They're cunning and patient, that much is obvious, and it's likely they know more about us than we may realize. I myself was mentioned in that journal, so it stands to reason that they've been watching us for some time now. Whether we win or lose, it's likely that they suspect the victor will be in a weakened state. Even if they're not, then they will have had many obstacles removed for them without lifting a finger. Whatever might they may have can then be directed at eliminating whoever remains standing in their way."

"This sounds like some crazy conspiracy theory," Beth said.

"I think it sounds both reasonable and smart," Alexis argued.

"You're insane, that doesn't count for much in this," Beth said, "No offense."

"None taken, but you're forgetting that I'm also a genius," Alexis replied, "Pam is right. The best time to make a move on or against someone is when they're distracted or overconfident. It's what I would do if I had some great big scheme in mind. People who are full of themselves are more prone to making mistakes. Most people see someone who's on a hot streak and think they're unbeatable, but the truth is that's the best time to attack. If others are thinking or saying that, then odds are that person is thinking the same thing. Dorothy and Beccy are alike in that regard already, both of them think they're untouchable."

"Alright, so now we've got the queen of Hell, a sociopathic witch, another demon queen, and now a fourth unknown player in this game," Beth said, counting off on her fingers, "Why can't we ever just have a straightforward or normal battle?"

"I know, right?" Alexis chimed in, "Wasn't it so much more simple when you just had to worry about me having you two worship my feet?"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about," Beth said, "We have never had a normal enemy."

"Okay, that I take offense to," Alexis pouted, "Not the abnormal part, that's sweet, but now I feel like you two don't miss me and my awesome plans!"

"Alexis, you once held the mayor hostage and turned him into a foot slave," Jake retorted.

"Oh yeah, that was fun!" Alexis exclaimed, "How can you not miss that?!"

"You are odd," Pam said, "You two shouldn't be complaining, though. If it weren't for the likes of us, then neither of you would be where you are today. You'd most likely be prudes in some form or fashion."

"Some part of me always knew I was the way that I am," Jake said.

"And yet you both took up the task of battling villains in denial of who you really were," Pam said.

"This is awfully high and mighty for someone who used to serve Goth," Beth remarked.

"Says the girl who's a sub for the spooky blonde chick," Alexis said, "The same girl who said, and I quote, 'I'm not into girls'.

Alexis purposefully lowered her voice to mock Beth with her quote and Beth blushed, "Would you shut up?!"

"Make me," Alexis teased, "Or do you need permission for that? I bet you're a beggar, aren't you?"

"That's enough, Alexis," Pam warned, her tone getting considerably darker, "Beth and I have a healthy relationship, and she doesn't need my permission to throttle you. That said, Kitten, I would appreciate it if you didn't beat one of the few allies we have left."

"I'm not gonna beat on her," Beth said as she walked over and smacked Alexis in the back of the head, "She's weird, annoying, and loud, but she's still my friend."

Alexis grinned and kissed Beth's cheek, earning a glare from Pam, "Awe, you're such a softy! Relax, Pammy, I just like to see her get riled up."

"Get bent," Beth said with a grin as she waited for Pam to catch up and thread her fingers through hers, "I'm still the same tough girl from when this whole thing started. Just because I got a girlfriend and mistress doesn't make me any softer or less intimidating."

Pam brought Beth's hand to her lips and kissed it, "You are softer than you let on, she's not wrong about that."

"Who's side are you on?" Beth asked.

"The side that benefits me," Pam replied.

"You two are funny," Alexis said.

"Quiet," Jake suddenly said as the sound of wings flapping hit his ears.

The three of them fell silent and sharpened their senses. It was faint, but there was a distinct sound of leathery wings flapping in the distance. "Shit, that sounds like scavers," Alexis whispered.

"What the hell is that?" Beth asked, not liking the sound of them.

"Demons that reject the authority of whoever is ruling," Alexis replied, "They lurk in the wastes, abandoned ruins, caverns, and apparently under the fucking cities. They're primal beasts with only one thing on their mind: food. Luckily, they're pretty weak, but unfortunately they usually travel in packs."

"Goddamnit," Beth seethed, "This day just gets better and better."

"It's nighttime, Kitty-Cat," Alexis corrected.

"How are you supposed to be able to tell that?!" Beth demanded.

"Internal clock, never wrong," Alexis replied.

"Would you two shut up?" Jake snapped, "They're getting closer."

"They smell us," Alexis said, "Beth, your guns should be more than enough to put these things down. Jake, you and I can run interference on them, and Pam can work with Beth to pick them out of the air. If we're lucky, we'll walk away from this unscathed."

"And if we're not?" Beth asked.

"Nice knowing you all," Alexis replied grimly.

The fluttering around turned to scratching along the cavernous sewers around them. They couldn't see far beyond Pam's light, so she launched it upward at the ceiling and clenched her fist. The ball exploded in a flash of light that illuminated the cavern. A violent hissing sound echoed off the walls, and they saw a swarm of winged creatures like something out of a nightmare. The figures were gaunt with their bones clearly showing, their skin was a filthy shade of brown, talons adorned took the place of hands and feet, and their legs were bent backwards like some kind of disgusting bird. They all had long black hair and yellowed razor-like teeth in their mouths. There must have been at least fifteen of them, but they appeared stunned by the light for a second.

"Now!" Alexis yelled as she moved forward with Jake in tow.

Jake drew his escrima sticks while Alexis vaulted off of the cavern wall to knock one of them out of the air. Beth drew her pistols and took aim while Pam let her energy flow into her palms. Alexis grabbed one of the scavers and pulled it out of the air. She latched onto its bony shoulders and pinned it to the ground. It failed wildly in an attempt to get free, it's wings flapping and its teeth snapping as it tried to take a bite out of her. Two of them tried to pounce on her, but Jake threw one of his sticks and knocked it slammed into the side of one of their heads. He moved with near demonic speed to keep the other one from taking advantage of Alexis' distracted state. He tackled it just as it was about to rake its claws along her back, and she drove her knee down on the one she'd pinned just as he and the scaver hit the ground.

Beth took careful aim to avoid hitting or distracting her friends before opening fire on the ones hovering above. Her gunshots rang out alongside the pained screeches of the feral demons above. They fell from the air as her bullets ripped through their flesh. Pam waved her hand through the air as a beam of crackling energy shot from her palm. The ones that she hit screamed in pain as they were burned by the raw arcane power she released. With her other hand, she slowly coiled her fingers and pulled at the bodies of the ones already laying on the ground. Their bones were ripped from their flesh and broke into smaller fragments. She sent them hurtling towards the swarm of demons, but those that remained began to pull back after seeing their kin take a substantial beating.

Beth had to reload, and one of the scavers quickly tried to pounce on her the second she did. Jake saw it and pulled his grappling gun from his belt. He fired it at the scaver, and it wrapped around its body before he retracted the cable cable to pull it towards him. Alexis saw an opportunity, and she leapt over him before driving her foot down and into its skull. The scaver's body went limp as its skull was shattered under Alexis' foot, and Beth slapped her next clip into her pistol before firing on the two that loomed closer to her friends. She filled them full of lead, and Pam pinned their bodies to the wall with the bones of their fallen brothers and sisters. There were only a handful now, and they seemed leary of approaching the four of them.

Pam could feel hunger and fear from the monsters remaining, but their hunger was far stronger than their fear. "Jake, Alexis, out of the way, now!" she barked at them as the five remaining clustered together.

Both Jake and Alexis looked at each other before rushing back to stand beside Beth. Pam channeled more power into her hands as she brought them together. A ball of heat quickly formed between her palms, and she discharged it at the remaining group. A large ball of fire rocketed towards them before colliding with one and exploding. Acting quickly, she summoned a barrier around them to contain the fiery blast. Shrieks of pain hit their ears as the remaining five were burnt to a crisp. "Holy shit!" Alexis said, "Was that a fireball?!"

"Indeed it was," Pam said as she slowly let her power settle.

"That's a third level spell in D&D!" Alexis exclaimed.

"What?" Jake asked.

"It's a nerd thing," Beth explained before beaming at Alexis, "Yup, my girlfriend is a badass sorceress and a dungeon master!"

"Does someone want to explain what you three are talking about?" Jake asked.

"Simple," Pam replied with a smirk, "I'm a high level sorceress and a game master."

"Yeah, that doesn't really tell me anything," Jake said.

"How have you never played D&D?!" Alexis asked.

"I was unaware the illustrious Footgirl was a player," Pam remarked.

"Duh, some of my best plans came from campaign concepts!" Alexis said, "Beth, your girlfriend just got a lot cooler."

"Can we get back to the task at hand?" Jake asked, trying to reign in his team, "We've still got a world to save here."

"Fine, fine," Alexis sighed, "We can walk and talk, I guess. So, how long have you been a DM?"

"Since I was fifteen," Pam replied as the four of them resumed their journey, "I actually introduced Beth to the game back when she was still merely my pet."

"I'd never played before we got together," Beth added.

"That's neat, so you two found some common ground through it?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, it was like the first time I'd seen her not be kinky," Beth replied, "Granted, it was after she molested me."

"I did not molest you," Pam said, "Could you at least choose a less grotesque word?"

"Sexually assaulted then," Beth said.

"Not better," Pam said, "You and I both know you enjoyed our fun together."

"Anyway," Beth said, trying desperately to change the subject before her cheeks burst into flame, "It was something she did with Mr whenever I got overwhelmed, or if I needed something to take my mind off of all the bullshit I was having to do."

"You two are sweet," Alexis said with a smile, "Almost as weird as me, but sweet all the same."

Jake listened to the three of them talk while they walked further into the darkness. His mind was focused on finding a way to get them all out of Hell, defeat Rebecca, and finding a way to break free from Lilith. There was a lot to be done, but his main concern was ensuring that the three women behind him came out alive. He'd already given up his life once to save his friends, and he would do it again if need be. Even Alexis, for all her insanity, deserved the chance to be happy. Then there was the mystery player in all of this. It seemed like problems were just continuing to mount around them, but they'd faced the impossible before and overcome it. He just hoped they could continue to overcome.

Glancing back at his best friend clinging to Pam's arm and conversing with their former enemy brought a smile to his face. Things were certainly strange these days, but these were the moments that made it all worth it. The fleeting glimpses of serenity amidst all the chaos and threats that the world had stacked against them. He couldn't help but feel responsible for everything. He'd blamed himself for a long time now, but at long last he felt the desire to put things right. He was done wallowing in his own self pity. His friends needed him, his city needed him, and he would be damned if he would fail them all again. Whatever it took, whatever the cost, he'd find a way to save everyone from the darkness he felt responsible for.