Attempted Distraction

Jonah and Maggie make their move in an attempt to stop or interupt the Ceremony

Silus makes his move on Alex but loses his grip

and Cassandra?

Now stands victorious at the front of the Mausoleum 

Transcript

Warnings And Stakes

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The following podcast is a work of fiction. All characters are the creation of Peter Williams. Any resemblance to someone living or dead is purely coincidental. Thank you. Distractions. Life is full of them. The handsome man. The lovely lady. The cute cat or puppy doing something sweet. But distractions are only helpful if they work. If they give you the window of opportunity that you're looking for. And this gives me the opportunity to remind you that this podcast may contain images of graphic violence, child endangerment, adult situations, and of course, naughty, salty language. Now, now Jonah goes to work, making a way for Maggie to rescue Alex. Maybe rescue Zack. As we turn to chapter 15, Attempted Distraction. Jonah took off his cloak and laid it across the passenger seat and began to check over his weapons inventory. On his belt hung one mechanical staff, much more efficient than carrying around a wood one. He could press the center of it and it would extend three feet in opposite directions. Great for a surprise strike, balance, and defense. Then he had five long blessed daggers, created by Gorshin, and forged before the fall of Solomon. They, like the apostles, had names of the ancient saints engraved on them. And then finally he had three capsula luches, or boxes of holy light. Not much of an arsenal, but enough to create a distraction. The plan was simple. He would offer himself up as bait for Cassandra, while Maggie darts in, grabs Alex, and bolts. If they can manage to save the kid, too. In truth, the best they could hope for was to prevent the ceremony's conclusion. Of course, to get Cassandra's attention, Jonah would need to tap into his demonic energy stored up inside of him. Specifically, Silence. This always created an emotional imbalance within him. Silence was the demon that ate his sister, bringing her forth for any reason reminded Jonah that awful day. But to have a chance at saving Alex Kuchman Stevens, he would have no real choice. No, it wasn't so he could attack Cassandra. That wouldn't work. No, what his hope was is that sensing her true sister Silen, Cassandra, would act out of revenge and emotion and attack Jonah, leaving the tomb vernable. Climbing his way through the grave markers, keeping his eyes focused on the growing vortex at the rear of the cemetery, he toyed with one of the capsule lucids. He often wondered if the creator was a Monty Python fan. It acted similar to the Holy Hand grenade. Although they could also remind you of the stun grenades used by the Gao in Stargate SG1. Basically, it was a box encasing holy light. Its user would toss it into a dark cave, tomb, or room to stun the evil occupants, giving the user a chance to get the advantage. Every time he used one, he would think back to the scene of the small white rabbit and Kate Arthur counting down before he tossed it. One, two, three, sir! Even Maggie would chuckle at the ridiculous nature of that film, and in Jonah's world, moments of levity were rare. Unfortunately for him, the device used here would be no more than an annoyance. Cassandra was far too powerful to allow the light to overwhelm her, but again, this was far more about delay and a rescue than it was about winning. He reached the back of the cemetery and scanned his surroundings. He expected more resistance, smaller demons or devils challenging him, but nothing, not one single creature, challenged his approach. Perhaps they're overconfident? Perhaps they no longer see him as a threat. Either way, he was now within throwing distance. Maggie descended and leveled out so she would be in direct line of sight with the tomb. Are you ready, Mags? One, two, three, sir! He yelled as he threw the capsula into the opening of the tomb. Maggie swept her wings back and darted into the explosion of light. Whatever their fate, they were now committed. Save us. If there were any two words that could make Alex turn cold, and at the same time tell her it was time to act, it was the next two words that came forth from Cassandra's mouth. Stripper! They may have been muddled and muddied by the distortion created by the false apostle, but they were clear enough for Alex to know their intentions. Stripper? Hell no. Alex wrapped her hand around the rose-sculpted hilt and repositioned herself in the darkness. The pocket dimension created by the false apostle made it hard to judge what direction, shape, and size. She remembered what Alice Maxwell had told her of her own experience. It shrinks you down to figurine size. Although you don't see it that way. It's only when it's open to She paused a moment. She remembered the cruel, claw-like hand of Malus reaching towards her in the darkness to scoop her up. It's only when they come to get you that you realize that. I see, Alex replied. And without a weapon or a place to hide, you're basically exposed. Alice nodded. Her time and the waste at the hand of that fiend would remain with her forever, while Alex hadn't experienced that former torture. She did understand what it was like to be separated. The one thing they both had in common? Warren Stevens. But again, that's another story. Cracks began to appear in the pocket dimension, and she could feel the ground shaking around her. Using all of her training to keep her balance and focus, she eyed the surroundings for Silas's hand. Breaking into the reddish-lit sky of the pocket dimension, Alex spies a large hand reaching out towards her. In the crack itself, she could see Silas's eye peering down and on her with a snide smile. Alex, dear, it's time to play. Her stance hid the blade from his gaze. She backed up, giving him a false sense of security and advantage. Don't run, dear. I've been looking forward to. His hand opened, reaching to the point now where it hid his view and surrounded her. I've been looking forward to touching every inch of Slice. Bitch! She heard Silas scream as the spiritual day sliced across his first row of knuckles, severing them from his hand as he falls back in agony. The pocket dimension collapsing around her, restoring Alex to her full size. The spirituous day now glowing, dripping black blood, she shakes it off. Directly across from her, Zack hangs, drugged, unconscious on the slate. Behind her, to the left, almost void-like, a creature stands between the entrance and a small alcove where she can hear Silas moaning and crying. My hand! My hand! She got my hand! Cassandra's smile appeared like a red glow against the void-like reality of her presence. She seemed undisturbed by the weapon that had caused her so many problems. She lifted her hand as a small object flew over her shoulder and onto the floor. Light exploded into the room and with it, a dark bird? No, a crow. But as it neared Alex, it changed shape, forming into a human woman. Quickly, before Maggie began, not realizing that the very distraction she had hoped to use to save Alex had given Cassandra the upper hand. As she had done to Detective Warren Stevens, she extended one of her fingers in a long, scream-like spear, striking Maggie in the back and into Alex's shoulder, pinning Alex to the very gate behind her. Maggie's eyes go wide as she coughs blood and grabs the tendril, piercing her. Cassandra breaks the tentacle-like extension off, leaving Alex pinned and pulls Maggie towards her as she lifts her in the air and curls Maggie in so that they would be face to face. What do we have here? Cassandra says as Maggie gasps in pain, trying to breathe. Ah! That's a face I've longed to see! Cassandra adds as she holds her trophy high. She can hear Silas whimpering in the adjoining room as she turns her back on Alex, Zach, and the gate. She has nothing left to do here. Alex's blood has been spilled and now is filling the crevices that would activate the last lock on the gate. The look on her face as she struggled gravely to release herself, both hands gripping, pulling hard on the sickle-like tendril sticking out of her shoulder. It was almost the same exact spot where she had pierced the cursed detective, the new weapon lying useless in Alex's blood on the ground between Alex and Zach. Cassandra now strolls to the open doorway, making sure Maggie can hear everything she says as she does so. I could just consume you the way I did your dear sister, the cold butt. I want your friend to suffer the way I did when he consumed my dear Silent. It was time to end this. End Maggie and Jonah, and behind her, Eggman Loch would come forth and enter Zack. Silas, he no longer mattered. Jonah watched in horror as the light in the tomb faded and nothing happened. He stood waiting, about a hundred yards out, watching the mausoleum's door. The only thing he did hear was a shriek of pain. It came from Silas, but it ended there. The moments dragged on, and even trying to tempt Cassandra with Silen's energy was definitely not working. Finally, he stopped and just held his ground, hoping to see Maggie and Alex stumble out. But that wasn't what happened. A blotted shadow overshadowed the mouth of the mausoleum, lifting something up into the air. Oh! Maggie! Maggie, not the crow Maggie, but the human-woman form of her, hung on the end of a tendril, completely lifeless. All desire to fight left Jonah as Cassandra flung her lifeless corpse towards him with a thud. Jonah immediately ran towards her. Her face was bruised and bloodied as he slid down near her side. Mags! Her eyes opened as she reached towards him and he took her hand. Sorry, she gasped. I screwed up. The sanders shifted her form as she watched Maggie twitch on the ground. Still alive, are we? A tendril shot towards the two of them, and Jonah covered his fallen friend so that it pierced him and not Maggie. Why? Maggie gasped. Uh I'm dying. Why would you? Jonah's face twisted in pain as Cassander pressed a tendr deeper into his flesh. Because I love you. I have since I first met you. I can't let her eat you. I can't stand that thought. Even if things end here, at least now you'll know. Maggie's face softened just a little. I love you too. It was the last thing she said as her face goes still and her eyes go gray and her body goes cold. Like he had at the funeral, Jonah looks to the sky and lets out a mournful cry. However, this time he doesn't lose control. He could hear Cassandra laughing, clapping. Oh, they love each other! How sweet! Now it's time to die, demon eater! Yes, it probably is, Jonah thinks to himself, time to die. But before he does, he had one little surprise of his own left for Cassandra. Alex grasps at the sickle-like tendril that held her against the gate. She could hear the wheels and gears of Gate turning behind her. The doors were now glowing red. Unable to snap it off, she decides on the more painful option. She takes her legs and twists her body and starts pushing herself off the doors, slowly sliding her body along it until she reaches the end and drops to the floor, just a foot away from the spiritual day. In the adjoining room, she can hear Silas moaning and crying in the darkness. That bitch! That bitch! She cut my hand! What she couldn't see was the blade's effect. His hand was melting, skin literally falling and pulls onto the floor. I'll kill her, he cries. I'll make her suffer! I will kill her! Barely conscious herself, Alex rolls over and starts reaching for the blade. Her shoulder screams in pain and she curls back into a balm. Zack, meanwhile, his body begins to glow. That same black purpose glow emanating around him as the gate starts to open. Silas stumbles in, his face twisted with hate. He looks down at the fallen Alex, holding his injured hand. No, more like his arm as the flesh and bone continue to disintegrate. You think this will stop me? You think I want to follow you and then kill you? Oh, you're so mistaken. He hooks the spiritual day and looks down at it. Of course. Even better. I'll use this to open you up like a kid of worms and then my dear Alex. He bends over in a maddening zeal while looking at her, his tongue sloshing in his mouth like a hungry ghoul about to feast on the meal. He grabs the rose crested hilt and stops. A blue fire ignites on his good hand as he does so. What? No! No! That's not fair! It ignites all over him, getting hotter and hotter as his flesh turns into liquid, boils, and pours into a bubbling puddle of blood and goo on the floor. The spirituous day falling, landing now within reach of Alex's good arm. Grasping it, she can hear the hiss of the gate unsealing, and several dark shadows, like messengers hailing their king, fill the room. He was coming. Ekmalak was coming, and his heralds were making sure you knew as they hovered over Alex. She had managed to escape the clutches of Silas, but it wouldn't be long before these monsters would overtake her. She could feel one now breathing down on her, teeth literally on the nape of her neck when. And chapter 16 A Fly in the Ointment.