Chapter 381: Crafty Satan
The haunted house version of the Dark Citadel was renowned for itโs fear-inducing hallways. The creators took pains to ensure that everything was real; if one encountered a vampire in the dark rooms of the mansion, then that vampire was real and likely thinking of sampling your blood. The werewolves, even the corpses, were not props. There were periodic areas for visitors to escape if they so chose, but of course theyโd forfeit the cost of their ticket.
This was why in the West, there was a saying: A manโs true bravery is tested at the Dark Citadel. They even gave a medal of bravery to anyone who completed it.
The house was a series of macabre scenes, including a โsea of bloodโ and a morgue, according to the introductory material. The advertisements alone were enough to make Qianlinโs face pale.
โDonโt worry, weโre not really going to walk through the whole thing. We just need a ticket to get passed the door. It certainly seems like a suitable place to hide something.โ
A few minutes later, with tickets in hand, Lan Jue and Zhou Qianlin walked into the haunted mansion. If the exterior was somber, the dark confines of the mansion were bleak. They could only see the patches of what small flashlights in their hands revealed. Progress was slow.
Feral sounds, guttural and monstrous, swept by them as they passed. It sent shivers down Qianlinโs spine. The temperature was cold and dropping the further in to the building they went. A stuffy blackness surrounded them, a cocoon of darkness where monsters lurked.
Lan Jue was unfazed, but Qianlin gripped his hand tight. Luckily, she didnโt have to suffer long. A few turns from the entrance, Lan Jue placed his hand against the smooth metal surface of the wall. There was a crackle of electricity, and the pair was gone.
So long as it conducted electricity, Lan Jue could use it to travel. He didnโt have a map, but that didnโt matter. Their destination was up.
In a flash, they reappeared in the highest room of the Dark Citadel attraction. It was bathed in red, with every inch painted crimson. Organs had been pinned to the walls like artwork, stretched across canvases of dried human skin. A desiccated corpse was the largest โpieceโ on display.
Qianlin wasnโt ready for the sudden and grotesque change in scenery. Her eyes popped wide once she registered where they were. Then, bending at the waist, she began to retch.
โKiss me!โ She squeezed her eyes shut and raised her head toward him.
Lan Jue looked at her. The room didnโt bother him, but there was horror written on his face now. โYouโฆ youโre not going to vomit in my mouth, are you?โ
Before he could even finish, Qianlin swung around and wrapped him in a tight hug. She pressed her mouth to his.
โHuerghhhโ!โ
Lan Jue only felt a hint of her ice-cold lips before she vanished. He was really beginning to dislike this place! Looking around, he was also set on edge by the gruesome decor. Still, it was better to share than to do it alone โ maybe the Pope would like a look.
Perhaps because of the stomach-turning cost of the ticket, for the time being they were alone โ no visitors or employees were within earshot. After a momentโs examination, Lan Jue determined that this was an interlude between scenes and not a scene itself. What was the point, he wondered, when the breaks were more unsettling than the attraction. The corpse hanging from the wall looked like itโd been placed and prepared years ago.
Lan Jue began to film the scene from his communicator. He waved his free hand, and two bodies appeared on either side of the pinned-up cadaver. Uriel and Raphael looked like corpses themselves, and Lan Jue gave each a close-up so the Pontiffโs Citadel could appreciate the artistry.
Lan Jue finished his small movie, but of course he would not be sending it directly to the Pontiff. He shot it off to the Accountant so he could work his particular brand of magic.
โGoddamn Jewelry Master. Sending me this stuff so early in the morningโฆ arenโt you afraid it will influence my development?โ Came the Accountantโs reply.
โAlright, stop screwing around,โ Lan Jue said with a note of irritation in his voice. โSend the video to the Pontiffโs Citadel through encrypted channels in two hours.โ
The Accountant sounded shocked. โWhat the hell is going on? Is this some sort of joke? What the hell did you do to the Citadel? Why wasnโt I invited to the fun, I thought we were brothers?!โ
โFun?โ Lan Jue said. โWell if you think facing down a pissed-off Pontiff is fun, by all means fly over. I wonโt stop you. Bring the Gourmet and his people while youโre at it, you guys will be coming to the North for the grand tournament anyway.โ
โI heard about this,โ the Accountant whined. โBut I wasnโt invited! The Gourmet said I was too weak and didnโt allow me to participate. I guess my Discipline is no good in a fight, either.โ
Lan Jue laughed. โAlright, donโt get your panties in a knot โ I can help you there. You wonโt be in a fight, but I can make you one of the entourage. Iโll let the Gourmet know, you just get the details from him.โ
The Accountant snickered. โTwo hours. Got it, theyโll get your message.โ
โDo not let them discover where the video came from,โ Lan Jue urged.
โYou think I donโt know this simple shit?โ The Accountant snarled. โYouโll see โ they have screens all over Reims, and thatโs where this message will pop up. Hah! So whatโs the deal, are we going to kill the Pontiff?! Man, Grandpa would get me something good for that!โ
โGo ask him then!โ Lan Jue sighed.
Immediately, the Accountantโs voice grew soft and timid. โNever mind. Grandpa and the Bookworm have been fiddling with something. No oneโs seen them for days. I need to get out of here before those two madmen accidentally blow up the Avenue.โ
The Jewelry Master chuckled. โWell expect it. And donโt forget that thing! When itโs all done let me know.โ
โNo problem.โ
Once his conversation with the Accountant had concluded, Lan Jue sned a short message to the Gourmet. The young guy wasnโt the most reliable, but when it came to high-tech gadgetry, he was the one to go to. He also had the benefit of being backed by the Keeper and the Bookworm both. Bringing him along would help him avoid all manner of troubles. He had a mind like a super computer.
Lan Jue made it back to the public air hangar via taxi. When he got there, he found an abandoned corner to release Qianlin and have her change her clothes. When she was ready, they boarded the next ride out of Gomorroah.
โI donโt know how much longer I can support this lifestyle,โ the Jewelry Master complained. โIn the last few days weโve gone through several sets of clothing.โ
Even now, Qianlinโs face was still pale and drawn. โWhen have you ever supported me? All these lost clothes belonged to me, thank you very much. You only ever got me the stuff from Reims.โ
Lan Jue looked at the uncomfortable mecha research student. โAre you still scared? I thought you had gutsโฆโ
Qianlin pouted at him. โNo scared. That was justโฆ disgusting.โ
Lan Jue laughed. โWe should have gone through the whole thing.โ
Zhou Qianlin looked at him discouragingly. โIโd have to strangle you to death.โ
Their pleasant exchange was punctuated by the tell-tale rumble of lift off. They left the bleak landscapes behind.
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The Dark Citadel.
โYour Majesty!โ Luciferโs face bore a strange and unsettling expression and he burst in to the Dark Citadelโs daunting audience chamber. Satan sat upon his throne, meditating. This was also where he cultivated his powers.
โWhat.โ The leader of these terrible beasts opened his eyes. Traces of scarlet red undulated beneath his eyes.
Lucifer motioned with his hand, and a pair of guards entered. They were dragging another two people behind them. โWe found them in the haunted house,โ he said with a sneer.
Satan dropped his eyes to the unconscious pair on the ground. Upon seeing who they were, he couldnโt keep his face from betraying shock.
โDo we know who brought them?โ Satan demanded.
Lucifer shook his head. โVisitors, maybe. But we have no way of tracking the origins of the tourists. Iโve already dispatched men to take a look but they came back empty handed. This is no small matter! They could be enemies of the Pontiffโs Citadel, no? I heard from my source in the government that things havenโt been going well in the Holy City either. Theyโve closed the city off twice within a few days. The Pontiff himself shuffled out, hunting for someone. Itโs more than likely these two play a part in it.โ
Satanโs eyes narrowed, thick with murderous evil. โSo you suspect someone had captured the Angel of Healing and the Cherubim, and delivered them to us. Do they intend to place them blame on us, or do they have other motives?โ
โI think theyโre trying to set us up,โ Lucifer said. โBut itโs one hell of a gift. The loss of two Archangels in no small blow to the Pontiff. I looked them over and theyโve been cut off by some strange power. These ignorant subordinates donโt know how to remove it.โ
Satanโs figure shimmered like a nightmare and, in a flash of crimson, he was beside Lucifer. The area around him begin to swirl and warp, hanging over the room.After a time a cold smirk split Satanโs lips.
โThey have been sealed. By protogenic energy, it seems, and pure. The adept is probably equal to yourself in strength, but heโs had some experience in the world of pure energy. Only a Paragon could unravel this knot. If it remains, though, it will consume the Adept of his Discipline. Eventually they would die.
โHow should we handle this,โ Lucifer asked.
โSomeone wants us to shoulder the blame,โ Satan said. โBut that doesnโt mean there have to be consequences. Put these two somewhere safe until the Pontiffโs men come to collect. Ask for an s-ranked power gem for each of them.โ
Lucifer nodded. โOf course, My Lord. And the seal?โ
Satanโs response was dismissive. โWe found them this way. Just the fact that we arenโt killing them should earn praise from that idiot Pontiff. When he brings them back and looks over them himself, heโll see that it wasnโt our doing. If theyโve been hurt, it has nothing to do with us. Weโre making a bargain, and thatโll give the zealot face.โ
Luciferโs eyes lit up as he came to understand. โMy Lord is wise. Iโll handle this myself immediately. Weโll wait for the Pontiffโs Citadel to take the initiative.โ