LLM Part IV Chapter 43

43.

“Here are your new weapons.” The Angel that greeted them may have worn a shapeless toga but with a beauty underneath it, the plains could be seen like scenic landscape. That landscape however was adorned with a wide range of weapons from the ancient swords and spears to cudgel and mallets on one corner, and the other was the more familiar guns and rifles.

Lance stood there with his legs crossed. It was not his favorite posture but his boots hurt and he needed to use the privy which he could not locate.

“You got a privy around here, Angel?”

“Privy? What is that?” The Angel asked. “And the name is Eve and not Angel.”

“Okay, Eve but can you hurry up. I ain’t got much holding strength left.”

The Angel looked at him then and motioned to the far side.

“Press the blue button and step in there. Your suit has a contraption called the zipper. After you done, tuck in well before you zip.”

Lance rushed off to the far side while Tonto looked at the weapons laid out on the raised platform. He picked up what resembled a gun but it was unlike his own Colt. It looked like another Colt model; the Colt Army Model 44.

“The original design was a muzzle loaded cap and ball caliber single action revolver but these are only similar in the frame. The guns do fire six projectiles and the reload packs are on the belts. There are twenty packs there and more in the holding containers. Each projectile contained a potent amount of pure silver.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Tonto replied with courtesy.

“It’s Eve as in Adam and Eve but you can call me Ma’am.” The Angel replied. Eve mentioned before may be shapely but she was also deadly.

“Mr.Tonto, your tomahawk is still here. We have however added in a set of the same gun for your use.” The Angel pulled out the weapon with the belt but Tonto only reached for his tomahawk.

“This will suffice.” Tonto held the tomahawk and ignored the gun belt. “Put the belt and gun into the saddle bag.”

It was then they heard Lance screamed out in pain.

“I guess he forgot to tuck it in.” The Angel strutted off to the far side. She stopped at the doorway with the blue button. “I could help to ease the pain.”

Tonto stood there alone and decided to re-look the weapons. There was a Henry’s rifle, a Winchester ’73 among them. They were some he recalled from the books he once read but they were words then. He moved from the guns to the more familiar weapons. He picked up the mallet. It looked familiar like the one he seen held by a Norse God. He swung it to feel the weight. It was sturdy to the grip and felt heavy enough to break a skull. He placed it down and looked at the next interesting item. It shouldn’t be there for it could not be considered as a weapon.

“Wood.” Tonto muttered to himself. The item he holding was a wooden stake. It measured a foot and the end of it was the sharper end. He weighed it on his hand and noticed it was cut from the old oak tree. He knew his trees from his days of learning to be a shaman. The leader had told him to be knowledgeable on nature and that included trees. The spirits lived in them and in the moment of needs, they could assist.

“There are two of those.” The Angel had returned. “They are deadly to the blood drinker and even to us if we get impaled with it.”

“If you are taking it, it comes with a pair. The other one is the mallet.” The Angel continued on. “It easier to slam it in.”

The Angel giggled then but the conversation was interrupted with the arrival of Lance. The later strolled in as if he had ridden for days. He stood by Tonto and saw the stake.

“You are going primitive now?” Lance mocked the other.

“You think so. I think for you ought to get a skirt. There are no zippers on those. You just pull them down.” Tonto then laughed. Lance was to hit back but the Angel was calling them.

“I got your ride for you here.” The Angel motioned them over to the side. They saw what appeared to be a two wheeler but it had no wagons.

“Meet the Chief. And when you are there, look up the ones named the Angels.”

The first few hours of riding drove everyone mad and soon they decided to hitch on the side car for stability. It was Tonto who decided if he was riding shotgun, he will carry one.

Tonto then selected the Winchester 73. He reckoned it will fire well like the handgun.

“You may need this.” Eve handed him the sling to tie the rifle. “It ain’t good to lose your weapon out there.”

LLM Part IV Chapter 42

42.

Tonto stood there at the edge of the cliff to have a better view of the landscape. The plains of the ground spread out far into the horizon with its shade of orange and red in the texture of the terrain. The place was devoid of any living creatures and plants although there were the enormous mounds that resembled huge flat table tops. These mounds are scattered across the plains like pieces of chessmen on the wide board. His mind drifted back to the badlands and colorful canyons of the last world he was familiar with but here it was not scenic but a bland portrayal of dead lands.

Tonto blinked his eyes to get a clearer view with the dust accumulated there. When he blinked his eyes, the layer of dusts there was wiped off by the tears from his eyes.

“Kemo-Sabe, it is all the same.” Tonto turned to his partner who was trying to figure out things of his own. They have been there for three days and that was the last time they met any living creatures.

“Are you sure Michael sent us in the correct world?” Tonto asked again. “The shaman had told me of the neither worlds but this one defies any descriptions.”

“Dimensions, Tonto. Not worlds. We are not in your neither world. Not that I will expect you to understand.” Lance mocked the other. He grabbed the Stetson to hit it against his left thigh. He does that when he gets agitated.

“I know my books read inside out and for your information, I am versed in the worlds that Michael mentioned.” Tonto replied. “I did not…”

“I did not learn mine on my back or on top of the camel hump.” Lance laughed. He knew that Tonto was about to refer to the vast desert named Sahara or Sahel in Arabic. “Did you learn yours on the docks?”

Tonto was raised up at the Dover docks off the English Channels. He was sent there by his guardian there for a better living but he ditched there later and became a shaman.

“Have you learned how our ride really…get ridden?” Lance laid his right feet on the small mound next to his so named horse. “He ain’t the Silver I used to ride.”

 Tonto smiled and looked at the contraption in his view. It was not a grand design by his view but it had two wheels with the metal rims, the iron frame that held it and spring loaded leather seat with a set of handle bars on the front. The unique parts were the exhaust system and some miniature engine that have gears and knobs with cables. There was the harness that held all the parts together and it have what was told was a set of brakes. It was all explained by the Angel with the goggles over his eyes. Pardon, it was his real eyes but he handed Lance and Tonto a set of goggles. It would had been easier to operate it if there were horses to drag it but the contraption worked on a set of gears on a ‘designed two stroke motor’. It held a side car as explained by the Angel that resembled more like a mini wagon fitted for one person with the legs bend upwards. The side car also held two saddle bags at the rear, and it holds the attached rim and wheel. 

On the iron frame near to the handle bars was the name ‘Chief’.

“Have you checked the engine, Kemo-Sabe?”

“You mean the one that purrs and roars on the turn of the handle bar.” Lance replied with an irritant tone. “Yes, I checked it and its purring like what our Angel told us it would do.”

“Pardon me on that hue and cries but we ain’t exactly in Texas or Alabama.” Tonto motioned with his hands above their heads. There was not one Sun there but none. “Perhaps you want to me to bring out my sexton to calculate our last known position.”

“Damn you and your ….Dover lessons. I am trying to figure out how we ride this …bike?” Lance snapped back in anger. 

“It’s an infernal machinery like its ….”

“Creator? I stand against that. The Creator gave us many wonders in our lifetime, and before ours. So don’t be a hypocrite and condemned his creation.” Tonto called on his other faith to defend the bike. “It may one day outrun your Silver in the race.”

Lance pulled off the gloves from his hands and tossed it. He stepped away and joined Tonto at the edge. He was dressed in the old drags then as stated by the Angel who dressed him. They were sent there by Michael to prepare for their eventual task to locate Lucifer. The Angel there was named the Designer or called me Guppy. The chamber they were shown in was a plain empty one but there were mirrors on the sides and on the ceiling. There stood Guppy with his arms crossed and his eyes squinting at the duo

“Gracious me, are you dressed or was it thrown on by from your mother onto you with the discards or leftovers.” Guppy uncrossed his arms in exasperation. “And I thought toga was bad.”

“In Hades, you need to dress for it. Unlike here, they ain’t dressed. They just wrap it and if God ever knew which toga belonged to whom.” The Angel who was to decide on their dressing took a swirl to the rear. It was an impressive walk then rivaled by the later generations on the improvised raised jetty platform.

“Now where were we before the interruptions of ideas?” Guppy had his right arm up and the index finger curled. “Yes, I was to tell you on the dressing at Hades. I loved those areas. They are so ….fashionable.”

“Yes, a great way to describe dressing. I loved that expression.” Guppy then stopped there and from above his head, a rectangle container was lowered. Guppy reached for the container and set it down on the flooring. On the container was a panel board with some buttons and a small screen.

“Hello, darling. Are you happy to see me?” Guppy spoke to the rectangle container. “I have some new ….friends to dress on.”

The container released a series of beeps and burps that could mean anything to the unknown listener but to Guppy, it was his language of dressing.

“Yes, darling. We are making new garbs and not the shapeless toga anymore. And no, they are not doing for any recreational functions. Rome was not built in seven days but they have their dressing done in one.”

Guppy laughed at his words on the Roman’s taste of dressing. He then looked at the duo and explained.

“In fact, they are going to Hades.”

When the name Hades was mentioned, the rectangle box began to chatter and vibrated on its frame. Guppy then punched in some buttons and the rectangle box stopped. Lance stooped over to look at the box.

“I served it a shot of sherry laced with ions.” Guppy smiled. “I was just trying to amuse you. Let me show you what it can really do.”

“Darling, please measure the two gentlemen and get them the conditioned garbs for the place.” Guppy instructed the box.  “Do hurry and please don’t get kinky.”

“Oh, another great expression for the line I am in.” Guppy continued. “Do amuse me. In our line, we are constantly improving.”

Lance and Tonto saw the beam of light that trailed down their body from the head to the toes. Then the box began to hum in a low sound before it released a loud beep.

“Be still, darling. I know they are handsome in the looks but please focus on the design. It’s what we are to do.”

Just when Guppy completed his statement, the box then gave out another harmonic hum and another rectangle box appeared from above. It was smaller and slim. Guppy reached for it and opened the cover. It revealed the new suits for the duo.

“Dark gray and white ain’t exactly my shades.” Lance grumbled on the shades selected for him. He had donned on a white fitted suit which covered him from the neck to the ankles. It had a red stripe drawn from his right shoulder downwards to his waist and then streaked across it like the letter ‘L’. His feet were enclosed in the dark boots and on his hands were the matching red gloves. It was matched on his boots. He had on a double gun holster below his armpits which were empty then.

“Reach behind your neck, Sir.” Guppy told Lance. “Pull at the lever there.”

Lance did as told. He reached for it and then pulled it. From the back of his neck the hem of the suit there reached out and covered his head and then half his face to the bridge of his nose. From there, a translucent material covered the rest of his face. He felt the materials and was able to breathe. He could see past the covered mask over his eyes.

“Do I get my Stetson back and how do I pee?”

“Mon dieu! Darling, do tell him. I can stand to reply on all these petty issues. And shoo them later to the Weaponry Section. Those knaves could do whatever they need to except creased my design.” Guppy stormed off. Tonto was dressed similarly but his red stripes were streak on the top across the shoulders and it was drawn down in one wide streak in the middle to his waist like the letter ‘T’. The suit had a line of ‘fringe’ on the sides down the arms. He ignored the red coonskin hat offered.

“Oh, you need the coat to protect you from the heat.” The white coat with the fringe was a knee length and it held a red stripe streaking down the left shoulder. 

LLM Part IV

Lucifer’s Infernal Dimensions

Jimmy Loong

April 1^st 2016

  

0.

The warehouse was out of the city limits and had not seen activity for some time then. It was huge with the tall ceiling but its width was not defined for it was filled with stacked crates containing useless items. That was obvious by the layers of dust on the surface of the crates. The crates were stacked in rows and columns but the area at the far end of the warehouse was spaced out with the three long tables laid out in a ‘U’ shape. There were some wooden chairs there and then there nothing on the table. It was the chairs that got occupied then by six figures in the double breasted suit and the shined leather shoes. Their hats were three homburgs, two fedoras’ and one newsboy. The last belonged to an Irish who was a patriot and also bootlegger. They do share one common interest; they all smoked Cubans.

“Fritz, are you still feeling your prick?” The guy was wearing a darker suit and sat cross legged. He was a smaller man and lost half of his hair on the scalp leaving him a crown there. He was backed up by three guards standing there dressed similarly

“Screw it, Banker. I can feel it.” The other replied. He was one with the stacked body and the mop of hair was cut short combed down the middle. However they all stuck out like porcupine points.

“Can someone tell where the Devil is the ….” Fritz hit out then and swallowed back his words. To the assembled in the middle of the ‘U’, a figure soon appeared. It was not all that clear with the smokes with the smell of brimstones.  The new figure appeared in a white double breasted suit and matching pointed leather shoes. Unlike the others, the new guy had on the long hair braided to the rear and the set of eyes was deeply sunken into the face like a valley on the plains and the nose was the mountain range.

“Did someone called for me?” The long haired figure voiced out. “No one lie to me. I am the Devil. I won’t be denied.”

“I did…Master. We were…” Fritz owned up.

“Yes, you did voice out but there were others who voiced their dissent in their mind.” The new guy smiled. “I preferred honesty but since I am the Devil, please feel free to lie among all of us.”

None of the six voiced anything then and the Devil then spoke out.

“I am told that Michael had sent a new champion here. I believed some of you knew him as the Lone Ranger.”

The assembled seated there gasped out and the one named Fritz spoke out.

“The Lone Ranger? It can’t be. I have him imprisoned in the Pits. He can’t ….” Fritz looked to the Banker. “You are the one responsible for it.”

“My vault is impregnable and none of the souls have ever escaped.” Banker looked to the Devil.

“I did not say there was an escapee. I said the Lone Ranger is on the trail. The new Long Ranger.” The Devil spoke up. 

“He is more dangerous than the previous one. Michael had empowered him with more power. You knew of the Long Ranger and his guns with the silver bullets.”

“Woo…” The Banker smiled. “I have seen them on the impact. They pierced the demons like it did for the others. I will skip meal for it.”

“Thank you, Belphegor.” Belphegor was named the Banker for he was one with the great ideas to work things out Then the Devil cut in and then without a warning, Belphegor was flung across the area and slammed into the crates.

“If I need an opinion, I will ask for it.” The Devil issued the warning. He then turned to the one with Newsboy cap. “You ready to handle him.”

The one whom the Devil was referring raised the right hand to brush the hair off the forehead.

“I don’t give a fuck about the Lone Ranger. Cross my turf and I will destroy him.” The one who replied stood up. The suit was well sculptured to the body curves, and unlike the others, it was cut short at the waist.

“I am leaving now.” The one with the suit stood up and grabbed the hat. “That goes for all of you. Lilith does not do favors for anyone.”

Then one named Lilith then walked to the doorway hidden by the crates. When the doorway was opened, the scene outside was different from the warehouse view. It was a scene of wasteland and the smell of brimstones. Lilith appearance changed on her exit from the three piece suit to that of the loose toga with the sandals. Her shoulder length hair was braided with colorful beads.

The other four still seated sighed and looked at the one they called their leader. Belphegor the Banker had resumed his seat at the table. Fritz passed over the hamburg belonging to the Banker.

“Fuck! That’s not mine.” Belphegor the Banker pushed the hat away. He stood up and then stepped back from the table. 

“I will kill the bastard.”

“Emotions….” The Devil commented back. “Belphegor the Banker, you are supposed to compose at all times. How could you react in this manner when you are supposed to be an example to them? We are facing a new threat when we are to battle a new foe? How many have we faced before in the last war? If you recalled, my fellow brothers, we lost the war then.”

The Devil let those words sank in before he continued on.

“This time we will win but I need the time to prepare for it. Keep the Lone Ranger occupied. That one had come to our world.”

“He is only one.” Belphegor voiced out. “We are seven among us.”

“Six.” The Devil reminded them. “Lilith had left us. She craved for his attention once more. I am ever surprised that she valued him more than me who had re-united all of you here in Hades.”

“Lucifer…” Belphegor was cut off.

“I will hear not of his name in my realm. “We will win again this time. But before that, tell me of the rebellion that still plague me since my banishment.”

“They rose for the return of….” Belphegor cried out once more but was stifled by the harsh slap across his cheek.

“Heed my warning. No mention of his name or lose your rank with me.” The Devil cautioned the assembled.

“The rebels are not of a concern anymore.” Asmodeus spoke out. He was one of two who dressed fedora. He picked up his hat and then rubbed the seams. “My demons have annihilated most of them in the last ages. Even with his return, they are not of any threat.”

“Annihilated? I will share what I was to know. They are not beaten as what you have told me. They are in hiding and attacked the cities to free the slaves and source the supplies from our cities. You ought to read more on the reports of the killings on the street instead of indulging in your cigars and ballad of the dead heroes.” The Devil hit back.

“Master, we are containing the killings.” Maamon hit back with vengeance. “The rebels will be quashed soon. And the return of Lucifer. He will not last long with all of us here.”

“You are short of one now, Maamon. Lilith had returned to her previous lover. Some of you will not stand for any resistance. You are all demons inside. The Angel in you exist no more. Demons could only live here.” The Devil looked at the assembled.

“If you do not want me to kill all of you? Voice out now or kill them all before it happened. And the one that have returned.” The Devil slammed his right fist on the table. “The Lone Ranger must not ride here. Or be darn I will be allowed for myself to be banished again. Hades needs me for I am to reform Hades.”

“My Hades.”

LLM Chapter 41 Part III

41.

Lance saw the demise of the one named Aamon and rushed over with his scimitar. He was blocked by Vlad who had defended his new master.

“You will need to kill me if you are to fight my master.” Vlad declared to outright. He then to Lucifer and voiced his allegiance.

“Leave them to me, Master.” Vlad told his master. Lucifer reached out with his sword and tapped it on Vlad’s left shoulder.

“You may not protect me. I am in need of no one.” Lucifer then slashed the sword downwards and cut into Vlad’s heart.  “You may be free of your obligations now.”

Vlad collapsed onto the flooring with the surprised look on his face. Lucifer pulled his sword free from the dead body and then faced Lance. He then looked at the other who was still holding the tomahawk.

“I am free now. And from what I have learned, there is an army out there waiting for me. However I am not in need of such when I have my own.” Lucifer motioned to the screen. It still displayed the three dozen huge ships and their smaller escorts.

“Behold the First Fleet that is commanded by Michael.” Lucifer smiled. “He has sought me long. I will battle him but not today.”

With that, Lucifer grabbed the body of the dead Vlad and then dissipated from the chamber. Lance was left standing there with Tonto by his side. They were unsure what was to be done and looked at the two dead bodies there. It was then another group of figures appeared, they were dressed in the loose knee length toga gown with the sash tied around their waist and then feet were covered by the ankle high leather bounded sandals. There were five of them and all held swords in their right hand and a round shield in the left hand. They spread out and faced the earlier duo before the sixth figure arrived. The latest figure was unarmed but his toga gown was below the knees. He had his hair braided and with his high cheekbones, his facial expression was grim to stare at. The figure approached Lance.

“Where is Lucifer?” The last figure spoke up. There were no replies and the guy who spoke then motioned to the other five. “Remove them from my sight.”

The five raised their shields and swords before approaching Lance and Tonto.

“Hold on, we have not said anything…” Lance protest was ignored but he stepped back then. Tonto jumped into action with his rush towards the nearest threat. He leaped up and used his right leg to kick at the raised shield. When his leg hit the shield, he tossed his tomahawk to the left. He caught the other not prepared for his attack. He then turned his body into a semi turn and then kicked out with his left leg in a scissor move. The left leg kicked at the other one on the right. Tonto saw his moves were fruitless. The three of them had moved and Tonto was motionless in the air. Lance had also moved and swung his scimitar. He had aimed for the other two but he found himself frozen too.

“I asked you to speak and not battle my guards.” The sixth guy spoke. “I am asking you again. Speak, mortal. Tell me of Lucifer.” The figure voiced out. “Speak out to me.”

“Who are you?” Lance challenged the figure.

“I am Michael of the First Fleet.” Michael replied and then asked the whereabouts of Lucifer. “I have hunted for him for generations when he was exiled and hidden from me. His presence was revealed to me and I am here now.”

Lance then described the scenes with Lucifer and then the death of Vlad. Then he described of Father Dennis and the part of the demons. It was somewhere in there, I mentioned the Lone Ranger.

“You know the Lone Ranger?”

Lance nodded. Michael drop the amusing topic.

“I know the Lone Ranger.” Michael spoke up. “He has been missing for some time. I lost communication with him.”

“You were in ….what, communication with him?” I shuttered my question. “How …”

“The Lone Ranger was my soldier on the task. He was to find me some information on the new threat. I heard of the new army on that dimension. It’s not Vlad the Impaler. His threat amounts to nothing compared to the threat I was looking at. I made a mistake with the Lone Ranger….”

“Hey, I am the Lone Ranger. Or I was the new one.” Lance snapped back. “The previous one was my brother.”

“I know. You mentioned it. Lucifer was mine and so was Aamon and even Samael. I cared not for brothers. I only want respect.” Michael glared at Lance. “If you want to live, then listen up.”

“If you are the Lone Ranger I got the task for you. Are you in? That was not a request. It was an order. I wanted to ask for my contribution but Michael offered me first.

“I want you to hunt Lucifer for me.” Michael offered me. “In return, you might find your brother. If your brother’s dead was never disclosed, then he may be alive or dead in Hades.”

“So it Hades you are going next.” Michael continued on. “You and your friend, Tonto.”

That was now I get to know about Lucifer and the new threat to the world I lived on.