Lone Ranger Chapter 54

 54.

“Stifling for your taste, ain’t it?” Lance was asked by his host. They were ushered into the so-named Drawing Room which was bigger than expected. “In Hades, everything is in perspective and then none.”

“It’s Maamon at your service but you may address me as Mister Maamon.”  The figure was a short person dressed in the padded blue dressing gown that reached his knees thus hiding his inner dressing. He had on a red cravat at the neckline with a studded diamond in the middle. His expression was that a smudgy look and resonated with the thick cigar at his lips. It was unlit which made him look as if he was sucking it than smoking. He saw Lance’s focus and smiled.

“Smoking kills you.” Maamon removed the cigar and then motioned to the duo to take the seats there. The room was as described huge with the one side of the wall lined up with shelves of books, and the other side was adorned with paintings of various frame designs. The taste of the collector was however if maybe quoted ‘unrefined in the brutish look’. It was all of mayhem and killings. The furniture in the room was the long table that seated forty-nine with seven chandeliers laid on the table.

On the side of it was the low cabinets with the assorted collection of guns and weapons but there was one of the baseball bats. It was a newly discovered game then popularized by one named Alexander Joy Cartwright; a volunteer firefighter and bank clerk. He was to form the rules that govern the game until today. Tonto had reached for one of the bats to examine it.

“It is not your typical cricket bat but I loved this one. It’s handy to hit and could deliver a deadly swing to the head.” Maamon spoke up on the bat held by Tonto. “It will hold its place there shortly.”

It was then Maamon held up one of the bats and did a swing with it. He smiled and then replaced the bat to its place.

“The Devil asked us to trace you and above all, terminate you. So do tell, Mr. Lone Ranger, what makes you tick with the Devil?” Maamon continued. “I was not in the picture when your name came up. I heard that your brother was one and so was your father. What was it? A family obligation like the one reputed to be the Phantom of the Darker continent.”

Lance glared at the demon which addressed him. He felt the loss of his guns and then recalled that he had other hidden weapons of his own.

“Your reputation had irked the Devil but I prefer to know more before I…. sent you to inner Hades.” The last words from Maamon came out with a snide smile before he stepped towards the glass window overlooking the lawn. “Do amuse me? After all your presence has tarnished my lawn of its greenery.”

“Who were they?” Tonto asked.

“Those? They … I reckon could be from Lilith or Asmodeus. Any of the other five would love to claim on your death.” Maamon replied. “I for one however prefer to give you some …breathing space.”

It was then the room rocked on its foundation and some of the decorated fell off the walls and shelves. It rumbled for a while and then stopped.

“Darned trembling! Hades is not the same anymore.” Maamon muttered out. “Damn Lucifer with his return here. I wondered if he is at the core trying to free those ogres. He would fight the war with us.”

Maamon then stopped at his mutterings and glared at Lance.

“I have no patience, Lone Ranger. Tell me why you must die?” Maamon then grabbed the bat and faced Lance. “Tell now or I will bash your head in. By Hades, I will do it.”

It was then Lance recalled his other gifts. He called on the Noir Spikes. It went out like dark spikes to strike at the demon holding the bat. The spikes struck out like long nails that pierced the demonic figure there. Maamon fell back and shrieked out in pain. Lance had then grabbed the dropped bat and held it for a swing at the other.

“Hold your arm, Sir.” The voice was from the butler who had stood in the far corner since they arrived. “Please do not harm him. I will take you to Lucifer.”

Lance turned to look at the butler who made him an unusual offer. It was Tonto who sprang into action when he grabbed the bat to swing it at Maamon. The blow knocked the demon into a state of sleep.

“Damn! It does work! I say old boy you may be creating a fad there.” Tonto then tossed the bat aside and confronted the butler. “Our real weapons please.”

The butler motioned to the case near him which must have been placed there recently.

“It just arrived.” The butler motioned to the case. “You best hurry for Maamon may wake up soon.”

“So, where is Lucifer?” Lance asked while Tonto rummaged the case for their weapons.

“Nearby, Sir. We are in Hades. And nothing is what it seems to be.” The butler replied and then reached for the lapels on the neckline. The lapel came apart and with it the butler suit. It revealed a lady figure in a tight white suit with a thick belt around the waist and the knee-length boots. The then lady had a new facial with the short-cropped hair. Her eyes were outlined with darker shades and the lips glisten with red shades.

“I am Lilith and I will be your new guide in Hades.” The lady spoke up. “How do you find my alternative looks?”

“Wow!” Tonto exclaimed out. “That’s a fast way to strip down. It beats off shoulders blouses.”

“It does, and the strappings are easy to come on or off.” The lady figure replied. “I have a lot of practice with it. The full name is Lilith 49. I was sent here to await your arrival.”

“49? I don’t get it.” Lance asked.

“Now is not the time for questions. We need to leave now. Those dead outside will have alerted the other named the Leviathan. They will be here soon.” Lilith 49 replied. It was just in time then for the sound of shots and explosions reverted in the room. Lance rushed over the window and saw the commotion outside.

There were several vehicles outside there with guns built into it and it was attacking the mansion. The vehicles were huge with the double tracks on the side, and the front of the vehicle held the single cannon that were firing projectiles at the mansion. There were four of them outside there and on the side of the vehicle was the sponson with the multi-barrel gun firing away.

“Leviathan is here. He was always for the grand entrance.” Lilith 49 then pulled the duo out of the drawing-room into the corridor. From there, it’s looked like a long corridor with the doors on both sides. It stretched far and long but then it was occupied by the emerging guards of Maamon rushing to protect the mansion. The figures were rushing to the rooms and ignoring the trio standing there. A doorway was then blown in by the explosion outside and it tore down part of the wall there.

“How big is the place? Lance asked the lady.

“Nothing is as it seems. You may perceive to see a mansion out there but once inside, you could be in a palace with hundreds of chambers or a labyrinth of rooms.” Lilith 49 replied. “In Hades, there are illusions and dimensions. I thought on the boat with Charon you would have understood.”

Lance shook his head and then was asked to follow Lilith along the corridor. It was confusing for their run was a long one and in some stretches, they saw the rooms were blown apart and inside the guards were engaging the invaders.

Unlike the guards of Maamon, the invaders were dressed in army fatigues and armed with rifles too. Lance felt pulled into one of the rooms they were passing. He hit back with his legs and then confronted the snatcher.

“The Lone Ranger? Come with me to see my Master.” The one who spoke was in the army fatigues and held a rifle. It was a Man underneath the fatigues and tin hat. “I will shoot you if you resist.”

Lance was to reach for his guns when he caught the fleeting shadow of the figure that attacked the snatcher. Lilith 49 had taken the leap and using Lance’s left shoulder as a springboard, she had lashed out with her two legs. The crisscrossed legs delivered a series of hard kicks that downed the earlier lady. Lilith 49 then straightened up and pulled Lance into the corridor. They rushed on and then stopped at the doorway marked ‘private’. Lilith 49 opened it and stepped in. Lance and Tonto followed suit and found themselves on the lawn. The mansion was at their rear to the right and it looked like the defenders are winning. Of the four vehicles, only three were seen to retreating.

“Wow! Can you do that but lead it to the bathroom please?” Lance asked the lady but she had ignored him. She pulled at his arm and then ran to the nearby tree lines. Once they reached the tree lines, Lilith stopped at the tree trunk. She pulled down a branch and then tree trunk opened up to reveal a set of stairs descending.

“Wonderland?” Tonto muttered but he was soon following the lady down the stairs. It was dark inside and soon they found themselves once more at the side of the pit among the structures.  Lilith 49 then led them on the tracks by the structures avoiding the traffic of carriages and among others, walking pedestrians like themselves. She then later pulled them into a structure that resembled a shop serving pastries. The place was named the Mad Baker.

“Tea party anyone?” The lady behind the counter shouted out.