Screams of terror sounded in all directions, but Claus was not concerned, as he had his own terror to deal with. Time in Hell felt eternal for each soul. Claus might have been suffering torment for decades as time passed differently here than in the Underworld, as it did between the Underworld and Earth.
Claus held onto his sanity by nursing his hatred for Denida who’d handed him over to Lucifer.
“Enjoying yourself?” Lucifer appeared and gave a devious grin.
Lucifer never paid the slightest attention to the torture surrounding him, somehow making the suffering worse, Claus had noticed.
Fear and anger warring in Claus’ soul, he glared at Lucifer.
“What do you expect? I’m in hell, not on vacation,” Claus spat out discontent.
Lucifer just smiled back at him. “What would you say, if I had a way for you to buy back your freedom, a way to get back at Denida?”
The same damn smug look on Lucifer’s face he remembered from the Underworld, but painful hope blossomed in Claus.
“How?”
Lucifer’s smile broadened and suddenly they were inside his throne room.
I know this place. The lack of torment made Claus dizzy. Denida was here, this is Lucifer’s throne, where the Gate is!
“Denida has two weaknesses. Nina and Daniel,” Lucifer said. “Nina is too headstrong… Daniel on the other hand…” Lucifer chuckled.
Am I hearing right? “You want me to kidnap Daniel? Why?”
Lucifer chuckled. “Denida with his ring is too strong even for me. Bring me the ring, you have your freedom!”
Claus’ mouth twisted into a smile. My freedom! And a way to make Denida suffer too. Anything was bound to be better than being tortured in hell, after all.
Claus’ hatred and hope burned in his soul. “I like that idea.”
“We have a deal then?” Lucifer held out his hand.
Claus had a small glint of red within his eyes as he grabbed Lucifer’s hand and shook it. “We do!”
Daniel was playing with his friends, the ball got thrown across the field. As Daniel ran to fetch the ball, his two guards moved to follow him, never letting him out of sight. Three months before, Daniel would have complained, but after the journey he’d been through with his Dad, he’d actually argued against only having two. He’d had enough adventure for a lifetime, and planned to never get within sight range of a gate again. Waving at the guards, Daniel ran back to his game. This was more fun than following his dad around, and safer too.
Daniel passed the ball off to his friend, who kicked it back. A kid on the other team intercepted the pass and everyone chased him, yelling and laughing. Though the smoldering heat had them dripping with sweat, this was exactly what Daniel wanted to do.
He kicked the ball wrong and it flew over the fence. He laughed and shook his head and ran to get it while the rest grabbed cold drinks from their bags.
Around three o’clock, one of his guards cleared his throat. Daniel ignored it and grabbed a sandwich. The same guard cleared his throat again, this time more heavily. Daniel glanced in his direction, before turning to his friends again. The other guard started walking impatiently towards Daniel.
Daniel noticed from the corner of his eye. He sighed and stood up. “I’ve got to go.”
The two bodyguards escorted Daniel to the car. It was a walk which took a few minutes. The closest bodyguard next to Daniel gave him his jacket. “Had fun with your friends?”
Daniel nodded, these last few months had really helped in putting him at ease, though he’d never forget what happened. When they’d talked about guards, his father had shown Daniel his ring. If Dad feels we should, it must be true.
A car slammed into their car. Another set of vehicles surrounded them, men in battle gear rushed out of the trucks, they kneeled and readied their guns. The guard in the passenger’s seat ducked. The strangers started shooting the car’s front seat.
The guard raised his head as the bullets were zinging. He pushed Daniel to the floor as the other guard was shot full of holes. The guard shouted for help into his radio, then as the shooting paused he jumped out and started returning fire.
First man reloading went down, second too, the third reached for his sidearm, he returned fire, the guard dropped, his gun clattering on the road.
The men rushed to a shocked Daniel and dragged him out of the car.
Daniel glanced at the guards, lying lifeless. His eyes went wide with shock. He didn’t even know their names, but in seconds they’d died for him. He glanced over at the men taking him. Though they were armed to the teeth, Daniel yanked free and ran back, but men circled around him. He sent a gust of wind at them with his hands and several fell over, but rough hands grabbed him from behind and hauled him to a car.
Dad should have taught me something stronger. Daniel tried to scream, but they had picked a good spot to ambush them, and nobody was around to hear him.
One guard put his gun to Daniel’s head.
“Shut up, kid.”
They drove away, as fast as they had ambushed them. One of the guards zip tied Daniel, tight.
They positioned their guns at Daniel’s face.
“Don’t try anything,” one of them said with an intense look. “No magic, either!”
“What do you want with me,” Daniel asked, while the car swerved around corners. “My Dad’s the President of the Underworld, he’ll give you whatever you desire!”
One of the men with the guns chuckled a little. “We know who you are, Daniel.”
This is not good… Daniel looked around the van, which had no windows, he tried to focus to hear if they passed anything he would know; nothing stood out.
Where are they taking me?
***
The remaining car, which had been shot full of holes, was not left alone for long, as the distress call had a team dispatched.
The Colonel arrived with the backup team.
Crap. The Colonel didn’t like the sight which met him. This was way too professional for his taste. Daniel was Denida’s son, there’d be no keeping him away.
The Colonel kneeled to the guard next to the car. He must’ve fought, what about the other? He glanced inside of the car.
“He died on impact,” a medic said.
The Colonel sighed. Why were they parked in this remote place? “Nobody heard or saw anything?”
The medic shook his head. “It was too far away from the others…”
Professional… doesn’t bode well- damn them, not being more careful!
Denida arrived, just as the Colonel finished that very thought. He wore gloves everywhere now.
He wanted to hide the magic ring. He also had an eye patch over his right eye to cover his dark side. The Colonel imagined the red rising in his friend’s eye.
Denny’s more determined nowadays since the Gate, yet this still happened…
Denida examined the guard, who laid covered in blood next to the car, full of bullet holes. He walked over to the car. He walked around and glanced at the back seat. “No bullets,” he muttered. He squinted his eyes, sniffed at an open place, a little away from the car. He walked over. “Magic,” he mumbled.
The Colonel wrinkled his forehead.
Denida took off his glove and rubbed his ring. An image appeared of Daniel sending off a gust of wind, but getting overpowered from behind. He put the glove back on and shook his head. “They overpowered him, they haven’t used magic…”
He came over to the Colonel. “Do tell me you have something- anything!”
The Colonel wished he could say something, he tried to reassure him. “They took Daniel, he seems to be unhurt at least. Don’t know who, they were professionals though, knowing when and where to hit.” The Colonel scratched his forehead. “Why did they park here though, so far away from the others?”
Denida glanced towards the car and around the surroundings. “Daniel felt secure here, somewhere where nobody was.” He raised his eyebrow. “-but whoever it was, were prepared.” Denida sighed. “Find out who, find me Daniel!”
Denida went back towards his car.
The Colonel knew Denida would ask for a search, that’s why he had already ordered it, throughout all the Underworld, to hopefully find Denida’s son. He glanced at the bodies again. I doubt it’ll be that easy though, I better not worry Denida- he could have been wrong, after all. He rubbed his forehead.
***
Denida fretted. He’d made a mistake easing off security for Daniel. Now he had to tell Nina their son had been taken because of his choice. Not looking forward to that conversation.
“Dynasty,” he told his driver when he returned to his car.
He glanced out the window on his way to Dynasty. The drive felt endless. The beauty of the scenery usually lifted his spirits, but he didn’t care today. They finally reached Dynasty and Nina.
The car stopped, but Denida just sat there, trying to gather the courage to go see Nina. He stroked his ring, hoping it would calm him. As he sat there he realized something; he would never get the courage, procrastinating only made it worse. He sighed and climbed out of the car.
Denida hailed the butler over. “Where’s Nina at?”
The Butler titled his head towards the stables. “Angel.”
Nina was out riding her horse Angel, with Daniel being more mature now, she had the time to enjoy her hobby. She loved all her animals, but especially Angel. Denida hoped it meant she’d be in good spirits.
Denida walked towards the stables and stood for a moment watching her brush Angel. Nina never failed to take his breath away. She was in the middle of brushing the favorite of her horses. He smiled as he walked up to her, still trying to gather the courage to tell her.
Nina put the brush down and wrapped him in a hug, kissing him hello.
Denida gave her a half hug.
“What’s the matter, you’re blocking your thoughts, why?” Nina’s hands tightened on his shirt.
Denida took a deep breath. “It’s Daniel…”
Nina’s eyes got wide. “What?”
“His escort was attacked… his two guards were killed… he disappeared,” Denida stuttered.
“Disappeared,” Nina yelled. “Not again, I just got him back from the Gates!”
Denida sighed, he was too embarrassed to look her in the eyes.
Nina’s face tightened. “Wait, two? I thought he had more protecting him?”
Denida ground his teeth and looked down at his feet. “I changed it. Nobody wanted to get me after Claus was beaten, I wanted to give him some peace…” Denida awaited her outburst, but nothing came. All that came was silence. “Daniel and I talked-”
“You told my son, a child, and not me?” Nina pushed Denida.
Nina turned away from Denida and stroked her horse.
“The Colonel is trying to find him,” Denida wanted to ease her anger, but she gave him no answer.
Denida felt uneasy, an outburst was better. Anything other than her silence! He sighed. “I regret it deeply, but-”
“Denida.” The butler walked into the stable and handed Denida an envelope. The man’s hand shook, and Denida would swear he’d been running.
“I was cleaning-”
Denida waved his hand dismissably. “Not now, just put it in my office.”
The butler tried to smile at Nina. “- this appeared in the air in front of me; it said Daniel’s name.”
Denida and Nina focused on the envelope. She reached out towards it, but stopped. Denida glanced over at her before he opened it.
Inside it was a letter that turned by magic into a hologram of Daniel sitting in a cell. He heaved a sigh as they watched.
“Daniel,” Nina screamed, but there was no response, so she yelled repeatedly.
“It must be one way.” Denida pointed at the wall behind Daniel. “The time- it must be live!”
Nina grabbed at Denida’s arm. “But Daniel!”
A voice Denida didn’t know said; “Want your son back, give us the ring!”
“Ring?” Nina muttered, clearly confused at what the voice meant, but Denida knew exactly what he meant.
‘Our magic has been shielded with a cloaking Spell, so don’t bother trying!’ The feed abruptly cut off.
Nina frantically stared at Denida. “Can’t you?”
“I’ll try!” Denida ripped off his glove and squeezed his fist as tight as he could, sweat dripping, Denida ground his teeth and grabbed his hand tight with his other hand. Nothing… He shook his head and put his glove back on.
Nina patted Denida on the shoulder.
“I’ll take it to the Colonel.”
Before Nina could say anything, Denida had run out of the stable. He headed back to the car. His security detail jogged out of the house to meet him, but he was in too much of a rush. He jumped into his car and with squealing tires sped off.
At the Underworld Headquarters everyone ran frantically around. This chaos was the first thing Denida noticed. Panicky around here. He walked to the elevator and clicked to the floor, which held the Colonel’s office.
The Colonel lifted his head as he heard the elevator sound and Denida coming out. “Something’s up,” he muttered.
The soldier he stood with raised his eyebrows at the Colonel. “Sir? Something the matter?”
“It’s nothing.” The Colonel smiled. “What did you want to show me?”
“Oh yes-”
Denida slammed the envelope down on top of the other papers the Colonel held. “The ones who took Daniel contacted me- they used magic-” He glanced at the soldier next to the Colonel. “they want the ring!”
“Really?” The Colonel was surprised at what he just heard, only a few knew about the ring. “Lucifer, again?”
Denida shook his head. “Guess it’s possible, but I don’t think so.”
The Colonel glanced back at the letter. He turned it around and felt the paper, even sniffed at it if he could find out anything from it, there didn’t seem to be any obvious signs. “Can you tell, who put the spell on it- or if it was Dark Magic?”
Denida nodded intrigued. “Daniel used magic, there was an imprint of it. They didn’t!” He stared into the Colonel’s eyes. “-yet the letter has magic, but if it were Dark…” Denida shook his head. “I don’t know who, nor if it was Light or Dark magic…”
The Colonel handed the letter over to the soldier. “Get it examined, find me something!”
The soldier nodded and ran off with the letter.
The Colonel walked with Denida towards the elevator. “Doesn’t Dan oversee the Gates; wouldn’t he know how to contact the other Underworlds?”
“He does,” Denida nodded. Dan has connections in the Underworlds, up to World 8. “I see what you’re saying, I’ll go see Dan!” He jumped into the elevator.
Denida ground his teeth and hurried out when the elevator reached the bottom. He went towards the lab, which held the Gate within.
Dan had made progress with the Gates and staying in touch in between the worlds, so he would know if anyone had any information. If not, Dan could contact the Warlock, who might.
Inside the lab, Dan was busy talking to the Colonel from world 3, the next world to theirs.
“It’s always nice-” the Colonel in the other world froze and got a look of resentment on his face.
Dan turned to look behind him, his eyes widened.
Denida smiled as their eyes met, he and this Colonel were still not on the best terms. “Hello, Colonel.”
“We should continue later,” the Colonel said, a chill clear in his voice.
Dan nodded with a smile. “Hi, Denny, something wrong? Thought you wanted to avoid the Gates personally?”
Denida nodded. “Daniel has been taken, Dark Magic seems to be involved. I can’t avoid it now- heard anything from the other worlds?”
“What!” Dan gasped. “How-” He shook his head regretfully. “Really? Want me to send a feed to the Warlock? It won’t take long…”
Denida nodded. He suspected from the moment he felt the magic on the letter he’d have to talk to the Warlock. She was the best in her world, maybe in all the Underworlds.
They just needed to get the Warlock to come to the robot in her world, which shouldn’t take long. Denida paced about in the lab, while he waited impatiently. He glanced at the big Gate, which stood in the center of the lab, he sighed and rubbed his ring with his thumb.
“Denida,” the Warlock ecstatically said with a smile. “How nice to see you again!”
“Not a social call.” Denida ground his teeth. “Daniel has been kidnapped, they used Dark Magic on a letter to show a video feed of him. Any guess on who it could be?”
The Warlock kneeled, she gasped and reached as if to touch the robot, then her face hardened. “You do know, Lucifer still has demons in your world- and thatspell requires very strong Dark Magic.”
“More? Who?” Was my mistake bigger, lowering his security? There are still demons here?
“When your Dark Angels fell, were there any left, other than Danyel, the Dark Angel, who escaped?”
Left? Denida pondered the question. There were several who escaped when Danyel had, they had been on the most wanted list since. “Only low-level ones…”
“The Scientist! The one who helped Claus!” Dan shrugged.
Denida sighed. Claus…
“Very bland name,” the Warlock said, “but who was he in Hell?”
Denida shrugged. “I don’t know- maybe-” He glanced over at Dan. “We should ask Lucifer…”
“Might be a good idea,” the Warlock replied. “but remember to take anything the Devil says with a grain of salt…”
Denida turned to Dan, their eyes interlocked, he didn’t want to ever have any contact with Hell or Lucifer again, but it seemed he had to if he wanted to find out who this Scientist was, and he did want to find out.
***
Daniel had been taken to a remote location. The room he was in had a sensation he’d hoped he would never have to feel again. This is Dark Magic, I’m sure of it!A magic barrier sealed the room. The men had thrown him in and left him. Daniel took stock of his cell. Am I ever gonna get out? Can I even? It was big enough but held nothing but a bed, a sink and a toilet; it was not a place he would enjoy staying in.
Whoever took me, planned it for a while. What can they possibly want? That one guy from the van, said he knew exactly who I am, they have a clear intention, maybe for Dad?
The door burst open, startling Daniel. Several men stinking of Dark magic entered.
“I don’t think you realize what my Dad is!” Daniel crossed his arms defiantly.
One of his guards smiled at him. “We do realize, that’s why we took you!”
Not going to get anywhere that way. “Why are you all here now? Want to let me out?” Daniel smiled with as dear puppy eyes, as he could at them.
“We’re just setting up a camera.” The guard laughed and peered back at the other guards, who were setting it up. “You want to watch me,” Daniel glanced over at the big mirror on the wall. “but you already have one, don’t you?”
“We’re keeping watch,” the guard replied and walked out with the rest.
Daniel glimpsed suspiciously at the camera. They had one set up, wonder why they didn’t just set both up before they brought me here? Everything else has been prepared for me…
Daniel sat staring into the camera, which had a red blinking as if it was recording.
If only I can find a way to convince them, then maybe I can persuade them to let me go.
Another guard came in, bringing Daniel food.
And there’s a shield here, I can’t do anything- or can I? Daniel stared at the guard. I’m too small to try force on him.
Daniel smiled at the guard, making sure to get eye contact. “Do you really know what my Dad is?”
The guard wrinkled his forehead puzzled at Daniel’s question. “We know he’s the President.” He put Daniel’s food down.
“But do you not know WHAT he is?” Daniel insisted.
The guard stopped on his way to the door. He turned back to Daniel. “You want to tell me I should fear him, perhaps?” He chuckled.
Daniel shook his head. “So, you really have no idea what he is.”
“I know who he is,” the guard asserted.
Daniel shrugged. “Not whom, what!”
“All right, I’ll bite,” the guard replied. “You know something I don’t? Do tell me, WHAT is he then,” the guard smirked at the camera.
This could work, I’m halfway there… Daniel smiled. “My Dad told me, long ago when he was born, of how everything changed…”
“He told a child?” The guard grinned scornfully.
Daniel glared at the guard but smiled. “You may remember the Gates, after my Dad and I came out of it, my Dad told me his story the first time to anyonesince he remembered…”
The guard wrinkled his forehead. “Remembered?”
“After he got the ring, he remembered everything…”
