Sentinels of Magic#3: "Pour lutter l'enfant de l'entropie" (To Battle the Child of Entropy) by JM de Joya
"Welcome, All, to the Hueco De Inferno...a fitting term for me, after all." The Devil sorcerer sat on his chair, as his hostage, the most vulnerable Constable Jose de Loyola, struggled free against the grasp of the locusts binding him to the wall. Diablo sneered, as soon, his minions brought him his potions, his beakers...and the Orb of Thessaly, the relic that once held him captive. By the Golden Sorcerer. "...Loco! What makes you think that I have any relation to what happened to you? I do not even know you!" The sorcerer then paused, and turn to the Constable. Instantly, he snapped his fingers, and the ground began to quake, the thunder began to roll. De Loyala felt the pain of his burns growing instense, as Diablo took hold of the Orb. "That is where you are wrong, constable. You simply exist, that's all your worth to me. You are the lone speck of dirt which brings me to remember my past...the man who brought me in my state of imprisonment. That is your sin." Diablo then laughed, as unnatural flames burnt through his eyes. "Prepare your mouth shut, constable, for we will be having guests soon...I do hope you don't mind to die after, though. It has been a long time for me, it is past my time to savor...vengeance..." Constable de Loyola's eyes grew wide, as the shadow of the Devil began to dance to the flames of the torches.
Castle De Ablo. For a long time's past, its light were not made by candles burning from within, for they have blown past ancients ago. Instead, it gives credit to the moon, whose melancholy fills the corridors. The candles are lit again with unholy flame. Castle De Ablo is alive with evil. "...I knew it. The evil is aready spilling forth, even out here," Dr. Occult uttered, as the band of mystics stood from a nearby cliff, to savor the unnarturally well-lit view. Zatanna sighed, grabbing onto the manuscripts, entailing the legends of the old site. "...Here they sighted the devil...wonderful," she said, turning to the one beside her, the one who refused to go, but was insisted. "Do you think your Talisman of Gilgamesh will work, Zee?" Black Orchid asked, holding onto the ancient sigil. "Just believe, I told you." Zatanna then began reciting her spell, and as soon the last (or more likely the first since she does it backwards) word disappeared from her lips, a bridge of solid earth began to form, all the way to the castle. "Just doing it Merlin-wise really," she muttered, taking one step on the bridge. "It's pretty much solid, anyway." Dr.Occult nodded, and soon, all of them began to cross the bridge. Jonah Hex then paused, as the wind began to strengthen. "Something's wrong, can you feel it?" Suddenly, the mist poured out, and began to form. The Sentinels of Magic prepared themselves, for what unknown powers await them, none of they have knowledge of. "Greeetttingssss, nnnnemisssisssesssss offf tthe one and tttruuuuueeee Diiiaablooo...heed your tresssssppaaasssesss...." "A wind elemental," Occult muttered, and the wind hissed at him. "The castle is situated on a plateau high above a mountain. Around the mountain, is a wide channel. A river, filled with water. Being high up in a mountain, one would naturally feel the cold winds, stronger than below. The trees are old...and most suspectible of Forest fires...whoever has beseeched us is no novice in the form of sorcery...he has set his lair on a topography wherein he has control over all four elementals." "...is this Feng Shui?" Zatanna asked, and got a stern look from the good doctor. "...my bad, sorry." "Wise one, old mystic. You know well about me," A voice said, as the fog began to disperse, forming the shape of the man Diablo. "I presume you already know about my past...I am Diablo, scourge of the mystical trail...master of alchemy. Unlike what my pet has told you, you are welcomed here...I have a friend of mine captured, and if you have read the manuscripts, I am sure you know his relations." "De Loyola. You captured the constable," Occult proclaimed, and Diablo cackled wickedly. "Blood is old, mystic. They run deep. Now, I beckon you, can you save this man? For once I kill him, use him as sacrifice to fuel the ancient powers that run within me, you shall not be saved." "You dare...?!?!" "Why, old mystic...you know I do." The wind died down, as the mystics were left alone. Jonah Hex sighed and stomped his foot, letting the sand out. "Well, what are we waiting for anyway? Let's get this over with..."
On his throne, the sorcerer sighed. His diamond pyramid, in which the gates of mysticism are set in motion, still stayed in its place, still. Strange sighed, as he held it in his hands, and placed it on the table. "Greetings, old friend." The lone pale figure said, cloaked in black. Strange knew him well, for he was an entity of unknown limits, the Spectre. "Natasha...?" "...maybe. Maybe not. But you know me well, as the Spirit of Vengeance, the wrath of the holy presence." Strange couldn't see the face of the Spectre as he or she hovered towards him, for it was covered in the darkest green, and shadows of his realm. On his hand, the pyramid began to crack, a chip falling onto the ground. "Know it well, Stephen Strange, the once and forever first Sorcerer Supreme...on this day, your numbers have been counted. On this day...may you say your penance, and weep your goodbyes." Around him, Strange found the glass began to crack as well, as the voice of the Spectre grew heavy. The sorcerer couldn't understand its tone...whether it was the fury of the wrath, the sadness of its host... or maybe... even... both. "I do not understand, Spirit of Wrath," he yelled, as the pyramid began to move, set in motion by the powers in the realm, as Spectre's were unlimited, his powers were enough to fuel the gates of mysticism. "What do you mean?" "I have come for...vengeance, Stephen Strange. For the one you have forsaken." The pyramid began spinning faster, channeling both the powers of the Spectre, as well as the tensions building up between the two. Strange kept silent, as the glass began to shatter, and the realm began to quake. Tim Hunter hid behind the shelves, listening to the conversation. "Forsaken...one?" He muttered silently. "Hear my warning, Stephen Strange. One day, I shall come for you...her pleas for vengeance shall be." The Spectre's shadow faded into nothingness, as Strange began to contemplate, on the man he once was, and changed...to the man that he will always be. Then he noticed that the pyramid, it has stopped in its track again. "...The Dusk King..." he muttered, opening the book, the Dark Chapter, lying on his side, instantly absolving all of what had transpired. Tim Hunter disappeared back into the ends of the library. For all of his knowledge of his mentor, he may never know the man behind the name.
"Oh, sh.." Black Orchid managed to hide from behind the column, as the three elementals began to weaken the others. She was afraid, she was telling herself. So afraid of the fact, she cannot defeat these creatures. Even with the help of Zatanna, or Jonah Hex, or Strange himself, she couldn't She just couldn't. And she stayed that way. "This is a great fight, Occult...my god, can't you do anything else aside from telling us what to do?!?!" Zatanna was certainly pissed, as the Earth Elemental grabbed her leg like a rag doll. "...I'm sorry, Zatanna...I'm too bus...!" Occult yelled quite angrily, as he was thrown onto the wall by the Wind Elemental. "Dooooo you thinnnkkk you cannn sssssstop Lorrrrd Diabbbllllo?" "We're trying, that's a good sign," Jonah said, as he managed to implode the Earth Elemental's hand, releasing Zatanna from it's grip. She fell to the floor, as one of her stockings were ripped off. "Okay...why was he after my fishnets?!?!" Zatanna muttered angrily. "Erutaerc luof esrepsid, dnah ym ta cigam eht yb!" The Earth Elemental began to waver, as it felt the powers that be splitting him in half. An explosion, and he was in a million bits of rocks, scattered on the floor. Dr. Occult grabbed the talisman in his hands, and opened it in half. "Ugly wind elemental, I really am annoyed by you..." Suddenly, the wind began to pick up pace, as Occult unleashed the winds of the North, South and the East, ready to collect once again their brother. "Ahhhh, little brrroootttthhherrr....hoowwww long hasss it beeeeeennnn?" They said in unison, circling the wind elemental. "Ittt issssss timee you returrrrneeed with usssss...." Hex grabbed the other two as he dodged the swirling winds, as the powers began to escalate, and pieces of the Earth Elemental began to fly around. Black Orchid's eyes went wide open, as she was barely inches away from being hit by one of the debris. ".....yyyoyyyouuouuu!!!! Myysssssttiiiiccc, I wwwillll ggegeggegegegegetttttgetetttyoouyoyoyou...." The wind elemental's voice died down, as the winds ceased, and they all disappeared. The Fire Elemental was put out by the winds, and was now ashes in its place. "Very impressive." The voice was trailing far off, and came from the man walking down from the stairs. "Diablo," Occult said angrily, as the devil sorcerer began laughing. "Your time is up." "Contrary to your popular belief, mystics." Suddenly, water began to seep through the mud that held all the bricks on the floor together, and the Water Elemental gushed forth, with the three Sentinels of Magic in its captive. "Wonderful work, my pet," Diablo said, grinning madly, as the Sentinels began to suffocate within the elemental's grasp. The mad sorcerer closed his fist, then in a second, opened it, revealing the Orb of Thessaly in his possession. "I do believe it is time to say goodbye to this world, Sentinels of Magic." The Orb of Thessaly began to glow brightly, and then the Water Elemental then realized what his master was doing. "Master....wwwhat aaaare yyyoou dddooing...!??!" "...every rite must have a sacrifice, my elemental. And you are but useless to me now. You will be so delighted to join your brothers and sister..." The orb grew bright red, and the Elemental screamed in agony, as she and her captives where drawn into the Orb, to be trapped by her master. Diablo. "...now, to take care of other things," he said, returning to his throne room from above, with the relic in his hands. Black Orchid stepped out of her hiding place, tears in her eyes. "Sacre....Mere..."
Blue Devil eyed his dinner, as the scared waitress placed it slowly on the table. "...And you're scared of me?" He said, and the woman screamed and rushed back into the kitchen. "Just great," he muttered. He was Danny Cassidy before, altar boy and soon to be priest. However, he recalled, being bitten by a vampire one cold night wasn't exactly priest material. He made a pact with some creature to kill him, for he was afraid, and did so. There, in hell, he knew pain. Until the Blackheart changed him...into this. And now "this" was eating his meal. In a few minutes, the manager came and decided to take the mask off his face. Problem was, he had no mask. In another few minutes, he was alone in the diner, since everyone panicked and, in an understatement of descriptions, left uneasily. The Blue Devil sighed, and eyed his dinner again. "...well, they're better than Hell's mess hall, I guess."
Black Orchid sat on the ancient floor, and wept silently. "No...I should have...could have...la bouffon stupide, that's what I am! La bouffon stupide...the traitor. And they all trusted me too..." She took the talisman of Gilgamesh in her hands, and wiped it shine, as her tears blurred its beauty. She stood up, and turned her back, staring out into the woodlands. "W...where do I run now?" She broke the clasp of the talisman, and readied herself to throw it. Suddenly, in a quick pace, she motioned her hand to drop it on the floor, instead of throwing it out the window. "Grande Mère, I...I...don't know." She picked up the talisman, and placed it in her pocket. The talisman began to glow brightly, as her valor outshined her fears. Black Orchid sighed, and made her way to Diablo's throne room.
At the spur of the moment, demons rushed into the diner, smashing the glass wide open. The Blue Devil turned, only to find certain familiar eyes staring at him with devilish intent. "Oh...you again." "Remember us, traitor, for your treachery has wounded us of the Blackmist! You and...the witch! Where is she? She must pay the price to for her treachery has..." "...wounded us of the Blackmist. I get the picture. Sure you guys didn't mess your cue cards?" Blue Devil said cockily, as the demons hissed. Suddenly, a blast of black energy shot through the Sentinel, and suddenly he fell. The Blue Devil was out cold, and the demons began to tie him with the rainbow chains that bound Fenris, the wolf of Ragnarok. The woman who shot it smiled, and called for her demons to bring their prisoner.
From her place, Black Orchid saw Diablo, preparing his potions, and an ancient knife, readying to kill the man he had as his hostage. Orchid motioned to take a step, but seemed afraid of the repurcussions, afraid of the responsibilities she now beared. But then the talisman began to shine again, and she placed her foot steadily, a loud tap to the ears of Diablo. "...Oh? And who might you be, woman?" the demon sorcerer exclaimed, as Black Orchid managed to stand straight amidst her fears. "Ah...you are a mystic as well. Would you like to join them? There's always enough room in a dimension of infinite voids...or would you stand by my side, and join me in a pursuit?" The sorcerer took a step nearer to her, and her fears began to form stronger than she had expected. "Join me...and I can give you anything your soul desires..." Black Orchid's eyes brought tears once more. "...don't...." Diablo's eyes lit up, as Black Orchid summoned a blue wave of spirit energy, as Chakra spilled forth from the sorcerer's forehead. "Don't seduce me. Only I do that." She rushed to the altar, and grabbed a candlestick to burn de Loyola loose. Then she grabbed the orb, and hid it within her pocket. Diablo roared angrily, and Orchid to him, with a smile of confidence in her face. "Oh, qui, monsieur Diablo. Remember what I said on my cajun tongue? I don't have to seduce you. I detest you. Tout à fait parfaitement clair?"
Diablo's eyes narrowed, as locusts began to fly across the throne room, as the floor began to split open, revealing a pit of fire, seemingly bottomless going down to Hell. Orchid grabbed onto a wooden handle, as the crevice began to widen. "Hueco De Inferno...the pit of Hell. Beautiful, is it not? May you marvel at its beauty, witch, for there you shall spend an eternity of pain and suffering!" The madman grabbed Black Orchid, and tried to throw her into the pit. Suddenly, She pushed them both into the fiery depths, with her grabbing onto the edge, and Diablo falling...falling forever in his pit on torment. "..Au revoir to bad rubbish, non?" She smiled to herself in approval, before realizing that all the things that were in her pockets were now falling off. She searched around, and found that the Orb and the Talisman were on a ledge. She had only enough time to grab one, yet she felt she couldn't live without both. "...Which one...?" She asked herself. The talisman was shining brightly, tempting her to grab it. She began to reach for it, prying her hands towards it. Her hands were beginning to loosen, she couldn't risk the Orb. Then she remembered. She swerved, and grabbed onto the Orb of Thessaly, then threw it out of the pit. The ledge gave way, as the Talisman of Gilgamesh fell down into the pit, probably never to be seen again. Black Orchid climbed her way out, as the crevice began to seal itself, and the spell was no longer. Constable de Loyola was stunned, as the mystic held onto the Orb, and kissed its shiny surface. "...Zee...I'm sorry."
All's well, ends well? What will be of Zatanna, Dr.Occult and Jonah Hex? Stick around for 30 days, as all this transpires...while one of Earth's mystics must die for a mysterious entity...who's it gonna be?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In case you've been wondering why the #2 issue's title is in Spanish, while #3's title is in French, well you haven't dwelved deep into the fun yet! Since #2 introduces Diablo in Spain, I decided to use Spanish. And in #3, Black Orchid is mostly the centered character, and she's cajun, it's in French! Well, suprise, suprise...