CH 12 - Enemy of my Enemy

“Now, let’s just sit down, talk like civilized people, and figure out our next steps. Karen, I still have questions. I hope you will have some answers.”

So saying, Logan took a seat on a rock he had rolled over to the fire as an impromptu chair upon first moving in. Beauty did the same, settling into her accustomed place on their moss bed by the fire. Both of them pretended that there was not an awkward silence still hanging between them. Reluctantly, Karen shuffled over and lowered her naked bum to an outcropping of rock.

“I’m so confused,” she mumbled.

“Then you are in good company,” Logan replied. “Because I have been in a constant state of confusion since waking up in this nightmare. Maybe together we can clear some of that up.”

Karen nodded. “I’ll try.”

“Good.” He made an effort to smile. “That’s all we can expect. I know almost nothing, so anything helps.”

Karen looked at him as if seeing Logan for the first time. “Who are you?”

He shook his head. “No one of consequence.”

“I don’t believe that.” She looked him up and down, especially at the weapons and armor he wore. “Your Essence is as strong as one of them. Strong enough to fight them and win. Yet, you know almost nothing of the world outside this cave. How is that possible?”

“I honestly do not know,” he replied. “That is just one of the things I hope you can help me understand ... eventually.”

“Alright,” she sighed. “What do you want to talk about?”

“How about we start with that word you just said. What do you mean when you say my Essence?”

“You know, your...” she struggled to find the words. “The strength of your spiritual energy. Your power.”

“My ... power,” he repeated in a dubious tone.

“Yes, of course.” She reached out with a hand toward his arm and hesitated. “May I, um ... touch you?”

“I don’t see the harm,” he replied, more curious than concerned.

Karen laid her fingers on his arm, then slid her hand around as much of the muscles of his forearm as she could, and gently squeezed. Playfully, Logan made a fist to make the muscles roll beneath her fingers. Karen made a low noise in her throat and pulled her hand back as if burned.

“I can’t believe it.” She shook her head, wide-eyed. “I can feel the heat coming off of you like a furnace. Your Essence must be incredible!”

Beauty just smiled and nodded.

Karen looked back and forth from him to Beauty. “How could she not have fed from you by now?”

Her question shook Logan to his core, a harsh reminder of the fears that had begun praying on his thoughts only hours ago. Jesus H Christ! Is that the truth of it? Is Beauty literally feeding on my soul? His skin crawled to think about it.

That was not a conversation Logan was comfortable having with a stranger. Beauty, it seemed, felt no such reluctance on the topic. She opened her mouth as if to answer. Logan jumped in with a quick change of topic.

“What can you tell me about Hell itself?” he asked. “There is so much I need to know. About the human souls trapped here and about the Master’s ruling over them. Please, assume I know absolutely nothing and explain it to me if you can.”

“I’m not sure where to begin to answer that,” she admitted.

Logan smiled. “There is no rush. Wherever you like.”

Karen stared into the fire and shrugged. “Only three things matter here; sex, strength, and power. Sex because every human soul damned to this Circle of Hell craves it, and power because the demons know that only they have the ability to grant us even a moment’s peace from that awful, endless hunger. Strength is the measure of who rules and who is ruled.”

Logan could see in her face that this was not a topic she wanted to talk about, but he had to know. The best he could do was be silent and wait.

“At the top is Asmodeus, prince and absolute ruler of this realm and all who have been damned for the sin of lust. Below him are the Dukes and Barons of Hell. Below them are the Masters, and below them are the soldiers; demons too weak to claim a title for themselves. At the bottom, of course, are the souls of the damned.”

“You said “Circle of Hell” just now,” Logan said. “As in Nine Circles of Hell? Like in that book ... what was it called ... Dante’s Inferno!”

“That is what I have been told,” Karen replied. “But I know nothing except this place.”

Logan nodded. “The Circle of Lust. Well, that certainly explains everyone’s obsession with sex. That would also mean there are other Circles for the rest of the seven deadly sins.” He tried to tick them off on his fingers. Anger, greed, um ... wrath?”

Karen spoke up in a soft voice. “Pride, envy, gluttony, lust, wrath, greed, and sloth.”

“Right,” he nodded. “Yes. Thank you, Karen. I’m not a Christian so I’m not too familiar with all of this nonsense.”

She nodded. “Many here claim they were not of the Christian faith. That did not save them when their time of judgment arrived.”

“And isn’t that a very curious thing?” Logan mused. “What of all the other faiths in the world such as Islam, Buddhism, Wiccan, and Hinduism, just to name a few. Were they all wrong and Christianity was the only truth?”

“Obviously,” Karen answered.

“Is it?” he replied. “Have you ever met another damned soul who claimed to be a devout believer in any other major religion? Or even a devout Christian for that matter?”

Karen thought about it. “Well ... no.”

Logan nodded. “And what of all the religions older than Christianity? Mankind is something like 10,000 years old. Christianity is a little more than 2,000 years old. What about the billions of souls before then?”

“I... , “ Karen shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Ok,” Logan waved it away. “No worries. Let’s table theology and talk geography. If there are rulers then there must be some kind of civilization to rule. Beauty tells me there is something like a city around here.”

“I have heard rumors,” Karen answered. “Two cities, both enormous, vile nests where the Masters live in luxury and slaves service their every depraved desire. Sodom and Gomorrah. The nearest is Gomorrah, only a few days travel from here.”

“Ah,” he chuckled. “Of course. How very Biblical.”