Demon Gate: Beyond the 9th Circle: The Rapture Was Just The Beginning. (31 page)

lost?” Lucifer sadistically inquired. “I command
the darkness, the greatest power in the universe.”
Lucifer boasted.
“Please, let her go.” Spencer urged.
“What could you possibly offer me to
spare her soul from eternal damnation?”
Lucifer hinted.
“Me.” Spencer offered, “I challenge you
for her soul, if I win, then I will bind you and I
will leave with her soul and mine.” Spencer said,
he had thrown down the gauntlet, and wasn’t
going to back out. “I will not allow you to harm
her any more.”
Lucifer smirked. “Many have challenged
me; none have succeeded, and if you wish to
continue know that your soul is on the line.”
“I’m well aware that three souls are on
the line.” Spencer admitted referring to the soul
of the unborn child.
“Very well, as you are the challenger, I
will let you decide what the game will be.”
Lucifer offered.
“Poker.” Spencer smugly said.
Lucifer was stunned at the boldness that
Spencer portrayed. The slightest hint of worry
crossed Lucifer’s face but he quickly wiped it
away.
“I accept the challenge.” Lucifer hissed
and then snapped his fingers. Spencer quickly
realized he was not in the tower anymore. He was
in a casino. He was seated at a poker table, green
felt covered the table and Lucifer sat across the
table, to his right was a dealer. Dozens of people
comprised a crowd, each person was wearing an
extravagant outfit and gaudy jewelry, and some
sported tattoos, Spencer noticed a moderate pile
of poker chips next to his left hand as the dealer
dealt the first hand, declaring that fours and jacks
were wild cards.
“We will each start with twenty thousand
dollars in chips. Once your poker chips run out,
you belong to me.” Lucifer declared.
Spencer noticed an hourglass next to a
large flat screen television that displayed Jessie
and Vince appearing on the glyph, a second
showed his armies marching toward Vince and
Jessie.
“You shouldn’t focus on your friend,
she’s squandering what little time she has left
before her conversion is complete, and when
she’s been converted then I will order her to kill
Vince.” Lucifer foretold.
“I won’t allow that to happen. Let’s play
some poker.” Spencer said.
Spencer picked up his hand and examined it.
Spencer’s hand contained a possible
straight; the only obstacle was the queen of
diamonds in his hand, so after giving his ante he
offered the queen in the off chance that the dealer
would give him a five which would complete his
straight.
The dealer slipped Spencer a replacement
card, the four of spades. What luck, he had
opened the game with a straight, but Spencer
managed to keep his composure not showing any
emotion.
Lucifer’s hand held two Kings and the
other fours giving him four of a kind. Spencer
studied his opponent for a tell, any sign that there
was a better hand in play. Spencer caught a slight
smirk.
“I fold.” Spencer declared.
Spencer breathed a sigh of relief as he had
not lost a lot on that hand, the cards were
reshuffled and a new hand was dealt, no wild
cards were selected this hand.
Spencer’s hand had a pair of fives, a
queen a nine and an eight. Lucifer’s hand boasted
an Ace and a Jack.
Spencer and Lucifer dropped in the
required ante before inspecting their cards.
Spencer offered the five of diamonds
from his hand and the queen, hoping to get a
flush, he instead received the ten of hearts and
the five of Spades, he would have to bluff his
way through this hand, or hope his hand was
better than Lucifer’s.
Lucifer saw no potential in his hand, so
requested five new cards, all it offered was a pair
of three’s a ten a seven and a six.
“I’m in.” Lucifer said, throwing down a
hundred.
Spencer needed to overplay his hand, if he lost
this hand it would cost him.
“I’ll see your hundred,” Spencer said,
then added “and two hundred more.”
Lucifer’s brow crinkled almost in worry, but he
agreed to the increase.
“I’ll see your two hundred.” Lucifer said
dropping the required chips into the pile.
Spencer laid down his hand and Lucifer regretted
making the play, they each held a pair, but
Spencer’s pair was higher as were at least two
other cards in Spencer’s hand.
Spencer won the battle, but the war was
still raging around him.
The cards were reshuffled and new cards were
dealt, no wilds were declared.
Spencer couldn’t believe his hand, a pair
of aces and two high cards. Lucifer’s hand held
mostly diamonds. Spencer took three new cards,
taking his high cards and giving him back a king,
a seven and a four. Lucifer demanded only one
new card, and that seriously worried Spencer, but
he tried not to show it.
“I’m in for two hundred.” Spencer said
dropping two hundred into the pot.
“I’ll see your two hundred and raise you
thee thousand more.” Lucifer boastfully declared.
Spencer saw a glint of worry on Lucifer’s face
and so he didn’t believe that Lucifer had anything
so he saw the bid and called Lucifer’s bluff.
Spencer’s pair and high card was no
match for Lucifer’s flush.
Vince and Jessie approached the
assembly Lucifer was going to use to open a
portal to heaven.
“Do you know what to do, Jessie?” Vince
asked
“I do, all we have to do is destroy the
focusing crystal.” Jessie explained.
Vince raised the sword that Spencer had given
him and without warning a portal opened, behind
them they could hear the sound of dozens, then
hundreds of footsteps, with each step the sounds
seemed to grow louder and more intense.
First, a single demon who wore a
skintight suit of black armor marched into the
large room and approached Vince and Jessie. The
sound of hundreds of billions of demons entered
the room from beyond the archway, they were
coming closer, within a minute or two they
would be hopelessly outnumbered and then
Jessie’s transformation took a huge leap forward;
both of her hands and forearms turned a pale blue
and grew claws.
Jessie stretched out her hands and quickly
collected the darkness and summoned two
swords, much like Rodney in the fight in
Germany.
“Jessie?” Vince asked, concerned that
Jessie was losing control.
Jessie glanced back.
“It’s okay, I’ll be fine. I can handle him.”
Jessie assured, “I need you to destroy that
crystal.” Jessie directed before lunging at the
armored demon. Their swords clashed in a
fantastic display of skill, Vince snuck around the
portal to attack the crystal, a single blow allowed
Vince to find an impregnable barrier and gave
away his plan to the demon who broke off the
stack on Jessie and went after Vince.
“Vince,” Jessie shouted, “Look out!”
Vince raised the sword and blocked the attack
from the demon, by that time Jessie had arrived
to deal with the threat the stopped Vince from
destroying the focusing crystal.
Spencer stared intently at his cards, the
pot and his remaining reserve of chips which had
been more than cut in half, Spencer now sat
around twenty-five hundred dollars in chips,
while Lucifer had thirty-one thousand and five
hundred. Spencer held a hodgepodge of random
cards, most of which were clubs, the three, five,
Jack and Queen, the four of hearts stood apart
from the rest of his cards. Lucifer held a pair of
three’s the nine of spades, the ten and queen of
hearts.
Spencer’s best bet was to go for the flush
as he only had one card to get that, Spencer
offered up the four of hearts and the dealer slid
over a new card, Spencer took a peek, it was the
nine of clubs, he had a flush in his hand. His
victory depended on what Lucifer would draw.
Lucifer once again surrendered his entire hand, as
the dealer gave Lucifer the new cards the pot
went from Spencer smugly laid his ante.
“I’ll bid five hundred.” He hadn’t
considered the value of his hand against what his
opponent could be holding.
“I’ll see your bid, and raise you another
five hundred.” Lucifer challenged, his voice
betraying a subtle hint of doubt.
“Five hundred?” Spencer asked
dubiously, Spencer carefully weighed his
options, the hand could be better, maybe he
should fold, but Lucifer could be bluffing, he
should call the bluff.
“I’m in for another five hundred.”
Spencer said tossing the required chips onto the
pile. “You’re bluffing, I call.” Spencer boastfully
declared.
Lucifer smiled as he lay down four kings
and a queen.
“Four of a kind, I win.” Lucifer gloated,
“I see you’re almost out of chips. Perhaps you
have something else to wager.”
“What did you have in mind?” Spencer
asked.
“This next hand will be an all or nothing
hand, if you win I will return Gretchen’s soul, but
if I win you will give to me not just yourself, but
your heart, mind, and your devotion so that
together we will rule heaven, earth and hell.”
“I don’t know, I haven’t been doing that
well.” Spencer declared.
“Nonsense, you’re doing fine.” Lucifer
objected, “I’ll tell you what, I’ll sweeten the deal,
if you win I will give you the treasures of my
kingdom.”
“What would I want with your old
trinkets?” Spencer wondered aloud.
“Within my coffers lie the secrets of the
universe, which I offer to you in addition to your
soul and Gretchen’s soul…If you can best me.”
Lucifer offered.
“If I have to go down fighting, then I
accept your terms.” Spencer agreed.
The dealer dispensed five cards to each player.
Lucifer looked at his hand, and couldn’t
resist a smile a wide as his realm, he had nothing
to fear, this was the best hand he had seen all
game.
Spencer looked at his hand, and his neck
lost all strength, hanging down, causing Lucifer
to grin in sheer pleasure, victory was within his
grasp.
Vince dodged an attack by the demon.
“We have to end this while you’re still
you.” Vince said as he noted the transformation
had taken another leap forward. The pale purple
that was replacing her human skin was now
visible climbing up her neck. “Let’s not forget
that we can’t get through the barrier.”
Jessie glanced at the crystal. The demon
held out his sword to hold Vince and Jessie off.
“I have a plan.” Jessie revealed as the
demon came in for the attack. “Let the other guy
do the work for you.”
Jessie shoved Vince aside to protect him
from the demons attack.
“Do it, Vince!” Jessie called as Vince
raced toward the crystal and the assembly, the
demon turned to look, the portal, which he was
supposed to guard was in grave danger.
Vince reached the crystal and raised his
weapon, and in the instant before Vince struck he
dodged an attack from the demon, the strike was
powerful enough to pierce the barrier around the
portal assembly, the unwitting attack was spot on
as it continued onto the crystal, shattering it, and
severing the passage to heaven.
As the crystal was shattered, it began
releasing tremendous amounts of light and dark
energy, Vince took Jessie and quickly escorted
her to the glyph, the demon was caught in the
energetic release, the collision of the light and
dark energy caused him to disintegrate. Vince
stepped onto the glyph hoping that it would take
them to safety, it didn’t take them to the labyrinth
entrance, it took them to the exit, at the base of
Lucifer’s tower.
“That’s it, we did it.” Vince said, but
Jessie’s conversion was nearly complete, she had
maybe ten minutes.
Vince held Jessie as her strength began to
waver.
“No, Jessie!” Vince mourned, “Hold on.”
Lucifer grinned, he was ready to end the
game and claim his prize, he slammed his cards
down on the green felt.
“Straight flush.” Lucifer shouted as he
gloated over his now exposed hand which held
the six, seven, eight, nine and ten of hearts.
Spencer disparaged expression turned to a
smirk, Lucifer was confused.
“What are you smiling about?” Lucifer
demanded.
Spencer’s glance remained focused on the cards
in his hand, it was driving Lucifer insane, not
knowing what Spencer’s hand held, and then
Spencer revealed everything.
“I win Gretchen’s soul, my soul and the
treasures of your kingdom.” Spencer said.
“You had a Royal Flush?” Lucifer
demanded, “YOU CHEATED ME!”
Spencer smiled, “That’s right, and because you
fell for it, it’s time to pay up.”
The casino faded in the blink of an eye
and Spencer found himself back on the polish
obsidian of the tower floor.
“NO!” Lucifer screamed as leapt for
Spencer, pushing Spencer to the ground, No!
You will serve me, so help me.” Lucifer said, but
then Spencer glance fell on Lucifer’s left
forearm, there was some blue crystal forming,
and it was spreading fast.
“No! Wait.” Lucifer screamed focusing
on the crystal that had now encompassed his
entire left arm and was quickly spreading over
his chest, Lucifer stood and started backing up
and bumped into the table as the crystal could be
seen on his right arm, his legs and his chest, as it
began to cover Lucifer’s head he gave a chilling
forewarning.
“My horsemen were really my insurance
against a total defeat. I may be bound, but, thanks
to my horsemen, that sentence will expire before
God has the time to mount a defense.” Lucifer
said as his words echoed leaving a man encased
in a giant crystal.
The disembodied souls started moving
upward and soon phased through the ceiling
leaving Spencer alone in the tower.
Spencer realized it was time to leave, so
he ran from the room and down the stairs to find
Vince and Jessie.
“What happened?” Jessie asked weakly.
“I won, I defeated and bound him!”
Spencer announced proudly.
“Spencer, how do we get out of here?”
Vince asked, hardly hearing what Spencer said,
he was focused on helping Jessie, maybe
something could be done, but maybe that was
nothing more than optimism.
“I don’t know, Vince.” Spencer pulled out
the book and began searching for the answer, but
he couldn’t find one.
“We might have a few minutes before we
lose her.” Vince said.
Spencer looked solemnly at Vince.
“We may have to kill her, to spare her
from this fate.” Spencer declared.
Vince began to weep.