Gods From the Machine (36 page)

“
Like a pain you won’t ever be able to imagine,” Nick said.

“
You hate me, but if the positions were reversed, would you not have done the same? We are both split down the middle in terms of our loyalties. But our separate upbringings allowed us different advantages. You had some to help to embrace the inherent good that resides at your core, something that was impossible for a demon. Quinn brought out the light hidden inside darkness. I, on the other hand, was never that fortunate. I found solace in evil.” Doctor Numerous rolled up his sleeves and pulled off his black rubber gloves. His arms were reptilian and scaly like Nick’s, but they were black, and more jagged, a true representation of a demon’s hand.

“
Your arms!” Paul gasped.

Doctor
Numerous gazed down with pride. “Strikingly familiar is it not? Though I cannot manipulate fire like you do, I promise I can wreak as much damage without it.”

“
What if this doesn’t work? There are, and can only be, five Crowned Princes,” Nick said.

“
This is true. But Ozarael created Agrian and the other four the first time, which means it’s certainly possible for him to do it again. In any case, a spot among them will require a vacancy before it can be filled.”

At this point, Nick was certain he had lost. He was trapped without any way o
ut. Then just as he had given up, her voice spoke from across the room.

“
Nick, remember what I told you! Every angel needs two wings to fly!” Alyssa said.

Nick touched
the necklace that Alyssa had made for him and suddenly it all became clear. Orichalon was the holy substance made to coat weapons and it was sent from Sanctuary to help humanity combat demons. Of course! The bars were similar to Luxilight and that technique became harmless when it came into contact with itself. Since he couldn’t pass or touch it because his soul was occupied by a demon, perhaps he could do so with a fresh coat of Orichalon! However, he realized that even if he were to escape, Doctor Numerous still had Alyssa as leverage. What could he do?

“
What are you babbling about, girl? The stress of torture must have caused you to suffer a mental breakdown,” Doctor Numerous said.

“
Doctor Numerous, you consider yourself an expert on torture, but what you put us through is nothing I haven’t faced before. Electric currents? It’s juvenile. Not to mention something I’d expect from an amateur,” Alyssa said.

“
Alyssa, what are you doing?” Garreth said.

“
You’re a failure at everything you try, which is why even if you kill Nick, you’ll never take his spot!”

“
Shut your woman up, Agrian. I don’t want her to die before Bergice returns.”

“
The all-powerful Doctor Numerous can’t even control a single prisoner, what a joke!” Alyssa said.

Doctor Numerous glared at her.
“Very well, then perhaps punishment is in order.” He pulled out his remote and sent a jolt to Alyssa’s steel bed. She was in terrible pain, but refused to scream.

“
Stop it, Alyssa!” Daniel cried.

“
That’s all you got? I’ve fought Hellbeasts with more bite than that!”

Another jolt at a longer duration, yet she still refused to scream. He kept a steady pace of
electric shocks until smoke came from her body. Doctor Numerous’ wrath was focused solely on her. The time to act was at hand.

Nick yanked
off the necklace and crushed the stone into a fine powder which he rubbed all over his hands. He grabbed onto the bars, the coating idea worked as he expected and he was able to prevent any burns or bodily harm to himself. With all his might, he bent the light to make an opening large enough to crawl through. Once free from the prison, he transformed into his demon form and threw a well-placed fireball that destroyed the remote that Doctor Numerous was holding.

Doctor Numerous clutched his hand and spun arou
nd in awe. “How did you get out? No demon can escape my light prison!”

“
A gift by my guardian angel.” Nick set his arms ablaze. “Before I begin to beat you into the ground, I hope you for your sake you live up to your title.”

Doctor Numerous laughed heart
ily. His eye turned crimson. “Now I will show you the power of an Infernal. I am called Doctor Numerous: for I am many.”

18
. The Many Forms of Numerous

Doctor Numerous trembled
violently, as if he was having convulsions. He grunted and groaned aloud, like he was possessed. Suddenly two identical copies of himself emerged at each side. So this was the unique ability the Infernal possessed—the man had the ability create perfect clones of himself!

Nick had no idea how to handle a situ
ation such as this, as no training could have possibly prepared him.

“
Shocked, Agrian?” the Doctor Numerous’ said in unison. They all stood poised exactly the same way. “I am Pestilence of the Infernals, and like poison I will spread like a virus and devour you into oblivion,” the doppelgangers said together.

“
You monster!” Garreth shouted. “That explains how you could be in so many places at once!”

The Doctor Numerous in the center chuckled with superiority.
“Yes, and with my abilities I was able to travel around the world and reside wherever I pleased. I kept everyone focused on this wild chase, making them believe they were hunting demons. What they didn’t know was that I was biding my time, readying myself for the perfect opportunity to launch my greatest assault on humanity.”

“
What was that?” Nick said.

“
My ultimate goal is ascension. To achieve that end, I would personally deliver millions to early graves in order to prove myself to the princes. But even my powers are limited. Even if I split myself into a million copies, as a single man I couldn’t hope to stop the wrath from the Garrisons alone. It was then that I remembered the Tower of Graves in Hyperion. The conception of the Holy Shield. The birthplace of tranquility. The beacon of hope that allowed humans to live their lives without fear of demons. How perfect it would be that the ultimate symbol of protection suddenly became the greatest weapon of mass destruction. Unfortunately, the process took longer than expected because I was forced to keep the knights off my trail,” Doctor Numerous said.

“
Sorry to have interfered,” Nick said.

“
Minor obstacles since my plans fell into place regardless,” Doctor Numerous said. “Now that you know, it’s time to for you to die!”

“
You’re not going to have that chance!” Nick rushed towards him, his arms glowing more intensely with flames.

Doctor Numerous created more three more copies, making a total of six.  He charged Nick; the copies following on his sides zigzagge
d between each other, making it impossible to tell which one was the real one. Nick threw two fireballs, destroying two copies, but as they exploded into black smoke, two more appeared to take their place.

“
What—!”

The Doctor Numerous
’ laughter echoed throughout the chamber, as the room filled with more copies. “Try again!” they jeered.

Nick
hurled bursts of fire relentlessly all around, but the copies multiplied faster than he could destroy them. It didn’t seem like there would be an end. There had to be some method to stopping this madness, some key weakness that he did not see.

“
Why don’t you fight me one on one, you coward?” Nick shouted.

“
As Pestilence, my powers are superior to yours, or any other demon,” the entire group cackled. “You should be grateful you are among the privileged few that have been able to witness it!”

As more and
more copies appeared, he was unwittingly being pushed until he felt his back up against the wall. From his sides, a few stragglers from the large group managed to lash out and grab his arms, forcing them into a lock and preventing him from blasting any further. Nick struggled to push them off, but the horde was too powerful in their numbers. There were close to a hundred of them now.

They forced him to submission on his
knees. Several of the copies wore deranged looks on their faces, like a cannibalistic tribe ready to kill and devour him.

“
For your insolence, I will show you true pain.” The doppelganger closest punched Nick across the face and then in the stomach as the others held him down. Doctor Numerous repeated the combination a few more times, gratifying his sadistic appetite with the harsh blows. Blood formed on Nick’s lips, but he couldn’t retaliate. He was intrigued by the mad alchemist. His single eye was glowing red, the color of pure malevolence.

Doctor Numerous reminded Nick of himself when he had lost control the first time, when he was drunk with the rush of po
wer and inconsolable rage. Like his first time fighting Daniel, he was out of control, bent on destroying him. However, Nick couldn’t let himself dwell on this fact for long since his eyes were swelling, and his vision blurry. He had to think of something fast before he ended up as a bloody pulp…or dead.

A
doppelganger grabbed a fistful of Nick’s hair and pulled his battered face close, so close Nick could smell his warm, putrid breath on his skin.

“
How does it feel to be at my complete mercy?” he asked condescendingly.

Nick spat blood in his face.
“Does that answer your question?”

Doctor Numerous dropped his head and wiped his face, grunting with disgust.
“Truly as revolting as I’ve heard.  It’s high time someone taught you manners.”

Nick wanted to reply with something snarky, but his head was pounding so hard he could
barely think.

“
You’ve always been hailed for your famous fighting prowess.” Doctor Numerous rolled up his sleeves. “Innovative and powerful is what Bergice told me to expect, but I’ve yet to see you display any of these qualities. I suppose he over-exaggerated.”

The doppelganger kicked Nick hard in the chest, knocking the breath out his lungs.
“Or is it because you continue to hold on to your ridiculous human attachments?” he said mockingly, and delivered another punch to Nick’s face. “Love, friendship, and the rest of that stupidity you believe in has gotten you in this pathetic predicament, hasn’t it?”

Nick glared at him; he felt the burning sensation
in his eyes. The burning was growing intensely, eclipsing the pain. Agrian was primed and ready to break loose.

“
And that girl, that lovely girl you came to save.” Doctor Numerous leaned in close again, dropping his voice low that Nick was the only one who could hear him. “When she was brought here, she begged that your life be spared. Funny, isn’t it? Delusional more like it. A girl in love with a demon? That’s a recipe for disaster, wouldn’t you say?”

Nick stared blankly at the floor
. Doctor Numerous was trying to provoke him, to draw him into a frenzy. The mere mention of Alyssa in association with the threat of danger made his blood boil.

“
Nothing left to say? No more witticisms? I didn’t think so. But one thing’s for sure, at least she won’t have to be sacrificed this time. I’ll do the honors myself. How I will enjoy hearing her scream for her life. Begging for mercy as I peel the skin off her lovely bones.” Doctor Numerous slapped Nick across the cheek. “It’s rather sad really, you have to witness the death of your lover twice in a lifetime.”

“
STOP!” Nick was fuming with so much rage that his body could barely contain it.

The Docto
r Numerous doppelganger smirked. “Too much for your stomach to bear?”

“
I’m done…” Nick said quietly.

“
What? Speak up!” Doctor Numerous stroked his beard. “I can barely hear you!”

“
I’m done,” Nick said again as clearly as possible.

“
Done? Why, we’ve only just begun! Don’t tell me you’re giving up so soon?”

“
No, I mean I’m done playing with you. Starting now, you’re finished.”

Doctor Numerous waved his hand is dismissal.
“You’re delirious, the beating you’ve received must have affected your ability to think straight.”

“
Because I know something you don’t know, something you’ve been dying to figure out. You’ve been waiting to see what I was truly capable of and when I went down so easily you assumed that I didn’t have the power you were searching for, didn’t you?”

“
What are you getting at?”

Nick
’s comment seemed to pique a sincere interest from him.

“
While you were you busy going on and on about your power, the fact remains that I’ve been holding back.”

“
You were holding back against
me
?” Doctor Numerous asked, as if it was the most ludicrous thing in the world.