The Demon Lord, Malphas, stared down at his pathetic minions, the collection of demons, ghouls, gargoyles, and a hundred other types of monsters all staring up at him. Most had red eyes, signifying they were under Malphas’s control. But Malphas saw some eyes that had lost that crimson glow; his hold on them was weakening.
I’ll have to do something about that, the demon thought.
“I must be certain the monsters of Agartha are my obedient servants,” he said to himself.
The Demon Lord glared down at a group of devastators, their huge tusks and gigantic bodies dwarfing most of the other creatures below. Their massive feet and tree trunk-like legs made the ground quake as they moved about, but they were not as fearsome as the mighty annihilators. Those gigantic monsters, as large as a house, were like unstoppable hurricanes of muscle and teeth. They made Malphas smile, but their dark eyes made the demon worry. “I cannot allow them any freedom; they could turn on me. There is still so much to do.”
Gathering his powers, Malphas stared down at his army of claws and fangs. As a low, ominous buzzing filled the air, Malphas’s eyes blazed with an intense red glow, his demon-magic building to a fever pitch. The power emanating from him made the air shimmer as waves of magic spread out in all directions. Below him, the monsters grew still as they stared up at the Demon Lord, the very essence of their being falling under Malphas’s control. Like a wave of fire lit within each creature, the eyes of the monsters now burned bright red, the demon’s touch firmly planted into the Agarthans’ souls.
Imps, gremlins, and banshees now moved about, each struggling to get close to the wall on which the mighty demon stood as the larger monsters moved back. Malphas glared down at them, frustrated that he must start with these puny monsters and not the bigger creatures of Agartha: the devastators, annihilators, crushers, or destroyers. But unfortunately, Malphas knew the doorway to Earth would not support those behemoths, not yet. Right now, only his smallest followers could travel to Earth.
Extending his dark wings, Malphas took to the sky, the ever-present soot and ash in the air swirling around his muscular six-foot-tall frame. The small black feathers covering his half-man half-bird body fluttered in the breeze, his long, raven’s beak cutting through the air like the tip of a spear.
Gaining altitude, he gazed down at the castle he’d recently captured. Parts of the structure still lay in ruin, scars of the war he’d waged against the Agarthan king. The foolish king was now suffering in his dungeons with what remained of his army. But Malphas’s minions were restless and craved more violence. A wry smile spread across the Demon Lord’s face; soon, they would get what they wanted.
Agartha had become a wasteland, its rivers and oceans poisoned with pollution, the sky perpetually filled with smoke. The scars of many decades of war were etched deep into the world, evidence of a violent and brutal past that had left Agartha wounded and broken, possibly beyond repair. It would take even more decades before the land healed and could support his greed. But the Demon Lord cared little for repairing the damage he’d caused in the wars. Malphas only wanted to take and consume, not restore. Besides, he had a new target in mind . . . Earth.
Though Agartha and Earth existed in parallel universes, they were slowly approaching realignment again, just like they had over two hundred years ago. Soon, the alignment would be complete, and then Malphas could execute his plan.
As our two planets grew closer together, more of his monsters could use the gateway that led to that pristine world and cause havoc. But right now, the magic that formed the portal could only support the passage of the smallest Agarthans to Earth. Just a few at a time could cross over. To get more of his unwilling servants to Earth, Malphas must open the doorway completely, and to do that, he needed to find all seven of the Skull Keys. They looked like human skulls, each carved from a different kind of stone, the magic within them linked to the enchanted gateway.
Centuries ago, sorcerers from Agartha crafted the Skull Keys to keep the doorway open and make passage between worlds easier. But when the monsters of Agartha attacked New Orleans, the Earthers from the Order of the Stones stole the Skull Keys, closing the gateway and separating the worlds. They hid the Skull Keys somewhere near the portal. Because they were formed by the same magic that made up the doorway between worlds, the skulls couldn’t be taken far away. They were near that doorway; Malphas knew it. To allow the largest creatures in the Demon Lord’s monster army to get to Earth, he needed to open that doorway all the way.
“When I find all the keys,” Malphas said in a deep, scratchy voice, “the real fun will begin.”
A flash of light came from the circle of stone standing near the entrance to his newly acquired castle. Leaping into the air, Malphas glided down on extended wings and landed near the stone circle. The talons at the end of each bird-like toe scratched into the ground, carving deep grooves into the granite. A group of lessor demons rushed to be near, crowding him.
“Get back, you fools.” Malphas swung his arm through the air, the long claws at the end of each finger slicing into their scaly hides. The demons howled in pain and moved back, streaks of moist red marking their chests.
“Never crowd me,” Malphas said. “Next time, I won’t be so merciful.”
The minor demons bowed their heads as they backed away, each clutching their wounds.
Malphas walked toward the stone circle as another flash of light jumped from the shimmering ring. Just then, a small, red creature stepped out of the structure. It stood at the height of a human child, stubby red wings sticking out from its back. The creature’s large eyes burned with crimson light as it glanced about, its pointed tail writhing like an agitated snake. The monster turned toward the Demon Lord and bowed.
“What have you seen, imp?” Malphas glared down at the creature. “And what happened to your horn?”
The imp reached up and touched its horns. One was still needle-sharp, but the broken tip on the other horn suggested something had happened. The tiny monster glanced at his master, the imp’s eyes glowing red, showing he was still under Malphas’s control. “Oh . . . well . . . flying in that world is difficult. I sort of . . . well . . . crashed and broke my horn.”
“That was careless.” Malphas glared down at the creature. “What is your name?”
“Rylee,” the imp answered, his pointed tail twitching nervously, red wings tucked into his back.
“I think I’ll call you Fool instead.” Malphas raised a hand to strike the tiny demon but held it back for now. “Where did you emerge on Earth, Fool?”
“The doorway took me to a deep cave. I climbed out of it and entered a field of tall grass.” Rylee glanced about. Other creatures gathered near to listen. Some of them were imps, like him, but goblins, harpies, and gremlins all stood close, each with glowing red eyes.
“What did you see on Earth, Fool? Tell me what you discovered about our new enemy.”
“I found a stone building on the other side of the field of tall grass, maybe a hundred paces from the cave. When I snuck inside, I found coffins of stone; it was a House of the Dead, just as the ancient writings foretold.”
“You mean as I foretold.” Malphas’s eyes grew bright with anger.
“Yes, of course, I mean, as you foretold.” Rylee shuddered.
“Did you find the Skull Keys? Which ones did you see? Where were they? How many did you collect?”
“Well . . . umm . . . actually, I didn’t see any of them.”
“What?! That was why I sent you to Earth.” Malphas stood tall and extended his shadowy wings, a jagged scar across the side of his beak giving the Demon Lord a vicious appearance. “AHHHHH!” His scream echoed across the ruined landscape, monsters all shaking in fear. Malphas clenched his clawed fists and shook them at the gray sky, frustration enveloping his soul.
Rylee collapsed to the ground and shook in terror.
Looking down at the tiny imp, Malphas growled. “Get up, Fool, and continue your report. How many soldiers did you see? What kind of weapons did they wield?”
The imp rose to his feet. “I saw no soldiers, just kids.”
“No soldiers? The Skull Keys are unprotected?”
Rylee nodded. “As far as I could tell, they’re not protected by soldiers. Maybe the Earthers use magic to protect the Skull Keys?”
Malphas shook his head. “No, magic faded from Earth long ago. All they have now are things of metal to protect themselves.” The Demon Lord paced back and forth, hands clasped behind his feathered back. His bird-like feet kicked up small clouds of ash, making it difficult for the imp to breathe. He stopped and turned to Rylee. “Could you tell where they kept the Skull Keys?”
“Yes, my Master. I felt their presence; they are somewhere in the House of the Dead.” Rylee shuddered as he stared up into the demon’s glowing eyes. Those burning orbs blasted away any thought of resisting Malphas’s commands. “I searched the room and found none, but I still sensed them in my mind. They could have been in the stone coffins, but I lacked the strength to open them.”
“The Earthers would not hide all the Skull Keys in the coffins; that would be foolish. There must be hidden tunnels and catacombs under their House of the Dead.” Malphas glanced around and spotted a gremlin. “You, gremlin, come here.”
The creature approached, his long arms almost dragging on the ground, gigantic, pointed ears bouncing about with each step. The monster reached up and adjusted the leather straps crisscrossing his chest, knives, and tools attached here and there.
“Yes, my master.” The gremlin stared at the demon, his eyes glowing red, just like all the other creatures under the demon’s control. The monster smiled at the Demon Lord, his needle-sharp teeth stained and dirty.
“What is your name, gremlin.” Malphas leaned forward, the tip of his dark raven’s beak in the tiny monster’s face.
The gremlin glanced at the jagged scar across the demon’s beak, then returned his gaze to Malphas’s eyes. “I am called Krak, my lord.”
The demon stood tall and glared at the gremlin. “Krak, you are to accompany this imp. He is to search the coffins, then dig through the walls in the House of the Dead and find the hidden tunnels. When you find a Skull Key, place it over the gateway on Earth; it will allow more members of my army to cross over and help with the search. When we have all seven, the gateway will remain open forever, but only if we find all seven before the disappearance of the red moon.”
“Red moon?” Krak asked, confused.
“It isn’t important for you to understand all the pieces of my plan. Your job is to obey.” Malphas pointed at the gremlin with a single claw. “If the imp is unsuccessful, I will make you suffer . . . understood?”
Krak nodded his head frantically, then glared at the imp.
“Make sure Fool digs with all his strength,” Malphas said as he glared at the gremlin. “Your life depends on it.”
The creature bowed its head. “I will see it done, master.” The gremlin removed every metal tool or blade from his belt and dropped them to the ground, replacing them with stone tools and weapons from his companions; metal cannot travel through the gateway between worlds. Turning, Krak pulled a whip out from beneath his wide, leather belt. With a flick of his wrist, the gremlin snapped the end of the whip next to Rylee’s ear. “Let’s go, imp.”
“My name is Rylee, and—”
The whip cracked again, this time leaving a welt on the tiny monster’s arm.
“Ouch!” Rylee quickly bowed, then turned toward the sparkling gateway standing on the ground, colorful glowing stones marking its edge. “I’m going. I’m going.”
Malphas stepped to the edge of the doorway and held up a hand, stopping the two creatures. “Remember, get back to Agartha before the moon sets. The ancient books say without the seven Skull Keys in place, Agarthan creatures will perish with the setting moon. So be quick or be dead.” His eyes flared bright, two burning embers forever glowing with a thirst for violence.
“Yes, master,” the two little monsters said in unison. They turned and stepped into the doorway, disappearing from Agartha.
Malphas glanced at his banshee generals. “Assemble your most trusted and vicious monsters. They must be ready to go through the doorway when those two find the first Skull and put it in its place.”
The banshee bowed low, her body floating a foot off the ground in a display of eerie, weightless grace. Her tattered rope swayed gently in the breeze only she could feel. The monster looked up at her master with a pristine white face and lifeless black eyes, her features hauntingly beautiful, though her deathly pale skin told a different story.
Flapping his wings, Malphas rose into the air and landed atop a pile of rubble. With a huge breath, the Demon Lord let out a deafening screech that sliced across the landscape. The features that covered his body sparkled with the raw power of his demon-magic. As he screeched again, sparks burst outwards in all directions, fragments of his magic passing through the nearby monsters. In an instant, the beasts crumpled to the ground, writhing in agony as an overwhelming wave of fear blasted through their minds. Many Agarthan creatures wept as they curled up into tight balls, consumed by terror. Others just stood there, bodies shaking as the force of their fear punished their minds. The explosion of terror was as sudden as it was vicious, a painful reminder of the absolute power the Demon Lord held over his minions. And just as quickly as it had appeared, the wave of fear disappeared, leaving the monsters trembling, a harsh reminder of who was in charge.
Malphas’s eyes flashed red like blazing crimson beacons, a faint buzz coming from each, reaffirming his power over those who looked at him. “Let that brief taste of my magic be a reminder of what will happen if any of you fail me.” His gaze crept across his minions, daring any to challenge his rule; none did. “Soon, we will have all seven skulls,” Malphas said. “Tomorrow, the planets will align, and we can pass through the doorway. Then we’ll remind the Earthers why they fear the night. They chased us from Earth and pushed us back to Agartha centuries ago. They will regret that decision, one way or another.”
Malphas laughed a vile laugh as he flapped his wings, soaring higher into the air to survey his kingdom, memories of terrible battles bringing a malicious smile to his face.