Darkness had blanketed the world by the time the Witches arrived at the burned-down church near the mall. The charcoaled wood appeared even blacker in the night, seeming to seep out from the structure like the manifestation of nothingness. This abyssal horror kept away any and all life, no animal daring to be near, no desperate man seeking shelter. How far the House of God had fallen.
“Is this okay for us to do?” Olivia voiced her concerns about summoning the Devil here. “I’m not the most religious person but this is a church.”
Rachael, Emily, and Marcy glanced between each other with dubious half-shut eyes. Clearly, they did not share the sentiment.
Emily spoke first, “I might not approve of summoning the Devil, but I don’t care about God either. Places like this have never accepted us. You either be like them, stripped of whatever makes you a person, or you get your head slammed into a wall and thrown out on the street. Fuck this place.”
“That was harsh,” Rachael acted more neutrally.
“I’m not taking what I said back,” Emily held on to her feelings.
“I wasn’t trying to change your mind,” Rachael promised. “I’m just saying there’s some good here. People need guidance, and they get that sometimes. But, yeah, there is a lot of that ‘do as we say or burn in hell’ stuff going on, too.”
Emily gave a sideways stare before eventually relaxing her shoulders as she exhaled, then moved on, “My real concern is that I don’t know if this place will work. What we need is sacred ground. I don’t know if this qualifies.”
“The Devil was waiting by the door the last time I was here,” Marcy told to support using this place. “He might not be there right now, but when he hears you knocking …” She waited for the implication to settle instead of speaking it. Though, still seeing concern, she offered another possibility, “We have time to find an active church if you’re really that worried, which I do understand.”
Emily considered changing things, but “No. With Rachael, we can be certain the ritual will work. And with you, we can be certain he will show up when it does. Let’s get the stuff inside.”
“Okay,” Marcy understood before having another thought, “Now, are you sure you want just the two of you for this?”
“It’s for the best,” Emily felt certain of that. “Olivia is our apprentice Witch.” A glance over was given. “She’s got potential but isn’t ready to face the Devil yet. The power of four might be strong, but it’s our individual mistakes that present the real problem when facing him. She doesn’t have enough experience to handle his tricks. As for you … you have a history with this Devil. I’ll leave it at that.”
“Emily and I got this,” Rachael cut in with a promise in the case that what Emily said might make Marcy upset. “You’ll be right on the other side of these doors anyway. Close enough that our bond still gives us all that strength.”
Marcy nodded as she accepted the plan by accepting her role, “We’ll make sure to keep an eye out for anything while you’re busy.”
“Good luck you guys,” Olivia offered once everything was determined.
“We’ll try not to be too long,” Emily said as a comfort.
“Don’t say that,” Rachael suddenly felt jinxed. “The Devil is the biggest time waster. This will probably take the full hour now.”
“My bad,” Emily expressed in a light tone as she was aware, “But he was already going to do that to us.”
“You’re right.” Rachael became slightly deflated by that fact and sat in silence for a couple of unhappy seconds. Sigh. “Well, no point keeping him waiting any longer. Let’s start setting things up.”
Before they could enter, all types of electronics needed to be left behind, though, that was just Rachael’s phone since Emily’s was broken. Of course, they double and triple checked to make absolutely sure they had nothing more else this ritual would not work.
Once certain, they went into the church with the items they would be using. In the plastic bag that Rachael carried was a full can of salt, thirteen red candles, a spool of red string, and a pocket watch just to keep the time without breaking any rules. She also carried two folding chairs. Emily lugged in a full-length, antique mirror with a built-in stand. Unfortunately, they could not use a television like they had back in the woods because of the stipulation. That would have been cheaper and easier to obtain instead of this thing. But the Devil was old, stubborn, and unchanging. He would never appear in modern technology.
Once inside, the mirror was placed on the least damaged spot, in the open area that once held the pews. Circled around the mirror was a thick line of salt. Set up around the outside of the circle were the candles. The string was wrapped around the mirror in a specific pattern, spiraling up and around four times to make four lines, then wrapped back down from the top line to the bottom creating a fifth diagonal line, which was then brought back up with a perpendicular diagonal that made an X. Lastly, the chairs were set to face the reflection to complete the set up.
Emily and Rachael sat, leaned back, and spoke a little, starting with Emily, “When should we begin?”
Rachael looked at the watch. On the sixth second of the sixth minute of the sixth hour, during the season of the Witch, the Devil will appear if beckoned, so “We have five minutes and thirty seconds. I’ll start lighting the candles,” lit in a counterclockwise fashion.
“As for our blasphemous act?” Emily was open to suggestions.
Only after lighting the last candle did Rachael ponder for a second before saying, “Marcy Lox.”
Emily gave a bemused looked. “Do you really think saying her name will be enough?”
“I’d hope not, honestly,” Rachael admitted. “But he and her …”
“Maybe,” Emily said. “But we aren’t her.”
“We most certainly aren’t,” Rachael acknowledged. “Do you have any suggestions on what we should do?”
“We’re trespassing,” Emily noted. “Think that’s good enough?”
“I think,” Rachael expressed, “after everything that’s happened these last hours, he’ll come.”
“What if it doesn’t work,” Emily chose to be skeptical. “He might not show up out of spite.”
“Only one way to find out.” Rachael looked at the watch, then showed the time. She took her seat. “Now or never.”
They both stared deep into the mirror. Together, in their heads, they wished for the Devil to appear. Then they closed their eyes and counted. One. Two. Three. Up to thirteen. Eyes opened again. No longer were they looking at their reflection.
Satan was there, sitting inside the mirror on a throne shaped like a winged serpent, across from the Witches. He had the tan-skinned body of a powerful man, but he did not have a head that matched. Instead, placed upon his shoulders was that of a goat with large, curled ram horns. Fur was black, matching his entire attire, a black toga robe, and leather gladiator sandals. He brought with him an aura of fury that soon permeated the room. And fear was felt that he might just reach through.
He rested his elbow on his seat and then rested his cheek on his knuckles. He spoke though his mouth did not move. “You beckoned me?”
“Let’s play a game of ‘Lie Not,’” Rachael invited for this was as much a part of the ritual.
Regardless that the Devil was summoned to play the game, he always acted as the Host. The rest acted as Participants.
Each side of this exchange would take turns asking questions. There were no conditions to the questions that could be asked. They could range from something as mundane as ‘what is your favorite animal,’ to those more abstract such as ‘what is the color of sadness,’ to things that were impossible like the precise temperature of the sun at this very moment.
Following the question asked by the Host, a truthful answer should be given in response by the Participants. Lying is acceptable but would allow the Host to lie on his turn. As well, a perceived truth, one that a person completely believes to be the truth when it is not, is a lie. And non-answers, such as ‘I don’t know,’ are treated as passes. But be careful declaring ignorance because saying ‘I don’t know’ when one does know is considered a lie. So, it is better to lie instead of pass. But also, be careful with random lies for a truth might accidentally be told.
It will then be time for the Participants to ask a question. If they gave a truthful answer when they were asked their question, then the Host is obligated to answer truthfully. If a lie was given, then the Host is free to lie. If the question was passed, then the Host is free to lie or tell the truth. If the Host is obligated to tell the truth and is unable because he does not know, he does not get a pass, and instead, he will lie, and the Participants gain one point.
The game will be won once the Participants gain three points. However, it is their responsibility to keep track of how many points they have. To do so, the Participant should already know the answers to the questions they asked. This is crucial because they must declare their win before another question is answered, otherwise, they lose. Additionally, the game is lost if the game is not ended before sixty-six minutes and six seconds elapses. Losing allows the Host to freely enter beyond the Gateway to do unspeakable things.
If the Participants win, they are allowed to ask three questions that must be answered truthfully. Those that cannot be answered truthfully are passed but the question is not lost, and another can be asked in its place. As well, no questions will be asked in return. Much could be gained in this game of knowledge at the risk of unleashing a being of unequaled evil.
Though Satan could not express any emotion with his beastly head, he was pleased. This was his favorite game after all. “Are you certain?”
The question might have been phrased as if to confirm the beginning of the game, but the fact was that the game had already begun, and this was the first question.
“Yes,” Rachael answered. “I’m surprised you would start with something so easy. Did you really think I’d be tricked?”
“No,” Satan answered. “Consider it a kindness. Though, you just gave up your free question. Why would you do such a thing?”
“Because we will win this game,” Rachael said with certainty. “Though, maybe I should ask you, will we win?”
“No,” Satan said otherwise. “Though, I am impressed by you. That is quite the gamble you just played. Perhaps this is a show of your talent or just your desperation. Speaks volumes about where your mind is at. Are you happy?”
…
“She is,” Emily answered for Rachael as part of the plan. When a personal question was asked about one of them, if there was a pause, then the other would take over. Maybe Rachael did know the correct answer and would have said the same thing, but maybe she would not have and lied to herself. But a true friend would always speak the truth. “Regardless that she might not think she deserves to be happy, and she might not think that she is. She doesn’t dwell on the bad as much as she appreciates the good.”
Rachael took in a deep breath that visibly inflated her as she absorbed the praise.
Now it was time for their question, something preplanned with certainty that the Devil would not know, a riddle made up by Emily and never shared or written down in any form. She spoke it.
Satan was very displeased because he had no correct answer to give and was forced to lie. The Witches earned their supposed second point. But now not another point could be earned by them. So, no more risks could be taken, and no more fun was allowed. For the next half hour, he gave only monotonous questions that no person could answer truthfully. His only goal was to waste time. Emily and Rachael took turns answering and asking questions that they knew would only be answered with a lie as well.
Then the question came, “When was the last time an amethyst moon appeared on the Winter Solstice?”
His question was as extraordinarily specific, and honestly, nearly as impossible to answer as the rest. That was because such a moon could only occur when both a blood moon and a blue moon were present. As well, the blue moon could only occur at the very end of the month while the solstice was the twenty-first day of the final month, that is if following modern dating methods. However, the world used to turn differently long ago. Only the eldest of beings would remember how. Though, there was one exception, a remarkable Witch who had met plenty of ancient beings in her life.
“The year twenty eighteen,” Rachael answered. “To think it would be this easy—”
“Do not act as if you beat me,” Satan lashed out. “Your self-fulfilling question still may not be worth a point. As for you,” he directed at Emily, “now that I understand your tongue, I will be able to answer any enigma that you may have come up with. Ask your question but do not be surprised that I already have the answer.”
“We’re aware,” Rachael acknowledged without much concern. “A person can only trick the Devil once. But …” the question she asked was not her own but one shaped from the secret Marcy had used to gain entry into the Bizarre Bazaar. Maybe not shared before, Marcy did divulge it to Emily and Rachael so they would find success in this game.
Satan sat upright as he listened to the question being presented to him. His body moved slowly to readjust several times in his seat. These subtle things appeared methodical but were, in fact, reactions of his rage. Though he did not know the answer, he did know who the original holder of this secret was. Twice now Marcy tricked him. After a moment of refusing to play the game, he had to and gave an obvious lie.
“We win,” victory was declared, and by doing so, because the Devil said they would not, he was made a liar for the third time, and the win became true.
The Witches had survived the game, but more importantly to Rachael, they had obtained three questions that the Devil had to answer truthfully. She began right away, “What method will allow me to save my brother?”
“Finding salvation.” Regardless that Satan was obligated to give an honest answer, he only spoke in the simplest manner to give as little useful information as possible.
Rachael thought of the most convoluted way to ask her next question to ensure he said everything that she would need, “How do I open a door to the end of time to find salvation?”
Satan just barely tilted his head out of curiosity to wonder how she knew what she knew, though, he could not do so for long because he was obligated by the rules of the game. Soon, his thoughts were put aside for him to answer her question, “There are very few doors in this world that lead to where you need to go. Even fewer entities know of them. And even fewer have the means to enter. You are fortunate to be living in this city for there is one here. And you are fortunate to be speaking with me for I am one who knows and can guide you through.
“You must go to Copper King Hotel during the dead of night, alone. Once you enter the building, look at the concierge. If the one behind the desk is a man that you would describe to be old and young, masculine and feminine, ugly and beautiful, then write your name in the hotel ledger, take a seat, and say nothing as you wait. If they are not, then what you seek will most likely be lost for your only option is to leave and come back sometime after three months.
“Had he been there and had you been waiting, the time will come, and he will leave the desk to check the halls and rooms. You must follow him. Say nothing. Eventually, you will reach the fourth floor, and on that floor, stop before a door that is much older than the rest, numbered 444. He will open the door, and you are free to enter. On the other side will be a hallway with twelve other doors. One of these will lead to your brother. I cannot say which for even that knowledge is beyond me.”
One important detail remained that Rachael used her third question to ask, “How do we get back from this world safely?”
“At the end of the hallway will be a room where a Goddess rests. Approach and plead with these words, ‘I beseech you to redeem me.’ She will wake and place a key on the table along with a knife. Begin removing your fingers, as many as you must until she is satisfied with your offering. The key will be passed, and you are free to leave through the door you used to enter. If you do not do this, if you do not have the key, your soul will be left behind as you make your return.”
Their three questions were used up meaning the game might as well be over.
“Congratulations,” Satan callously applauded. “Are you proud to have beaten me?”
Rachael and Emily knew not to respond or else they would be drawn into another game. Instead, they went forward with bringing the ritual to an end. Together they said, as they bowed respectfully, “Thank you for accepting our request.”
The malice of Satan could be seen growing as his realm within the mirror became darker. He was not happy to lose. And his mood was made so much worse because of the circumstance. Tricked by Rachael’s paradox. Tricked by Emily’s wit. Tricked by Marcy again. Twice! No one ever tricked him twice. And now they refused to play the game any longer because they had what they needed.
The solemn façade was lost in the thrall of rage, and he leaped from his seat to reach toward the two Witches. His massive arm extended out from the mirror, the strings lacing between his fingers to hold him back as best they could, but they were pulled and loosened against his berserk action. The barrier created by the salt and circle of candles became visible as the tips of his fingers pushed against the boundary, but it stretched like plastic as he kept reaching forward just enough. He grabbed Rachael by her arm, squeezing tight. She struggled desperately with a pained expression as she was being pulled toward the mirror. Smoke was rising from beneath his fingers. Then his hand snapped open, letting her go, as all the protective measures finally succeeded in repelling him. He was again contained within his realm.
In a desperate reaction following, Emily picked her chair up and swung it at the mirror, shattering the thing. Having already thanked and bowed, that was the last step in ending the game and their dealing was over.
Satan sat in the blackness of his world, leaning back defeatedly on his throne. He looked at his hand which was eroded down to the bone.
Rachael and Emily stepped out of the church with none of the things that they had brought in. Not like any of the objects left behind mattered since the only one of value had already been destroyed. And the scene that they left behind was already nulled by the closing of the Gateway meaning there was no risk to any other that might find the ritual sight. Pretty much they were only guilty of littering. But, after what happened with the Devil, they did not want to stay a moment longer just to clean up. As well, they had an important place to be. There was no time to waste.
Marcy and Olivia were standing a few steps back from the door and staring intensely at the entrance. They had heard the final moments of whatever was going on inside and readied to enter if needed. Though, doing so was as much a risk since they could interrupt the ritual which would release the Devil. That was why they chose to wait where they were for a bit longer to see what transpired.
“We’re fine,” Emily assured to ease the worried looks. “The Devil’s just a sore loser.”
“He jumped at me,” Rachael added. “But the protections held.”
“… Well,” Marcy quickly moved on. “You’re alive, so you must have gotten what we needed.”
“We did.”