Where All Souls Meet Read Free Page B

matter?" the mist figure whispered. "You look scared . I thought somebody like you would be tougher than this."
    She remembered Yuri's words. "Demons are like bullies." Grimacing, she stood up and did her best to not back down, though the mist figure's crimson irises caused her spine to stiffen.
    "I am not scared of you," she lied. "Who are you? Some new form of Raider?"
    "I? I am more powerful than a Raider," said the mist figure.
    So it is a demon. Only a demon would be so prideful he would hate to be on the same level as the most feared Satan Spawn in Purgatory.
    "So who are you then?" she said. "I took care of Asag, and I can take care of you. You think just one measly demon or Satan Spawn will frighten me? Think again."
    At least, it was what she told the demon. When she had faced Asag, she had been terrified, but that did not make a new foe any less menacing. She wished her friends were here. They should have heard her cry by now.
    The demon began to chuckle. "A valiant feint, girl. You may not find one of us frightening, but what about—"
    Suddenly, many voices — male, female, deep, high-pitched — joined together. "— all of us. "
    Within seconds, more mist beings appeared. It was like she peered into a world of glowing red eyes. The mist figures were all massive, but some were women and others were men. The only thing they had in common was the fear they brought into her mind.
    "Wh-what is going on?" she asked.
    "Did you honestly think you could get away with hurting a major demon?" a female to her right said. Even in mist form, she had a fish-like face. "Our lord wants you now. He wants you more than ever."
    She thought back to when she had been in pain with Morsus and Satan had controlled the agonizing memories she saw. At the time, he had had major demons surrounding him. She searched her thoughts.
    There was a demon who, instead of hair, had a bald head and slimy scales that covered her entire body. Her face was narrow and elongated like the front of a fish or a dolphin. There were shriveled wings upon her back.
    Yes, she could see the resemblance. She was sure it was the same demon. But what was her name?
    "Lady Midday, Abyzou," Satan said, first turning toward the auburn-haired teenager who had been the auburn beauty and then the fish-faced, now middle-aged woman. "Clear off the land and prepare to summon the two million warriors."
    She began putting the pieces of her memories together as she gazed at the mist figure. Her hands trembled at her side as she tried to fight through her thoughts. Where had her friends gone? The fact they had wandered away so carelessly and left her behind made her want to scream. She was alone now; alone with demons that could get rid of her within seconds. Even if she ran, she would not make it three feet without floundering.
    "Agares," she said. "Abyzou, Lady Midday."
    Stunned silence filled the circle.
    "She knows us," Abyzou said. "How can she know us? H-he must have given her powers."
    Though she quivered with fear, she heard the quaver in Abyzou's voice. Are the demons scared of me?
    "Don't be foolish," Agares said. "Satan has made her watch us. She recognizes us from her visions. The girl is clever, but then, she would have to be."
    Abyzou made a horrible squelching sound as if she didn't believe him. I have to get these demons out of here. As she gazed at the mist, she wondered whether her lantern would work against demonic mist figures like it had with Raiders. Even though she was paralyzed with anxiety and the intimidating stares made her feel horrible, she knew what she had to do.
    "Are you controlling the Raiders?" Eden asked. "Making them look and talk like you?"
    "The Raiders belong to us," Agares boomed.
    "Thanks for letting me know," she said. "Now get lost ."
    "How dare you?" Agares roared, drawing nearer to her with his mouth open wide.
    Her first instinct was to step back and run away. It took every bit of control she had to walk into Agares and