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Chapters 1 – 39 Archive

“I found him!” Lulu called out. “He got the crap beat out of him by a girl.”

When Doug reached them, Lulu was helping Bryce to his feet. Bryce’s face was covered in blood, and he did not look very happy. “You should see her.”

“I’m sure you mussed up her hair something fierce.” Charlene said as she walked up behind Doug. “Being stupid is supposed to be Doug’s job.”

Bryce smiled and tried his best to act like nothing happened. “I just had a few things to discuss with my lady friend. If she said anything useful, I think I forgot it due to the concussion.”

“Whatever.” Lulu let go of Bryce. “The important thing is…” She pumped her fists in the air. “Hellbender is back together! Yay!”

“What’s the plan now?” Chimezie asked as he caught up with them, Ronove’s prisoners following him closely.

“We’re back together plus!” Lulu shouted.

Bryce noticed one of the females in the new group and smiled. “And how are you doing?”

She smiled back. “No speak English.”

Bryce sighed. “Yeah, they’re not going to slow us down.”

Explosions rocked the building. “So do we have a plan to get out of here?” Doug asked. “I think like everybody is warring outside, so I don’t think it’s very safe out there either.”

Bryce took a long look at Doug. “Loch wouldn’t have any special reason to want to torture you and your friends would he?”

Doug shrugged. “Not any more reasons than anybody else.”

Another explosion shook the building. It felt like the forces outside were trying to bring it down. Hellbender’s new recruits were starting to panic. “Tell them to calm down,” Charlene told Chimezie, “We have a plan for this situation.”

“I don’t speak all their languages,” Chimezie said.

“Just do something!” Charlene shouted.

Chimezie looked to the freed prisoners and smiled while giving them a thumbs up. It seemed to help a little.

“So what’s the plan?” Doug asked.

Bryce took the metal case from Doug. “It’s the sort of plan it’s best not to think about.”

Lulu smiled. “But if it works, it will be crazy!”

More explosions outside. Doug wasn’t sure if Asmod’s and Serpine’s forces were soon going to be invading the building or if they were just going to level it. “Shouldn’t we do the plan now?”

Bryce looked a little nervous. “Um… I’d rather wait until things are just a bit more dire.”

“I assure you things will never be more dire for you.”

A feeling of dread filled Doug, and he turned around to see Ronove standing in the hallway. Ronove was not alone, though. The place began to darken, and before anyone could react the walls were ripped open by black tentacles that grabbed them and held them all in place.

“I regret to inform you,” Bryce said, “but some crazy woman took your cube. You better handle up on that.”

“I’ll leave that to the concern of Asmod and Serpine,” Ronove said. “Loch and I have decided other things are more important.”

A laugh echoed about them. A horrible voice both high-pitched and low said, “So many things to play with.”

“Let everyone go!” Doug shouted angrily.

“Do not waste your breath,” Loch said. “I cannot comprehend any noise you make other than screams.”

“DO WE NEED TO TALK LOUDER THEN?” Lulu shouted.

Ronove approached Doug. “There is only one way out of here. We will help you find it.”

Doug looked around. Everyone was bound by the black things at Loch’s command. Charlene was next to him, and she struggled to get her mouth free from what was wrapped around it. “Detonator in my left pocket!” she yelled.

Doug jerked his right arm and free and reached over into Charlene pocket and pulled out a small device. He fiddled around with it until he found a button. Then he pressed it.

There was an explosion below them, not nearly as loud as those outside, but suddenly all the tentacles retreated and Doug was dropped free to the ground.

“What did you do?” Ronove asked.

Doug shrugged. “I dunno.”

“Hi-yah!” Lulu launched into a flying kick at Ronove, sending him falling backwards. Bryce scrambled for the metal case.

The building was now shaking continuously and Doug could hear a sound like metal being torn apart. “So what did I do?”

Bryce took a cylindrical device out of the metal case that . Charlene motioned for everyone to get close. “Stay near us if you want to live!”

Everyone seemed to understand and huddled near Bryce. Doug could now see down the hallway blackness coming towards them. The void of the wastelands was folding in on them. “Oh crap.”

Bryce held up the device which had rings around it that started to glow. “If this doesn’t work, just know the devil told us to do it.”

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