Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Present time: Helheim

The great hall once known as Eljundir had undergone so many changes that it's former owner- Hella, no longer recognised the place. Over two thousand years had passed since the spell she had worked with Loki had left the place a gutted ruin. Around a thousand years ago Satan had shown up and declared himself ruler of Helheim. He had built his own fortress deep in the grey wastes of the world but some sentimental streak in him had led to Ejundir being rebuilt. Maybe it was to honour its former mistress? The curious thing was that Satan chose the title prince rather than king, no explanation for either had ever been given. All the feasting tables in the great hall were long gone, the walls had become shrines to torture and pain. Every implement imaginable for inflicting hurt and pain hung from the walls. Gruesome pictures of people being maimed and mutilated were dotted between the implements. There was even a couple of pictures of Hella in her previous form on the walls. The half corpse- half goddess. Two channels of molten lava flowed down the length of the hall, giving the hall its only source of light and casting everything into fiery orange and reds. Occasionally flames would shoot up and illuminate the horrors on the walls.

The only thing in the hall that Hella still recognised was her throne made out of human skulls. It sat on a raised diesis at the rear of the hall. It was her throne! And yet it was Satan who now reclined in it. He was wearing a very expensive black suit, his hair oiled and slicked back and greying at the temples, his crimson eyes distant and seeing things far off. He was stroking his pointed beard in thought.

There was usually a golden throne with its back carved into the shape of an eagle with spread wings sitting next to Satan's but it had been removed and dumped down onto the floor. Two more thrones made of skulls had been placed either side of Satan's and both were occupied. On his right sat Loki, dressed in his trademark all black, his raven hair tied back in a tight pony tail, his coal black eyes glittering with malice and a hint of madness. Hella occupied the other throne, she had the same hair and eyes as her father but where Loki's features were all sharp points and angles, Hella's were soft and rounded. Beneath the diesis stood a fuming Lucifer, she had her arms crossed and kept alternating between casting defiant looks up at the three above her and angry glances at her displaced throne. Satan was making a very clear statement, he had his new playmates now and things were changing. Lucifer didn't trust either of them especially Loki, his fame as a trickster and a cheat preceded him. Also there was something very mad and unsettling in his gaze.

"You know" said Satan in a very low and dangerous voice "You tread a very fine line, Lucifer. Your choices tend to be very unwise"

The princess of hell swept her lush dark hair over her shoulder and glared up at Satan defiantly.

"I do what needs to be done. Who is to say that my choices are unwise?"

Satan slammed his fist on the arm of his throne and shouted "I say! You know the end is coming, this is evil's best chance of winning. I will not have your little games ruining it!"

Lucifer took her time straightening her crimson dress before replying, she forced as much sarcasm and carelessness into her voice as she could

"Yes, yes. I know. The final battle between good and evil, a war to end all wars. It will take place on Midgard as foretold many centuries ago.

Loki's dark eyes glittered with malice and something not quite sane. "So you know how important our campaign is then? If we can turn all eight of the worlds to evil, all that is left of good will be trapped on Midgard, surrounded and ready to be crushed! Evil will win!"

Lucifer turned away in disgust, they really meant to do it, end it once and for all. Her black angel wings began to twitch in agitation. "You just don't get it do? If evil destroys good, it will destroy itself in the process. There will be nothing left!"