Chapter Twenty Nine: Adramelech

The idea of tracking down Vassago wasn't too daunting. I already had a number of wires in the machine looking for him, hunting him down. Parts of Vassago's consciousness were spread out. I could feel the demon's signature through the strands of time. It seemed random at first. The creature was so spread out, across multiple dimensions. Vassago was extremely versatile, sometimes acting in the guise of a man, woman, or child. Vassago was designed as a trickster. Its identity was always veiled. From what I could tell there was only one constant in Vassago-- only one pattern. It was a strong variation from demon's usual coding. Vassago was programmed with one directive: to be loyal to Meresin.

Demons were not loyal. Demons were destructive. I should know. I've created hundreds, maybe hundreds of thousands of demons. Mostly, they were cast-off residue energy from consuming. Demons were made of shit. They were what was left after I consumed the personality and information from a soul. Vassago was made of shit. Vassago was molded, smoothed, and rolled from shit. It was excrement with purpose. That wasn't something I normally did myself, but I wasn't dealing with what I did as Satan. This was my brother, a personality that I didn't really know or fully understand very well.

It was hard to make a demon focus. They were made of fragmented consciousness and information nobody wants. Their thinking was absolute. They can't create anything. Everything is final-- they live in a dimension of shit. They desire to destroy every material thing they cross. Any scrap of God, the Universe, or usefulness has been sucked out of them until they are as dry as stones. They exist only to spread chaos and negativity.

It is as if demons have cobbled together operating systems, their brains are barely functional. That is why it is so impressive to me that Meresin managed to create anything of value. That is why, as I keep telling Sachiel, we maybe ought not to underestimate our brother Meresin very much, and we ought to approach Vassago with caution. How he manage to create a demon with any sense of loyalty is... quite frankly miraculous since they are so unpredictable in behavior.

"What are we going to do with Vassago once we catch it?" asked Sachiel.

"I've summoned it and spoke to it before. Demanding answers from that little shit doesn't do anything. The thing is too loyal, somehow. We'll have to torture it until it provides answers. We will torture the demon."

I didn't stop to listen to any feedback or suggestions Sachiel had. I knew that he simply didn't have any. I compartmentalized Sachiel, moving him to a place in my brain set for useless objects. Sachiel was already a part of myself, I knew. It was just a matter of time before I consumed him. So, when I spoke to him, it was no different than having a conversation with myself.

Sachiel dutifully followed along as I summoned Vassago. He followed directions when commanded. I was almost excited to see Vassago again, if only to behold his resemblance to Azazel and then proceed to unleash great bodily harm. Sachiel poured salt on the floor of the office in the shape of a circle, creating a portal for the demon to arrive. Vassago would then be trapped in the circle, unable to leave until dismissed.

Truth be told, I have not specifically ever tortured a demon. There isn't reason to. If a demon displeases me in some manner (which is to be expected as they are complete and utter garbage creatures) then they are corrected, disassembled, or destroyed. Torture was a device reserved for human entities.

Vassago arrived so quickly that Sachiel and I barely finished the summoning ritual. The demon stood in the center of the room with a broad smile on his face. He had chosen a masculine avatar that mostly resembled Azazel, much like before. He was tall and lanky with curly ginger hair and an aquiline face. He didn't look exactly like Azazel, but rather like his cousin or close relative. The sparkle in Vassago's burnt honey colored eyes seemed more unstable than Azazel's more calculated look.

"You rang?" asked Vassago in a fake accent while brushing his hand down his jacket as if dusting himself off. He stood in the center of Sachiel's salt circle, unable to cross the line. Smoke slithered at his feet from the recently opened portal. I didn't answer the demon immediately. I took a moment to marvel again at the handiwork, at the complexity of Meresin's craftsmanship. Vassago was still the oddest demon I had ever come across. I have created purposeful demons before, such as Baphomet, but never for the sake of making art. I created Baphomet to help me run the machine.

"Sachiel, why don't you bind this creature?" I suggested. But, it wasn't really a suggestion. Sachiel immediately stood up and began wrapping white cord around Vassago's wrists. It was a magical binding, preventing the demon from escaping, using his powers to defend himself, or summoning help.

"What's this? What's this all about? Rude, I tell you. Rude. As if I could do anything that would hurt you guys," Vassago snipped as Sachiel wound the cord tightly. "I don't think I recognize you," said Vassago thinly as he peered into Sachiel's face.

"He's a new member of the club," I offered as I leaned back in my office chair. "His name is Sachiel, not that it matters because he's soon to be lunch. You remember the last time we talked, Vassago?"

"Yes," said Vassago, his long, thin hands bound in front of him. He stood rigidly in the center of Sachiel's salt circle.

"So, I ask again. Where is Meresin? Where is he when he is not in the Void? The whole system is collapsing. You can't keep me from him."

"Why, so you can consume my master?" mocked Vassago. "You'll never get him. He will escape into the Void. You can't catch him."

"Your loyalty is pointless," I said as I stared down the demon from across my desk. I stood up to approach him, to take a closer look at him. "A stupid command you pretend to follow. No demon is loyal."

"I'm loyal," insisted Vassago as he stared back.

I stood before him and slapped the demon across the face. He reacted appropriately. A loud crack of flesh striking flesh filled the room. His face shot to the side and his bound hands swept to touch his pink cheek in surprise. It was a perfect mimicry of a human. Impressed, I slapped him again. Then again. I slapped his left cheek and then his right. Again and again I hit him for the sheer joy of it.

I like to create my flesh avatar with the weight and strength of a bull. I love to show off the size of my girth, the prowess of my greed. I wanted to hit Vassago with the true mass that I possess. I wanted it to hurt. I wanted to bring this demon to his knees. I just wanted to crush him. I wanted to break my brother's prized possession. I wanted him and his creature to know that in the end, I was the last to exist. Not Azazel, but me. When Azazel abdicated his throne and his duties as Satan, I knew it was me to wear the mantle.

Now I found myself beating the shit out of Meresin's personal pet demon. I took all my frustrations and fears and pummeled them into Vassago. I wasn't sure how or when Meresin became a threat to my throne in Hell, but he came up from behind like a dark horse. I was going to destroy him. I was going to wreck him, but his demon first. I threw punches at Vassago. My fist cracked across his skull and ribs. I could feel his information crush beneath the soles of my feet. I compressed him and every tendril of consciousness he had around the world.

I could feel Vassago's essence being squeezed. I could feel him--it, express pain. I had no remorse for a demon, even a very well made one. I fed off of its pain. I could even feel Vassago's essence begin to slip, like broken shards of glass slipping through my fingers. Then, I watched as Vassago's mouth open. Maybe to speak, but maybe to scream. His face twisted in a grim expression of pain and agony. I could make humans feel pain in Hell that felt more real, more acutely sharp than the pain felt in a body while alive. I unleashed that feeling and electrified it through Vassago's entire essence.

Vassago laughed. Instead of screeching, instead of spilling information that I wanted, the creature began to laugh. I slapped him again to stop him. It only made him bray more, like a stupid mule. It occurred to me that this type of torture meant for human souls was inappropriate. Demons may like pain. I had to stop once I realized it may be counter productive to torture him this way.

"Thanks, that was beginning to tickle a bit," said Vassago, wiping the blood from his face once I stopped.

Annoyed, I stepped away. I didn't want to show my displeasure, so I smiled brightly. It always brings me pleasure to torture a thing, but I learned it was deeply unsatisfying to torture a demon. I had to think of a new way to hurt him. I had to find something that stuck. I had to discover a new way to inflict pain. I peered over to Sachiel.

"Today's your lucky day," I said to Sachiel.

"Huh?" he asked, cluelessly.

"I said, today's your lucky day. You're in training, right? I need your help, Sachiel. You're a higher vibrational angel than I, since you're so new. Maybe... maybe you still have a little touch of God in you. Some holy water. I need him to hurt, Sachiel. I need to figure out how to make this demon feel pain."

"Oh? uh... so, help you... torture a demon? First time for everything, right?" said Sachiel uneasily.

"You boys going to send me to Heaven or what?" hollered Vassago.

"Silence!" I thundered, removing Vassago's mouth from his face. I didn't want to hear any more of his noise.

"Sachiel, invoke the name of the Creator on this pathetic creature. I want him to feel the ripping sorrow from being separated from God."

"I mean, I can try," Sachiel said as he apprehensively approached the demon. I smiled thinly, watching them. Sachiel did as I instructed him and began to pray. I could feel the air in the room change. Vassago, predictably, began to squirm. This time, he seemed afraid. This time was different.

Sachiel muttered vague words of the Creator's praise under his breath. I couldn't hear what he was saying exactly, as his prayer was unique to him. It almost sounded like the gentle singing of a lullaby. As Sachiel prayed over the demon, he reached out to rest his hands upon Vassago's face. The demon would have screeched in pain, but currently lacked a mouth. Finally, I found a way to torture a demon, I thought, and Sachiel was very effective at it.

Sachiel prayed words of healing upon Vassago. Steam began to ribbon out from Vassago's head, as if it burned him. Sachiel's hands burned a bright, searing white light. I could tell it was hurting him as I observed. Vassago twitched and trembled. But, it wasn't like the pain of a human soul. I didn't feel the radiating energy true agony. Sure, Vassago was writhing in pain, but it didn't really feel like he was fully experiencing it.

"Enough! I've had enough of this," I said as I wrenched Sachiel's hands away from the demon's forehead. "Something's missing, but I don't care. I'm bored now, Sachiel," I said as I eyed the scorch marks upon the demon's head. Vassago involuntarily twitched from head to toe. Impressive, but not impressive enough was my conclusion. "I'm going to devour him, Sachiel, and any secrets I find valuable will be mine that way," I said as I grabbed Vassago by the jaw and examined his mouthless face. "I can just overpower his objections. Demons don't have free will," I said as I let his face go. Vassago crumpled to the ground, trapped in the confines of the very small salt circle.

The demon violently shook his head with objection. With his mouth torn off, he couldn't argue with being eaten. I could feel his displeasure, but I knew I could simply override it with time. In the end, a demon is only loyal to being bad. No demon could be completely loyal to its creator forever. I wanted to take what was my brothers and make him mine.

"Ah--oh, ok!" Sachiel exclaimed awkwardly, stepping back as if to give me room.

I didn't need room. I was going to make this quick and easy. I was simply going to absorb Vassago into my inner essence and then discard what I didn't want. I wanted to break him down, rifle through all of his files and programs. I wanted all of Vassago's secrets and codes. I wanted to know the structures of how he was built. I wanted to deconstruct my brother's toy and figure out what made it tick. Why was this demon so different, I wondered? Now was the time to break him open and see.

I began pulling from inside the room. I could feel everything bend all around me, as if I increased the gravity on just my solar plexus. Everything, the furniture, Vassago, even the floors and the walls in the office began to curve towards me. I decided that I was just going to eat everything: Sachiel's tea, my desk, the lamp, even Sachiel. Screw it, I thought. What difference did it really make if I devoured him now or later? Feeling low, I just thought to absorb it all. I was going to eat everything around me within reach.

I could feel all the energy invading into me. It cascaded like a waterfall, refreshing and sweet. Eating was the only thing that could cool my burning soul. Experiencing new energy was the only distraction from my pain. For a moment, I could grow. For a moment, I was something new-- the closest I could get to God's creation. For a split second, I felt the odd, alien touches of Vassago and his creator.

The entire room felt pulled. I was the eye of a great hurricane. I pulled everything into my like a black hole. I was the center of the vortex, devouring everything with a massive grip of control. I was going to have it. I was going to have it all. Sachiel, Vassago, and my satisfaction. I was going to know all that they know and silence them forever in the depths of my consciousness.

It stopped. The suction of my vacuum abruptly halted. It was as if someone put a kink in the hose. If I had a throat I would have choked. It took me a moment to realize what happened. It took me even longer to perceive who or what had done it. I took for granted how small my brothers can sometimes be.

"I didn't expect you to show up," I taunted, looking down at the small, barely perceptible angel. He didn't look like anything. I barely recognized him as my own kind. I was amused and in awe at our wide range of appearances and personalities. For a moment, I almost thought of praising God at the sheer variation between my brothers and I. Meresin didn't look like an angel, a man, or a creature. He simply appeared with no warning or entrance. Just suddenly, a blob of black mist and ice filled the room and commanded me to stop consuming. "but I'm glad you did," I added with a cruel smile. "I'll have you, too, little brother."

Without saying a word to me, I watched as a black dot appeared behind Vassago. The black speck widened and grew until it became a large hole. Meresin opened a portal for Vassago to escape into. I could not stop him. In an instant, I watched as the demon I was about to consume leap into the Void. Sachiel stood and watched, being of no help, either. I never watched a creature so eagerly scramble into the Hell dimension of utter inescapable blackness and dark.

"Stealing my lunch, oh come now, little brother. Don't be so rude. We were just having a little fun, it was a game. A game I want you to play..." I said to Meresin, knowing I likely wasn't getting anywhere with him. It was worth a try, however.

I could feel Meresin detach, pull away. He didn't respond. I was just met with ice. I could tell he wasn't amused and intended to leave. I knew I had to stop him.

"Wait! Let me introduce you to our new fallen brother!" I cried out, hoping to catch Meresin before he vanished into the Void. "Look, there he is-- say hello, Sachiel-- whose name means the covering of God. He's a Sagittarius, I believe. I'm training him to be my assistant."

Meresin didn't say anything to me. I didn't even have the feeling that he was going to acknowledge me. I could feel Meresin stare past me and into Sachiel, as if studying him. It was hard to say what he was looking at, since Meresin didn't have a face or any eyes.

"Oh, uh, hello, mister Meresin-- brother. Yes, I am Sachiel and I am of the recently fallen, it seems. I could be the first! Er, not first of the fallen... but first in a long time, anyway. So, how're you? I am working for Adremelech, like he said. Just waiting to be eaten! Er, as I have agreed to it. He's calling it assistant-- but it really is more like lunch. I'm in training to be his lunch. Sorry about torturing your demon."

"I have pulled him away to where he is unreachable," Meresin replied in a hissing, cold whisper. "Neither you nor Adremelech will be putting a hand on Vassago again, directly or indirectly."

"Yes! Agreed! Heard!" exclaimed Sachiel nervously. "We won't be bothering it again. But-- ah, you know, since we got you here... We, that is, brother Adremelech and I, have heard that you were master of the Void??? Is that true?"

It was a stupid question. It was stupid because we just witnessed Meresin entering and exiting the Void. We just watched as he pulled his demon into the Void. We heard?? We heard he was the master of the Void??? I wanted to hit Sachiel. I wanted to hit Sachiel and consume Meresin and his stupid demon. Then have Sachiel as a nice, long, satisfying dessert.

Instead of answering, Meresin simply vanished. He opened a pin-point black dot into time and space. Then he morphed into the tiny hole, like ink slipping into water. It was anticlimactic and swift. Meresin and Vassago were gone without a trace, not even leaving behind the smallest crumb of energy residue.

"You Nimrod! You complete, total, bumbling failure!! I have half a mind of ripping your throat out and shitting down your neckhole!! You dare insult him when we wanted what he has!? Of course he is master of the Void-- why did you ask!!?? He thought you were a fool and thus he left! He likely thought we were attempting to trick him!!"

"What?? What was I supposed to do?? What was I supposed to ask him?? Please give me your secrets so that we might not die?? We can attempt again. I can attempt to talk to him again... What if we are more polite? Invite him to tea or..."

"No, no, why bother? That won't do..." I shook with rage. I thought of slapping Sachiel, or ramming my kneecap into his stomach. I thought of strangling him by the throat or sinking my teeth into his face. I thought of ripping his intestines through his soft, doughy belly.

"You know? He might have been less mad if we hadn't tortured his demon," offered Sachiel, thoughtfully.

"You think?!" I snarled.

"Yeah! Yeah... he likely was mad about that, you know? I would be. That was a nice piece of hardware, that demon. Of course, I don't really know since I've not made a demon myself-- that I know of. How do you make a demon, anyway?" asked Sachiel, blathering on like a child.

Instead of disemboweling him, I staved off my rage by making a decision to not bother with Meresin again. Even if everything was consumed by the Void, there would be an eventual confrontation. That confrontation, that inevitable conclusion, was going to be between Meresin and Azazel.

My winning bet was on Azazel. So, that meant that I needed to throw my hat into his ring. Confronting Meresin was a waste in energy, and a battle I could possibly lose. I needed to defeat Azazel if I wanted to live. I needed to eat him.