Chapter 11

The Thunderbird roared down the highway with the high beams on. Sara glanced at her demonic companion in the passenger seat. "Why would someone take Dawn? I don't understand." She worried about her companion.

Ishtrath steepled his fingers. "Liam seems to think it might be a local religious group." His finger traced numbers in the air. Trails of light followed the patterns in the air. "I am not convinced he is correct."

"Why is that?"

"They'd have to be following us since Eureka Springs. Only four people could've made that call."

"You're talking about me, Liam, and Dawn, but who is the fourth?" Sara lit a smoke and drove with one hand. Her mind tried to think of who would want to harm Dawn.

"Thistle could've betrayed us, but nobody trusts an old occultist in the bible belt." Ishtrath lit a smoke with his finger. "I'll never understand why you humans enjoy these silly things." He inhaled the entire cigarette with a single puff. "Then again, I barely understand the things demons and angels do."

"Then the only possible explanation is the mystical?"

"I believe you're onto something there."

"You think the minions of Xorag work against us."

"Not necessarily. Every once in a while, another universe elder makes a play. They do it because of Daenerys and Xorags bickering." Ishtrath smiled as he grabbed another cigarette, "I see now. Your physiology start to crave this nonsense."

Sara rolled down the window and tossed her butt out, "Are we getting close? I feel like I'm taking you out on a romantic cruise."

"I have no reason to lead you astray." Ishtrath took his time with the second smoke. He raised it to his lips, "They are still on the move. There is a turn off to a gravel road. Take it."

The car rattled and shook as the tires hit gravel. "Are they at least slowing down?" Sara kept her eyes fixed on the country area.

"Yes, they are finally stopping," Ishtraths hand glowed, "I will deal with the miscreants. It'll take more power to handle more of Xorag's creatures."

Ishtraths tone of voice terrified Sara a little. "Is there another reason why?"

"I'm a demon. Like it or not, my source of sustenance is souls. Liam is a killing machine. The torture he endures because he refuses to accept what he is. It's ridiculous," Ishtrath said as he tossed the butt out the window.

"I think it's great he's trying to be a better person."

"For who?"

"What do you mean."

"Can you ask a tiger to stop being a tiger?"

"I never thought..."

"Of course, you didn't. You cling to the human in you like a life raft." Ishtrath pointed to a farmhouse in the distance. "You'll be surprised at how quickly people embrace their primal side." He pointed to a clump of bushes. "You'll want to stop here."

Sara pulled the vehicle out of sight, "Now what?"

"Get naked, and transform."

"We aren't going to kill anyone, are we?"

Ishtrath chuckled. "Oh, you'll see. I promise you what you witness tonight will change how you..." The demon laughed. "I see what's going on now. You are in for a rare treat."

***

The long grass rubbed against Sara's long fur while she crawled on all fours toward the grey wood farmhouse. All houses emit a slight smell of decay. Sara had become familiar enough to know it. Not a trace of it came from it.

"The house is magic isn't it?"

Ishtrath pointed to three silhouettes, "Not exactly. No matter what you do, don't go in the house." He grinned. "I'd tell you, but it's more fun to see your hamster run on the wheel."

What wasn't she seeing? What was different about this house? She raised her hand and opened the eldritch eye. "What the hell?" Sara's hand flew to her mouth. She lowered her arm.

"See something you didn't want to?" Istrath asked.

Sara raised her hand again. The entire area shone brighter than any star. Long lines attached to the short humanoids ran back to the wood structure. "The house is Like an angler fish, isn't it?"

"Except the bait has increased range," Ishtrath said. "We'll need some void flame to destroy it." he moved behind a stack of hay bales.

"How do we get some of that?"

"You'll breathe it."

"Like a dragon?"

"Yes."

"Am I even a wolf?" Sara asked. She wondered if she could breathe fire. "Is it going to hurt?"

Ishtrath rolled his eyes, "Sara, we need Dawn. Without her, we won't know where to go next. Whether it hurts or not, you will breathe fire. I am not going to die because you fear a slight throat tickle.

***

The humanoids tied Dawn to a stake in front of the house. Sara practiced her void flame. She managed to do it in two tries, but the pyre lacked power. The short goblin-like humanoids formed a line from the door to Dawn.

The door creaked open, Claws scraped against wood, and the hideous master of the house revealed himself. "What have you brought home for your master?" The sunken eyes had cruel joy in them. The jagged teeth flashed with a smile.

"Who are you?" Dawn managed to say.

"You can call me Mr. Angles." The three sets of eyes blinked on the misshapen head. You are of the Eldritch Aether. Do you know how long it's been since I had a proper meal? I'd move, but I have a sweet gig going," Mr. Angles gestured to the green goblin creatures around him. "One little encounter has everyone searching for these little extensions of myself."

"Oh, I get it. You were at the bottom of the food chain in the beyond. You couldn't take it. So you came here to establish dominance and failed to do so.'

Mr. Angles opened his mouth and revealed the rows and rows of lethal teeth that glinted in the silvery light. "I managed to get my hands on you, didn't I..." he turned toward the hay bales. "Did your friends come to save you? How brave. I'll eat them in the end."

Ishtrath smiled, "Isn't he self-important," he said. "I know how you will use the void flame. I will distract him while you get to work."

***

Sara hid behind a tree while Ishtrath walked straight toward Mr. Angle. "Oh, you picked a terrible disguise. These humans love to tear down old things and make new things. You can't kill with impunity either."

"I wouldn't expect a void walker to understand. You can't exist in this realm without a body. I see you picked one with a little extra power."

The goblin creatures slowly closed in on Ishtrath. With Sara right behind them. She opted to take them one by one. The first goblin stopped. Her claws gripped one from behind. She focused her energy, and a small jet of flame sizzled.

Mr. Angles sneered, "How are you doing this..." A window shattered

A tentacle extended from Sara's arm and slithered along the ground toward the next target. She gripped the goblin creature and relished holding its life in her hand.

"Stop," Mr. Angles begged. "I didn't mean to." A window shattered as Sara vanquished another goblin creature.

"You meant every action you took, bottom feeder. Now you will reap the results of your indulgent behavior," Dawn laughed while Ishtrath untied her.

Sara raised a fleshy extension of Mr. Angles. Her tentacle squeezed the goblin creature until its head bulged at the neck. She allowed tendrils of flame to crawl down her fangs. "What do you have to offer in return?"

Dawn allowed Ishtrath to pull her to safety, "I'd choose carefully. Sara is of the heritage. I can imagine she'd turn inside out if she wanted to."

"It's not Xorag trying to enter this plane of existence. It's the wicked Sister."