seymoure

Chapter 40
“The Proposition”

It would be impossible to determine just how long the pause was between those words and any activity in the room.

It could have been as long as the dinosaurs walked the Earth, or as short as a gnat’s sneeze. However long it was it could not have been less comfortable.

“Damien Kane does not exist,” Vaskania said in slow, measured words.

“You, Baron, as well as anyone should know that my real name is of no use to you.” The smiling figure retorted.

“On the contrary,” Claus said, fighting to stand, “I would love to know your real name.”

“You think that once you know my real name you can use it against me,” Shot back the figure in the door, “But the rules of the magic in your domain do not tie me in mine.”

“But you’re here now,” Sanchez said, taking two challenging steps forward.

“Am I? Would I stand before the only ones I have not been able to destroy?”

“Perhaps you think yourself so powerful as to be invulnerable to out attack,” Vaskania offered.

“Or maybe you just want to gloat.” Claus sneered, "As all little minds are wont to do."

“Or maybe you just want us to understand you, and what a good thing you are trying to do for us,” Ethel Muntz said, with only the slightest hint of sarcasm in her voice.

“I don’t like her!” the Kane thing growled.

“Funny,” Claus said, “I like her more and more.”

“If this was a comic book you would be coming here to tell us your plan before you killed us all off. Or you would be here to challenge us to some kind of contest. Winner take all. We win you go back where you came from, you win we bow down and worship you.”

“Oooh, that’s much better than what I was going to do,” Kane said in tones so sweet as to send a glucometer off the chart. “I was going to turn the entire city against you and see how long you would survive. Since you, as the only ones who know at least something about what I am, are beyond my direct ability to destroy, someone else has to do it for me.”

“That was the test,” Harriett said, “In the hospital. When you couldn’t kill us directly, in a full frontal assault, you knew we were beyond your reach.”

“Harriett, I am so glad to meet you again,” He oozed, “You have such wonderful memories. I hope to share them again when you have surrendered your soul.”

“What makes you think,” Ethel said, stepping between the two, “That we will agree to anything you propose?”

“Look out the window,” He said with a sardonic grin ripping across his face.

Out the windows was a sight to make all of them pale. London was on fire. Not just a building, or a neighborhood, but everything. The Thames was on fire, the air was ablaze.

“Every capitol city in the world looks just like that. Every population hub around the globe is withering under the flames. I cannot hurt you, but I can make you very lonely.”

“Stop!” Muntz demanded.

Kane snapped his fingers.

Back out the windows there was no evidence that anything had ever burned.

“Like nothing ever happened,” The monster said, “But you know how I am master of fire. You know I can do as I say. If you choose to defy me, it will be at the peril of everyone else on this world.”

The group looked around at each other.

“The best that can happen for you is that you get rid of me and all the evil I have done will be undone.”

They looked at him.

“The worst for you, and best for me, is that you surrender after falling in contest, and leave the gates open for me to physically enter you plane.”

“I think,” he mused, “I’ll need a bride, since we ‘evil entities’ seem to do that. And I’ve taken quite a shine to Ms. Dante here. So you see, we have so much to look forward to.”

Sanchez stepped up to the creature.

“Alright, what is the task?”

“Oh, not for you, soldier boy,” He said as he brushed past Emilio, “Nor for the worldly Baron. I have three tasks and I’m going to throw them at your three weakest sisters.”

Harriett, Muntz and Claus stood together.

“And if any one of you fails, this world is mine.”