The Realm Read online

  Leonardo let out a chuckle. “You did more than survive, my boy. You killed a demon. And not just any demon. You killed Ashgog. In one swing, I might add.”

  Orion struggled to his feet and gave a nod. “You saw that?”

  “Of course. I can see everything that happens out there. Just because the fallen ones can’t see this sanctuary or into it doesn’t mean I can’t see out. I have windows to every piece of the Realm but one. Through those windows, I can observe anything.”

  Orion’s brow furrowed. “What’s with the one you can’t see?”

  Leonardo nodded, acknowledging the question. “That would be the window into their master’s abode. I cannot see what he is up to, what he’s planning, what he does in private.”

  “Lucifer?”

  Another nod. “Yes. His throne is protected by a power that I cannot overcome.”

  That raised a whole slew of questions. “If you can’t see in, how do you know where he is?”

  Leonardo snorted, his head rocking back for a second. “Because, my boy, he is the king of all evil. He cannot receive light because of his betrayal, and so light runs from him. Seek the point where it is darkest in the Realm, and you will find the source of all darkness.”

  Orion let the old man’s words sink in. He looked down at his saber. The blade had been stained with the blood of Ashgog, but now it was perfectly clean again.

  Leonardo noticed the confusion on Orion’s face and knew exactly what he was wondering. “The blade is forged from steel and the purest light. No demon’s blood will stain it for long before it is burned away. It is a light more powerful than any in the universe, the only light that can pierce into the heart of evil and exact justice upon those who have tortured mankind for so long.”

  Orion sighed and looked down at the sword. “I’m not out for justice, Leo.”

  “I know, young man. I understand perfectly what it is you’re seeking.”

  “You do, huh?”

  Leonardo reached behind his back and produced a sheath. It was trimmed in shiny silver along the top and bottom. Something was inscribed along the side, but it was a language Orion had never seen before. For all he knew, it could have been written in Elvish.

  “A scabbard for the sword?” Orion asked. “Thank you?”

  “You’re welcome. After all, you can’t very well walk around holding that thing all the time. You need to put it way now and then.”

  Orion nodded and slid the blade into its new home, then fixed it to his belt.

  “Although,” Leonardo said, raising a finger in the air to make a point, “those clothes don’t really look like something a warrior or a hunter would wear.”

  “What, you gonna magically conjure up some army fatigues or maybe some hunter camo? I gotta be honest, if you’re thinking of going with the orange hunting outfits, I’d just prefer to stay in my normal clothes.”

  The old man turned his head side to side and then twirled a finger in the air. Suddenly, Orion’s clothes were gone, replaced by something out of a fairy tale, one with a Renaissance theme.

  Where his shoes had covered his feet, now tall black leather boots came up above his calves and stopped just below his knees. A white-hooded robe with black trim hung over his head, concealing his eyes from the old man. The bottom of the robe clung to his torso but hung loose below the waist and was cut slightly on the side in a V shape to allow for easier leg movement. His belt was also gone. In its place, a wider black leather strap wrapped around his waist and joined over his abdomen with a silver buckle that looked more like a small version of a heavyweight championship belt. A matching leather shoulder guard slung over his right side to protect his sword arm, and the sheath now dangled next to his left leg.

  “Hey,” Orion said. “My clothes. What did you do with my clothes? I can’t go back to Earth dressed like this. People will think I’m crazy.”

  Leonardo arched one eyebrow. “Do you really care what people think?”

  Orion thought about it for a second. “No, not really. But I don’t want to get locked up in a loony bin either, or have a bunch of people staring at me. Not to mention all the idiots who think I’m in a show or something and want to get selfies. Last thing I want to do is draw attention. Also, I look like a freak.”

  The old man grinned. “First, you look like a demon hunter. These clothes have been waiting for you for thousands of years.”

  “Waiting for me?”

  Leonardo shook his head. “Still you don’t believe. So fascinating. Don’t they fit you perfectly?”

  “Well, yeah. I figured you made them that way. How did you do that?”

  “No, they were made for you, but not by me. I simply brought them out of the ether, the quantum that surrounds us. The design was by someone more powerful than me.”

  His eyes drifted skyward.

  “Oh.” Orion sounded humbled.

  “Those garments will disappear when you go back through the portal to your home dimension. They will reappear the moment you return here.”

  “What makes you think I’ll come back?”

  The old man’s face turned grim. A storm raged in his eyes, darkening the orbs once more. “You are the hunter. The man you were is gone now. You are no longer Blake Cunningham. You are Orion.”

  11

  When Orion stepped back through the portal, he didn’t know what to expect. Would he find the church as he’d left it with Steve standing in the basement? Would the world be on fire as a result of what he’d done in the Realm? Had the space-time continuum been altered? Perhaps the act of killing a demon opened a wormhole right in the middle of his home planet, destroying everything and everyone.

  A million other questions flashed through his mind as the red light swirled around him and he stepped forward out of the portal. The only way he would get any answers was to show up on the other side. Unless, of course, the wormhole thing happened. Then he would be stepping out into the vacuum of space, where he would die instantly.

  The second his foot touched the stone of the church basement, the light dissipated and returned to its eerie, swirling glow. Steve was still standing right where Blake, or Orion, had left him.

  Steve stared at him with a curious gaze. He gave a nod. “So?”

  Orion shook his head. “So? So?!” He heard his voice rising more than intended. “What do you mean, so?”

  “What did you think?”

  “What did I think?” He realized he was starting to copy everything the priest was saying. “You just sent me to hell, Steve. I don’t appreciate you pushing me into that thing. I could have been killed.”

  “Not while you have that ring on, you can’t. And besides, it’s not technically hell. It’s the Realm.”

  Orion’s head bobbed, displaying his irritation. “Yeah, I got that.” He strode across the room and brushed the priest as he stormed by.

  He put his hands on his hips and stared down at the floor for a long moment. Steve wasn’t sure what his guest was thinking about, and so he waited before he said anything.

  “It was dark there,” Orion said, finally. “The sky was red like blood. Light there is in a different hue.”

  “Because they chose to leave the light long ago.”

  Orion nodded.

  “So, you met him,” Steve said. “The old man.”

  “Yes.” Resignation filled Orion’s voice. “I met him.” He looked down at his clothes and realized that what the old man had said was true. His clothes were back to the ones he’d been wearing when Steve pushed him through the portal. “Leonardo.”

  “He told you his name?” Steve looked surprised. “He didn’t give me his name when I met him.”

  Orion shrugged like he didn’t care. “I need to get home,” he said. “How long was I in there?” He jerked a thumb back at the portal.

  Steve frowned. “In there? You were only gone a few seconds.”

  “A few seconds? That can’t be right.”

  “Time passes differently between the dimen
sions. At least, I think it does. What seems like hours in there might have only been a few seconds or minutes here in this plane.”

  “Did you just make that up right now?”

  Steve cocked his head to the side and nodded. “Yeah, but I mean, it makes sense. Over here, you were only gone ten seconds or so.”

  “But on the other side, I was there at least half an hour or more.” He paused a moment, but the expectant look on the priest’s face never changed.

  Steve was thirsting for more information about the Realm. “Did you…did you see any of them?”

  Orion walked over to the wall and leaned his shoulder against it. He stared down at the weapon in his hand, twisting it back and forth as if inspecting it. “Yeah, I saw one.”

  “You did?” Steve didn’t try to hide the excitement in his eyes or in his tone. “What were they like?”

  “He was…a beautiful creature. He looked tired, though, worn down. Leonardo said it’s from living so long away from the light. They’ve spent thousands of years leading mankind into the darkness, too, which probably serves to mar their appearance.”

  Steve’s face had gone pale. “I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it. You saw one. You really saw a fallen angel.” Then a grave realization hit him. “He…he didn’t see you, did he?”

  Orion snorted a laugh. “Yeah, he saw me.”

  “Oh. What…what happened?” He expected his guest to say he ran back into the portal or something along those lines.

  “What do you think happened? I killed him.”

  Steve’s wide-eyed wonder twisted into an incredulous glare. “Killed him? You…killed a fallen angel?”

  “You sound surprised. Isn’t that what you brought me here to do?” Poison dripped from the words.

  “Yeah, but…”

  “You didn’t think I would do it on my first trip in? Well, that makes two of us.” He stood up straight, the blade hanging low at his side. “Leonardo must have felt like a baptism by fire was the best course to take.”

  “He…he put you out there? Into the Realm?”

  Orion nodded.

  “Blake…I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t think he would do that. I thought maybe he would ease you into it, you know? Let you have a look around, maybe go through some training or something before he—”

  “My name isn’t Blake anymore.” He took a step toward the priest. A look of sheer focus was on his face; eyes narrow, jaw clenched. “I killed the demon Ashgog. Cut him in half.”

  “Ashgog?” Steve asked. “He’s…I think I’ve heard that name before. I’ll have to look it up, but that one sounds familiar.”

  Orion shrugged. “I don’t care. He’s dead now.”

  “What…what did you do with the body?”

  “I left it there on the street.”

  “On the street?” A new hint of concern crept into Steve’s voice.

  “Yeah.” Orion said with apathy.

  “Oh, no.” Steve paced around the confined room. “No, this is not good. If you left it there in the open, someone will find it. You should have hidden it, you know? Taken it somewhere safe.”

  “Oh, like a pond or a river or something? I didn’t have a trunk to stuff it into. And in the condition I left that corpse, it would have been a messy ride.”

  “Messy?”

  Orion gave a nod and flicked a glance at his weapon. Steve followed the look and then realized what he meant.

  “Oh, right.”

  “Besides,” Orion added, “I want them to find him. I want them to know what happened. I was scared at first, thrown for a loop by all of this, but I killed a demon, Steve. And if what you and Leonardo told me is true, they can’t hurt me while I have this ring on my finger.”

  Steve nodded. “How do you feel?”

  “Honestly? I feel good. Tired but good.” It was then he started to realize just how drained he felt. “I need to sit down.”

  “Sure. Let’s get you back up to my office. You can sit down there.”

  The two made their way up the secret stairwell, through the hidden door, and into the priest’s quarters. Steve helped Orion into the chair by his desk, where he leaned his head back and took a deep breath.

  “Here,” Steve said, reaching for a bottle of water on the edge of his desk. “Drink this.”

  Orion took it and swallowed a gulp. He gasped as the cool liquid rushed down his throat.

  The priest stared at him as he took another swig. “So, how’s the name change going?”

  “Blake is dead. In truth, he died long ago.”

  Steve knew the time his guest was referring to.

  “This little journey into the Realm only put the last shovel of dirt on that life. You wanted the hunter. Well, you got him.”

  Steve gave an understanding nod. “So…you’re going to go by Orion from now on?”

  “Yeah. Seems that way.”

  “Okay, Orion. We need to get you home so you can rest. It seems that the travel between dimensions has some kind of tiring effect on you. That means we’ll need to limit the amount of times you go back and forth.”

  Orion shook his head. “No, I’m going back in right away. I just need to swing by my house first to get a few things. Then we’ll come back, and I’ll go in again.”

  Steve’s face tightened into a concerned expression. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Bla…I mean, Orion. You need to take it easy, at least for a few hours. Get some rest.”

  Orion stood up, a look of determination written on his face. “No. I’m going home and then coming back. You can either take me or I’ll walk.”

  Steve sighed. “I guess there’s no chance you’ll take no for an answer?”

  His guest remained stoic.

  “Okay, fine,” Steve said with another exhale. “Let me get my keys.”

  12

  Steve steered the car out onto the street. Orion stared out the window, watching people on the sidewalk. A young couple was holding their child’s hand as the little boy swung back and forth, lifting his feet off the ground. It brought back a painful memory and the need for whiskey.

  Orion shook his head, focusing instead on the next cluster of people trudging along on the concrete.

  He wouldn’t have had this problem if Steve had simply let him drive home the night before. Or had never bothered him in the first place. The latter would have been preferable.

  Wouldn’t it?

  Twenty-four hours ago, he would have undoubtedly said yes. Back then, in ancient history, Blake—Orion—only wanted to be left alone at the bottom of a shot glass, ready to face a long and painful death at the methodical hands of alcohol.

  Now, though, things were different. His mind raced as the car passed buildings he’d been seeing for months since moving downtown. He’d never really thought about them before. They were just steel, concrete, brick, mortar, plumbing, electrical wiring, and glass. Nothing special. Except now, everything had a different meaning.

  He’d been given a second chance and with it a power unlike any human had ever touched before.

  Sure, he’d seen magic in the world. It was all over the place now. Maybe that was an exaggeration. Compared to the early part of his life, though, it was running rampant.

  Back then, when he was a child and up until he finished college, magic was still very much a myth, nothing more than rumor or legend. Now it had come fully out of the closet.

  It seemed like every day he was seeing something on his news stream about another prank, an accident, or some other occurrence related to the use of magic. He always laughed about it. What was the harm? Well, unless there was actual harm. If someone was hurt by magic or some kind of spell was used for ill intent, sure, maybe there needed to be some kind of regulation, but as of yet Orion hadn’t heard of anything like that. As far as he knew, the government was still investigating the possibilities of magic for practical uses in science and social circumstances.

  He’d considered it, on a few drunken occasions, as being a way
to cure diseases, end hunger, or help those who were disabled. With a flick of a wrist and a few whispered incantations, people’s problems could be solved. Or maybe Orion didn’t have a good grasp on how magic worked. It was entirely possible that none of those things could be accomplished with the use of a few simple spells. He wasn’t sure.

  He looked down at the ring on his finger. It had quickly become a part of him. At least it seemed that way. It felt as though it was embracing him, comforting him, like an old friend.

  They turned the last corner onto the street where Orion lived. Steve frowned as he looked ahead.

  “What’s all this?” he asked.

  Orion had been in a daze, mesmerized by the glowing ring on his finger. The ring’s glow suddenly disappeared and returned to its ordinary state, nothing more than a piece of silver metal.

  He looked up and out of the windshield. Immediately, he saw what Steve was talking about.

  Black SUVs lined the street on both sides. Men and women in matching suits and ties were standing around on the sidewalk, right in front of the entrance to Orion’s building. Two of them were interviewing one of his neighbors. He recognized the old woman from a few encounters he’d had in the last couple of months. It seemed like she was explaining something to the suits, although what that was he couldn’t guess. Her arms waved around as she jabbered.

  Something about the whole scenario stank in Orion’s mind. Who were all these people? FBI? CIA? NSA? Some other agency he didn’t know about? All Orion knew was that he didn’t have any desire to stop and chat.

  “Turn left on this side street here,” he said, pointing below the dash with his left index finger.

  “What? But your building is right there.” Steve glanced over his shoulder at his passenger, uncertain why he was suddenly spooked.

  “Do it, Steve. Do it now.”

  “Okay, okay. Take it easy.” Steve spun the wheel to the left and guided the car onto the side street. He nearly clipped a luxury sedan parked on the corner.

  Orion leaned up and glanced back in the side mirror. He kept his eyes glued to it until they neared the next intersection where the one-way street connected to Main. Old habits from his days working spec ops kicked in, instincts he hadn’t used in years. Back then, he was accustomed to watching for a tail, though never this close to his home. He maintained a low enough profile in all his clandestine activities to keep attention away from his personal life. Half a dozen fake identities with all the necessary paperwork and ID cards made it easy to throw off potential enemies.