Chapter CLXVIII: Your Own Worst Enemy ~Multehx

C.R. moved from the tunnel leading to the chamber they had just been in. He supported a badly diced and heavily bleeding Multehx on his shoulder. He made his way down a conjoining hall, around many twists and turns. Finally, he spotted a lone Twilighter in a guard’s uniform standing in front of a cavern entrance with dual stone doors.

He made his way up, saying as he helped Multehx, “Move aside, we have a man who desperately needs entry.”

The guard began to protest. “Surely you can take him to the clinic and th-“

C.R. shot him a glare. “There’s no time for that! We’ll loose him if we have to wait that long! We need entrance NOW!”

But the guard didn’t move. Instead, he paled and pointed a trembling finger at C.R.. “You...y-you’re-“

“I know damn well who I am, thank you, and I am whom you think, now are you going to let us through or do I pull rank?”

The guard shakily nodded and stepped aside. C.R. shifted the agent on his shoulder and dragged him into the room, forcing the doors open with his back.

Multehx could hear the sound of water trickling, and it appeared they were heading towards a stone pool no larger than a bathtub. There was a drain in the bottom, and a small stream of the liquid that made up its contents steadily trickled into it. Oddly, the substance appeared thin like water, but too black to see the bottom save the drain, which must have been a very vibrant shade of white to show.

C.R. sat him on the side, removing his cloak and shirt.

“The waters of Corruption, flows from the chamber of the Sepalaris. They seem to stop when it’s away, but luckily we returned it after that Zolott affair, or they wouldn’t be here now when we need them. Some say it might even be the essence of Whyr-Rhoh-Tin himself,” he said as he got the clothes off and started to remove Tehx’s boots. “The waters have remarkable healing powers to any dark being, but they can be so dark in energy bestowed that they usually corrupt, overpower, then kill those who bask in them, or consume them with unbelievable dark power.” He frowned. “Havering would trade his helmet to take a dip in them.” He shrugged, setting the boots aside and working on all but the agent’s boxer shorts. “But this is an exception. Why you ask? Well, I have a very nice rank among our kind. Also, I think this will work well with you because...well, you have some strange power that seems to be around you when you need it. The amount of this power just tends to make me certain that no harm will come to you from this.”

Saying that, he sat the black pants aside and sat Multehx in the waters, resting his head on the top wall of the tub. He instantly relaxed his breathing and C.R. stood up, fixing his bowtie.

“I suppose I must make a report as to where I’ve been,” he muttered as he turned and headed towards the doors.

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“Simply astounding,” remarked the demon monarch as he sat on his throne at the head of the assembled council of demons.

C.R. stood in the center of their “U”-shaped table.

He nodded. “It is as I have said, your majesty.”

The monarch nodded. “As I believed. You have never lied to me in your ten years as an advisor, and I do not believe you lie now, Chronalactagatalus-“

“Please,” C.R. said, waving his hand, “Call me ‘C.R.’, it’s what people have been doing since my absence, and I find it easier.”

The monarch nodded again. “Alright, C.R.. If that is what you wish.” The regal demon was still for a moment, then peered at the Rip Watcher. “But, I must ask, where are the accursed Havering and this team of yours now?”

“Xel’neh-Mi, to revive one of their fallen companions. He was quite crucial on the campaign against Havering on Zolott.”

The monarch rubbed his chin and frowned. “If he was so influential against Havering, why do you feel he is co-operating there with them now?”

C.R. frowned and shook his head. “Truthfully, I do not know. I suspect he’s not with them without an alternative motive.”

The demon ruler nodded and asked another question that came to mind. “You’ll have to excuse me, old age does play tricks on the mind, what task did you say you were leading these beings in again?”

“Oh, the collection of the Creation Weapons, and destruction of the Creation’s Weapon.”

“Right, right, to stop some multiversal threat you say you still don’t know the identity of them yet, and prevent the revival of Havering.”

One of the demons at the table cleared his throat to get it noticed that he wished for the floor.

“Yes, Lord Malachai?” the monarch asked, looking at him.

The aged Twilighter stood, looking at C.R.. “I do wish to note, that every minute, these fiends must be at large, acquiring more and more of the desired weapons every minute. In fact, I wouldn’t be dubious if they acquired a small militia of the weapons thus far, and seeing as how when destroyed they leave a magik residue, these rapscallions must be a thousand upon a thousand times stronger than a human man.”

He glanced at C.R.. It seemed casual enough, but C.R. could make out the hint of a smug look in Malachai’s eyes. The demon returned to his seat.

The monarch turned his attention back to C.R. “Hmm, Lord Malachai raises an interesting point, I do suggest, as soon as this gentleman you’ve brought, Mr. Multehx, does heal, that you two return to the others and mount an expedition to find out the identity of this threat, and launch an offensive upon them.”

C.R. nodded, shooting a glance back at Malachai. “Yes, my liege, I shall.”

“Good. And upon completion, you are to return to your new post as ‘Rip Watcher’, as I’m certain it’s a necessary position and that these ‘forces that be’ hold better judgment in what’s best for all creation than I could even hope to.”

C.R. smiled and nodded. “Gladly, my king.”

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C.R. pushed the stone doors open and walked back into the chamber where he left Multehx. The demon was still sitting in the waters, and his cuts and wounds had apparently healed and closed, save the scar over his eye.

As I feared, the darkness of the Noch Thlat was too great for even the waters of corruption to over power. He’ll probably bear that mark for all of eternity.

But C.R. quickly sensed something was wrong. He didn’t know what, but he could...feel a chilling premonition.

“Tehx?” he cautiously asked.

Multehx, eyes still closed, just began to chuckle in a deep voice. Eyes still closed, he rested an arm on a side of the tub.

“Hmmm hmm hmmm....it’s funny in the long run, you know?”

“What is?”

Multehx chuckled again. “This...‘quest’ we are on. To collect the weapons to prevent the Council’s assent to power. I’ve been thinking, and I have a few alterations in plans.”

C.R. frowned, feeling a chill in his spine for some reason. Multehx responded in the same cool, casual tone, “I don’t feel it enough to aquire the Weapons to stop them. I feel we should do more.”

“Do more...how so?”

Multehx opened his eyes, smiling cruelly. “I shall gain the Weapons, then take their power myself. There truly shall be no power in heaven nor hell that could stand against me. I’ll topple the Council like toothpicks!”

He began to laugh evilly as C.R. slightly drew back, clenching his teeth in fear.

The waters must have affected him, darkening his soul too much as well as healing him. Is he...lost to us? The Rip Watcher shook his head rapidly. No! I believe in that power I felt in him. He’s got to be saveable; I believe in it!”

With that, he drew back his hand and said angrily, “Multehx, wake UP!!”

His hand crashed against the agent’s face, HARD. Multehx’s eyes fell closed and he fell limp back into the tub.

C.R. put a pair of fingers on his neck and sighed with relief. “Still alive, just unconscious.” He slowly got up. “He could slip down further, but he’s in no danger of drowning; Twilighters don’t breathe, after all.”

C.R. headed for the doors. The wounds have healed, but his muscles are probably still not halfway healed. He’ll need more time/ He looked at the ceiling and shook his head. Time...we always need more time. I’ve never believed in anything but the forces that be, but, God help us get through this all.