Chapter Eight: The Belly of the Beast

By Richard LeBlanc

In one of the lower tunnels - deep beneath the Tremere chantry - the Setite assassin known as Calloway clung to the cavern roof as dozens of feral looking beasts scoured the place looking for the intruder that took the skeleton down.

Luckily for him - the beasts weren't overly bright and didn't look up. he remained perfectly still until he could not hear any trace of them. Once he was sure they were gone - he dropped down to the floor and had his weapon ready - in case he missed one.

But all was quiet.

"Something about this isn't adding up - this is too easy," Calloway muttered as he looked around and continued downward. As he did - he could feel a heat coming from the direction he was going - it was not a natural heat.

He looked over his shoulder to see if the monsters were heading back - or if the annoying ghost was still there - but after his experience with the skeleton - he figured that Luther opted for the - better part of valor.

Laughter - unholy laughter shattered the silence of the caves.

"Something hides in the darkness," a raspy voice hissed. Calloway spun around - studying the shadows for any sign of movement. "If you are looking for me - continue down the path," the voice echoed.

"So much for the element of surprise," he muttered in disgust. He gripped his daggers and stalked down the corridor with his back to the wall. The further he went - the hotter it got. He also noticed that it was starting to get brighter.

"I knew of your descent as soon as you passed through the gate. How you evaded the minions I sent confuses me. How you survived the skeletal warlord amazes me. The fact - that you believe - on some level - that you can stop me amuses me," the voice remarked.

"Well I aim to please," he rebutted. Along the floor he could see bodies of charred kindred that had made it that far. "Who are your friends?" Calloway pointed to the charred bodies.

"Them? They are no one of importance - they sought to stop me," the voice answered.

"Why - do I get the feeling that you don't have that planned for me?" Calloway asked.

"Because - your kind - amuses me," the voice stated.

"My kind?" Calloway asked as he pressed on forward. The temperature equaled that  of a baking sauna.

"So inquisitive - why do you walk so slow? You think I have some trap to deter you?" the voice asked. Calloway studied the section of tunnel before him. he could see raises tiles - holes in the walls and other such death causing devices.

"A sporting chap like you? Heaven's no," Calloway sarcastically retorted. Skillfully - he danced harmlessly through the trapped area without tripping a single one. "I'm just - a patient person. Opportunity comes - to those who can wait," he added.

"You are a clever one," the voice echoed. Calloway blinked - the voice didn't sound far away. He looked ahead and saw an unnatural light pulsating from the archway at the end. Slowly he stalked his way towards the arch. "Come on in. I have been expecting you," the voice invited.

The assassin cautiously stepped out from around the corner. His eyes widened - at what he saw.

Before him was a large chamber - flames danced along the walls of stone in an unnatural way. The floor was littered with corpses - some were of vampires and retainers - some were of the scholar's minions.

It was then that his eyes zeroed in on the man that was sitting upon a throne that seemed to be crafted out of still living bodies. The man was pale. His hair - long and dirty. His eyes - dark orbs of black. His face seemed old - magically aged to look more sinister - whereas his body was lean.

On the chest of the man on the living throne was a strange looking symbol - and around him - pulsed a powerful green magical aura.

"You have come a long way to die snake," the being before him hissed.

"You seem pretty sure about that," Calloway remarked.

"I have - no tolerance for your kind - not after what you fucking useless leeches cost me last time," the being remarked through gritted teeth. Calloway smiled and shook his head.

"Uhm - my kind? Don't you mean our?" he pointed out. The being before him laughed.

"Do not make me laugh vampire. This body is but an ends to a means," he rebutted.

"SO - what exactly did - my - kind cost you - if I may ask?" Calloway asked.

"Why should I tell you anything?" the being remarked.

"Oh come on. Every diabolically, insane, inbred, politically challenged, despotic tyrant from a broken home - is just dying to tell everyone how life fucked him over," Calloway sarcastically rebutted. The being before him quietly laughed.

"Why not? Information is useless in the seconds before the explosion of the inferno," the being said as he slowly rose to his feet. A pain stabbed at Calloway's head as the being looked at him. "Not so long ago - I entrusted - my fate to the hands of a cult of your kind. Long have I waited for them to open the portal to my home - to allow me to return here - to return home," the being stated.

"Let me hazard a guess - they fucked up?" Calloway asked.

"At every - available moment. The last failure - left a bad taste in my mouth. For it wasn't just the incompetence of my underlings that cost me everything - an insane fucking lunatic named Skamms thwarted my return," the being stated.

"So this is about you getting back at all vampires? How petty?" Calloway remarked.

"Your insolence - mirrors his. Since I found myself banished from my home - again!" the being said - his voice echoing off the flaming domed ceiling. "Since that night - I waited and planned. That was when I happened upon this one," he continued - motioning to his body. "He was troubled and easy to manipulate. The fool believed he was casting a ritual - that would trace the path of blood to the first among vampires," he mused.

"It wasn't that?" Calloway asked seriously.

"It was - and wasn't. you see - when Skamms banished me - I was trapped in this place - powerless as a spirit. I needed a body - that was when - I found this lad at an Elysium somewhere in Eco. I secretly slipped into his mind - fucked with his head - and made his nightmares worse," he said with an evil smile. "He became so driven that he opted to work in secret to perfect the ritual that would save the clan - the clan - that made the weapon - that destroyed me," he growled.

"That was why you chose him? You wanted to strike back at the Tremere first?" Calloway asked curiously. The being playfully clapped his hands together. "You need some serious help. You have issues," he added.

"Indeed - but imagine the irony - an anarch saved the city and his world with the aid of the recluse Tremere. Now - the Tremere will fall - and Skamms - I will hunt him down and make him pray that death takes him on a nightly basis. But - all of that is moot for now. Through that scholar's lovely research - I have most of the knowledge of all of the powers your miserable kind possess and how to deal with them accordingly," he mused.

"One thing escapes me," Calloway began as he inched closer. He stopped and looked over at the being. "The screams I heard?" he added.

"Hmm - that was the young scholar. His soul - is in - well for lack of a better word for it - hell. I needed his body far more than he did. But - that brings us - to where we are now little serpent," the being began as four inch wolf claws extended from his fingertips. "As you have some - means of surviving my spells - I guess I will have to put you down - the hard - unpleasant way," he mused. His other arm mutated into a spike formed of bone and flesh. "I can't kill Skamms - yet - as I need find the lunatic. For now - I will envision that you - are him," he concluded as he pounced.

Calloway drew his daggers and took on a defensive stance as the being descended towards him like a falling bird of prey. He rolled to the side as the being swung his spike arm at the vampire. Calloway looked over and saw how deep the bone and flesh had dug into solid stone.

"Playing hard to get? At least the lunatic had the balls to try to fight back," the being taunted. Calloway growled but stood his ground. If he tried to fight something like that - something that possessed so many kindred powers - possessed so much kindred knowledge of strengths and weaknesses - he would surely perish.

"Skamms had his style - I have mine. You say that boy was a lunatic? News flash freak show - I'm - not," he rebutted. The being quietly laughed. In the blink of an eye he seemed to vanish. Pain unlike anything he had ever felt stabbed at him as he found himself in an indent in the far wall. He fell to the floor and looked over at the being who had his blood dripping from his claws.

"As you say - I too - have a style - effective yes?" he mocked. Calloway forced himself up and concentrated on his deep claw induced wound. The wound was still there - it still hurt like hell - but at least it was bleeding. "Just so you know - I know of the war your kind is preparing for," he began. Calloway's eyes darted over at the being that was talking. "If it makes you feel any better - I will - put the elders down - only - I won't stop with one or two - all of them will die - even - your god," he added with a demonic smile.

If I fail - not only will I be failing Snake and the cause - I will be failing Set. Calloway thought as anger began to seethe within him. He clenched his teeth and forced himself from frenzy. That will not happen - I will not let this monster near my lord god Set. He thought. His eyes opened as he stood up. No longer could he feel the pain from his wounds. All he could see was the being before him.

"Got your second wind? By all means - bring it!" the being challenged. Calloway raced over towards the throne - hopped up and perched on the top of it and then spring-boarded his way up towards the flaming roof. "What the hell?" he muttered as Calloway spun around - looking like a sinister snakelike shadow before the flames. It was then that the assassin began to fall towards him. what puzzled him was that the assassin tosses his daggers aside - wanting to fight him with his bare hands.

"In the name of lord god Set! I will  - put - you down!" Calloway screamed. The being laughed as it thrust his claw like fingers upwards towards the assassin. He laughed at how the assassin sought to block the attack with a balled up fist. Calloway screamed out as he felt his enemies claws - pierce through his hand.

"Where is your god now?" the being mocked. As he held the assassin up. Calloway looked down and began to laugh an insane laugh. "What is so funny?" he demanded. The assassin reached over and grabbed him by the ear pulling him close.

"You fucking lose," he hissed. The being was going to deny it - but could feel pain stabbing at him. he threw the bloody assassin aside and looked at his hand - one of the fingers was a pulsating ring.

"What is this?" the being demanded.

"Something that is fucking the spell that is binding you to that body. Take a nap now," the assassin mocked. He smiled wickedly as the being desperately tried to get the ring off - but nothing worked.

"No! It can not happen! It can not - happen - again..." it gasped. Staggered then fell face first to the rocky floor. Calloway staggered up to his feet and healed his hand as best he could. He walked over and kicked the unmoving body over. The face had been restored - but what puzzled him - was the fact that the mark that was on his chest - was pulsating.

Hesitantly the assassin knelt down and placed his hand on the mark. Violent images flashed before his eyes. He could see a daemon screaming and trying to free itself. He pulled his hand away.

"He wanted a body - looks like he got one," Calloway muttered. "At least I know now why he wanted this matter dealt with," he muttered. He slowly got up and slumped the unmoving Tremere body over his shoulder.

At that moment - by the warded door - the regent blinked.

"Problem sire?" one of the elders asked.

"Something - has changed," the regent began. "Lower the door - do it now," he ordered. The magical door faded away showing the carnage on the other side. They looked at the twitching bodies of the beasts that had been trying to bust free - now - all of them seemed to be dying.

"What? How?" one of the council asked. It was then that one looked up and saw a lone figure making his way towards them. "Someone is coming!" he cried out. Instantly the Tremere readied themselves for the worst. The regent smiled and shook his head when he saw that the person returning - was Calloway.

"I'll be damned - the fool assassin did it," he muttered.

"The fool assassin - needs to say a few things. And he needs - for those present to listen," Calloway stated. The pain from his wounds called to him - but he did not answer.

"What is on your mind?" the regent asked.

"You have no idea - what your boy almost did - do you?" Calloway asked.

"He traced," the regent began.

"He was possessed by a fucking daemon," Calloway interrupted. "That ritual - he was working on - is tainted. Try to use it - you will regret it," he added. The regent quietly laughed as did the others.

"We are being taught lessons of magic from an assassin," he mocked.

"Laugh it up big boy," the assassin began as he slumped the body of the scholar and held it up. "See the throbbing glyph on the boy's chest? It is a magical prison of sorts. The key that is binding it - is that funky ring. Touch the mark," he stated seriously. The regent shook his head - walked over and placed his hand on the mark. His eyes spaced out for a few seconds as he jerked his hand away.

"What did you see?' one of the others hesitantly asked.

"The daemon - the one that the Baali tried to free a short while ago - it is trapped in his body," the regent remarked.

"Not laughing now are you? Fuck around with the ritual - play with it - and maybe - he will break free and do to another what he did to him. The boy opened Pandora's box - and he let loose a beast that wanted vengeance against your clan. That thing trapped in him - wants all of you boys dead. Think about that," Calloway stated as he dropped the body of the vampire and took a deep breath - then sighed. "Now - as to payment," he began.

"What makes you think we will pay anything? What makes you think you will leave this place alive - or - without divulging all your secrets?" the regent challenged. Calloway looked over and saw that the other Tremere were ready to pounce.

"You want to play it that way?" Calloway began as he reached in a pocket and pulled out the note that had the mission on it. "There was a little note on the back. I was supposed to show it to you after the job was done - to help - you keep things in perspective. I couldn't understand a word of it as it seems to be in some kind of code - but read," he rebutted as he pushed the note towards the regent.

The Tremere snatched it away from the assassin and waved a hand over the note. Magically - the marks began to change into words.

"What does it say?' one of the elders asked. The regent's eyes widened as his hands began to shake. He crumpled the note in his fist and then glared at the assassin.

"What - do you want - you filthy fucking bastard?" he said through gritted teeth.

"A few things - one - I want to leave here - unmolested. Two - should something come up politically - I want you people in my corner. When I say that - I mean whenever. Three - hell - there isn't anything else. Do this - I keep quiet - everyone's happy," Calloway rationalized.

"Send word to Palaseen - so long as - this incident - remains sealed - he is to have political backing - only - from clan Tremere. If this leaks out," the regent began.

"None of us wants that. If anyone asks - and I am sure that they will - some rogue spell backfired and you needed serious help cleaning it up," Calloway rationalized as he walked around the seething regent. "Am I free to go?" he asked.

"Go," the regent growled. Calloway smiled - bowed and then walked away - vanishing around the corner.

"What was on that note?" one of the elders asked.

"Snake - his master - knew what was going on here and threatened to expose the clan publicly should anything happen to Calloway at Tremere hands," the regent stated. The others knew that there was more to the veiled threat that was on the paper that was now burning in the regent's hands. But all of them knew better than to question him. "Have his body shipped to Vienna. Warn them of what sleeps within him and tell them to burn all traces of that ritual," he added.

"All traces?" one of them repeated.

"The ritual was tainted. The daemon used him to free himself and possess him. for all we know - that ritual could do the same to whoever tries it," the regent explained.

"It shall be done sire," one of the council stated as the body was taken away.

"What shall we do about Calloway?" one of the elders asked.

"Nothing - yet. He is an arrogant man - and he will anger the wrong person. And that person will take him down in a manner befitting - and I will smile again on that day," he replied.

"What do we do now?' he asked.

"Now - we clean up this mess - heal our wounded - and regain our strength. If the other clans learn how weak we are now - it will cost us much," he replied. The elder nodded to him and then hurried away - leaving the regent alone. "You wish to play games with me Snake? So be it," he hissed as he walked towards the inner sanctum where the daemon had tried to escape from.

The End?