THE GHOST AND THE EARTHBOUND DEMONS

THE SMELL OF SULPHUR

Judas dragged his feet through the lonely church. Not that the church was deserted or Judas was alone, it was filled to the brim with demons. But the supernatural was unseen by Judas' human eyes. Judas has no reason to be here. Why here when he could get what he needs elsewhere? He can get it from a place that is not as scary as here. But then, something had been beckoning him to come here, and he wasn't the type who shied away from summoning. The echoes of his shoes made an eerie sound as he walked towards the end of the church. Judas was scared, not because of the eerie sound from his footsteps, but because of this strange and nauseating smell. He had been smelling it since he stepped inside. Like a mixture of sulfur and some unknown chemicals. Moments later, Judas' boldness leaves him and he feels like running out of there. If only his feet would obey the command from his brain. Coming here was a bad idea after all. But what's the point in going back since he was here? The best he should do is to get to work. Judas needs a human skull to complete an ongoing ritual. One of his clients had paid a fortune for the ritual and the spell that always followed, and Judas had promised to get them done tonight. In the whole of Eldo City, human skulls can only be found in two places. The city cemetery or this abandoned church. The cemetery was close by, less eerie and Judas had trusted watchmen who would give him skulls for a penny. His best option. But Judas disregards every common sense and then chooses to come here for no reason. Or maybe there was a reason.

Judas placed his hand on his chest and forced a grin. He wished his pulsating heart would remain calm. Vain wish. Nothing will calm him more than getting the hell out of here. But it wasn't like this before. This was once his heaven. Where he always finds his peace. Find his wa. Judas wondered what could have gone wrong.  

Suddenly, an insane sound was made as he lifted an iron up to expose the secret steps that lead into the tunnel. Down there, hundreds of skulls are buried in shallow graves, and most of these skulls belong to Judas's victims. People he had killed in cold blood. Poor souls. Yet, it wasn't his fault. He wasn't always like this. He was once a good guy. The churchy type. 

Judas took a last glance at the church's wooden door, seized his breath, and stepped down the steps, into the semi-dark underground. Moments later, light flooded the whole underground. It was the light from Judas torchlight. He removed a digger from the under of rotten planks and began his digging. 

Kaul was on his way to check on their human visitor when he met Ale. 

"Tell me about our August visitor?"

Ale bowed and responded in a steady voice. "He was seen entering into the church underground and was now digging up a skull."

"Did you find out anything else about him?"

"He was a strange man. Strange and filled with evil aura."

 Kaul offered a devilish smile. Luckily for him, this was the kind of human he needed. The more evil they are, the easier for them to be possessed. 

"What's your plan for him, Kaul-san?"

"I want to possess him. He will be my mortal body."

Ale nodded his head. It was a wise choice. He would have loved to possess Judas as well. If only to poke his brain and then see what's going on in his head. But since Kaul wanted him, Ale realized he had no chance. Kaul was his senior after all. 

"Should I bring him to you or do you want to go and meet him down there."

Kaul thought for a while." I will go and meet him...how about Shrek?"

"Still locked up in one of the underground cells. You may check on him while you are there."

Kaul shrugged. He had made up his mind not to check on Shrek until Lucifer decided his punishment. What's the point anyway? It will only get his blood boiling. 

Ale took a last bow and disappeared out of sight, and Kaul was seen floating towards the rear end of the church, through the iron door, and then down the steps that lead into the tunnel. He will be entering the human body after a long years of deprivation. Kaul was happy. Nothing makes a demon happier than the thought of possessing a human. 

The wet ground soon gave way under the force of Judas's digger, and some moment later, Judas dipped his hand into the dirty soil and scooped out a partly damaged skull. This will do, Judas thought as he arranged his prize into a sack. Suddenly, he felt a warm breeze on his face and his nose was then hit by an eerie smell. The smell of Sulphur. 

"I better get-." Judas paused his speech as 

something materializes in front of him. Even though it walked on his two legs, the monster in front of Judas is far from human. Its head looked like a bear's head with fangs, its eyes were red and glowing, and fire seemed to spurge from his extra-large nose as he inhaled and exhaled. 

"What the hell are you?"

No response.

"I bind you in the name -."

"Stop," the monster said in a quiet voice. "No need to get aggressive because we were both serving the same master."

"Which master are you talking about?"

"Lucifer-san," Kaul answered back and then placed a hairy hand on Judas's shoulder. "The dark lord needs you for something greater, Judas."

Judas opened his mouth to scream but his voice seemed to have deserted him. With opened jaw, Judas watched as the monsters flowed into him. He had only felt like this once in his lifetime. Exactly the way he felt when he stepped on an electric wire and got electrocuted. And just like the previous time, Judas staggered, fell, and fainted. He had merged with Kaul when he finally woke up.