Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Alice often dreamt of the moment that she would be sacrificed. Originally, when she was told that she was going to be sacrificed to eventually bring about Nicolas Cage’s desire to take over the world, she wasn’t on board. She argued with her parents, rebelled as she often did. But then she saw it as an opportunity.

It was her sacrifice that was going to bring about an entirely new world order. Not many people could say that. She was going to be the face of sacrifice itself... the face of the brand new world. After she really started to think about it, she started to realize that she could shape the world. So, after discovering the whole, “She was going to be sacrificed” thing, she decided she would only do it if she could be Nicolas Cage’s personal assistant.

Using that, she helped him make certain choices. Not necessarily movie choices,  no nothing could change that. but choices nonetheless that she hoped would make him a wise leader. An important leader. One that would usher the human race into a new world, one filled with peace, an end to war... all those things that everyone wished for.

So when Nicolas Cage said that he wasn’t going to go through with it, of course she was furious. So much of her life wasted, a life that was built up to this very moment. She built up his life to this. How dare he change course now, this late when victory was at hand. That didn’t take away the shock when the Demon Jacob Whelan appeared right next to her and cut her down.

She wondered how long the fall would take. How would the fire feel? Would it be a regular burning, or would it be something more magical... something more spiritual? She closed her eyes, and accepted that this moment, she was going to be come a portal to another world. She closed her eyes as she felt the fire start to heat her back.

Then things felt different.  There was less fire, more metal. Hard Metal. And in her daydreaming of a world that came before, she could have sworn she heard a loud crash, smell of dust, and the spray of fiberglass, fake rocks, wood, and various other materials that Nicolas Cage had spared no expense in using to create the ritual cave, making his change of mind that much more infuriating.

“That was your plan?” Gabe yelled.

“Is that my car?” Nathara also yelled.

“It worked!” Mars said, holding the amulet.

“Mars!” Kaplan and Evie yelled at the same time.

“Where’s the fire?” Mars asked.

“What fire?” Kaplan responded.

“This purifying fire. The one with the sacrifice.”

“You parked over it,” Kaplan pointed.

Mars looked at the hood of his car, that contained a hurt, and very pissed off, bound woman glaring at him. He also realized that the car, which had just crashed through a wall, was now sitting above a fire. And getting hotter.

“I think we need to get out of the car,” Mars said.

“I agree.” Gabe said quickly. The three people bolted out of the car, waiting for it to explode. Everyone ducked and took cover, including the police officers that were now approaching through the gaping hole. Notable exceptions included the Demon Jacob Whelan, as well as Bennet who was loving watching all of the mayhem that was occurring, and mentally preparing her various acceptance speeches for all the awards this was going to get her.

“Are you getting this?” Bennet asked.

Marty, who didn’t get this far in his career without learning to nod at the right time, nodded. He was off the clock and stopped officially caring twenty minutes ago. The red light was on, he was happy.

After a few seconds, nothing happened. Mars and Kaplan lifted their heads.

“I supposed I could move the car before something happens,” Mars said.

“That might not be a bad thing,” Kaplan responded.

Mars never made it to the car, all at once it exploded in a glorious ball of fire, spraying purified fire all over the bar that had been made up to look like a cave. At that moment, it was pure chaos as cult members and party goers tried to make their way through the door or the newly acquired exit that Mars has provided with the now on fire car. Several things happened at once:

-Anyone not a demon or a cat was temporarily knocked over by the force of the explosion.

-Mars, not being a demon or a cat, was in fact knocked over and dropped the amulet unhelpfully not near any of the raging fires that were being spread by the exploding car. No, this fell on a realistic rocky outcropping, causing it to sway back and forth slightly, catching the attention of Jacob Whelan and one other creature in the bar/cave/ritual area.

-Kaplan, also not being a demon or a cat, was also knocked over and dropped his magic sword. He ended up falling a bit off the raised plateau he, Nathara, and Evie were standing on.

-Gabe and Raph were quite surprised to find themselves thrown very clear from the explosion, and on the ground.

-Several Cult Members that still believed in the cause despite Nicolas Cage’s recent announcement, decided to redouble their efforts. Notable among these were Poe, who was now on the same level as Kaplan, Elizabeth, who took the opportunity to stand next to Evie and threaten her with a knife, and a young Cult of Cage recruit named Yuri who is about to become very important, but not for a few minutes yet.

Jacob Whelan, seeing that the amulet was now on the ground and more concerned with surviving the night than he was with taking over the world, moved to grab the amulet. Hamlet, now less concerned about the world and more worried about the dangling shiny shiny decided it was time to use his kitten powers, and acted. Both demon and cat leapt for it at the same time, but the white furriness won out. Hamlet grabbed the amulet and started running for the exit to play with his new found prize.

“GET THE CAT!” Jacob Whelan shouted to no one in particular. No one was listening, they were either fleeing or too confused to do anything about it.

“Oh... I will,” came a familiar hiss. 

Mars and Kaplan looked up to see the Man in the Dark Hood standing, holding along knife. Long enough that it should be considered a sword, but he still insisted it was a knife.

His dark hood was replaced by a Blue Hoodie that was the only thing he could find when he was released from Prison by Jacob Whelan earlier when he was informed that he was no longer Nicolas Cage’s right hand man, but, as he was worried about Nicolas Cage’s commitment to taking over the world. They struck up a deal.

“It’s always good to bring backup!” Jacob Whelan roared.

Together, the demon and the man began trying to hunt the white cat through the chaos. 

“Mars, you alive?” Kaplan groaned slightly.

“No. Go away,” Mars replied.

“Hey, I’m going to take out the dude in the dark hood. You take out the demon,” Kaplan said, standing up and getting into action.

“Wait, why am I hunting the demon?”

“It’s your turn!” Kaplan said.

“How did it get to be my turn? I stopped the ritual.”

Kaplan shrugged, and went after the Man in the Dark Blue Hoodie.