The Deal by David Gallie Page A

or what to look out
for.
    This better not be a setup ! I thought to myself as I
plunged into the darkness.
    I must have walked for about five minutes
before the passage came to an abrupt end. Using the scroll like a
torch I held it up towards the ceiling. Relief washed over me when
I spotted the outline of another trap door.
    Unsure of what to expect, I
reached up and pulled on the iron ring. After a couple of tugs, the heavy wooden door swung downwards and slammed against the
wall. Glancing up through the opening it left behind I could see
a cathedral-like interior brightly lit
with torches.
    Tucking the scroll between the waistbands of
my jeans, I reached up and grabbed hold of what felt like a cold,
concrete floor. I was about to try and climb up when another pair
of hands gloved in black leather, wrapped around both of my wrists
and suddenly I was being pulled up and into the
monastery.
     
    The monk took a step back as he let go of my
wrists. We stood between two massive pillars while other monks sat
on the pews silently praying to their dark master.
    Feeling a little breathless I pulled the
scroll out from my waistband and handed it over to the monk. He
looked hesitant as he reached out and took the sacred parchment
from my grasp.
    ‘ Thank you, Samuel. Both I
and my brothers are eternally grateful for what you have done for
us. Returning the scroll will help keep the balance within the
realms.’ There seemed to be a hint of sadness in the monks’ voice,
almost as if he didn’t want me to give him the scroll
back.
    ‘ I have a feeling I’m going to be
seeing more of you as time goes on.’ I said, not fully
understanding why I got that sensation. ‘So you might as well tell
me your name.’
    There was a moment of silence like he had to try and remember what his name was.
    ‘ Pertilius .’ He said eventually, and as
he did so he produced something in his free hand.
    I watched as he opened his palm to reveal a
small piece of gold which had been shaped to look like several
flames bunched together.
    ‘ What’s this?’ I asked, a little
uncertain that I would want to know the answer.
    ‘ This is what the thief stole from
the church. It is the soul of Beelzebub. The first true ruler of
Hell and the creator of all things dark. Please take it.’ He said,
pushing his open palm forward.
    I was hesitant to deal with
another mystical artefact, especially considering it was me who had
butchered the thief to get it back. However as Pertilius pushed
it towards me my right hand started to tingle and I noticed that
the gold band on my finger was glowing brightly.
    That glow turned to a bright light
as I reached out
to take the ornate piece of gold and as
soon as my fingers encased it I felt a sudden surge of energy
unlike any I had ever felt before.
    I quickly uncurled my fingers to see the gold
piece was bubbling and melting into my skin. Seconds later I could
see gold rushing through my raised veins. My head felt like a ball
of fire as I dropped to my knees and I could feel something strange
happening to my skin.
    When I looked at my wrists I could
see those same strange symbols on Pertilius’s robe engrave
themselves in gold around my wrists, and I could feel the same
thing happening to my forehead.
    With his free hand, the big monk
helped me back up to my feet. The ball of fire in my head was
slowly easing off to a gentle flame and with a shaking hand, I traced the strange symbols which had now been permanently
etched into my forehead.
    ‘ What the Hell just happened to
me?’ I asked, feeling shaky. My vision was a little blurred but I
could see that the monks out in the pews remained unmoved by
me.
    ‘ You are now protected by the soul
of Beelzebub. Your soul can longer be used as a prize by any demon
including our lord.’ Pertilius remained in the same spot, the
faceless darkness of his hood was the closest I was going to get to
looking him in the eyes.
    ‘ You mean the deal is now
worthless?’ I probably