Karishi, dressed all dark armor with a long black cape and a spectral facemask and intentionally looking very much like a denizen of the underworld himself, replied to the inquiry. “I have been doing quite a bit of research with various known mystic resources over the last forty-eight hours. My questions were very focused on how one might exactly travel to such place.”

“If such a place exists,” the red, black and yellow garbed Black Star said, his arms crossed over his chest signifying the latest team recruiter’s skepticism.

“Aye, it doth exist,” the large muscular figure with a black ponytail said sitting next to him. Magni sat in a special chair, designed to support his taller size and bulkier physique. “Might we try to pass through the realm of the dead governed by Hel? That tis assuming that she doth not share the same mysterious disappearance as the rest of the Aesir.” His expression changed slightly as, for a moment, he felt some sadness over the loss of his family and people. Ever the warrior, he pushed his personal feelings back inside. A warrior shant show signs of weakness, he thought to himself.

“I had not considered that,” Karishi said. “It is a good suggestion.”

“So, what options have you considered?” asked the completely gray clad Phaedrus.

“I contacted Dr. Arcane first,” Karishi continued. “As one of the oldest known mystic heroes, he has since retired. Unfortunately, he had little to offer. He seemed almost annoyed by my inquiries.

“Next, I sought to consult with Mystifier of the Protectors. However, the older woman I spoke to at his Greenwich Village dwelling informed me that he was not reachable and did not know when he might return. She did advise though that the denizens of the underworld can be crafty sorts and it was best to keep my wits about me when dealing with them.

“Finally, I spoke with a group known as the Circle. Their combined mystical resources only knew of a one-way travel spell to reach Hell. They say there is an abundance of mystic energy in the realm that makes pulling someone back from there highly unpredictable.”

“Right,” the gray costumed Jolly Roger with the skull-and-crossbones emblem on his chest nodded. “Never know what kind of nasty beasties one might pull back from the depths instead.”

“So, again I must ask,” the sole female in the room chimed in, “why are you even talking about going to Hell anyway?”

“I have personal reasons,” Karishi said solemnly.

“Care to share them, mate?” Jolly Roger asked

“Not really,” Karishi replied shortly.

Phaedrus, who had known the mysterious hero only slightly longer than the others, said “I think the guys would like to have a reason why before they agree to take on the risk of this quest with you.”

“I have not asked any of you to go,” Karishi said. “I will bare the risk alone if I must.” He looked about the table. Most of the team wore full face masks which made their expressions hard to read. He easily could have used his mental abilities to read their moods but felt that would be a violation of their trust.

“Whatever the quest, know that you have the might of Magni by your side,” the Norse god announced.

Karishi nodded. “Thank you, my friend.” He appreciated the unquestioning loyalty of the warrior god. Still, he felt something nagging at him. The others deserved to at least know something of his mission. “Okay,” he finally said, “part of my reason for this dangerous trip is to speak with a demon named Tseraphh. He was instrumental in the creation of the Sword of Seimei.”

“The same sword we ran off to Hawaii to try to stop that Kirchoff fellow from obtaining?” Jolly Roger asked.

“The same,” Karishi said.

“What’s the other part of the reason for going?” Phaedrus asked.

“I was pondering our recent failed attempt to stop Mechanon from kidnapping Chu Nakatari,” Karishi said. “If this Tseraphh is indeed as powerful as all my years of research have suggested, it might be possible for us to have the murdered CEO resurrected. It is that reason that there is some urgency to this trip.”

“I know not of this demon of which you speak,” Magni said, “but if we were able to find Hel surely she would be able to restore the recently dead. She has done so in the past.”

“Count me out,” Jolly Roger said. “While I felt bad that the guy was killed on our watch, I still think his hands were dirty with Yakuza spilled blood.”

“My sense of justice says that if the man can be saved and put to trial then I’m willing to bring him to justice,” Phaedrus countered. “I’m in.”

“Me too,” Black Star said. “I’m not saying I necessarily believe in Hell, but then again I’ve seen a lot of strange things in my lifetime. I’m willing to see a little more.”

Silent Knight began to sign. Julie frowned at him. “You just got out of the hospital,” she said. “Those wounds from the Ocelot are still fresh.”

“I have to agree with Julie,” Phaedrus said. “I don’t want to risk you opening those up again. Besides, we need to keep a founder here, just in case.”

The Knight signed his reluctant agreement.

“Tis settled then,” Magni said. “Our party tis assembled.”

“But we still have a problem,” Phaedrus said. “How do we get there?”

Julie’s eyes suddenly blinked as if recalling something. “Karishi, I forgot to mention that something came for you today.” She got up from the table, ran out to her desk in the front foyer and returned with a small package addressed to the hero.

Karishi saw no return address on the package though the postmark was local. He tore off the brown paper wrapping to reveal a small, nondescript box. Inside was an ancient looking coin wrapped in tissue paper. He turned the coin over. The writing on it was in some unknown characters and symbols. “Strange,” he said. “Anyone familiar with this?” They passed the coin about the table with each hero looking at it for a few moments. None had an answer.

“What’s that on the paper?” Julie asked.

Karishi held the paper up to the light. Faintly written into parchment was a single sentence. “Flip the coin and we shall be able to strike a bargain,” he read aloud.

Phaedrus was the last to have the coin. He handed it to his teammate. “It was addressed to you,” he said. “I think that message was meant for you too.”

“Shall we do it here?” Magni asked.

“Give the rest of us time to clear out,” Jolly Roger interjected, “just in case.” He got up from the table, followed by Silent Knight and the team’s secretary.

The remaining team members gathered around Karishi as he held the coin. “Let’s do this,” he said. He flipped the coin into the air, the disk whirling with great speed. As it fell again, Karishi caught it in his right hand. He felt an instant burning sensation even through the material of his glove. He let out a slight yelp in pain. Looking down at the coin in his palm, the indecipherable characters now clearly showed In Tseraphh We Trust.

The quartet vanished in a burst of light.

***

The four stood on a small, covered rock outcropping at one end of a valley that appeared to stretch on as far as the eye could see in either direction. Jagged rocks covered the steep walls and were devoid of any signs of vegetation or life in general. The sky beyond had a reddish-black tint to it. The air was stale, thick and humid.

“Hmmm,” Black Star said. “No stranger than some of the alien worlds I’ve been too.”

“Same here,” Phaedrus said. “We could be just about anywhere. There is no way to tell if that coin was the real deal or not.”

“It was,” Karishi said as he gripped his right hand. It continued to sting which concerned him greatly. He expected his regenerative abilities to help soothe the pain, but they were unable to do so. There were great mystical energies at work here.

“So, where to now?” asked Black Star.

Karishi held up the coin and turned slowly, hoping it would give him a sign. He felt a slight tug when he pointed it to the south. “There, out into the valley,” he said.

“Then let us go!” Magni said, launching himself into the air with his powerful legs before any of his teammates could protest. Once into the air and away from the protection of the outcrop, a barrage of spears hurled from the shadows of the rocky walls met the young god. Despite their primitive appearance with narrow shafts and crudely shaped tips, the weapons were able to sting his powerful form. “By Odin’s beard!”

Instinctively, Magni pulled forth the mace that hung from his belt and began to swat away the projectiles as they approached. At first, he was able to smash them down as they came, but the number of them increased exponentially the longer he remained an easy target. They came like a swarm of angry insects protecting their hive. Still, disregarding any of the spears that connected, he fought on until he heard a call from below.

“Magni, come back here!” Phaedrus yelled out from the shelter.

After another moment of futility, the young god dropped back and rejoined his comrades.

As soon as he did, the launched attacks subsided and then stopped entirely.

“It seems like we’re not welcome here,” Black Star said.

“Aye,” Magni agreed. He rubbed his bare upper arms which were speckled with red pinpoints where some spears had struck him. “T’would seem that way indeed.”

“Perhaps we can take cover along the rocky walls,” Karishi suggested. “It would be slower going but still…” He started to reach out to touch them but had his hand pulled back by one of his teammates.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Phaedrus said. “My enhanced senses can tell those rocky walls are radiating an incredible amount of heat. We wouldn’t make it far without suffering some serious burns.”

“So, someone is testing us,” Black Star concluded.

“Even when you’ve got a coin, demons don’t want to make it too easy for us to travel across Hell,” Phaedrus suggested. “They have to keep out the riff-raff somehow.”

“We have to cross the valley,” Karishi said firmly.

“Then let’s give them more targets,” Black Star said. “Work together towards the common goal.”

Phaedrus nodded in agreement. “I have an idea…”

***

On cue, the four heroes decided to make a bee-line to a cave across the way.

“Let’s go!” Karishi yelled before transforming into his bat form.

“By the Gods, grant me speed!” Magni proclaimed as a ring on his hand flashes with power. Feeling the energy course through him, he turned to grab Phaedrus before taking to the air.

“Right behind you!” Black Star called as his finishes carving away a piece of the stone outcrop with his energy blasts. He then picked up the stone to use as a protective shield as he too flew after his teammates.

The spears began to fly once more from many directions.

Presenting a smaller target, the bat managed to avoid being hit by over two dozen projectiles; Karishi landed inside the cave unscathed. Beneath his full-face mask, he smiled proudly at his accomplishment. “Come on, guys! You can do it!” He then winced when one spear wings Phaedrus in the shoulder. Following the source, he saw the attackers are small winged demons who are popping out from the valley walls to hurl the spears.

Most of the spears trained on Black Star shattered their tips on the hero’s rock shield. Two managed to connect, on his left arm and hip respectively. “Ugh!” the hero grunted as he landed inside the cave. He pivoted and hurled the giant rock back in the direction of his attackers. “Take that, you little bastards!” His attack managed to crush a few of the demonic snipers.

As Phaedrus rubbed his shoulder to try to drive away the pain, he asked “Okay, now what?”

From the recesses of the cave, a booming voice responded. “Welcome!” it said with a deep but sincere tone. “Sorry for not alerting my troops first.” From the darkness emerged a six-foot tall demon who resembles somewhat the smaller ones who were throwing the spears. “The master did not expect you as soon as this.”

The quartet of heroes tensed, ready for an attack. But it did not come.

The demon instead smiled with large, pointed fangs. “Please follow me to speak with the master.” He turned and then moved into the shadows once more.

“Well?” Phaedrus asked, turning to Karishi.

“I suppose we have no option,” the macabre martial artist replied.

“I hope you’re right,” Black Star said as he sparks a piece of discarded wood to use as a torch.

***

After some time, the demon and the heroes arrived in a large, rectangular chamber. “This is the Bargaining Hall,” he stated. A stone dais with an oversized stone throne sat at the far end. “The master will see you now.” The demon then stepped back towards the doorway where they had entered.

At the far end, a giant demon with purple flesh entered. The towering being moved towards his seat, followed by several smaller attendants. Each footstep echoed on the rooms bare walls and high ceiling.

While the others felt a little concerned, Magni stood firm and unimpressed. I’ve bested frost giants twice his size back in Niflheim, he thought.

The master took time to access each of the humans who stood before him. When he finally spoke, he said “I am Tseraphh, and I understand that some of you seek to bargain with me. Tell me, what is it you seek?”

Karishi summoned his courage and stepped forward. “My name is Karishi,” he said. “I seek a talisman, one that I understand which you can provide and that will allow me to wield the Sword of Seimei.”

Tseraphh chuckled. “So, you know of the great weapon that can slay vampires, eh?” He took a pause to breathe in deeply with his nostrils. “You are a vampire yourself.” His words were more a statement than a question. “Intriguing.”

“I seek to have this vampiric curse removed from me,” the dark garbed hero replied.

“There is also the matter of a man who was recently slain,” Phaedrus added. “We would like Chu Nakatari returned to Earth, alive and unharmed, along with us when we depart.”

“You ask for much,” Tseraphh replied. He motioned to one of his attendants. The smaller demon scurried forward, leaning in to hear its master’s whispered words.

With an affirmative nod, it rushed out of the room only to return a few minutes later. It replied in a language that sounded to the heroes like nails scrapping on a chalkboard.

Tseraphh addressed the heroes once more. “All of that can be arranged, if you are able to do what I ask in return.”

“Hold up!” Black Star interjected. “If you can bring a man back to life, can you also help someone who has been severely injured too?”

Tseraphh scoffed. “Of course. A serum of healing is very simple to concoct.” He stared at Black Star as if looking through to his very soul. “I see you have someone close to you that was crippled in battle – a brother. You desire he be returned to his former glory, correct?”

Black Star was caught aback. “Uh…yeah…but how did you…?”

Tseraphh smiled. “In my line of work, it is critical to be able to read people. You also clearly do not comprehend how much power one such as I wield. After all, is this not the realm beyond death?”

Magni stepped forward. “If tis truly the underworld, dost thou have the ability to commune with Hel, the goddess of the dead? If so, I desire to speak with her.”

“I know of her,” the demon replied. “I can facilitate that conversation.” Tseraphh leaned back on his throne. “You ask for quite a bit, so it is only fair that I should do the same.” He paused for a moment to think, and a wicked smiled crossed his face as he considered a task worth the prize.

“There is a man, an immortal from your world, who has taken up residency here in Hell,” the demon explained. “He goes by the name Vincent St. Paul. Seek out his dwelling and enter it, for only non-Hell residents can do so. Destroy St. Paul and his bodyguards while also freeing Medula, the daughter of Satan himself. When you return with the girl and proof of the man’s destruction, I will fulfill the terms of our bargain as you asked.”

“If we may have a moment,” Phaedrus said. He and the others huddled together. “Are we willing to do this?”

“We have no choice,” Karishi said.

“Aye,” Magni agreed. “I have slain monsters before.”

Phaedrus and Karishi both nodded in agreement.

Black Star considered but knew he had to do this to help his brother Randy. “Time to boldly go where no demons can…”

The heroes turned back to their underworld host. “Agreed,” Karishi said.

“Excellent,” Tseraphh said. He clapped his large hands, and another attendant brought forth a scroll which was spread upon a stone table nearby. The large demon rose and approached the table. “Let us then sign the contract.” With a gesture of his finger, his signature appeared at the end of the document.

In turn, each of the heroes approached. Indeed, the parchment detailed each of the terms as had been discussed. One by one, they signed the contract.

“So, it is done,” Tseraphh said. “I can provide you with a guide to help you make your way.”

“If you don’t mind,” Phaedrus said, “I will stay behind to make sure that no one tampers with the contract.”

“If you desire,” Tseraphh said.

“Mayhaps I can speak with Hel first,” Magni suggested. “T’would be a gesture in good faith, after all.”

Tseraphh was surprised by these heroes’ forwardness but decided to humor them. “All right. Come with me, Asgardian.”

The demon led the dark-haired godling to pool of murky black water. After invoking an incantation in an ancient tongue and gesturing with his clawed hand, the water begins to shimmer and focus. An image of a dark garbed woman with strong features appeared.

“Hel!” Magni exclaimed.

The goddess looked surprised by who was addressing her. “The son of Thor! How is this possible?”

“Tis by luck I avoided the fate that fell the rest of the Aesir,” he said. “I would wonder how you did the same.”

“I too was not in Asgard when the attack came,” she replied. “But that is a tale for another time. Where are ye?”

“That too is a tale for another time,” Magni replied. He could tell Tseraphh was not open for this being a lengthy conversation, and he himself was eager to get on with their quest. “For now, know that I am residing in Midgard in a city called Baltimore. T’would hope we can keep one another informed about anything we discover about the Aesir.”

Hel nodded. “We are kin, Magni. And it is best to agree that we share information. I will seek you out should I learn more.”

“And I you,” Magni agreed.

***

Before long, the three heroes and their demonic guide were on their way.

“Say,” Black Star said. “What do we call you?”

The small winged demon spoke in clear English, thanks to its master’s magics. “I am Greme.”

“Can you tell us more about the structure of the underworld?” Karishi asked. “It will help pass the time while we travel.”

The demon smiled and was eager to be helpful. Greme explained that Hell was ruled by a triumvirate, consisting of a trio of equally powerful entities. They were Lucifer the Bright Child of Doom, Satan of the Prince of Darkness, and Beelzebub the Lord of the Flies. Each entity oversaw the major activities in Hell, leaving the processing of condemned souls to other lesser demons like Tseraphh.

“Your master sure likes playing Let’s Make a Deal,” Black Star remarked.

“Yes,” Greme agreed. “He is part of a demon class known as barterers. They are the bargainers of the netherworld.”

“So, when someone sells their soul,” Karishi said, “there is usually a transaction behind it.”

Greme nodded firmly.

“If this St. Paul has taken Medula prisoner, why then does Satan himself not retrieve his own daughter?” Magni wondered aloud.

Greme shrugged his winged shoulders. “The triumvirate has such pressing matters to attend to, I suppose.”

Or, Karishi thought, perhaps Tseraphh might see this as an opportunity for himself to ingratiate himself with one of the higher powers.

Greme escorted the trio of heroes down various paths of Hell, past wonderous falls of lava that stretched from high into the sky and turned into flowing torrents when they reached the ground. The small demon paused when he heard a nearby sound.

“What tis that?” Magni asked.

“Gigglers”, Greme replied. He pointed to the south. “There.”

The heroes saw a small swarm of floating mouths approaching. As their name suggested, the sound they made was like that of some high-pitched laughing girls.

“Dragons feed upon them,” Greme explained. “They will draw the might beasts to us.”

“I think thee not,” Magni said as he unhitched his mace from his belt. He went after the creatures.

“Let me help, big guy,” Black Star said. Using his star-bolts, he blasted some of the creatures as well. When he found one that he had just stunned, he scooped it up into a small sack he kept in his belt. Tying it tightly, he muffled any sound the tiny creature might make.

As they continued, the party heard in the distance the sound of groaning voices.

“What is that?” Black Star asked.

“A wheel of despair,” Greme explained. “This one is overseen by Crone, a demoness whose duty is to break the spirits of sinners. She occasionally chooses one to satisfy her carnal desires before having the chosen one’s body smashed beneath a giant rock.”

“Should we…?” Black Star started to ask his teammates.

“No,” Karishi said firmly. “We need to ignore their cries and press on. We have a mission to stop St. Paul and nothing more.”

“Aye,” Magni agreed.

Black Star realized they were not able to do more, even if he wanted to. I must remember I am doing this for Randy, he thought to himself.

After a while, the party arrived at a large cavern where a river of tar flowed. “We need to cross here to continue,” Greme said.

“We should take to the air,” Karishi suggested and turned into a bat. The others took to the air as well, by passing the obstacle with ease and avoiding large, tar covered tentacles that reached up from the river.

Once on the other side, the group heard a loud roar.

“What manner of beast is that?” Magni asked.

“A six-headed hydra,” Greme replied. “We should take cover until it passes.”

“Do that,” Black Star said. “I’ll lead it away.” The hero rocketedd off in the direction of the sound, intercepting the beast. The large green monster easily spied him with its six sets of eyes. “Hey, ugly.” Black Star taunted it with a few well-placed stun blasts. “You hungry?”  The hydra roared. “Okay, then. Come and get me, sucker!”

Black Star turned and flew past where his friends had hidden. He tossed a few energy bursts back at the monster to keep it focused on him.

The hydra roared as it bound after him, not paying any attention where it was going.

Black Star turned and arced over the tar river. The beast paused, turning back towards the place where the others were hiding. “Hey, I got something for you, ugly.” He reached into his belt and pulled forth the sack with the giggler. Using the captured creature as bait, he got the hydra to venture in to the river. Instantly, the tar tentacles grasped the hydra and pulled the struggling dragon into the murky depths. “Sorry, big guy.” Black Star quickly flew back to his group.

Finally, after a few hours of journeying, the group arrived in a surprisingly cooler region of Hell. Here the bleak landscape changed to that of a plush green and vibrant forest. “Well now,” Karishi was taken a bit aback.

Greme stopped walking. “I can go no further,” he said. “I will wait for your return.”

“Thank you, friend,” Magni said. “Be safe until we return.”

“So, St. Paul’s home is in that forest?” Black Star asked.

Greme nodded. “Yes. You will find Exeter Hall in the heart of the forest.”

(to be continued)