CHAPTER#150

"Bah, no." Oliver waved off Mike's comment. "Your soul is indeed very special, but does not make up for the high esteem in which I hold hers." He sipped at his tea with a grin. "In short, she is much hotter than you, so I have zero interest in what you have to offer."

"Oh." Mike picked a cup up off of the table and quickly set it back down. "So... what about these other things you are interested in?"

"Yes, well, about that. If I were to give you a list of any one of these items, it might prove problematic for me. These things are... complicated."

"Okay, you're just wasting my time then." Mike stood, the timer on his phone causing it to vibrate. "Is there anything I could do for you that would result in Beth coming back with me?"

"Yes, well, I—" his face darkened. "Someone else has just arrived. Mr. Radley, are you planning to take Beth from me by force?"

"Is it true that you can answer any question once you've heard it?"

Oliver rose with a sneer. "Of course I can. You're dodging my question. Who just came here?"

"I find it curious that you live in a world that's simply... through the looking glass." Mike stepped back, his hand on the dagger. "So I wonder if you know the answer to this one: can my magical dagger cut through a demon? Could it cut through you?"

Oliver snorted, his shadow extending behind him. "When your compatriot arrives, I'm afraid they aren't going to find much left of you." His red skin darkened and thick horns emerged from his head, knocking his top hat off.

It rolled to a stop by Mike's feet. He kicked it away, his eyes on the angry demon in front of him. Oliver's coat fluttered and then burst out behind him, forming a pair of dark bat wings.

Oliver took a step forward, his claws opening and closing. He laughed, his razor sharp teeth glinting terribly in the light of the mirror world, and then moved blazingly fast to take Mike's dagger from him. Laughing, he hurled it out over the horizon, where it soon vanished.

"Goodbye, Mr. Rad—" Oliver paused, his distorted face gazing into the distance. The sound of chains being dragged was rapidly approaching, and a foul looking head popped up from the garden, swinging a massive arm to knock over some of the animal statues. Standing on the monster's shoulder was Yuki, her hands clutched tightly around a thick, icicle staff.

"You," Oliver hissed, and he swung his arm, knocking Mike aside. He pointed a jagged claw at the monster Yuki rode. "You have no business here."

"Contract," the other demon hissed, and Yuki hopped down, a smirk on her face. Mike crawled away from the fight that was about to begin, doing his best to stay low.

Yuki had played the Devil card and part two of the plan was officially active. Having summoned a powerful demon of their own, Yuki explained earlier that she could command it to kill Oliver. The demon she brought with her was almost thirteen feet tall with massive arms that had been shackled in thick chains that dragged on the ground. It approached on stumpy legs and howled, revealing a giant set of teeth that stretched across its misshapen head.

The two demons threw themselves at each other, the ground cracking beneath them in a flurry of teeth and claws. The kitsune ran over to Mike and then looked at Beth.

"Do you think it's safe to move her?" she asked.

"I have no idea where the exit is." He looked over at the two demons. While Yuki's demon looked far stronger, its claws didn't seem to be doing any damage to its opponent. "Oliver is going to win."

"Yeah, but we expected that." She knelt down, holding another card in her hand. "Time for phase three." Tossing the card in the air, she summoned the Priestess. Bedecked in long, white robes, the woman was made primarily of light and held a thick bible. "The demon must be stopped."

"God's will be done," the priestess declared, then opened her book. Light flowed outward from the holy woman, casting the garden in an eerie light, and Oliver paused in the middle of ripping the other demon's arm off.

"Do you... think that will stop me?" He slapped Yuki's demon in the face with its own arm, causing it to disappear in a puff of fire and smoke, then stomped toward the holy woman. His movements were sluggish, but he put his hands together, summoning a large ball of red and black fire. Letting out an inhuman roar, he hurled it over his head at the priestess.

The magic washed over her and she began reciting rapidly from the book. Mike was certain she was reading in Latin, then looked over at Yuki.

Yuki nodded, holding the ice scepter in front of her. The staff had cracked in more than a few places and was beginning to fall apart. She handed it to Mike and began summoning large chunks of frost that clung to Oliver's feet.

"I will enjoy chewing your face off," Oliver hissed, throwing more fire at the priestess. He was having trouble dividing his attention between Yuki and the priestess now, and he stumbled under the dual assault. Letting out a loud roar, his body rippled again and was covered in thick scales of black and red. Mike felt a wave of terror eat through his body, and even Yuki stumbled in her spellcasting.

This was enough to allow him to charge the priestess and attack. Her holy magic did her no good as he twisted her head and bit into her face, her ethereal body popping out of existence like a giant bubble of light. Yuki threw everything she had at him, but he sneered, the talons on his right hand growing longer.

"I will make you regret this day," he told her, then swung his arm. Malignant energy washed over her, sending her spiraling through the bushes, and Mike lifted the staff and smashed it on the ground, picking up the object within. He moved alongside Oliver, waiting for his chance to strike. His left hand reached into his pocket.