Chapter Six -"Swamp and City"

"Get up to Earth. Find Samael. Sure, that should be simple. How in Lucifer's name am I going to pull this off?" Raziel asked aloud, packing necessary provisions in his cave. He came across a small figurine of Teselus, one of the first Demons. The many spikes and pair of bat-like wings on it were very true to life, or at least to legend. Raziel replaced the figurine on his mantle and finished packing. "Now, how am I going to blend in with the Earth-dwellers?" He asked. "Kapernicon." He answered himself. He placed his large axe on his back and headed out into the Underworld.

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            Jenxier followed Vlad’s mysterious agent through the scorching desert. He made sure he stayed at a safe distance frequently took cover. Arriving at the gate to the City of Dis, Jenxier muttered a curse. He realized he would not be able to enter the City without a permit, and he doubted the guards would be corrupt enough to take bribes. What to do, what to do? He wondered. He had to think quick, for the agent had already hailed the guards.

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Raziel groaned when he approached the Abysmal Swamp. It had been a number of years since he had last entered, and he did not remember it fondly.  Unfortunately for him, Kapernicon lived within. Raziel’s foot came down into a puddle of mud. “This is not going to be fun.” He said pulling his foot out of the mud with a slurping sound. The only good thing about the Swamp was that there were no violent wild demons. The only dangers were quicksand, the sentient vines of the trees, and dehydration. Raziel had planned ahead and brought rope, machetes, and water to deal with these obstacles. He finally reached Kapernicon’s hut, which was much like a shaman’s from Earth legends. Raziel knocked on the door. “Kapernicon? It’s Raziel. I need your assistance.” He called. The door opened a hair, an eyeball peaked out and quickly retreated, and finally the door opened all the way.

            “Raziel? My favourite guinea pig.” Kapernicon said with delight.

            “And you’re my favourite loony.” Raziel replied. “I need you to create a disguise for me.”

            “A disguise? What for?” Kapernicon asked.

            “I need to go to Earth, and I do not wish to stick out like a sore pink thumb.” Kapernicon quickly got to work on the disguise.  He added many different plants and necromancy material obtained on the black market. Kapernicon had once been a highly esteemed necromancer, doing work even for Lucifer himself. Then one day he snapped, went crazy. He was quickly banished from the Underworld proper and went to live in the Abysmal Swamp. When he had almost completely the disguise he cursed.

            “I’m missing something important!” He yelled.

            “What is it?” Raziel asked.

            “The root of a mandrake.” Kapernicon replied.

            “I’ll get one.” Raziel said, heading for the door.

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            Jenxier had to act quickly. While the guards dealt with the agent, he would ascend the walls and hide in the shadows until he could phase into a crowd. Come on; get to checking his permit already! Jenxier thought. He had to wait until this exact moment because it was the only one where the guards’s attention would be taken enough. Finally, he thought as the permit came out. He dashed toward the wall and ascended it like the fastest spider in the world. He was on top of the walls now, slinking through the shadows watching for a let-out. It would be hard for him to locate the agent again once he got into a crowd, but it had to be done.

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            Raziel searched high and low in the swamp to find the cursed mandrake. The problem with them is that the part that is above ground looks exactly like five other plants to him, which meant he had to inspect five times the amount of leaves. Pull one up, it’s a radish. Pull up another it’s a rutabaga. Finally, he came across a mandrake. “Now, cursed little odd-named plant. You’re going to help me find Samael.” Raziel said. A strange howling pervaded his ears. Raziel knew that howl.