THE GHOST AND THE EARTHBOUND DEMONS

THE GHOUL BREAK

Thousands of years ago, Lucifer called all his demons to leave Earth immediately and assembled at the gate of hell for an urgent meeting. As expected of demons, not all of them heed his calling. In anger, Lucifer banished all the demons that were absent in the meeting from entering hell. They will forever remain on earth. And that is how they got their names: earthbound demons. 

Thousands of years later, the earthbound demons, which are now worshiped by humans as gods, had grown very powerful and more devilish. And their evil rise unto the throne of God. To put an end to their rule of evil, and to punish their human accomplices, God sent rain to fall for forty days and forty nights. This was known as the rain of Noah. Even though the demons survived the rain, everything they worked for had been destroyed. Worst of all, no humans worship them anymore. Ashamed of their loss, they left Earth. But another shock awaits them: they no longer have access to hell. Finally, God built a place for them to be kept until judgment day, and Sameal was assigned the task of keeping them in check and making sure they never went back to earth. Whenever one of them escaped, Lucifer was informed, some demons were sent after him or her, and the spirit was immediately found and hurled back to Ghoul. 

"I want you to help me catch all these misdemeanor spirits and send them back to their abode," the saint said at last. "And in return, I will allow you to enter the gate of Pearl and meet your Daddy."

It takes a while for the saint's words to sink into Terry's subconscious, and when it does, his eyes become big with shock, "Come on, saint. Do you want me to catch earthbound demons? I thought that was the lord of Darkness's responsibility."

"Lucifer had been informed, but so far, that son-of-a-bitch had taken no step." The saint made a face when he heard his swearing. "This could only mean one thing, Lucifer has something to do with this Ghoul break."

"If I'm getting you right, I won't only be searching for some foul spirits, but also going against the lord of darkness's mission."

"I'm so afraid."

 Terry whined in dumb terror, "Don't you think that's beyond my capacity?"

The saint forced a grin. "I won't be sending you if I don't believe you can do it." 

The truth is, the saint has his doubts. This mortal is young, weak, inexperienced, and will be torn to pieces even by the weakest among the demons, but because he was desperate and there seemed to be no alternative, he has no choice but to make use of him.

"Why can't you send your angels? I heard there were millions of them beyond that gate."

"Even though they were banished from the presence of the dark lord, the earthbound demons were still demons and subservient to Lucifer. "Any attack on them will be considered as an assault on the dark lord himself." The saint grimaced as a thought crossed his mind. Could that be the reason why Lucifer set those earthbound demons free and then started giving his I-don't-care vibes? Is he trying to manipulate him into sending angels to bring them back? 

"I still have my doubts." 

The saint muttered silently. "I can send you to limbo or reincarnate you as a rat, or a cat, or some kind of vicious snake. The list is endless, so you had better think twice before rejecting my offer."

"Huh!"

Even though the saint hates manipulation in every way, he is manipulating Terry, and he can't help it. This seemed to be the only way out. Isn't there a saying about the end justifying the means?

Terry was speechless for a very long time. This wasn't real. It couldn't be happening to him. A nineteen-year-old didn't die like that; they went through a troublesome phase and grew out of it... This must better be a bad dream. 

"So what's your final response?  Are you helping me or should I pass my judgment?"

Terry's ghostly heart quickened. Did the saint mean he could go back? Be alive again? "What must I do?"

"Nothing special. First and foremost, you need to verbally agree to this mission."

Saint Peter counted up to ten. You will need the patience of a saint to deal with mortals like Terry.  

"I agree."

The saint smiled back. It was easier than he had imagined. 

"You will be sent somewhere where they will install a virtual help hologram into you before you are then sent back to Earth."

" A virtual help hologram?" Terry chipped back. 

"I'm sure they have something like that on Earth. "You just pressed a button and an image popped up, you know?"

Terry knows about holograms quite well, he just can't comprehend how they will be installed into him.

"Will that be painful?"

"Not to the dead."

Terry grimaced at the pun. Who would believe Saint Peter has a good sense of humor?

"This hologram will direct you and provide you with every piece of information you need to succeed in this mission."

"Will I be reincarnated as a spirit or will I have a body?"

Saint Peter scratched his long white beard and said, "I have been thinking about it. There were times you would need a physical body to get your work done. I will have to arrange a conducive body for you before you reach Earth."

"How much time did I have?"

"Your lifeline will finish in a month, so I advise you to get to work immediately." The saint paused his speech to catch his breath and then resumed after, "one more thing, Terry. The more demons you kill, the more powerful you become. The first twenty demons will open your ability to hear the demons from away, the next twenty kills will open your ability to see them, follow by your ability to hear them and then you will be able to touch or engaged them in physical combat after killing eighty demons."

Terry grinned widely. He was afraid he will be sent back to the saint office in a few days.  At least, he has a some  days to haunt Bobby and Co. "Okay. So what next?"

"Just close your eyes, mortal." 

"I prefer to be called Terry. "

The saint shrugged. "Whatever." He could hear everything going through Terry's mind. He planned to hurt his stepdad and then haunt those who killed him. Sorry mortal, you have a shock awaiting you, Saint Peter thought, and then said, "Terry, then. I will be communicating with you through the hologram.  Godspeed, gentleman."

Saint Peter dismissed Terry with a wave of his right hand, and at that moment, Terry smashed into an unforgiving surface at an Earth speed of five hundred miles per hour. Not that speed makes any actual difference on the spiritual plane, where kinetics are out the window. That's not to say that it didn't hurt.