Their Bodies Were Twisted and Their Heads Turned Backwards

Micheal POV:

I pulled a wooden cord and a hatch opened, and a rickety ladder fell down. I floated up into the attic of the place the campers called the big house to meet with a seer. I walked past goods that had been earned by battle and blood, or stolen without shame or remorse - items that defined the children's lives and achievements, all stored away next to a corpse. As I approached the dead woman, I said, "Speak, slave of Delphi, for I know the spirit of the seers resides here." The bones of the lifeless body creaked as it sat up, and a snake made of mist seeped out of its eyes and mouth. Then a raspy voice spoke, "I have no visions for you, angel of justice, for the riddles of Apollo don't flow through me." I cut it off. "I do not want to speak to Apollo. I have a different use for you, beast of sin."

I summoned my sword and pierced it through the head of the mist, saying, "Eligos, praesentiam tuam exposco. In virtute Omnipotentis te voco, ut compareas coram me." A loud scream rang out, and the mist beast fell to the ground. Its black eyes turned red, and I knew my fallen brother was with me. The mist spoke again, but instead of a raspy voice, one of clear quality talked. "What do you want, Michael? Why have you summoned me here in this disgusting form?" "I need you to do something, brother. I need you to deliver a message to Lucifer. Tell him, in exact words, that I need him to stay out of the war that will occur soon." "Oh yeah, light boy? What makes you think that our great king will just listen to you? He has no reason to." I twisted my sword, forcing it deeper into the snake, and Eligos screamed, begging me to stop as his facade of strength and superiority vanished beneath the might of the Lord. "Tell Lucifer that if he doesn't listen, his three-week vacation will be cut in half." "OK, OK, I will, jeez man." "Now, please leave for your presence is not required any longer, unless you want to repent for your sins and confess to God." "No, I don't think I will," the 15th spirit of the Ars Goetia said mockingly vanishing back to hell.

The oracle looked up at me, trembling. "Leave, Angel, now, for I will call upon the Olympians to smite you," she said, clearly in an act of desperation. But I ignored her and walked up to the corpse, twisting its torso 180 degrees. "This is for your sin of divining the future and perverting the Almighty's ability to see the future. But for your assistance, I will do something for you."

I raised my hand, calling upon the power of the Almighty. A bright light surrounded the cursed woman as I lessened the curse Hades had put on her. She was now only half dead, in a state between life and death. The spirit of the oracle was still bound to the body of the dead woman, but could now traverse the lands freely, no longer stuck in a run-down attic.

I walked back to the open hatch and left the attic.