Nope, Never Again

"We're alive," Emily said amazed.

"Sir, you were amazing," the blonde soldier said.

"We're not out of the woods yet. Far from it, we might just be entering them." Silk said grimly. He hated this, it was too easy. That immortal should have found them by now, something wasn't right.

"Sir, we need to go up. We are on floor three not floor seven like we need." The big nosed soldier said.

"Well, find the stairs then." Silk grunted annoyed.

"This way," the big nosed soldier said leading them. The blonde soldier took the rear, Emily and Silk were sandwiched between them.

"You know magic then," Emily said.

"Yep," Silk answered.

"How, it only just got discovered. No one can use it as proficiently as you." Emily continued.

Silk activated an enchantment to heal his body and broken rib. It accelerated the process but it was nowhere near instant.

Silk Looked at Emily annoyed. "I can save you, so shut up," he snapped. Silk was focusing and was trying to sense the other immortals with his magic.

The big nosed man stopped at a set of locked doors. He fired one shot to break the lock and pushed the door open.

"Clear," he shouted moving up the steps swiftly, gun poised.

Silk was getting nervous as he couldn't sense anyone inside with his magic which was unlikely for an army of immortals. They shined like beacons with energy pouring out most of the time so why wasn't there anything?

"Of course," Silk exclaimed. "They take you as a serious threat so of course." He turned to the blonde soldier at the rear and pushed him to the front.

"Give me your gun," Silk commanded towards the blonde soldier.

"Sir, with all respect you aren't authorised," he replied.

"Fine," Silk said and with a flick of the wrist the air tore the pistol from the soldiers hands and into Silk's. "Now the ammo."

"I can't. I will be heavily disciplined," the blonde soldier continued desperate.

Silk raised an eyebrow.

"Sir, I will shoot," the big nosed soldier said holding the rifle up at Silk.

"Try," Silk dared.

In turn he tried to shoot but to no avail. No bullet reached the end of the barrel as Silk was displacing the energy of the bullets away. Complicated but this enchantment was one he used regularly and was on all his clothing.

"Now bullets," Silk shouted angrily.

"I really can't," the blonde soldier said sweating heavily.

"Of course you can't." Silk said with a vicious bite in his voice. Silk aimed with the pistol and fired. Nothing happened. He threw the gun back at the blonde soldier. "I suggest you run."

"What do you mean by that, sir," the blonde soldier said trembling.

"I'm trying to be calm but we both know that there is a corpse who looks just like you on the third floor. I hate shapeshifters who wear the skin of the dead so run and don't look back." Silk commanded.

The blonde soldier changed his attitude immediately, "so you found out." He started strutting about like he owned the place. "I'm still an immortal Silk. A new name to me but fascinating. I feel like I should have heard of someone who could make that blue tongued lizard run like he did."

Gunshots from Emily and the soldier rang out at the new enemy. The bullets hit the body but fell to the ground as crumpled pieces of metal. They didn't even pierce.

"You don't want to find out." Silk glared daggers while saying that.

"But I do," the shapeshifter sprung at Silk changing his being to a fluid like substance and engulfing Silk.

He was knocked off his feet and down the steps. The magic that Silk had searching also snapped back towards its owner.

The energy tried to penetrate through the shapeshifter burning him in the process.

The shapeshifter sprang back to the soldier form but burns were all over him.

"What is this?" the shapeshifter demanded to know.

Silk kept glaring while picking himself up from the floor. "Magical energy in its purest form, it will burn the magic that allows you to shapeshift."

The shapeshifter turned a whole lot more serious. "I think I'll take your advice and run." He ran up the stairs and out the door.

The remaining soldier went to chase. Emily was looking at Silk curiously.

"Don't chase," Silk called out. "We don't need to go there," he said while clutching the support on the stairs.

"Sir, he can't get away with this." The soldier said distressed.

"He can. He's an immortal, do you really think I could do anything to stop him. He only ran as he thought I could hurt him, my god immortals are paranoid." Silk groaned.

"You look older," Emily said rushing to his side.

Silk looked at his hands, they were shaking. "How much older?" he said while trying to recover his magic energy.

"You look early to mid-twenties," she said.

"five to ten years isn't too bad," Silk said. He had literally put a few years of life to survive that, the problem with demons that could heal is that they could regain these years back. Silk however doubted these years would come back, he didn't know why but it just seemed to be an obvious truth.

"That's some of your best years," Emily said concerned.

"When you've lived for more than one hundred years you can play fast and loose with what are your best years," Silk said.

Emily looked shocked, amazed and in awe at this.

"I can tell you with certainty that my twenties were not my best years, maybe my worst though. Time can ruin you," Silk said. He tested his legs. "I think I can move now though."

The soldier looked at Silk in fear, "What are you?"

Silk looked at the soldier and sighed. These two deserved to know the truth. "Half demon and half human."

"Demon?" he questioned.

"I don't know, hell borne. Wicked thing or maybe spawn of the devil," he continued.

The fear returned to his eyes, "Why do you help us?"

Silk scratched his head. An image of a girl, Emma was her name. A more recent image of Maya came to mind as well. "I'm your friendly neighbourhood demon so don't worry and let me help."

That just made them confused.

"Spiderman, no. That joke would kill back on Earth." Silk started heading up the steps.

"Silk, we can't guard you," the soldier said. "Honestly you've been guarding us so I have to ask, why did you ask for us?"

Silk looked back feeling guiltily. "I risked your life to make sure that I don't do something stupid. You're collateral so I act my best."

"We're collateral to you," Emily shouted angrily. "Two of us have died for this madness and we're just collateral."

"You're right, that was bad wording." Silk said.

"It's fine. I was almost feeling sorry for you but I'm glad I know what you really think about us." Emily stormed off. The soldier looked at Silk and back at Emily, he chased after Emily.

When had he started thinking of people as collateral on himself? Looking back he had bets on Crusher's, Phoenix's, Professor Collin's and Rebeca's lives. Maybe he was closer to being a demon than he thought. He spaced out evaluating what he had done until now, he took bets with his and others lives.

"Wait," he shouted and chased after them.

He flung the doors open to floor seven. It didn't take long to find Strocker's office which was the largest and grandest room on the floor by far and he heard Emily's voice through the door.

"I'm sorry for…." He barged in to see a battered and bruised Strocker bleeding out on the floor while leaning on his mahogany desk with the soldier and Emily trying to treat his wounds.

"What happened?" Silk asked confused. Strocker should have healed almost instantly from his wounds so if he wasn't dead he should be fine.

"Can't you see, he's injured." Emily answered scornfully.

"You don't get injured though," Silk said concerned. "Did you finish it?"

Strocker laughed. "I'm dyeing here, can you not judge my decisions."

"I need to know," Silk said.

Emily glared at Silk and turned to Strocker caringly. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. Your wounds should heal, just rest."

Silk went to get closer to Stroker but was pushed back by the soldier. "Sir, you are not welcome at this moment. Let this man rest."

"You don't understand, I need to know," Silk said distressed.

Strocker coughed loudly and then waved Silk through. He leaned in and waved Silk to do the same which he complied so no one else could hear.

"It's completely mad," Strocker said quietly. "It believes itself king of the new race, the upgraded race. I barely escaped but it strapped the other doctors to the tables and is operating on them as we speak. It's even upgraded itself with the parts of immortals he's killed."

Silk felt fear rise up inside him. He would be next to die once the operations were complete, he was too much of a loose canon.

"Strocker," Silk sighed. "You made the demonic emperor. I retain the memories of the demonic war all he has is the evil accumulated. You've seen the true face of the demonic empire and tell me, what did you see?"

Strocker looked confused and understanding filled his eyes. He hadn't quite grasped how far back in time he had gone until now.

"You said so yourself, you saw madness. I think you should think about who you align yourself with." Silk said and pulled away.

He started speaking normally again. "Strocker, can I take the soldier? Not as collateral but as a friend."

"Go ahead, as long as the nurse treats my wounds." Strocker answered.

"Sir, I am not your friend," the soldier said.

"Good," Silk said. "Right now I need a soldier and you are the best of the best aren't you?"

"Sir, yes sir." He barked.

"Strocker, look for the second moon. When it is in the sky look for me and I'll show you something great." Silk said and was about to head off.

"Wait!" Strocker shouted. "I'll send you to the roof to activate the enchantment. This one is already done."

Before Silk could ask for proof they were transported to the roof. Sadly two figures were waiting for them.