Harmless Games

Having lived since the dawn of days, the Devil and the Reaper have seen everything in the world...

For the Witch Naga, though, the world is not enough. When Naga challenges the two deities to a game the stakes have never been higher; she has passed through the veils of time and space to fight the only thing that could do her harm – boredom – for as long as she can remember.

Now, the ultimate adrenaline rush is about to set in...

And the stakes are much higher than just life or death.

CHAPTER ONE

TEA WITH THE DEVIL

The tea was not hot, nor had it grown cold. Its taste was bland and beige, much like the liquid itself, and the only noise for several minutes was the light chink of metal teaspoons as they touched the edge of porcelain cups. Though it was considered rude to touch them together, as decreed by the old culture of England, those attending the marvelous silent party took no notice of it. They were the most unrefined and yet glamorous of closed-circle socialites in existence.

"What splendid company," a woman smirked, her lips painted a deep red like the carpets of royals. She batted the lids of a pair of blue eyes, shimmering with mystery and malice, and sipped her tea quietly. "I am honoured that of all the places in the world you could be, you've chosen my humble parlour for tonight."

"There's no better company than that of a Witch, with whom to drink tea," a man smiled back at her. His smile was cold, like the crisp lines on his black suit. The man was old; ancient and yet everlasting all in a single glance. His hair was white, straighter than taut thread, and poured over his shoulders, back and chest to come to a neat end around his elbows. He stirred his tea with dignity and carelessness at once, then rested the spoon rather inelegantly on the edge of his saucer.

"You've been such gracious guests," the Witch nodded. She puffed smoke from the tip of a very long, straight pipe. "I feel quite rude for having only this little to offer."

"Compared to our usual greeting you've been most kind," another man chuckled. He was dressed entirely in white; his skin was fair and clear. To behold, he was beautiful. His eyes were pools of aqua, his teeth were straight and white and his hair was brushed back in glorious golden waves. Upon his finger was the only splash of colour besides his black shoes; a silver ring boasting a great maroon stone. The stone was engraved with his own insignia; a star within a circle, the point of the star aimed downward at his knuckle.

"Lucifer, ever the gentleman."

To mortal eyes the tea party would seem the most bizarre of events. When usually their very names are feared, together the three entities appeared harmless, docile and pleasant. Sitting at opposing edges of a round, gilt-edged white table, sipping tea and chatting idly, were the most feared of all creatures.

Lucifer, overseer of Hell itself, toyed with the handle of a cup.

Abaddon, the Reaper of souls, straightened the spoon upon his saucer.

Naga, the Witch, blew a stream of thin white smoke into the air.

The parlour was a spectacular room. The cornices were brilliant gilt lines, engraved with pictures from all periods of history; wars, great romances, tragedies, miracles and mysteries all etched into the gold as though the walls themselves were great diaries of time. The images rolled by, as though the walls were slowly moving, and faded into the distance. The marble floors stayed still, proving that the parlour was not in motion, and the table rested comfortably on a wide white mat. A brilliant ornate chandelier glittered above them, casting embers of gorgeous colour across the parlour to speckle the white painted walls.

As far as the eye could see the parlour stretched on, fading into a white nothingness at the edges of vision. The Witch's mansion was a vast expanse of passages and rooms that defied all logic; larger on the inside than it was on the outside and floating in the midst of nothing. To find it was a deed to claim with pride; to drink tea there was nothing short of a miracle.

"In regards to your reception, though, I admit I feel for you quite deeply," Naga rested her pipe at hip-height for a moment, thinking, "I too am not respected as I should be."

"Quite the misunderstood lot, aren't we?" Abaddon laughed, teetering back in his chair the way old men often do. "Would you believe they call me evil?"

"Oh, hardly," Naga giggled, "I quite look forward to this Great Surprise you always speak of."

"Do tell us, what exactly is it you've worked out with that old codger up there?" Lucifer leaned in, resting an intrigued elbow on the table, "Is there some kind of paradise? Where do you go?"

"The ones I don't give to you, you mean?" Abaddon snorted with laughter, roaring in his seat. He shook his head and settled himself down again, taking another long sip of tea. The Witch pointed a finger to the teapot, which obediently lifted itself to refill the Reaper's cup.

"Do tell us!" Naga grinned, "we've been such good friends to you, after all."

"I'll never breathe a word," Abaddon winked.

"Spoilsport. You are evil then," Lucifer shook his head, resting back in his seat.

"I am inevitable."

"What of you, then, Lucifer? Are you evil?" Naga leaned in, breathing again from her pipe.

"I am not evil! In fact quite the opposite. I punish those who are evil."

"So you are good then?"

"I won't mislead you by saying yes."

"So are you good or evil?"

"I am just, though, my guilty pleasure is in enjoying that justice a trifle too much."

"He is little more than a sadist with a very fortunate career," Abaddon nodded.

"I see. So we are all neutral then. Neither good nor evil."

"But we are one thing," Lucifer glanced around the parlour, "we are all eternal."

"Eternal you say?" Abaddon laughed boldly, "you believe we are eternal!"

"Are we not then, Reaper?"

"You are not, nor is he. Only I am eternal."

"You?" Lucifer heaved with laughter. "Certainly not. He will judge you as He judges all."

"I suppose you believe that I will then come to your land of flames?"

"With good reason!" Lucifer laughed.

"No, dear sir, you are mistaken. For when the time comes I will reap you! Then, He too will be reaped."

"I'm sorry, I must interject. You intend to Reap Him?" Naga gasped.

"Of course. I am the end of all things, just as He was the beginning."

"What a sad thought! That all things should end," Naga shook her head sadly.

"Did you not understand? All things were given life at a price, and that price is that upon birth all things are promised an unfortunate end. I am that end."

"You are not the end of all things, Reaper, but a tool which He uses to control population."

"And what of me? If you intend to Reap Him, do you also intend to Reap me?" Naga flashed a sad pair of baby blues to the Reaper.

"We will meet again, Witch, certainly."

"How dreadful. I should take away your sugar for that."

"You would deny me sugar for my tea? What a rude hostess we have."

"Certainly," Lucifer nodded, producing a pack of cigars from his pocket. He proceeded to light one and puff thick grey smoke. "Denying sugar and speaking of politics."

"My apologies good sirs, I did not intend to offend."

"It is all in jest, my dear Witch. We take nothing to heart."

"We have no hearts to which these things we could take!"

"What a complicated sentence," Naga chuckled.

Some time passed where the air was filled with smoke and teacups replenished, sugar was note denied after all and milk was passed around the table. The Reaper turned his nose up at the cigars The Devil passed toward him, and The Witch finished her pipe and rested it on a shelf under the table for storage.

"So if I may impose, I've a question I'd like to ask," Naga finally broke the silence, her gentle voice like a whispered song. She appeared timid, though with any precious little knowledge of her it was clear that she was anything else.

"Of course, I love questions," Abaddon joked, "I don't hear nearly enough of them."

"The three of us can travel to any point in time," she stated, stirring a fresh cup of steaming tea. The others nodded as she continued, "we can glance into the past, we can manipulate the world beneath us, we will live until the end of days and we all do have quite a bit of spare time."

"I've not yet heard a question," Lucifer furrowed his eyebrows, interested.

"What on earth do we do to pass the time? I assume you both become as bored as I."

"Truly," Abaddon nodded solemnly. "I oft wonder if boredom can kill The Reaper."

"Chains and fire have lost some of their sheen, it's true. What have you in mind?"

"A game, then," Naga smiled wickedly.

"A game!" Abaddon threw his wrinkled hands in the air, rejoicing.

"You do remember our last game, don't you old man?" Lucifer sighed happily, "we made quite the mess."

"You've played before?" Naga tilted her head.

"Many times. Though He doesn't seem to like it."

"The old badger has no sense of humour," Abaddon shrugged.

"Jealous, I think. Of me."

"Why would he be jealous of you and not me?"

"I'm the one with the looks," Lucifer snickered.

"You're also the one confined to a burning pit until the end of time."

"I do wish it would hurry and get here," Naga giggled, "how I'd love to see your surprise."

"How lovely. A game then," Abaddon rubbed his hands together.

"Brilliant diversion, Reaper."

"Thank you."

"So a game," Naga lifted her finger to the air. Three small wafer biscuits floated up from the table, hovering in the air between them.

"The three of us are hated," Naga began to explain, "by every mortal human there is, almost. As such, I believe the best was for us to settle our boredom is to use this hatred."

"This sounds interesting..."

"We will each choose a human for one another. Abaddon, you will choose a human for Lucifer. Lucifer, you will choose a human for me, and I will choose for Abaddon. This way we are sure the game is fair."

"I'm listening..."

"Our task is simply this. Without ever once exposing ourselves, we will enter this human's life under the guise of another human. From then it is our intention to use our powers to do whatever is necessary to turn that human's hatred into worship."

"You mean that I would have to make this human worship me in order to win?"

"Essentially, yes," Naga nodded, "you see, this is an example."

Both others leaned into the table to listen.

"Say that for instance Lucifer chooses for me a human who is a devout catholic," Naga moved her fingers, taking away the other two biscuits. The remaining biscuit glimmered, slowly changing its form until it appeared to be a small woman, crafted entirely out of waver and cream. "I would then enter this woman's life as a new colleague, a neighbor, or a new friend."

Her fingers danced as she created a miniature statuette in her own image from another biscuit. The two figures levitated before them, sparkling as Naga's magic held them in place.

"My task would then be to use my magic to convince her to turn away from her faith. However, I cannot at any time reveal that it is my doing, nor that I am a Witch."

The figures moved in the air. As the woman's back remained turned the Biscuit Naga made its way toward her, stooping to place a stone at her feet. Hastily the Biscuit Naga scurried away, keeping its distance; and the stone exploded, covering the woman in dust.

"I could torture her. I could shower her with luck. Whatever it takes to turn her away from her beliefs, that's what I will do... and that's only half the game."

"So you, being a Witch, would have to convince this woman to turn to Magic."

"Yes. I simply have to make her use Magic, or turn to Magic as her new faith. Either of these would hand me the game."

"That means that I would have to turn my Human to Satanism?" Lucifer asked, his eyebrows raised.

"And mine would have to commit suicide, or welcome death?"

"Of course not. That would be far too easy," Naga grinned.

"Then what must I do to win?"

"You, Reaper, must convince your human to turn to murder to win the game."

"Excellent. This game will be over before it's begun."

"There was one other thing," Naga sat back, sweetly sipping her tea. She took her time, closing her eyes and savouring the flavour, before resting her teacup casually back on its saucer. Her eyes then opened and a malicious grin crossed her face. "The winner can choose, out of the remaining two losers, a power to take."

"What do you mean?" Lucifer's eyes shot open wide.

"I mean that the winner will have the right to kill another player and take their power from them," Naga lowered her eyes, sneering cruelly, "for instance, were I to win, I could choose to claim the power of the Reaper for myself and send Abaddon to his own secret afterworld. Or, were I merciful, I could take his powers and leave him to live a mortal life. This would be at my discretion."

"You are willing to risk your life for this game?" Abaddon stared at her, his face stony and seemingly not concerned by this in the slightest.

"Do any of us fear death? Personally, I welcome it."

The parlour became stonily silent for several minutes as the group considered the terms of the game. Naga rested her fingers on the table and the two statuettes dissolved, falling apart into little more than crumbs and cream amidst the saucers. Finally Lucifer stood, grinning.

"This sounds exciting. I'll play."

"Why not," Abaddon chuckled, standing also.

"Then it's settled. The game will begin tomorrow as the sun rises," Naga cackled.

"I suppose that gives us until sunrise to select our humans?"

"It does," Naga nodded, "be careful Abaddon. I'll not make this easy on you."