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Join Date: Jan 2008
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THE RETURN OF HELL'S LANTERN
Ignis Fatuus has grown tired of biding his time in Hell. Ever since his arrival here existence has been nothing but Agony. The very demons he used to summon to do his bidding now torment him day in and day out. Though time passes differently here, a day in Hell is about the equivalent of three days on Earth.
“I will have my revenge on the Midnight Avenger Corps!” Ignis shouts out causing his voice to echo throughout the volcanic cavern where he now resides.
“It is time for your hourly flogging” came the dark, deep voice of Belphegor, Lord of Trolls.
“Let’s get it over with then” Ignis says back now resigned to this familiar turn of events “but afterwards I wish to be taken to the Dark One himself for I have a proposition for him.”
“Scream for me as my fiery whip strikes your flesh and I may consider it” Belphegor replies.
Belphegor the troll demon was the last that Ignis Fatuus summoned before his own death. Oh what irony this was. The Dark One definitely has a sense of humor Ignis thinks as he walks slowly toward the torture chamber. Once there several minor imps proceed to strip him of his sorcerer’s robes. Once his body is bare Ignis is then restrained around his ankles and wrists with barbed wire that digs into his flesh.
Belphegor’s whip flares to life. It is nothing more than a stream of fire that is somehow attached to a small metallic handle. The troll demon strikes. Every time the whip lands it produces black ash where part of Ignis’ skin is consumed. The sorcerer holds his screams for the first three lashes but as the pain increases he gives in with a blood curdling wail. Belphegor smiles in satisfaction and continues on for ten minutes.
The imps return and remove the barbed wire. Ignis Fatuus drops to his knees as he always does. They return his robes to him and scamper off into the darkness. Belphegor watches the sorcerer get dressed and then ushers him towards a lake of hellfire. There is a path of stone plates that lead across the lake to a small island at its center. Ignis has never been here before so he has to wonder if this is the way to the Dark One.
Carefully he makes his way along the path, the stone burning his bare feet. As they get closer to the island Ignis can see a staircase of black marble leading up to a stone altar. Now a new fear grips him for he feels as though he is about to be offered up as sacrifice. Tentatively he climbs the stairs glancing back at Belphegor every few paces. The demon’s expression gives him no clue as to what is about to happen.
Up at the top he now sees a throne made of bone opposite the altar. Upon the throne sits a dark and brooding figure whose features Ignis hasn’t the words to describe. On the altar lays a woman bound with barbed wire, a knife jammed into her heart, blood flowing freely. A sacrifice to the Dark One by another demon, one of large stature who stands beside the bone throne and whispers into the Dark One’s long and pointed ear.
Soon the woman stops moving, her soul now deceased as well as her physical being. She is removed by more imps who toss her body off of the island and into the hellfire lake. The large demon walks off shoving the sorcerer aside so that he may descend the stairs. Belphegor then roughly shoves him forward causing him to stumble and fall at the Dark One’s hooves.
“Another sacrifice?” the Dark One muses.
“Only if that is your wish master” Belphegor says bowing “this worm wishes to speak with you. He claims to have a proposition for you” the troll demon laughs here at the thought.
“What proposition?”
“I wish to return to Earth” Ignis Fatuus proclaims “if you will allow me to do this I will get you many more souls than just mine.”
“Everyone tries to make that same bargain” the Dark One bellows “what makes you any different?”
“I will destroy the Midnight Avenger Corps and offer up their souls as a sacrifice. On top of that I swear to resurrect the fallen heroes and offer them up to you as well.”
“An interesting thought” the Dark One said rubbing his bearded chin “I would be most pleased to have a contingent of superhumans under my command.”
“I will get them for you” Ignis Fatuus declares “there is a way that I can return deceased one’s souls and trap them in their resurrected bodies. Then by sacrificing them to you…”
“I can devour their essence” the Dark One finished intrigued by his plan “okay we have a deal. I will also send the pig demon Swinedego to act as your servant and help you fulfill your end of the bargain.”
“Thank you master” Ignis Fatuus said bowing down “you will not be disappointed.”
“I better not be or it will be your essence I devour!”
In a burst of fire Ignis Fatuus found himself back on Earth though he had no idea where exactly he had arrived “Hell’s Lantern has returned” he yelled out to the deserted streets!
From the look of the city it had been deserted for some time “some sort of ghost town” Ignis thought aloud then he noticed he was standing outside a familiar looking cemetery.
Pushing open the rusty iron gate, he proceeded inside as if being propelled forward by an unseen force. He quickly found the gravestones that he knew would be here, those of Puca and Ignes Fatuus, his long dead parents. Now he knew where he was and why this place was deserted. This was the first village he destroyed after gaining his magical knowledge. His final trial to join the Great Ones had been to sacrifice his loved ones. The blast of green magic he used then was so powerful it decimated the whole town of Wispy Willows.
“This is perfect; the ruins of my family home will make the perfect staging grounds!”
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Midnight you should post a link on our superherouniverse facebook page every time you do another chapter. 
