Excerpt: Center Of Hell

Lyon Bishop's brown boots shuffled along the crowded sidewalk that was Limbo. It was the first level of Hell. He'd expected it to be a bit hotter then what it was. Stopping in his tracks he wiped the sweat from his forehead and adjusted his beat up brown backpack so it stopped sliding off his shoulders. His brown leather jacket was stuffed into it along with various scrolls and other essential things he needed. He took time to look around. It was like New York City in the summer. He smirked at himself. Sometimes New York City was hell. Decrepit and crumbling looking buildings towered overhead as people shoved past him, people that looked average, others that you could tell were otherworldly. Pale vampires with graceful movements, demons who not only looked disgusting but smelt like it as well. Shape shifters abounded, from Naga's, to werewolves. You name it, it was here. Raising his eyes he noticed some vampires and a slew of crows and vultures were soaring above the dank and musty city.
Shades of various reds meshed together and were dotted with black clouds. Even though he'd read all he could find about this place, nothing could have prepared him. It was an experience he wished to not deal with but his younger half brother had other things in mind.
Although not close with his hard-assed father, Lyon had grown to care for his half brother Briar. It was no secret that Lyon and Briar's father was a brilliant magician, but he sold his soul to the dark magiks and the price he paid for it was immortality. That curse or gift, whichever way you chose to look at it, was passed down to Lyon and ultimately Briar as well. Bored with Lyon's mother, their father often sought out other women to share his bed with, one of them was Briar's mother. After decades of separation the two brothers met by chance and have been in contact ever since. That was more then 50 years ago.
Since then Briar had made a difficult decision, if in his shoes Lyon wasn't sure what he would have done. They both knew he was dying, and since Lyon felt at fault for his condition he agreed to help his brother find a way to get his immortality back.
Lowering his ice blue eyes he glanced across the street and found his destination was under his nose this whole time. Shaking his head slightly at himself he sighed and made his way across the street. He dodged dirty yellow cabs with demons behind the wheel yelling at him to get out of the way. He merely ignored them and took his time to the other side of the street.
He lifted his gaze to the bright neon sign that hummed above him, “The Golden Calf”. Looking to the door of the bar, he brushed his midnight black bangs from his face as a drunken man in a very expensive suit exited the bar, his arm around another man in a Nazi uniform who was also visibly intoxicated. Lyon pushed past them and stepped into the bar.
Fans were on the ceiling, circulating the air in an attempt to keep it cooler. There were also fans positioned around the smoky, dimly lit room. It took a while for Lyon's eyes to become adjusted to the change. He was here because of a letter. A letter from Briar giving him directions to this place and asking him to trust him. What could Lyon do but follow through? Moving his pale blue eyes around the room he let his sight run over people sitting on stools at the bar, while the bartender, a centaur handed out drinks. He looked to the other side of the room and found booths cast in dark shadows.
"Lyon!" A familiar voice called from a booth in the back of the bar. Soon after, Lyon saw Briar wave him over. His younger sibling’s brown hair stuck out every which way. Impressed that in this humidity his hair could stay up Lyon sauntered up to the table and clasped his brother's hand in his.
"How are you doing brother?" Lyon questioned in the tongue he was raised with, Italian.
"I'm fine, stop your fussing." Briar replied in Italian as well as he sent his brother a smile.
Lyon stopped and starred at his brother, his same blue eyes stared back at him and Lyon finally nodded in approval before taking a seat across from Briar. His black backpack was resting on the table, it's contents spilled out. Briar swiftly scooped everything up and shoved it all in his sack and placed it on the seat next to him.
"So Briar. What are we doing in Hell?" Lyon questioned, stretching his legs out underneath the table and leaning back against the back rest of the booth. A waitress came to the table, she was dressed in nothing more then a bra and panties with gold coins dangling and clinking together when she moved. She took their drink order and disappeared, both men watching her till she disappeared from sight. Whistling softly under his breath Lyon turned back to Briar. "Well are you going to answer my question?"
"Yes." Briar answered him and turned halfway in his seat to dig through his backpack. Lyon resisted rolling his eyes and drummed his fingers on the black table top. After about a minute of searching Briar held out a book to Lyon. It's cover was a faded red and it's corners were tattered and coming apart. Lyon took the book gently and flipped through the pages that were yellowed from time.
"What is this?" He wondered, looking from the book to his brother with one eyebrow raised.
"This book tells of a statue." Briar started but was soon cut off by the waitress returning with their drinks. She smiled sweetly and winked at both men before strutting off.
Lyon shook his head and tried to focus at the situation at hand. "A statue. Shit Briar, if you wanted a fucking statue we could have had one made for you back home." He slammed the book shut and slid it across the table top.
"It's not just any statue Lyon. Under this particular statue there is rumored to be two priceless artifacts. The one I’m interested in is a vial of water, but not just any water. Supposedly it’s Jesus’ tears. One drop and you'll be cured of anything from life threatening illness to being a werewolf."
Lyon slowly lowered his glass of brandy from his full lips. "This is good news. Where is this statue?"
Briar sighed and took a drink from his glass. This was the part he was worried about, he was unsure of how his brother would take this next part. "The very center of Hell." He confessed as he stared into his brothers eyes.