Shouldn't This Taste Like Almonds ... Part 79

The room was very well accommodated, but I couldn't call it a room.


"This pales in comparison to my previous abode but a change of scenery is always nice."


"I find this a much better alternative to killer robots."


"You young ones, always complaining."


"I'm sorry but I'm not the biggest supporter of large metal humanoid things running at me and trying to kill me."


"What did you expect a tickle fight."


"Well, it would have been nice, but ultimately useless since I'm not ticklish."


"Well just think of it as a very intense tickle fight."


"You're kidding right? Right? Anyways what forms can you take?"


"Whichever you choose."


"Can I get like a catalog or a short sampler or sorts, but before that. You need a name. Well not exactly need .... What is your name?"


"Which one of us exactly?"


"Damn it, you just love to make things complicated. Ok, you need a name. A universal name, but something bad ass ... How about Raven?"

"You possess us and our knowledge. Any name you provide, we will gladly acknowledge."


"Alright if you don't mind it. You will now be Raven."


At this point the old man collapsed and a raven stood in his place. He stood around for a few seconds and began to transform in to many different forms. Some of the more notable transformations within the collection were a white tiger, a beetle, an elephant that surprisingly fit in the room/palace and he also went trough perfect representations of Zac, Stewart, and Ramsey and finally ended by transforming into me.


"Well that last one will come in very handy, but for the time being just choose whichever form you like best. You can talk while in animal form right?"


Raven transformed into an elegant black panther and spoke in his usual well mannered voice.


"Certainly sir."


"You don't have to title me, just call me Alex or The Dude or something anything but Sir."


"Certainly, sir."


"Eh, whatever I'm gonna go plan how to bring back Dracula."


"I didn't know he could be killed."


"Well, you haven't exactly spent too much time around Stewart."


"That I certainly have not."


".... Wait, you know Dracula."


"He was in a very similar situation as we were, and like we have mentioned before. Any ally is an ally."


"Well you can be a very helpful part in retrieving the scrolls that Zac currently beholds."


"I will get right on that sir"


I sighed as the black panther made his way out of the room. I didn't know how he expected to find out where Zac was but I'm sure he knew a way and will find information within his unlimited connections in the hell we have currently found ourselves stuck in.


I decided to go to sleep and let Raven do the detective work. I will piece a plan of action as soon as I have most of the scrolls.


I had little time to sleep. One of Grief's underlings, or so I presume, awoke me with a loud banging on the door trying his best to demand me to meet everyone in the dining area. The last thing on my mind was the fact that I had no clue where the dining area was, but the minion was waiting outside my door to escort me.  Stewart, as always was seated across from Zac and I caught a glimpse of Ramsey shaking hands with Grief and make his way towards the table. Why was Grief here, isn't he on vacation? I decided to pay no attention to it and took my seat at the table. Stewart was very giddy and Zac did not looked like he wanted to be here. Ramsey sat shortly after me and Stewart snapped his fingers. Several demons appeared out of nowhere and placed a covered silver platter in front of each of us. I was severely confused and I am quite sure Ramsey and Zac were not exactly completely aware of what was happening either. Stewart couldn't wait any longer.


"Let's begin."


He tossed the cover to the floor behind himself and took the heart that was laying on the plate and almost swallowed it whole. I was even more confused than before. I looked at the heart before me and the memory of the half of Dracula's heart still somewhere in the confines of my jacket came rushing back to me. I didn't know what to do.


"Uhh, what is this?"


"War's, Pestilence's and Famine's hearts, respectively."


"Why their hearts?"


"Because we are the next horsemen. You must eat the heart to gain their position."


"I don't know if I like raw heart."


"Just think of it as a nice rare steak, only slightly chewier." 


"That does not make it any better than it was. Can it be slightly roasted or something."


I fiddled with he heart and poked it with the fork, I took out of my jacket. Zac seemed to have an equally hard time with the idea of eating someone else's heart. 


"Is this absolutely necessary."


"Yes. It's required for us to take their throne."


I grumbled and begun cutting up the heart into almost microscopic pieces. I provided everyone with utensils and condiments they required.


"Just eat the damn thing." Stewart mumbled while still trying to chew the heart of death.


"How's the taste of death?"


"Kind of bitter."


"Really? I would have thought it would taste something like almonds."


"Ha, Arsenic jokes never get old."


Stewart went back to chewing his heart and I watched over Ramsey's and Zac's expressions as they tried to eat their's, although it was not exactly fair for Ramsey since his was all shrunken and withered, but Zac had it the worst it seemed. His heart looked absolutely disgusting and I watched as a pustule popped and a maggot crawled out of one of the ventricles. Closely observing Zac's heart quickly made my bloody piece of meat look like a feast in comparison and made the unexpected dinner slightly more tolerable.


After what seemed like hours, Stewart finally finished chewing his dinner, Ramsey was nourished by his, Zac was trying not to puke while finishing the last few pieces of hisand I was attempting to clean my face from the blood  of mine.