by Diem, J. C.
The scribes fell silent as we reached the front entrance. Four soldiers guarded the doors. They stared at us in derision as we filed past them. Demons prided themselves on their prowess in battle. Hellscribes were scholars rather than warriors. They were held in contempt by most of their kind.
Once we were inside the palace, Sam and I fell further and further behind as the scribes headed down a long, wide hallway that led directly to the throne room. I caught a glimpse of the prince sitting on his throne before we veered into a smaller hallway. At least I knew where to find him when it was time to end his life.
Sam lost his hold on the illusion and we reverted back to our normal forms. Sweat beaded his brow. “That was close,” he whispered.
“I thought you could hold the illusion for three minutes.”
“It is getting harder to maintain it when I am not in touch with the object,” he confessed. “It would seem that I am beginning to lose my ability to be able to blend in.”
That had to mean he was transforming back into a human. I was glad for him, but a selfish part of me was worried. I couldn’t do this without his help. I was only one person and I couldn’t take on the spawn of hell by brute force alone.
I kept my hand on his shoulder as we continued down the hallway. It felt thin and fragile beneath my enlarged fingers.
The palace had been constructed of the same slick black rock as the houses. Flaming torches lit the hallway every fifty or so feet. Demons didn’t need the light, so I wasn’t sure why they bothered. I suspected it was just to add creepy atmosphere.
As always, we headed for the stairs that would take us to the prince’s chamber first. My main goal was to kill the leaders of the outer eight realms before taking on their master, but it wasn’t my only task. I also needed to find the objects that would eventually be combined to create something that would supposedly help me win this war. We’d found one of the tarnished silver pieces in the private chambers of a prince and couldn’t rule it out as a hiding spot.
Servants and soldiers scurried through the halls every now and then. We paused to blend into the wall each time, which was taking a toll on Sam. We finally located the stairs near the back of the palace and climbed upwards. Just to annoy us, the stairs were in a different location on each level. We had to search before we found the staircases each time.
The palace was so large that it took us nearly an hour before we finally found the spiral staircase that would lead us to the tower where the beacon was. I knew that the prince’s chambers would be on a smaller tower that could be accessed by a short walkway. The lack of guards at the stairwell probably meant that we were wasting our time. I couldn’t leave without checking, so we made the long climb upwards.
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Chapter Forty-Three
We reached the top of the stairs without incident and hurried along the walkway. Glassless openings gave us a bird’s eye view of the city. I saw a mountain range far off in the distance. From up here, I could see a hint of red in the usual gray gloom on the horizon. I’d been shown a vision of what the realms of hell looked like. Each one would become less gloomy than the last. We were in the fifth realm now. Up this high the difference from the dimness that had been in the ninth realm was noticeable.
Slight movement from the corner of my eye drew my attention. I glanced out through one of the openings and came eye to eye with a wyvern as it peeked in at us. Clinging to the black stone, it was so still that it blended in with it almost as well as Sam could.
It opened its mouth to shriek a warning. My hand shot out and closed around its throat before it could utter a noise. Instead of the piercing scream, it made a pained wheeze. Talons clawed at my arm, but I ignored the furrows that it tore in my flesh and jacket. I pulled my dagger and it transformed into a short sword. I rammed the blazing red blade into its body over and over until it stopped moving.
Sam stared at the body that hung limply from my hand. “What are we going to do with it?” he asked. “We cannot leave it lying around where it will be discovered.”
I grinned and he almost flinched at the sight of my fangs. “I know the perfect place where we can stash it.”
He followed in my wake as I walked over to the gigantic black door. I paused to listen, but I didn’t hear anyone inside. My sword turned into a double bladed axe and I nodded at Sam to open the door. He turned the knob, shoved the door open then leaped out of the way. The room was empty of life, so his caution wasn’t necessary.
We stepped inside and Sam closed the door behind us. Apart from a gigantic stone bed, there was little furniture in the circular chamber. Crossing to the bed, I dropped to my knees and checked to see whether the piece of metal was there. It wasn’t, so I stuffed the dead wyvern into the low space. The black sheet was long enough to hang almost to the floor. It would conceal the dead beast from sight.
Sam sniggered at the hiding spot that I’d chosen. “I almost wish you did not have to kill the Prince,” he said. “That would be a fitting present to leave for him to discover once it begins to rot.”
My laugh sounded decidedly evil. “It would have been pretty funny,” I agreed.
We got to work and searched the entire room for the metal object. Coming up empty, we had no choice but to return to the stairwell. Sam took the lead again and we crept all the way down to the second level.
A shout from the prince froze us in place. “Hellscourge is here somewhere! Find her and bring her broken, bloody body to me!” His voice echoed throughout the entire level loudly enough to make me wince.
We darted into the closest room and I closed the door. “Gee, I wonder who he’s talking about?” I said with exaggerated sarcasm.
“Find the imp as well,” the prince added in a slightly quieter tone. “He will pay for turning on his master.”
Sam’s face paled at the threat. His former master had punished him for four long centuries. He’d already paid the price of defying the captain. I wasn’t about to let the ruler of this realm hurt my friend. “Don’t worry,” I told him. “Once the Prince is dead, his minions will be too busy trying to flee to even think about touching you.”
“I hope so,” he said. “I would not enjoy being torn apart.”
He looked tired and I reached out to put my hand on his shoulder. “Are you feeling okay?” It was usually him asking me that.
“I will be fine. I just need to rest.”
“I guess you really must be turning back into a human.”
He smiled happily at that, then was instantly dismayed. “I hope I can continue to help you. If my ability fades completely, I will be of no further use to you.”
“You’ll always be my best friend even if you do lose your camouflage power,” I said firmly.
Frantic footsteps sounded as the prince’s lackeys spread out to search the palace. Sam drew me back against the wall. He waited until the doorknob turned before blending us in with the black rock. A terrified servant swept her eyes around the room then shut the door again. An insidious part of me had been tempted to leap forward and shout “Boo!” just to make her scream, but I suppressed it.
It took two hours or so before the initial panic slowed down. “It is a good thing you hid the wyvern beneath the Prince’s bed,” Sam whispered. He was shaking from the effort of repeatedly hiding us from view by now.
“I’m glad I didn’t just toss it out the window to the ground below. They’d know we were here for sure then, once they found it.” They knew we were somewhere in the city, but they couldn’t be certain that we’d infiltrated the palace itself yet.
Fewer servants and soldiers were scurrying through the halls now. The prince had made no move towards his chamber where I could kill him in private. I wasn’t sure how much longer Sam could hold on before he’d run out of strength. His eyelids were fluttering from exhaustion.
Reaching a decision, I tugged on his hand and he snapped back to alertness. “What is it?” he asked in alarm.
“Were you asleep?”
“I do not know. Was I? It has been so long since I have needed to sleep that I do not remember what it feels like.”
He was groggy enough that he really might have been slumbering. “I want you to wait here,” I told him. Looking around, I saw a long bench and pointed at it. “Lie down behind that where no one will see you.”
His eyes widened when he realized what I was going to do. “You cannot go out there alone.”
“Sure I can. It’s my destiny to kill the Prince and I’m not going to let anything stand in my way.”
We’d been in the fifth realm for around eight days now and it was affecting us both. The more strength I gained, the more he seemed to lose. Coming to the conclusion that he was more vulnerable now, he nodded reluctantly. “Be careful.”
“I will. I’ll be back soon.” Hopefully, I’d be intact when I returned.
Sam heaved himself to his feet and trudged over to the bench. I pulled it out far enough from the wall that he could lie down behind it. He lay on his side, looking younger than his seventeen mortal years as his eyes fluttered shut again.
Hearing footsteps approach, I stood beside the door and waited with my dagger in my hand. When it opened a few seconds later, I stepped into view. A soldier gaped up at me. His scarlet eyes went wide in amazement as he took in my new appearance. I rammed my dagger into his heart before he could shout a warning.
Catching him before he could fall, I yanked him inside and sat him down against the wall. His head fell forward on his chest as if he was taking a nap. Hell spawn didn’t need to sleep, so no one would be stupid enough to fall for the ruse.
Feeling that I was running out of time, I left the room and quietly shut the door. The hallway was empty, so I ran as silently as I could towards the balcony that overlooked the throne room. Pausing in the shadows, I looked down to see the prince still sitting on his massive black throne. Dozens of Demon Lords, captains and lesser demons were crammed into the throne room in front of him. They were all watching their master cautiously.
Slumped to one side, the prince drummed his claws on the arm of his throne. Even sitting, he was taller than his lesser servants and soldiers. They awaited his command, but he just sat there silently, staring over their heads. I judged his throne to be at least twenty feet away from the edge of the balcony. Psyching myself up, I transformed my dagger back into an axe. Get ready, I said to Morax.
You know that you must face the Princes yourself, he responded.
I know, but there’s no rule that says I can’t use your help to face his minions.
That is a good point, he mused. I am ready when you are. Trapped inside me with little to do but brood, he was looking forward to some action.
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Chapter Forty-Four
Mentally crossing my fingers that this wasn’t the dumbest idea that I’d ever had, I backed up a few paces then sprinted towards the balcony. Leaping into the air, my foot hit the railing and Morax fed me his strength. Pushing myself forward, I grasped my axe overhead with both hands and fell towards the clueless prince.
A piercing caw from somewhere above us warned him that he was in danger. I heard the fluttering of wings as my feathered nemesis arrived just in time to thwart my plan. The prince jerked his head up and saw me coming for him. Cursing in his guttural language, he inelegantly threw himself away from the throne a split second before I landed. Instead of splitting his head open, my axe hit his stone chair. Cracking down the middle, it fell to the floor in two pieces.
Climbing to his feet, my foe examined me as I straightened up to my new height. “I see that you are succumbing to the dark power of the souls that you have ingested,” he said. Clearly, he had no idea of my true heritage. “I gather being Hellscourge is the reason why you are turning into one of us instead of turning into a mere imp.”
I’d grown eight inches, but he still towered over me. His black armor covered all but the center of his chest. His skin was marked in the same strange symbols that the other princes sported. His horns curved upwards and back over his head, not quite touching at the tips. Leathery wings were curled at his back and he had cloven hooves rather than feet. He hadn’t called on a weapon yet and I wondered what he was waiting for.
“Someone give the man a kewpie doll,” I said mockingly as we circled each other. Every demon in the throne room had drawn their weapons. A sea of crimson blades lit the room in red.
“I will have my prize,” he replied with a fierce grin. “But it shall be your heart on a platter.”
Sensing evil at my back, I turned to see a Wraith Warrior standing right in front of me. Seven feet tall, it looked like he was made of shadow, but he’d actually been constructed from the evil essence of his master. His face was just a black nothingness and his sword was made of shadow as well. He drew his weapon back and I made no attempt to try to stop his attack. He rammed it forward and it halted mere millimeters away from me.
“Why did you not stab her?” the prince demanded. His minion was the deadliest of assassins, but he was useless against me.
“I’ve already been marked by another warrior,” I replied before his lackey could say anything.
Face paling slightly, the prince backed away and motioned for his troops to move forward. “Kill her,” he ordered. “Cut off her head and dismember her body.”
“But, your highness, the Hellmaster wants her to be delivered to him alive,” one of the Demon Lords had the audacity to say.
Rounding on the lord, the prince called his weapon into being. A broadsword nearly as long as I was tall sliced through the air to spear the hapless demon. Putting his hand on the lord’s chest, the prince pushed him away. Gaping in agony, the minion shimmered and disappeared. Instead of dying, he’d just been stripped of his rank and had been sent back to the first realm.
“Does anyone else wish to question my command?” the prince roared. No one dared to open their mouths. He turned towards me and pointed with his sword. “Then do as I say and kill her!”
Demons surged towards me. I knew I was no match for them all and mentally took a step back as Morax came forward and took control. Now that I was larger and stronger, he could wield his favorite double bladed axe with even greater effect. Heads and limbs went flying as he carved his way through the crowd.
He was the greatest of the Demon Lords, just one step beneath the princes, but even he wasn’t good enough to avoid all injuries. Ignoring the pain of cuts and slices, he was tireless as he decimated the first wave of servants and soldiers. Captains and lords were lined up next, waiting their turn to face me. Their hideous faces were filled with fright rather than with the jubilation of battle.
I’d upset the balance when I’d been created and everything had changed. Bodies lay on the floor all around me. Instead of shimmering and disappearing, they weren’t going anywhere. Morax was wielding the weapon, but my hands were the ones that held it. I was Hellscourge and they all knew that I was their doom.
“I have no beef with any of you,” I said to the next wave of hell spawn before they could launch their attack. I wasn’t healing as fast as usual and I needed a break from fighting. “I’m here for him.” I pointed at their leader with my axe and the prince flinched away. “He’s willing to toss your lives away, but I’m giving you the chance to leave now or you’ll end up joining them.” I indicated the corpses that were strewn around the throne room.
Uneasy glances were exchanged. The prince chuckled derisively. “It is useless to attempt to sway my minions to leave,” he said. “I am their master and they must do as I say.” His Wraith Warrior had moved to stand at his back. I could sense him watching me even though his face was obscured. His silence was menacing.
Perched on the balcony above us, the undead raven was watching with interest. If it hadn’t been for it, this battle could have been over almost immediately. I could feel Morax beginning to tire. It exhausted him to take over for any length of time, but my anger was rising now. Best of all, my wounds had stopped bleeding. �
�Fine. I guess I’ll just cut them all down before I move on to you.”
At their leader’s curt gesture, the captains sprang forward. They were more skilled than the servants and soldiers, but they were no match for Morax. As the battle progressed, he grew weaker and his strength finally ran out. My anger had risen with each body that fell. As the last captain went down, I turned a contemptuous look on their master. “I would never have guessed that a Prince could be so cowardly.”
As I’d expected, he took immediate insult. “I am not a coward,” he said with a glower.
“Standing around watching while your minions are decimated is the very definition of being a coward.”
Seeing the sidelong glances that the lords were giving him, he realized that he looked weak in their eyes. He knew it was highly likely that he was going to die, but his pride wouldn’t let him back down now. He called on his sword again and motioned for his remaining dozen lords to step back. “Since it is obvious that my minions are not skilled enough to best you, I will end you myself.”
“Sure you will,” I replied. “The other Princes felt the same way right up until I killed them.”
Thanks to Morax’s assistance, I wasn’t as exhausted from my protracted battle as my foe obviously hoped. I’d warmed up and I was ready to chop him to pieces.
With a snarl, he leaped at me. I ducked under his blade as it whooshed through the air. I swung my axe and it cut through his armor like it was made of paper. He bellowed in pain and anger when it sliced into his side.
We traded a few blows and I didn’t quite manage to block his next swing. His blade cut into my left arm and he grinned in triumph when I winced. Before I could recover, he backhanded me hard enough to send me flying through the air. Normally, my wound would have healed even before I hit the ground. Now that Raziel’s soul had joined the legion, my wound bled freely.