“No.” She looked at her feet for a long time before turning and looking at the Devil. “I will allow you into Heaven.”
“You will?” Lucifer seemed shocked. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’re sorry for breaking up our family because you’re too damned stubborn to do what you should do.” Michelle sighed. “That’s all I want. Apologize, and I’ll consider the matter closed. We can ally Heaven and Hell and set Arthur’s plan in motion.” She smiled slightly. “The ball is in your court sister.”
“You would really forgive me?” Lucifer swallowed hard and took a step back.
“Yes.” Michelle sighed. “Truthfully, I always would have. We’re sisters. I’ll probably always forgive you.”
“I’m sorry.” Lucifer looked at the floor. “I’m sorry for everything I put you through, everything I did. It was—”
“Just stop right there,” Michelle waved her hand. “I don’t want to hear your explanation or any justifications.” She touched her chest. “I’m the Archangel of Justice. Your motives are plain to me.” She smiled. “It is enough to hear you apologize, sister.” Michelle took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Lucifer. “You are forgiven.”
As she spoke, glowing golden text appeared in front of me, and I nearly leaped for joy.
Achievement: Heal the Rift has been completed.
You gain 10% Legitimacy with the Heaven faction.
“What?” Lucifer asked as Michelle released her. She wiped her eyes because she must have gotten something in them.
“I got another achievement.” I smirked. “Apparently, getting you two to kiss and make up, scored the Heal the Rift Achievement, which brings my legitimacy to fifty-five percent.”
“That means you only need to finish rebuilding Heaven and outfitting the troops to gain full faction recognition,” Lucifer said, nodding. “Then you’ll be strong enough to break the bonds Dred has placed on my sister.” Her gaze flitted to Michelle who was looking at me like she was pondering something.
“Indeed,” Michelle said, but it was clear she was barely paying attention. “We will not be able to speed either of those along. Buildings and weapon-making both take time.” She lapsed into silence for a moment before turning to Lucifer. “Sister, would you make preparations? I wish to speak with Arthur alone.”
A sly grin spread across the Devil’s face. “Sure, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Then she unfurled her wings and sprang into the air, her body a glowing red beacon of light as she made her way toward Heaven.
“There is much she would do that I would not,” Michelle said idly before turning her attention to me. “I never thought this day would come.”
“That you’d let the Devil back into Heaven?” I asked, slightly shocked myself. Never had I expected it to happen.
“No.” Michelle waved off my comment. “That she would ask for forgiveness.” Michelle bit her lip. “Anyway, that is not what I wished to speak to you about.”
“Oh?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. “What did you want?”
“You are greater than fifty percent legitimate now.” She looked right at me, and I got the impression she could see into my soul. Only instead of finding me wanting, she merely took scope and nodded.
“Yeah.” I touched the earring Sam had given me, The Cold Embrace of Death. “I can feel how much stronger my bond is with Samael.”
“I wish you to break my bond with Dred.” Michelle met my eyes. “Before you go.”
“I probably can’t.” I turned and gestured toward the room where Belphegor was still tied up. “I could easily take hers because I was the legitimate, I dunno, markee, I guess. And we’re in Hell where my powers are strongest.” I shook my head. “I don’t think I can break yours in the same way.”
“Are we not in Hell?” she asked, moving closer to me. “Are we not in the very seat of your power?”
I looked at her for a long while. Part of me wanted to try, to take the mark, but honestly, I thought it might not work, and what’s more, it would hurt a lot. What if all it wound up doing was weakening her to the point where we couldn’t save Gabriella?
“No.” I shook my head. “I need you to save Gabriella. Even if it works, you’ll be weakened. I can’t risk it.”
“Have you even found Gabriella’s Armament yet?” Michelle asked, and the question struck me as odd.
“Why do you ask?” I replied, worried I was stepping into a trap.
“Let us find it, and I will show you why you must take my mark at all costs.” She looked around. “Where is her room?”
“Um… over there.” I pointed toward the far building. It was the same one Sally and Crystal lived in and was one of the few that had proper rooms.
“Let us go then.” Michelle nodded once before setting off toward it.
“I still don’t see what this has to do with anything,” I said, following along after her. “At all. Heaven will be rebuilt soon enough, and then I can break the marks. I’m probably strong enough to fight Dred now.”
“Perhaps.” She shrugged. “But you are not certain.” Michelle whirled on me in a flash. “Do you wish to fight me now, to see?”
“Now that you mention it…” I looked her up and down. I kind of did want to face her, to see if I could beat her. I felt much stronger now that I had Belphegor’s mark, but at the same time, I could tell it wouldn’t be enough. At least, not without the armament too.
“I can see in your eyes you think you would lose.” Michelle nodded. “Let us find Gabriella’s armament.” With that, she stepped inside the Archangel of Love’s room and snorted.
When I followed her inside, I saw why.
The room while not very big, was bright pink with a picture of a unicorn painted onto the wall above the tiny bed.
“There is a lot of pink in here,” Michelle mused, gesturing to the bed which was covered with pink sheets and a pink comforter. “I did not know she had such an affinity for the color.”
“Me either,” I replied, wondering where she’d gotten all the pink linens, let alone found time to paint the room and draw a unicorn.
“It is sad.” Michelle sighed. “I have known her for so long and yet, I know her so poorly. I ought to know her favorite color.” Michelle bit her lip. “Ought to have helped her paint her old room.”
“I’m guessing her old room is exactly the same as everyone else’s?” I glanced around, marveling at all the personal touches Gabriella had made. While there wasn’t a lot of room, there was a small desk in the corner, and upon it sat a menagerie of sculpted horses in various stages of being painted. Had she done that?
“Yes, her room was similar to everyone else’s. We did not have the resources to spare on such things.” Michelle sighed. “Though now, part of me wishes I had let her decorate.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled. “I’m going to get her back, and then you can help her paint her room in Heaven.”
“I would like that.” Michelle nodded, her eyes sweeping around the room. “Check there.” She pointed to a potted plant in the corner.
“Check the plant?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes.” Michelle smirked. “Gabriella does not care for plants much. So she would have only brought it for it to be noticeable and out of place, but only to someone who knew her. It would be overlooked by others.”
“How would anyone know that?” I asked, looking over at Michelle. “I didn’t know that.” I stared at her for a heartbeat. “Guess you know her better than you thought, eh?”
“Perhaps.” Michelle’s cheeks colored. “Check please.”
I did as she asked, moving to the plant. It was just your garden variety shrub, where I would have expected flowers or the like, and now that I was looking at it, I could tell Michelle was correct. While I didn’t know if Gabriella liked plants or not, she would have put flowers in her room, not a mangy shrub. This one wasn’t even pretty, with sickly yellow leaves and little splotches of green spread out. Hell, it
didn’t even smell very good.
Kneeling down beside it, I pushed aside the bottom branches and looked into the pot. Sure enough, sitting right on top of the soil was a small red box.
“Is this it?” I asked, showing the tiny box to Michelle.
“Yes, I think so.” Michelle smiled. “Gabriella always loved those puzzle boxes.” The archangel held out her hand. “Can I see it?”
“Uh, sure.” I handed the tiny box to Michelle who peered at it intently for a moment. Then her fingers became a blur of speed. A few minutes later, there was a loud click, and the box opened up, spraying glitter into the air that seemed to coalesce into Gabriella’s face.
“Arthur, if you’re hearing this message it means something has happened to me.” Glitter Gabriella bit her lip. “I am sorry I could not give you this in person. I was too shy I suppose, but it doesn’t matter now.” She flushed, which was crazy because, you know, glitter. “Please, take my Armament, the Endearing Gaze of Love, as a token of my affection. Know that I do not blame you for anything. My time with you has been some of the best I have ever had.”
Glitter Gabriella disappeared in a twinkle of light, revealing a bright pink gemstone in the center of the now opened puzzle cube.
“I don’t know that I could have found that without you,” I said because otherwise, I was going to get really upset and angry. I knew I’d need those emotions, but not now. Not yet.
“I do not believe that to be true,” Michelle handed me the gem. “You will need me now though. Tell me, how does that feel?”
“Um… like a normal gemstone.” I shook it a little before peering at it. I could see sparks of life inside, but it mostly just felt cold and dead in the same way Mammon’s Gauntlets had felt cold and dead before I’d received her mark.
“Exactly.” Michelle held out her hand. “May I see it?”
“Sure.” I shrugged and gave her the Endearing Gaze of Love.
Michelle stared at it for a moment, and then it began to glow with soft blue light. She held it up, and I could see the spark of her power within it. “I can partially activate her armament, Arthur. I am the leader of Heaven.” She met my eyes. “If you had my Mark, you could do the same.” She shrugged. “It won’t be as good as if Gabriella marked you, but it will be a lot better than nothing.”
“Michelle, we talked about this—”
“Arthur, it is my decision, not yours.” She held the gemstone out to me. “I wish you to save my sister. I will do anything to help you accomplish that, and if all I must do is endure some pain, I will do so gladly.” She dropped the gemstone into my hand, and I could feel the warmth within it as love radiated out. Not Gabriella’s per se, but Michelle’s love of her sister, of her kingdom, of all those she swore to protect.
“Okay,” I said, closing my fingers around the gemstone. “I’ll do it.”
41
It took three days, and the combined strength of all seven archangels bonded to me to break the bond between Michelle and Dred. Then another three days to recover. It was only now, on the seventh day that I was ready to face Dred.
“Do not worry about us, Arthur,” Lucifer said, reaching out and adjusting my crown, as she did, she smiled. “I never expected Gabriella’s gem to fit into my crown.” Her eyes flicked to the pink gem now displayed prominently in the center like it’d always meant to be there. “It makes me think there may be more to the armaments than we previously thought.”
“Yeah, I didn’t even realize the crown was lacking a gem until Sam pointed it out.” I smiled. “I’m glad it worked though. Makes this a lot easier.” I touched the gem. I still had no idea what it did, but having it did allow me to draw strength from Michelle. That was what I needed now.
“Hard to believe we wanted to put a gemstone of Love into the pommel of Caliburn.” Lucifer nodded and gave me one last look before stepping back. We were standing at the rift that, according to Belphegor, would lead me to Dred’s stronghold within the Darkness.
“Yeah.” I met her eyes for a moment. “I’m counting on you and Michelle both. If this doesn’t work…” I swallowed, hoping I wouldn’t be trapped in a prison world for the rest of my life.
“It will work.” Michelle clapped her hand on Lucifer’s shoulder. “My sister can be quite… persuasive.” She nodded to me then. “You should go. The moment we begin to help you, Dred will suspect us. You must distract him until we are finished.”
“Yeah…” I turned to look back at the rift. This was it, my turn to step in and be the hero everyone thought I was. Just a little while before I’d been a scared orphan who dreamed of getting a cubicle job, and now I was going to go storm a castle in a void of Darkness, fight the strongest human on the planet, and save the Archangel of Love. Jesus, it was like the universe had no idea who I was.
“Good luck, Arthur,” Lucifer said, waving to me as I turned to the rift and readied myself.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my adrenaline surging through my veins, but mostly? Mostly I wanted to step through that rift and lay waste to everything Dred had built. It wasn’t even really because the guy was an asshole, though that was part of it.
At the end of the day, he was a bully. He had used his power to do horrible things thinking no one could stop him. Now, it was time to stand up to him. He might be stronger, faster, and all around more skilled than me, but at the end of the day, I had to try. No. I had to win.
He didn’t.
Hopefully, that would make the difference.
“Thank you for everything,” I said, and before they could respond, I stepped into the brink.
After my body put itself back together, I found myself standing beneath a black matte sky sprayed with multihued starlight.
Before me was a massive castle made of sparkling obsidian. Its walls practically glimmered despite the lack of abundant light, and as my vision started to adjust, I could see shadows writing within the moat and along the walls. The drawbridge was up, but even if it wasn’t, I knew better than to go that way. Belphegor had warned me of the wards clinging to it, and if I tried it, not only would I have to break through them, assuming I even could, I’d have to deal with an onslaught of Darkness warriors. Worse, Dred would know I was here.
I glanced at my wrist, wishing I had a watch. I had forty-five minutes to get in as far as I could before Michelle and Lucifer would make their move. If I wasn’t to Dred by then, well, I’d have to become the distraction, and that’d make everything harder.
Sucking a deep breath, I wished I had Wrath’s teleport ability once more. Hell, I wished I could have brought the archangel, but if I had, her mere presence could potentially alert Dred to our presence. That wasn’t worth the risk. No. I had to do this on my own.
I moved forward, angling around the castle toward the front left corner. Up above I could see a guard tower, and while I couldn’t make out if it was occupied since almost everything here was made of shadow, this was my best chance to enter.
Taking a page out of Galahad’s book, I reached down and activated the steam-powered grappling hooks attached to my thighs. It had been meant for titans, sure, but it would also scale walls just as well. And, after all, who warded guard towers. After all, who would be foolish enough to come in that way?
With a twitch of my thigh, the nearly silent grappling hooks burst from the canisters strapped to my legs with a hiss of steam. The projectiles slammed into the roof of the guard tower, and not waiting to see if anyone had heard or seen me, I initiated the recall feature. I wasn’t as good with them as I’d have liked, though, and as the harness strapped to my upper body fought to keep me balanced, I was jerked into the air like a puppeteer’s doll with too few strings. Fortunately, I didn’t plan on going all the way up. As I shot toward the roof, I released the hooks, causing them to disengage from the stone walls and retract back into the canisters. The whir of the gears inside filled my ears as I flew through the window of the guard tower. I lashed out with Caliburn, removing the head of a lizar
d man who had moved to see what all the fuss was about.
As his head bounced across the stone at our feet, I crashed into him. The impact sent us slamming into the back wall. As his headless corpse crashed into the window facing into the courtyard, I gritted my teeth and spun. Caliburn flashed through the air, ending the other guard within in a spray of black ichor. I stood there, chest heaving and trying to ignore the pain from the impact of my landing. The lizard man had broken my fall with his body, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t suffered damage. Fortunately, I would heal.
A moment or two later, I was ready to go, and as I peered into the courtyard, I found it nearly deserted. There were only a few token lizard guards and a single beholder which didn’t seem like nearly enough, but then again, Dred was a monster king. Who was going to attack him?
No. According to Belphegor, he had grown complacent. I hadn’t believed it before, but now I did. Even Heaven, with the Knights of the Round Table to guard the city, had more defenses to guard grain houses than Dred seemed to have for his entire courtyard.
Watching the guards circle the courtyard, I inhaled and exhaled slowly. Then I took my leap of faith. Jumping from the platform, I careened downward, slamming into the top of the beholder below with my sword thrust downward. The blow, combined with the momentum of my impact, reduced the beholder to jelly.
As the massive creature exploded outward, spraying pus, slime, and god knows what else out across the courtyard, my knees slammed into the cobblestone courtyard. Pain exploded up my legs as they shattered, but I clenched my teeth, trying not to cry out.
If I’d timed it right, I had ten seconds until the first guard would circle through here in the beholder’s stead.
Healing only took five seconds.
I was on my feet and at the corner as the lizard man turned. His eyes went wide in shock as he spied the beholder, but before he could do much else, I drove my blade through his back while pulling him against the wall. Using the shadows for cover, I held him there until his struggles ceased and he collapsed to the ground.
The Builder's Wrath (The Legendary Builder Book 4) Page 23