by Diem, J. C.
Knowing I had to return to the battle, I hugged him for a moment then pulled back with a sigh. “Take care of the girls for me,” I said.
He threw a look over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. “It will most likely be the other way around. I am badly outnumbered here.”
We shared a snigger then I climbed to my feet. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for me,” I said. “If it wasn’t for you, I never would have made it this far.”
“You are stronger and smarter than you realize,” he replied solemnly. “But you are right, you would have been lost without me.” He grinned again then stepped back as the gates to heaven began to swing shut. “I love you, Violet,” he said and lifted his hand in a wave.
“I love you, too, Sam,” I replied softly. Then the gates closed and he faded back into the mist.
₪₪₪
Chapter Forty-Eight
Now that I had my soul back, I had access to magic that I’d previously had to borrow from the essence inside me. I teleported back to Manhattan to see the battle in full swing. Angels fought against demons and were evenly match in numbers. Human cops were shooting at the rampaging leviathan, but they weren’t making much headway against it. Other creatures raced through the streets in search of prey. The arachnoids, giant rats and gnomes weren’t as large as the goliath, but they were still deadly.
Reynolds stood in the path of the behemoth, shooting up at its face. The monster had already destroyed several smaller buildings. It couldn’t enter any of the ones that had been consecrated, but it had wreaked havoc on ones that weren’t blessed.
Annoyed by the tiny human, the leviathan lifted a hoof to stomp him into mush. I teleported over and grabbed hold of the detective then launched us both into the air. He threw a startled look over his shoulder, eyes wide with terror. Realizing it was me, he pointed at the leviathan. “Take me closer!” he shouted above the sounds of fighting. “I’m going to try to blind it!” I was much lighter in this form, but I was just as strong as I’d been when I was a Demon Princess. My wings could easily support us both.
I did as he asked and flew in close enough for him to shoot at the leviathan’s eyes. The left one splattered with an audible pop when he unleashed a barrage of bullets at it. Roaring in rage and pain, the leviathan swept a wing at us. I teleported away then paused to let Reynolds reload. He trusted me implicitly and knew I would never let him fall. “Take me closer again!” he shouted, not realizing my hearing was now as exceptional as my eyesight.
Doing as he asked, I held him still while he levelled his gun. He emptied the clip into the beast’s second eye and the orb was obliterated. Now blind, the leviathan bellowed and stomped around, groping the air for us. One of its cloven hooves came down on a car and flattened it.
Most people had taken shelter inside, but some still ran through the streets. An elderly woman tripped and fell, banging her head on the ground. An arachnoid skittered towards her, intent on feeding. With multiple legs and a long, segmented gray body, it looked like a cross between a spider and a corpse of something unidentifiable.
Before I could go to her rescue, a small figure ran out from an alley. Black skinned and hideously twisted, it scooped the woman up and carried her back into the shadows where they both seemed to disappear. The arachnoid turned in a circle, confused that its meal had magically disappeared.
“What the hell was that thing?” Reynolds asked.
I’d described arachnoids to him and assumed he was talking about the being who had rescued the woman. I waited until I’d teleported us to the ground before replying. “It was an imp,” I told him.
Now that I was aware of them, I saw them crouching in the shadows, hiding from view. Rashida was the first to step out into the light. Wearing a determined expression, she was clutching a rusty weapon. She must have taken it from one of the demons that my hounds had savaged in hell. Raising the short sword, she screamed in defiance as she raced towards the leviathan.
Frightened, but fierce, a flood of imps joined her. Some detoured to cut down the arachnoid. The rest swarmed over the gigantic monster, hacking and stabbing its legs. Losing its balance, the leviathan fell with a resounding thud, flattening several more cars that had been abandoned. The imps’ weapons were too puny to end its life, but Leo and Brie appeared to lend their aid to the fight. Their blazing blue swords sliced into the beast’s neck and it flicked some of the imps off like annoying insects. More swarmed over it and held it down by standing on its wings and pinning it to the ground.
Bellowing and thrashing, it became weaker as its blood spurted out from the deep wounds in its neck. Covered in black gore, the angels continued their attack until the gigantic hell spawn’s head came off and it went still. It shimmered and disappeared. I felt it being drawn to the nowhere lands where it would eventually heal. Being beheaded was something that even Satan’s minions couldn’t easily fix.
Speaking of the Devil, I saw a flash of his red skin as he materialized. Raising his huge, clawed hands, smoky black essence oozed from him as he used his dark magic to call on more of his creatures. Several more leviathans appeared, along with scores of hellbats, arachnoids, hellcats, giant rats, gnomes, wyverns and gargoyles.
The black shadows receded from Satan and he staggered. Calling his minions directly from the nowhere lands had taken a toll and he was now weakened. This was my opportunity to take him down.
Teleporting over to my arch nemesis, I swung my axe at his head. Proving he wasn’t as exhausted as he seemed, his sword deflected it and he counterattacked with a thrust. His blade knocked me back a few feet when it hit my chest, but it didn’t pierce my armor.
Crimson eyes narrowing, he circled me and I moved in step with him. “You will never defeat me,” he said. “I am too strong for even the mighty Hellscourge to vanquish.” His upper lip lifted in a sneer as he used the title Hannah had given me so long ago.
“Are you sure about that?” I replied. “You’re the reason why I exist. God made me to destroy you.” Fate had been the one guiding me, but God had created the universe and he was ultimately in charge.
Uncertainty flickered in his eyes, almost disguising his intention to attack me. A flurry of blows came at me and I couldn’t block them all. He was far stronger and faster than any demon I’d ever fought before, but he wasn’t infallible. Blocking as many of his strikes as I could, I saw a pattern begin to emerge.
Pretending to be weakening, I allowed him to drive me back against a building. Knowing his next strike would be at my vulnerable face, I ducked and swung my axe at his side. It bit deep into his flesh and black blood spurted out. An expression that was a cross between pain and astonishment flowed over him. Reaching out, he grasped hold of me by the shoulder and called on his dark essence again. This time, he didn’t call creatures from the nowhere lands to us. Instead, he took us to the dismal land that he’d created.
Instead of the lightless, empty space that Satan expected, oil lamps lit the area and grass and soil were beneath our feet. “What is this?” he said as he looked around. “This is not possible. No one can alter a dimension that I created.”
“Wrong,” I said with a wolfish grin. “My servants weren’t happy here, so I made a few adjustments.”
“ Your servants?” the Devil said derisively. “I created the hell spawn. Their loyalty belongs to me.”
Scarlet eyes appeared all around us as my hellhounds and nightmares made themselves known. My alpha stalked forward with his head lowered and his fangs bared. He was growling and his scarlet eyes were locked on the being that had once been his master. He came to a stop beside me and I stroked his head. “Wrong again,” I told my nemesis. “These creatures belong to me.”
His eyes went distant as he tried to teleport away, but I used my ability to block him. We were going to have our final showdown here, where no innocent bystanders could get hurt. I shouldn’t have been able to exist in the nowhere lands, but I’d become linked to it through my servants. Their loyalty sustained me an
d gave me strength.
With a shout of frustrated rage, Satan renewed his attack. My hands and face were my only vulnerable areas and he targeted them. I allowed him to think he might have a chance at besting me, then called on my gloves and helmet. Catching a glimpse of my image on the door of my carriage, I saw it had changed to match my new appearance. Instead of a hideous being with fangs, I looked like a beautiful angel who just happened to have horns growing out of her forehead. They rose for nearly a foot before curving backwards and meeting at the tips at the back of my head. They were as golden as my armor.
Gold and scarlet sparks flew as our weapons clashed. I didn’t fight my foe alone. My hounds and horses joined in to distract my enemy. One of my nightmares kicked at Satan with its back feet and sent him flying. My alphas savaged him when he hit the ground. He held them off with his sword and fist, cursing vilely as he struggled to his feet.
“Where are your servants, Satan?” I taunted him. “Why aren’t they coming to your aid?”
Leviathans, dragons and other fierce beasts hovered in the distance. None of them stepped forward to assist their master. He would have to compel them to fight me. He didn’t have the strength to do it after weakening himself by calling his servants to Earth.
Black blood dripped from a cut on his arm, but it healed without a trace. My foe snarled at me then his eyes went distant again. He didn’t try to teleport away this time. Instead, he called on the only being that could offer him help.
Evil essence oozed from him and formed into a Wraith Warrior. It was the same one that had been lurking inside me and who had poisoned me with toxin. The raven had marked Nathan by mistake and I’d drawn the darkness inside myself to save him.
“Mark her and fill her with your taint again,” Satan ordered his assassin in a gloating tone. His toxin was the one thing that could weaken me and we both knew it.
The warrior strode towards me and called on his black blade. It was made of his dark essence and I couldn’t stop it as it swung towards me. Another shadowy sword appeared and black sparks flew as the blades met. I hadn’t consciously called on her, but my female Wraith Warrior had come to my rescue. “You will not touch her,” she said in a toneless, hollow voice. “Hellscourge is under my protection.”
Hissing in anger, her rival attacked her. She was skilled enough to hold him off and to keep him away from me. She’d absorbed the skills and knowledge of my legion while she’d been trapped inside me. My warrior had become an expert swordswoman.
Satan used my moment of distraction to attack me. I didn’t see his fist coming and it collided with my helmet. My ears rang and my knees buckled. I went down and he kicked me hard, sending me flying for several yards. My concussion and bruises healed instantly. I leaped to my feet in time to catch his blade with my axe. He was too proud to wear a helmet and my fist connected with his nose. It shattered and blood poured from the wound before it healed.
Realizing his weapon was useless, he made it disappear. He used his fists and feet to pummel me instead. He was so fast that I wasn’t able to avoid his punches and kicks. Rattling around inside my armor, I went down again. His knees landed on my back, pressing me into the soft soil. My hounds and nightmares tried to come to my defense, but he called his Wraith Warrior over to keep them away. His toxic blade would be deadly to them, so they had to keep their distance.
Strong hands closed around my helmet and began to squeeze. The pressure built and I could feel the metal beginning to buckle. Hearing the scuttling of multiple legs, I could just make out a form approaching from the darkness. The queen of the crab beetles scurried in and spat acid directly over us both. My armor was magical and the deadly substance simply ran off me. My foe wasn’t as lucky.
Shrieking in intense agony, Satan leaped to his feet and tried to run, but the queen’s mate was there to intercept him. Another spurt of acid melted the Devil’s hooves off and he went crashing to the ground.
How fitting, the queen said into our minds in satisfaction. You created us and then tried to have us annihilated when we proved to be stronger and smarter than you intended. Now we will destroy you .
Knowing he was trapped, Satan drew his Wraith Warrior inside him to give him added strength. My own warrior turned to mist as well and I drew her back inside me. This time, she wasn’t a separate entity. She became a part of my unique essence and I felt a surge of power.
Satan called on his sword and swung it at the male crab beetle’s legs. The bug dropped down and the blade clanged on his hard shell. I’d promised the queen that she wouldn’t have to join the battle. Before my nemesis could injure either of my allies, I brought my axe down on his wrist, severing his hand. My alpha darted in and picked up the appendage that was still clutching the gigantic red sword. Satan roared in fury when the hound began chewing on his fingers.
The queen beetle delicately spat acid and it splattered on the Devil’s other hand, melting it into oblivion. He would heal, but it would take time. Unarmed and helpless, he did the only thing he could to save his life. Staring up at me, he tried to compel me.
Laughing at his pitiful attempt to control my mind, I planted a boot on his chest and rested the blade of my axe against his throat. “You can’t control me, Satan. I’m too strong for you now that I have my soul back.”
Licking his lips with his forked tongue, his gaze darted to the two crab beetles that flanked me. “I will make you a deal, Hellscourge.”
“This should be good,” I said dryly. “What deal could you possibly offer me that I would accept?”
“What do you want?” he countered smoothly. “Do you want to rule Earth, heaven or hell? Whatever it is that you desire, I can make it yours.” His tone turned silky, but nothing he said could sway me. I was too powerful to be seduced by his words again.
“I’m not like you. I don’t want to rule anyone.”
“All demons long for supremacy,” he growled. “It is in our blood.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m half angel,” I countered. I pretended to think for a moment before I spoke. “There’s only one thing I want.”
“What is this thing that you desire so badly?” he said mockingly, but I saw hope flare in his eyes.
“Peace on Earth, of course,” I replied. “The only way I’m going to get that is if I destroy you.” I let him hang for a moment. “Unless…”
He grasped at the straw I was offering. “Unless what?”
“I’ll let you live if you agree to my terms.”
“What terms?” I could tell by his hopeless tone that he knew I had him just where I wanted him.
“You will return to the first realm of hell and remain there forever. You won’t attempt to leave through any of the portals, or use the nowhere lands or the shadowlands to try to escape. You won’t encourage demons or hellbeasts to invade Earth. You will release all imps from their bondage and allow them to return to Earth if they want. They are not to be mistreated by anyone or anything.”
“Are you not going to demand that the human souls are to be released as well?” he said sourly.
“Nope. They deserve their punishment. It’ll be incentive for humans not to screw up.” Idle demons were dangerous, or so I’d been told. Having souls to torture kept them entertained and would hopefully make them less dangerous to Earth. “There’s one more thing I want,” I said before he could agree. “I want the key.”
His last thread of hope disappeared and he closed his eyes in defeat. “I agree to your terms, Hellscourge,” he said and the key materialized beside him.
Bending to pick it up, I was about to make it disappear, but it shimmered and faded. A flash of silver on my breastplate made me look down. The key was now nestled between the two bronze skull buckles. It had become a part of me, just like the marks that were on my skin. Nothing would ever be able to separate it from me now.
Grasping hold of Satan’s shoulder, I teleported us to the shadowlands. Striding over to the gate that led to the first realm, I tossed th
e Devil through the opening. His wounds immediately began to heal and he sat up to glare at me.
Hearing the flapping of wings, I saw the undead raven descend and land on his shoulder. “Aw, it looks like you have a loyal servant after all,” I said. I was tempted to blast the mangy bird with holy fire, but something stopped me. I’d already stripped away the Devil’s pride. Killing his pet would just be mean and I didn’t want to stoop to that level.
“I very much hope that we never meet again,” my arch nemesis said as I reached for the gate.
“Me, too,” I replied with heartfelt fervor. Then I touched the rusty wrought iron bars and the hellgate slammed shut with a hollow boom. It was no longer sentient, but the lock clicked as I used my magic to trap the Devil back in the underworld.
₪₪₪
Chapter Forty-Nine
There was one stop I needed to make before I returned to Earth. My ability to teleport wasn’t just limited to my own dimension now. It seemed I could now travel to wherever I wanted. With a mere thought, I was standing before the master gate. Like the rest of his clones, he was standing wide open. He might control all gates, but unfortunately for him, I was the key now, which meant I could control him.
Grasping hold of one of the gates, I swung it shut. The other gate joined it, but it didn’t slam shut quite as dramatically this time. A rudimentary face formed when the two halves came together. “So,” he intoned morosely as he took in my new form, “you have bested my master.”
My helmet hid my snarky grin at his unhappy frown. “I bet you never saw that coming,” I said in false commiseration.
“It was always a possibility that Satan would fail,” he replied. “The struggle between chaos and order is ever in flux. I had hoped that chaos would prevail this time.” He heaved a sigh then his expression turned sly. “I heard a rumor that this will not be the final battle between good and evil. Apparently, an agent of chaos has been chosen.”
