by Diem, J. C.
I waited until the wall and gate were distant before calling on a nightmare. “I am Hellscourge and I need a ride,” I said loudly.
Sam shook his head at my lack of formality. “I doubt that anyone has ever called on a nightmare in quite that fashion in the entire existence of hell before.”
Scarlet eyes appeared in the distance and I pointed. “It worked, didn’t it?” I said. The nightmare’s hooves made no sound as it galloped towards us. Skidding to a stop only yards away, it reared into the air with a hollow and intimidating neigh of displeasure. Midnight black, shadows emanated from its hide, making it seem almost insubstantial.
It glared at me through red eyes as I made a step with my hands. I was pretty sure it was the same hellhorse that had come at my call previously, despite the fact that we were in a different realm of hell. I had the distinct impression that it didn’t like me much.
Sam wisely put the backpack on the ground before he stepped into my hands. I heaved him upwards with far less effort than I’d expected. I’d forgotten that I was faster and stronger here. My legion of demons was closer to the surface and they automatically boosted my power.
When Sam was secure, I picked up the backpack and slung it over my shoulders. Sam reached down, clasped my hand and pulled me up after him. There was no saddle or reigns, which meant we had to cling on for dear life. “We need to find a secluded entrance to the catacombs beneath the palace,” I said to our ride. Asking it to take us there without being specific could have ended in disaster. I could just picture it taking us straight to the palace itself and dumping us in front of a thousand demons.
The nightmare began to gallop almost before I’d finished speaking. Sam grabbed the beast’s mane in panic and I wrapped my arms around his waist. His body was thin and bony, but I was very glad he was here with me. He hadn’t been to this realm before, but he still knew more about hell than I did. His insight would be invaluable and so would his ability to be able to blend in with our surroundings.
₪₪₪
Chapter Twenty-Six
I wasn’t used to riding at all let alone doing so without a saddle. It didn’t take long to be reminded that I wasn’t a fan of this mode of travel. The only other time I’d ridden a nightmare had been when we were fleeing from the ninth realm of hell. This journey wasn’t as frantic and I didn’t have panic to drive me on this time. My back and legs quickly became sore from trying to hold on.
It felt like my thighs were being rubbed raw as the ride went on and on. I sent a question to Morax. How long will it take us to get to the catacombs?
There was silence for a few seconds as my inner demons conferred. It will take at least a full night and day to ride there, he replied.
“Twenty-four hours?” I groaned out loud. “I don’t think I can ride this thing for that long.”
Sam twisted around so he could look back at me. “Is that how long it will take us to reach the city?”
“So Morax tells me,” I said with a grimace. “This journey would be a hell of a lot more comfortable if we had a carriage.”
Sam looked over his shoulder again, but this time he was grinning. “I might be able to arrange that.” Turning around again, he pointed off to our left where I could vaguely see the outline of buildings in the distance. “Some towns have a spare carriage in storage. We should search there and see if we can find one.”
The nightmare adjusted its direction without needing me to voice the order. I wondered if it was telepathic and it flicked me a quick glance. I guess that answers that question.
We galloped silently towards a small village that was nearly identical to the first town in hell that I’d ever visited. Dozens of small black houses ringed what would have been a town square in olden times. Since they didn’t have electricity, or any other modern conveniences, hell seemed to be stuck in the dark ages.
Nearing the village, the nightmare slowed down to a trot then came to a stop about two hundred yards away. I slid to the ground and my legs almost gave out on me. I bit back a groan as Sam landed beside me. He wasn’t in as much pain as I was, but he still hobbled rather than walked towards the buildings. I turned to the nightmare to dismiss it for now, but it had already disappeared. If it truly was telepathic, it would know when I needed it again.
I followed Sam in an awkward crouch, hoping we wouldn’t be seen. We both wore dark clothes to help us blend into the bland background. Reaching the gap between two of the small, square buildings, Sam motioned for me to stay put. He placed a hand on the wall and his body changed to match the roughly cut slick black stone. “Wait here,” he said. “I will search for a carriage. I will be back shortly.” I nodded, but he was already on the move.
Against my better judgement, I edged closer to the square. After one quick peek, I pulled back into the shadows again. The souls in the ninth realm had committed petty sins. They paid for their crimes by being punished by lesser demons. This realm contained souls who had performed slightly more serious infractions. I saw a former human with his tongue being pulled out with an archaic looking torture device. I had no idea what his sins were and I didn’t really want to know.
Taking the backpack off, I put my back to the wall and eased down until I was sitting on the hard ground. Knowing hardcore sinners went to hell was one thing, seeing the reality of their punishment was another. I’d never really believed in heaven or hell or had paid much attention to the warnings that religious people sprouted. It was frightening to see that being unrepentantly bad or constantly breaking the law could land you in an eternity of torture. It was possible to grovel for forgiveness and repent, but obviously none of these people had thought about the consequences of their actions.
Opening the backpack, I checked to see if the container of blood was still intact. It was, so I slid it into the pack again. I hadn’t bothered to bring any food or water with me. The strange thing about being in hell was that I didn’t have the usual bodily functions. I didn’t get thirsty or hungry or need to use the bathroom. That was just as well, because restrooms didn’t exist here.
Twenty minutes passed and I was just beginning to worry about Sam when I heard the scuff of footsteps. I scrambled to my feet, surprised to discover that my pain was already fading. I pulled my dagger, but slid it back into the sheath when Sam dropped his camouflage.
“I found us transportation,” he said with suppressed excitement. “We are in luck. It is not just an ordinary carriage.”
“What do you mean?”
“I do not want to ruin the surprise. You will have to see it for yourself.” His grin was mischievous and he motioned for me to follow him.
Trusting him, I followed him back down the gap and around the perimeter of the village. He stopped at a building that was slightly larger than the others. Putting a finger to his lips, he took the backpack from me and slid it onto his narrow shoulders. He pointed at a window and mimed that he was going to climb through it.
It was low enough that he didn’t need a boost. Putting one leg through the opening, the rest of his body followed suit. I waited until he was inside then followed him. The room was dim and it took my eyes a few seconds to adjust. Gray dust coated every surface. Cleaning obviously wasn’t important to the denizens of hell.
I followed Sam to the only door and he peeked through the opening. We couldn’t hear anyone moving about, so he pulled it open just wide enough for us to slip through. He took my hand and led me down the hallway to a corner. Checking that the way was clear, we turned into the next hallway and heard quiet voices coming from a room up ahead to the left. Sam crossed to the other wall and pressed his back up against it. I copied him and he camouflaged us both to match the stones. Moving slowly and carefully, we sidled past the opening.
I looked through the doorway to see two lesser demons sitting at a table. The furniture and doors were all made of black petrified wood. They wore the usual sackcloth with belts made of rope that the lowest in their hierarchy wore. They were leaning in to whisper to each oth
er. Demons loved to gossip and these two were no exception.
“I heard a rumor that Hellscourge stole something from the Prince of the ninth realm,” the one on the left said.
“It is not just a rumor. I do not know what she took, but she apparently snuck in while a bunch of Lords and Captains were holding a meeting,” the one on the right crowed in spite. “She is just a pathetic human and she somehow managed to fool them all.”
“The Prince wasn’t even there at the time. He failed his duty and now the Hellmaster is going to punish him so badly that he will wish he never fell from heaven.” They shared a nasty giggle then froze when a voice bellowed somewhere outside. They relaxed when they realized they weren’t the object of their captain’s ire.
Sam tugged on my hand and we continued on. We passed a few more doorways then entered a large room. I glanced around while he quietly shut the door. Most of the space was taken up by an object that was covered in hell’s version of a tarp. The roughly made cloth was black, which came as no surprise. Black, gray and crimson were the only colors that seemed to exist here.
Taking hold of the cloth, Sam gave it a hard yank. It slithered to the ground with a thump. Dust billowed and I waved it away and fought against the urge to sneeze. Sam’s eyes were glittering with excitement. Turning my attention to the vehicle before me, I understood why. This wasn’t just any carriage, it obviously belonged to a Demon Lord. Sleek and midnight black, it had an image of a hideous demon painted on the door.
“Why was it left here?” I whispered.
Sam voiced his theory just as quietly. “It is possible that the Lord challenged a gate and lost. He was probably sent back to the first realm and his carriage was brought here by his former entourage.”
Reaching out, I touched the wood. The image shimmered and suddenly my face was looking back at me. Sam and I shared a horrified look to see scarlet eyes, ivory fangs and short horns protruding from my forehead. The only difference between my image and the one that had been replaced was that my skin wasn’t black and I still had my long blond hair. My horns weren’t as long as the lord’s, either.
“Is that going to happen to me?” I asked, aghast. “Am I going to turn into something like a Demon Lord?”
“No,” he said and shook his head vehemently. “We will not allow that to happen.”
I appreciated his support, but a change this drastic would surely be beyond our ability to stop. It was like seeing a prophecy being created right before my eyes. A sick feeling lodged in my stomach at the possible fate that I was facing. If Brie saw this, she’d pull her sword and end me herself before the transformation could be completed.
Pushing my panic down, I tried to focus on the present rather than the future. Several empty stalls stood to the right. They were probably designed to hold the undead nags that pulled the captains’ vehicles. Although we now had a carriage, we didn’t have any means to move it. At that thought, not just one, but two nightmares materialized in the traces. Unlike the nags, they didn’t require bridles or a driver to direct them.
Sam looked at me and I gave him a helpless shrug. “They’re psychic,” I explained. “I think they became linked to me after I conquered the master gate.”
“I am glad that we do not have to deal with the nags,” he said. “They do not obey imps. I am not sure whether they would have followed your orders either, since you do not look like a demon.”
He opened the carriage door for me like he was my footman and I climbed inside. The interior was far plusher than I’d expected. The seats were covered in black leather. Thick black carpet cushioned the floor. Black curtains covered the windows and would hide us from view. It had been a lucky find indeed. No one would dare stop the carriage of a Demon Lord. Not unless they got a close look at my picture on the doors.
I looked out the window to see Sam throwing the doors to the carriage house open. Voices were instantly raised in alarm, but he was already hurrying back to me. He climbed inside and pulled the door shut. The carriage took off before he was even seated.
Working together seamlessly, the nightmares went from standing still to a full gallop in mere seconds. The ride was far smoother than the carriage we’d stolen when fleeing from the prince’s palace in the ninth realm. The deeply cushioned seat was also far more comfortable than riding bareback.
“I could get used to this,” I said to Sam. If the interior had been any smaller, it might have made my claustrophobia rise.
“As could I,” he admitted. Putting the backpack on the seat across from us, he peered out through the curtains. I looked through the gap as well and saw the small village rapidly receding. A group of lesser demons had paused in torturing souls to stare after us. They hadn’t seen us and probably assumed an actual Demon Lord, or a captain, had taken the carriage. Word would spread that the coach was being used again, but we would hopefully be able to stay far ahead of the rumor mill.
When we were a short distance from the village, we heard the sounds of feet marching. We peeked out through the side window as we sped past a demon barracks. The captain in charge of the regiment ignored us in favor of screaming orders at his lackeys. Like him, the soldiers were dressed in leather armor. They were one step up from the worker drones and minions who were in charge of tormenting human souls. Their expressions were blank, yet I sensed their misery and hunger for a better way of life. It was no wonder they wanted out. Earth had its problems, but it was still paradise compared to this lifeless, joyless place.
From what I’d seen in the dream that Fate had sent me, they would turn the planet into a blackened wasteland. Their need for destruction would overwhelm their common sense. They would end up destroying the very thing that they were planning to conquer.
₪₪₪
Chapter Twenty-Seven
With two nightmares pulling the carriage, it didn’t take as long as Morax had predicted for us to reach our destination. The hellhorses were tireless and continued at a nonstop gallop. Sam kept watch over me when I fell into a doze. I had a nightmare that I was in hell and woke up to the realization that it was true.
We are getting close to the city, Morax said, startling me when I was in mid-yawn. This carriage will draw far too much notice. We should stop before we reach the outskirts. I can direct you to one of the catacomb entrances on foot.
Before I could attempt to relay his plan to the nightmares, they read my mind and we veered off the road. The ground became rough and the wheels groaned in protest. Sam scrambled to look out through the window. I opened the curtain wide enough so I could see the empty, dismal landscape. A line of hills came into view through the gloom. Altering their course, the hellhorses headed straight for it. Slowing down, they came to a stop when we were only a short distance away from the hills.
Sam opened the door warily and poked his head out. “It is clear,” he said and picked up the backpack.
I climbed down the stairs after him and surveyed the hills. A red beacon drew my eyes to what had to be the palace. It appeared to be several miles away, but it was hard to judge distance in this place. “The catacombs must be gigantic if they reach all the way over here,” I said.
“I only hope that we will not have to wander around inside them for too long,” Sam replied gloomily. “There is no telling what might reside inside the tunnels.”
I hadn’t even thought of the possibility that creatures might be inside the catacombs. I hated to admit it, but I was grateful for the legion inside me. Without their fighting abilities, I wouldn’t have made it this far.
We’d moved far enough away from the road that the carriage would hopefully remain undetected. “Thanks, guys,” I said to the nightmares. I had no idea what their gender was, but I didn’t know what else to call them.
I wasn’t at all surprised when they faded and disappeared without acknowledging my words. They left the carriage behind.
“Uh, Violet,” Sam said. “We have company.” He spoke in a bare whisper.
I turned to see what t
he problem was. Following his pointing finger, I saw a small stand of scraggly trees just to the right of the hills. Dozens of undead ravens roosted in the branches. Skeletal and mangy, they watched us through milky eyes. A bird sitting at the highest point of the tallest tree had only one orb. The empty socket still oozed black blood. It was the same raven that had attacked me in Central Park.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” I said and reached for my dagger. As one, the flock launched themselves into the air. Cawing savagely, they swept towards us with their talons outstretched. Morax took over and my dagger turned into a double headed axe. It spun in my hands, cutting through feathers, flesh and bone with ease. Caws became shrieks of pain and rage as their bodies fell from the sky.
Sam crouched on the ground, covering his head with his hands as several birds pecked him unmercifully. I swung the axe, shearing their heads off. “Run!” I shouted and nudged him towards the hillside. As I’d suspected, I was their main target. They ignored my fleeing friend and focused on me.
Talons raked down my face and another bird became tangled in my hair. Beaks tore at my jacket and my rage ignited. It was my favorite item of clothing and now it was ruined. So much for it being a good luck charm. Grabbing hold of the bird that was thrashing around in my ponytail, I squeezed it until its insides burst. I tossed the limp carcass on the ground and went on a chopping frenzy.
Bodies and feathers lay around me like fallen leaves when I cut the last of them down. The raven that had plagued me in Manhattan was the sole survivor. It hadn’t budged from the tree and had watched the carnage with a judgmental eye. “Get out of here!” I shouted at it and it flinched at my anger. “Tell your master that this is what will happen to him if he tries to stop me from fulfilling my destiny!” I flung a hand at the small corpses that littered the dry ground. Their blood was so foul that the desiccated soil rejected it.
