That was all normal, but what wasn’t was the message directly below.
Do you want to upgrade Black Iron Forge to Grade A? Base cost 47 Black Iron ingot (Grade A).
I smiled. I wasn’t sure if we had that many ingots or anything, but this meant I could upgrade items as long as we had the materials. I wasn’t sure how the costs compared to actually creating or upgrading the forge normally, but it’d definitely be something to check into later.
Still, now wasn’t the time for that. No. Now was the time to face the Darkness and save Gabriella. I could see her smiling face in my mind’s eye, and as I thought about her, I realized how much I missed her. If something really terrible happened to her, I’d never forgive myself.
I shut my eyes for a second and inhaled, reaching out toward the feeling I’d had before. This time it was more fleeting, but it still pulsed in the horizon, in the area held by the Darkness.
Moving outside, I looked around, even though I didn’t know why. I supposed it was because I half expected someone to try to stop me. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if someone did, nor did I want to find out.
I was done fighting with my people, and while Wrath’s words had scared me, I was sure I could beat her now that I had Caliburn. And if I couldn’t, well, that wouldn’t help me now. My decision was made.
The walk to the horizon didn’t take long, and as lightning flashed overhead, I reached a hand out toward the shimmering wall of absolute black that pulsated before me. It seemed to dare me to enter, and part of me wondered what I’d find inside. Would it transport me to another place, or just be the same place infused with Darkness? I’d encountered both, and I wasn’t sure what was better.
“Stop!” Gabriella said from behind me, and as I heard it, I froze. Could it be?
Whirling, I found myself staring at the angel. She looked like she’d been on the wrong end of a brawl, but otherwise, I was sure it was her. Only, how was that possible?
“Gabriella?” I asked, taking a step toward her, one hand reaching out toward her.
“I am not my sister.” The archangel scrunched up her nose. “I am Michelle, and you’d do well to heed my warning, Builder. You cannot defeat Dred as you are, and if you enter his domain, you will die screaming and alone.”
“You look just like her,” I said, only able to focus on how my heart hurt at her words. I’d been so ready for it to be Gabriella that having it not be, nearly broke me.
“We are twins, though I am three minutes older.” She waved a hand at me. “And while I appreciate your love for my sister, you are being a fool. Stay, let me help you.”
“Help me?” I scoffed. “You lost. How much help could you be? You’re practically an invalid.”
“And you’re weak.” She flicked me between the eyes. I didn’t even see it coming, not that I could have avoided it if I could have, but I did feel my body hit the ground as unconsciousness overtook me.
5
As my eyes fluttered open, I found myself staring down into the volcano Lucifer had threatened to throw me into. Only, unlike before, I wasn’t up on the edge. No, I was just a few feet above the lava. The heat of the magma threatened to overwhelm me, and the smell of sulfur hit me like a punch to the gut, destroying my lungs in a way that let me know if I couldn’t heal, I’d have been in trouble.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I cried, looking up at Michelle who held me aloft by one ankle. She was still battered and bruised, but her pearl-white wings were extended as she hovered, effortlessly holding us both aloft.
“Making a point.” She looked down her button nose at me. “I spoke to my sister, and Luci told me this would be the best way. She said you were quite dense.” She frowned. “I don’t normally trust her, but she knows what people want. Can see into their hearts and all that.” Michelle stuck her tongue out. “It’s disgusting, honestly. All that want and need coming to the surface.” She touched her chest with one hand. “That is not the path to victory.”
“Is this where you tell me hate and anger is the path to the Dark Side?” I asked.
“Are you making a joke?” Her eyes narrowed, and I realized it may have been a bad idea to joke with her. She clearly didn’t get humor.
“Yes but—”
She dropped me, and my face hit the lava before she grabbed me again. Agony unlike anything I’d ever felt ripped through me as my eyeballs exploded and the flesh cooked off my bones in the space of a heartbeat. My bone followed next, and as the magma began to dissolve my brain, she pulled me out. My entire face was nearly gone, and more of my flesh had been cooked by the extreme heat, but even still, I could feel myself heal.
It was excruciating, agonizing, and it made me hate Michelle in a way I’d never hated anyone, even Dred, before. Why? Because I’d known she’d done it simply to make a point. She wasn’t fucking around, and if I wasn’t serious, I could take a bath in a volcano. Even worse, that wouldn’t kill me, at least not instantly, and I’d be stuck in exquisite agony as my power fought to heal me against the might of the volcano. It’d be a losing battle, and it’d hurt so much I’d pray for death.
“What have we learned?” Michelle asked, her blue eyes boring into me. They were devoid of any emotion. She wasn’t mad or annoyed. She wasn’t pleased or confused. Hell, that was a gaze of someone who simply did not care about me at all. That absence of feeling was scarier than anything I’d seen before.
Dred had at least seemed human. Michelle? She felt like an alien.
“To be serious,” I said in my best, most apologetic voice. “I won’t fuck around again.”
“Good, but that is not what you should have learned.” She dunked me in the lava again, and as my body cooked like a roast that had been dropped in the fire, she waited there, holding me by the ankle. Once I’d healed enough to talk, she spoke once more. “What have we learned?”
“I don’t know—”
She dunked me again. Over and over again. I lost count of it because my life became a series of endless agony as the Archangel of Justice bathed me in lava, leaving me in just long enough for me to think I’d die before pulling me out again.
“What have you learned, Builder?” Michelle asked after what had to have been the fiftieth dunking.
“Why do you keep doing this?” I cried, anger flaring in me. “You know I can’t stop you.”
“Exactly.”
I shut my eyes in anticipation of a bath in the lava, but this time none came. As my eyes peeked open, I found her looking at me as stone-faced as always.
“Why didn’t you dunk me?” I asked, suddenly very concerned. “I mean, I’m okay with that, but I’m not quite sure you and I are communicating effectively.”
“You have learned what I wished you to know. You are weak beyond measure.” Her eyes flicked toward the lava beside my head. “You cannot stop me.” She touched her chest where it was still bandaged from her battle with Dred. “And I am hurt.” She met my eyes. “I am hurt, and you can’t even stop me from dropping you in a volcano.”
I understood at once. Michelle was badly beaten from her fight with Dred, a man who had defeated her and the armies of Heaven. He had routed her, presumably despite her best efforts to stop him. He had done all those things, and I couldn’t even keep her from killing me if she chose to do it. Hell, I couldn’t even pull my ankle free of her grip.
“What would you have me do?” I asked, and oddly, I meant it. Before, I’d been rash. Caliburn had given me a boost in power, a surge of confidence. Only that confidence had been misplaced. I thought back to what Wrath had said. If I’d been smart, I’d have fought with her again, tested myself. I hadn’t because deep down, I knew Caliburn hadn’t given me that much of a boost.
“You are the Builder.” Michelle looked at me, her eyes flashing with something that almost seemed like amusement. “Dred is the destroyer. Your powers are as dissimilar as oil and water. Yet, you seek to meet him on his terms. It is foolish.” She swept her hand out. “You have all the resources of Hell
, and if you come with me, of Heaven as well. Use that to win.” Her lips tightened into a thin line. “Build an army, unlike anything the world has ever seen before. If you do not, you will not win.”
“How will an army help when Dred is so strong?” I asked, meeting her gaze. It was like trying to stare down an iceberg.
“Dred is one man, but with your power, you are many.” Michelle cracked her neck as she looked at me. “His Armaments make him strong in a way you can never defeat. Every facet of his power is designed to make him a sword to cut down a single enemy. You are more than that. You are an army of swords.” Her wings fluttered as she began moving up the volcano, pulling me away from the heated embrace of the lava.
“I don’t follow. Sorry.” I cringed as I said the words. “And please don’t drop me again.”
She almost smiled. “Does not an army of hyenas drive a lion from its meal?”
That was an excellent point. I had an army of archangels, of demons, and angels, and I’d seen enough battles with the Darkness to know they employed a similar tactic. There’d been so many times I’d bemoaned our lack of troops, our lack of resources because I could augment those.
Dred wouldn’t have needed that. He could have acted differently, but I wasn’t Dred, and if I wanted to save Gabriella, really wanted to save her, I’d be wise to heed Michelle’s warning. Otherwise, she may as well throw me in the volcano and get my defeat over with.
The silence between us lingered as she landed on the lip of the volcano and set me down. She stood back, folding her arms across her chest and waited for a beat.
“Your silence makes me think you are smarter than my sisters give you credit for.” She nodded once. “Will you use your powers appropriately?”
“Yes.” I took a deep breath as I got to my feet. “But only if you can help me save Gabriella.”
“I would do that, anyway.” She shoved me hard, knocking me back down the volcano. I tumbled, breaking bones and getting my flesh ripped to shreds before I slammed into a rocky outcropping at the bottom. As I lay there dazed and confused, Michelle landed lightly next to me.
“What was that for?” I snapped, feeling anger rise in me as she settled down beside me.
“I need you to know this is not a negotiation. You will not have terms. You will do as I say because I command of Heaven. I know what we lack, and I know Dred. I have fought him many times, and I can help you beat him, but if you stray from me even once, I will end you.” She watched me for a long time. “This is where you point out my shortcomings, and I beat you to death again and again until you concede. I would rather skip it, for as you know, time is of the essence.”
The truth of her words hit me hard. I knew she would do it. Hell, not just that. Doing so would be her duty because she wanted to win. She would be just and fair, but she would be equally blind to my suffering along the way. I could respect that, and if I was being really honest, I sort of liked the idea of people listening. My time in Hell had been littered with endless infighting and strife. If they’d banded together, we might have pushed the Darkness back further.
Hell, maybe things would be different now.
I wasn’t sure, but either way, what Michelle offered, I wanted.
“Okay.” I held up my hand. “I will help you.”
She seemed slightly surprised, and though it flashed across her countenance for only an instant, I’d seen it. “Oh?”
“Yes.” I got to my feet and held out my hand. “Help me to defeat Dred and rescue Gabriella, and I will do all you ask.”
She took my hand, and as she shook it, I felt her strength, but more than that, I felt her resolve. It was as unshakable as an oak tree, and for once in my life, that was what I wanted. I was tired of trying to get people to help me, even when it was for their own good.
No. I just wanted to build my army and save Gabriella, and if I was being really truthful with myself, that was why I’d wanted to go into the Darkness. I knew that if I stayed here with things as they were, I’d never win.
And more than anything, I wanted to win.
6
“So, that’s what is going to happen.” Michelle’s tone left no room for argument, but even still, I half expected someone to say something. After all, Michelle had just told everyone I was leaving them to go to Heaven and do whatever the fuck she said.
For a moment, I thought Gwen was going to say something, but she didn’t. Instead, she met my eyes and nodded.
“I’ll be back soon,” I said, meeting her eyes.
“You will not,” Michelle said, glancing at me. “This place is a cesspool.” Her gaze flitted to Lucifer, who stood in the back looking pissed off. “You have done a poor job, Sister.” She spread her hands. “I expected more from the most high.” She spat the words like a curse.
“Hell is not as it should be.” Lucifer strode forward. “That is my fault, and I will fix it. This, however, is not the time to point fingers because if one was so inclined to do so, they might think that a man has grown strong enough to rival the entire divine company on your watch.” She looked toward the sky. “It is no excuse, but I have been imprisoned for eons. You have roamed free and spectacularly failed, but no matter.” Lucifer put a hand on Gwen’s shoulder. “I spoke with Lust earlier, and we have come to an agreement. Arthur’s talents are wasted with Hell as it is. Hell must be united into a blade that can strike out at our enemies.”
“Gwen?” I asked even though Lucifer’s words were aimed at Michelle. It was a touch strange because the Archangel of Justice hardly seemed perturbed. No. It more seemed like she took in Lucifer’s words, weighed and measured them, and then ignored that which she felt irrelevant.
“Lucifer is right.” Gwen met my eyes. “I always knew this day would come, that you’d be forced to leave.” She swallowed. “We’re the minor leagues, at least now. We should have had Royal Centre and the others to back you, but ever since Queen Nadine left, it’s all been a giant mess. It’s gotten worse, and that needs to be fixed. You can’t spend your time getting jerked around by those too stupid to get behind the war effort.” She nodded once. “Go, Arthur. Use Heaven to rescue Gabriella. When you are done, come back and see what we have made Hell.”
“It is settled then.” Michelle’s eyes flashed as she surveyed the crowd. “We will leave immediately. For now, I will leave the soldiers currently here to help bolster your defenses, but I may have use of them.”
“Wait, you’re leaving the angels here?” I asked, confused. “Won’t we need them?”
“She can’t heal them,” Mammon said, speaking for the first time. “She’s trying to play it like she’s doing us a favor, but the truth is, Heaven doesn’t have enough healers. They really subscribe to that whole ‘return with your shield or on your shield’ thing.” Mammon waved a hand. “Trust me, as soon as these angels are able, she will want them back.”
“Is that true?” I asked, turning my eyes to Michelle. “You don’t have enough healers?”
“We have some warrior healers, but not many.” Michelle looked at me, and in her eyes, I saw only resolve. She paused for a split second before continuing. “It is best that you come and see what we have to offer. You will find all this to be meaningless.” She waved a hand at the surroundings. “You do not need sculptures and ice cream. You need to be strong, to overwhelm your enemy with force.”
While that was true, I also saw it as a way to lose a war of attrition. It had always seemed like the Darkness had infinite warriors to throw at us in ever increasing waves, to think they were not investing in healing their warriors because it was a sign of weakness? That was insanity.
“Suddenly rethinking your plan on abandoning us, eh Arthur?” Mammon asked, and before I could even respond, Michelle’s wings burst from her back. Golden sparks flitted from the individual feathers as she gripped my wrist.
“Enough. It is time to leave.” Michelle took a deep breath and leapt Heavenward, bursting through the air like a rocket, and dragging me effortlessly
along behind her. Above, the swirling hole in the horizon Dred had punched through the sky lay open and raw.
“Wait, you mean to fly through that?” I screeched, barely able to speak from the air whipping by me.
“How else would you expect us to get back to Heaven? You have no stairway?” Michelle glanced at me, and I swallowed hard. She was right. We’d never even completed the stairway, and as I watched the rift above get closer, I realized we had a problem. I had no idea how long this rift between Heaven and Hell would remain open, and once it closed, I might not be able to return.
“What if it closes?” I asked as we burst through the rift. The change in temperature was immediate. The sweltering heat of Hell dissipated, and I suddenly felt comfortable in a way I’d not expected. It was strange but not as strange as Heaven.
Truth be told, I’d expected clouds and pearly gates, but what I saw was hardly that.
Row upon row of squat, featureless gray buildings filled the white sand for as far as I could see. The sky above was a blank, opaque blue color, and as I looked for wisps of clouds, I couldn’t find any. No, the whole place was a monochromatic Hellscape. Where Hell had shades and degrees, Heaven had been painted with a matte palette. Like they only had time for one wash of paint.
“Come. There are many soldiers for you to make stronger. Many defenses for you to upgrade.” Michelle strode forward, practically dragging me along. As we moved across the sand, I turned back toward the rift. It had been punched straight through a golden gate, and I could see twisted shards of metal on each side.
“Was that how Dred got in? Did he open a rift on top of your gate?” I asked, pulling my hand free from her wrist and staring at it while rubbing my chin.
“Yes.” Michelle stopped and looked at the spot for a moment. “I never expected it. Once he’d done that, his forces came inside by the millions. It was overwhelming, and while we managed to push them back, it wore out my best troops. By the time Dred showed up, we were all but exhausted. Still, we fought, but it did not matter.” She frowned. “You will make up for this. Increase my people’s strength so we cannot be rushed again.”
The Builder's Wrath (The Legendary Builder Book 4) Page 4
