“I understand, but I have always remainedloyal to you, Kobal.”
Kobal continued to stare unrelentingly athim. “Can the illusions fight?” I asked to break the tensionbetween them.
“They can move as if they’re fighting, butthey can’t inflict damage,” Magnus said. “If they’re touched, theywill disappear, but more will rise up to take their place.”
“Youreallywould have been handy onthe wall,” I murmured.
A smug smile pulled at his lips. “Youcan’t decide if you like me or not now, imagine how normal humanswould react around me.”
“Good point.”
“Should we gather more troops?” Verin askedas her sun-colored eyes surveyed the masses before us.
“I have sent word out to those who remainloyal to Kobal but stayed in Hell,” Magnus replied. “They will joinin with this army as it marches onward.”
“There are thousands of demons above too, atthe wall,” Verin said.
“It would take too much time for them toarrive here, and they must remain behind to protect what will beleft if we fail,” Kobal replied, his eyes coolly surveying thegroup before him. “Large numbers of troops have never succeededagainst Lucifer before. It is time to try something new. Send themin.”
“Where will they be going?” I asked.
“Lucifer’s lair is deep within the bowels ofHell. They’ll head straight for it while we take a back road.”
“There’s a back road?” Hawk inquired.
“There’s always a back road in this place,”Corson replied with a stiff smile. It wasn’t his normally,easy-going smile. I found it odd to see him without his customaryearrings from the latest girl he’d slept with dangling from hisears, but they remained bare now. I’m sure Kobal approved of thiswhile it made me realize Corson’s personality was somehowdiminished by this place.
I watched as the troops, both real andillusionary, moved out with Shax, Verin, and Morax leading the way.Shax had informed us that all the humans had survived the trip backout of Hell and were safe with the demons and skelleins whoremained above to protect them.
Though they loved a good battle, some of theskelleins had been convinced to stay on Earth for the battles thatwere certain to unfold above and to keep Erin safe. Shax had saidher safety was the main selling point for them to stay out of Hell,and they’d been happily bouncing riddles off her when he’d left tomeet us here.
My fingers twitched at my sides as I thoughtof Erin and Vargas. I hoped I’d be able to see them again, but I’dtake dying in this pit if it meant they survived above. Lisa wouldtake care of Gage and Bailey for me, my brothers would be safe, andthey would grow to live long, hopefully, happy lives.
I frowned as I watched some of the skelleinsstorm past us in the illusory crowd. For the first time, I realizedthey were still chugging alcohol like it was water, but none ofthem wore the clothing differentiating their sexes andpersonalities. Now, they all looked exactly alike.
All of these demons may be from Hell, but itwas on Earth they had flourished. They’d differentiated themselvesand developed a personality beyond fighting and death. In hereagain, all that remained for them was the fighting and death oncemore.
Taking a deep breath, I watched as the lastof the troops vanished from view. “What if something happens toyou?” I asked Magnus.
“They’ll all vanish if I’m killed.”
I glanced down at my clothes. I had no ideawhere he’d managed to uncover them. The material was the sameshiny, lightweight material as what he wore. The pants and shirtwere entirely black as they clung to my body far better than Iwould have expected for something borrowed from someone else, orwhatever he’d done to get them.
“You better make sure I stay alive unlessyou want to be flashing everyone in Hell,” Magnus said.
“I think I’ll take my bloody clothes back,”I muttered.
“Too late, burned ‘em.”
“You’re kind of an asshole,” I blurted.
He chuckled as he turned away from me.“Definitely been called worse before, but don’t fret, YourHighness, those clothes were left behind by a lady friend yearsago. They’re as real as you are.”
With tender hands, Kobal turned me so myback was to him. He pulled my katana from its sheath before slidingit back into place. I had given my guns to Hawk. Every weaponcounted in here, but I was coming to rely on my innate abilitiesmore while, for now, Hawk was still mainly relying on his humaninstincts.
“Though normally, we don’t wear so much. Notdown here, but it seems your human sensitivities have rubbed off onthose demons who went above, and I would not wish to offend you bybaring all of myself. Or excite you,” Magnus added with a wink.
“Enough!” Kobal barked at him. “You may needyour limbs for this battle, but it will take time for your tongueto regenerate if you keep speaking.”
