“How is that possible?” Magnus inquired.
I didn’t know the answer to that, but wewere about to find out. The hound lifted its head to me when Istepped out of the chamber. Its relief beat against me through thebond connecting us as Phenex and Crux stirred within me, seeking tobreak free and help their brethren. They would have to wait until Iknew what we were up against. I couldn’t take the risk of somethinghappening to one of them, even if the others hadn’t been harmed sofar.
The hound bounded toward me. It brushedagainst my side before turning and spinning away. It howled as itsped back toward the seals. A couple seconds of silence followedbefore dozens of howls erupted from beyond the tunnel.
“They’re all alive and free,” Bale said.
“And they’re still under Kobal’s control,”Magnus said.
“What do you mean by that?” Riverdemanded.
“I have to admit, I did think there was apossibility Lucifer had figured out a way to gain control of themand turn them to his side,” Magnus replied. “I knew it was highlyunlikely, but I wasn’t willing to discount any possibility. Now Ihave no idea what is going on.”
“It’s time we find out,” I growled andstrode briskly down the tunnel toward the seals.
From around the corner, another gobalinusbarreled toward us. Its yellow eyes shone in the dim lightfiltering into the tunnel. Before it could get near us, I shot aball of fire at it, incinerating it where it stood.
“What are those things?” River inquired.
“Gobalinus,” I replied.
“Goblins?”
“That’s what humans turned them into.They’re lower-level demons who feed on flesh as well as souls. Theysurvive mostly on flesh as they adapted to their surroundings andthe shortage of souls in the lower levels.”
From behind us, I heard the slab slidingback into place to secure the chamber. The stench of blood anddecaying flesh grew more potent with every step we took. Riverremained steadfast by my side as the light circling her armssteadily darkened to a deep blue once more. Turning the corner, thefirst of the fallen seals came into view.
CHAPTER 37
River
I didn’t know what I’d been expecting tofind here, but whatever it had been, it certainly wasn’t thecarnage, destruction, and death littering the ground everywhere Ilooked. There were body parts of creatures I couldn’t begin toidentify as well as some I knew. There was a gargoyle wing and overthere was some mauled akalia vine.
I think that may have been a revenir, but Icouldn’t tell for sure, and that was definitely the head of a bartademon. There was no way to block out the sights and smells beforeme. For as long as I lived, I would never forget this.
The natural brimstone scent of Hell didn’thelp any as my stomach rolled sickeningly and threatened to emptywhat little food I’d had today onto the intestines of somelong-dead monster. In some areas, the remains were piled almostknee-high, and there wasn’t a section of the fifty-foot cavernbefore us that wasn’t covered with some ravaged creature.
In the midst of all the remains, the tinygoblins were running to and fro like toddlers on a sugar high. Overtwo dozen hellhounds chased them through the remains. They pouncedon them and swallowed them whole. The tiny creatures screamed asthey ran for one of the three other tunnels splitting off fromhere.
I looked up and my breath caught at thegaping hole overhead with spiral after spiral of rock circlingupward above us. I didn’t have to be told, I knew the road windingupward was the same road Hawk and I had traversed upon enteringHell. We had finally found the bottom of the pit.
“Did the humans create that when they brokeinto Hell?” I inquired and pointed at the opening above us.
“No, it has always existed,” Kobal replied,his eyes shining gold as he watched the chaos surrounding us. “Thehumans only opened the way onto Earth.”
“What about the other entrance to Hell, theone you said was open in Europe? Are we close to it?”
“No,” Kobal said. “It’s as far from here asthe entrance on your side is.”
“Where is the way toward it?”
“There is no way toward it. You have alreadyentered it,” Magnus replied.
“Whatever that means, Mad Hatter,” Hawksaid.
Magnus scowled at him. “I have not lost mymind.”
The demon of illusions really had spent alot of time watching humans over the years, I realized.
