“You mean Colorado,” Russell said.
Carlos leaned over, as if he was touching something. “It’s my favorite beach in Brazil. Don’t you see the waves coming in?”
“You each see your home?” Briathos asked, and they nodded. “And you each have an urge to continue in that direction?” He pointed toward the end of the valley.
“Yes,” Russell replied. “What’s down there?”
“The gate to hell. It looks pleasant here in order to lure you in. Do not be deceived.” Briathos waved a hand, and the landscape shimmered. The mountains faded away. The colors ran together, mixing into a dull, muddy brown. The soft grass beneath Russell’s feet withered up and turned to dust. They were left on a flat, desolate plateau under a dingy sky.
It reminded Russell of an old photograph where even the black and white tones had faded into dreary browns. There were no stars, no sun, no birds, no trees. Even the air felt scorched and stale, and the slight stench of sulfur turned his stomach.
“Everything’s dead,” Angus said.
Briathos nodded. “At one time, a millennia ago, there were dead trees here and there. But the inhabitants of hell started to draw them and admire their stark beauty. Lucifer had them burned away, for nothing is allowed here that can bring comfort to a sad soul.”
“So this is hell?” Russell asked. “No life, no joy?”
“Correct. But given each mortal’s innate need for joy, the inhabitants are eventually lured into finding it where it should not exist, and sadly, that becomes their only source of joy.” Briathos frowned. “They are allowed to torture each other.”
Russell swallowed hard. “Are they torturing Jia?”
“Lucifer claims she is being treated well.” Briathos sighed. “But we cannot trust his word. Come, this way.”
They followed Briathos and his team of six God Warriors and soon arrived at a ridge overlooking a flat plain. A short distance away, there was an enormous walled city, filled with hovels in shades of brown and gray. In the center, a palace of stone loomed, square-shaped and forbidding, with no outside windows or decoration.
Just below the ridge, five hundred God Warriors were gathered, their golden armor and shields gleaming. Light emanated from them so that they looked like stars reflected in a sea of murky brown. In front of them, the gray stone wall extended as far as Russell could see. It was thick and crenellated like the wall of a medieval castle, but there were no guards in sight.
“The wall is unmanned,” Russell said. “And the gate is wide open.”
Briathos nodded. “It is not designed to keep people out. But once you are inside, you will discover the door is closed and well guarded.”
“So it’s easy to walk in—”
“But nearly impossible to leave, unless you are in the company of an angel,” Briathos said, then turned to face Russell’s friends. “The large building you see in the center is Lucifer’s palace, where Jia is being held. Gabriel’s army will forge a path down the main street, making a tunnel for us to pass through. After we enter the palace and secure Jia, we will rejoin Gabriel’s army and make for the gate with all haste. Do not allow yourself to be cut off from the group, or you may find yourself trapped in hell forever.”
Everyone nodded, then Briathos continued, “Once we come under attack from demons and the dead, your swords will activate. But remember, you cannot kill someone who is already dead. And as mortals, you cannot kill a demon. A clean thrust through the heart of your enemy will make them appear dead, but they will revive within an hour. That is why we must proceed as quickly as possible.”
“Understood,” Russell said. If they didn’t move fast, the dead would keep coming back.
They followed Briathos and his unit down the ridge to join the army. There, they were surrounded by huge, muscular angels, all armed with multiple weapons, and all grim with determination.
Gabriel gave the order, and with a tremendous shout and blaring of horns, the army charged through the gate. There was little resistance for a mile or so. Dead souls lined the road, throwing refuse and yelling curses. But when Gabriel’s army drew near to the palace, a horde of demons flashed onto the scene. Hideously ugly, with red, glowing eyes, they wielded flaming swords and chains with metal studded balls. When the balls whooshed toward them, they lit up with fire.
The God Warriors held up their shields and continued their advance. Angels and demons clashed, their flaming swords slashing through the air, leaving trails of fire in their wake. Clanging noises filled the air as the fiery metal balls hit angelic shields.
More demons arrived, hundreds of them, flashing onto the scene with a puff of sulfurous smoke. Their ranks began to surround the angelic army. As Gabriel pushed forward to the palace steps, his army grew thinner and more elongated. Russell and his friends were no longer deeply surrounded, and at places, they were close to the enemy.
Russell lifted his sword, ready to do battle, and the blade burst into flame. He stabbed at demons as he made his way up the palace steps.
“Oh, no,” Briathos said beside him, and Russell followed the angel’s line of vision. Here on the steps, they had an excellent view of the main street that led from the gate to the palace.
A huge horde of mortal dead were attacking the angelic army from the rear, pushing them toward the palace. The gate out of hell was now blocked off.
“I thought we entered too easily,” Russell yelled over the noise.
Briathos nodded. “Lucifer means to trap us here. If he can get even one God Warrior to join his side, he will consider it a great victory. Come, we must hurry.” He charged up the remaining steps, slicing his way through the demons.
Russell and his friends followed, their fiery swords clearing a path to the palace door.
Briathos and Roman yanked the doors open, while Russell, Connor, and Howard stood ready to attack anything that might come out. Surprisingly, there was nothing.
Briathos gave them a wry look. “It is always easy to enter—”
“But hard to leave,” Russell finished. Even if he managed to find Jia, it was questionable whether they could escape hell now that the gate was blocked.
“Sheesh, this place is worse than the Hotel California,” J.L. said, but when Russell and Briathos gave him a blank look, he muttered, “Never mind.”
Behind them there was a huge roar, and they all spun about.
“What is that?” Roman asked.
Another horde of mortal dead charged from the rear, but instead of attacking the angels, they were fighting the demons and other dead inhabitants of hell.
“The dead are fighting each other?” Connor asked.
“It’s a rebellion!” Briathos’s face lit up with excitement. “A faction from hell has taken our side!”
Russell narrowed his eyes to see who the leader was. “Shit! It’s Wu Shen! He’s leading Master Han’s dead soldiers.”
“Yes!” J.L. pumped the air with his fist.
Rajiv grinned at Lady Yi-Soo and gave her a high five.
“This way!” Briathos motioned for them to enter the palace. It was stark and empty, with multiple hallways and staircases leading off the foyer. “We’ll divide into seven groups. Each group must have a God Warrior, or you will risk getting lost in the labyrinth of hallways and rooms. The instant a group finds Jia, the God Warrior will contact the others so that we can all assist with the rescue.”
The Vamps and shifters quickly divided, and each group took off running. Briathos charged up the staircase on the left. Russell followed, along with Roman, Connor, and Howard. Their footsteps echoed eerily through the palace, lending punctuation to Russell’s thoughts.
Hold on, Jia. We’re almost there.
There was something going on. Jia could tell from the hushed, excited voices of those around her in the banquet room, but she didn’t dare ask. Since her arrival in hell, her strategy had been to draw as little attention to herself as possible.
When she’d first arrived, she’d discovered she’d gone from one throne room to another. Unable to retain her tiger form, she’d shifted back.
Darafer had tossed her on the floor in front of a throne. “Master, I bring you a live hostage.”
When she’d looked up, she’d seen a beautiful face with eyes so cold and dead that she’d shivered.