---

Mahadi was waiting outside the Inferal Rapture, ready to farewell his new favourite guests. “My friends! Parting is such sweet sorrow,” he said mournfully.

“You know what, it really is. This is the most I’ve felt like home,” Spider nodded earnestly.

Morad had suggested that perhaps Mahadi would be less reticent about trading for Haruman’s Infernal Tack, and Spider agreed to give it a try. Mahadi was more than willing to look at anything on offer. Unlike his lessees, he didn’t hesitate to pull the Tack from Spider’s bag. He held it up to the light and grinned.

“My, my, you continue to surprise. Did you know they use this on Unicorns to corrupt and tame them? Next thing you know someone is riding it down here all aflame!”

Morad’s jaw dropped. He silently thanked Al’Akbar that Mooncolour had been freed. Who knows what Torgrun might have tried, he recalled, thinking of Torgrun’s argument that Mooncolour should have stayed.

Mahadi paused in his study. “However - this is Haruman’s, is it not?”

Spider shrugged, non-commital. “Might be.”

“I know it is. I…yes, as much as I appreciate the offer, I don’t want to get involved in that,” Mahadi said, dropping the gear back into the bag. “Zariel, Haruman, best stay out.”

“What about the giant angel’s skull?” Spider blurted, slightly annoyed at Mahadi’s sudden bout of conscience. “She seemed pretty attached to that!”

“Ah, that wasn’t hers. Haruman was. He was her dog.”

“You don’t kneel before Zariel,” Madam Portencia said accusingly.

“Madam, I do not bow to Zariel. But I stay out of the politics of this place as much as I can. And this is political.”

“You’re a man of many conveniences, aren’t you?”

“Always,” he said, bowing.

“Well Mahadi, it was nice doing business with you,” Spider sighed.

“And you my friend. Return any time - bring more surprises. You will find us should you need - you have the coin?”

“We do.”

“By the way - that coin, you didn’t happen to obtain that from a tall, willowy, pale…”

“Oh I can’t say we remember where we got it from,” Spider said wilily.

Mahadi laughed. “I see. Well - give her my regards. Tell her I miss her. Dreadfully, dreadfully.” Mahadi bowed once again, and walked away.

“I wouldn’t have ridden it!” Morad called to his retreating back.

---

Torgrun put his hand on Madam Portencia shoulder. “Where to now?”

Madam Portencia turned to Bili. “Don’t we have to fuck someone up for you?”

Bili nodded, but hesitated. “I think the baby is only three or four days away.”

This was the first time this unavoidable fact had been spoken aloud. Morad shuffled his feet uncomfortably, Mak coughed, and Torgrun shook his head slowly. Madam Portencia and Spider however didn’t give it a second thought.

Spider studied the map. “We have two stops. Bel’s forge is only a half-day away, with the teleporter. Kostchtchie’s Maw, where your Hedrun is, maybe another half day further West from there. And Maggie said she’d help, but that’s a day South.”

“Let’s go to Bel’s, at the very least, then see what happens from there,” Bili said.

Spider wasn’t so sure. “If you think you’re coming soon Bili, we should probably just go back to Knucklebone and get it done. You don’t want to be giving birth in the middle of Bel’s Forge or no Maw.”

“I think we should,” Madam Portencia said.

“But you’re the one with a recently renewed sense of purpose,” Torgrun said, thinking of the fifty days.

“Well I would like to hurry, but not at the expense of Bili’s child,” Madam Portencia responded.

“Fair. Another factor is Elturel is falling. Last time we saw it it was lower still,” Torgrun reminded everyone.

“We have time. Let’s go. We’ll come back to Maggie if we have to,” Bili decided.

“Ok. But isn’t Bel’s Forge dangerous for us?” Morad asked, worried.

“Absolutely, unquestionably,” Torgrun said.

“But Sam can get us inside,” Spider said. “And if we have to have a fight at Bel’s Forge, we’re dead anyway.”

“Extremely dead,” Sam piped up.

“Do you want to talk about your reluctance to go there?” Spider asked Sam privately.

“I really don’t. But no matter what I say when we do, don’t necessarily believe it. I will say some things you won’t like. But trust me.”

“Always” Spider said instantly. It might be his achilles heel, but Sam was his life-long companion and he wasn’t about to give up on him now.

“I am not expected there, but I can get us in. But there will be a price”

Spider shuddered. Then he recalled something. He reached into his bag and groped around until he found what he was looking for: the gift from Maggie. A small scroll, wax-sealed with a stylised Z. He held it tight for a moment then turned his attention to Torgrun who was speaking.

“We do have the rods too,” Torgrun said. “Our bargaining chips with Bel. Forged by Bel, desired by the Devil in the Mirror of Mephistar. And a key to the return of Avernus.”

“We don’t know that,” Spider countered. “We know it has something to do with the Insidiator, that’s all. No-one should bring the bars come up in our…conversation with Bel, unless he brings them up. He’ll just take them. If he wants them as the price we have to pay, do we agree we hand them over?”

Everyone nodded.

“And what would we want for that?” Mak asked.

“The key to the Arches of Ulloch - which leads to the Bleeding Citadel, and the Sword. Hopefully,” Spider summarised. “And that’s the end game.”

“And what is our plan once we there?” Morad asked. Madam Portencia looked quizzically at Spider.

Spider put his hands on the table. “Ok. The way I see it is this. We go there, we have a chat, he’s going to basically treat us like dust lint. And the thing to keep in mind is, from everything we’ve heard, is he used to be in charge down here. And he’s gonna want to still be in charge. So the goodwill we have is the fact that we want to unseat Zariel. But he can’t be seen to be wanting that. So he might not even speak in open terms about it, but I think he’s gonna want to trade for something - and he’s gonna ask us to do something for him. And if we’re lucky, he might want the rods. In which case we go ‘oh that’ll be hard or whatever’, and once our deal is signed after saying how hard it’s going to be, then we just give ‘em to him. And that’s going to piss him off and maybe even impress him, just a little bit.”

Morad was impressed. How did Spider manage to keep all this in his head so easily?

Madam Portencia less so. “How are we going to get in there without him turning us into shadows made out of soot against the back wall?”

“Well that’s what Sam said he can organise.” Sam, despite being a spider, looked very pale. “That is what I said,” he said quietly. “I can get us in.”

“If you’re so afraid, Sam, why are you willing to do it?”

“For Spider,” Sam said simply.

“Sure,” Madam Portencia said, understanding instantly.

Morad studied the map and planned his path, looking for a narrow stretch of the Styx. “We have a teleporter on the Holy Terror II, Morad,” Spider reminded him. “No need to be over cautious.”

“No, but in the stories, sometimes the people they go in teleport and it doesn’t turn out so good,” Morad said wisely.

“You’re talking about splinching there dear boy,” Madam Portencia said.

“Well, in our story, Jamil he finds a - I don’t know if we have time for this? - but he find a sapphire, and he gets the ability, and he look at some girls he shouldn’t look…” Morad trailed off, blushing, before continuing. “Anyway he jump, and he go into a rock. And he can still scream. Forever. Terrifying.” Morad paused for effect. “My mother tell me ‘Don’t ever pick up sapphire, you bit stupid sometime Morad.’ So those kind of stories.”

“So it wasn’t about the women, Morad? It was about the sapphire?” Torgrun scoffed.

Morad looked blankly at Torgrun. “Were you listening to story, Torgrun? Sometimes you very stupid! It was also sapphire, and the girl, but mainly - stuck in rock!”

The Holy Terror II glowed in the burning red light, the new golden skin catching every ray. Feonor was going to hate it, Spider thought with pleasure. The Salamanders were very pleased with their work and accepted all the compliments with hissing pleasure.

Mak tried to find a way to fit the bike onto the Demon Grinder so it could be teleported too, but there was no good way. “Easy come, easy go,” he sighed. “We’ll get you a new one if we have to,” Spider said.

“How does teleporter work?” Morad asked.

“It’s interesting, we’re not really sure,” the Salamanders hissed. “But we think you look where you want to go - 300 feet or so - then press the gem we’ve fitted, and ‘bam!’, you’re there!”

“It’s not a sapphire is it?” Torgrun teased. Morad frowned, but was secretly relieved to see the gem was indeed red.

“It’s quite hungry, the teleporter uses a lot of power, so make sure you have enough coins,” the Salamanders said.

“And if you don’t have enough?” Spider asked.

“We don’t know. We always have enough,” they smiled.

Morad looked sceptical as he climbed into the driver’s seat, as did everyone else. The last to emerge was Madam Portencia. But it wasn’t Madam Portencia. Dressed in a neat pinstrip suit, with loafers, a cane, and bowler hat, was Albert Carnegie. Morad watched as Albert walked to the wagon, took the offered hand from Torgrun, sat in Madam Portencia’s spot, and stared ahead. “Onward Morad,” he said, rapping his cane against the vehicles golden body.

---

After the few days in the Emporium, being back out in the Avernian wastelands was a shock to the system. The relative comfort and cooling air gone, choking dust and beating heat in their place. After a few hours everyone was grumpy and worn, even Morad, who for the first time felt that this was getting hard.

Morad took a familar path toward Haruman’s Hill. He crossed the roadway, still resplendent with the bodies of crucified Hellriders. Torgrun said a silent prayer to Torm, vowing one day to return and free them.

Spider pulled out the spyglass and trained it on the peak of the hill, seeing a melee of devils fighting a bitter battle. Horned devils, clusters of Bearded Devils, Amnizu. “I think there’s a whole pile of guys fighting for who gets the Hill now,” he informed.

“Who cares who gets the Hill?” Albert said wearily.

“Oh devils care very much,” Sam jumped in. “Whoever is king of the hill is the new Haruman.”

“That’s how it works,” Spider said.

“That’s how it works,” Sam said sadly. Spider scratched him absent-mindedly.

Morad pressed on. The Styx approached quickly, the foul stench announcing its arrival. Morad sensed with relief that the engine was fully powered, the Salamanders obviously having provided a full tank. Spider called Morad to stop, then pulled out his new crossbow, etched with infernal symbols. “If this can get across, so can the Holy Terror II. It looks about 150 feet, and this has a 300 foot range.” He fired the bolt off and it landed comfortably on the other side.

Mak parked the bike under the lee of a rocky overhang, sadly saying goodbye, then he and Bili climbed aboard the Holy Terror II.

Morad revved the engine. “Strap in!” he called over the screaming, which was suddenly much more intense and hard to ignore.

“You’re going to do it moving?!” Spider yelled back.

“Of course! That how it works, like charging horse!”

“That was not in the story - the whole sapphire thing you had to be moving,” Torgrun couldn’t resist adding.

“Don’t say that now!” Morad yelled. “It bad luck!” He pushed the throttle full forward. Albert wrapped everything he could around his arms. “That won’t help you!” Morad yelled. Spider shook his head and tightened his straps.

Everyone held on for dear life as the Styx rushed toward the vehicle, remembering the warnings to never touch the Styx for fear of madness. Morad eyeballed the ground on the far side of the river and punched the gem.

“Al’Akbarrrrrr!!!!”

An instant later the Holy Terror II landed perfectly, with barely a bump or shudder. Morad whooped. “We over, already!” he yelled with delight. He saw Spider climbing back from the edge he was preparing to leap off. Morad gave him the evil eye. No trust! “Told you we had to be moving,” he said smugly.

---

Only an hour later, the gargantuan volcano that housed the forge dominated the horizon. Clouds of fire and ash spewed from its caldera, the air trembling with its angry grumblings. A vast, multilayered fortress has been hewn into the volcano’s rocky slopes. The scale was overwhelming now it was close.

Through the spyglass Spider could see an army of devils protecting the foothills. Patrols of Horned Devils with a dozen Bearded devils circled the area. He warned everyone there was no escaping this now. And no fighting it.

Morad drove on, slowing as the volcano drew ever closer, towering overhead. The clouds of ash made visibility low, and the air was choked with dust. Huge piles of infernal iron were stacked outside, with slaves and minions being driven by guards with whips.

“Ok Samael,” Spider said formally, “What’s the plan?”

Sam coughed. “Well. Front door I guess.”

“So we’re driving straight up?” Spider said, slightly disappointed there wasn’t a more subtle plan.

“Straight up. There’s not really any other way to do it.”

“Oh fuck,” Morad said, but didn’t question the plan.

At about 500 feet out, two patrol redirected their path to the Holy Terror II - four Horned Devils and at least twenty Bearded. Overhead a number of flying devils had started to track the vehicles approach.

Several hundred feet away the devils stopped, slammed their pitchforks into the ground, and waited. Morad turned around to Spider. “Do I stop?”

“Stop at the devils, I guess. You know what - if you could stop just in front of their noses, that would be great.”

Morad nodded. He felt as-one with the Holy Terror II after the teleport, the screams fully filtered. He could stop on a dime. He continued on full speed, only slowing to half fifty-feet away. The devils didn’t move. Didn’t flinch even when Morad was only feet away. He skidded to a halt, stopping inches from the closest devils. “Hello!” he called hopefully.

“Down,” one of the Horned Devils ordered. Morad looked to Spider.

“Sam?” Spider whispered.

“Yes, yes down.”

Everyone climbed down slowly, trying to be as casual as possible despite the overwhelming threat.

“We seek an audience with Bel, do you want us down or should we drive on?” Torgrun said boldly.

“You shall have no audience. Kneel,” the Devil commanded, its voice like daggers stabbing skin.

No-one moved. “I think we all agree that we’re not kneeling,” Spider said quietly.

The Devil’s drew their weapons. Twenty scimitars and four flaming pitchforks. “You wish to die instead?”

“No we wish to speak to Bel,” Bili grunted.

Mak looked at Spider, preparing. This seemed impossible, but Spider had got the party this far. Spider narrowed his eyes. “You know what? There’s only one guy who’s gonna be dying if you nail us before we get inside. It’s not gonna be me pal.”

The devils laughed at this claim. Spider let out a hideous mimicking laugh in response, then went very still. “What in my tone of voice doesn’t make you think that that’s exactly what’s going to happen? You think this is our first rodeo pal?”

Torgrun had his hand on his weapon, ready, and slightly terrified. Bili prepared himself for combat as Albert swallowed hard. This wasn’t going to plan.

“Shall we kill them now,” one of the four Horned Devils asked another.

“You can give it a crack-”

“Spider. Stop,” Sam interrupted, changing into an imp. Spider clammed his mouth closed.

“Take us to Bel,” Sam ordered. “He isn’t expecting me, but if you ask, he will allow it.”

The biggest Horned Devil glared at Sam. Sam hovered bravely under his gaze, the infernal hierarchy never more obvious. “Do it,” he demanded.

The Devil grunted. “Wait.” He turned away for a few moments, then turned to the Bearded Devils. “Bind them.”

“Don’t fight it,” Sam hissed to Spider.

Spider turned to the group and nodded. Everyone’s arms were bound with infernal chain, held behind the back, then dragged forward toward the entrance to the Forge. Spider made a joke about the pinching, to no response. Bili asked if the Horned Devil’s knew Uz, to cold silence.

A huge entrance was carved out of the foot of the volcano, and the heat that beat out from within was overwhelming. Those that had eaten Mahadi’s feast didn’t tire, but the heat was dominating nonetheless. Morad and Albert felt their insides shrivelling with the intensity of the heat, not protected by Mahadi’s food. Morad was used to beating heat, but this was another level, and he had no protection or promise of respite.

Inside, the forge was carved out of the volcanic rock with soaring, 50-foot-high ceilings throughout. The guards led ever down through a labyrinthian maze, following open rivers of lava past chambers full of forges, anvils, sweating giants and slaves hauling half-finished armor and weapons. One huge cathedral to industry held a half complete Flying Fortress – perhaps to replace the wrecked one the company had ransacked.

The heat beat down in waves, getting hotter the further the guards descended. Torgrun felt like his skin was peeling back, burnt off layer-by-layer. Blinking felt like sand was dragging below his eyelids. Mak suffered the least, despite being the most out of his element, thanks to his ring. But that didn’t make it any easier to breath, let alone think. He felt himself slightly panicking at the thought of being trapped here.

Eventually the guards arrived at the lowest level of the fortress, where Bel laired. Heat exhaustion overwhelmed everyone, merely placing one foot in front of another a struggle.

A wrought iron spiral staircase led directly down, the heat rising ever higher. Hanging limp above the staircase was a head Morad recognised: a giant ape, heat-dried gore and entrails dangling. It was Ubbalux, the demon freed from the obelisk. So much for his vengeance, Morad thought.

The devils unchained everyone. A Horned Devil turned to Sam. “Good luck, you will need it.”

Sam turned to the group, the only one who didn’t look like he was suffering. “I will say things down there that will turn you against me. Sorry. But Spider knows I would not betray him, and by implication, you.” He turned and led the group down the staircase.

Torgrun went next, with everyone else falling into line and following behind. He emerged into a cavernous forge where sparks fall like rain. Channels of bubbling lava wound through the complex, casting fiery light over huge anvils where chained giants with coal-black skin and fiery orange hair hammered out weapons under the malignant gaze of a huge Pit Fiend seated on a flying throne.

Bel.

---

Bel cast his eye over the new arrivals, fixing his glare on Sam.

“Samael. You are not supposed to be here.” Bel spoke, his strangely calm voice all smoke and barely repressed rage. “I am surprised you have returned.”

Mak laughed nervously. Torgrun felt extremely uncomfortable. Wasn’t Sam the key to this?

“Why should you not be destroyed for this insolence?” Bel continued, the threat in his voice like a hammer blow.

Samael swallowed and grovelled to the floor, prostrate. “Master. You are right. I should be destroyed. But…I have brought to you what you asked. These shall power your engine. You sent me to find them, and I have found them. Use them. They are yours.”

“These six? Puny, nothing, worthless things?” Bel thundered.

“Master, I know it looks bad. And I repeat, you can destroy me after this - but there is more to them than the look.”

Bel scoffed and turned his glare to the huddled party. “What could you possibly offer?”

“It’s up to you now,” Samael messaged quickly to Spider, “I can’t do anything else to save you. Or me.”

“Sam’s passed us over to Bel - who seems disappointed,” Torgrun whispered to the non-Infernal speakers, causing a stir. But Sam had warned of this.

Spider took a deep breath, hard to do in the sweltering heat, and stood to his full four-foot height. “Mighty Bel, may I speak?”

“You may.”

“What we offer you is the chance of getting your place back.”

“This is my place. This is my forge, I have no other place to be other than here,” Bel said calmly.

“Avernus is your place,” Spider said simply.

“No. Avernus is Zariel’s place. You are sadly mistaken, little creature,” Bel said ominously.

“It is. But if you help us out, it may not be for very much longer.”

“Help you do what? I bow to mighty Zariel, this is her realm. It is my honour to equip her battalions for the eternal skirmish that is the Blood War, that she is so convinced is hers to win,” Bel said wryly. “I serve her every whim. Gladly. What in her name could you be talking about?”

“I’m sure you do. I’m not going to go on about it, because you didn’t get to where you are without being very clever. And we didn’t get to be here with you without being as easy to kill as people make out,” Spider boasted. “Small we might be, but worthless we aren’t.”

Bel laughed. “You speak big for one so tiny. You don’t look difficult to kill - my giants would make short work of you.”

“Oh, they might, but we would drop two or three first. We’ve already got a couple of scalps under our belts, which probably no-one was expecting, so…”

Torgrun continued to interpret the conversation. Albert groaned as he heard Spider was starting to bluster again, remembering the challenge to Bel’s guards before Samael had shut that down.

“Scalps you say?” Bel said.

“Haruman, for one. He was the first one we killed when we came down here.”

Bel paused before responding. “Zariel’s puppy. Such a proud creature.”

“Is that what he was? Seemed like a piece of crap to me,” Spider said bluntly.

“So it was you who killed him. There has been much speculation, as you may imagine.”

“And we freed the guy who’s head’s hanging on your stairs up there.”

Bell laughed. “Ubbalux? What a foolish ape that thing is.”

“Not any more,” Spider quipped. “Look, Bel, the simple fact is we both want the same thing.”

“And what is that?”

“You know what you want, and I know you probably can’t articulate it, but we all know what you want, and we all know what you lost. We can help you do it. Because if there’s a gap, there’s only one person here who’s right to fill it when it’s empty,” Spider said. “And that would be you, wouldn’t it?”

Bel held up a finger to warn Spider to stop. “What I want is to serve mighty Zariel. What I want it to win this war she fights. I have all that I want, right here.”

As his words echoed around the chamber, decidedly different words echoed inside Spider, Mak, and Torgrun’s heads.

“Offer me something, and I will listen to you.”

“How about a trade that would benefit us both?” Spider responded.

“Why do you think you, of all the creatures that have come to this place, could do anything to…harm…her?”

“Because we know what to use to do it.”

“And what is that?”

“Her sword.”

Bel stared at Spider. “Go on.”

“And a little Abyssal chicken told us you might know the way to get us past the gate. And allow us to get there unmolested - within reason, of course, we know you’ve got to do your job properly.”

“Her sword. Long lost and much sought. And what makes you think you can find it - none have, and many have tried.”

“What harm is it to you if we seek it?” Torgrun weighed in. “If our paths align.”

“Quite simply that with the sword, your vengeance may turn to others than Zariel,” Bel answered. “If you have the power of that sword, why would you only use it against her?”

“We are on the path of redemption,” Torgrun said emphatically.

“I do not want Zariel redeemed,” Bel growled. “That is the last thing I want.”

“Her redemption in the form of the return of Elturel to the lands of men.”

“Elturel is a great prize for her. So many souls.”

“We would take her prize. That is our purpose here.”

“Would you indeed. Deprive her of those precious souls,” Bel pondered, interested. “And what of Zariel?”

“Either have her decide to leave on her own,” Spider answered, “Or…take care of it. The sword will let us do that.”

“She stands in the way of our aim,” Torgrun reinforced, “To return Elturel.” Spider nodded in agreement.

“And what do you intend to do with her?” Bel asked again.

“Remove her from the board,” Torgrun said.

“I think Torgrun wants to redeem her,” Spider interjected, “*Get her back to-” Spider stopped himself, seeing Bel shaking his head.

“The redemption we seem is not the redemption of her,” Torgrun jumped in, “It is the redemption of Eltruel.”

Albert didn’t know what was going on, but he knew the infernal word for ‘redeem’ by well, and he grimaced hearing it weaved in with ‘Elturel’ and ‘Zariel’. This wasn’t going to please Bel, he thought to himself. Morad looked equally concerned.

“But you will redeem Zariel. You keep using that word,” Bel pressed.

“Or kill her,” Spider offered.

“Will you kill her?” Bel demanded.

“If it comes to that,” Torgrun demurred.

“That’s true,” Spider said.

“And the sword, will you use it for any purpose other than that?”

“No. That is not our purpose,” Torgrun said firmly. “Should those that stand in our path fall under that sword, so be it. But the return of Elturel is our focus. This has nothing to do with you, but you are someone who might benefit from our path.”

“Everything in Avernus has something to do with me,” Bel warned.

“And that is why my friend here speaks of mutual benefit,” Torgrun agreed, looked to Spider.

“Exactly my point, back when we started talking,” Spider said.

“Mutual. And what is the benefit to you?” Bel asked. Spider and Torgrun felt they were walking into a trap, but had not choice but to press on.

“We have it on good authority that the sword lies in the Bleeding Citadel,” Spider explained, “And that you, mighty Bel, can get us past the front gate.”

Bel shook his head. “I can’t get you into the Bleeding Citadel. That way is closed. But I can get you to the Citadel.”

“That’ll do,” Spider grinned.

“All the others that have tried, and failed, did not have the aura you do. We do not get many who lean to the good here, as you so obviously do. I am curious to see if you have more success than all those who have perished before you,” Bel smirked.

Torgrun bowed, leathery devil wings tucked neatly over the shield. Morad looked incredulous as he watched Torgrun subjugating himself before the Pit Fiend. He didn’t understand a word that was being spoken, but he understood submission. Mak glanced at Morad and subtlety shook his head.

Bel leaned back on his throne. “You are right that my place is larger than this place.”

“It doesn’t take a genius to realise that, you know, decisions were made, and the mighty position you are in now may not be as mighty as the one before,” Spider agreed.

Aloud, Bel continued praising Zariel - “There is no greater honour than serving Zariel, preparing hellfire-infused armour and weapons for her, tireless and steadfast” - but privately he spat: “I deserve more.”

“Mighty Bel, I hear you,” Spider nodded.

“Despite your honeyed words, merely giving you the keys to the Citadel is a risk I don’t think I’m willing to take. Not without further evidence of your commitment to my cause.”

Spider wasn’t to be put off. “What is it that you need? We’re quite good at retrieving things.”

“I don’t need anything retrieved, I need something freed.”

“And who might that be?”

“Kostchtchie.”

Everyone perked up when they heard that name - Bili’s witch allegedly lay within the Maw of Kostchtchie. Spider was surprised at Bel’s request. “Why do you need him freed?”

“Zariel has trapped him in her pit. He’s not happy about that.”

“Is he a devil friend of yours?”

“He’s no devil. And no friend. He’s a demon. I have no love for him, but he had less love for Zariel. If you see where I’m heading…”

“Ohhhh,” Spider and Torgrun said together, understanding.

“And how do we avoid Kostchtchie’s wrath?” Torgrun asked tentatively.

“Kostchtchie has only one purpose - much like you claim to,” Bel smiled wickedly, “Zariel imprisoned him, and also took his hammer, Matalotok. He likes his hammer, and she now wields it. The minute he is freed he will seek it back - you mean nothing to him - just don’t get in his way.”

“Right, Spider saw the plan.

“Whether he succeeds or not I do not care. But it will make for an interesting diversion, should you manage to achieve your secondary objective.”

“And that’s all you need?” Spider asked cautiously, aware that a devil’s bargain was rarely as simple as it sounded.

“If you free Kostchtchie, I will open the Arches of Ulloch for you. How’s that?” Bel smiled.

“Done,” Torgrun agreed.

“So there it is: you free Kostchtchie, I free you to continue on your ‘redemption’.”

Torgrun nodded. “Is it de rigueur to sign a contract on this, or do we take you at your word?”

“Oh there will be no contract. This has precisely nothing to do with me,” Bel grinned, a hideous sight.

“That good by you?” Spider asked Torgrun, out loud.

“Our paths are aligned - and it serves a purpose for Bili too,” Torgrun said.

Spider turned back to Bel. “That seems like a fair and reasonable offer, mighty Bel. We can’t expect anything more from your greatness.”

“You have a silvery tongue, little one.”

“I know power when I see it, mighty Bel,” Spider said, inclining his head.

Bel’s laughter boomed around the forge. He turned to Samael who quivered under Bel’s gaze. “It seems I do not need to destroy you yet, Samael. If your friends succeed in their task, I will have something for you too.”

“Thank you, master, I look forward to my reward,” Sam said, his voice flat. “This may be worse than destruction,” he whispered to Spider sadly.

Bel addressed the room. “I have heard enough. Begone, and only return when you can prove your loyalty. I rarely give a second chance, so do not think to betray me - and by association, Zariel - or you will suffer far worse than death.”

“Thank you for your audience, mighty Bel, we will remove ourselves from your sight.”

“Leave, before I change my mind.”

Everyone hustled toward the stairs, relieved to be leaving unharmed. As Torgrun turned, Bel spoked inside his mind. “Do you know what you have on your back?”

Torgrun stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment he thought the Pit Fiend meant the wings, then he realised with a jolt what he was truly speaking of: the shield. How could Bel know anything about the shield? “Tell me,” he said slowly, not turning.

“When - if - you return, I shall.”

Torgrun nodded, feeling for the first time the weight of the shield pulling on his shoulder-blades. He shifted to settle the balance and trudged up the stairway.

---

The Horned Devil’s were very surprised to see the party emerge from the staircase, but quickly recovered their poker-faces. No amount of taunting from Bili and Spider could break their demeanour, and soon the Holy Terror II was back in sight.

Everyone climbed aboard, breathing more freely after emerging from the overwhelming heat of the Forge. Spider and Torgrun filled in the blanks, and the requirement to free Kostchtchie. “Bili want to go there too,” Morad observed.

“He does, because he wants to kill his Ice Witch, and she might be down there. In fact she might be the guardian?”

“She might be Kostchtchie for all we know,” Albert pondered.

Morad gunned the Holy Terror II over the glassy volcanic plane that surrounded Bel’s volcano. Legions of Bel’s armies stretched all around, drilling formations and skirmishing. The size of his forces was a surprise - surely Zariel would want those numbers added to her corps.

A few hours travel led to the edge of the Maw. A dark chasm gaped ahead, sheer walls dropping into a pit of blackness. The air trembled with the bellowing of some monstrous creature in the depths below. On cue the map piped up: The enemy of my enemy is my friend - but does the same hold true for fiends?”

As Morad slowed and drew near, the mad howls became clear to those that understood Abyssal - and Giant. The unholy screams and vile epithets could be heard for miles, guttural cries of anguish and frustration. In sporadic moments of lucidity the voice called out “FREE ME!” or “BRING ME MY HAMMER!”.

There was no obvious way down for the vehicle, so Morad started traversing South looking for an easier path. Spider scanned with the spyglass, but the drop was sheer from every vantage. It looked to be a five hundred foot drop, the ground obscured in darkness. The only way down was to climb - or, as Albert reminded everyone, float. “Getting up is another matter,” he muttered.

Before descending, Torgrun volunteered to do a fly-by reconnoitre of the area, spreading his wings eagerly. Lulu offered to go to, looking to Morad for approval. “Yes, all you do is just go look - if trouble, run back here.” Lulu nodded acknowledgement to Morad. Torgrun frowned - Lulu was deferring to Morad, not him. He was taken aback. How long has that been going on? He felt the weight of the shield again.

Spider sent Sam too, figuring there was strength in numbers. Torgrun dived off the edge, feeling the thrill of flight and freedom of gliding through the air. He hadn’t practiced a lot, but how better to test the water? He spotted a platform on the wall below, aimed for it, and made a perfect landing. This was easy! The alcove beyond was empty, other than a few gnawed bones. Lulu and Sam dropped lower, finding a rough path leading North through the chasm - from whence the howling was coming.

Torgrun led the flying trio back up. “Assuming that noise is Kostchtchie, he’s in the Northern reaches. We can either make our way along the path from here, or travel there and climb down.”

“Definitely we drive North,” Morad said. “Too much ambush here.” He drove North until the cries seemed to be coming from directly below. Albert insisted on a rest before the descent, so he pitched the tent a little distance away and everyone retreated for the ‘night’. The giant’s cries never subsided.

---

The following morning the team stood atop the Maw, preparing to jump down. Scanning the floor of the chasm had revealed a huge tar pit, boarded by a rock shelf. Several Chain Devils were positioned around the shelf, holding chains that led to a huge boulder in the centre of the pit. Strapped to the boulder was the huge creature making all the noise - Kostchtchie it was assumed. On the opposite side of the boulder a smaller figure was also chained - Bili hoped this was Hedrun. Three hellhounds patrolled the pit edge.

---

“Bili - when we get down there, if Hedrun’s there, are we killing her? Is that the deal?” Spider asked.

Bili nodded.

“Right. You don’t need to talk to her or enact some kind of particular vengeance or anything?”

Bili shook his head. “She’s a witch - don’t talk to her.”

“Ok. Done.”

“We have to kill this witch so Bili’s new one can take her place,” Torgrun smirked.

“That’s definitely how witches are born,” Mak said, joining in.

Bili ignored the teasing, resting his hands on his swollen belly. The contractions were more frequent now, and fatigue was becoming a problem. Everything was just that little bit more taxing. But he felt pleased with his preparation - the female bear shape-shift during the Ball had renewed his confidence. The birth was going to go well.

There was a path leading South from the pit, and that seemed to be the safest place to descend - out of sight. Torgrun waited to dive from above once combat was engaged. Mak warned everyone the Chain Devil’s were not to be underestimated. His foe at Qirozz’s Ball had proved that.

With a wink, Albert led everyone over the edge.

Moments later, everyone touched down safely. Positions were quickly taken, waiting for the first hellhound to patrol past. Albert took a deep breath and the battle was on. He fired an orb of cold which exploded on the hellhound - he hoped quietly, but the nearest Chain Devils immediately noticed, spinning their heads and starting to move. The other two hellhounds started loping toward the chasm.

Spider had his new devil-forged crossbow out and fired a bolt strong and true into the hound racing in from the East, which screamed as the bolt pierced its hide. The chain devil beside it narrowed its eyes on Spider. From out of the tar four razor edged chains emerged like tentacles and fired directly toward Spider. The first three hit him hard, ripping flesh as they tried to tangle him.

The furthest Chain Devil hauled out chains from the tar too, sprinting South to attack. The final two Devils stayed in position on their chains leading to Kostchtchie and Hedrun.

Morad charged forward to attack the Hellhound approaching from the West, hitting it hard. Mak followed, but both of his swings missed badly. The hound leapt back, opened its mouth, and unleashed a torrent of fire onto Morad and Mak. Morad yanked his new shield up just in time, but both were engulfed in flame.

A fourth hellhound leapt down from a hidden cave in the rock shelf and landed atop Bili and Albert, following its sibling and venting flames. Bili and Albert cried out as the fire surrounded them.

Bili shrugged off the pain and summoned a huge sleet storm that he dropped over where Mak and Morad stood. The storm thundered down from above, blocking all sight in-and-out of the zone. Three hounds, plus the two fighters, were covered by the icy torrent. Mak and Morad struggled to maintain their footing but managed to stay upright.

Torgrun and Albert were surprised by Bili’s move - this wasn’t going to help, was it? But they also knew from experience that Bili worked in mysterious ways. And they immediately noticed the devil approaching from the West had been suddenly cut off.

Torgrun saw he could take advantage of this - he landed on the ground just outside the storm and shot a bolt of radiant light into the devil, who reeled away in surprise. Torgrun pressed his advantage, compelling his spiritual weapons to follow up the attack. It took a few tries, Torgrun having to focus harder, but they eventually landed several heavy blows. To finish up, he stepped into the ice-cloud, disappearing from view. That went very well, Torgrun reflected - just as four chains slithered through the ice and all missed, cracking into the wall behind him, the ground in front, and into the shield. “Thanks Bili,” Torgrun whispered.

Albert, standing just outside the storm, turned to face Spider’s opponent, calculating the distance to be covered. He ran forward, skidded to a stop, and cast what looked like a Fireball as it left his hands, but changed mid-flight into a ball of dripping acid. It exploded in between the hellhound and devil, melting the dog into a puddle of acid and searing the devil who cursed and moved relentlessly forward.

Spider fired another bolt into that devil, who flinched as it sunk deep into its shoulder. Despite Spider’s attack, the devil was no fool and changed his focus from Spider to Albert. The first looked to be hitting true until he somehow managed to convince it otherwise. But he couldn’t avoid the next two which sunk deep into his stomach, drawing gore - and worse, tearing his suit badly. The fourth hurtled well overhead into the distance, somehow detached from its source. Despite the pain he grinned - happens to the best of us, he reflected happily.

In the thick of the storm, Moard swung wildly hoping to connect to the hound and not Mak. He succeeded in the second goal, but hit nothing with the first. Mak had more luck, his axe finishing the hound on the first swing. The furthest hound tried to locate Torgrun in the ice but was badly disoriented by the cold and chaos - as was the dog attacking Bili. Bili retaliated crunching his offhand into the creature.

Torgrun stepped out of the storm and focussed his attention on the devil who had its chains reared up ready to strike. Torgrun didn’t want to take that, putting his all into another radiant strike: those on the far side of the icestorm saw a blinding flash of light as Torgrun fired. The devil exploded into nothingness, the four chains falling fallow to the tar. Torgrun turned to stare contemptuously at the Chain Devil nearest Kostchtchie: ‘you next’. As he did he saw Kostchtchie wrench one of his hands slightly free as a result of the dead devil’s chain being uncontrolled.

Albert decided to finish off the chain-wielding devil, but his orb floated harmlessly away into the far wall. He cursed, then smiled when he saw Spider’s third bolt drop the devil in its tracks. It stumbled to the ground and collapsed face forward into the acid pool. In the background, the chain leading to Kostchtchie fell limply into the tar.

Kostchtchie roared as he sensed the chains binding him loosen a fraction further. “I’M COMING ZARIEL!!!'”

---

Morad and Mak, still effectively blinded in the thick of the sleet-storm, cautiously made their way North. Despite his care, Morad slipped off his feet, saved only by Mak catching him as he fell - Mak moved with surprising feed for a (very) big man.

One of the two remaining hellhounds latched its mouth around Bili’s thigh, piercing and burning in equal measure. Bili slashed it with his smaller axe in return. The other hellhound skidded past Torgrun in the sleet, claws desperately seeking purchase on the icy ground. Torgrun grinned and followed it out of the sleet, lighting it up with another flash of radiant light.

Albert put his hand on Spider’s shoulder to steady himself, holding his ravaged guts with his other hand. Spider used the steadying weight of Albert to fire another bolt over the pool of tar, surprising the far Chain Devil and almost dislocated its shoulder when it hit.

The storm blocked the path West, so Albert started working his way East to flank the remaining Chain Devils. As Albert reached the boundary of the sleet he caught the first full sight of Kostchtchie.

---

The Demon-lord resembled a squat hill-giant with short bandy legs and a grossly swollen head, twice the height of Mak. He was wrenching the two loose chains with all his strength, swearing and howling as he tried to break the chains - but he was still held fast by the remaining bindings. Albert did his best to ignore the huge fiend, dropping a thunder orb on Spider’s Chain Devil. The Devil staggered further under the blow, a sitting duck to the ranged attacks. Unfortunately Spider’s finishing bolt went wide, his aim disrupted by the thunder from Albert. “Sorry Madam P!” Spider yelled.

Morad staggered out of the sleet and into the heat, followed closely by Mak - who had seen the flash of Torgrun beam and headed toward it intending to clobber the hellhound. This time it was Morad’s turn to react - catching Mak just as he full, keeping him on his feet. Mak grinned - one good turn deserved another. Before Morad could catch his breath, Torgrun came hurtling into the ice (having finished the final hellhound and retreating for cover), also slipping off his feet. Morad flung out his other arm and grabbed Torgrun just in time, keeping him aloft too. ‘Just like circus,’ Morad reflected as he held the two warriors upright. Madam Portencia - or was it Albert now? - would be pleased with his work.

He shrugged off his burden and sprinted North, making a beeline for the Chain Devil leader, who appeared to be wearing a codpiece made of his own face. Morad grimaced and continued forward.

---

The last Chain Devil saw Morad emerge and moved rapidly toward Morad. Four writhing chains emerged from the tar and shot in Morad’s direction. Three of the chains struck true, ripping vicious tears in his flesh. Mak and Torgrun watched in horror as Morad was shredded and charged toward the fray.

The last hellhound bit another chunk from Bili, who had had enough. He dropped the sleet storm, its work being done, and changed shape into a polar bear. And ripped the hellhounds head from its body. For a moment he considered feeding on it, but the sulphurous stench from the fallen hound changed his mind quickly.

The sudden abatement of the storm finally revealed the goal of Bili’s long quest for vengeance: Hedrun. The ice-witch was bound to the same stone as Kostchtchie, but unlike the demon, she was alert and still, closely observing the unfolding drama.

---

Bili let out a ravaging growl of anticipation. Finally!. Hedrun slowly turned her head and locked her eyes on Bili. She smiled softly as she watched the white bear approach.

The Chain Devil leader, still keeping Kostchtchie and Hedrun bound, held up his hand: ‘stop’. In a hissing voice he called out in Infernal. “It seems we are at an impasse. Kill me, and you will die to Kostchtchie’s hand. I suggest you stand down: you have no chance against him. Just as I have no chance against you, it would seem.”

Torgrun knew Morad couldn’t understand. “Morad! He’s offering parlay!” Despite his heinous wounds, Morad immediately sheathed his weapon. The honour of the parlay was never questioned. The four chains from the other Chain Devil withdrew, shimmering in the air but still ready to strike. “I do not understand your language, do you understand mine? I will hold,” Morad called out, walking steadily forward.

“I understand it all too well,” the leader grunted - in infernal.

Morad looked over his shoulder as Torgrun approached. “This is normally Madam Portencia’s world, but I think we should parlay, because I think we might be on the same page. But we want to free that guy, so who knows?”

Torgrun nodded. He figured that if he was heir apparent to Hell, I’d send some people in to release a guy who’s going to kill them, who is then going to and do his dirty work. He narrowed his eyes and moved faster.

“I think we might be parlaying with the wrong person,” Albert, out of earshot, whispered to Spider.

“Madam Portencia, I totally agree. In fact what I’m thinking is this situation is not too bad if we focus our attention on the Ice Witch now. I think what Bel said about Kostchtchie is probably true - he’s just going to fuck off right away and not worry about us. But that Ice Witch needs to go and it’s better we kill her while she’s still chained up. We don’t want her runnin’ around.”

“I totally agree,” Albert whispered. “I just - we can’t really get a guarantee from Kostchtchie can we?”

“Well we were never going to - just look at him. The bargain with Bel is the bargain, we have faith and release Kostchtchie, and we kill Hedrun first.”

Albert nodded and quickly drained a potion to staunch his wound. The instant relief reminded him of another kind of relief, one he planned to revisit the next time his tent was pitched. He sighed and started jogging toward the fight.

Torgrun had made up his mind and gave his answer to the chain-wielding devil: a beacon of holy fire struck down from above, missing but making his intent clear.

“I see your answer is no,” the devil snarled.

“Indeed it is,” Torgrun smiled.

“Death by demon then, for you,” the devil said calmly.

Spider watched Torgrun attack, but his focus was squarely on Hedrun. “Witch before the devils!” he cried. Bili had been clear: the witch must die. He knelt, lined Hedrun up, and pierced her shoulder with a brutal blow. She flinched as it struck, but didn’t take her eyes of Bili for even a moment.

---

Bili, full of rage, continued his charge forward, when a voice popped into his head. A deep whispering voice, sharp like ice, speaking with cold determination. “Welcome, honoured member of the Bear tribe.” Bili let out a roaring growl again in answer. He was not interested in talking, or Hedrun’s silvery words.

“Son of Wolvig, son of Günvald. You are the last person I expected to see down here,” Hedrun continued. “Finally seeing one of my own brings a cold joy to my frozen heart.”

“I’m going to eat that heart,” Bili snapped, “I’m going to feast on it.” His entire being was rage.

“I feel your fury, Bear Warrior, a righteous fury born of your bloodline. I admire it, and always have. The Bear tribe above all. You should know it was no evil that turned your ancestors to me. It was worship. It was survival. No matter the tales you have heard, defeat from the Elk, the Tiger, the Wolf, awaited. Survival is why they called to me, came to me. Not evil. You are mistaken.”

“You are evil,” Bili growled.

“There is no evil, only life. You know that as well as any other. "

“You are in Hell - there is reason you are here.”

“I am trapped here, not by choice.”

“You deserve it. I should leave you to linger.”

“I understand your fury, Bear-son. But I sense there is more to you than rage. Listen to me: you are with child.”

This, finally, caused Bili to falter slightly. His pace slowed.

“Not just any child. A special child. A child born of Bear and Fey and Celestial. You will not keep that child without my help. The hags will take it,” Hedrun continued, “For their coven. You know that. And there will be no way to stop them. They will take the child, it will complete their coven, and you will never it again.

Bili howled. Torgrun, Mak and Morad glanced, worried. Fear gnawed in his belly. He had instinctively know this, but to hear it said aloud made it suddenly real. He had a plan - Mooncolour would take the child - but Hedrun made him question this. What if she was right? What if his child was cursed to become a corrupted fey Hag.

“That is a dream,” Hedrun said, reading Bili’s thoughts. “I can offer you the Frostmaiden’s protection. Free me, and Auril herself will protect your child, and you will keep it.”

“Who will keep it?” Bili whispered, slowed now to a walk.

“You will keep it.”

“Explain.”

“The hags will have to leave your child alone should you take this offering. They will not cross the Frostmaiden. But you must free me, and I will bring her blessing.”

Bili shuddered to a stop, his mind reeling. Hedrun offered an impossible choice: save his child, or avenge his tribe. He let out a low, keening howl.

Spider’s bolt ripped into Hedrun’s shoulder as Bili tried to clear his head. “If they kill me, they kill your child,” Hedrun whispered.

Bili roared again, and started charging toward the lake of tar. Spider and Albert watched in horror, thinking the Ice Witch had somehow taken control of the bear. But Bili knew what he was doing: just as he reached the edge of the lake, he launched himself into the air, casting a spell to aid the nigh-impossible leap. He flew through over the bubbling tar in a graceful arc, landing smoothly on the rocky outcrop and changing to his humanoid form as he touched down.

Spider’s eyes widened as he watched the Bear fly - Bili was nothing if not surprising. And now he could finish Hedrun off - fulfilling his destiny. Torgrun watched from the corner of his eye, assuming the same. The death of the Ice Witch drew nigh.

Bili stood and towered over the bound witch, eyes aflame with fury. “Swear,” he demanded.

“I swear on the Frostmaiden, I swear on Auril. Your child will be protected.”

“And they will stay with me,” Bili growled.

“The hags will be unable to take it,” Hedrun answered.

“And they will stay with me,” Bili repeated.

“This is a special child - it is for the North. It is for the Bear. You must protect it.”

“Yes. And it will be mine.”

“The child shall be yours.”

“Okay. That’s enough.” Bili held his hand up and yelled, “Stop!”

---

Torgrun was shocked to hear Bili’s cry, but he shrugged. Bili had a habit of bringing additional layers to the plan - here was another. He attacked the main chain devil with his flail, bruising but not slowing it.

Morad, making the assumption the lead devil had insulted Torgrun and broke the parley, charged ahead to engage the fiend, hoping to take the chains out of the equation. The other chain devil had other ideas, swinging its own chains which were edged with razors and hooks. It flung one around Morad’s neck and opened a gaping wound, blood spurting freely. Morad grabbed the chain choking his neck and cried out for Al’Akbar, receiving the blessing of his god to heal the wounds. The devil whipped the other chain into the side of his chest, shredding the open wounds further open.

Mak roared with rage as he watched Morad being assaulted, joining the melee but unable to attack. The lead devil turned his focus to Moard, seeing an opportunity to finish him. His first attack sliced Morad’s kidney, opening another brutal wound, followed swiftly by the other. Mak siphoned off some - but not enough - of the damage as Morad staggered, the pain blinding him, but he felt a surge of relief as Torgrun absorbed the majority of the damage and channelled it back as a twice as effective heal.

Spider, suspecting Bili was compromised but unwilling to test it, fired another bolt into the chaos of the chain devils, missing as the chains deflected the incoming bolt.

Morad, ignoring the chain around his neck, called on all his strength to smash his new shield into the lead devil. The shield glowed with power as it struck and a wave of force drove the very surprised devil backwards into the tar. Morad grinned and ripped the chain from his neck and swung at the remaining fiend - tangling his weapon in the chains.

Mak smiled as he hefted his axes and pounded them into Morad’s foe, caving its chest inward. His other swing got caught in the chains just like Morad. The devil tried to retaliate but the chains were now ‘confused’ by the embedded weapons and both missed.

On the island, Bili hefted his axe and held it over Hedrun. He held it there for what seemed an eternity, the urge to cleft her skull in twain surging through his pounding blood. Then he felt a kick in his belly, and he knew there was only one choice. He brought the axe down, skimming Hedrun by a hair, onto one of the binding chains, shattering it. He shuddered as it broke, pulling his axe back again. “I need to protect the child,” he yelled.

Spider, anticipating the finishing blow to Hedrun, was shocked when it struck the chain instead. “He’s been cursed,” he muttered.

“Was this the plan?” Albert asked with surprise, watching Bili who look like his soul had been destroyed.

“I think it’s changed,” Spider grimaced.

Torgrun turned to the wounded devil and used his flail to finish it off, clefting the other side of its chest into nothingness. The lead devil clawed its way out of the tar, using the nearest chain to haul itself free. Albert sent a roiling ball of thunder that dropped on the fiends head and rocked it backward. Spider followed up with a bolt the flew hard and true.

Morad arrived, angry and sore, and carved a deep wound into the devils torso. The devil stumbled back, and Morad stepped forward, put a boot into the fiends chest, and kicked it into the tar. It fell slowly, landing flat on its back, dead, sinking slowly into the sticky black mass.

As he fell, so too did the final chain. Kostchtchie roared, and everyone held their breath as they recalled the fiend’s prophecy: “if I die, Kostchtchie is going to kill you all.”

On the rock platform the demon-lord flung off the chains, finally free. He leapt atop the rock, beating his chest in triumph and fury. He raised his enormous muscled arms to the Avernian sky and roared out defiantly.

“FREEEEDOMMM! ZARIEL!! I COME FOR YOU, AND FOR MY HAMMER!!!”

He crouched then launched into the air, vanishing into the red skies like a comet.

Morad looked shell-shocked, having borne the brunt of the attacks. For the first time during a fight he had felt he could not control it, and only the help of his and Torgrun’s god had saved him.

But they were all dead now. Everyone sucked in deep breaths as they watched Bili face Hedrun on the rocky outcrop.

---

Hedrun stood to her full height, looming over Bili now. She looked down at Bili and smiled, placing her hand on Bili’s head. “Auril’s blessing on your child, Bili Tengervaald.”

Bili felt a wave of frozen silence flow through his body, touching every corner and settling in his swollen belly. He felt sickened by her touch. He had sworn to destroy her, and now he was letting her free. The curse was unbroken.

“It is done, Auril will watch over your child. Raise it well, Bear-son.”

“Hedrun Arnsfirth, chosen of Auril, I accept this blessing, for the sake of the child,” Bili said sadly.

“Go well, Bili Tengervaald,” Hedrun said, fading from sight as she spoke, leaving only a wisp of icy-mist.

Bili, diminished, shrunken, leapt back to safety, a shadow of his former self.

“Are you ok?” Spider called to Bili, worried. “What was the deal with the ice-witch?” Bili clutched his stomach and looked unhappily across to Spider. “The baby has to come first. And the Frostmaiden will protect it. I couldn’t extract my revenge - I needed her blessing. Otherwise my child will become another hell-hag. What choice did I have?” Spider nodded grimly.

“Well that was one resolution, just not the one we expected,” Torgrun observed with surprise.

“Apart from those nasty hooked chains, that went much better than I thought it would,” Spider said as Torgrun healed the party with a long healing prayer.

“You mean the fact we didn’t die?” Albert asked.

“Well we could have been squashed like bugs.”

Albert nodded. “Torgrun, how much can you carry on those new wings?”

“I can take us up one at a time, I think. Maybe not Mak, or Bili. But I’ll drop a rope, they can work their way up.”

“You carry those you can, and we’ll worry about rappelling the rest later.” Torgrun concurred, removing the shield and laying it on the ground to lighten his load, then inviting Spider aboard as the first passenger. Spider was somewhat sceptical, but jumped on Torgrun’s back, gripping tight. Once he was aboard he caught Albert’s eye, looked down to the shield, then over to the tarpit, then back to Albert.

Albert stared at Spider and grinned. “Way ahead of you, brother,” he whispered as Torgrun alighted and flew toward the canyon top. Once Torgrun was near the top, Albert moved quickly over to the shield. He looked over to Morad. “How do you feel about this?”

“What?”

Albert repeated Spider’s unspoken message, eyeing the shield and the tar.

Morad was shocked. “But that is Togrun’s. He chose that.”

“Well let’s help him out, shall we?” Albert sighed and without a second though shunted the shield toward the tar. Never ask a Paladin about something grey, he reminded himself. The shield teetered on the edge, Morad watching wide eyed, and Albert kicked it over the edge. It toppled in and sat on the surface for a moment, the screaming face staring accusingly, then sunk into the tarry depths.

Torgrun slowly circled down, laying a rope fifty feet up for Mak and Bili before landing. He didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. “Who’s next?”

“Take one of the boys to protect Spider up there,” Albert ordered.

“Morad?” Torgrun asked.

Morad appeared to be frozen on the spot. “Uh,” he managed, looking at Albert. “Off you go,” Albert said, “I’ll be fine.” Torgrun instructed Morad to clutch him from the front, and they locked into a comfortable position and shot into the air. It was like Torgrun was born with these wings. It was harder than Spider, and took a lot of strength, but Morad was safely delivered.

Bili started clambering up the rope, shifting into wolf form when needed to make the ascent easier. Albert looked around, only Mak remained. “Are you ready, Mak?”

“I’m going to try to climb up,” Mak said, eyeing the rope.

Albert shook his head. “Just let me deal with this.” Mak looked confused, but Albert put his arm around the big barbarian’s shoulders. He opened a doorway and pulled Mak through. They emerged atop the cliff-face. “Much easier,” Mak smiled.

Torgrun flew down to check on Bili. Half-way down a voice popped into his head. “Where am I? Where are you?”

“I’m coming,” Torgrun said, surprised. “I can’t see you - what happened?”

“I must be in the pit. Get me out!”

Torgrun landed beside Bili with a thud. “Where’s my shield?”

“What shield?”

“Where is it?”

Bili looked carefully at Torgrun. “You had it on your back.”

“I left it to take Spider to the top, and now it is not there.”

Bili shrugged and looked up to the next ledge of the climb. Torgrun scowled, flew the rope up another fifty feet, secured it, and Bili continued.

Torgrun landed at the foot of the chasm. There was a clear path where the shield had been shoved through the dirt and into the tar. “How will I get you out of there?”

“Come in and get me. I don’t know how deep it is.”

Torgrun was fed up. There was no time for games like this. He closed his eyes and pleaded for divine assistance again, repeating his call from Qirozz’s ball. A beam of pure radiance split the sky and exploded at the foot of the pit. An angelic, golden dwarf emerged from the light and bowed before Torgrun. “What is your command?”

“I need help to retrieve my shield - there is a trapped Celestial inside. It is in the tar.”

The Celestial dwarf turned and strode toward the tar, stepping over the edge with no hesitation. It started clawing its way below the surface. Torgrun watched carefully to see if it was in any pain, but there was nothing obvious. A few moments later it emerged, dumping the ooze-covered shield on the edge of the platform.

The Celestial levitated out of the pit, the tar burning off instantly, and landed gracefully next to Torgrun, who bowed. The dwarf reached its hand out and placed it under Torgrun’s chin, raising his head and starting with golden eyes.

“Be careful what you do. You should not toy with such power, using it for pettiness and ugliness. We are not toys for your amusement. No not take us in vain - you have destroyed one, for nothing, and now you call me for even less.”

Torgrun held the Celestial’s gaze, but his soul quaked under the stern words. The Celestial stared a moment longer, then vanished. Torgrun dropped his head in penitence.

“Ignore it, they are a petty sort,” the shield interrupted.

“They?”

“Yes, they. They shall not stop us.”

Torgrun waited a beat, then slung the shield over his shoulder. He held his tongue, reflecting on the words of both the Dwarf and the shield. He knew he was walking a fine line on the quest for redemption, being constantly tested. A moment of doubt overcame him.

“The time has come. I must get out of here. The risk is too great and we will lose our advantage. Free me. Find a way.”

Torgrun heard the earnest tone of the voice, the frustration obvious, the demand. But he did not respond. It was his burden to carry this. And the Celestial’s words rung in his head: “Do not trivialise your power”. And here the shield was trivialising the words of the Celestial. Torgrun was starting to understand Morad’s concern over the shield. He unfurled his wings and shot up into the air.

When he landed he noted Morad shooting a glance at Albert, and Albert’s raised eyebrow. He had already decided not to pursue the issue, ignoring the games of the uninformed. It was time to lead these heathens out of here. He opened his mouth to speak-

“Let’s go,” Albert said, very purposefully stealing Torgrun’s thunder and striding away to the Holy Terror II, summoning his tent as he did.

Torgrun rolled his eyes and followed.

---

There wasn’t much chatter as everyone collapsed inside the tent. Everyone understood what was coming next - returning to Bel, and opening the portal to the Bleeding Citadel. There was not going to be any respite.

Bili felt his belly alternating between a ball of heat and a ball of ice. The latter concerned him, but he put it down to Hedrun’s ‘assistance’. But the baby shifting gave him comfort. He settled in to rest as best he could. As he meditated he found his thoughts drifting constantly to Hedrun. He had sworn to avenge his people, to take the life of the Ice-Witch who had caused such misery and death in the tribes. But he could not place his vengeance above his child. He knew that now, and in some mysterious way he was thankful to Hedrun for reinforcing the creed he had always lived by: life over death, always. That was why he had life-bonded with Red Ruth, and that was why Hedrun still lived. As he pondered this strangeness and wonder, he composed an ode to his once-foe:

The Ice-Witch confronted, in depths bound by hell-spawn,
And for tribesmen of legend aggrieved with battlesworn.

The Ice-Witch parlayed with a blessing for the child forsworn,
And the shaman halted his rage, and from wild-form.

The Ice-Witch to protect from the the race of Hagborn,
And twice now protected by North Goddess and Unicorn.

The Ice Witch uttered the warding pact to protect the newborn,
And with dreams of vengeance were thus dashed and forlorn.

The Ice-Witch departed, neither besieged, unscathed and untorn,
And whispered longings of wrathful self-scorn.

Despite his vow, Torgrun couldn’t help glance furtively at Albert every so often, wondering if he would own up. But Albert was lost in his own reflections. Torgrun turned his eyes to Lulu, who was now firmly attached to Morad. This made him slightly sad, but he was firm in his resolve. Lulu was important in-and-of herself, whether she was with Torgrun was of little consequence.

Spider’s veneer had cracked a little when facing down Bel, but after surviving that - and Kostchtchie - he had regained his confidence. It was going to be fine, he was sure. He noticed a change in Torgrun, who was now quieter and more determined - brooding rather than pontificating. Where before he might have been talking about redemption, now he appeared to be set on just getting it done. Maybe dropping the shield in the tar had been a smart move after all - Spider hadn’t expected anything serious to come of it, but here we were.

Spider turned to Mak. “Mak, how are you goin' big fella?”

“I’m still going,” Mak said simply. He was physically fine, but, like Morad, exhausted. Tired to the bone. Everything about this place was just so wrong. There was never any rest, never any let-up. Even with Mahadi he had felt constantly alert, constantly ready for a horror to emerge. Even in the tent. Utter exhaustion.

“And you, Morad?” Spider asked.

Morad looked up, subdued. “I’m ok. I was a bit slow down there, those chains were pretty bad.”

“They were - I copped a couple early on.”

“But we freed the giant, and that’s what we need to do. Then Bel help us, if does not kill us, then maybe we can go home,” Morad finished quietly. He looked down at the ground as he whispered the last word. Morad had always prided himself in his mental fortitude, but for the first time he was struggling. He could not keep doing this. The unrelenting nature of Avernus, the unreality of it, was crushing.

Spider could see Morad’s distress. “Don’t worry, it’s fine. This is the end run - we’re almost out of here.”

Morad nodded, then turned to try and get some rest. Lulu hovered above him, concerned. “I will give you my strength. Do not waver, we can do this together. But you must stay strong.” Morad remembered the shield saying something similar, but from Lulu it was comforting rather than terrifying.

“No, no, thank you, but you do not need to do that. Al’Akbar gives me all the strength I need. But - I do wish to see my family again, and I sometimes think of them. This is hard. Every day, a monstrosity worth of a story - that’s just our morning. And then we meet Bel - out of a story. And then meet… constantly. Out of a story.” Morad paused. “Lulu, you keep your strength because Al’Akbar fill me. Otherwise I would be gone by now.” He put his hand over his sacred symbol tucked safely under his clothing.

“You will need both of our strengths,” Lulu said quietly, landing on Morad’s shoulder and wrapping her tiny wing around the back of his head. “You are the best of us, we need you.”

This was too much hubris for Morad. “Everyone good here,” Morad said, looking around his companions and feeling deeply how true that was. Lulu nodded agreement.

Spider sat down next to Albert. “So is this what you’re wearing now?”

“We’re all wearing this, what are you talking about?” Albert snapped.

Spider looked at Albert’s ripped suit and shaven hair. “Oh, that,” Albert sighed. “There is no need for that now, because Madam Electra is back.”

“Right. Do you want to bring me up to speed there?”

“Well there can only be one.”

Spider was nonplussed. “Right. So am I calling you Albert now?”

“I don’t care what you call me, quite frankly.”

“Oh thank fuck. But you’re wearing men’s clothes now then?” Spider pressed.

“If it’s a concern to you then I’ll-”.

“It’s not a concern! I’m concerned there’s something goin' on with you - I’m just checking in with everybody. This is a big shift, that’s all I’m saying. If it’s not a problem, then it’s not a problem.”

“You know what Spider,” Albert said tiredly, “You got me at a bad moment. I’m ok, how are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Your little goblin ears still sticking to your halfling head?”

Spider laughed. “Pretty much! Look, once I worked out how this place worked I was fine. It’s all transactional. It’s a lot like being in the Guild.”

“That’s fine Spider, but I don’t know how long the rest of us are going to be able to keep going.” Albert looked around at the company, each so obviously bearing a heavy burden.

Spider continued on, trying hard to keep things on the level. “I think the lot of you are just a bit tired and emotional.” Albert smiled wanly - Spider probably didn’t realise just how true those word were, nor the impact ‘tired and emotional’ was having.

“That fight we had down there we handled better than anything we’ve handled before,” Spider insisted. “And it was one of the scariest ones we went into. I keep saying it’s fine, because it’s fine. At some point word’s going to get around that we’re the scary people.”

“Is that a good thing? It feels like having every asshole down here chasing us.”

“Down here it’s the currency! But the best bit is we’re not on the ladder, so they don’t know how to handle us.”

Albert glanced around. Morad was talking to a hollyphant. Togrun had the shield in front of him and was shaking and frowning. Bili was rubbing his belly, wherein lay a creature of hag, Bili, unicorn, and Ice Witch. Only Mak, with his 5000 yard stare, seemed to be maintaining some semblance of normality - which down here was in itself abnormal.

“We may think we’re surviving, Spider, but we may be more compromised than we imagine. It’s like the toad in the boiling water.”

Spider raised an eyebrow. “Nah, I don’t think so, it’s fine. Mak’s tired, but that’s just because he’s hot all the time. Bili is handling things ok, it’s just his baby. Morad - you know the thing about Morad? He’s a really good guy. And really good guys, they just kind of get on, and he can handle himself. And you? You’ve got the most reason to be upset, having seen Madam Electra - that’s a big emotional thing.”

Albert turned his face away and grimaced while Spider continued his pep talk. “But we’ll be out of here soon. Everything is happening much quicker now. Put it this way - we’ll either be done quick, or we’ll be dead. Either way we’ll be done, and if we die we’re not going to end up down here,” Spider finished, giving a furtive glance over toward Torgrun about whom he was less sure than his words suggested.

---

Rest completed, Morad fired up the screaming Holy Terror II and headed directly back to Bel’s. This time there was no-one challenging the vehicle, so Morad pulled up right outside the Forge entrance. A guard waited to escort the company back down through the depths of the volcano - unbound but sweltering in the overwhelming heat. “Gods I hate this place,” Mak grumbled.

Spider prodded Albert. “See it’s the heat that gets him! He fights just fine.”

Albert looked unimpressed as he sweated through his suit. “Just the fires of hell, no big deal.”

The escort led the way to the lowest level of the fortress then turned its back and walked away. Morad noted the difference this time - a grudging respect, or at least permission to be here.

Everyone took a deep breath before descending once again into Bel’s lair. The Fire Giants continued their relentless work on their fel-anvils, and the Pit Fiend had his back turned, staring up at the machine being built above his throne. After waiting a few moments for acknowledgment, Torgrun took a few steps forward, feeling crushing terror as he drew closer.

“Mighty Bel,” Torgrun said tentatively, “it is done.”

Bel didn’t respond immediately, but then his deep voice echoed out. “So it is. I have seen it. I must admit I am surprised - not something that happens often. It seems your reputation is not unearned, unlike many.” He turned to face Torgrun, and everyone took an involuntary step back.

“We’ll take that,” Torgrun mumbled, not feeling pride but understanding Bel was paying a compliment of a kind.

“Kostchtchie is free to wreak his revenge,” Bel continued, this time telepathically, “And you all live. I will uphold my end of the bargain. The arches will take you where you wish. All you need do is step through. I can send you there, directly, with your Infernal Machine, if you should wish it. The journey is long.”

Torgrun bowed, showing due deference to the quest, if not the fiend. “Is the way only forward, from there?”

“There is always a choice. You will not find Zariel where you are going, if that is what you ask.”

Torgrun turned to the group. “We have to make a decision. Bel can transport us - and the Holy Terror II - directly to the Arches, where we can pass through. So: shall we?”

“Let’s go,” Albert said immediately, “I’m ready.”

“Where else? That’s where we going,” Morad agreed.

Spider turned back to Bel. “Mighty Bel, if you could transport us, and our vehicle-”

“-then the deal is done,” Torgrun finished.

Bel nodded, then settled back into his throne. “This is a rare opportunity you have. Disrupting Zariel is not an easy thing - as well I know - but your scheme has merit. Tell me what you plan to do with Elturel.”

“We’re sending it back where it came from,” Spider answered.

“This is not a plaything for Zariel,” Torgrun nodded. “This is our land.”

“And what do you know of Elturel?”

“Elturel is my home. What more is there to know.”

“Ah. Then you know of the Insidiator - or ‘The Companion’, as I understand you call it.”

“We do,” Spider said.

“We do not seek it to return,” Torgrun clarified.

“It will prove a problem for you,” Bel warned.

“Tell us, Bel, what do you know?”

“I built it.”

“And is there a way that we might return without its presence?”

“It would be difficult, if not impossible. You have seen its power. You will need to find a way to remove it - to unlock it.”

“Unlock? Why is it locked? That’s an odd term to be used.” Spider asked.

“To unlock it would be to release its power.”

“And every lock has a key,” Torgrun said, glancing at Spider who held his bag containing the adamantine rods close.

“Every lock does. But in this case Zariel holds it,” Bel smiled slowly. “But you are a resourceful lot, I’m sure you’ll find a way. I leave that for you to solve. But solve it you should - it works in my favour too.”

Spider nodded. “Leave it with us.”

Albert, desperate for an update, poked Spider, who quickly explained what had unfolded. “Ask him if we need to do this before we visit the Arches,” Albert hissed. Spider duly passed on the question. “Oh, no. If you tried that now, without the sword?” Bel laughed. “The only way you will bring down Zariel is with the sword. And bring her down you must.”

“That’s what we were told. She’ll be gone, one way or the other,” Spider agreed.

Bel turned back to Torgrun. “I asked you a question last time before you left. Do you know what you carry on your back?”

Torgrun remembered. “I…am unsure. I carry a burden. What can you tell me?”

“You certainly carry something. But you do now know what?”

“I know it is of import. And I do not know which way it leads me. But I feel it is a part of our story.”

“Tell him to free me,” the shield suddenly spoke up in Torgrun’s head.

Torgrun paused, then made a decision. He looked up at Bel. “Can you free the being trapped inside?”

Bel laughed. “Of course!”

“Finally! Get me out of here, this is our chance!”

“Bel. It is in your interest to send us through the Arches. Our paths converge. Would you release what is in the shield, knowing what you know?”

“Would I or could I? I could.”

Torgrun narrowed his eyes. “Do you think it is your interest?”

Spider groaned. “Pardon Bel, but why don’t you just ask him what the shield is? You know what,” Spider bowed his head to Bel and continued, “What’s the deal with the shield??”

Seeing the conversation heat up but not understanding a word was driving Albert crazy. “What are we talking about now!” he whispered. Spider glanced at the shield quickly and Albert rolled his eyes, understanding. Pity the tar hadn’t worked, he sighed to himself.

“Oh no, it’s far more entertaining that you don’t know what it is!” Bel grinned.

Spider groaned again and hissed to Torgrun. “If that doesn’t give you the answer then I give up.”

Torgrun help Spider’s look. “In all honesty, I have been placed into doubt. Torm would set this barrier before me in order to test me. There is nothing that now tells me that it might not be Torm. Because if Bel knows it is Torm, he’s not going to tell me!”

Spider grabbed his hair in frustration. Bel laughed as he listened to Torgrun tying himself in knots. “It is both in my interest, and not, to release what you have. But I am not going to do it here, nor at all. I would be so obviously the culprit that Zariel would have no doubt. Not many could free what you have.”

“So be it,” Torgrun said firmly. “I carry this burden onward. I feel a greater sense of purpose - it’s not about me, I am just the vehicle for a greater purpose.”

“Do not let this slip away, offer him anything, get me out.”

“I have nothing to give.”

“Anything! Offer him one of your companions- the wizard put me in the tar, you cannot trust them. We are so much more powerful than they ever will be!”

“Do you test me?” Torgrun asked.

“I merely advise you. Sacrifice him.”

Torgrun was taken aback by such a direct command. “I repeat - is this a test? Because this runs against my sense of right.”

“Do you wish a Celestial to be by your side when you fight the fallen Zariel? Without me, you shall not win, you cannot win. Together we can redeem Zariel. Together we shall emerge triumphant. You, and me. The others are inconsequential.”

As the shield spoke, Torgrun reflected on his renewed sense of purpose, on Bel’s words, on all that had passed in the last weeks. He felt a crescendo coming. But he was not yet at the point of crisis where he would cast companions down in order to achieve this. He was going through this together with them. But he also saw an opportunity to seek the release of the shied, either through a renewed Lulu, or the Titan, or some other opportunity. If Bel can do it, then there are others.

“I will give you one other piece of advice,” Bel smirked, having eavesdropped on this exchange. “Before you release it, make sure you are very clear what the terms of the release are.”

“Because that’s what Celestial’s are like,” Albert said sarcastically as Spider quickly translated.

“Terms!” Spider scoffed turning to Torgrun. “Who gives terms?! Who’s terms do you have to be careful of? Open your eyes, pal! You know what you’ve got, you just don’t want to admit it to yourself because it means you made a big mistake. I’m tellin' you, what’s in that shield is not an angel, I guarantee it.”

Torgrun took this advice on board, but he wasn’t so sure. Having just been taken to task for trivially summoning a couple, he weighed Bel’s advice carefully. It’s all on the scales.

“Make no mistake, you should free it. The battle that approaches - every coin on your side tips the scale that much more in your favour,” Bel finished. “Enough,” he said aloud. “You have done what I asked, I will do what I said. Leave now - I hope not to see you again. But if I do - none of this will count.”

“What does that mean?” Bili whispered.

Spider laughed. “All deals are off.” He turned to leave, but as he mounted the first step, Bel spoke up again.

“Not you Samael.”

Spider froze. Sam’s claws reflexively clutched Spider’s shoulders, then released as he alighted. “Goodbye, Spider,” Sam whispered sadly. Spider spun around to see Sam’s tiny shape silhouetted before Bel’s huge form.

“You were ordered never to return,” Bel said. “Expelled, a soul thief, the lowest of the low. And yet here you are.”

Spider took a few steps forward, mind reeling. He couldn’t just kill Sam, could he? Not my Sam. There had to be a way to stop this.

Sam hung his head as Bel continued. “I have a mind to punish you. Or I had. But it seems you have delivered something greater than your crime. The scales tip unexpectedly in your favour, Samael. I will spare you, and what is more, promote you.”

Sam lifted his head. “You will become one of my spies. No longer an imp but a Spined Devil, climbing the ladder,” Bel smiled terrifyingly.

Spider was in shock. Bel was going to let Sam live, but fold him back into the Infernal hierarchy. He shook his head to clear it and thought quickly. Suddenly he remembered something. He dug into his satchel and closed his hand around Mad Maggie’s gift.

“Sam?” Spider said urgently in his mind. “Sam?!”

There was no answer. Sam spoke to Bel instead. “Do I have any choice?”

“A choice? No. You are mine. I decide what happens to you. This is a promotion - you know as well as I Devils seek that above all else. What other choice would you possibly make?”

Sam turned slowly to look down at Spider, eyes glistening in the firelight. “I choose you.”

Spider started slightly, watching for Bel’s reaction over Sam’s shoulder. The Pit Fiend frowned. “You would choose that lowly creature over the glory of the Infernal ranks?”

Sam turned back to Bel, drawing himself up to his full 1-foot height. “I would.”

“Well you can’t.”

Spider coughed, shuffling his feet in the iron dust, head down. “Um,” he said, proffering Mad Maggie’s tiny scroll, sealed with a waxed ‘Z’.

“What is this you offer?”

“Uh, I think if you take a look, it has a seal on it. Might be best if you take a look-”

“Bring it to me,” Bel ordered, glaring at Samael.

Samael fluttered down to Spider. “Thank you, even if this doesn’t work,” he whispered, then took the scroll slowly to Bel.

Bel glared at Spider when he saw the seal. He scowled as he broke the wax and quickly scanned the paper. Spider saw the Fiend flex his massive arms as he crushed the paper in his fist and tossed it back. Bel stared down at the ground for a moment, the turned his gaze to Spider.

“Are you sure?”

Spider froze for a second time. What did the scroll say?! What was he offering, or giving up, or sacrificing?! Surely this is what Maggie had meant when she had said ‘you will know when to use it’?

Sam broke Spider’s trance. “Don’t leave me. Without you I am nothing.”

Spider knew then. He looked up at mighty Bel. “I’m sure.”

Bel paused for an eternal moment, then let out a deep sigh. “Even here she haunts me. Get out of my sight, and pray to your gods you don’t get back in it for a long time. Begone. And Samael - do not return.”

Sam flew into Spider’s hood and changed back to his Spider form, wrapping all eight legs around Spider, shaking with relief. Spider didn’t need to be told twice. “Let’s go!” he cried, bounding up the stairs and racing for the exit.

---

“What the hell happened back there?” Spider asked Sam as he sprinted out, his mind still reeling with adrenalin.

“It’s a long story, Spider. But Bel is - was - my master in Avernus. I was banished for no good reason - nothing of consequence - a whim, a wrong look, laziness. Being an imp in other words.”

“Come off it Sam, it’s me you’re talking to. What did he mean ‘soul thief’?”

Sam sighed deeply. “You’re right. You deserve the truth after that. The short version is that I, in a fit of pique or madness I’m not sure which, I once freed a trapped soul instead of bringing it to Bel’s army.”

“What soul? Why?”

“It was a child…an orphan,” Sam said quietly.

“An orphan…trapped where?” Spider mumbled, almost stopping in his tracks.

“Here, Spider. Here. A small, ugly, goblin-baby orphan.”

This time Spider did stop, causing Mak to nearly collide into him. “Sam?” Spider gasped.

“Spider. How else do you think you ‘found’ me? It was I who found you.”

Spider’s brain exploded.

---

After climbing aboard the Holy Terror II, the guard put a hand to his ear and looked up. “Are you ready?”

“We’re ready,” Morad nodded. The guard nodded, and there was a blinding flash.

---

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Session played: 21 Sep, 5, 12, 26 Oct 2021