A memory appears in my mind’s eye. Verus’s prophecy. Nefer has to kill the King of Hell and take his throne. I race to the bottom of the stairs. “How is she?”
Anubis shakes his head. “She doesn’t have long.”
“What happens if she puts on the helm? Will it heal her or kill her?”
“I don’t know. No one has ever taken the helm in a weakened state. It’s enough of a risk having someone strong make the change to greater demon.” Anubis’s voice cracks. “She could turn evil.”
“She’s not going to turn evil,” I say, hoping I sound confident. “Now, let’s have her kill Armageddon before he bleeds out.”
“I don’t know,” sighs Anubis.
I fix my gaze with his. “Could you honestly live all eternity with yourself if you don’t try?”
“You’re right.” Anubis slowly rises to his feet, dragging a semi-conscious Nefer along with him. He hauls her to stand before Armageddon.
The King of Hell looks at Nefer and lets out a hollow laugh. “What will she kill me with, exactly? You fail again, Nefer.”
I turn to Lincoln. “Throw me father’s baculum.” I catch the weapon in mid-air, igniting it as a long-sword. “Hold this with me, Nefer. Together, we can destroy Armageddon. The prophecy says you strike the final blow, but it didn’t say you couldn’t have help, right?”
“Right.” Nefer grits her teeth and laces her fingers with mine.
Together, we raise the long-sword high. I call out in a loud, calm voice. “In the name of my father Xavier and all that is holy and good in the after-realms, we now sentence you to death.”
Armageddon slowly looks up to meet my gaze, his eyes blazing demon red. “I hate your family.”
“The feeling’s mutual, asshole.” Moving in sync, Nefer and I bring the sword down in a great swoop. The blade tugs as it slices through Armageddon’s neck. An electric charge jolts through my body as the power of the sword thrums through my nervous system. Nefer passes out cold.
Armageddon slumps forward, his head rolling down the black stone stairs.
Fire bursts out of Armageddon’s severed neck, a great geyser of flame that shoots toward the ceiling. His headless body shakes violently, and then falls silent. Seconds tick by before Armageddon is utterly destroyed.
His body explodes with an ear-shattering boom.
On instinct, I crouch down as the shower of goo that was once the King of Hell rolls over me. When I rise to stand, I find myself covered in his foul black blood.
Maxon peeps up from the safety of Lincoln’s chest. “Is the bad man dead?”
“Yes, baby.” I reply.
A low pulse sounds, like the beat of a base drum. The Helm of Hell sits empty beside what’s left of Armageddon’s skull. It throbs with a dark light, calling a new demon to become ruler of Hell. I scoop up the helmet and rush over to Anubis, who holds Nefer’s unmoving form.
“Is she alive?” I ask.
Anubis’s voice cracks. “I’m not sure.”
I raise the helm over her head and look at Anubis. “You still up for this?”
The demigod nods. “Do it.”
With a slow, gentle movement, I set the Helm of Hell onto Nefer’s head.
For a long moment, nothing happens. Then, long cracks form in the walls as bright red light seeps through in long, spidery arcs. Nefer opens her eyes. “Stand back!”
Red light bursts through the throne room, seeping into Nefer’s body, and turning her skin solid as stone. Her eyes glow the brightest shade of demon-crimson that I’ve ever seen. The helm that covers her face now melts into her skull, becoming part of her body. Power radiates from her skin.
Anubis cups Nefer’s face in his hands. “Are you alright?”
She kisses him, long and deep. “Never better.” Nefer hops to her feet. “They are coming. I can sense them.”
I look around the smashed-up throne room, wondering what could possibly happen next. “Who’s coming?”
“All of Hell, of course. They want to test my power.” Nefer inspects Maxon, Lincoln and me. “You won’t live through the battle that’s to come. You need to get out of here.”
“I’m all for that.” I turn to the broken doors of the throne room. Even now, I can see a demon horde racing down the main hallway. I’ve never seen anything like it. Crawling, flying, slithering…Every monster in Hell is heading straight toward Nefer. A mix of staccato chitters, deep growls and skull-piercing howls fill the air.
Nefer shifts her stance, pointing her arms toward the wall of demons. She calls out one more word.
“Move!”
The world freezes. The demons stop their running; the throne room turns silent. I know I should run or cower or scream, but I can’t move, either.
Suddenly, a burst of red fire rolls off Nefer’s arms and through the mass of demonic bodies, opening up a long tunnel through Hell. At the other end, I can see the familiar landscape of the Plains of Fire.