For a war to gain more power was not half as deadly as one done for the sole purpose of revenge. So, I couldn't risk Amelia's life anymore and every second she was with me, that was precisely what I was doing. But this meant I had gone back on my word. I had gone back on my promise never to leave her, and asking her forgiveness for it was one I knew I would not deserve receiving. But nothing was more important to me than her life.
Nothing.
Not. A. Gods. Be. Damned. Thing!
So, I had sent word to my brother and I had made plans, knowing that he would create a portal back to where this all began. Back to the temple of the Tree of Souls.
As for topside, I had also got word to my council telling them that they were needed in Hell and had my brother create a portal to bring them here. Because it was impossible to do so from where Amelia and I had first entered, as my blood was the only thing powerful enough to open the access point to gain entrance to the Temple. Ruto had been the only Angel in the group, but due to being one of my own, the vampire in him enabled him to access Hell with the others.
However, gaining access back into the mortal realm was as easy as mounting the stone steps that led back up to the Earth under the tree and stepping through it. Something Amelia and I hadn’t been able to do at the time after she first fell. That was because of the danger above, and one that included the small army of rogues and a witch I now knew as once being my mortal wife.
I stalked back to Carn’reau and barked my orders at him,
“I want you to send any soul I own in my army to the furthest reaches of Hell and amass anyone loyal to you.” He bowed his head in understanding. Because in this I had no other choice. I was forced to plan as if that switch of souls had already happened. Because I knew if I headed into battle with my own people, then I wasn’t only doing so with the enemy at my front but also the potential one at my back.
“It will be done, my Lord,” he answered, and I released a sigh before telling him,
“I think we both know the time for being your Lord is at an end, my friend, but I will always be grateful for your continued loyalty.” At this, he bowed his head and replied,
“And you will have it for as long as either of us draws breath, a loyalty that will forever come with my sword, my… Lucius,” he replied, now speaking my name as an ally and friend. Something that I would need more than ever before. I placed a hand to his shoulder and squeezed, telling him without words what it meant to me.
After this moment passed, he nodded to the McBain brothers and said,
“And what of the shifters?” I released another sigh, knowing it was time to be done with these three souls. After all, Amelia had been right in one aspect, they had certainly earned it. Even if one in particular was less so and deserved to choke on that soul. But it could not be denied that everything they had done, had been done with Amelia’s safety in mind. So yes,
It was time.
“Leave them to me,” I replied to Carn’reau before cutting the distance between myself and the shifters, who were clearly waiting for my orders. Of course, the moment I got close enough, Trice was the first to speak, making me question my sanity on why I still let him live… oh yes, Amelia would be annoyed.
“Where did ye send her?” Trice asked with his hand on the hilt of his sword, one that was a warrior’s stance. In fact, I half expected him to tighten those fingers before drawing it from its sheath, and challenging me to a fight now that Amelia wasn’t around to witness it. Fuck, but more than half of me wished that he would, because if there was one thing that would have made me feel better in that moment, it would have been getting to kill this fucker!
But then I already had broken promises on my head, and I didn’t want to add to them when finally getting to reunite with