Seasons in the Abyss (Book 4 EptaBorromean Realms)

Chapter 4.12

"It is time."

Angeline opened her eyes, having cultivated for months without moving. She rolled her neck and stood from her position beside the still unconscious man. She had lost all sense of time since entering this place. In the beginning she thought she could keep track of the days, but living in endless darkness made it impossible.

"What is the next trial?" She asked the beast staring back at her.

"Now comes a demon horde led by a prince of hell. Do you think you can handle them?"

"How many?" She asked, willing her shadow weapons into form.

"It is only a Legion.... Surely not too much for you," it chuckled darkly.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Seriously?" she yelled at the great orange eye.

"Succeed, and you will have but one trial left to face. Fail, you die," it stated flatly.

"When I am done with them, I will kill you myself!" She growled as the great serpentine body raised to allow her to pass under it. Before the small space could be concealed, she stole one last look at the unconscious man. She had to live to repay her life debt to him.

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Asmodeus had taken nine thousand demons from hell to clear the Abyss and scour the mortal realms for information. Among his generals were three demogorgons, countless eidolons, wraiths, and cacodemons. The forward line of this legion was filled with lamia and empusas.

They were adept at scouting and cleaving souls of any who would tell of their advancement to the other living or immortal creatures of the seven realms. He enjoyed watching them do what they did so well. It was a seduction of the prey's innermost desires, filled with promises of things to come before an excruciating death. Asmodeus could not help the smile creeping up his face at the memory of them in action.

"Report," he called out to the three demogorgons each leading a separate horde.

"The left is clear for as far as our wraiths can travel."

"The center is clear for as far as our wraiths can travel."

"..."

Asmodeus, nodding with each report, turned to look for the general leading his right flank. "Report," he stated again more firmly, putting power into the words.

"The right-gggh" the words were suddenly cut off.

Asmodeus turned to find the demogorgon across the vast darkness of the Abyss, and found nothing instead. There was nothing where three thousand demons had previously stood. A seldom felt unsettling feeling crept slowly up his back, causing an involuntary shiver.

Though he knew very well of the great beast who roamed the Abyssal depths, the demons of hell had long since learned to steer clear of the great devourer. In fact it had not moved in several seasons, according to the reports given by his father. He wondered if Mammon had sent him here to die. The thought raised a bitter anger from the depths of his being.

"Report! Where is the Devourer?" He barked through the minds of his forward line.

"It is unmoved, my liege!" Came the reports from several Lamia.

This did not make sense. If the great devourer had not moved, then what happened to the-

"ASSASSIN!" Screamed the empusas and lamia from the left flank.

Asmodeus ran forward to meet the threat head on. "Who dares attack the Legions of King Mammon?" he shouted, as the bodies of his demons began dropping to the ground.