Val was just done.
Vladimir still lived while Talon died. Nergal fucked with everyone in his stupid underworld out of what? Boredom?
And Khent loved her so much he’d been willing to sacrifice himself. She squeezed his hand.
He squeezed it back.
“Wait here.”
She left him to walk down the stairs, aware he’d ignored her, because something large and hot lumbered behind her. The stairs groaned as a mighty dragon followed Val toward Vladimir and Nergal, who had stopped arguing to watch her approach.
A glance around showed no sign of Grizz. Sadly, he must have died when Ilu had emerged.
To Nergal she asked, “Where is my gargoyle?”
He nodded to his left, and she saw the shadow of what used to be her warrior. Grizz stood, a shell of himself, caught in Irkalla forever.
“Fuck no.”
Khent huffed behind her, and she felt a moment’s fear having something so large and powerful where she couldn’t see him. A magically induced terror that lingered. But he whipped a tailover her shoulder, feathering softly. A nonverbal “don’t worry, dear” that made her smile despite her angry tears.
“You have something that belongs to me,” Vladimir said, looking grotesque.
“To you? Ha.” Nergal crossed his arms over his chest and grew several times his size.
Val intended to finish Vladimir for good. “Khent, keep an eye on Nergal for me while I handle this, would you?”
Nergal turned a wary eye on Khent. “Don’t get excited. I want to see this too.” He snapped his fingers, and all activity in the cavern ceased. Demons suddenly ringed the area around Val and Vladimir, who looked excited to battle.
Rolf and the warrior woman joined them. “What did I miss? Where’s Talon?” He blinked at Khent. “There’s something different about you… Hmm. Don’t tell me. I’ll get it, I’m sure.”
The woman with him snorted, one hand on the hilt of a massive ax slung over her shoulder.
Both she and Rolf had scratches, bruises, and blood all over. They also seemed way too happy to have been battling demons.
“Finally. Valentine Darkmore,” Vladimir said, “I?—”
“Shut up.” Val held up a hand.
Startled, Vladimir stared at her in silence.
Val focused and let go of all her pets, down to the small robin she’d had flitting about the Beast Brigade house, keeping it under watch.
She sniffed, still saddened that Talon would never join her for apple cider shots or darts or whining about stinky bears ever again.
The rush of energy that returned to her was like a drug and lifted her up off the ground before settling her back on steady feet. She hadn’t realized how much she’d affected herself by giving her power into the dead.
Now returned to her, her essence and Ilu’s together, along with that special piece of Khent, made her unstoppable.
Everyone must have felt it, because all but Khent took a healthy step back.
But how to kill an undead necromancer?
Might I suggest giving him to me?Ilu offered, extremely polite.
Will he suffer?
Forever, if that’s your wish.
