People moved back a little but no one made any move to leave. She then turned her back to the Fog and relaxed her wings.

  Four demons dressed in black appeared out of the crevice in the asphalt, marching in unison. There were fifty feet between them. Each of the four was carrying a six-foot-long silver scepter. Many others followed them, forming four rows that advanced with a military synchrony. All held silver scepters and had their wings spread. They stopped when they got to where Nilia was waiting for them.

  “I want no distractions with the Minors,” she threatened, motioning toward the bystanders with her hand. The two demons who were in the front of the two outside rows took out their swords of fire. Frightened spectators immediately backed away. “We have no guarantees of how long the portal will remain opened, so let’s not waste any time. Get into position!”

  The demons rested the base of their long staffs on the ground and, with a wave of their hands the crooks turned golden and light radiated from inside them. Then the march toward the Fog began. The two who had taken out their swords were brandishing them through the air at waist level, leaving behind a line of flames that kept the Minors at a distance. When the first line got to the Fog, the wispy threads of vapor retreated from the light of their scepters. The Travelers advanced onward, dispersing the dark cloud and forming a tunnel of light as they passed through. The four rows of demons spread out over three lanes of the road marched on, an army unlike any ever before seen on the face of the Earth. It took a long while to get the Travelers into place since so many were needed to sufficiently light the way for such a large contingent of troops.

  When the last Traveler was in position, Nilia took out her daggers and drew a simple rune in the air. Immediately a new wave of steps could be heard coming from the crevice in the street, only this time it was a much louder—nearly deafening—marching than that made by the Travelers. Three figures emerged first. Tanon was in the middle and was the only one not showing his wings. To his right, with his six-and-a-half-foot stature and shaven head, Urkast was looking at both sides of the street, his hoop earrings swinging slightly back and forth. To Tanon’s left was Stil, with his singular resemblance to an angel. His long white mane, the same color as his wings, was pulled back in a ponytail. Some three yards behind Tanon, Stil, and Urkast came an army of demons.

  The three Barons stopped when they got to Nilia.

  The army following them halted as well, and the thundering sound of their march was immediately silenced. The Minors observed the scene wide-eyed, not daring to move a muscle or make the slightest sound that would break the sudden silence that had descended around them.

  “Everything is in order,” Nilia informed them. “The Travelers are in position.”

  “Perfect,” replied Stil. “We’ll see you in the Nest.”

  “This is undoubtedly a great day,” declared Tanon ceremoniously. “From this moment on, the history of the three planes will change drastically. The wait has been long and arduous but the moment for putting the fruits of our plan in place has finally arrived.”

  Urkast said nothing. He exchanged a severe look with Nilia as he listened to the others.

  “We must hurry,” suggested Stil. “After the setbacks we suffered trying to put the seal in place, I don’t want to risk the portal closing.”

  “Always the sensible one, you are,” said Tanon. “And you are completely right.”

  “Beautiful words, my lord,” said a voice that came from under a black hood.

  “Capa!” exclaimed Urkast, turning to face him. Capa was coming toward them, looking around in amusement. “You were supposed to be with the rest of the Evokers in the rearguard. You’re the one who is leading them.”

  “I daresay that you underestimate the intelligence of my colleagues, oh most powerful Urkast,” replied Capa, slightly bowing his head. “Even without my leadership, I can harbor no doubts with respect to their capacity to march in time with the rest.”

  “Why have you come up here, Capa?” asked Tanon pleasantly. “Can you not wait your turn?”

  “Of course I can, my lord. And that is exactly what I was doing a moment ago when a last-minute piece of news reached my hooded ears. I would never dare to contravene your wishes if I were not guided by a duly important motive.”

  “And what news is that?” asked Tanon.

  “You see, as it turns out, a group of valiant angels has summoned up sufficient courage to strike one of our headquarters in London with the unacceptable intention to free my dear friend. Lamentably, it is my sorrowful duty to inform you of the success of their endeavor and of the fact that we can no longer count on Diago’s company.”

  “How is that possible?” bellowed Urkast. “I thought they were focused on the problems the Wave caused in the Nest! Was no one watching them?”

  “Regrettably, there was nearly no one left to,” explained Capa with a smile. “Our best demons were already underground in London, waiting obediently, in conformity with the orders the Barons had so wisely imparted.”

  “They couldn’t stop them?” asked Stil in disbelief. “How many angels were there?”

  “The poor, sad soul who so diligently transmitted the news to me was not entirely sure. After listening to his tale and taking the risk of drawing my own conclusions, I believe the group had no more than six members—seven at the most.”

  “And they could not defend themselves against seven angels?” pressed Stil, sounding as if he suspected he was not getting the whole story.

  “Anticipating just such a question, I also have a possible explanation, the first part of which is based on the element of surprise. It would not be fair to pass over the fact that no one was expecting such an audacious move on the part of our brothers. The other part is more interesting and I cannot rule out the possibility that I may be wrong, but I firmly believe that the fact that Yala was one of the angels that took part in the rescue could have been what permitted them to triumph in their efforts.”

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Yala!” Nilia forcefully clenched her fists. “Are you sure, Boy?”

  “It would be an excessive presumption not to contemplate the possibility that I could have been mistaken, my most beautiful lady. But, does any angel come to mind whose description would be more difficult to confuse than Yala’s?”

  “This may just be good news after all,” speculated Stil.

  “Are you serious?” Urkast shook his head, unconvinced.

  “Think about it,” said Stil in his softest voice. “If they’ve rescued Diago, that means they must still be around here somewhere. We will probably get to the Nest before they do and that means the Twins—one of the best warriors they have to defend to Citadel—will not be there.”

  “I’ll take care of Yala,” announced Nilia, an intense gleam in her eyes.

  “No. You have clear objectives to carry out,” replied Stil matter-of-factly. “We need you, remember? You have to kill Asius and as many members of the Council as you can. Your infiltration is already planned out. You are the fastest; no one else can do it.”

  Urkast chimed in, flouting threateningly, “We’ve devised a plan for everything. It’s about time you got used to that, Nilia. I hope your own desires won’t ruin this for everyone else. You are far too rash.”

  “Enough, Urkast!” Stil went up to Nilia and reached around her, putting his hand on the back of her neck. He didn’t believe she would actually do anything rash, but he also did not want to risk their plans being destroyed now that they were so close to fulfilling their objectives. Unfortunately, he knew the Baron was not completely wrong to mention her rashness. Looking into her eyes, he addressed Urkast. “Nilia does not belong to your clan; she belongs to mine. I will tell her what she has to do, and you can be sure she will do it. And if someone has a problem with her, he should discuss it with me first.”

  “Don’t worry, Stil. I know my orders,” said Nilia, looking away from Stil and locking her eyes on Urkast. She paused briefly before continuing. “I will follow the plan, but you have to remember there are others involved. If everyone fulfills their orders and Asius appears, I will bring you his redheaded scalp as a trophy.”

  “It’s time we got moving,” said Tanon. “We will all fulfill our commitments. We’ve overcome our differences to get out of the Hole and get here. I couldn’t care less about Yala and Diago. It matters not whether they are in the Nest. We will crush them either way. There is no way they are prepared for our army’s arrival on the First Sphere. A portal of these dimensions has never before been constructed. And now is the time to use it. Let’s continue this little chat after we’ve conquered the Threshold.”

  The three Barons lined up and began walking toward the Travelers. The troops, who’d been waiting patiently, fell into step behind their leaders. Capa slipped alongside Nilia and took off his hood.

  “My admiration for you never ceases to grow, my esteemed friend,” he said with one his widest smiles. “I was not aware that your self control was so powerful. I would have sworn I was going to see two shining daggers protruding from Urkast’s eyes a moment ago. Of course, I would have intervened on your behalf. I could not have gone on with my existence knowing you suffered harm and I did not do everything in my power to avoid it.”

  “With a little luck, our enemies will take care of Urkast,” said Nilia. “That way, at least those despicable angels will have been good for something.”

  The trio of Barons separated when they came to the Travelers, each one taking one of the three paths lit by the four rows of golden scepters. Tanon went up the middle, Stil went to the right, and Urkast went to the left. The demons following split off in the same way, and the long-awaited parade through the portal finally began.

  “An impressive spectacle, don’t you think?” Capa jovially commented. “If you find it unobjectionable, I would love to enjoy your company until my Evokers reach this point, at which time I will take up my obligations and will be compelled to separate from you. Incidentally, might I inquire if you like the portal my Minors constructed? Consider it a personal gift I humbly offer to you.”

  “Honestly, you exceeded all expectations with this, Boy,” said Nilia, looking at one of the floating pillars. “I have to admit I had my doubts, especially since you used Minors, but I can see I was wrong. Capa, you have managed to create the greatest portal in history, and without raising any suspicions. You can rest assured that I definitely like it.”

  Capa’s eyes instantly filled with tears as his smile faded slightly.

  “Your words fill me with a satisfaction which I am incapable of describing. They are the best reward someone in my position could ever hope for, whose only purpose is to please you.”

  While Capa continued to practically melt to pieces with elaborate displays of gratitude, the demons continued to emerge from the crevice, then disappeared between the Travelers. It was as if the crevice were a giant mouth from which an interminable tongue of black-winged figures was spewing forth. Twenty minutes passed. The lines of fire continued to burn on both sides of the parade of demons, and the Minors gathered together behind them to watch it all unfold. Nearly every window of every building facing that section of the street was filled with confused faces amazed by what was happening below.

  “My boys are about to appear, my dear,” said Capa with a slight hint of sadness. “I fear that I shall have to leave you now.”

  “Just one thing before you go,” said Nilia with an unexpected tone of urgency.

  “Of course.”

  “Listen to me carefully, Capa.” Nilia took him by the shoulders and stared into his childlike blue eyes. “I have to know the truth. Are you really the best of the Evokers? Or are you just bragging?”

  Capa’s expression changed with almost the same speed as one of Nilia’s lethal moves the angels had learned to fear. His eyes narrowed and his smile faded. He furrowed his brow, and a look of such pain and sadness came over his face that, had she been the empathetic type, Nilia might have tried to console him.

  “How can you doubt my word?” he asked, sounding as if he had suffered a terrible disappointment he did not know how to face. “Have I perhaps at some time given you the slightest reason to doubt my abilities? Where did I go wrong to not deserve your trust? I don’t—”

  “It’s all right; I’m sorry,” Nilia interrupted, afraid Capa might go on rambling forever. She had once again witnessed one of his flawless performances. His acting was impeccable. Anyone who saw him would have thought he truly was overcome with unimaginable suffering and pain. Nilia was quite familiar with the melodrama his life had become, as well as with the theatrically flamboyant way in which he expressed himself, and she knew it didn’t matter whether it was an act or was real. There was no way to tell; no one was capable of uncovering what was really going on in his head. If she wanted an answer, she had no choice but to go along with the script Capa had established.

  “I let myself get carried away by all the excitement and I spoke without thinking. Perhaps I do need your incredible abilities,” she said.

  “I will not let you down,” he replied with strong determination. “And then you will be able to see for yourself how wrong you were to doubt me. There is not a single Evoker in the three planes who is capable of achieving the feats within my grasp.”

  “Excellent,” said Nilia. “Take care, Boy. I’ll see you in the Nest.”

  “I shall indeed take the utmost care. You will be pleased with my work. I promise.”

  He then covered his head with the hood and moved into the stream of demons flowing from the crevice to the Fog. He took up his place next to the rest of the Evokers and saluted Nilia with his leather-covered hand.