Darksiders: The Survivors

Chapter 21 - Key to Salvation

Deep in the caverns of Hell, the demon Lord Samael led War and Strife with Emily Victus down into the dark tunnels below his Keep. Torches lit the crimson stone walls showing no signs of snuffing anytime soon as they walked down the stairs. Samael was slow at walking, clear evidence that it was something he rarely did.

There was much the Horsemen did not know about him and his motives. For Samael, wanted nothing but power, and the mere mention of Lucifer was enough for him to help the Horsemen.

Strife kept close behind him while War and Emily were in the rear. Emily's heart still pounded; even though Samael had renounced his first request, the brief abduction still left her shaken.

"Are you all right?" War asked calmly,

She nodded quietly,

"I have never seen Samael like that before, but it will not happen again. He has helped us many times, reluctantly, but we can trust him,"

"I don't know if I can," she replied with concern. It was perfectly legit. She only wanted to be with War, no one else.

War looked her reassuringly that he accepted her feelings, if they ever had a chance to be alone together it would be just what they needed to truly make a commitment to one another, if that time ever came. There was still the matter of whatever had to be done once they found this relic as well as the assignment Death, Fury, and Mathias were given. Azrael was not clear on what would happen next.

"You kept it here this whole time? How far down is it?" Strife inquired as they continued to descend.

"That Azrael instructed me to watch over it. It wasn't very easy to conceal. Thing seems to have a unique power to it, I can not believe it has remained unscathed throughout my absence," Samael replied in his deep voice

"What sort of power? Is it gonna zap anyone who tries to touch it?"

Samael laughed, "If it did that, then I would not have it hidden down here now, would I? It had to be placed somewhere Lucifer or the Council's spies would never find it. These are some of Hell's deepest caverns. No demons ever travel down here, too dangerous, or should I say, ominous? Some say this is even a gate to the Abyss itself,"

Strife shrugged, seemingly accepting Samael's description as they followed him deeper into the caverns.

"Oh and not to worry, Horsemen, I sealed off this area so there are no hostile monsters down here,"

"Is that so, Samael? We had to battle Lucifer's forces all the way to you. We would make quick work of anything down here should they show themselves," War insisted,

Samael laughed and said no more as they reached a stone door at the bottom of the stairs. Several symbols were engraved on the surface and Samael stepped forward, placing his hand in the center and the door came to life with the markings glowing like fire as the door shifted to the left, opening the way.

"Too easy," Strife commented as they walked in,

"Oh you think so?" Samael asked with a smirk on his face, "well don't speak too soon on that Strife," he then gestured to what lay before them. The door had led them to a great precipice and down below was nothing but lava, or at least that was what they saw. Small stones created a path across to a ledge on the far side of the cavern and on the podium was a small T-shaped relic giving a faint blue glow.

"Is that it? Down there?" War asked,

"Kept here safely away, don't ask me how long it took me to get it there. Azrael just said to keep it safe, never said what he meant by safe. A demon never interprets what an angel says correctly. There will always be tension between Heaven and Hell, even if truce must come for the greater good,"