Sera got to his feet. A sword appeared in his hands. As everyone stood to get off the boat, Sera spoke loud enough so everyone could hear him. "Please be careful as you exit. Do not touch the water nor the corruption growths on the dock."
Everyone filed out, one by one. Sera was last to depart. He held his hand out to Death. Death cocked his head to the side, and then shook hands with Sera. Sera smiled.
"I appreciate your help, Death. It was a pleasure to meet you."
"Oh, we've met," Death replied solemnly, "you just don't remember."
Sera blinked, the smile falling away.
"Good luck to you," Death continued. "Congratulations on your promotion, by the by. Even though it's a few hundred years too late."
Sera looked dumbfounded, unsure what to say. Everyone got the feeling this look was a rarity on the angel's face. Death released the handshake as Fate walked past. Fate came up to Hakan and Vince. Removing a large, brown leather pouch from his shirt, he dropped it into Vince's hand.
"What's this?" Vincent asked.
"Salt," Fate replied.
Hakan couldn't help but laugh. "Salt. You're telling me salt will stand up against Lucifer's power?"
"No, but it will help ground you."
The pair watched in mild disbelief as the deity walked away. Sera blinked, watching Fate as he got back on the ferry.
"Fate!" Sera said.
As Death got on the boat, Fate spoke. "I cannot come with you. It would be a gross misstep of my boundaries. I already have severely broken those. I wish you luck, and hope to see you all again." He paused, outstretching his hand. "Sapphire and Zoë?"
Sapphire froze, looking bewildered at Zoë. The younger girl returned the look. Then they equally looked from Fate and Death to the group, unsure what to do.
Biting her lip, Sapphire looked directly at Raven. Though she knew it was foolish, and though she barely knew Raven, she felt a certain connection to him. She felt obligated to see him through this, to fight through whatever was to come. She might not be able to do anything productive, and she probably would die, but she was entwined in whatever was about to happen whether she liked it or not. She needed to know the outcome. She didn't want to return home, waiting for the end of the world.
Swallowing hard, Sapphire looked back to Fate, shaking her head. Fate looked slightly surprised, and then turned his gaze to Zoë. Zoë looked at Marcus, who stood next to Sires. She opened her mouth to speak, and then cast her eyes downward. Marcus went to her and took her by the shoulders.
"Hey," Marcus said gently.
Zoë looked up at him. He frowned at the tears in her eyes.
"I'd leave if I were you."
"But--"
He shook his head. "I know you have some sort of weird Stockholm Syndrome going on with me--"
"It's not that," Zoë replied desperately.
Marcus clucked and crossed his arms, looking amused. "Yeah? Then what is it?"
Zoë reached out, grasping the cross that hung around his neck. Her bright eyes looked at it instead of him. "I just--I don't want you to do anything stupid..."
"Z.Z.," Marcus said firmly, taking her hands into his own. Her gaze shifted upward. "You're going to die."
"I might not."
Marcus frowned deeply. She tore her hands away from his. "I might not. And if this doesn't work anyway, I'm going to die anyway. I might as well get it over with."
"You're being foolish--"
"While this is all sickeningly sweet," Sera interrupted, "we don't really have time."
"Z.Z.," Fate said from the boat. "Your decision?"
She glared up at the vampire. "I'm not going."
Fate let his arm fall to his side. Wordlessly, Death pulled up the ramp and the boat departed from the shore slowly. The group watched the two float away until the boat could no longer be seen in the distance.
Sera turned to the group. "We'll be walking the rest of the way."
Everyone jumped. This far from Purgatory there was no sound. Sera's voice was jarring, and everyone looked about themselves in paranoia. Sera continued to speak.
"I've never been here but we'll follow this corridor until we reach Hell. Raven--do you know the way?"
Raven shook his head. "Sorry--I was transported directly to The Surface."
"This is the back entrance," Marcus offered. Sera looked at him. "I've never entered this way, but this should lead directly to his throne room."
Sera looked disgusted. "Throne room?"
Marcus blinked. "Well...yeah. It's his kingdom. Of course he has a throne room."
Sera shook his head and then began walking.
"Wait," Hakan said. "What's the plan?"
Sera looked at him. "Plan?"
"Please tell me you have one."
When he didn't respond, Marcus laughed bitterly. "Do not tell me I was dragged down here, expected to fight to the death, without a plan?"
"This has never been done before," Sera said simply.
Sires growled. "So there is no plan?"
"I have faith."
Everyone turned to Jeanette. She blushed at all the eyes on her. She realized most everyone had forgotten she was even there. Taking a step behind Rosalyn, she peered out from Rosalyn's feathers. She spoke meekly.
"I have faith that we'll know what to do when the time comes. And I think we can do this."
Sera pointed at her, grinning, and looking proud. "That. That is the plan."
"That's your plan?" Marcus replied. "Faith, and rainbows, sunshine, and kittens?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're dead."
Sera glared at him, rolled his eyes, and then made his way down the hall.
The group walked in absolute silence. Their surroundings were much like Purgatory, but without the faces pressing through the dirt. After some time the group silently wondered just how long this passageway went on for. Finally, the hallway abruptly ended.
A huge ornate door sat in front of them, easily twenty feet tall. It was made from some sort of black material. Etched into the double doors was the visual story of Lucifer's Fall; it started with him holding some sort of glowing pendant above his head, then offering Eve the apple in the Garden of Eden. Then came his Fall, and ended with Lady Nyx bequeathing him what would become Hell. It was disturbingly beautiful, immediately reminding Vince of the Sistine Chapel artwork.
Everyone stopped. Sera stood at the front of the group, flanked by Rosalyn. Everyone else was sort of grouped together in no particular order. Jeanette and Zoë. stood in the back, hiding. When no one moved, Marcus spoke up.
"So...do we knock?"
Sires, standing besides Marcus, snickered. Sera glared over his shoulder at the assassin. Sera then reached out a hand (hoping no one noticed it was shaking) and gripped the black nob. With a deep breath, he turned it.
Sera blinked and looked surprised. He then rattled it loudly. "It's locked."
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Of course it's locked, you nitwit."
Sera was beginning to grow impatient. He spun on his heel, all six massive wings fluttering, tiny feathers floating to the ground. "You knew? Then how do we get in?"
Sires stepped forward, examining the lock. Surprising everyone, he removed a lock pick kit from his coat, removed two tools, and slid them into the lock. A few moments later there was a click, then another, and finally a third, and the door popped barely open. Everyone gawked at him.
Sires put the pick away, glaring at everyone. He looked slightly embarrassed. "What?"
"How—how did you know that would work?" Sera stammered.
Sires glared at him. "If I were Lucifer, I'd be paranoid of people—er, creatures, whatever—getting in. They'd expect some sort of magical seal I'm sure. No one would think of a physical lock, and they would never get in because it would be so unexpected."
Rosalyn grinned at him. "That's ingenious."
Sires glowered and looked at the ground, red and muttering to himself.
Sera took a deep breath, looking at the group. "Everyone ready?"
Various responses from sardonic "no's" to "ready as I'll ever be" greeted him. Sera nodded, gripped his sword tighter, and pushed open the heavy door.