The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 425: Skyway To Hell

Chapter 425: Skyway To Hell

"So Heaven is really gone..." Ann said, barely above a whisper.

Amarena could sense her sorrow. She held her tongue, not wanting to express her lack of care over the disintegration of Heaven. As far as she cared, the angels had it coming, and for the innocents on that moon, the hubris of angelic dominance was all the more tragic. Nothing she did could change what happened, so she had to focus on what she could do.

That was not to say she considered demons faultless, but remembering how her mother and Wrath’s armies died, she understood that there was a clear difference in power. And as she’d learned in her quest to become a Valrian Knight, it was those with the capacity for great violence who had the responsibility not to use it when peace was desired.

The isolated nature of the world’s city-states made annihilating entire nations easy and fundamental to Heaven’s continued dominance. Anyone seeking to become an exception, be it an alliance or an empire like Valria, lasted through more than one or two Heavenswars. Demons were the perfect scapegoats for a Heaven that had never desired peace.

Not while the angels could blame all the evils in the world on demons. Not while they could use their influence as the "light of the world" to sow chaos and exploit the weak.

Not after uncounted Heavenswars, whose chains of vengeance had shackled both peoples in an unending cycle of violence. Perhaps now the chains were broken, but Amarena knew that for much of the myriad, that light would be sorely missed.

The moment of solemnity ended when the great spirit spoke to their minds.

"Demon, explain fully what has led you here."

Amarena nodded and began her tale, leaving out Kiryu’s possession of Kir and much of the chaos left behind in Montmorency.

"The important thing is, I need to get to Hell, and the more time we waste, the less I’ll have to stop the pieces of Heaven from falling down on us."

"The Lake Spirit didn’t mean to create the portal. Does it really go to Hell?" Keiya asked.

"I am willing to take the risk," Amarena declared. "There are only a couple of weeks before the world is destroyed."

The Lake Spirit made a sound, a low, ponderous rumble. "I sense no lie in your words or beliefs. I shall help your ascent."

As she finished speaking, the waters around the island began to rise, forming a gently sloping ramp that rose into the sky.

"Thank you," Amarena gave a short bow, before taking Orby under her arm.

"Wait," the spirit said. Leaning forward, she began projecting a stream of mana into the orb, her glow slowly dimming until, with a final sigh, she stopped. "I give what I can for the sake of the world. In exchange, I ask that you protect my child, especially from the abomination."

The sense of Nimfi’s presence loomed in Amarena’s mind, and to a lesser extent Keiya. It made Amarena wonder just who they were, but she was not about to be ungrateful for such a bounty of mana. Especially since she had no idea of Orby’s capacities.

"I vow to keep them safe to the best of my ability. From any who would cause them harm." She spoke the words with grim intent, and she would keep to them, even against Kir.

"I am satisfied. Thank you, demon."

"I have a name," Rena groused.

"Don’t worry, she does that with most everyone," Keiya sighed. "She called Kir a ’soul eater’."

Well he did eat Kainur’s heartstone. Amarena thought to herself, having left that part out of her story as well. She cleared her thoughts along with her throat.

"I need to get going. Thank you for your help," she bowed to the spirit. "And perhaps we can meet again sometime," she said to the three before wrapping an arm around Orby.

"Wait!" Lugh called out as she turned away, causing her to pause and turn back. "I want to help."

"Lugh..." Ann said softly.

"You seemed rather hostile to me because I’m a demon. That attitude will get you killed if there’s anyone left in Hell to be offended by it." Amarena sized up the lad. His face seemed sincere.

"I know I was hostile, but I thought you might be one of Maledict’s. I am truly sorry for that assumption, Knight Amarena, and for the insults." He took a breath and seemed to center himself. "I don’t know what I can do to help, but I want to try. Even if it’s something as simple as giving mana to that thing under your arm."

"Why?" Amarena asked. "I don’t even know what could happen and this could be a suicide mission."

Lugh turned to look at Ann. "Because someone once told me the world is bigger than me, and I do not want to die a petty man."

Amarena nodded her respect. She did not know Lugh’s story, but perhaps he could help. If they survived, she would make time to find out.

"If you’re going, then I’m going too!" Ann said.

"But Ann, you need to stay here," Lugh grimaced and placed a hand on his sister’s shoulder.

"I don’t mind extra company, but you need to decide fast," Amarena said.

"See! She doesn’t mind," Ann said.

"I-if you’re going, then I’m going," Keiya said.

"Squeak!" Nimfi added.

"Such willful cubs," the Lake Spirit’s thoughts echoed amusement like a laughing river.

Shrugging, Amarena began her ascent and soon heard the three youths falling in behind her. Depending on where they came out, she would figure out something for them to do. She was not intimately familiar with lands outside of the Wrathlands, but she knew enough landmarks to account for the major habitable regions. And if all else failed, she could always find the Eye.

The watery path into the sky widened a bit as it rose above the top of the perdition’s lip. From the other side, Amarena saw a confusing orientation toward what seemed to be one of the many ashen plains of Hell’s surface. The lack of lava indicated it was likely the side of the moon that didn’t face Ayther.

With one last breath of fresh Aytherian air, she hopped into the perdition feet first and found herself tumbling sideways as the gravity of the moon took hold, and she rolled out of the way as one by one the Aytherian youths followed.

"Beebeebeep!" Orby declared, prompting Amarena to release the ball. It hovered just a little higher off the ground. Then with a stabbing clonk released a device that began to whir, gathering mana around itself before a beam of mana light shot high into the sky, penetrating the layers of ash and causing a small whorl in its wake.

"What is that?" Ann asked.

"A beacon. It will draw one of the shards of Heaven to Hell," Amarena explained as she took in the form of the thing, noting the blue light on top.

"Is it safe?" Keiya peered around it, eyes glowing with manasight.

"My guess is that the shards will destroy Hell instead of Ayther. And that I am sacrificing my world to save yours." It was a thought that had kicked around in the back of her mind, ever since learning from Kir how fast the shards would be traveling and how devastating even a single impact would be. Along with the thought that if the Aytherians would not make a place for demonkind, then she would carve one out herself.

All three of the youths blanched.

"I... can’t even begin to thank you for being willing to do this for us," Lugh said.

Amarena shook her head. "I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it for everyone. There can be no justice in the world without people."

In the time it took them to talk, Orby deposited another beacon, this one with a red light on top. Amarena picked it up, remembering what Kiryu said about making sure they were spaced apart.

"One moment." She accelerated, finding that as soon as she was some distance from the first beacon, the light turned blue.

The moment she saw this, she stabbed the beacon into the ground before returning, releasing her mavenry to find Orby had tried to follow her, and the three youths were trailing behind. The moment Orby came near her, it deposited another beacon.

"I think that tells us what I’m supposed to be doing," Amarena said as she picked up the beacon.

"What about us?" Lugh asked.

Amarena looked around, noting what looked like mountains in the distance. She pointed. "There are mountains that way. At some point, I’ll need to rest, so finding us shelter should be your priority."

"You mean like a cave?" Keiya asked.

"I meant like a village or city. In Hell, any mountain ranges that aren’t on fire tend to have cities dug into them." There were exceptions like the pit city of Dis and one city called Skor that was carved into the sides of a massive lava tube, but as a general rule, mountains meant demons. Even if those demons were of a singular persuasion.

"What should we do if we encounter demons?" Ann asked.

"Tell them you serve Leviathan, Duke of Wrath."

"Isn’t she dead though?" Ann asked. "The angels said-"

"The angels know nothing. When one Leviathan falls, it is because another has taken her place. If not now, then I shall claim the title soon. Not for wrath, but for justice. A Leviathan the likes of which the worlds have never seen."

She hefted the beacon and wrapped her arm around Orby once more, before departing in a magic-enhanced sprint that left ashes swirling in her wake.

It was time to get to work.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.