Page 49 of Crimson Skies

Goosebumps broke out across his skin. He could feel something else beside the energy of the Fury and the Black Fate. Something powerful.

They hurried up the hill just as Theo opened a portal. The balmy scent of spring washed over the parkland as the Spirit Realm appeared inside the dimensional gate. Alecto and Kes shepherded a group of harassed-looking entities and a legion of spectral forms out of it.

Strickland stiffened. The color drained from Wallace’s face.

Thetis frowned. “Wonderful. Like things weren’t depressing enough without those dreary fools coming along.”

“Shit,” Ortega mumbled. “Are those—?!”

Kalliste’s hand rose instinctively to the pommel of her sword as she studied the gloomy figures floating in the sky. “The Gods of the Underworld.”

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The Dryads framingKalliste looked similarly wary, their staffs in hand.

Woody vibrated agitatedly in Eden’s grip. It seemed he knew the deities too. She shuffled closer to Tisiphone.

“The Gods of the Underworld are joining our army?!” she hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

“Yes,” Tisiphone replied reluctantly. “Attie, Clotho, and Lache said they would play an important role in the war, so I guess we don’t have a choice in the matter.Just….steer clear of them if you can.”The Fury glanced at Ortega and Wallace.“You too. They have a particularly morbid sense of humor when it comes to humans.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Wallace said leadenly.

Ortega bobbed his head furiously beside the Texan.

“What the heck are those wispy things?!” Yuan mumbled, his horrified gaze following the wraithlike shapes flitting curiously above the park.

“It is called the Spirit Realm for a reason,” the Reaper God pointed out.

The mage looked distinctively nauseous at his explanation.

“Look here, I did not agree to this,” a lugubrious soul in a robe of swirling dark water protested as Alecto pushed at his back.

“Just shut up and get your butt down there, Acheron,” the Fury said sharply. “And don’t think I can’t see you trying to sneak back to the Spirit Realm, Styx.”

A Goddess swathed in gurgling, inky currents startled guiltily where she was tip-toeing toward the portal.

Another Goddess with snakes entwined around her body, eyes that sparkled like stars, and two growling, black hounds at her feet sniffed and folded her arms across her chest as she observed the park and the armies filling it. “Surely, you do not mean for me to mingle with these lower life forms?”

She waved a hand vaguely.

“Those lower life forms have been fighting Elios while you lot went into hiding,” Kes said coldly. “So, how about you ditch the superior attitude, Hecate?”

It was clear from Hecate’s pinched expression that she could not deny this charge. Her gaze found the crowd in front of the tent. Surprise widened her glittering eyes.

“Valgrothaan? Is that you?”

Bloodcursed magic throbbed around Woody. He darted behind Eden.

“Oh.” Galliad did a double take and slammed his fist in his palm. “Of course! One of the first wielders of the Bloodcursed Summoning Staff was reputed to be Hecate’s son.” He gazed at Woody with unconcealed admiration. “I guess the rumor’s true. The Goddess of Magic must have had a hand in your creation.”

“Your real name is Valgrothaan?” Eden asked the devilwood staff.

Woody growled, crimson pulsing from him in irritated waves.

Eden grimaced. “Jeez, it was just a question.”

Hecate headed over, intrigued.

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