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The general kept one hand pressed to her neck as they walked back to the city-lord. Throughout the field they crossed were countless people.

Wounded, dead, surrendering, taking prisoners, and everything in between. None of these individuals got near Sam and his captive.

In fact, they all kept a great deal of distance from him. Creating an odd bubble around them that had no one in it.

It was obvious to Sam that they weren’t sure what to do with him, but that they certainly wanted nothing to do with him. Though quite a few of them all noticed and recognized the general at his side.

“My lord, may I ask your name? In giving you my surrender it would be impolite to simply address you informally or by title alone,” asked the general. She was actually keeping pace with him quite well. For all itnents and purposes, she seemed perfectly fine.

The wound he’d given her wasn’t life threatening nor was it even that terrible, but it was still something that would bleed considerably. Not to mention it would be incredibly painful. Sam had suffered similar wounds in the past.

Then again, Demon-Knights had better than normal constitution to begin with. Even comparatively to other Demons they ranked above and beyond. There was a reason Demon-Knights tended to lead armies of other Demons or Cambion.

At first Sam considered not telling her his name. That it was of no matter to her and she didn’t need to know it.

Then he realized it didn’t actually matter.

She was going to end up a prisoner of the city-lord’s and that meant she wouldn’t be out in public. More than likely she’d end up locked away in a cell somewhere and ending being Timithy’s play thing.

Even if she did manage to somehow not become a prisoner and never knew his name, there was no way Sam could deal with the city-lord as a nameless demon.

There was no way that he couldn’t give his name over. Anonymity wasn’t a luxury Sam would enjoy.

On top of that, since Sam had used his binding to seal their contract, the city-lord likely already knew the first one or two pieces of his name. That was what Sam could at least determine from someone else’s binding, two-dimensional or not.

“Sameerixis,” said Sam, deciding on the first name only. There was no need to provide her with more than that.

“Thank you for you the gift of a fragment of your name, my lord Sameerixis,” said the Demon-Knight in a very serious tone.

Sam didn’t bother to reply to her. Regardless of her respectful response it didn’t really matter to him in the end. She was a means to an end.

He just wanted to turn her over to the city-lord, collect the promise on his future favors, and go on his way. The sooner he could get into the city, the sooner he could start working on shaking off the damned spell that clung to him.

Once that was gone, he could see about tearing open a portal back home. Because as much as he was curious about going back to the place he grew up and to see the common sights, this wasn’t his home at all.

He’d grown out of everything he’d left behind here and wanted none of it at all. His old plane held nothing of value for him.

The city-lord was up ahead now. Standing with his retinue, waiting for Sam to arrive.

This time his helmet was no longer on his head, but held at his side in the crook of his arm. His other hand was behind his back and his feet were evenly spaced.

It gave him a look as someone would when they were waiting. Sam imagined the man was quite eager to take possession of his captive.

Coming to a stop in front of the city-lord, Sam turned and held a hand out to the Demon-Knight.

“One captive, per the agreement,” Sam said with a glance to the general. Then he looked back to the city-lord.

Without his helmet he looked to be just shy of being middle aged. With dark black hair, dark eyes, black-polished horns, and a goatee.

“I-ah, thank you, my lord Sameerixis. My name is Timithy Klesick,” said the city-lord. He sounded incredibly unsure of himself at the moment. “Also, I must inform you that my scouts found your wives on the road to-to my city.

“I sent a contingent of Demon-Knights to provide them with an escort. They’re being brought per their request and I’m already preparing refreshment for them.

“I promise, no harm befell them at all. You will most likely hear that one of my scouts was unkind to them with his speech and-and I swear that the individual who spoke out of turn to them has already been put to death.”

Sam blinked several times.

The city-lord turned and held a hand out toward a bloody pile of meat that had clearly at one point been what looked to be a Cambion. They’d been quartered and then butchered down to little better than what might be sold at a butcher.

They’re deferring to me in an incredible way.

I’m definitely underestimating how highly they’re treating my ability to use my brand. That’s the only thing that I’ve shown them or spoken of that would go above and beyond what I’ve seen.

I’ll have to be careful about this until I can figure out everything in more detail. But to do that I’ll have to trust someone.

And one doesn’t do ones-self any favors to trust in hell.

“Yes, well, thank you, lord Klesick,” Sam said, going with a simple acceptance.

“Of course, my lord Lust, it is this humble city-lord’s pleasure to serve,” said the city-lord, bowing his head to Sam. “And please, you may address me as Timithy, lord Lust.”

Hm.

Lord Lust.

That certainly isn’t a name I’ve heard in a very long time. The only reason they labeled me as the Torment of Lust on the Prime was those the church worked with from Hell called me Lord Lust.

Klesick either inferred who I was from my brand… or something else entirely.

“And how do you know that name?” Sam asked, turning toward Timithy fully. Behind his back, he began to put together the needed Essence to summon his blade.

Sam was very aware of the fact that he might need to kill Klesick here and now. Depending on the man’s answer, Sam was going to have to eliminate everyone nearby.

From the captive-general, to the city-lord, to his retinue. The last thing he needed was old enemies or rivals to come looking for him.

He was not at his peak power at the moment. Even when he’d left Hell, he’d been considerably more powerful than he was at this moment.

Individual strength only counted for so much and Sam wasn’t even up to that level. Nowhere near close, in fact.

Having the rank and file to assist you in kicking over an enemy was also necessary. If Sam had tried to fight all those Demon-Knight’s fairly, or at the same time, he’d have had problems.

That meant making sure he understood how someone knew who he had once been. Then shoring up a problem if it was one.

“Ah! My cousin sent a note to me, my Lord Lust. Of a powerful visitor he’d had,” said Timithy in a rush. “I only-I only got the information back this morning on that visitor might be, Lord Lust.

“I didn’t even think you were the one and the same who had met my cousin. Adam, that is. I really thought you were just a Demon looking to prove himself to me here. I didn’t think for an instant that such a lord as yourself deigned to assist me.

“Until you showed me your magnificent brand, Lord Lust, I truly didn’t make the connection at all.”

In other words… there’s no point in killing him. There are people back at the city who already know. Well, that’s not very helpful.

I underestimated Adam.

“Keep my identity a secret,” Sam said quietly. “I didn’t stay away as long as I did just to announce my presence. I just want to live in your city. Quietly.”

“Of course, Lord Lust, that isn’t an issue,” promised the city-lord.

“Fine. Take your captive then and I’ll be leaving,” Sam said, gesturing to the general.

“Ah, Lord Lust, please. Remain with us? Your wives will be here shortly and I’ve already set up a meal and refreshments for them. We can go back to Klesick quite quickly with my entourage,” asked the city-lord. Now that Sam thought on that, he could see a rather large tent was now set up not far away. There were quite a few people going in and out of it as well. “As to the general, I of course relinquish her over to you. Please. Consider her a present from me to you. I only ask that if you decide to end her life that you please send me the head. It would be a fine addition to my collection.”

Sam stared hard at Klesick.

He didn’t want anything to do with the Demon-Knight and had no use for her. In fact, he believed that Timithy was likely giving her to him somehow thinking that was what he wanted to begin with. That he was only here to take the general, or to get hooks into Timithy.

As soon as he made the decision to reject the offer, Sam realized that he actually did have a use for her. She would be quite easy to pump information from while keeping her cowed and in service to him.

All it would take is branding her later.

We could question her for jnformation.

“Fine,” Sam said with a shake of his head. He would have to lean into the “Lord Lust” personality a bit. If only for the safety of himself and his people.

Even if he didn’t want to.

That’d be a last resort however. Once he opened up that can of worms, there was no telling who might come calling on him.

***

“I would say you did the right thing,” Irma said softly, her fingers trailing up and down Sam’s back. “Though, not waiting for the city-lord, and simply going to his city by ourselves, was probably rude. Especially declining his offer of an escort.

“But that’s using a human’s sense of decorum. I’m not sure if that applies in… well… hell.”

Since completing the battle, Sam hadn’t had a moment alone to himself. The city-lord had hovered around him until they’d left for Klesick.

Once more they were sitting in the automaton pulled wagon. Though this time with the inclusion of the once general Demon-Knight. The camp of the city-lord was still visible behind them.

The general’s armor had been dumped in a pile in the corner of the wagon and she now only wore the clothes that was under it.

“Hell is-or at least in my time-more a place of deadly intrigue and betrayal. Declining something like that wouldn’t be abnormal,” said Sam then he turned and looked to the Demon-Knight. “Is it still normal to expect to be betrayed?”

The Demon-Knight hadn’t really left Sam’s side. Her eyes were always stuck to him and she seemed perfectly happy to just listen.

“Yes,” she said after a few seconds. “I doubt Hell has changed much at all since your time, Lord Lust. Perhaps for the worse, even, since brands no longer work.

“Those without a familial brand are untrusted to families, and only those at the top trust those below them through that very brand.”

“Suppose that answers that,” Irma said with a small nod of her head.

“Did we ever get your name?” Carissa asked, looking up from the sword that was across her knees. At some point she’d gotten it while in the city-lord’s camp. Though Sam wasn’t sure where, or how.

“Abrah Zaelis,” said the Demon-Knight. “House… house Deril, originally, though no more.”

“Your true name,” Carissa said, looking up from the weapon in her lap. “Lord Lust is your owner, is he not? He should know your true name. Or would you rather he returned you to Timithy.”

Sam blinked and then looked to Abrah.

He was curious to see what she’d do. She had indeed sworn her life to his own. That included the ability for him to force her true name out of her.

Abrah looked rather disturbed at the idea of being given to the city-lord.

“I didn’t take his mistress. He sent her to kill me. She was an assassin,” replied Abrah. “I didn’t order her rape, though I did order her to be tortured. Klesick and I were fighting over ownership of the city.”

“True name?” Carissa prompted again, unswayed by Abrah’s words.

“A-Abrah Zaelis Bella Catara Deril,” muttered the Demon-Knight, her gaze sinking to the bed of the wagon they were in.

Sam said the name several times in his head, committing it to memory. It felt like a true name to him, but he’d need to test that.

“Abrah Zaelis Bella Catara Deril, I command you to speak the truth to me,” said Sam. He felt the appropriate thrum of power over the Demon-Knight for invoking her true name to her. The control over her in knowing it. “Were you fighting Timithy for your own benefit or something else?”

“My own benefit. I just wanted to be rich,” confessed Abrah while staring at Sam.

Snorting at that, Sam nodded his head. It was a realistic answer that he couldn’t fault her for.

“Do you have a home in the city?” he inquired.

“I do,” she confirmed.

“Anyone we need to worry about if we stayed there? Husband? Sister? Room mate?” asked Sam.

“I’m unattached and have no family. Nor do I have friends. I led by virtue of strength and my ability with a weapon,” said Abrah.

“Great. We’ll use your house to work out of,” Sam said with a bit of satisfaction. At least they’d have somewhere to call home for a time. “Now, when did brands fail? Was it the same time as the planes?”

“No,” Abrah said and shook her head quickly. “The bindings failed years before the planes did. Very separate events but both… equally terrible in effect to Hell.”

I imagine.

Bindings were the only semblance of trust anyone in Hell ever had.

“How’d the binding’s fail, exactly?” Irma asked.

“The Demon Queen did it. We hoped that after she was locked out after the planes failed that the bindings would return, but they didn’t,” Abrah explained.

“Demon Queen. That’s new,” said Sam, curious now. “And what was this royal majesty’s name?”

“Jenaphila,” Abrah said with a scowl. “She invaded Hell, captured thousands of Cambion, Demons, and wiped out entire races. “There’s nothing left of her or her empire though. After the planes shut she never came back.”

Jenaphila…? Well. That explains why she had so many of my kind.

As well as all the bound demons and traps she utilizes them for. Though… it doesn’t explain how she’s been able to convert an Imp into a Sucubus.

Certainly does explain a lot. Though I had no idea her grasp over everything had extended into the planes themselves. I wonder if the planes being sealed are related to that.

“Well. That answers a few things I suppose,” Carissa said and slid the now polished and oiled sword into it’s scabbard. “She’s gone ahead and screwed up Hell almost as badly as she was messing with the Prime.

“I wonder how many other planes she’s gone ahead and wrecked. Is that her plan? Go around and ruin everything one plane at a time? From what we saw happening with… with our little escapade in the south, she’s definitely trying to break things. Right?”

“Abrah, you’re sworn to silence on all secrets you might hear in my pressence,” Sam commanded and then held his brand up in front of her. “Later, I’ll have you take this and put it into yourself. You are now my creature, and you will be branded as such.”

“Of… course, Lord Lust,” murmured the Demon-Knight. “That’ll not be a problem in the least. I’ll be happy to wear your brand.”

“Yes,” Sam said, looking back to Carissa. “Mitch is clearly operating either as a reincarnation of Retribution, or the portfolio holder. That’s why Miles had us save him.

“And if Jenaphila had gotten hold of him, it’s very likely she could have destroyed Retribution and the scales of justice.”

“The scales of justice?” Irma asked. “That’s an actual thing?”

“Yes. And they fall in the purview of Retribution. Mitch is now Retribution,” confirmed Sam. “The Angel of Retribution likely passed on from the world since Mitch now has the powers inside him. Dormant, but inside him.

“Those who were the Fates are blind to the world. The planes in Hell are shut. Retribution’s mantle was passed on. Amongst the High Heavens, no one lives anymore. Those who ferry the dead gave up on their job. Even the Judge no longer sat upon her throne.

“The world truly is rapidly falling apart. Now we know why and who’s behind it. Though I have no idea why Jena would want to do such a thing. She’d only destroy herself as well.”

“I’ve met people who would rather destroy something than let another have it,” murmured Irma.

“Agreed,” Abrah added, nodding her head. “I’m surprised to find the Demon Queen has a further reach than I thought.

“Though I’m also gladdened to hear, or at least I assume this to be so, that we are on the opposing side to her. I would be honored to fight against her and her minions.

“Few of her people exist in Hell now. All that were found were purged. One is found perhaps every few years but there is talk even those that are found aren’t actually from her. Just those that city-lords wish to get rid of.”

“Yes, we’ve had our fill of her and then some,” offered Irma. “Now, I have questions. Let’s start with everything Jena did and work our way backward.

“You said she wiped out races. I’d like to know more about that. As well as the Cambion. After that, we can start talking about the current powers in Klesick city. We’ll need to make deals with people.”

“I-of course, not a problem. Ah… first, many Demons lost their powers and abilities. Without ever realizing it,” Abrah said. “It made it all the easier for her to take over, since they were dependent on things they didn’t know weren’t available to them.”

Sam looked away from Abrah and down the road in front of them.

He didn’t really care about the history of the plane. Nor how badly Jena had destroyed the plane.

To him, it all added up to the fact that he created this monster. That he allowed it to occur and how it had run rampant throughout the planes.

Jena was his responsibility.

Grimacing, Sam shook his hand and clenched his hands.

He really wanted to kill Jena now and put the world back to rights.

Really, really, badly.