The Builder's Throne: The Legendary Builder, #5

1

M y name is Arthur Curie, and you’re all fucked now! I snarled, driving my magical sword, Caliburn, through the beholder’s gaping maw as it lunged at me. My strike drove through the back of its throat, ripping out the other side and spilling gobs of foul-smelling yellow blood across the grimy floor of the dungeon.

It tried to scream, tried to howl in pain as I savagely tore my weapon free, splitting the monster open like an overripe melon. As its giant eye stalks went limp, and it crashed to the ground in front of me, I whirled, my other hand already calling up Hellfire.

As the monstrous ball of fire grew in my hand, I slammed my palm into the lizard man who had been stupid enough to try to sneak up on me. The blast punched a hole clean through his right eye socket, taking off a huge chunk of skull with it as it exploded into a flurry of light and sound that filled the air with the smell of charred flesh.

That’s when the chittering screams of a dungeon full of monsters filled my ears, and the clock started ticking. Ever since I’d come into the Darkness to save Gabriella a few months ago, they had come for me. Swarm upon swarm of monsters would rush at me the moment I stepped into the void until I had no choice but to escape.

This time was different though. I wasn’t here just to slaughter monsters. No, I was here to free the dungeon of Al-Shakir from the Darkness because it was the sole source of Black Mold and we needed to harvest it. I wasn’t exactly sure why this was the only place it grew in all of Heaven or Hell, but I knew my alchemist Sally wanted it, and since both she and her lover Crystal were super-hot, I liked keeping them happy, especially when it involved killing the fuck out of monsters.

Besides, after what I’d seen of the empress’s army, we needed every advantage we could get. Which was why, despite Michelle’s pestering and Lucifer’s tongue-lashings about how reckless I was being, I was here. Trying to clear the goddamned cave by myself because it fucking needed to be done and no amount of debate would get it done. No. Only action could get it done.

Die, mother fucker, I snarled, pointing my sword at the lizard man sounding the alarm. A bright blue blast of energy ripped free of my weapon and hurtled through the air like a meteor. The blast slammed into the creature, throwing it back into the far wall where it exploded like a bag of raspberry jam.

That’s when I felt it. The awe-inspiring, terror-inducing effect of a Dark General’s approach. I wasn’t actually sure if that’s what they were called because none of my people had ever seen one, but that’s what I’d taken to calling them because they were fucking strong.

I’d fought one just once, and it’d nearly killed me. Since then, I’d escaped before the Generals could engage me in combat. This time though? This time, I had another plan. That was the other reason why I was here.

Taking a deep breath, I ignored the dread welling up in my stomach as my fight or flight reflex went fully into the ‘get the fuck out of here, you idiot’ camp. I was going to stick to the plan, which meant going deeper into the dungeon. My boots echoed off the chewed up green cobblestones with every step as I sprinted toward where I felt the dungeon boss.

Monsters attacked, but I bypassed them as best as I could, only cutting down those in my way. It was easy enough since the power of six Hellion Armaments combined with six Heavenly ones basically turned me into a super-powered demigod. Sure, I hadn’t completed the achievement yet to gain full control over the Heavenly Armaments, but I was so close, it didn’t matter against these weaklings.

Another wave of beholders fell before my blade, and as their lifeless corpses hit the ground, I used the power of Mammon, Archangel of Greed, to rip the Dark Blood from their bodies. As the glowing green crystals surged toward my outstretched hand, I took a deep breath, absorbing their power.

It hit me like a freight train, surging through my veins and causing sparks to leap from my skin. As dark energy filled me, I spun on my heel and called upon the power of Lucifer, the Archangel of Pride.

Let’s see you get through this, I cried, unleashing all the stolen energy at once.

A massive tornado exploded into being, sealing off the cavern behind me with vicious winds that ripped into the few monsters foolish enough to be there. As the ridiculously powerful winds tore them limb from limb and splattered their blood across the walls, I wondered how long it’d hold the General.

Not wanting to waste a second, I turned away from the tornado and sprinted toward the boss room as quickly as my superhuman legs could carry me. A moment later, I came to a doorway made of what looked like solid oak and braced with thick iron.

I didn’t even stop.

Instead, I kicked it as hard as I could, using my momentum to drive my heel into the spot just beside the doorknob. My foot crashed into the wood with an ear-splitting crack that shattered the jamb, knocking the door inward with so much force, it slammed into the stone walls of the dungeon. The sound probably alerted every asshole in here to my presence, but I didn’t care. After all, I’d just summoned a tornado inside their dungeon. If they didn’t know I was here, they were fools.

You dare trespass upon my dungeon? the lich within the chamber said as he looked up from his grisly business. He had a demon strapped to the altar in front of him. She was clearly dead because her chest had been torn open and most of her organs were arranged in a crude pentagram around her body. And, well, her head was missing.

My dungeon, I snarled, throwing a handful of Hellfire into his stupid skull-face. The blast snapped his head back, and as he collapsed to the ground dead, I felt the cold chill of the General’s presence like an icy spider running down my spine.

I spun in time to catch a fist with my face.

My jaw shattered. My nose broke. My neck snapped. My body lifted from the floor.

I slammed into the lich’s altar with so much force the stone cracked, and as I toppled to the ground, my vision blurred.

Already, I could feel the healing ability I’d stolen from Dred struggling to repair the damage to my neck so I could do more than lay here like a dead fish.

Hello, Builder, the General said, taking a step into the room. He wasn’t that big, standing maybe five or so feet tall. The left half of his face was covered in a series of grotesque scars that made it look like mashed-up hamburger, while the other side of his face was movie star perfect.

His dark eyes were full of amusement as he reached up and pushed the hood of his cloak back. His short lavender hair sparkled in the torchlight of the room as he came toward me, bare feet smacking the stones like wet meat on a butcher’s counter.

It amuses me that you have come here, he said, pausing just long enough to draw the kusarigama from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the spiked ball attached to the sickle by a long chain spinning around himself to build momentum, and I knew he meant to smash it into my skull because that’s what he’d done last time. Let me just say that having a three-inch spike driven through your eye isn’t fun.

Yeah, well, everyone says I’m dumb, I said as I finished healing. But really, I’m just a people person. I couldn’t dream of not seeing you again.

His laughter filled the air as he launched his spiked ball at me, and I deftly dodged, throwing myself out of the way as quickly as I could. The ball missed me by the barest millimeter and slammed into the altar, spikes tearing through the stone like it was made of soft cheese.

As he pulled the ball back to try again, I sprang toward the altar and drove Caliburn into it with all my strength.

Light exploded from the stone, bursting from the cracks like all of Heaven itself was rushing in to drive back the Darkness, which was, essentially, what was happening. By killing the boss and destroying his altar, I’d freed the dungeon from the grip of the Darkness.

You think you’ve won, the General snarled, one hand tearing through the space between us and rending open the air itself.

As a wave of white light exploded outward, dispelling all the darkness from the room, the General stepped through the portal. His entire form vanished before the light reached him, leaving me standing there all alone as the dungeon returned to Heaven’s control.

I stood there, huffing for a second before getting to my feet and wiping my brow with the back of my hand.

Too bad it didn’t kill you, I snorted, annoyed. Part of me had wondered what would happen if he’d gotten caught in the blast, but either way, I didn’t care. I had freed the dungeon, and now I could collect Black Moss.

2

W hat the fuck do you think you’re doing out here alone, Arthur? Lucifer snapped the moment I exited the cave with my bag full of moss. She stood there in her crimson armor, a sheathed sword slung from either hip. Her long dark hair was tied in a ponytail that swayed behind her feet with each step as she walked toward me, clearly pissed off.

Her anger was fair because I’d ditched her and the guards she’d assigned to me to come out here by myself, and while part of me wondered how she’d found me here in the dead of night, most of me didn’t give two fucks.

Move, bitch, I said, and when she didn’t move, I shouldered by her, knocking her aside. Get out the way.

A small growl rumbled in the back of her throat as the Devil stood there, watching me for a moment as I made my way along the trail that led back to Heaven’s main town. I made it exactly six steps before she spoke. It was farther than I’d expected, but not nearly as far as I’d have liked.

Excuse me? she said, voice so low it would have made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, you know, if I cared.

We needed moss, I said, whirling around to meet her icy glare. I shook the sack at her. I have moss.

You can’t go off like this, Arthur. It isn’t safe—

Lucifer, I don’t give two fucks what you think. I met her eyes as she stood there, staring at me with a strangely contemplative look on her face. I am more than capable of going into the Darkness and getting moss. I sighed, loudly. Do you even realize how ridiculous that statement is?

Arthur, I know you’re stressed about the Darkness. She took a long, slow breath and came toward me. But this isn’t healthy. I’m starting to worry—

That I’m paranoid and crazy? I met her eyes, and she stopped mid-step. I saw it. Wrath saw it. She believes me, why don’t you?

Because it sounds insane. She shook her head, causing her raven hair to flutter around her perfect face. We have barely held off Dred this whole time, and you mean to tell me there are things stronger than him?

Yes. I spun on my heel. I was done with this conversation. I had moss to deliver. Having the same argument I’d been having with her and the others for months wouldn’t help things now. No. Just getting the moss to the alchemist, Sally, would help. Then she could brew the potions to help with … I couldn’t quite remember, but I knew it had been important.

We’d been arguing about it earlier because there had been no moss, and no one could get some because the dungeon was lost to the Darkness, etc., etc. That’s when I’d proposed we take it and been told it was too dangerous.

Even if that is true, and there are things stronger than the Destroyer, that is all the more reason why you can’t go out there alone like this. It’s not safe. Not alone. I felt Lucifer’s hand on my shoulder, trying to turn me back around, to try to get me to be more reasonable. Thing was, I was tired of being reasonable. Dred wasn’t reasonable. The Darkness wasn’t reasonable.

But more than that? More than that, she was too weak to help me. She just didn’t know that. They talked about danger, about what missions were too dangerous to undertake, but at the end of the day, I knew they couldn’t help me. Not as they were anyway. They were just too weak.

The General I’d fought would have killed Lucifer in that single blow. I hadn’t died, but it was because I could heal. She would have just been dead, and we’d be scrapping what was left of her off the stones with a spatula.

Hit me. The words left my lips in a guttural roar as I whirled around, throwing her hand off of me. I dropped the bag of moss onto the trail beside my feet and stared at the Devil.

What do you mean hit you? she asked, looking at me like I was a very strange bug.

You think you can help me? Think you fucking matter? You just don’t. Not even slightly. I gestured toward the dungeon I’d just freed. Do you even understand how easy it was for me to take that dungeon by myself? I shook my head and took a menacing step toward Lucifer. You don’t, and if you had come, you would have slowed me down. I waved a hand in front of me, dismissing the statement. And if it were just that, it would be fine, but it wouldn’t be just that. I shut my eyes. You would have died, Lucifer, and you don’t even get that. So, hit me.

Arthur, I don’t want to hurt you, she replied, and when I opened my eyes, I saw her looking me up and down like I’d blown a gasket or two.

That’s so not in the cards it isn’t even funny. I took a deep breath and banished my ethereal armor, leaving my chest exposed before her. Hit me as hard as you can. I touched the space between my pecs. Right here. Give it everything you have.

Arthur, this is insane. Lucifer took a deep breath. It won’t prove anything if I hurt you…

You think I’m too weak, too stupid to go out alone. You think I need your help when I absolutely do not need anything from you. I snorted and touched my bare chest once more. Hit me. Now.

Arthur—

"Hit me!"

She hit me. The smell of sulfur filled the air. Flames burst from the ground beneath her feet. The sky above turned into a crackling thunderstorm. Her eyes turned to lava as rage exploded out of her and all her frustration and anger came out in one decisive burst of power.

Her fist arched out in a blur, slammed into my chest … and shattered.

The bones in her fist cracked like kindling as her entire hand exploded like a balloon full of goo. A scream of pain burst from her lips as she fell to her knees, grabbing her wrist and trying to staunch the blood flow.

Now you understand, Lucifer. This is the natural consequence when one force encounters another. The weaker one is inevitably broken. I reached out, grabbing her by the hair and hoisting her effortlessly from the ground. I have been training. Been growing stronger. None of you see this because you see me as I was before. I set her lightly on her feet. But you should see me as I am.

I flicked her between the eyes, and the blow snapped her head backward with a sharp crack, moments before her feet left the ground. Her body arched through the air before smashing through the wall beside the dungeon entrance.

Only as she punched through the stone, ripping it free as her body cartwheeled through the empty space beyond, I reappeared behind her, grabbing her out of the air and flinging her back through the hole. She arced out of the dungeon like a bloody comet, right before I appeared in front of her once more and snatched her ankle.

As her body’s momentum pulled uselessly against the strength of my grip and her entire body snapped like a whip, I dropped her on the ground. She lay there a bleeding broken heap as I leaned over her until my face encompassed the whole of her vision.

The Dark General I fought almost killed me in one blow. He moved so fast I could scarcely react. I bent down and picked her up before throwing her over my shoulder because there was no way she could walk right now. What do you think would have happened to you?

3

T he Devil needs a medic, I said, tossing Lucifer on the ground in front of Sally’s shop. At the sound of my voice, I heard rustling inside, and then Sally appeared in the doorway wearing a nightgown that left little to the imagination.

It was a touch strange because I’d actually had sex with her several times before, but the sight of her standing there in clothing so sheer I could make out her nipples took my breath away for a second, making me forget what the hell I was doing.

Fortunately, actions spoke louder than words.

What happened? Sally squealed, dropping to her knees in front of me and gathering Lucifer in her arms. She’s been beat to shit. How could this happen? Her eyes turned to me. Are you okay?

I’m fine, I said, shaking myself into action as the sound of people bustling around me filled my ears, and I realized that several of Sally’s medical apprentices were staring at me through the windows.

Good, Sally said, getting to her feet. Help me get her inside.

Right, I said, grabbing Lucifer by the ankle and dragging her unconscious body inside the room. Where do you want her?

Arthur! You can’t carry her around like that. She’s hurt. Sally stared at me, mouth hanging open as more of her medics appeared all around us. Only none of them ventured any closer. All of them hung back, which seemed odd. Shouldn’t they be coming to help?

Right, sorry. I nodded to Sally as I slung Lucifer back over my shoulder, causing her chin to bounce off my back. Where do I take the patient?

Over here, Sally said after a moment. She turned and gestured toward a bed at the far end before fixing her gaze on a pair of angels standing beside the far door. You two, prepare the ointments. Her gaze flicked to a demoness beside the cabinet to the right. Marla, go get Michelle. She should know what happened.

The demoness nodded once before racing past us and disappearing outside like she couldn’t wait to be gone. I watched her go for a second, and as I did, I realized I hadn’t known her name. It was strange because I thought I knew everyone …

Shaking off the odd feeling that I was slacking, I laid Lucifer gently on the bed and stared at her. I hadn’t even realized how badly I’d beaten her. Her entire face was one big bruise, and I could tell her arms and legs were broken because they shouldn’t have bent that way. It made me feel bad even though I knew she’d heal. I’d done this to her to prove a point, and it made me feel bad.

Only there had been no other way to make her understand. She’d have never believed how strong I was otherwise. That couldn’t be allowed to stand any longer.

Jenny, can you see to the patient? I want to talk to Arthur. I didn’t hear the girl’s response because Sally was grabbing me by the arm and ushering me outside.

Hey, I can walk on my own, I said as we got outside. Overhead the skies of Heaven were crystal clear, and I could almost feel the faux moonlight coming from above. I knew it wasn’t real because there wasn’t a moon, but sometimes, ignorance was bliss.

I know. Sally met my eyes, and I could tell she was pissed. I also know there was no clarion call, no trumpet blast. She looked me up and down. How did this happen?

I got you moss. I held out the sack I’d had in my left hand. For your ointment.

Moss? she looked at the bag in confusion. You went to the dungeon?

I took the dungeon from the Darkness. I ran my free hand through her hair, brushing it behind her ear. For you.

You shouldn’t have done that. She looked at her feet and bit her lip. It got Lucifer so hurt … She shook her head.

Oh, that was after. I shrugged. She came to scold me, and I taught her a lesson.

Wait, what? Sally’s eyes snapped to mine, and I could see the complete and utter confusion in them. "You did that to Lucifer?"

Yeah… It was my turn to be embarrassed. I didn’t realize I’d beaten her up so bad. I kind of feel bad about it now.

How could you do that? Sally asked, mouth agape. She’s broken almost all her bones.

Well, that was probably from when I threw her through a wall … I rubbed my chin. Or could have been when I slammed her into the ground by her ankle. I looked at Sally sheepishly. Maybe a combination?

What?