From Hell with Love (50 page)

“Not really your fault, but thanks.  It was pretty awful, went from being the son of a prominent merchant and ended up becoming a thief.  Then an assassin, of all things.  Not much a leper can do in Italia,” Niccolo admitted before looking at the cloaked Horseman, whose face was filled with sympathy.  Niccolo realized that maybe Lucifer had a point; maybe the two of them bonding was not such a terrible thing.  “So there, trade’s done.”

“I can see the merchant background at work,” Cadmus said, a sly grin creeping across his features.  Though Niccolo had been momentarily sad at recalling his past, the reaper’s teasing brought him back to his usual levity.

“I don’t think that will ever change, Cadmus.  I’m only human, after all,” he said with a smile, causing his fellow Horseman to look ahead of them.

“I think we’re past that now, Nico.  Can’t forget we’re
Horsemen
of
the
Apocalypse
, destined to ruin the world that gave us our sob stories,” he said, his face emptying of levity as he looked over the Death Quarter from the hill.  Niccolo could tell that their shared destiny was weighing on him and joined him in Cadmus’ pensive stare.

“I heard that we’re fighting for something better after that, at least,” Niccolo argued, drawing a heavy sigh from the reaper.

“Better than the end of the world?” Cadmus asked, looking back to his new friend.  Niccolo just shrugged, staring off into the distance.  With how little life he had seen, he could not pretend to know the world for its true nature.  Niccolo turned and made eye contact with Cadmus, noticing that, even with those grey eyes, the reaper held a world of emotion behind them.

“We can try, at least.  Between you and me, I don’t really want to end the world.  Maybe just the world that we came from.”

“What do you mean?” Cadmus asked, making Niccolo dive deeper into his own thoughts.  He had not been challenged like this in a long time.

“I mean…” he faltered before looking back to the reaper.  “It’s not exactly like we don’t have a
choice
.  It’s up to us whether or not we swing our blades or kill our enemies.  It’s up to us if we decide to end the world.  Maybe we can just make it better.  A better world.  One where a person isn’t tied down in chains just to serve another,” he said, thinking about the ox creature and then Cadmus’ own experiences.  Then his own life came to mind along with all of the injustices he experienced.  “A world where a man leads his own life and isn’t exiled for being different.  A world of choice.”

“A nice idea,” Cadmus muttered, his mind joining Niccolo’s in his fantasy.  “Never gonna happen, but it sounds nice.”

“Well, I know it sounds stupid,” Niccolo said, drawing his hand behind his neck in shame.  “But…I think I’d like to try, in any case.  I think the idea is worth that, at least.”  Cadmus nodded at him in approval and then looked ahead of them, the drab surroundings of the Death Quarter seemed somehow brighter than usual.

“Yeah.  Yeah, I think you’re right.”

***

“So did you have fun on your play date?” Plague asked, breaking through Niccolo’s happy thoughts.  The Horseman looked down and smiled as he ran the claws of his left hand through Plague’s black hair.

“You’re an asshole,” Niccolo said, unable to be mad at his horse’s ridicule.  He and Cadmus had talked and laughed for a few hours before Cadmus had to go to another reaping at the Pits.  Niccolo had offered to travel with him, but the reaper had seemed anxious at the statement.  It took Niccolo only a moment to realize that they had only just met and that it would have been a lot to ask of his fellow Horseman, so he had withdrawn his self-invitation and parted ways with Cadmus.

“Hey, I kept out of it, little man.  I could have been teasing him, too,” his horse said with a chuckle.  They were ambling through the Pestilence Quarter, now, and Niccolo was able to see the training yard and stables just two hundred yards away.

“I appreciate that you didn’t, Plague,” he said in semi-gratification.  Niccolo might not have admitted it easily, but he did like that it was a one-on-one conversation.  He looked out at the new archers practicing in the field and wondered how it would be to lead them into battle, if he really held all that much power as the Horseman of Pestilence.

“Well, I was
actually
just chatting with Mercy, getting the details on our new friend,” Plague teased, causing Niccolo to look down at him with skepticism.

“Details?  What were you girls chatting about?” Niccolo asked as they walked past the target circles, finding that most of the archers were not even close to the bull’s eye, if they hit the target at all.  He was about to chide them for their lack of skill, but then he remembered how much trouble he had when he first fell to the Inferno.  Niccolo wrapped the reins around his fist as he resolved that he would not be another Lü Bu.

“Wouldn’t
you
like to know!” Plague squealed, adopting an imitation of a little girl spreading rumors.  It was enough to make Niccolo laugh, his thoughts filled with the four horses of the Apocalypse sitting around and sharing stories about who was dating who.  Plague caught wind of his fantasy and chuckled alongside his master.  “That’s too far, Nico.”

“You did it, Plague.  Spreading rumors and gossip with your little friends.  How dare you insult my play date,” he teased, walking behind his archers and finding them to become nervous at his presence.  He leaned down to the third archer he passed and whispered from his mount.  “Just breathe out before you let go of the string, it’ll make you less nervous.”

“Uh…thanks,” the chubby, little man said before taking another arrow from his quiver.

“Oh, and just put the points into the ground in front of you so don’t have to keep pulling from the quiver.  You can’t do it often in battle, but we’re just practicing here,” he advised, tapping Plague lightly so that he would continue along the line.  The chubby, little human smiled before nodding and turning back to his target, his posture indicating that he was much more relaxed.  His reaction was enough to make Niccolo give a lop-sided smile.

“Oh, glory, my Horseman is teaching, now?  I’ll have to give extra lessons just to undo your damage,” Barbas’ voice came from the end of the line.  Niccolo turned to face his old mentor and shrugged.

“Hey, they can at least learn from my mistakes, old man,” Niccolo said before offering his hands palms-up in surrender.  As Plague carried him closer to Barbas, Niccolo could see the tired smile on his face.

“Plenty of source material, Niccolo.  So where have you been all day?  Lucifer just wanted to spend that much time with you?” the old fallen asked, his hands wrapped over the top of his cane.  Niccolo shook his head and yawned, covering his mouth with his demonic hand before responding.

“No, actually.  Buné showed up with Cadmus on his leash and they sent us away to ‘
bond
,’” Niccolo mentioned, making quotation marks in the air with the last word.  Barbas’ face flickered with skepticism before he rocked forward, using his cane as a support.

“Bond?  They wanted you and Cadmus to spend time together?” he asked, rocking back so that his weight was displaced onto his feet.  Niccolo shrugged before motioning Plague toward the stables.

“Yeah, they thought we would be good friends.  Turns out they’re right.  Once you get the Pale Rider past his stuffy, outer shell, he’s got a decent attitude.  Not as smart, mind you, but entertaining,” he said, Plague carrying him past his old mentor.  “I’ll be back as soon as I drop off Plague.  We’ll learn these archers right.”

“Take your time, Niccolo,” Barbas muttered lazily.  “And try to be quiet when you get back.  I don’t want them taking your words to heart.”

“Bastard,” Niccolo cursed at his mentor, the smile betraying the word.  Niccolo had a certain fondness for Barbas and always would, even if Lucifer was reaching out to him.

As Plague carried him to the stables, Niccolo thought about all of the events of the past month.  He had killed his main tormentor, assuming the role of a Horseman of the Apocalypse, and even seemed to be making new friends.  In fact, he was actually starting to enjoy himself.  When he looked down at his ruined arm, he did not see a blight or illness anymore.  It was acceptable;
he
was acceptable. 

He brought down the clawed limb and stroked Plague’s hair, feeling the warmth of affection flowing from his horse.  It caused Niccolo to smile, knowing that, if nothing else, he had a friend who felt affection and perhaps love toward him.  He had a number of friends and mentors, people who cared about him, and he had a purpose.  He had a life down here in Hell.

How strange that Niccolo Vespucci de Firenze had to die to finally have a life worth living.

Chapter 15: Apocalypse Now

Hurry
, Niccolo thought, hugging the neck of his horse and breathing heavily.  They were almost to the stairs leading up to the palace, the fight against Viné and Balam already a distant memory, but Niccolo worried they were too late.  The palace ahead of them was on fire, the flames grasping at the ceiling of Hell.

I know, Nico, I know
, Plague’s voice burst into his mind, the horse doing what it could to console his rider.  The stone pathway underneath them was flying past, the clattering of Plague’s hooves reverberating throughout the air, but even then Niccolo was anxious.  They had spent far too much time recruiting Moloch and fighting demonic kings.  When they reached the stairs from the Famine Quarter, Niccolo was foolish enough to hope they might not have any distractions.

Then a slab of iron drove into the ground in their path, the broad surface of the metal creating a wall which Plague slammed into, driving Niccolo through the air and tumbling along the ground.

“THAT’S FAR ENOUGH!” a familiar voice called from a side street, though Niccolo had a rough time trying to recognize
anything
while he was struggling to stop his momentum.  The Horseman panicked as he struggled to keep conscious, his thoughts with the poor beast that had been stopped so suddenly, but Plague’s mind gave him the feeling that he should not worry about him.  Niccolo picked himself up to find a massive man decked out in crimson and black armor walking calmly toward them.

“What are you doing, Ajax?” Cadmus shouted, bringing Mercy to a stop by the stairs.  The reaper was about to help Niccolo up until he saw the cloaked, raven-headed demon next to the legendary warrior.

“Stopping
you
, Horsemen!” Amon cried, ruffling his feathers and removing his cloak to reveal light, boiled-leather armor on his chest.  “We have been watching!”

“Why?” Niccolo asked, his voice weak, but their adversaries heard him well enough.  Ajax yanked back the chain attached to his right gauntlet and sent his massive iron great sword flying back to him.  He caught the huge weapon easily before slamming the point down into the ground.

“Why?  You
dare
to ask us why?  You
knew
this would happen!  Amon told me about your little gift from Räum!” he shouted, walking forward and dragging his blade out of its mooring.  Niccolo stood up shakily, his fury quaking through him, and cradled his ribs with his left hand before advancing a step.

“What are you TALKING about?” Niccolo screamed, his hair swaying as the rage filled him.  “We have to get to the palace, Ajax!  We have to stop this!”

“
You
have to stop this?” Amon answered by pointing at Niccolo with his feathered arm.  “You
caused
this!”

“We didn’t cause anything, Amon!” Cadmus yelled, turning Mercy so that he could face the two beings directly.  “We have been trying to stop this all along!”

“
Really
, Horseman?” the raven said, the wolf teeth in his beak dripping with saliva.  “You told me you inherited my brother’s sight!  You told me that you had to kill one of your friends!  I
never
should have trusted you.  You knew this would happen and the only reason you wouldn’t have told me is that you
had something to do with it
!” he screamed, drawing back his winged arms so that he could sweep the air in front of him.  “And we’re going to stop you!”

“Ajax…” Niccolo said, drawing his arm back from his ribs and looking to the armored warrior.  “Don’t listen to him.  He’s a goddamn idiot who’s going to get everyone killed.  We’re trying to save Hell,” he finished, causing the massive Horseman to laugh in derision.

“What makes more sense, Nico?  That you were greedy enough to betray everyone for some place on Earth, or that you really fucking
care
?” he asked, drawing within ten yards of Niccolo, raising the slab of iron and holding it so that it pointed at the fire-lit ceiling of Hell.  “You would have told me if there was some conspiracy you were
stopping
.”

“We didn’t know who we could trust!” Cadmus shouted, responding to Ajax’s actions by drawing his own weapon to his right side.  “We’re wasting time right now!  We should all go to the palace and fix this!”

“No!” Amon cawed, spittle flying from his beak, followed by a burst of black fire.  “We will
not
let you destroy everything we have built!”  Niccolo and Cadmus glared at their new opponents, determined to convince them otherwise, but when Ajax threw his great sword in a deadly horizontal arc, still attached to its chain, they knew the time for words was over.

“You fucking idiot!” Niccolo shouted before ducking underneath the path of the weapon, feeling the air above him rushing in its wake.  He was about to roll forward before he felt the blade nick the top of his bow, yanking it out of its restraints and sending it clattering out of reach.  The impact was enough to jerk him off his feet and onto his back, which only served to infuriate him more.  He pushed himself off the ground with his arms and found his footing quickly, allowing him to rush at the armored warrior.

Meanwhile, Cadmus saw the huge weapon flying toward him and picked up his feet to stand on Mercy’s saddle before jumping as high as he could.  Wordlessly he urged his horse to disperse, watching Mercy turn to dust a moment before the iron slab burst through the cloud, sending motes of his friend scattering to the wind.  Cadmus felt relieved that Mercy was out of danger, but when he looked toward his enemies, he found Amon flying straight at him.  He was only just able to bring up the handle of his scythe between them before Amon’s beak was inches from his face, his wolf teeth gaining purchase on the handle.