It was dark when we flashed to West Kamokuna on the big island of Hawaii to rescue Anjelica. The ground was black obsidian from the lava that had flowed over it for eons. A cauldron of orange lava steamed up from the ground. On our left, the sea crashed against the cliffside. A half dozen demons surrounded the snake that had Anjelica strapped to an altar.

“Yup,” I said. “This looks like the kind of place for a big final battle.”

“Leave it to a demon to find three more hours of night by hopping to Hawaii.”

“I disagree. It’s way too brilliant for demons.”

“Diabolically brilliant.”

The snake demon chanted something loudly transfixed by all the demons with him. “Gloria Causa SSSSSatani, et emittat illum, et inferus et mors diis, fructum armageddon translationem onto orbis terrarium!” He turned to us, eyes trained on the sky. “And here is the main—” Its face dropped when he finally saw us. “Oh, it’s you.”

“It’s us,” I replied, deadpan.

“Thissssss isssss unfortunate.” He snarled. “Though not entirely unexpected.”

“Your plan isn’t going to work.”

“Yeah,” Kimberly added. “We drained the antichrist right out of her hours ago. Now, she’s just a demon like all of you.”

“LIESSSSSSSSSSS!” the snake screamed.

“We have no reason to lie.” I clenched the dagger. “Let the girl go, and we won’t kill you.”

Kimberly unsheathed the daggers around her belt. “I’m not making that promise.”

“Get them!” the snake shouted. The demons broke out of their trance and rushed toward us at full speed.

“Rhew!” I screamed, and ice shot out of my hand, encasing two demons in a frozen cocoon. Kimberly disappeared to fight two demons lunging toward her. Meanwhile, I stabbed the final demon through the heart with the dagger, and it disintegrated into ash.

“Awesome.”

The ice broke around the first two demons. The heat pulsating off their scalding bodies was too great for a normal spell to contain them. Luckily, their temporary encapsulation bought me enough time to readjust. One demon took a swing, and I ducked, jabbing it in the stomach with the dagger, and it also exploded into a million pieces.

“Well, that’s fun,” I said.

I looked over to see one of the demons near Kimberly fall to the ground after she stabbed it in the neck. I could smell the demon behind me, and I rolled backward as it slammed its fists on the ground I had just vacated. I took the dagger and stabbed it deep into the demon’s back, kicking it off as it turned to ash and floated away.

Kimberly had killed her second demon, so I turned to the snake. “It’s over.”

“Nothing is over!” the snake screamed. “There are hundredsssss of Apocalyptic predictionssss, and one of them will come true soon enough.”

Kimberly slit her last demon’s throat and walked toward us, wiping off the demon’s green blood from her daggers. “I will fight with every bone in my body to make sure none of them do. You can count on that.”

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“You’re just a little girl!”

“But I’m not,” I growled. “And I’ll be there every time, making sure scum like you never succeed.” I walked closer. “Of course, not you personally.” I jabbed the snake through the heart, and he grunted before the wind carried away his ashes. “Because you’re dead.”

“Couldn’t he have helped you find the monster that tried to kill you?” Kimberly asked. “Seems like poor planning.”

“I don’t want his kind of help.” I shrugged. “He’ll show up again, and I couldn’t hear that asshole’s voice for one more second.”

“Fair enough.”

I walked over and untied one side of Anjelica’s restraints, with Kimberly on the other side doing the same. Once free of her bondage, she pulled off her gag.

“Thank you,” she said.

“No,” Kimberly said. “Thank you for helping us.”

“For trusting us,” I added.

“So, is it over?” She jumped down from the altar. “Like really over?”

“For you,” I replied. “But that snake had a boss who funded this whole operation, and I can’t stop until I find him.”

“And if there’s one thing I know about the rich,” Kimberly added, “they always have the money to try again.”

“Oof,” I said, sitting on the edge of the cliff, “that’s the truth, but that’s a problem for another day. Right, now, let’s just enjoy a beautiful sunrise.”

That’s exactly what we did. We sat there on the cliff, laughing and talking like old friends, even though we had just met. It was corny and horrible, and I loved it. It was the first time in a long time that I actually enjoyed being in the exact place that I was, but even the best things had to end.

“I will hide her,” Kimberly said finally as the sun rose high in the sky, kicking her feet over the cliff.

“Okay.” I stood up first, and the others followed close behind. “It’s for the best.”

“Don’t I have a say in this?” Anjelica asked. “Whether I fly off and leave everything in my life behind?”

“Of course,” Kimberly said. “We’re not monsters. Do you want to go back home and risk your family being targets of another crazy madman?”

“Will they come back for me, though? I mean, I’m free, right? My blood is useless.”

“Not everybody knows that,” I said. “And besides, magic is dumb. Who knows what some crazy demon can use your blood to do.”

“It has rules, though. You said it yourself.”

“Rules can change. That’s one of the worst things about magic.” I sighed. “It’s your choice, but I think you should go.”

“Will I ever see you again?” Anjelica asked, tears streaming down her face. “Will I ever see anyone I love again?”

“I can’t answer that, kid,” I said.

“I hate this so much.” She was trying to choke back tears as if crying meant she wasn’t strong. Actions were what mattered, and she was brave enough for ten people and about a hundred demons.

“Better than dying, though.” I took a deep breath of the salt air.

“Which was a very real possibility,” Kimberly replied. “Trust me, they don’t all end this way. It’s a gift that you have the choice. Most of us don’t get one.”

“Truer words.” I turned to Anjelica. “So, what’ll it be, kid?”

“I’ll go into hiding, I guess.” Anjelica leaped forward and hugged me tightly. “Thank you. I would be dead without you.”

After a few seconds, it got awkward to have her wrapped around me, so I tapped her shoulder. “Okay, that’s enough.” When she let go, I turned to Kimberly. “Where are you going to bring her?”

“I think it’s best if you don’t know, but I swear she’ll be somewhere safe.”

Anjelica grabbed my hand. “I don’t have to go with her, you know. I could stay here with you.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed—laughed so hard a tear rolled down my cheek, and I wiped it away. She was trying to have a tender moment, but I just—couldn’t. “Thank you for the laugh, kid.”

“That’s what I thought. I just had to ask,” Anjelica said with a sad smile. “I’ll see you around,”

“No, you won’t,” I said. “That’s the point.”

She let go of my hand and grabbed Kimberly’s. I watched them vanish into a purple cloud. When they were gone, and I had collected myself, I called forth a portal and disappeared into it.

I reappeared in front of Blezor’s house. His monster truck was parked outside. I couldn’t believe he didn’t get in trouble for having it. I guess he did have more money than the gods, just like he’d said when he was trying pitifully to woo me.

I knocked on the door, and after a minute, Blezor came to the door. He wasn’t angry or happy. He just looked tired and sad.

“What are you doing here?” he mumbled.

I held up the dagger. “I don’t need this anymore. Thought I would give it back to you.” I placed it in his cautiously outstretched hand. “Call it even?”

“We’re nowhere near even.” He sighed. “You don’t even know why I’m mad, do you?”

“I took something from you, and now I’m giving it back.”

“Not even close.” He turned from the door. “You want pancakes? You look horrible. You could use a home-cooked meal.”

“No, thanks,” I said. “I have plans.” I had a traitorous scumbag to track down. Every moment I waited, he could put more distance between us, and I couldn’t have that, now could I?