"I tried to save her from the serpent who imprisoned her there," Dantalion explained. "But then you attacked me!"
"Yea, now it's coming back to me. I tried to save her from you!"
"You stupid boy! You challenged a demon of the Goetia! You're lucky I let you live!" Dantalion scowled.
"So that's how I joined your legion of demons?"
"Yes, you gave me no choice. Either live as a demon, or die," Dantalion continued.
"Okay, so maybe I sort of knew what I was getting into," Rowan admitted. "So now what?"
"You can find out the hard way , or you can listen to what I am telling you," Dantalion ordered. "I kept you safe for her."
"Could you stop talking in riddles? What the hell are you saying, "you kept me safe?" I'm a demon for God's sake," Rowan protested.
"Yes, and if I brought you into the great room the other night with thirty six legions, they would have devoured you on the spot."
"Oh, great, then how are they supposed to accept me into your army?"
"We need to act now!" Dantalion barked.
He knew his powers were depleted and Rowan's powers of divine magick still needed to be mastered.
Dantalion summoned what strength was left in him, causing Rowan an uncontrollable hunger to feed. Rowan's eyes narrowed, claws extended, sinking into Dantalion's flesh for blood. His attack initiated Dantalion's blood thirsty canines to protrude from his jaws, sinking into Rowan's shoulder, while his claws tore what was left from the bone. While Dantalion grew stronger, Rowan went into shock, his body unable to withstand the loss of blood. Dantalion glanced beyond the barrier and heard the voice of his fallen brother.
He called out, "It is the hour. Let thy guardians rise and witness thy Demonic Lord's compassion for the dead."
My physical body was chained once again to the altar in the Courtyard of the Undead, my soul imprisoned within the power of Satan, somewhere between the realms of heaven and hell.
"It's too late!" Dantalion lamented. Breaking free of the barrier, he crossed the wall to the Courtyard and knelt beside my lifeless body beneath the jagged rock. His screams could not bring me back. He could not heal a body that held no soul. Rage brought his fire powers to the extreme, igniting the pines into a blaze that kissed the heavens.
He knew Rowan was near death. Racing over to him, still breathing, his new demon blood pulsed through him, fighting for his life.