With the recent failures of the warriors of Nimuel and Cathrina, Salvatore was growing impatient in his hellacious quest. The land of the living still remain closed for him even after several attempts, so he called on Zagrima the demon of fire for counsel. Zagrima was the agent in charge of ensuring that the fire in the underworld never burns out. He has a vast knowledge of the underworld and have been to more realms in the underworld even more than Salvatore the king himself. Salvatore was in his chambers when Masrab his right hand demon came to announce to him the arrival of Zagrima. He ordered for him to be brought to his chambers. Zagrima arrived at the chamber and on the sight of Salvatore, he went on his kneels. "Your majesty the king of the underworld, may your reign in this land of the damned be long. May you gather more strength to bring enormous pains to the souls of the condemned and may your efforts to patronize my fires never cease. Salvatore mounted his throne, stretched forward his arm for Zagrima to kiss. " Are you aware of my recent knaveries to the land of the living and the several derelictions by the fools I assigned to carry out the escapades. They've all gone and came back empty-handed. All I asked of them was to castrate the she-goat carrying the prophesies of divesting my mission to rule the world of the living. "What says you to the plan?" Salvatore seeking the opinion of Zagrima. But who would dare tell the king of the underworld in his palace that his exertions are unlawful and out of bounds. He wouldn't dare say so, even the questioner already had the answer to his question, it was only an effort to bring him on board and he knew that. "Your Majesty, what would you have me do to achieve your ambition?" Zagrima played a wise card of returning Salvatore's question with a submissive request. "you truly deserve your position here in the underworld as the agent of fire. Since you've been here since the creation of this realm, I know you also have the secrets to this place more than anyone. I know I have not been paying much attention to your dedications, gifts and exploits to the functioning of this realm, which I believed is a mistake on my path, but I assure you that's about to change, "Salvatore promised." thank you your majesty," he responded. Salvatore stood up from his seat and walked towards Zagrima." I have prepared the list of every dead souls and demons that have failed me, I have instructed that it be handed to you. I want you to place them in the deepest part of the fire and give them the torment of all torments." I'll do as you've requested, your majesty," Zagrima responded. "I need to make it known throughout the realms that failing me has consequences, one which is grave," said, Salvatore. He approached Zagrima, raised his head up with his hand, bringing their four eyes at an intercept. " would you mind showing me another means of getting to earth, rather than the impossible stone hunt?" Salvatore inquired." I would love to be of assistance to your quest, but there's no other way other than the one known to you, your majesty," Zagrima assured. Salvatore released his chin and moved just a meter away, leaving him behind." Bring them in," Salvatore ordered Masrab, then he brought in seventy souls that was initially returned to the land of the living, but not by Salvatore. "Zagrima seeing those souls brought in, realized already the brewing trouble." Do you recognize these souls my dear Zagrima?"Salvatore asked." Yes your majesty, I do recognize them. They were the souls of humans unjustly killed by their fellow humans for vanity and some of them deserved punishment from their fellow humans but tried to escape the punishments by taking their own lives, while the others have suffered in the hands of their supposed parents who begets them, but instead of having them, they terminated them right from pregnancy, so i returned them to the living world to ensure a balanced justice for the offended as well as the offenders. All these I did to alleviate the lingering feelings and regrets these souls might have. " Are you the king who decides what happens here or am I ?" Salvatore asked in a harsh and loud voice. I decide the faith of this realm and whatever was going to happen, must happen through me," he added. Masrab took the souls out of Salvatore's chambers to allow the continuation of their conversations in a controlled atmosphere. "you're going to show me how you did it, or I'll demote and punish you just like I'm going to do with others who've failed me." I'm sorry if I've failed you, your majesty, but please allow me to redeem myself, " Zagrima pleaded. "Those that have transcended are just mere mortals, your majesty. I don't know if the same rule applies to you since you are a celestial being and one so powerful at that, " Zagrima explained. Salvatore stared him down with the most bitter look." Are you saying that you're no longer useful to me?" Salvatore asked." No i am, your majesty, "he responded. Masrab clears his throat and Salvatore turned to him at once. He signaled for Masrab to come closer," what's it? "he asked. Masrab whispered quietly into Salvatores ears, he smiled straight at Zagrima and he knew immediately that something was off. Salvatore went back to sit on his throne without talking to Zagrima." I shall do everything possible to serve your majesty," Zagrima promised. "I know you will," Salvatore responded looking at the seven entrance to his chamber. After a while, Masrab and the warriors that went to search Zagrima's chambers came in, and Masrab was all smiley, whether it was because he as always been jealous of Zagrima's position in the underworld and an opportunity to dispose of him just presented itself, or he has seen the opportunity to watch Zagrima burn in the fire in which he himself prepared. Whichever way, Masrab just obtained something worth celebrating over Zagrima. He approached Salvatore while Zagrima accompanied his every steps towards the king of the underworld with his gaze. "Your majesty, these were found in Zagrima's possession. Masrab waved at the servants to come in with the exhibits found in Salvatore's chamber. A servant brought in a strange sword called the Azra sword and another two brought in a seven feet long book called the book of Azra. Salvatore could feel the celestial powers surrounding the book immediately those items were brought in, but was surprised that they were found in Zagrima's possession. " Do you care to tell me the reason why these things were found in your possession. Because these are Devine items only the most powerful and loved of the Angels, Gabriel could be allowed to keep, so how did you get your hands on them?" Salvatore inquired. Zagrima could no longer lie nor escape the situation, but could still wisely play the game with his tongue."Your majesty, I'm sorry you found these items under such circumstances, but I meant no disrespect or disloyal to you keeping them sire. These items have been here in the underworld even before me, I only discovered them when I was going around another one of the seven realms of the underworld. I stumbled upon a realm that I found so mysterious. It was a different hell entirely, but not as hot as this one. I heard a voice calling to me when I got there, but when I got through it gate, there was no one there but these book and the sword were in a room, so I collected them. It seems the magnitude of the sins committed by the souls determines where they go to serve their punishments. Salvatore interrupted Zagrima, "what are you talking about, what other realms exist here apart from this one, and what other criminals apart from the ones I torment here myself?" Salvatore asked. "There are seven realms in the underworld sire, according to this book and even though I've been making the fire of hell ten billion years before the creation of humans, I have only been to three. This realm you govern appears to be the powerhouse and the control center for all the realms, but the conditions there varies from the conditions here," Zagrima explained." Do tell what the conditions there were like?" Salvatore asked." As I've said earlier, your majesty, I have only been to three in over twenty billion years, and in the other two beside this one we're in, one has a minimum fire intensity, which lessens the torments of it inhabitants. They have breaks in between punishments and even while burning in the fire, they were still being fed their own burned flesh. Salvatore interrupted him again, " who are those working there?" he asked. " As I said earlier, your majesty, no one works there, what we do here controls every other realms, just that it is either amplified or abridged based on the punishments deserving of the souls kept there," Zagrima answered." What happened in the other realm?" Salvatore inquired further." It was a scary experience, your majesty. I couldn't enter the gate of the third one because I could feel the horror and the torments of the souls from a thousand miles away. Only the criminals serving their punishments were there too," said Zagrima. "But you couldn't enter, how then did you know there was no one there except the condemned souls?" Masrab decided to join the conversation. " Did I ask for your contribution?" Salvatore cautioned Masrab. "But you still need to answer that question," Salvatore added. "I couldn't enter the gate of the realm of 'the hot place' because my wings began to burn and the heat from the fire started peeling off my skin, even from very far away. I could hear clearly the hunger and rage of the fire requesting for more souls to devour. So when I got back and started going through the book of Asra, I found out everything about the seven realms and how they're governed. I also discovered from the book that the other four realms left; the blaze, the consuming fire, the scorching fire and the abyss are the more horrific and dangerous of all even capable of devouring immortals and Angels alike. "Then how have you been sending those souls to the land of the living differently from my methods?" Salvatore asked. Zagrima cleared his throat, set his two eyes to meet Salvatore's, then skimmed through the chamber at Masrab and the other guards and then returned his attention back to Salvatore. He realized instantly the hesitant countenance of Zagrima, "leave us at ones," Salvatore ordered. "your majesty," Masrab called out, feeling reluctant to leave Salvatore's side. "I ordered you to leave us," Salvatore stressed. The chamber was cleared leaving just Salvatore and Zagrima. "Now spit it out," Salvatore requested. " I learnt from the book of Asra that every realm has it doorway to earth through which the dead souls enters each of the fires befitting their sins. I've only been making use of the doorway to the lesser fire to send back those souls because it's not dangerous for me," Zagrima explained. " what did you get in return for helping them?" Salvatore inquired." I collected nothing in return, your majesty, "Zagrima responded." The only price they paid was the heightening of their punishments, the ones who came into the underworld through the 'lesser fire' and requested to be sent back, later comes back through 'the fire' as a punishment for escaping the underworld." Could that be the reason why all the souls I returned to the land of the living never returned back here except the demons?" Salvatore inquired further. "Yes your majesty, they've been sent to another realm more horrific than the one they came in through when the angel of death first visited them. Salvatore answered." But what about the demons, why were they returned to me?" Salvatore asked again." The demons were a creature of the underworld, their purpose is working as messengers of horror and sorrows here in the underworld," he responded. Salvatore began to ruminate within himself how powerful he was, yet lacks the crucial knowledge of the world he was sent to rule, but ordinary fire demon knows more." What else can you tell me?" Salvatore asked." that's all I know, your majesty," Zagrima responded. " are you saying that's all that is contained in this book?" Salvatore asked. "No your majesty, I've only learnt only what was written on the cover and not what's inside the main book, because I couldn't open it," Zagrima responded. " What, do you think you can fool me?" Salvatore asked, he rose from the throne infuriated and went straight to check the book. He opened the first cover and realized that it content couldn't be completely mastered the next hundred million years, he opened the second to the third to the seventh cover and looked Zagrima in the eyes where he was standing and asked, " did you master everything on these covers?". " No your majesty, I was only on the third cover, for the past five hundred million years," he answered. Salvatore opened the seven covers without reading and tried opening the main book, "don't open," that's all Zagrima could say to warn Salvatore of the main book before a heavy tornado blew Salvatore and Zagrima against the walls of the chamber and scattered the whole place dancing round the chamber. The demons on guard and Masrab heard the strange sound and came in to know what's going on, but immediately they opened the door to the chamber, the tornado blew them all miles away including Salvatore and Zagrima. "what was that?" Salvatore asked Zagrima where they landed. "I was about telling you what happens when the main section of the book is attempted to be violated." they flew back to the palace and returned to the chamber, but the book of Asra and the sword were no longer there. "Where's the book?" Salvatore asked in a veracious tone heard throughout the kingdom. Masrab just arrived and entered the chamber. Salvatore shouted again, " where is the book?" with a deafening voice. The whole kingdom started to panic, haven experienced Salvatore's wrath at one time or another. "All is not lost, your majesty, there's still hope," Zagrima said to calm his anger. Salvatore turned to him with his eyes completely red and his facial nerves turned black and protruding out his skin. His voice completely changed and his wings sharpened to cut anything in half. He charged towards Zagrima, lifting him into the air with just his right arm, squeezing his neck. Zagrima was finding it difficult to resist him but managed to utter just what Salvatore would love to hear. He dropped him. "You're saying?" Salvatore asked him. "I know how you can enter the land of the living, but it could be very dangerous," he responded. " How?" Salvatore asked in a more desperate tone." You would have to go through the realm of the 'Abyss', it's the only realm powerful enough to accommodate your passage to earth without bothering about the four stones," Zagrima said. "If you're trying to trick me, I will erase you from existence," Salvatore threatened. "How do I get there?" he asked. " while I was going through the covers of the book of Asra, I came across a section that talked about transcending from the underworld into the world of the living through the seven realms. Each realm allows a passage according to the strength of the celestial being traveling through. The strength of the realm must be equivalent to the strength of the celestial creature on passage. So as the king of the underworld, it is possible that you could only go through the strongest of the hells, and that's the Abyss," Zagrima explained. Salvatore was thinking to himself, could this thing be lying to me, he looked into his soul and realized all he'd said were nothing but the truth. Then he asked him," how do I get there? "." The only passage from this realm to the Abyss through is through the 'molten light' between the underworld and the first heaven," Zagrima responded. Salvatore's nerves became calm from what he just heard. The molten light was the desolved metals flowing out of the depth of hell. It was used to curse me and the demons that supported my disobedience in heaven. How do I go through it without acquiring another curse, do I even care? Salvatore soliloquising. He ordered Zagrima out of his chamber and he left at once. Masrab approached Salvatore to talk him out of taking on the impossible mission. "you can't trust him, your majesty. He might be trying to lure you into a trap to dethrone you sire," Masrab told his king. " He has never given me any reason to doubt him, and if anyone can do this, it's me. I'm going tomorrow after holding meetings with all my subjects,"Salvatore decided." I can't let your majesty go alone, so please let me go with you," Masrab requested. Salvatore stretched out his arm for Masrab, he kissed his palm and rose up." I appreciate your loyalty and services to the throne, you are more than just a servant, you've been with me through every thick and thin. It's only natural to reciprocate loyalty with trust, so today I give you the title 'my friend'. But I can't allow you sacrifice your existence for my mission. You should know that any wrong step would not only kill us both, but could erase us from existence. So, I'll have to go alone because it's dangerous," Salvatore reacted. " Wherever your majesty goes, I go too. My purpose is to serve you and that I shall do till the end of time. I don't care what happens to me, I would rather be erased than sit here worrying about what could have been " Masrab committed." So be it, " Salvatore agreed.
Masrab summoned all the palace councils in Salvatore's palace the following day for meeting under his directives. The demons in the council had no idea what the impromptu gathering was all about. They threw speculations all around about the purpose of the meeting. The demon of wasps, Canan, who happened to be the Uncle of the demon of bees presently serving punishment for his failure to get Boma, approached Masrab to gather any clue as regards the meeting. "why are you so impatient, it seems it runs in your family. The same thing landed your nephew in trouble and now he's in prison," Masrab insulted Canan. He frowned at Masrab's remarks and shamefully left his side to stand with the other council members. Salvatore's arrival was announced and the whole council went on their kneels in recognition. He entered the chamber, but instead of sitting on his throne, he stood in the midst of the gathered council. "I know the purpose of this meeting isn't known to you all, but I will be brief and clear. I shall be embarking on a journey to earth very soon and I would love you all to nominate a king designate who will continue to serve my interests from among you in my absence," he addressed the council. They looked at one another with amazement on what just paraded their ears. They all murmured in arguments, wondering if he'd be coming back, should he failed to come back, then the king designate would continue to be king for all eternity. I would rather present myself for the position rather than nominate some else. Who doesn't want to be king. They all showed interest rather than nominate a more reliable candidate. They all forgot for a second in whose presence they were. Salvatore never bothered cautioning their impudence, he cautiously mount his throne and watched as they displayed their vulgarity. Some even claimed to have right to the throne after Salvatore. He watched patiently at first till he realized his council members would spare nothing to disgrace his throne. He charged towards them in anger spreading his wings to cut off two Council members heads off. They all kept mute instantly and went on their kneels again. "What an insolence, trying to inherit me before my own eyes, how dare you. I won't make it so easy for you fools to disgrace the sanctity of my throne. I have seen that non of you is worthy of being entrusted with the safety of my kingdom and for this reasons, I shall be entrusting the throne with Zagrima" he addressed. The decision didn't sit well with the council, even though they no longer have an appanage, they started murmuring against the decision, but once they realized the countenance of Salvatore, they all took caution. Who would stop the great Salvatore from his task when he already took the land of the living as his own tower of babel"You all do not want Zagrima because I practically placed you all above him, even though he's superior. But that's going change now. Bring in Zagrima," he ordered.The demons whose heads were cut off rejoined and stood up. " what have we missed?" they asked. "you just missed your deaths, you fools," Masrab responded. Zagrima then took temporary control of the underworld till the return of the king.
Salvatore left his kingdom with Masrab and headed for the molten light. Getting there, Masrab got scared after realizing that they would have to fly against the molten light before getting to the Abyss which not even his king had any knowledge about, but he had to be strong for his king, since he volunteered himself. Salvatore looked around for clues, he instructed Masrab to spread his wings to form a shield, which he did. Salvatore then instructed him to follow his path during the flight and then flew against the molten light. They flew through despite all the odds and arrived at the end of the molten light. Getting through they arrived at the gate of the Abyss. It was hotter than anything the two of them ever thought possible. Masrab was already having his skin peeled off by the heat, but Salvatore could still bare the burning. Masrab was asked to form a shield round his body with his wings again, as Salvatore moved closer to him and formed another shield round himself and Masrab with his wings and they head straight through the gate to the center of Abyss. As they moved through to the center, Salvatore's wings started burning gradually and before getting to the center, his wings were already halfway burnt and his skins burning already. Masrab at this point also already lost his wings and even unconscious from the immeasurable hotness, but as they arrived at the center of the Abyss, there was another gate up ahead requiring them to fly. Salvatore gathered all his left strength and jumped, then employed his half left wings to fly the rest of the Abyss. Before realizing there destination, they emerged out of a volcanic eruption in Mt Tambora, Indonesia. But not before losing all their wings and celestial powers. The airs blowing through Masrabs face, resuscitated him and they walked down the mountain. Now they're just ordinary being walking the earth.
It was 3:00am in the morning in Gestfield when everyone was still on their resting places. Salvatore wore his horrible look and entered Boma's room. He looked around her room for her secrets, then he decided to end her life. He picked up her pillow about to suffocate her, but he wanted her to see his face as she took her last breath, he dropped the pillow and decided to strangle her with his bare hands. He landed his hands on her neck and squeezed with all his strength. Boma opened her eyes gasping for airs and made efforts to fought him off, but he was too strong for her. She tried using her powers, but couldn't connect. She wasn't sure who it was that wanted him dead because the look was one she hadn't seen before. "Yes that's right, I want you to look into my eyes as your life is sniffed out of your mouth. I'm Salvatore, the king of the underworld who have just arrived on earth to take it over. With your death, I'll become unstoppable. You've caused me so much pains blocking my every means of passage to your world, but here I am. After taking your life, I'll shift the gears to your mom and everyone you hold dear to your heart," Salvatore claimed as he squeezed her neck harder. Boma found all her struggles against him proved abortive, then he surrendered to him, till she woke up from her nightmares shouting and panting, she rushed to her feet, checking her neck for any sign of strangling, but she was fine. She grabbed her staff and disappeared to the Cafe of the protectors. Lindsey her mom rushed into the room to check up on her, but she was gone already.