This was it. They had slept, they had eaten, they had prepared, and several trucks driven by zombies had shown up, loaded with enormous cargo covered in tarps two hours ago. Scott had cackled madly, but now it was calm. It was time. They all watched the sun sink low in the sky, returning the baleful orange to a deep blood red. Even the crew stood silent and still, watching the new nightfall.

Leo was on deck first. He stood tall and proud by the helm, his sword charm twinkling in the fading light. He stroked it to reassure himself and felt the faintest comfort of the god he served. His expression and demeanor was serious, but he was smiling determinedly.

Genevieve and Gregor were next, shuffling from below deck like the walking corpses they were. Gregor was blank and trudged his feet like he was walking to the gallows, but still he walked to join Leo. Genevieve tossed back her shining black hair confidently and strode forward bold as could be, hoping no one would see her hands shaking.

Cross exited her room and appeared on deck next, her grim step only matched by the look on her face. The ghosts and zombies gave her a wide berth, the aura of pissed-off annoyance palpable around her. She was dressed in her normal, unsuited attire, her detective’s badge visibly hanging form her neck.

Connor and Riley were the next ones to join, Captain Blackwell following while a crate floated next to him. Riley was uncharacteristically reserved, while Connor looked like he wanted to cry. They both went forward, knowing it was both necessary and their teacher needed them. The captain lowered the crate to the floorboards and hovered silently, looking forlorn at the crew.

Bess walked heavily up to the deck next, dark circles under her eyes and cracking her knuckles. She had a bandolier of markers and chalk, potions and pouches hanging from her belt. She had been up practicing and preparing, and wore a scarf of oily orange material.

Will and Kevin appeared next, quickly climbing up the side of the ship. They were both scarfing down genuine, 100% bona fide New York hotdogs with a topping no one suspected was ketchup. If they were to go out, they could say they had a real traditional New York experience. Kevin smiled weakly, not dressed in his costume while Will scowled sullenly, glancing at all of them like he had to memorize their faces.

Crenshaw was next. They watched the helicopter lower a large box into the hands of the zombie crewmen, who talked with the agent before bustling it away. Crenshaw went to the others. Words failed him, so he saluted smartly. Cross nodded.

A wobbly Vanessa joined them, teetering across the boards but gaining control with each step, remembering her purpose. She looked like she’d been crying, but she didn’t have an illusion to conceal it.

Deep below deck Nigel, attended to by a ghost that had been a nurse in life, tossed and turned weakly. He was haunted by dreams of a voice calling him, and the memories of a girl standing over him, trying to reassure him that it would be okay.

They all stood there quietly, even the zombies. The stars shone blankly overhead, in arcane formations heralding the end of days. There was a crack as a door burst open, and all heads turned to the captain’s quarters.

Black boots strode across the deck, his belt heavy with pouches, reagents, and a dagger. His sleeveless coat flared out behind him in the wind, his sable hoodie covering his white skull. Toxic emerald green pinpoints shone form the darkness of the hood, a pale white blonde girl with her hair down next to him in a suit. The zombies knelt as they passed, and he nodded as he went. They strode across the deck, and he turned to face them.

“Everyone’s here.” he said, nodding at each off them in turn. They nodded back. He cracked his neck and turned to address them and the crew. He picked up the microphone to the jury-rigged mass of speakers.

“Alright! This is it! We face long odds today!” he said, his voice booming. Even the military and rescue workers stopped to watch the ship. “I cannot guarantee survival, but I can guarantee that won’t matter! We are not fighting for our lives! We are not fighting for our freedom! We are not fighting for any reason that complicated or noble!”

“Our enemy seeks to wake the Blind Idiot God, who dreams all of creation into being! I say to you, this must not come to pass! For we face a challenge even more basic than life: the struggle and right to exist at all! Our foe seeks to take even that form you, and cast everything you know and love to oblivion! Men, will you allow this to happen!?”

“NO!!!”

“That’s right! We go now to preserve not just ourselves, but eternity! We have no time for petty squabbles among ourselves! And we are not alone! I am a necromancer, and the dead rise to stave off oblivion! Leo is the agent of a strange eldritch god, and he constantly works to protect us! We shall join him in battle! Amber is the disciple of a goddess, and She is on our side! Though they are unfamiliar and frightening, we join together to save one another! We shall unleash Hell upon our enemies! Literally!” He nodded to Amber. “Do it.”

She nodded and held up the detonator. With a nervous glance at Scott, she pushed the trigger, and the small explosives they’d acquired form Crenshaw went off around the Metatech building.

The magic symbols woven around the building, so carefully placed by Delacroix, were targeted and redirected according to Scott’s designs, and the explosives strategically destroyed key points, warping the energies and falling into a hole in reality. The building crackled and flashed, the concrete and mortar breaking apart into a glowing black hole, through which monstrous fiends gibbered and danced.

“Mephistopheles!” Scott cried as the horrors poured out, made of flesh and sludge and shadow and fear; dripping, flying, marching, slithering forth in a daemonic parade of all shapes and sizes. The onlookers gasped as the legions of Hell came into the world, screaming, silent, or crying.

“Good sir, the army is ready.” Mephistopheles said, appearing beside Scott in a flash of fire. But he was not alone. There was a large, red, six-eyed, imposing daemon with seventeen horns, sneering imperiously down at them, his wings folded like a cape to conceal his body. There was a tall, lithe, dangerous-looking humanoid, his head ringed by insectoid eyes and a probing, drooling fly’s mouth. Knives, wands, and guns were strapped to his scantily-clad body, lovingly caressed by long-nailed fingers as his wings buzzed. There was a black-winged…obelisk, five feet tall and covered in constantly rotating eyes. And finally, there was a dark-cloaked, dark haired human looking woman with golden eyes playing disinterestedly on her cell phone.

“Allow me to introduce the main four Archdukes of Hell, and Supreme Overseer Daemons. Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Azazel, and Lilith.” Mephistopheles said, gesturing to each in turn.

“So. This is the whelp who dared cross us?” Asmodeus huffed, leaning down to look at Scott’s skeletal face.

“Hi there! Glad to be working wth you. Still sore about last time?” he said cheerfully. Asmodeus blew smoke form his nostrils.

“Rest assured, boy, that were the situation not so dire I would rend you down to your soul and crush it like an ant.” he growled.

“Good thing for me it is then. Have you been briefed, or should I explain it to you in words small enough you can understand?” Scott said brightly, and Amber jabbed him in his side.

“Don’t antagonize the daemon lord!” she said through gritted teeth.

“Your woman speaks truth. Heed her.” Asmodeus said, then stomped to the side.

We have been made aware of the situation. We will do what we can to aid you. Azazel spoke up somehow, in a voice like whispered fears. And due to the nature of both our bargain and the Serpent’s goal, we shall depart this world in peace when done. Rest assured.

“Zzzk, kan weee getz goinnng now? I’vv wanted to zzzzkin Delacroix vvvor awhile nnnow. Let’zzz go, go, go!” Beelzebub buzzed impatiently.

“Yeah, let’s do this. I’m getting bored.” Lilith said absently, texting. She shifted, and it was quickly and abundantly apparent she wasn’t wearing anything under her cloak.

“Um.” Scott muttered, casting his eyelights down from the…impressively stretched and buttoned fabric. Amber scowled, while Leo stared ramrod straight ahead, while Kevin, Crenshaw, and Will tried to be surreptitious in their glances. Lilith grinned, putting her hands above her head and stretching, making everyone notice.

“See something you like, bone boy?” she said, sidling up to Scott.

“Uh…” was all that came to his mind, super grateful he was just bones right now.

“He’s fine.” Amber said, squeezing next to Scott. Lilith winked at them.

“It’s okay. You’re welcome too. End of the universe, we should have some fun beforehand, go out with a bang.” Behind her, Scott and Amber saw every eye on the archdaemons go wide and they vigorously shook their heads at them.

“We’re okay.” Scott said, his voice high-pitched as Amber blushed and pulled him away from her.

“Down, girl. They’re not for you.” Mephistopheles admonished, picking up his cane threateningly. They could all see him start to sweat.

“Mmm, fine. But if you change our minds…” She winked and made her phone reappear.

“Yeah. Um. Right.” Scott said, trying to gather himself. He stared at the rest of the group, then rallied. “R-Right! Today, we are joined by the darkest denizens of the daemon dimension! A horde of Hell, ready to rip! But they are not the only ones!” he said into the microphone, then turned to Leo. “They here?”

Indeed.

The red sky burst into flame, a gigantic circle of fire opening up allowing a host of new monsters, strange tentacle beings, glowing furry beasts, singing eyes, iridescent insectoids, and spinning flaming wheels into the world. Most of them spread out across the sky into the horizon, but a contingent led by a golden eye, surrounded by six balls of fire descended to the deck, flanked by winged serpentine creatures with forty-seven legs apiece.

“We are joined by a heavenly host, servants of a god sent to protect and aid us! This is the turning point of everything! Not once has any of these beings, us included, have worked together like this, on this scale! But the time has come to cast aside former designations and come together as ONE! Together, we shall LIVE!”

Scott’s words reverberated through the city, to cheers and cries and curses, more than a few people and zombies crossing themselves or genuflecting.

“Lagdinras. So…good of you to come.” Mephistopheles said carefully.

Yes, it Is. We are Here to Spread the Light of Zet-Mathaig, Supreme Arbiter and Adjudicator.

Lagdinras communicated, the words appearing in their memories, nothing said physically or mentally.

We are Willing to Work with Vile beings such as You, provided You Fulfil your Part.

“Wouldn’t dream of anything else.” Mephistopheles said, but Scott found himself shepherded away by Asmodeus.

“Look filth, I do not like you. But I can tell you from experience, don’t trust that eyeball. He’s tricky.” the daemon whispered conspiratorially. Scott stared blankly back.

“Kay?” he said, and found himself in a steel grip as Asmodeus grabbed his shoulders, desperately staring into his eyelights.

“And for the love of anything you believe in, stay away from Lilith! Understand!?” he nearly screamed, trying to keep his voice a whisper.

“Got it.” Scott said flatly.

“Good.” Asmodeus released him, and Scott shook his head. Honestly, they were getting to be more trouble than they were worth. Crenshaw stepped forward, directing zombies to place wrapped packages on the deck.

“It’s not so impressive after demons and all that, but I’ve also brought something to the table, to bolster our conventional firepower.” He whipped the wrapping off one of them, revealing a large gun nearly four feet long, mounted on a tripod. “The Mk.19 automatic grenade launcher. Shoots M430 grenade rounds, at a rate of 60 rounds rapid, 40 sustained. Deadly within 5 meters, wounding range up to 15. Effective firing range about 1500 meters, maximum range 2212 meters. Normally mounted to tripods, they’re a little under a hundred pounds, so your zombies might be able to handle them alone. I brought five of them, with 4000 rounds per gun. Is this acceptable?” he explained.

“Crenshaw?” Scott asked. “I think I love you.”

“Ditto.” Cross said, going over and plunking down next to one, her entire being radiating MINE. The daemons sneered, but Cross could only smile at the superior firepower now at their disposal.

“Alright. This’s gonna be good! Mephistopheles, ready to go?” he asked the daemon, who bowed.

“Merely say the word we await your command.”

“Wait!” Everyone turned to see Dalton approach the deck, Brad nervously biting his nails in a corner. He came up to Scott, trembling and sweating. He wanted nothing more than to run away, but the horse-faced boy forced himself to stay put. “I-Iwannahelpyou!” he rushed out.

“Huh?” Scott said.

“L-Look. I…I heard what’s at stake here. I’m, I’m not much, b-but I got velociomanc-cy, so I f-figured…”He gulped down a lungful of air. “I, I gotta do my part. We all n-need to. Besides, n-no one ever said I h-had anything to offer before.” he said, looking down.

“Ah. Gotcha.” Scott ran a hand over his skull, thinking. Dalton wasn’t part of the strategy from here on out, and his demeanor and lack of combat experience would be a hindrance, not a help. Even the kids had more experience with life or death situations, combat, and knowledge of how to use their meager powers. They’d come out on top before, he could trust them. It took everything Dalton had just to stand there. But stand there he did, wanting to help. Scott couldn’t ignore that.

“Tell you what. This’s actually perfect. See, with your abilities, I’d have to re-plan our whole strategy around you, and even with velociomancy we don’t have the time. I expected you to up and run, to be honest. But you’re a lifesaver, or at least you’re gonna be.” He slid a boney arm around his flinching shoulders. “See, we gotta go cut off the source of the disturbances, but I’m worried about the place here. There’s a whole bunch of dimensional breaches and monsters running around, and the people here can’t be everywhere at once. Unless they have spells that can increase their speed to a million times infinity. Right?” he said, grinning.

“Right.” Dalton nodded back. “How can I help?”

“There’s an Abrams squaring off with some kind of octopus in Brooklyn. Backup won’t be there for at least twelve minutes.” Crenshaw said. Scott pointed.

“Y’see? There ya go! Just stick with the army guys, they’ll help you. But-hmm. Mephistopheles, can this guy get a bodyguard? One who can help identify the supernatural danger?”

“But of course.” Mephistopheles snapped his fingers, and a short, burly, bald, shirtless, lime-skinned daemon wielding scimitars appeared on the ship. “Astelocaccus here is a fine, experienced warrior. He will make an excellent protector for the lad.”

Hold.

A metallic birdlike creature with six wings stepped forward at Lagdinras’s command.

You shall Not Tempt a Magician with such Trickery. Verrinungan shall accompany Dalton, to Protect him as well.

“Good to meet you, Sir Dalton. I am Verrinungan.” the bird bowed, a ruby glittering on his chest before fluttering to Dalton’s shoulder.

“Ha! A liddle widdle birdie wantsta be a fighter.” Astelocaccus sneered. The gen glowed and Verrinungan shot a laser that just missed and singed Astelocaccus’s ear, freezing him mid-guffaw.

“I believe you will find my strength adequate.” he said, producing a tiny monocle and fastening it over his left eye.

“Yeah yeah, have a pissing contest later. You in too?” Scott called to Brad, huddled in his corner. “Pyromancy’d be a big help.

“No! Just let me go home!” Brad cried, trying to assume a fetal position. Scott shrugged.

“You heard ‘em. Get ‘em outta here.” Mephistopheles muttered and waved his hand, and both Brad and a Dalton who appeared to be regretting his life choices along with his congitent disappeared.

“They are at their desired locations. If everyone is ready, I believe we should depart.”

“Right! Everyone ready!” Scott shouted into the mic, receiving a chorus of cheers from the assembled armies.

“We have been for the last ten minutes.” Cross deadpanned.

“Then let’s go!” the skeleton thundered. Mephistopheles, along with the other four daemon lords, began to chant. The air began to quake, and vibrations ran through the ship and three armies. Black sparks broke out over everyone, and with a boom they vanished, spirited away to their final showdown.