Abe walked through the hallway then spotted a flaming Liz. He approached her cautiously. Liz looked up as he approached.
"Even without the piece, we have to get him out of here," Liz said. "We'll go to Antrim, and we will find the Prince. And get Maizie back."
Manning's voice echoed in the hallway and Abe looked back. Liz grabbed his arm then powered down her flames.
"Abe!" She spoke. "Just the two of us."
Abe nodded, "Yes. Yes."
She indicated the direction of where they should go with a jerk of her head, and she left. Abe stood there for a moment. A feeling of betrayal snaked up his spine. He didn't tell her he had found it. He was even more conflicted than ever before. He hid it for Nuala, but he also wanted Maizie back.
He turned and followed Liz. But then he shifted direction as he went to the hangar where there was a small airplane. He started it up as he waited for Liz and Hellboy. He got off the plane and went through the hangar space then into the hallway where Liz and Hellboy walked towards him.
"We need to leave now, before they run our clearance upstairs," Abe said as they got closer.
Abe turned as they heard Krauss's voice, "Guten Abend, meine Freunde. Do you have authorization to take that plane?"
Liz pulled out her gun, "You're not gonna stop us, Johann."
Krauss stopped, "On the contrary, I've been giving it some thought, and we should be able to save Agent Hellboy." He threw a little red bag and Abe caught it. "You say I'm not human anymore, but you are wrong."
As Abe emptied out the little bag to reveal a wedding ring. Krauss continued, "I understand your pain all too well. A long time ago, I lost the woman I loved. And that was, in fact, the source of my present misfortune. I will tell you about it one day. But for now, the tactical advantage is ours."
"Consider this," Krauss kept speaking, "the Prince lacks the crown piece and without it, his army poses no threat."
"So, we have clearance, then?" Liz asked.
"Agent Sherman, Liz, screw the clearance," Krauss said. "We will take that plane!"
Liz smiled as she holstered her gun. Abe helped her bring Hellboy into the plane with Krauss following. As they settled into their seats, Abe started up the plane and got it running out to fly. Once they were in the air, he set on the automatic so it would fly for them until it got close.
He sat next to Hellboy, who was weak still. He turned to Abe.
"You know Abe," he whispered.
Abe turned to him, "What?"
"She isn't the one for you."
"What? Who?"
"The Princess," Hellboy said. "She ain't it for you."
After a long ride, the plane finally neared their destination. Abe jumped back into the cockpit and landed it in a safe place. When they arrived, the sun had just risen. They walked out of it into the bright sunlight. It took them awhile, but they walked a long distance until they reached where they needed to go.
Abe opened the map, "It should be here someplace. The entrance should be here."
They all stopped as they looked around.
"I don't understand," Abe said as he folded the map.
"Perhaps there's a mistake on the map," Krauss commented.
Nobody responded as they continued to look. Hellboy winced in pain. They needed to hurry. A voice caught their attention. They looked to see a disabled goblin.
"Hello there! I bid you welcome, strangers," he spoke to them. His voice deep and gravely. His body was attached to a type of wheelbarrow. "How can I be of assistance?"
"We seek safe passage to Bethmoora," Liz told him.
"And what does a nice little girl like you want in the nightlands?"
"We're looking for Prince Nuada," Liz explained.
The goblin shook his head, "Him, I know. Trade me something, and I'll take you to him."
Liz looked down to her belt, "Here, I have a shiny belt."
He looked at her then gestured to his bottom half, of which it was non-existent, "But I have no pants."
She tried again. She opened a little sack on her hip and pulled out a pair of binoculars, "Look, a wonderful set of magic eyes."
The goblin rolled his eyes, "I already have binoculars." He looked closely at Hellboy. "But I see something special, something shiny underneath the bandages." He pointed to it. "I want that."
Liz shook her head furiously as she put the binoculars away, "No. You can't take it out. Not without killing him." She put her hand on Hellboy's chest, and he touched her hand.
The little creature considered for a moment, "Maybe I know someone who can. Will you trade me then?"
Liz hesitated but gave him a nod. The goblin then lifted a whistle and blew on it. As they watched, a large rock lifted in the air from the ground. It looked like a large fist. Then another lifted until the entire body of rock that looked like a man settled. The four of them plus the goblin walked into a small space that led into their destination. They walked on a pathway. Rocks fell behind them, closing the doorway.
They were in what looked like a large rocky cavern. The goblin rolled forward until he was in front of them.
"You should've seen this city when it was alive."
"What happened to it?" Abe asked curiously.
"Curse," The goblin replied. "As soon as the Golden Army was stored here, a plague of silence and death befell us. And the world left us behind."
He led them onto a different path that took them to a different rock structure. This one had a strange circle on it with a large space in the middle of it. He walked them to it as he talked.
"For a long time, I alone dwelled in the dust," the goblin commented. He stopped them at the entrance of the structure. "All right, little girl, the two of you come inside. The rest of you, wait out here."
The goblin led Liz and Hellboy into the structure while Abe and Krauss stayed behind.
"Hello, old friend," the goblin spoke. "I have brought you visitors." The goblin kept going while Liz and Hellboy stopped. A creature with wings sat in the middle of the room, a light shining on him. "And I have a favor to ask you."
The creature spread his wings in response, "I owe no favor to you, goblin. Leave." He shook his hand at him.
"But I have done so much for you. I have brought you many souvenirs," the goblin begged. The creature ignored him as he picked up a stick and grazed it on the ground in front of him. "And he has something shiny."
Hellboy stumbled forward and Liz held him up. The creature finally took notice of them.
"Red!" Liz cried out as Hellboy fell to his knees then fell on his side.
The creature watched them and pointed a finger towards them, "Anung un Rama." A raspy voice came from it.
Liz looked up at it as she crouched over Hellboy, "You know that name?"
"And yours, Elizabeth Sherman," the creature replied. He laughed as he stood up, his wings spreading wide. Grey feathers sported eyeballs alongside the top of his wings. He seemed to tower over them. "At last. I have been waiting for you both many a winter moon." He flipped a cloth over his head, revealing a face. A shape formed the top of its' head, and the bottom was almost human with teeth and nose.
"I am his death," he continued, "and I will meet him at each crossroads."
The goblin interrupted, "Good. But when can I have that which is mine?"
Liz looked at the creature, "Can you save him?"
"It is for you to decide that. It is all the same to me. My heart is filled with dust and sand, but you should know it is his destiny to bring about the destruction of the Earth. Your seer has seen it," the creature explained as he spread his arms. "Not now. Not tomorrow, but soon enough." Wind blew through and Liz saw a picture of a small version of Hellboy. "Knowing that, you still want him to live?"
Liz looked down at an unconscious Hellboy then looked back up only to have the creature in her face. It had moved to them.
"So, child, make the choice. The world or him?"
His voice rasped through her head as she barely had to think about it. It wasn't a hard choice.
"Him."
The creature cocked his head at her, "The time will come and you, my dear, will suffer more than anyone."
"I'll deal with it," she said. "Now save him."
"It is done," the creature spread its hands towards Hellboy. The silver spear in his hand. He stood up with a laugh. "I have done what I can. Now, give him a reason to love."
The creature disappeared. The spear dropped to the ground and the goblin picked it up. Liz looked at Hellboy and leaned down. She whispered over his ear.
"Listen to me, you big ape. You have to get up. You have to get up, cause you're gonna be a father," Liz said then kissed his cheek.
Hellboy opened his eyes and turned his head to her. They both got up, standing in front of one another. They stared into each other's eyes.
"I become…father?" Hellboy asked. Liz nodded. Hellboy leaned forward and they met, forehead against forehead.
"Well," the goblin interrupted. "This is all very touching, but if you still want to meet Nuada, we have to leave now."
Hellboy ripped off the bandage, "Ready."