Onyx dodged desperately, darting from smoke to flame, a dangerous dance at the very edge of a fiery death. If he flew too low the volcano would kill him. If he climbed too high the hunter Demons would find him. And of he stayed in the middle, he'd slowly roast to death.
He opened the mind link with his allies above. "I need help here. They keep trying to Dispel my wings, and this spell isn't that robust. Get me out of here, fast!"
Granwar's reply came almost instantly. "We've got problems too. This Marilith is a meat grinder to anyone who gets close, but if we give her any space she starts slinging spells. Find a hole and pull it in after you".
"No holes to find. Just lava below and demons above." Then, after a moment of desperate thought, the Shadow Dancer made the hard decision. "How do you call that Devil?"
Granwar knew the Catfolk was in deep trouble, if he was considering that recourse. But he replied. "He gave me a syllable of his true name, and his seal burned into my hand. I can begin the call, but after that, it's on you. Be careful."
Painfully long moments passed before he heard the oleaginous voice of Kyton in his mind.
"My, you do seem to have gotten yourself in a tight spot. I'm told you need help. What do you need?", came the casual question.
"I need a way out. Can you get me back up, past these things, and back to my friends?", Onyx asked.
"I'm sorry, but I can only carry a small amount when I Teleport, and I myself can't fly. But I can see that you're in a hurry, so..."
And suddenly, the slow, searing pain stopped. The clouds of burning sulfurous smoke seemed to freeze in place, and Onyx found his forward motion instantly, painlessly halted.
"So much better. We're now in that moment between heartbeats, that instant of time that doesn't really exist, when deals are made.", came the Devil's voice into Onyx' mind. "I can take you completely away, of course, off of this plane of existence entirely. If we can agree on a price."
"I'll give you another 10% of my soul. That's the going rate, isn't it? And how would I get back?", Onyx asked.
"That's a special rate I offer to your friend, as he arranged with me. You have no such arrangement. I own the tenth. I want the rest.", the Devil replied, again as if he had all of the time in the world.
"No. I won't barter more than half.", Onyx insisted, determined not to let the fiend ever gain true control.
"Mmmm. Half it is then. Oh wait, was that half for this service, or four tenths, for half total?", came the questioning reply.
"Half total!", Onyx responded angrily. But the Devil had him over a barrel and he knew it.
"Agreed. And I promise that you will be left within sight of a natural portal back to your own world. I honestly don't know exactly where it comes out though.", replied Kyton, apology in his voice.
Then Onyx felt a hand upon his shoulder, and time began to move again. His vision went dark, and for a instant stretch of eternity his insides felt as if they were being tied into sailor's knots. The he and the Kyton were standing on a blasted plane beneath an insane sky filled with roaring red and midnight black..
"Welcome to Hell, Onyx.", said Kyton as he released the cat-man's shoulder. "As you can see, there is a portal right over there. You are free to negotiate passage with the fiends set to guard it. I'm sure they'll be reasonable."