Haagenti strolled along the rooftops of Shal-Mari, watching the lights of the city three or 
four stories below.  He was in the lower section of town, where the buildings were all pretty 
much of even height - far from the Ultra Plaza downtown that was Andrealphus's base of 
operations, or the Infernal Megamedia building that had been Nybbas's domain.  A latticework of 
wooden boards and riveted metal sheets crossed between the roofs of these low-slung edifices, 
making a convenient walkway for anyone who knew about it.

A fair number of demons were aware of the network of walkways, but very few used it; it was 
certain to have been noticed by Infernal Megamedia's cruising camera helicopters, for instance, 
but the demons operating the helicopters rarely got enough of a break to be able to use the 
paths that they saw.  So Haagenti was, for the most part, guaranteed solitude when he walked 
the rooftops, and he had been taking advantage of that solitude more and more in recent days.

Today, it seemed, was not one of those days.  A shape, little more than a shadow, detached 
itself from one of the smokestacks that littered Fleurity's bit of Hell and flitted over toward 
Haagenti, silently, swiftly, without the Prince in question even being aware.  As Haagenti 
stepped onto one of the narrow planks above an alley, the shadow slid up behind him, mimicking 
the Prince's movements, and then leaned forward, grinning white teeth gleaming against the 
shadow.

"Boo," said Kobal.

Haagenti didn't miss a step.  "Dear brother," he said softly, "I should think trickery like 
that to be beneath you."

Kobal shifted into his normal human form.  "Well, I *was* dark, it's hard to be a shadow 
without being dark, and I thought it was funny... you're not laughing, Haggy, what's the 
matter?"

Haagenti cringed.  "You know I hate that name," he muttered.  "Kobal, a lot of Princes have 
been dying recently, or returning to Heaven.  There's a new order coming, and I hate to say it, 
but the people planning it don't really see a place there for Dark Humor."  He turned to his 
brother, who was idly standing on his head.  "They're saying that they're going to be making a 
council like the one Heaven has.  A Circle of Sins, or something like that.  I've been 
included, and Andre, but..."  He shrugged.  "Unless we can get you bumped up to Wrath..."

Kobal walked on his hands over to his adopted brother.  "Haven't I survived all of the coup 
attempts we've had so far?  Hell, haven't I orchestrated half of them?  I'll be fine, Haggy.  
Don't worry."  He did a half-cartwheel, and when he landed he was wearing a jester's costume.  
"Even the Lightbringer needs someone to make him laugh."

Haagenti smiled through gritted teeth. "I'm glad you're so confident, Kobal.  I don't think I 
would be, if I were in your position."

The Prince of Dark Humor laughed, his bells jingling.  "Don't underestimate me, brother.  I may 
be only an Impudite, I may not be dedicated to war, but I can defend myself."  His eyes glazed 
for a moment.  "Three... two.. one.."  There was an explosion from three blocks away, and Kobal 
ran to the edge of the roof to look; Haagenti followed at a much more leisurely pace.  By the 
time he got to the edge, Kobal was in a general's outfit.  "See?  Careful application of lethal 
force.  That was one of Mammon's casinos.  Notice the flames reaching to the sky?  None of the 
buildings around will be harmed, because I've fireproofed them - ah, there goes the Song of 
Shields now - but we'll all get a good laugh at Mammon's expense.  Why?  Because he was stupid.  
Because his security was lax.  Because he allowed a Habbalite who'd overdosed on his own 
emptiness to walk into his casino with a rapidly-advancing degenerative skin condition and 
subcutaneous bags of napalm.  Best part is, the Habbalite was about to redeem, so getting rid 
of him means we keep all our secrets in the family, eh?"  He grinned and nudged Haagenti.

Haagenti nodded and turned away.  "It does indeed, brother.  And thank you for destroying one 
of that disgusting pig's strongholds.  Let's hope it was a Tether locus too."

"No," said Kobal, now a radio operator with headset and telegraph book.  "We'd have heard if it 
were a Tether.  Unless the Shield is blocking the noise out..."

There was a deafening bang and both Princes were staggered as the shockwave from the Tether's 
destruction passed over and through them.  "Well," said Kobal, as a game show host, "whaddya 
know.  Mammon zero, me *two*.  Oh, he's gonna love me tomorrow."

Haagenti walked to the opposite end of the roof.  "Look," he said, "here comes the wave of 
onlookers.  Five-minute response time; everybody must be worried about recent events."  He 
turned to look at his brother, who now, in a mime's outfit, was feeling his way around an 
invisible wall.  "Cut that out," Haagenti said irritably.  "You know I hate that mime crap."

"No," said Kobal, in a soft voice.  "There's really a wall here."  He reached a corner and it 
became apparent that he was inside the box.  A whistling noise began to pierce the air from 
above them, and Haagenti and Kobal both looked up to see a bomb hurtling down at the rooftop, 
painted yellow with a black "Have A Nice Day" face inscribed on the nose.  "Haagenti," Kobal 
yelled, "run --"

Haagenti leapt off the roof just as the bomb exploded, tumbling to his feet in the alley below.  
He thought it odd that he couldn't see any debris in the five seconds or so before he 
remembered the invisible wall; jumping with all his might, he caught the edge of the roof and 
pulled himself up.

The roof had been blackened in a ten-foot square that ended very abruptly.  Just off-center was 
the body of Kobal, already beginning to scatter as Mariel plunged a dagger again and again into 
his unmoving form.  "Mariel!" shouted Haagenti.  "He's gone - you can stop."  Only then did 
Mariel seem to realize that her target was dissipating, and she let out a long sigh and stood.  
"What the hell was that all about?" asked the Prince of Gluttony, stepping to the very edge of 
the blackened square.  "When did you intend to tell me that you were going to kill my brother?"

Mariel sniffed, and wiped the grease from her hand onto the shift she was wearing.  "If you'd 
known, you would have tried to get him out."

"No kidding!" Haagenti yelled.  "You think I'd stand idly by while you murdered my brother?"

"Relax, Haagenti," she murmured, dropping the invisible wall and stepping up to him.  "He would 
have died eventually, anyway.  At least we saved him the pain of a new infernal order made 
without him in mind."  She slid the dagger back into her shift.  "Besides, I know you.  You 
won't mourn him for too long."

"Get away from me," growled Haagenti, and stepped back.  In the time it took Mariel to blurt 
out a confused "Wait!", he had gone backward over the edge of the rooftop.  By the time she 
reached the edge and looked down, he was gone.