(Demon III #38, 39) - Harry and Katarina, unable to physically express their newfound love sang a romantic duet. Etrigan and company returned from the Impenetrable Fortress with the Thing-That-Cannot-Die, who was the one who’d stolen Belial’s heart. The Thing got hungry and ate the heart, so Etrigan performed a spell from the Eternity Book to make a new one for Belial. Belial placed the new heart in his chest and grumbled about the loss of his old one, he said it was serviceable enough. Belial reunited Harry with his soul, but Harry remained a seat cushion, and Belial admitted he lied when he said having his soul back would revert Harry to normal. Harry fumed while Belial, Etrigan, Lobo and Morax all laughed at him. Etrigan revealed the real reason he’d agreed to save Harry’s soul. He’d found a spell in the Eternity Book that would let a prince of Hell rule as overlord for one day a year if he returned a human soul without asking for a reward. Etrigan completed the spell over Belial’s objections, but the magic was booby trapped, and once the spell was finished Etrigan found himself on fire, and was soon burned down to his bones. Merlin revealed himself and bragged that he’d put that spell in the Eternity Book as a trap for his hated half-brother. Merlin and Belial gloated about Etrigan’s death, infuriating the Thing because he liked Jason Blood. He scorched off Merlin’s beard with his flame breathe and engaged him in a brief magical duel before being stepped on by Belial. Morax and Lobo decided to finish what the Thing started and attacked. They were winning the battle when Etrigan appeared, revealing that he’d cast a spell earlier to create a magical duplicate, having a suspicion that the Eternity Book spell was cursed. Merlin looked around for his Eternity Book, but the Thing had devoured it. After brutalizing Belial and Merlin Etrigan ripped Belial’s heart out again, and placed Merlin inside his chest cavity. He then sealed the wound with hellfire and buried Belial in a deep grave. Etrigan took Harry and his new female pillow  friend Katarina de la Kush and told Morax he was leaving Hell with Lobo. They rode to one of the gates exiting Hell, and Etrigan told Lobo he’d have to fight the gatekeeper, an enormous dog demon. Lobo was having a difficult time, so the Thing, having stowed away in Etrigan’s trunk, said he’d help finish the guardian if Etrigan took him out of Hell. Etrigan agreed, and because the Thing was cautious about trusting him, he cut his own hand and shook on a blood oath. The Thing helped Lobo, true to his word, but Etrigan broke his and left him behind. The Thing sobbed, being once again alone. Etrigan and Lobo unwound from their quest by downing beers at a Gotham City bar.

Comments: Created by Alan Grant & Rich Hedden.