Trigon the terrible, third baron of hell, mightiest of the Belzulkir's was intrigued.
The news had reached him mere moments ago. a new soul had entered the abyss, but not just any soul. No THIS soul had been touched by true darkness, this was the soul of one who was as a fiend upon the earth
This soul was known as Slade.
He stood before Trigon now. Battered and torn from his battles in reaching the throne of skulls, battles in which he had triumphed over some of the mightiest demons under Trigon's dominion.
Despite his wounds and the awesome presence of a demon lord, Slade stood straight and tall fixing the demon with a stern unyielding stare.
The mightiest of Balors trembled at the very mention of his coming… yet this mortal dared to stand before him! Despite himself, Trigon was impressed and that was the sole reason he had yet to obliterate the arrogant little upstart.
"Would I be addressing the magnificence that is Trigon the terrible?" the voice was cold, hard revealing nothing save a slight hint of the sardonic, this was a man of strength Trigon didn't doubt that.
"You would mortal; now tell me why I shouldn't condemn thy soul to torment eternal for thine arrogance"
The cultured tones seemed strange, coming as they did from a being known as the paragon of slaughter, yet if Slade was surprised or intimidated by this he gave no sign,
his one visible eye not wavering in the slightest as he spoke
"Because I'm the first mortal in over a century to appear before you like this, because I bested your finest warriors…because I have something you want"
Trigon laughed at that, a deep booming sound filled with the echoes of blood and conflict that were his namesake.
"And what might one such as you presume to offer me? Me? Trigon Mightiest of these 12 layers of the abyss"
Little did he know that Slade's reply would leave him cold.
"I offer you the means to bring your wayward daughter home"
For the slightest instant Slade thought that he might have pushed the volatile demon-lord too far, the flames wreathing Trigon had grown both in size and intensity, and when the demon next spoke his voice lacked the cultured archaic tones it had previously held
"What do you know of such things?"
"Give me some credit, I could taste her power the moment I saw her, had it not been for 'other concerns' I would have dealt with her sooner"
"What makes you think I care about what or who my 'daughter' is amusing herself with?"
"I know that, for you to be free she must accept you, give in to the rage that smoulders deep within her soul. I can make this happen, I can drive her from her fiends, force her from those she holds dear until she welcomes you with open arms"
Smothering his annoyance at this knat's temerity Trigon kept his tone civil as befitted a demon of his station
"You presume much, but let us assume that I choose to humour your little boast mortal, what do you wish in return"
The reply was immediate and expected
"Power, dominion, immortality."
Trigon shifted in his throne and smiled; perhaps this arrangement would not be quite so odious after all
"How do you plan on achieving your goal?"
"By awakening the girl to what she is. The Titans know and love Raven the girl, we shall see how they feel about Raven daughter of Trigon."
Trigon stood, all doubt erased form his mind, here stood one worthy of being his hand upon the earth, such deviousness should be carefully nurtured and watched, lest it give the mortal ideas above his station.
"You have a deal mortal. From this moment on you are my herald, my right hand upon the earth. Do my will and worlds shall tremble at the mention your name. Fail and"
Trigon trailed off, humans were such inventive creatures and whatever torture the man before him could devise would most likely be more deliciously ironic then his own should the event arise.
Slade dropped into a deep bow, head bent and arm clasped to his chest; the picture of the perfect servant "Your will be done…master…"