Author's note:

Forgive me for any medical inaccuracies


Chapter 34: Bled unto Oblivion

"I don't need a fucking hospital!" the man grumbled angrily, he was combining the strongest painkillers he had with straight whiskey. He poured the vile concoction into a glass, gulping it down quickly, knowing fully well not to combine the two. He slammed his fist on the table for he was in great agony, the alcohol burning his throat.

"Sonuvabitch this hurts".

"Then stop moving" Lucifer was slightly annoyed at him for interrupting her bath, her white hair was wrapped in a black towel. The devil was wondering how best to remove the knife embedded in his shoulder.

"Fuck off you smoking bitch" he looked to his right, waving his hand in front of his face to dissipate the cigarette smoke. Zdrada laughed, punching him in his right arm,

"There he is!". She then stubbed her cigarette out on his bare arm.

"FUCK OFF!" he shouted, clenching his fists tighter, the anger and pain consuming him.

It had been two weeks since he had returned from Hell and already he was at his breaking point, the man winced as Lucifer began pulling the knife out of his shoulder.

"Zdrada just take it back" Lucifer was implying Zdrada demanifested the dagger.

"Just take it out!" he was desperate, the sharp pain becoming unbearable.

"Fine!" Lucifer pulled it out in one quick movement.

"GAH!" he gasped, slamming his fist on the table again. He took in a deep breath, calming himself, exhaling out his nostrils. The man instantly moved to grab a thick white bandage, rubbing alcohol as well as medical tape off the kitchen table. He would stitch it up later.

Zdrada turned to look at her sister approaching, she was holding an empty bottle of vodka, she did not look happy.

"Hey! We have run out of Vodka, AGAIN!" she turned the bottle upside down shaking it slightly, holding a hand underneath it to indicate it's emptiness.

"Here let me help" Lucifer said, taking the gauze tape and bandage from him. He had already applied the rubbing alcohol to his wound silently wincing as he did so.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Take your shirt off" the devil said ignoring his question. He obeyed, still not acknowledging the Sour Demon.

"Hey!" it was now Malina's turn to punch the Helltaker, this time on his left shoulder blade, just below the stab wound. He clenched his fists again to suppress the agony, releasing a pained gasp through gritted teeth.

"What" he said finally turning to face Malina, wincing as Lucifer roughly applied the bandage.

"We have ran out of alcohol, you said you'd go get some more!" Malina was gripping the bottle tightly, her anger also building.

"I'm sorry, I've been busy. I'll go as soon as I can" he was just so tired, he couldn't be bothered to deal with any of them right now. Suddenly, Malina's hand clenched so tight that the bottle shattered, glass raining onto the kitchen floor.

"Not good enough" Malina was tempted to attack the Helltaker, a large shard of the bottle in her right hand could have been the next sharp weapon to draw the man's blood.

"Look, I'm sorry I broke your phone. You broke mine as payback, okay? We're even on that front. As soon as Lucife-GAH!" he gasped as he felt something strange entering his wound, he turned his head to look. A strange orange light was flowing from Lucifer's hand into his shallow wound.

"The fuc-".

"Just be quiet, this will only hurt a bit".

"You've never done this before" the human made brief eye contact with the devil. Thank you...".

He was lucky that she was willing to tolerate him, willing to heal him during these early days of living together, for the devil did not love the human...yet. He received no reply, turning back to face the Sour Demon.

"As soon as Lucifer's done doing whatever she's doing, I'll go to the store". Malina didn't care about his apology, she threw the large shards that were in her hand at him. He blocked the shards of glass with his forearm, thankfully none of them embedded themselves in his flesh.

The demon then stormed off, crunching through the broken glass on the kitchen floor, walking the debris into the lounge.

"There" Lucifer tightened the gauze that was wrapped around his torso. He winced again, mentally pleading for this to be the last of the pain he would be subjected to for today. "It should be fully healed by tomorrow" she stood up.

"Wait- really? Thanks Lucy, I owe you one" he took his shirt off the back of the chair, putting his arms through it.

"Damn right you do" the devil was already leaving the kitchen.

He was now left alone with Zdrada, the demon in question had manifested another cigarette and had already lit it. She was blowing another wave of smoke into his face, he now held his hairy, unshaven face in both of his hands.

The man sighed in despair, part of him wishing he never went down there. This was going to be a short life, full of suffering he thought to himself, these demons were going to be the death of him.

Cerberus wanted to play constantly, Modeus wanted to fuck...constantly, Pandemonica wanted to hurt him, Lucifer fought for attention, being angry when she didn't receive it. Malina wanted to get drunk and game every night, Zdrada was just a fucking annoying masochist bitch.

He was thinking like Malina. Justice, Judgement and Azazel were the only ones he could properly relax around, none of them wanting anything from him. Azazel's constant questioning did get on his nerves sometimes.

Could you imagine if there was more demon girls in this harem? His mind was having a conversation with itself. Eleven is enough, I think one more would actually kill me. He looked over at Zdrada, she currently was looking at her phone, typing with both hands while holding the cigarette with her lips.

I think if I were to let another demon girl into this harem...it would be a mature one, someone else to put up with the other's bullshit. He poured another glass of whiskey, drinking it straight, gasping as the alcohol hit him.

He was staring into the bottom of the glass, wondering how he could get to the store without getting pulled over on the way there.

"AHH what the fuck!" he turned to glare at his attacker, a sharp tail had cut into him slightly on his right forearm, blood dripping slowly from the incision. Zdrada giggled, her tail hoovering near his arm.

"Want another one?".

"Fuck you" the Helltaker grabbed hold of the base of the black tail and threw it back to Zdrada. He had yet to learn to control his anger towards her. She thrived off of annoying him, a fact he needed to learn. "

I bet you'd like that" Zdrada's eyes narrowed slightly as she smirked.

"Shut the fuck up" he took another slug of whiskey, this time straight from the bottle, he needed more alcohol to deal with Zdrada, to deal with any of them right now.

"Or what? You gonna punish me? You know I've been a bad girl recently" she gestured to his bleeding arm, her masochist side beginning to show... again. She placed an index finger onto his wound, pushing it deeper into the small cut.

Blood now soaked the tip of her finger as well as the fingernail, the liquid dripping off of it, the demon brought her finger up to her mouth and using her long tongue, lapped up every drop.

"You'd like that wouldn't you, dirty bitch" he now stood up from the table, deciding he couldn't endure anymore sadism or masochism. He also decided it best not to drink the entire bottle.

"Oh please, insult me more" Zdrada faked a moan as she spoke.

The Helltaker opened one of the cupboards above the counter-tops, sliding the bottle to the back, hiding it slightly.

"I'd rather be spanked than insulted" Zdrada knew she was making him uncomfortable, always getting on the Helltaker's nerves. The man in question was just about to reply with another insult but he heard the signature sound of Pandemonica's loud boots coming down the stairs.

"Oh shit, the five fifteen espresso!" he leapt over to the espresso machine.

Zdrada died with laughter seeing him suffer both now...and when the caffeine had hit.


"I'm sorry I've been a bitch to you over the years" Zdrada was sat in exactly the same chair she had slept in last night, but this time she had dragged the chair over to the Helltaker's bedside. She received no reply, the man had yet to wake from his coma.

"Sorry that I spilt ash on your bedroom floor too" she looked over to the black stain that she made last night on the cream carpet.

The demon didn't know why she was expecting a reply, or an insult, or a scolding of some sort...but of course none came. The man was still in his outfit from yesterday, his red shirt with one sleeve ripped off and his grimy, sodden, blood stained suit pants. His right white suit leg had been cut open and torn away, the material was blocking

the demon's access to his thigh, they needed it gone to easily mend his wound. With one sleeve and one pant leg missing, a bruised face and shallow, raspy breathing he sure was a sorry sight.

In the morning, Justice had asked where is sunglasses were, eventually noticing that they were no longer on his face. Malina was the one to tell her that they had been broken when the muggers had attacked, the brutal kicks had caused him to collapse onto them as he fell unconscious.

His own weight crushing them.

However, the other demons did not know it yet, but Justice had retrieved what was left of those glasses from his breast pocket.

At the moment, Zdrada was sat alone in his bedroom, but each demon had come and visited him individually. It was exactly like being in Hell's infirmary again. They didn't know it, but he was listening to each and everyone of them speaking to him, trapped in his own head...again.

"Hope you can wake up soon, already getting kinda quiet around the house...after a single fucking day" she heard footsteps approaching the bedroom door, "Besides I hate speaking to myself". The door opened and Beelzebub entered.

"Oh, hey. I didn't think there was anyone up here" she went over to grab the other chair that Justice had used as a bed last night, lifting it, and carrying it over, placing it next to Zdrada. Beelzebub edged her chair to sit closer to the man, closer than Zdrada was.

The Bitch Demon was suddenly aware of the awkward situation that she was backing herself into, but part of her decided to just roll with it. Beelzebub took off her gloves, rolling up her tight red sleeves, the white fly cuffs becoming hidden. She held out both her bare hands, clapping them together twice before conjuring her abyssal magic. Zdrada was slightly panicked by this sight.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Beelzebub seeing Zdrada look down at her hands then directly at the elder demon.

"My dear, when did you ever care about safety?" she teased, beginning the conjurations, the black energy flowing from all of her fingertips into his right thigh. The man made a barely audible moan, his body tensing for a moment before relaxing, adapting to the magic that was flowing into him.

Zdrada was initially concerned, but she relaxed upon seeing how professional Beelzebub was in her work.

"Relax my dear, the magic I use and the types you all use are practically the same. Lucifer handles the food and water, I'm just here to top up his blood". She was dumbing it down. This was a slight comfort to Zdrada, but her eyes lingered on the fluid movements of the other's hand, making sure she didn't try anything.

"We don't talk much...you and I" this point making Zdrada incredibly nervous, the one topic she wished to avoid.

"I wonder why that is" her mind instantly turning to sarcasm as a defence mechanism.

"Because I took him from you...from you all". Beelzebub addressing the elephant in the room almost instantly, they hadn't even been talking for more than a minute.

...

. . . . . . . . . . .

Silence.

Tense eerie Silence...

"You know he fucking hit me, you...made him...fucking hit me". Beelzebub paused channeling energy into the man, the black essence stopped flowing, disappearing entirely. Her head was tilted down, looking at her hands.

"He would never hit me" Zdrada was surprisingly calm during this confrontation. She wanted to lash out, she wanted to see blood...which wasn't his. Her fiery temper bubbling intensely but she kept a lid on it for now, remaining calm and in control. "No, he would not" is all the Great Fly could say.

"You're a fucking cunt" the demon spat, again not receiving a reply. Beelzebub sighed, beginning to feed her energy into him again. "At least have the balls and tell me why you did it", Zdrada clicked her fingers together trying to manifest a cigarette, forgetting that she had none stored.

Force of habit.

"Why would anyone do it?" Beelzebub didn't look up from her work. "

Because they're a selfish bitch?" the bitch herself sniggering.

"For love" Beelzebub's face turned a shade of red, blushing deeply, she suddenly became aware that he might be listening to them speak. He was.

"For love?" Zdrada made a sound mimicking vomiting, "Don't make me laugh".

"Think what you like little one". Frosty silence descended upon the two again, Beelzebub continuing her work, leaning forward, her elbows resting on her knees. Zdrada was leaning back in her chair, arms crossed, the craving for a cigarette was slowly building.

"You wanted to control his mind, keeping him for yourself...because you love him?" Zdrada adjusted her smaller black bracelet on her left wrist. Again The Sovereign of Pestilence was silent.

"Forgive me, but I think love has to involve two people, not one overly attached megalomaniac and the walking corpse of a man". These relentless insults...Zdrada would dish them out to everyone in her own special way and as usual they got under the skin. Now, the insults she was firing were gradually infuriating Beelzebub, the demon's hands were beginning to tremble.

"Ya done?" the older demon decided to reply with sass.

"I'm just getting started, I could go all day" Zdrada licked her lips, twirling a strand of white hair between her index finger and thumb.

For once, Zdrada decided to drop the hostile attitude, there was no point in annoying someone during this stressful time.

Once he was awake she could annoy him again.

The demon turned to look around the room having never spent this long in his bedroom before, gazing over the furniture and pictures. She spied a small photo collage mounted on the wall; it was a collection of images she had never seen before.

Glancing back over to The Warden of Decay, she stood, walking over to the wall to get a better look at the collage. She stood a few feet away from the silver grid analysing each photo slowly.

There were childhood photos from places Zdrada did not recognise; a remote farmstead surrounded by wheat fields, a viewpoint looking over an entire valley. In one of them, a small boy was sat on the leg of what Zdrada presumed to be his father, they were both sat on a blue tractor.

In another, there was a blond haired woman in a bikini with the same boy sat on the sand next to her wearing blue swimming shorts, it looked like a beautiful day. In the bottom right, a photo of a younger Helltaker in a khaki military uniform was stood next to a ginger haired woman in an identical outfit.

In the last photo, the camera was behind the Helltaker, he was leaning over the railing of some sort of battleship, there were strange black planes flying overhead, the sun was setting over an endless ocean.

"I look at those photos often...I'd ask him questions about his past life" Beelzebub speaking aloud now. "It's funny to think...looking at those photos...he has lived a better life than I" the demon let loose a dry chuckle.

"And I'm almost four billion years old". It was Zdrada's turn to remain silent, she felt the tiniest drop of sympathy for Beelzebub forming, but before she could express this sympathy the demon had already spoken her mind.

"You deserve it".

The usually heartless demon actually felt bad, placing her right hand over her mouth. Zdrada would insult everyone on a regular basis, not out of spite...just for fun.

"I'm sorry" Zdrada whispered.

"No, you're right my dear. I don't deserve a better life". Zdrada heard Beelzebub cease her channeling. "I have done nothing to better myself, all my life I've sought the throne, I've sought domination, to rule". Zdrada moved over to the table she and Justice sat at the previous night, taking the family photo in her hands again.

"I've been imprisoned for half my life, but as soon as I obtain freedom...it is taken away from me".

Zdrada was still listening, but now her sympathy was focused on the photography in front of her; she felt Beelzebub should have been included within the family photo. There must be another one she had taken which included all of them like this.

"I don't deserve him...".

No you don't.

"I don't deserve this family".

No, you most certainly don't!

"I think about leaving you know? Everyday I just- I'd like to leave and start a new honest life".

Leave then...

"Maybe I will, once I know he will be alright".

"Do you know how he got this photo?" Zdrada showed Beelzebub the framed photo, turning her back on the small table.

"I gifted it to him, I stole one of your photographs from that sketch book...sorry". Zdrada's eyes moved from the other demon, then down at the framed photograph.

She simply turned back to face the table, returning the frame back to it's original position. Beelzebub watched as the younger demon headed for the door, she sighed returning to her channeling.

"You know...if you leave...Lucifer will have no one to compete with...to argue with" Zdrada said without turning around. Beelzebub too did not turn around. "Pandemonica and Judgement will have no one to bully...Azazel will have no one to study when it comes to her new project..."

A small groan from the Helltaker interrupted her little speech.

"Me and Malina, we- no one else other than Lucifer remembers our childhood.."

Tears were forming in the white horned demon's eyes.

"You were there..."

The tears were now falling, but she did not make a noise.

"He will never forgive himself".


The first day in a coma rolled by slowly, each demon had come to visit him at regular intervals throughout the course of the day, he would listen to them, one by one. All of them were quite sad, Modeus and Azazel being especially teary.

Despite this, the Helltaker was slightly thankful for the respite, but he hated being trapped in his own mind.

So he spent this time being productive...somewhat. He dug deep through his tainted, blurred memories trying to solve the question he longed to know the answer for: What was his name? He knew that he had one before...before it was ripped from him.

Once he had returned from overseas, received therapy and resumed a normal life, he sought the same answer. He knew he had previously dug through file after file of his service record, but whenever he found mention of his past self it had been redacted.

Even recalling these thoughts were becoming incredibly difficult... there was something strange about trying to remember specific memories like this.

It was as if someone had taken away any memory associated with his identity, this wasn't helped by the fact that they had provided him with a new one when he had returned to the States.

They had purged any trace of his existent...for his own safety. They, the government, had placed him in some form of witness protection; long story short, a huge American weapons manufacturer was providing illegal shipments of weapons and ammunition to the militia that had captured him, later torturing him. He was the last living proof of their illegal trade. They were fueling terrorism.

His fake name was Jason Williams, a name he hated...a lie.

A name that wasn't his.

The man knew who his parents were, therefore he knew his last name: Anderson. But what was his first name? Something...Anderson.

That man who had tortured him, who he knew was currently suffering for eternity in Hell, he was the first one to strip him of his identity.

If only he thought to speak to his torturer before he left Hell. Maybe he could of told him. The more he thought about his torture, the further away from the truth he became. The blurred, painful memories of the hours he had spent strapped to that chair now overwhelmed him...

"Tell me again, what's your name?"

All he heard were distorted mumbles. Even though it was himself who was speaking...

"No, you don't have a name, you are a nobody...all alone...you're whole squad massacred"

"G-go. . .to . . .to. . .Hell" he had spat.

"Wrong answer".

Wrenches, Sledgehammers, Power Drills, Water Boarding, Pliers...

The feeling of metal clanging against bone, his teeth being pulled out, his flesh being cut...

"We are going to make you one of us! Do you not understand how honored you should be?"

"Fu-gk yo-u"

Futile words spoken through broken teeth, a knife's edge was slicing open his arms, one small cut at a time.

"We just have to work on that attitude...once you mind fails, the body will follow. You will be something special"

The knife dug deeper.

"And I will be the one who forged you...you will no longer be-"

Again his name was withheld from him.

"You will be a killing machine! You will exterminate our enemies!"

"Ne..ver".

"Oh, don't worry. We will be spending plenty of time together, you and I...In the end you will beg me to send you to Hell".


During the time he spent avoiding dredging up the past, his mind would drift from demon to demon. He would remember the smallest details about each and every one of them, just to keep his mind occupied, to distract him from his current state.

Often if he didn't do these mental exercises, his mind would wander aimlessly, his thoughts becoming less coherent and more negative, more random and...very dark.

Being in one's head was the most dangerous place to be; insanity, hating yourself, bitterness, doubt, embarrassing memories, constant nega-

"Are you there Mr Tak-" a nervous voice broke his thoughts.

Was that Azazel?

"Sorry! I forgot you told me to stop calling you that".

Yup, definitely Azazel.

"If you're there, give me a sign".

He struggled to move, trying his best to show signs of cognition. The man so desperately wanted to let them know he was aware, listening to their every word. What else could he do? He was only able to move his finger slightly, but Azazel sadly didn't see this.

"Wow, I sound like a human who doesn't believe don't I?"

God never gives us a sign either Az.

"I just hope you can hear me, I know you'll be alright. You're strong, stronger than I am" she said with a slight chuckle afterwards. "You're so strong, I bet you could lift the entire sofa with all of us on it!".

I admire your optimism.

"I'm here too! Lucifer has banned me from getting into bed with you because she was afraid I might cause more damage, which I think is ridiculous for her to say! I mean it's not like I'm going to fuck y-".

"Modeus!".

Classic Modeus.

"I know I've been here three times today but I just wan-"

"Ms Modeus please!".

"Alright! Do your revision, I might go find something to bathe him with".

"Just please let me revise with him in peace". There was no reply.

I wouldn't mind being bathed actually...

"I thought I'd come and revise with you, since you're not here to do it yourself" Azazel continued.

"The resits are in three weeks time...I hope you'll be awake by then".

Of course I will Az.

But as Azazel began reading aloud, the thought of her graduation was potent in his mind, he wasn't really listening to the angel. Azazel had reassured him that he would be a guest, but a human going into Heaven...who was still alive?

Surely that wouldn't be allowed. She had also told him that he wouldn't be the first person to enter Heaven alive, did that include demons? He was going down an entirely new rabbit hole of thinking.

Would he meet God? Would he be allowed to? Would he meet any other angels, surely there was no harm in that? He had already met one, they couldn't be completely different from one another. Would they provide refreshments? How long would it last for?

Would he see his dead relatives? Would he be reunited with. . . . .

He moved this thought to the back of his head, even the concept of meeting a dead person would cause his mind to collapse in on itself, maybe it would be best if he didn't go...

He might be changed forever...for better or for worse.

"All demons have a strange obsession with Sin; a naturally occurring phenomenon within most humans, traditionally caused by transgressions against the divine laws.

On top of this, new research has discovered that each demon has a unique, singular personality as well as an array of obsessions that had yet to be discovered until now" Azazel's voice tore him away from his pondering.

Do Pancakes come under that list of obsessions?

"I don't think I should include our shared desire with the demons for pancakes, do you?" Azazel whispered, a small smile on her face.

He wanted to smile, but all he could do was laugh on the inside, laughing at the fact they were thinking exactly the same thing.


The next two days dragged even longer than the first, the hours of laying immobile were beginning to get incredibly repetitive, he had never been one to sit around and do nothing all day, he had to do something every hour of every day. He would go insane otherwise.

On the third day, Lucifer had provided him with the usual food and water supplements in the morning, this was always provided in the form of the burnt tasting orange magic he had been getting so used to.

Once she was gone, he was again left alone with his thoughts for the majority of the day. However, towards the start of the evening while Behemoth came and sat with him for an hour or so, he would become apart of an argument in which he couldn't input or defend himself.

"What is beer made of? I asked Judgement when we were walking on the beach and even she didn't know and she loves the stuff" the grey demon was essentially talking to himself. Stopping occasionally as if expecting a reply.

Well, looks like I'll have to explain how beer is made when I wake up. Hops, Barley, Yeast and Water...then I''l have to explain what the fermentation processes is and how it becomes alcoholic...oh boy.

Wait how did Lucifer get Wine in Hell?

"They have been up here quite a while, but they haven't been curious about human life at all. I was asking basic questions like how is electricity made? Where does gas come from? How do cars work?" the demon paused. "You know what she said?".

I bet I can guess.

"You ask too many questions" again the demon paused, "I've been here four days and I still don't know how anything in your world works. They aren't curious in the slightest? Do they even ask you those type of questions?". The Helltaker could hear the confusion on the demon's voice.

I'd more than happily give you a guide to the world when I'm out of this damn bed.

"Sometimes they treat me like a Hell Knight ya know? Not really trying to strike up conversation, expecting me to remain quiet just like those undead boneheads, brawn more than brain...you get the idea" he heard the demon chuckle dryly. "I don't know how you do it human".

Sometimes even I don't know.

"I'll be much happier once you're up an about, we are outnumbered you and I" the demon again let loose a chuckle, this one more hearty. "You still owe me that beer".

That I do.

"Also, I was going to ask can I borrow yo-"

The bedroom door burst open, two equally angry demons stormed into the room. "OUT!" one of them screeched, Behemoth silently obeying, the Helltaker hearing the large footsteps exiting the room and grow quiet.

Oh boy...

He had been visited alot by the Bitch Demon recently, he could tell who that angry voice belonged to any day.

"Malina said you took her to OUR DINER?!" the older sister was flushed red with anger.

"Yeah, that's right. How does it feel?" Malina was relishing in her sister's rage.

"That was supposed to be our thing!" Zdrada was still directing her rage at the unconscious man.

Well, it was only a matter of time before Zdrada found out. Heh, "Our Diner".

"We had an amazing time, I had pancakes and waffles. Oh, and milkshakes" Zdrada was slowly turning to face her sister, fists clenched. "You should really try the salted caramel ones". The older demon was just about to lash out and lose control, she wanted to attack the Helltaker but of course she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"You fucking cunt" she spat at her sister, the demon in question laughing at this insult.

"Oh please, you are never creative with your insults anymore, how many times have you used that one today?" she smirked back.

"If he wasn't like that" she pointed a finger at the man, "I'd beat his fucking ass, then yours". This excuse to avoid violence hit Malina differently, she wouldn't attack her...because of him?

"So all I needed was to have him at my side all those years ago? You wouldn't have beaten me within an inch of my life?".

...

. . . . . . . .

Malina's clever riposte had caused a complete change in Zdrada's behaviour. Not only had she made the demon go completely silent, her hostile tone had disappeared and was replaced with an extremely sympathetic one.

The Helltaker was especially surprised upon hearing and feeling the tensions change completely, the only two senses that could give him insight into this encounter. If only he could express this surprise.

"You know we don't talk about this anymore" Zdrada said almost as a whisper, as if the Helltaker couldn't hear.

"Why? I don't see a better time to talk about IT!" Malina exploded with anger at Zdrada's reluctance to talk about their past.

"Here?" Zdrada now afraid to talk about what she did to her sister in front of the Helltaker.

Malina brought over the two chairs from the nearby table, placing them right next to the Helltaker's bedside, the sister made the two chairs face one another. She then went over to the bedroom door and shut it, twisting the lock after.

"Oh, is there something wrong with doing it here?" she didn't wait for Zdrada's reply, "Because we are doing this...here and now" the angry demon sat herself down.

"Sit!" she angrily gestured to the chair opposite her. Reluctantly, Zdrada walked slowly to the chair and sat facing her sister, giving the unconscious man a quick sideways glance.

"Go on, let's talk about how I don't deserve the same treatment you receive" the Sour Demon was crossing her arms, clenching the thin black bracelets on her right arm tightly in a fist. Her sister was silent, it being her only defence against telling the truth.

"Tell me how you deserve all the care and attention in the world, you're younger sister doesn't need any right? She can look after herself...right?!" the start of tears were beginning to show.

Again, all Zdrada could do was remain silent, avoiding eye contact with her sister. She prayed that the Helltaker wasn't listening, but he was, all his attention focused on this argument.

"Or would you rather talk about how-" Malina fought down the sadness, the generations of misery, loneliness, pain and depression. "TELL HIM!" she suddenly exploded, the tears now flowing rapidly.

"TELL HIM HOW YOU BEAT ME EVERY TIME WE STEPPED FOOT IN THAT ARENA"

.

..

...

. . . . .

Silence.

"TELL HIM HOW ON THAT DAY...YOU JUST LOOKED ME IN THE EYES AS YOU BEAT ME TO DEATH!" Malina's rage was being unleashed, she didn't know it but she was stood up, her chair being knocked over, glaring intensely at her sister.

"TELL HIM!...How you never let me win..." her voice dropping in intensity now, her anger had peaked and now she was breaking down slowly.

"Tell him...How you never cared for me...how you cared more about your wins, your trophies, your job, your fucking armour..."

"I didn't exist to you then...I don't know if I exist in front of your eyes now..." her anger had been extinguished replaced by a cold lingering sadness, tears and snot dripping down her face. She let loose all of her anger and hatred in one short burst and now she was out of adrenaline, her body exhausted after such a tense moment, her muscles all collapsing.

A knock came from the door.

"Is everything okay? I heard shouting" Lucifer's concerned voice penetrated through the door.

"WE'RE BUSY!" Malina screeched turning to face the white door, wiping her messy face with her sleeve after. There was no reply, Lucifer must have got the message.

She was going to collapse into her chair but she had noticed that it was lying of the floor, she weakly leant down and grabbed a leg, placing it and falling down on to it. Her upset but angry gaze lingering on her sister.

"Malina...".

"what..." the demon's head was throbbing, her sour eyes closed, she didn't want to hear her sister's excuses.

"You're hands..." Zdrada's trembling voice was a rare noise, catching the attention of her sister almost immediately.

"Wha-"

Malina looked down at her hands and failed to notice the orange glow that was emanating from them, they were both on fire, the orange Hell Energy coursing through her veins. It was not a harmful effect, she was feeling incredibly powerful.

On top of this, her red eyes were burning bright, the fire within subsiding once she had noticed it.

Was she dreaming this time?

...No...This...This was real.

The Sour Demon embraced her true power, looking at her palms, moving her hands around the air in front of her, clenching and opening her fists repeatedly. An evil smirk growing across her face as her smoldering gaze met with her sister's.

"What the fuck was that?!" her sister said slightly terrified of what she was witnessing. However, Malina ignored her concern, leaning forward in the chair, the orange fire around her hands not subsiding.

"Tell him..." Malina ordered, her voice slightly deeper. She leant on her knee and clenched her fiery fist, the orange energy intensifying around it.

What the fuck was going on?

The Helltaker wished he wasn't incapacitated, he was missing a crucial moment. It was much harder to imagine the scenario than see it with his own eyes.

Reluctantly, Zdrada confessed to everything Malina wanted to hear her say: the arena fights, the neglect, the abuse, the hardships, how both of the coped with abandonment, the day she would have killed her sister if it weren't for Justice. Everything...

After five hours of talking and reminiscing, digging up the past, ripping off the scabs and scars of the old wounds, Zdrada finally uttered the words Malina had longed to hear.

"I'm sorry okay!".

"That what you want to hear!" Zdrada trying instill sympathy into her younger sibling. Both sisters were now crying, this discussion...this confrontation was long overdue.

"Don't play the victim here..." Malina's tone was frosty, her hands were no longer on fire but her anger was still higher than ever.

"You didn't deserve that kind of abuse...you didn't deserve that kind of punishment".

"W- you have already gone through so much..."

"You don't deserve me as your sister"

"Damn right I don't..."

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"But you're the one I'm stuck with..."

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"Get out of my sight, I want to speak to him alone" Malina had her head facing the floor.

Zdrada thankfully obeyed, deciding it best to put some space between herself and her sister.

He heard distant crying, the door closing and after a short silence, the sound of her chair being moved closer to his bedside. The man felt her small hands grasp tightly onto his.

"There, are you happy?" he heard her teary voice whisper. "You always told me that we needed to 'bury the hatchet'...I think that was the term you used".

I'm proud of you Malina. Takes a brave person to face the past head on like that.

"You and your stupid human sayings".

Hey! There is...some wisdom to them.

"Part of me thought that this argument would wake you up..."

He felt the demon rub her head against his hand, his fingers lacked control but they were being guided through her soft white hair, she was trying to replicate a head-pat.

"Maybe tomorrow" she whispered again.

No reply came to the mentally exhausted demon.

"I need you to be alright..."

I will.

"I can't go on without you"

You won't...I'll be here.

"I think I'm going to sleep here tonight..."


As the days progressed, he was left alone for longer periods of time... someone could have be in the room with him if they stayed quiet, but there wasn't anyone here...that he knew of. It was just himself and his thoughts.

The sounds of the demons busying themselves below him were the only thing audible. Eventually on the fifth day the smell of melted chocolate wafting into his bedroom during what he presumed was the late evening. I wonder who is finally cooking pancakes? Most likely Lucifer, maybe Judgement...oh god the kitchen!

It was indeed Lucifer who was preparing Pancakes for the entire household, the devil had donned her signature black apron, ready to feed her demonic brood.

"You really going to make pancakes? You don't have to, you know that right?" Justice was leaning back in her chair, "Fold" the blind demon threw her cards faced down onto the table.

"I just fancy some pancakes, I can make them on my own, we don't need him" the devil said, back turned to the five demons sat around the kitchen table.

"Justice, we haven't even started betting yet" Zdrada was leaning her elbows on the kitchen table, her eyes going back and forth between the different players.

"I don't even know how to play yet" Behemoth, the huge man was squeezed inbetween Judgement and Malina, the grey demon had changed to a giant black tank-top that was too large for the Helltaker. Beelzebub had fished it out of the human's wardrobe, but even on Behemoth, the top looked small.

He was stilling wearing his black suit pants as he did not feel comfortable trying on the human's clothes, I wish I had brought more clothes he had thought while he scratched his chest, trying to figure out the value of his cards.

The demon's huge frame took up an entire side of the kitchen table. He was holding the playing cards in front of his face, his huge grey arms squeezing into his chest. Unfortunately he had yet to learn to hide his cards from the other players, both Judgement and Malina could see his ace of diamonds and three of spades.

"Malina hasn't even explained the rules yet!" Judgement directed her frustration at the former prosecutor. "How can you even see what cards you have?!".

"Blind luck baby" Justice pulled her sunglasses down and winked at the grey demon.

"What do we get if we win Malinka?" Zdrada moved to rest an arm down the back of her chair. She was reluctant to use that nickname after their confrontation earlier this week.

"You get to keep your tongue" she spat back, the anger was still there.

Lucifer rubbed her forehead with the back of her right wrist, the stress she was hiding now building substantially, the sound of the TV in the other room being watched by Beelzebub, Pandemonica, Modeus and Cerberus, all of them chatting loudly too, it was grinding against her mind.

The demons behind her then exploded into an argument over the rules of Poker.

"No! He fucking taught me how to play, I know what I'm talking about!" Malina snarling at whoever disagreed with her.

"Malina just get on with it!" Judgement was also becoming frustrated.

"Yeah Malinka" Zdrada jeered.

"When do I get to play again?" Justice's cool calm voice was heard above all the commotion.

"I still don't know how to play, what's this one worth?" the deep demon's voice was for once not interrupted.

"YOU'RE NOT MEANT TO SHOW US!" a few of the demon's spoke in unison.

The devil struggled to focus, trying her best to remember the lessons he had taught her in the art of the Pancake.

Think Lucy, Think! He taught you so many times...


He poured the smooth pancake batter into the large frying pan and placed the mixing bowl onto the nearby counter-top, the liquid instantly making a sizzling sound as it made contact with the hot metal. He took the black plastic spatula and flipped it, catching it on the other end, the handle facing towards the devil.

"Show me what you can do". The two were dressed in identical outfits, both with red shirts, the sleeves rolled up, black suit pants and their signature 'SATAN' aprons. Pandemonica and Modeus were sat at the kitchen table behind them, talking with one another while the master chef evaluated the other.

"I think you should take a step back and let the real chef work" she grabbed the spatula from his hand and stepped towards the gas stove.

"Alright then" he smiled, taking a step to the side, crossing his bare arms. "You may have seduced me with your pancakes but I think you'll find I can make equal, if not better ones" the devil smiled, she was pushing the spatula slightly under the outer rim of the batter.

"You have had around twenty years experience then?" the man smiled watching Lucifer's hands get to work.

"Pah, you call that experience. Talk to me again when you have centuries under your belt" the sizzling was becoming quite loud. The devil now moved the spatula under the semi solid substance, deciding to flip it now so both sides could solidify evenly.

However, she did not successfully flip the pancake, as it went up, half of it fell apart and merged with the other half when it came down.

Embarrassment and anger consumed the devil. How could she be defeated so quickly?! She instantly lifted the frying pan off the hob and threw the mess of a pancake straight into the bin.

"Oh dear" the Helltaker showed no mercy with his sarcasm.

"Shut up" she grabbed the mixing bowl and poured another perfect circle of batter into the frying pan.

"You know, that one still could have bee-".

"Alright then master chef, teach me" the devil cut him off, glaring at the man. She decided it would be better to not keep up the facade of her pancake expertise any longer, save her further embarrassment.

"Then listen carefully-" the man came to stand behind Lucifer. He began simple at first, showing her how he would flip a pancake, demonstrating for the devil. He then guiding her hands, showing her the technique to mimic his flip, how he made the frying pan feel weightless, adjusting it to suit the arc of the pancake as it flew.

The man then moved onto to share his knowledge of how he knew when the pancake was ready to be flipped, how to get that signature golden brown texture, how to tell if the batter was breaking apart, how to avoid air bubbles within the mix.

Over the course of a few hours, the Helltaker had taught all he could to the devil, watching her work and then giving her feedback on how she could improve. Eventually she mastered the art, but not after going through their entire stock of flour, milk and eggs.

"Hey watch this" she had said during one of her attempts, she flipped the pancake high above the stove, but to the Helltaker's surprise the pancake did not return to the pan, it simply stayed there, spinning, levitating.

"Well, that's one way to do it. Technically it's cheating, but I'll let it side" he smiled, the devil concentrating on the levitating pancake. Her red eyes did not break from it, but once he had uttered those words she had looked over and returned the smile at him.

However, although this was a wholesome moment shared between the couple, Lucifer's break of concentration caused the pancake to stop levitating...and fly straight into her face.

"AHH WHA-" Lucifer's voice came from underneath the scolding pancake, she dropped the frying pan on the stove and used both hands to tear the half liquid-half solid off of her face.

The Helltaker tried to maintain a neutral expression, knowing fully well that if he were to laugh she would tear out his Larynx. When the devil finally looked at him, he simply asked.

"Are you alright?" desperately trying not to laugh.

"Fine! Just fine!" the man could see the woman blushing, trying to hide it by turning away from him.

She was lucky that Judgement, Justice, Zdrada, Malina...well anyone other than Pandemonica and Modeus weren't in the room. There would have been merciless laughter. There still might be...Once she had wiped the mess off of her face, she turned back to glare at the man.

"What!" she wanted to be angry at someone, knowing fully well he was hiding his laughter at this moment. "You distracted me!" she protested, causing a small grin to grow across his face, which only infuriated the devil further.

"I didn't do anythi- I'm sorry" he said, practically at bursting point, "I just never thought you'd love pancakes so much that you'd become one" the freeze frame of Lucifer with a pancake for a face was seared into his mind.

He couldn't help it, he exploded laughing and knew he had to run.

"I'm sorry!" he cackled running to stand on the other side of the kitchen table, putting some distance between the two.

The devil did not take too kindly to this little joke.

"YOU'RE DEAD HUMAN!" Lucifer had screamed chasing after him, using the frying pan as her weapon.

"YOU HEAR ME? DEAD!" she began chasing him around the kitchen table a few times before he fled into the lounge. Cerberus had instantly picked up on the commotion and joined in on the chase, all five of them running around the house.

Pandemonica upon watching and hearing this chaos dropped her head into her arms that were resting on the table. She had been ignoring Modeus but she was still rambling on about...something. It had been a busy day.


This treasured memory was running through Lucifer's head while she tired making herself and the demons playing poker a platter of pancakes to share.

The devil followed the man's instructions step by step, her mind trying it's best to linger on these warm memories rather than face the depressing reality she was in.

What if he didn't wake up? What if he woke up and was forever changed somehow? Could he of had a stroke?

"BOOM! Full house baby!" Justice slammed her cards down on the table, lining them up with the main deck.

"How the fuck?" Judgement gazed with an open mouth.

"I call Bullshit" Malina sulked throwing her cards face down onto the table.

"You're fucking cheating, you're blind!" Zdrada also throwing her cards down. Behemoth was silent, struggling to understand what a full house was. However, Justice's victory was cut short.

A loud metallic clang caused everyone to fall quiet, all of them turning to see where the noise had came from, all of them gazing at the back of the devil. The devil had thrown down the frying pan, but not on purpose: the handle had broken and she was still holding it in her right hand. Judgement got up from the table, slowly approaching the devil.

"You alright Lucy?" the grey demon extremely nervous at her boss's silence.

"Never better...no pancakes tonight I'm afraid". She looked at her high prosecutor, the faintest sign of tears evident in her eyes.

"That's alright, I wasn't hungry anyway" the grey demon coming a step closed, she had to wrench the handle out of the devil's stiff hand. Throwing it into the bin in the corner of the kitchen, the devil remained rigid while watching her do this.

"Why don't you come sit with us, play a round or two?" the high prosecutor gestured to her chair.

After a worryingly long silence, the devil relaxed, exhaling deeply.

"Yes, Poker sounds nice" she smiled, taking her apron off slowly. She returned it to next to the large one that was hanging up, sighing quietly upon seeing it. She turned around and walked over slow, sitting in the high prosecutor's chair.

"You know I've played this game multiple times, ever heard of the saying 'A deal with the devil'?" Lucifer was now returning to her normal self. Judgement breathed a sigh of relief, moving into the other room to get another chair.

"Oh god not this story again!" Zdrada buried her face in her arms which were on the table.

"You'd be surprised the amount of people who think they could beat me in a game of Poker. I'd choose a much harder game to play if I was bargaining with my soul" the devil smirked, retrieving her cards.

"What are we betting?".


While the demon household below were enjoying another night under the same roof, one particular demon escaped from the family for a while, creeping upstairs, separating herself from her sisters. The mischievous demon opened his bedroom door, slowly walking over to his unconscious body.

For a while, she was silent, her red eyes glowing in the darkness. He was currently unaware of the demon for he was asleep. It was quite creepy if he were to witness this. The demon was just standing over him, watching him breath slowly, her smile turning into a smirk.

"Justice predicted a man, a human would enter Hell one day".

"She said that this human would be different, for he would seek us out for his own desires, whatever they may be".

She took a step even closer to the man's bed, she was practically leaning over him now. Her white hair dangling above.

"They told us that humans are worse than demons...They are selfish...bitter...and destructive creatures"

A black glove stroked his face.

"They taught us that humans were our enemy...that they would be our greatest invaders, they would come pillaging our realm, raping the land for it's resources, wanting to learn the secrets behind Hell Energy...they would show us no mercy"

The Helltaker was slowly awaking from his sleep.

"They would enslave us..."

He sensed there was someone in the room with him, but the warm embrace of sleep was keeping him under.

"But you know what they didn't tell us"

"They didn't tell us the compassion and care a human could provide..."

"They didn't tell us the honesty, the selflessness, the love..."

The Helltaker could hear these words slowly filtering into his mind.

"And you proved them wrong...you proved her wrong..."

The demon leant closer to the Helltaker, her face not too far from his.

"You proved us all wrong...you made us...better..." she whispered, it was barely audible.

She leant in close so that she was whispering in his right ear.

"How many heads does Cerberus have?"

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"One"


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