Approximately Eighteen Years Ago:
The wails of tortured souls echoed throughout the Phlegethon, Xorelaz walking along its shores with a black longbow. Xorelaz in his original Demonic Form stood at almost seven feet, sporting humanoid characteristics, but having pointed ears and the legs of a goat. The river of boiling blood had reached a low point, the damned attempting to crawl their way out. Xorelaz readied his aim, notching an arrow.
The head of a Mazuri Warlord breached the surface, clawing his way from the depths of the river! But as suddenly as he breached the surface, he was sent back down, the hoof of a centaur smashing down on his head. Xorelaz snarled, putting his bow away. He whistled for the centaur, getting its attention. The centaur leaped towards the shore, landing next to Xorelaz.
"I HAD HIM, YOU BEAST OF BURDEN! IT WAS GOING TO BE MY SHOT!" Xorelaz snarled, deprived of his attempt to shoot the warlord!
The centaur only huffed, straightening its back. It turned its attention back to the river of blood, seeing more souls begin to claw their way out. In a quick burst of speed, the centaur launched itself to the damned, trampling them lower into the boiling blood, their gurgling screams becoming silenced the further they're pushed down.
Exhaling fire, Xorelaz moved down the shore, looking for a damned soul that wasn't being watched to take a shot. Suddenly, a shade broke through the surface, clawing his way from the river! Xorelaz instantly recognized the shade as Alexander the Great, the one who had conquered most of the known world during his lifetime. Xorelaz quickly notched an arrow, pulling back on the string. The arrow was set flying, impaling through Alexander's left eye socket, the shade beginning to sink back into the blood.
Xorelaz smiled, his wrath appeased for the time. As he continued walking along the shore, a centaur landed in front of him, wearing heavy armor. Xorelaz's eyes recognized the centaur, seeing it was Chiron, one of the more composed centaurs of the Circle of Violence.
"To what do I owe the honor of the General of the centaurs?" Xorelaz asked, unknowing of why he was being stopped.
"Lucifer requests your audience in the lowest Circle of the Inferno. He does not wish for you to take your time. Be swift, or risk punishment." Chiron instructed, before launching himself from the ground, soaring towards the other side of the Phlegethon. Breathing deeply, Xorelaz began running towards the Phlegethon, hopping on top of the heads of the damned, crossing the river of boiling blood towards the opening of the next Circle of Hell.
Xorelaz launched himself from the river, freefalling lower into Hell, where the three rivers of the Inferno converged into the great waterfall of blood, which would empty into the Eight Circle of Hell. As he fell towards the Circle of Fraud, damned souls sent from their judgment by King Minos were hurtling towards the Circle as well, screaming as they were falling towards Fraud.
Xorelaz grabbed one of the shades, grabbing its arms with his right hand and its legs with his left hand, bending the soul around his back. Xorelaz positioned himself in the air with his back facing the ground, impacting into it! The soul was groaning, its ribs poking from its skin, broken from the impact! Xorelaz quickly leaped up, relatively unharmed, having used the shade as a cushion.
"Oh, be quiet!" Xorelaz yelled, grabbing the soul from the ground.
"Oh, please! Have mercy upon me, demon!" The shade pleaded, his voice falling upon deaf ears. Xorelaz could smell the sin upon the shade, knowing he was judged accurately.
"Why should I listen to the one who condemned an innocent man to die?" Xorelaz asked, carrying the shade further into the Circle of Fraud. The shade only shook its head, trying to deny its sin.
"I only worked with what I had known. If I had known he was innocent, I would have had the trial thrown!" The shade pleaded, revealing themself to have been a prosecutor.
"And yet, his death is on your hands! Rather ironic, though. The man who was killed enjoys Paradise, while you suffer for his death!" Xorelaz revealed, knowing the fate of the one that was killed.
Xorelaz threw the shade away from him, exposing it out into the open. A great, flaming demon stood upon the shade, looking down upon it.
"No, please! Mercy!" The shade cried out, the demon grabbing the shade. The demon threw the shade into a wall of spikes, impaling them all throughout their body! Before the shade could cry out in pain, it was engulfed in flames, suffering the punishment of the Evil Counselors who have used their forked tongues for counsel serving their own needs!
Xorelaz continued running through the remaining nine Circles of Fraud, before leaping once again into the frozen Circle of Treachery, the lowest point of Hell and all of Creation. Xorelaz stretched out his arms, the biting cold winds pushing against him, slowing down his freefall! Soon, he landed onto the hard ice, his hooves indenting into the ground. Xorelaz straightened his posture, breathing in the cold air, a welcome change to the hot air he usually breathes in.
The Circle of Treachery housed the souls of those who committed betrayal to their loved ones, friends, best friends, countries, cities, guests and even to their masters. Their heads were the only things exposed from the ice; the rest of their bodies encased in the ice. As Xorelaz walked through the Circle, he kicked the heads of the traitorous, taking great enjoyment in their suffering!
"Mwahahaha! Suffer my wrath, traitors!" Xorelaz proclaimed, taking further enjoyment in their suffering! As he did this, he heard a thud behind him, catching his attention. A red, female demon was standing behind him, breathing heavily. Instead of having the legs of a goat, like a lot of demons, her legs was that of a humanoid nature.
She had no horns, but instead having a sharp tail. She was clad in near-revealing clothing, indicating she was from the Circle of Lust. But Xorelaz also saw she was wearing a golden shackle on her right wrist, indicating she was an Archdemon, same as him.
"So, what brings a succubus to the Circle of Treachery?" Xorelaz asked, not quite knowing why she was so far from her Circle. She scoffed at him, not seeing him as a good investment of her time by talking to him. She walked past him, marching further into the Circle. Xorelaz became angry, not taking well to being ignored.
"How dare you ignore me! Do you know who you I am?!" Xorelaz yelled, his body beginning to combust! The ice under his feet began to melt, puddling under him!
"If you must know, Lord Lucifer requested my audience, for I am Vylania, Archdemon of the Circle of Lust. But I do not know why an Archdemon of the Circle of Violence would find himself here." She said, before walking back towards the Center of the Circle of Treachery. Suddenly, Xorelaz materialized before her in a mist of fire, enraged.
"Impossible! I have an audience with Lord Lucifer! Why would he want the need of some… weak-kneed, improper slut?!" Xorelaz shouted, causing Vylania to become enraged as well.
"How dare you speak to me like this?! I am your superior in every way! I am stronger, faster, more intelligent! How you get around on those goat legs is beyond me!" Vylania shouted, Xorelaz gnashing his teeth in anger! He quickly extended his claws, slashing them towards her! Vylania was quick to dodge them, swiping him with her own claws into his stomach! Xorelaz only stopped for a moment, before kicking behind him, Vylania being sent backwards into a wall of ice, one of the traitorous biting her arm!
"RAAGHH!" Xorelaz exclaimed, launching himself towards her! Vylania quickly jumped out of the way, Xorelaz's fist impacting with the head that bit Vylania, making a loud, hollow thud! Vylania began running further into the Circle of Treachery, Xorelaz following her, his hooved feet impacting into the ground. He was snorting fire, running as fast as he could to catch her!
"Why do… you run?! You only… make it harder… on yourself!" Xorelaz shouted, speaking in-between breaths. Vylania quickly weaved between the great chains that made up the path to Lucifer, her contortionist body allowing to get through easily. Xorelaz attempted to power through, only ending up getting tangled in the chains! He began to squirm and struggle, finding himself stuck!
"I WILL RENDER THE FLESH FROM YOUR BONES! I WILL DROWN YOU IN THE PLEGETHON!" Xorelaz cried out, his thrashing becoming more violent the further Vylania got from him! Soon, Vylania looked behind her, having reached the end of the chained path. She couldn't see Xorelaz anymore, but she could still hear his death threats from the distance. She calmed down somewhat, making her way to the edge of the Circle, where right below her was where Lucifer was contained. As she looked down, never actually having been this far into Hell before, she heard heavy, fast footsteps behind her, quickly turning around. Suddenly, she was tackled by Xorelaz, having freed himself from his entanglement! They tumbled down, Xorelaz and Vylania punching each other as they tumbled down into Lucifer's Circle!
They soon rolled to where the incline leveled out, still fighting each other! As they traded blows, a great gust of wind pulled them towards it, causing them to tumble to the center of Lucifer's Circle, their forms pulled into a great shadow! They stopped fighting, looking up. Before them was their master, Lucifer, the former Morningstar! His entire lower half was frozen in the ice, only his upper body exposed.
His entire body was black, covered entirely with frostbite. He had three faces and a pair of bat-like wings affixed under each chin. A glowing sigil was found on the forehead of the central face. Another pair of wings were affixed to his back, the feathers on it falling off in clumps. In his gaping maws were history's greatest three traitors: Marcus Junius Brutus, Cassius, and Judas Iscariot. His form, imprisoned in this frozen Circle, dwarfed both Xorelaz and Vylania by hundreds of times, like ants to him! They quickly bowed before him, Lucifer's gaze looking over them.
"You two make quite an entrance. Never have I requested two of my Legion and see them fighting each other as they make their way to my Circle." Lucifer said, his voice echoing throughout the Circle.
"Lord Lucifer, please forgive us, for we-" Xorelaz began to say, before Lucifer's booming voice stopped him.
"DO NOT SPEAK UNLESS I GIVE YOU THE BLESSING TO SPEAK, FOR YOU ARE BENEATH ME! I AM YOUR RULER!" Lucifer demanded, all of the Inferno shaking from his anger! Xorelaz and Vylania quickly covered their ears, the volume of his voice rendering them temporarily deaf! Lucifer breathed in, and then out, composing himself.
"Despite that little… insubordination, I have a task for the both of you, being my most determined and powerful Archdemons." Lucifer said, revealing the reason why he has summoned them.
"You may now speak." Lucifer said, a massive finger pointing towards Xorelaz. He quickly stood up, looking up towards the massive Fallen Angel.
"What do you wish for us to accomplish, Lord Lucifer?" He asked. Lucifer smiled at this, feeling that this may finally be over and done with, after several centuries.
"You and the Archdemon of Lust, Vylania, shall travel to Mobius, formerly known as Earth, and find my former Second-In-Command, Azazel. You are to kill him and damn his soul, so as to return him to me!" Lucifer ordered, Vylania rising in response.
They quickly bowed before once more, before regaining their postures.
"Your will shall be done!" They both responded, Lucifer chuckling to their unity for his cause.
"Good! Now, when you arrive on Mobius, you are to take the forms of the most populace species… the Mobians." Lucifer instructed.
"But Lord Lucifer, I must ask, what are the Mobians? For they couldn't have been always there, considering they haven't been damned until a few Millenia ago." Vylania asked.
"Many centuries ago, Mankind angered another of my Father's creations. A race of space-travelers who lost their prince to Mankind. In retaliation, they used their weapons of destruction to attempt to wipe Mankind from existence. Unfortunately, the parasite known as Mankind survived. But many of them changed form over time, becoming animal-like. These animals that walk like Man and speak like Man are called Mobians, the original name of Earth being forgotten. But they still have souls… and they still sin, same as Man." Lucifer explained, the origin of Mobians revealed to the two demons.
The two demons nodded, producing a field of magic before them, looking through different forms to choose from. Xorelaz chose the form of a wolverine, noting how their primitive animal counterparts are something to be truly feared! Vylania chose the form of a cat, seeing how their flexibility perfectly mimicked her own.
"Once you leave the Inferno, prepare yourself for the greatest pain known to those of Creation… mortality." Lucifer warned, waving a hand over them. Soon, they were shrouded in fire, feeling themselves begin to float, their physical forms beginning to change as they were transported out of the Inferno! Suddenly, the air around became warmer, but not nearly as hot as it would be in any circle of the Inferno! Their bodies began changing as they were transported, their height being reduced significantly, their body compositions changing to fit the profile of a Mobian.
Soon, they found themselves in a large forest, the hellfire around them dissipating into the ground. They began studying their surroundings, finding the world to be so much more different than the Inferno they had always known! Xorelaz looked up at the trees, not seeing the forms of the one who would've done harm to themselves growing on it. He went to the tree, pulling off a strip of bark. To his surprise, the tree didn't bleed or speak, as it would in the Circle of Violence.
"Hello? Damned shade, speak for us!" Xorelaz demanded, shouting at the tree. The tree didn't speak, it being a normal tree, and not the form of shade who had extinguished their own life.
"I believe it is a mute." Vylania commented, not understanding the nature of its silence. Xorelaz turned to her, suddenly noticing she was not wearing any clothes. Of course, this didn't stir a reaction from him, being used to the Damned Souls not having clothes as well. But Vylania herself wasn't used to not having clothes, quickly covering herself upon noticing this fact!
"Turn around!" She ordered, her arms covering her vital areas. Sighing at her reaction, Xorelaz proceeded to turn around, Vylania looking around for a means to cover herself.
"Rather uncharacteristic of a succubus, to be concerned of her lack of clothing." Xorelaz commented.
"I'm not a succubus, you wrathful, arrogant prick! I'm an Archdemon! I order them!" Vylania exclaimed.
"And you are too concerned about your state. Nothing to be embarrassed about." Xorelaz said, rather calm. Vylania was confused by the sudden change in Xorelaz's attitude. He went to turn around, but the quick exclamation from Vylania caused him to keep his back turned towards her.
Vylania looked around, seeing how the tree that Xorelaz stripped the bark from had a nice long strip. She quickly ran over to it, ripping off large strips from the tree. She quickly fashioned bark twine and wrapped the bark around her chest and groin, fashioning improvised clothing. She used the twine to secure everything, making sure nothing could slip off.
"Okay, you can look now." She said, letting Xorelaz turn around. He nodded, admiring her ingenuity. At this time, Vylania noticed his naked state, blushing and quickly turning away.
"Why do you turn away from me?" He asked, confused.
"Look at yourself!" She instructed, still turned away from him. He went and looked himself over, finally seeing what she was referring to. He nodded, impressed by the size of it.
"I see no problem here." He responded.
"Well, I do! Cover yourself!" She said, refusing to turn around.
"Actually… I believe I prefer walking around like this. Much better than that armor I used to wear!" Xorelaz said, feeling free.
"Oh my Lucifer, you're not walking around like that! Either you find something, or I'm cutting it off!" She shouted.
"With what? You have no knife." Xorelaz asked. Without turning around, she stretched out an arm, a handful of claws extending from her fingers. Xorelaz gulped, knowing that would be a rather painful procedure.
"Alright, give me a moment." He said, conceding to her demands. He looked around, seeing an elk eating from a patch of grass. He quickly stretched out his arms, eyeing the animal. Staring at it, he quickly charged after it, gaining a much faster speed than he could ever achieve on his old goat legs! Baring teeth, he quickly leaped for it, his arms wrapping around the animal's neck!
"You're mine now!" He quickly yelled, his jaws snapping around the animal's windpipe, cutting off its breathing! He quickly tore out it's trachea, killing the animal! As he got up, breathing heavily, he studied the kill, feeling proud of bagging the animal. Grabbing the opening made by the trachea being removed, Xorelaz ripped the hide from the animal, wrapping the still bloody hide around his waist, fashioning a kilt from it.
"There? You happy?" He asked, still finding the elk skin kilt better than his armor. Vylania looked, relieved that he wasn't walking around in the buff!
"Much better! Now, I won't be ashamed of walking around with you." She answered, looking around the forest.
"Wish I could say the same about you." He muttered, making sure the kilt wouldn't fall off. As they looked around, they saw the sun for the first time, the sunlight cascading through the leaves of the trees. They were awestruck by it, never once seeing something illuminate an area without burning the damned. It was gentle on their skin, unlike the fires of the Inferno.
"What is that?" Xorelaz asked aloud, unable to make of the energy radiating the sunlight. He attempted to look at it, but his eyes began to burn, forcing him to look away.
"I believe it's one of Elohim's creations. I think it's called… a sun?" She answered, not quite sure of herself.
"Then it is not of importance to us. Same as this strange forest. The damned here don't speak or bleed when we tear a piece of them off! These strange creatures that roam here don't frenzy at our appearance! What in the Inferno is this place?!" Xorelaz exclaimed, becoming frustrated.
"Xorelaz… I don't believe the damned are located here." Vylania said. Xorelaz shook his head, grinding his teeth!
"My Forefathers told me of this place, that the Damned roam here! But right now… where are the fucking Damned?!" He shouted, punching a tree! As soon as it connected, he reeled his hand back, clutching it!
"Holy fuck!" He exclaimed, his affected arm shaking! Vylania ran over to him, grabbing his arm! She quickly got it out of his clutches, seeing a few of his fingers were dislocated!
"Uh…" She said, not really knowing what to do. Hesitating, she grabbed one of them, pulling it towards herself! The finger snapped back into it's joint, Xorelaz gritting his teeth harder!
"FUCK!" He yelled, stomping into the ground, the soles of his feet becoming red! She quickly relocated the rest of his fingers, Xorelaz cursing and stomping as she continued! After she was done, he quickly retracted his hand from her, studying it. While it was red and swollen, his fingers were relocated, able to move them properly, but painfully.
"What just happened?! I never punched anything that broke my hand before!" Xorelaz exclaimed, still gritting his teeth!
"This… this must be the pain Lucifer warned us about! Mortality!" Vylania exclaimed, feeling a new emotion… terror! Xorelaz saw the terror in her eyes, recognizing it from the damned souls he would torture. He wasn't angry at her for demonstrating the emotion, but he wasn't about to let her become a compromised link in the chain! He grabbed both of her shoulders, staring into her eyes!
"Listen to me! You will not show terror! You are not the Damned! Tell me, what are you?!" He yelled.
"I'm… I'm an Archdemon." She answered. He only shook his head, his grip on her getting stronger!
"What was that?! All I heard was a terrified soul!" He yelled, stoking the fire in her!
"I'm an Archdemon!" She exclaimed, regaining her confidence.
"A what?!" He yelled, continuing to stoke the fire!
"AN ARCHDEMON!" She yelled, the fire raging inside of her!
"That's right! Now, pick yourself up and help me complete the mission!" He said, letting go of her. She began nodding, feeling the fire continue to build! Feeling the fire building, she began feeling a different emotion, an emotion she had never actually encountered before. And it was driving her crazy! As Xorelaz walked away, studying their surroundings, Vylania quickly marched up to him, turning him around!
"Hey, what the hell are you-" He began to say, before Vylania stuck her tongue down his throat, clinging onto him! She quickly pulled him to the ground, refusing to let him go! After a few moments, Xorelaz pushed her face away from his, letting him speak!
"What the fuck are you thinking?!" He asked, Vylania still clinging onto him.
"Just shut up and take me already!" She exclaimed, a wild look in her eyes! Feeling his heart racing, he quickly took her up on her offer, his arms quickly wrapping around her!
Five Hours Later:
The sun was setting over the forest, the afternoon passing away into evening. Xorelaz and Vylania were sitting around a fire, their only source of light. Xorelaz was cooking the meat from the elk he had killed earlier, experiencing first stage starvation. Vylania was rubbing her arm, still blushing, and embarrassed from what she had done only a few hours ago. She was cursing herself for being so weak in this mortal body, letting herself give in to these emotions! She was an Archdemon and she had sex with another Archdemon from another Circle. And it was driving her crazy, knowing that she shouldn't have done it, but… to her, it also felt so right!
She looked over to Xorelaz, seeing him looking content, staring at the cooking elk. And the longer she stared at him… the more that fire was building inside of her!
"Xorelaz… we need to talk about… what happened." She said, feeling very uncomfortable. He looked over, not knowing what she could want to talk about.
"What about it? We had sex, it was great, and we're going to be eating meat that won't taste like sulfur!" Xorelaz exclaimed, showing he wasn't pining about it.
"It… it was great?" She asked, not reflecting on her own performance.
"Yeah! Never experienced anything like it! I haven't had that much fun since I ripped Achilles apart by the ankles!" He answered, clenching his fist to make a point.
"Wait… Achilles is in Limbo, not Violence." Vylania corrected. Xorelaz nodded, recognizing she was correct.
"Yeah, I… went into Limbo and decided he was being too egotistical, talking down at me. So, I went and ripped him from his heels! Lucifer didn't even care. Of course… the other Archdemons took offense to me being there, but they were pushovers! I doubt they've ever actually been in a fight!" Xorelaz explained, laughing.
"Alright, that's interesting and all, but… I was great?" She asked, still not understanding how.
"Don't know why you're so surprised! I mean, Archdemon of the Circle of Lust, you must've learned something from the Damned there, right?" Xorelaz asked, not believing her surprise.
"Well, no. Last I checked, tortured souls being thrown around by an eternal whirlwind don't make good conversationists. Why? Did you get tips on how to torture from some of the shades in your Circle?" She asked. Xorelaz nodded, ripping the leg off of the cooking elk.
"I learned a few tricks from Attila the Hun. Had special permission to pull him out of the river for a bit, too! Of course, he wasn't very appreciative when I used what I had learned to torture him." He explained, taking a large bite out of the leg of elk.
Vylania began laughing a bit, before the smile on her face vanished. She began feeling another emotion she never experienced before. It was a heaviness in her heart, and it was occurring every time she tried to remember her life back in Hell.
"Xorelaz… I don't feel good." She said, feeling the heaviness in her heart becoming worse.
"You're just hungry. Eat something." He said, taking another bite from the leg.
"No, it's not… Xorelaz…" She began to say, before passing out. Xorelaz quickly threw the leg of elk down, quickly running over to her! He crouched down to her, seeing she was still breathing, but she wasn't responsive!
"Vylania! Vylania! Vylania!" Xorelaz shouted, lightly tapping her face to wake her up. She wasn't waking up, Xorelaz beginning to panic!
"Wake up! Come on, wake up! You're not dying on me! That's an order!" He shouted, trying to get her responsive! With no response, he quickly picked her up, needing to get her to help, wherever it could be. He quickly ran out into the woods, leaving their fire behind. He ran further into the woods, unknowing of what creature would roam in this strange land. But his only concern was ensuring Vylania would survive to help him find Azazel and complete their mission.
As he ran, the sounds of the forest began becoming more prominent, causing him to stop. He began looking around, unknowing of what these sounds were! He was turning around in place, his heart picking up its pace, beginning to experience fear!
"I'm… I am Xorelaz! Archdemon of the Circle of Violence! I do not fear you! You fear me!" He shouted out, his voice echoing throughout the forest. Breathing heavily, the noises began to fade, finding himself alone with Vylania. He gently set her down, still unresponsive, but overall in good health.
"Vylania, please… wake up. I… I can't complete the mission without you! You need to wake up!" He pleaded, not wanting her to die. He sat down with her, cradling her head. He didn't know this feeling he was experiencing being with her, but he knew it wasn't lust. It was… something more profound. But it wasn't a feeling he had ever experienced before as a demon.
As he sat there with her, he heard a noise from the east of the clearing, his head snapping towards it.
"Who's there?! I order you to reveal yourself!" Xorelaz demanded, clenching his fists. A maroon hedgehog with a blindfold, wearing hunter's clothing revealed himself, his hands up to show himself as being non-threatening. It was Azazel.
"Be calm, stranger. I have no desire to hurt any of you." The hedgehog said, showing he was not their enemy. Xorelaz calmed down, but the sound of Vylania coughing caused him to go back to her, crouching down with her. The hedgehog quickly marched over to them, sensing something was wrong with her.
"What is wrong with her?" He asked, crouching down with Xorelaz.
"I don't know! She was complaining of not feeling well, and then she collapsed!" Xorelaz explained.
Azazel could already tell the cat had a strong pulse, despite her state, but he could also hear heart palpitations, a sign of some kind of latent condition. Azazel already knew how to treat her, but they couldn't do it here.
"Pick her up. We will need to take her to my homestead to treat her." Azazel instructed. Xorelaz was quick to do so, hoisting her over his shoulder.
"My homestead is near the shore. We are very close to it as of now. If you follow me, we will get there soon." Azazel said, walking in the direction of his home. Xorelaz followed, exiting the clearing, and beginning to go out onto a worn trail. As they walked, Xorelaz began to become suspicious, not knowing why this one was helping them.
"If this is some kind of trick, then know that we aren't to be trifled with!" Xorelaz warned. Azazel nodded, understanding their concern.
"Do not be afraid of me. I am only a blind hunter. It is my wife one should be wary of. Of course… that is why I love her." Azazel said, pushing back a low-hanging branch, revealing his home near the shore. His home was a large cabin, resting a distance from the shore, the sea gently pulling in and then pushing out from the tide.
"Now, let us get her inside. We will be able to treat her inside." Azazel said, walking towards the door. He soon opened the door, holding it open to allow Xorelaz and Vylania to enter his home. Azazel followed, shutting the door behind them.
"Gloria! We need foxglove and peppermint!" Azazel announced, walking over to a closet door. He quickly opened it, searching around with his hands. He soon found what he was looking for, an old bedroll. Shutting the door, he walked to the middle of the room, unrolling it.
"Lay her upon it." Azazel instructed. While Xorelaz isn't one for taking advice or orders from someone else, especially a mortal, he couldn't help but listen to every word this one said. He gently laid her upon the bedroll, making sure she was laying down straight. As they were in the living room, Gloria walked from her room, holding the infant Isaac. But she suddenly stopped, seeing the kilt-clad wolverine and the bark-shrouded cat.
She felt an immediate distrust of them, not knowing who they were or why they were in her home. But upon seeing her husband feeling the forehead of the cat, who was passed out on the floor, she already knew his generous nature was the reason. Azazel's head turned towards his wife, hearing her breathing.
"We need foxglove and peppermint. The girl is having problems with her heart." Azazel explained. Gloria nodded, reluctantly walking into the kitchen, where they kept their dried herbs and spices. Putting Isaac down gently on the floor, she grabbed a jar of peppermint and a smaller jar of foxglove, taking these to Azazel. She put them down next to his feet, quickly walking back to the kitchen to retrieve Isaac.
Azazel moved his hands to his satchel, opening it and rooting around for something. Soon, he pulled out a mortar and pestle, a tool for grinding up herbs to be used in medicines. He opened the jars, quickly smelling their contents to ascertain which was which. Azazel pulled out a large clump of peppermint and a much, much smaller clump of foxglove, putting them into the mortar. Using the pestle, he moved it around, grinding up the dried herbs.
"What are you doing?" Xorelaz asked, not understanding his reason.
"I am making a remedy for your friend. The foxglove and peppermint should help her. Something is wrong with her heart." Azazel explained, finishing grinding up the herbs. As he set the mortar and pestle down, Gloria walked back in, setting down a large mug of hot water for Azazel. Hearing it, he gently grabbed it by the handle, dumping the contents of the mortar into it, brewing a medicinal cup of tea.
"What are your names?" Azazel asked. Xorelaz was silent, not wishing to give out their names. He knew their names were probably not common in this realm of Creation. And he had no intention of tipping anyone off. Azazel noted their silence, feeling they weren't trustful of him.
"I will go first, then. My name is Azazel." Azazel said, introducing himself. Xorelaz's heart began racing, his blood running cold! He couldn't believe that by sheer coincidence, he managed to actually find their target, the former Prince of Hell, Azazel! As Azazel tested the temperature of the remedy, making sure it wasn't too hot to force down Vylania's throat, Xorelaz silently extended his claws, eyeing his jugular.
Azazel was already aware of Xorelaz's heart picking up, indicating he knew who he was. Using his opposite hand, away from Xorelaz, he signaled his wife that the wolverine was going to attempt to attack him. Seeing the signal, she quickly left the room, walking into Isaac's nursery. She quickly placed Isaac into his crib, who was beginning to doze off.
"Be safe, my son. Mother will be back soon." Gloria whispered, kissing him on the forehead.
Gloria walked back into the living room, keeping her vision focused on the Wolverine. She could see his muscles tensing up, indicating he was getting ready to strike Azazel. Azazel put the tea aside, knowing that his attempt to attack him could spill the remedy. As he made himself appear vulnerable, Xorelaz proceeded with thrusting his claws towards his neck! Azazel responded by quickly catching his hand, stuck in a death-grip!
Azazel then proceeded to slowly tighten his grip, hearing the bones in Xorelaz's hand begin to pop! And in a sudden demonstration of dexterity, Azazel bent his hand 90 degrees towards him, dislocating all the fingers in his hand!
"AAAHHH!" Xorelaz screamed, experiencing the pain of his hand being broken again! Still holding onto his hand, Azazel pulled him to the floor, sending his other hand towards him, clenched in a fist! Azazel proceeded to uppercut him, Xorelaz stumbling backwards, falling down on his back.
Gloria grabbed her smithing hammer from the wall, ready to strike if necessary! But Xorelaz stayed on the floor, shifting as he groaned, his uninjured hand clutching his injured hand. Sensing his attacker wasn't a threat anymore, he gave the remedy a stir and strained out the herbs, propping up Vylania's head. Forcing her mouth open with one hand, he poured the tea down her throat, making sure to keep her windpipe closed. After he drained the remedy, he got up from the floor, walking over to Xorelaz.
"So… my name enrages you, does it not?" Azazel asked. Xorelaz shook his head, gritting his teeth in pain.
"I'm only following orders! Lord Lucifer has ordered for your death and damnation! And by his will, we will deliver!" He exclaimed, attempting to get up. But the moment he managed to get on his own two feet, a swift smithing hammer collided with his left shoulder, knocking him back down onto the floor!
"Savage demon! I will not hesitate to send you back to your infernal realm!" Gloria threatened, venom spilling from her voice.
"Funny. I believe that is what you said when you first met me." Azazel commented.
"And after ten years of constant assaults, we married." Gloria remembered.
"After I gouged out my eyes." Azazel added.
"Wait, you gouged out your own eyes?" Xorelaz asked, not understanding why the former Prince of Hell would do that.
"Penance. After thousands upon thousands of years of evil and corruption, I finally saw the light I had been so deprived of. Lucifer lies to you! Everything you have heard from him is nothing but lies!" Azazel pleaded.
As he said this, Vylania roused from her slumber, the remedy's effects kicking in. She blinked a few times, seeing Azazel standing over an injured Xorelaz. Vylania slowly got up, feeling lightheaded. Gloria noticed this, tightening the grip on her hammer. She was heavily suspicious that Vylania was a demon now, considering she had been traveling with Xorelaz.
Vylania stayed where she was, knowing this wasn't a fight she was going to win. She saw Xorelaz attempting to get back up, seeing the vein in his forehead pulsing with anger.
"Xorelaz, just stay the fuck down!" She exclaimed, Azazel's head snapping towards her voice.
"Xorelaz? As in, the Circle of Violence, Xorelaz?" Azazel asked, recognizing the name. Xorelaz was confused, not knowing how he knew his name, never actually having met Azazel in person before.
"You… you actually know me?" He asked. Azazel smiled at this, ready to drop some knowledge on him.
"I remember when you were created by the primordial forces generated by the ones who spawned you. I was present for your creation. And I had great expectations for you." Azazel explained.
Xorelaz smiled at this, feeling he didn't let him down.
"Archdemon. One of the best, chosen by Lucifer himself!" Xorelaz revealed. Azazel suddenly frowned, not liking what he was hearing.
"Then you have truly disappointed me." Azazel responded. Xorelaz's mouth was agape, not believing what he was saying!
"I have reached highest rank! My only superior is Lord Lucifer! How can you say I haven't met your expectations?!" Xorelaz asked, enraged. Azazel sighed, sitting down on the couch in the living room.
"I saw you had inherited something from your forefathers, the original fallen. It was the light they carried with them when they were part of the Kingdom of Heaven. Somehow, despite the corruption and the great suffering, it survived, passing onto you. The same with the girl over there. But it seems the light in her is much stronger than the light in you." Azazel explained.
"What?! Vylania's only a succubus!" Xorelaz shouted, Vylania becoming angry at this!
"For the last time… I'M NOT A SUCCUBUS, YOU WRATHFUL PRICK!" She shouted, before Isaac was heard crying in his nursery. Gloria sighed, knowing how long it could be until he would fall asleep again.
"Well, thank you for waking up our child. Azazel, love of my life, I trust you will know what to do with them while I attempt to comfort our son so that he may sleep." Gloria said, before walking into Isaac's nursery, sighing.
"If that is true, why didn't Lucifer consider it when sending us here?" Xorelaz asked, trying to find a hole in Azazel's logic.
"Same reason he sent me three centuries ago. He sensed the light in the both of you. And what he said about you all being the best in the entire Inferno… that was obviously a lie. He sent you on this mission to extinguish the light inside of you." Azazel explained.
"Impossible! He said we were the best! We were to be feared!" Xorelaz exclaimed, not believing him.
"And you believed him? The entire realm of Hell, and he said you two were the best? Hahahahaha!" Azazel asked, bursting into laughter. Xorelaz began feeling his anger reach a melting point, not taking to being laughed at! And the last time someone laughed at him, the shade that did it was torn apart and thrown all over the Circles of Hell!
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Xorelaz shouted, his claws pointed for his throat! Azazel was banking off of him losing control, quickly grabbing his hand, and quickly subduing him with an improvised restraining hold! He was thrashing around, trying to get out of the hold! But the more he struggled, the tighter Azazel made the hold, Xorelaz soon turning different colors!
"Tap. Out." Azazel calmly requested, keeping his hold secure. Xorelaz began grabbing at the arm around his throat, trying to relieve the pressure on his windpipe. Soon, he was beginning to turn blue, only able to choke out a few sounds.
"Please, let him go!" Vylania pleaded, never actually seeing someone turn blue before!
"Not until he learns some humility." Azazel replied, maintaining the hold. Xorelaz's eyes began rolling up into his head, indicating he was on the verge of passing out. Seeing that he most likely learned a bit, Azazel let him go, Xorelaz gasping for air, his hand going to his own throat!
"Holy… fuck!" Xorelaz gasped, never being in a hold like that! Azazel got up from the floor, letting him breathe.
"Threaten me or my family again, and I will pick up where I left off." Azazel warned, walking over to Vylania. She quickly became defensive, not knowing what he was going to do. Azazel bent down to the jars on the floor, picking them up. He gave them to her, Vylania confused by the gesture.
"Something is not right with your heart. But these should help you get along. It is one part peppermint, eighth part foxglove. I cannot stress how small the amount of foxglove needs to be! Too much will kill you, but the small amount used for brewing tea will help your heart." He said, also giving her his mortar and pestle.
"Make the tea once a week. Drink it in the morning, right after you awake. Do so for two months, until your heartbeat becomes normal." Azazel explained. Vylania, while confused by his generosity, nodded, taking the mortar and pestle as well.
"Uh… thank you." She said. Azazel nodded, before walking over to the injured wolverine, picking him up from under his arm. He walked him over to the cat, still keeping his grip.
"I believe you owe her an apology, Xorelaz." Azazel instructed. Xorelaz looked at him, not knowing why he had to do so.
"What?" He asked.
"Last I remember, calling an Archdemon from the Circle of Lust a succubus is considered a great insult. Also… she is much more polite than you are." Azazel explained. Xorelaz rolled his eyes, not believing that he had to do this.
"Forget it!" He responded, refusing to apologize. Azazel sighed, before smacking the back of his head. Xorelaz stopped himself from attempting to kill him, considering Azazel was much stronger than him in his mortal form. Groaning he had to do this, he kept his teeth gritted.
"I'm sorry." He muttered, barely audible. Azazel smacked the back of his head again, judging it to not be good enough.
"Louder." Azazel ordered.
"I'm sorry!" Xorelaz said, more audible than last time. Feeling this wasn't good enough, Azazel smacked the back of head again, harder.
"Louder." He said, adamant in getting him to apologize more sincerely.
"I'm fucking sorry, alright?!" He yelled, Azazel subtly nodding, finding it more acceptable than the last two attempts. In a swift motion, Azazel grabbed his dislocated fingers, pulling and snapping them back into place! Xorelaz could only give a quick exclamation of pain, not enough time to allow him to come up with an obscenity! He quickly pulled his hand away, studying it. Like last time, it was swollen and painful, but he could move each digit without restraint.
"Man, that fucking sucks!" Xorelaz hissed, it being the second time his fingers were dislocated in one day. Azazel chuckled, himself knowing far greater pains than a few dislocated fingers.
"Congratulations. Now you know a mere fraction of the pain the shades of the Damned experience in their dreaded existence in Hell. Experiencing pain allows one to know it. Understand it. And the both of you shall be Damned, reduced to shades, once Lucifer knows you were unable to kill me." Azazel explained.
Xorelaz and Vylania's eyes widened, not realizing that was the cost of failure in their mission! They both quickly looked at each other, unsure of what to do! Azazel could already sense their subtle feelings of despair, knowing that the both of them couldn't return to the Inferno.
"He… Lucifer wouldn't do that, would he?" Xorelaz asked, not believing that would be their fates.
"Is that really the question you ask, when Lucifer himself rebelled against his own Creator, for the only reason of believing himself superior?" Azazel asked, rhetorically.
"What?! Lord Lucifer taught us that he himself was cast from Paradise because Elohim saw him as too powerful!" Vylania interjected, sharing what they were told.
"I was one of the Original Fallen, my dear, deluded friends. I was there for the uprising. Lucifer gathered his fellow angels, declaring war against the Council! Unfortunately, the Archangel Michael proved himself more than capable of stopping Lucifer in his tracks! He was cast from Paradise because of his arrogance and hubris, not because of some kind of perceived betrayal from his own Creator!" Azazel explained, practically blowing their minds!
"Well… is it any true that you yourself slaughtered the angels that tried to stop you?" Xorelaz asked, another tale spun by Lucifer. Azazel sighed heavily; a sharp memory being brought up.
"While I had not raised my sword, the angels that became the Fallen were my doing." Azazel admitted, sitting down.
"Can you… tell us what happened?" Vylania asked. Azazel only shook his head, feeling himself too weak to tell such a tale.
"Perhaps, another day. But right now, you two have a choice to make. Your descent back to the Inferno will only show you were unable to fulfill the will of Lucifer. And as I have said before, you will finally experience the torment of the Damned if you return. But… there might be another way." Azazel explained, alluding to something else.
Xorelaz and Vylania were confused, not knowing how they could be free from Lucifer's grasp and prevent themselves from becoming one of the countless Damned in the Inferno. As they were thinking about this, Gloria stepped out from the nursery, having been able to put Isaac to sleep. She quickly saw the two were still here, knowing something was up.
"Azazel, my love, have you figured out what to do with them?" She asked, unknowing of what was to happen. Azazel's face turned to her, himself slightly smiling.
"Yes, I believe I have figured out what to do with them." He said, himself beginning to chuckle. Vylania and Xorelaz quickly had a terrible feeling in the pits of their stomach, feeling the worse was about to occur.
Early the next morning:
Xorelaz and Vylania were sleeping soundly in a wooden structure on bedrolls, wearing actual clothing provided to them. Xorelaz was wearing a leather tunic with a pair of leather pants, a pair of boots tucked away in the corner. Vylania was wearing a tunic as well, but also a long gown. The leather shoes belonging to her were tucked away in the corner with the boots. The night was riddled with nightmares of Lucifer finding them and Damning them in the Circle of Treachery, the both of them encased in ice, their heads being the only thing to be free, constantly kicked at by their fellow Archdemons.
Suddenly, a heavy knocking at the door of the wooden structure was heard, quickly rousing from their slumber. Groaning, feeling the night was too long, thanks to their nightmares, they went to put on their boots and shoes, lacing them tightly. Vylania opened the door, revealing Azazel standing there, his posture indicating pride. The sunlight entering the structure revealed it to be a repurposed shed, the purpose being to house Xorelaz and Vylania for the time being.
"Hope you two slept well, because we have a lot of work to do! Vylania, you will be helping Gloria with tending to the garden. Once you are done, you will aid her in whatever she decides for you to do. Xorelaz, you will be with me today. We are hunting for deer." Azazel explained, walking from the entrance.
Xorelaz quickly stretched out his arms, feeling them pop a bit. As he grabbed a hunting knife from the wall, he put it into a scabbard, tying it around his waist. Vylania grabbed a farming hoe from the wall, knowing she will need it for today.
"Is this better than Hell?" Xorelaz asked, still undetermined. Vylania breathed in the morning air, the smell of the morning dew carried with the slight winds. She breathed out, beginning to smile to herself.
"Yes. I… I truly believe it is." She said, before walking towards the garden.