— ??? Abyssal Realm —
Within the abyssal realm of lust and corruption—a domain home to succubi, incubi, and numerous lesser demonic beings of desire and depravity—stands a place where many structures closely mirror those of the mortal realm. This realm draws power from the desires and corrupt actions of mortals, and its changes ripple into areas of the mortal world where lust and corruption thrive.
This abyssal plane feeds on the intense, lascivious energies from countless mortal acts of corruption, both of soul and body. Once only the third in rank of worshippers, this realm has surged to become the most powerful following the destruction of Satan's Abyssal Realm and the devastation of Mammon's domain, which has been plundered to barren wastelands devoid of their original power.
With this shift, the Abyssal Realm of Lust and Corruption has ascended to the number one spot in worshippers, much to the delight of its overlord, Asmodeus, the Lord of Lust and Corruption. Overjoyed by this triumph, Asmodeus has nearly decided to bestow the title of "Anointed One" upon Daniel Emberweave, the mortal who unknowingly helped propel his realm to new heights.
After absorbing the worshippers and demons of the two fallen realms, Asmodeus's dominion expanded considerably, encroaching upon the territories of Beelzebub, the Lord of Gluttony, and Belphegor, the Lord of Sloth.
Within an opulent castle styled much like a hotel in the mortal world's red-light districts, a man in a resplendent red suit adorned with fine jewelry laughed amidst the embrace of voluptuous succubi and mortal women who had willingly pledged themselves to his service.
His long red hair was tied back in a ponytail, and his sculpted, heart-stopping features could rival those crafted by the finest mortal artists. Laughing heartily, he held an infernal contract in his hand, while two demons kneeled in submission before him.
"Ah HAHAHA! Very good—bow down and submit, you worms!" the man laughed.
Here's a refined version:
This man was none other than Asmodeus, the Lord of Lust and Corruption. His laughter echoed as he gazed upon the two archfiends bowing before him.
The two had come to seek his mercy after suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Asmodeus's demonic forces.
These archfiends were the rulers of the ravaged realms of Satan and Mammon. They had carved out parts of these desolate territories, reigniting the barren lands with their own powers in an effort to establish themselves as lesser Hell Lords, revitalizing their domains with Abyssal Power.
Lately, many archfiends had been flocking to these desolate realms, each carving out territory and vying for dominion in hopes of becoming the next Hell Lords of Wrath and Greed.
The contract in Asmodeus's hand bound these two archfiends to serve him loyally for eternity. In return, he would spare their lives and grant them the protection of the Abyssal Realm of Lust and Corruption.
Asmodeus's realm had reached a golden age, with no signs of decline.
"HAHAHAHA! Rejoice, Daniel Emberweave! Rejoice and Receive my blessing!" Asmodeus laughed, channeling his power into a blessing free of drawbacks and bestowing it upon Daniel.
— Florida —
Florida—the land where hurricanes are commonplace, and people often indulge in bizarre and inexplicable activities: playing poker in the middle of the road, kidnapping a cat only to return it days later with a bald patch on its head, or a guy with a penchant for licking doorknobs.
In the vast, untamed sprawl of Florida's Great Bayou, murky waters creep slowly beneath a canopy of towering cypress and ancient oaks draped in trailing Spanish moss. The air hangs thick with humidity, blending the earthy aromas of damp soil and decaying vegetation with a faint salty breeze drifting up from the nearby Gulf.
The hum of cicadas, the croak of bullfrogs, and the occasional splash hint at life beneath the still waters.
A group of alligators glides silently through the bayou, led by a small horned alligator—yes, horned. The leader bears four demon-like horns crowning its head like a twisted, reptilian diadem.
[Hmm, it's so peaceful today,] the lead alligator mused to itself. It thought back on how it, once the chosen of the gods, had taken over the body of an infant alligator. Since then, it had fought countless battles, eventually conquering all the territory within Florida's Great Bayou.
[Now that I control this place, the next step is to seize the nearest human settlement,] it thought, a malicious grin spreading across its reptilian face.
This alligator was none other than Leviathan, who had fled from Daniel to the Great Bayou below. Its soul had leaped into one of the smallest but most promising alligators it could find, gaining control over the creature's body.
Now that Leviathan had become the bayou's apex predator and gathered a following—albeit of other alligators—he knew that once his powers fully recovered, he could attract human worshipers. With that, he'd gain the ability to evolve these alligators into lizardmen, build an army from scratch, and finally seek revenge.
Just as Leviathan was lost in his grand plans, a distant sound caught his attention. The hum of a hovercraft engine grew louder; a speedboat was approaching. Moments later, he spotted figures on board.
[Humans? Perfect. I won't have to go far; I'll start by terrorizing this batch of foolish mortals, and then—] Leviathan's thoughts froze as he got a better look at the figures.
A long black trench coat worn over a cassock emblazoned with the Vatican's Secret Exterminator Unit emblem. A battle-hungry grin on a scarred face, wielding a blessed blade in one hand and a long alligator-catching stick in the other. The appearance might seem a bit weird, but he's none other than Christopher Ward, the infamous Grand Paladin of the Vatican's Secret Exterminator Unit.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Found you!" Christopher laughed, his battle-hungry grin widening.
Leviathan: "Sh*t..."