Chapter 1021

Chapter 1021: “betrayal is at the sentence of death,”

A great expulsion of mana caught the sense of Mana-sensible bystanders. Those unknown to the idea felt a strange thud; a feeling many threw on accounts of heavy drinking or lack of sleep. Ishta ran across the street, his breath puffed at the chilly atmosphere – a smoke beacon of essence cut over the alleys.

“Skarla,” he gasped, “-why, what?” the one in question had her expression thrust at the impasse. Four skid marks led to the unconscious Iyan and Syne. Their captive, Skarla, held their collar with a hint of anguish, “-Skarla,” voiced one more, her locked vision shattered, “-Ishta,” she blinked, “-you’re here?”

“What’s with that tone?” the runner’s pace eased for a calmer, breath-recovering walk. No sooner did he turn the corner to a blast of radiant energy. The pure beams of power sprinkle pebbles, the outfit lit mildly in tiny containments. “Lady Kul” he hurried to the lass, “-are you well?” she did not answer, keeping a low profile and head at the ground. Barrels horned downward, “-surrender or die,” screamed gunmen scattered across the rooftops.

“Ishta,” whispered Kul, “-won’t you leave with him?”

“What do you mean?” he paid no heed to the pointers, Skarla had her grip around RatX, ‘-Kul, stop slacking,’ she glared, a message that stuck to Kul’s pale expression.

“I mean,” she grabbed his arms and lifted a troubled gaze, “-Asmodeus left for the underworld, he left for the realm of demons; hell. Lilith has betrayed our master and has taken her place as Queen.”

“Impossible,” he slapped her arms and backed away, “-I won’t stand for blasphemy, my lord isn’t a pushover.”

.....

“Use your head,” she sniffled, “-don’t you see,” a snap shattered the mild illusion – a massacre stood under the leather shoes. Puddles of blood gathered, he gulped and scanned – *bang,* the fire shot thundered. Kul rose her index and twirled; cross-shaped circles opened before the many enemies. RatX fired and decimated flesh; Kul snapped and the circle fired darts of golden hue – some fell off the rooftops, others laid as nothing but an after image of Skarla’s weapon.

‘My friends,’ a troubled Ishta lost his strength and toppled against a garbage bin, “-WHAT HAPPENED?”

“Asmodeus,” she returned, clambering up with blood-soaked clothes, “-he left for hell, I told you.”

Skarla landed, “-situation’s out of hand,” she said after checking the corpses, “-they were hunters working for YWC. We need to skip town.”

“How can you be so at ease,” trembled Ishta, “-look at the massacre, so many of my friends are dead, WHAT NOW?”

“SHUT THE HELL UP!” Kul vanished and slammed Ishta against a wall, “-DON’T YOU THINK I KNOW?”

“Enough, both of you!” fired Skarla.

They returned her gaze, “-we know, yes?”

Kul eased her grip and dusted her shirt, “-Ishta, I’ll explain shortly,” they turned to a haunting site of blood and gore. Dislocated limbs, eviscerated wounds, dismembered members – unlucky few had their guts spat upon the marred street. Red turned brown, the splatter dripped, “-I’ll do it,” exhaled a tense Kul, “-take those two and head to the hostel. I’ll clean up the mess.”

They crossed gaze, took one each, and dragged their fellow luggage out of the alley, “-you sure about this?” narrowed Skarla.

“Sure about what?”

“Her cleaning up, are they, not your friends as well?”

Another burst caught his attention, “-no, I’m, sure it’s fine,” he fought the urge to turn, “-they made their choice and I sealed mine. Come on,” the walk continued, invisible pillars of smoke rose – a fire of pure-white lined with black cremated a pile of bodies.

“May they rest in peace,” she pressed her hands, ‘-Asmodeus, you won’t escape so easily... betrayal is at the sentence of death,’ she stared her hands, ‘-to kill a Prince, I must become stronger.’

On the other side of Hell’s gate rose a warmer atmosphere. Floating islands and continents littered the landscape – the lowest level burnt with a flame that ought to make the sun shy; higher up the plane cooler becomes the temperature until it no longer exists, “-back home,” echoed Charlie comfortably taken to his demonic figure, “-doesn’t it feel amazing?”

“My, this place sure has changed,” he scanned – demons flew from island to island, a glance up told of bigger and better islands as a glance downward spoke the haunting beginning of the end.

“Come on, spread your wings,” the arch-demon leaped off hovering mass of trees and rocks, “-let’s fly,” he said midway, “-we ought to meet her majesty.”

‘This place,’ wings summoned, ‘-I remember everything, my powers, and my heart feels at ease. I guess I did betray my master, oh well, he knows,’ higher one climbs the harder it becomes. The disparity was such to stop the unworthy from climbing lest they grow strong and able to handle the peace and quiet, else a fa?ade for the realm’s higher pressure. Fixed atop the highest point rose a castle, it laid shy from the main continent of which its size couldn’t be quantified. A glance simply took away the existence of lower islands. And so, the climb resumed – pressure beckoned harsher gusts and an ever-increasing weight upon the shoulders.

“Here,” Asmodeus eventually breathed a sigh and landed. The Castle-isle harbored a tall forest of gradually thinning foliage. A stone-walk way spread across, “-to the east resides the elevator.”

“You could have said so earlier,” exclaimed the prince, “-I’d have kept my energy.”

“What’s the fun in that,” returned a chuckle. Gates hiding the castle opened – higher demons guarded the perimeter, and a sense of royalty expanded. Order and disciple burnt the hearts of the devoted. Fierce red hair flowed past, “-Sathanas!”

“Brother Asmodeus,” she stopped and stared, “-I see you made it home,” hesitation filled the voice, “-expected as much. No matter, go meet mother, she’s in audience with Leviathan.”

“Sathanas, wait,” he horned upon the hesitation, “-why are you lying?”

“Because I don’t want to speak the truth. Go inside, I don’t care,” she threw up her arms, “-fuck off already.”

“Foul-mouthed brat,” gritted Charlie, a sudden burst of energy fueled her curled fist, “-don’t you dare,” she widened her gaze, “-last time ended in near-death, this time I’ll end your miserable existence.”

“Brother,” a swarm of insects carried Beelzebub, “-hello and welcome,” he smiled, “-forgive sister, she’s a bit angry at what happened.”

“What happened?”

“Mother hasn’t told father about her intentions.”

“Enough,” added Charlie, “-best for lady Lilith to speak her mind on the matter.”

“Okay,” he waved and trailed behind Sathanas. The promenade resumed, demons bowed their heads at their sight, ‘-he seems used to the treatment.’ A gloomy outline waited in the shadows of the central staircase, “-carry on,” ordered Asmodeus, “-if mother is in audience, we’ll have to wait.”

“She’ll be done in a bit, don’t make me hurry.”

Asmodeus stretched his long fingers into the gloomy outline’s lowered point of view, “-brother?” it exhaled.

“Mammon, are you well?”

He slid across the bench, Asmodeus followed the gesture and dropped, “-I guess?”

“Gloomy response doesn’t suit my brother, what happened?”

“Mother’s insane... I was having fun for the first time. My plans came to fruition, the greed satiated my heart and I grew in authority and strength... Charlie came and said mother left the Shadow Realm for the Underworld. We finally had a master who was worthy of the name... I want to go back but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“The vow of sovereignty. Mother holds ultimate power. Without her approval, no one can leave the realm, not even you, brother.”

“Guess Sathanas’ anger is well deserved.”

“No, not that...” he held silence, Asmo could but wait at the increasing pressure.

“...” Mammon gathered his thought and gazed emptily.

“Will you spit it out?”

“Sathanas is angry because mother’s spreading her legs before the Kings. She hates being tied by ancient tradition, she says mother has a solemn look on her face, she says mother’s bound by a curse or something. I frankly don’t care what happens. Mother accepted a deal and tis the payment. As Queen she must bear the children of the coming army, she must bear the weight of the demonic world’s survival.”

“She doesn’t have to,” interjected Sathanas, “-she was happy in the Shadow Realm, no longer tied by the ancient tradition. Igna and those around him are fun to stay with – we had complete authority over the world and could do what we wanted... now here we are, in the demented realm of damnation, what a fucking joke.”

An entourage of greater demons exited, “-oh hello children of Lilith,” waved the head of said party, “-Sathanas, your father is waiting for the return. He won’t take lightly to the insubordination.”

“Shut up, uncle.”

“Such anger and hatred, good, very good, you pay your trait well.”

“Uncle Leviathan, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“My, Asmodeus, if it’s not my favorite nephew. I do apologize for causing your lady mother harm. We need to ensure the demon race’s survival. Let’s have longer chat someday, see you soon, nephew.”

“Condescending prick.”

“Inside voice, Sathanas, inside voice. I’ll check on mother.”

A short walk turned reflection; ‘-mother’s trapped... maybe not. Leviathan came to visit; I doubt mother’s spreading her legs at the kings. The demon race is in danger, what’s with that?’ he skipped the audience room and headed for her bedchambers. A mild touch opened the door – the beautiful Lilith sat at her vanity table, her hair wet with water and the expression drowned in woe, “-mother,” it didn’t quite reach, and for the second time he called, “-mother,” the mirror caught his reflection, she stopped combing her hair and turned, “-Asmodeus, why did you come?”

“Charlie-”

“FUCK!” she threw her comb, “-that piece of shit.”

“Wow, mother, what’s with the grammar?”

“Shut up, you’re an idiot, and so is everyone else. This place is a mess... the kings of hell desperately want to sow their seed and I’m here acting as if I care. I should have never taken that note seriously.”

“What note?”

“Listen, Asmo, I’m not here by choice nor the others. Once a demon enters the underworld, no matter the rank, there’s no escape lest the four demon kings give their approval. Guess what, those four have never agreed on anything. I spoke to Leviathan and he said he’ll accept on condition that I give him an heir, screw that.”

“If the queen can’t counter the edict, what level of entity forged so?”

“Supreme god,” she sighed, “-Lucifer, Zeus, and Artanos have forged an alliance that links the three dominions. War will be waged upon Igna, the prophecy warns of his potential. I fear it’ll be a repeat of the Cursed King’s tale.”

“What then, we just sit here?”

“Shut up, Asmo, you foolishly followed Charlie... he’s a clockwork servant of Artanos. They’ve got us in a right ol’ mess.”

“What about Miira, surely?”

“Don’t even bother,” she rolled her eyes, “-she’s trapped in the Heavenly realm – the bind forged by Lucifer.”

“Mother, we shouldn’t despair.

“Why?”

“Kul,” he returned, “-I had her kill some of my servants. She’ll resent me for forcing her hand. Word will get to master – he’ll come knocking sooner or later.”

“He shouldn’t,” she facepalmed, “-best we escape than force him to enter hell. The kings are readying their forces to crush Igna – Artanos’ thought of everything!”

The pressure of the demonic realm, hell, not to be confused with the Aapith Nation which resides as the core of Hell, eased for the pureness of Dimension Orin. Iyan and Syne were gagged and tied in a desolate room, “-that’s the whole story,” Kul exhaled, “-he forced our hands. Guess Lilith’s truly turned side.”

“We need to send word to master.”

“Not now,” narrowed Kul, “-Operation Wied is a priority, focus on the changeable and not a ghost.”

“What will you do, Ishta?”

.....

“I owe a lot to the king. If Asmodeus truly changed side, I will remain loyal to the young master.”

“Don’t worry, Ishta,” snickered Kul, “-Asmodeus will pay, I’ll make sure of it.”