CASTIEL'S REQUIEM

Chapter 3: When hell freezes over

The flickering embers of hell's abyss cast a chilling glow, extinguishing any hope that lingered within the damned souls trapped in its unrelenting cycle of agony. Ahab shuddered, not from the biting cold, but from the malevolent presence lurking in the dark recesses of the caverns, the foreboding path that led to his master's fortress.

The dead trees, their bark twisted in perpetual torment, seemed to bleed and wail in sorrowful melodies, their haunting songs echoing the tales of lives once lived in opulence, now forever lost to eternal suffering. Though bereft of leaves, their branches danced with a macabre grace, swaying to the unheard rhythms of the damned. These trees, once mighty leaders and kings, had been corrupted by power, their greed and selfishness now eternally punished, their souls forever trapped in this infernal realm.

Ahab hastened his pace, disregarding the pleas of the tormented souls that lined the pathway. Their cries echoed through the desolate landscape, entreating him to linger, to acknowledge their presence, to advocate for their plight before the master. But Ahab had grown accustomed to their supplications, and his heart had hardened against their sorrow.

The torches that hung from the crumbling walls, spaced six meters apart, cast an eerie glow. Their dark blue flames seemed to flicker with discontent, as if even the fires themselves were unhappy. Ahab avoided eye contact with the flames, knowing they sought to ensnare his attention, to persuade him to intercede on their behalf. For in this forsaken realm, he was deemed the most benevolent of the malevolent beings that ruled with an iron fist.
His brown tunic, a relic of his former life as king of Israel, billowed behind him like a dark cloud.
The once-white garment had been sullied by the horrors he had witnessed, and the sands of time had stained it a deep, mournful brown. His sandals, crafted from camel hide, remained remarkably intact, a testament to their durability despite the eons he had spent in this godforsaken land.

He marched forward with purpose, disregarding the sinister shadows that emerged from the tiny holes in the walls. He loathed those creatures, the worst of their kind, capable of draining a demon's energy in mere minutes. They served Asmodeus, the son of Lilith, Adam's first wife, and the ruthless commander of the demonic army in hell. These shadows were Asmodeus's personal spies, his eyes and ears, monitoring every soul who dared to tread the pathway.
After an eternity of walking, Ahab finally arrived at his destination.

Asmodeus, seated on a throne beneath the master's, sneered at him, his voice dripping with malice. "Speak your mind, Ahab, or forever hold your peace." Ahab felt the familiar tremor of fear, nausea, and revulsion that always accompanied his encounters with the commander, who seemed to take pleasure in his subservience.

Ahab's hatred for Asmodeus burned with an unrelenting ferocity, and the older demon reciprocated his scorn. Asmodeus viewed him as unworthy of his place among the honored damned, for he had not been forged in the depths of hell like himself. He saw Ahab as weak, a sentiment shared by many, who whispered among themselves that he was the most feeble of their kind. Ahab's appointment as an arch demon only fueled the resentment, with many grumbling in secret.

But what Ahab would never tolerate was Asmodeus's constant disrespect. He had once been a king, and he demanded some semblance of respect from the demon. "I am not answerable to you, Lapdog!" He spat, his fury igniting.

Asmodeus, infamous for his short temper, erupted in a split second. Shadows burst forth from his body, ensnaring Ahab in a chokehold that lifted him off the ground. The air was squeezed from his lungs as Asmodeus's grip tightened, his eyes blazing with malevolent intensity.
Ahab thrashed about, desperate to break free from the shadows' grasp as they invaded his nostrils, siphoning his essence. But he refused to succumb, countering by draining the shadows' own vital force and feeding on their energy. Asmodeus's pained growl testified to the effectiveness of Ahab's retaliation.