Darkest Desires - Afterdeath Helltale

Chapter 2

Reaper wasn't quite sure what to expect as he felt himself being summoned to the mortal plane, likely believing that one of his subordinates were responsible. As the king of hell and the most powerful demon in existence, it wasn't likely that a mortal had been the one to call him to Earth.

Except, that's exactly what happened. The demon could feel it in his bones the second his body began to materialize in the pentagram, he could feel the link to the one who had called upon him. That link drew his gaze down to the unconscious mortal at his feet, their expression conveying immense pain even as they slept. How could a mortal possess enough strength to summon and bind him?

Any chance to investigate that question however was put on hold as he sensed the sickening presence of angels nearby, his voided gaze drifting upwards to see one of his dukes struggling to hold off three of them. "My lord," greeted another of his dukes, the lord of hell turning to see Killer bowing before. "What are your orders?"

Even for dukes of hell, three angels would be a bit too much for the two of them, causing the cloaked skeleton to sigh as his feathery black wings unfolded. "Guard the mortal, do not allow any harm to come to him. I shall take care of the angels." Killer's unquestioning obedience was always one of his better traits, the demon nodding without asking another question as Reaper called forth his scythe and entered the fray.

The three angels all paled at the sight of him, their pure white wings tucking in close to their body as if they were afraid that he would cut them off. Such a reaction caused his own vassal to turn in relief, his leathery bat-like wings drooping a bit as Dust bowed to him. "Retreat Dust, you'll only be in my way in your condition," he barked, the other demon wordlessly obeying as he stumbled to his feet and limped over to where his partner currently was. "Now then..." The lord of hell turned his focus to the three cowering before him, smirking at the false courage they tried to display. "Three little birdies seem to be in way over their head. If I were you, I'd run along back to your nest before your wings were clipped."

The one that seemed to be leading the three of them stepped forward, mismatched eyes turning red as he glared the demon down. "Satan," he hissed, the single word as venomous as a cobra. "You have no business here! Begone!"

"Are you trying to threaten me, little bird?" Reaper laughed, finding the attempt cute yet pathetic. "And for your information, I do have business here. My men were kind enough to bring me such a delectable soul to taint and corrupt, and I wish to claim it for myself." He licked his lips at the thought of claiming such a powerful soul, grinning at how the angels faltered at his words.

The blue-clad angel stepped up, his wings spread wide in a pitiful attempt to make his small frame seem bigger. "That soul doesn't belong to you! They deserve to live their life untainted before ascending to heaven!"

"Blue, wait," the golden angel called, their gaze landing on the mortal in question as he held out an arm to silence his companion. Just the sight of an angel regarding what was his left him on edge, fully prepared to carve out the angel's eyes for such a deed. "That mortal doesn't belong to you... you belong to them, don't you?" Their soft voice carried far enough that all occult beings present could hear, stunning them all into silence.

"A mortal?! Binding Satan?!" The angel leader screamed, breaking the uneasy silence. "That's not possible Dream!"

"Ink, you can feel the power coming from their soul just as I can. I've never felt a mortal with such immense potential in centuries, a power that rivals our own despite their mortal nature. And... I can feel the bond between them, linking their souls together. Satan has been bound to that mortal, there is no doubt about it."

The leader, Ink, paused at that information, grimacing as he tried to think of what to do next. "If that mortal really has bound Satan to their will... then they're too dangerous to allow to remain on the mortal plane. They should be destroyed and then sent to purgatory so that the archangels may deal with his case."