The Pride Ring Dynasty

Zestial's Rise to Power

Zestial
Welcome to Hell.
I'm gonna show you how this thing is done.
Say hello to a new status quo.
Everyone will know of this brand new dawn.
Hear my song!

Zestial spent the next many years collecting souls as they appeared in his little area of Hell. With them, came new ideas from the Earth above. Knowledge he used to have them build towers and towns. Taking the souls one-by-one as they came, before they could be told not to. A simple, perfect plan, as sure proof as they come.

Years later, Zestial sipped tea at the kitchen table as Seed made him breakfast. He noticed the woman moving somber, humming a familiar tune, oen from the queen.

Zestial spoke up. "Seed, you know how I feel about those hymns.What burdens you, anyway, my dear?"

The humming stopped. She walked over with a plate of bread and fish. "I awoke with a sense of foreboding," her sass creeped back in. "The storm clouds don't help."

Zestial put his hand on the plate. His hand lit up, and a second meal appeared. He gestured for her to join him. "Is this foreboding stronger than I, my dear?"

Seed looked away, mouth shut. She faced him. "No, my lord. Of course, not."

"Then have your fill, dear," said Zestial. Just then, the ground began to shake.

Seed looked conflicted, frozen. Zestial reassured her as he stood and walked to the kitchen window.

A great, dark blue cloud had formed as far as the eye could see. Glitter floated around like fog.

Zestial smiled. The shaking had not stopped. "Why, this is a very good thing for us. Fetch me my hat. I have deals to make."

So, Seed walked hastily and brought him his tall, black top hat.

He took it and, saying he would return by nightfall, stepped out of the brick house and headed straight for a man just outside his gate.

Standing above the man, who looked as bewildered as any other would, he said his piece. "Welcome to Hell, my friend. I am the Zestial, the Overlord of these parts." The man took Zestial's hand and stood.

The man, Methiselah, introduced himself, but Zestial was more interested in the people behind him. Some seemed to recognize each other. Some gathered in groups and began to look around.

For only a moment, Zestial let slip his distaste for it, but he composed himself. "Methiselah, I see your disoriented from this hellish journey. I would be more than willing to show you the way to thrive, for a price." He extended his green-lovered hand.

Methiselah took a step back, looked around, and straightened himself out. "I'll expore my options. Be this an open offer?"

Zestial paused, looking sternly at the man, the green fading from his hand. "Why, I am a very busy man."

Methisaleh took his hand and shook it firmly. "Then I guess I'll have to find my way around." He walked away.

"Must be Seth's," Zestial mumbled as a green light circled him, preparing to teleport. The light stopped and reversed, to his confusion. He looked up.

A tower of light formed in front of him. It cleared, and who it revealed shook Zestial as he tried to bow. The king of Hell boomed. "Cain, did tou think I wouldn't find you because you got a new name?"

Zestial bowed and greeted appropriately. He tried to apologize, but kept stumbling on his inability to think of something to say.

The fearsome king turned to a slump, standing in front of him with baggy eyes. "What you do with your freewill is your business, I guess." He sounded aggressive for someone who sounded so tired. "Anyway, I'm here because some angels want to talk to you in the castle. You're free to go after."