The Beginning Of An End

Chapter 6

I sat on the grass beneath the moon until the fury inside me cooled into something harder. Quieter.

I couldn't bring myself to return to the castle. Some part of me wished I were human, just for the luxury of ending things instead of carrying them forever. There were worse fates than death.

But running was never an option. Abaddon had shown me the truth, and the Devil had shattered something that could not be ignored. If I didn't confront him, no one would.

What remained of my anger settled into resolve.

I took a sharp breath, rose, and opened a portal. One step later, I stood before the castle gates. I pushed the iron doors open and entered—only to find King Paimon approaching.

His long white hair flowed like silk beneath a white-gold crown set with starlight-bright gems. Tall and slender, almost ethereal, his androgynous features and tan skin gave him an unsettling, mesmerizing presence.

As the Devil's right hand, Paimon's presence alone was unsettling. If he'd been sent, it meant the matter was serious—serious enough that the Devil wasn't willing to involve himself directly.

Paimon approached with effortless grace and stopped before me, looming like a mountain.

"Follow me," he said, curt and unquestioning. He spared me a single glance before turning away.

I followed without protest. I hadn't expected such bluntness, but decades at the Devil's side clearly left a mark. When we passed the stairs to his office and continued downward instead, a knot tightened in my chest.

Apparently, peace was no longer on my schedule.

"Excuse me, but where are we going?" I brought up the confidence to ask. The white-haired demon didn't reply, he just continued descending another set of stairs.

It was at this point when I started hearing screams and cries coming out from the basement. The screams gave it away. The prison was not hidden because it needed to be. Everyone in Hell knew it existed.

The Abyssal Cells were not designed for ordinary criminals. Hell was not interested in locking away every sinner who caused trouble. It was reserved for those who could not be controlled.

Traitors.

Rebels.

Demons who broke the laws of Hell itself.

And the ones powerful enough that killing them would be either impossible or inconvenient.

I had walked these halls before. Usually from the other side.

I had seen demons dragged through these corridors. Seen their confidence disappear the moment the doors closed behind them. The cells were built with more than iron and stone; they were reinforced with ancient magic meant to suppress even the strongest beings.

Every creature behind those doors had a reason for being there. Unfortunately, I was beginning to suspect mine was not going to be one I agreed with.

I stopped in my tracks instantly and attempted to flee, but a couple of demons charged up the stairs at Paimon's command. They seized my arms and forcefully pushed me down the stairs. I tumbled down the last few steps, landing in the basement. The fall wasn't too bad, and I immediately sat up, turning to face Paimon.

"What is this for?!" I hissed, my voice echoing in the confined space. Footsteps approached from behind, and then I heard a familiar voice.

"Well, Asmodeus, you have come a long way to get here." The Devil said through a smirk. I quickly turned towards him and the two demons instantly came up behind me to hold me in place. He was staring straight into my eyes, his face looking even grimmer than usual.