The Beginning Of An End

Chapter 24

Days rolled into weeks, and the snow showed no sign of stopping. Morale among the demons had shifted dramatically in that time, shaken by the looming apocalypse. Even the Devil faltered, flailing and making impulsive decisions without thought.

I spent most of my hours stationary in a chair at the casino, drowning time in alcohol. Bereft of allies except for Belial—whose whereabouts remained unknown—I reveled in solitude amid the gathering storm. Everything was unraveling before our eyes: Astaroth was dead, and the snows of Asgard blanketed Hell.

In the past few days, I had begun finding twisted amusement in hosting daily parties, indulging only in human alcohol. Each gathering grew more extravagant, fueled by copious drinks and an atmosphere of unbridled abandon. Demons, drawn to fleeting pleasure in the face of annihilation, reveled alongside me. Lustful encounters blurred the edges of reality, a welcome distraction from the shadow of the end. To those around me, I became a beacon of defiance—a symbol of indulgence in the face of inevitable ruin.

The irony was that as everything fell apart, my own influence grew stronger. Humanity had always reached for pleasure when faced with fear. Alcohol, obsession, indulgence, distraction. The closer they came to the end, the more they clung to anything that made them feel alive for a few more minutes.

As the snow fell here, ice caps began to melt on Earth, and regions that had never seen snow now glimpsed it, a strange reflection of the shifting balance between worlds. Oceans rose and retreated in violent cycles. Entire regions experienced storms unlike anything humanity had recorded before.

As I sat in the dimly lit casino, music blaring and thoughts swirling, a glimmer of hope flickered within me. Perhaps—against all odds—I would see Loki again, right at the precipice of the apocalypse. That thought was the only thing keeping me moving. The only thing that mattered.

Lost in that fragile optimism, I noticed someone sliding into the seat across from me at the poker table. I turned, surprised to see Beelzebub. We hadn't spoken since our argument over Mammon's possible fate. It had been the longest stretch of silence we'd ever endured, and I'd thought it would last until the end of time. But apparently, it hadn't.

I didn't speak first, letting him break the quiet.

"I know we haven't talked in a while. And you might think I'm crazy for saying this, but... I think you're right." His eyes held mine, waiting for a softening I didn't give. I stayed stoic, silently urging him to continue. "About Mammon. I shouldn't have left you to handle all of this alone. I promised I'd be there through it all, and I wasn't... I'm sorry."

I hadn't expected that. The admission caught me off guard, and I leaned forward slightly, drawn in.

"Well... I'm glad to hear you say that," I murmured, keeping my reservations intact.

A faint smile played on his lips. "In recent days, I've been busy—earning Mammon's trust. And, well... you should come with me to my realm."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. A small smirk tugged at my lips. "Is that so?"

"There's only one way to find out," Beelzebub said with a shrug, rising from his chair. I hesitated briefly, but curiosity always seemed to win. I stood as well.

We moved through the casino corridors, the sounds of revelry fading behind us. Beelzebub's words lingered in my mind, stirring a mix of anticipation and unease. As we stepped outside, the cold air bit at my skin, a stark contrast to the warmth and chaos within.

"I still can't get used to this weather," I commented, letting out a short laugh. "Shit... I sound like a human."

Beelzebub snorted, amused, before opening a portal. "It's poetic, really," he said as he stepped through, and I followed.