𝕮𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖓𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝕮𝖍𝖔𝖎𝖗𝖘

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈

When Asmodeus opened his eyes after the pain and shock had subsided, he no longer found himself in the gloomy atmosphere of hell, but in heaven.

But it was not the realm as he knew it.

Above him stretched a radiant blue, streaked with a multitude of dazzling colors. Rays of sunlight penetrated the cloud cover and made the sky glow in a kaleidoscopic spectrum of colors. Tall trees towered majestically in the sky and provided pleasant shade, while birds with colorful feathers fluttered through the air and sang their melodic songs.

The air smelled of spring, of fresh grass and blooming flowers, and a gentle breeze brushed across the meadow and played with Asmodeus' hair. It was a peaceful and idyllic scene, a stark contrast to the gloomy and ominous places of hell.

It almost seemed like a memory.

He breathed heavily and looked around for Benjamin and Soles. The latter was nowhere to be seen, but Lucifer's son was standing next to him, holding his wrist and circling his right hand. "What is this?" Asmodeus asked, letting his feet guide him across the damp grass. He could feel it between his bare toes and stepped in front of a puddle.

The sight that awaited him shocked him to the core.

He could see himself in the reflection of the water. There was a large, gaping hole in his chest. The hole in his chest was like an open wound that exposed his innermost being and made him feel as if a part of him had been lost. He felt weak and vulnerable, as if he was no longer complete. The realization that Benjamin had stolen his heart and that he was now trapped in this hallucinatory world hit him like a slap in the face.

Asmodeus pressed a hand firmly against his chest as if he could close the hole, but it remained painful. A sense of panic took hold of him as he wondered how he could escape from this situation and if he would ever return to his true self.

"Damn it, what is that?" he cursed under his breath and hissed as he looked at the hole more closely.

"Calm down," replied Benjamin calmly, who hadn't moved from the spot. "These are just Steve's memories. Just as you angels can see the souls' past, so can we, of course," Benjamin explained. "I just needed to make a connection."

The image around them blurred and they were in Sole's room in heaven, standing in mid-air, able to look down on the cherubim as he lay in his bed.

Together with a female soul that Asmodeus knew was under the care of Metatron.

"I met her on the way to his room," Asmodeus murmured, averting his gaze from the bare skin. The rules had given him an unhealthy approach to nudity.

"I know," Benjamin replied, stepping behind the angel to place his hands on his shoulders. "But that's not the point. This soul and others have visited him more than once." He let his hands rest on the spot for a moment before running his fingertips up Asmodeu's neck until they cradled his head and turned him back to the action. "You must look, Yeonjun, you must understand what your comrade felt."