Angel ✦ Nomin

36

"What's Hell like, daddy?" the young boy asks as he places a red block onto his ever-expanding LEGO castle.

"It's like a hotel, but bigger. Much, much bigger," a deep, rumbling voice speaks from somewhere behind the boy.

"Does it have those people that bring you food whenever you want it?" he chimes as he sifts through his small bucket of blocks for another red one.

"On a few floors, yes," the voice chuckles heartily, "Imagine a hotel, but each floor is a different place entirely. One floor is filled with souls to greet you while another has all the food you can imagine, and then some. There's seven different floors. The eighth level is all mine."

"Woah! That sounds so cool!" the boy marvels as he forces himself to not turn around to look at his father.

"It is, my son. And one day, it will all be yours...well...ours. We can have everything. Anything we could ever want," his father speaks.

"When can I stay with you, daddy?"

"In due time, my son. In due time..."

Before he can ask how long 'in due time' is, his bedroom door creaks open and the head of a woman peeks inside.

"Jeno, sweetie, who are you talking to?" she asks in a delicate voice.

"I was talking to daddy," he answers as his eyes flicker up to his mother's face.

Her brows furrow together as a frown slowly forms on her face.

"Baby...your father is gone...You know that..." she says in a near whisper.

"But he was just-"

Jeno looks over his shoulder, towards his bed, but no one is there. Wasn't he just behind him?

"How about you put away your LEGOS and head to bed? It's past eight, and you're clearly exhausted," she murmurs.

"But momma-"

"No buts," she states as she lowers her head and peers at him through her lashes, "I'll be back in five to tuck you in."

****

Jeno clears his throat and tilts his head from one shoulder to the other, causing his neck to crackle as he does so. He shuts his eyes and extends his hands out towards the pentagram which is drawn out in his own blood. He begins chanting in Latin as the blood boils, burning into the floorboards like acid. A bright orange light begins sweeping through the lines which are formed, and when Jeno opens his black, soulless eyes, the floor collapses downward into a fiery pit.

His one way portal to Hell.

He stares into the pit, the screams of the damned practically begging him to come forth. It was incredibly tempting. A twinge of excitement plucks at his heart at the knowledge he can willingly enter. He always wanted to see Hell for himself. Granted, it was under the understanding that one day he would rule it beside his father, and things are much different now, but it doesn't change the feeling of eagerness to see.

He takes slow paces steps closer and closer to the portal, the flames beckoning him to join the tormented souls inside. He smirks and reaches the edge, staring inside. All that can be seen is a raging fire below, and it calls him. Without hesitation, or even so much as a forethought, Jeno jumps down into the burning abyss.