Mark of the damned

~1~

{Xenos}
The suffocating smell of rotting flesh settled around Xenos. He should've expected all this death, given where he was. Wherever he placed his eyes, lifeless ones stared back at him. Bodies of people he had never known, and never would know, were placed strategically. They made two V shapes, one atop the other. The mark of the dammed. Though they were dead, it seemed as if their eyes followed him with every move. Xenos tried to swallow his fear, it seemed almost ironic that what he spent his whole life running from, was now right in front of him. What a twisted game it all was.

In a nervous grumble, the attempt at these forsaken words was spoken.
"Eternal flame of the damned, open your everlasting evil to me. For I am a worthy patron of your power!" Xenos exclaimed shakily to the foul smelling pit of darkness. His voice seemed to echo into the void. Nothing happened.
He turned, "External flame of the dammed-" he started again.

"Have you no patience?" Called an unfamiliar voice, "how can you say these words with such little care?"
Flames scurried onto the walls like snakes, illuminating a much more gruesome scene. Xenos held his stomach, a wave of nausea passed over him. He stared down at what must've been thousands of severed limbs. They were strewn about on top of centipede like bugs. The stench of blood hung high in the air.
"You truly think you are worthy of such fires?" Asked the voice. It sounded smooth like silk. A young woman.

"I am just here to see Lilith" called Xenos. He nervously toyed with his collar, as if he was meeting the parents for the first time.
"You say this as if she is always free. Why must you see her?"
Xenos cleared his throat and tried to swallow the rising bile, he spun to try and see where the voice was coming from,"I meant no disrespect, my father made a deal with her and it didn't go as planned-"
"Lilith's deals always go as planned." She scoffed, "You are wasting my time. Besides, your father is one of many, many clients to queen Lilith. She couldn't care less"
"You don't know that! My father told me in his death bed it was a very important-" he stumbled over his words.

"How dare you doubt my words mortal!" The fire surged towards Xenos. In the light he could see the slippery, bloody bugs racing for their next meal.
"Wait please! I can prove it to you" Xenos coughed. He quickly felt around in his jean pocket. His arm shot up, a red ruby in hand. The flames stopped in their tracks, the bugs with it. Dark tendrils spun like a tornado in front of him. A figure appeared, still cloaked in darkness. The tendrils wrapped around the ruby. Xenos yanked back.

"No. You can't have this until- until you help me" he said, trying to muster up all the courage inside of himself. In the blink of an eye the figure stood in front of him. Yet, the darkness was no more. She had beautiful long hair, the color of coal. Skin like porcelain, Her body curved like a perfectly made hour glass. Red silks draped over her. But the most striking feature, were her amber eyes. Lilith?

"Give me the ruby, mortal" her voice was silky as ever, "do you see the destruction around you? The death." She motioned to the corpses, "If you value your life and the life of your future generations, you will hand over the ruby. Now"
Xenos stood in shock, but Lilith wouldn't speak in first person, and she would be bigger. This makes no sense.
"I- I told you, help me first. Then the ruby is yours."
The woman's nostrils flared, "You have no clue what that thing could do." She crossed her arms, "Your kind is far to difficult. I could melt your face off right now."
Xenos mirrored her,"And why aren't you?"
The woman lifted her pale hand. A burst of heat slammed into Xenos.

"Alright I'm sorry!" He shielded his eyes.
"So, give it to me, before I take it myself" her eyes were wild and fists clenched.
Xenos looked at the sparkling rock in his hand. He got an idea.

"How about we make a deal", he tossed the ruby in the air. The woman's expression lightened a bit.

"You let me visit Lilith so my father may Rest In Peace, and I'll give you this shiny rock in return" Said Xenos, waving the ruby in the air.
The woman of coal put her fingers on her nose bridge in annoyance. Only then did Xenos notice the giant gashes on her beautiful face.
"That won't do" she said roughly
"And why not?!" Xenos flailed his arms, almost dropping the ruby.

"Lilith is away in the land above", she looked weary to go on, " consulting with Seraphina"
"Why would she be talking with the queen of angels?" He cocked a brow.

She rolled her eyes, "It doesn't concern you"
Xenos put his hands on his hips, "Well then, I guess I have quite a trip in store for me"
The woman tossed a strand of hair behind her shoulder, "Look, mortal," her hands waved around as she talked, "I have all eternity to wait around and go on crazy long trips. You only have so much time. Don't waste your youth doing things for your parents." Xenos looked at her strangely,  "Just give me the ruby and go back to living"

Xenos's shoulders slumped. He felt the burn of bile and tears rise in his throat. I don't know what I expected. Even with the threat of a terrible death, he had still felt hope. He didn't know if there was any left now, yet still, he pressed on.

"Please, my father was all I had. He was a leader, he had ambitions. But he struck the wrong deal." The woman looked bored, "Out of all your eternal life, you've made a bad deal, haven't you?"
The woman tapped her foot on the rot impatiently, "No."
"Please. I have to do this for him." He clutched the stone tighter.
She let out a breath, "You will not be able to trek through literal hell and back" her arms arched up, sending fire in the shape of a human, "You will crash and burn." She clenched her fist and the human disintegrated.
Xenos gulped, "Then let it be. At least I'll know I died trying"
She seemed to consider this.

"Fine. The deal is as follows; I will give you a scroll with directions and a spell of protection." She looked at the hand holding the ruby, "And a spell that ties the ruby to me. If you reach Lilith you are on your own. And if you get your way and your deal is settled, the ruby is mine. If you die along the way" her eyes narrowed, "you are forgotten forever."
Xenos smiled, "Deal!" He stuck his hand out.

She hesitated, "I have to warn you, the protection spell wears off after twelve months, and Lilith is not easy to bargain with" her expression went soft once more.
Xenos puffed just chest out, "I can do this, I swear" he clenched his fists.

"All right then", she held out her long hand. In reply, Xenos took it. Still holding the ruby in the other. The hand shake seemed to glow and seer like a pot of boiling water.
"Ah!" Xenos tried to pull away.
"Hold still!" The woman finally let go. Xenos snatched his hand back. He looked at the steaming mark. The mark of the dammed stared back at him.

"It will never go away. A sign of the mistake you've made" she spoke coldly. Xenos clenched his hand shut and looked at her with courage,"I wear this mark proud"
She stared back at him for a moment before she spoke, "And I suppose you'll die proud as well"