Summary: Is hell really such a bad place?
Luz was many things. Curious. Imaginative. Free spirited, and a bit of a troublemaker. She made more than her fair share of messes, that she wouldn't deny, but it was all just part of the process of being a kid. Some people just didn't understand that, like her mom, who was acting completely unreasonable.
"Forget that, I'm not going to spend my life in some box!" Luz shouted as she ran out the door. She wasn't going to join some camp that was supposed to make her normal. She wasn't going to be brainwashed to lose every thought in her life.
"Honey, wait!" Her mom shouted over the rain. But Luz wouldn't look back, she needed to get away. She wouldn't forget her individuality. "You can't run out right now!"
"Just watch me! I'll run wherever I want! It's my life!" She shouted back, making her way to the curve. She'd just run off for a day or so until her mom stopped acting so insane.
"Luz, watch where you are going!" Typical mom, she couldn't even run away from home without getting critical about how she was doing-
FWOOOP
Luz wasn't sure what was happening, but something sounded like a bell, as her body was enveloped by a bright light that forced her to blink … a portal…a doorway..,whatever it was, she was falling…downwards, like there was a river of darkness that dragged her down further and further away from home.
And then she was in a forest … on a sunny, clear, day. "... The fuck?" Luz questioned. Did she make it to the woods to hide out like she planned? She didn't remember falling asleep. Luz felt the side of her face, comforting the black eye she got from that confrontation … not be there. Wounds don't heal that fast, right?
She looked around, wondering if she could at least recognize the area she was in. Everything just seemed off though. The sky was a weirdly grayish base and the trees and plants looked weirdly hand shaped and fleshy. This didn't feel right. "Hello, is anyone there!"
"Right here!"
"Ah!" She punched the source of the voice behind her…only to see what looked like a kid her age, except short, pinkish skin all over, two small horns on the front of his head, and a tail that looked weirdly rose shapped at the top. And suddenly she felt pain in her hand. "Ow!" She pulled back. "Why did it feel like hitting a brick wall?"
"... Why did you think it would work otherwise?" The child questioned.
"Because I had the element of surprise." She argued. "What's with the … horns?" Luz asked.
"They're my horns." They deadpanned. "Where are yours?"
"I … don't wear any?" She questioned. "I never knew kids lived in the forest."
"Well I don't exactly 'live here' per say, mom just likes me getting in touch with nature to focus my magic, but I just end up feeding the cockatrices most of the time." The boy shrugged.
"Cockatrice is a new one." She snorted. "Alright, enough with the fantasy, my mom's on my trail and I need to hide. Do you know where the coffee shop is from here?"
"Coffee… shop?" The boy looked confused. "Like the black bean blood humans drink?"
"Well doy, of course they're human drinks, we're both human after all." She laughed.
"Ah…I think you've gotten one or two wires crossed." The pink kid pointed to himself. "I'm Steven Mahzael, and you're not supposed to exist…at least not in this plane of existence." He blinked…before unveiling wings that were behind his back.
"Wow, these are impressive craft." She smirked, reaching over. "They even feel fuzzy … and real … very real …" Luz trailed off. "... You're a demon aren't you?"
"I thought the horns would've made it obvious."
"You'd be surprised how many creatures in media have horns." She nodded. "I'm gonna go run screaming now, cool?"
"Wait, why run? Do you have something to be afraid of?"
"Besides the fact you're possibly either going to possess me, seduce me, or drag me to the underworld for gazing upon you?" She questioned.
"Why would I do any of that?" The kid looked offended. "I love my body and wouldn't trade it for anything, I'm not a succubus or Amity, and I just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out or something, since you're all alone in the woods."
"Yeah …" She looked around. "That's it's own thing I was wondering about, I'm still on earth, right?"
"Nope. As far as I can tell, you're as far away from the human realm as anyone can be." He shrugged. "This place goes by many names, but the one I'm particularly fond of is the Boiling Isles, mainly due to all the lava pools everywhere."
"Look dude..that sounds really fun.." And terrifying. "But if I'm not on earth, I need to at least start finding my way back home." Mom probably got the fbi looking for her now.
"Back to Earth …" The boy looked into the distance. "... I can help you find a place to crash until then. I know a lady looking for a tenant."
"Don't tell me I'm just crashing at your place and the lady is your mom." She rolled her eyes.
"No no no no." He waved off. "If my family found a human around here, they'd get the five skull chefs and ring the dinner bell."
"…So I'm nothing but food here, aren't I?"
"Hey, you're not just food." He assured her. "Humans are a delicacy." Great. Just great. "Come on, follow me. The Owl Lady owes me a few favors, she'll agree to it no problem."
"Favors for what?"
"Using my family's power and name to clear away most of her notorious crimes. She hoards so much illegal contraband that even I can't completely wipe her slate clean."
So she was living with a criminal … great. "I just wonder what type of portal shows up in the middle of nowhere." She muttered.
"Portal, what do you-?"
Scareeeee!
"Sorry, we have to fly now, the hydra's are on the hunt!" Steven grabbed her by the arms and flew her upwards.
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Steven had a new goal in life. One could call it a hobby, a pet project, or an obsession. That desire was to keep Luz Noceda believing she was in the Boiling Isles.
It was just so fun, watching that smile of raw innocence and Hope fill the air. Was this what it was like to have a pet? How amusing.
He wasn't afforded that many luxuries in his life. Sure, his family was one of the higher class of demons living down here, but an aristocratic life wasn't exactly a lifestyle for him.
As one a son of four royals, it was his job to hold a 'standard', and to restrain himself in public. At dinner parties it was snide comments from his cousins. At school it was the highest excellence rubbing itself in his face. He never retaliated unless it was against his life.
But Luz? Oh it was a treat to watch her scream and run from danger, to grin and cause meddling chaos. That innocence was what caused him to use his powers, of his own free will for a change instead of a bargain or to gain an object and favors, to keep that fantasy alive.
"I take it that the young master is quite pleased with himself this morning?" His personal servant imp, Pearl, asked him with a polite bow.
"Oh you have no idea, Pearl. Tell me, as a lower ranked demon, do you understand what the concept of fun truly is?" He asked his servant.
"That is a difficult question sir." She responded. "Everyone has their own definition of fun. I personally find it fun whenever Amethyst suffers."
"Ugh, I'll never understand your torture kink with Beelzubub's secretary." He wasn't a judgemental demon, but he'd call something weird when it was weird.
"Please don't make it sound like I have a crush on her." The imp deadpanned.
"I call it like I see it." He shrugged. "The point is for the first time, I'm having my own version of fun … and it involves a girl."
Pearl raised an eyebrow. "I thought you and Amity were on break."
"We are.." Despite the Asmodeus girl constantly insisting otherwise. It was all about intimacy with her, just endless kissing without taking the time to talk. "I'm talking about a genuine platonic relationship I have now, someone I can talk to on my level."
"Oh goodie!" Pearl cheered. "Please tell me she's your age. We don't need you to make friends with yet another criminal."
"She is my age … but she is a criminal." Steven admitted. "And get this … she's human. "
"A HUM-!" Steven snapped his fingers and forced her mouth shut.
"Yes, a human. And since this is me divulging sensitive information to you, you are expected to keep quiet, especially to Pink, White, Blue, and Yellow." He snapped them again.
"Understood… but it's Mahazel, Azazel, Azeal, and Samael." Pearl corrected. He once questioned why Azazel and Azael had such similar names, but for some reason everyone else didn't seem to see the issue. "Not to mention Mahazel is your mother. You should address her as such."
"Maybe when she acts like one and tells me who my dad is." The boy rolled his eyes.
"Right … and, is anyone else privy to this information?" Pearl questioned.
He thought of it for a moment. "Amity for starters." She wouldn't outright spill the beans … they would probably have private fun instead. The girl couldn't keep her hands to herself at any given time. "The Owl lady, that shrimpy troll thing that lives with her, oooh, and Spinel."
"Spinel…as in Mamon's daughter and your Mother's sworn enemy?"
"Yes, it was actually pretty funny." Steven chuckled. "I walk to The Owl House to check up on her, only for the human to drag us both to a tea party ."
"What in the fresh circle of hell was she thinking!" Pearl gasped. "No one survives a tea party, not with their heads intact!"
"I know, the innocence was downright hilarious!" Steven cackled. "It was so exhilarating, and my heartbeat went through the roof! Her screaming was like a melody!" He never felt so invested in a situation before, the feeling was amazing. "Anyways, after barely escaping, being boiled alive, Spinel was there demanding an explanation for ruining one of her parties, so I had to explain myself."
"And…she let both of you live?"
"Partially because it sticks it Mahazel by hiding the secret." He nodded. The daughter of greed was also really, really petty. "And partially because she thinks the innocence Luz had was adorable. I mean … a girl who thinks she's still alive here." He chuckled. "That's a level of naivety you don't get around here naturally and it's amazing to witness."
"Doesn't it seem cruel to hide the truth from her?" Pearl asked him.
"No, cruel would be telling her up front and dragging her soul to the river of despair like all the other damned." Steven corrected. "Somehow she avoided getting sent there immediately. Right now I got her thinking that our kind views her like a delicacy, and I have to think of how to hide that little fact when she inevitably breaks into the school …" He snorted. "What kind of crazy moron wants to go to school?"
"A dedicated and bright soul that wishes to expand their education?" Pearl suggested.
"Like I said, what crazy moron would like that?" The human realm must have been full of nerds if Luz was this into it. "I know this seems like an insane idea, but I want to see how far the rabbit hole goes before we're caught. It's the least depressing event that's happened in my life and I want that to last as long as possible."
Pearl looked at him curiously. "Very well, as you command." Such loyalty. No wonder they were bred for servitude. "I do wish you would stop fraternizing with your mother's enemies though. They could just as easily exploit you on a whim."
"You're saying that's a bad thing?" He snorted. "If you ask me, all four of the 'els need to be taken down a peg…cept maybe Azeal. She gives the best hugs."
"The same hugs that snap spines?"
"Pearl, those are the best hugs." He snickered. "Anyways, I'm heading for the owl house again. I promised to get her a closer look at lava falls. She'll probably forget it's lava and try to swim in it." So much trouble, but it was so much fun.
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Amity was never one to worry about another girl taking Steven from her. Not only was the boy too loyal, but she would probably be the one to bring someone else into the relationship. The closest she ever got to worry was Willow trying to swoop in a few times.
She was a daughter of the Asmodeus line. Not only was debaucherous and multiple relationships expected, it was encouraged. Amity took pride in that. She wouldn't deny that there was more than one time she gazed at another boy here or fantasized about all the forms in the girl's locker room.
So she was never worried when he talked about Luz, especially when he made her sound like a pet … but she was annoyed. Mostly because she took up eighty five percent of his conversations. There was a level of investment in his tone that one could say was on par with their relationship, if not more so, and that irked Amity to no end.
Amity walked through the halls, remembering how Steven rambled on about Luz this and Luz that in the middle of the movie they snuck into. Luz wasn't here! This was school, away from humans, away from any intruding interlopers! "Sup Am-Am?" Her dryad friend Willow asked for behind her. "You're looking more moody than usual."
"Believe it or not, I met someone annoying." She pouted. "And the irony is I haven't even met them yet." Despite all his bragging a small part of her still didn't even believe in humans. "Willow, be honest. Do you think Steven would cheat on me?"
"Romantically?" Willow questioned. "Not at all."
"Thanks, because-" She paused. "… Why did you emphasize romance?"
"Because while you're the most sexually intimate he'll ever be with someone, the fact is he probably emotionally bonds more with his own servant than you." The dryad said bluntly.
"But isn't romance bonding emotionally?" Amity treasured her relationship with Steven. They had sucky lives growing up in 'upstanding' families, and understood each other like no one else would. Regardless of outside parties or fantasies, that one on one relationship was special.
"The problem is you prefer kissing to conversation." Willow pointed out.
"And…?" She didn't see the problem here.
"And that can only go so far." Willow grunted. "Amity, even I can barely become emotionally invested in you, and thats only because you're willing to have conversations with me despite my asexual reproduction."
"Asexual doesn't mean aromatic." Amity glared.
"See, right there." Willow pointed out. "Yes, I am not aromantic, but you don't allow things to be casual or friendly. It's always advance to the next stage." She sighed. "If you had a friend you'd never want to kiss, you'd understand."
"But you never truly know someone unless you kiss them." That was the family motto after all. "That's how my family gains trust."
"More like how your family seduces and makes deals."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Like talking to a brick wall here." Willow pounded her head. "Why don't you just meet whoever Steven's talking about and see it from his point of view?"
"Pfft, like that's going to happen anytime soon."
"Um, excuse me." They both turned to a round eared girl with a decent body looking nervous. "I think that's my locker you're banging your head against."
"Sorry about that." The dryad apologized as she moved. "You new around here?"
"First day." The new girl sent an adorably naive smile. "Name's Luz Noceda."
"Luz?" This was the human Steven constantly talked about? The one he couldn't shut up about. "Your Steven's friend, right?"
"Oooh, he talks about me? Hopefully all good." The smile was incredibly charming and she had great looking legs.
"Good, bad, embarrassing, emotionally scarring, and everything above." Amity chuckled. "I'm Amity, his girlfriend." She was cute but the human needed to know where her standing was.
"Oh, nice to meet you." The girl smiled. "Now I can finally tease him about something for a change. You know how hard it is to make jokes about someone both rich and powerful?"
"Not that hard, I've been saying them for years right to their faces and I still got fresh material." Willow giggled. "So what brings you to Hexide?"
"You mean besides the magical school angle?" The girl smiled almost dazzlingly. "Between magical lessons, secret plots, hidden entrances, and high school drama, I don't know what's gonna be the most exciting!"
"Those are rather mundane subjects to be excited about." Amity pointed out.
"Mundane to you, but to my fresh and curious mind, every step is a journey to be taken, and every corner is an opportunity for adventure!" She shouted and looked at the nearest corner, where the school's dragon department was on fire for the hundredth time. "See! I didn't know what was behind there, and there's a million other corners to adventure through."
Hah, alright, that was kinda funny to watch from the outside. "Hey Luz!" Oh, and here came Steven now. "Why did you run off on your own, you know how likely you are to attract danger."
"Oh I'm attracting something dangerous alright." Luz winked at the both of them. "Isn't this the girlfriend you once told me 'sparkles in the flaming rain' and could 'warm up the coldest circle of hell'?"
Amity grinned. "Oh, you've been talking about me behind my back? Oh how shocking."
The boy blushed, looking away with a pout. "Ah come on." How charming, she'd have to make it up to him.
"Seriously, how come you never introduced me?" Luz questioned.
"I was protecting your virginity, she's likely to prey on it." Steven spoke in a monotone tone. Rude, but accurate.
And in response, the human merely snorted. "Nah, that won't happen. What kind of person would be interested in me?" …What?
"Ooh, your self confidence has been shot to pieces by years of social pressure. We're going to get along just fine." Willow smirked, taking Luz's hand. "Come on, I can show you where all the flesh eating plants are and how to make them subservient."
"Nice! New adventure!"
The two of them watched as the duo left. "Okay, I see why you talk about her now." Amity relented.
"You do?" Steven grinned.
"Yeah … that naivety is just …" She could feel her smile almost break her face. "Intoxicating."
"Down girl. Luz's is going through enough right now, she doesn't need the embodiment of lust going after her."
"Why, I would never take advantage of someone so vulnerable….but on the off chance you want to make it a three way…"
"No way." He shivered. "Do not drag her into whatever fantasies you have in that head of yours. I'd sooner take on Spinel than Luz."
"Ooh, a daughter of Lust and Greed, how ambitious." Amity smirked.
"That's not what I-never mind." He sulked. "I want to keep that innocence intact as much as possible, so would you mind toning it down a little?"
She mulled it over for a second. "Fine, but we need to make up for lost time." She grabbed him by the arms. "You spend your time talking about how pretty I am to your human but not to me? That's Something we need to discuss."
"..Really?" He asked, looking excited. "You want an actual conversation?"
"Of course I do. You're mine after all. I can choose to have a conversation." She smirked.
"Finally! Because there's about a hundred or so topics I've been wanting to talk about for a while. First, what moisturizer do you use? It makes you skin gleam and I was hoping to use to use some of it." Yep, Amity had nothing to worry about…and a potential third partner to bring in eventually.
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Boscha watched on, pushing down the feelings. "Now, it is the PROM Queen's duty to stand at the alter." PROM, an acrynom. Perennial Ritual Offering Maiden. For the entire day they butter up a single young soul, and sacrifice the happiness they had as they were devoured.
"Give it up for the Prom Queen!" The human, Luz Noceda shouted out to the audience. Such a strange girl, affecting every crevice of the school, and every student she met … even hanging out with a bully like her for some reason.
It wasn't like Boscha was just friendly to the girl. She honestly almost had her killed the first they met. She snuck into the potions class and blew up Boscha's presentation she's worked on for months, so the three-eyed demon almost had her thrown in a tub of acid, like any sane demon would do in the same situation.
The human seemed to just..brush off the murder attempt and acted nice around her. It was so strange, seeing a desire to be friendly and helpful without making a deal, or creating a contract, or have some ulterior motive behind it. The only things she wanted to do seemed to be have fun or learn magic, something the human was … admittedly good at.
As a Satan, it was her job to obliterate all that held her back and stood in her way, so this would be it. Getting rid of these annoying feelings and thoughts that had been plaguing her. The kindness that emanated from the human…it was unnatural yet intriguing.
She had little like, respect, or love for anybody, and that especially extended to the other great sin kids such as Amity, but Boscha would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that her little relationship with one of the lower ranked royals of hell piqued her curiosity. The Asmodeus girl could choose literally anybody she wanted whenever she wanted, but she always went back to the same single demon. She didn't just hoard it, she treasured that relationship with one demon, prided herself on it.
What was so great about preserving one cause of personal pleasure? They were demons, they took what they wanted when they wanted. If those things got broken or killed, they could always get another one…right?
"Any words you'd like to say to the world, before the ceremony begins?" Unholy Blue, the school principal, asked the human, handing her the mic.
"I just want to say … this has been amazing." The girl smiled. "This place, you people, this entire island is nothing short of incredible. Every moment I'm here I learn something new, and grow as a person … and I'm proud to be a part of your community." She spoke with such an honest tone.
"Whoa! Go human!" One of the few imps that actually mananged to attend school, Agustus, shouted while tossing fireworks in the air.
"You rule Luz!" Willow, some dryad bitch that made a connection to Amity, called out.
"This chick rocks!" Screamed Cat, a Bakeneko kid.
"Heh,can't wait for her to die." The short and snotty daughter of pride, Aquamarine, laughed. "Alright people, I'm placing bets. Is this going to be a quick death or a slow, painful, and gruesomely bloody one?"
"Hopefully quick." Their companion, a fire demon by the name of Ruby, muttered as they handed over some snails. "I hear this human has some weird connections, it's why no one's willing to tell her the truth, and I do not want to be here when they find out about this sacrifice."
"Oh, no one's going to find out." Boscha turned to see Peridot Leviamon (why were there so many princesses in her school this year?) grinning. "I set up a couple of … obstacles along the way of our dear Prince and Princess."
So … no last minute rescue … that was fine, right? It's not like Boscha cared, right!? "I just..you've all made me feel so welcomed here." The human kept going on with her speech. "From those that befriended me the very footsteps day, to the many, many that have tried to kill me. Good or bad, I've had the adventure of a lifetime just living here. I couldn't have asked for a better life than this." Luz smiled. "So let's give it up for Prom, the most magical night of the year!"
Such a beaming light of positivity and sweetness … and it was all going to disappear, never to be seen again. Gobbled up and devoured like it was a piece of steak. She could see the darkness looming overhead, the skeletal maw about to remove her from reality … and down it went-
Before Boscha even understood why, she used a spell to extend her tail, yanking Luz out of the way as the mouth crashed right through the floorboard. There was nothing but silence, the teachers staring in horror at the ritual going wrong, the students stunned in confusion … and Luz looking downright baffled.
"….WHAT THE HELL, SATAN!?" Peridot screamed at her. "Why in the nine circles would you stop the sacrifice!?"
"Sacrifice!?" Luz's expression extended to one of horror and terror, looking at the beast that was still looking around for its meal.
"Wait, you didn't know …" Willow spoke in stunned horror. "WHY DIDN'T YOU KNOW!? You signed up to be the Perennial Ritual Offering Maiden Queen."
"That's why Prom was spelled with all caps?! I didn't know it was an acronym, I thought you guys were just excited for a school dance!" Luz exclaimed
"Why would we be excited for something where we don't watch someone die!?" Aquamarine questioned. "You ruined everything!"
"Umm, attention students." Unholy Blue chuckled nervously as she spoke into a backup mike. "It appears that for the first time since it's contract was established, Grometheus has not been fed … so …"
"I … am … FREE!" The beast crawled out of his hole and stood on the stage. " The dark seal has been broken, I'm free to bring about a thousand years of darkness and feast on the souls of the damned! You unholy spawns of hell, you are now all foood!"
"Hey, just because you were sealed away by some old guy doesn't give you the right to be rude!" Luz naively shouted, creating a spell circle from the air as lightning was formed in her palms.
The lighting filled the air and surrounded the beast…..which did absolutely nothing. " That's the best you got? It took three great lords to seal me away the first time and you think your pitiful magic can affect me?"
"I see …" The girl nodded, eyes widening. "Would you be content with eating some earth food? I still have some chaaps saved in my backpack for a rainy day."
"Luz, stop talking like a moron and get out of here!" Boscha yelled out, though there wasn't exactly a place the human, or anyone could run to with Grometheus on the loose. There was nothing no one could do…
The door burst open. Boscha knew that the princess of envy did her best to keep him out … but the bloody Steven marching through still felt … ominous to watch. "Where is … where is …" He muttered in a daze, stumbling forward with power emanating from every crooked step.
"Holy shit, how the fuck is he giving off this much power? He's from a lower ranked family." Aquamarine hid behind Ruby.
Steven paused, taking note of the situation with a dazed look. "... Luz, listen to me very carefully." He stated. "Take a deep breath, and close your eyes."
"But what about-"
" Close your eyes, or you will be scarred for life by what I'm going to do next." The Mahazel boy warned.
"Aww, is the child thinking he's special?" The beast chuckled as Luz followed the instructions. "The lowly creature of he-" He stopped talking, making a silent gasping noise.
Boscha didn't understand why at first … until she realized why Steven said what he said specifically. Luz ears didn't need to be covered … because there was no air for the sound to travel through.
"I am the son of the house of El's. Samael, Azazel, Azeal, and Mahazel, the four demons of the elements. I can choose any method of killing you as I please. Fortunately for you, I'm too exausted for torture …" The Boy's voice was the only thing making any noise, the only pair of lungs not gasping for the air held within his palm. "So all I am going to ask of you … is to die." And within a single instance, unleashed all the compressed air at once.
Fwooosh
An instant flash of wind rushed through, the air slowly returning to the area as blackened guts and blood spilled all over the the place, covering the audience of terrified and gasping students. The boy impassively turned to the two of them as Boscha felt the first spike of genuine fear in a long time. "You're good now Luz."
Luz looked around, taking in a deep breath. "Do I…want to know how you killed it..?"
"No. Though rest assured that little miss Envy is going to get a taste of it first hand."He growled, turning to Peridot … who disappeared in a puff of smoke, running out of the door. "Don't think you can run from me … okay she can, I really pushed it … Amity, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I give you permission to look after my body."
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say those words." Amity grabbed the boy from behind as he slumped backwards. "Oh the things I have planned for you tonight, my tired little hero."
"Please don't take it past first base please, the consent right now is dubious at best." The boy pleaded as he was dragged off, the rest of the student body still too terrified by the events of five minutes ago to do anything.
"So …" Luz trailed off. "... You saved me?" She asked, gazing at Boscha.
"Don't think too deeply about it." She huffed, turning away. "It be dumb for someone as stubbornly talented like you to get killed in something so stupid."
"You think I'm talented?" The girl asked with sparkly eyes. "Thanks! I promise to not let you down!"
"I said don't look too deeply into it." Boscha reiterated, trying her best to hide her blush.
"Fine, I won't." The girl giggled. "So I was expecting this to just be a fun dance…and well, since I'm alive, I don't see any reason to not do that." Luz reached out her hand. "So…want to dance with me?"
Boscha looked down at the hand, and the smile it was attached to. "Fine, but only because I don't have a date of my own." She rolled her eyes.
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Belos once more batted the human away. "I can't believe you decided to recruit a human of all things." He admitted to the captured Owl Lady. "And here I thought you had at least a minor sense class for daring to steal from me."
"Believe me, I wouldn't have done this if I was given any other choice." Eda Clawthorne groaned. "Stupid kids and their cute blackmailing faces."
"I know the odds seem bad, but we can do this!" The human was a naive one too, how charming. Optimism like that was rare to come by in the human realm nowadays, technology and cynicism crushing it long before they ended up here.
"It's almost like you aren't aware of what I can do." He spoke mirthfully, freezing the floor over. "I rule over this realm for a reason, human.
"Okay, so you have one or two tricks up your sleeve, and I clearly underestimate how powerful you are." The human nodded as she tried to pry her feet from the ground. "Then it's a good thing I didn't come alone!"
"Bonzai!" Belos felt a light bump on his back as the Mahazel child fell from the ceiling, using the slightly above impressive strength he wielded to attempt to bang his head in.
"If it isn't Mahazel's child … humorous." Belos raised his staff, sending them flying into the wall. "Still trying to be relevant with their lowly status. There's a reason why the children of sin are all anyone talks about … there the only ones of worth."
"Well our powerhouse just got treated like a joke." The fuzzy imp that clung to Eda noted. "Plan B?"
"Plan B? There was barely a plan A." The owl lady grumbled, forced to stay still in all her chains. "Kid, you'd better start running. I've made a mess of things, and it's not going to end pretty for me. You still have a chance to have a relatively peaceful existence here if you leave now."
"Peaceful?" He scoffed. "As if that could ever happen." An amusing joke.
"Hey, maybe the Boiling Isles actually could be peaceful without a jerk like you in charge!" The girl shouted.
"The Boiling Isles … peaceful?" He questioned. "You say that like anywhere in this world could be peaceful, child." Belos loomed over the girl. "It's funny how naive you must be to actually believe there's any hope of finding solace here."
"I may have not had a choice coming to this dimension, but it's become a second home for me!" The girl yelled right back. "I've had fun, I've made friends, and I may or may not have not fallen in love with a three eyed goddess, so I'm going to keep fighting for everything good I've found living here!"
"Another dimension…?" He asked, smirking internally. "Ah, so that's the excuse your denial came up with to cope." A small treat to living so long was witnessing the wide variety of stories humans came up with in their denial. "Tell me … how did you get here?"
"A portal opened up, that's all there is to it!" A portal?
"A portal, oh really?" Belos chuckled. "A portal, out of nowhere, suddenly opened up in the human realm with no explanation? You've never questioned it beyond that?"
"I don't need to! I got here, I am here, and I'm going to find my way out someday!" Such a determined spirit even after so many months living here….time to break it.
"What did you do before you got here?" The emperor walked closer, overshadowing the girl with his presence.
"I … I was running." She stated.
"And that was it?" He questioned. "That was the last thing you can recall?"
"Shut the hell up Belos!" He idly watched as the demon with a minor rank charged at him from the corner of his eye.
"The half-ling was the first one you encountered in this world, wasn't he?" He continued, batting away the boy. "He let you continue your little fantasy that your wanted to so desperately believe in. The king chuckled. "He probably didn't even comprehend his own instinct, to preserve innocence until you're old enough to enjoy the despair."
"What-halfling?" The boy finally paused. "What are you talking about?"
"Not quite yet. One revelation at a time." Belos smirked. "Young souls such as yours often do have a hard time remembering to cope with the trauma. Before you got here; you probably did something you regretted. Arguing with your parents perhaps? Running off in an angry haste?"
"I …" The girl paused, a curious look on her face. "Was arguing with my mother." She admitted.
"It was rainy, wasn't it? The noise of the thunder and the tears made everything disoriented, impossible to fully understand?" He questioned. "And any injuries you had miraculously vanished that day?"
"Sh-..shut up."
"You said a portal appeared after that out of nowhere?" He pressed on, seeing the cracks in her mind break.
"A doorway…,a doorway,..of light…" The human kept pausing.
"What was it really, human?" Belos had figured it out, and was just waiting for the girl to finally admit it to herself. "I believe that humans had a modern fascination with light, especially moving one … care to remind me?"
"I …" Tears fell from her eyes. "I'm dead?"
"And you've been speaking to the king of demons." He removed his mask, forcing a negative infinity of his own higher visage into the girl's eyes. "Tell me, is Christianity still popular?"
"No, no, no, this can't be possible, I'm not dead! I'm not!" She turned to her companions. "Steven, Eda, King, tell him he's just being a crazy bastard! I'm not dead!"
The room was filled with a deadly silence, one he could tell slowly broke apart the human on the inside with every passing second. "I..I didn't want you to find out, not like this." The owl lady turned her head away ashamedly.
"No..no, I can't be dead…Steven, please…please tell me it isn't so…" The human cried, falling to her knees.
"How is it?" He asked the handling. "Watching your pet project cry out in despair … delicious, isn't it?"
" Shut up!" The Mahazel boy charged at him, only for Belos to grip him by the neck. "As long as I'm around, she's never going to suffer, ever again!"
"As long as you're around…that's not as long as you think, boy." The devil threw him on the ground. "You're only half demon. The moment you die, and you WILL die, rest assured, your soul will meet the same fate as hers." He explained, continuing to squeeze. "You were here to suffer Noceda … a human having fun in hell." He lit his hand ablaze. "Now that just isn't natural, wouldn't you say?"
"No…no! No, I won't let this be the end…" The girl began waving her hands in the air, creating a massive magic circle…one that was impressively big for someone of her age to create. "I'm not going to suffer, I'm not going to despair….and I'm not going to listen to a DAMN WORD THAT YOU SAY!"
Belos raised a hand, blocking the attack that left a minor scortch mark. "Hmm … impressive." He noted. "Another trillion years and that might actually sting me."He didn't conquer hell by being weak. He made sure even the six princes combined wouldn't be able to take him down. " Even after all this time, that spirit refuses to be broken…fine then….you're free to go. " He released his grip on the boy and freed the Owl lady from her chains.
"You're….letting us go?" The Owl Lady asked, confused.
"I've gotten my share of entertainment for today. I merely wanted to see what all of hell found so amusing about the human child…and my curiosity was sated. Fight me all you want, the end results the same whether you win or lose, Luz Noceda." The devil sat on his throne. "You're stuck in hell with no way out, with no escape, and sooner or later, you will despair like every soul that enters this realm."
He grinned, seeing the tears forming in her eyes once more. "Not if I have anything to say about it." The Mahazel child growled at him, before turning to the exit. "Let's get out of here."
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Eda stared at the horizon, the boiling waters crashing against the sandy beach. "It has to be out there then." Luz, the girl who's become basically her daughter and the biggest source of happiness in her life, had spent the last few days despondent, stated with conviction. "Some way out of hell …"
"Kid, you need to think clearly about this." Eda placed her hand on her back. "Hell is meant for suffering and torture of all kinds. Anyone that's tried to find an exit has only been met with more despair. I would know, my sister and I are two of the oldest demon's that lived here." The days before Belos, aka, Lucifer took over. Such a cushy life that's been ripped away from her. "We've explored every crook and inch of this place."
"Well maybe you didn't look hard enough." Steven, the kid that kept her debts paid off, sat off on the side looking in the other direction. "There has to be something more out there. If a human can create this many positive feelings inside of a demon, then anything is possible."
"Kid, what Belos said…it's just your instincts…." As much as Eda herself wanted to deny it. She truly wanted the Best for Luz, but she knew the longer the kid held onto hope, the more she would break in the long run, and demons couldn't help but revel in the misery of innocent souls.
"It's more than that, I know it!" Steven yelled. "Luz isn't my pet, she's my friend, and I don't want my friend to suffer. It's not fair that she's here at all, she's just a kid!"
"Everyone was just a kid down here. Heck, King's younger than her … I've seen eight year old humans down here Kiddos." She sighed. "In hell, you learn some things aren't fair …"
"Doesn't matter." The human stated. "Im going to find a way out of here, and show everyone wrong …" She looked despondent. "Even if I can't go back to my mom, I can at least improve our situation."
"Our?" Steven asked.
"Of course. If I'm getting out of here, then so are you." Luz grabbed Steven's hand.
"Luz..I'm half demon, this is where I belong." He sighed sadly. "I was born here, I don't think I could leave if I tried…"
"I never take no for an answer, I thought you knew that by now, Steven." Luz stopped him. "I'm going to take the world into my hands and make what I want happen, damn what anyone else has to say."
These kids…they were going to get themselves killed unless she did something. "There's one chance….one single chance you kids might have." Eda relented. "They say after crossing the Boiling sea, you reach the end of the realm. From there, you can find the limbo, the realm between Heaven, Earth, and Hell. Purgatory."
"Oh, like Dante's inferno!"
"… Who now?" Everyone questioned.
"It's an old book back in my world, the divine comedy, though I mainly know about it because there was a video game based on it." The girl chuckled. "Essentially it's one man's quest through the circles of hell, eventually leading him to heaven."
"Wait, so one guy suddenly managed to walk to heaven?" Steven questioned.
"Yeah, it was the first Gary Stu story, but the concept was fascinating enough that it got a pass." Luz nodded. "If it has any truth to it, then all we need to do is travel down the boiling sea and pass through each circle. We don't have to suffer, we can have a better life than the one here!"
"You do realize that anyone who tries to go to purgatory usually ends up with their souls eradicated?" The annoying imp on her shoulder reminded them. "That's the main reason why so many people don't know it's a real place and not just the desperate cries of the damned."
"Well … what else is there then?" Luz questioned. "An entire world that hates us and will deny us happiness wherever we walk?" She looked at King. "Are you really happy with your life?"
"I mean, I sleep and eat all day. Sleep and eat….Wouldn't say happy….but I'm content with dull boredom." He shrugged.
"Really?" Luz asked the imp.
"Sue me, I'm from the Sloth ring. Motivation ain't exactly my forte."
"Whatever." Steven shook his head. "If there's even the slightest chance of making it out of here, then we need to take it."
Eda sighed. "You kids are gonna be the death of me …" Probably for real in this case. "Anyone else's lives you want to risk on this life and death mission?"
"I know Amity will kill me before Belos does if I don't include her." Steven rubbed his face. "What about you Luz? Anyone else's soul you feel like bringing to Heaven?"
"Um … I'd want to bring Boscha, but I don't know if she'd be willing to risk her life just cause I want to leave hell."
"She risked her life to save you from Grom." Steven pointed to the girl. "Pretty sure she's willing to do more than you think for you."
"Good point … and I'll run it by the gang just in case." Luz grinned. "We're heading to purgatory folks!" Well, Eda had a good life while it lasted.