The woman nearly crashed into a tree the moment she saw something flying above her car. In a panic, she swerved sharply, drove into her front yard, and abandoned her car without a second thought.
Erika stumbled, her high heel snapped. She had no idea how a pair of heels worth tens of thousands of dollars could break so easily.
She struggled to get up, glancing back occasionally, hoping the figure wasn't chasing her.
Silence. Stillness.
The elite neighborhood she lived in was eerily quiet. Most residents rarely stepped outside, not even to exchange pleasantries.
Erika lived alone in her grand two-story house, complete with a swimming pool in the backyard. A few maids came once a week to tend to the place, but she disliked having permanent staff. She preferred solitude—it made her more productive in carrying out her duties as a government official.
Rushing to the front door with her work bag in hand, she didn't even realize she had left her broken heels behind.
She quickly punched in a code on the door lock, but the door wouldn't open. For two years, she had never changed the password.
Damn it.
Erika exhaled sharply, still trying different ways to unlock the door. Panic set in. Sweat formed on her forehead, and the air grew colder—a bad sign.
"You can run, but you can't hide."
The voice froze Erika in place.
She turned around, and there he was—standing in her front yard.
She pressed her back against the door, still unable to open it. She wasn't ready to die, wasn't ready for her soul to be taken. There was no use stalling for time. She knew she couldn't deceive the demon who had granted her worldly pleasures.
"Go to hell, Adzriel!" Erika spat.
She had sold her soul. By now, she should be dead, and Adzriel should have been dragging her to the same fate as those who had made the same deal before her.
"You're so confident. How charming."
Adzriel's mockery was clear as he gazed at her from head to toe, his condescension unmistakable.
"You think you know the truth? That you understand anything at all? Your existence is fleeting, a mere drop in an eternal ocean. When you burn in Hell, you'll realize just how insignificant you truly are."
"We share the same beliefs—greedy and arrogant," Erika retorted.
"Perhaps. But there's a difference between us."
Adzriel stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"I earned my status. I earned my power. You, on the other hand, are nothing more than a thief—stealing influence, status, and control from those truly powerful. A puppet of ambition, nothing more."
"And what about you? A puppet of the Devil?" Erika taunted, hoping to buy herself more time.
"Don't make the mistake of comparing us again."
His eyes flared with anger as he gripped Erika's wrist, his hold tightening just enough to cause pain.
"I am a Prince of Hell, a being with power of my own. You are nothing but a pathetic mortal, desperately clinging to a power that means nothing."
His baritone voice echoed, and suddenly, the sky above them darkened—no stars, only an endless abyss.
"At least humans can repent. Demons cannot," Erika shot back. She wasn't sure where the words came from, but she clung to them, as if they could save her.
"Repent?"
Adzriel laughed, the sound cold and hollow.
"Do you truly believe God will forgive your sins? Your crimes? You've already surrendered to greed, selfishness, and ambition. You are cursed, my dear."
"Of course. Because God is merciful. Unlike your kind," Erika replied. Confident. But in truth, she was only trying to escape—repentance was just a convenient excuse.
"Merciful? Ha!"
Adzriel rolled his eyes, mocking her.
"Your idea of mercy is so simple. So fragile. You don't know the truth about God. About Heaven. And you certainly don't understand the true power of my kind."
"Oh? And what can your kind do, besides deceive?" Erika raised an eyebrow, ignoring the pain in her wrist.
"Far more than that."
Adzriel leaned in closer, his eyes glowing with a sinister light.
"We plant seeds, whisper temptations into the ears of the ambitious. We watch as the world burns in our wake. And we see fools like you dance to our tune, believing you have control—when in reality, you never even noticed the strings we wrapped around your soul."
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, reflecting in Erika's wide eyes.
She swallowed hard.
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind. But that's not my problem, so—"
She yanked her wrist free from his cold, death-like grip.
"That's all you have to say?"
He laughed, clearly irritated by her indifference.
"After everything I've told you, you still pretend not to care? You're even more foolish than I thought."
"I'm not a fool! I know I'm going to Hell. But I also know your kind will be right there with me when the time comes."
"Oh, how clever you are."
Adzriel's expression darkened, irritation flickering across his features.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I will burn with you. But understand this—when the time comes, I will still be a Prince of Hell. I will have my status, my power, my dominion. You, on the other hand, will be nothing. Just another forgotten soul, lost in suffering. Watch your tongue, my dear. Your fate is already sealed."
Erika's breath grew heavy. She was running out of options—Adzriel wasn't so easily deceived.
"Yes, well… Like I said. Until that time comes, I still have a chance to repent. And whatever God decides—that's not your concern. Who knows? Maybe He will forgive a sinner like me."
She clung to the words, using them as her last defense.
"Your faith in God is remarkable. And so very naive."
Adzriel smirked, shaking his head in mock amusement.
"Do you think a few words of repentance will save you? That God will overlook your greed, your selfishness, your sins? You're already bound for Hell, my dear. There's no turning back now."
"You're coming with me. Whether you like it or not."
His voice turned ice-cold.
Erika squeezed her eyes shut. She had nothing left to say, no way out.
"I beg you… give me more time."
She opened her eyes again, desperation filling them.