Wednesday June 6th 2007.

The beautiful young woman had smooth blonde hair that was long and had a stunning sheen to it. She had been a track star all throughout high school into college giving her a toned physique before she settled down and gave birth to her precious son Matthius. She had captivating blue eyes that instantly stole her husband's heart. However, her once vibrant eyes fell grey as she lay crumpled in a bloody heap on the eggshell white carpet in her bedroom. Her body mangled from the visceral attack that happened moments earlier.

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Tuesday June 5th, 2007

She had been watching her favorite cooking program, “Showdown Diners”, a delightful series about rivaling diners in East Texas, vying to win the prize of a fully paid for remodel of their establishments. The episodes usually lasted around an hour; so, like clockwork, she winds down and prepares for a nightly routine shortly after the guilty pleasure of the mundane program. She had put sweet little Matthius to bed only an hour or so before her program came on. This week's competition came to a close with Frannie's Diner, a splendid little dive in Kilgore, TX, winning the top spot for the week after a rather impressive Southern Style meal. As she stretched her arms and began to stand, she yawned deeply from an exhausting day of grocery shopping and keeping her little one entertained and happy at a large local park.

Heading up the wooden stairs to her son’s bedroom, she stopped and quietly opened the door to Matthius's room. Peering in and seeing that her sweet boy was fast asleep with his little thumb pushed firmly into his tiny mouth, she said goodnight to her baby boy and gently closed the door. Yawning and trying to let her mind escape from the tedious todo list that she always had playing in her mind she entered her master bedroom. Without warning an uneasiness fell over her. A feeling that can only be described as dread, a cold shiver rushed through her frozen body causing goosebumps to rise and fall over her skin. She could feel the tiny hairs on her body scratching at her clothes which gave her a sense of falling through the air.

Without understanding of why, she sensed a presence, dark and looming, inside her room just above where she was standing. A throat rumbling and maniacal laugh ascended from the ceiling had her frozen in place. Breathing quickly, she could not bring her eyes to look upon what sinister being had emitted the disturbing and somewhat gleeful laugh.

"My Dear, this will all go so much more smoothly if you just look upon me." A gravelly voice said. Still paralyzed with terror, her eyes remained fixed upon her nightstand drawer directly to the right hand side of the king size bed.

"Look at me" The voice boomed.

She raised her eyes tepidly. What she saw sent waves of shivers down her spine. The creature was inky black with crimson tattoos that flowed like a river upon him depicting scenes of gruesome atrocities such as murder and rape. As her eyes gazed upon his body, she realized that he had a human form besides his unusual skin color, size, moving tattoos, and the jagged claws on each of his hands. She was now staring at his claws petrified, noticing that they slid in and out of his hands with every breath. He was also very tall with a muscled physique. Seeing her eyes fall upon him, he smiled revealing his razor sharp teeth that looked as if they had been filed to point.

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"There you go. Now, my Dear, you don't know me; however, that is no matter. All you need to know is that your beloved husband does, and I warned him this day would come. To put it plainly, my name is Nerraz; I am a demon lord and a servant of Lucifer." He raised a hand to silence her as she tried to respond continuing on, "The men who your husband serves, disrupted my plans, recently causing Lucifer to be deeply displeased. As you may know, I cannot allow that to stand. Repartitions must be made and blood must be spilled in atonement for this failure."

His voice was matter of fact as if what he was saying was completely rational and anyone could understand it. She spoke weakly, "This is all in my head; this can't be real."

"Oh but I am all too real, Dear." He stated bluntly.

"Please!" She begged. " I have a son. He needs me here; don't take that away from him. Don't take his mother away from him." As she spoke the words became increasingly desperate, but Nerraz did not sympathize. "You don't have to do this... I haven't done anything wrong."

With one step, a step that was so fast that it made the room vibrate. And just like that he was so close to her she could feel him breathing. Nerraz had grabbed her by the neck, his claws digging into the supple flesh and hissed, "It matters not. Your husband and his order cost me everything. He will pay and your blood is the price I demand." He hurled her across the room towards the bed and she hit the buttery yellow wall with a sickening crunch. Her screams of agony resonated in his ears like a sweet and harmonious symphony. She struggled to move; however, in horror, she realized she was completely paralyzed from the waist down.

Inching over to her now limp body, Nerraz cackled.”“This will not be painless and it will not be over quickly. Revenge must be savored, and I intend to do just that." He ran his index claw across her unmoving legs moving it slowly up her legs toward her now exposed midsection. He placed his palm upon the soft skin of her toned stomach and proceeded to squeeze his hand into a fist causing his jagged claws to penetrate deep within her belly. She screamed out in excruciating pain. "Please...." She pleaded, finding only deaf ears as Nerraz methodically flayed her body until she passed out from shock.

When she awoke, all she saw was pointed teeth grinning wickedly. Her body was completely eviscerated; the searing pain that came from it was unbearable. He had done unspeakable things to her, but for reasons unknown to her, he had left her face completely unscathed besides the damage left from being thrown against the wall.

"I've had my fun. It's time for you to atone for your husband, my Dear. I'm sorry it had to be this way. Lucifer does not accept failure. Make your peace with your fate."

"What about my son..." Her words barely came out a whisper as her body began to fail her from loss of blood.

"Quiet." Nerraz ordered.

He grabbed her by the neck once more and lifted her up. "Goodbye, my Dear." He whispered in her ear. With those words, Nerraz squeezed her neck firmly till he felt the satisfying snap. Dropping her lifeless body upon the floor, he walked out of the room towards Matthius's room.

Lucifer had been very clear. One life was required to enter the realm of hell once more. Until that life had been offered up, he was banished from his home. The offering was complete; he was free to return home now. However, he knew his master despised loose ends. As he walked into the small room, he was fully resolved in his decision to murder the child as well. Creeping up to the crib, he gazed down at the little boy with dark chocolate brown hair and a pale complexion sleeping soundly with his thumb still secure in his mouth. In that moment upon seeing the child, all Nerraz's resolve vanished instead consumed with thoughts of his son, Dergam. Trembling, he began having doubts. He knew the sleep spell he had placed on the boy prior to attacking his mother would wear off soon; however, he no longer had a desire to harm this child. He knew it was weakness, but that night, he left the child choosing to return home to his own son rather than carry out more revenge. "Daddy is coming home, Dergam. At long last, I'm coming home."