Chapter 5: Welcome to the Netherworld

The seductive scent of flowers and tempting night musk gradually drifted past his nose. Chris felt the chilling hand of death brushed along his cheek, as if to wake him up, and that ghastly sensation moved to cup his face, caressing his hair.

“It is evening, my lord. Time to wake up,” the voice whispered to his ear, enticing Chris to do what he was told. Chris opened his eyes and saw everything enveloped in a crimson glow. As his consciousness settled in, he found himself lying on a gigantic poster bed adorned by velvet curtains. He shifted his eyes around and discovered dark mahogany furnishings all over the room.

He sat on the edge of the bed and rested his head in his hands, trying to get his headache to stop. What happened after Jude drugged him to sleep? He couldn’t remember but some of her words repeated inside his head. Mr. Lee would like to see him, but where is he now? His mind was too foggy, his thoughts swirled, and he couldn’t get to the bottom of it all.

As he prepared to get up, Chris noticed the golden bangle attached on his left wrist. He examined it closer and saw the tiny engravings circled all around it. He didn’t know what the syllables meant, but he felt like it had something to do with his current predicament.

“Oh, yes, that voice?” Thinking about it kicked him into gear. As he scanned the wide room, Chris was almost startled. A woman whose name he didn’t know was staring at him with curious eyes. Her skin was pale - almost too pale for human standards - as if no blood was flowing underneath.

Chris took a single step closer, and the pale woman responded by cocking her head, her jet-black hair swaying on one side. However Chris paid her unusual reaction no mind. He took another step, on and on the dark translucent floors, until he was standing within arms reach. She appeared to be a head shorter than Chris and her deep blue eyes resembled a caring soul he knew.

Is this, Chris thought as realization struck him like a hammer, the netherworld fantasy Mr. Lee was talking about? After all, there was no other explanation for those horns that stood out of her head like a crown. Wrapped in a crimson cocktail dress as if dyed in blood, her curves were otherworldly magnificent.

“Hi?” This enigmatic woman did wonders to Chris’ imagination; he quietly reached out a hand and traced his fingers all the way to the tip of her horn. “Oh my God, it’s freaking real. Holy shit.”

“Ah.” A sweet moan escaped her lips. “My lord, a succubus’ horns are their most sensitive area - the part that houses are magic. It tickles if you tease me like that,” she pouted, and a tinge of red crept on her cheeks.

“Holy shit.” Chris couldn’t hide the astonishment in his voice. “Succubus?”

“Yes, my name is Nastassja Thenadre Murumina IV.” She placed a hand on her chest then bowed politely at Chris. “May I please have the honor of knowing my betrothed’s name?”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait…” Chris raised a hand, rubbed his forehead. “Did you just call me your fiance?”

“Yes, we are to be wed as soon as my lord settles down,” the succubus said, walking to a nearby table and smoothing her fingers across its dark surface.

Chris felt his head pound, as he sensed the answer just outside of his mind’s grasp, then his eyes widened upon noticing the bat-like wings folded on her back. Her words were enticing, but it didn’t escape Chris how she tried to avoid him just now. Did she created that distance between them two in purpose?

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To make sure, Chris walked closer and took a book on the table. He sighed, seeing that the book’s contents were alien to him as well. He returned the book back to its rightful place as he nudged their shoulders in purpose, and the girl bristled a step away.

“Can you tell me more about this engagement?” asked Chris, keeping a close eye on her movements. No matter how riveting it was to be wed to such a beautiful woman, Chris didn’t want any of it.

The thought of forcing someone alone was enough to wrench his heart. But Chris needed a purpose at least, if not a decent explanation. The first idea that came to him was Mr. Lee. Did he sent him out here to act some given role? If so, what needed to be done?

“How would you like me to explain, my lord?”

An odd sense of unease settled over Chris as he sat on a chair. “Can you start on explaining how we got engaged?”

“Of course. Since your father - the benevolent Overlord - did not want to obliterate my clan completely, he sent you, his son, to govern this land instead.”

Hearing her described this man with the word “benevolent”, Chris knew exactly who she was talking about but there were more than one thing he was concerned of. “Wait, slow down. What do you mean by obliterate?”

She took a deep breath. “My clan was suspected of planning a revolt - an uprising - against the current Overlord so, except for myself, everyone else were hanged to their deaths and killed in public.”

“That means your parents and family as well?”

“Yes, all of them died,” she said without breaking a sweat, which made Chris frown in worry.

“How can you accept this so nonchalantly?”

Her silent reaction made him wish he didn’t ask. Chris then saw the hurt in her eyes, and it was all he needed to see - he jumped from his chair and caught her in his arms before she fell. Chris scooped the shivering succubus up her feet and returned to the chair he was sitting on.

“Father, mother, everyone…” She bawled, murmuring names after names.

“It’s alright, I’m right here.” Cradled on his lap, he rubbed her back and pressed her face on the comfort of his shoulder, allowing her to unleash all of her pent up emotions. Those eyes, he thought, do not look at me with those kind of eyes. It shouldn’t be his business but it irritated the hell out of him.

* * *

The girl had cried herself to sleep. Chris gently set her back to bed and walked out the double doors to the vast terrace connected to their room. He held onto the smooth surface of the terrace’s gemstone railings as he gazed at his land, a land of darkness he didn’t know, beneath him.

Chris felt like he was inside a book. Winged skeletons littered the dismal sky and those ones without wings rode atop a skeletal reptile with two legs and a tail. As he looked at its hideous skull, he noticed two azure flames smoldering as its eyes.

However menacing they may had appeared, it didn’t terrify him in the slightest, as he didn’t sensed a shred of malice from these creatures. His inspiration to write returned and so many wonderful ideas flowed inside his head. But, above all, there were various things that needed his attention.

“Mr. Lee, what is this world to you?” Chris murmured with a shake of his head and it seemed like the upcoming days to find out would be the most busiest days of his life.