If one were to traverse the infinite realms they would come across infinite sights, anywhere from gargantuan beings that fed upon entire worlds to realms that were simply too large to imagine. They would find planes of desolate wastelands where perhaps gods had once fought, or perhaps a civilization that got too greedy for their own good. They would find vast forests made of glass and even seas of fire.

None however could compare to any of the three Hells, for each of them were infinite in size and evergrowing in population, after all, every single one of the infinite realms fed their unenlightened dead directly to the Hells. One made entirely of ice, one entirely of fire, and one entirely of darkness, of the three the realm of Umbra was the most terrifying for it tested not the physical body but the soul itself.

After that came the world of ice, Glacies, while it was mostly a test of physical conditioning the cold seeped deeper than skin level also slowing down the mind and soul. Of the three Infurnace was the most lackluster only causing pain in the body, mind, and soul.

Sure it was excruciating for the first century or so, but there was infinite time to adjust to pain. In the Hells, there were not only the dead but also a peculiar race known as the Hellspawn that were born into the Hells never having lived a life to lose. They were not immune to the eternal punishment, but the Hells were not entirely unfair to them for they gained power from the torment, depending on which Hell they were born from they had unique powers.

Those sent to Umbra were those who dared venture into the forbidden magic of the soul, and so too were the Hellspawn there more than capable of wielding devastating magics, unfortunately for them, it was near impossible to find a being with an intact soul to use it on within Umbra.

Those sent and born into Glacies were renowned for their battle prowess, with only the unenlightened being sent there however, they were honestly not much to speak of, but the Hellspawn born there… They were true terrors.

Lastly, Infurnace was made for those with unparalleled crafting capabilities such as the four-armed Hellspawn currently working a forge near the epicenter of Infurnace. Generally, those that were closer to the center of the Hells were the older and much more terrifying to deal with, however, this particular Hellspawn got there simply on his merits in forging. His unique gift was that of Flawsight, with a simple glance he could discern where each and every flaw in a piece of equipment lay. He was rather young… well for a Hellspawn at least. Though he had long since stopped counting, he was at least a few millennia old at this point.

This Hellspawn had four arms, six eyes, and three deadly tails swaying menacingly behind his back, combine that with his gleaming obsidian skin and he was a sight to behold.

His master, one of the original three Hellspawn to be born into Infurnace, had taught him for the last thousand years, well, nine-hundred and ninety-nine years had just called him into the epicenter of Infurnace, a place he had only visited once when he first was captured and brought to the all mighty, Infernal Artisan. On that day he went from a mere forger of Infurnace to being mere hours away from finally achieving a name of his own from his master.

As his hammer fell for the last time before the naming ceremony, a strange feeling clawed its way past the pain and inserted itself in the pit of his stomach. Was this perhaps anticipation, or maybe dread? After all, after he had a name of his own he would no longer have his master’s protection nor his aid. Whatever it was the nameless Hellspawn picked up his final masterpiece, a grand Odachi the same length that he was tall, five meters, and gave it one last look over. What he saw however surprised even him, for his sight for the first time had failed to find a flaw.

Perhaps it was the upcoming ceremony that allowed him to pass the final hurdle in his forging and at last, make a flawless weapon. So overwhelmed with excitement the feeling in his stomach was outmatched, and with glee shining in all six of his eyes, he sprinted at full speed to his master's abode.

Launching past the rows of guards leading to the great Infernal Artisan’s castle, he failed to read the gloomy looks each one held on their varied faces, only when he was stopped by the guard he had decided to call Colossus, due to his size that almost out-classed the castle he was guarding, did he realize something was amiss.

“Hold young Hellspawn, Lord Painwright, and Master Infernal Artisan are in the middle of discussions.”

Lord Painwright was here? Suddenly the dread in his gut blossomed into full-blown fear, that was a name he never wished to hear again let alone meet again. When he was still a new pupil his master had shown him off to the other two Lords of Infurnace, Lord Painwright was the Lord of Weaving while his own master was the Lord of Forging. The last Lord, the Mason of Malice, was the Lord of building, Lord Malice lived in the very center of Infurnace with a keep the size of a thousand of his own master’s castles put together, he was a rather nice guy despite the name however. The Lord of Weaving however used pain itself to weave his creations, just being near him intensified Infurnace’s already excruciating pain to an entirely new level, which was his unique trait, Pain Weaving.

He had never learned Lord Malice’s unique trait however he assumed it was similar to his own master’s, which was Vulcan’s Command, this allowed him to control all metals to the finest of degrees. He had seen his master work countless times, but he never tired of seeing the ingots melt away into a swirling pool of glimmering liquid and then suddenly take shape into any form he so desired, never had he seen a flaw in any of his master’s works. If he so desired he could outfit an army in an instant with perfect gear, all he would need was enough metals to work with.

Master Artisan had in fact done such a thing with the guards of his keep, each would be a fearsome opponent with their equipment alone but combine that with the fact that Master Artisan only accepted the most talented of Hellspawn to guard him, and you had a force not to be reckoned with.

Master Malice had instead gone the quantity route over quality, he had even recruited countless of the dead to man his siege weapons atop his impenetrable walls, yet none of them ever left the Lord of Bulding’s compound once after entering, no it was more than a compound it was a full-on citadel. Countless Hellspawn and dead alike lived there in apparent peace, he had even heard a rumor that Lord Master of Malice had found a way to ward off the eternal suffering that was to live in the Hells.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Lord Painwright however only had Husks as guards, those were the dead that had succumbed to the pain and their souls had perished, somehow he was able to puppet them around as if they still lived, well as much as someone can “live” in the Hells.

The gates suddenly shuddered open and his master came into view, standing at a measly three meters tall and with a rather humanoid appearance he would have been a little underwhelming compared to his disciple if not for the matte red armor covered in countless adornments of the dead covering every inch of his being with not even a single gap to be seen. It was as if it were made of cloth the way it billowed in the eternal flames, but he knew better, it in truth was made from the rarest and strongest material in all the realms, Infernum. A metal so deeply infused with the forging fires of Infurnace that it took on the attributes of the Hell itself.

A deep frown adorned the almost golem-like face that even though it hid his true face it still would shift and move as if it were his own.

“Quiet down you damn oaf you nearly knocked my china from the shelves. Anyway, this meeting is one my disciple will be required to join, now come it’d be best we not keep Painwright waiting.”

With a curt bow toward the colossus of a doorman, he quickly followed behind his master. The silence grew more and more tense as they grew closer to the foyer of the castle, and just before they entered it seemed to finally reach an edge when suddenly his master turned to him and spoke in a tone he had yet to hear from the ancient Hellspawn.

“Before we enter there is something important I must give you.”

Lord Artisan suddenly dug his hand into his own chest grabbing hold of something he pulled it out, what appeared was a matte red stiletto, gleaming with Infernal energies it was made entirely of Infernum and it too had no flaws to be seen. His master quickly handed him the dagger and said in a hushed voice.

“This is my parting gift to you, my final disciple.”

The Hellspawn was about to show his master his own flawless creation when his words hit him like a smith’s hammer on a forge, his final disciple?

But before he could ask footsteps were heard on the other side of the door and his master suddenly plunged the dagger into his core, he was so surprised he failed to even register what had happened and before he could get a chance to react at all the door was opened and the menacing form of an eight meter tall, and incredible lithe figure of Lord Painwright appeared, he had only two arms but they reached past his feet and drug on the floor behind the Lord of Weaving, each finger at least half as long as his forearm and riddled with joints to allow his intricate craft to be accomplished with ease. Lord Artisan looked at him with a calm smile and said.

“Ahh thank you, we were just coming in, come now disciple do not dally.”

All six eyes were still wide open trying to register what just happened, he slowly looked down expecting to see a mortal wound, but simply saw a matte red gemstone planted on his solar plexus. He quickly looked back up to see his master already walking past Lord Painwright, still too stunned to even move Lord Painwright spoke in a voice that seemed to resound in the back of his head.

“Hahaha I forget my ability can be quite debilitating for the youths, I’m sorry young one please bear with it.”

There was nothing about how he spoke to make the Hellspawn believe he was truly sorry, in fact, he even seemed a bit overjoyed to be causing pain. Of course, it was not the pain that had stunned him but he still didn't even know if what he saw was real or not except for the new piece of jewelry he had just received. Slowly coming to his senses he walked past Lord Painwright without even acknowledging him which seemed to urk the Lord to no end but he kept a straight face.

Master just stabbed me with a stiletto yet the only wound I have is a little gem… what the Hells.

After thinking on it for a second he concluded that his master did not want Lord Painwright to see him in possession of the dagger so he just kept acting like he was stunned by the pain of the Lord of Weaving.

“So, as to why I've brought my disciple here, well to be honest, I just don't like talking to you alone you’ve always creeped me out no offense of course.”

“Hahaha none taken whatsoever, I’ve built my Domain up more than anyone in the three Hells after all, well except the freak of Umbra. I pride myself on obliterating my enemies' morale, I can’t help it if it does the same to allies”

“As for this millennia’s trial I also just so happen to want this one to take my place, Ive grown tired of the battle all I wish to do now is rest.”

“Hahaha… you are kidding, right?

Lord Painwright’s voice suddenly sounded as though an endless number of voices were speaking at once. Lord Artisan’s voice remained flat and calm as he responded.

“I am not, and I would recommend you not try to stop me from allowing him entry to Glacies, remember what happened last time you tried to meddle in my plans Painwright.”

Suddenly a wicked grin appeared on Lord Painwright’s face as he spoke in an ever-increasing chorus of voices.

“Oh but I am so much stronger than I was when we were children… the scar you gave me has finally healed and I am at my peak where as you keep giving your power to DISCIPLES! No it will not be like last time. Plus this is breaking tradition and you know just how much Malice loves tradition he would never even allow a damn child into his home let alone into his most coveted creation, his oh-so-grand portal.

“Ah, but that is where you are wrong, for if I pass my role as Lord onto this here child then he will gladly accept him into his inner sanctum.”

Lord Painwright suddenly blanched, unsure if he had heard correctly, then suddenly let out a horrendous laughter.

“Hahahahahaha, then… wouldn't that leave you with no protection from Mailice”

“No. It would leave you open for me to challenge for your spot.”

A deadly serious expression abruptly overtook Lord Painwrights face as he said.

“You’re serious aren’t you oh good, good, good, GOOOOOOOD”

Lord Artisan suddenly expanded his armor to be a hulking figure the same height as Lord Painwright, snatched the nameless Hellspawn by the tails, and whipped him out of the closest window with the parting words.

“GO NOW… LORD FLAWLESS”

And with his name being spoken aloud by such a grand being it was cemented into reality as the dull gem suddenly lit up into a dazzling red glow and a strange energy suffused into his entire being.

I am… Flawless the new Lord of Hell

Forged in darkest flame,

Flawsight keen, no fault remains,

Flawless name proclaimed.