Pinthalak flew with all haste through the shadowy alleys and streets of Cairn Carna, the largest city in the hells. Demons killed and not spiritually destroyed in any upper realm inevitably found themselves resurrected here. The layout of the city and the architecture of the buildings were pure anarchy, but uniquely beautiful if one could get past the feelings of discord they inspired. Twisted towers jutted sideways at angles that made it seem impossible for them to stand. Patches of colorful grasses and fungi grew in random patches from between the black paving stones. Rivers flowed up sheer cliffs and continued straight into the sky toward infinity- yes the sky. Unlike how most beings of the material plane imagined, there was a sky here. It was a blaze of galactic color upon a canvas of midnight filled with floating islands, soaring castles, and countless celestial bodies beyond that. The most prominent of these were the six Noble Moons, each representing one of the hells’ ruling families.
Pinthalak had been banished back to Cairn many times over the past several months thanks to The Warlord’s volatile temper, and that time had not been idly spent. He had spied, stolen, and gambled his way into earning a single chance to enter the noble quarter of the city. Once inside, he would probably have just one opportunity to find a suitable master more powerful than The Warlord. He was gambling not only on whether or not he would find such a master, but also that said new master would be any less cruel and foolhardy than his current one.
The frantic imp found the Wall of Eiryades to be as tall and unforgiving as always. The informant had assured him that a hole would appear in the magical barrier for just a moment between the sculptures of the fifth and sixth Grand Overfiends which were carved in relief into the obsidian surface. He simply had to wait for the moment when the light from all six moons was blocked by the flying fortress of Overfiend Hemathael. Yellow eyes scanned the sky wildly. It appeared suddenly and as its shadow fell over Pinthalak, the vibrating energy of the wall ceased. Pinthalak leaped with all his might, flapping his wings thrice in hummingbird fast succession. He instinctively braced himself for the deadly rejection as he crossed over the top of the fifty foot wall. He exhaled in relief as he began to descend on the other side, viewing the noble quarter for the very first time as he glided for a shadowy place between buildings.
In stark contrast to the chaos of the rest of the city, this place was unbearably meticulous in its design. The buildings were straight, clean, and built of what seemed to be pure white marble. Legend proclaimed that the noble quarter was ripped away from heaven itself by the very first Grand Overfiend when the three major dimensions collided with one another more than twenty thousand years prior in what came to be called The Melding. The pristine buildings remained all but indestructible, and no filth or marring could so much as dull their surface. Not that any demons here would care to. The structures here stood as a monumental reminder that no matter how high and mighty the heavens might be, at least one demon had stood up to them and stolen some of that pride away.
Pinthalak shook his bony head to refocus himself. Every moment here was incredibly dangerous. Trespassing in the noble quarter could get one killed quite easily, and death in the hells meant banishment to a lower layer where life was constant torture. It could take decades to ascend back to this level, and could lead to a chain of deaths and banishment that all but promised eternal torment at the lowest layer known simply as The Pit.
These thoughts weighed heavily on Pinthalak’s small shoulders as he peeked out from the shadows. Death and destruction strolled casually on finely polished hooves, bird like talons, and elegantly adorned feet all around him.
The strongest demons lived here. Life at the top of the hells’ hierarchy was one of leisure and excess. Lesser demons vied for their favor and by extension their protection by selling themselves to the service of the most powerful master that would accept them. Thus the demonic nobility for the most part spent their nearly endless lives engrossed in hobbies, research, and amassing more and more power for themselves.
This block seemed to be a shopping district. Priceless magical artifacts, fine art, and flashy bolts of fine fabric glowed with power and likely some extra embellishing magic in the glass windows of the storefronts. Various aristocratic demons and extraplanar beings haggled and conversed among themselves while their many servants stood quiet and subdued behind them.
“Wanna play?” The clear voice of a young girl made Pinthalak freeze in his tracks. Wasn’t he invisible?
“I see you anyways.” The voice answered his unspoken rhetorical question. “You don’t have an ugly aura. So lets play already, hurry!”
Pinthalak turned and was suddenly eye to eye with the speaker. She was his height, only around three feet tall with dark crimson skin, soft cherubic features, and large fairy wings. She wore a golden sleeveless gown that matched her short curly hair. The irises of her huge round eyes were also golden, but the pupils were deep red like her skin. Pinthalak knew that appearances were deceiving here. Any attention could be deadly. He couldn’t sense any power from this little fairy demon, but something in her mannerisms set his instincts on high alert.
“W-what shall we play my lady?” Pinthalak knew he was caught, thoughts of fleeing didn’t even begin to register.
“Wisp Catch is my favorite game! If you can catch more than me I’ll give you a big present.” The girl suddenly held a small black bag tied at the top with a drawstring.
Before Pinthalak could even process what was happening the bag opened and at least a score of tiny glowing blue orbs swarmed forth from the opened vessel, scattering in every direction.
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“Do your best!” The fairy demon’s voice was already several yards away as she snatched a wisp from the air.
“Wait...” The poor imp was left with few options. The little girl could very well be a mischievous demon lord in disguise ready to devour him for spoiling her fun if he refused the game. In fact that was far more likely than a cheerful child wanting a playmate.
Without any more hesitation Pinthalak sped off in pursuit of two wisps that were flying parallel to one another. He caught one but the other suddenly reversed direction and evaded him. The one he caught vibrated and suddenly disappeared in a puff of blue smoke. Catching the wisp caused his invisibility to fail but it was too late to give up now. He kept his focus and quickly caught three more. Maybe if he won, she would accept him as her servant. It was his only hope.
Pinthalak was so focused on his prey that he failed to notice that he had flown out from the alleys and onto a busy lane. A bellowing voice, warbling with disgust and outrage assaulted his ears and made him freeze in mid flight.
“A feelthy imp croshes my mashter’s path!?” The slurred words sounded awkward rolling over the thick tongue and past the three foot long tusks of the huge bestial demon. It was a demon from Behemoth's family, notoriously foul tempered and powerful. It was built like a four armed silverback gorilla with the tusks of an elephant. It made Pinthalak's Gorgothan master look like a cuddly kitten in both size and disposition.
“Send its body over the wall and get back to pulling.” A bored and nasally voice sounded from inside the large covered rickshaw that the black furred monstrosity had been pulling.
“Mind where you trushpass if you ever make it back, feelthy imp!” The beast growled as it shot a huge three fingered hand at Pinthalak. It was far too fast for the imp to ever dream of dodging. The imp shut his eyes and waited for the explosion of pain. At least The Warlord’s summons couldn’t reach him in the lower hells...
The pain didn’t come. Pinthalak cracked open one eye to see the little fairy demon standing with her back to him, wagging a small finger at the gargantuan creature. The beast demon’s hand was frozen in place along with the rest of its body. The paralysis faded almost instantly and the creature roared in pure outrage.
“Shhtinking bugs! Shquash you both!” The beast’s words were barely recognizable as rage overtook it.
The aristocratic demon in the carriage poked his head out at that moment. He couldn’t see what was beyond his beast of burden but a familiar presence tickled his fine senses. The beast raised all four arms, ready to fully obliterate everything before it. The noble demon shouted out too late.
“Stop fool!” The noble cried out.
The beast demon did stop in that moment. Everything stopped. The onlookers showing mild interest, the guard demons showing even less interest, the insects on the ground, the flying fortresses in the sky, everything was frozen in place except for the noble demon and something else.
“Please forgive my blunder, great and eminent Overfiend. My foolish servant did not recognize your fragment at play.” The normally pompous and arrogant demon stepped fully from the carriage then and sank to both knees. “I will flay the flesh from his bones myself if it will ease your ire.”
“What makes a game, child?” The voice came from atop the carriage where the little cherubic demon now sat.
“R-rules, Overfiend.” The demon stuttered in reply.
“Yes! Well done. What makes a rule then?” The voice now came from above the demon where a second identical child hovered in the air.
“Consequences for breaking them, Overfiend.” Sweat darkened the demon’s white silk collar as he answered.
“Clever boy! What makes a consequence?” The third voice came from in front of him, smooth as silk and dark as black velvet.
“Sufferi-” The word ended abruptly as agony erupted from the demon’s chest.
A crunching and sucking sound could be heard as the demon’s gaze drifted from the cherubic demon flying overhead to his killer standing before him. He would mark this day well, and on his journey back from the lower layer would take care to never cross this particular monster’s path again.
Overfiend X’lyssa, great granddaughter of Corpse himself and second in line to the current Grand Overfiend held his black beating heart in the slender fingers of her right hand. In her left hand she held a much larger heart, clearly belonging to his wretched servant. Oh that blundering fool would pay in the lower world, and pay dearly.
The world resumed motion then and Pinthalak found the scenery before him had changed instantaneously. The beast demon had been about to crush him and the little fairy demon flat one moment, and now he was seated on a park bench facing three identical versions of the playful demonic cherub. Behind them was what could only be their mother or perhaps a much older sister. The skin and eyes were dead matches but the figure was that of a grown woman. She was well over six feet tall, unbelievably voluptuous, and her face was fierce and hungry. Also unlike her childish counterparts her hair was platinum white. The wavy locks could nearly touch the back of her knees. She studied Pinthalak with a stoic and penetrating gaze.
“Pinthalak, a poor down on his luck imp denied his evolution by a stinky Gorgo.” She said, using the derogatory slang term for Gorgothan. “Hmm. Well since our game was interrupted I guess I owe you at least a consolation prize for trying. I’ll even give you two options. Option one: I force your evolution to Fel Imp. You’ll gain an amended name and be free of his summons. Option Two: I make you a servant with my surname and Soulbrand. The next time he calls for you, it won’t go as he hopes.
“You’ll really do that much for a weakling like me?” Pinthalak couldn’t believe his ears.
“Strength is relative. In terms of relative difficulty, what you did took a great deal of cunning and courage. I value where you can go more than where you began.” She patiently replied. “Well?”
“Option Two.” Pinthalak said with such conviction that the woman arched a platinum eyebrow.
“You’re certain?” She teased. “I might be worse than the bonehead you serve.”
“Option Two.” The imp reiterated.
“Very well.” She favored him with a smile. “Any questions before we begin?”
“Just one. Are these your siblings or children, or...?” He let the question trail off.
“Neither. They are all me. There can be as many of them as I have cells in my body.” She smiled wider at the expected astonishment. “It’s-” She stopped as Pinthalak fell flat on his belly, groveling with all his might.
It all came clear in that moment, how could he have failed to see it!?
“Mistress Overfiend!” Pinthalak shook so hard, he feared he might shake himself into pieces.
“Mistress X’lyssa will do. Get that nonsense out of your system right now if you want to join my household.” She admonished him sternly.
Pinthalak couldn’t begin to process his fortune. An Overfiend, one of the strongest of them all was going to take him in? For the first time in many centuries, Pinthalak dared to let a slim sliver of hope shine in his mind.
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