Returning to my body in Hell is like slipping back into an endless void. The emptiness is familiar—achingly so. It claws at me, settling in the hollow spaces where something resembling a soul should be. I know this feeling far too well.
The raucous sounds of trumpets blare from every corner of this infernal plane, accompanied by the thunderous clapping of demons. The celebration stretches for miles, the cacophony deafening even from here. Yet, for me, it’s nothing. Just noise.
I step forward, my voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
"Does anyone want to drink with me?"
The moment my words ripple through the air, a wave of panic sweeps over the crowd. Screams pierce the din as demons scatter like rats, fleeing in terror. My presence alone is enough to intoxicate the weaker ones with fear—a power that reminds them of their place beneath me.
I continue on, unmoved, making my way to the throne—the only sanctuary of silence in this forsaken domain.
----------------------------------------
The air grows heavier as I approach, shadows thickening and curling like smoke around the towering black spires. My throne looms ahead, carved from obsidian and jagged bone, radiating an aura of despair. The silence here is absolute, suffocating, and for once, a welcome reprieve.
But as I ascend the steps, a voice dares to break the quiet.
“You’ve returned a little earlier than expected, Lord Azazel.”
The sarcasm in his tone is faint but unmistakable. I halt, turning my gaze toward the speaker—a wizard cloaked in crimson robes, his arrogance barely concealed beneath layers of false reverence.
“Spare me your sarcasm, wizard,” I say coldly, my voice reverberating with power. “Or are you going to insult me further by claiming I don’t understand it?”
His composure falters instantly, the blood draining from his face. “Forgive me, Lord Azazel. I didn’t mean—”
Before he can finish, a searing blast of energy splits the air. Two other wizards step forward, their hands crackling with arcane light as they obliterate the offender without hesitation. The dust of his disintegrated form lingers for a moment before dissipating into nothingness.
One of the remaining wizards bows deeply. “Our apologies, my lord. If he overstepped, it was an error we will ensure is never repeated. We are honored by your return.”
I regard them with a flicker of disdain, waving my hand dismissively.
“Yes, yes. Leave me.”
They bow again, retreating swiftly, their footsteps fading into the distance. The silence envelops me once more.
----------------------------------------
“Why can’t I remember…” I murmur to myself.
The thought gnaws at me, a thorn buried deep in my mind. With a thunderous punch, I strike the armrest of my throne, summoning one of the wizards before me. He materializes in an instant, trembling as he stands in my presence. The terror is etched across his face, so I force myself to soften my expression, knowing that his fear might render him useless if unchecked.
“Wizard…” My voice rumbles low, dangerous. “I was on Earth. Why can’t I remember anything? There is nothing I shouldn’t be able to recall.”
The wizard gulps audibly, his voice shaking as he responds. “My lord, the simplest explanation is that your demon self does not deem those memories useful. Perhaps your mind has deemed them… unnecessary.”
“Unnecessary?” I echo, my tone sharp. “If they are so irrelevant, why am I even thinking of them? Why am I questioning their absence? If what you say is true, I shouldn’t even care enough to ask.”
The wizard hesitates, the weight of my gaze nearly crushing him. He fidgets nervously, then ventures cautiously, “Perhaps… perhaps you found something on Earth that amused you, my lord. But it is possible that your mind—the demon within—finds it too difficult to admit.”
Before I can process his words, two other wizards materialize beside him. Without a word, they unleash devastating spells, disintegrating him into ash. The air sizzles with residual magic as his remains scatter into the void.
“What are you doing?” I snap, my voice cutting like a blade.
One of the wizards bows deeply, his head nearly touching the floor. “Our deepest apologies, Lord Azazel. That wizard must have been defective. How could he dare to suggest that you, the greatest of demons, would find anything on Earth amusing? Such insolence could not go unpunished.”
I pause, staring at the pile of ash where the first wizard once stood. A bitter chuckle escapes my lips.
“Me? Amused by Earth?” I laugh louder, the sound reverberating throughout the throne room. “Hah! Those wimpy, weak humans are nothing but insects beneath my feet. Why would I waste a single thought on them?”
My laughter dies down, but the room remains eerily quiet. I glance at the remaining wizards, only to find them frozen, their faces pale and their eyes wide with shock.
“What?” I snap, my irritation flaring. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
They exchange nervous glances before one of them speaks, his voice barely above a whisper.
“We… we haven’t seen you laugh in a long time, my lord.”
Their words hit me like a hammer. The realization settles in, a heavy weight pressing down on my chest. I force a smirk, brushing off their astonishment.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
“Well, I suppose even I can find something humorous now and then. Don’t read too much into it.”
But their words linger in my mind, unsettling me more than I care to admit. Million of years of complete silence, of apathy—and yet, the faintest memory of Earth, blurred and fragmented, stirs something within me. Something I cannot name.
“Why can’t I remember…” I whisper again, the question echoing in the silence.
I remember now someone who doesn't fear me, is not the best company but I guess it's better than something
“Wizard, bring Astaroth,” I command, my voice low yet carrying the undeniable weight of authority.
The wizard nods, trembling slightly as he bows before retreating hastily, vanishing into the distance.
Time stretches unbearably, and still, there is no sign of his return. The oppressive stillness of my throne room grates on my nerves, each passing second sharpening my irritation.
“What is that?” I mutter, narrowing my eyes as a small black dot emerges on the horizon, rapidly growing larger. As the figure approaches, I recognize the frantic form of the wizard, flying at an unnatural speed, his robes tattered by the wind. He crashes into the ground with a thud, collapsing to his knees before me.
“Lord Azazel,” he pants, his voice trembling, “Lord Astaroth… is not here.”
A sharp ringing pierces through my head, and I clutch my temples as a sudden headache strikes. Fragments of memory from my time on Earth flood my mind, chaotic and intoxicating. The pain isn’t physical, but the rush of images tears through me with a strange allure.
“I remember now…” I say slowly, amusement and menace intertwining in my voice. “When I called for an account of all the demons, you assured me none were missing. You counted every last one, didn’t you?”
The wizard’s face drains of color, his hands trembling uncontrollably. “M-my lord, we did count them all. But it seems… it seems Astaroth sent a doppelganger in his place, using one of his legion to deceive us.”
The headache sharpens, but it’s laced with a perverse thrill. The notion of something beyond my control—a single thread unraveling in my web—both maddens and excites me.
“A doppelganger?” I repeat, my lips curling into a grin that makes the wizard flinch. “And you brought me the decoy instead?”
The wizard stammers, fumbling for words. “My lord, the doppelganger… it fled. I tried—”
Before he can finish, I unfurl my massive, obsidian wings, their span casting an oppressive shadow over the room. Without hesitation, I activate one of my skills: PAST WAR.
A burning crimson light envelops the wizard as I make him my target. His memories unravel before me, vivid and detailed like a thousand painted scenes. I delve deeper, stripping away every layer until I find it: the doppelganger’s location and the precise moment it fled.
Without a word, I launch into the sky, the force of my ascent shaking the ground and leaving the wizard cowering in the dust. The air screams against my ears as I cut through the layers of hell, faster than light itself. No one escapes me within my domain.
----------------------------------------
I arrive at the location of the doppelganger’s escape and hover momentarily. Summoning another dominion skill, FUTURE WAR, using the Wizard memories I target the Doppelgager and project the doppelganger’s future actions. Its attempts to flee are already futile—I see every move it plans to make.
In a heartbeat, I appear before the doppelganger, cutting off its escape.
“You thought you could escape me?” I say, my voice thunderous and commanding.
The creature freezes mid-air, its form shifting to a sickly, pale gray. Its entire body trembles violently, every cell screaming in terror at my presence. Slowly, it descends, landing awkwardly before collapsing to its knees.
I land gracefully, folding my wings behind me. My glowing crimson eyes pierce through its soul as it cowers, unable to meet my gaze.
“You will tell me everything,” I say, my tone calm but heavy with the promise of annihilation. “Every detail of Astaroth’s plan. Or…” I let the words linger, a grin revealing sharp fangs.
The doppelganger raises its head slightly, defiance flickering in its terrified eyes. Its voice shakes as it speaks in the ancient demon tongue.
“You may be the Demon Lord… but I will never betray the Legion of Astaroth!”
It lets out a piercing scream, its body convulsing violently as energy builds within it. I sense its intent—a suicide explosion.
“Pathetic,” I mutter, stepping back casually.
The doppelganger’s body detonates in a fiery eruption, the force sending shockwaves across the barren landscape. Dust and ash settle around me, but I remain unmoved, my expression unreadable.
Astaroth’s deception is clever, I admit silently. But no trickery will save him.
I turn sharply, spreading my wings once more. The hunt is far from over. Astaroth’s betrayal demands retribution, and I will ensure he—and every demon under his command—learns the cost of defiance.
“Wizards, I’m going to Earth again,” I declare, my voice cutting through the tense air of the throne room.
“What? But, my lord, you just returned!” one of the wizards stammers, his expression a mixture of disbelief and worry.
“I don’t know what Astaroth is scheming, but if he thinks he’s outmaneuvered me, he’s sorely mistaken,” I reply, my crimson gaze narrowing.
“But, my lord, someone must oversee Hell in your absence,” another wizard interjects hesitantly.
“Astaroth created a doppelganger to manage Hell in his stead. He knows a way to control this realm without being present.” A grin creeps across my face. “The audacity of it… something about his cunning stirs my curiosity. I must understand his methods.”
“But, Lord Azazel, if you and Astaroth are both gone. Hell will be left without a mastermind,” a third wizard points out, his voice tinged with dread.
“Then I’ll make a doppelganger,” I state, the finality in my tone silencing their protests.
“Lord Azazel, it’s possible,” one of them cautiously agrees, “but… create one with at least a single feat of knowledge. It will require a tremendous amount of energy.”
“It’s worth the cost,” I reply firmly.
Wasting no time, I begin the process. Unlike summoning a familiar, which borrows a fragment of my power, since creating a powerful familiar will only make the creature crazy with the vast knowledge I have and even make him unstable, creating a doppelganger is an entirely different feat. This being will be a near-exact replica of me, sharing my essence and attributes as though I am pouring water from one cup to another. I can decide how much of my "volume" or "color" to share—whether it be strength, intelligence, or cunning. Only I can understand me.
For this doppelganger, I prioritize knowledge above all else, granting it the clarity and wisdom to manage Hell in my absence while limiting the other traits to conserve stability.
The room crackles with energy as I extend my hands, crimson light swirling around me like a maelstrom. The wizards step back, their faces pale as my power fills the space. Slowly, the doppelganger begins to form—a mirror image of myself, yet distinct in subtle ways.
As the light fades, the doppelganger opens its eyes, a gleam of intellect already burning within them.
As seeing myself in a window I can finally see it, the way he looks at me, he thinks he is me but clearly knows we are not the same
“Serve well,” I command, my voice echoing with authority. “For if you falter, even you will not escape my wrath.”
“So you are me, why created me if you are already perfect” My doppelganger answers with a slightly rage in his tone
“I think you know the answer, so I don't need to say more”
“Fine.” he sighs but slightly annoyed in his tone.
Without much Words I left Hell to visit earth and find Astaroth, or should I say, Asaul.