“Life is like a game of chess. To win you have to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with IN-SIGHT and knowledge, and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called life!”
― Allan Rufus, The Master's Sacred Knowledge
Malice appeared through the shadows four floors below the palace proper. She sashayed down the dark hallways passed cell after cell. Most of the cells were empty, but a few had occupants. Each cell was different, some are the size of sheds, while others were as big as a house. Those that had occupants in them varied depending on the occupants. One demon was covered in so many black bindings he looked like a mummy, and he could not move a muscle. In another cell a demoness was in one corner, her eyes swirling with colors, and she was shaking. Malice knew the signs of an illusion spell; the demoness was probably being tortured. But it was all in her head, even so, her mind believed the pain to be real. None of the cells had bars or doors, instead, there was an invisible force field. If the occupants tried to leave their cells through the openings. The force fields would not only block them, but it would give them a debilitating electric shock. Putting them down for a few minutes.
Malice passed all these cells and took no notice of the occupants. She could not help them in any case, it was not long until she arrived at her destination. Malice stood before a large cell, inside there was a coffee table, chairs, three rows of shelves with books and a demon sitting down and reading a book. The demon saw Malice and smiled at her. He placed a book marker between the pages closing the book. Placing the book on the coffee table, the demon stood to his 6 foot 6 inches of impressive height.
He approached the entrance of his cell, standing just ten feet away from the invisible force field. Malice looked at the demon’s handsome features, he has blonde curly hair. Both atop his head and a little beneath his chin and black horns that looked like polished obsidian. He wore a blue toga, but his left side was bare. Malice admired the demon’s well-defined left arm, shoulder, neck, chest, and abs. The toga ended above the knees, so Malice could admire his well-muscled and toned legs too. The demon bowed at the waist saying.
“Lady Malice, as always it is a treasure to see your beautiful face and lovely body. It gets so boring in these dungeons, without these little visits of yours. I swear that I would have gone mad 500 years ago.”
Malice curtsied saying.
“It is always good to see you my Lord Asmodeus. The true Demon Lord of Lust.”
“Don’t let Eldest hear you say that. I fear if he did you would be punished, my dear.”
Malice scoffed in contempt.
“That brute is too busy abusing one of the succubi. He thinks that I’m under his thumb.”
“So, he is still unaware that you are able to break his collars?”
Asmodeus asked. Malice smiled and nodded.
“You are still on the path of regaining your mantle my Lord. Eldest is clueless.”
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Asmodeus thought for a moment and then said.
“I never understood how a brute like Eldest could have outmaneuvered me and taken my mantle. He is uneducated, unsophisticated, a barbarian, and a fool.”
Malice nodded in agreement.
“I have been wondering that myself for a thousand years. I may have been a prisoner here for that long, but I still have contacts within and without the Courts. Rumors about how Eldest achieved such power are numerous, but one thing has been made clear.”
Asmodeus was paying very close attention to Malice’s words.
“It is believed that Eldest received aid from an entity or entities not native to the Nether Realm.”
Asmodeus’s eyes widen at that.
“If that is true then it could only mean that one or more of the gods are interfering in the affairs of the Nether Realm. Eldest must be spying for one of them, as the Demon Lord of Lust. He would have access to the other princes, and most of the lower and higher tiers of the Nether Realm.”
“Yes, there are many gods who would destroy the Nether Realm and its denizens if they could? Failing that, there are a few gods who would give demons power in exchange for information and the going ons in the Nether Realm. If the rumors are true, then someone wants to be appraised of the current events in the Nether Realm. What they would do with that information my Lord Asmodeus.”
Malice shrugged.
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“Whatever the truth may be, it is clear that they wanted Eldest to be the Demon Lord of Lust. I would not have bowed my head to any gods. They wanted me out of the way, but Eldest wanted me imprisoned in this cell.”
Asmodeus looked around in his cell.
“So long as I stay here, Eldest can siphon off my powers into himself. He is linked to this prison, and the cell itself absorbs my magic, giving it to Eldest. Eldest will not kill me so long as I’m still useful to him. If I can escape, I can take back my mantle.”
Malice sighed in frustration.
“Eldest uses a combination of binding and rune magic. He does not know how to bind or use rune magic. Whoever is backing Eldest gave him the tools.”
Asmodeus sighed as well, then asked the question he wanted to since Malice appeared.
“Why are you here my Lady? Of course, it is not to tell me that your daughter has escaped. You know I knew of this, you taught her how to remove the collar. Even though I may no longer be the Demon Lord of Lust, I am still connected to the Palace of Lust. So, I know you stayed even though you could have escaped with your daughter. There is nothing that goes on without my knowledge, Eldest doesn’t know this of course. He has no idea, and I prefer to keep it that way.”
Malice smiled and bowed.
“Of course, my Lord, I hate Eldest with all my being. He has kept me prisoner and when our daughter was born. He used her as he uses all the succubi, and I will not stand for it.”
Asmodeus nodded in agreement and then smiled at Malice.
“On the other hand, Eldest doesn’t know about your other powers. The fool has no idea that you are not some regular succubus. So, Lady Malice, what news do you bring?”
“My daughter has not only escaped but also found an ally in the Badlands.”
Asmodeus cocked an eyebrow curiously and waited.
“A Greater She-devil came to my daughter’s aid when three rogues tracked her down. The greater she-devil made quick work out of them and flew away with my daughter to the Frost Back Mountains. Eldest is sending out an expedition to track and capture both my daughter and the greater she-devil.”
Asmodeus chuckled.
“If Eldest thinks he can bend a devil to his will, then he’s even more stupid than I realize. He may capture the greater she-devil, but no devil will obey any demon lord.”
“The greater she-devil will aid you, my Lord. She will be the key to your freedom and to regaining your mantle.”
Asmodeus paused for a moment after hearing Malice’s declaration. Then he smiled.
“Please my Lady, tell me more.”
And so, Malice did. She told him all of what she knew, and Asmodeus had a smile so wide you could have sworn it split his face in two. When Malice finally left Asmodeus’s cell, the former Demon Lord of Lust grabbed the book off the coffee table, sat back in his chair, and began to read the page he had bookmarked.