“Today's opponents can be your allies tomorrow. And today's allies can be tomorrow's opponents.”

― Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

They locked Tabitha in a forty by forty foot cell, with an invisible magic force field over the entrance. Tabitha was still in the cage, she flicked the same bar once again and listened to the ringing pitch. The sound was much deeper, different than before. Tabitha smiled, it was only a matter of time now.

“Greetings my Lady.”

Tabitha looked across from her cell to the one across the hall. There she saw a demon who stood at 6 feet 6 inches tall, handsome with blonde curly hair atop his head and a little beneath his chin. Black obsidian horns and wearing a blue toga, with his left side bare. The demon was as red-skinned as her, and he had a red spade tail and…Tabitha blinked. Are those white feathered wings? They are and they suit him. Tabitha took in the demon’s muscled physic, for some reason she found herself lusting after this demon with velvet eyes. Tabitha understood what was going on and reigned in her emotions, she smiled at the demon and rested her arms on the bars of her cage.

“To affect me from two cells, both with magical barriers. Not to mention this cage that’s keeping my power in check. You must be the true Demon Lord of Lust, Asmodeus.”

Tabitha just said the name out of instinct, she had no idea where the name came from. Possibly it was that other part of her which belonged to the Nether Realm provided it. In any case, the moment she said the name, she knew it fit this demon. Asmodeus bowed in a gentlemanly fashion and said.

“You must be the greater she-devil, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Asmodeus took her in, she was impressive. Both her beauty and size. He saw how cautious the guards were when they brought her to the cell across from his. Even though she was secured in a magical cage, he could still feel the raw power emanating from her. She is a devil and a powerful one at that. Asmodeus narrowed his eyes at her, for some reason she looked familiar. As if he had seen her before, a memory surfaced in his head. But he could not hold on to it for long, it was then when Tabitha asked him.

“Tell me, how in the Nether Realm was Eldest able to usurp your mantle?”

Asmodeus shrugged.

“A combination of bad luck and lack of knowledge. Eldest was not even on my radar, he was not even a known power in the Nether Realm a thousand years ago. He is not that clever and yet, here I am. Imprisoned in my own dungeons while that fool sits on my throne. In truth, he came out of nowhere. Took me by surprise.”

Tabitha nodded in agreement.

“Now that I have seen and spoken with you, I know that Eldest had outside help. From whom that is the question. I have a feeling that the question will be answered very soon.”

Asmodeus raised his beautiful slender eyebrows at that comment.

“Forgive me for stating the obvious my Lady, but you are trapped in both a cell and a cage. You will be unable to find answers if you are still a prisoner.”

In response, Tabitha touched the cage once with a talon. Asmodeus’s eyes widen in surprise as the golden cage fell apart, and Tabitha stepped off the platform. Tabitha saw the question in Asmodeus’s eyes and explained.

“The magic users analyzed my magical particles while I was fighting the greater demons. They used the information against me and summoned the cage which possessed my magical signature. It was effective in keeping me contained, but I can play the same game. While inside, I examined the cage. Finding its weakness, I placed a small portion of my power into one of the bars. I allowed it to spread over six days, weakening it from the inside out. You saw the results.”

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Asmodeus applauded; he was indeed impressed. This was a very beautiful and clever she-devil, able to manipulate magical particles at the cellular level.

“Forgive my rudeness for not requesting this before but may I please have the honor of knowing your name?”

“Tabitha.”

She replied simply. Walking towards the opening of her cell, she examined the invisible force field. Asmodeus was quiet, waiting to see what she would do next. With a talon index finger, Tabitha pressed the tip into the force field. As the talon connected with the barrier, there was a crackle of energy, but Tabitha did not flinch from it. She kept the talon tip in place and said.

“From the way magic is being funneled out of you by your cell. I gather that you have been kept weaken for a long time. Am I correct in assuming that your magic is being funneled to Eldest?”

Asmodeus bowed to Tabitha saying.

“Again, you impress me with your powers of observation. You are indeed correct; this cell is designed to allow Eldest to leech my power from me. But he cannot handle my enormous magic, so Eldest stores most of my power in magical jar containers that he is linked to.”

“I see.”

Tabitha said thinking. Asmodeus could almost see the gears turning inside her pretty head. Just then, the force field that the tip of Tabitha’s talon was pressing into shattered and disappeared. Tabitha took one step forward into the hallway, and out of her cell. She stood before Asmodeus, and again the former Demon Lord of Lust admired her physic.

“Lady Tabitha, I have a proposal.”

“Go on.”

“We both know that Eldest is unfit to wear my mantle. If you aid me in regaining my seat of power, I will aid you in turn.”

Tabitha thought about it for a moment, and then she asked a question.

“What kind of aid could you provide me.”

“I can be your friend and ally in the Courts. You will need that in the long term.”

Asmodeus did not hesitate to answer. Ever since Malice told him about the great she-devil, he knew that this meeting would happen. Eldest may be a fool, but he had his moments of cleverness. But it was more his subordinates’ cleverness, it was not that hard to make Eldest look good.

“Why would you do that even for me? Even if you do get your mantle back, you would have no obligations to continue being my ally. I do not have any territories, a seat of power, or even subordinates. So why?”

Again, Asmodeus did not hesitate.

“Because you are a devil. And here in the Nether Realm devils are gods. In time, you shall obtain territories, a seat of power, subordinates, and even more. I want to be on your side when you gain all of that.”

Tabitha thought carefully about Asmodeus’s offer, and then she made her decision.

“Okay, I’ll bite. I will accept your proposal for an alliance.”

Tabitha summoned a spark of magic with the tip of her talon.

“But be forewarned Asmodeus the true Demon Lord of Lust.”

Tabitha’s voice had changed slightly as if it was someone else speaking. Someone far more ancient and powerful

“If you prove false, I will end you. Even if I do not have territories, a seat of power, and subordinates. I will end you, for I have felt the sting of betrayal so deep it became an ocean. I will not suffer such again.”

Asmodeus responded by smiling so wide his perfectly gleaming white teeth showed. Oh yes, she is definitely a true devil. Her words alone are brimming with power and authority. My spine is tinkling just being in her presence. This alliance will benefit me and her greatly. Asmodeus bowed again to Tabitha saying.

“Once I make an agreement, I do not go back on my word my Lady. As long as you honor our alliance, I will honor you. Rest assured, I Asmodeus the Demon Lord of Lust will abide by any bargain struck between us.”

Tabitha looked at him, studying his handsome features and that perfect body. She saw no malice or deceit, he was honest and friendly. That was good, but Tabitha would not trust him completely. She would watch him closely until he shows signs of treachery, she will honor their alliance though.

“Alright then, I Tabitha hereby enter into an alliance with you Asmodeus the Demon Lord of Lust. I will aid you in regaining your mantle after that is done. We can decide whether or not to continue our alliance for a much more permanent arrangement. During those decisions, we can fill out the details of our alliance. Is this agreeable to you Lord Asmodeus?”

“Yes, my Lady, we have a temporary accord. Until we can establish a more stable alliance.”

Tabitha nodded and placed the tip of her talon onto the invisible force field. The light attached itself onto the force field and spread in a circular wave covering the entire force field.

“Unfortunately, I do not have time to analyze the magic in your cell. So, I have cast a spell on the force field keeping you inside. Think of it as a virus, it will spread weakening the magical particles of the force field. In time, the force field will be weak enough for you to just bust out. If you want to wait, the force field will eventually collapse in on itself. However, this will take some time. How long? I do not know.”

“Do not worry my Lady, just to know that in time I will be free. I am a patient demon; I have waited for this moment for a thousand years. I can wait a bit longer.”

Tabitha nodded in agreement, then she and Asmodeus turned to face the darken hallway as a voice said.

“Excellent, you move faster than expected. I was hoping for this.”