“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”

― Henri Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life

The fire swords finally died in her hands once the last male demon was in pieces like his friends. Tabitha was horrified at what she had done, she looked at her hands and saw the blood on them. She could not believe what she did, that was not the plan. Tabitha was going to land in front of the demons and try to negotiate with them to release the woman and answer a few of her questions. But instead, once she landed and faced the three male demons. Something inside her, like another personality she did not recognize took over.

This strange personality was foreign, yet familiar. It was her and yet it was not her. When she spoke to the demons, it was her voice. Yet, it spoke in a different tone. It was more ancient and powerful, and it had the ring of command in it. Tabitha had hoped the three demons would listen and leave without the female. Then again, that other part inside of her had hoped for the opposite. She had wanted the males to resist, she wanted to fight to rend her enemies limb from limb. She wanted to dominate them, to defeat them in honest battle.

Tabitha shook her head violently. What the hell is going on with me!? What have I become to enjoy fighting, to want to see my enemies cut down into pieces? It was too much. It was just too much. She was scared, confused, and alone. Too many questions and no answers, and to make matters worse. She might have a split personality an alternate self. Was this always the case even as a human or was this something recent? Tabitha knew nothing.

Zula got back to her feet cautiously, keeping her eyes on the she-devil. The she-devil had allowed her fire swords to die out, and she was just standing there, staring at her hands which were covered in the blood of the first demon. Zula studied the face of the she-devil, she saw shock, confusion, and…fear? Is this her first fight? Has she never seen blood and gore before? Or could it be— Before Zula could finish the thought, the she-devil suddenly tilted her head to the sky and released a roar of rage. Then, she flapped her 40-foot wingspan and took to the air. Zula watched her fly away, but she did not fly far. The she-devil flew to one of the sky islands a mile and a half upward. She landed on it.

Zula sighed and breathed in relief. She looked at the floor before her. The three demons were in pieces, but they were already regenerating. It would take some time to heal from all that damage, but she had time. Her options were limited, she could go on by herself alone. But that was not a good idea. If another set of bounty hunters catches up with me, I would be in trouble. But if I had a powerful friend by my side. One strong enough to take on all comers. That she-devil is strong, but she’s going through some issues of her own. But if she’s what I think she is. Then, she’ll need help to figure out all of this.

With a plan and her mind made up, Zula took to the sky to find the she-devil. The she-devil in question was not too hard to find, she had landed in a clearing. With her knees underneath her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs. Her massive wings were folded behind her back, and her tail was twitching back and forth in agitation. Zula landed a few dozen feet away. She did not want to make a move that would cause the she-devil to act defensively. As she approached slowly, Zula thought up several approaches. This would be delicate. As soon as she was just a few feet away, Zula stopped and said in as friendly a voice she could manage.

“Hello, I wanted to thank you for helping me down there. But you flew off so suddenly. I can guess why. This is all new to you, isn’t it?”

Zula paused and waited. She had made the first move. She wanted the she-devil to engage with her. Zula was a good talker, but she was even a better listener, and that was what really mattered. To listen and learn. After a time, Zula thought the she-devil would not respond to her question. When finally, the she-devil said.

“I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t know why I’m like this. Five and a half hours ago, I was a normal human girl. Now, I’m this creature. I didn’t want to fight those demons. But something inside took over and I just reacted. What did I do to deserve to be here? I wasn’t a saint, but I didn’t do anything that would send me to hell. All the pain and misery I went through as a human was hard, but I pushed forward despite it. I tried to help others and myself. In the end, I have become this thing. Does that mean I was an evil person?”

So, she is a new arrival, and a Greater Devil to boot. But what’s going on? It is rare for people to arrive here as a powerful demon. But as a greater devil. No. One thing has always been clear. Demons are either born which is exceedingly rare, or they have been transformed into new demons from other species. But devils, they are different. If a demon lives long enough and has the power, they could ascend to devil hood. But all devils are born, that is why their numbers are so low. Devils being born are even rarer than demons. Yet, this she-devil is a new arrival.

“Hey, sweetheart, why don’t you tell me your name?”

Zula spoke soothingly at the she-devil, wanting to build up a sense of companionship. She sat on the ground within arm’s reach, Zula was certain the she-devil did not pose a threat. This time the she-devil did not take too long to answer her. She looked at Zula before answering.

“My name is Tabitha Elaine Pearson.”

Zula smiled and nodded.

“Where did you come from Tabitha? What was the name of your birth world?”

“I was born on a world called earth?”

Zula nodded at that. Of course, it would be one of the earthly realms. Even though the earth realms are mostly technology base with little to no natural magic. They provide more demons than any other realm in the multiverse.

“My name is Zula. I am a succubus.”

Tabitha cocked an eyebrow at that.

“Is that the reason why I feel…attracted to you?”

Zula smiled and chuckled a bit.

“Yes, it’s part of our charm. We can attract both male and female. But that’s another topic for another time. I’m sure you have plenty of questions, I will try to answer them through my explanations. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.”

Zula inhaled a deep breath and began.

“First off Tabitha, you are in the Nether Realm. And the Nether Realm is known by many names. Mortals call it hell, the abyss, the land of the dead and damned, the underworld, and a few other names. Secondly, no you are not here because of anything you did or did not do. Good or evil it does not come into the equation. You were chosen by the Nether Realm.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

When Zula saw the confusion on Tabitha’s striking features, she continued.

“You see, our demonic scholars over the ages have studied the Nether Realm. The Nether Realm is infinite, vast, alive, and dead. I know how that sounds.”

Zula said quickly when Tabitha’s confusion did not lessen.

“Despite the scholars’ continuous study, the Nether Realm is a mystery to us to this very day. But one thing is clear, the Nether Realm has a will of its own. You see Tabitha, the Nether Realm is home to all manner of demons. But demons are rarely born, and to keep a large enough population. The Nether Realm touches all sorts of mortal beings throughout the multiverse. The moment you were born, the Nether Realm chose you to be its next denizen. It does not matter whether you are good, bad, or in between. The moment you die for whatever reason, your soul is reshaped by the Nether Realm itself. You were always meant to be here. It has nothing to do with how you lived your life.”

Tabitha’s gold and silver eyes sparkled with understanding. Zula saw that she felt a little better after hearing these words.

“So, no matter what I did good or bad. I was always meant to be a demon. So that means like people, there are good demons and bad demons.”

Zula nodded before saying.

“That is correct Tabitha, but here’s the thing about you. You see…”

Tabitha’s full attention was on Zula, she wanted to know everything.

“…you see, demons are born in the Nether Realm, but it is rare and only happens every few centuries. And even though we are immortal, we will never die from age or sickness. Even injured or wounded demons will heal or regenerate, depending on the severity of the injuries. Like for example, the demons you tore to pieces will regenerate as good as new in a matter of days.”

At her words, Tabitha let out a sigh of relief.

“I thought I had murdered them, but they’ll be back to normal in a few days.”

Zula nodded.

“Yes, it’s hard to kill a demon, but it can be done. If you have enough time, and power. You can kill a demon permanently. So, demons still do die on occasions in the Nether Realm and in other realms too. Here’s another example, if you had slain those demons on earth. Their bodies would have faded back to the Nether Realm where they could regenerate and heal. That includes body parts and blood.”

Tabitha nodded following the logic of her new reality.

“Like I said, in order to keep the population high. The Nether Realm chooses those with the potential of becoming demons at the moment of their birth and not just humans. There are all manner of demons that were once a different species. Like dwarves, elves, orcs, hobbits, and alien races from across the multiverse.”

Tabitha’s mouth fell open at the sudden realization that she was in a reality filled with different humanoid races from other worlds. Zula was still speaking, and Tabitha listened, she did not want to miss anything.

“As I said, demons are born in the Nether Realm. But you Tabitha are not a demon.”

Tabitha blinked in surprise at that.

“If I’m not a demon, then what am I?”

“You, my dear are something more special than a demon. The thing you have to understand is, demons are the majority in the Nether Realm. We are everywhere, and we are a dime a dozen. You, Tabitha, are something rare, you are a devil, and the weakest devil is as powerful as the strongest demon.”

“Is that why I don’t have a spade tail? Because I’m a devil.”

Zula smiled and nodded, glad that Tabitha was quick on the mark.

“Yes, we demons have spade tails. While devils do not have one. It’s one of the quickest ways to tell the difference between the two groups. We demons outnumber you devils at least 10,000 to one. But you devils are far more powerful than most demons. Let me give you an idea of the power structure between devils and demons. For demons, we have Lesser Demons such as imps and sprits. Then there are the Minor Demons, or fiends which are a bit bigger. About three to four feet in height and they come in various forms. Then we have myself and the demons you dealt with. We are Major Demons, the size of your typical human adult. Then there are the Greater Demons, those are the big bad boys. But not as big as you, they normally come to be 10 to 12 feet in height. Then we have the Arch Demons, Demon Princes and Princesses, and Demon Kings and Queens. These higher ups can take any form they choose but they will always go back to their original form. Most of the time, they are human size or larger. This too is also rare if a demon has enough wisdom, strength, and power. They can become a devil. It’s like transcending to godhood almost.”

Tabitha listened and took in all the information. She was glad she had helped the succubus, Zula. It’s the one good thing that has happened to her since she found herself in the Nether Realm.

“Now, let’s get to the devils. Like the Higher demons, you can change your form but will always have an original form. There are the Devils, who have the same strength as a demon king or queen, and mostly have a regular humanoid form. Then there are the Greater Devils which you are.”

Tabitha was surprised to hear that she was a greater devil.

“You guys are either 15 to 20 feet in height, and as you have experienced. You pack in a lot of power and strength. Then there are the Arch Devils, Devil Princes and Princesses, Devil Kings and Queens. These guys can come in any size or shape, but like everything else, they have an original form.”

“So, there are others out there more powerful than me.”

Tabitha smiled at that. It was a familiar feeling. The members of the Holy Church of Romanto have always been more powerful than her. They had controlled her life since the day she was born. Zula nodded in confirmation.

“But don’t let that knowledge get you down. Listen Tabitha, no matter how powerful a demon or devil think they are. They can always be defeated by someone less powerful than them. Sometimes it takes planning, other times it might depend on the situation or opportunities may present themselves. Rarely, it can come down to luck. That is how things work out sometimes, it is a lesson that Olana learned a long time ago.”

For some unknown reason, Tabitha felt a jolt at hearing the name.

“Who was Olana?”

She asked.

“Mmmm, if the Nether Realm ever had a true ruler. Olana was it, no one could come even close to her level. She was a Devil Queen, more powerful than the devil and demon princes, princesses, kings, and queens combined. But she was killed thousands of years ago.”

“How was she killed? Was it by a devil or demon?”

Tabitha asked the follow-up questions. Zula shook her head in the negative.

“Neither. Olana was slain by a coalition of gods and angels.”

Tabitha’s eyes widen in surprise, and then she chastised herself. Of course, there are gods and angels, if I am a devil and Zula is a succubus demon. Then it stands to reason that there are other beings just as powerful as or even more powerful than demons and devils in the multiverse.

“There was this big battle at Olana’s fortress. The Nether Realm was invaded by gods and armies of angels with the sole purpose of defeating the Devil Queen. The battle was long and difficult, but in the end, the gods prevailed, and Olana was slain. With Olana gone, every demon and devil lord tried to take her mantle of power. The Nether Wars lasted for thousands of years until a council of devils and demon princes, princesses, kings, and queens came together and ended the wars. It was decided that no one could take Olana’s mantle, so it was left alone.”

Tabitha thought about the story Zula had just told her. For some reason, she felt sad but did not understand why. Tabitha shook off the feeling and got to her feet.

“Thank you, Zula, listening to your words has made me feel better. I no longer feel confused or frightened anymore. You have answered a lot of my questions. But I still have a few.”

Zula got to her own feet. She was a solid 5 feet 5 inches. Tabitha towered over her like an adult standing over a child. Zula laughed and held out her hand, Tabitha looked at it and smiled. She reached out and shook the succubus’s hand.

“Feel free to ask me any questions that come to mind Tabitha. I’m only a hundred years old though, so I might not be able to answer all your questions.”

“For now, the questions are about you. I need to know Zula. Why were those demons after you?”

Zula nodded. She had waited for this moment. It was only a matter of time until Tabitha had asked that question. But Zula was happy, she had just made a new friend in this powerful new arrival. With her help, she might just be able to get away.

“Sure, thing Tabitha, I’ll tell you why those demons were after me.”