“We cannot expect people to have respect for law and order until we teach respect to those, we have entrusted to enforce those laws.”

― Hunter S. Thompson

“For there is but one essential justice which cements society, and one law which establishes this justice. This law is right reason, which is the true rule of all commandments and prohibitions. Whoever neglects this law, whether written or unwritten, is necessarily unjust and wicked.”

― Marcus Tullius Cicero, On the Laws

It was the three demon princes who struck first. Davindor launched lightning balls while Thull opened his mouth wide and spewed a jet of green acidic liquid. Flex a poisonous grey cloud at the Devil Queen. Tabitha did not even flinch, she just calmly walked towards the trio. The attacks by the demon princes hit an invisible force field. The lightning balls crackled and dissipated, the acid splashed over the shield and evaporated, and the poison grey smoke disintegrated when it came in contact with the shield. Before the demon princes could understand what had just happened, Tabitha moved in a blink of an eye. Her first target was Flex, the most nervous of the trio.

Flex did not even have a chance to scream when Tabitha brought down her mace hard on his head. Flesh, skull bone, brain matter, and parts of his spine were crashed. Still, Tabitha’s body was already on the move before Flex’s body even began to fall over. At the other end of Tabitha’s mace was a steel tiped spike, and she drove it through the head of Thull’s right eye. His body too fell like a sack of meat. Davindor was in shock, a feeling he had not had in a very long time. In just a second and a half, the Devil Queen had just taken down two of his partners.

“To hell with this! I’m out of here!”

Davindor screamed before he stood perfectly still and concentrated. Then, his eyes opened wide with disbelief and Tabitha chuckled.

“Before coming here, I placed wards all over the area to prevent anyone from teleporting. You aren’t going anywhere.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Snapping his wings outward, Davindor took to the sky. Tabitha held out her left hand at the retreating demons back. From wrist to shoulder, her entire left arm was encased in gold armor. Spiked chains shot out of her golden arm like snakes, heading straight for the fleeing demon prince. Davindor must have sensed the coming threat, because he spun around in mid-air and whipped out an iron sword with red lightning flowing from it. He swung his sword, swinging from side to side, diagonally, and up and down. Cutting through the spiked chains before they could wrap around his body.

But the chains were a distraction. The next thing Davindor knew, the Devil Queen appeared right beside him swinging her mace like a batter in a baseball game. The one thought that came to Davindor’s mind before being struck was. She’s just too fast. I never even saw her fly up here. The mace struck him on the left side. His left arm, all his ribs, wing, and hip bone were destroyed. Before he could fall to the streets below. Tabitha caught him by the throat.

“I told you. This is an execution.”

Then, she threw him down back into the amphitheater. Davindor crashed several feet away from Flex and Thull who were still in the process of regeneration. Tabitha landed in front of the trio, her rod going back to its normal form. She stood over them with judgment in her eyes.

“Please…Lady…spare me…and I will…tell you all…I…know of…Romanto’s plans.”

Davindor pleaded, the pain from his injuries making it hard to talk. Even though his body was mending, it would take some time to fully regenerate. In response, Tabitha held out her right hand. Flames of black and purple appeared, and she asked.

“Do you know what I have conjured in my hand?”

For a time, Davindor could not answer. Then, he finally said.

“The Flames of Hell.’

“Correct. We are devils and demons, we are also beings of fire. So, fire does nothing to us. But the Flames of Hell are different. These flames will burn devils and demons except for the one who cast the spell. These fires don’t just burn you, burn your flesh I mean. The Flames of Hell will burn your very soul, down to the core. Very few devils can summon these flames, and even fewer demons can do it. Unfortunately for you, I can be counted among those who can wield these flames. I consider this a fitting end to traitors to the Nether Realm.”

Before any of the demon princes who were still regenerating could beg for mercy or protest. Tabitha thrust forth her hand, and bathed Davindor, Flex, and Thull in black and purple flames. Their screams were blood curdling and horrifying. You could almost feel their agony, the sound of them dying would cause nightmares for mortals. Tabitha was horrified at what she was doing, but this was necessary. And doing it in front of the Nether Lords would work in her benefit. Tabitha had to be Olana, no, she is Olana. And Olana was the most feared Devil Queen throughout the Nether Realm. She had to be so again, she had to show the Nether Lords and all in the Nether Realm that she would not hesitate to destroy those who challenged her. Tabitha had to embrace her new role of Olana the Devil Queen. Her human life was over, it was gone but not forgotten.

By taking out Romanto’s puppet demons, she was declaring war on the God of Deceit and Treachery as well as all his allies. But, to tell the truth. Even as a human, Tabitha was already fighting Romanto. As a human she broke every rule, law, and decree the Holy Church of Romanto has ever created. It was her own little rebellion, a way for her to fight back against those who had taken everyone she ever loved. Now, as the reborn Devil Queen Olana. She was going to take the fight to Romanto himself, but this time she would have the power and resources to do it. When Tabitha finally banished the Flames of Hell, nothing even ashes were left of the former demon princes. Tabitha calmly sat back on her throne as the Nether Lords watched in awe and fear.

………………………………..

Asmodeus was thankful that he had thought to ally with Olana. He had forgotten that she could unleash the Flames of Hell. The only other devil who could do that was sitting across the amphitheater from Olana. Lucifer watched the Devil Queen warily, like prey watching an alpha predator. Asmodeus had no doubt that the Prince of Pride and all the other Nether Lords were thinking the same thing. The reborn Olana was more powerful and more ruthless than ever before. I was right, things did get interesting. When Olana defeated Eldest with little to no effort, I thought it was because he was a Demon Lord and she a Devil Queen. The power balance was obvious, but she defeated three demon princes in under a minute. Yes, allying with Olana is one of the best ideas I have ever made.

“Now that that bit of business has been taken care of. I will make my position clear.”

Olana finally said, looking each and every Nether Lord in the eyes. Some turned away, others stared back defiantly.

“I am not here to tell you what to do or to stop you from doing it. We are infernal beings of the Nether Realm. We do what we feel like, and only answer to those more powerful than us. Or in some of our cases, we answer to none at all. But I will make this crystal clear. The Great Crystal Pyramid of the Nether Realm has awoken, I will establish my Crystal Empire. Here and throughout the multiverse. But know this, I am at war with Romanto and all his allies. Davindor, Eldest, Flex, and Thull may not have been the only demons serving the God of Deceit and Treachery. If any of you side with Romanto, then you are my enemy, and I will come for you. I don’t care who you are or how long you have ruled in the Nether Realm. Romanto and his allies killed me, and they were aided by demons. I am going after Romanto, and I will lay waste to him and his forces. You have been warned.”

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Olana’s serious demeaner changed to one of casual interest, and she sat back more comfortably on her throne.

“On a lighter note. Now, that my Crystal Empire is being resurrected. I will be seeking to trade once more with the Courts. As well as other demon settlements throughout the Nether Realm.”

And so, Olana and the Nether Lords discussed renewing ancient trade agreements. Of course, there would be some changes, but it was nothing that could not be negotiated over in time. By the time Olana had left in a ball of fire, the Nether Lords breathed a sigh of relief.

“That she-devil has always been a force to be reckoned with since ancient times. Now, I think death has not made her more…agreeable.”

The Dark Lady said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah. Olana is a crazy scary bitch. But what about what we learned, huh? Those four piss ants were in Romanto’s pocket, and we knew nothing about it.”

Azazel said angrily.

“Agreed, Romanto has proven to be a threat to all devils and demons in the Nether Realm. What are we going to do about it.”

Lilith stated.

“Do we have to do anything?”

All eyes trained on Lucifer who continued.

“You heard the Devil Queen. Olana is at war with Romanto, and I have no doubt she has the power to go up against a god. That is the supposed reason why Romanto and his allies killed Olana in the first place. Olana will keep Romanto busy, all we have to do is sit back and watch the show.”

Lucifer grinned and Asmodeus saw that a few of the Nether Lords agreed with the Prince of Pride. But having suffered at the hands of Romanto, Asmodeus had a different view.

“Lucifer, I agree with you…to a point. But all of you should remember what happened to me. A demon under the command of Romanto usurped my mantle. We had four demons in our council meetings, reporting back everything we said to Romanto. This has been going on for four thousand years, perhaps more.”

The Nether Lords thought about that, and some of them nodded in agreement. Asmodeus went on.

“Even if we do not interfere in the conflict between Olana and Romanto. That does not mean Romanto will leave us alone. Remember what Olana had said, he might have more demons under his thumb. Spying and reporting on the going ons in the Nether Realm. If Romanto defeats Olana once again, he will come after all of us.”

“What do you propose Lord of Lust?”

Leviathan asked curiously. Asmodeus shrugged.

“We all have resources in the mortal realms. Perhaps we can aid Olana discreetly against Romanto. It would not hurt to have the Devil Queen of the Crystal Pyramid owe us some favors. Think about that. Now, I must take my leave.”

Asmodeus waved good-bye as he disappeared in a ball of fire.

………………………………..

THE PALACE OF LUST

THE LIVING QUARTERS OF ASMODEUS

Asmodeus reappeared in his living quarters in the Palace of Lust. Now, that he had retaken it back. He had done a lot of redecorating, removing the filth Eldest had so enjoyed exposing. The paintings, murals, and statues were now artfully done. They were more tasteful and subtler too. Best of all, when Eldest had died. All the silver collars around the necks of incubi and succubi faded away. They were now free to come and go as they pleased. Some of them decided to get as far away from the Palace of Lust as possible. To that end, many of them joined Malice at the Crystal Pyramid. Others went their own way, having gained their freedom they wanted to explore the Nether Realm for opportunities. But some did decide to stay at the Palace of Lust which pleased Asmodeus. He can begin to undo the damage Eldest had done over the centuries.

“How did it go after I left Lord Asmodeus?”

Tabitha was sitting on a large red cushion chair for her body. Lydia and Nanina sat on either side of her in smaller but similar chairs. Malice and Zula where layinhg down on couches looking very erotic with their poses. Talin was sitting in an ornate wooden chair drinking tea. Balca however, was hovering and reading a book.

“As far as I could tell, none of the Nether Lords will go against you. In fact, some of them might just aid you if it benefits them. Thanks to that memory of Eldest, they now know that Romanto is a threat to them. With you as a buffer against the god, the Nether Lords have reasons to help albeit discreetly.”

“It is as I guessed.”

Tabitha said.

“Yeah, the Nether Lords always look out for their own bacon. It’s always numero uno with that lot. I guess when you fight for centuries to gain power, you tend to be paranoid in keeping it.”

Balca blurted out, still reading the book in her hand.

Asmodeus sighed and nodded.

“Your little green friend is correct. The Courts are a constant battleground for power and supremacy. Not just the Nether Lords, lower-level demons are always seeking to climb the ranks of power.”

“And that’s what outside forces like Romanto sees in the Courts. That is how he was able to manipulate Davindor and the others into helping him murder our mother.”

Nanina said angrily.

“I’ve always hated coming to the Courts. Every demon and devil are out for him or herself. If the Nether Lords spent more time working together, they could achieve wonders.”

Lydia declared. Tabitha sighed.

“Most demons in the Nether Realm were once another race. But devils were born here. They see things differently, and it cannot be helped. Maybe somewhere down the road things will change, but it will not be soon.”

There was a knock on the door and then it opened, and Tombs came in.

“Ah, Tombs. It’s good to see you, my friend.”

Tombs bowed low.

“My Lord.”

Then he bowed low to Tabitha.

“Lady Olana, your subordinates have returned.”

Tabitha nodded to Tombs and then looked at Asmodeus who nodded his head once. Tabitha returned her attention to Tombs and said.

“Please let them in.”

Tombs bowed again and turn to the door. He opened the door to let in the demons of Olana. Nord walked in followed by Kasca, Ron, Lynda, Razor, Crank, and Block. All seven demons bowed before Olana who nodded at said.

“Give me a sitrep.”

Kasca began first.

“All the buildingsss of the former demon princesss have been dessstroyed. Their ssservantsss are either in piecccesss or have fled to the Badlandsss.”

“Our own troops have taken over the territories of the demon princes. As per your orders my Lady, we have begun construction. In several weeks we will have six brand new fortresses in the Courts.”

Nord added and Asmodeus gave Tabitha a questioning look. Tabitha shrugged saying.

“Not having a presence here in the Courts proved fatal to me in the past. It allowed Romanto to subvert some demons, I will correct that oversight.”

Tabitha shifted her gaze to Razor, Crank, and Block.

“You three will be in charge of my new outposts, you will have command in the Courts in my name.”

The three rogue demons bowed low to her, and Razor said.

“We thank you for the opportunity Lady Olana. We will strive to be worthy of the trust you have placed in us.”

“You brought 15,000 demons to my service. That alone earned you my gratitude, and more. For now, I will have you three return to the Crystal Pyramid. I have something for the three of you.”

Tabitha said nonchalantly, but she could see the evident joy in their eyes. They’ll be surprised to see what I have in store for them. Her thoughts were interrupted by Asmodeus’s words.

“Having a presence here in the Courts is wise my Lady. With eyes and ears throughout the Courts, if you work it just right. You could have a wealth of information from multiple sources.”

Tabitha nodded in agreement, she would not tell Asmodeus that Olana in the past had no trouble of gaining intelligence in the Courts. Her Shadow Harkuns were good at staying out of sight and listening in on conversations. They were her spies and if necessary, her assassins, and getting information in the Courts was simple. The mistake Olana made in the past was not keeping a watchful eye in the astral plane. If she had, then she would have known about the plot against her. Tabitha uncrossed her legs and stood to her feet.

“I thank you for your hospitality, Lord Asmodeus, I must return to my home. But we will keep in touch. Not telling the Nether Lords of our alliance was a wise decision.”

Asmodeus chuckled.

“It is always a good idea to keep ones advantages out of sight of potential enemies who might be in league with Romanto. I hope to see you soon Lady Olana.”

Asmodeus bowed and Tabitha returned the gesture before disappearing in a tower of flames along with her subordinates.

“Olana seems more reasonable than what I’ve heard before.”

Tombs said. Asmodeus turned to him with a smile.

“Ah, Tombs. You should have met Olana before her death. She was fierce and unreasonable, she did not trust any of the Nether Lords at all. And with good reasons too. The new Olana is fiercer but a bit more reasonable. She still doesn’t trust the Nether Lords, and she is right to be wary of them.”

“I believe you are correct my Lord. Olana will make a good ally. Especially, now that we know Romanto has designs on the Nether Realm.”

“Romanto has designs on the whole multiverse my dear Tombs. I’ve never liked the gods much, but we and them understand that maintaining the balance is good for everyone. Romanto is different, he wants control of everyone and everything. He will use, steal, and destroy to gain absolute domination of the multiverse.”

Asmodeus sighed.

“Olana was right, she is at war with Romanto. But what she did not say is that the Nether Realm is at war with Romanhall. Of course, Olana might have thought it would be obvious to everyone else. Besides, look what happened to me.”

Tombs nodded in agreement, his Lord had a good point.