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“Sense of justice,” little to no remaining strength exhaled, “-Charlie, give it up.” As if he knew movement outside, the door tapped and order to release Skarla fell onto the empty desk, “-she’s free, no questions asked.” A humbling morning turned listless afternoon, same sign read, ‘-Laps’ Mao.’

“There you are,” waved a smartly dressed Ishta, “-how was it?” he asked, nonchalant to the gathering of drooling men at a distant catwalk.

“What’s this?” she entered a cleaner hall, furniture swapped for a podium on which beautiful people walked and showed their outfits.

“A fashion event,” he returned, “-the designer’s a member of Apexi’s fashion branch.”

“Hosting it here is weird.”

“Well, the media,” he nodded, “-is more the reason to host the event. YWC are on the move,” he muffled, “-I do hope the risk is somewhat understood.”

.....

“Oh, I’m angry about the situation alright?” she unbuttoned her jacket and flashed her holster, “-our line of work is fun.”

“Don’t have too much fun,” he smiled, “-here, a drink,” glass slid glided into her open palms, “-and get some rest. Might need to rethink your strategy.”

She gulped and commented, “-maybe not.” A side-glance through the entrance hinted at familiar faces, “-time to clean up the dirt.” The taller standing lady exited, leaving Ishta to toggle an interface, ‘-YWC are off our trail,’ read a report, ‘-the newer body’s swayed investigation. We should have clearance in a few days.’

A puff of smoke carried into the somber afternoon sky. A gloominess wrapped the lesser attractive part of town, “-Charlie,” she ambled, “-yet not filled?”

“Don’t bother,” he returned sharply and leaned against an adjacent wall, “-I know this place is filled with filth the world has to bear. I’m not going to a standstill and waiting for properness to dictate my conviction. Skarla, reveal your identity and give up that life. It will be easier to repent, it will be easier to accept the end,” a gentle push took the relaxed posture into a strained walk, “-come on,” he puffed, signaling for her to follow. The streets faded into the darker alleys. With the stench of rot and impurities, they stopped at an impasse. Sides were lined by garbage, the walls rose taller and windows within said walls were covered by stained curtains. Puddles and uncommon squeals broke the silence at times – he carried even so to the end. Graffiti brought some sort of visual glee to the rather ugly display.

“Rot, filth, and disgust.”

“Get to the point.”

“Impatient, aren’t we?” he turned and leaned, “-a call came from Hidros a few hours after you left. They ordered YWC to stop their investigation and threatened action on our financial standing. I don’t get how politics can govern justice. I joined to make the world right and save others from a fate similar to mine. Is it hard to want something good, is it that bad?”

“What of it, why?”

“I’m not a native of Estral you know,” the tone lessened into a friendlier approach, “-the slums, the darker side of humanity, I feel at home here, I feel at peace, it’s this feeling that forces me to hate myself. No matter how much I try, the darkness never leaves, no matter the light I shine, the abyss swallows much of my strength. It’s no use,” he puffed, “-during the war between Queen Ela and King Igna, I found much distress. I was only a young adult at the time, I was readying myself to step into the bigger world. I loved Hidros, I loved everything about the continent, the monarchy, and the way there’s a place for commoners to sit at our table. Father was the freest spirit man I knew, he headed the campaign against Ela’s faction who sought domination through one’s bloodline. We fully pledge our family to the king’s cause... what good did that do... on the day before my eighteenth birthday; a troop of soldiers under the King’s command, they gave the name as; éclair’s personal guards,” strenuous efforts carried the crinkles and antsy glitters, “-they took my family at gunpoint and forced us to the castle. My father pleaded his case to no avail. We served our purpose so said the prime minister. We were charged with high treason, my mother and sister were made maids, my father was jailed and I was exiled. Justice my foot, I sought an answer, I knocked on their door demanding answers, but they remained silent. That’s the king you worship, that’s his true nature... once you’ve served his purpose, he’ll throw you aside. Here’s greater hypocrisy, the leaders of Ela’s noble faction – Goldberg and Hart were killed, so they say, but I know better and my intuition was right. They changed identity and became Yanie and Soph. Leaders of the faction who sought to break Hidros’ unity were given chance at rebirth. They live their lives in luxury, enjoying the better part of their lives... meanwhile, we supported the king and had to surrender everything, we were forsaken. Adventuring took me around Hidros, hunting monsters and earning enough money to raise my cousin. The uglier side of Hidros is one not known to many. Those unable to make ends are forced into distress; sometimes left to die and never be acknowledged by the world. Do you know how many others have suffered fates worse than mine? I thought I had it bad but no, there were other families less fortunate taken by human traffickers.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you serve the king, I know you do, you have the same smell, the same scrupulous gaze, the uncaring attitude towards another’s pain, lack of sympathy, and the thirst for blood. Those who’ve sworn to the king have a certain smell, I know one when I see one, you, Skarla, are the king’s dog. My cousin died a few years back, and guess what, it was the supposed protectors who accidentally bombed our apartment. Traces of Elas’ party, what a fucking joke. Never reached the news, did it? even if I voiced my words loudly upon the Arcanum, there was no chance of it gaining attention. Hidros is the worse place on this earth, a dystopia for the useless and a eutopia for the dogs. The justice system failed, far as they were concerned, her name never existed. YWC then recruited me and I began my new life hunting down evil.”

“A cliché backstory,” echoed Skarla, “-answer me this, before accusing the king, was he the one who gave the order?”

“I don’t know?”

“Was he the one directly involved?”

“I don’t know?”

“Did the crown not recompense the fallen, did the crown not make amends?”

“they did, but a human life can’t be valued.”

“Shut your mouth,” she echoed, “-pathetic, I don’t see anything I should respect. The sob story is an excuse, Charlie, you’re mother and sister are maids for the sole reason of making money. Your father was a traitor and you are a fool.”

“NO!” he screamed, “-MY FATHER SUPPORTED THE KING!”

“Open YOUR EYES!” she screamed, “-never mind, a shouting contest was never the solution.”

From the shadows came two, “-you killed him, didn’t you.”

“Syne, Iyan. Don’t do anything crazy,” she narrowed.

“To think we believed in you...”

“To think I thought we were friends.”

Charlie hid his smirk, ‘-fucker was lying to sway their emotions.’

“Skarla, you must repent,” fired Syne, “-as a priestess to Neos, I must deliver Daniel’s soul.”

“-And as Syne’s protector, I must do her bidding.”

A report flashed before her interface, “-Upon further investigation, targets of Operation Wied are linked to Syne. The target for assassination is Charlie, else known as Memps of the East, an agent in service to Alphia’s secret service.”

‘He must know, how deep is the connection. Are they after the same thing we are?’ she scanned, ‘-operation Wied is to force Estral’s hand... Alphia must be looking for the same outcome.’

Iyan drew a long sword, Syne hammered her staff and rose a semi-transparent barrier, “-Skarla, this is where you die,” glared Iyan, “-for Daniel’s sake I must take revenge.” Her hands reached for RatX, “-enough,” came a thunderous echo, and the barrier shattered. Lovely hair flowed, and a charmingly dressed man with features mistaken as either man or woman walked, “-I won’t stand for bloodshed in my neighborhood. Syne, Iyan, please lower your weapons.”

“Lord Asmodeus.”

“Yes, yes, it’s me,” he smiled, “-and Skarla here is part of my family.”

A deluge of rifles and magical circles surrounded the area, and mild laughter came from behind, “-I’ve won,” he laughed, “-ASMODEUS, YOU MAKE YOURSELF PRESENT!”

“My, who’s the ungodly gentleman?”

Snaps and deeply nauseating sounds popped. A disgusting member tore through the humanoid figure, it grew in size and into an Arch Demon for it beckoned such an acidic roar the street and nearby buildings crumbled. “Our Queen has returned,” it groaned a chin shaped like a hammer and teeth sharped as nails, “-and for her glorious return, Asmodeus, you must come back home!”

“What is an arch-demon doing in the mortal realm?” he rolled his eyes and walked. Skarla dragged Iyan and Syne by the collar, leaving the back alley a place for beings forged in the essence of chaos. “-Queen of Demon is a servant of my lord, why must you lie?”

“You think so?” the arch-demon laughed, echoed puffs shook the ground, “-the Aapith Nation, the dominion of the demons, will always be a place where the Queen of Demon finds her acceptance. We’re tasked with gathering our forces – we will take down the Demonlord. Violetta, the weaver of Destiny, has prophesized, ‘-on the day when three joins one, and one becomes whole, no entity of greater strength shall surpass the might of he who controls the three. By the powers bestowed on the circle of creation and death – by the rules imposed for the sanctity of reality, and for the safeguard of everything; nothing mustn’t awaken for if he bears his true intent, all will fall without resistance,’ she refers to him, the man who inherited Creation, Death, and Time. The one you serve. As a prince of Hell, you must join the Queen’s side in battle. Asmodeus, Mammon, Sathanas, and Beelzebub, four of the seven unholy traits must join side with our Queen. Satan, Belial, Leviathan, and Lucifer, the Kings of Hell, are readying forces to end the threat.”

“Why should I join?”

“Beelzebub, Mammon and Sathanas have already returned to Lilith’s side. You remain, Prince of Lust.”

“Fair enough,” he snapped, his magical circles vanished, “-Kul, where are you?”

A fair maiden fluttered, her feet stayed a few inches off the ground, “-what?”

“I’m going home,” he yawned, “-send word to Igna; demons are leaving the Mortal Realms.”

Kul snapped and summoned magical circles, “-leaving Igna is a sin I won’t tolerate. Asmodeus,” she glared, he nonchalantly made way to the suspended gates of Hell, “-take one more step and I’ll have to kill you.”

He reached for the handle, “-Kul, you don’t have the power to stop me. The mortal realm’s exhausted it’s fun... I must see to my queen.”

“BASTARD!” the circles materialized and poured golden-colored lances; he spun and clapped, and demons of heightened rank darted into sight, “-Kul,” he stepped through the door, “-don’t make it any harder,” the demons rushed, she barely kept her attacks(firing lances into swarms of known faces) the reddish hell’s gate vanished, ‘-Asmodeus,’ a thud beckoned – “-Void,” limbs tore head from the toe, summoned black orbs pulled and shredded the demons – many of which were close friends, Asmodeus’ harem, ‘-I’m sorry,’ dropped on one knee, ‘-I wasn’t able to stop him,’ dismembered familiar heads rolled. The haunting expression of Asmodeus’ harem etched. Memories of fun-filled nights, the disregard for normalcy, the laughter, and joy shared by Asmodeus’ harem, culminated friendships, all fade into what laid on the ground, ‘-my friends, I’m sorry.’