Takedown Of Hell

By now, Anatol was already settled in the shadow realms. He texted Zorn often, keeping him updated on how things were going. In current times, everything was back to normal. Leviaton and Azilom often bickered upon interactions with each other, which always put Azilom into a bad mood.

It was currently a feast in the main room of Azilom’s hellish castle, Bane was on his third full plate. Yosemite and Armaros kept throwing food at each other, and Azilom was getting frustrated. Suddenly, a newer demon walked into the castle while wagging their vibrant green tail that matched with their radioactive green horns. He giggled devilishly, giving a wide smirk.

“Ah… the Greed demon, and not Achan.” Abaddon commented, Azilom looked confused at who this demonic figure was. Yosemite and Armaros didn’t know who the demon was either, nor Bane and Seda.

“Hi, fellow demons~” The demon winked, his dark green skin glowed slightly in the dim light of the hellish castle. His black eyes sparkled. Abaddon rolled his eyes in disinterest and boredom.

“What do you want, Abigore?” Abaddon called out. The demon let out a fake gasp before laughing uncontrollably.

“Haha~! There ya go, Abads… one of the newer ones here, came to claim a room if there’s one.” Abigore winked at Azilom, who blinked and stared.

“Do not call me that.” Abaddon spoke firmly. Achan glared at the green skinned demon next to Abaddon, he [Abigore] had clean white jeans on. How did those manage to stay white and clean? There wasn’t a single stain!

“Ah ah, right~! And ooh~ Another greedy demon, hm?” Abigore grinned, clapping and falling backwards as a chair appeared beneath him. He stared at Achan closely.

“What do you want?” Achan replied.

“Where did you get this~?” Abigore fake gasped, gently grabbing and tugging on Achan’s dress shirt.

“I stole it from a Pride demon many years ago, why?” Achan shrugged and shifted, pushing Abigore’s hand off of his clothes.

“Pride demons are such ungrateful creatures! Every single Pride demon that I’ve interacted with has shoved me down and called me ugly. Like, pfft–! The audacity of Hell citizens these days~” Abigore spoke loudly.

“Ugh… you’re loud.” Achan commented.

“Oi, who is this wannabe homeless dude!?” Yosemite called out, commenting on Abigore’s clothing. Abigore wore a ripped t-shirt and the stainless white jeans. He didn’t look as fancy as the other Greed demon, Achan.

“Ugh~ who is this all hiss, no play, argument starting Wrath demon that thinks he’s all that~?” Abigore giggled, having fun with the insult. Yosemite stood up swiftly and kicked his wooden chair across the room. Armaros quickly stood up and held Yosemite back from punching the table.

“I suggest not angering the Wrath demons. Why don’t you sit and eat since you already invited yourself here?” Azilom spoke, clearly in an aggravated mood.

“And the king speaks! How marvelous is that~ Y’know, I don’t mind if I do sit here and eat a bit. Why thank you, kind sir~” Abigore stood up. He leaned forward and stole some food from Achan’s plate.

“Hey, that was mine!” Achan hissed, Abigore rolled his eyes.

“Aww, was it~? Finders keepers I guess!” Abigore shrugged, biting into the piece of mutton. Achan lifted his plate and slammed it onto the floor.

“Fine, you annoyance– have it all!” Achan shouted, the plate shattered as he walked away from the table. Yosemite grinned, his whole mood changing. Leviaton sighed, watching everything happen without saying a word.

“Achan, do not throw the plates!” Azilom shouted, Abigore was quiet from then onward. Everyone in the room sat back down, Achan didn’t return. Abaddon watched as Abigore messily ate a few pieces of mutton, Abigore ate it like it was going out of style.

“Is it necessary to eat like the mutton will disappear out of existence?” Leviaton asked in a soft tone, his voice still sounded as peaceful as waves crashing in the ocean.

Abigore seemed to have ignored Leviaton’s comment, still stuffing his mouth with mutton. He acted more like a Gluttony demon rather than a Greed demon. Everyone silently stared at Abigore.

“Slow down, you pig.” Armaros commented, Abigore rolled his eyes. Yosemite let out a half-chuckle, pointing a claw at Abigore.

“Don’t call me a pig, you Wrath boy suck-up.” Abigore huffed, Armaros clenched his jaw in upcoming anger.

“Everyone, ENOUGH.” Azilom snapped, the room went dead silent. Everyone’s attention quickly focused elsewhere when the doors of the castle slammed open. There stood a familiar face, the purple-skinned female demoness. The reaper that spoke with Azilom before, it was none other than Perdita.

“Greetings, Perdita.” Azilom called out, trying to hide his annoyance of the other demons in the room. Perdita rolled her eyes playfully and walked over, leaning on the chair Leviaton was sitting in.

“.... Can I help you?” Leviaton replied, Perdita looked down at him.

“Is that sass that I hear comin’ from the descendant of the ancient waters?” Perdita laughed, giving him a gentle smack on the head. Leviaton sat in place. Suddenly a sound was heard. Again… but different.

Tick, tick, tick.

Tock, tock, tock.

Time, time, time.

Die, die, die.

Leviaton sat in silence, he stopped his fork on the ground that he was using to pick at the mutton on his plate. Perdita glanced down at him.

“Leviaton.” She snapped her fingers. The other demons quickly glanced over at the two. Leviaton was zoned out, it seemed.

Tick, tick, tick.

Tock, tock, tock.

Time, time, time.

Die, die, die.

“Leviaton.” Perdita repeated, giving his forehead a gentle smack. He snapped out of it, shaking his head.

“What is it…?” Leviaton questioned, looking up at Perdita with a confused expression. He looked genuinely confused on what was going on for a minute, before nodding to himself.

“You zoned out. What’s goin’ on?”

Leviaton listened to Perdita’s words, he said nothing. That’s when Bane walked over to Leviaton.

“I heard the voice too, Mister Levi.” Bane spoke in his childish voice, his voice made it sound like slurred words… even though he was eight.

“W-What?” Leviaton stuttered, the words repeated more.

Tick, tick, tick.

Tock, tock, tock.

Time, time, time.

Die, die, die.

Leviaton internally panicked, anxiety rushed over him like brutal waves in an ocean at day. He thought he was the only one to hear them, like last time. Banee stood there, fidgeting with his tail that he wrapped around the front of his stomach.

“Tick, tock, time, die.” Bane repeated, Leviaton gasped. Perdita’s eyes squinted as she heard those words. She gripped her scythe tightly, the other demons looked confused.

“I notice your reaction, Perdita. What do those words mean in an order like that? Do not lie to me or pretend you don’t understand.” Azilom spoke, standing up and walking beside Bane.

“I… Athanasius.” Perdita grumbled, Leviaton looked up.

“Who is Athanasius?” Leviaton questioned, Bane started to panic. For one single moment, Bane jumped back and screamed. It was like he got jumpscared by a figure that wasn’t visible nor tangible.

“Athanasius, leave the kid alone!” Perdita shouted, stomping her boot three times against the ground. A darkness orb appeared.

“A-T-H-A-N-A-S-I-U-S… A-T-H-A-N-A-S-I-U-S…” The dark orb chanted, Perdita clenched her jaw. This happened before. Athanasius. Athanasius. The returned demon of lifelessness and isolation.

The dark orb moved in an orbital motion, spinning rapidly in place. Within another second, the orb disappeared. The sparkle in Bane’s demonic eyes completely disappeared, along with the white slit pupils he had. Perdita quickly grabbed Bane’s small pink-toned hands.

“Don’t repeat it, Bane.” Perdita quickly shouted, “Don’t repeat it.”

Bane’s lips started to move, “Through you and the shadows you have given birth to, I wish you to send me one of your kind. I summon Atha–”

Bane got cut off by Perdita screaming, “Grymn, demon of death!”

“Perdita! Why would you summon the demon that ruined the whole population of Hell many eons ago?!” Azilom was quick to shout.

“Believe me, Athanasius is much worse!” Perdita shouted back. Next thing anyone knew, Grymn was standing beside Azilom. Azilom didn’t flinch, but shoved Grymn away. Grymn danced around for a good minute before focusing.

“Ah~! Perditana, how’s it going since you decided to let me die?” Grymn blinked his eyes innocently, annoyance was present on his face though.

“I don’t go by that anymore. It’s Perdita.” Perdita spoke firmly, Grymn rolled his bright yellow eyes.

Azilom glanced around, quickly noticing that many demons have left the main room of the castle– Achan, Abaddon, Zorn, Seda, Abigore, Fachnan, Armaros, and Yosemite. The only ones left in the room were Leviaton, Perdita, and Bane.

“Hm… I remember you, dear Loo-Vai~” Grymn dragged his words, Leviaton stood blankly in place.

“It’s luh-vai, short for Leviaton. Where did you get loo-vai from?” Leviaton questioned, taking a step away from Grymn while gently tugging Bane with him.

“Meh, close enough! But… Azi~ you managed to save Hell from freezin’ over so a promise was a promise.” Grymn shrugged his shoulders.

“I summoned you so Athanasius didn’t come. You can go away now.” Perdita spoke, heavy annoyance in her tone.

“Ah ah ah~ I was summoned and you want me to leave so soon?” Grymn let out a dramatic huff, sitting down in a chair and putting his feet up.

“Get your filthy boots off of my chairs.” Azilom growled.

“Tch, fine~ Only for you, Azi.” Grymn put his feet back on the floor.

Leviaton stood in place for a few minutes before kneeling down in front of Bane. He gently touched Bane’s cheek.

“He seems to be better now that Grymn was summoned instead of Athanasius. But I still don’t like that he’s here.” Leviaton spoke.

“Ew! I am making things better? That’s absolutely horrendous and terrible, I am out of this situation. See ya at home, Perdita~” Grymn stood up and gave a quick bow, disappearing into a cloud of darkness.

As Grymn left, Bane was still standing in the same place without a single ounce of movement. He didn’t even make a sound. What was going on with the young demon?