The air in Hell was thick with heat, a suffocating pressure that seemed to cling to everything in its path. Yet, Aera moved through it like a force of nature, unconcerned by its stifling embrace.

Something about today felt different, though. The usual chaos that bubbled beneath the surface of Hell seemed to be simmering with more purpose. Darker than usual.

"Aera," a voice called from the shadows, cutting through her thoughts.

She hesitated only for a brief moment before recognizing the voice and pausing.

From the gloom stepped out Sable, her ever-present assistant. Tall, clad in dark, he emanated a quiet authority. Aera couldn't help but think of him as the Keeper of Lost Judgments, not just for his title, but for his presence, his ability to see through every layer of deception. His silver eyes met hers as he regarded her with his usual inscrutable gaze.

"You're late," he remarked, his tone tinged with mild amusement.

Aera didn't flinch, her eyes narrowing only slightly.

"I had other matters to attend to," she replied, brushing past him toward the Infernal Hall.

Sable's gaze followed her, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

"I suspect those matters are far less important than what awaits us here."

Aera ignored his comment, her mind already shifting to the task at hand. She was here for something far darker, far more urgent.

The obsidian doors of the Infernal Hall loomed before them, massive and imposing, nearly suffocating in their grandeur. As Aera approached, they groaned open, the sound echoing in the hollow chamber. The moment she stepped through, all conversations ceased. The room fell silent, the demons within it shrinking back in reverence, though Aera gave no sign of acknowledgment.

At the far end of the room, Bael, stood in front of an enormous obsidian throne. His fiery eyes glowed with barely contained rage, watching Aera as she walked with the air of someone who had nothing to fear.

The other council members, numerous as they were, avoided her gaze, intimidated by her presence.

"Late, as usual," Bael rumbled, his voice low, the anger simmering just below the surface.

Aera met his gaze unwaveringly, her voice cool and steady.

"I come when it's worth my time."

Bael growled, the sound sending a shiver through the room, but he made no further comment, instead gesturing for her to step forward.

"You've been summoned for a reason," Bael said, his voice dripping with frustration.

"We've lost track of something important. And it's not just any artifact—it's the Kylum."

Aera's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't heard the name Kylum in centuries. The artifact, said to grant eternal life, was a whispered legend in Hell, its true power a mystery even to its creators.

"What about it?" Aera asked, her voice deceptively calm, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of concern.

Bael's eyes darkened, his gaze hardening. "It's resurfaced. And Satan's hunters are on the move."

Aera's eyes narrowed. "So, what's the plan?"

Bael's tone turned commanding. "You will lead a team to Seoul," he ordered.

"Sable, you'll assist."

Aera's gaze shifted to Sable, who had silently followed her into the hall. He offered her a slight bow of his head, his usual stoic expression unchanged.

"As always, at your service," Sable replied smoothly, the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

Aera gave him a sidelong glance but didn't acknowledge his remark. She didn't need to. Sable had been her companion for as long as she could remember. He had guided her, watched over her, and perhaps—though she would never admit it—helped shape her into the demon she was now.

The council meeting came to a swift close, and Aera exited the hall with Sable by her side. The darkness of Hell enveloped them once more as they walked through the cavernous corridors, their footsteps echoing against the jagged walls.

"What do you think of all this?" Sable asked, his voice low, almost serious for once.

Aera remained silent for a moment, her thoughts racing.

"I don't like it," she finally said, her voice steady.

"The Kylum was lost for a reason. And now it's back? Someone is playing a dangerous game."

"You think it's a trap?" Sable asked, his tone almost too neutral.

Aera's gaze sharpened as she met his eyes.

"I know it is," she replied, her words firm.

"But I can't afford to turn down Bael's orders. If Satan gets his hands on the Kylum..."

Her voice trailed off, the weight of the situation sinking in. Eternal life, in the hands of Satan? It could tip the scales of power in Hell forever.

Sable glanced at her, his silver eyes softening slightly.

"You've always been good at making the hard choices, Aera. But this...this could be more than you bargained for."

"I know," Aera said, her voice almost a whisper, but there was no hesitation in her gaze.

"But we don't have a choice, do we?"

Sable didn't answer right away. They both knew the truth of it. Aera had never backed down from a challenge, not once in her existence. And Sable would follow her into any hellish fire, as he had done so many times before.

"I'll be with you," Sable said simply.

Aera and Sable stood before the swirling portal, the gateway to the mortal realm. The air around them crackled with energy as the portal shimmered with an unnatural light. Seoul, a bustling city in a world filled with fragile humans, would be the place where the Kylum had resurfaced.

Aera glanced over at Sable.

"Are you sure the Kylum is here?"

Sable's gaze was steady, his tone firm.

"The energy readings are undeniable. It's here, somewhere."

Aera didn't waste another second, stepping forward into the vortex. As they crossed over to the mortal realm, the air grew colder, the suffocating heat of Hell replaced by the crisp, fresh scent of human life.

They arrived in a narrow alley in Seoul, the neon lights flickering overhead. Sable adjusted his cloak, moving with practiced ease through the human city, while Aera scanned their surroundings.

"You take the west side," Aera said, her voice low.

"I'll take the east. We'll meet back here in two hours."

Sable nodded. "Don't trust anyone here," he advised, his tone serious.

"Satan's hunters will be disguised as humans. Be careful."

"I know," Aera replied with a slight smirk.

"I've been doing this long enough."

With a final glance, Aera stepped into the crowd of Seoul's bustling streets, her senses heightened. The city hummed with the noise of oblivious humans, but Aera knew the true war raged in the shadows, hidden from their eyes.

As she moved deeper into the city, her thoughts turned to the Kylum. Power, immortality—it could change everything. But she couldn't afford to fail. Not when so much was at stake.