"You're making a mistake, Gabreela! Please don't do this!"

"I'm sorry, Seth. My choice is made. I just wanted to tell you personally in honor of our former alliance."

The demon with the purple hair and icicle-covered body averted herself from Seth, making her way back through the desolate and vile marshes of the Third Circle of Hell. 

"One last word of advice." Gabreela glanced over her shoulder. "Don't be the simple fool who believes he can yet win a fight he's clearly lost. She'll do much worse to you than she did to us for taking this long to submit. Bend the knee now, Seth. Or be destroyed."

Seth watched her leave, eyes wide and fists clenched. He wanted to cry out for Gabreela and make her stay to convince her to keep fighting but found himself stripped of his voice. He couldn't fathom it had come to this. The one Ruler he had been so certain to stand by him had betrayed him. It was a cruel irony that she did so for none other than the Hellion of Treachery, Loredana. 

Hatred did not cover what Seth felt toward that shrew. He absolutely despised her. She expertly managed to slither her way into every court in Hell like the vile serpent she was. Her silver tongue spoke honeyed words, and one by one, each Ruler had fallen for her. Nothing stood in Loredana's way of having absolute dominion over all Nine Circles. Nothing... but one last stubborn Lord. 

Seth's rage made the storms blowing in his Circle grow fiercer every second. The wails of the poor unfortunate souls condemned to spend eternity there due to their lust-filled lives were drowned out in the howling of the winds. Some huddled close together, trying desperately to find some support and warmth against each other. 
The Lord of Lust scowled and made the winds pound on them. Their agony usually made Seth feel better, but not this time. He didn't even want to look at the pathetic creatures anymore. He spread his dragon-like wings and let the gale carry him up. 

The solitude, unfortunately, made things worse. Seth was completely alone with his thoughts now, with nothing to distract him. He fell and rose, racing against the wild tempest that took hold of his domain, hoping to feel the resistance of the wind against his slender blood-red body. He could fight the wind. He could conquer the wind. He could do nothing against Loredana. Not on his own. 

Seth landed on top of a cliff overlooking his mansion. From there, he had the perfect view over all of the Nine Circles. Once upon a time, he enjoyed coming up here to watch what he and his fellow Rulers created in the Devil's name. Now, he abhorred the sight of it. It grieved him even. How had it come to this?

Ayalah was the first to be turned by Loredana. The youngest of them all, and thus the easiest to be influenced. Loredana had taken in the cat-demon like a little sister, and Ayalah adored her for it. She did everything the Hellion asked of her and more. And what Ayalah did, so too did Sabre. Those two were thick as thieves. Anger and Violence did go hand in hand, after all.
Estar, the Ruler of Fraud, followed soon after. And after her, Ansonia and Kitlyn. Seth hadn't too been surprised by that. The couple had always resented him for being the Lord of Lust. They felt he should have been in charge of Heresy instead of Kitlyn. Ansonia even went as far as to try and steal souls destined for his domain of Lust into her own little precious realm of Greed in retaliation, but Seth would have none of it. He didn't care what she said; Greed and Lust were not the same.  
With Gabreela and her domain of Gluttony now in Loredana's grasp as well, Seth stood alone. Actually, no - one other remained. But there was no way he would endanger the life of the one demon he had always respected for a battle they would no doubt lose anyway. 

Seth's grass green eyes rested on the Circle next to his. Even from this great distance, he could easily make out Weiko's dainty figure. Her thick black hair lay in a braid over her shoulder, and her petite body was clad in a simple grey dress. It had always fascinated Seth how human she looked. But the Mistress of Limbo was a special one. She alone was capable of showing empathy. The souls stuck in her realm weren't punished. Not really. 
All the other Rulers scorned Weiko for her softness, but not Seth. He found it refreshing. He even found himself - dare he say it? - falling for her. He didn't want Weiko as just another conquest like all the other demons (and one or two human souls) he had manipulated into his bed; he wanted her as his consort.
But Weiko had rebuffed his advances repeatedly. And Seth couldn't understand why. No one else made a big deal of his reputation as Hell's 'scarlet gentleman.' On the contrary, they expected him to live up to it, often enough leading to some unexpected yet eventful situations.  

Seth lowered his head gloomily. Reminiscing about all the good times he used to have only reminded him of the fact that he would never have Weiko now. She was still safe from Loredana since she didn't deem Weiko as important as the other Rulers. If he made Weiko side with him and something happened to her... No, he couldn't do that. He refused to endanger her. She was free from harm in Limbo. Loredana would leave her alone as long as she didn't pose a threat - he hoped.

The Lord of Lust was about to take to the sky again when something caught his attention - a glistening in the corner of his eye. He turned his head, curious to see what it was. He squinted when he noticed a white light at the border of his realm. What was that? 
Seth stretched his wings and jumped off the cliff. The wind carried him down toward the light. When he saw it fade, Seth gave a few strong beats to make his descent faster. He landed gracefully on the ground, steadying the violent gale around him. Carefully, he neared the flickering light. Seth knew everything in his domain, yet this was new. And with Loredana lurking around the corner to sink her claws into his Circle, something new meant trouble. 

The bundle of ivory feathers was the first thing Seth saw. He instantly drew back. An angel... How the hell had an angel gotten into the Circles?! And why, oh why did he always forget to bring a bigger weapon than the dagger strapped to his thigh?! 
Seth drew his blade without hesitation. Angels were unpredictable. All that stuff about them being good and holy and bla-bla-bla... Pff, please. Those bastards were responsible for everything wrong with the world, but demons somehow got blamed for it, simply because they lived down in Hell instead of up in Paradise. How was that fair? 

Eyeing the angel cautiously, Seth dared to step closer. The celestial being moved, wincing as he pushed himself up on his elbow. He raised his head. Seth's breath caught. 
Angelic. There was no other word to describe the man he saw before him. Impossible light-blue eyes were staring up underneath tresses of shaggy black hair. He had perfectly curved lips, a flawless jawline with high cheekbones... Seth took in the rest of him. They weren't that much different from each other. They appeared to be the same height. Same build too. But his skin... Light, and kissed by the sun. 

"Who are you?" asked the angel fearfully, shuffling back. "What do you want?"

Seth gathered his composure.

"You're in my realm, so I'll be asking the questions," he reacted sharply. "How did you get here?"

The angel pressed his lips together, hesitant to reply. Finally, he sighed.

"The Archangels... they did this to me."

"You were cast out?"

"Yes."

Well, well, isn't that interesting?

"What's your name?" asked Seth.

"Benjamine. But everyone calls me Benji."

"Pleasure. Now, let's get you inside."

Seth put away his weapon and held out his hand. Benji just stared at it. 

"Either come with me or stay here and die within the hour. Your choice."

The angel hesitated but eventually took Seth's hand. He pulled Benji up and led him toward his home. What a fortuitous turn of events this was. All angels, even those who fell, had grace. 
Grace meant raw divine power. 
And power meant the fight against Loredana was far from over.