Beneath a sky cloaked in perpetual twilight, I had been overseeing the barrier being built by many low-ranked demons. The Iron of Torment was the sole material used for building such a foreboding barrier. It was harvested from the core of fallen stars and quenched in angel tears. The iron itself doesn't gleam - on the contrary. It absorbs light.

The hammers struck with precision, yet each blow is a chorus of scream, for the iron resounds with the agony of the souls trapped within. While we do not torture souls solely because they are sinful, there were still a lot of demons who ended up thrown into dungeons for being disobedient and not following the laws constructed by Hell.

The demons do not merely construct, they conjure. It's a blend of alchemy and sorcery. The iron is infused by dark spells that twist and warp its nature. According to human stories, to watch them work is considered blasphemy, a dance where every movement is a curse, and every step is an invocation of doom. It was rather a funny notion how scared humans were of us and yet when in despair, they always sought us out.

It had been several days since the first iron brick had been laid down. It was blasphemy to watch them because it was so tiring. Hell was even hell to its residents sometimes. Especially since the time in Astral worked wholly different. Depending on what was being observed and by whom, Astral laws of time varied. One moment may stretch out infinitely while other periods of time, often periods of calm, they pass in the blink of an eye. Also higher states of awareness lead to greater mastery over the perception and movement through time. In other words, gods would experience that time passes rather quickly and the lower in the rank you go it can be quite difficult to navigate the speed of time.

And especially since this was supposed to be a lesson given to us by the Devil, he had specifically designed this to be burdensome. I hadn't noticed but at one point I had completely zoned out, completely forgetting what I was here for.

"Hey...Hey..." I felt someone shaking me which was when I realized I hadn't been paying attention for quite some time. It was Amon.

"Thank you for... waking me up." I said, through a chuckle. I looked around and I noticed a soft glow coming from the realm itself, ebbing through the cracks of the sky. It indicated the new day had come.

"We're almost done. I mean, they're almost done. We'll get to have our free time again." Amon said all cheerful.

"How long was I zoned out for?" I asked.

"Well... You were gone halfway through." He said, laughing anxiously.

I shook my head and waved my hand in a dismissive manner. "Eh, who cares." Catching me half-sleeping on guard duty will be even a treat if we compare it to my other bigger offense.

"So it's almost done?"

"Yeah, the Devil said we can go back to our usual routines now."

I let out a long breath in relief. This was going on for weeks already. I felt like my brain was physically getting smaller from doing the same thing over and over again. Well, mostly doing nothing. I just wanted to go back to my casino and serve freaky cocktails to demons. But first I had to respond to a summoning. Not that I had to but I really wanted to get out of this godforsaken place (quite literally).

I waited patiently until the boss announced the end. As soon as he finished his speech about how thankful he is and how we should stop being so careless further down the line, I left the demon world. We do it by imagining a place in our mind and opening a portal or a rip in the dimension. The portals were a bit bigger than an average-sized human but they could transport anybody and anything.

No humans could see any deities with their eyes, only the more experienced ones could kind of grasp how we looked like. Even though we appeared in front of them, they could almost never see us. They could sense us though almost every time.

I appeared inside this dark room, full of pentagrams and red candles. Seemed like whoever was summoning me was very into demons.

"Oh, King Asmodeus, if you're here, give me a sign!" I heard a male voice coming from the center of the room. I looked over at him and he looked like he was in his 20s. He was sitting in the middle of the drawn reverse pentagram.

So, I did him a favor and banged once loudly against the wall. It sounded like thunder and not a simple bang. I loved entertaining humans, they always looked funny when you gave them a sign and they became all scared and wide-eyed. Same expression every time.

I laughed when I saw the guy jumping a bit as he heard the noise. He poured some whiskey in the glass as an offer to me. I couldn't say I wasn't pleased. It was also always interesting to me how humans absolutely loved self-destruction. Alcohol, in particular, seemed to hold a peculiar allure for them. Despite its tendency to induce unpleasant side effects such as hangovers, they continued to indulge in its consumption, sometimes to excess. It was a curious paradox of human behavior, one that I found intriguing yet perplexing at the same time.

"I give you this alcohol as an offering. I'd love to make a deal with you. For me, I want this woman to desire me and to worship me." As he said that, he placed a photo of the said woman on the floor. Typical. The greatest desires of humans were for other humans to love and accept them. What a pitiful existence. "And in return, I'd do anything you wish."

Interesting, except I didn't have much use of humans. The man took a deep breath, closed his eyes, trying to focus on my energy and get a response. "Knock once if you accept this offer and twice if you don't."

Eh, what the hell, I thought and banged once. I laughed once again as I watched him get startled by the noise again. I sent lovely obsessive and lustful feelings towards the woman in question. I felt bad for her honestly but not my problem to worry about. In return, I grabbed the drink from the floor and downed the glass. The only thing the man saw was the liquid disappearing from the glass though. I watched him swallow a lump in his throat in fear so I grabbed the bottle of whiskey as well and left the place leaving him to contemplate his existence for a while.

I didn't want to go back to the castle yet so I decided to teleport myself somewhere else in the human world. At once, I appeared near some running stream in the middle of a clearing. The meadow was nestled within the embrace of the surrounding forest, a small oasis of tranquility amidst the lush greenery. Sunlight filtered through the canopy above, dappling the ground with patches of golden light. A gentle breeze stirred the tall grasses, causing them to sway and ripple like waves upon an unseen sea.

I sat down near the stream and watched the water flow as I took one big sip of the whiskey. Despite me being one of the more extroverted and playful demons, I also got tired of others after some time. Let's not forget that despite being a demon of lust, I was also a demon of deep-seated anger. One which I often held for others.

I sat down near the little stream and started drinking the whiskey from the bottle. The only difference between human and demon alcohol was that the demon alcohol one made you happier and more energetic. Human alcohol, on the other hand, made you contemplate existence from a very strange perspective. Never in these many years of human knowledge had I understood the very human need to feel terrible. Nonetheless, however, I liked it.

"Hey!" I suddenly heard a voice behind me and I quickly turned around. No one was supposed to find me here. I specifically picked this place so as not to be bothered.

And there he was, Loki, in his whole essence.

"What in the hell..." I mumbled as I watched him approach me. "How did you find me?"

"You really think of me as some low rank deity. I'm literally Loki the world's well-known trickster. I know many things." He exclaimed almost as he was looking down at me with the biggest grin.

"I thought we made the deal not to meet each other any time soon." I frowned.

"Yeah well..." he trailed off before continuing, "emphasis on the trickster." He said as he sat right next to me and grabbed the drink from my hand. He downed a much bigger gulp than I did.

"Good choice," he noted as I was trying to figure out how he found me and what in the hell he was doing here.

"Hell yeah it's a good choice," I replied and then I grabbed back the bottle from his hand. "Now tell me why you're here."

There was a bit of silence when I said that but then he finally replied," I can't keep thinking that if the apocalypse is inevitable, why even care at this point."

It really was a notion to ponder on. "So you just came here to "hang out" as humans would say?"

"To be truthful," he looked at me, then proceeded, "yes. I don't think I'd want to spend the rest of my days with anyone else."

"Why is that?"

"I did a bit of reading on you and I realized you and I aren't so different. Kind of like two sides of the same coin." He said and when I thought a bit deeper about it, I realized it wasn't that far from the truth. Both of us have been completely misunderstood by society and both of us have loved to make fun of others. I didn't exactly know whether to trust him though or if he was going to kill me at one point to complete his initial goal.

My eyes were set on him for a bit as I tried to figure out his true intentions by observing him. Or, at the very least, try to break through his many walls in his mind. After all, Loki wasn't a human being, it was quite harder to read him, if at all. I didn't like this. It made me feel vulnerable to the possible backstabbing.

"I don't think we should see each other again," I suddenly said. He turned his head towards me and then cocked an eyebrow,

"You're serious?"

"I don't trust you. As you said, you're the world's most popular trickster and I'd be foolish to overlook that detail. So, I advise you to leave or I will."

Loki groaned in frustration and then let out a small laughter. He leaned back on his arms and his eyes averted towards the sky.

"Man, I thought you were cooler than that."

Despite his words, the red-haired man remained rooted to his spot, refusing to yield even an inch of ground. Determined not to be the first to give in, I refused to be the first one to leave my sacred haven, a place where I could find solace in solitude. Summoning a dagger into my hand, I prepared to strike, but before I could act, the trickster transformed into a raven with lightning speed, darting away from me and causing me to stagger. Struggling to maintain my balance, I gripped the grass to steady myself, feeling the heat of fury coursing through me as I watched the bird hover tauntingly above.

Resolving to capture him, I rose to my feet, only for him to vanish from view in an instant. Frantically scanning the surroundings, I dared to hope he had departed for good, but then I felt a hand seize the dagger from behind me.

"You'd have to be a lot more cunning to catch me off-guard." I could feel a smirk when he spoke and surely, when I turned around, he was. He was playing with my dagger in his hands and inspecting its sharpness. Then, he tucked it away inside his coat before stretching out a hand towards me, "let's start again. I'm Loki."

I frowned then slapped his hand away, "do you not realize the seriousness of the situation or you just don't care?"

Loki furrowed his eyebrows as if deep in thought. "The latter." He shrugged.

I was honestly surprised the fight didn't escalate and that he simply and truly didn't care. He may have even wanted to jump-start all of this. Was it that boring over there, in his world, that even the apocalypse was considered a fun event?

I let out a long breath. Getting rid of him was a tiny bit like trying to get rid of a cockroach infestation. Even if you think you've killed them all, there is still one that comes out stronger than ever. Loki was one of the stronger cockroaches.

"Alright. I have an idea." Loki raised an eyebrow in curiosity and I continued, "we play poker. If you win, you can follow me to the end of the world if you wish. If I win, you leave me alone forever."

"Ballsy." He smirked. "You're willing to play cards with a trickster?"

"And I'm a demon who owns a casino in Hell. I wouldn't say you are in a more privileged situation."

Loki laughed at that, sounding even amused.

"Okay. I'm game."

As he agreed to the terms, I immediately manifested poker cards in one and chips in another hand. I even got us a nice table and chairs in the middle of the forest. We both sat down across each other and I felt a knot in my stomach as it was slowly dawning on me that there was a possibility of him never leaving my side. His face didn't give off any emotion other than utter confidence in himself. For the first time in many, many eons had I felt insecure while sitting across someone about to play a poker game.

I took a deep breath and told myself to get it together as I started dealing cards. The future wasn't smiling upon me.

***

Hours passed in the human world as the poker game stretched on, seemingly without end. I had severely underestimated my opponent. What I thought would be a quick match dragged on, with Loki showing no signs of slowing down. His poker face was unparalleled, betraying no hint of emotion. He really was the trickster god.

Most of the time I'd managed to figure out very quickly what kind of cards the opponent was having just by throwing a quick glance at them. But, now, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't get through his barriers. Just like when I was trying to read him, it was just impossible for me to break him. It was starting to anger me which was probably about the time when I started to lose focus and Loki pulled a Royal flush.

I felt all the blood leaving my face as I stared at the card combination. There were no words I could utter at that moment. I kept glancing from the cards to him as I was slowly coming to accept that I truly did lose at a poker game. And not only with some aces, but a full blown Royal flush.

"Well, what do you say?" He grinned sheepishly as he leaned back into the chair, his arm hanging over its back.

I could just kill him, I thought. I didn't even know what to say. My ego couldn't accept this defeat at all. I could even feel it struggling. 

"Are you okay?" Loki asked, frowning a bit. He leaned over the table, about to touch my shoulder before I shrugged his hand off.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I retorted and placed my pathetic cards on the table. I saw him trying to stifle a laugh. I really had no good cards. Somehow it didn't occur to me this entire time I was challenging a trickster god. How could I have been so blind? Challenging him was foolish, but as the king of demons, it shouldn't have been this easy to best me. So, how could this happen to me?

The smirk was still ever-present on his lips as he peered at me, "well, looks like you're stuck with me," he suddenly spoke and I shot a glare at him. "Oh, come on, don't tell me a king of hell can't handle a bit of loss!" The mocking was obvious in his voice and I felt the big urge to snap his neck. However, I had to be graceful. As he said, I was a king of hell so I had to have some dignity.

"You're right," I said with a dryness in my voice, feeling my ego dying inside and taking away an important part of me. Loki stood up at once and went back to the stream nearby. He picked up the whiskey bottle we left on the grass next to it. He brought it with him to the table and slammed it on the surface before grinning like a child, "so, what do you say we drink this bad boy?"

I definitely wasn't pleased with the suggestion. I planned to drink it by myself and he now officially took away my solitude and peace. The only place I could have it at. He took away everything and I felt like it wasn't us that were meant to jump-start the apocalypse - Loki was the apocalypse himself. And the grabbing, clawing and punching will be needed to just get away from him.

"Well, do I have a choice?" I forced a smile. The trickster just snickered and shook his head. I hated how he seemed to think he was the boss of me now - which he technically was. The rage was overwhelming my being once again and the black smoke started coming out of my body. Loki started to look quite alarmed, I could even hear his heart rate quickening. I stood up from the table, snatched the bottle from his hand before swinging it across his head. Then, I just opened a portal and quickly teleported myself back to Hell.

I always had a choice even if it meant going back to boredom, then so be it. The smoke was still coming out of me and it felt like I couldn't calm myself down at all. I truly had no idea how he managed to rile me up so much. I pushed the door of the castle open to the point they slammed against the wall. I had to calm myself down before others started to notice and ask questions. I kept my head down so my gaze wouldn't catch anyone's as I was storming through the hallways.

I made my way to the east wing of the castle, where my casino was located. The cacophony of sounds grew louder as I approached—the clinking of glasses, the rolling of dice, the raucous laughter. This was the one place in Hell where everyone could let loose, where the rigid hierarchy faded away, if only for a moment.

As I entered the casino, I was engulfed by the chaotic energy that permeated the air. Demons of all ranks filled the space, indulging in various forms of debauchery. The lower ranks, in particular, seemed to revel in the freedom afforded to them here. With the absence of their higher-ranking counterparts, they could let their guard down and embrace the hedonistic atmosphere without fear of reprimand.

Meanwhile, the higher-ranking demons busied themselves with what they deemed to be more important pursuits—making deals with humans, delving into arcane knowledge, or even manipulating mortal souls to further their own agendas. In contrast to the carefree abandon of the lower ranks, they remained aloof and focused, their ambitions driving them ever onward.

I retreated to the back of the casino, where my office lay hidden from the chaos of the main floor. With a sense of resignation, I rummaged through the cluttered drawers until I unearthed the small plastic container I sought. Carefully, I emptied its contents onto my desk—a powdery white substance that glittered under the dim light.

Seating myself at my desk, I reached for a plastic card, the familiar ritual unfolding before me. With practiced precision, I arranged the substance into a neat line before me. With a deep inhale, I pressed one nostril closed and leaned down, snorting the fine powder into my sinuses.

As the drug took effect, a wave of numbness washed over me, dulling the edges of my thoughts and blurring the boundaries of reality. It was a fleeting respite from the weight of my existence, a temporary escape from the relentless grind of demonkind. In this moment, all that mattered was the sweet release of oblivion, if only for a little while.

Angel dust looked almost the same like human cocaine except it was actually dust from angelic wings. It didn't work the same way however. As soon as I felt it working in my system, I leaned back into the chair and stretched out all my limbs. It filled my mind with ecstasy and I felt like all of the rage I had felt until then had just vanished. I used it in extremely dire moments such as this. Not that it could really harm me but I did like to savor my drugs. I wasn't a monster after all.

I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. Now, the sole thought of Loki didn't even cause me any annoying anxiety. It was just like he didn't exist. Like he was just a figment of my imagination. Oh, how I wish that was reality. A smile played on my lips as I felt utter bliss. Was it that the reason why they said that ignorance was a bliss?

The peace wasn't long lasting before I heard Amon's voice. But even that didn't disturb me to the extent it usually would. "Asmodeus... Uhm... The Devil is looking for you."

I opened my eyes slowly and straightened myself in the chair. The anxiety in me was fighting for dominance but the strength of angel dust was still extremely strong. Instead, the smile emerged on my lips and I had to contain myself not to burst out in laughter. He seemed to have noticed it and was about to say something but I cut him off,

"Strange," I murmured and then stood up from the chair, walking over to the wide-eyed blue eyes. I grabbed his face before smooching him on the forehead, "Never change." I didn't let him comment in any way as I just scurried away to see what the big boss upstairs wanted.

As I was walking, once again I felt the gazes upon me. Honestly, demons weren't that much better from angels with all the judging. But, to be fair, it was mostly curiosity rather than just judgment. It was due to my unusually cheerful demeanor but I couldn't care less trying to explain myself to them.

I walked all the way to the top of the castle, the staircase becoming narrower and narrower. Eventually, I got to the highest point and opened the door. Inside was a small room with one female demon occupying a desk. Seemed to be the Devil's assistant. I smiled at the thought and then approached her. For a demon, she sure looked quite beautiful. Long black hair with nice plump lips and pale skin. Her figure was also very attractive. She was dressed in all black with a turtle neck that defined her chest pretty well. Well, one thing's for sure, he definitely knew how to pick 'em. I may have to get back to her after I finish whatever talk I had to have with the boss.

"Hello, the Devil was looking for me. Is he available?"

She looked up at me with a slight smile before nodding and motioning to the door. "Yeah, he is inside, you can go in."

I smiled back and made sure she didn't forget my face for later. I opened the door to the most secluded room in the whole empire. I was met with the dim lights, only a few candles flickering. The room had a lot of bookshelves and there was a combination of red and wooden brown. Across the place where I was standing was a huge desk with a chair turned to face away from me. The entire wall that the chair was facing was covered with big windows with red drapes surrounding them.

I was waiting patiently for the other party to notice my arrival.

There was no knowing how I was going to go through this conversation without cracking up at one point. Slowly, the chair started turning and I was met with glowing red eyes, long goat horns. Yes, the descriptions were true. Despite his piercing gaze, his face was gentle-looking, giving a hint that he used to be on the opposite side. His nose was small and raised a bit, but his jaw was covered with a short beard. He had medium-length dark brown hair with some of it covering his face.

The Dark Lord had his elbow resting on the arm of the chair while supporting the side of his face.

"Well, well, well. It's been a while, hasn't it?" He spoke before I had a chance to say anything when our eyes met. It felt like all of that ecstasy I was feeling until now just vanished when he shot a glare at me.

Indeed, it had been a long time. Once, I had stood as one of his most devoted soldiers, a pillar of support in the tumultuous landscape of Hell's early days. When rebellion threatened to tear Hell asunder, I remained steadfast at his side, weathering the storm with unwavering resolve.

But as time wore on, a subtle change began to take hold. The Devil I had once known, the beacon of charisma and strength, gradually retreated into the shadows of his own mind. His once vibrant presence faded into obscurity, replaced by a distant and brooding figure. No longer did his laughter echo through the halls of Hell, nor did his fiery gaze inspire fear and reverence.

Instead, there was only the cold and silent void that surrounded him—a stark reminder of the emptiness that now permeated his being. The warmth and camaraderie we had once shared became little more than distant memories, overshadowed by the chill of his aloof demeanor.

As I looked upon him now, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for the friend I had lost. The Devil before me was but a shadow of his former self, a mere echo of the powerful being he once was. And with each passing day, the divide between us grew wider, until it seemed that even the bonds of loyalty could not bridge the gap that now lay between us.

"Well, would you sit?" His voice pierced through the air, instantaneously stopping the flash of memories running through my mind. Without a word, I took a note of the chair across him and rushed over to it.

"You're probably wondering why I asked for a private conversation." His dark red eyes glistened in the dim light as his gaze was fixed on me, refusing to look away. The one thing hadn't changed though - the sole intensity emanating from just being around him.

"I did wonder that, that's true." I punched myself in the face in my head because of how stupid I sounded. But that was because I didn't know how to behave after such a long time. He just didn't feel like somebody I used to know well.

Despite me sounding a little stupid, the Devil chuckled silently and a smirk remained on his lips for a short amount of time. Then, his expression turned quite murderous, making me swallow a lump in my throat.

"You know, just because I'm constantly away, here in my office doesn't mean I don't notice things that have been going on lately." If I wasn't already pale, I would've definitely paled noticeably at that moment. "Especially you." I felt like I was about to faint.

"W-what about me?" I tried to sound cool but it didn't seem like he bought it. I wouldn't have bought it either.

"You used to be quite a worker but lately... You've just been out of it. You fell asleep on your job and not only that, but other demons have also noticed a strange behavior coming out of you. So, will you tell me what's been going on with you or should I start with the punishments?" He raised an eyebrow as he waited for my response. My heart started to race and I was pretty sure he could sense it as well. Well, at least he didn't know anything about Loki. My thoughts joined my heart in the race while I tried to find a perfectly reasonable excuse of why I was behaving the way I did. What I wanted to know, however, was who the hell were the ones who "noticed" my strange behavior? You really couldn't trust anybody, not even your own.

"I just... didn't have a good sleep recently. I had strange dreams and I couldn't focus on anything. Although, I can't tell you what they have been because I'm not sure if it's a smart thing to do so yet." I decided to just go with the story I had told Beelzebub so that at least I had one demon backing me up in case the Devil decided to investigate.

The Dark Lord's expression turned from murderous to a more curious and amused one. He leaned back into the chair, his two hands crossing fingers. "But do tell. I won't judge." His tone of voice was softer than it had been earlier. It almost sounded like a trap.

"It's not about that. I just don't know if I got the message right yet. I just know that those dreams have left me with a big sense of dread. I apologize for my behavior, I promise I'll try to keep it together." I really had to have him drop the topic. If he started digging, it wouldn't have been long before he figured out everything. Our boss wasn't a stupid man, that was for sure. He knew exactly how to play his cards to get the answer he wanted. But thankfully, due to knowing him well for all those eons, I knew all his tactics.

"If you say so. I'll be watching you though, carefully." He made sure to emphasize it so I remember. To be honest, I could've just turned Loki in at that moment and maybe it would have all been over. But Loki didn't do anything wrong apart from being extremely annoying to be around. So I bit my tongue before I said anything I would regret. "I won't do anything for now, but if you continue to behave recklessly I will have to do something about it. You can leave now."

I almost scoffed at what he said, that I behaved recklessly. I did everything by the book most of the time, even stood by him when I knew he was wrong. Yet here he was, casting judgment upon me for actions I had not taken, for thoughts I had not voiced. 

The injustice of it all weighed heavily on me, stirring a tumult of emotions within. The utter feeling of injustice was slowly creeping in my senses as I realized that nothing had made him invite me but the fact that I wasn't behaving like he imagined. A big heaviness in my chest started to form which felt something like... hurt? 

Desperately, I yearned for my friend to be back but the being staring back at me was just a boss, nothing more. He was lost to me, forever ensnared by the cold embrace of his own solitude. And so, with a rage enveloping my heavy heart, I resigned myself to the harsh reality of our broken bond.

I swiftly nodded before rising from my chair, leaving the office without a word of farewell. As I stepped outside, my gaze fell upon the girl seated nearby. Without hesitation, I approached her, my hand reaching out to grasp her face. Her eyes widened in shock as I locked my gaze with hers, delving deep into the depths of her soul.

With a subtle shift in my expression, I began to weave a hypnotic spell, coaxing forth sensations of desire and longing within her. I watched as her pupils dilated, a telltale sign that my influence was taking hold. When the trance finally released its grip, leaving her flushed and breathless, I allowed myself a satisfied smirk.

Taking her hand in mine, I led her into a nearby room, its shelves laden with offerings made by humans to the Devil throughout history. Here, amidst the relics of temptation and desire, I would indulge in pleasures both forbidden and intoxicating.

As soon as we were inside, she pulled me into a deep kiss and took off my coat. I pushed her against the nearby wall as my fingers sneaked under her panties and inside of her. She moaned into my mouth and pulled me by the hair. The insides of her were already extremely wet but that was due to the prior hypnosis. That's why foreplay wasn't needed that much. I unbuttoned and unzipped my pants before her legs wrapped around me and I held her up. I slowly pushed into her and she moaned once more. She quickly took off my shirt as well and I started kissing her neck and leaving small marks behind as I did. Her legs started wrapping even tightly around me and I kept slamming into her. We both moaned in mutual pleasure and I didn't even try to keep us quiet. I wanted to make sure that the boss heard it and shivered in disgust. It didn't take long before both of us shuddered in deep pleasure and finished at the same time. That was the downside of the angel dust - it could make you extremely aroused but you couldn't last too long.

I slowly dropped her and started putting my clothes back on. She was still flushed and tried to get her breath back. She seemed new to the whole demon experience. I smiled at her and was about to leave without a word, as I usually did but then she said, "we'll meet again, right?" Her naivety almost made me feel sorry for her.

"You don't know who I am, do you?"

"Yes, but... I thought you could make an exception."

I chuckled. "I don't make exceptions, that's what gets you into trouble." As the realization dawned on her, a shadow of sadness crossed her features. But I knew she would adapt, shedding her human frailties as she embraced her newfound demonic nature. Perhaps then, our paths might cross again. With a silent nod, I left the room behind, casting a brief glance toward the door that concealed the Devil's presence. Then, without another word, I departed from the premises for good.