A tap on his shoulder snapped him out of thought.
“There’s someone I want you to meet,” Salem said, her voice calm but urgent.
Azrath turned slightly, brow furrowed. “I can only imagine,” he replied, a trace of unease in his voice.
She reached for his hand, but he instinctively pulled back.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” she assured him, rolling her eyes. “But my teleportation won’t work unless we’re touching.”
Before he could protest again, she clasped his hand. The world around him blinked away.
In an instant, Azrath stood inside a vast chamber. The ceilings were tall, arched, and adorned with carvings. Along the walls were towering stained-glass windows, with panels of purples and pinks casting light across the white marble floor.
“Welcome, Azrath,” a rich, feminine voice echoed throughout the room. “Or should I say… King Azrath?”
He stepped forward cautiously. At the far end of the room stood two great thrones. Between them, a tall woman rested. Her skin was pink. Her hair, flowing down to her ankles, brushed the tops of her knee-high boots. She wore purple lipstick, and her eyes, though heavy with weariness, sparkled with something... alive. Beneath the exhaustion, there was enthusiasm, like a fire that refused to burn out.
Salem reappeared in a magic shimmer, kneeling at the woman’s feet. The woman reached down, affectionately patting her head.
“I sent my best girl to find you,” she said. “I knew you would be the one to end this senseless struggle for power.”
Azrath’s voice became wary. “Who are you? And how do you know me?”
“I have eyes everywhere,” she replied, spreading her arms slightly. “And for quite some time, I’ve been the sole ruler in this realm. But even I can't hold it all together alone. I need someone strong, someone who can command loyalty from the many tribes and species scattered worldwide.”
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
She rose slowly from her seat, standing tall.
“I am Selena,” she said. “The Abyssal Queen.”
Azrath’s expression hardened. “Queen of the Abyss? If your power is drawn from the source itself, why struggle to gain respect from the others?”
Selena chuckled softly. “My power isn’t just drawn from the Abyss. It comes from my people. Their passion, their magic, their lust for life. But this vast realm is filled with more than succubi and demons.”
Azrath gave a slow nod, encouraging her to go on.
“I needed someone who could unify them, gain their trust... their allegiance,” she continued. “I searched, and somehow, the vision always returned to you.”
“Why me?” he asked.
Selena studied him, her expression unreadable. “I wish I had a clear answer. There’s something... sealed away inside you. A barrier in your mind, something ancient. Even as a Ravager, you hold a power none of your kin ever had. You might just become the greatest ruler this realm has ever known.”
Azrath stood silently, letting her words settle into the space between them.
“So just like that,” he said softly, “I’m king?”
Selena scoffed, amused. “Oh, love. Not yet. You’ve still got work to do.”
At that, Salem stood and handed him a scroll bound in red ribbon. Azrath unfurled it, revealing a detailed map marked with ornate writing and strange symbols.
“What is this?” he asked.
“My scouts have found new factions rising, leaders gathering followers, just as I did,” Selena explained. “But we can’t allow rogue kingdoms to pop up like weeds. This realm needs order.”
“And what do you expect me to do with this?”
“Meet them. Win their favor. Make alliances, forge deals—whatever it takes. We can’t rule all of Hell alone.”
Azrath nodded, folding the map carefully and sliding it into his pocket. Selena handed him a silver chest plate and an amulet.
“For protection,” she said. “You’ll need it.”
He bowed slightly, then turned and descended the grand staircase leading to the castle’s lower halls. He paused to look out as he passed tall windows. The Abyss pulsed with raw magic. He could feel it in his bones, like an intoxicating hum. No wonder Selena had built her kingdom here.
Outside, he opened the map once more. A glimmer on his chest reminded him of the amulet slipped around his neck, which was a gift to restore his sight as he traveled. The world around him became more precise, like waking from a dream.
“Thanks,” he murmured, smiling faintly.
The map held four notable markings:
- To the west of the Abyss, a note: "Strong demons."
- To the northeast, black scribbles around ruins: "Land of the Shadows."
- Just to the left of that, a red circle surrounded by arrows and a doodle of his face: "Future Demon Kingdom?"
- And in the bottom left corner, surrounded by ghostly drawings: "Mad King."
“Land of the Shadows,” he muttered. “Sounds like the least amount of trouble.”
Before closing the map, his eyes wandered east to the ominous blank space where nothing was drawn, no notes or paths.
Something should be there...
He folded the map and took a breath.
“Better get moving,” he sighed, stepping beyond the castle grounds into the unknown.