Chapter 42: The Princes of Hell

Lily, Incubus, Kerubiel, and Amiel were running through the lava grounds and flames. The group followed Kerubiel and Incubus as they could feel Samael’s aura and knew where to go.

“Is it far?” Lily asked.

“Well, not as far as before.” Incubus chuckled.

“Thanks, genius!”

Suddenly, Incubus and Kerubiel halted. Lily and Amiel stopped too.

“What’s wrong? We have to move! We’re losing time!” Lily frowned.

“We have a company ahead.” Kerubiel clenched his fist.

Two red glowing spheres, just like Abaddon’s one before, had descended. When the red smoke aerated, two demon guys appeared. One was taller than the other, had red hair, a handsome face, and a lustful grin. He would make any girl fall for him, but, unfortunately for him, Lily was taken and Amiel was the angel of innocence. It didn’t really seem like it would stop him, though:

“Aww, two girls for one night, and such beauties! One is the little wife of my brother and the first ever female human known to the world made young by her reincarnation, while the second is an overly-innocent tiny blonde angel! Aww, I guess I’m lucky today! Come get me, girls!”

He spread his arms wide as if he was going to clutch both of the girls in his lustful embrace. Incubus flared up at such statements of his pervert uncle:

“I’ll beat the crap out of you, Uncle Asmodeus!”

Kerubiel was no less angry. His frown had deepened like never before:

“Don’t you dare lay a finger on my assistant, you low-level freak!”

Asmodeus laughed and took out his weapon – a flame whip:

“Well, look at these boys talk big! I won’t mind killing you two to get my prize.”

The second demon was shorter than Asmodeus, but a lot scarier – his eyes showed bloodlust. His black hair was tied in a ponytail and two giant horns had grown out of his head. He held a lollipop in his mouth and, even though he faced four enemies, looked very calm.

“Well then, two boys this time? Fine, let’s settle this…” Lily was ready to release her soul when she felt Kerubiel’s hand grab her. “Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Don’t get worked-up over that stupid demon’s words, Lily. This is a matter for me and Amiel to settle. Asmodeus is the demon of lust, so he is the main enemy of Amiel. Amy insisted on coming with me on my mission because she wanted to face Asmodeus and she knew if she participated in my mission that involved you and Samael, she might get to see this demon eventually. As for Belphegor,” Kerubiel glanced at the second demon – the lollipop guy, “I have some personal business to settle with him.”

“Oh…” Lily grew confused to see Kerubiel so wrathful. “Okay, Johan.”

“Oh, she said ‘Johan’? So, that is the name you now go by, huh, Kerubiel?” Belphegor, the lollipop boy, chuckled.

“For you, I’m still Lord Kerubiel, you freak!”

“Why is he so worked-up?” Lily whispered to Incubus.

“Uncle Belphegor is the Prince of Gluttony. He has eaten a lot of cherubim in his life. Kerubiel can never forgive him.”

“Oh, goodness!”

“Now go. We will hold them off!” Kerubiel cried, “You and Incubus continue your way!”

“Um, but won’t you have a hard time alone?”

“It is fine, Lily.” Amiel smiled. “We will make it.”

“Um, okay… Good luck!”

Lily and Incubus ran off.

“Aww, one doll is leaving!”

Asmodeus wanted to cut Lily’s way when a light ray passed right before his nose and made him halt. He frowned and turned back, to meet Amiel’s sparkling eyes:

“You are going to deal with me first, demon!”

Asmodeus chuckled and clutched his whip:

“I’ll gladly have an affair with you first, woman.”

When Lily and Incubus had gotten far away, they heard blasts and battle cries come from behind.

“Will they be okay?” Lily looked back.

“Don’t worry about them. Kerubiel is a strong angel. One of the best, to be honest. Now we’ve got to think of dad.”

“You’re right.”

Lily hastened her pace. After much running, the shriek of Samael reached their ears. Lily shuddered – that shrill was filled with pain and anguish!

“Oh my! Sammy!”

Tears gathered in her eyes – what was that whore doing to him?!

“We have to hurry! We’re close!” Incubus cried.

Two more red blasts descended and cut their way. When the smoke evaporated, Incubus and Lily noticed Mammon and another guy appear. Mammon adjusted his glasses and grinned in a vicious manner. He held cards in his hands – his main weapons, no matter how unusual it seemed.

The second guy scared Lily for good. He had green hair, a tall stature, and vile, merciless eyes. It was none other than Beelzebub, the Prince of Envy – one of the oldest princes of hell. Lily had read a legend about the seven princes of hell, and she knew Beelzebub was the second oldest. No one knew who the first was, so they counted Beelzebub as the strongest. But after meeting Layla, who was called ‘Lady’ by Mammon – the third oldest prince – Lily understood that Layla had to be the first one, so not exactly a ‘prince’ but rather a ‘princess’. However, there was no denying that out of all the demons they had so far faced, this green-haired man was the evilest and the most dangerous.

“Look, these birdies have come so far…” Mammon chuckled, playing with the cards in his hands.

“We have a direct order to hold them off. Layla has already done her part. Only a little time is left until our brother comes back,” Beelzebub replied.

Lily and Incubus shuddered – Layla had already done her part? What did they mean? Were they… too late?!

“Incubus, we can’t afford to lose time with them, we have to go all out!” Lily shouted.

“No.”

“Huh? What ‘no’?! There’s no time to be lounging around!”

“By ‘no’ I mean we don’t have to go all out. I have to.”

“Eh?”

“Mother, there’s no time to lose, you’re right. So, leave these two scum to me and go save dad. I know you’re ready to beat Layla.”

“Huh? I cannot leave you against two opponents alone! You won’t make it!”

“Listen to your mommy, boy, she says the truth.” Mammon cackled.

“We’ll see about that!” Incubus glared at them, and then gave Lily a soft, loving smile: “Do not worry, mom. I’ll be fine. I… I hoped you would never see this, in order not to let you think you’d given birth to some fiend, but… I guess there’s no helping it.”

He heaved a sigh and glowed black. Lily grew frightened – what was he going to do? Mammon and Beelzebub grew no less worried.

“Mother, just as you see what emerges from the dark smoke around me, run for your life, because when I unleash myself, I won’t be able to hold back until I finish off all that stands in my sight, and without my father around, there is no one who can make me go back to normal by force.”

These last words of her son made Lily shudder – did he really mean he posed a threat to her?! What could possibly emerge from those smokes? However, Mammon’s and Beelzebub’s shivering in dread only proved that Incubus was dead serious. So, Lily backed off, ready to run for it, but only after she contented her curiosity by beholding her son’s true face.

The black smoke evaporated, and a demonic roar sounded throughout the area. Lily gasped in pure horror – a blackened monster had emerged! It had enormous black claws and held a giant slicer. Its horns were long and sharp, and its eyes sparkled red. It was the true form of Incubus – the Lord of Nightmares and the Crowned Prince of the Underworld.

Lilith was truly something, to give birth to this…

Lily remembered how Incubus warned her to run off just as his true form would emerge, so she did not wait any longer. She turned around and darted off as fast as she could.

The black monster growled, raised his slicer, and plunged at Mammon and Beelzebub. Lily could hear blasts and demonic growls from behind, but she did not dare look back anymore – the thing she saw was so horrendous it still occupied her mind. She shook her head to discard the thoughts, and ran forward to the cavern where Samael’s shriek had last sounded from.

I’m coming for you, Sammy. Hang on!