Chapter 193: THE MAIDENS

Asmodeus did not spoke a word,

As Sellena prays the baby keeps on sleeping.

Both felt too stunned to move,

In fact, the two just kept on staring.

The atmosphere was filled with dread,

And soon, Satan was losing patience.

He can't blame them though, as they surely stood no chance,

After all, he could certainly kill them both in an instance.

Satan asked again, much firmer this time,

"Why did you betray me? Do you want to di-"

But before he could finish, the baby binded in Sellena's back, then cried,

Making Sellena panic, and Asmodeus beg for their lives.

"They had nothing to do with this,

Please let them both live.

It was my plan, to take them far away,

If you're going to punish anyone, please, let it be me,"

The aggressive red eyes staring into them turned melancholic,

Recollecting the moments he had with the young angel back then.

The innocence, the fear, the pureness of a child,

It was all it took for Satan to internally cry.

He hated humans, had always did,

But seeing his own, beg for them,

He couldn't believe, even himself,

For the first time, he saw the past Asmo once again.

The young Ahava who only knows love,

Satan wasn't sure, if he still wants to keep up.

For the first time in a while, he reconsidered the words he used,

Did he really, in a way...saved Asmodeus?

"Why do you care about them? The humans?

And how did you find forgiveness? Though second chances feel distant?"

Satan asked, truly wanting to understand,

As Asmodeus felt surprised,

None of them had yet died.

Lord Satan had always been the most reserved,

Logical, not sudden to outburst.

After all, he was the opposite of Lucifer,

He was the mind, the fear, the lies carefully worded.

Although his anger knows no bound,

And he barely sought for forgiveness eventhough it's around,

He was still curious as to how,

How this pained little child knows the way to bow down.

"Asmodeus, haven't you hurt?

Haven't you been played around, thrown to dirt?

Haven't you also called?

And even so, the heavens didn't listen,

as you question your worth?

How can you forget that?

How can you just throw the pain away?

Even I, have been trying to understand,

But...why would they leave a comrade, already broken?"

"My pain, was lifted." Asmodeus answers,

As he looks at Sellena, whose face was full of wonder.

"God sent an angel, in a form of her,

And it may not be as early as I thought,

But it's still worth the wait, what He brought.

I...I was lonely, and I never truly felt any satisfaction,

Any...hope for tomorrow.

I felt dead, even though I've lived for centuries I forgot to count...

I would not have found the light, if not for love.

She could have fallen into the darkness with me,

It would be easier, in our perspective.

And yet, she insisted to drag me along with her,

Despite the evil surrounding her, she remained pure.

For the first time in my life,

I felt satisfied.

I felt guided, I felt loved,

much more than the riches and praise, this world can provide...

This is all I want."

Asmodeus threw the red orb of his submission,

Ending his connection to Lucifer,

And even though scared, he looked at Satan,

Who by then, was seen regretting his decision.

He truly loved the angel he saved back then,

The excitement, the fun, the love, they were all real.

He truly cared about the demon he named Asmodeus,

Oh, the things he could do for him, he hasn't had a clue.

He was the only reason he stayed with Lucifer this long,

Because he knew, Lucifer was the only one who could shelter such demons.

Asmodeus was full of hate back then,

But now, not even a faintest flicker remained.

Still, Satan believed it was too late.

Too late for him to turn around and change.

He was a half of Lucifer and he also couldn't shrug off the hate,

He was left for dead after all,

With no one to help.

And so, even if it pained him to let his precious gem go,

He smiles, a pained smile, as he slowly spoke.

"I haven't done much to you, haven't I?

The times when Lucifer was punishing you,

all I did was watch.

I destroyed your innocence, had your soul trapped,

Made you lonely, suffer a lot.

But, even if you may hate me, I hope you realize,

When I brought you in here, when you smiled at me,

I felt loved."

Asmodeus felt guilt, but knew he should not stay,

As much as he wanted to convince Satan, he knew him more, anyway.

He bowed down, as he thanked the demon before him,

"I hope you find happiness, and change your decision, as soon as you may,"

Satan couldn't control his composure anymore,

As he drops the red orb, in front of Asmodeus,

He quickly embraced him, as he knew it would be last,

No matter how hard he tries,

He will always be bound.

Sellena saw the scene and melted, herself,

Satan wasn't a name, but a title.

Because, how could the true Satan feel any sort of love?

She knew, despite the pain and evil,

he still has a heart.

Satan gives Asmodeus a snake,

"Follow that creature, whatever it takes.

I will make sure none follows you both,

This is the last time, I'm soft.

For the next time we meet,

I won't be like this.

We're on different sides now,

So, I won't show mercy somehow.

For now, be safe."

Satan said,

As the two looked at each other,

And smiled nonetheless.

...

The team instructed to fetch the maids are not as fortunate however,

As the moment they saw a peak at the room they found them,

Four men with hoods, guarding the maidens.

Martha felt the same fear she had back then,

The fear of being caught, and barely fed.

She smelled the same reek, of blood and sweat,

These poor women were abused, neglected, perhaps even r*ped.

She looked around, and saw that some women have bracelets, others do not.

She then recalled angel Hanah, telling them which is which.

The interview in which Asmodeus and Sellena held,

Explicitly states that those who have the beads around their hands, will be saved.

She was about to step inside,

When a hand quickly stops her from stepping in.

Even the other angels did not mind,

As they wait for new orders,

And till then, none begins.

She looks at angel Lluming, who smiles,

"These are the four horns, though I'd rather call them rats.

I haven't saw these guys in a while,

They were in hell, but now it seemed that they joined the fun.

I wonder where their master is though,

usually, he's always close."

"What do you mean, sir Lluming?"

Martha asked, her voice unsteady,

After all, the four hooded figures don't even attack immediately,

It just stays, guading the four corners of the room quite, silently.

"Be careful, these creatures may be blind and deaf,

But they could detect movements,

The slab the floor is made of, is quite sensitive,

If you step immediately into the room, they'd know of it.

I actually did not expect Lucifer to pull out more of his dukes,

It seemed like he really did not want to lose.

He doesn't even mind emptying hell a little bit,

Just so he can take the earth for himself.

*sigh

I'd think of a plan somehow,

But the four horns are dangerous,

Once they blow their instruments,

It would have been all...over."

The maids aren't even aware the angels were there,

After all, the angel's scent were faint.

Too much time in the mortal realm had efficiently covered up their flair,

Yet even with such advantage,

Without a plan,

It'd be useless.

.

.

.

One of the horns, feels slightly bothered,

He could feel a movement, feet walking further,

He immediately walks to the woman who had the shock of her life,

As the hooded figure tells her to go back.

"But I have to pee," she complains,

And yet, the creature was deaf.

Years and years of being a horn,

The creatures had long lost their sense to hear most forlorns.

Irritated, the woman yelled louder,

As she cannot hold her pee much longer.

She was sleepy, half-aware and tired,

So the fear that she was suppose to feel,

Hasn't yet registered.

Her protests however, were as expected, not very much appreciated,

As all the hooded figure could feel, was her violent shaking.

Angered himself, the creature forcefully puts her back to bed,

But the woman underestimates the unarmed creature,

Not appreciating the treatment she had so far,

She tried to free herself from his grasp.

In turn, she accidentally uncovers his face,

Which shows a bald burnt figure, with no eyes and ears,

She screams, which further irritates the creature,

The vibration she sent, was enough for him to act so cool.

The creature opens its mouth and eats her head,

As the women holds their cries, well aware that someone's dead.

The crunching of bones and the blood spilling on the floor,

All of those they heard, and yet chose to ignore.

The three hooded figures telepathically scolds their brother,

Telling him to have more patience, and to not act so freely without their master.

The youngest horn, assures his brothers that it's fine,

After all, they were just doing their jobs.

(Guarding this room is our job.

Not eating those inside.)

The eldest reminded,

And with that,

the youngest submits and sighs.

The blood was still there however, and was slowly creeping outside the room,

Martha felt horrified, but decided not to say a word.

"How much can they detect sounds for?"

"I'm not sure."

Lluming then thought of a plan,

It may be hard to execute,

But it's all he could think of,

With their little time.