Some are demons and some are angels

"Mortals do not belong here!" the towering brute of a man said in a commandingly deep voice. "And you, succubus, know that you have been banned from entering. Indefinitely."

"Was this what you meant by 'not the best of welcomes'?" Drayce whispered.

Fiona nudged him in the ribs, signaling that he had best stay silent. "I seek an audience with Anariel," she said.

The man reached into his pocket and pulled forth a cellular phone. He dialed a number and held it outward; he obviously had put the phone on speaker. "Hmph. Phones," Fiona scoffed. Drayce heard the phone ring three times before someone answered.

"Speak," a female voice said through the phone.

"This is Chicago district," the man said. "A succubus wishes to speak with you."

"A succubus, huh? Is it Fiona?"

"Affirmative."

"Tell her rules are rules and I'm not bending them, not even for her."

"Not even for a cure for your affliction?" Fiona yelled into the phone.

There was a long pause. "Send her in."

"She also has a mortal with her, a male," the man added.

The female voice growled into the phone. "Let him in too, but I'm not responsible if one of the patrons decides to eat him."

Drayce looked at Fiona. "Eat me? Just where are you trying to take me?!"

"Calm down," she said. "When we go in, keep your eyes forward, don't stare at anyone, and never let go of my arm."

"O-okay," Drayce said. He tightened his grip on the demoness' arm.

"Very well. You may proceed," the man said.

The brick wall behind the large man rippled like a huge stone dropping into a pond. The wall suddenly swirled in a vortex glowing in purple light. It was a gateway. Drayce had no clue what was on the other side, but he was about to find out. Fiona strode forward; Drayce walked at her side.

They stepped into the portal and Drayce felt himself jerked forward at high speed, like a rocket boosting into space. Only a few seconds passed before Drayce found himself in a small square room. The room was empty, save for Fiona, himself, and a single red door. Their gateway was gone.

Fiona hunched over. "Urk!" she grunted. Her horns, wings and tail all came into full view.

"Are you okay?" Drayce asked, concerned. "You look like you're in pain."

"It's nothing," she grumbled. "Purgatory has only one rule: no violence. As a way to keep the peace, Anariel created an anti-magic barrier. This barrier makes all magic useless once inside, including that which keeps my true appearance hidden."

"This 'Anariel' sounds very powerful," Drayce said. He helped Fiona stand.

The succubus regained her composure and stood upright. "She is very gifted in the arts of magic, even rivaling that of an Aspect."

An Aspect. A powerful demon that governs a Sin, or a powerful angel that governs a Virtue. Just who, or what, was Fiona dealing with?

Fiona pushed open the door. "Remember: eyes forward; stay with me."

Drayce followed her orders as they stepped inside. Sure enough, Purgatory was a bar, a bar like any other. There was, however, one glaring difference: the patrons were clearly not human. Drayce caught glimpses of all manner of creatures in his peripheral vision. Some were huge hulking beasts with large teeth; others were only waist high, bearing sharp claws and several sets of beady eyes.

Fearsome creatures were not the only patrons. The premises were shared by less intimidating beings that looked almost human, save for their long pointed ears and birdlike wings. Some wings were covered in glossy bright white feathers; others were as flat-black as soft coal.

Regardless of whether they looked intimidating or peaceful, all appeared to be consorting peacefully. Some mingled at the bar. Some shuffled cards or threw dice and wagered at distant tables. All seemed to be enjoying themselves.

That is, until they took notice of Drayce and Fiona. Drayce felt many piercing eyes as Fiona lead him through the tavern. To them, Drayce was the weird one. Fiona led Drayce to an isolated table in a corner where they sat with their backs against the wall.

The bar was momentarily quiet. Growls, hisses, and cold stares were tossed in Drayce 's direction. One particular brute with large tusks approached their table, salivating like he was about to dine on the finest delicacy.

Fiona shook her head intimidatingly. Her silent warning was heard and the brute returned to his stool by the bar. The music, chatter, and card games resumed. "So who are all these, uh, people?" Drayce asked.

"Some are demons and some are angels," Fiona replied.

"I thought demons and angels hated each other?"

"Under normal circumstances, they do," Fiona said. "But few choose their own paths, and even fewer manage to survive being punished for their choices by their respective factions. They gather here for a safe place to relax and exchange information. There are even a few demons who uphold virtues and some angels sunken in sin."

"So, that's what you meant by this place being a haven for those who rise and those who fall, right? Do the forces of Heaven and Hell know of this place?"

"They do, but no one except Anariel knows where Purgatory exists physically. She created several magic gateways around the world that lead here. But, where 'here' actually is? That's anyone's guess."

"What's stopping them from just barging through the gateways, then?"

"Anariel's golems, beings created from her magic. You saw one before we went through the gateway. They are her peace keepers, and are a force to be reckoned with."

Drayce quickly glanced about the bar. He saw the same huge black man in the suit standing behind the bar, as well as by the card tables, the door, and several other locations.

"There's so many of them," Drayce stated.

Fiona chuckled, "Anariel has an animated army to safeguard this place, to protect the patrons from Heaven and Hell. She could give both sides a run for their money if one of them decided to attack. But this place would eventually fall if one or both sides decided to go all out. The catch is that casualties would be massive, which would allow Heaven or Hell to attack and overwhelm the other. Because of this, Purgatory remains relatively safe due to this stalemate. It's a classic Mexican standoff."

"Why are humans not welcome here?"

"Several reasons. Your kind tends to destroy everything you touch. There's also the Crusaders, who wouldn't hesitate to kill any demon or fallen angel. But I think the main reason is that most demons and angels spend centuries influencing humans -- and after all that time, that close association, they've finally gotten tired of your misbegotten race."

A golem approached Drayce and Fiona's table. "Anariel will see you now," he intoned with the same deep voice as the last guardian.

"Well, it's about time!" Fiona said impatiently.

The midnight golem escorted Drayce and Fiona up a flight of stairs to a balcony overlooking the bar and stopped at another red door.

"Anariel awaits you inside."

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