Chapter 123

"Before me things create were none, save things

Eternal, and eternal I shall endure.

All hope abandon, ye who enter here."

-Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

I stood up, breathing hard and staring at my father, who was approaching from the other side. Heat radiated from the pools of fire and blood that surrounded us. The old demon had made an error. He brought me back to hell, thinking that no one would interfere, but he didn't realise that my father must have sensed the moment when I crossed his gates.

"I have told you before, Morpheus, this is none of your business," spat the old demon, and wiped the sweat off his face.

This was the only appearance that my father most likely had ever taken, and I didn't believe that anyone had ever seen him in his true form. Even his most trusted demons had no idea how he really looked.