ANGEL FACE

CHAPTER FIVE: MEETING KING ALDRIC.

The room breathed like a living thing.

Crimson‑blue walls stretched endlessly, swallowing light instead of reflecting it. A long blood‑red couch rested against one side, velvet darkened as if it had absorbed centuries of sins. Across from it sat a single armchair

deep, bloodshot red:wide enough to swallow a body whole. At the far end stood a massive wooden door, carved and ancient, reaching all the way to the ceiling. Beyond it, a hallway stretched into nothing but darkness, a place with no end and no echo.

Lucifer stood near the center, fingers idly spinning a living world sphere. Cities flickered. Kingdoms burned quietly. People moved like ants beneath his gaze.

“Good morning, Hell.”

Belphagor(Sloth)dragged himself into the room, every step delayed, every movement unfinished. He yawned mid‑stride and dropped himself into the armchair, slumping like gravity had finally won.

Lucifer didn’t look at him.

“Where have you been?” he asked coldly.

Belphagor waved lazily.

“Dwelling with humans. What?

did you need me?”

Lucifer’s fingers slowed on the sphere.

“What an odd thing to say.”

A voice cut through the room.

“Are you going to pretend you didn’t feel the signals Lucifer sent out?”

Auralia(Greed)spoke from the shadows.

She rose from the darkness, her pitch‑black dress blending seamlessly with the room, ink‑dark hair falling straight down her back. Only when she moved did she seem real.

Belphagor jolted.

“Oh my hell’s beings! I didn’t see you there.”

He squinted. “Why are you sitting in the dark? And no, I didn’t feel any signals.”

“There’s no way you would,” Auralia said, walking toward him.

“You’re too lazy to notice your own existence. We should add lying to your expertise.”

She stopped beside him, tall and elegant, towering over his slouched form.

“Please,” Belphagor groaned.

“You devils are always plotting. It’s exhausting. Be happy I showed up at all.”

He leaned back. “So...any pure souls fall into our traps?”

Lucifer finally turned.

“lucifer is interested in a Fae,” Auralia said casually, sitting beside Belphagor.

Belphagor grimaced.

“A Fae? That’s worse than a human.”

Lucifer faced him fully now, golden eyes burning.

“The weakest souls hold the strongest potential,” he said calmly.

“And I intend to make a Fae weaker than the weakest Fae.”

He smiled.

“That Fae—Aveloria.”

He spoke her name softly, almost fondly.

“She came to me pregnant,” Lucifer continued, a low laugh slipping out.

“The child’s soul will hold immense power. Purity will rot into cruelty.”

Auralia tilted her head.

“If that was your plan, why take the dragon heart? And why send Selene to demand more?”

Lucifer chuckled, satisfied.

“Where’s the fun in taking things without resistance?”

“If I wanted obedience, they’d crawl to me like rats. But I want chaos before the child is born.”

He spun the sphere again.

“Hell hasn’t woken in decades without war following. Let them fight over what they treasure.”

Belphagor snickered.

“You really are a devil.”

Lucifer’s smile widened.

“Take a guess who the world will blame.”

A new voice drifted in.

“A little birdie told me King Aldric Durn might possess a dragon heart.”

Selene leaned against the wall, red body‑hugging dress clinging to her like sin itself, fiery hair cascading freely.

Belphagor nearly jumped.

“Twisted souls! Will you stop appearing out of nowhere?!”

“She’s been here ten minutes,” Auralia said flatly.

“Well I didn’t see her,” Belphagor muttered.

Lucifer gestured lazily.

“Then you’re working now. Go with Selene. If the king has the heart, take it.”

Belphagor groaned.

“I’m exhausted already.”

“I’ll come too,” Auralia said, standing and pushing him toward the door.

“I’m bored.”

“Don’t push me! I can walk!” Belphagor snapped as they exited.

Selene lingered.

“It’s been decades since your last mate,” she said quietly.

The room froze.

“And?” Lucifer asked coldly.

“You know mates are punishments to devils,” Selene continued.

“You should kill the next one before birth. Like Azrael (wrath)does.”

She stepped closer. “I could help.”

Lucifer paused.

“Do whatever you want,” he said flatly.

“You don’t need a mate,” Selene whispered, reaching for him....

Smoke swallowed him whole.

Gone.

She stood alone before turning to leave.

Outside, a field of dandelions stretched endlessly.

She stepped forward;and stopped.

p

“If it isn’t the stealthy, lazy devil,” Selena said calmly.

Belphagor emerged.

“Auralia picked an outfit for you. You’ll need to seduce the king.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Selene said clearing her throat.

“Coming from a devil trying to seduce another devil?” Belphagor scoffed.

“Absolutely not.”

“Keep your mouth shut,” Selena snapped.

“Oh Selena,” Belphagor said softly.

“I’ve known you wanted Lucifer since the day his mermaid mate entered his life. That was the day you learned jealousy.”

He sighed.

“Legend says you still envy the dead.”

“Belphagor!” Selena hissed, fists clenched.

“I warned you decades ago, and I will keep warning you for decades to come” he continued.

“Lucifer isn’t merciful. Let him go before you’re erased entirely.”

She turned away, facing the West, hiding her expression.

As Belphagor walked past, he whispered:

As Auralia says..."greed will imprison us all.”

They arrived at the gates of Graveholt, the iron-boned capital King Aldric Durn ruled with a tankard in one hand and a crown balanced by sheer stubbornness, a city where supernatural humans lived shoulder to shoulder with licensed magicians, hedge-witches, rune-smiths, and bloodline sorcerers;people with glowing veins, second shadows, faint horns filed down to pass as fashion, all pretending this wasn’t the last civilized place before myth swallowed the world whole; the palace itself rose like a threat, black stone veined with gold wards, and the guards crossed their halberds at once, voices sharp, declaring no one entered without royal invitation, not even wandering nobles or pretty strangers, there was a rumor that hell was lurking around so random people were totally banded from entering the palace.

Belphagor sighed like this was already too much effort while Auralia smiled thinly, saying nothing, letting Selena step forward just enough for moonlight to kiss the high slit of her crimson dress, just enough for pale thigh to show, smooth and deliberate, not rushed, not desperate

and the guards faltered, eyes glazing as if honey had been poured behind them, breath hitching, shoulders loosening, their minds gently rewritten to see nothing but ordinary women, mere humans traveling with a lazy companion, harmless, forgettable, safe, and the halberds lowered without a word, the gates groaning open as if they’d decided this on their own, Selena’s lips curving in quiet triumph as the devils passed through unchallenged, leaving the guards blinking after them, confused, hearts racing, never realizing Hell had just walked straight into their king’s home.

The devils entered the king’s chamber without resistance.

King Aldric Durn sat on his throne of carved stone, a heavy goblet in hand, speaking in low tones with his personal assistant about taxes, borders, and bodies found near the eastern river.

“WHO LET THESE PEASANTS IN?” the king roared.

No guard answered.

No footsteps followed.

Belphagor had already done his work. The halls beyond the chamber slept.

“Peace, King Aldric,” Selena said smoothly. “We are only messengers.”

“I did not send for messengers,” the king snapped, his voice thick with disdain.

He never once looked at them. His eyes stayed fixed on the high banners above the throne. A wizard had warned him long ago,

never meet a stranger’s gaze. He clung to that rule like armor.

It worked.

Without his eyes, Lust could not touch him.

The king’s assistant, however, stared openly at Selena, his mouth slightly open, useless and spellbound.

“We are travelers,” Auralia said gently, her voice calm, steady. “We come bearing words meant only for you, Your Highness.”

“Do you travel with a man?” the king asked sharply. “I trust no woman’s tongue. Witches and devils walk freely these days. I will not be fooled.”

“We do,” Selena replied. “A woman who walks alone is either asking for trouble

or powerful enough to invite it.”

“Then let the man step forward,” the king ordered.

Belphagor sighed.

Hide your golden eyes, you fool, Auralia’s voice echoed in his mind.

Talking in my head should be illegal, Belphagor replied lazily, sending the thought to both women. Selena rolled her eyes.

Belphagor stepped forward until he stood directly before the throne. The king still refused to look.

“The women... turn around,” Aldric commanded.

They obeyed.

We should strike him now, Auralia whispered into Selena’s thoughts.

Where’s the fun in that? Selena answered. We’ve been gone for decades.

not a lot of creatures know what we look like... let's have fun with that.

“You sound like him,” Auralia said.

“Who?”

“Lucifer.”

Selena ignored her.

Slowly, King Aldric lowered his gaze.

He looked at Belphagor and froze.

After a long pause, he asked, confused, “Are you… a man?”

“Obviously,” Belphagor said, bored. His voice was rough, unmistakably male—his face, painfully not.

The king stood, eyes wide. “What a… beautiful man.”

Belphagor recoiled, stepping back with a grimace.

“Don’t say foul things, you bloated pig,” he snapped.

The chamber fell silent.