Angel of Hell - Short Story

A short story about an fallen angel who joined Lucifer's side during the war between him and God. Just a look into one day of her life in hell.

Author's Note: I wrote this in the mid-90s when I was a teenager. This story in no way reflect my views of religion and is pure fantasy.

My name is Stygian, I am not alive nor am I dead. Nor was I ever either. Since the beginning of time when God made Earth, I was with Lucifer in his world. I guess you can call me the Devil's angel of death. I take the people from Earth who are not eligible to go to "Heaven." There is no judgment day after a person dies, there fate is decided seconds before they die. The unfortunate part of all is I take more people then god does.

I take them to my shore which is names Stygian's Shore (wonder where we came up with that one) and there their hellish fates are carried out.

I was once one of God's creatures and I long to be so again. I betrayed him and Lucifer took me when he was sent to hell. Lucifer has never wronged me, he says he loves me, but could this be my own hell for following the wrong leader?

My name wasn't always Stygian, which means hellish, it was once a beautiful name that I no longer can remember. It was taken from me and given to a new faithful follower of Jehovah. She now carries the name. If only I could find a way to get back to God and become his favored angel once again.

The world is corrupt and they believe in this Christian god and in this Jesus Christ. How so wrong they are, if only they knew that evolution is right and that God has never gotten involved with human nature. Never was there a Noah's ark or a Jesus Christ, the man was a lunatic.


But enough with the small talk, where shall I begin my story? How shall I start? Maybe with the death that made me cry.
Maria Ignatius was but a mere seven years old. I had to take her to the depth of hell after she died this miserable death. She had been diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was an infant. As a toddler she was raped by her step-father, whom of which gave her AIDS. Her mother watched her sleep and I stood next to her, Alita was her godly name. She was not on my list, she would go to God, in all hopes of seeing her daughter there again. So, heaven is not all that wonderful if those you love are not there.
Why Maria was being sent to hell at only seven years old was kept from me. Lucifer told me that I was to acquire her soul and ask no questions as to why. I did as I was told as I always do.

Alita seemed to sense my presence for she began to talk in my direction. Her words were calm and yet full of pain. "Please, don't take her there. She has not yet been able to prove herself to be fit for heaven. Please, she is just a little girl."

Never had anyone looked at me and told me not to take there loved one to hell. No one of course ever saw me, except the dying and my radiance made them believe that I was God's angel. Everyone smiled when I appeared and the last time I see them they were crying with pain and fear in their eyes. I knew this would happen to the girl and my tears came, but not for long. I had never cried before and I probably never would again.

That is when he appeared a friend from the splendor of heaven. He smiled and his angelic exquisiteness filled the room and for a moment I felt home again. I watched him closely though, he knew I could not smile anymore, that as well was taken from me too.

"Petty you no longer have the ability to smile anymore, every angel on cloud nine loved and was jealous of your smile." Jeriah looked down at the girl.

"It was taken from me, hell shall not be blessed with such a gift is what he said. Or don't you recall?"

Jeriah was what you would call my right hand man, when I was in heaven. We did everything with each other, I was the angel of death in heaven as well. He was my helper, he got the job when I was sent to hell.

"What are you doing here, anyway, Jeriah?" I asked as he stroked Maria's cheek, "this is my job, she is on my list."
He nodded and then stood by my side. He laid a kiss on my own cheek and then smiled again, "Alita made a deal with the devil. She will go in Maria's place when she dies. We get Maria and you get Alita."

"You can not play with people's fates like that, Jeriah. God set those rules himself and he nor anyone can break them. Maria is mine and no one else's."

"Stygian, I am starting to believe you enjoy torturing poor souls. She is only a child, her mother knows what she is doing. When the child dies, her mother is going to commit suicide, the ultimate sin. She will be yours."

"That matters not, I want the child and the child I shall have."

Jeriah smiled, "It isn't hard to smile, Stygian, nor is it hard to love."

I had once loved and it was Jeriah that was my husband. But all my feelings were taken from me except hate and greed, but sometimes sorrow comes to me. I knew Lucifer wanted this child and no other, he would not make a pact with the woman. Children are so hard to get in hell and when we could get one we held on until the bitter end. Kids make splendid demons and they were wonderful ways to get family members to do wrong and therefore we get them too.

Jeriah looked at me and smiled once more and then frowned. "Stygian, you once felt for these humans. You once tried to help them get on the right path, whatever happened to you and your beliefs?"

"I don't know if you have noticed or not, but I am not an angel anymore, but a demon."

"You are what you want to be."

"No, I am what I thought I wanted to be. Now I feel nothing but hate and greed things humans and God despise." My blank look pierced his angelic heart.

The little girl coughed and I looked at her, she looked at her mother.

"Mommy, I have to go now." She whispered and her mother fell by her bedside.

"Oh, please, do not take her there. Take me in return, please, not my baby."

Jeriah looked at me and reached for my hand, placing it above his heart, "It's up to you." He then kissed my palm.

I touched the little girl's arm and looked up at Jeriah. He frowned and looked me in the eyes. I was just doing my job, Lucifer would torture me if not.

The little girl looked at me and smiled, "Mommy, she is beautiful. Not at all hideous, mommy, her hair is gold and her clothes are white. She is sparkling, she is my angel."

How I remember those days when those words were true. Now, I was just a trick, a horrible trick.

"No, baby, don't look at her!"

I pulled my hand away from Jeriah's grasp and my lips slowly came down to her forehead and Jeriah touched my shoulder. I peered up at him, "Let her come with me, please, Stygian."

"Two of them." the girl's lips mumbled, "One is bad."

"She is on my list, Jeriah, she will come with me."

"Don't you have any compassion left in your heart?"

"My heart is cold and black."

My lips rushed down to her forehead and the girl screamed in agony. Her arms flew everywhere and her mother started to scream, as well.

"She's evil!" the girl kept screaming even when the doctors came in. She was trying to fight me off and when she sucked in her last breath, I stood up cause I had sucked in the last of her soul.

Jeriah frowned and wiped a tear from his eye, "A terrible way to take souls."

"That was paradise compared to what awaits her." The doctors kept trying to save the little girl's life, but I already had it.


"What does await her, Stygian?" he asked when the doctors pronounced her dead.

"Hell."

He disappeared and I looked at the mother as she cried over the dead body. What was with people and taking care of the empty human containers. Like talking to a place where the body is disposed will help the dead person hear you more?

She looked my way again, "Why? Why are you taking my baby to hell? I offered myself what more do you want?"

"Your child." I said even though she could not hear me.

---***---

That night I collected thousands of souls and then went to my shore. There are three demon angels just like me, Avernal, Hadean, and Plutonian aka Pluto. I was the worst of the foursome, my souls were tortured for eternity. Pluto's were only so until their fees were paid and then a one way ticket to heaven was given to them. Avernal's souls were made into demons and goblins and such. Hadean's were usually stolen goods from God that he decided were ok to go to heaven even though they had a bad past. But as the saying goes, "Finders keepers." His souls were kept hidden and tortured violently until they took Satan in as their lord, no one had ever not taken him, and then transformed to make sure we could never loose them. One power God does lack is demonic transformation, only Lucifer can change them back into souls or make them demons and such.

Lucifer waited for me on the shore. Lava ran through my ocean and I smiled at him. Lucifer is the only one I am able to smile at. He says he is the king of heaven and should be greeted by me with something special, something magical, something truly spectacular, my smile was the only thing taken from me really and so he wanted that. He touched my face, "What have you brought me?"

Lucifer was a handsome creature, blonde hair and blue eyes. Not hideous like the humans tried to make him out to be. Most souls think he is GOD. He likes to hear them ask if he is and then disappoint them.

"If you are asking for the child, I have her. Although, Jeriah was there trying to trick me for the child's soul."

"Ha, Maria! Wonderful!" He kissed my cheek and then my lips, seemingly to ignore my comment about Jeriah, "You are my favorite of all."

Of course I was his favorite of all, I was the only female. If Lucifer was nothing else, he was 100 percent male, there was no doubt about that. Although in the mortal world he is considered pure evil, in actuality he is not. If you are faithful to him, the feeling is mutual, if you betray him the consequences are unbearable. Lucifer gives back whatever feelings you give him, of course, he can create these feelings as well. That is how he gets children to deceive their parents and loved ones. He makes children believe they love him.

Before he owned this power, I came to him, therefore, my feelings are genuine, I think. Although I do not love him in return, I fear him, am faithful, and I honor his wishes above all else.

Lucifer touched my face, this was my punishment, my torture of hell. Like it was painful for me to take souls, it was just as painful for me to give them to Lucifer.

"Give them to me, Sty."

I bent down on my knees and placed my hands together, almost as if I were praying. He smiled and brought his lips to my own and began to suck the souls from my body, It made me convulse with agonizing pain, his arms wrapped around my back to steady me. You could hear the tortured souls scream as they exchange hosts. Even though it was only half done, I tried to push away. His right hand push the back of my head closer to his own. His hold around my back tightened and I began to scream myself.

Then it all ended and he kissed me, then let me fall to the ground. He stood up and looked at me, holding my stomach as tears fell from my face. "I want you in my chambers for the child's transformation tonight. Sty, don't be late." He then vanished.
I slowly stood up and walked towards the lava ocean. My arms was grabbed and I looked at the hand that was touching me, Jeriah's.

"That child is now going to suffer and make her family suffer, because you chose her instead of her mother." His voice ran cold.
"The mother was meant for heaven, her child was not. This we both know, we are both angels of death."

Jeriah shook his head, "No, I am an angel. For your deeds today, I don't know what you are anymore. But I do know you belong in this hell."

"Do you hate me, Jeriah?" I asked trying to smile, but failing miserably and making a horrible frown.

"I am unable of hate."

I rubbed his cheek, "With hate you are just as demonic as I am." I turned and disappeared into the lava.

---***---

The lava soothes me after the change of hosts. Lucifer will take the souls and send them to their hells. I will wait in the lava until it is time for the little girl's transformation. After the task, I am usually called upon by Lucifer to do his own bidding of pleasures.
I floated unaware in the molten rock enjoying the sensation and enjoying the peace. My thoughts are the usual ones, telling myself that it was foolish to become a disciple of Satan. Leaving my peace, amour proper, Jeriah, and my heart in the adobe of God. Leaving myself only evil feelings and unpleasant thoughts. But my punishment was fore coming and I knew it would be this way. It happened to everyone else, why did I think it would not happen to myself? Because I was one of God's favorites?
God is a lot like Lucifer in many ways, but most like similarities are how you feel and treat them is what you get in return. I know this would probably anger most humans if they knew this about their Christian god, because they believe he loves everyone and is all forgiving. He doesn't even know you exist until you are about to die.

The thing about God very few know is that he has turned his back on other planets and other people that he has created. I believe Earth will soon be left and Lucifer will take over. He has not yet been able to create a perfect race, but yet he tries.
My eyes opened and I looked around the red ocean. If only I could find my way back to heaven and Jeriah. If only I could smile for anyone else but Lucifer. If only I had a real job!

I walked out of the ocean and noticed Avernal stood watching the lava's waves.

"Avernal, what is it?"

He looked at me and sighed, "I was just thinking about heaven and going over names that could be mine."

All the angels sent to hell had their names removed. If an angel from heaven told them their name, they would lose their name themselves and be sent to bear weight in hell. It was the ultimate sin an angel could take upon. As you could probably tell, our Godly names give us all the right to heaven and without it we are nothing.

"I do that myself." I touched his shoulder, "Did you come here looking for me or did you just want to stare upon my glorious ocean of red?"

He knew I was joking, cause I hate this place and the last thing I thought it to be was glorious. Even though I couldn't smile to tell him I was joking, he still knew, "Lucifer told me to tell you that the child has refused his love and he is having trouble forcing it upon her."

Oh, how I wished I could of laughed at that moment! Made fun of him and smiled once more. My "lord" couldn't do to a child what he has mastered in for centuries. I guess Avernal sensed as he smiled and stood up.

"You could get thrown in your own personal hell for such thoughts." He grinned.

"Whatever do you mean, my friend?" I looked around and threw up my hands, "I am already here!"

I made my way up the rock stairway towards the chambers. As I walked I looked at the souls that were chained to the wall. Some of the faces I knew and others were just to deformed to recognize. One man was blessed with eternal hunger and before him was a meal fit for a king that he could not touch, due to the chains wrapped to his limbs. Another woman, that had died during childbirth and also planned to destroy the infant, had her hell of eternal child bearing over and over again. Some people knew me by name for that had been here for centuries on end. I was called to come and be their savior by these people. I would do no such thing and these souls knew it but still they cried.

Your hell is of the cruelest thing you did or planned to do to anyone. Such as the man and the king's meal, he on his way to and from work would take food along and eat it in front of the homeless, just to torture them. He did this for over twenty years and now it would happen to him for the rest of eternity.

Unquestionably, the worst hell of them all is to be one of Lucifer's goblins. To be one of his demons, ghouls, gremlins, or poltergeist isn't so horrible. Goblins are what I guess you could call the peons of the underworld. They do the jobs that are so heartbreaking, so painful, and so frustrating that no other monster would take the task. Not even Lucifer himself, although he will not show it, Lucifer does have a heart as gold as when he was God's number one angel.

---***---

I stood outside the white lacey curtain and brushed down my dress. I took a deep breath even though I do not breath and then tapped gently on the rock. Probably, hoping he would not hear me and buy me some more time out of his presence. I heard his harmonious voice tell me to enter. The curtain opened and he sat with a golden flask in one hand and a smile laid on his face.
"Sty, wonderful of you to come." I nodded my head at his comment and stood beside him as the Latin girl laid cringed in front of him. Her long black hair which she had so much pride in was gone. She was in rags and kneeling with her hands in prayer. She was mumbling words, words to God, my heart went out to her. Even if God took pity on her, he could not take her from us.
Lucifer looked at me and pointed at her, it was a sign that I may speak to her.

I bent down by her side and touched her shoulder, "Child Maria, God has forsaken you and only Lucifer cares enough to save you from eternal torment. If you let him, he will show you the love that God has denied you. Open your heart and let yourself be granted Lucifer's eternal and undying love and be given a new name. One of Lucifer's and not this Godly one, which has cause you nothing but pain and troubles."


She looked up from prayer, a smile came to her face, the smile only stayed for a moment. I think she smiled because I was familiar to her, the statement that followed my hypothesis soon proved myself to be accurate. "You took me from my mommy. You put me through pain, why? Why did you bring me here?"

"The pain was there because that other angel was there, trying to take you from me. It never hurt anyone before." I lied and put the blame on Jeriah, "God didn't want you, but your true lord and savior did and that's Lucifer. Take his love, sweetie, and let yourself be given a name in which you can truly believe." Who couldn't trust the face of an angel?

"He is the devil." she whispered as if Lucifer didn't know and she didn't want to upset him. Lucifer rolled his eyes at this and took another sip of wine. It seemed that everyone knew exactly who he was and wanted to inform anyone else about that.

I ignored him and returned the whisper to her, placing her cheek in the palm of my hand, "Only to thoughs who believe that God is true and good."

"He isn't?"


I shook my head, "No, Lucifer revolted against him, because of the horrors he was putting us all through. He is a mean god, an uncaring god. He is not true to his followers. I mean look at you, you believe in him and where are you now?" I wiped the last few strands away from her face, "Love Lucifer, darling, and your after life will be grand."

She reached up and began to stroke my gold locks of hair, then smiled and leaned forward to place a kiss upon my cheek. She looked up at Lucifer and he smiled and opened his arms out to her, "Come, child, to your true father."

She stood up and hugged him, well more like she raced to him and through herself at him. That's when she screamed. I stayed on bended knee not looking back at the sight, which I knew would be horrific. When it stopped, a creature came to stand in front of me. It was small, hideous, one with large black eyes, and green wrinkled skin, a large face and a small body. It was a goblin, it was Maria.

I stood up and found myself beside Lucifer. He smiled and I frowned, I had tricked the tiny soul.

"What shall we call the new goblin, Sty?"

"Holy or Enmity?"

He knew my first name was a joke and smiled, "Enmity it is then."

Enmity like hatred.

I looked around and there was quiet a few creatures in the lair. I didn't know when they got there or even if they were in here before I arrived. But the demons seemed quiet pleased with my performance.

Everyone was dismissed and I sat down at Satan's bed with my own glass of wine, which he had poured for me. He smiled and sat down at his table across the room.

"Stygian, why do you not like it here?" he said slowly and coolly, yet I sensed a great deal of anger.

"I do not understand."

"What have I not given you? You rule over everyone but me. You have the best job here and all of my love and devotion, yet you hate it here, why?" He pressed his lips together, a sure sign that I was in for something painful.

"I do not hate it here, my lord. I have lived here for centuries and never have I complained like the others have. Why has this questioning arisen?"

He came and sat next to me and rubbed my cheeks with his knuckles. He put my face between his hands and kissed my forehead and then rubbed my temples with his thumb. A smile played on his lips and then a frown came, "Do not lie to me, Sty! I am not a mortal!"

His knuckles were placed on my temples and his thumbs on my cheek bones, flames from his hands entered my mind. This, without question, was painful. It was punishment for me and only me, because he dared not send the only woman he loved to be tortured in a hell by anyone else.

My hands wrapped around his wrists and my mouth opened to scream. No sound came only heavy breaths and tears, the breathing was caused my the energy surging through me.

"Lucifer, I do not think you are a mere mortal!" I screamed between breaths, "I do not lie to you!"

"You are!"

The flames burning increased and my scream came, my head full of fire and it felt as if it was going to fracture.

"Answer my questions truthfully, damn it, Sty! I will destroy you!"

"Sometimes emotion from God gets me!" I screamed quickly, guilt was the emotion, "I don't mind being here, it is my home." My tears come when the fire finally stopped burning and his arms wrapped around me to embrace me. My head pounded with pain, but the flames had cooled, as his magic left my head.

"Sometimes he gets to me too." were his words that mumbled from his lips, I don't know if I was suppose to hear them or not. So, I did not comment.

I leaned forward almost to his lap and he cradled me in his arms. He brushed the hair with his fingers away from my face, as it rested against his chest.

I do not know now or even then if I loved him back, but I did feel something towards him. My worst fear is finding out the answer.

"You have always hated it here and your tasks. I guess once an angel always an angel. You can never be one of my demons, but you can be the queen of the underworld." he whispered to me.

Oh no, Lucifer wanted me as his queen. This would surely seal my fate here, make my hell here ten times as bad, and guarantee that I would not be reentering heaven anytime in the future. What was I to say? I couldn't tell him no and yet yes would only be the end.

There was no option, I smiled, "Are you asking the task of me?" I smiled.

He smiled, "I am the only one who can see that smile, you might as well be by my side."

A corny proposal, but I smiled, "Might as well."

"Sty, I love you and you will forever stand beside me, as my queen."

In hell marriage is forbidden. All that could be done is a bond of love or whatever the feeling the two monsters had for each other. Adultery wasn't against the rules. So really it was like a living together boyfriend and girlfriend type deal.

"Yes, forever." I smiled against. I think he knew I did not wish of this and he knew that I couldn't turn him down. How every man probably wished that of the woman he was about to propose to.

That is where his evil smile came in and where if I had any gold left in my heart, it turned to coal just then.

---***---

I went back to my shore and sat upon the large rock. I felt Jeriah's presence behind me and I turned to him.

"You are giving yourself to him? I can't believe you are doing such a thing. This is your ticket for the rest of eternity in hell!"
"I bought that ticket a long time ago, remember?" What was with everyone speaking in metaphors all of the sudden?
He nodded his head.

"You didn't want me to do it. Said that Lucifer was finally going to get his own kingdom and that we, that followed him, would suffer. I didn't believe you and kept following. So, here I am in his kingdom. The queen of the kingdom, more then I had in Jehovah's kingdom, I think." I lied to myself.

Jeriah frowned, "How I wish to call you by your godly name and see your smile, just once more."

"Ha, Jeriah, my name is Stygian and that is what it always has been. I do not smile and I do not love you anymore. That person died, when she followed Lucifer, only Stygian is here now."

He shook his head, "No she is still in there. Stygian just won't let her be found." Then he was gone.


Jeriah never stayed in the abyss longer then he had to. I really didn't mind, because it only made me miss heaven even more. He was the only one from heaven that ever visited me anyway. All other looked down upon me, which I could understand under the circumstances.

I was waiting for Pluto to come for our "meeting." He was always late and it always pissed me off. He did it on purpose, of course.
He finally arrived, he was tall with black hair and the palest of eyes. He and I are the best of friends, we were so in heaven. Of course, like I, he had his godly name taken from him.

Pluto appeared and with him he brought a goblin. He always had one with him, so it was not something to question. He smiled and nodded his head in a bowing type manner.

"I heard Lucifer is making you the queen." It was always Pluto who heard all the news first. That is why it always was in the simplest form.

"You hear correctly." I stated and then sat back down, as I had gotten up when he came to my side.

His smile widen and he rubbed his fingers along this goatee. "Are you sure you are a demon and not a succubus?"

I gave an unamused grin, and pressed my lips together, "He asked me, he loves me." I stressed the word "loves."

"Lucifer says he loves something? Hmm, there must be something to that." Pluto looked at the lava ocean, "It bothers you."
Pluto always knew what I was feeling, "Yeah, I don't understand why. Remember when I first got here, that was my ultimate goal and now…"

"And now it has all changed." He finished the sentence for me.

"Well, I use to think that he was right about God, but he was wrong. Now, I am paying an eternity for following the wrong man. How could God turn his back on me and all of us like that."

"That makes Lucifer sound right."

I nodded, "Because in some ways he is."

"Go cleanse yourself in the lava and then we can have our meeting of the dead." he disappeared.

I hated when he did that, told me what to do and then left. Of course, I hated to be told by anyone what to do. Than again, I hated everything.

It did sound like a good idea and so I walked into the red liquid. My toes touched first and it seeped between then. When it got to my waist, I rubbed my hands over the top and dived in. And there I floated and there all my thoughts and worries came.
A smile tried to come to my face as I felt the soothing lava go through my body. Relying on the lava was my punishment from both God and Lucifer. They actually discussed punishment with each other before the person dies. They also fight over who is going to hell and who isn't. When God finally decided to send me to hell as well, he and Lucifer talked over my punishment.
Since Lucifer was already in love with me, he had been since the minute we were created from dust, he and God decided on the lava hell. What God didn't know was that it was an in and out situation. Then I would be made a demon of death for Lucifer. This pissed God off to no extent, and he didn't talk to Lucifer for eight centuries. Like it mattered, we didn't want the guy who through us out of heaven controlling us anymore. When he and God finally made amends we had our own ways of doing things and now all God can do is offer suggestions on punishment.

My eyes flashed open, someone was on my shore. If I did not collect the soul they would die peacefully and just appear on my shore. I knew it was a soul and not Pluto or Lucifer, because of the sensation I got.

I walked out of the lava and found a boy about nineteen, the age I was made to look like. He smiled at me, when ever I became visible to people I appeared so beautiful and I guess I glowed.

I racked my mind for his name and finally found it after we stared at each other for some time, "Eric Henrick, welcome."
He frowned when I didn't smile in return, "This is hell isn't it?"

I shook my head, "No, this is my hell. This is just the border of hell."

The boy died in a shoot out between gangs. He killed nine of them and that was why he was here now. Never before that had he ever done something so wrong. He was on his way to Heaven before he accomplished this feat. His last deed sent him straight to hell, even though he had only been in the gang for a week. He had been shot in the head, up close. I stared at the boy and he seemed to think about his situation. Almost like he was trying to figure out how he could escape from me. Running into the lava would be a bad idea. Running the other way would lead straight to Lucifer.

I took my steps toward him and he didn't move.

"Please, don't make me into a ghoul or something."

My frown deepened, how did he know about transformations? I placed the palm of my hand on his cheek. I felt for him, "I have an idea, follow me."

He followed directly behind me and watched all the damned souls along the wall, "This isn't a trick, is it?"

I shook my head, "No, I am the top demon of death and the soon to be queen of hell."

"So, what does that got to do with anything?"

"I was stating that I was to noble to play simple minded tricks on a mere mortal, and, also, with my high statis I could get you out of this." I stood in front of the white curtain and brushed down my dress again, "This is Lucifer's lair, when we enter shut up and let me talk."

"You mean Lucifer like Satan, the devil, and stuff?"

I nodded. He took a large swallow, "He is like your husband?"

"Yeah, like my husband."

I opened the curtain and smiled at Lucifer, who sat at his table. The boy followed and then stopped at my side. I think he was amazed that Lucifer wasn't all red with horns and holding a trident whose spikes match Lucifer's tail.

Lucifer stood up, "My Love!" He held out his hands to me and then dropped them when he saw the boy, "What is this?"
"This is Eric Henrick."

"I know who he is, I asked what this was."

I folded my hands together, "Well, I was hoping my own personal assistant?" I glared up with my puppy dog eyes.

"Assistant?" he looked at me, "Oh, alright, let's do the transformation."

"No, just a soul."

"Just a soul?" What can a soul do for you that a goblin can't?"

"Talk to me and not fear me."

Lucifer nodded his head, "Very well, but I will enforce a bond on him to you. Sty, this bond will last forever, you can not decide you do not want him anymore. Understand?"

"He is a soul, Lucifer, not a cat."

"Then so be it." With a wave of his large hand, Eric became my 'assistant.' "His name?"

I had forgotten about the naming process, and so I had not a name. I thought about it not quite sure what to name him, I mean Eric was a good enough name for him. But since he was named that when he was God's child he could not keep it now that he was in hell. I had never seen a soul's name be changed until they usually were transformed. Then finally a name came to my mind, a simple name but a name I could live with, Daemon.

Just as I was about to say it Diabolus, Lucifer's 'right hand man' came in carrying a bag. I looked at him and he smiled back at me. Diabolus was a very shy demon, he had been when he was an angel. A messenger is all he can really can be because of his extreme shyness. During the war between heaven and hell, his face was badly mangled, but I could still see what he use to look like. He was also easily persuaded because of his shy features. But even being a demon couldn't take away that he was so sweet.
Behind him was Mephistopheles, he made sure that all hells were being run properly an evil demon he was indeed. I hated him, he had once advanced upon me during the war. He told me that he could get me a high safe place in Lucifer's kingdom, I declined knowing my place was already assured. He tried anyway and Jeriah saved me from him. He hated me now, but Lucifer had no idea what had happened between us. So, he thought we acted like arguing siblings.

Mephistopheles smiled at me when he entered, sometimes being the only female demon was sickening. There were other female demons, but they were of Lucifer's own make and not of God's and to put it nicely, Lucifer needed a few more sculpting lessons.
Lucifer looked at Mephistopheles, "What have you brought me?"

Mephistopheles pushed Diabolus towards him, "I don't think, Stygian, should see this."

"Nonsense, she is the Queen of Hell, she can see it." He smiled at me and kissed me on the cheek.

"Well, this is the first batch of tongues that you ordered." Mephistopheles told him and Diabolus opened it up to reveal a large quantity of tongues.

I looked at Lucifer, "Why did you do this?"

Mephistopheles laughed, his deep green eyes never left my face for a moment. He brushed his black hair from his face, "You question Lucifer? Does it matter why he did it? I don't think it does. Whatever he asks for we shall do. I didn't hear you asking any questions when he told you to get young Maria, excuse me, Enmity from her mother."

"I…I wasn't questioning him, I was simply asking why he was doing it!"

"Stygian, you…"

"Silence!" Lucifer shouted, "Mephistopheles, you need to have more respect for Stygian now that she is your queen. Stygian, you need to just let me do what I ask people and not question me, I am still your God."

Mephistopheles and I both nodded.

Both Mephistopheles and Diabolus left the room to wait outside for Lucifer. They had to conduct some kind of meeting with him, that apparently I was not allowed to hear about.

"Have you chosen a name?"

"Yes, Daemon."

"Sounds wonderful, Love." He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arm around my waist.

Daemon stared at me for a moment as if he didn't know what just happened or what to do now. I walked away from Lucifer, holding out my hand to Daemon. When I turned back Lucifer's arm was still in the position he was holding me in.

"I will let you get to your meet." I told Lucifer.


"Very well."

"I will see you soon." I smiled at him as I raced out of the lair holding on the Daemon's hand as if I were a child, nearing running Mephistopheles over in the process. He just snorted at me and puffed up his chest. Daemon and I took off down the stone pathway.

---***---

"Where are we going?" Daemon asked as he ran behind me.

"Away from him." I whispered as I finally got to my shore. I met Lucifer, but I think Daemon thought I meant Mephistopheles, but that was fine too.

"Excuse me." I said and motioned for Daemon to follow me.

As we got to the shore I heard a shout for me from the cliffs above. Diabolus came running down, he smiled at me and then at Daemon.


"I-I-I was just…ah…wonderin'…why…ah, why…ah, why your asssss…assssitant is still a…ah….a….ah….a ah soul." Did I forget to mention Diabolus' stuttering problem? He got it as punishment for spreading the word of Lucifer. It extremely frustrates him and he hates when people finish his sentences. I am pretty sure he hasn't had a real conversation that lasted more then the needed information being given.

"Because I didn't want a goblin or anything, I wanted someone I could talk to."

"Oh, th…th…that's ah….that's ah, g-g-good idea." He smiled, when he talked it looked like he was straining and his eyes blinked a lot.

He use to be a handsome creature, with white hair and bright blue eyes. His eyes were dull now and his hair no longer there. I pitied him, I honestly believe he got the worst punishment, even though God made him the way he was.

"I-I-I wanted an…assssss…assistant, but Lucy … Lucifer said n-n-n-no."

This was starting to get annoyed, but I played along because I hadn't seen him in a while and I knew he was lonely with no one else to talk to.

"Why wouldn't he give you an assistant?"

He shrugged his shoulders, at least he didn't talk. "Well, I-I just wanted t-t-to know…ah…ah…about the soul." I think he could sense my annoyance.

"Yeah, well I see you at the bonding ok?"

"O-o-ok." He smiled and then turned around.

I looked at my new friend, Daemon, and smiled. He stared at Diabolus until he was out of sight and then noticed I was looking at him. He shrugged off my watch over him and then a look of pure confusion came over his face.

"Hell is a lot different then what they told me in Sunday school." he turned towards the lava ocean.

"Well, humans are good at painting a scenery that they've never seen before." I turned the corner and found Pluto standing next to a large rock. The little goblin held a pitcher of what I presumed to be wine.

"You certainly have been busy, Stygian." He snorted, "First you become Queen of the Underworld and then you take a soul, not a goblin, or gremlin, but a soul as an assistant." He crossed his arms, "Do you know how many times I have asked that same task from Satan?"

"Your own fault that you can not work Lucifer. You've been here as long as I have. You should know how by now." I kept a hold of Daemon's hand.

Pluto's frown turned into a smile and he looked upon his body, "No, I think I lack equipment."

I tried to smile and then look at the goblin with the pitcher, "What is this?"

"I got thirsty waiting for you and I figured when you came out of the lava, you as well would be thirsty. But it seemed you left the lava quite some time ago."

The goblin handed me a flask with a large amount of red wine in it. I took a sip of the sour wine and then turned to Daemon.

"Daemon, this is Pluto, he is another one of the angels of death. He and I have a meeting of the dead every so often.."

"Meeting of the dead?" Daemon asked and then looked at the goblin, who stared at him hungrily.

"Yes, we were chosen to talk about all the collected souls and decide on their fates. Which Lucifer and God have already decided but we choose if it is fair." I looked at Pluto to ask if he had any input.

Of course, Pluto always did, "Which is fairly simple, we always say it is fair enough, I mean this is hell, why would it matter if your punishment is fair or not?"

"Shall we meet in your adobe?" I asked as I watched the goblin stare so intently at Daemon.

Pluto nodded and bowed at me as he turned around to walk away. The goblin kept staring at Daemon not following it's master.
"Pluto, there seems to be something wrong with your creature."

He turned around and threw a rock at the little green monster in the back. "Come now!"

"I will catch up with you soon." I told him as the goblin raced to his side, he again nodded at me as he looked at the goblin and asked was wrong with it.

I looked at Daemon and frowned, "I wonder what that was all about?"

He shrugged and then frowned as I looked him over, he wore ripped jeans that hung down to what seemed his knee and a white shirt underneath with a red button up shirt. The top button was the only one buttoned. His hair was brown and wild curls and his eyes a shade of blue.

"You look like you're wearing your big brother's clothes."

He looked at his own clothes and his frown deepened. He looked at my own attire, which consisted of a long white feathery dress and sandals, long blonde curly hair, the greenest of eyes, and milky white skin. He probably saw me as a doll in a shop, if he could pick me up and turn me over a sticker with "Made By God" would probably be there.

"Compared to you and your friends, I probably do look low class." He meant that Pluto was in a casual black suit.

"For a boy killed in a gang war, you sound a lot more intelligent then expected." I acted like I had no clue about him. His father was a rich man and he went to the finest schools and then to Harvard for a year, but left when his father past away. His stepmother took all the money, leaving him with nothing. He could of returned to Harvard because everything was paid in full, but he went to the streets, because his friend, Louis, "knew some people that could help him out."

It's always amazed me watching people, I know what will happen with each choice. I know that if he would of chosen Harvard, he would be a very wealthy man in a few years.

"I think if you are going to be my assistant, you will need a more suitable attire."

"And where is the nearest Bloomingdale's in hell?"

I looked him over quickly and snap my fingers, "There."

Daemon looked himself over, he was now wearing a white pants and a long sleeve white button up shirt, with brown shoes and belt. He frowned at them and I told him that it was what would go well with me.

"You look like nothing I would ever image to find in hell." He told me as we sat on the rock.

"Well, I was created by the same deity as you. Created in the same image."

He played with a button on his shirt, "Everyone is so beautiful here, I mean the demons not everyone else."

"Demons? You mean like me?"

He nodded.

"We were all once angels of God, before the war began."

"War? Oh, yes. What made you choose the devil?"

"Lucifer is a sensational speaker, like Hitler was. He convinced me about everything, even though the whole time I knew I was going to be punished and that we were going to loose. I just followed him, and in doing so I left a lot of people I loved behind. Because of the war, they no longer wish to see me or be near me for that matter."

"Loved ones?"

"Yes like my husband."

We sat in silence for a while as we thought about our lives.


"My dad isn't here is he?"

"No, he was a very good man. He did a lot of good things, he is in heaven with just about everyone else in your family."
The boy had had a hard life, his mother and sister had died in a car accident when he was 7 and both sets of his grandparents died before he was born. He didn't have any aunts or uncles and therefore no cousins. When his father died, he was left without family and without home. His step mother didn't want anything to do with him, being that she was only a year older then him. Life had been hard for him and now his after life would only be worse. At least torture is not in it.

"Who in my family is?"

I shook my head, "No, one that you would know."

"But my family, never the less, correct?"


I ignored him, "Let's go."

---***---

I have never understood why Pluto and I were forced to decide on fairness of punishments. God and Lucifer would never make a mistake in making it unfair. I think it was just to watch us have to read the punishment and have a nothing job to do. What was worse was the interruptions. Every time a soul was placed on my shore or whenever a soul was placed in Pluto's home.
The shore was my hell, and Pluto's home was his own. He lived in a beautiful house that was full pictures and paintings of couple's kissing and in love. The worst part about all this was that in all the pictures the woman was his love, Jasmine, she was a human spirit, and the man was always this other angel named Jeremiah. Everyday the portraits would change with whatever Jasmine and Jeremiah had done the day before. It was horrid to see the woman he had left behind with his best friend from heaven. The pain was unbearable to him, my heart went out to him every time I laid my eyes on the pictures.

Most would think that was a simple hell, but I believe in my mind that it was the most horrid of them all, because of the final factor. You see Pluto was left with a gift, a gift of undying love for her. Love so strong that human's would believe it could move mountains. Jasmine, on the other hand, had her love taken from her, she remembers him, but only the bad things he has done. She doesn't even remember loving him. And yet he sits everyday with his love growing stronger with each passing day, as each day passes she remember him less and less.

At least I can see Jeriah and remember my love towards him. Jeriah can remember his loves towards me and when I was a good angel. He can still see me, if he wishes. Even thought we do not love each other as husband and wife, we are still friends. Which can and will never be able to be said for Jasmine and Pluto.

I remember once thinking that they were the Romeo and Juliet of Heaven. Now, they are more like God and Satan themselves.
Sometimes God can be so cruel to those who betray him, even more so then Lucifer. I do not know how many times I have prayed for forgiveness, yet he does not forgive me and I stay in hell.

I explained all this and Jeriah, about my life to Daemon as we walked the path to Pluto's home. When we got to the great home made of stone, Daemon stared. It was a dreary place, dark everywhere. Even Lucifer hated to come here because of the miserable place was just so sad. Nothing specific about made it that way, I mean any other time or place this home would be considered beautiful. It was large and it had beautiful paintings and furniture. It was a gorgeous home, but it was Pluto's hell. And you could feel that torture that filled the air.

We found Pluto sitting by the fire place staring at a picture above the mantel. It was Jasmine on a bench with her lover, kissing. They had beauty all around them and here sat Pluto in ruins.

"Sty, how do you live day in and day out, knowing that Jeriah is in Heaven with all the happiness and beauty around him, and here you are in this ugliness."


My situation was different from his own. Jeriah still remembered me and the good in me. I didn't say anything to Pluto to answer his question, I just sat down in the chair across from him.