Envy draws a large cigar from the tailored front pocket of his suit. At the snap of his finger, the end comes alive in flame.

“Here’s the deal.” The cigar tip glows brighter as he tokes. “We don’t know a lot. When we were created, some innate knowledge was infused. Like our purpose and how to do our jobs.”

A low demonic growl accompanies my hand motion to pause. “Don’t give me the sales pitch, I already know Envy. I want the truth. Now.”

Choosing his words carefully, he stares at me a moment. His eyes narrow. “Where exactly did Wrath say he was headed?”

The ice in my eyes shift to embers. “Enough games. If you won’t tell me, I’ll have to use other means.” A plume of fire bursts from my forehead revealing glowing horns that disappear with the flames.

Envy blows a voluminous cloud of cigar smoke and smiles at me. “I see, so that’s how it is.” He stands, eyes still locked. “To sell a lie Damien, one must have control. Words must be chosen carefully, never waver, only show confidence. But most importantly. You must always be in control of your emotions. I’d know that fiery spirit you just showed anywhere.”

A dark feeling washes over me. More than a desire, a powerful compulsion. The building rumbles, vibrating things off the desk across the room and knocking various wall decor to the floor. The tension in the air reverberates power and the feeling of imminent explosion lingers in my mind. In a flash, before my thoughts have time to catch up my hands cast a shield. Beams of ice seem to manifest out of thin air just inches from my face and bounce off the shield. We both leap away and ready for a fight.

His true nature reveals itself as the phantom face appears, overlaying and twisting the mans face into something malformed. The eyes glaze a sickly green. Like a cat caught in beams of light. He hovers in the air before me and points my way. The accompanying voice as demonic as my own had been. “We favored you, gave you power, and you repay us with betrayal.”

An accusing truth I couldn’t deny even if I wanted. I throw my arms wide, casting a mischievous grin. “Yes, I betrayed you. In the same manner you lied to me. You’re not my demons, but demons from the dark plane. Summoned here and sealed away by powerful witches to cut this world off from, and be free of outside influences. How’m I doin’ so far?”

Envy’s eyes open wide, disbelief staining his face. “How could you possibly know that?”

I step closer by a few steps. “Even in this mundane world, there are believers. Family lines who know the truth. One such man found me at the bottom of a bottle, wasting away. Helped me understand myself and the purpose passed down to me. You were right, we were the most powerful of witches and I do have power. It’s just not you.” I raise my arm, palm facing him. “My ethereal purpose is to bring you back kicking and screaming, and lock you under that seal again.”

Anger seethes behind those green eyes. “This wont play out how you think, kid. It’s true we wanted to enjoy the amenities of this world and deceived you but you’re being played. Anyone who’d know about us would use this chance to destroy us for good. Not lock us away with the chance that we may be released again. I understand how you could be swayed and still favor you. Don’t take this fight. I will only give one warning.”

His words were tinged with sadness. Sincerity even. For a quick second I think maybe he honestly cares somehow. But it’s gone as quick as it came, replaced with thoughts of the mission. The road to get here, and the road before me. I give a sympathetic nod. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe you’re stronger than Sloth and Wrath. But are you stronger than Pride, the leader and connected to all seven? How’d you think I found you?”

The air begins to shimmer around Envy. “Oh boyo, you’ve got a lot to learn. The power balance shifted a long time ago. In this generation with all it’s wondrous inventions, the world has never been so closely threaded. We could have went back to our realm at any time. Why do you think we stayed?” He flicks the remains of the cigar toward me and I knock it away with my hand. “We stayed because the human world has never been a richer feeding ground.”

The shimmering around him becomes the same sickly green of those distorted eyes. The building rumbles again as black clouds gather near the ceiling of the room. Searing bolts of lightning scorch the ground in a circle around me. Obvious theatrics to warn me off. I crack a crooked smile. “Okay, lets play a bit then Envy.” Excitement pulses through me and I have to steady myself. I cup my hands over each other, fingertip to heel of palm, close my eyes and focus. Images of the darkness inside me bleeding out fill my mind. Black tendrils camouflaged within the darkness sprout from dimensions unknown. The dark power snakes through me, turning veins black. Black flames plume, revealing horns that glow white-hot at the tips. As if they were tipped in magma. Thick fangs jut from my mouth, long black claws grow from my fingernails.

I hunch over as bones shift and crack. The sound of thunder clapping and searing lightning strikes fill the room. Envy wastes no time, but he’s too late. I straighten with force as a bolt strikes a blow between my eyes and large black wings burst from my back. They’re reminiscent of a bats wings with giant bone spikes jutting off each outlining bone structure. Much like the demons, my face distorts for a moment. Overlaid by a twisted phantom that flashes it’s presence, then recedes. When my eyes open they reveal black voids. Pulsing from the voids into my face are black veins. The transformation finishes and I drop my head with a dark, demonic, reverberating sigh that casts a shadow of breath in the cold room. Even through the darkness in the room, my sight is good. Enhanced beyond perfect even.

I sense Envy hiding within his clouds, moving away from the darkness. The dark energy coursing through me targets him. I spear him through the roof into the sky above with the speed of light. Maybe faster. Uncontrollable, hysterical laughter burst out of me as my horns pierce him. The darkness follows me and expands as we rise higher. Spreading over the building and into the city itself as noon becomes midnight. The sound of screams, crashes, and terror from the streets below enhance the insanity in my mind. Envy wiggles himself off my horns and leaps back to put space between us. He grabs a handful of blood pouring from the wounds. “Fine Damien. You’re powerful, I admit it. Don’t forget who you’re dealing with though. I’ll have that power for myself. It’s inevitable.” He casts the blood to his right. It catches in the air as if in a spider web and forms occult symbols I’ve never seen.

“Lets give me the high ground, shall we?” He chants a quick incantation. The symbols of blood burn black and a rift tears in the air. Heat shimmers and black smoke spins in a circle around the tear. Demonic roars and screams of all kind chill all who hear to the bone as minions of all sizes crawl out of the portal. They head straight for the city. I see them in my minds eye, ripping people in half. Eating the heads off their shoulders. One slurps the intestines out the neck of a child as her mother cowers in fear. They destroy buildings, throw massive trucks like it’s a pebble. Reigning pure chaos upon the otherwise peaceful town.

The last of the demons is a huge creature. A giant humanoid thing with no head. In the pit of it’s chest is a giant hole with large pointed and curved teeth that open and close like a mechanical iris. Twelve large tentacles extend from its back. It walks through the city whipping entire buildings down. Spearing people and dropping them into the giant maw. Through the portal I see a barren wasteland with various demons roaming. Some are fighting and eating each other. Some are curious about the portal, poking and prodding at it. Others send tendrils and tentacles through the portal like large wriggling worms.

My focus is mainly on Envy, the dark insanity gripping my mind is thrilled at the thought of gutting him and eating both his body and soul. To know if this one tastes better than the last few. He curls his fingers at me, indicating to follow. Envy throws up a hand and whistles on a frequency only the demons can hear. They all turn eyes on us. He points to me. “Lets see how you fare against a small platoon Damien.” The demons begin migrating back and I prepare for the biggest fight of my life. Out of the corner of my eye I see it too late. Two large tentacles reach through the quickly shrinking portal. One grips me, the other Envy. We look to each other and I see genuine fear reflected in his eyes. Right before we’re both swept through the portal and the tear closes up.