Viktor woke up to the sound of someone knocking at his door.

Still half asleep, he got up, yawning with his mouth full of sharp teeth, and then lazily walked downstairs.

[I'm coming, I'm coming! Who's there?] (Viktor)

A female voice answered him from outside.

[Uhm... I am searching for... “Nemesis”, is that right? I am Basmor, the Goddess of Death. I have a soul you need to take care of!] (Female voice)

Viktor stopped for a moment, still dozing off from his nap and wondering what did she mean with “Nemesis”, “goddess of death” and “soul”.

Then, like a downpour of cold water, the memories of the previous day ( or was it a day? It was impossible to tell the time in Hell) surfaced from his memory.

[Oh right! I'm sorry, I'm coming right now!] (Viktor)

He opened the door. In front of him, out of place in that hellish scenario like a lily in the desert, there was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was quite tall and slender (though he was still much taller than her), with silver hairs and grey eyes. Hear features were exquisitely delicate, like those of a flower, but at the same time they also transmitted a sense of rigidy and strenght, like some exceptional work of art made out of silvery steel.

The girl was dressed in simple but elegant white and gray robes, and she carried a hug scythe on her hand. Her appareance was serious and stern, but also elegant and graceful.

A bit surprised, she looked up to his face... and then her eyes wandered down.

Immediately her ivory pallor grew more red, as she was staring without a word with a shocked expression on her face.

Viktor was surprised by that reaction.

Maybe she is surprised by my appareance... after all, I do look like a devil.

And then his own eyes wandered down, and he realize to his horror that he forgot to wear his pants and now was completely nude in front of that girl.

[KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!] (Basmor)

As the girl was shrieking, Viktor immediately hid behind the door.

[I-I am d-deeply sorry! I was sleeping and I just got up and I didn't realize I... I was... ok gimme a minute! I'll be right back after I get myself dressed!] (Viktor)

Still quite panicking, Viktor ran upstairs, where he took his pants and a bathrobe.

He managed to wear the pants without problems, but putting the bathrobe on was almost impossible with his wings. He struggled with it for a good minute, before giving up and returning to the door with just his pants on.

When he got back, Basmor was still waiting at the door, with an embarassed expression still on her face.

[Ehm... sorry about that. As I said, I wasn't expecting visits... to be fair, I didn't you other people could get in here! Also, sorry about not putting a shirt, but... ya know... these wings makes it quite hard to dress up!] (Viktor)

[It's... it's ok, mister! Let's... just forget about what happened, shall we? Also, don't worry about your clothes... some other gods with wings have the same problem.] (Basmor)

The goddess was still flustered, and a moment of awkward silence passed between them, before Viktor resumed the discussion.

[Ehm ehm... you were saying something to me about a soul?] (Viktor)

[Oh yeah... it's here with me.] (Basmor)

The Goddess indicated a small figure behind her.

It was an humanoid creature, but it was quite impossible to tell if it was human or not. It was emaciated, shriveled up, skeletally thin and with a completely gray skin.

It reminded Viktor of Gollum from the Lord of the Rings.

[Is that... thing... the soul?](Viktor)

[Yes.](Basmor)

[Why does it looks like that? Do the mortals of this “new world” have all this appareance?] (Viktor)

Basmor gave a confused look at Viktor.

[No, he looked human while he was alive. My guess is that the corruption of his soul made him look like this. But wait a minute... haven't you been on Domir? Didn't you receive instructions from the God that took us here?] (Basmor)

[Uhm... nope. That jerkass simply told me I was the new god of hell and sent me here in a spray of crimson fire. When I woke up from that I looked like an halloween decoration and was all alone here with the Divine Tutor.] (Viktor)

[Oh. So you're the guy that protested against us being made gods then? We thought you had been destroyed or something!] (Basmor)

[No, that god just told me I was going to be the new god of Hell and dropped me here... didn't you hear him?] (Viktor)

[Well yes, but apart from you, all the other gods appeared in the heavens so we didn't know for sure if you survived or not.] (Basmor)

She gave him a little smile.

[Personally, I'm glad that the Highest One didn't hurt you. You were very brave standing up to him like that!] (Basmor)

[Oh... ehm... thank you!] (Viktor)

This time was Viktor's turn to be flustered. Being complimented by such a beautiful girl was not something that happened to him all the days.

The silence that followed was very uncomfortable, so Viktor decided to talk just to end it.

[Ehm... sooooooo... what am I supposed to do with this soul?] (Viktor)

[Uhm... I don't know actually. The Highest One told me that was my job to ferry the souls of the dead to their afterlife... that is, good souls are reincarnated or go to their god's heaven, while evil souls are sent here in Hell.] (Basmor)

[So this is an evil soul? Again, what am I supposed to do with it?] (Viktor)

Basmor thought for a bit before answering.

[The Highest One said that evil souls are sent to Hell to be purified before going back in the cycle of reincarnation. So my guess is that you have to purify it.] (Basmor)

[And how am I supposed to do that?] (Viktor)

[How would I know that? You are the God of Hell. It's your job, isn't it? Besides, you said you have a Divine Tutor. Why not ask him?] (Basmor)

Viktor frowned as he remembered that annoying being. He really wished he could do without its idiocy and literal mindedness, but apparently he still had urgent things to learn.

[Yeah... I have one. I'll ask him later about what I am supposed to do with this soul.] (Viktor)

[Good. Well then, I'll take my leave now. I can't stay away too long or the souls will probably pile up] (Basmor)

She saluted him and was about to get away, when Viktor stopped her.

[Excuse me! I'd have one last question! How exactly do you leave Hell?] (Viktor)

Basmor looked at him as if she just realized something.

[Oh right, you didn't receive any instruction from the Highest One! Well, you do have the Divine Creation power, right?] (Basmor)

Viktor thought for a moment. The Tutor showed him a list of power, and he remembered something called Divine Creation being in it.

[Uhm... yeah. I do.] (Viktor)

[Well, among the things you can create there are dimentional portals. You can create temporary portals anywhere, or you can create a permant portal in your own Domain... you should be able to create a permanent one here in Hell.] (Basmor)

[Creating a portal requires Divinity Points, so you should be cautious with it. My suggestion is that you create a permanent portal near your home: it's much more costly than a temporary one, but it will cut your expenses in the long run.] (Basmor)

[Oh. So that's how it is. I really should study with the Divine Tutor... sorry for bothering you!] (Viktor)

[Oh, don't worry! I didn't mind it at all!] (Basmor)

Basmor gave him a mischievous smile, causing Viktor to feel weak in the knees.

[Now I really must be off! It was a pleasure meeting you! Just one thing: I may come back with more souls in the future, so try not to wander around naked from now on!] (Basmor)

Viktor blushed heavily at that remainder (luckily his already red skin made that unnoticeable) as he watched Basmor opening a portal and going away while laughing.