Silence.

Heavy fog slowly covers the plane as if to hide the gruesome scene before me.

As I walk amongst the dead bodies I can almost still hear the booming sounds of their attacks clashing against each other, the cries of battle and that gasp of disbelief before their last moment.

Sweeping the ground one last time with my demonic sense, I lift off and fly towards the endless pillar of skulls in the distance. This pillar, one of nine, marks the realm of hatred, currently ruled by my king. Finally me and my brethren were finally able to conquer the last one of the clans, marking the rise of a new Demon Lord in the Nine Hells, the Demon Lord of Hatred!

The Nine Hells is one of many planes of existences and a higher one at that. It houses many immortals, demons, devils or other creatures that have ascended from the lower realms. Each of the nine layers is ruled by a Demon Lord, which in turn are ruled by the god of the Nine Hells. A being that has even transcended arch-demons! A truly terrifying god amongst gods.

Our Lord was very pleased with us and with the last of the resistance annihilated, who could still dare to oppose his rule of this layer?

Contend with that last victory, I increase my speed, moving as a black blurr trough the air with a blinding speed. A few minutes pass until I sense my youngest brother nearby.

"Belevius! I come bearing good news!"

"Ah! Eldest brother, our Lord has been expecting you."

"Has he? So he has send you as my welcoming committee, then? ha!"

"No, I came to warn you, brother. The Lord is awaiting you in the throne room. All of our bretheren were summoned and his sword is laid upon his lap."

"He intends to pass judgement? On whom?"

"You, brother."

"What? I have done nothing wrong!"

"I know... He has not told us anything, but I know you better than anyone. You lead us through so much, elder brother. You are his right hand! His most trusted lieutenant! Let us go, I'm sure everything will work itself out."

"As you wish, brother. Lead on, I will not defy his will."

It took us only a few moments to reach the palace, standing before the massive double doors I look over to Belevius, the youngest of us six brothers, the last of our Lords creations and the weakest of us all.

Steeling myself, I nod and push through, walking into the throne room .

"So, my right hand arrives..."

"Yes, my Lord. I have crushed the last of them. Pitted them against each other and slew the survivors, none shall question your reign!"

"Good."

I remain kneeled, as he had yet to motion me to rise and await his next words. The room is still. As my brother warned me, our Lord is sitting with his sword across his lap, a gesture normally taken when judging criminals, or feuds...

As the questions piled up, I felt an immense pressure. Suddenly displaying his full power I can only gasp as I feel something hot pierce through my chest. Looking up, I see him before me. The one who created me and gave me power. The one who single-handedly raised his empire to conquer the realm of Hatred. The one I pledged my undying loyalty. The Demon Lord of the 7th layer of the Nine Hells.

Even I, a high ranked immortal demon, close to reaching the 9th stage, am powerless before him.

Drawing my face closer, deeply looking into my eyes, he seems somehow sad, as if finding me lacking.

"AAAARGH"

Searing pain started to surface, as he rips his sword out of my heart and turns his back on me, with a swooping motion. There’s faint glow coming off from his sword and somehow everything around him seemed to dim.

Normally such a wound would not do much to stop an immortal demon, nothing would, unless its soul was destroyed. However, my Lord's weapon and attacks would wound your soul directly, destroying it outright, leaving you weakened, or in my case, totally powerless

"Cast him into the lake of the damned."

I could do nothing as my brothers take me and drag me towards the swirling abyss. The Lake of the Damned. Once thrown into it, no one can come back. Your body would slowly be destroyed again and again, as you soul tries to reconstruct its vessel. Endless pain and suffering until one you would break under the stress, either descending into madness or somehow destroying your soul due to the pain.

A fate worst then death and only reserved for traitors and our worst enemies.

"Goodbye... brother."

Maalinu. The second eldest. He was always a dear brother, guarding my back as we felled the hordes of lesser demons, devils and immortals before us, but now, now he would be the one to cast me into my eternal damnation. As my happy memories are being tainted by the anger at this ridiculous situation, I feel a sudden pull and could only take one last look at the ones to carry out this betrayal. Falling to my doom, I look at Maalinu and, ironically, Belevius, the one who warned me.

No word for my defense. No one to stand up for me.

Tumbling, burning with blue, hot fire, I plunge deeper into the abyss.

Eternal agony, unrelenting pain. After what felt like an eternity, my soul healed, while my body is being destroyed, over and over again. Time was standing still. No matter what I did, what I tried to do, the torment would not recede.

Through all this time, through all this madness, I knew one thing: I would take revenge.

Hanging on to that last shred of hope, that powerful motivation, I was coaxed into a sweet sleep. Finally free of all the pain and suffering.

And then:

I awoke.

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This is my first story and English isn't my first language, so please give me feedback and please tell me if you find any mistakes.

It's inspired by the IET Xianxa novels, D&D and a few other things ;)

Hope you enjoy!