Winter Nights of Hell

 

Chapter Seven

A Simple Party

 

A cold breeze whipped around my body, chilling it to the bones. My body shuddered as I wrapped the blanket tightly around me and covered my face. However, the cold breeze came right back through, and I groaned in annoyance. Why the hell was the window open? Huffing, I pulled myself up and out of the bed I was lying in and went to close the spot that was allowing wind to blow through. As I went to shut the door that was left wide open, I realized where I was. I had awakened in Kurai’s room. Confusion ran over me as I tried to recall the events from the night before. Realizing that I had fallen asleep during our session on my side, I lowered my gaze to the side of my body. The wound had been wrapped up again, and I felt at ease. It was nice that he’d let me rest, but I’d much preferred him putting me back in my room. 

Quickly, I changed into new day clothes - something to get through the day but yet be comfortable. Something simple but cute at the same time! Making my way downstairs, I heard soft voices from the kitchen, careful not to wake the sleeping Kurai, who passed out on the couch. Seeing him resting peacefully after the long night made me happy, and a soft, compassionate smile appeared. I gently made my way by him, careful not to wake him, and quietly joined the voices in the kitchen. To my surprise, I saw Enoxon and Astaroth.

I bowed to Astaroth as a form of greeting and then turned to offer Enoxon a friendly smile. 

“Good Morning, Lady Snow,” Astaroth’s calm voice greeted me. He was holding a cup of tea very gently close to his chest. “Enoxon shares with me that you are healing up well.”

I nodded, feeling at ease with them for the past few days. “I don’t feel any pain today, which is wonderful,” I replied.

Enoxon held a cup of tea to me, “Please, make sure you drink some. Astaroth here makes some of the best tea. I always tell him he should open a tea shop whenever he stops being the Crimson Lord’s servant.” 

The Duke awkwardly smiled, putting one of his gloved hands behind his luxurious, long, teal-green, black hair. “Ah, I would never,” He chuckled.

I took the tea from Enoxon and examined it, noticing its exciting color. It was a soft purple-pink color with a little white swirl mixed into it. The tea’s smell melted my body; it was a potent, sweet smell. The aroma was a mixture of rose petals, green tea leaves, milk, and other flavors. 

“It’s similar to Kashmiri Chai from the human world, but with a few slightly different spices,” Astaroth explained.

Taking a sip, I nodded in excitement as the taste lingered. It was incredibly delicious, better than Kashmiri Chai! So much better. Very flavorsome and delicious, I had to agree with Enoxon that this tea was delicious.

“By your reaction, I must say you enjoyed it. That brings me joy,” Astaroth’s harmonious voice responded to my reaction. “Knowing that you are currently comfortable makes me feel at ease, as I am worried about your stay here in the Underworld making you uneasy.”

I lowered the cup from my mouth and replied, “It’s different, that’s for sure.”

“Of course, but it will all work out!” Enoxon chortled happily, taking a sip of his tea. “Oh, that reminds me. Snow, we will be accompanying Astaroth to The Crimson Lord’s Palace Today, so I’d recommend fitting into a more formal outfit. I don’t mean to be rude, but you must blend in with the rest of the castle and village.”

Did he just say we’re headed to the Crimson Lord’s Palace… A place where there are probably hundreds upon hundreds of demons there… I gripped my cup tightly, rubbing the top with my thumbs nervously. I couldn’t imagine running into the demon village with many crazy demons. Weren’t they going to know that I was just a weakened human? 

“You’ve nothing to worry about; you’ll be in the Lord’s castle; I do not suspect that Lord Mundus will allow anything to happen to you, being that you are his Honored Guest tonight and because of Michael’s Rules,” Astaroth reassured me. 

“And not to mention you will be accompanied by one of the most powerful sorcerers known to man here in the Underworld,” Enoxon bragged, elbowing me gently.

“Will Kurai be coming too?” I automatically asked, glancing over my shoulder towards the living room.

“He needs rest,” Enoxon explained.

 A deep breath escaped as I partially agreed to Enoxon’s request. It was only best that Kurai got some rest, especially after probably staying up for hours to treat my wound. Because if he slept on the couch as well, I did feel somewhat sad if he came with us. It was ok - I'm sure Enoxon was a mighty sorcerer. Since Lord Mundus probably didn’t want any trouble, I would be ok. My attention returned to the two standing before me, and I nodded in agreement. “Ok, I will change it into formal, correct?”

“That would be best,” Enoxon replied.

“Of course, it’s not as though we were planning anything crazy. A lot of demons dress formally here in the underworld. It is to be a part of the crowd,” Astaroth shared. “We will be waiting here for you.”

 I gently set my cup of tea down and scrambled out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. While upstairs, I looked through the closet, sifting through all the clothes until I found something that spoke to me. When I saw that piece of clothing, I examined it to ensure no strange markings. It was a long deep shade of red, similar to a maroon wrap dress with a split thigh on my left leg. Still, it was covered with small ruffles on my very high thigh, eventually leading to a black and red jewel holding the split together at the top. The dress, a halter dress, left my shoulders to be exposed but had ruffles on my upper arms. The top of my breasts was revealed within the strapless push-up bra that I wore, and on my left wrist lay a red lace corsage with a little red and black rose on top of it. I pulled up some black heels from the closet and smiled as I examined myself in the mirror. With the final touch, I created a french-braid half-crown with my long white hair and let the rest flow behind me. It took several minutes to do this, but it’s been a long while since I could get all dressed up for an event - a very long time. The bar did not count back in the human realm. 

 As I backed away and revealed myself in the mirror, I did a little twirl and felt extremely confident. I felt flawless - like nothing could ruin this for me. Honestly, I felt like a princess - it made me happy. I left my room before pausing midway when I caught sight of Kurai again - sleeping soundly. I scrambled back to my room and grabbed a piece of paper with a pen on the desk. I wrote down, Gone to Lord Mundus’s Castle. We’ll be back later! I folded it, made my way back down the spiraling staircase, and softly set it down next to Kurai on the couch to ensure he didn’t wake up. 

Turning away from him, I tip-toed my way to the kitchen. I appeared in front of Enoxon and Astaroth, engorged in their conversation. 

“I’m ready~” I interrupted their conversation, quickly apologizing behind it when I realized what I did. “Sorry, I feel just spectacular right now. I haven’t got to dress up in a very long time,” I couldn’t control my excitement as my face turned that blush pink again.

“Wonderful choice, Lady Snow. You will blend in fairly well,” Astaroth complimented me.

I just beamed away; I was just so excited. I did feel like a Princess for a moment with the choice of clothing. “Thank you!” I squealed softly. 

“Very lovely,” Enoxon complimented me, offering a friendly smile. “Kurai will be jealous when he realizes I got to see you in this dress and not him,” His voice teased me gently.

Blood rushed to my face with embarrassment when he stated that, making me turn even a darker shade of pink. Why did he have to joke like that? This was not the time. I tried my best to shake the embarrassment as I backed up my head to lock gazes with Astaroth’s purple stare. “How do we get there?” I asked him.

“It’s quite a bumpy trip, honestly. Come, Lady Snow,” He extended a hand out to me, another arm crossed under his chest. The stance he gave me made him look much like a servant, almost like a butler. But a friendly one. 

I hesitated to take his gloved hand, but I ultimately did. When I took his hand, it wrapped around mine like I was a toddler trying to run off. He pulled me towards him. On my other side, Enoxon took my arm and gave a thumbs up to Astaroth.

“Let us leave,” Astaroth spoke gently, and with a snap of his other hand, a bright blue light shone, surrounding us and engulfing us in nothing but blue lights. My body twisted and turned as this light coursed through and past me. It was nothing like I’d seen or felt before; it made my sideburn a little - not too much. Perhaps because I was so tense, my side began to hurt. 

Within seconds of the bright blue light, we were no longer in the kitchen of Enoxon’s home, and I nearly lost my balance when we appeared there, as we didn’t land 100% on the ground. With the help of Enoxon and Astaroth, I was steadied. I thanked them and immediately was in awe of the corridor we were in. 

Honestly, I was surprised. I thought most of the underworld would consist of flames and fire, as they share in the books. But, seeing that the outside of hell was frozen over, I guess I was wrong. It’s ridiculous to think that the underworld is supposed to be warm and hot, but I was incorrect. Perhaps this has something to do with the ‘chain and ball’ that the Celestials have put on the underworld? It seemed like a very un-angel thing to do of them, to freeze the underworld over. It made me curious about what the underworld possibly did to get frozen over. The statement, ‘I’ll do this or that when Hell Freezes Over,’ would be a thing. 

Back to the Corridor, though… It was brightly lit with older-themed lights. It was almost like a Gothic style, with chandeliers and fancy stairs. In the corridor, two large sets of stairways on both sides of the hallway. Down the hallway, I could see it turn into another hall to the right and left, but I couldn’t see beyond that. The stairs led upwards to a long-stretched hallway on either side wrapped around to meet in the middle. Themed primarily black and red, the corridor was clean and shiny - fit for a King or anyone.

Astaroth’s voice sounded, “This is Miserth Keep within Asphodel Meadows. This is the Crimson Lord’s Home of the Underworld. There is a lot to learn of the Underworld, so please pay attention and learn while you are here,” the Duke introduced the area to me, bowing in respect as he did so. “Now, please do not leave the castle while you are here. It would be unpleasant to leave the castle without an escort.”

Hearing footsteps echoing from down the hall, I hear a shrill squeal. “AH! I had no idea Snow was going to be here! Lord Mundus, you should’ve shared with us that she would be here!” The young girl, Casielle, squealed.

Her sudden squeal caused me to jump back some, tensing up completely, and my heart began to race. Noticing who it was, I greeted the young Celestial. 

“Aw, I didn’t know humans could look so flawless! You’re as perfect as, well, me!” 

Awkwardly, I smiled at her in response as I gazed over her outfit. She was not wearing the armor she had on the other day. She had on colors similar to match Miserth Keep. Her long pink hair was hanging down behind her, curled slightly. Her long, maroon-red dress was decorated with gold. She had a thin golden belt chain wrapped around her waist with wing-like tassels hanging off the side of her hip but connected to the belt. The top of the dress hugged her waist and body kindly, showing her simple curves off the tops of her breasts. The dress was more complex on the top half of her body, wrapping up like a corset with golden lining at the edge wrapped around her breast and shifting to the middle of the corset-like top into almost an arrow. With a metal-plated choker around her neck, a little blue gem lined perfectly with the middle of her breasts, and bracelets of gold and earrings of gold, she did look like an angel. 

“Come with me! I’ll show you the castle; it’s a lovely castle!” She cheered happily, grabbing my hands together and smiling. “We’ll be back later, ta-ta!” The Celestial gently held my hands and tugged me away from the crowd.

I glanced back over my shoulder as I was being pulled after the young girl.

Astaroth and Enoxon smiled, waved a little, and went down the hallway.

Casielle pulled me up the stairs and began providing me with a tour of the Grand Castle while also talking her ear off about the simplest things. She would speak with me about the underworld, how it was, and why it was so different. She was extremely excited; perhaps she didn’t have much freedom outside the underworld.

At the end of the tour, Casielle brought me to one more door. “You’ve seen all the boring stuff of the castle, but it’s very much a marvelous castle. I enjoy it. It’s different from The Celestial World - unique,” The young woman stated, beaming brightly. “However, this is my favorite view in the entire Underworld.” She opened the door from the hallway, leading to a simple, complex deck. I followed her lead as she brought me to the deck's railing. What lay below me, though, was incredible. I got to see the entire city that was laid out before me. We were up relatively high from the ground. It looked like Miserth Keep was on a hill, higher than the rest of the city. Down towards the bottom of the long path surrounded by jagged stones, you could see numerous buildings with lights on; it was a busy city. The city stretched for a pretty mile or two, but I could also see out into the forest at the end of the town. I couldn’t see beyond the woods, but the view was incredible. I could see a long river surrounding one side of the city, while the other was just trees. So, let’s say about ⅔ of the outside of the town was trees, and the last was the river. It blew my mind how incredible this area was.

“With the darkness of the underworld, watching the city lights makes me feel at ease,” Casielle softly spoke, leaning against the railing and watching over.

“This is a wonderful spot; you can see everything,” I murmured, stunned at the view. 

“Yes, we have views in the Celestial Realm, but I have gotten so used to them that seeing something new makes me happy,” Her voice was surprisingly soft now, not as high-pitched as before. “No one gets to see this side of the underworld - this peaceful and quiet side. It’s truly a magical place. I get there are some harsh demons here, but this part of the underworld seems neither bad nor good, just like normal. Like a normal zone of the underworld. I have yet been to other places of the underworld, but knowing that the Crimson Lord is taking care of his Demons here, makes me have hope that the underworld will be free again.”

“Casielle, why are you and, um, excuse me… What was his name?” 

“Zarall, he’s a good Celestial,” Casielle replied as she began twirling her pink hair. 

“Right, Zarall. Why are you here if you and he are from the Celestial World?” I asked her out of curiosity.

She turned around and leaned backward on the railing, her hair gently flowing over it as she stared at the dark skies above us. “A lot is going on between our worlds, and I apologize. However, as per Michael, our duty stays between us and the Lord.” A friendly but apologetic smile appeared as she continued, “One day, I’m sure I can reminisce with you regarding what has happened, but for now, I must keep it on the down low.” 

I completely understood what she meant when she said it needed to be kept on the down low. As a Celestial Being, she had her duties and responsibilities she needed to attend to - that meant keeping her secrets and missions, or whatever, between her and Michael, which, if I remember correctly, is the Celestial’s Strongest archangel. He was their word and their leader. As far as I can remember, a significant figure to the rest of the Celestials within the books I’ve seen in the human world. 

“Can you tell me why the Underworld is frozen?” I asked her.

She shook her head, “Nah, I assumed it’s because of their watch over the underworld. I don’t know much, but I know it’ll be ok. Things will work out. I have this feeling,” The pink-haired Celestial smiled.

“What’s it like being an angel.. Or celestial? Which do you prefer?” Besides their looks, I was genuinely curious about the difference between an angel and a demon. 

“Being a Celestial is pretty magical,” another voice sounded behind us. 

The sudden voice spooked me a little, causing me to jump a bit and my blood pressure to rise as I turned around to see who was there. To my surprise, it was the other Celestial - Zarall. Tall, Blonde, and angelic looking - that’s how I described him. 

“Hey, Zarall!” Casielle greeted with a cheer. “Come join us!” 

“Thank you,” he replied to her, joining her and me on the railing. His blonde hair ruffled in the gentle breeze as he did so. His voice was soft and harmonious, “Being a Celestial feels like… Almost like magic, honestly. It’s like, we are just these flying creatures that get to see so much of the world while also ensuring the safety of our chosen human to protect - we are their guardian angels.” He explained it to me. “Knowing that we can choose a human to watch over and protect, or guide when they need us… Knowing that we have someone relying on us to protect them… It can be scary, but it can also be very heartwarming. We don’t get to talk to our humans 1 on 1, as it can cause a scary theme. But we are there for them when they need us - in their darkest times. One could describe it as though we’re their light on rock bottom. Different rankings in the Celestial World mean different power and strengths.” 

Listening to Zarall, I couldn’t help but smile, thinking about how I had a guardian angel. Granted, I wondered where they were in my times of darkness - thinking back to my parents. Indeed there was someone there watching out over me. “Do all humans have a guardian angel?” 

“Honestly, no,” Zarall replied. “Some humans do not. Perhaps in the sense that an angel has not been assigned to you, something happened to your angel, or even no one wants to take on a specific human. That doesn’t mean you’re alone, though.”

“Doesn’t mean you’ve been forgotten either,” Casielle’s voice chimed in gently. “There is so much we can do to ensure a human has a guardian angel - whether we pick that person or are assigned to them. It just depends on the situation and the rank one has been given. I don’t have a human, nor does Zarall. However, since we are busy with other obligations, we do not have time to interfere with a human’s life,” Her voice seemed to trail off towards the end, getting quieter as she ended her topic. A flicker of sadness crossed her face as though she was disappointed in this event.

“Butttttt,” Zarall chuckled, putting a hand on the woman’s back and patting it, “We’ll get one soon, I’m sure of it!” He seemed to try his best to comfort her. 

With a comforting touch, she turned her head towards him and smiled as she replied, “You’re right. Thanks, Zarall.”

I felt awkward in their conversation, so I offered myself out. I told them I was going to catch up with Eno and Astaroth. I thanked Casielle and Zarall for the information and exited the deck and into the hallway corridor. I tried to remember how to get back downstairs, leaving the two Celestials to their own business. Miserth Keep was a large castle, easy to get lost in. It was a beautiful castle, though, with so many pictures on the wall. I even came across a hallway lined with portraits of kings - I assumed previous kings that used to rule - which I couldn’t imagine were many, but enough to be in the underworld. Do Underworld kings even die? I was curious, that’s for sure. Walking down the hallway, I thought I saw three different portraits, so not many. I remember someone stating there were other kingdoms in the underworld - so does that mean this wasn’t the only ‘kingdom’ in the underworld? Was Lord Mundus not the only king? Was he even a king? I thought back to the ones who called him the Crimson Prince. So who was his king? Was there a King? I was generally curious.

I stared at these portraits and studied them for a moment; that’s when my eyes landed on a specific picture of a man and woman together, one with long white hair similar to that of the Crimson Prince’s. I read the little reading underneath it as it said, Zonoth & Serelia. Their faces with blank expressions, but the female Serelia had long red hair, blazing a glory under the moonlight in the picture. Her horns were tall and black, and she had amber eyes. She looked graceful in her black dress, shoulders exposed and even a little of her thigh exposed. As for the other, Lord Zonoth, he had medium-white thick hair and red-orange eyes, standing tall with a highly smug look, very prideful. His thick black horns curled up and around. 

“I did share with you that it would be dangerous to wander alone, Lady Snow,” Astaroth’s voice sounded from the side of me. “I see you didn’t take my advice very well.”

Completely embarrassed, I acted as though I didn’t even hear him. I just studied the picture before me, looking at their blank faces and frowning. How could you not want to at least pose for a portrait? Then again, I kept forgetting this was the underworld. These are just the world’s rulers - they keep the demons from fleeing and attacking humans.

“I see you came upon Lord Zonoth’s and Lady Serelia’s portrait; they were wonderful rulers,” He explained, coming up beside me. “However, misfortune cast upon them, and they vanished without a trace.”

Misfortune? I questioned myself, examining the photo. They didn’t look happy, but they did look peaceful.

“With the Ruler’s disappearance, Astudorm had no ruler. The 8 Lords came together and then appointed Lord Mundus as the ruler of the underworld, as none of the seven brothers wished to take over an entire underworld. They had their problems in their regions, unfortunately. The Crimson Lord was not completely up to the task then, but the demons needed someone to lead them after the… Well, war.”

“That’s rather sad,” I murmured, frowning. “Did they not have a child to take over? Is Lord Mundus, not theirs?”

Astaroth shook his head, “No, but he was a family friend of theirs. With the issues the two Lords had caused for the underworld, it is best they not be around right now,” He stated firmly. A hint of frustration showed in his posture. “Anyway, Lord Mundus is awaiting you to join him and the others for a toast - and to celebrate, come along.” 

I wonder what kind of issues the previous power couple had caused for the underworld - especially since they did not have a child to take over the throne if something happened. Turning away, I followed Astaroth down the stairs and into the corridor. 

He brought me From the corridor to a large party room full of chattering guests - I presumed they were here for the toast Lord Mundus had to share with his kingdom. The party room was large and full of numerous tables and couches. It didn’t seem very formal, and a lot of the guests were sitting on these couches and relaxing while others were standing around the table that layout for food. As Astaroth and I entered the room, I immediately felt uncomfortable. Numerous eyes had landed on me, acknowledging that I was with Astaroth. They brought up to the Lord Mundus, who was sitting at a table with a drink in his hand, a large and robust potent drink, if I may add. Beside him was Enoxon and even the Celestials. 

“Ahhhh, there’s Snow!” He exclaimed with a laughing holler. The smell of a strange foul odor, I presumed, was a type of underworld alcohol. It was interesting knowing that the Crimson Lord was drinking, but it was a party. “Now, we can really get this party started!” The king stood up and held his cup, gently tapping it with his spoon. “Honorable Guests of Asturdorm, I want to say thank you for joining my new friends and me as we celebrate another wonderful day here! We welcome the Celestials, Casielle, and Zarall, to our realm as we work with them to locate the Reaper and help guide those of Lost Souls to the correct realms. Please, give them a round of applause,” He howled to the group. 

Within seconds, the room was clapping their hands and cheering. It wasn’t a packed room, but enough to make it feel lively. “We welcome a new demon as well, this is Snow, and she will also be working alongside the Celestials and me to help guide lost souls.”

Demon? Did he just call me a DEMON? I was genuinely 100% confused. Why was he addressing me as a Demon? Couldn’t they sense I wasn’t a demon? I felt tense, and my heart began to race a bit. The only thing I could think to do was force, what looked horrible, smile, and give a little wave. Enoxon’s hand rested on my shoulder as if telling me to relax. However, I couldn’t relax. 

“And, of course, we welcome back the all-powerful Sorcerer, Enoxon. He will continue to dispel the curses that lay around us as we continue our journey in restoring peace with the Celestials and the Human World,” Lord Mundus called. “Cheers!” He held his cup up, followed by the rest of the room, and everyone continued to enjoy their parties. “Snow! Please, enjoy a drink! We appreciate you taking the time to come to our kingdom and enjoy this party with us. It isn’t often we get special guests.”

I was even more confused. Here, the Lord that cast me an evil gaze the entire time he first met me and the encounter with Kurai, now he’s lying to the rest of his kingdom about me being a demon. Indeed there was a good cause behind it, though. I shakily took the drink from him and bowed in respect to him, knowing that I had to build good terms with this Demon King if I wanted to ensure my safety. He could easily cast me out or even kill me or have someone kill me. He was the Lord or prince or king or whatever you wanted to call him of the underworld. His power was probably 10x more intense than Kurai’s. It had to be if he was the Prince in Line. I spoke as I bowed to him, “Thank you, My Lord.”

“You are a friend to my brother and my Duke; you are a friend to me,” Lord Mundus offered a cheer as he came over to greet me. 

“Brother?” I caught myself repeating and immediately bit my tongue. “Excuse me, I apologize for my repetition,” I quickly stated and bowed my head back to him in apologies. 

“Brother Kurai, yes. I consider him my brother,” Lord Mundus walked past me and out towards his party guest, “Excuse me as I greet and communicate with my honored guests. Please, help yourself. Casielle and Zarall, will you please join me?” 

The three left and joined the party guest on the floor as Lord Mundus introduced the two Celestials to the common folk - or Demons. I was stunned as I watched the three of them. I didn’t realize that Kurai and the Crimson Prince were siblings - there is no way! 

Enoxon chuckled, “They are not blood brothers if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Then… What?” I questioned him, joining him at the table he and Astaroth were sitting at - enjoying their drink that I hesitated to drink. The last time I took a sip of alcohol, I was nearly killed. Even the pungent smell burned my nose, and the memories would even fade back to me. 

The Young looking sorcerer smiled as I sat beside him. “Kurai and Lord Mundus have been together pretty much since Kurai was born, granted Lord Mundus is much older than he is. However, when Lord Mundus came across the Nogitsune, he felt sorry for him, took him in, and gave him a home. Believe it or not, Nogitsune isn’t very welcomed in many parts of his home or the Human World. Lord Mundus, being the good guy he is, couldn’t watch a small helpless cub suffer,” Enoxon explained. His soft green eyes locked with mine, and he continued, “Being so, Lord Mundus taught him a lot, partially because he has five tails at such a young age. To be taught by the most powerful demon of the underworld… I can only imagine what a Fox Spirit learned…” The sorcerer trailed off as his eyes shifted to the Lord, who continued to greet more tables. 

“How can the Prince of the Underworld be kind…” I murmured, confused. This was the underworld - demons and hatred lay here. Did it not? 

“Demons aren’t as bad as you think. Now drink up, and let’s have some fun!” Enoxon cheered, taking a large sip of his drink and downing it within a few seconds. I was impressed that he did that so quickly, and I immediately could tell he was slightly tipsy. Enoxon had already had a drink or two beforehand and swayed very gently. He immediately took off to the crowd and began to join them, dancing to the loud music. 

My gaze lowered to the drink, and I shrugged. If I get drugged again, I have a reason to hate Lord Mundus or Astaroth. But why not? I’d probably never get to try this again - this was an Underworld Specialty. 

“Take it easy, please,” Astaroth’s worried tone sounded in my ear.

I looked up at the Duke, standing above me, slightly leaning over and eyeballing the drink in my hand. “Did you put something extra in it?” I asked him with a slight chuckle. 

The demon shook his head, frowning. “I could never. That would go against all moral codes of mine–”

“Perfect!” I cut him off and took a large sip of the alcohol, immediately burning my throat. Damn, that stuff was a lot stronger than I thought it was. Typically, I base the type of alcohol off its smell - being that I was a bartender from the human world. This wasn’t a typical human alcohol like tequila or rum or anything but a mixture of something spicy with some strange type of alcohol. It tasted similar to Sake but had a bit more of a sweeter taste - like a mixture of Sake and something else. Either way, it was hot and not something I could take a shot off. 

I smiled up at him, and he just looked distraught. His eyes glazed over as he watched my reactions to the alcohol. “Do you dance? I think even a Duke should have fun,” I cheered at him. 

“I am here to Supervise,” He immediately retorted, putting his hands behind his back and straightening his posture. 

Rolling my eyes, I pushed myself off the table and tilted my head, studying him. Was he being serious? Because if he was, that was extremely saddening.

“Typically, Lord Mundus gets a bit over the top.”

I cut him off again by gently pushing the Duke away from the table and into the crowd dancing to the music and enjoying their alcohol. The alcohol in my system didn’t immediately take effect, but I could feel my body beginning to loosen up. I had nothing to worry about except being in a room full of demons, but that was nothing, right?

After what felt like hours of dancing and hanging around, I was beginning to feel restless. I had entered the crowd, forcing Astaroth to join me. He was a bit uneasy at first and felt extremely awkward. But I think he eventually took the opportunity to enjoy himself, as he danced a little with me and Enoxon, who had joined us shortly after I went onto the floor. Astaroth had not had anything to drink, so I guess, in a way, he was supervising the party - like a parent would at a prom with dumb students who thought they could sneak the sneaky links in the bathroom or the powder on the counter - very sad. Astaroth acted like a parent supervisor regarding several arguments between the demons. However, he broke them up well, not just separating them. He’d often try to lighten their mood and change their focus - like a parent to a toddler. 

It was crazy to think that, as a human, I was blending right in with these demons - even with solid alcohol in my system. I was lucky to handle most of my alcohol, which was nice. Being a bartender had its perks! During our dancing sessions, Lord Mundus had even made his way over to the three of us and joined us for a song or two to dance to, with Casielle and Zarall, of course. Honestly, it felt like a fantastic time - I felt like I was at karaoke night with a couple of friends enjoying a fun night of drinks. There were no issues between myself and someone; I was just a part of the crowd. That’s what I loved - being a part of something. There were demons and angels here, and I was a human. It was a big fairy tale, literally. 

I had escaped the crowd and made my way outside. I’m not sure where I stumbled onto it, but it smelled sweet where I had made my way too. I was a bit tipsy, but I could at least walk, and my voice wasn’t slurred. Outside the hall, I looked around and embraced the cold, crisp air. It was hot with the rest of the crowd, and the smell of alcohol was more pungent every second. Demons could drink like no tomorrow without feeling extremely intoxicated. I wasn’t the least bit cold, though, even though the slight snow was falling gently. I was still very much confused that it was snowing here, but I was interested, to say the least. There was a lot to learn if they’d allow me. As I sat here thinking, something in the distance of the zone interested me. A flicker of blue, shimmering in and out. A bit flustered, I approached the shimmering blue in the distance. I noticed I was in a garden, but the blue shimmering was leading me down a path away from the castle. The blue shimmer reminded me of the creature I saw the other night before I was attacked, and I wanted to know what it was. 

Down the path were surrounding large spikey-boulders that led me into town to find some kind of crazy adventure. I was sure of it. 

 

Lord Zonoth and Lady Serelia~