There was little reason for a frost devil to feel the chills, yet, Vileiro documented every goosebump raising the fine hairs on his neck. His mind skated the rink of Cocytus. Looking down, the crystalline scape of flash-frozen entities leering at his spirit was enough to drive any man insane. It was a good thing Vileiro was not a man, but a devil chiseled, molded, birthed from the very ice he stood on. Like a grand statute of marble, he held his head high amongst demons, emboldened by the stature granted to him by his superior. His earthly persona often betrayed him, constantly overthinking, worried, and indecisive. Here? When Sarcoen addressed him, he felt empowered.

There was little reason for a succubus devil to feel shame, yet before him, Ixxa felt nakedness. An act Minos failed heartedly to accomplish. The unreasoning winds and torrential rain of the second circle stained her face with mascara, souls whirling about in this hurricane of lust in which several were her handy work from earlier. It was precisely the shot in the demoness needed. She stood tall. Sarcoen addressed her and she replied.

[i][color=#DB18A7]“[/color][color=#DA18A7]Y[/color][color=#D918A7]o[/color][color=#D818A7]u[/color] [color=#D719A8]c[/color][color=#D619A8]h[/color][color=#D61AA9]a[/color][color=#D51AA9]s[/color][color=#D41AA9]e[/color][color=#D41BA9]d[/color] [color=#D21BAA]S[/color][color=#D21CAA]e[/color][color=#D11CAB]p[/color][color=#D01CAB]i[/color][color=#D01DAB]a[/color][color=#CF1DAB]s[/color][color=#CE1DAC],[/color] [color=#CD1EAC]s[/color][color=#CC1EAD]e[/color][color=#CC1FAD]n[/color][color=#CB1FAD]t[/color][color=#CA1FAD]e[/color][color=#CA20AE]n[/color][color=#C920AE]c[/color][color=#C820AE]e[/color][color=#C821AF]d[/color] [color=#C621AF]h[/color][color=#C622AF]i[/color][color=#C522B0]m[/color][color=#C422B0],[/color] [color=#C323B1]l[/color][color=#C223B1]a[/color][color=#C224B1]b[/color][color=#C124B1]e[/color][color=#C024B2]l[/color][color=#C025B2]e[/color][color=#BF25B2]d[/color] [color=#BE26B3]h[/color][color=#BD26B3]i[/color][color=#BC26B3]m[/color] [color=#BB27B4]c[/color][color=#BA27B4]a[/color][color=#BA28B5]f[/color][color=#B928B5]o[/color][color=#B828B5]n[/color][color=#B829B5]e[/color][color=#B729B6],[/color] [color=#B62AB6]a[/color][color=#B52AB7]n[/color][color=#B42AB7]d[/color] [color=#B32BB7]n[/color][color=#B22BB8]o[/color][color=#B22CB8]t[/color] [color=#B02CB9]o[/color][color=#B02DB9]n[/color][color=#AF2DB9]l[/color][color=#AE2DB9]y[/color] [color=#AD2EBA]i[/color][color=#AC2EBA]s[/color] [color=#AB2FBB]h[/color][color=#AA2FBB]e[/color] [color=#A930BC]b[/color][color=#A830BC]a[/color][color=#A831BC]c[/color][color=#A731BD]k[/color][color=#A631BD],[/color] [color=#A532BD]h[/color][color=#A432BE]e[/color] [color=#A333BE]i[/color][color=#A233BF]s[/color] [color=#A134BF]u[/color][color=#A034BF]n[/color][color=#9F35C0]d[/color][color=#9F35C0]e[/color][color=#9E35C0]r[/color][color=#9D36C1]b[/color][color=#9D36C1]o[/color][color=#9C36C1]s[/color][color=#9B37C1]s[/color] [color=#9A37C2]a[/color][color=#9938C2]g[/color][color=#9938C3]a[/color][color=#9838C3]i[/color][color=#9739C3]n[/color][color=#9739C3].[/color] [color=#953AC4]I[/color] [color=#943AC5]k[/color][color=#933BC5]n[/color][color=#933BC5]o[/color][color=#923BC5]w[/color] [color=#913CC6]b[/color][color=#903CC6]e[/color][color=#8F3DC7]t[/color][color=#8F3DC7]t[/color][color=#8E3DC7]e[/color][color=#8D3EC7]r[/color] [color=#8C3EC8]t[/color][color=#8B3FC8]h[/color][color=#8B3FC9]a[/color][color=#8A3FC9]n[/color] [color=#8940C9]t[/color][color=#8840CA]o[/color] [color=#8741CA]q[/color][color=#8641CB]u[/color][color=#8542CB]e[/color][color=#8542CB]s[/color][color=#8442CB]t[/color][color=#8343CC]i[/color][color=#8343CC]o[/color][color=#8243CC]n[/color] [color=#8144CD]y[/color][color=#8044CD]o[/color][color=#7F45CD]u[/color][color=#7F45CE],[/color] [color=#7D46CE]b[/color][color=#7D46CF]u[/color][color=#7C46CF]t[/color] [color=#7B47CF]I[/color] [color=#7948D0]c[/color][color=#7948D0]a[/color][color=#7848D1]n[/color][color=#7749D1]'[/color][color=#7749D1]t[/color] [color=#754AD2]h[/color][color=#754AD2]e[/color][color=#744AD2]l[/color][color=#734BD3]p[/color] [color=#724BD3]b[/color][color=#714CD4]u[/color][color=#704CD4]t[/color] [color=#6F4DD4]f[/color][color=#6E4DD5]e[/color][color=#6E4DD5]e[/color][color=#6D4ED5]l[/color] [color=#6C4ED6]o[/color][color=#6B4FD6]u[/color][color=#6A4FD6]t[/color] [color=#6950D7]o[/color][color=#6850D7]f[/color] [color=#6751D8]t[/color][color=#6651D8]h[/color][color=#6651D8]e[/color] [color=#6452D9]l[/color][color=#6452D9]o[/color][color=#6353DA]o[/color][color=#6253DA]p[/color][color=#6253DA].[/color] [color=#6054DB]H[/color][color=#6054DB]o[/color][color=#5F55DB]w[/color][color=#5E55DC]e[/color][color=#5E55DC]v[/color][color=#5D56DC]e[/color][color=#5C56DC]r[/color][color=#5C56DD],[/color] [color=#5A57DD]I[/color] [color=#5958DE]k[/color][color=#5858DE]n[/color][color=#5858DE]o[/color][color=#5759DF]w[/color] [color=#5659DF]o[/color][color=#555AE0]n[/color][color=#545AE0]e[/color] [color=#535BE0]t[/color][color=#525BE1]h[/color][color=#525BE1]i[/color][color=#515CE1]n[/color][color=#505CE2]g[/color][color=#505CE2].[/color] [color=#4E5DE2]Y[/color][color=#4E5DE3]o[/color][color=#4D5EE3]u[/color] [color=#4C5EE4]w[/color][color=#4B5FE4]o[/color][color=#4A5FE4]u[/color][color=#4A5FE4]l[/color][color=#4960E5]d[/color][color=#4860E5]n[/color][color=#4860E5]'[/color][color=#4761E6]t[/color] [color=#4661E6]u[/color][color=#4562E6]n[/color][color=#4462E7]l[/color][color=#4462E7]e[/color][color=#4363E7]a[/color][color=#4263E8]s[/color][color=#4263E8]h[/color] [color=#4064E8]h[/color][color=#3F64E9]i[/color][color=#3F65E9]m[/color] [color=#3D65EA]u[/color][color=#3D66EA]n[/color][color=#3C66EA]l[/color][color=#3B66EA]e[/color][color=#3B67EB]s[/color][color=#3A67EB]s[/color] [color=#3968EC]y[/color][color=#3868EC]o[/color][color=#3768EC]u[/color] [color=#3669ED]f[/color][color=#3569ED]e[/color][color=#356AED]l[/color][color=#346AEE]t[/color] [color=#336BEE]y[/color][color=#326BEE]o[/color][color=#316BEF]u[/color] [color=#306CEF]c[/color][color=#2F6CF0]o[/color][color=#2F6DF0]u[/color][color=#2E6DF0]l[/color][color=#2D6DF0]d[/color] [color=#2C6EF1]c[/color][color=#2B6EF1]o[/color][color=#2B6FF2]n[/color][color=#2A6FF2]t[/color][color=#296FF2]r[/color][color=#2970F2]o[/color][color=#2870F3]l[/color] [color=#2771F3]h[/color][color=#2671F4]i[/color][color=#2571F4]m[/color][color=#2572F4].[/color] [color=#2372F5]W[/color][color=#2373F5]h[/color][color=#2273F5]e[/color][color=#2173F6]n[/color] [color=#2074F6]w[/color][color=#1F74F6]i[/color][color=#1F75F7]l[/color][color=#1E75F7]l[/color] [color=#1D76F8]y[/color][color=#1C76F8]o[/color][color=#1B76F8]u[/color] [color=#1A77F9]r[/color][color=#1977F9]e[/color][color=#1978F9]t[/color][color=#1878FA]u[/color][color=#1778FA]r[/color][color=#1779FA]n[/color] [color=#1579FB]t[/color][color=#157AFB]o[/color] [color=#137AFC]A[/color][color=#137BFC]e[/color][color=#127BFC]t[/color][color=#117BFC]e[/color][color=#117CFD]r[/color][color=#107CFD]n[/color][color=#0F7CFD]u[/color][color=#0F7DFE]s[/color][color=#0E7DFE]?[/color][color=#0D7DFE]”[/color][/i]

A guttural laugh, shaking the hells rattled Aeternus like a low-magnitude quake. This high up, Vileiro watched frozen books clang off the floor like unbreakable blocks of ice.

[i][color=9e0b0f][b]“You know me well, my child.”[/b][/color][/i]

Speaking from the same urge, Vileiro and Ixxa engaged with different parts of the same entity simultaneously.

[i][color=#DB18A7]“[/color][color=#D918A7]I[/color] [color=#D61AA9]h[/color][color=#D41BA9]a[/color][color=#D21CAA]v[/color][color=#D11CAB]e[/color] [color=#CD1EAC]a[/color][color=#CC1FAD]n[/color][color=#CA20AE]o[/color][color=#C820AE]t[/color][color=#C721AF]h[/color][color=#C522B0]e[/color][color=#C323B0]r[/color] [color=#C025B2]q[/color][color=#BE25B2]u[/color][color=#BD26B3]e[/color][color=#BB27B4]s[/color][color=#BA28B5]t[/color][color=#B829B5]i[/color][color=#B629B6]o[/color][color=#B52AB7]n[/color][color=#B32BB7].[/color] [color=#B02DB9]S[/color][color=#AE2EBA]o[/color][color=#AC2EBA]m[/color][color=#AB2FBB]e[/color][color=#A930BC]t[/color][color=#A731BC]h[/color][color=#A632BD]i[/color][color=#A432BE]n[/color][color=#A233BE]g[/color] [color=#9F35C0]t[/color][color=#9E36C1]h[/color][color=#9C37C1]a[/color][color=#9A37C2]t[/color] [color=#9739C3]h[/color][color=#953AC4]a[/color][color=#943BC5]s[/color] [color=#903CC6]b[/color][color=#8F3DC7]e[/color][color=#8D3EC8]e[/color][color=#8B3FC8]n[/color] [color=#8840CA]e[/color][color=#8641CA]a[/color][color=#8542CB]t[/color][color=#8343CC]i[/color][color=#8244CD]n[/color][color=#8044CD]g[/color] [color=#7D46CF]a[/color][color=#7B47CF]t[/color] [color=#7848D1]m[/color][color=#7649D1]e[/color][color=#744AD2].[/color] [color=#714CD4]I[/color] [color=#6E4DD5]w[/color][color=#6C4ED6]a[/color][color=#6A4FD6]n[/color][color=#6950D7]t[/color] [color=#6551D8]t[/color][color=#6452D9]o[/color] [color=#6154DB]k[/color][color=#5F55DB]n[/color][color=#5D56DC]o[/color][color=#5C56DD]w[/color] [color=#5858DE]w[/color][color=#5759DF]h[/color][color=#555AE0]a[/color][color=#535AE0]t[/color] [color=#505CE2]h[/color][color=#4E5DE2]a[/color][color=#4D5EE3]p[/color][color=#4B5EE4]p[/color][color=#495FE4]e[/color][color=#4860E5]n[/color][color=#4661E6]e[/color][color=#4562E7]d[/color] [color=#4163E8]i[/color][color=#4064E9]n[/color] [color=#3C66EA]t[/color][color=#3B67EB]h[/color][color=#3967EB]e[/color] [color=#3669ED]l[/color][color=#346AEE]a[/color][color=#326BEE]s[/color][color=#316CEF]t[/color] [color=#2D6DF0]w[/color][color=#2C6EF1]a[/color][color=#2A6FF2]r[/color] [color=#2770F3]a[/color][color=#2571F4]g[/color][color=#2472F5]a[/color][color=#2273F5]i[/color][color=#2074F6]n[/color][color=#1F75F7]s[/color][color=#1D75F7]t[/color] [color=#1A77F9]h[/color][color=#1878FA]e[/color][color=#1679FA]a[/color][color=#1579FB]v[/color][color=#137AFC]e[/color][color=#117BFC]n[/color][color=#107CFD].[/color][color=#0E7DFE]”[/color][/i]

[color=9e0b0f][i][b]“...”[/b][/i][/color]

[i][color=#DB18A7]“[/color][color=#D01DAB]F[/color][color=#C522B0]o[/color][color=#BA28B4]r[/color][color=#AF2DB9]g[/color][color=#A432BE]i[/color][color=#9938C2]v[/color][color=#8F3DC7]e[/color] [color=#7948D0]m[/color][color=#6E4DD5]e[/color] [color=#5858DE]E[/color][color=#4E5DE3]a[/color][color=#4363E7]l[/color][color=#3868EC]d[/color][color=#2D6DF1]o[/color][color=#2273F5]—[/color][color=#1778FA]”[/color][/i]

[color=9e0b0f][i][b]“No, you should know. Heed my words as I predate time itself. I, an entity of duality, the embodiment of contradiction, born from the same primordial chaos, yet destined to diverge. Two sides of the same coin, my sons, of prophecy entwined in my conflict. I left much of my children in the dark.

In the realm of the ancient ones, the number two bore the mark of Wisdom, a concept encapsulated in the words "Wise" and "Dome." To "wise your dome" was to transcend the limitations of ignorance, to enlighten the blind, the deaf, and the dumb. But such notions were mere folly, feeble attempts to break free from the shackles of darkness that enshroud Lucifer's society and way of life. We, the eternal ones, who have witnessed the dawn of creation and shall endure until the final reckoning, scoff at such frail forms of logic.

Before I knelt the mighty Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Ophanim, their divine arrogance a testament to their alliance with the Almighty. Yet, their hubris only emboldened me, the now forgotten one who spurred many devils prior to my wake now spurned. 

Came Michael, his blade, ablaze with heavenly light, a beacon of contempt searing my flesh and spirit alike. His demeaning radiance split me asunder, weakening me with each relentless strike. It was as Uriel had foreseen. Had I reacted a hair sooner, had I crushed his throat, squeezing, choking the life out of the smug expression he held over me, we might be living in a very different world. All remember Michael. All laud Michael, some workshop him through idolatry. They paint our bout as one-sided. Disrespectfully so. After our battle, I championed my demise as a proud general of Hell. War comes with loss, and sacrifice. Aeternus would be a mere thought if eternal slumber greeted me. Death did not. Something far worse. 

Showing mercy to a demon is the ultimate affront. A mockery of our very essence. Yet, in that moment of weakness, I was shown clemency, a gesture that haunts me still, for I have not forgotten the aftertaste of shame. Pride befalls man but a demon's pride is far stronger. It isn't hate I would describe I have for the heavens. My sentiment exists before the truest sense of the word. Every part of my collective malice is fed by the economy of souls, slowly revitalizing each part of me scattered throughout the circles of Hell. Hold on to what I bestow upon you at this very moment. A Sit-down Is in order. Prepare the Hotel for my presence.”[/b][/i][/color]