Lady Cruciata Carrionfly sat in her father's garden, staring sadly at the spot where the Chaos entity has struck down Pava. Her father would have to do this to Pava right when Cruciata was beginning to truly understand what the sweet young peacock demoness was worth. But, of course, that was what irked Beelzebub so badly. As a former human, Pava had no worth that he could see. Moreover, he seemed so determined to punish Cruciata for going to Michael and Baal. But Cruciata had gotten her revenge through her silence when she allowed the Iron Knights to poison the majority of the Eighth Circle's court.
Now came Cruciata next ordeal. Nergal, Chief of Hell's Secret Police, would make sure that she was arrested. That wily demon knew the red tape of Hell's bureaucracy so well that even Lucifer himself would not be able to prevent her trial. No matter who might champion her, all they could do is allow her to go to trial and try to prove her innocence... to a bunch of judges appointed by Beelzebub in his capacity as Chief of Justice. This would be an uphill battle, but would Cruciata even want to succeed if Pava were to die?
Cruciata was snapped out of her reverie by a squad of demons led by a lion-headed demon with the horns of a bull and the wings of a vulture. Lord Nergal Deathfire, Chief of the Secret Police!
Two burly agents of the secret police grabbed Cruciata by her arms while Nergal glared at her. "Lady Cruciata Carrionfly," he growled, "you are charged with the murder of Lord Beelzebub Carrionfly, Archduke of the Eighth Circle of Hell, Lord of pollution and vermin, Chief of Justice, Grandmaster of the Order of the Fly, Overseer of Gluttony and Idolatry, and Grand Chamberlain to King Lucifer! Moreover, you are further charged with the murder of 36 other demons, conspiracy with the Iron Knights, conspiracy with the Heavenly Inquisition, the attempted murder of Lady Tenebra, illegal espionage, weakening the anti-Chaos seals of Hell and Earth, the conjuration of a minor Chaos entity, and the involuntary demonslaughter of Pava. How do you plead?"
"Innocent to all charges except conspiracy with the Iron Knights and the attempted murder of Lady Tenebra," said Cruciata, "and Baal and Michael promised me immunity regarding those two."
"Michael is a traitor to House Morningstar," Nergal scoffed, "and Baal has no authority over the legal courts. I do as Chief of the Secret Police and Acting Chief of Justice in Beelzebub's unfortunate absence. Now, you'll be coming with me." With that, Cruciata was chained up and dragged through a portal leading to a prison.
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Kushiel drank a toast to his ripening schemes. Jehovah thought He knew everything, but Kushiel had Him just as fooled as Beelzebub had scammed Lucifer. Jehovah thought Kushiel was putting the Iron Knights in the Inquisition to keep an eye on them, but he was actually planning to use them to assault the wedding as soon as it finally came. In light of an Archduke's murder, the death of loved ones at a wedding could easily push Jehovah and Lucifer over the edge and get them shouting accusations at each other.
Once the war was back on, Kushiel would ensure that Hell was finally obliterated once and for all. Once that was done, Kushiel would use the Iron Knights to destroy Jehovah and crown himself the new God. Jehovah was really quite an inefficient God, Kushiel thought. The old fool grew more merciful with each century. His kindness was making Him too weak to properly defend the cosmos from Chaos. Heaven needed a ruthless and decisive God ruling over it... It needed a God like Kushiel.
Well, all in good time. Kushiel sipped his sherry, dreaming of rulership. He would succeed where Lucifer failed, and he would do it by being subtle. Why fail at deposing God in a flamboyant war when you could do it through cold, brutal espionage? Kushiel would triumph over Jehovah and Lucifer alike by doing what he did best...