Metatron and Father Patrick Murphy slowly crept closer and closer to the gates of Dis. Metatron hastily cast a spell to disguise himself as a fearsome bat demon. "We need to enter stealthily," said the disguised angel. "The official story is that I'm a colonel in the Infernal army and you're my slave. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," Father Patrick said. "I'm not a proud man. I'll play whatever role it takes to free the human-born from Nergal's tyranny. My... my niece is somewhere in there. A depraved demoness named Senator Gemyem Sandstorm stole her from a convent over forty years ago. I hope she still lives."
"We will free her," said Metatron, "I promise."
"I also pity the royal concubines," sighed Father Patrick.
"Royal concubines?!" Metatron repeated indignantly. "I thought Lucifer was against kidnapping humans, and loyal to Lilith besides!"
"This is all true," sighed Father Patrick, "but these concubines are not ex-humans. They are disgraced nobles who lost Lucifer's favor. As for Lucifer's monogamy, the concubines aren't actually for his use. He keeps them to entertain his courtiers and visiting dignitaries."
"How are you so well-informed about such things?" asked Metatron.
"The Iron Knights had quite a collection of supernatural texts," Father Patrick explained. "They came from the private collections of Richard the Lionheart and Saladin."
"I see," Metatron nodded. "Now we'd better..."
Before Metatron could say another word, a shadowy, inky cloud of utterly black smoke swooped down on him, knocking the angel to the ground. Metatron's disguise faded away and his blessed sword flew from his hand and buried itself in the dirt. The Chaos Shade raked its intangible claws over Metatron's arms and sides, bestowing wounds that crackled with dark energy.
Thinking fast, Father Patrick grabbed Metatron's sword and swung it at the shade once, twice, three times. Startled, the Chaos shade flew from the angel and fled back to its master.
Father Patrick knelt over the wounded angel. "Are you alright, Metatron?!"
"Somewhat," Metatron grunted as he clutched at his wounds, wincing. "I'll live, but I'm too weak to carry on with the mission. Drat! Nergal's agents must have seen me when I took to the skies while scouting!"
"What do we do now?" asked the priest.
"The Eighth Circle remains free from Nergal's control," Metatron said. "You need to take me to see Archduchess Nocticula Morningstar. She will want to see the demon who deposed her father defeated." The angel feebly conjured a portal to Nocticula's palace, and Father Patrick dragged him through it.
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Nergal returned to the dungeons. It was time to tie up loose ends. Torturing Astaroth was fun, but keeping her alive was a liability. He unlocked the former Archduchess of the Sixth Circle's cell and walked in. The handless, footless, wingless demoness looked up at him feebly.
"I suppose you know why I am here," Nergal said, taking a dagger from his sleeve. "Lucifer's sister cannot be allowed to live. It gives my enemies hope. As long as any Morningstars live, my authority as the Devil will be questioned, as will that of Archduke Zagam, the new ruler of your Sixth Circle. I had wanted to toy with you a little more, but I suppose you've suffered enough already. Just know that your death shall cause endless suffering to your dear Atargatis when she finds out. Goodbye, Astaroth Morningstar."
Nergal took his knife and slashed Astaroth's throat open. She slumped lifelessly to the ground. Nergal watched with delight as the former Archduchess's body crumbled to ash.
King Nergal turned to a guard. "Sweep out that mess. And prepare the comatose Lucifer and Lilith for a public execution as soon as possible. Hell needs to know that the Morningstars aren't coming back. Actually..."
Nergal stormed into Lucifer and Lilith's cell. He took the guard's axe and chopped off Lilith's head, causing the deposed Queen of Hell to crumble into ash. "Make that one public execution!" Nergal laughed. "Oh, and sweep out Lilith as well."
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Before Tarfiel could speak, Enoch dropped to his knees. The green-skinned angel ran over to him. "Enoch, what's wrong?!"
Enoch began answering in Japanese. "You don't have to use Japanese, Enoch," Tarfiel said. "We met in Japan, but I usually work in America. Mount Fuji was just a special assignment. It's my GIRLFRIEND who's Japanese. Feel free to use English."
"Okay..." Enoch moaned in English. "I felt... death. Two deaths, actually. They were... family. I felt a similar sensation during the trek through the Sihr Desert. That must have been when the initial coup happened. And now MORE of my family is dying!"
"We will handle that quite soon," said Jehovah. "But first there's the matter of the kidnappings to attend to. Tarfiel, what happened?"
"I was in the prison of the Inquisition, as you probably know," said Tarfiel. "All of a sudden, a portal to Hell opened, two demonick sorcerers jumped out and grabbed me. They held me down in a magic circle and chanted while a ring of damned souls around me burned. Then they painted runes on me and... and I wasn't me anymore."
"That was basically my experience as well," nodded Azure.
"Troubling..." Jehovah said as he stroked his golden beard. "You two are to be returned to the custody of the Inquisition until you can be cleared of charges... with some changes. I will give orders to Kushiel that he may no longer use enhanced interrogation techniques on you, and you will be guarded around the clock to prevent future kidnappings."
God then turned to Enoch and Sandalphon. "Now, what can you two tell me about Chaos?"