Nergal sat in the throne from within the ninth circle of hell; the latest slave demon to satisfy his sexual urges is already a pile of ash. She made him cum despite ordering her to hold back with the pleasure; but what pissed Nergal off was that she had the gall to spit out his seed as she gaged on his load. Nergal took great exception to this as he slashed her throat and watched her bleed out before the self-immolation of a demon’s death throes.
“She was the last one,” Nergal looking at the ash pile sourly; he blew through Lucifer’s harem of disgraced wives of fallen nobles. Nobles who through the centuries schemed to overthrow him and become the next devil; Nergal smiled as he succeeded where the others failed. He was the new devil in hell.
His brief revelry was soon ended when his new Grand Chancellor and President of the Senate Gemyem Sandstorm entered the darkened throne room. The female demon had the head, legs and feet of a peregrine falcon; her four wings were more like black shadows then wings, yet she used them effectively to fly several feet off of the floor before effortlessly landing and completing a simultaneous bow.
“Report,” Nergal sitting back down on his throne.
“Unfortunate news my sire,” Gemyem speaking; her beak clicking as she spoke. “Our agents in the first and eighth circles have been captured. Princess Proserpina Morningstar’s forces arrest the men as they were plotting their putsch. Commander Baal and Alecto Morningstar raided the warrens under the palace of vermin and captured the three hundred secret police we had stationed there in anticipation of their attack.”
“So what you are say,” Nergal sounding unamused; “is I control only seven of the nine circles?”
“It gets worse,” Gemyem sighing; “because of emergency decree 13, most of the human born demons that were slated to be executed, revolted. They broke out of the jails and are now scattered to the winds. Several who have prior military experience have come together and have been engaging in guerrilla attacks on our patrols. We are struggling to maintain order in the other circles,” Gemyem sighing; “a few of the lords you have stationed to maintain your rule have begun discussing your replacement. Even going so far as to make entreaties with Lamashtu Morningstar,” Gemyem finally adding.
“Kill the lords,” Nergal responding; “replace them with those that will follow orders. Double the guards and issue orders to kill all rebels on sight.”
“Begging your pardon,” Gemyem sighing; “we just don’t have the forces to carry out those orders. I received reports of several divisions in the third circle openly throwing down their swords. They refuse to take part in their words,” Gemyem stating as she handed Nergal a scroll; “the wholesale butcher of those that are artisans and craftsmen’s who helped construct the great works that dot the hellscape.”
“These divisions in the third circle,” Nergal sounding exasperated; “who commanded them before I took over?”
“Ammit Morningstar,” Gemyem sounding defeated; “before our agents could arrest and execute her, she fled the third circle to who knows where. But before she fled, she opened up every prison cell and freed all the human slaves.”
“He was right,” Nergal muttering to himself; “that slimy centipede demon was right.”
“Who was right my lord,” Gemyem not certain if she should press for information or just beat a hasty retreat.
“Never you mind,” Nergal sighing as he finally opens the scroll he was given; perusing the contents; they confirmed everything that his grand chancellor has stated. His grip on the nine circles was tenuous and slipping. He had days before he would soon be seeing a besieging army at the gates of Dis.
“Leave me,” Nergal looking sullen; “don’t comeback unless you have good news.”
Gemyem Sandstorm need no further incentive to beat a hasty retreat from the throne room, Seeing the pile of ash by Nergal; she knew that was once one of Lucifer’s concubines, it was clear the her that Nergal was put in a foul mood. Her news just made it worse. Opening the door to the chamber that would house petitioners, Gemyem spots Nergal’s wife Laz Deathfire; she silently shakes her head as she walks by the new head of the secret police, letting her know that the Devil was in a bad mood.
“So he got the news,” Laz stopping the grand chancellor; “and he didn’t take it well?”
“I’m lucky he didn’t kill me like he did with the latest slave that is now an ash pile,” the falcon demon clicking; “I didn’t tell him directly, but he knows his reign will not last. I know he is your husband,” Gemyem pausing before speaking again; “but perhaps it’s time to cut bait and run.”
Laz just smiled as she stared that the falcon demon who she counted on as a friend; Managing to survive Nergal’s odd decision to purge the senate and shut the chambers off to everyone but himself. She placed a clawed hand on the demon’s shoulder before plunging an obsidian dagger into the Chancellor’s belly; twisting the blade before she struck bone and broke the blade in Gemyem.
“”I am faithful to my husband,” Laz staring at the demon that is staggering back to see the bloodied blade in Laz’s other hand; “which is why I have faith we will come out on top. He always does,” Laz adding as Gemyem Sandstorm dissolved into ash. Laz took a breath as she entered the throne room; determined to do her best to cheer her husband up.