"Welcome, to my humble abode!"

Kikimora bowed and gestured to the fiery pit of despair. My jaw dropped at seeing the helpless souls. They were in pain since some were starving, others were downing, and then some suffocating. What they all had in common was the pain they were experiencing. Every sound appeared to be begging for a mercy that would never come.

"I guess if you're into torture." Acacia sarcastically stated.

"My favorite activity." Kikimora smirked at Acacia. "Now, let's find your friends." She walked down a slippery path.

I slipped, so Acacia had to grab me. I gave her a thankful smile, but slipped again. Acacia sighed and resorted to holding my hand. I then followed her down the steps. I saw Nyx giving me a thumbs up. I rolled my eyes since that wasn't my intention. I felt Acacia interlock our fingers as we walked through the dystopian world.

"Where are we even going?" Ken looked a bit horrified.

"See that giant mansion over there." Kikimora pointed at a massive mansion floating in the distance. "That's our destination." She chuckled.

"And how do we get to said destination?" Acacia gestured at the massive pit below us. "The castle is floating in the air. Maybe you guys can fly there, but we certainly cannot." She gestured between me and her.

"Ever studied Greek mythology?" Kikimora leaned against the cave wall. "We have a ferryman." She smirked and led us to a man wearing a grey cape. "Chiron." He looked up and bowed at Kikimora. "Take us to the estate."

We sat in the rickety boat and allowed Chiron to move the boat. My eyes widened as we left the cave and began floating in the air. I looked down when I heard the wailing of souls. The fire below spurted out the ground and singed the rocks. I had to doge out the way of floating materialistic possessions. I grabbed a pocket watch out the air and examined it. Acacia moved closer, so she could get a better view. It was dated from the 1800s. Acacia and I looked at each other before I released the watch to float away.

"Everything here feels like despair." Ken commented.

"Now you know why I needed a break." Kikimora turned. "It was getting mundane and boring, so I journeyed to a different realm."

"Why are we going to your house?" Nyx narrowed her eyes.

"Because I want to introduce you to my parents, of course." Kikimora laughed when our eyes widened. "Why else do you think I was bringing you guys' home?"

"You better not be double crossing us." Nyx grabbed Kikimora's arm and burned her. Kikimora didn't seem fazed by the fiery attack.

"I'll have you know that an alliance is mutually beneficial for us." She then shoved Nyx away from her.

"Are you their only daughter?" I questioned.

"The only one that matters." She smirked and looked forward.

"I thought you said this was a place of otherworldly pleasure." I leaned forward.

"It is... if you find the demise of other's pleasurable." She smirked over her shoulder.

I shivered at the coldness and the sounds of the souls crying out didn't help. Acacia gave my hand a squeeze to help ground me. Ken was shaking, so Nyx wrapped an arm around her. I get the impression Nyx has been here before while the rest of us are freaking out. Well, Acacia seems like the only one who is composed.

I observed the castle come into view. It was floating on a rock in the middle of a fiery pit. I had to move away from the side, so I wouldn't get burned. It had a gothic exterior with torches of fire littered on every point of the castle. Chiron stopped the boat when we reached the steps of the castle. Kikimora confidently stepped out of the boat and began walking. We had to scramble after her, so we wouldn't be left behind.

I wondered whose house this was since I highly doubted her parents were married. Lucifer settling down with someone seemed comical. I chuckled, causing the angels and Kikimora to turn to me.

"We can sense what you're thinking and no... they aren't together." Kikimora smirked and continued walking through the grandeur doors.

I gulped and reprimanded myself for forgetting that fact. Ken smirked at me while Nyx bit back a laugh. Acacia rolled her eyes and walked after Kikimora. I had no idea where we were going in this creepy castle. The only thing that lit our way were the candles. If their goal was to make the place look extra creepy, then they surely succeeded.

We suddenly stopped, so I looked around the interior. I realized we were in what appeared to be a living room. Why were we- oh shit. I detected a man seated, with his back to us. Kikimora smirked at us before approaching him. She spoke to him in a language that sounded entirely demonic. I watched as Nyx and Ken rolled their eyes. The man then slowly stood up and turned to us. Well, he's definitely attractive. It does make sense since he's the devil and his whole purpose in life is to tempt innocent souls... not that I'm innocent or anything.

(Lucifer)

"Welcome!" He boomed. "We've been expecting you."

"Say what?" Ken asked.

"It felt like an eternity, waiting for my daughter to bring you here." He smiled, but his smile had an evilness behind it. "I asked my daughter for two, yet she brought four instead. You continue to impress me." He complimented her.

"Under different circumstances though." She chuckled and stepped in front of him. "They aren't for feasting, but for forming an alliance." Feasting?! What the hell had Lucifer been expecting?!

"Alliance?" He arched a brow.

"We've been experiencing more treasonous acts by our own demons." A sexy woman entered. I'm suspecting she's Lilith.

(Lilith)

"Treasonous-"

"So I formed an alliance with the light angels." Her parents scoffed. "They'll help us defeat Lilitu. We both win from this wager... they save their pathetic halfbreed angel..." Ken gasped in offense. "And we retain power over the demons. Lilitu's downfall will be our gain." She sinisterly smiled.

"You did well, my daughter." Lilith stated. She didn't smile, but I think this would be the closest she's ever been to showing emotion.

"How come I had no knowledge about this?" Lucifer asked in disappointment.

"Because you're far inferior to be tasked with such responsibility." Lilith stated and walked past him. I get the impression she's one of the few who can be so blunt with him. "I had to rely on our daughter to actually accomplish a complex task." She placed a proud hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Your siblings will be so jealous if they find out she was given such an important task." Lucifer smirked and sat in his chair.

"And are you going to sow the seeds of discord, father?" Lucifer merely chuckled at Kikimora. "No? Then I guess everything worked out perfectly... where are they anyways?"

"Keeping the demons in line and stealing souls." Lilith darkly chuckled. She then turned her attention to me. "I smell a particularly powerful soul here." She tried to approach me, but Acacia protectively stood in front of me. "Hmm... and she has a mate." Acacia only narrowed her eyes at her. "And the elf seems particularly protective." She was amused. "But... how do your parents feel about you loving another woman, princess?" She mocked. "Especially since she's not a Grey elf like you, but a demon mixed with-"

"Enough!" Acacia revealed her blade.

"You think you scare me child?" Lilith arched a brow.

Lucifer sipped his whiskey while watching in amusement. Kikimora rolled her eyes at Acacia's antics while the other angels tried to calm her down.

"Acacia, she's the Queen of demons... her whole nature is to cause wrath in individuals." Lilith seems impressed by my knowledge. "Don't let her get to you." I had to move Acacia's face from Lilith. "Just control your emotions." She sighed and nodded.

"You really are itching for a fight, mother." Kikimora laughed. "Though it'll have to be postponed until Lilitu's revival."

"I wouldn't recommend starting a fight between your allies." Nyx narrowed her eyes at Lilith.

"You demon." Nyx turned to Lucifer. "Are you sure you're fighting for the right side? You were a key member of Lilitu's army. How do we know you won't betray your own demons again?" He smirked.

Uh oh...