♆ The Underworld

@♆ ♕ Nam Vo "Father?" Jackson heard a child in the crowd of people as she was reaching out for Jackson. The hound turned around to spot the small pup running towards him only to be snatched up by a demon. This caused the hound to chase after as he shouted demands to let the girl go. That is his child. He needed to protect her.
"Unhand her!" Jackson shouted then suddenly he fell into a dark hole. Claws scraped at the dirt only for the rebel to fall and refill the hole slowly. It started to incase on Jackson the more fantic he tried to claw out. He continues to shout and yell the name of the unknown child until his vocal chords bleed. When he finally crawled from the abyss hole, he saw Nam standing before him holding the girl.
"No..." He whispered. "No!" He tried to shout again but it came crack until nothing could be heard but the ringing of the girl's neck.

Jackson woke up in a cold sweat. The celler he was kept in was still darker than it would've been during daylight. It was a dream. Nightmare rather. Claws scratched at his throat after thickly swallowing. His vocal chords are just fine. Arms stretched around his knees which he hugged to his chest. The sound of the door opening met it was time for Jackson to come out. It was like routine. A demon was sent to fetch Jackson, restrict his movement, and inject him with serum that would help tend to what he was made for. Each time the hound would fight. He would never stop fighting. Thus is why he would be chained up before being escorted out.

Exhausted after the last he spilled his seed into, Jackson was let go and returned back into the celler. He would get hosed off and made to air dry. The cold had him shivering but now he was used to it. Jackson would fall back to sleep hour or so later then be woken up by another demon handing him clothes and escorting him outside to meet with Lucifer himself. Must be another task waiting for him. Nam didn't let him out without something he needs. Any hope that he can roam free was quickly discarded as it wasn't up to him. Only Nam.

@♆ ♕ Nam Vo 'Oh no.' I can feel it from the moment you speak my true name, from your tone. It carries an undercurrent of deep dissatisfaction. Father used to get that tone. The blood pool changes colour and I dare cling to you for another two seconds, before I quickly pull away. I'm silent now as I hastily get out of the pool and move to the far side of the room. A maiden hands me a robe to cover myself with, as the heat was quick to melt my clothes off and I wrap myself in it. I stand and wait, eyes downcast, my mind spinning, trying to understand what it is that has made you angry. Is that war of yours not going well? Or... did you hear? I hope not. I was hoping to not tell you at all, and free myself before you notice I was ever enslaved. My stomach churns. I tilt my head down and brush my hair forward to cover my neck. "Did you have a bad day, Lucy?", I ask carefully.

@♆ ♕ Huang Mi Ni The Solar Gods’ brief peace was lost too soon. All day, I would be surrounded by fools and flatterers, and at night, I would be in battlement camps with brainless sheep. Only during my chamber pot breaks do I find reflective moments unaligned with my crown duties. I doubted was a luxury I would hold onto for long. I released a long breath as you splashed about accustomed to your quirky antics quietly awaiting for your chaotic nature to subside. “ Beelzebub?” The pool of blood around us transformed from boiling to nearly glacial. The blood, once a vibrant ruby red, changed into a swirling obsidian black, resembling the start of a storm. My eyes locked onto the bathing chamber, filled with a mixture of iron, copper, and sulfur. I paused, gazing beyond my lavatory window, seeking patience amidst the bone forest. “I urge you to disentangle yourself from me. Remove yourself from my bath and allow me a moment to make myself descent.”

Despite my calm demeanor, there was a lingering undertone of maliciousness in my tone. This a silent warning that I was in no mood for your roundabout games, especially given the news that reached my ears as of this evening. 

“Now go~”

@♆ ♕ Nam Vo What a day, what a day... It was so topsy turvy that Mini felt extremely disoriented. She had even nearly forgotten that her big brother, best brother, her favourite brother had told her to come this evening. Mini had hoped that after being crowned, she might see him more often. Alas, he was always so busy doing stuff, and Mini had her own things to worry about. This made their meeting today all the more special. Having been incarcerated and enslaved suddenly, Mini had not dressed up for the occasion. Her clothes were dirty from the cell floor where she'd been asked to wait, and as revealing as always. Revealing not with the purpose of seduction, but more in line with... minimalism. It had been thousands of years since she had sworn of clothing and now wore as little as possible.

Luckily, while she hadn't been able to portal to Kirin's Peak, coming to the Underworld seemed to work just fine. She arrived mere moments later before her brother's chambers and rushed to the doors. The guards rudely stopped her, but she forced herself to be understanding. She waited, fidgeting from one foot to the next until her brother, the King of Hell, gave permission to enter. Instantly, she rushed in with a bright smile on her face. "Lucy!!" Her brother was easy to spot in the plasma pool, and Mini was quick to join him. She pushed a servant out of the way and dove in with a splash. Her hair wet, she wrapped her arms around his and hugged it to her chest. "Lucy I missed you", she spoke lovingly, bashfully. Her new collar felt strange around her neck, and oddly quite a bit heavier after getting soaked. She adjusted the inconspicuous new accessory briefly and then returned to hugging her most dearly beloved person, well, second most dearly beloved person. Maybe third. Definitely top three.

Family gatherings were always deadly. Burning Inguk’s Dinner invite felt right, as I sensed bloodshed would follow.

As I trudge up the staircase to my firestone fortress, the guards open the doors from the counseling chamber, revealing the path to the grand hall. I am plagued by exhaustion while I carefully dismantle a 50-pound blood-splatter armor made of steel, making my way to my chambers. This is the much-needed respite following six months of constanty search, back pain, a bruised ego, and an ever-decreasing number of answers.

‘The entire situation is so ed.’

Countless demons are gathered outside the kingdom, seeking answers that I cannot provide. All of them were interested in learning the intention of looking into the missing person’s report. The guards, devoid of any expression, step aside for me while maidens take care of removing the armor. Once greeted by a dimly lit blood bathe, I proceeded to remove the remainder of my clothes and sink into the plasma pool. I close my eyes allowing the maidens to tend to me replaying the last memories of her. The peace of solitude didn’t last long when my guards announced your arrival. “They’re early," I growled in annoyance cursing through gritted teeth the fleeting moments of silence.
"Send them in.”

[open to all]

@♆ Joy /sniffles and angrily wipes tears from my face/
You're never getting the rest back. /hisses at you and vanishes, my body seemingly dissolving into wisps of red smoke/

@♆ ♕ Huang Mi Ni I can do that whether you like it or not, Beelzebub.
*she said coldly*
Now, keep your intestines and get the out of my room!

@♆ Joy Joy stared at Mini, Mini stared back at Joy. Joy in disbelief at Mini's audacity, Mini in naive hope. But, ah, naive it was. "Ah!" When the scythe slashed at her Mini shrieked and tried to roll out of the way. Perhaps if she had more experience in battle she would have thought to block the strike or use her strength to push herself out of the way, instead of... rolling... but oh well. The carbon scythe sliced through the demon's skin, a testament to its durability, it cut through muscle and fat and tissue. Gold, jewels and gemstones poured out of the gaping wound, along with a copious amount of blood and a still alive lesser demon. He hopped out of the carnage, flapping his wings to dry them of all the blood. Beelzebub was not going to die from being sliced open, but Mini was crying from the pain. Her stomach, with now nothing that forced it to expand, shrunk back to its usual size but the deep wound remained. Mini cradled her guts and screamed like a banshee, tears streaming down her face. "Y- YOU CAN'T- *sobs* YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!!" A lot of gold was now strewn across the floor now, but of course not everything. A good amount had already made its way into the pocket dimension inside her, and that could not be sliced open by any weapon. Beelzebub was its master and only Beelzebub could open it. Said Beelzebub was trembling violently, their hands soaked in their open blood as they pressed their intestines back into their body. The wound was slow to close. Healing was not their forte.

@♆ ♕ Huang Mi Ni That doesn't excuse you to steal MY gold, Beelzebub...
*rolls eyes then she heard her say she's her 'subordinate'*
...
*oh the audacity*
*instantly she is in front of her as she holds her carbon scythe*
i'll help you loosen your weight.
*she swished her scythe and cuts her bloated belly*

@♆ Joy "I rule the--?" Oh, right. Yes. She did rule the underworld, didn't she? Technically. Beelzebub had forgotten all about that, since Lucifer never bothered her with anything ruling-related. *Hiccups* A few more gemstones dropped to the almost bare floors of Mammon's lair. "I-If I rule then... your gold is my gold... isn't it..?", came the unsure question. "Cause you're my---" Mini swallowed. "Subordinate" The last word was spoken very softly, very quietly, just barely a whisper and yet it echoed in the hall that before her arrival was illuminated in a golden luster.

@♆ ♕ Huang Mi Ni *seeing the portal open and then closed, her brow raised at how the other chose to confess her crimes in front of her*
you may reign over the underworld but that doesn't mean you can do anything with our rooms, there are limits that you can never set foot on.
*she crossed her arms while still sitting on her throne*
spit it all out, now.

@♆ Joy When the room lights up the little fat demon flinched and shrieked in surprise. "I-" Large round eyes drifted to the woman imposingly sat on her supposed throne and the sharp, intimidating weapon forming in her hand. Beelzebub wrapped her arms around fat belly protectively. Mammon looked angry... a lot more angry than usual... "I didn't- I didn't take anything-", she lied feebly. Mini was sure Mammon was away today. She was sure! She had checked so many times... How could she be here? *Hiccups* A few gold coins spilled out of . Beelzebub, Gluttony, had overeaten. An achievement only possible due to the sheer amount of wealth she had consumed over the past minutes. Mini hadn't initially planned to take so much. She was just going to borrow a handful, maybe two, to get herself some cake. But ah... since when could Gluttony restrain herself? It was impossible. It went against her nature. And so here they were, Beelzebub and Mammon, one shooting their fiery gaze the other as timid as a mouse, sitting where hills of gold used to be. Beelzebub was a scared, and a coward. The portal was already forming beneath her, ready to whisk her away to supposed safety. Of course, nowhere was safe. They had played this game before. Wherever Beelzebub could run, Mammon was fully capable of following. The portal closed again slowly. Beelzebub had decided not to run. *Hiccups* A few more gold coins and jewels spilled out of her. "I- I- I- I'm sorry Mammon", she whimpered, her face bright red as she tried to cover her belly with her arms.

@♆ ♕ Huang Mi Ni ...
*all the green torches emerged within the room*
we might be demons in our realm but i will never allow you to steal any of my belongings again.
*she was sitting on her lavish chair, her leg over the other and she created a carbon scythe*
throw it up... or i will cut your bloated belly in half and get it myself.
*her eyes went toxic green*

@♆ Joy It was beautiful day to do some looting, and Mini had a brilliant plan. Instead of stealing away with a sack of gold, she was just going to eat it. That way Joy would never know Mini had the gold, and whenever she wanted to use it she could have a minion fly into her belly to fetch some! It was a masterplan, one that only a genius could concoct. No loot, no evidence, no headlock. That being said, Mini wasn't too concerned about Mammon catching her red-handed. Mammon was still a bit mean every now and then, but all in all had become quite nice. Plus, it's not like Mammon even needed all the things she stored away. She'd never notice. And if you don't know something is gone, you can't miss it. Mini had already portaled her way into Mammon's lair of gold and was presently sitting in the midst of it, humming a happy tune as she shovelled handfuls of gold and jewels into . Her belly was protruding enormously. It was a grotesque sight. Slender arms and legs, paired with the belly of someone who'd be morbidly obese. The effect was temporary and only occurred as she was consuming too much too quickly. There was a 'blockage' so to speak. With time, the food would be 'digested' and fall into the pocket dimension within her. Mini slurped up a couple sapphires and burped in contact, pat-pating her giant stomach. It was a good thing Joy was gone. While Mini's body could expand to an enormous size, it was not pretty and she was very self-conscious about it. The demon Beelzebub continued to drum lightly on her stomach, humming a makeshift song about 'growing small and pretty' as she waited for her belly to shrink to its usual size.

@♅ Barbara Palvin Joy ordered the lesser demons to open the gate from the deepest dungeon, she didn't bother looking back at the angel as she knew she has no match with the sin demon like her, she walked downstairs as the torches lit up with green hue, indicating that this is her territory, a part of her own within the Underworld. "She's in her own cell, don't take this as my fault, your own kind had it coming." She told her with a stern voice and stopped in front of stoned wall, "She's here." Joy told the angel then touches the wall, feeling the solid object through her palm, "As you can see, this is a solid stone, no one will enter here since I'm the only one to get through here." She smirked and lends a hand, "You can't go anywhere around unless I dragged you there with me."

@♆ Joy Barbara was realizing the more she cut through the pile of lesser demons, the more it was apparent she had made a faulty decision. Her determination could only take her so far in the underworld. And though she had remedies in her satchel for her journey, she had no time to even try to use them, before the demon princess herself stood and wrapped her hand through Barbara's sternum, right until she touched her now mortal, beating heart. The angel gasped for air, worse then before, pausing her blade from coming down mid air as the other squeezed her vital organ with no effort. Hearing her first name be spoken, Eve grit her teeth from the pain. She let her blade fall from it's height, stabbing the sword into the broken, black asphalt below them, using it now as a crutch to keep her body just barley upright in the mistress of the nights grip, as her head started pounding, begging to bring her under. Her orbs, even under stress, never broke contact with the demon. "I. Need. To see her." she coughed up blood, it's appearance looking black.under the blood moon. But she didn't move. Not only because of the cost, but because of her will to make the demon see that this ask would not go without a proper answer.
But the other, under a quick comment, released the angel. Suddenly having some sense of air, Barbara coughed to catch her breathe, putting her free hand to her lungs as she bent over, her hair for a moment shielding her face as she attempted to collect herself. Once she had enough, she stood tall again, turning around to face the greater demon, mouth still agap in recovery. Her eyes flashed in shock as the other agreed (out of her own mercy?) to let them meet. Barbara didn't hesitate, stepping behind the demon as she re-sheathed her sword and followed, jaw twitching from the adrenaline of what had just occurred.

@♅ Barbara Palvin The demon of greed watches the angel slicing and dicing her way through the horde of lesser demons and it gave her a grin before the angry angel gets to her and made in contact with her holy blades, the blade went through her neck from side to the other side, making that the angel sliced the demon's neck clean and dismembering her head but she didn't. It only sliced 3/4 of the crystal chair but Joy didn't fazed or winced at the angel's attempt to kill her, her toxic green hues only glowed even more. Because of the blessing of the blood moon, Joy can get through any things with ease because of intangibility. The angel's runes is ineffective on her as Joy is using Sooyoung's body to prevent the runes to take effect on her, she clicked her tongue again as she stared at the angel nonchalantly. "That's it? That's all you got?" She calmly stand up from the crystal chair and her hand went through without ripping it open to the angel's chest, holding her heart tightly. "How many times do I have to tell you that you do not belong here? Your stupid runes won't work on me, Eve Bena." She told her, "Don't even move or you will die by your own recklessness." Then she smirked. "I'm starting to like you, not every angels here could impress a demon such as myself." Then she lets go of her heart before walking through her like a ghost, showing how strong she can be. "Fine, I will allow you to visit your mother." She then starts walking to where the dungeon she stayed in, "Come on now."

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@♆ Joy This was rough luck - having a greater demon be the one to gaunt and torment her. She knew this was probably get nowhere for either of them, and yet she and to entertain her own strength. Her ocean eyes were vigilant, hues glowing blue as she waited to see the lesser demons next moves. She raised her swords up, slicing down on the first to with ease, watching them disintegrate to the pitch black floor. She steadied her breathes, focusing on that as she sliced and diced away. Whenever the dark energy manage to touch her, the runes carved out and raw glowed on her skin, acting as a shield, absorbing the energy and weakening the weak further till Barbara could land a blow of her holy blades.

@♅ Barbara Palvin Joy leaned against the crystal chair she created and prompted the lesser demons to attack the angel and they start charging towards her, the demon grinned at the sight as her little pets taking care of an angel rascal. She might be just a demon but she is 2nd eldest among the sin demons, and she can do whatever she wants in this realm.

@♆ Joy Barbara a sharp breathe in, jaw twitching slightly at the others comment. Her mother went through the fiery lake already? No, she was meant to wait until her daughter had passed away also to do so...either the demon did it of her own wishes, or the gods didn't care enough to keep record of it...and sadly it was probably both. The angel felt the anger of such betrayal rise up in her chest, head tilting down slightly in intimidation as the other called her "interesting" like she was a new toy to be messed with, watching as dark shadows formed themselves around the higher demon, waiting on command. The other did want to see her fight. With a heaviness, she reached back into her cloak, into the two sheaths on the back of her hips, two long holy blades emerging, glowing blue with runes across them, her right foot pulling back as she loosened her knees and held the blades infront of her body. "So be it."

@♅ Barbara Palvin Joy stopped from walking away when the other told her what she can offer, she clicked her tongue as she looked back at the persistent angel. "You think, these demons would leave you alone?" She asked her, "They hated angels, if you keep persisting then you have to go through them first, then I'll decide if you want to see your mother alive or watch her go through that fiery lake again." If she's smirked, the word 'again' would ring into the angel's ears. Joy is no stranger when torturing souls and put them to the blazing fire if they ever disobeyed her rules, she's not a demon of greed for nothing. "To be honest, you're one interesting angel." A throne made of crystal appeared from the ground as she sat on it while the lesser demons multiplied around the angel, gnarling and growling as they are ready to fight her. "But I cannot let you see her yet until you finished every single one of them."

@♆ Joy “You know as well as I that her soul wouldn’t be able to take my offerings as they can when I’m present with her spirit.” Barbara tilted her head to the side slightly, seeing as this wasn’t going to get very far and she didn’t want to battle. It would be a waste of her energy and resources. Seeing the lesser demon step forward, gesturing as their master said to get the angel to leave, Barbara just shook her head gently toward it, lifting up her skirt to reveal the glowing angelic ruins on her skin, warning the other spirit to not come closer. “I am not leaving without seeing my mother.” She stepped forward, following after the female as she headed in the opposing direction. “If you wish to not help, that is your will. If you leave me in peace I shall grant you the offering you desire.” The angel knew she had to draw on the hidden context clue to figure out which demon she was speaking with, and that would take further conversation. Or it would end in a gruesome loss.

@♅ Barbara Palvin "Paying respect is where you can offer things you can do without going to a 'literal' hell for it." Joy clarified, "Walking through this realm means you're paying a visit for that particular soul, you already know that this isn't time for a free visiting hours since two of the most valuable souls just escaped and I had to take them out." She explained, "What do you offer in exchange of looking for your dead mother's soul?" She asked with seriousness in her tone as she means offering something for them takes very seriously, demons like them are very demanding when it comes to equivalent exchange... especially for Joy. "If you don't have any offers then, I'm very sorry, I cannot help you with your request." Knowing that she has her mother's soul, those who are as valuable as the treasures she kept are in a special area where she could only have an access to. She sighed and turned her back on her, ordering her lesser demons, " her out of the realm, will you?" She commanded as she starts walking back to the dungeon. The lesser demons walked closer the angel, prompting that she had to move and walk out of the Underworld.

@♆ Joy Barbara could tell she was not going to have a good time with this one. The other seemed to believe there was a bargain to be made, even though there was no such thing. At the same time, now Barbara had to think about her strength, as her body could only handle so much. ‘Maybe I should’ve brought someone else along…’ never had she needed to before. “There is no price. I’m not here to disturb your home or take from your land, I am here to pay respects. There is no need for a battle.” There was little sense in believing the rules had suddenly shifted - Barbara was well aware her presence was taboo in this realm of “enemies” but she was never here long enough to create disturbances. And the dead were dead, their souls silenced but not forgotten by either party. There was no need to cause destruction over what little peace some of them had.

@♅ Barbara Palvin "Do I look like a chaperone to you?" She said with an authoritative voice as she glared at the angel with toxic green eyes, "Since you're in a realm forbidden for your kin, I would suggest not to say any more carefree words. You should know your place here." The lesser demons are ready to attack the angel but Joy halted it since it would only displease the angel and her, "But if you really insist on seeing her, I would ask for the same worth of visiting a soul from the living." She grinned. "Going to this realm isn't free for someone who isn't a demon, a hefty price should be pay for an access." She explained, "There's a change of rules here when I came back a few months ago. I hope you would be kind to obey the rules here, Eve Bena, daughter of Ana Palving of the Keszi Tribe."

@♆ Joy (( <33 your an angel ::: ))

Hearing the other know her story, she couldn’t say she was shocked, given the others age no doubt if she knew the Keszi tribe of Hungary. Her jaw tightened some, but otherwise she remained as neutral as possible, allowing her hand to gently fall back at her side as the demon crossed her arms and stood unimpressed. “Yes. Do you wish to direct me to her or shall I find her my own way?” The question wasn’t a threat or meant to be snippy - some demons were kind in Heleo, but many in the underworld were standoffish, or even naturally tricksters. Barbara wouldn’t put it past the other , since she really didn’t know her, and it seemed the demon was wise enough to not let her.

@♅ Barbara Palvin ( issokay! just take your time~ )

"Eve Bena..." She muttered her name while rubbing her chin before looking back at her, seeing her holding out her hand towards her. Ah, an obvious trick from an angel, Joy knew these as she was told by a fallen angel about it who has the same ability like the one in front of her. "Keszi tribe..." The tribe, yes, Joy remembered it very quickly, she once visited that tribe only to raid their treasures using other tribes for her personal gain. Now, she wonders if that certain tribe still exist today. "Ana Palvin, yes, a very poor human. She sacrificed you when you were just so little." Joy grinned at the mention of the angel's past tragedy, crossing her arms and refused to take the other's hand. "You're here to see her, hm?"

@♆ Joy (( :a: awe love!! *bear snuggles you* I will get to winter’s starter as soon as possible, I’m sorry for the hold up :: ))

Barbara had almost forgotten, despite being declared more holy then not, she still had a mortal shell, which included a beating heart. The other seeming to recognize her was another indication of the truth- that this was most likely the demon, or descendent of the demon that was assigned to her mothers crystallized death. As the other drew near there felt was a pounding force in Barbara’s head, the spiritual warfare occurring internally rather than externally (at least as the moment) though it seemed in this realm both species could semi co exist. The angel had nothing to hide, so she removed her hood to reveal her sharpened face, eyes slightly glowing blue as a defense warning. “Yes, I believe we have.” the angel holds out her hand. “Eve Bena is my gifted name. I’ve traveled and assisted some who have entered this realm 5 centuries ago. You may remember my biological mother, Ana Palvin of the Keszi tribe.” Barbara watched the other, wondering if the demon would take her hand. If she knew the angel, she would know that the angel had the ability to see the others past just with physical contact. But if she didn’t…

@♅ Barbara Palvin (hehe, been looking for someone to reply honestly ; u ;)

"I know you're not dead because I sensed your beating heart." She clicked her tongue once again. "Unless, you are something only non-mundane can go here freely." Joy walked around the cloaked figure, "Your face, it does seem familiar..." She rubbed her chin as she looked at her, trying to guess her name. As the demon of greed, she had known some of the angels she had come across throughout her travels, some were once glorious angels and are still abiding their god's rules, "Have I met you before?" Then she leaned close to take a good look on her face behind the hood.