Chapter 4

"Eryna, I heard you caused quite the commotion in the Heaven Empire..."
"I know, it was a brilliant idea." Eryna couldn't help but take pride in her role that led to the recent events. She was sitting cross-legged on a stone, playing with a small ball of fire.
"Please refresh my memory, when did I ever gave you permission to do that?" Malphas' threatening voice filled the cave they were in. The guardian of the Hell Empire sat on a fiery throne, source of the lava pouring out through the empire. He looked almost like an obsidian statue, standing still, with red eyes and charcoal wings beneath him. Even though he wasn't moving, the succubus could feel his malevolence and rage pouring out.
For one split second, Eryna felt chills down her spine, "I thought this would please you, seeing as this conflict will only grow inside the Heaven Empire."
"You went all by yourself and scouted the location of the hybrid's grave. After that, you asked for the help of the Death Empire and resurrected the hybrid, and attacked one of the angels' town. Do I need to remind you what are the consequences of insubordination, demoness?" The voice resounding from the statue was growing more and more menacing and Eryna was struggling to keep her calm in front of him.
"All I did was to end this eternal war and bring glory to our empire, while you're just sitting on your mighty throne, inspiring fear in each and everyone that steps outside your rule!" shouted the succubus, barely controlling her frustration.
"Careful, Eryna, we don't want to say something that we might regret later, do we?" the growl in Malphas' voice caused the demoness to clench her fists even more. "Now tell me, was this planned all along, to corrupt that young angel?"
That was a good question, as the plan derailed from its original route.
"No..." admitted Eryna. "The plan was for the hybrid to feed on one of the angels and grow even stronger. Then we would've subsided and have him do our work. But something inside that damn angel killed it and he took all its powers. Even so, the angels declared war on him and he swore to kill their guardian."
"You are so blinded by your self-confidence and your boredom that can't see flaws in your little plan. What if that corrupted angel decides one day to attack us? Or to cross blades with you? You think you can defeat him now?" asked Malphas.
"That really doesn't matter now. The way I see it, as long as we don't interfere, he will do our job." responded careless the succubus.
"Be careful Eryna, you don't want anyone thinking you're planning something against your own empire." warned Malphas.
"Now, why would you think that my lord?" asked coy the demoness.
"We both know this wouldn't be the first time that you switch sides." Malphas' voice groaned.
"It wasn't by choice that I fell the first time," responded Eryna getting up to leave, "besides, there can't be a place deeper than Hell that you can go in."
"That you know off, succubus."
That last line from Malphas rang in Eryna's ears as she vanished in a smoke cloud. She reappeared on a cliff near the border of the Heaven Empire.
There, underneath a cascade, sat Axel with his head down, trying to wash away the blood from his body.
For one split second, Eryna couldn't help but feel his pain as she once fell from grace too.