I must’ve climbed the stairs for two and half eternities, or at least it felt like that. For a demon, it’s terribly easy to invade the earth, our bodies are enough alike the humans that we don’t require any adjustments, just walking upwards the endless staircase is enough to attune us to Earth.
And thus, I was sweaty, pissed-off, hurt all over and really, really tired when I at last emerged from the door that lead to above. I just panted half an hour and leaned against the wall, trying to catchy breath and give myself time to rest.
I had a slip of paper with an address that I should go to, and nothing more. Well, my clothes apparently, because thankfully I wasn’t naked like most of us back in Hell. I walked slowly and breathed the fresh air. It felt good to be here. This was my first time here, but I didn’t feel like this was anything like they had told me it would be.
I arrived at my apartment and felt actual joy. It was much better than I had anticipated. It had an actual bed and a stove for making food. Not that I knew how to cook, but anyways. It was small, but it was mine. That’s all that really mattered. Back in Hell, nothing was mine, up to and including my body. It was not the best of existences, so I’d take anything over that.
The slip of paper also mentioned about a note. I looked for it, and had to suppress a chuckle. Of course. It was a message from the devils, so where else it could be, but under the bed. So original. I read the note and was not surprised by the least, that it was going to be more complicated that they told me at first.
There was also a thick, old, dusty book that I suspected was not bound in cow leather. I was to attend something called ‘University’, which sounded frightfully close to what Zazgon had come up in the second era. The brochure I had confirmed my suspicion, as the internal structure was too confusing to be a mere coincidence that it looked like the hate seal.
My second job was to read the book, which, of course, was written in Ancient Hellish that is notoriously hard to translate as there are multiple ways to go about it. The accepted way, and the hard way. It was normally translated word-for word, and it worked, sort of. But sometimes Ancient Hellish words had entirely different meanings which depended on context and whatnot. I was asleep on most of the lessons, a fact which I now cursed three times over.
This was going to be hard. And I was fairly sure it was my job, because nobody in Hell had bothered to read it, and they just sic’ed it on me.
So that was it then. Translate book, attend University, find angel, stop end of the world. Peace of cake. I should be home for dinner tomorrow. Or not. I slumped on the bed and decided that I’d think about all of this later. Preferably much later, but early enough that I wouldn’t get thrown to the Deep Pits back home. The bed was comfy though. Much better than what we had in Hell, which was not that big of a stretch to think, in any case. I fell asleep on the bed.
I woke up next morning feeling much better. I glanced at the book and almost felt worse, so I kicked it back under the bed and went to check the fridge. I probably should have checked it earlier. I closed the door after starting at the cold light in the empty fridge for like two minutes. My belly confirmed to me that I was a stupid idiot.
I slammed the fridge door shut, got dressed, and headed outside. There were a lot of people heading towards the same direction. I was probably going to be a bit late, but I sure as Hell had to eat first, so I picked up a Hot Pocket from a shop that sold them. Somehow it reminded me of the fires at home. I arrived at the University and immediately felt uneasy. I’m sensitive to some forms of energies and one of them was Heavenly energies.
The Angel was here too, I was sure of it. We gathered to the classroom and I immediately spotted the Angel. They’re really damn easy to see. They don’t even think that they’re like glowing. There was something different in her though. Yes, Angels are unearthly beautiful and ethereal, but she.. was cute. Not in the "I am better than you" way the other Angels were that I’ve seen, but, like actually pretty and cute. It was rather unfair and a very disappointing feeling for a succubus to see an Angel being that cute.
There was also something matter in her wings. I can usually spot their wings quite easily, even disguised. But her’s was just… not there. All I could see was… light? Or strands of light? It didn’t make any sense and it made me feel pissed off.
The lesson was a philosophical one about the existence of ‘higher beings’, of all things. Did I need a lesson about if Angels are real or not? No, no I really didn’t. Did I take part and argue that they were just stupid figments of our imagination? Yes, yes I did. She pissed me off by being cuter than me, so I pissed her off by claiming she didn’t exists. I think it was fair.
On our break, the people grouped up in their little cliques and the Angel looked lost as a small and sad puppy. She pinpointed me, but I hightailed it out immediately. I was soooo not ready to confront her about anything. I didn’t even know what she was supposed to do there. Was she aware of what she was doing? She looked so young, more like an apprentice than a real Angel.
After the break we gathered back and I spent the time enjoying seeing the Angel writhe in her spot. I guessed because she had orders to ‘not interfere’. My lords, Heaven was stupid. She was interfering already. Her presence already interfered with the world.
Also Humans are really good at tuning out things they don’t believe in, or explaining them away with anything. Mostly weather balloons. It’s not like she could have done anything to upset the balance of Earth or something. Heaven was just so stuck up in their ways and thinking everything was like that. Ugh.
On the other hand, this would provide endless amounts of fun for me, to watch her bite herself to stop from saying two words that everybody would forget in the next five minutes. So I was making very sure to butt into every conversation and mess the topic up even just slightly to piss her off. I was still cross with her for being prettier than me. Alright, alright. I get it. I didn’t figure it out then. So sue me. I have the best lawyers.
I headed straight home after the lessons. Or, well, not home home, but you know. That place where I had my bed. I’m gonna call it home now and if I mean Home home, I’ll call it Hell. Because duh. I picked out the book and set it on the table. "Ye olde booke of the historie of the Nine Helles," it said on the cover. I groaned, that was the most cringe title I had ever read. That wasn’t even proper language. What the hell, or Helle. Also there’s only seven of them, eight if you count the Deep Pits. I don’t know who made up the ninth. Maybe it’s my room there, surely feels like it.
I opened the book and was immediately attack by two thousand years of dust and ash. After coughing for like three hours, I turned my attention back to the book. It took me about half an our to translate even the first line, which was not encouraging in the least.
I closed the book, headed out and went to grab food from the local market. Yes, I meant grab. I don’t have money. I also have no problems stealing like pro, so that’s what I did. I returned home - remember what that means - and put the acquired stuff in cupboards and fridge. I made myself a cup of dark coffee and set myself back at the table. Maybe the coffee would help. It was really good though. Coffee’s just.. I don’t know. It makes life easier.
I chuckled as I though that the Angel was probably a fucking tea-drinker. Tea’s nothing more than the water that you wash some leaves in. What the hell. So, after the cup, I set out to translate the book. Or at least I tried for awhile, but the coffee’s effect was not that strong, and I fell asleep on the book.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
