The imp scuttled ahead, its small, twisted body moving with an unsettling motion. It glanced back at Rae, its glowing yellow eyes flickering in the dim, shadowed air.
"Will you explain how you knew we were here?" Rae asked, her voice cold.
The imp grinned, its sharp teeth glinting. "Our Queen sensed your presence the moment you entered her realm. She instructed all creatures here to find you and guide you to her."
"Your Queen?" Rae raised an eyebrow. "So this plane is ruled by a queen. And what do we need to do to reach her?"
"I will guide you through the domains of six of the seven archdevils until we reach her majesty, the Monarch of all Devils."
Rae's crimson eyes narrowed. "I understand we need to meet your Queen since we've entered her domain, but first, we must find our friend."
The imp tilted its head, its grin widening as if amused. "Oh, you mean the little girl who entered this realm before you?"
Rae's heart skipped a beat. "Yes. Do you know where she is?"
"Our Queen will know. She sees all who enter her domain. If it's the girl you seek, the queen will have the answers."
Rae hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fine. If your Queen knows where Cilia is, we'll go to her."
The imp gave a mocking bow. "Then let's begin. First, we must cross the domain of the First Archdevil."
With that, the imp led the way.
The environment shifted gradually as they walked. The once-lifeless trees that had loomed in the distance disappeared, replaced by barren, rocky terrain. The oppressive darkness that blanketed the plane remained, but it felt different now—heavier, more suffocating. The ground beneath them turned jagged and uneven, the air growing colder and still.
The imp came to a stop. "We have entered the first ring of Hell—the domain of the Archdevil Belphegor, the Devil of Sloth. He is the weakest of the seven archdevils."
"Hell?" Rae asked, frowning. "I thought this was the Shadow Realm?"
The imp chuckled. "It is. But the Shadow Realm is vast and mysterious, said to intersect with all realms of existence. Our Queen divided it into two parts: the Shadow Veil, where creatures of shadow reside, and the Seven Rings of Hell, where the devils and archdevils dwell."
"And your Queen rules over it all?"
"Indeed," the imp said with a hint of pride. "She is the ruler of the entire Shadow Realm."
Rae absorbed the information silently before speaking again. "She must be incredibly powerful, then."
"Oh, she is," the imp said with a sly grin, "but you'll see for yourself soon enough. Now, prepare yourselves. It seems Belphegor has noticed us."
The ground beneath them trembled violently. Rae staggered, her sharp senses picking up on the shift in the air. It wasn't just an earthquake—this was something else. The space around them seemed to warp and ripple, bending reality itself.
Moments later, they found themselves standing in a cavernous throne room. The walls pulsed with an unnatural black energy, and at the far end of the room sat a figure cloaked entirely in shadow. Its form was amorphous, shifting constantly, making it impossible to discern its true shape.
"Welcome to my castle," the figure spoke, its voice lethargic and deep. "So, you are the anchor the Queen has chosen? Hmph. I don't think you're good enough, but I don't care. I'll deal with you quickly so I can return to my slumber."
Belphegor's presence was oppressive, weighing heavily on Rae and her companion. She couldn't see any discernible limbs or features, only the swirling darkness that surrounded him.
"For you to proceed to the next ring of Hell," Belphegor continued in a bored tone, "you must overcome the Abyss. A tiresome task, but… the Queen demands it."
The ground beneath them began to crack violently, black tendrils of shadow rising from the fissures. The tendrils lashed out, wrapping around Eleanor before both could react. Rae shouted her name, but the darkness consumed her companion in an instant, pulling her into a black void.
Before Rae could move, the shadows reached for her too. They coiled around her limbs, dragging her down into the Abyss. A wave of exhaustion unlike anything she had ever felt washed over her. Her body felt impossibly heavy, her eyelids drooping as an overwhelming urge to sleep overtook her.
"I can't… sleep," Rae thought, her mind growing foggy. "I need… to find Eleanor… a-and…"
Her thoughts fractured, slipping into darkness.
A voice, distant and mocking, pierced through the haze. "Looks like she couldn't conquer the darkness."
Warmth surrounded Rae, lulling her into what felt like the deepest, most comforting sleep of her life. Images of her lost loved ones—her mother, Merle—flashed through her mind. For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to stay in that warmth forever.
But then, the thought of Eleanor's face broke through the fog.
It brought back the countless moments they had shared and the promises she had made to herself. Those memories burned like a beacon in the darkness, reigniting her resolve.
"I can't give in," she thought, her strength returning. "I need to find Eleanor… and get us out of here."
The shadows that clung to her began to peel away, retreating as Rae forced herself to stand. Her crimson aura flared to life, burning bright against the void as she pushed back the Abyss with sheer determination.
Belphegor's sluggish voice returned. "Oh, so you conquered it after all. Congratulations. Here is your companion. Now leave. I need my sleep."
The cavern vanished, replaced by an icy wasteland. Eleanor stood nearby, unharmed, along with the imp.
"Welcome to the second ring of Hell," the imp announced. "This is the domain of Leviathan, the Archdevil of Envy. She is… icy, both in personality and her domain. Beware of her tricks."
A blizzard swept over them suddenly, the freezing winds biting into Rae's skin. When the storm cleared, a massive ice castle loomed ahead, its jagged spires glinting under the dim light.
The castle doors creaked open, revealing a breathtaking interior of crystalline beauty. Ice servants moved silently through the halls, their forms glimmering like glass. At the far end of the grand hall stood Leviathan herself—a figure of unearthly beauty. Her snow-white hair cascaded like silk, and her horns curved elegantly, forming a crown-like shape. Her icy blue eyes studied Rae with disdain.
"So," Leviathan said, her voice cold and sharp, "you are the one the Queen has chosen. Hmph. How foolish. Follow me to the throne room."
Rae followed Leviathan, her eyes drawn to the intricate architecture of the castle. Everything—from the pillars to the throne itself—was crafted with exquisite detail.
"I'll test you now," Leviathan declared, a faint smile curling her lips. And with that, the test began.
Before Rae could respond, the air around her shifted. The grand hall dissolved into a scene from her past—one that didn't belong.
"Merle?" Rae whispered, her voice trembling.
Standing before her was someone she never expected to see again: Merle, her long-lost friend. The warmth in Merle's smile and the familiarity of her voice cut through Rae's defenses.
"Eleanor, it's been so long," Merle said, her tone as sweet as Rae remembered.
But something felt wrong. Eleanor stepped closer, her presence grounding Rae. "Rae, are you all right?" Eleanor asked, concern lacing her words.
Rae turned to look at Eleanor, and an unbidden surge of jealousy clawed at her chest. The scene shifted again.
"Eleanor, this cold is unbearable," Merle said suddenly, turning to Eleanor. "Could you use your fire magic to warm us up?"
"Of course," Eleanor replied with ease, conjuring flames that danced between her palms, pushing back the icy chill.
Rae's fists clenched. The bitterness of envy bubbled within her, unbidden and consuming. Why is Eleanor the one to help Merle? Why can she use fire magic while I cannot anymore?
The thoughts spiraled, growing darker with each passing second. Eleanor is trying to replace me. She's stealing Merle away. I have to stop her. I have to—
The scene shifted again. This time, the figure before her was a dark-haired woman with gentle brown eyes.
"Mom? Is that you?" Rae asked, her voice trembling as emotion surged within her.
The woman said nothing, but her presence was unmistakable.
"My child, I have missed you so much," the woman said suddenly, stepping forward—but instead of embracing Rae, she wrapped her arms around Eleanor.
"Mom, that's not me—that's Eleanor!" Rae shouted, her voice rising with frustration. "I want to be hugged too!"
But her words went unheard. It was as if she didn't exist.
"Stop stealing my loved ones, Eleanor," Rae hissed, her voice cracking with anger. "If you don't, I'll—"
The sound of a blade unsheathing echoed in her ears. Rae looked down and found her twin blades in her hands. Before she realized it, she was charging at Eleanor, her intent clear: to kill.
But just as her blade neared Eleanor's neck, Rae froze. A sharp memory pierced through the haze—the day she learned of Merle's death the day she learned of her Mother's death. The pain, the grief, the reality of it all struck her like a tidal wave.
"Merle is gone, Mom is gone too" Rae murmured, her voice breaking. "This is an illusion. Leviathan's tricks."
The scene shattered like glass, revealing the throne room once more. Leviathan sat upon her icy throne, her expression unreadable.
"Interesting," Leviathan said, a hint of amusement in her tone. "You passed the test. Maybe the Queen wasn't so foolish after all. Now, leave. I've no desire to see your face any longer."