As I stepped through the gates of Belial, I yearned to set foot on solid ground. Yet, what I found was darkness, indistinguishable from the realm I had just left. Would I be eternally ensnared in this desolate void?
I pressed deeper into the shadows, an unsettling sensation enveloping my body. A white aura trailed my every step, bringing with it an icy chill. As the white aura thickened, it enveloped me, transforming into a dense fog that was frigid to the bone. I felt as if I were standing atop a snow-capped mountain.
Struggling against the suffocating fog, I was blindsided when my feet froze solid. I could no longer move.
Damn it! This must be the work of some fiend.
"Whoever you are, show yourself and face me!" I called into the emptiness.
In an instant, a tempestuous wind slammed against me, shards of ice and snow slicing through the air. The dark landscape vanished, replaced by a realm of unyielding ice—snow-laden ground and towering glaciers stretched as far as the eye could see, a symphony of blue, dark, and cold.
Before long, a woman with black wings descended from the heavens, moving with the grace of an angel. She was the epitome of human perfection, unmarred by flaws. As she approached, I beheld her astonishing beauty, yet one aspect took me aback—her tongue, long and forked like a serpent, and her eyes, glowing blue with reptilian pupils.
"Who dares tread upon my land, a barbaric human?" she intoned, hovering before me.
Silence fell from my lips; engaging with such a creature seemed folly. She appeared human, yet I understood the peril of my surroundings. It would be wise to trust no one in this wretched place, not even a beautiful serpent-tongued temptress.
Her irritation grew palpable at my disregard. "How dare you ignore me, you filthy wretch!" Her voice thundered, sending vibrations through the icy peaks.
A pang of guilt twisted within me, and I finally spoke, "I know you are the demon of this domain. Release me, and I shall depart immediately."
Her response was fury. "You insolent fool! You think you can enter my realm and simply walk away? Filthy creature!" She extended her long nails, aiming to claw my face.
But in a flash, her nails shattered upon contact with my skin, disintegrating as if struck by an unseen force. Her hands, too, crumbled to dust, leaving her stunned, the shock illuminating her exquisite features.
Moments later, the mangled hand regenerated perfectly as though it had never been harmed. She fixed her piercing gaze upon me, a flicker of fear now evident in her beautiful eyes.
"You are not an ordinary human, are you?" she inquired.
"No, I am a human chosen directly by the Creator for a glorious purpose."
"Don't make me laugh. If you are truly God's envoy, why do you find yourself here? Only the castaways are drawn to my domain."
I smiled and replied, "That is true; I am here because I have endured punishment for neglecting His commands. Lost and consumed by wrath—that is the sin I have committed. But now my purpose is clear; I will not be lost again."
"Is that so? Shouldn't you feel shame of yourself? Being here signifies that God no longer has use for you. If you are truly His cherished envoy, would the Most Merciful cast you aside like this? Are you sure you are on the right path now?"
Her venomous words struck a chord within me, and for a moment, I hesitated. I should have been strong enough to resist the devil's whispers, yet the human heart is never absolute. There will always be times when one is tossed about by temptation—even for one who has trained for centuries in the heavenly realms.
As doubt began to creep into my mind, the icy grip consuming my feet surged, creeping up my body. Unbeknownst to me, I found myself encased in a block of ice, unable to move, breathe, or feel anything. Only sloth and despair wrapped around my heart.
My desire to act began to fade. It felt as if all my passion was being drained by this icy prison. The winged woman smiled triumphantly, her serpent tongue flicking in delight at her perceived victory.
"Just surrender to the malaise. Hope and desire lead only to disappointment. There is no sorrow if you take no risks. Let go of all your yearnings, erase every wish, extinguish your hope. Embrace laziness!"
Yet, instead of succumbing to her poisonous chatter, I found myself smiling.
"What's so funny?" she demanded.
"You are Belphegor, are you not? The embodiment of sloth."
The woman was stunned that I would know her identity so easily. "How did you know my name?"
"Because sloth is the one trait I despise the most. Even in life, my parents taught me to rid myself of it since I was a child."
Belphegor was left speechless, grappling with my words. She fell silent for a moment, then stood defiantly, hands on her hips, as she regained her composure.
"You may despise me, but that doesn't render you immune. Sooner or later, your heart will succumb to the allure of laziness. Sloth is the most beguiling trait of all, requiring no effort to embrace. Unlike love or anger, which demand your toil. Sloth is the most enticing emotion," she declared.
"No, I will never be swayed by you. No matter how hard you try, you will not succeed. Your power is meaningless against me."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I have stood in Heaven, trained directly by Gabriel. He taught me about human emotions and how to control them. Emotions are mere illusions. In other words, you are an illusion."
"Do you think I am merely a figment of your imagination? Do you not see where you are? Look at your body, encased in ice. I could destroy you at this very moment if I wished!"
"Go ahead, if you dare."
I challenged her. She gazed into my eyes deeply, and I felt no fear of this creature. Among all the deadly sins, Belphegor was the easiest foe for me to vanquish. Her powers would never affect me. Therefore, no matter what she did, I was confident I would remain unscathed.
Belphegor stepped back and said, "You act so strong, able to easily control your emotions. But you cannot deceive me. I can clearly sense a singular, powerful feeling residing in your heart."
I smiled from within the ice that bound me and replied, "Guilt, that is what you sense in me right now. No matter how strong I am, that feeling will never fade. It is the heaviest sin I bear."
"Guilt? Towards whom?"
"Of course, towards God. I have sinned by neglecting His commands. I am guilty of my inability to save my son and wife. Forevermore, this feeling will cling to my heart. That is why your power cannot sway me. You possess nothing of value; all your titles and pride hold no worth in my eyes."
Belphegor's face twisted in fury. Her beautiful form warped into a colossal serpent-headed monster, her true nature revealed. She hissed at me, "If I cannot corrupt your heart, then I shall obliterate you entirely! Feel the wrath of Belphegor!"
The serpent-headed beast raised her arm high, gathering all the icy crystals within her grasp. In an instant, the frozen mound hurtled toward me, engulfing me in an avalanche of ice. I was swallowed whole.
From within, I could hear the monster's laughter, rich with triumph. "This was the consequence of defying me. You exist outside the bounds of time; your very being is now lost to existence. To be sealed in that mountain is to vanish from the universe. That ice is no ordinary ice; none can shatter it but the flames of Hell itself. You shall remain within for eternity, a part of the void."
But then, Belphegor's taunts were abruptly silenced by a tremor that shook the ground. Snow cascaded down the mountain as steam erupted from within the glacier where I was imprisoned. A crimson aura flickered to life inside, causing fractures to spiderweb across the solid ice.
Belphegor's panic flared. "What is happening? Why do I feel warmth emanating from within? My body! I feel as if I'm melting from inside. I am burning!"
In that moment, a wing of flame burst forth, cleaving through the ice that held me captive. I transformed into a half-monster, winged figure, the manifestation of Belial's power that I had absorbed. The voice of the demon roared in agony, desperately trying to escape, but I would not allow it. Belphegor recognized the screams.
"Belial? Is that you?" she gasped, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"Belphegor, please! Help me! This man is insane!" Belial cried out, his voice trembling in the inferno.
The woman gazed at me in disgust, "How could this happen? Who are you?"
I yelled at her, "I am Rhinggamana, the envoy of God. With the power of Belial, I have now become one with the very flames of Hell itself. Your ice is but dust before me."
Belphegor trembled, her mouth agape in disbelief at what she had just heard, "What have you done to Belial?"
I smilled and said, "Exactly what I shall do to you."
With a fierce resolve, Belphegor soared high above the mountains, summoning forth her minions of ice to thwart my advance. But all the wretched creatures she conjured were mere whispers against the searing lava that encircled my form. In an instant, they melted into nothingness.
"There is no escape for you, Belphegor. Surrender to my power!"
With a swift motion, I hurled an iron chain made of fire that clamped around her neck, yanking her from the precipice with all my might. Her cries echoed in desperation as she fought to flee, but her strength was no match for my own. I drew her closer, relentless, until she plummeted from her lofty perch.
In a final, futile attempt to evade her fate, she screeched, "You shall not survive this, cursed wretch! Even if I fall by your hand, we, the Ten Princes of Hell, shall not remain idle. The others will ensure your annihilation!"
I yelled at her, "I fear no foe. Anyone bold enough to challenge me will find their power consumed by my own."
In a swift act, I absorbed her essence into my being until she was utterly erased. The icy realm, filled with towering mountains of snow, vanished in an instant. I found myself cast once more into the void, but I was transformed—imbued with a potent force that transcended Belial's. I reverted to my human form, the flames that had once engulfed me extinguished, replaced by a radiant blue aura of chilling might. This was the power of the second Prince of Hell. Eight more remained to be vanquished.
A shimmering blue gate, adorned with crystalline motifs of ice, manifested above my head. But that was not all that emerged.
As I gazed downward, a thick cloud with writhing black tentacles and glowing red eyes surged towards me. This time, it loomed far larger than before. The Abyss, again, sought to claim me. With their monstrous size, escape seemed an impossibility if they ensnared me. I had to act swiftly.
Without a moment's hesitation, I strode boldly into the gate, ready to confront the next of Hell's princes.
Whom shall I encounter next?