Queen of the Damned Part 1

Hell needs a devil.

Hell needs a ruler.

But today is a dark day.

The ruler of all Hell laid in his bed, tucked tight under the covers. His friends and loved ones were gathered around his bedside. Holding his hand was his wife Carmen Gravely, a mortal human woman and loving mother of two. Next to her and her demonic husband were his merry band of hellraisers from his office. First was his succubus secretary Lilith, his assistant, the bat-like demon Scrugs, and the arachnid royal advisor, and master of dark mystics, Legion. They all saw how horrible he looked. Eyes were bloodshot and drozy. Skin paler than before. Forehead burned hotter than the very fires of Hell itself, and felt like a jackhammer was striking between his eyes. Green and brown mucous leaked from his hooked nose, dripping onto to his pointy goatee. He tried inhaling the mucous back into his nostrils but it had little effect of clearing his sinuses. It was like sucking a pool of toothpaste through a small, broken vacuum.

“I’m dying!” the devil Lucifer coughed. There was a deep hoarseness in his voice. He sounded like he swallowed dozens of old toads. "I think..." he continued. "I can see the light... Is this Oblivion?"

"No, boss!" his assistant, Scrugs, sobbed loudly. "Don't go into the light!"

The small demon's pleas were silenced when Legion struck Scrugs' round head with the butt of his wooden staff. “Don’t be so dramatic,” the anciend demon growled to both the small demon and his king. “It’s just a flu,” he then popped a thermometer into his sickly king’s mouth. All six of his soulless eyes watched the mercury rise. “Your body temperature is above normal. Three hundred degress higher to be exact. My only recommendation for you is plenty of bed rest and drink plenty of fluids.”

"Sorry you're not feeling well, honey," Carmen said. "I'll make sure I make you some butter toast before I drop the girls off at school and head out for work. Okay?"

The devil coughed again. "You do what you gotta, hon."

Carmen leaned and kissed his sweaty forehead. She then grabbed her purse and rushed for the door. "I'll be sure to pick up some cough syrup after work too." the thought of having to drink that foul poison made Lu slither his black tongue out in disgust.

"Let me know if his condition worsens." those were the last words the demons heard before their queen exited her house, leading her children into the family van and off to their day. Once she was gone, Lucifer slowly closed his eyes, falling into a deep, sickly sleep as his trusted council snuck their way back to their realm. Out the bedroom and down the stairway they went. Next was a turn towards the hall, where the enchanted Helevator was stationed, the interdimensional gateway between the human world and the forbidden hellscape. Each of the demons were greatly concerned.

“What do we do now?” Scrugs gulped. “Without our king-”

“I guess that makes you in charge, right Legion?” Lilith asked the old demon.

“No, I am not.” Legion corrected.

The three odd demons entered inside the cramped spacing of the Helevator, which was modeled like any other elevator, except for its ancient and rusted exterior. When everyone was inside, Legion pressed on of the buttons on the control panel. The doors slammed shut, locking them all inside. There was a sudden snapping noise and down through the house and the earth the box dropped. It traveled faster than a bullet train, crossing through the two dimensions. Outside the box it shook violently but its interior was tranquil. The demons never felt the chaos that ensued in the descent back into Hell.

"But Lord Lucifer is out of commission for the time being," the succubus expressed her worry. "And we no longer have a second in command. The role of leadership would fall under you, wouldn't it?"

"Technically, I would be. But you have forgotten that there is one other that can assume our king’s place. One that holds equal power over our world and our people since the day I married them.”

Lilith and Scrugs looked at each other. They knew exactly of whom the elder demon spoke of. "You do know that she's not gonna like that," Lilith reminded.

Legion then nodded. "Believe me, I am fully aware. She will be resistant at first, that is an absolute. But regardless, she is our queen. It is time now that she upheld her position. For the sake of our people and our world."

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #hell #demons