Eternal Damnation

Part 1

She liked to watch.

Specifically, she liked to watch him.

He was called Benedict.

He was a very pretty man. With his golden mane of thick hair and golden eyes, she always imagined he was a reincarnated lion. The skin on his broad shoulders and forearms was permanently tanned, and his hands were rough and callased; the mark of an outdoorsman.

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.

He was everything she was not. And he was perfect.

Her label was Zaboraveni; Zeni for short. The Forgotten.

She did not have a name.

None of them did in the bleakness of hell.

She must have had one once, but it was so long ago now that she couldn’t remember it. It was said that if a demon could remember their name, they would remember and revive the sould that had long since died.

She would be able to re-enter the Kingdom of Heaven and feel the light again.

It was probably nonsense anyway.

Hell was not like you imagine it would be. It was not a firey pit with rivers of lava, smelling of rotten decay.

Hell was dark. Hell was cold.

It was the absence of all things good.

That was especially true of the demons that resided there. Humans that committed such grave sins to land them in this abyss at least had memories of their lives. The good and the bad. Demons had no such luxury.

This nothingness was all Zeni had ever known.

She could see the mortals on earth and watch them live out their lives. But their joy only brought her pain.

But she couldn’t help it. She liked to watch him.

“What is it about that human that has you so fascinate, pet?” The King asked, startling Zeni out of her thoughts. He went by many names: Lucifer, Satan, The Devil, The Deceiver.

In hell, he was known as The King. That was label. It was said that he forgot his name even before the war for heaven began. His soul was dead before he ever tried to lay claim to the throne.

Zeni did not know how she knew all of this. It was just known.

“There is nothing special about this particular human, my King.” She bowed deeply, a custom The King insisted upon.

Sometimes Zeni wondered what reason she would have had to follow him down here? To fight on his side in the war for Heaven.

What had made her do it?

Sometimes she believed that losing her memory was the punishment she’d earned. She would live an eternity not knowing why she was being punished. It was undeniable torment.

The King arched an amused eyebrow, “You would lie to me? Here? In this place?”

“No! I…” Zeni began to protest, but was silenced by a wave of The King’s hand.

“If there is nothing special about this man, then you would not mind if I sent my minions to him.”

“No!” Zeni could not help it. She did not want to see this beautiful creature crushed under the despair that The King’s minions could create.

“I see.” The King’s voice was low and full of tortuous delight. He was going to get to play. “Zaboraveni, I have a deal to make with you.”