Fallen

Satan

I felt her long before I saw her. The impending sense of doom made me want to run away, but I stood firm, waiting for her to arrive on the mountaintop.

As she drew closer, I began to see the leathery wings flapping in the distance, followed by an aura of calmness and serenity, mingled with the fear. Once I was able to see her on the dragon's back, all the negative emotions had ceased and all that was left was the feeling of warmness and comfort, and even desire.

I couldn't deny it- she was beautiful.

I gripped my sword handle tighter, feeling the tiny cross embedded in its grip. As long as it was touching my skin, I couldn't be enticed to sell my soul to her. The current Satan was a fickle creature, with a fondness for feminine forms.

Her name was Kelhara, one of the Nine Originals, who followed Lucifer into Hell of their own accord. Or at least, that was the story they forced the rest of Hell to accept. No one left God's presence of their own free will. However, being a Fallen Angel, she could maintain the appearance and aura of a heavenly creature, to a certain degree. The closer she got, the more my body and soul were convinced that she was a servant of God. However, my mind was still my own, and I could clearly see that half of her body was satanic, with her black wing, red eye, and demonic arm. The other half of her was entirely angelic, wielding a golden arch-saber. The other half wielded a black and red one. She was dressed in black and red robes with golden ceremonial armor, showing off her long legs and ample bosom. Her ears were like that of the elves, and on her head was the gold and purple diadem of the Underthrone.

She stepped off the giant red dragon, which still slithered around and encircled her to protect her. The beast growled, agitated by the presence of a Holy Knight.

"Crusader," she intoned, "What would a man of your stature want with such a being as I?"

"A deal, as it were," I replied.

Her eyes widened with delight.

"A servant of my eternal enemy? Asking me for a deal?" 

"Not of that kind," I growled. "I won't give you my soul." 

"Then what will you give me?" she said. "What could you offer me, when I already wield such considerable power on this Earth?" 

"You wield your power through trickery and deceit. I could give you a legitimate means to power."

"And that would be so much better?"

"It might," I said, smiling. "Depends on what I'm offering." 

"Which is?" she said with a huff.

I closed my eyes and sighed, wincing at what I had to do. "We may have found a Crystal of the Grand Master Miktovas." 

"May?!?" she demanded, her devilish eye flashing with light. 

"We definitely have one," I clarified, "and we're willing to offer it to you in exchange for a promise."

"Is it here?" she demanded.

"It is," I said. "We took precautions naturally, so you can't sense its aura."

Kelhara turned to her dragon, who shook its head. Apparently even he hadn't smelled anything.

She looked back at me, with a charming, snakelike grin on her face. 

"And what would you want in return for such a powerful mana source?"

"A promise," I said, my doubt clear on her face. Everyone knew that the Satan's promises were worth nothing, but we had no other choice. She laughed.