Satan's Little Helper

X X I V - [ D A E M O N ]

THE FIRST circle is nowhere near a threat for a demon like me.

The Hellhounds come in groups of four and five at once like a pack of wolves, but despite their remarkable number, the demonic canines still don't pose that much of a threat.

To be honest, getting them to make way for me is the trickier part, considering the fact that they won't stop jumping around and trying to get a bite out of me, but there's nothing a little hound-whacking can't do and within minutes, the creatures are either laying dead on the ground, limping away from me or growling at me while slowly backing away. They know that it's useless to try and kill me when
I am the actual ruler of Hell, but they still attempt to look frightening anyway before running towards the woods that this level predominantly composed of.

As I watch the remaining Hellhounds disappear among the trees, the ones dead on the ground disappear slowly and vanish into thin air.

That was it, then? Am I free to go to the next circle?

The apparent answer is a no.

Soon after I asked that question in my head, I hear a series of buzzing sounds coming from behind me, and I turn my head to see giant insects the size of an average man advancing towards me with their weapons pointed at me.

Of course Abaddon had to choose these stupid locusts as his minions.

As one of them open its wings to fly at me, I throw my arm to the side and the locust follows, being unable to control its own body anymore. The other three springs into action immediately after, perhaps attempting to bring their friend to justice—but only to fail in doing so.

Swerving when one of their skeletal arms nearly grab me by the neck, I elbow the locust and break its own instead. Its friends stop coming after me, and for a moment they do nothing but simply stare at their fallen friend. I do, too, only realizing now that I still have it in me.

"Alright," I say aloud to no one and nothing in particular. My voice seem to snap the locusts back to reality, and they all jerk their heads up simultaneously to look at me. "Which one of you is next?"

The two looks at each other as if they are actually human and are silently debating whether to volunteer to sacrifice themselves first or the other.

"Either way, the two of you are going to die, you know?" I remind them, cocking an eyebrow as if saying, I'm Satan and I can have you all cower before me without breaking so much as a sweat.

Finally, they dash towards me with their spears raised above them, ready to stab it through my heart or even try to injure me in any way. I rhythmically and easily avoid their attacks, though, and I'm able to deliver a hit or two with no problem. The sound of bones cracking don't exactly disturb me, but let's just say that I haven't gotten this much action in almost a decade so it somehow refreshes me in a way.

"Told you so." I shrug, throwing aside the last locust—or what's left of it, at least.

Well, then. Perhaps all my worries for Feia's life are actually—

My thoughts are cut off by a growl so loud it makes the ground shake.

Eyes wide and a bad feeling in my gut, I swivel my head to the side and blink hard once, twice, thrice. It's as if the creature before me is something I haven't seen before, but I know damn well that that's not true at all—I've seen it alright, but never have I ever needed to face it.