Pride is blind, or maybe too naive. Pride thinks the ones they like, love them, and the ones they hate, envy them. Pride doesn't want to think everyone is against them.
Enter their secret oppositors; the house of Greed.
Well, they're not that secret. They're quite obvious, actually. But the house of Pride would not even consider that maybe their main ally is their main rival.
The castle of Greed directly faces the one of Pride, although it is a little smaller, and shinier, made of something similar to gold. Greed is very populated - and now that Hell is closed, it's more obvious, as most of those demons were busy in other worlds. They don't like being kept here. And, if Pride is the one stopping them from getting what they want, Pride should watch their back.
But Pride is still very greedy, just as Greed has a pride to protect.
The entrance of the castle of Greed is unique. To get inside, you must really want to be inside, and such is reflected in the complicated steps that lead into it. It takes a few jumps, another few choices, and a maze that is constantly changing and catches off-guard any non-physical demon that thought they were safe from confusion.
There's a method you can always trust when going through mazes; you take your right hand, place it against the right wall, then just walk and choose the paths without cutting the connection.
These walls keep changing by the minute, but still, it should work.
✩✩✩
Three hours and thirty three minutes.
That's how long it takes to give up in the maze of Greed.
Sitting down might be the best thing to do at this point, at least to take a break before walking to find the exit, or maybe even where I came from. How do greed demons do this everyday?
Just as I put my back against the wall, it disappears, making me lay down on the floor facing the ceiling. Well, not the ceiling - what is probably a physical greed demon looks down on me, frowning.
—Oh, —I put a smile, —Hi. Is this the castle of Greed? —
They groan. —Nemo potest accipere in. —no one can get in.
—Maybe you should have made a sign outside saying that, I mean, I have been walking for three hours. —I sigh. —Can't you make an exception? —
—Minimē. —not at all.
—Don't worry, I'm not going to tell the queen anything. —I shrug, —Unless you don't let me in. Then I might tell Her to pay a visit Herself. —
They nod, and take a step back, signalling me to stand up. —Tu ambitiose. —
I'm in. Smiling, I stand up, and brush some stones off my hands. —Well, that's what you want, isn't it? —I take a look at the inside of the castle, which contradicts what the demon just said, as there are many demons inside belonging to each and every house, including Pride. —What are you planning? —
—Quid tu hic? —a wrath demon asks,
All eyes are on me, yet I don't feel nervous. I know they are as desperate as me, and maybe more. —I want to get out, just like you. I'm willing to help open the portal. —
What I can assume is an envy demon, a kind I just noticed I have never seen in my life, gets closer to me. —Quare? Habes omnia. —why? You have everything. —Regina amat te. —the queen loves you. —Hic es tutus! —you are safe here.
—I don't want to stay stuck here. No one does. Maybe Sabrina, but She's a special case. —I look at the different demons who are preparing a ritual in the middle of the room, —What do I need to do? —
One of the lust demons sits down, and invites me over. —Tu es filia reginae. —you are the daughter of the queen. —Possis aperire porta, facilius erit tibi. —you can open the portal, it will be easier for you. —Et corpora opus est facere incantatores. —we need bodies to do the spell.
That explains why all demons in the middle are physical. With no hesitation, I walk to them, and also sit down.
—Quae non quidem sciunt quid facere. —she doesn't even know what to do, another envy demon says.
—Docebimus eam. —we will teach her.
A circle is made, with only seven of us, each representing a different house. The sloth leader quickly leaves a spellbook on my lap, opened on a page about these kinds of portals, written in such archaic latin that normal demons probably can't read it. It's simple enough. Some words, a few symbols, and a lot of patience and tolerance. It can hurt. It will hurt. Yet these demons are used to doing it all the time just to leave this place.
The seven of us hold hands, and the ritual begins.
We make the drawing, and say the words, and wait. We wait without dropping our hands or our hope. Nothing happens for the first minutes, then, electricity travels through all of us and a hint of a portal appears in the middle.
—Suus opus! —it's working, the Gluttony leader says, and the others surrounding us start cheering in their own way.
But it only works for the first seconds.
My hands start to go numb, and I can tell the others' do too. Still, we can't stop. Some of them close their eyes and take a deep breath, focusing all their power to keep the portal alive.
I feel a new tingle in two of my left fingers, making my hand feel alive again. I look down; the sling ring is releasing small sparks. Maybe I could combine both kinds of portals. I focus again on the middle, this time allowing both the demonic and wizardry energy take over my body. Soon enough, sparks join the previously depressing portal, slowly making it bigger.
Our grip on each other's hands gets stronger.
—Veniunt! —
Who's coming? Confused, we turn our heads to the source of the warning; a pride demon, coming from the maze, runs into the crowd and disappears, just as the maze and the entrance get destroyed by shadows.
I have to let the leaders' hands go, as I start pushing them away. —Get out of here, She will kill you! —
The biggest shadows get to our circle, and I put my head down, covering it with my arms. I am done. This is my end. They will drag me and take me to Sabrina and She might kill me because I did exactly what She told me not to do. The other houses will blame me for this. They will say I brought the shadows here. I'm so dead.
But, nothing takes a hold of me. When I put my head up, I notice the shadows completely ignore me, and are now dragging other demons outside.
Oh, don't you dare.
—What are you doing?! —
I stand up, sprinting after the shadows. Fortunately, I don't need to worry about the maze, for it doesn't exist anymore. The shadows are quickly making their way to the castle of Pride.
—Come here and take me with them, cowards! —I shout, yet they don't even look at me, —I'm the main perpetrator. You are all pathetic! —
Just as they enter the castle, I notice Sabrina looking down from the balcony, and I stop right in front of the entrance.
She raises Her eyebrows. —Quite a show you're making. —
—You-—I point at Her, —You said you would treat me like any other demon. Do so! Don't shy away and be a demon of Her word. Take me with them and kill me if you must for breaking whatever law you made up. —
—Don't be stupid, I won't do that. —when She notices my questioning face, She rolls Her eyes. —They're tempting you, Kid! I can see it. They're giving you this... Saviour complex of yours because they want to hurt me. —
—What the fuck? —
She shushes me. —Shut up. I know what I'm saying. Now even Greed is against us and I can't trust any house near you. They're betraying me and they will betray you and everyone that comes after us. —
—I'm... —how is She so... Like that? —I'm going to leave this place. Whether you like it or not. And if you want to stop me you better get the courage to kill me because only death will keep me here with you. —
I turn around, and start walking away. There must be another way.
—Where are you going? —She asks, and I hear Her jump from the balcony to the ground.
I keep looking forward. —Somewhere far from you and your stupid morals. —
—No, no. —I hear Her running in my direction. —Look at you. Where are you going? —
When I look at my hands, they are translucent. What? I turn around and see my physical body laying down a few metres away, and Sabrina getting closer to me. —What in Hell are you doing, Kid? Why did you detach? —
—You didn't do this? —She shakes Her head. Someone did this to me. —Where am I going? —
Right there, I leave Hell. For a moment, I can only see black and hear some very annoying white noise, until I can finally notice another environment.
Still as a soul, I am now in a dark room, surrounded by witches. Under me there are symbols, circles, and a ritual candle, well lit up and shining like a star. A voice behind me sounds relieved;
—Oh my god, it worked. —the witches look at the voice in curiosity, —Star, can you see me? I can see you. —