Training Day

The tranquility wouldn't last long though, people filing into the square since there were no longer any scary soldiers standing around and flushing them out. Naphal still stayed, however, listening to whispered conversations and acoustic instruments wailing their songs. Her peace of mind made her forget to put the hood back on her head, not realizing it until she locked eyes with a small child walking alongside its mother. The young boy waved at her, and all the assassin could do was flinch. It made her feel guilty for a moment, but she soon forgot about it, once again letting the music and crimson heat wash out her fears.

Eventually, afternoon turned to evening, and evening turned to night, all the while she sat there listening to the fountain splash in its pool until a stoic guard asked her to leave. Naphal sighed, standing up from her comfortable bench and walking the streets of the city again, her anxieties back into overdrive as she watched the debauchery around her. Pandemonium was the only city where all seven sins could be found, and it showed. Succubi lined every block, courting each and every male soul that passed them by, casinos were common, especially in the bustling downtown. Restaurants served every food you could imagine, all-you-can-eat too, with plenty of takers at the ready.

Fight clubs, modeling shows, public resting houses, every vice known to man all in one place, and it all somehow came together like a big, mismatched puzzle. That's how everyone liked it, well, except for her. She wandered up the busy avenue, seeing a face she recognized, in fact, it was Tiff again, still trying her hardest to court a soul who wanted nothing to do with her. She repeated her pickup lines, but they never seemed to work, the finely dressed gentleman leaving her out to dry. She audibly scoffed, stomping her foot on the ground below.

"Didn't I tell you to stop harassing every mean-looking guy on the street?"

Tiff turned around on her heel, glowing at the hooded figure who stood beside her, "Naphy! How was your meeting? Tell me about it! I need to know!"

"I…"

"Hey, why don't we go to the bar? You can tell me there, it's a lot better than me trying to talk while I'm at work."

"Won't Asmodeus be upset?"

The succubus flicked her wrist, "Nah… she's already mad at me anyway. What's taking a break gonna do?"

"It could get you killed."

"Asmodeus? Killing? That's like saying a cat's a dog. Besides, what's she gonna do? Fuck me to death?" She grabbed Naphal's wrist, "C'mon, Naphy! It'll be fun!"

The succubus dragged her friend into a nearby dive bar, her pulling strength a lot more than the assassin had anticipated. The bar itself was smoky and reeked of hard liquor, Naphal trying her best to practically glue her hood to her head as Tiff led her through the crowd of drunken imbeciles and perverted idiots, sitting her down neatly at an empty barstool smack in the middle of the L-shaped table that took up half the room. Soon, the bartender walked up to them, a stoutly demon with oddly shaped horns and a hair that went down to his lower back.

Tiff ordered some complicated cocktail, and Naphal got herself a glass of cold seltzer water.

"Alright, tell me everything." The succubus said excitedly, taking a sip of her drink.

"I can't, Tiff, it's classified information."

"Oh c'mon, Naphy, nothing's classified over drinks."

"If I tell you and someone were to catch me, I could be imprisoned, or worse."

Tiff took another sip, "Then… Can you tell me the little things? The things that won't get you killed if someone were to catch you?"

"Fine. It was a shorter meeting than I thought it was going to be."

"A bit more than that, Naphy."

"I don't know what you want me to say. The meeting was short, and the exciting parts are the parts I can't tell you."

The succubus sighed, "Alright. Was the infernal court there?"

"Yes, I believe I told you that when we talked this morning."

"Were they wearing those pretty dresses they always wear?"

"No, it was a rather impromptu meeting."

Tiff smirked, "That means it was something important, right? Normally infernal court meetings are huge spectacles."

"I'm glad they forgoed the parade this time. It always made getting in the palace a pain in the ass."

"Aw, I like the parades. Seeing all the big processions go by with their lights and their bands, makes living on the street fun for a day."

"I thought you had an apartment."

The succubus laughed awkwardly, "I did. Got kicked out a couple weeks ago. Landlord said my rent payments were "too inconsistent."."

"Tiff, I-"

"No, no, it's fine. I'm surviving just fine."

"You can come live with me, if you want. It would be much nicer." Naphal said suddenly.

Tiff almost spat out her drink, "Wait, really? Queen Marchosias is just… fine with that?"

"I'd have to talk to her about it, yeah, but contrary to popular belief, my mother isn't a complete monster. Just a slight one."

The succubus jumped off her stool and wrapped her arms around Naphal, nearly tackling her to the ground in the process, "Oh my god! Thank you so much! I can't believe you would do that for me! You're so sweet!"

"I thought you were surviving on the street."

"You just offered to let me live in a palace, screw just surviving!"

The assassin pursed a light smile, "I still have to talk to her, you know."

"Yeah… but there's nothing fun about being realistic, now is there?"

Naphal took a sip of her own drink, "And you're sure Asmodeus wouldn't have a problem?"

"She doesn't care about what we do once we're off the clock. In fact, I know couple succubi who're married, some that are lesbians, so on and so forth. Moral of the story is that she doesn't give a shit as long as we meet our soul quota."

"Quota?"

"Yeah, we have to bed a certain number of souls per week. If you go above, you get a raise."

"And if you don't?"

Tiff sipped her cocktail, "Then you get a pay cut, and if you keep missing… then, well, you'll just have to hope that your client leaves a bill in your panties."

"That seems awfully cruel."

"It's how it's always been done."

"That doesn't mean it isn't cruel."

The succubus shrugged, "I guess I just don't think about it too much, though I probably should, since I always seem to be skirting it."

"Your bad luck streak?"

"Everyone who walks down that street is the self-important business type, even at night! During the day, it's usually a bit slow, but the nighttime is the best time for people like me, and nobody's buying."

Naphal drank her seltzer, "I've heard boycotting calls, Asmodeus isn't exactly the most popular at the moment."

"I don't think it's that. I guess I'm just not pretty enough or something."

"You're prettier than me. That's something."

Tiff sighed, "It's not your job to be pretty."

There was a silence between them for a moment.

"I probably should be getting home. I have an important meeting in the morning." The assassin said suddenly, placing her money in the empty glass she left behind.

"Another one?"

"They don't just stop, you know?

Tiff chuckled a bit, "I guess not." She took the last sip of her drink, "Have a good night, sweetie!"

Naphal waved as she left her friend in the bar, the feeling of fresh air filling her lungs when she opened the door and walked out onto the desolate street, the only people walking around at this time of night being vagabonds and succubi looking for a quick buck off of the drunkards. She walked past them without a glance, wandering the exact same path she took that morning before ending up at her mother's palace again, unlocking the door with the key she kept in her pocket.

Her eyes looked over at a clock that stood nearby, its flashing lights glistening 12:30, nearly blinding her in the process. She walked into the main room, seeing her mother perched against the window, like she always was, though it was a bit odd that she was up this late.

"There you are!" Marchosias sang, flying down to her daughter's side as she entered. "I've been wondering where you've been."

"I was out getting drinks with a friend."

"Was it that succubus girl again?"

"Do I have any other friends?"

The wrath queen hummed, "That doesn't matter right now, what matters is what Lucifer said to you, so…?"

"I can't tell you. It's confidential information."

"I'm a member of the infernal court, you can tell me everything, dear."

"I just don't know if Lucifer or High Commander-"

The she-wolf laughed, "Do you think I give a shit about what they think? Besides, it's not like I'm gonna go around telling everyone. Spill the beans, dearie."

"Fine."

Marchosias sat herself down on the couch beside her, crossing one leg over the other, "Go on."

"Her majesty and Leviathan asked me to… perform my duty."

"Really? Come on, dear, you can be a bit more upfront than that."

Naphal sighed, "She wants me to kill Mephistopheles."

The wrath queen's face froze for a moment, a look of shock in her eyes before her lips curled into a wide, toothy smile, her fangs shining in the room's dim light.

"Oh my Satan!" She shouted, "My little girl is gonna be a hero! I told you this was better than killing some pathetic angels! You'll do great!"

"Thanks, mother."

"Oh, I have to start preparing! What did Lucifer promise you? Money? Fame?"

"She said I could have anything I wanted."

Marchosias giggled like a giddy schoolgirl, "This is so exciting! I-I don't even know what to say!"

Naphal smiled weakly, "You don't have to say anything."

"Quit being so humble, dear. This is a job most people would kill for! Hell, if I were you, I'd be dancing around this house like heaven just fell."

"I am excited." The assassin lied.

"I'm excited for you, this is a big deal, you know? Getting the chance to take out one of hell's greatest enemies, why, the only person who would get you anywhere near the same recognition is if Lucifer told you to kill Michael."

"Do you think..?"

"I wouldn't worry about that one, dear. She'd only do that if she had gone mad, or listened to Astaroth."

Naphal sighed quietly, "I should be getting to bed, mother. I have training with Abaddon in the morning."

"Training?"

"Her majesty and the high commander believe I should be more physically capable of fighting him just in case stealth doesn't work."

Marchosias hummed, "That sounds rather silly to me, but who am I to complain? My only daughter is going to be the savior of all hell." She kissed the assassin's forehead, "Sleep tight, my child."

"I'll try."

The she-wolf turned on her heel and flew back to her perch, allowing her child to walk through the dark hallways that lined the house before she entered the bathroom to clean herself up, then stepped into her enormous bedroom, faint candlelight coloring it a soothing amber. She sat herself down on the massive bed, running a hand through her pitch black hair as she undressed. She changed into her sleeping clothes, slowly walking over to the windowsill where the candle stood, putting it out with a light towel and wiping the melted wax off its exterior.

The assassin placed the towel in the trash and laid down beneath her sheets, resting her head on the cloud-like pillow she'd had for years, though every attempt she made to close her eyes and let sleep wash over her was seemingly rebuffed by her mind, throwing an abyssal moat of anxiety at her every time she tried to reach for a moment of peace. She reposed in isolation for a while, each second feeling like an hour, each minute feeling like a day. Her eyes were as heavy as a bag of bricks, but her mind didn't allow her body to rest, instead screaming at her with every fear it could muster.

Finally, she forced her eyes shut, letting the darkness consume her with a few deep breaths. Her sleep was anything but peaceful, but it would have to suffice. She tossed and turned through the night, not feeling a moment of peace as her alarm began to blare, cutting the soothing feeling of the darkness down like a dying timber. She forced herself out of bed, wandering through the blackness of her room and into the bathroom, where she put her messy black hair into a ponytail, walking into the empty living room, noticing her mother snoozing on her perch, her chirpy snores echoing through the vast room.

Naphal tiptoed as to not wake her up, grabbing her hood from the coat rack and silently sauntering out the front door, the heat of the crimson inferno that surrounded her coursing through her veins as she took the same path she had taken the previous morning, though at this time of day, the streets were practically empty save for a few of the city's homeless population who slept on their uncomfortable benches, contorting themselves to find any sense of solace. She walked past them without a glance before taking a turn down an alleyway, approaching the towering coliseum that she had to spend her morning in.

It was a stunning piece of ancient architecture, every piece carved from stone with impeccable accuracy, so much so that even the mortals copied it. Naphal wandered across the structure's large concourses before stepping down a dingy flight of marble stairs that led her to the underground, a pale hallway leading her through to the locker room built into the soil. The room itself was as visually unappealing as the corridor she had just entered in from, corpse white walls with no decoration or color, with metal lockers that were shoddily painted maroon. She opened the deposit box, hanging her hood up on a hanger, then redid her messy ponytail in a nearby mirror, and walked the remainder of the hallway until she stepped out onto the coliseum's surface.

She took a long look around, empty stone bleachers that could seat hundreds of thousands staring down at her, along with the bronze eyes of the glorious warriors that had once fought on the hallowed ground she stood upon, wielding swords that were the size of your average demon, and shields that could withstand the wrath of a dragon.

"There you are, Naphy!" Abaddon's voice broke her trance, sending her back to the unpleasant reality she had to face. "I've been waiting here for an hour!"

"You woke up that early?"

"Pfft." The muscular demon blew a raspberry, "I always wake up early."

"I see."

"Enough chit-chat. Let's get to the meat, shall we? I heard from a little birdie that Queen Lucifer wants me to whip you into shape."

"I'm guessing that little birdie is the queen herself."

Abaddon smirked, "Clever girl."

"Can we just get this over with?"

"Don't be too hasty now, Naphy. Mephistopheles ain't someone to be messed with, he's a lot stronger than he looks."

"I'm guessing she told you about my mission?"

The powerful demon kept that smirk on her face, "Well, it took a couple rounds of asking, but I got it out of her. Just know that old bastard isn't as nice as he seems."

"How would you know?"

Abaddon scoffed, "Do you really think you're the first person she's sent to kill him?"

"She sent you?"

"It was a while ago, back before I had the cushy job and everything. He tried to smooth-talk me, but I wouldn't let him. I got my ass kicked for it, he made me look like some worthless chump, and I had to walk up to Lucifer after I woke up with my tail between my legs. Wasn't fun."

"Oh."

The muscular demon cracked her knuckles, "So, that's why I'm here to make sure that you can take it. Those little daggers of yours won't do the trick."

"They always have. I don't see why they won't this time."

"He's a lot smarter than those other idiots you've killed." She flashed her razor-sharp teeth, "But anyway, I've talked enough. It's time to get this show on the road. Are you ready, Naph? I'm not gonna go easy on you."

Naphal stood with her daggers drawn, "I'm ready."

She didn't have a second to prepare as the bullish demon charged at her quickly, the chimera narrowly getting out of her way. Naphal made a quick slice to Abaddon's abdomen, earning a grunt from the powerful demon who took another swing at the smaller assassin, dodging the blow masterfully and delivering a kick to her opponent's side, enraging the monster. The assassin then made the poor decision of trying to follow up her blow, which earned her a hard punch to the chest, knocking the wind out of her lungs and sending her to her knees.

"I told you I wasn't gonna go easy on you."

Naphal took a couple of deep breaths, slowly getting back to her feet and continuing the fight. She took a swing with her first, the monstrous demon smiling back at her as she grabbed the girl's arm out of the air and suplexed her back on the hard ground below, making the chimeric creature spit up blood as she landed. Her ears rang for a moment as she lay on the ground, her foe standing over her with a sickening grin. She eventually forced herself up again, putting up her fists despite the aches she felt run up and down her entire body.

Abaddon threw a punch, which Naphal dodged with ease, landing a nice knee to her opponent's gut. She followed it up with a quick jab to her chin, getting a proud grin from the monster, who responded with a jab of her own. They traded blows for a moment before the muscular demon regained control, drilling her fist into Naphal's jaw then repeating the process a couple times over, blood spewing from the assassin's mouth as the powerful creature gave her a second to recuperate.

"You're not dead." Abaddon commented snarkily, "That's better than a lot of my other punching bags."

"I'm not your punching bag."

"Really? 'Cause right now, you're not doing so hot. What am I gonna tell her majesty?"

"You'll tell her that I embarrassed you."

The monstrous demon smiled, "That's the spirit."

She allowed the assassin to stand before attempting to pummel her again, this time being met with a dagger slice to the collarbone. Abaddon growled as the cut began to bleed, soaking her black clothes a shade of maroon as she arrantly swung at the smaller demon, who was seemingly dodging her every move. Naphal landed a clean uppercut directly onto her opponent's jaw, which nearly ripped her head off as she recoiled, dropping to a knee. She took a second to recover from the onslaught, looking up to see the assassin's exhausted expression staring back at her, the edge of a dagger at her neck.

Abaddon quickly smacked the knife away, getting back on her feet and driving her fists into Naphal's stomach until the girl was about to vomit. She could feel herself foaming at the mouth as she kicked her straight in the chest while the chimera tried to recover, sending her face-first onto the stone ground, blood and saliva spilling from her lips.

"Alright, Naphy." The monster huffed, "The training's over. You can stay down now."

Naphal could barely breathe from the blow she had just taken, but she managed to whisper a sentence. "I'm… not… staying… down…"

"Fine then, guess I'll just have to tell Lucy that I killed you."

Abaddon picked the assassin up off the ground and grabbed her by the neck, making her face turn blue as she flashed that toothy grin, now shining in the rising light. The monster paused for a moment to gawk at her own handiwork, that was a big mistake. Naphal quickly punted the powerful demon in the stomach, getting free of her grasp and then drilling that same spot with her knuckles. The muscular demon chased after her as she grabbed her daggers off the floor, using them to keep Abby back while she approached. Her foe swung wildly, missing each and every time as Naphal made small cuts to her abdomen and chest, angering the behemoth to no end.

Finally, the beast had exhausted herself, dropping to her knees and allowing the assassin to claim victory with a single hook to the jaw, knocking her out for the proverbial ten count. Naphal waited until she got back up again to leave, Abaddon giving her a smile as their eyes met.

"You beat me." She whispered weakly.

"I did, didn't I?"

"I haven't had a fight like that in centuries."

Naphal cracked a smile, "I'm glad I gave you a good experience. I assume I've passed my training?"

"With flying colors."

"I should get going then, I'm sure my mother wants me to do something around the house."

"Wait." Abaddon said as she pushed herself to her feet.

"What?"

"You should come with me to Lucifer's. I'm sure she'd love to see your battle scars."

"She'll see them tomorrow."

The monster sighed, "Aw c'mon, Naphy. Don't you wanna brag a little bit?"

Naphal let out a sigh of her own, "Fine."

"That's what I like to hear. I'll meet you outside after I get cleaned up. Don't you dare run off on me."

The assassin watched her former foe walk back through the coliseum's wide tunnel before stepping back through her own, wandering her way into the locker room where she washed the blood from her face with a wet towel and caught her breath for a moment, looking around at her pale surroundings, noticing that her anxieties had dissipated while she was fighting, though they were seemingly creeping back into her mind as she sat there in the lifeless locker room, sitting as still as a starlit night.

Eventually, she stood from the metal bench, grabbing her cloak and walking back up the steps she entered from, seeing Abaddon waiting for her at the top.

"What took you so long?" The bruised demon asked rudely.

"Nothing, I was just cleaning myself up."

"Satan almighty, did you take a whole goddamn shower?"

"No."

Abaddon huffed, "Alrighty then, well, I told her majesty we'd be on our way, so it's best if we don't keep her waiting. She doesn't exactly like being patient."

"So I've heard."

"Well, y'know, being a queen for so long kinda makes you a bit of a bitch after a while."

"I'm surprised to hear that coming out of your mouth."

The powerful demon scoffed, "You shouldn't be, I'm the one who knows her the best."

"I know a couple of people who'd dispute that."

"Who? Azzy and high commander dipshit? The only thing they have on me is that they're older than me. That doesn't mean shit."

"And the other members of the infernal court?"

Abaddon laughed at that one, "They all hate her guts! I wouldn't be surprised if one of them was the one who was building the army."

"That's a bold statement."

"It's just a joke. They might all be vapid bitches, but they're not stupid."

"My mother is one of those "vapid bitches", thank you very much."

"She's… not the worst one."

Naphal rolled her eyes, "Of course."

"Are we going or not?"

"You're the one leading the way."

Abaddon began to walk through the crimson sands of hell, taking a back way that Naphal had never seen before, this one going around the city's grimy streets and instead walking through the countryside, the waves of the River Styx flowing through the assassin's ears as they walked by. The sounds calmed her nerves a bit, being helped by the constant flowing of the maroon-colored water. She stared at it for a while as she moved her feet forward in a repetitive motion, training her brain to walk for her while she stared down at her own reflection, the sight of which made her pull the hood back over her head.

Eventually, the pair made it to one of the palace's side doors, Abaddon unlocking it with a sharp key that she kept safe in her pocket. The powerful demon mockingly allowed her smaller companion to enter the building first, walking up the spiraling staircase that led to the infernal courtroom, then through the barren, narrow hallway that led to Lucifer's office. The door was left wide open, the queen sitting quietly at her desk, sipping her fancy rosé and going about her business.

She looked up as she saw the two silhouettes enter her space, a smile slowly pursing her lips as they approached.

"Ah, Abaddon, there you are." She noticed Naphal standing beside her, "I see the training went well."

"Naphy wanted to come and brag for a bit, didn't you?"

"She made me come here."

Lucifer snickered, "You two look a bit worse for wear. Abaddon, did you pummel her?"

"A bit, ma'am. She did most of the pummeling though."

"I can see that. I assume she passed her training?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Good. We're all set for tomorrow." She walked back behind her desk, "Abby, can you leave me and Naphal alone for a moment? We need to discuss something about the mission."

Abaddon bowed, "Of course, ma'am."

The powerful demon left the room, leaving the queen and her assassin to their impromptu meeting.

"You beat her." Lucifer surmised quickly.

"Yes, your highness, I did."

"I must say, that's rather impressive for a girl like you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The queen looked Naphal up and down, "I meant that you're a lot smaller than her, for one, and that you're not a very experienced fighter. Abaddon is the coliseum's resident champion, and you beat her in less time than it takes for me to get the first of my paperwork done."

"A part of me feels like she let me win."

"She might have, but that doesn't matter now. What matters is that you completed the training."

"It wasn't very long."

Lucifer grinned, "It didn't need to be. I picked you for a reason, after all. You're very good at what you do, Naphal. I don't think I could imagine anyone else doing this job."

"Thank you for the flattery, your majesty."

"Dear, if anyone else were in your shoes, they'd be jumping for joy."

"My mother said the exact same thing."

Lucifer took a sip of her wine, "Well, your mother is right, but as long as the job gets done, I don't think it really matters how you react. A bit of gratitude would be nice, though."

"I do appreciate the opportunity."

"There we go, that's better." The queen sat down on her throne, "There is one more thing I need to ask of you, before I let you go."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"When you do kill Mephistopheles, can you bring me back a trophy?"

"A trophy?"

Lucifer let a sinister smirk out through her barrier, "You know what I mean, right?"

"I… don't, your highness."

"See, when you're done with your mission, I want you to bring me something back."

"Like…?"

The queen snickered, "Anything, really. It could be his money, or his horns, maybe even his head if you felt so inclined."

"I don't think I'll be performing any decapitation, Miss Lucifer."

"It doesn't have to be the whole head, just the horns will suffice."

"You want me to bring back his severed horns?"

Lucifer nodded, "Yes, oh, and do clean them first. I don't want blood dripping off my wall."

"I…will, ma'am."

"Good. You will have a briefing with Leviathan tomorrow before you head out. That is all."

Naphal left the queen's office quickly, letting the door shut behind her as she sighed and began on her way. She knew tomorrow would be the longest day of her life.

Might as well start preparing now.