1 Red liquid

Red. His favorite color. His hands were smudged with that same color. Many things were red: his lips, his tail, his horns, but not his blood, no, that liquid circulating in his body was black as pitch. Lost souls fell into that dark nature, drowning in eternal loneliness. The hungry mouth went around the tip of the index finger, clearing it of the metallic-tasting liquid. The creature closed his eyes and enjoyed that taste he loved so much, wiped the corners of his mouth and headed for the long corridor of that majestic palace. He walked with his head held high with a satisfied air as he adjusted the precious rings that surrounded his bloodstained fingers and a malicious smile made room on his dirty face. Behind him an echo of desperate cries echoed within the walls of that deserted corridor where the killer was parading. Behind him there was an immense dark room where the floor was occupied mostly by bodies lying on a dark red background, the vital liquid in fact had not left a free space. The human beings still alive crawled with all the strength left in their bodies to get out of that room of horrors, they screamed imploring their executioner who ignored them continuing with his wings wide open and the pointed tail that indicated that same room. A man with severed lower limbs dragged himself on his forearms until he almost reached the exit, further on was the mighty figure of Satan who perceived the victim on the run. The executioner stopped in the middle of the rumbling corridor, began to giggle, brushing the tip of his nose with his index finger and then turned towards the man and continued to laugh shamelessly. That immediately changed expression, whispered the word "no" several times faster and faster as if in a moment the hope was completely dead, he stretched out an arm shouting the same word, but the Demon turned with a grin on his face and continued his walk barefoot leaving footprints of blood along the corridor. In a flapping of wings the doors of the boundless room closed causing a powerful roar and then the total darkness. Darkness enveloped the quartered man who found himself lying on the floor looking up at the ceiling waiting for death with open arms. Dozens of slain bodies remained imprisoned in that room, in total darkness awaiting their hour. There were anatomical parts separated from their bodies, mangled meats, pools of blood, and most of the victims had lost their minds in fear. This was what He wanted, what He played with: the fear.

He found the ease with which the human mind can be influenced absurd. One person after another was kidnapped, exploited and eventually killed. Victims were exploited in two simple ways, but both consisted of satisfying their master until He got tired of them and thus would drain them of their lifeblood. This was the destiny of every human being who entered the kingdom of Satan. There was no way to survive or escape, but there were endless ways to die. People disappear all the time and for days, months or years there are no traces, until the day when, when hope was about to vanish, the corpse is found out of nowhere and often in poor condition. Take it as an act of generosity because Satan doesn't always return what He has stolen.

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The red color passed from his hands to the white handkerchief embroidered by one of the many servants. He threw it to the ground and began stripping off his elegant royal robes stained with several drops of blood. He unbuttoned his shirt button by button revealing his tattoos outlined in black ink, unfastened his belt and pulled down the dark pants of the suit followed by the boxers, making them fall to the floor of the huge bathroom adjacent to his bedroom. After that they would be collected, washed, dried, ironed and folded by the servants. Completely naked He took two slow and elegant steps with an air of majesty on his face, stepped into the large tub filled with red fluid and was greeted by a shiver down his spine. He also entered with the other foot and gradually lowered, letting himself be caressed by that living liquid. He plunged to the base of his neck, rested his head on the edge of the tub and closed his eyes, inhaling that strong odor that entered his body until it filled his lungs. He loved blood baths, swimming in his huge tub, wrapped in a red mantle that was hot in contact with his warm skin. That substance that made Satan invulnerable came from the bodies of mere mortals, each kidnapped person contributing to the increase of his energy source. With the usual empty jug, which was found on the edge of the tub, He collected a certain amount of liquid, brought it over his face and gradually spilled the contents... fluid droplets fell on his face with defined features. The tip of his nose dripped and tears of blood flowed from the corners of his eyes and ran down to his jaw. His face completely covered with red had a relaxed expression, the perfect skin had taken on a reddish color and was shiny; He licked his lips and enjoyed the taste He was addicted to. Once again He grabbed the pitcher, filled it, and toasted death. He brought his bright lips to the jug, parted them and his mouth received the blood so well that it made him gasp with pleasure; He favored another sip and then another. He enjoyed drunk with such pleasure and closed his closed eyes bringing his head back as He swallowed the hot liquid. He abandoned himself to the warmth of the blood to the point of immersing himself with his whole body. He remained in apnea for several minutes swimming and meditating between blood and words. He later resurfaced rising to his feet full of strength, more powerful than ever. Every part of his sculptural body was covered in the fluid fabric, his burgundy-dyed curly hair was soggy and dripping from the tips. He opened his eyes and with a clap of his hands the head of the servants appeared.

- Bring me a virgin - ordered the Ruler - no wait, I want to choose her. He thought of going himself to decide which young girl would have the honor of serving and satisfying him; she would stay alive until He got tired of her and then He would kill her and then choose another one.

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- Come here! Don't look! - shouted a lady covered by a lavender veil who hugged a shivering boy tightly to her and covered him with her fabric thus denying him sight. She tried to console him as much as possible by hugging him and covering his ears so as not to let him hear all the heartbreaking cries of the people around them. The boy's hands gripped his mother's evening dress; it was her favorite and was only worn at important events such as the one they were invited to the night their lives ended.

- You'll survive Will! Did you understand?! You'll survive! - his mother yelled in panic with the boy's face in her hands. Mother and son looked into each other's eyes as if it were the last chance to do so. She hugged him another time, leaving several kisses on the back of his neck, with the strong feeling that those would be the last moments of her life. An artificial red light intruded into the great hall and the people still alive rushed as they could towards the exit, but obviously they were blocked by an invisible superhuman force. Satan made space among the corpses by walking on them, trampling them without any consideration. He also crushed the hands of those who bowed before him in search of mercy but no one could touch him with a single finger, He was as if protected by a transparent bubble; the red figures still alive could neither touch him nor get out of there. The Ruler wandered among the finished bodies with his gaze high as He looked around. And then He stopped abruptly, surrounded by desperate people who didn't stop screaming, begging and screaming making the Demon nervous. Another clap of hands and every single scream of terror ceased, there wasn't a faint voice, but people were still desperate, the scenery wasn't changed. William opened his eyes wide at that deafening silence. The Ruler had heard a particular cry, of a small creature that would become his. He started walking again trying to find the sweet and helpless girl who was exposing those tears. Desperate crying and footsteps on pools of blood were the only sounds audible in the Demon's bubble and in William's head. The boy remained hidden under the purple veil of his mother who could barely keep her eyes open. She was tired and the large wound on her abdomen was getting worse and gushing more blood. He soiled some of his son's clothes and the light from outside the room wasn't the only glow she began to see. With slow and crucial suffering, Hannah was walking away in silence. As the individual with the horns looked around for his prey He noticed how undisturbed that lady was letting go. He walked over her and watched until her last breath.

- Moving - He whispered wryly and heartlessly. William heard the footsteps approaching, he covered his mouth with one hand trying not to make any noise but when Satan decided to continue his search He was attracted by the purple fabric that covered the lady just deceased. He noticed something moving, or rather someone, some brown tufts just emerged and two delicate hands gripped the sides of the veil; the standing figure immediately realized that this woman must have had a daughter and also a young one, given the white skin of her hands. He bowed to see who was under the silk. He stretched out his hand to show the girl's face to himself but an unexpected sob surprised him making him withdraw his hand; He understood that it came from the same girl who was crying. Another clap of hands.

- I want this. Take her to my room as it is, I'll take care of the rest - He said sternly.

- But Lord, she is small - Elijah the chief of the servants said. Another victim kidnapped from the real world, yet, Satan did not kill him but spared him given the faithful soul and the perfect capacity of his services.

- I said I want this - He replied harshly. And so it was done. Elijah called two slaves to take away the chosen young girl. Satan withdrew and turned one last time to make sure that the girl had been taken properly. The person hidden under the veil felt lifted from the ground, detached from the warmth of his mother who had already died for several minutes and the crying of her son would no longer wake her up. She was dead, drowned in the darkness of the devil, and in moments William would see his mother's killer in the face.

A matter of minutes.