Warm Welcome

"Well, well, well. It appears the fall of heaven is imminent. And behold! We have our key right here," a man in the vibrant red suit grinned, fixing Julian with a piercing stare that sent a chill down his spine.

Julian's voice bristled with anger as he demanded, "Who the heck are you?! What is this place?!" The intense heat of the surroundings made him feel like he was melting.

"Oh, my apology, where are my manners? Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Samael, but you humans probably know me better by my more recent name, Lucifer Morningstar," the man answered with an evil grin, still lounging on his fancy table set.

Perched on top of a cliff, the soil beneath was a fiery red, seeping into their bones. Eerie screams echoed from below, carried on gusts of scorching wind that whipped through the barren landscape.

"And as for where you are? Can't you guess by the surroundings?" Lucifer's smirk deepened, gesturing to the fiery landscape that stretched out before them, the air thick with the acrid stench of brimstone and ash.

"Lucifer Morningstar? Like The demon?" Julian asked, his voice tinged with skepticism as he peered at the enigmatic figure before him.

Is this a joke? Did i get caught?

"One and only... Pleasure to meet you," Lucifer replied with a charismatic smile, his eyes glinting with otherworldly charm.

"Oh, don't fu-" Before Julian could voice his doubt, Lucifer interjected.

"If you think this is a prank or some sort of trick, I suggest you take a peek down the cliff," Lucifer suggested, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

Julian hesitated, his curiosity piqued despite his skepticism. With a cautious glance over the edge of the cliff, he caught a glimpse of the fiery abyss below.

In that moment, realization dawned upon him with bone-chilling clarity—this was no mere prank, but a descent into a realm of unimaginable torment. 

Rivers of molten lava flowed ominously, casting an uncanny glow over the landscape. Black flames licked the air, painting a sinister picture against the darkened sky. I beheld the horrifying scene: men and women, stripped of all dignity, writhing in torment amidst a throng of demonic figures. Their anguished cries pierced the air, echoing through the infernal abyss below.

"So, do you still believe this is a prank?" Lucifer's voice sliced through the silence, his grin widening.

Even if I argue that this is some sort of trick with extremely good CGI, I can't fool myself.

"So it was real? The Christians were right?" Julian asked, his expression a mix of smugness and irritation.

"Yes and no, it's more complicated than that. You see, everyone was right. Every god that was ever written or spoken, they're all real. You name it, Yahweh, Zeus, Odin, Ra, Vishnu including the evil deities and gods of course," Lucifer stated with a knowing nod, casually picking up a cup of coffee from the table as if discussing the weather.

"So, what's next? Are you going to toss me down there?" Julian challenged, his voice colored with defiance.

"I should be, shouldn't I? Your sin isn't just a small one; you killed someone, right?" His eyes glowed red as he threw the truth in julian's face.

That's right. I, Julian Wolf have killed someone. He was a classmate of mine whom I resented deeply. I, killed Luke Ashfield.

Luke was a cheerful guy, kindhearted and charming, liked by the whole class and even the teachers, I heard he does charity too. But that's what made me loathe him even more. My hatred for him was unstoppable, his very presence disgusts me. I hate people like him, I hate protagonists, I hate heroes. The way everyone fawns over them, praises them, worships them—it sickens me to the bone. I want to see them fall into despair, I want to see them suffer, I want them to die.

I remember that moment vividly. It was a warm spring afternoon, and Luke had just won another award for his achievements. As the applause echoed through the school auditorium, I felt a surge of anger wash over me. How could everyone celebrate him, when he was nothing more than a smug, self-righteous hypocrite in my eyes?

That night, I followed him home, consumed by my wrath. As he walked alone through the dimly lit streets, I saw my opportunity. Without a second thought, I stabbed him from behind, striking him repeatedly until he lay motionless on the ground. With each blow, I felt a rush of adrenaline, my anger fueling my actions. I made sure to stab him thoroughly over and over, not leaving any spot untouched. And as I looked into his eyes in his final moments, I could still feel the euphoria coursing through me, a twisted satisfaction in witnessing his demise.

As I was about to flee, having fulfilled my satisfaction, something inexplicable happened. A bright light suddenly engulfed his body, its radiance so intense that it pierced through the darkness, transforming the night into day. I shielded my eyes as the brilliance blinded me. When I finally dared to open my eyes, I found myself in this place.

"But that's not my intention. Toss you down there? Hahaha! I should hold a party for you instead!" Lucifer exclaimed, his tone filled with unexpected enthusiasm as if he were congratulating him on some grand achievement.

Julian stared at him with confusion written all over his face, unable to comprehend his sudden change in demeanor.

Is this guy fucked up in the head?

"Why don't you take a seat? I'll tell you everything," he suggested politely, gesturing toward a nearby chair.

Julian obliged and pull a chair across him.

"I can see you're confused. Let me explain. That victim of yours was chosen by Heaven. They summon these so-called 'worthy individuals' and assign them to a god fitting for them. These individuals then sign with a god as their apostle. I guess, by mistake, you were caught in between and summoned here in front of me," Lucifer explained soothingly, a big smile lighting up his face.

"And the fact that you're summoned to me means that we're fitting for each other," Lucifer remarked with a small chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"I don't know if I should be happy about being similar to the most hated being in the world," Julian replied with a sneer.

"Oh, please, I know you would rather be seen as evil monster than to be associated with those kinds of people don't you? Do you think you're the only one who hates those fuckers? Heroes, saints? If I ever met any of them, I'd rip their limbs off and roast their organs," Lucifer cursed, his words dripping with venom. His eyes glowed red, a fiery intensity burning within them.

Realizing his anger, he snapped out of his rage, visibly calming himself.

"Sorry for that. Where were we? Oh yeah," Lucifer regained his composure as if nothing had happened.

"I know you also loathe those bast- those kinds of people. Since we have the same standing, I would like to offer you a deal," Lucifer proposed, his tone serious yet oddly inviting.

"A deal? What kind of deal?" Julian asked, intrigued yet cautious, unsure of what the demon could possibly offer.

Upon Julian's curiosity, Lucifer reached his hand into the air. In an instant, a flame manifested, and from the flame, he pulled out a piece of paper and a pen.

"I want you to sign a contract with me. I want you to become my 'apostle'," Lucifer proposed earnestly, his gaze unwavering as he awaited his response.

An apostle, for a demon? Moreover a contract? 

"Why should I? What's in it for me?" Julian questioned, hesitant to commit without understanding the benefit of the agreement.

Everybody knows making a contract with a demon is a bad idea, but maybe i should listen to what this punk have to offer...

"Talking business, eh? I like it," Lucifer remarked with a sly grin, he snapped his fingers and out of thin air, an object resembling a scale manifested on the table.

"This is the Alithea Scale, also known as the Scale of Truth," Lucifer explained, gesturing towards the object on the table. The scale's left hand was burdened with an apple, while the right hand held a feather instead.

"The left hand represents the power and influence of the Imperial of Hell, while the right hand represents the Kingdom of Heaven."

"What can you see from this scale?" he awaited for the boy's interpretation.

"The scale leans more to the right," Julian observed, noting the imbalance in favor of the Kingdom of Heaven.

"You're quite sharp aren't you? Well, the scale was balanced for millions of years, but in the past thousand years, it tilted to Heaven's favor."

"I assume you've read the story before, that there'll be a time where a great war would happen, a war so massive that it'll shake the cosmos, the war between heaven and hell," Lucifer acknowledged, his tone solemn as he spoke of the prophesied conflict.

"If things go the way they are, the war will happen sooner than we expected, and Heaven would gain the upper hand, decimating Hell one-sidedly."

"But then you came. You arrived at the perfect moment, outside of the gods' plan," Lucifer chuckled, a sinister look spreading across his face.

"Me? I'm sure you have plenty of sinners to do your dirty work," Julian demanded, puzzled by Lucifer's interest in recruiting him specifically.

"You see, sinners come after they get trialed in purgatory and banished down here. Once they do, they'd be bound to this place for eternity, never to step outside again. Only those 'good kids' get summoned. But somehow, you were entangled to one and ended up here by mistake. Therefore, you're eligible to sign a contract and traverse in and out freely."

"Become my apostle. Your task is to kill every single one of those heroes. If you manage to do it, Heaven would lose everything they've built until now, and Hell would have the momentum to overthrow Heaven once and for all. Once that happens, the Earth, including the 8 billion humans on it, will be yours to have," Lucifer proposed, his voice low and persuasive, tempting with the promise of power and dominion.

The whole earth including 8 billion humans on it? I'd be an idiot if i reject...but...

"Hmmm, am I just supposed to believe the greatest deceiver of all time that he would grant me the world?" skepticism tainting Julian's thoughts as he considered the enormity of Lucifer's offer.

"We demons may be deceivers, but one thing we do is always honor our contracts. Besides, I don't think you have another choice," Lucifer replied confidently.

"Are you threatening me?" a hint of defiance creeping into his voice as he faced Lucifer's bold assertion.

"Oh, please, absolutely not. We both have the same goals, and if all goes well, everybody will be happy. Isn't that great?" Lucifer countered, his tone smooth and persuasive, attempting to assuage any concerns Julian might have had.

Amidst Lucifer's attempt to persuade him, he laughed aloud, finding amusement in Lucier's efforts.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Interesting, Well, you've convinced me"

Finally, he lifted the pen and wrote his signature on the paper, sealing the deal with the devil.

Julian slid the paper back to him, and he received it with a wide smile on his face.

"Awesome, let's explain to you how the game works."