Chapter 17

There was no sunset nor sunrise in Heaven and there was none whatsoever in Hell. It was Hell, there was no such beauty in that realm. I detested entering the realm and will only do so as a last resort. Since there was a death in Heaven, the first ever in centuries, I had to pay my respects as the Crown Princess.

Especially when I was there to witness such a demise.

The journey to Hell was not easy, but being the Crown Princess, I had leeway to enter Hell whenever I pleased. All I had to do was to summon the spell to transport me there. I entered the room that would transport me to Hell; dragging a grumpy Aiden behind me who was encased in a bubble.

There was no way I would drag him willingly.

The room was called the Wayfarer's Nexus. It can bring you anywhere you please, as long as you know the transportation spell and are strong enough to open the doors on the other side. It was manned by one officer. He had the stone key that would allow access into the room and he jolted into attention when he saw me approaching.

"Your Highness!"

The officer was a new one; I had never seen him before. I dearly missed the previous one, he was a charmer and kind. I nodded at the immortal, waving a hand at him to open the doors for me. He hesitated a fraction, I tried not to allow the impatience to appear on my usually blank face.

"May I ask your destination, Your Highness?" he asked.

"No."

"But your Highness -"

I turned to stare at him. "Open the doors before I break your hand and use your hand to insert the stone key," I interrupted flatly. "I don't think you seem to know where … you seem to stand. Right here, you are not as powerful as you think you are back home."

He turned white as a sheet and mumbled an apology before he inserted the stone key. I hear a scoff next to me, the infuriating monkey seemed to enjoy watching me use my status on other unsuspecting beings. My sour mood plunged even worse as I stepped past the doors and into a circular room.

The spell to initiate the portal to Hell was easy. It didn't take long for the spell to be initiated and a new set of doors formed in front of me. 

"We are here."

As soon as I stepped into Hell, a being was waiting on the other side to welcome me. A being that resides in Hell and was the second to King Iskandar. A servant more like, she is the assistant to King Iskandar. She was a creature from Hell, so she was decked with horns on her head, bright yellow feline eyes, and a horned tail.

She was dressed in a skin-tight leather body suit, which accentuated her voluptuous curves and breasts. Her tail swishes when she sees the monkey floating behind me and I try not to roll my eyes. I seem to have forgotten that she was a succubus before being roped into working for King Iskandar.

"Seraphina."

"Your Highness," she purred and bowed with a deep flourish before she closed the distance between us, a finger running down my cheek as a forked tongue flicked out her mouth. "You seem very pale, sweet. Do you need me to restore you to your full health like we did years before?"

I caught her hand, bringing it down so I could put distance between us. She pouted at my rejection and her eyes caught sight of something on me that made her red lips curl. I was sure she saw the bond that the stupid monkey had put on me and I was sure she could tell that the monkey was making hissing noises behind.

"Bring us to him, Seraphina," I said.

She crossed her arms as she regarded me with a pout. "I hate it when you call me that," she whined, trying to look cute and get sympathy from me. "Why are you so cold, sweet?"

"You seem to forget that you put me in a strong illusion for days," I said quietly. "You lured me in and lied to me, just to fuck the living daylights out of me."

Her red lips curl up into a smile. She let out a laugh and flicked her brunette hair over her shoulder. She seemed to glow despite my statement and I was sure she loved recalling those moments. While I was hovering between time; wondering how many days had passed after many rounds of intercourse.

"You were brimming with power and sex," she said with a coy smile. "Who could resist you, not even me, Your Highness."

I let out a breath. "I do not find that as a compliment."

Seraphina looked at Aidan. "You can release him, he can't run anywhere."

Despite my hesitance, I snapped my fingers to release the spell and watched him flop onto the ground ungracefully. We watched him flatly; seeing him right himself before he shot upright. He looked dishevelled and I wondered the last time I had him maintained. I ought to get his hair and beard trimmed after we are done here.

"Let us go."

The walk to King Iskandar took fifteen minutes and we had to walk through winding corridors, and pass through hordes of demons and grim reapers that worked for the King. I kept my face passive as I walked; feeling their eyes and whispers on me. It was rare to see an Angel in Hell, especially the royalty.

"So you had a thing with the succubus?" Aidan asked.

"I do not wish to speak about it."

"I thought you said you can't fuck other people."

I raised my eyes to the Heavens, muttering under my breath. Seraphina slunk backward to walk next to me, looking over at Aidan who seemed perturbed by the newfound information about me. She wrapped an arm over, earning a growl from me but she ignored it as she wanted to address Aidan.

"That was before she was lured into my elaborate illusion," she said, almost gloatingly. "We fucked for days before the Chief found her."

"So it's your fault."

I sighed and pulled her arm off me. "Yes, it was her fault that I didn't know that I was lured into her elaborate plan for a fuck fest and it's her fault that I cannot have sex with anyone I please," I said flatly. "Can we not talk about this? I am getting upset."

"Hey, it's not my fault you joined in -"

Aidan grabbed her throat stopping her from continuing her gloating tirade and I grabbed his wrist in alarm, warning him to let go while reminding him where we were. Seraphina seemed to love that; her eyes were wide with lust and she ran her forked tongue on her lips - a moan leaving her lips. I was sure she was getting wetter by the minute.

I whacked his head and wrapped him in the bubble spell. We were in the middle of a busy hallway and demons were watching. I took a deep breath and stared at the succubus. I knew she was merely poking at Aidan and he fell right into her trap; demons having their way with mortal beings is a norm.

"Behave."

Smirking, she whirled around and her tail swished along her ass before she continued on walking. I sighed softly, eyeing the monkey before I followed her. Keeping the monkey in control was important especially when we were not on home ground. We were already in deep shit, and with Aidan here, I don't want anything else to happen.

"Crown Princess," King Iskandar spoke and rose to greet me, taking the steps down to meet me equally though I was not in fact his equal. He bowed deeply, allowing me to see the back of his head, and rose. "I appreciate you coming here, Your Highness. I received your letter and brought over the information you seek."

He guided me to the left where there was a small room overflowing with bound books on a wooden table. Four chairs were provided and we sat down. I released Aidan from the bubble spell to allow him to sit next to me, giving him a stern look before I looked over at King Iskandar.

"I want to let you know that I am partly at fault for the death of your grim reaper," I started off. "Lee Jae-gyu's death could've been prevented if I was faster to stop him."

King Iskandar was already shaking his head even before I completed my sentence. "It is his fate to perish there," he said. "Even a grim reaper may not run away from the destiny that was set for him. It is not your fault, Your Highness. He ignored your orders and stepped into a territory that was not his.

"A grim reaper climbing up to Heaven is against the law and he would've given a hefty punishment for that. He not only broke rules, but he also defied you. If he had not been so curious and allowed rumors to propel him, Lee Jae-gyu would've been allowed to reincarnate and continue his mortal life. Alas, he is sentenced to Hell for eternity. I would think it less of a punishment for such a crime."

A harsh ruler, I thought.

"Now, is this the rumored man-devil who managed to penetrate Heaven's shield and that my grim reaper has defied orders to witness such a miracle?" King Iskandar asked as he shifted his attention to the monkey seated next to me. 

We don't believe in such miracles, I idly thought as I looked to see Aidan bristling under the immortal's gaze. A term such as a man-devil was preposterous, especially as he survived going through the shield. I eyed the tremendous power hidden in his body; that ancient power must be the reason behind the term.

"What do they call you?"

"Aidan. Aidan Shafiq."

I see the two demons sharing looks and King Iskandar nods to the succubus. I watched Seraphina start searching through the bound books and handed one over to me. Noting the title and the date, I knew it was about the creation of the three realms. There was no such record in Heaven.

"How do you still have this with you?" I asked.

"My predecessor hid this for safekeeping because he knew it would be deemed important in the future," he explained. He looked a little guilty. "I was only following orders, Your Highness."

I nod. I was created at least a decade after the creation of the three realms. I would not know about this phenomenon anyway. Seraphina opened the book and flipped through pages until she stopped at a marked page. It was dog-eared and a sour feeling settled at the base of my stomach upon seeing the date. 

"Is this … "

"Yes, it's about the significance of Mount Lhisan."

I sighed upon hearing the name and shut my eyes. Does this book contain of the origins of the cursed mountain? Does it tell the story of why the First Age War happened? The reason behind the war was left out, buried, and hidden. I was nervous to know of the truth; knowing that I was defying rules.

"Mount Lhisan?" Aidan asked. He tried to bring the book over to him. "Oh, I can't read this…"

"It's in a forgotten language," I said. "Not many immortals can read this."

"Are you okay?"

No. I am hesitant to know. What if it's about that secret he's been hiding from me? I don't want to crack open a Pandora box. Knowledge is not bliss. It can start something disastrous. But I am already here, destiny has written for me to be here and find out about this. I cannot run from what is written.

I opened my eyes and started reading. 

There was a creature whose origins were veiled in mystery and wonder. This was the product of the violent collision of cosmic forces; it was bright and strong, but it also carried an uncontrollable force that made it unique. Though he went by many names—some whispered in awe, others uttered in terror—among the vastness of the heavens, he was known as Aidan, the Celestial Emperor.

Equipped with unmatched power and prowess, Aidan roamed the heavens with a voracious need for wisdom and insight. His abilities reached unimaginable heights, surpassing the capabilities of even the most powerful entities. Angels and other celestial beings were drawn to him just because of the stir he caused in the heavens.

However, Aidan's inscrutable nature and unyielding pursuit of power led him down a path that veered perilously close to the boundaries set by the celestial hierarchy. He delved into ancient arcane arts, seeking to harness forces deemed forbidden, and this pursuit soon brought him at odds with the Chief of Heaven.

In an epoch-defining clash between celestial powers, Aidan's unrestrained wielding of cosmic energies brought about a cataclysmic event that rattled the celestial spheres. His actions, perceived as a threat to the delicate balance of the celestial order, incited the fury of the Chief, leading to the unanimous decision to subdue and contain his potent abilities.

During the confrontation, Aidan suffered grave wounds that threatened to extinguish even his formidable essence. As he lay on the brink of oblivion, a renowned sorcerer, known for his mastery of ancient healing arts, discovered the fallen entity. Driven by a sense of compassion and curiosity, the sorcerer extended aid to Aidan, mending his injuries and infusing him with a fragment of his essence to stabilize the being's shattered form.

To protect the celestial realms from the unchecked might of Aidan, the sorcerer enacted a powerful enchantment, concealing the being's immense powers and sealing away his memories. Aidan, now stripped of his consciousness and knowledge of his true identity, lay dormant, hidden in a realm untouched by time.

I stopped reading and stood up, taking a step back. My mind hurts. My heart was aching and I could not look at Aidan who was staring at me with a frown. I was acting peculiar and I could not withhold the surge of emotions that crashed into my chest. King Iskandar and Seraphina looked on quietly.

What have I done?

"Is this … is this why the First Age War happened?" I asked quietly. "Did they seek his power?"

"What are you talking about, Athena?"

"Answer me, King Iskandar."

The immortal being looked uncomfortable; knowing that it was a territory that we weren't supposed to tread. I waited for him to speak with bated breath. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth just as the door burst open to reveal two of Father's celestial guards; Hansel and Blake. 

Upon seeing them, he shut his mouth and rearranged his facial expression.

"Let us go, Your Highness," Hansel spoke.

Hansel and Blake were a nuisance. I turned towards them, seeing them decked in their usual armor and weapons. Father must've known I went to Hell to visit King Iskandar and he would know the truth I had sought. He was All-Seeing and All-Knowing after all. It was hard to hide from him.

"Thank you for your hospitality, King Iskandar," I said and got up. "Come, Aidan."

"The Chief wants to speak to you."

"Of course he does."