CHAPTER 181: REVENGE

A long, long time ago, two brothers, created for chaos and bloodshed, worked side by side, carrying out the will of their father and master, the god of the underworld. Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

As centuries passed, Asmodeus grew greedy. His thirst for power and control swelled rapidly. He no longer wanted to be a mere follower, a subordinate. He wanted to be a god, a ruler. He wanted to be worshipped, praised, and honored. He wanted to claim the title of god of the underworld. So, he began plotting to overthrow Lucifer and seize his throne.

It took him many years of painful effort. The demons were fiercely loyal to their master, and it took endless persuasion to break their devotion. Just when frustration threatened to consume him and his plans seemed destined to fail, there was a breakthrough. The demons began to come around, appreciating his vision.

His following grew quickly, but Asmodeus knew that no matter how many demons he gathered, it would never be enough to defeat Lucifer especially with Azazel by his side.

Azazel was the clever one. He handled the intricate planning of things while Asmodeus executed it. Together, they were unstoppable, both ruthless and bloodthirsty.

When Asmodeus finally revealed his plan to Azazel, his brother was hesitant. He wanted no part in betraying Lucifer. But after relentless persuasion, Azazel finally agreed to join him.

They reworked the plan, strengthening it. Everything was coming together until Lucifer suddenly sent Azazel on a mission to the human realm to deal with rogue demons causing havoc. Asmodeus immediately suspected that Lucifer was on to them. They never worked separately, yet Lucifer sent only one of them on this mission.

Asmodeus chose to pause the rebellion and postponed it for several more years. He kept in contact with his brother, discussing their plans whenever possible. But over time, he sensed hesitation in Azazel. And it didn’t take long for him to discover the reason, Azazel had fallen in love with a woman in the human realm.

It was absurd. High demons like them weren’t capable of emotions like love. Love was for weak creatures, and they were anything but weak. Asmodeus was beyond furious when he discovered that his brother’s lover was not just any woman, she was a witch. And not just any witch, but a powerful one from the Arnix tribe.

Asmodeus was convinced the witch had cast a spell on his brother, clouding his judgment and blinding him to the consequences of their affair. He repeatedly warned Azazel to stay away from the witch, but his words fell on deaf ears, but somehow along the line, Azazel listened or rather pretended to listen to Asmodeus’s warnings.

They continued with their preparations as the D-day drew nearer and nearer. Asmodeus and Azazel had separate roles to fulfill for their plan to succeed.

They believed they had everything figured out, that they were one step ahead. But they had underestimated Lucifer for he was two steps ahead. And they paid a very dear price for their miscalculation.

The night the war began, the underworld descended into chaos, with demons clashing against each other in brutal combat. Asmodeus managed to reach the designated meeting point where he and Azazel had agreed to reunite. But minutes passed. Then hours.

Azazel never returned.

Asmodeus couldn’t turn back, nor could he move forward without his brother. Soon, he was captured and dragged to Lucifer’s throne room by over a hundred demons, all struggling to restrain him. He remembered Lucifer’s haunting words as if it had happened just yesterday.

The throne room was deathly silent, everyone holding their breath as Lucifer descended from his throne, a broad smile stretched across his face.

Gripping Asmodeus’s jaw roughly, he sneered, "You fool. You think you can kill me? I have treated you too kindly. I must remind you who your god is and to whom you belong, since you seem to have forgotten your place."

Lucifer released his jaw and walked back to his throne, settling into it with a calm that was far more terrifying than rage.

Asmodeus lowered his head, a storm of shame, humiliation, and most prominently, rage churning within him. "Where is Azazel?" he whispered.

"He is in the human realm," Lucifer replied, his tone laced with disdain. "He has proven even more foolish than I expected. I gave him far too much credit."

Lucifer chuckled darkly, the sound echoing ominously through the silent hall. "He has been banished from the underworld, his powers stripped from him. He will remain trapped in that realm, forced to watch as his bastard offspring brings ruin upon him and everything he holds dear."

Asmodeus closed his eyes, his jaw clenched as he drew in a deep, shuddering breath.

"And you, Asmodeus," Lucifer’s voice thundered, "you will regret ever daring to go against me. I will show you what true pain is. I will tear apart every inch of your dark soul until nothing remains but dust." His eyes gleamed with sadistic delight.

"You are banished to the Cell of Doom, where you shall remain until I decide otherwise. The agonising screams of the demons you turned to your side will echo in your mind and head, day and night, an eternal reminder of your failure."

Lucifer laughed, a cruel sound that reverberated through Asmodeus’s bones, just as the ground beneath him opened. His body was dragged into the depths, hundreds of chains driving into his flesh, binding him mercilessly.

For over four centuries, Asmodeus remained in the Cell of Doom. Pain, darkness, and despair became his only companions enough to break any soul. But his soul did not break. There was one thing that kept him alive. One thing that gave him purpose. Revenge.

His fury toward Azazel for abandoning him burned hotter than the flames of hell itself. He wanted to kill him, drink his blood, tear him into a million pieces, destroy everything in the human realm, especially his beloved witch. He would annihilate them all.

That single, searing desire kept him holding on.

And finally, the last chain fell from his back, crashing to the ground.

Asmodeus rose to his feet, his blazing red eyes glowing like fire. His long hair fell over his shoulders, and black veins laced with gold crawled across his skin like rivers of lava.

"I am coming for you, dear brother," he hissed, his voice dripping with venom.