Princess of Hell

I pulled Aria through the palace's transport gate, hellish energy washing over us as we materialized in the entrance hall. The obsidian floor gleamed under the crystalline chandeliers, their light casting dancing shadows across the black diamond pillars.

"Princess Lily," Vex's perfectly modulated voice greeted us before we'd fully stepped clear of the gate. The head butler appeared with his characteristic silent grace, his crimson eyes taking in our Academy uniforms with a subtle nod of approval. "Miss Nova. A pleasure to see you both again."

"Hello, Vex," I replied, pulling Isabella's sealed letter from my spatial ring. "My parents are in their study?"

"Indeed. They've been quite occupied with recent developments." His expression remained professionally neutral, but I caught the slight emphasis on 'developments' that suggested ongoing complications from Raziel incident.

"Princess!" Anastasia's voice rang out as she practically bounced down one of the side corridors, her small wings fluttering with excitement. The imp's yellow eyes sparkled as she approached, though she maintained proper decorum in front of Vex. "You're back! How are classes? Did you need anything?"

"I'm fine, Anastasia," I said with a warm smile. "We're just delivering a message and checking on Faith."

Her expression brightened further at the mention of Faith. "Oh, she's in the east wing with Professor Valdris. They've been working on magical fundamentals all morning."

Aria whispered to me as we walked toward my parents' study, "Does she always get that excited when you visit?"

"Pretty much," I whispered back, amused by Anastasia's continued enthusiasm despite my regular visits.

We reached the familiar double doors of my parents' study, and I knocked twice before entering. Lucifer sat behind his massive desk, wings folded against his chair as he reviewed a stack of parchments with his usual methodical precision. Lilith paced near the tall windows, her expression sharp with concentration as she gestured emphatically while speaking.

"…completely unacceptable," she was saying, her voice carrying an edge that made the air itself seem to crackle with suppressed energy. "The Council's response has been woefully inadequate—"

"Mother, Father," I interrupted gently.

Both of my parents looked up, their expressions immediately softening. The dangerous energy in the room dissipated as Lilith crossed to embrace me, while Lucifer set down his quill with obvious relief at the interruption.

"Lily, darling," Lilith said, pulling back to study my face. "How are you settling back into Academy life?"

"Well enough," I replied, then held up Isabella's letter. "I don't want to add to your current workload, but Isabella asked me to deliver this. She said it's important and concerns House Viridia."

Lucifer's expression sharpened at the mention of the house name. "House Viridia? What would Isabella know about their activities?"

"I'm not sure of the details," I admitted. "She mentioned something about her parents being unable to contact you directly without appearing suspicious."

Lilith took the letter, examining the seal with practiced eyes before setting it on the corner of Lucifer's desk. "Thank you for bringing this. I'll review it after we finish dealing with these documents."

"Raziel?" I asked.

"Among others," Lucifer replied grimly. "Our investigation has raised questions about other instances of his manipulation that may have gone undetected. It's becoming quite the bureoucratic nightmare."

I nodded, understanding their priority. "We'll leave you to it then. We wanted to check on Faith."

"Of course," Lilith said, her expression warming again. "She's been making remarkable progress with her magical studies, though I suspect she finds the theoretical aspects rather tedious given her background."

We said our goodbyes and made our way toward the east wing, our footsteps echoing softly through the marble corridors.

"Quick question," Aria said as we walked. "Don't your parents have servants to sort through all those documents? I mean, I saw at least three different stacks on that desk."

I chuckled at her observation. "Those documents already went through the servants. What you saw were the ones that required royal attention specifically."

"Seriously?" Aria's eyes widened. "How much paperwork do they normally deal with?"

"Running Hell involves more work than most demons realize," I explained. "Every diplomatic incident, territorial dispute, and policy change requires documentation. Plus, after what happened in Kyriakos' lab, they're probably reviewing months of decisions to identify any other instances of outside influence."

Aria shook her head in amazement. "Remind me never to pursue a career in government."

We turned down the corridor leading to the east wing, and I could already hear voices from one of the instruction rooms ahead. Professor Valdris's patient but firm tone carried clearly through the door, along with what sounded like Faith's increasingly frustrated responses.

"Focus on the internal pathways," the professor was saying. "Magic flows through your body naturally now. Stop trying to force it outside."

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"I'm trying," Faith's voice replied, tension evident. "It's just… different from anything I've experienced before."

I paused outside the door, memories of my early lessons with Professor Morrigan flooding back. When I had to figure out everything myself without looking too out of place.

* * *

A few minutes later, Faith's voice carried a note of triumph through the door. "Finally!"

"Excellent," Professor Valdris replied, his tone warming with approval. "The condensation around your fingers is precisely what we were aiming for. Small droplets are a perfect foundation for more advanced techniques."

Aria leaned closer to me, whispering with barely contained excitement. "She's almost as good as you were on your first day."

I remembered my own magical debut all too clearly—the water orb materializing above my palm before immediately splashing across the desk and soaking my uniform. At least Faith seemed to have better control than I'd managed initially.

"That's enough for today," Professor Valdris announced. "Your progress has been remarkable, Miss Clarke. I suggest practicing the internal circulation patterns we discussed, but don't push yourself too hard. Your magical pathways are still adapting."

"Thank you, Professor," Faith replied. "This is… different from anything I expected."

We heard footsteps approaching the door, and moments later it opened to reveal Faith emerging from the instruction room. Her appearance had continued evolving since the transformation—her new horns had grown more prominent, and her white hair had gained an almost luminous quality. She looked up as she noticed us waiting.

"Lily, Aria," she greeted with a genuine smile that reached her red eyes. "Perfect timing."

"Hey there, student," Aria grinned, bouncing slightly on her toes. "How are you holding up? Getting used to all the magical theory?"

I watched as Aria's expression shifted to one of curious mischief, and I immediately knew where this conversation was heading.

"I mean," Aria continued, "any new… cravings? Urges? You know, the kind that might—"

I chopped her lightly over the head with the edge of my hand. "Aria, stop."

"Ow!" She rubbed the spot dramatically. "I was just being concerned for our friend's wellbeing!"

Faith chuckled, apparently unfazed by Aria's directness. "Actually, she's not wrong to ask. I have been experiencing some unusual cravings lately." Her expression grew thoughtful. "Blood, specifically. It's strange—I spent years fighting vampires in the VCD, and now I find myself eagerly drinking the stuff."

"Ooh!" Aria perked up immediately. "You'll have something in common with Isabella then! She's always drinking blood tea because of her vampiric traits. Though yours is more comprehensive than her mixed heritage situation."

Faith nodded slowly. "Professor Valdris mentioned that my transformation is more complete than typical hybrid cases. Something about the magical saturation during the ritual process."

I studied Faith's face, noting how she seemed more comfortable discussing her changes than she had even a few days ago. The adjustment period was clearly progressing well.

"Would you like to hang out with us?" I asked. "I mean, we can stay at the palace, but it gets boring being cooped up inside all day."

Aria's eyes immediately sparkled with unmistakable mischief, and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

"No," I said firmly before she could speak.

"Not even—"

"Not even that," I cut her off.

Aria's face fell into an exaggerated pout, her lower lip jutting out as she crossed her arms. "You're no fun."

Faith laughed, the sound carrying a musical quality that definitely hadn't been there during her human days. "I'd love to get out for a while. I've been itching to stretch my limbs after days of theoretical study."

"Is there any specific place you want to go?" I asked. "Hell has quite a variety of… entertainment options."

Faith's eyes gleamed with curiosity and determination. "Surprise me. After everything I've been through, I think I'm ready to see whatever Hell has to offer."

I felt a flutter of both excitement and apprehension at her words. Faith's willingness to embrace new experiences was encouraging, but I also remembered how overwhelming my own first ventures into Hell's entertainment districts had been. Still, she was handling her transformation remarkably well, and perhaps some social interaction would help her continue adapting.

"Alright then," I said, making up my mind. "Let's show you what passes for fun around here."

* * *

We started walking toward the palace's transport gate, and I spotted Anastasia hurrying toward us from across the courtyard. Her crimson wings fluttered as she approached, yellow eyes bright with curiosity.

"Going out, Princess?" she asked, glancing between the three of us.

"Just showing Faith around," I replied.

Aria smirked. "We don't know where yet. It's time to properly introduce Faith to Igneus' customs."

The transport gate hummed to life as we approached, its obsidian arch inscribed with runes that pulsed crimson. We stepped through the shimmering portal and emerged in Ardorkeep's main plaza, the scent of sulphur and the distant glow of magma channels greeting us.

Faith stumbled slightly as we materialized, shaking her head. "I'll never get used to that."

"Trust me, it gets easier," I assured her, though I remembered my own disorientation during those first few trips.

Aria bounced on her toes, practically vibrating with enthusiasm. "Ooh, I know exactly where we should go! Den of Debauchery. For old times' sake."

I raised an eyebrow. "What old times? It's been seven months."

"Exactly!" Aria threw her arms wide. "That feels like years! And it's the perfect place to start. Faith needs to experience proper Hell nightlife."

Faith's brow furrowed as she looked between us. "What is this Den of Debauchery? The name doesn't sound very convincing."

"You'll love it," Aria grinned, grabbing Faith's arm. "It was Lily's first taste of Hell's social scene too."

My cheeks warmed at the memory. "I was also sceptical—"

"But she got hooked on Heaven's Delight in the end," Aria finished with a knowing smirk. "Maybe this time we'll actually get to have some fun." The way she emphasized 'fun' left little doubt about what kind of additional entertainment she had in mind.

I glanced at Faith, expecting hesitation or concern, but her red eyes held determination.

"I can't put it off forever," Faith said, straightening her shoulders. "I need to understand this world if I'm going to live in it."

I sighed, recognizing that stubborn set to her jaw. "Fine. But don't complain if Aria drags us into something."

Aria's grin turned wicked. "It's not like you're always completely satisfied when I 'drag you' somewhere."

Heat flooded my cheeks as memories of our various adventures flashed through my mind. "Fair point. Still doesn't mean everyone has to be as hedonistic as you."

"People who aren't don't know what they're missing out on," Aria replied with a dismissive wave.

As we began making our way through the plaza's crowds, I felt my stomach flutter with the same nervous energy I'd experienced during my very first visit to the Den. Somehow, going there with Faith now made me equally as nervous as that initial time with Aria. The thought of Faith witnessing that side of Hell's entertainment, of seeing how I'd changed and adapted to this world, created an unexpected anxiety that settled deep in my chest.

Faith walked beside me, her hair catching the ambient glow from the crystal formations above, and I wondered what she would think of who I'd become.