We materialized on the edge of a gigantic funnel plunging into the deepest depths of Hell. The abyss was so enormous that its opposite edge vanished in the reddish haze of the hellish atmosphere. But it wasn't the size that occupied me most—it was what lay at the bottom.
A castle.
Not ruins, not charred remnants of former glory, but a real castle, as if transported here from a medieval fairy tale. Tall towers with pointed roofs, massive walls of white stone, arched windows flickering with unnatural light. It stood in the crater's center like an islet of order amid Hell's chaos, and this incongruity made it even stranger.
"Pandemonium," Loki whispered, whistling in admiration. "Lucifer's personal apartments. I thought it crumbled when your brother went on vacation."
"Vacation?" I repeated, not taking my eyes off the castle.
"Well, what else to call his departure from Hell? Retirement? Creative crisis?" Loki shrugged. "In any case, the place should have collapsed without his power sustaining the structure. But it seems someone took care of preservation."
I focused, directing my perception toward the castle. Through the stone walls, I sensed presences—not one, but several. And among them, like a bright spot of chaos and storm, Susanoo's energy trace.
"He's there," I confirmed. "And not alone."
"Of course not alone," Loki smirked. "You didn't think we're the only ones interested in this little expedition? Archangel wings aren't something you find in the local antique shop. Such treasures attract attention."
I frowned, trying to determine the nature of the other presences. The energies were diverse—some familiar, some not. But all belonged to beings of immense power.
"Gods," I said after a pause. "There are many gods from different pantheons."
"Yeah," Loki nodded, a thoughtful note entering his voice. "That's… interesting. And somewhat alarming. We usually prefer to keep our distance from each other, especially on neutral ground like Hell. What could force so many of us to gather in one place? Are the wings that important?"
I didn't answer, but deep down I knew they didn't understand even a gram of how dangerous and important the wings were. Greed, curiosity, the desire to possess power that could shift the balance in all worlds. Lucifer's wings weren't just a symbol or trophy. They were fragments of one of the mightiest archangels ever to exist. In the right hands, they could grant power comparable to divine. True Divinity.
"How do we get there?" I asked, studying the sheer walls of the abyss.
"Oh, that's the easy part," Loki replied, stepping to the edge. "The difficulty isn't getting inside—it's not getting lost once you're there."
"What do you mean?"
"Pandemonium isn't an ordinary castle, dear Michael. It's a pocket dimension created by Lucifer's mind. You've never been here and don't know, but your brother loved playing games with gods. Inside, the laws of space and time work… differently. Rooms can be larger than the buildings containing them. Corridors can lead to places that don't exist. And some doors open only for those who know the right words or possess the right memories."
Understood. That explained why so many powerful beings could be in one structure without constantly colliding. Each wandered their own labyrinth of possibilities.
"Then how do we find Susanoo?"
Loki turned to me with a mysterious smile.
"And that's where my divine heritage comes in handy. You see, deception and illusions are my specialty. And Pandemonium is essentially a grand illusion. I can find cracks in its structure, places where reality is a bit… unstable."
"And that will help us reach him?"
"It will keep us from spending the next few centuries wandering endless corridors," Loki corrected. "Though I can't give guarantees. Lucifer was a master of his craft."
I nodded, accepting the inevitability of following this petty deceiver. I had no choice—if we wanted to stop Susanoo, we needed to enter Pandemonium and find him before he found what he sought. I'd have to follow Loki.
"Fine," I said. "You lead."
Loki spread his arms and stepped into the abyss. His illusion worked flawlessly—instead of falling, he glided smoothly downward as if invisible wings carried him. I followed, using my own flight power but keeping my wings hidden under the cloak of reality.
The descent seemed endless. The abyss walls rushed past, covered in strange symbols and runes pulsing with dim red light. Some were familiar—angelic script used for the most powerful seals and spells. Others belonged to more demonic and dark traditions.
Finally, we reached the bottom. Up close, the castle was even more impressive. Its walls rose hundreds of meters, vanishing into the reddish haze. The main gates—massive black wooden doors adorned with silver inlays in the shape of falling stars—stood wide open.
"How hospitable," Loki muttered, studying the entrance. "And how suspicious."
I focused, trying to sense possible traps or protective spells. But beyond the general aura of power emanating from the castle itself, nothing threatening appeared.
"Seems Lucifer was confident no one would dare invade," I said.
"Or he wanted someone to come here," Loki countered. "Remember: your brother was a master of long-term planning. Even leaving Hell, he could have left… surprises."
We slowly approached the gates. Up close, the silver inlays weren't mere decorations—they were complex protective runes woven into a pattern of such beauty and intricacy that even I, familiar with angelic magic, couldn't fully grasp their meaning.
"Can you read this?" I asked Loki.
He tilted his head, studying the runes with professional interest.
"Partially," he replied after a pause. "It's a mix of angelic, Enochian, and a few languages I don't recognize. But the general meaning is clear: 'Enterers, abandon hope of easy victory. Here rules the will of the first among the fallen.'"
"Standard warning," I muttered.
"Maybe. Or maybe not," Loki said, reaching for the gates. "In any case, standing here guessing is pointless."
He touched the wood, and the gates slowly swung wider, emitting a prolonged creak that echoed in the abyss above us. Beyond lay an enormous hall lit by dozens of crystal chandeliers hanging from a ceiling lost in the heights.
But most striking was that the hall was clearly larger than the castle outside. Much larger. The walls stretched into misty distance, and between black marble columns, one could discern outlines of staircases leading in various directions—not just up and down, but seemingly sideways, directions that shouldn't exist in normal space.
"Welcome to the rabbit hole," Loki muttered. "Stick close if you don't want to spend eternity here."
I smiled. If I wanted, I could destroy this place. But I didn't want to destroy what my brother had created. All his creations were beautiful, though a bit unusual. We entered the hall, and the gates slowly closed behind us. The echo of our footsteps distorted strangely, creating the impression we walked not on stone but on something softer and alive.
"Feel them?" Loki asked quietly.
I nodded. The presences of other gods were clearer here, inside the castle. They were scattered throughout Pandemonium, some close, some in areas that seemed impossibly distant despite the building's limited size.
One presence was especially familiar. An Egyptian deity—Thoth, god of wisdom and writing. Another belonged to someone from the Norse pantheon, possibly Heimdall. A third…
I stopped, frowning.
"What is it?" Loki asked.
"There's a Greek," I said slowly. "Apollo, I think. And also…" I focused harder, "someone from the Hindus. Ganesha?"
Loki whistled.
"Impressive gathering. Wonder if they're all here for the same reason, or each pursuing their own goals?"
The question was rhetorical, but it made me think about the bigger picture. Too many coincidences. Too many powerful beings in one place at one time. This couldn't be random.
We headed to the nearest staircase—a wide structure of the same black marble as the columns. The steps were covered in a thin layer of dust, but footprints were visible—numerous prints of different sizes and shapes. Some clearly belonged to humanoid beings, others…
"Claws," Loki noted, pointing to deep scratches in the stone. "Someone passed here in true form."
We began the ascent. The staircase curved and turned unpredictably, sometimes leading up, sometimes sideways, and once even seeming downward though we continued climbing. The space around us flowed and shifted, as if Pandemonium tried to confuse anyone daring to explore its depths.
"Stop," Loki whispered suddenly, grabbing my arm.
I froze, calmly watching Loki. Ahead, around the staircase bend, voices could be heard. Two, maybe three different beings speaking a language I didn't immediately recall.
"Sanskrit," Loki muttered. "Ancient Sanskrit. Seems our Hindu friends are holding a meeting."
Loki cautiously peeked around the corner. On a landing lit by flickering torches stood three figures. Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom, was animatedly explaining something to two other deities. One I recognized—Indra, king of gods, in armor of gold and lightning. The third was unknown to me, but his aura indicated immense power.
They spoke too quickly and quietly for me to make out words, but their gestures and tones revealed an argument. Ganesha pointed one way, Indra another, and the third god shook his head, clearly disagreeing with both.
"Interesting," Loki whispered. "Looks like they don't know where to go either."
Suddenly the conversation stopped. Ganesha raised his head, his small eyes narrowing.
"Someone is watching us," he said in English, switching to a language we all understood.
Loki cursed under his breath and stepped onto the landing, raising his hands in a gesture of peaceful intent. I calmly followed.
"Greetings, esteemed colleagues," Loki said with a charming smile. "What an unexpected meeting in such an… exotic place."
Indra narrowed his eyes, lightning dancing between his fingers.
"Loki," he said with clear disapproval. "And Archangel Michael. Your presence here is highly… suspicious."
"No more suspicious than yours," I replied, stepping from the shadows. "What brings gods of the Hindu pantheon to Hell?"
Ganesha and Indra exchanged glances. The third god—now I could see him better and recognized Agni, deity of fire—remained silent, but his fiery eyes studied us intently.
"The same as you, I presume," Ganesha finally answered diplomatically. "The search for… certain artifacts of interest to our respective pantheons."
"Lucifer's wings," I said directly.
The reaction was instantaneous. Indra tensed, ready for battle. Agni surrounded himself with a halo of fire. Only Ganesha remained calm, though his trunk twitched slightly—a sign of anxiety in elephant-like deities.
"Directness is not always a virtue, archangel," he said softly. "Some topics are better discussed… cautiously."
"The time for caution is past," I countered. "Too many players on one board. Too many hidden motives. If we aren't honest with each other, we risk destroying what we're trying to protect."
Loki gave me a surprised look. Apparently, such openness wasn't part of his plans.
"Michael is right," Agni said unexpectedly, his voice hissing like fire. "We all know why we're here. The archangel's wings are power capable of shifting the balance between all. The question is who gets them first."
"And who has the right," Indra added, not dismissing his lightning.
"No one," I replied firmly. "No one has the right to my brother's power. These wings must be destroyed, not claimed by you. Gods."
Silence fell. Four gods looked at me with various expressions—from surprise to skepticism.
"Destroyed?" Ganesha repeated. "Archangel, do you understand what you're saying? Such power… it cannot simply be erased from existence."
"It can," I countered. "And it must. My brother relinquished his role, relinquished power. His wings are shards of a past that should remain buried."
"Noble words," Agni said, sarcasm in his voice. "But naive. Even if you destroy the wings, the power won't vanish. It will simply return to the Source, from which Lucifer could summon it."
That was true, and I knew it. But the alternative—allowing the wings to fall into someone's hands—was worse.
"Then I'll find a way to seal them forever," I said.
"And if you don't?" Indra asked. "What then? Let some madman like this Japanese storm god claim them?"
"Susanoo," Loki muttered. "Yes, he's here too. And, it seems, closest to the goal."
Mention of the Japanese deity made everyone tense.
"We know of his presence," Ganesha said cautiously. "And his… reputation. If the wings fall to him…"
"Then chaos will spread to all surrounding worlds," Agni finished. "Susanoo is a god of destruction. In his hands, Lucifer's power will become a weapon against reality itself."
I felt anger boiling in my chest. Not at these gods—they were right in their fears. My anger was at myself. I had delayed too long, spent too much time thinking and being cautious. While I saved Adele and talked with Loki, Susanoo drew closer to his goal.
"Where is he now?" I asked sharply.
The gods exchanged glances.
"We lost his trail an hour ago," Ganesha admitted. "Pandemonium… complicates tracking. But last we sensed him toward the central halls."
"Where Lucifer kept his most valuable treasures," Loki added thoughtfully.
"Then we need to move," I said, turning to the staircase leading further up. "Every minute of delay increases his chances."
"Wait," Indra said. "What if we combine efforts?"
I stopped, surprised by the offer.
"What do you mean?"
"A temporary alliance," Ganesha explained. "We're all interested in preventing Susanoo from reaching the wings. Together, we can find him faster and stop him with greater certainty."
"And after?" Loki asked. "When Susanoo is stopped, what happens to the wings?"
"Then we discuss it as civilized beings," Agni replied. "Perhaps find a compromise that satisfies all."
I looked at each of them, weighing the proposal. On one hand, more allies meant more power and better chances to stop Susanoo. On the other—it meant more claimants to the wings and more opportunities for betrayal.
These spirits… were too confident in their power. They didn't see the difference between the creation of the true God and themselves. They were sure their strength allowed them to speak as equals with the inhabitants of the Silver City. But Archangels never descended to human worlds. They never visited gods.
And never showed true Power.
But there was no time to think. Somewhere in Pandemonium's depths, the Japanese storm god sought power that could destroy all worlds. And while we stood here arguing, he drew closer to his goal.
"Fine," I said finally. "Temporary alliance. But I warn you: if any of you try to use this situation for your own interests, I will treat you as an enemy."
"Fair," Ganesha nodded. "The same principle applies to you, archangel."
I shook my head. We moved on as a group, following Pandemonium's twisting corridors and staircases. The castle seemed alive—walls pulsed with faint light, and the air was filled with whispers in languages extinct for thousands of years.
Along the way, we encountered more groups of gods. Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom, wandered alone in a library whose walls were lined with books in languages yet to be invented. He nodded to us but didn't join—his interests lay in knowledge, not power.
In a grand hall with a floor mosaicked with star charts, we came upon Apollo. The Greek god of sun and prophecy stood in the center, gazing at a ceiling showing not stone or plaster but a living night sky with constellations slowly moving along their destined paths.
"Apollo," Loki greeted. "Studying astronomy?"
The sun god turned to us, his golden eyes full of concern.
"I'm trying to understand what's happening," he replied. "The stars… they show strange configurations. Fates intertwine in ways I've never seen. Something is coming, something that will change the very nature of reality."
"Lucifer's wings," Indra said. "We all know this."
"No," Apollo shook his head. "It's more than the wings. It's…" he paused, choosing words, "as if someone is rewriting the fundamental laws of existence. The stars speak of End and Beginning simultaneously."
Prophecy. I felt a strange tingling in my head. Apollo was one of the most accurate seers among all gods across worlds. If he saw something in the stars…
"What exactly do you see?" I asked.
Apollo raised a hand, pointing to a constellation slowly forming above us.
"The Fall of Chaos. The Rise of a Madman. Wings of darkness bearing fire. And at the center of it all—a choice. One choice that will determine the fate of all worlds."
His words hung in the hall's air. No one spoke for several long seconds.
"Whose choice?" Ganesha finally asked.
Apollo looked directly at me.
"That of the one who considers himself the Sword of God," he answered quietly.
All eyes turned to me. I felt the weight of their attention, the weight of responsibility the prophecy placed on my shoulders.
"Then I'd better not make a mistake," I said, smiling.
The others looked at me in surprise, not understanding. But they didn't need to know everything. We left the star chart hall and continued. Pandemonium grew stranger and more disorienting for the gods as we neared its heart. Corridors bent in impossible directions, rooms existed in multiple dimensions at once, and time flowed unevenly—sometimes fast, sometimes so slowly each step felt like eternity. I began leading, as Loki could no longer understand what was around.
In one hall, we found traces of battle. Marble columns were shattered, the floor cracked, walls marked with claw scratches and lightning burns.
"Susanoo was here," Agni said, crouching to study the destruction. "I feel his trace. And he wasn't alone."
"Who was he fighting?" Loki asked.
The answer came as a groan from the hall's far corner. We approached and found a figure slumped against the wall. It was Set, the Egyptian god of chaos, but barely recognizable. His usually proud posture was broken, dark godly blood oozing from multiple wounds.
"Set," I said, kneeling beside him. "What happened?"
He raised eyes swirling with pain and fury.
"The Japanese… bastard," he rasped. "He… he's not who he claims. His power… far greater than a storm god's should be."
"What do you mean?" Ganesha asked.
"He absorbed… others," Set answered with difficulty. "Gods, demons… all who stood in his way. Their power… he took it for himself."
The revelation struck us all at once. Absorbing divine power was one of the most forbidden acts in all pantheons. It wasn't just theft—it was murder of a deity's very essence. If Susanoo grew stronger by absorbing other gods…
Then he was becoming ever closer to a True Demon.
***