The Diversity of Hell

Sylvia finally got to move out of the shadow of that behemoth of a wall. As they left it's immediate vicinity the architecture clearly changed. Instead of the dull gray stone buildings that matched the wall, it became more like a hodge-podge of architectural styles.

It was like somebody picked these buildings out of various eras and dropped them down right next to each other. Although she saw many styles she didn't know the names of she was sure that a professional would recognize them as Gothic, Romanesque, or whatever they were. Even the lamps and lamp-posts outside the buildings varied.

It gave a somewhat bizarre feeling, especially with so many people walking around in clothing styles of different eras. It was like the world's greatest cosplay convention, or maybe the "after-world's" greatest.

"I can get the clothing but can't they just pick one building style and go with it?" she asked as she looked around.

"How are they supposed to do that? You think brand new building materials are easy to get in Hell?" As he said this Lexicon pinched her cheek while smiling.

She quickly pulled away. "Arg! I don't know? How would I know?" This guy was getting more and more cheeky and annoying! But thankfully he was also growing somewhat less scary. Was she a victim of Stockholm Syndrome? But even if she was there wasn't ever going to be somebody to rescue her.

Lexicon looked satisfied and Sylvia shut her mouth and sulked. But she soon forgot her sulky feelings as she saw some people that really stood out from the rest.

There were actually some people with horns!

One of them looked like a satyr. He had horns like a ram and fluff-covered legs with hooves. His bare upper body was also covered in a thin layer of hair and on his head was thick a layer of white curls.

The other was sort of like a minotaur but he still had a human face rather than a bull's head. His whole body was a dark rust color and his hair was only slightly darker red.

They both wore plaid kilts in the same color. Green. They also both carried huge weapons on their backs. The bullhorn one wore a gigantic two-handed sword while the ram horned fellow had two one-handed swords on his back.

Although she had felt like some of the guards in the inner part of the city wall had non-human shapes, she hadn't been able to see them clearly at that time. Now they were right out in the open.

When Sylvia stared at them they looked right back.

She didn't expect for the bullhorn guy to suddenly have a burning fire in his eyes. When she heard Lexicon chuckle she realized that the bullhorn guy wasn't looking at her but at Lexicon. She was relieved.

The bullhorn guy nudged his companion and headed over to them.

His partner with the ram horns looked over at Lexicon and Sylvia and then rubbed his forehead and sighed before following more leisurely.

"Lexicon you damned bastard!" The bullhorn guy bellowed when he got closer. His voice was deep and resonating, a really sexy voice. But too bad, not only was he part cow but his squarish face was average and he towered over everyone. Lexicon was taller than her by about a head or more but this guy towered over her by at least a meter, not counting his horns. Even his buddy with the ram horns only reached his shoulders.

Lexicon smiled really brightly, even exposing his teeth. "Oh Tar-Tar, it's been a while."

The so called "Tar-Tar" seemed like he would explode as he held up his clenched fists and bellowed. "Fuck! Stop calling me Tar-Tar already! I still have beef with you over that damned newbie you sent last time!"

Lexicon looked over him from head to toe and said, "How can you have beef with me? You ARE the beef."

Tar-Tar stomped his hooves angrily. "Damn you! You know what I mean! Stop playing those word games with me!"

The ram-horned fellow joined them. "Alright, calm down Taurus." He smiled at Lexicon and then turned his gaze toward Sylvia.

Sylvia was holding her pillow tight and had occupied a strategic position in which she could hide behind Lexicon at any sign of trouble.

The ram-horn guy smiled at Sylvia but his words were obviously meant for Lexicon, "Is this another newbie? She looks very adorable, not like that last one."

Lexicon nodded his head and agreed, "Indeed, she's definitely your type. Small, adorable, and surrounded by things that are fluffy and white." Then he smiled deviously and said, "But I won't give her to you. She's too suited for the Dream Network."

Sylvia couldn't help sulking at this talk of giving her away, but she couldn't do much about it since she was pretty sure these guys were all stronger than her. She was slowly getting used to Lexicon's poison tongue though, perhaps that was why she asked, "Why would they want me? Can you not speak of giving people away like garden vegetables?"

Lexicon replied, "I would never give away garden vegetables, they are really expensive."

The ram-horn guy nodded as if to agree.

Surprisingly it was Tar-Tar... Taurus, whose answer was most informative, albeit not intentionally. "Hmph, you still owe us for last time. That kid ran away before even a full moonrise had passed. He didn't do any work and cried the whole time. Every time he saw blood he grew weak in the knees. You definitely knew he'd be like that damn it! Why did you recommend him to us?"

Lexicon shrugged helplessly and replied, "Well isn't somebody who's obsessed with cleanliness best for a job cleaning?"

Taurus frowned as if he didn't want to agree and the ram-horned person nodded. "It does make sense, if he wasn't so squeamish."

Lexicon rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then added, "Besides, he said that for an albino and melanistic man to be a couple was as expected of demons."

Taurus' eyes widened with incredulity, "Isn't that the real reason!"

Sylvia was having a hard time following because she had no idea what melanistic meant.

The ram-horn guy coughed as if he'd nearly choked on his own breath and asked , "He thought that you and Codex were a couple?"

Sylvia was enlightened and she looked at Lexicon's face. A couple between him and that ghost-like special snowflake?

Lexicon nodded his head and responded seriously. "Indeed he was a really weird guy. He said he was inspired so he drew some kind of picture story about us. He called it a doji...rojin... After Codex accidentally saw it he said he'd do it for the right price. I thought I heard the sound of my heart rising from the grave in terror."

Sylvia accidentally loosened her tongue and let slip, "It's a doujin. He must have been a fudanshi."

The others looked at her as if she was speaking an alien tongue. She felt a little uncomfortable but she still couldn't help but say, "It's a male with the hobby of reading or writing stories about male on male relationships. They're very...common. It's a normal hobby right before the apocalypse."

Sylvia told herself at that moment she would never confess her own fujoshi tendencies lest Lexicon think she was profaning him in her head. Whether she actually profaned him was an entirely separate matter.

Tar-Tar looked confused and said, "I don't really get it but there have definitely been weirder hobbies." And then he looked at Lexicon and chuckled while saying, "Oh, but I would love to see how Codex would torment you."

The ram-horn guy said, "I would rather read about sheep, the human form is boring."

Lexicon merely smiled faintly and didn't say anything on the topic, instead changing the subject. "What a coincidence Aires, this little newbie here likes to count sheep."

He put his hand behind Sylvia's back and brought her forward. "This is Sylvia. Sylvia I should formally introduce you to Taurus and Aires. They are demons like us."

Sylvia smiled shyly and wasn't sure what to say so she just said, "Nice to meet you."

Tar-Tar sighed. "You look like a good girl. Don't be led astray by this guy okay?"

Sylvia was about to nod but Lexicon patted her shoulder and said, "Don't listen to him. He's a man who spouts BULLshit after all."

"I knew it, I can't stand you!" Tar-Tar reached for the two-handed great sword on his back but Aires grabbed his arm.

"Alright, alright, just calm down. You already knew he was like that." Aires held his arm firmly despite his smaller stature.

Sylvia took a step back since she didn't want to get involved but somehow Lexicon was right behind her. He had his hand on her shoulder, keeping her in place at the forefront.

Her mouth twitched but she didn't know what to say. She was obviously being used as a shield! She could only make her pillow the first sacrifice, hugging it to her front as a cushion.

Thankfully Aires was able to avert disaster for them. When Tar-Tar finally cooled his head Aires said. "We better get going. We only came to see if there were some sinners we could use as temporary workers. Since you're busy we'll ask Codex."

Lexicon smiled. "Sure, good luck. There seemed to be some energetic ones this time."

Aires pulled on Tar-Tar's arm and dragged him away. Tar-Tar was still fuming and didn't bother saying goodbye.

After they'd gone Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and Lexicon also released her shoulder.

"We should get going too," he told her.

As they walked Sylvia leaned close and asked in a soft voice. "What do those two do? Do they torture sinners?"

She was very curious since they talked about cleaning and blood. Not to mention they looked like the types of demons who tormented people in stories.

"They work at the Bloody Hell. They not only fight, when necessary they also clean up after others. That newbie was sent to work on clean-up. What do you think? Want to try?" Lexicon teased her with a smile.

She was sure that if she said yes he'd really give her that chance. "No!" She gave her answer quickly and firmly.

"We're not far from the Dream Network building. It's there." Lexicon pointed into the labyrinth of side streets where a white-faced building sat on a corner.