My apologies for my absence over the last few months. I've been dealing with quite a few personal issues. I'm back now however, and will give my best attempt to publish weekly from here on out, whether it be this story, or another project. Now that that's out of the way, who's ready for story time?

After they left Nusquam, Despera decided it would be best for them to split up. “Veroth, I want you to go looking for the human.” She stated. “She is not to be harmed. Understood?”

He saluted her and answered, “Yes, Ms. Despera. Where do you recommend I should look?”

“Anywhere’s as good as anywhere else.” She replied, pulling out her pin from her shirt.

“How will I contact you if I find her?”

Ignoring his question, the Princess spoke to the raven on her pin. “Umbra, come into the light.” A black cloud spewed from the pin until there was a cocoon of darkness in her hand the size of her.

Veroth was dumbfounded at her creation. “What is that?”

There was a big smile on Despera’s face as the smoke began to clear. “Umbra, I require your assistance.” Behind the disappearing vapour and standing on her arm, was a black raven a metre and a half tall with a 2 metre wingspan.

The large bird folded his wings and stared at the Princess with its blood red eyes. “I’m… back.” He said, examining himself. “But if I’m here, that means…” He jumped to the ground and turned back to Despera. “Could it be, mistress Despera?” Umbra asked, his beak unmoving.

Back when Despera was a Sin, she learned she could bring the raven out of her pin. He started out as her familiar, but they soon became the closest of friends. A familiar was a kind of assistant usually given to wizards, which was technically what the Sins were: humans – albeit dead ones – with magical powers. Each Sin’s symbol held their familiar.

Umbra spent most of his time outside the pin, but when the Princess was damned, Umbra was sealed back inside it. She wanted to bring him out after she was permanently restored as a Sin, but realized that he’d be a huge asset in her search.

She pulled the bird into her arms for a hug and he wrapped his wings around her in return. The girl stroked his soft feathers, and they were surprisingly clean. The embrace lasted almost a minute, as if they were making up for the time they spent apart.

When they parted, he wiped a tear from her eye. She cleared her throat, redirecting her focus to the task at hand. “Umbra, I have a task for you.” She stated.

He bowed. “For you, Despera, anything.”

She waved over Veroth who was still confused. “This is Veroth, my bodyguard. And Veroth, this is Umbra, my familiar, best friend, and most loyal subordinate.”

Umbra eyed Veroth. “Why would you, who can literally imbue almost anyone with fear, need a bodyguard?”

“I wanted some company.” She answered. “Anyway, I need you to go with Veroth so you can let me know when one of you finds the living human. She has long blue hair and sparkly silver eyes.””

The bird gasped. “A living human in Hell? That’s unbelievable.”

“Believe it. And if we find her, I’ll become the Queen of Despond.”

“That’s amazing!” He exclaimed in excitement. “Don’t worry, Despera. I won’t let you down.”

She stroked some of his feathers, whispering, “You never do.”

Veroth finally managed to push aside his amazement to ask, “Out of curiosity, what are you going to do while we’re looking for the human?”

“In case you can’t find her, I need to get something that’ll give us a much better chance.” She answered. “And don’t worry about the flames while I’m gone. You should still be able to get through with Umbra.”

The raven already knew the most likely place she would go. “Good luck, my future Queen.”

Despera nodded and took her leave from the group. Veroth started walking in the opposite direction while Umbra flew above him.

Despera walked through the wall of fire into Greed territory, simply called Greed. It’s time to pay a visit to Mammon and Avaritia.

Greed was a 2 hour walk from Nusquam, so Despera ran and shortened it to 30 minutes. On the outskirts were imps and demons torturing the damned. This was known as the ‘torture district’. Most souls in this faction’s torture district were being boiled alive in cauldrons of oil, covered head to toe in blisters and burns that don’t have time to heal.

But some torturers preferred to get creative with their methods, using boiling oil in a number of different ways, such as slowly pouring it on the damned, forcing them to drink it, injecting it into their bloodstream, or pouring it into their every orifice in their bodies, to name a few.

And some weren’t even using oil at all, and decided to use other torture devices, and methods.

The screams of thousands of damned filled the air, and made Despera’s short run through the district feel like she was still in her well, running in place.

Thankfully, she eventually entered the housing district where the demons stayed when they weren’t torturing people. This was when she decided to slow down.

Despite the name, there weren’t actually that many buildings to live in. Instead, there were a lot of casinos, and markets where you could find nearly anything. However, what this particular customer was looking for, was so difficult to attain, she had to get it from the biggest market in all of Hell, Mammon’s Castle.

Unlike what happened at Lucifer’s announcement, not a single demon dared approach her. When she walked, the other demons hid, and even made a path for her. Instead of looking at her with eyes full of lust, they watched her, filled with fear.

Due to this, Despera had a straight shot to the castle in the middle of Greed, though it still took another hour to get there.

There was a grand staircase made of solid gold leading up to the castle, which was also made from gold. Standing at the top, waiting for Despera was the Princess of Greed, Avaritia, herself.

Her blonde hair flowed over her shoulder in a ponytail. She wore a black dress similar to the one Despera had worn the day before. “Hello, Despera.” She said with a smile. “What may I help you with?”

Despera smiled back. “Shouldn’t you already know?” She asked. “Otherwise, what’re your eyes good for?”

“Just thought you might wanna save me the trouble. But if you insist…” Avaritia’s eyes turned yellow as she looked her over. One of her skills; 'Desire Insight' allowed her to look at someone and see their wants and desires, and how much they wanted them.

She almost laughed at what she saw. “So you want to find the human, like everyone else. But you’re not sure for what reason, are you?”

Despera groaned. “I’ll turn her in. That goes without question.” She replied.

“Sure…” Avaritia said, sceptical. She brushed it off and continued. “Well, it’s not my business what you want to do with her. What is my business, is trading. So you want some more magic, hmm... Those are rare. You got anything to trade?” She asked, grinning.

“Nothing physical right now. Besides, you already have everything you could want.”

“That’s almost true, but I doubt you came here with nothing to offer.”

Despera extended her hand towards Avaritia and replied, “How about we make a deal?”

This shocked the Princess of Greed. Despera rarely made deals, unless it was important. She was desperate. “Interesting. What do you propose for the terms?” She asked, filled with curiosity.

Despera thought carefully about the terms. “You give me any five scrolls I ask for, and in return,” She lifted 1 finger and finished, “I’ll do any one thing you ask.”

She’s not the worst being to make a deal with. She thought. Besides, so long as I don’t ask for 5 scrolls, she won’t fulfil her end, and I won’t have to fulfil mine. Deals like this were made all the time as a way to get what someone wanted without owing any favours.

“Oh, that is tough to pass up.” Her finger pressed against her lips as she thought about the terms. “Five? But you only want two? Oh, duh. That’s such an old trick.” She shook her head and sighed as if in disappointment, and Despera started worrying she wouldn’t take the deal, then Avaritia started haggling. “You don’t want five. Make it two.”

“Two isn’t worth owing a favour. Four.” Despera countered.

“Three. Final offer.”

Despera thought about it while staring at Avaritia’s outstretched hand, fingernails painted with silver. “And you have to tell me what favour you plan on asking me for, before I agree.”

The Princess of Greed was more than happy to take the deal. “I just want to explore your Castle without limits or reservations. Specifically, your treasure vault.” She stated, happily shaking Despera’s hand and doing so before she could respond.

Immediately, a black pentacle appeared with their hands clasped in the centre. It vanished after a few seconds and they let go.

Avaritia turned to face her castle and pushed open the doors. “Now that that’s settled, follow me.”

Despera followed Avaritia inside, and whistled as she saw the castle’s interior. Walls of gold, and furniture made using platinum and monster parts. “Impressive as always. I assume your motto hasn’t changed.”

“Go big, or go to Heaven.” She giggled. “Why live by anything else?”