Vine's palace was made of white marble with ebony corinthian columns. It looked like an ancient Greek temple, but 3 stories tall as if the Parthenon was built twice on top of itself.

There were 4 balors dressed in black togas in front of the big stairway that led to the palace letting people in and out. Black iron dishes on marble pedestals held huge fires that illuminated the night.

A lot of demons and other creatures arrived either on foot or on carriages. Nearing the palace, the wood pathways gave way to stone roads that sprawled throughout the richer part of Dis.

Matthew and Ffyr arrived led by Tylith holding each in one of her arms.

"Tylith." One of the balors stopped them on their way up the stairs.

"Hey Morkus." The succubus greeted the huge demon.

"You were told to bring only one person." The balor admonished her.

"I know, but look! A fairy and a human! They are so cute!" Tylith interjected.

Mokus looked at Matthew and Ffyr up and down.

"All right. I'm sure the master will be pleased. But be sure to greet him properly."

"Thank you!" Tylith said with a small bounce and kissed the balor's cheek.

"Go on now." He said slapping her behind playfully, making her skip a few steps of the stair.

Tylith laughed playfully and gestured for Matthew and Ffyr to follow her.

"When we get in, we'll go directly towards the Black Rider. Bow as I do. Don't say anything if he doesn't ask." The succubus instructed them.

"How do we ask him about Mitzrael?" Matthew asked her.

"Wait for him to get drunk, after the formalities." Tylith answered.

The inside of the palace was divided 3 ways.

The reception room, a large room with a throne where the demon king welcomed his guests or his supplicants. Where he held court and passed judgement upon others. It was the first room by the entrance of the palace.

Behind it, there was a huge hall with a pool in the middle and decorated with large tables and cushions on the floor. It was the dining hall, where parties were held. Two doors to the side led to the kitchen and to the bathhouse, both were small buildings detached from the palace.

The last room, the back of the palace, was a foyer that had luxurious stairs leading up to the private quarters of the demon king.

Upon entering the reception room, a long red carpet led to the throne. There Vine was sitting. He was a lean muscular man with tanned skin. His head was the head of a lion with red shining eyes and ginger mane. He was naked from the waist up and wore a long black skirt with a gold belt. He had a long sword resting against his throne. A black viper curled around his shoulders while he patted it.

Tylith walked up to a few steps away from him and bowed deeply with both her hands firmly on her own thighs. Matthew and Ffyr copied her.

"Raise your head, Tylith." The lion-faced man said. "You brought something odd today." Vine commented looking at Ffyr. "Is that a gift?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Alas, my lord, no. This is Ffyr, a fairy from the Fae. She's here to help me with my act." Tylith said bowing again.

"Shame." The demon king said, licking his lips. "And the human? Your consort?"

"This is Matthew, from Earth, my lord. And yes. He's with me." The succubus said.

"Does that mean you won't be sharing my bed today?" Vine smiled at her.

"The night is young, my lord." Tylith was succinct.

Vine gave her a pleasant laugh.

"I'm eager to see your act. You may enter the hall. I'll be there shortly after I finish greeting my guests." The demon king said, dismissing them waving his hand.

The dining hall was filled with demons and all sorts of creatures.

Cambions shared the cushions with erinyes and succubi.

There were 3 mermaids swimming in the shallow pool.

A balor talked loudly with a nymph on his lap.

A black horse was laying by the wall and had 3 slaves tending to it and feeding it apples.

Only angels weren't there. Their holy light would ruin the experience for everyone.

Upon entering the hall a small woman came to them and gave each of them a silver chalice. Another woman filled them with wine from a huge black amphora with gold scales drawn on it.

Both women were wearing white togas and had big iron shackles around their necks.

"These are not Damnata, are they?" Matthew asked.

"No. They are humans. Slaves. Some reach the hells by their own volition, others are… Taken." Tylith said, drinking the wine. "You can use them if you want, just don't harm them. Vine doesn't like when his stuff gets damaged."

Matthew felt conflicted. On one side he wanted to help them, but he knew he couldn't use force to do it and had to concentrate on his task: finding Mitzrael and taking Nanael and Avariel to heaven.

Tylith introduced them to a pair of satyrs, men with the lower body of a goat. One had a hard on his hand and the other had a flute. There were other musicians there, but only those two came to talk to Tylith.

They exchanged pleasantries and inside jokes. It is only then that they learned that Tylith was actually a singer.

"I'm going to need Ffyr to dance for us." The succubus said. "Otherwise Vine will want her for himself."

Vine came into the hall shortly after and went straight to the pool where the mermaids flocked to him. One massaged his shoulders while the other two fed him meat, bread and wine.

Throughout the night, people drank and danced. Many tried to gain favor with the demon king by offering him gifts and favors.

Matthew and Ffyr spent the whole night denying invitations by demons to drink with them. Tylith forgot quickly about them and mingled having fun around.

At some point, Vine rose from the waters and shouted for Tylith.

"Sing for me, beautiful!"

The hall suddenly went silent. All eyes fell on the succubus who took center stage surrounded by her two satyr friends and a cambion drummer.

Matthew wasn't expecting what he heard. The succubus voice was completely different from when she spoke. It seemed like a joke. How come a demon had a singing voice he'd expect from an angel?

Ffyr flew around, dancing and using her fire magic and wind magic to create special effects for her dancing. It was like a second nature to her to create such a beautiful spectacle like that.

Matthew sat down, his mind focused on the beauty he was seeing. He'd never expected to see and hear something so beautiful in the middle of hell. And not only that. Everyone around him seemed to think the same.

The slaves stopped to watch. The demons were enthralled. The mystical creatures swayed with the music. Vine himself had a tear in one eye.

When the song ended the demon king applauded loudly.

"Give us another!" He shouted while drinking wine directly from an amphora.

Tylith and Ffyr obliged.

When the succubus was singing another song, Matthew found himself near the lion-faced demon.

"So. Who are you?" Vine asked Matthew while serving himself more wine and sitting by his side.

"I'm just a human." Matthew answered, trying to hide his intentions.

"No. You're the one who helped Aym destroy Beleth." Vine chuckled. "You think a king like me wouldn't know who you are after such a feat? Have you come for my head as well, demon slayer?"

"No." Matthew sighed and looked at the demon king. "I'm only trying to find a way into Elysium."

"Oh. You want the Safekeeper." Vine commented. "That angel is a pain in my ass." He added.

"Where is he?" Matthew asked.

"He doesn't stay in the city. He just comes when he's needed." Vine explained.

"But he is in Ira?" Matthew kept his interrogation.

"Did you like my songbird?" Vine changed subjects ignoring his question.

"What?"

"Tylith. You tasted her, didn't you?"

"No. I didn't." Matthew said, confused by the sudden change in topic.

"You didn't?" Vine looked at him confused. "Did she not offer herself or you just don't like women?" He asked, putting a hand on his thigh and squeezing it.

"I have a girlfriend on Earth." Matthew took off the demon's hand from him.

Vine laughed.

"And you'd waste away a night with the perfect woman for that girl of yours?"

"I don't want anyone else." Matthew said decisively.

"Is that what humans call love?" Vine asked, looking at Tylith as if she was the most precious thing in existence.

"Yes." Matthew was succinct.

"Did you know that she would sleep with anyone? Anyone." Vine complained pointing at the succubus. "Anyone but me. Of course I could just take her or order her. But where's the fun in that? No. I want her to give herself to me. I don't mind giving up laying with other women if I have her. But she keeps denying me. Teasing me." The demon king vented his feelings.

"You're in love with her." Matthew said.

"There's no love in hell, demon slayer." Vine scoffed at him.

"Yet, look at you. The most powerful being in Ira and yet, you're powerless in front of her." Matthew ironized him.

"That I am. That I am."