Chapter Text
Alyse knew what she was the moment her father lay dead on the ground, the moment the men who had tried to defy her disappeared, their screams drowned out by the roar of the bayou and the alligators dwelling within it.
She accepted Heaven would not be granted to her, thus turning to the ancient magic her mother practised for benign purposes: small rituals to seek her well-being and a bright future.
Such a future she had carved for herself.
Soon after she gathered the knowledge, Alyse found herself surrounded by bones and a blood-soaked pentagram, yet despite her efforts, she could never contact the deity she was seeking.
The devil would not answer, no matter the offerings she was willing to put forward. Human flesh, blood and bones; carcasses of rams and fresh kills on the altar were laid out as she called upon their name.
Nothing.
She still recalls the intense desperation and the burning need to make a deal to secure her place among the sinners in Hell, allowing her to continue her fun.
Alyse had felt she was approaching her goal, collecting new books and scriptures with new rituals for her to perform.
If only time was on her side.
She often wondered what she could have done differently. Perhaps she should have waited another day and not let her despair get the better of her when she wandered into the streets on that fateful Mardi Gras night, hunting for fresh blood and luring people into the woods, only to be shot dead soon after.
Memories of the first whiff of sulfur and the screams that reached her ears still reverberate in her mind as she wakes up in a world of perpetual despair. Her freshly-grown crimson claws press into the soil as she curses the devil for never answering her summons.
Her plans were scorched by hellfire, yet she refused to allow it to defeat her. Quickly finding her footing in Hell, she roamed the realm, aided by her newly acquired shadows, navigating its politics and power structures.
Steadily yet fiercely, Alyse established herself as the Radio Demon: a bloodthirsty overlord who owned many souls and sought power through enticing deals.
Within a century, she had carved her name into the minds of every sinner; the mere mention of her name was enough to strike fear into the crowds, earning her a seat at the overlords' meetings.
It was glorious; the respect she earned enabled her to be who she had longed to be since birth, and it satisfied her more than anything in the mortal world ever could.
Ultimately, she never needed the devil; her hard work had earned her a well-deserved sense of pride that a deal would simply not have been able to grant her.
Alyse considered herself untouchable.
That was, of course, until the exterminations began.
No one was prepared when the sky parted and legions of angels descended, their spears as sharp as knives as they cut through sinners' flesh before their souls disappeared into the ether, never to reconstitute again.
Alyse wouldn't dare say she was afraid; she merely sought refuge like many others, acknowledging that her powers couldn't compare to those of heavenly beings.
Although she craved such skills.
Seven years had passed and she had been found unscathed, yet each year the heavenly army grew fiercer. Eve now descended with more wrath than ever before, hunting down one Overlord after another.
Her most recent attack took place on her own radio tower exactly six months ago.
Alyse didn't face her only because she had decided to aid the Cannibal Overlord; it was an alliance she wasn't willing to risk. However, even if she had managed to avoid it, she knew that Eve's thirst would not cease until she had her head in her hands; she now had a target on her back.
Which is why she currently found herself within the grounds of the devil's palace, looming over her as she snuck through her shadows, the skies raging above her.
It was a risky move; the knowledge of the devil that she had acquired while in Hell had been as scarce as it had been on Earth, if not less.
A queen without a presence, never to be seen by her people, who harbored nothing but hatred for the sinners she had created by giving the apple to Eve, who was now clearly acting on her behalf, having been given access to the hellish pit.
Following this latest occurrence, a new rumor had sparked: the Queen of Hell could not harm sinners herself, so, in her hatred, she had authorized exterminations, signing off their demise, even if only once a year, savoring the suffering of her people.
Alyse was jeopardizing everything by being here. She had built a good reputation among the overlords by consistently proving her worth, but she wondered if it would be enough to impress the hateful queen.
Her plan was to offer her services in the hope that, if the rumor that Lucifer was unable to harm sinners was true, she would pledge allegiance to the Queen of Hell as her executioner, ready to wield the spade as she saw fit.
It was a backhanded move against her current allies, but her survival was her priority.
She just needed to present a convincing case, even though her plan to approach slowly had been thwarted by the extermination happening sooner than expected, forcing her to flee her territory and head for the palace.
It was now or never.
Alyse sent her shadow to inspect the surrounding area. The sentient being returned faster than expected and reported that there was no one else in sight; no sinners or hellborn to guard the area. Instead, there was only a thick barrier of magic that protected the premises.
This was good; it meant that there was no one else to confront but the queen directly. Alyse let her body become one with her darkness as she went around the walls herself; the angelic magic distinctly proved to be a challenge for the demon to work out a way to get inside.
All she needed was a small opening in the magic to let herself in; her ability to sink into the shadows allowing her to fit into even the smallest of spaces.
Above her, the skies continued to split open as angels descended in fury, aiming for the city.
At least, if she couldn't manage to get inside, her plan was to use the palace grounds to hide until the twenty-four hours were up.
Still, she found herself craving what had been refused to her over a century ago.
Scanning the colored glass windows around her, she found a small crack where the magic had weakened, eliciting a feeling of triumph as she crawled her way through it.
She materialized in the center of the room, heels touching a crimson velvet carpet as light refracted into an array of colors, bathing the space in a kaleidoscope of hues as she inspected her surroundings.
The throne room.
It stood proud in all its former glory; Alyse gazed at the stained glass panels depicting motifs of the garden, trees and snakes that encircled the devilish apple.
As she turned around, she was met with the throne: black as ash and made of some kind of infernal granite. The seat, however, was cushioned with velvet; the back curved within the same dark stone, forming two wings, and a six-winged halo was carved in the center where the queen's head would recline.
The design was fitting for the Sin of Pride, and the room was also well suited to a court. However, Alyse immediately noticed patches of accumulated dust and cobwebs spreading throughout the room, revealing its state of abandonment.
It didn't come as much of a surprise to her, as she knew the queen's residence had once had its moment of grandeur, with opulent balls and even the first and only royal meeting of the Overlords, of which only Zestial had been a part before the palace doors closed forever.
It is said that the queen simply grew tired of trying, and that her anger towards sinners led to her isolation and, consequently, the agreement to exterminate them.
Alyse wondered if the queen was even at the palace anymore.
Her heels resonated as she left the throne room which opened onto a large lobby. White marble stairs and crimson curtains greeted her, along with pots of withered flowers and furniture draped in white cloaks.
Curious, the radio demon lifted her gaze and began to walk up the grand stairs, seemingly entranced. Upon reaching the center landing, she came face to face with a painting, seemingly the only one in the room. It was covered in a translucent fabric, offering a hint of what lay beneath.
A portrait of the Queen of Hell.
Truth be told, all Alyse knew about the Queen's appearance came from stories, an un restored statue and the folklore she had studied prior to her death.
Her knowledge of the monarch was that she wasn't particularly tall, but that her wings, as witnessed by some, were magnificent. She had long flowing blonde hair and striking ruby eyes. Overall, the description leaned more towards a porcelain doll than a devilish creature.
God's favorite and prettiest angel, fallen from grace yet maintaining her divine beauty.
Even when she was alive, it was something instilled in her, a feature the pastor used to correct in Sunday school stories, depicting the devil as a tempting figure who lures the innocent.
Alyse's claws brushed against the fabric, igniting her curiosity as she tugged at it.
"Who dares disturb my palace?" A voice jolted her out of her reverie; the fabric dropped, gathering at her feet.
Startled, she looked in the direction of the voice, wondering how anyone could have bypassed her like this, considering her sharp hearing.
Yet, of course, the being before her was not a sinner; judging by the descriptions she had gathered, there was only one possible candidate: the queen herself.
The previous portrait had rendered itself unnecessary.
She was much shorter than Alyse had expected. She wore a long white dress with sleeves that faded to crimson. Her hair was blonde as in the stories, but it was cut short, reaching only to her shoulders. Her skin was as white as porcelain and she had two scarlet eyes that stared directly at Alyse accompanied by a long golden spear whose light illuminated the entire staircase.
Alyse realized that this was not the time to stare, so she adjusted her posture, grabbed both sides of her coat and gave the queen a small curtsy.
"My apologies, my queen," she spoke. "I come here with a request," she immediately stated, knowing there was no need to dwell on exterminations or shelter, regardless of what was transpiring outside the palace windows; she was there for business.
Lucifer remained indifferent. "I accept no requests, especially from sinners, so you should leave this instant," she hissed.
Alyse met the queen's gaze directly and observed her more closely, noticing small details beyond her initial impression of such a magnificent being.
The queen looked frankly disheveled. Her blonde hair was unkempt and her clothes were rumpled, as if she had thrown on the first thing she could find. She was barefoot, her hooves touching the cold marble, and her eyes, while bloodshot, had dark circles under them. Her smile was unconvincing, not the kind that would strike genuine fear into anyone.
Alyse concluded that, if she played her cards right, she might have a chance.
"May I speak?" she inquired, approaching slowly as the idea that the queen could not harm sinners echoed in her mind. Upon closer inspection, she determined that the spear in the devil's hand was not made of angelic steel, but rather raw power.
If she was right, it shouldn't be allowed to harm her.
And if she was wrong, well, her shadows were ready to swallow her up; collecting already underneath her heels.
Much to her delight, Lucifer took a step back.
"Leave, mortal," her commanding voice echoed in the palace, accompanied by a subtle cacophony. However, Alyse, ever a master of tones and shifts in speech, detected an underlying uncertainty in the queen's tone.
Yet something else immediately caught the radio demon's attention.
There was something resonating around the devil: a dissonant spike of melody that made it difficult for Alyse to remain focused.
The closest she could get to explaining it was that the queen was exuding a frequency.
A sound indicating distress, tiredness and a soul that desperately wanted the ordeal to end.
It was the first time the radio demon had come across someone like this. Yet, if her assessment of the frequencies were correct, she knew she had to use this newfound knowledge to her advantage.
Without thinking twice, she took yet another step towards the queen's spear.
"Stay away!" the queen exclaimed, her voice wavering as a ring of light emerged around her, resembling a coronation of novas.
Her next step was bolder, daring to seek contact and a response that she knew would cause her chest to burn in agony if she misread the situation.
Nevertheless, instinct told Alyse that she wasn't destined to die today.
Then, as if there were a chemical rejection from the light, the spear bounced against her and dissipated alongside the surrounding magic, the crimson in the queen's eyes morphing into gold to make room for the rubies Alyse had often been told about.
She couldn't suppress elongating her smile, satisfaction filling her at having made the right assessment. "So I see the rumors are true," she remarked, closing the distance between them. "Our queen can't harm her own people."
Lucifer responded with a snarl, "Ugh! What do you want, sinner?"
Perfect.
"A deal," Alyse proposed, not wasting any time.
The queen burst out laughing.
"Oh, perfect! Let me guess, you want power and all that jazz? For what? Your silence?" she mocked, as if the secret were not as important as it had seemed just a few seconds ago. "What makes you think I don't have the means to silence you, sinner?" she countered.
Admittedly, it wasn't impossible. If the curse had been bestowed upon the queen ten thousand years ago, after her fall, it wouldn't surprise Alyse for her to have alternatives.
Yet she would persevere.
"To aid her majesty," she said, causing the smaller woman to arch an eyebrow. "You have hidden yourself from your people. You despise us, correct? Yet why not have the fun you want?" Alyse let her shadow seep through the walls, her green magic swirling through the air around them, showcasing her power. "I'll serve you, be your sword, your scythe, your executioner—"
The laugh that followed was exasperating; however, it also lightened the atmosphere, the static surrounding the queen morphing into a joyful and entertained buzz.
Alyse resented this reaction because it implied that she wasn't being taken seriously.
"Oh, please! I have no need for that. Uh, what was your name again?' the queen asked nonchalantly. Her words made the corners of Alyse's mouth stretch in annoyance as she realized that she had forgotten to introduce herself. Even worse, there was nothing in the queen's demeanor to suggest that she was interested in what Alyse was proposing.
"Alyse. Pleasure to be meeting you, your majesty. Quite the pleasure," she answered. "You might have heard of me from my radio broadcast," Alyse continued, hoping her reputation would spark an interest in the queen and save the current fiasco.
"Nope!", Lucifer retorted quickly, making Alyse's ears droop in defeat as the static around them escalated.
"You are far more disappointing than the tales surrounding your persona," she declared, dropping all decorum and respect for the queen. Her words proved true as the fallen angel crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
What a child she was proving to be.
"I could say the same about all of you. I gifted you free will, and look what you did with it!" Lucifer declared, gesturing towards one of the windows where the clash of angels and sinners could be heard, accompanied by the sound of collapsing buildings and agonizing screams.
Alyse merely scoffed and casually looked at her claws. "We have done plenty, I agree. Personally, I don't regret anything."
"Just leave," the fallen angel said, sighing as she began walking up the stairs. "I don't want to deal with any sinners, now or ever, so you're going to need to find someone else to bribe."
Alyse wanted to snarl and sink her teeth into the so-called devil due to how pathetic she was proving to be.
Nevertheless, just perhaps she could play for a little while longer and try to ingratiate herself with the queen, if there was any chance of that.
"Who better than the illustrious Sin of Pride herself? Come on, think about it," she said, enticing her. "Don't you want your presence to be acknowledged by your subjects?" And once again, shadowy figures began to twist and turn around them, green tinting the crimson light.
"If you despise them, then let them fear your name. There's no need to hide. Rule as you please," Alyse advised.
The queen stood still, the frequency accompanying her dwindling in volume and decreasing in tempo.
"You mortals truly misunderstand me," she explained. "I'm not here to punish you; I'm here to suffer the same fate."
Alyse could hardly believe it. Not only had the queen seemingly confirmed her own suspicions, she had also suggested that her crown was meaningless.
"What a daring confession, your majesty, and to a lowly sinner nonetheless," she couldn't help but remark.
The radio demon then noticed another fluctuation in the static, which became even more dissonant and slowed down, matching the queen's suddenly resigned eyes.
Intriguing.
The fallen angel remained silent, merely continuing to walk up with her black hooves moving sluggishly with each step.
Alyse was about to insist again when a sudden lightning bolt from the sky beneath them illuminated the entire palace, prompting them both to turn to the window.
Eve had descended, her flaming harpoon in hand. Six emerald, golden-dusted wings fluttered through the wind as she carried herself with both grace and fury.
Alyse instantly recognized her territory having been targeted once more.
There was no more time, her plan hadn't succeeded, and although she found the queen to be a particularly enigmatic fallen angel, she couldn't allow herself to become reckless.
She would never find herself begging, but she required an escape route, even if only for this extermination.
“Grant me asylum for the duration of the extermination, your majesty. I will leave the premises as soon as the bell tolls,” she requested as politely as her situation would allow.
Lucifer spun around to face her with a confused expression, golden locks framing her porcelain skin as she looked down at her.
"Why should I do that?"
Ah.
Time to put on a performance.
"You said it yourself, my queen: you are not aiming to harm us. Then just help this unfortunate soul seeking shelter," Alyse said, appealing to her compassion.
However, there was really no logical reason for Lucifer to let her stay, so Alyse offered an additional incentive. "I'll swear secrecy about the reality of your punishment," she declared, bowing her head in loyalty.
The background noise surrounding the queen altered again, the dissonance returning, yet the fragments of the melody turned melancholic.
Alyse found herself particularly curious about that new frequency, and if she was not successful in her request to stay, she would certainly find herself approaching the queen again in the near future.
Naturally, she was waiting for that to occur sooner rather than later.
Unmoving, she waited for an answer.
Shortly afterwards, the queen uttered another surrendered sigh.
"Fine, but no deal," she growled in an annoyed voice. "And there is no staff, so find yourself a room to crash in. I want you gone by the time Heaven closes their portal." She then made her demands, which would be easy to comply, given that the palace clearly had hundreds of rooms.
"As you wish, your majesty," the radio demon nodded in agreement. Then, rather than continuing her path up the stairs, the queen dissolved into a swirl of crimson magic.
This left Alyse alone to her own fate.
Looking back, she finally took a good look at the portrait she had initially intended to examine. Sure enough, it was a portrait of the queen from the waist up, her golden crown standing out prominently, with a golden snake coiled around her alabaster neck.
Alyse paid particular attention to her smile. Hers was perpetual; it was her way of reading others, and the queen's in particular exuded so much solitude; the weight of a kingdom she may never have asked for. Of the many tales Alyse had been told about wars and rebellions, her mother had told her a slightly different version.
The Morning Star was an angel; a dreamer criticized by others for advocating that humanity should be more than subjects, condemned for offering what should have always have belonged to them.
However, Alyse had dismissed this story, and there was no reason to regard the queen, the supposed devil, with such sympathy. Yet the subtle melody surrounding her was complex enough to challenge some of these beliefs.
Yet it could all be a trick; the devil was well known for that. Even if she had been granted permission to stay, caution was still necessary.
Alyse spun around and descended the stairs, conjuring a chandelier in her hands. Her own green fire bathed the halls in light as she made her way through the palace. She knew the guest rooms were most likely upstairs, but she didn't want to be caught too close to the queen in case her previous demeanor had been an act.
Having taken a quick walk through the palace, she soon found herself standing in the main hall, a grandiose room that had probably hosted all the balls and events she had been told about. Then she reached the kitchen, which lacked any evidence of anyone living in the royal residence. It made her question whether the queen, with her former angelic constitution, even needed such basic amenities.
Following this was a seemingly endless hallway with tall windows offering a view of the surrounding garden. Alyse was curious to explore it, yet due to the current circumstances, it would be a dangerous venture, hence why she remained inside. As she continued to walk, she observed how neglected the gardens were, with vines wrapping themselves around the vacant fountain and disregarded sculptures.
The sight was genuinely miserable, and Alyse was certain that, if she had ever possessed such power, she would have made Hell her own personal playground. She would have taken advantage of what Heaven had erroneously given her, transforming it into a well-respected and terrifying fortress, feared by the angels themselves.
Yet such was not her fate.
She proceeded to the next series of quarters, finding a few empty spaces before encountering the library. It was filled to the brim with books of several different eras and genres. Alyse found herself wanting to delve into the vast array of knowledge on the shelves, her attention particularly drawn to the collection of grimoires.
This seemed potentially viable as a room, with a comfortable couch on which she could sit and read while the exterminations passed. Maybe she could learn how to harness enough power to withstand the wrath of the angels above.
However, she resolved to take a look at the next room before making a decision; it was the last place she needed to explore, even though the books were certainly calling to her.
Another reason for this was that every other room beyond that point had a conventional door, while this one had two ornately embellished doors with spirals and musical notes intricately engraved on them.
Alyse could intuit what lay inside based on the motifs, yet she felt the need to venture inside and confirm her suspicions.
Thus, she entered.
Hinges creaked loudly as the doors opened, revealing the chamber within.
As with any other place in the Morningstar Palace, the walls were a delicate pink, supported by white marble columns whose color shifted to a dark charcoal as they sank into the ground. Red and golden patterns intertwined with the black curtains, which were held by apple-shaped hooks. Snake motifs were also prominent, appearing as tiebacks holding open the windows or winding gracefully down the pillars, their golden tails wrapping around the marble. The pattern repeated in numerous ways around the room's furniture.
With a casual glance, Alyse knew her hunches were right: different instruments were arranged around the room; a golden fiddle shone atop the fireplace; a cello rested by the window; and flutes were displayed in a glass display case. Various brass and wind instruments were mounted on the wall above.
For Alyse, who had been raised alongside the vibrant music of New Orleans, performing and singing in speakeasies, as well as sneaking in to watch the orchestra perform from afar, such a sight was breathtaking.
Music always played a part in her life, and although she took pride in the music she showcased on her broadcasts, she hadn't had many opportunities to perform again in Hell. The chaos of the underworld rarely allowed performances to continue uninterrupted, and the few that did were reserved for noble hellborns such as the Goetia.
Being in this room, surrounded by every instrument she could possibly need, filled her with an old sense of familiarity and comfort.
Her eyes quickly shifted to the piano with its black, polished lacquer finish that reflected her almost perfectly. The same motif continued across this piece of furniture, highlighted in red and featuring an apple at its center surrounded by a coiling serpent.
Alyse stepped closer and immediately recognized that, unlike the rest of the palace, the room was in pristine condition. The piano keys were spotless as her claws brushed against them. Gradually, a musical scale echoed softly throughout the room as she tested their functionality delicately. The radio demon's ears were not only pleased by the quality of the sound, but also by the room's perfect acoustics.
Without a second thought, she seated herself on the bench and placed both hands on the gleaming keys. Immediately, she began evaluating the overall tuning, quickly discovering that it was impeccable, perhaps even magically crafted, given the circumstances.
Alyse soon found herself completely enveloped in the sound, her mind seeking out the queen's unique frequency.
It was a rare phenomenon; she had never been able to perceive anyone in this way before. And it wasn't just a matter of never being alone with someone in such intimate silence. She had spent entire evenings with Rosie, chatting for hours before deciding to flick on the radio. There were also those moments alongside Niffty as they cleaned her tower together. Additionally, there was Vincent, with whom she had previously been acquaintances, leading to them spending brief moments alone together.
Nevertheless, Alyse had never registered another frequency coming from either of them, especially Vincent. Given his TV appearance, he would be the ideal specimen, since he did possess his own frequencies and wavelengths.
Yet he had produced nothing comparable; only the buzzing noise that indicated his existence to Alyse. And it wasn't a melody of sorts, just white static that she had come to detest.
Her fingers continued to search for the right sound, adding a little more vibrancy to what she had originally captured.
The self-questioning persisted. Was it a matter of angels? And if so, what was its purpose? There was definitely an individual advantage if no one else could hear it, but it wouldn't help much in battle if it was only a means of indicating mood. Still, she could exploit the ability to read the queen in this particular way as an ace up her sleeve.
Of course, that meant not disclosing this newly discovered characteristic to Lucifer.
Alyse carried on playing the melody, the notes evoking another song, one of the first her mother had taught her as a child; their old piano having been a proud family heirloom, with music always forming an integral part of their lives.
The piece slowly shifted, the melody alternating between the one she had crafted and the recognizable opening section of one of Beethoven's most famous pieces.
It lulled her into a sense of peace unlike anything she had experienced since arriving in Hell. Usually, she was hyper vigilant, constantly aware of her surroundings. However, even though Heaven was wreaking havoc outside, slaughtering every sinner in sight, she knew that she would be safe here.
For one night in Hell, she could relax and allow herself to be consumed by music.
Just then, her ears picked up the haunting frequency increasing in intensity, accompanied by the sound of hooves slowly coming closer. Alyse knew she should pause, be alert, yet the melody sounded almost as vibrant as before, evoking neither anger nor sorrow.
Instead, there was...
Joy.
Her fingers moved on to the second melody, reaching the more challenging section. In her peripheral vision, she saw the queen approaching; her golden hair was messier than before and she had swapped her previous outfit for a long pink robe that fell off her shoulders, revealing her alabaster chest.
Alyse couldn't help but let out a chuckle; the queen really had no decorum.
The piece slowly reached its end as they locked eyes, the frequency around the queen becoming quieter.
“Intrigued by my performance, your majesty?” she inquired, her hands now clasped together and resting on her lap.
The queen bluffed, "As if!" Fur Elise? It's a simple piece, if you ask me. Quite a temperamental composer, too." She commented, leaning against the piano and allowing her robe to slide off a little more.
Was she even wearing clothes underneath? Alyse scanned the wall behind the queen for somewhere neutral to focus.
“Oh? You met the man?” she wondered, truly curious.
"Beethoven? Yes. During one of my many summons, I overstayed. I was curious about this so-called prodigy," Lucifer explained. "He was certainly a proud man, always ready to argue about his compositions despite his hearing loss."
”Is he in Hell?” Alyse allowed her curiosity about this trivial subject to continue.
Lucifer merely scoffed. "To my knowledge, no. Why though? Want to debate techniques?" She replied, and Alyse gave a laugh in return.
“A century in Hell, and yet I have yet to meet any sinner with a proper former earthly title,” she confessed.
Lucifer folded her arms across her chest. "Trust me, there are. They're just highly sought after by the Goetia," she explained. "Paganini was one I personally had under my wing for a while."
"Is that what I must do to strike a deal with her majesty?" Alyse asked, flashbacks of her failed attempts at summoning resurfacing in her mind. "I'm quite skilled, as you have witnessed."
The queen arched an eyebrow. "Ohoho! Is that what it is now?" She started to laugh, the frequency surrounding her taking on a jovial tone.
"I have yet to receive any negative feedback," Alyse reassured her proudly. "Would you like to hear another rendition?"
Their gazes locked as Lucifer regarded her. "Renditions are learned and rehearsed. That's a skill, certainly, but can you compose?" Her words challenged her, a hint of fire in her eyes as her melody came to life.
And who was Alyse to refuse the Queen of Hell herself?
"You will be pleased with it," she accepted.
The queen smiled as she jumped and got herself on top of the piano, her lengthy pink robe cascading next to Alyse with her small hooves dangling, as she wasn't tall enough to touch the ground.
Ignoring the audacity, the radio demon simply began playing, giving the queen the composition she had requested. Her slender fingers moved swiftly over the keys, experimenting with different sounds, blending chords to create a harmonious melody.
Soon, she found herself immersed once more in the melody she was crafting, trying to rival and surpass the thunder outside the palace windows. Golden flashes intermittently illuminated the room, and the ground periodically trembled from the sound of collisions.
Gradually, she began sensing the queen's ever-changing frequency, with spikes rising as light reached them and then calming as her eyes shifted downwards to the piano.
This ability was truly fascinating, providing easy access to deciphering someone so powerful. Yet there was something else, something Alyse couldn't quite describe, an inexplicable pull beyond mere interest or curiosity.
She felt she needed to stay.
Suddenly, something unexpected happened as she continued performing; a distinct voice entered the piece. It wasn't hard to guess who it belonged to as she looked up to see the queen letting her voice free into the air.
It was angelic.
There were no lyrics, only her voice adding harmonies to her melody, with improvisations where the queen deigned them necessary.
This initiated a small game of chase, which Alyse was familiar with, having essentially lived in jazz speakeasies throughout her youth. There, she played by ear, listening attentively to the other instruments to create unscripted music.
In record time, Alyse managed to provide Lucifer with the correct accompaniment, her voice steadily gaining momentum until the room was reverberating with their collective sound.
A light caught Alyse's attention out of the corner of her eye, and as she looked up, she almost halted her performance, her notes softening as the frequency she had been listening to was now emanating physically from the queen.
It was as iridescent as the sun catchers her Maman used to hang by the windows by the living room door, the sun refracting into a million colors.
Breathtaking.
The sound swirled around the queen, who had her eyes closed and continued singing. Alyse continued to complement her notes, her fingers focused as she mapped the moving frequency with her eyes.
Mesmerized, her curiosity heightened, an intense feeling rose within her to keep that radiance for as long as possible.
It was intoxicating.
Alyse increased the song's volume once more, encouraging the queen to sing even louder and allowing her voice to express itself more fully. She responded enthusiastically, and their harmonies rose in volume, filling the room with sound, while her own green magic also manifested itself as she let the music overwhelm them.
There was one final run, ending as it had begun with soft touches to the keys, the sound gradually dissipating until only the voice of the queen remained, lingering on a final note.
Alyse was left feeling euphoric.
Glancing at the queen, they locked eyes, her crimson meeting those golden ones.
A soft smile spread across the fallen angel's face, her cheeks flushing golden color, causing a warm sensation throughout Alyse's chest.
"It seems I excelled at impressing you," the radio demon ventured, quietly hoping that the feeling had been mutual.
"Ha!", the queen spat loudly. "Hardly. But I can't deny that your skills are quite impressive." She finished with a playfully teasing tone, signaling to Alyse that she had indeed entertained her, at least.
An intense roar, accompanied by the tolling of a bell, startled them both, and they turned to gaze out of the window. The crimson firmament had parted and a portal had opened, bringing an end to the extermination for now.
"Any idea why they have decided to attack after six months, your majesty?" Alyse inquired, her gaze turning towards the queen, whose eyes remained fixed on the opening. Her frequency fluctuated, the sound lowering and the dissonance from when she met the radio demon resuming.
"Nope," the queen responded with a dry laugh. "I don't interfere with what Eve wants to do."
"You really do care so little for us," Alyse quickly stated without thinking.
The queen's melody lowered in pitch again, the haunting sound taking over the previous joyful tune and Alyse felt a stinging sensation in her chest.
"You got yourselves into this mess. I know some of you rejoice in this realm, but this is supposed to be a punishment," she sighed sorrowfully.
"Well, that deal you signed certainly reminded us of that," Alyse remarked, with no hint of hurt or resentment in her voice. Hell was Hell, and it would all be rather dull without a challenge, even if she personally wanted to avoid her own eternal demise.
There was an almost complete silence.
"I'm sorry," the queen responded, her eyes still fixated on the window and the portals above, her voice growing duller along with her surrounding sounds.
"What for? I find no fault in reminding us of our place in Hell," Alyse remarked nonchalantly, voicing her previous thoughts. She could really understand the perspective, even if she saw it more as a control mechanism from Heaven. Still, there could be advantages if it had been an equal-gain agreement; maybe it was a way for her to negotiate regaining her full angelic power, or even a place above once more.
This did not seem to be the case for the fallen angel, who glared at the portal as if aching for a way back home.
She suddenly laughed. "Yet you came here to try to bypass it by offering your assistance to me."
Alyse scoffed, impressed that the queen had seen through her own words, as she had herself. It was clear that she couldn't accept everything that was handed to her; sinners were all arrogant, after all.
"While punishment is expected, there is no need for me to comply willingly," she retorted. "The offer still stands, your majesty."
Finally, the queen turned to look at her, her eyes narrowing as she shook her head in disapproval.
"I really have no need for, what did you called it? An executioner?" Lucifer remarked.
Alyse concluded that there was no point in pursuing the previous subject further, knowing that the queen was not interested in continuing down that path. Although the evening had proved fascinating, it was probably better for her to evaluate the damage to her own territory and decide on a new strategy.
"What a shame, really. I am highly regarded beyond these walls," Alyse commented, rising from the piano as the angelic portal outside closed, marking the end of the extermination and, consequently, their brief agreement.
"Very well! I appreciate your hospitality for the evening," she added, her heels echoing on the marble floor as she headed towards the door, choosing to leave through it rather than dissipating into her own shadows.
"Wait!" The queen's voice suddenly stopped her in her tracks.
"Oh?"
She turned around and addressed the Queen, observing how the small woman had stepped down from the piano with her hand extended towards her.
'Yes, my queen?' she asked, her microphone manifesting as she leaned over it.
Lucifer looked at her as if she hadn't planned to get this far, her frequency stopping abruptly.
There was silence, which Alyse filled with static, buzzing around the room as she waited expectantly for the queen to answer.
'What if I still want to know what goes on in my realm? Without me necessarily going out?" she asked, her lip trembling.
Such a sudden change of mind was rather interesting, even if the request wasn't particularly worthy of a strong deal. It really seemed to have been made up at that very moment, with little thought put into it, but Alyse was willing to work with that.
"Then I would be more than willing to serve her majesty," Alyse stated, taking a step towards the queen. "However, as you know, this world doesn't work for altruism alone. I expect something in return."
The queen crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a breath that made a strand of blonde hair sway. "Well, how about this? You will be on a three-month provisional contract. If I find that your services are useful, then I will grant you power," she proposed.
Alyse responded with a low hum; it was not precisely what she had been hoping for.
"Will that power be sufficient to defend myself against those creatures above?" she asked, cocking her head and listening out for sounds from outside as her ears pricked up.
Lucifer laughed, having taken the implication. "Oh, heavens no! I'll grant you shelter on those days. How about that? I can't really have a sinner with the powers of an celestial being running around," she added.
The radio demon deliberated on the idea, as her power was already sufficient to present a threat to even the oldest of Overlords. However, an attempt at reaching a middle ground wouldn't be unfavorable.
"Give me both," she requested. "Enough strength to become the most powerful sinner in Hell will suffice. Let's not even consider reaching those of the angels. And when extermination strikes, I will be granted shelter. Now, how does that sound?"
The queen gave a shake of her head in disbelief. "You're all so greedy!" she exclaimed, her frequency spiking with her anger. "I'll grant you some power after the trial, and I'll decide how much to increase it by. We'll revisit the terms every year."
Every year? So the queen was in it for the long haul.
Perfect, she could work with that.
"Very well, I accept your terms," Alyse confirmed, twirling her staff as she drew closer to the queen, placing her directly beneath her as she extended her hand.
"Do we have a deal, ma reine?" she prompted, her voice charged with static as her antlers spread outward while her shadows flickered across the walls.
The queen smirked, as her golden eyes filled with crimson while two horns erupted from her forehead. Red claws, which Alyse had not noticed earlier, extended towards her hand, sealing the deal.
Golden light and shadows intertwined, the power of the Morning Star taking dominance over her own. Thick golden chains manifested on her neck, heavy enough to drag her to her knees if she didn't resist.
It was the first and only time Alyse permitted anyone to put a leash on her; yet the deal itself wasn't altogether unpleasant; she just needed to prove her worth to the queen.
Life was about to get far more entertaining.