High School is Hell Extended

Supreme Meister Mallory

_ _

'Demons are amongst the few creatures on Terra Cruces who are adept at manipulating their natural energies. So much so that they can create phenomena that is interpreted as the 'magic' of this world. What set Mallory apart and indeed what earned him the title of 'Master Maester' was his ability to see the underlying essence of every fabric of the world and convert it into its purest essence which he then could use to heal and defend.'

R3 the Writer of Reality

Liber Cruces , Chapter I - Pride, Sec. II

Bobby Ren wasn't sure where he was or how he had gotten here.

The last thing he could remember was the cold feeling that enveloped his body as he bled out in the alleyway of some town that probably wasn't even on the map. He had left everything behind before he got to where he was. His home was a small town in the middle of nowhere and his parents didn't understand him or his musical talent. With nothing but his guitar, a couple of bucks and the clothes on his back, he was hoping to hitch-hike to New York City or maybe California so he could be discovered and make it big.

Then everyone back home would see.

The haze in his mind began to lift and he started to remember the trucker he had hitched a ride with... and the 'payment' he wanted. Bobby had fled in fear. He was no one's bitch. But the guy was fast despite his size and had pummelled him into submission, leaving him bleeding in an alley. Now... Now he was in some dark hallway being dragged unceremoniously across the floor by two creatures that seemed spawned out of someone's nightmares.

At first when he woke up he thought that some eccentric millionaire had found him and taken pity on him. The walls and floor of the room were made of some bright, purple marble with splotches of black and white all across the surface. There was also a massive collection of paintings hanging in the room along with some lavish looking furniture and roaring torches that shone with a deep purple light. The only way out was a massive black door, its entire edifice covered in deep cracks where a similar purple light shone from within. He couldn't get it to budge, but he didn't have to wait long for someone to open the door...and then he saw the faces of his current escorts.

One thing was for sure, they weren't human. Not even close.

They were huge - at least nine foot tall - werewolves. At least that's what his horrified mind could comprehend. Their upper bodies were rippling with muscles and were covered by soft, purplish-black fur. Their heads were that of a lupine with bright, glowing red eyes set in a field of black. But their lower bodies tapered into a long, scaly lower body that carried them across the floor silently. It was like a sort of... half-wolf, half-snake.

Had he died? Was he in Heaven? Were these some sort of bizarre angel?

They came to a set of enormous, lavender doors gilded with gold. The portal swung open revealing nothing but darkness beyond. His escorts unceremoniously threw the young man into the darkness before shutting the door behind him.

"Hey!" he cried. "What's the big idea!?"

"Your pride... It is so... delicious..."

The voice rumbled in the darkness, reverberating in Bobby's very soul. He quivered and quaked, immediately falling to his knees in submission. An immense weight fell on his shoulders, forcing him to fight to keep his head up but it was a losing battle.

"So confident in your own non-existent talent. Blinded by your pride. Threw away everything you had for nothing. Incapable of seeing your own failings."

"W - w - who the fuck...?" he stammered but he let out a loud gag as the weight suddenly increased and he was forced to press his head against the ground. From the periphery of his vision, he could see four bright red lights springing up in the darkness. Were they... eyes?

"Such arrogance. So much confidence. You will make for a stupendous Pride Demon."

"A - a - wha -?" Suddenly, an immense pain erupted from Bobby's chest.

He let out a scream and threw his head back, straightening. The weight was gone but an immense burning sensation erupted from his bare chest. He looked down at his flat, unimpressive chest to see a brilliant purple flame as it exploded from his torso, right between his pectorals.

"Holy shit!"

"Embrace your pride. Just like you always have. Don't fight it. Become your pride. Become part of this world. Become part of me_."_

Bobby screamed. The flames spread rapidly throughout his entire torso. The powerful burning sensation filled his chest with unholy power. Right before his eyes, his pectorals began to harden and grow in size. His flat chest began to develop two large, square mounds topped with twin peaks of pink flesh that were his nipples. Loud cracking noises filled his ears. His ribs rapidly expanded, every panicked breath drawing more and more air into his expanding lungs and unwittingly embracing more of Hell into him. His cries dropped several pitches as his throat thickened, powerful veins filling the muscles with new, demonic blood.

He suddenly felt very top heavy and lurched forward, catching his weight on his hands. The instant his palms struck the ground, the purple flames spread all over his limbs. Spindly limbs that had only known the strain of strumming a guitar suddenly inflated with new size and strength. His upper arms erupted into incredible thirty inch bowling balls of tight muscle wrapped in a lattice of popping veins. His forearms gurgled loudly and erupted into meaty clubs that would've made any bodybuilder green with envy. Pain shot up his limbs as his bones stretched and thickened to accommodate the increased mass. His shoulders popped and grew in mass, meeting his enormous chest to form a rippling, upper body.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he used his newfound strength to straighten once more and let out a deafening roar. He clutched his head with his new, massive hands. Black claws erupted from his fingers and callouses he formed from years of strumming turned into a set of leathery pads just like those demons that had dragged him here.

Then the pain suddenly started to feel very... pleasurable. His body drank in the power greedily and he was feeling_really_ good about himself. He gnashed his teeth together and closed his paws into fists. The feeling of strength throughout the entire length of his arms and the way he could tense his abdominals and chest so that the veins really popped was intoxicating. He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the growing sense of power before he was wrapped in its warm embrace. He opened his eyes again just for a moment so that he could see the purplish-black fur sprouting all over his body. Although it came to a stop just at his waist.

He was barely aware of his cock rising to its full five and half inches before it began exceeding the limits of his human length and growing bigger and thicker. His entire cock then began to shift slightly, his mushroom tip becoming a tapered point while a strange, bulbous mass began growing at the base. He groaned loudly and seized his growing member with one paw, enjoying the sensation of its flesh throbbing and surging as his pointed tip was drooling thick, slime all over his fingers. The sensation doubled as a mound of flesh began to grow right beside his member. He opened one eye, holding back a wince as his face began to change shape. Right before his eyes, that mound began to grow and lengthen. Sensitive red flesh pushed up from his thick, brown pubic hairs to match his first dick. A clear, purplish liquid began seeping out of the growing tip and he quickly seized the emerging member, his entire body quivering in pleasure.

"Oh fuck!" he cried, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut again.

From his kneeling position, his feet were pressed together. Purplish-black scales began emerging from his pale skin, bridging the gap between the two limbs and pulling skin, muscle and bone together into a single mass. His toes were completely consumed by the scales, what little definition he had in his legs vanishing into a long, serpentine tail. He tumbled over, immediately rolling onto his strong back while clutched his two cocks and feverishly stroked them. Bobby bucked his hips over and over again, urging the scales to hurry up the length of his knees and meld his thighs together until they clasped over his balls. The scales wrapped around his sac, momentarily causing them to disappear against their dark surface. Then, his testicles came back with a vengeance, growing bigger and bigger beneath his scales into obscene baseball sized melons that pushed up against his scales. His dicks were left to remain erect, his twin knots rubbing together to further stimulate him even though a slit was left for them to slide back into his body.

He let out an animalistic howl, his features jutting forward. The dark fur crawled up his neck, chasing his nose as it pulled away from his face. Teeth reshaped and transformed into sharp fangs. Ears pulled themselves to the top of his head and became triangular and pointed, nerves connecting with the digits to allow them to be swivelled around and moves with greater dexterity. The purplish black fur wreathed his entire face. It turned his lips black and rubbery and his nose into a flat, black point far keener than any human or canine for that matter.

Bobby's eyes sprang open. His soft brown eyes gazed into the darkness for the last time as a human. An inky blackness began seeping out of the corner of his eyes, spreading like a virus all across his sclera until they touched his irises. The tight ring of brown obtained an unholy red glow and with one final roar, Bobby had the most powerful orgasm he had ever had in his entire life.

Gallons upon gallons of cum erupted from his twin dicks, spraying his new body in a shower of his purplish, demonic seed. He shook his dicks wantonly, spraying his cum all over him and his immediate area like he was marking his territory. He came once, twice, three times, four and all the way up to an impressive eleven times with increasing ferocity and production. Then, he plateaued and dipped, his orgasms starting to wane as the last vestiges of Bobby Ren vanished into the demonic form.

The demon lay in a pool of his own cum, panting heavily and his large, powerful chest slowly rising and falling.

"Welcome to Hell, my son."

'Son'... It felt so right that his progenitor would name him such. It was a name given to all other Pride Demons but it still felt right.

"Who are you...?" he asked.

Those four eyes came back into view, hovering over him. Each pupil alone was as big as the demon just hinting at the incredible size of this beast amongst demons.

"I am your King."

******

Life had changed quite drastically for Mallory Jenkins.

He had been a stereotypical nerd in Angelton Boys' High School on the northeast coast of the United States of America with an A+ grade average. He loved trading card games, had a stack of first edition comics that were still in mint condition, tonnes of videogame that he had never finished and had the build of a twig. Then one day, a friend had approached him with a proposition he simply could not refuse. That is to say that he was really given no choice in the matter.

Mallory had been forcibly transformed into a Pride Demon by Edward Teller.

Not that he really complained. The new part-wolf, part-snake form reminded him a little of the nagas that he loved to read about in his fantasy games. Only this naga was virile, incredibly strong and was currently trapped in Hell.

Something disturbed the rubble behind him and Mal instantly went rigid, perking his sharp ears and turning around. The old library he had found within the desolated city of the Ascent of Arrogance was filled with ruined books that had mysteriously blank pages. He clutched the large tome he held against his strong, powerful chest. Using his incredibly versatile tail, he lifted the candle he had brought high to illuminate the toppled bookshelves, scattered volumes and dark walls.

It was rather funny.

Most of the city was covered in highly reflective mirrors but their interiors were quite... normal looking. The library walls were made of some strange black wood, the floors a jet-black marble with deep purple flecks amongst them. If it weren't for the constant sense of dread for being in an unknown land, Mal would've actually felt quite comfortable especially for a plane of Hell.

When no hellspawn came leaping out of the shadows at him, he sighed in relief, letting out a breath through his canine nostrils that brushed through his blonde hair. He lowered his coils slightly, allowing him to hide against the fallen bookshelves and rest against the serpentine lower half of his body like a cushion. The book in his large paws was one of the few volumes that still had something in it.

It was entitled 'Superbia et ante Lapsum'. That the ancient book found in a place of damnation was in English was a surprise. Not that he understood much of what was talked of inside the tome. From what he gathered, it told of something happening to various 'Pride Lords' that caused a 'Superior' to rise and rule over this segment of Hell. Apparently, this 'Superior' grew so strong that he managed to raise a castle for himself and called it the Ascent of Arrogance. The city grew around the Ascent and Pride Demons from all over Hell congregated to the mirrored city.

Mal turned the pages of the book with his enormous paw fully capable of crushing an ordinary human's head between his fingers. Despite having a 60-inch chest and arms that measured up to 30 inches around, he could not deny his intellectual nature. He pored over the books, trying to understand, absorb and learn. His bright red irises set in a field of black darted across the page, his muzzle drawing closer and closer to the lightly browned pages and until the two sharp, bull-like horns pressed against the edges of the book and he was forced to pull back before he skewered it.

There was another faint crumbling noise and Mal straightened.

"Who's there!?" he demanded, baring his fangs.

Against a human, his immense eight foot height when straightened would've been intimidating especially since he had about that much again for the rest of his coils. But as the smallest amongst the rest of the Pride Demons he knew, he wasn't much to look at. He had also seen various other Pride Demons roaming the area around the city and they were simply huge, even bigger than the biggest amongst them.

"Come out!" he snarled. He peeled his muzzle open, the two large fangs built with venomous pride slipping out of their sheaths.

Suddenly, a strong pair of arms seized his waist. He yelped loudly as he was pulled backwards. His as a thick, flat tongue was suddenly shoved down his muzzle. The passionate kiss caught him off guard as did the two, huge dicks poking his chest and dripping precum against his chiselled chest. A set of serpentine coils gently but tightly looped around his own, holding the two Pride Demons together.

The other Pride Demon broke the kiss and let out a soft sigh.

"How many times have I told you not to wander off," Vance Jenkins said, a cute smile crossing his features.

Some would've considered it strange that Mal was making out with his biological father but as far as he was concerned, he never felt more loved than when he was in his father's big, burly arms. A personal trainer back when he was human, Vance was now one of the biggest Pride Demons in their pack, second only to Eugene. His big, burly arms were decorated by the same purple tiger-like stripes that covered Mal's body, overlapping his dark - almost black - fur. Like his son who had turned him, he had a pair of horns jutting out of his short cropped blonde hair. It would've been hard to tell the two demons apart if it weren't for their size and hair style.

"You scared me, dad..." Mal laughed softly, nuzzling his parent's thick, bare chest.

Vance ran his large paws along Mal's tattered, white shirt and fingered the red vest that he wore. "Why do you still wear these things?"

It was the only clothes that Mal had found and while he had been perfectly comfortable being nude back on Earth, once the high of being a powerful demon amongst mortals had been crushed and he was humbled... Well, Mal felt a little bare. He had to give props to his father, though, who was probably the nudist of the pack. The others wore some clothes with the exception of Eugene who had just donned a scarf. It must've had something to do with the fact that they were the biggest and buffest of the pack and had earned it even before he became a demon.

"Just... something I like," Mal murmured, slowly uncurling from his father. He regarded the book in his paws, pages slightly creased by the contact with his dad. "Sorry I went off like that. I saw this library and thought it might help us. I know it's not exactly what you wanted..."

"I gave up long ago trying to make you do what I think you should do," Vance chuckled, brushing the back of his paw against Mal's cheek. "I'm just proud of who you are now." Then he snorted and shook his head. "Fuck... look at me. In love with my own son... Your mother would have a fit."

"Before or after she realised we were demons?"

Both men laughed.

Vance gave Mal a peck on the cheek before wrapping an arm around his shoulders and peering down at the book. "So what's it about?"

"Not really sure. It outlines something about Pride Lords falling and a Superior rising. I'm just barely through it."

"Well put it back and let's get going," his father instructed. "The sun is setting and we need to get back to camp before dark."

It was a long trek back to their camp outside of the city known as the Ascent of Arrogance. The pristine crystal metropolis was surrounded by rolling planes covered in wild, purple grass which hid lesser demons of various shapes and sizes that fed on other demons including Pride Demons. In many ways, it was like they had stepped into another world that was very much the same as the one they had left. Wild animals could still kill them and Pride Demons were the reigning apex predator.

At least that's what it used to be.

"Alright," Mal said with a nod. He set the book back down in a place where he could recover it if he wanted. "Let's go."

The two Pride Demons slithered out of the library, their serpentine coils gliding easily down the smooth ramp into the rest of the Ascent. The streets may have appeared abandoned but he knew there were remnant Pride Demons hiding amongst the reflective spires waiting to prey upon the unsuspecting and unwary. On their first week in the Ascent, they had seen a damned human, naked and proud with an impressive foot long dick and the body of a supermodel stride into the Ascent. Within moments, he was accosted by a Pride Demon who dispensed with any forms of subtly and consumed his soul, transforming him into a thrall. The two then slithered off into the shadows, waiting for another form of prey. Another time, they had been attacked by an enormous Pride Demon even bigger than Eugene. They were forced to retreat as the rampaging and clearly hungry demon sought to devour them.

They were forced to wander out into the surrounding planes which had even less food and even more dangerous monsters. Mal and Vance made trips to the Ascent in search of supplies while Barry and Zander went off into the planes to do the same. Eugene and Edward guarded their small camp around a hellfruit tree.

With each passing day, however, the demons were growing weaker. Mal could feel it. The first few days he didn't need sleep at all but now, he was constantly fighting off drowsiness and he actually fell asleep when the bright, purple sun set overhead. He wasn't the only one. Vance who was twice his size and an impressive specimen of a Pride Demon wasn't so full of energy like he used to be. Though he still vigorously made love to his son, he was slowing down. What little nourishment they could get from the hellfruit tree lasted them these six months but the tree was almost out of fruit and they hadn't found any other new sources of food for a while.

Each day, they had to expand their search radius wider and wider and it took longer to get back to camp. They just kept getting weaker and hope began dwindling. Edward cursed Havoc for just leaving them here without any further guidance. It became his ritual to get up in the morning, gather everyone around their campfire and then snarl and snap at the man's name during breakfast. It was like their morning prayer. But Mal wasn't sure that he could blame the mysterious man. They accepted the role of demon and they attempted to consume Dante and his group into their ranks. Maybe they could've been allies...

His thoughts were brought back to the present and away from his lingering doubts when he realised he had been heading down a path without looking where he was going. Panic began to set in as he found himself alone, his dad nowhere to be seen. In the alleyways and streets of the Ascent of Arrogance, he could only see his own panicked reflection staring back at him.

"Oh shit..." He muttered. "Dad? Dad!?"

He spun in place, trying to get his bearings. But the Ascent was a maze of winding avenues and boulevards that looped in on themselves. He only occasionally wandered off when he knew the way back to the route they usually took but now...

"Fuck!" he shouted. "Dad!? Where are you!?"

"I'll be your daddy."

The deep rumbling soul sent fear pouring into his heart and he immediately spun around. That fear was well founded. A tremendous Pride Demon about fourteen feet tall from the bend in his coils to his ears loomed over him. A serpentine lower half about the same size coiled slowly around Mal, blocking off escape. Long spikes jutted out from the spine of the creature all the way down his length and as the formed a full circle around Mal, they stood on end and rose to about five feet tall, like a bony, black fence. The creature's body was heavily muscled save for the large gut he sported. An eerie, purple glow shone from deep within his belly, seemingly shining through his eyes and out from deep his throat whenever he spoke.

"You've been a naughty little demon, haven't you?" cooed the demon, lifting a finger and touching Mal's chin lightly. "Been eating my books. Sneaking into my library and trying to feast on the pride between the pages. Those are my books."

"N - N - No!" Mal stammered, holding up his paws in surrender. "Honestly, I was just reading them. I - I - I'm new to this p - p - place and I just wanted to know about it!"

"Pride Demons make for poor liars," rumbled the demon, leaning down towards Mal. His breath smelled of fetid wine. "What Pride Demon doesn't know about the Ascent?" He chuckled darkly. "It won't matter. I've always wanted a thrall. You'll see me survive for centuries yet." His eyes roved Mal's body. "Yes... I haven't seen a strong soul like yours in a while. I will savour you..."

Mal pulled away.

"Get the fuck off him!"

Suddenly, Vance came barrelling out of nowhere and slammed right into the massive demon. The sharp back spines of the creature cut into Vance's flanks but his father did not care and threw all of his weight into sending the larger demon crashing to the ground. Using the moment of surprise, Vance sank his fangs into the demon's shoulder, drawing as much demonic energy and blood as he could to sap the creature of its strength.

But the demon was experienced and had lived centuries in Hell. Though caught off-guard, he had clearly dealt with smaller demons such as Vance before. Although the prospect of gaining two thralls instead of one seemed to only excite the creature as he cracked a wicked grin.

"Going to try sucking me dry pup? That's not gonna work on ole Galdarmir..." The beast then let out a tremendous roar and seized Vance by the scruff. He yanked the smaller Pride Demon off his shoulder and though Vance tore a chunk off his flesh, he did not seem to care. He boldly threw Vance straight into the ground, the impact causing the very earth to shake. Vance snarled at him and the larger demon only smirked before he rose up one of his massive hands and clenched it into a fist.

WHAM!

Just one punch with an enormous hand sent Vance into the realm of unconsciousness.

"Dad!" Mal cried.

Galdarmir let out a howl of victory before he looked down at Vance and licked his lips in anticipation of his coming meal. Mal frantically looked around for something to save his father with, but as he moved about, he disturbed some nearby rubble and suddenly the larger demon began slithering towards him. The demon looked at Mal with a hungry gaze, with a purple light emanating from his muzzle as he opened his mouth wide and displayed his many sharp fangs. Mal let out a whimper as he tried to escape, but soon found himself cornered in the back of the alleyway. Galdarmir began slithering closer and closer, his fangs dropping with saliva as he encroached onto his prey.

But then, he suddenly stopped and the larger beast began to shiver. Mal looked up for a brief moment as Galdarmir snarled and looked around the area.

His eyes were drawn past the young demon... where a seemingly human figure wearing white and gold armour that was overlayed by a sapphire-blue, sleeveless coat stood. The man had a crowned helmet with three prominent spikes hiding his features save for two, deep, sapphire-blue eyes with irises shaped like eight pointed stars shining through the darkness of the 'T' shaped visor. A pair of skeletal wings sprang from his back, spread threateningly and made entirely out of silver chains. In one hand, the entity held a tall, green and silver scythe, intricately designed with silvery vines and leaves drawn across its blade and haft.

"That's quite enough Galdarmir," said R3 the Writer of Reality.

The demon did not seem intimidated by the creature. His hunger threw aside his sense of caution but this beast seemed to at least acknowledge the man's presence. As his attention was drawn towards the strange visitor Mal took this opportunity to make an escape and make his way over to this father..

"You are bold to try and stop me from my feast," The creature said with a snarl.

As Mal hurried over to his injured father he caught a brief glance of his potential saviour. He looked like some sort of character out of one of his comic books. A warrior angel, perhaps? Or maybe a demon from another plane of Hell. A visitor from another planar realm? It didn't matter though, his father took more importance. As he looked down at his dad, he thought how a physical blow like that wouldn't have been enough to knock out the Pride Demon in his prime but after six months in Hell and with barely any food, Vance was out cold and bleeding. Mal's eyes widened at the sight of black blood dripping out from out of Vance's nose and his muzzle. He pressed a paw against the deep wounds by his dad's sides.

"Oh god! Dad!" he cried, shaking his father's broad shoulders. "Wake up! Wake up, dad!"

"Calm down Mallory," R3 said gently. "He is merely unconscious. No severe injuries. Let him rest."

"But -"

"You should be more concerned about the Grotesque that is just a foot away from you."

As if realising that he had the potential for a hostage, Galdarmir reached out for Mal. No sooner that he did, a green scythe slammed into the ground between them, barring his path. The giant Pride Demon flinched away and looked towards the blade and its owner. R3 had been several yards away and now he was right next to him! Whatever this guy was, he was no ordinary creature.

Galdarmir hissed and retreated a few steps, hackles raised and spines along his spine on edge. "You will not keep me from my prey!"

"You are smarter than this, Galdarmir," R3 warned, yanking his scythe out of the ground. "You once took pride in your collection of books and the vast knowledge you held within them. Desperate times drew you to consuming the very knowledge off your books to survive but now your hunger is ruling you. Look past that. Realise who I am. Understand that if you try and strike at me, you will die."

The Pride Demon snarled, baring the enormous, venomous fangs all Pride Demons possessed only his had serrated edges designed for maximum tearing. "I know full well who you are, No One. I claim those two! They are mine to devour! You have no right to take them away from me!"

"You're right, I don't," R3 responded calmly and with a shrug. "I'm just being a dick."

Galdarmir roared and lunged forward with a speed that belied his size. Mal immediately threw himself over his comatose father, trying to protect him with his body. He shut his eyes tightly, waiting for the end. A loud hissing noise filled his ears... followed by a strange sound like something was burning. He dared to open his eyes just in time to see the large demon slam into the ground with a heavy whump, eyes empty and completely black without any signs of the red irises that formerly glowed there. The unholy hellspawn's body was suddenly consumed by writhing black flame, eating away at his form.

Mal glanced back at his savoir who easily swung the enormous scythe over his shoulder. "D - D - Did you kill him...?"

"At least as far as you can 'kill' a demon," R3 said, turning towards him. "His body has been obliterated and his soul is now free. It's scurried away somewhere, likely to try and gather some strength and reshape itself into an appropriate form. If no other demon finds it and captures it, Galdarmir will be back within a few weeks or so. Not as strong as he was formerly but certainly still the same in many ways."

"Demons don't... die?"

"Not in the sense you might think." R3 held out an armoured hand.

Mal glanced back towards his father, concerned. A pang of regret flooded through him. Had he just stayed with his father, remained safely beside him, none of this would have happened. If he had been stronger...

"Here. Take this."

R3 gave Mal a small vial filled with a pulsating, opaque purple liquid.

"What is it?"

"Essence of Arrogance," answered the No One. "The very world around you is built from pride energy. However, only the most sensitive of demons will be able to consume it, turning the very matter of this world into their source of food." He nodded towards the last fading vestiges of Galdarmir. "When a demon 'dies', their bodies are converted into the very same energies that power this land, feeding the cycle. And before you ask, that won't be the same for you. Your form is closely tied to Earth. It is far more physical than theirs. That's why your father can survive such a crushing blow."

R3 nodded at Vance. "The Essence is a piece of this world distilled and refined to have healing properties for the inhabitants of this world. One drop of the Essence and he will be back to normal. Even to the point when he first transformed."

Mal pulled the stopper on the vial and took a sniff of the liquid. It smelled incredible and made him hungry. But he resisted the urge to drink from it and turned towards his father. He held the vial over Vance's open muzzle, letting one drop slide out of the vial and into the demon's muzzle. Vance instinctively lapped up at the droplet and he let out a soft sigh. Miraculously, his wounds began to heal. The muscles on his body began to harden, growing bigger with strong veins popping up all over his arms and legs. Mal had never noticed before but his father seemed to have deflated in terms of muscle size in the time since they had arrived. The growth had also caused a bit of arousal in Vance and Mal chuckled as his father's twin, canine dicks began stirring within his genital slit, dripping precum all over his lower half.

"Thank you," he sighed, turning back to the No One. "I -"

He cut himself off.

R3 was gone.

"Oh boy..." he muttered softly. "One of those..."

Vance mumbled softly and his eyelid flickered open. "Mal... son..." Then his eyes widened completely and he sat up. "Where's that bastard!? Where's the demon that tried to eat you!?"

He doubted that his father would believe that a weird angel-like creature came down and killed the guy. "He just ran away. I think you scared him off."

"I did?" Vance rubbed the back of his head. "Last thing I remember was that bastard had me on my back and about to crush my skull..." He grumbled and rolled his shoulders. "He's gone and you're safe. That's what's important." He placed a big paw on Mal's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. "Now don't go wandering off again."

Mal nuzzled his father's bare chest and nodded. "Alright dad..."

Vance knew the way back out of the city and, as it turned out, Mal hadn't been that far from their original path. They made their way out of the polished spires and out into the grassy planes surrounding the city. The purple sun was just starting to dip beneath the horizon, leaving the sky a deep amethyst colour. For humans, the grass would've been about waist high and hard to navigate through but for the Pride Demons, it was barely an issue.

Across the planes, they could see dozens of other demonic creatures making their way towards their homes and dens. They caught a glimpse of a flock of bizarre looking peacocks with bright and colourful feathers that were the size of trucks as they scurried by a large lake to find some place to roost. Large antelope-like creatures with broad horns like tree branches bolted away from a large feline-like beast with a snake attached to its rump instead of a tail, both working in unison to take down one of the creatures. Overhead, birds with four wings lazily glided through the air, each one only about the size of Mal's paw but with each group consisting of about a hundred of them, enough to block out the sun if they so much as passed before it.

A good distance away from the city there was a large grassy knoll with a large tree sitting atop. Around this tree, four tents had been erected made from scavenged materials. There was a campfire that was already blazing at the centre of the camp made from some branches cut off the tree and some of the unholy grass. The fire that burned was an unnatural shade of purple but it still provided warmth.

As Mal and Vance approached, the rest of their little pack looked up. Edward raised himself from the coils of his enormous father, Eugene, and smiled warmly towards the two that were approaching. Barry had his tail curled around the hellfruit tree. In his big, beefy arms, he had a few hellfruit. Zander, his golden mane all frazzled and unkempt from months without conditioner, waved in greeting.

"We were getting worried," Edward said. "Trouble?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Vance said with a shrug, a bit of pride running off him. It was bad that Mal licked his lips at the little display of pride. The Pride Demons were so starved for any form of sustenance that he was really looking forward to this evening's 'feeding session' with his dad. Even the hellfruit couldn't compare to sucking his dad's dick and feeling that warm seed flood into him.

He crouched around fire, his father's coils wrapping around him protectively. Vance curled his arms around Mal's shoulders to help keep him warm. A moment later, Barry slipped down from the tree and handed them all a hellfruit each.

"Sorry folks," the big demon rumbled. "Just one each tonight. Don't think we'll be able to last much longer if we have more than that."

Mal took the strange, alien fruit with gratitude. "You sure you can live on just one?" he joked.

Barry smirked and patted his rather rounded belly but one that was still framed by a firm set of abs. "Don't worry. I'll live. Still got plenty of meat on these bones." He handed out the rest of the fruit and then settled around the fire.

Mal regarded the tiny morsel in his paws. The bite would return his strength but it didn't fill the gnawing hunger in his belly. For the past few nights, he had to go to bed hungry even though his body felt fit to slither a marathon. It made for a rather strange sensation and one that caused him no amount of restlessness. He could feel his stomach devouring the energy from the rest of his body in an attempt to stave off the overwhelming hunger. Months of hunger and rationing what little food they had left him constantly starved for more nourishment.

He ate the hellfruit slowly, trying to savour the taste as he wasn't going to get another meal until this time tomorrow. After a few more bites, he was surprised when the fruit was entirely gone and he sighed. Vance sensed his disappointment and offered him half of his fruit. Mal rejected it, shaking his head. His dad needed the strength just as much as he did. But Vance was insistent and dropped it into Mal's paws.

It had been the same for the past few days. Vance was going hungry and sacrificing what little he could get for Mal. Again, the smallest of the demons was forced to wonder why he was so weak. He questioned what would have happened had he gone into sports like Vance had wanted. Would he be as big and strong as Barry and be capable of contributing more to their little camp? Would his father be more proud of him?

These questions swirled around in his head in the silence of the camp. None of the demons wanted to say it but they were a little depressed as their prospects for survival were not looking very bright. One by one, they retired from the campfire in silence. Zander went into his own tent, Barry into his and Eugene and Edward headed into their shared one, the largest of the group's. Vance licked Mal's cheek lightly, indicating it was time for bed. Mal nodded numbly and headed into their shared tent, wrapping his coils around himself to form a light bed. Vance entered a moment later, wrapping his arms around Mal and curling his tail around his son to maintain warmth and to protect him.

Vance gently kissed Mal's neck, his warm nose brushing sending a shiver down Mal's spine. Knowing full well what was coming next, Mal was already getting hard. His stomach growled in anticipation of the meal he was about to receive. His father chuckled softly and slipped his big paw beneath Mal's shirt, gently caressing the hard abdominals beneath the thin fabric. The contact made Mal quiver and groan. His genital slit began to leak with precum, his dicks swelling.

He loved the feeling of his rising dicks pushing up against the soft rims of his slit. With one paw, he pressed down on his slit, gently rubbing the rising bulge. A growl rose from his throat. Slowly, the first of his two dicks began to rise. The bright red rocket poked out between the folds of his slit, dripping precum all over his scaly lower half. Vance brushed his tail lightly around the length, making Mal quiver.

A familiar warmth began brushing up against the small of Mal's back and he knew his dad was getting hard as well. Though they may have been weak, they were still very horny men and Vance was leaking precum all over Mal's back. It didn't take long for Vance's tender kisses to turn into playful nips mixed with lusty growls. He was grinding his hips hard against Mal's back, his paw possessively gripping his son's plump pectorals, his fingers brushing against Mal's erect nipples and causing the younger of the demons to moan in lust.

Mal hurriedly pulled off his vest but barely had it off his shoulders when his father's other paw seized his shirt and dug his claws into the fabric. With a tremendous growl, Vance tore the fabric clean off Mal's body, leaving his chest completely exposed. Mal gasped in shock only to have Vance's thick tongue pushed into his muzzle. His shock was doused in a wave of arousal and he leaned into the kiss, letting his father take the lead.

Vance easily slithered on top of his son. His big paws roved across Mal's ripped chest, fingers dancing over the strong pectorals and rippling abdominals. They ran over the curve of his V-shaped torso, rolling over his thick biceps and tracing the lines of his bright, purple tiger stripes all across his forearms. His paws guided Mal's wrist above his head where he just needed one paw to keep them down.

He broke the kiss and brought his twin, two foot long dicks in front of his son's muzzle.

"Here you go, son," he cooed softly, "drink up."

Mal, his paws restrained could only bury his muzzle against the crotch of his sire. The touch of the two cocks rubbing against his cheeks and the smell of arousal sent his other dick rising from his slit. On cue, Vance curled his tail tightly around his members, holding him tight. A moan left his muzzle as Vance began rhythmically constricting his cocks. With the opening of his muzzle, Mal's lips brushed against the two, hot rods flanking his face. Just the slightest taste of that salty precum was enough to spurn him on.

There was no doubt in his mind about what he was about to do. Hungry and need of sustenance, he wrapped his lips around one of the dicks and eagerly began sucking on it, drawing more and more of his father's essence into him. Though the precum only carried very little pride with it, it was enough to tantalise his appetite. He growled hungrily, drinking gallons of the clear, salty fluid that his dad gave him.

"Yeeeeah..." Vance rumbled, using his other paw to grip the back of Mal's head. "That's it, kiddo. Fuuuuck..."

He could taste his dad's swelling pride as his precum began to thicken. A swirl of emotions came with the pride. It wasn't just the sex. There was honest affection in it and perhaps a little bit of a demonic edge over getting his strong, buff son drinking straight from his cock. He could feel Vance's eyes eating up every detail of his ripped, muscular body and feeling a swell of pride over just how fit and strong he had become.

There was a brief moment when Mal wondered whether or not that pride was justified. He didn't get this body through hard work and sweat. At least his dad worked out every day and though he was bigger than he had ever been, he at least earned it. But Mal...

His doubts were pushed away by a thick dick being pushed down the back of his throat. He was used to this kind of rough treatment and he knew his dad loved being the dominant one of the relationship. Mal allowed himself a small amused smirk as tasted how his dad got off on maintaining his dominance over his son. Maybe it wasn't so bad that he was smaller than his dad.

Vance saw the smile and growled, shoving his dick harder into his son's throat. Mal gagged which only spurned Vance all the more. The bigger Pride Demon thrust harder and harder into his son, pumping increasingly thickening precum down the all too willing muzzle.

All the while, Mal's own dicks were begging for release but Vance's tight coils around his dick prevented any sort of ejaculation. Though the twisting coils continued to stimulate the sensitive members, Mal was deprived of orgasm. It was purposeful. Vance's nourishing pride would only go to waste and spill all over the ground if Mal came. That meant that Mal was left with a burning need in his groin with a tsunami of cum that churned in his balls that battered against the dam that his dad's coils had erected.

The denial only fed Vance's control over his son all the more and fuelled his pride. His cock began throbbing madly, his balls tightening and preparing for flood. Vance grunted loudly, trying to hold back the eruption but he was still weakened from months without any true meals. He bit his lower lip, trying hard not to howl in ecstasy. A soft whine of warning left his muzzle and Mal immediately prepared himself for what was to come.

With one final thrust, Vance's cock jerked and poured his seed into Mal's waiting muzzle. Both his dicks erupted in orgasm. He released the back of Mal's head to seize the base of his free dick just as it started shooting seed. He purposefully aimed it down at Mal's chest so that it wouldn't fall to the ground.

His thick, purplish-white cum smeared all over his son's chest while a second gush flooded into Mal's waiting muzzle. Mal drank the pride-rich seed and felt is body grow stronger for it. Muscles all over his body filled with strength, tightening and bulging, veins pushing up against his chest and neck. His tail thrashed madly behind him, thumping against the ground and begging for release even though Vance kept his dicks in a vice-like grip.

Mal finally felt full as gallons of cum filled his belly. His body began to metabolise it, refreshing is reserves of energy and converting it straight into his seed. But with no outlet for his cum, it began pushing the seed back into the rest of his body, maintaining it and ensure that he would at least survive another day.

Vance let out a deep sigh as the flood of seed ebbed into a few more drops. He smiled down at his son lovingly. Mal suckled on his dick a few more time before licking it clean. The younger Pride Demon then moved on to clean Vance's other dick. Shivers of pleasure ran up Vance's body. He didn't release his son's cocks from his coils even as he leaned down and began lapping up his own cum from Mal's chest. He knew Mal loved it when he played with his nipples and in a cruel twist, he licked his seed off Mal's nipples, making sure his tongue brushed up against the fleshy nubs.

Mal moaned and whimpered like a pup but Vance just kept him under his power. His father's hard, muscled body wrapped around him, holding him tight in his coils and in his big, burly arms. Though he was desperate for, release, he knew his dad wasn't going to release him. He sighed softly as his dad proceeded to clean him, licking his cheeks and neck free of cum.

The gentle, warm strokes lulled Mal into slumber and he closed his eyes with a content sigh.

*******

Whether he truly slept or not was put to question.

But when he opened his eyes, he found someone standing beside him.

He jerked away, making Vance snort softly.

R3 pressed a finger against his lips before turning and beckoning him to follow. Mal wondered if he was hallucinating or dreaming. He shook his head and slowly slipped out of his father's warm embrace. He slipped out into the cold of the night, hugging himself to stay warm. Even though it was a clear night, there were no stars. It_was_ Hell after all.

The mysterious No One stood in front of the campfire that still burned with a few purple embers.

"It really isn't safe to leave a fire going, you know," he said.

"Sorry... we... We uh forgot..." Mal rumbled. "Barry usually puts it out... He's the only one that's ever gone camping..."

The mysterious creature said nothing and turned towards the east or at least what Mal considered the 'east'. "You're all weakened from hunger. What little you can do to sustain yourself is quickly failing and I doubt you'll survive the next few days." He pointed down into the darkness beyond the fading embers. "There is a group of Pride Demons who have been following you and keeping watch on your progress. Three of them. They have not attacked because of the size of your father, Eugene and Barry. But within the next few days, they will grow bold enough to charge your camp and start devouring your souls. That is, of course, unless someone does something that'll embolden them."

Mal's eyes widened and he glanced in the direction that R3 pointed. He couldn't see anything in that direction... although he did catch faint flickers of pride amongst the tall grass.

"I have to tell the others..."

"Will they believe you?" countered R3. "What will they do?"

Mal froze in place. A chill ran down his spine, forcing him to hug himself to preserve what little warmth he could. "You're right..." If he did tell them, it might antagonise their stalkers and end up causing the attack to come sooner. "...It's not like I've contributed anything to the pack anyway... I don't know anything about this place. The physics, biology and chemistry of Earth doesn't apply here. I'm completely out of my element." He shut his eyes, trying to keep the tears from flowing out. "I'm useless here... I wish I had never come here..."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah!" Mal bellowed. "I mean what have I learned from this place? What do I know about it? Next to nothing! All the books I've found are either blank or stuck together by dried cum! And anyone that I could ask either wants to devour my soul or fuck me!"

R3 strode towards the hellfruit tree and rested beneath it, legs crossed. "Well, I assure you that the books I have are filled with useful information and its pages are not bound together by any form of adhesive or adhesive-like substance. Further, the only interest I have in your soul is to ensure that it is happy. Whether that involved me sexually advancing upon you is your choice."

Mal gave the entity a bewildered look. "Who are you?"

"You may call me R3. I am the Writer of Reality. A No One. A colleague of Havoc's."

"Havoc..." Mal muttered, remembering the white-haired, mysterious man who had appeared to them when they first entered Hell. "You're a god of some sort?"

R3 let out a soft laugh. "No. Neither am I god of gods. You can consider me an interdimensional consultant. The owner of this reality was concerned about the way of things and wanted a few changes but was unsure how to go about it. Experience taught said owner that direct intervention tended to lead to rather catastrophic outcomes. A subtler and perhaps an outsider's perspective was needed. Thus, we were approached."

"I remember..." Mal slithered over to R3 and crouched in front of him. "Havoc mentioned something about fixing Hell. How we'll introduce mortality to this place and maybe even rule it. It's what got Edward hooked on the plan."

"And how did you feel about that?"

He shrugged and offered the No One a lopsided grin. "Honestly? I was kind of excited at the idea of ruling my own little realm of Hell. But now..."

"Regretting the decision?"

"Regretting a lot of things." Mal glanced over to his father's tent where he could still hear Vance's soft snoring. "I kind of wish I hadn't chosen the path of the nerd and been more like what my dad wanted me to be." He shrugged and his shoulders sagged. "Big. Buff. Sporty. You know. A jock. Maybe then my dad wouldn't have to keep saving me." He glanced quickly at R3. "Thanks for the save back there by the way."

R3 merely waved away the gratitude and allowed Mal to continue.

"I was so stoked when I become this..." he murmured, regarding his large paws. "I'm bigger than I had ever been before and I knew that I could take down any human that ever came my way. I had all these ideas for making a library somehow and tempting anyone who came in to read my books. Their souls would get trapped in the story and then they would be mine. Constantly hungry for more knowledge and growing in pride with more that they knew. But it would never be enough! They would crave more and I would give them more. They'd compete against each other to see who was the smartest and I'd feed on their pride."

R3 inclined his head to the side. "So you were hoping to gather a following of intellectuals and pit them against one another in a series of mentally challenging games that would always cause the winner to be filled with pride that you would use to fuel yourself."

"Yes!" Mal exclaimed, his red eyes wide and a demonic grin on his face. "It would've been amazing! I'd grow bigger, stronger and draw more and more people into my influence! I'll enjoy turning even the biggest jock into a withered nerd that would crave my adoration as they fought in what would be the greatest demonic science fair in the world!"

Silence passed... and he became aware just how stupid that idea sounded. No emotions emanated from R3 and he slumped down against his coils with a sigh.

"But that's all stupid... It's all gone now. The books around here are empty. Most of them anyway."

"They are empty because they were the legacies of different demons who wanted their actions in writing for posterity," R3 answered said. "They infused the pages with their greatest achievements, boasting about it and pouring their pride into it. When Superior fell, the Ascent of Arrogance devolved into thousands upon thousands of Pride Demons scrambling to fill that power vacuum. Keepers of the libraries like the one you encountered decided to gorge themselves on every book in sight. They drained the pride right out of them, reducing them to blank pages."

Mal cocked his head to the side. "Wow... really?"

"Like I told you, this whole world is based entirely on pride. It is the matter of this place." R3 reached down and plucked a blade of grass. It coiled and twisted between his fingers, emitting a bright, purple glow. As he loosened his grip, it shone in the air and transformed into a sliver of purple energy that danced between his fingertips.. Mal licked his lips just looking at such a small, but concentrated source of pride. "If you know how to, you can manipulate this very matter to your advantage, making food for yourself and others."

The sliver of essence was both alluring and fascinating at the same time. Mal could feel the pure, unfiltered pride emanating from it. It was similar to the vial of Essence that he had obtained from the No One earlier. But instead of being focused for a specific purpose this energy was raw, wild and untamed.

"Teach me!" Mal exclaimed.

Somehow, he felt that R3 was smiling at him even though he couldn't see the entity's features. "Alright. Grab a blade of grass. I'll show you."

Mal eagerly did as he was told. R3 was a patient and clear teacher. He liked to use analogies which made it easier for Mal to learn what he was teaching. Though he wasn't sure how much time had passed, Mal let out a cry of joy when the blade of grass between his fingertips began glowing and unravelling at the seams. The pure pride that had made up the little bit of Hell began to emerge, the solid form dissolving into pure energy.

"This is so cool!" he exclaimed, his coils twisting excitedly. "Can I eat it?"

"You'll be able to fill yourself with strength but it will not make you full," R3 responded. He patted the hellfruit tree beside him. "But that energy is transferrable. Everything is this world is made of the same form of energy, after all."

Mal took his meaning and hurried over to the hellfruit tree. He pressed the little sliver of energy against the tree, feeling the ebb and flow of the hellish power around him and letting it carry the little morsel into the plant. To his amazement, the tiny sliver of light slipped into the tree. The result was astounding and beautiful. The tree's leaves all began to glow, emitting a soft indigo light. Small bulbs began growing amongst the branches, hellfruit but they were still small and immature.

Stunned by the achievement and feeling a sense of pride, he hurried to gather more grass, converting them instantly to their pure ethereal forms. With every conversion, he grew more and more skilled with the process. He pushed more and more of the power into the hellfruit tree and watched in fascination as the entire tree began to produce fruit at a rapid rate. Within mere minutes, the tree was once again in full bloom and had rich, plump hellfruit hanging from its branches, each the size of his head.

"This is so amazing!" he exclaimed.

"It sure is, little pup."

Mal froze and spun, fear bolting through his chest. Three enormous Pride Demons came slithering up into camp. They were even bigger than Eugene with coils so thick that they could snap the tree in half with one powerful squeeze. All three had the tips of their tails shaped like rattles and as they moved, they let out a soft noise that made Mal's skin crawl.

"Every choice you make has its consequences," R3 warned. He glanced from the new demons to the No One. None of the hostile hellspawn seemed to take note of the entity. "There is never such a thing as a 'good decision'. Someone will always suffer from your actions be it you or someone else."

"Son!"

The cry made Mal's heart leap to his throat. Vance came charging out of his tent and tried to bowl over the nearest Pride Demon just as he had Galdarmir. But the newcomer was far larger than Vance and he easily seized the smaller Pride Demon by the throat, lifting Vance off the ground. His father struggled valiantly, thrashing with his tail but to little effect. Barry and Eugene were next to emerge from their tents but they were weakened and bleary-eyed. Another one of the demons charged towards them and gave Barry a sound punch to the muzzle. The big, burly human-turned demon went down, completely unconscious. Eugene managed to give one cry of warning before the third of the invading demons wrapped his coils around him, squeezing the life out of him until he passed out. Zander and Edward emerged from their tents next, but when they saw Barry and Eugene down already they were paralysed with fear.

"Dad!" Mal cried.

Then, something struck the back of his head. For a moment, he felt light, almost like he was flying. Then the ground hit him and his vision began to blur. He was vaguely aware of Edward shouting his name before a _fourth_demon emerged from the shadows and everything went black.

******

"You lied," Mal accused.

He stood on a broad, circular chamber where everything was simple made of white. His coils were curled around a soft, cushiony chair. There was no memory of ever entering the chamber or sitting down on the throne but here he was. In front of him, R3 sat on a similar high backed seat. There was an emblem showing three chain links interlocking with one another to form a triangle on the wall above R3's head. Perfectly white bookshelves lined the walls filled with different coloured and shaped tomes. They were level with one another though for some reason, Mal still felt like the No One was taller than he was.

"I did," R3 confessed.

"Why?"

"On the off chance that your friends and family managed to fight of Narsarim and his colleagues, the last demon would have caught you off guard. You ask why I would want you off guard? So that you would be knocked out and we can have this private little chat."

"None of the other demons could see you," Mal murmured softly. "Why would you even want that?"

"Because I so enjoy talking with people and a true conversation cannot be held if only one person is speaking in the exchange. If you starting speaking to someone that wasn't there, you would've looked crazy."

"I was a human nerd that was turned into a Pride Demon. If I told anyone my story, they'd think I was crazy anyway."

R3 chuckled softly. "There are a few people in the world that would be inclined to believe you. A large number of them would want to kill you on sight. Fewer still would sympathise." Seeing his confused stare, R3 nodded. "Yes, you are not the first mortal to be transformed into a demon. Many people have tumbled into the 'lower realm' and have emerged with demonic powers. None of them have ever been transformed by a No One, however."

Mal spread his arms, baring his chest. "And what exactly is the difference, huh? What makes me so special? Why separates a human turned into a demon through some hellish experience from one that was turned by one of you assholes?"

R3 leaned forward, slowly stroking the shaft of the scythe lying across his lap with one hand. "The difference is in your very soul."

"My soul," Mal scoffed. "That the best you got?"

"It's the best answer I can give you." R3 leaned back against his throne. "Those condemned to Hell will eventually become demons themselves. But they were thrown into Hell because of their acts during their life on Earth. They were put into a place where they could be with people like them. But when you have too much of a good thing, you never want to change and Hell and its various little kingdoms have certain ideologies and doctrines that have not changed for a very long time."

He waved a hand absent through the air. The white walls around him began to shift. Images placed across their surfaces like a projector was being cast onto them. Scenes of various hellish landscapes were shown from a deep, dark cavern with a greenish, glowing lake, to a fiery pit filled with lava and screaming bodies. "There have always been Pride Demons just as there have always been a Heaven and Hell. Their prominence and names may have changed over time and certainly their landscapes have changed but there is no changing human nature which demons and angels ultimately reflect. In eons past, Pride Demons were certainly not considered one of the 'Ten Great Mortal Vices'. There was a time when the most prominent demons were those of War, Famine, Pestilence and Death. Another time, it was simple 'Evil' or 'Malice' Demons that ruled over others. But as mortals and their beliefs change, so does the balance of power in Heaven and Hell."

"What has that got to do with us?" Mal asked.

"While the power in these realms change, Mallory, the nature of the demons that inhabit them do not. All Pride Demons have always been the same throughout time and people condemned to their realm in Hell always turn into the same Pride Demons because that is what was judged to be the most defining feature of their lives. They took that as a cue to become these creatures. But you..." He pointed directly at Mal. "... and those like you, were turned into Pride Demons without being judged. That means your souls have the capacity to become something more. You have the capability to reject the current dogma and change it."

The Pride Demon crossed his arms and huffed loudly. "Yeah right... Not like I_could even do anything... All my choices up to this point have just led to things going to hell for everyone... I mean if I didn't get out of bed and follow you I would never have learned that trick that attracted the demons to us... You _warned me about them and it was because I was so fucking arrogant and let that knowledge get to my head that I just..." He growled and seized his horns, letting out a ferocious roar. "Fuck!"

"You see that?" R3 said with a hidden smile. "That is exactly what I'm talking about. No Pride Demon would have ever admitted to being wrong about their arrogance. It is that kind of capacity for growth and change that will benefit Hell in the long run. But only if you can learn to accept your choices and their consequences."

"Little on the nose there, aren't you?" Mal snarled.

R3 shrugged. "Would you rather I lead you on some long, spiritual journey that will seem like years in your time but only pass a second in reality? Do you have the patience to sit here and acknowledge a long lesson while your father and friends are being threatened?"

The demon rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Fine... Fine, what lesson am I meant to learn?"

"I already told you. All choices come with consequences."

"Fine. Then I accept my choices. Can I go now?"

R3 let out a thoughtful hum. "Sure. But which way do you want to go?"

Mal was confused by the question. "Back to my dad. He needs me."

"Alright. But would you rather go back to your father as a demon or as the son he always wanted?"

The Pride Demon straightened in surprise as two, big doors sprang up on either side of R3's throne. One was big, white and looked to be made out of wood. The other was jet black, made of stone and had purple veins coursing through it.

"I am the Writer of Reality, Mallory," said the No One. "If I so wish, I could rewrite the entire history of this reality. I could make it that you were never a five foot seven bespectacled nerd who was preyed on by his friend, transformed into a demon, got lost in the power and then condemned to Hell to starve and endanger his father when he went overboard with a new trick. I could make it so that you were... well..."

The white door sprang open and Mal's eyes widened. "What... What is this?"

"I'm going all 'It's a Wonderful Life' on your ass," R3 chuckled.

Beyond the door, he saw his old single storey home; a typical white picket fence suburban house straight off the plan. But there was something, different about it. Particularly the two strapping men who jogged up the patio. There was no denying one of them definitely was Vance Jenkins dressed in a skin tight Lycra shirt and shorts. Beside him was a slightly taller young man with a chiselled jawline and a strong, athletic body.

"Is that... is that me?" Mal asked.

"Yes it is," answered R3. "You regretted your decision of becoming a nerd, right? Well, in this reality you chose to follow in your dad's footsteps. You took to physical fitness from a young age. You're on the high school varsity track team and part of the water polo team during summer. You're taller since you took up basketball when you were younger but never quite picked it up but your dad is still incredibly proud of you regardless. You got on half an hour runs with him every morning and then hit the gym with him straight after school. You two are the best of friends."

The No One shrugged as the two figures stepped into the house, clapping one another's back affectionately and laughing. The scene changed to them in the kitchen were Vance began producing some protein powder for them to chug down with some granola bars.

"Your mother divorced your father when you were seven. She didn't like how he was turning you into a 'clone' of him and left. Even though the earthquake that devastated the gym left your father ranting and raging a little, you know him too well and started to workout with him using the gym equipment you have bought over the years to help cool him off. Overall, you both live a comfortable lifestyle."

Mal scowled at the image and waved a paw in the direction of the pristine, white door. "Is this meant to make me feel like I should go with my current decisions? It sounds like Heaven!"

"You mistake my intentions, Mallory," R3 said. "I'm not trying to teach you a life lesson about accepting your past decisions. I'm trying to make you understand that every decision you make will have consequences that you will have to live with. I have no qualms with rewriting your story. You can choose this life or the one in Hell you have now. No matter what life you choose, your soul will ultimately remember. You'll need to carry the lesson over to whichever door you choose to go through because you won't get another opportunity like this again. At least from me. I don't like rewrites. They're a colossal pain. But sometimes, they are unavoidable."

Those words hit Mal hard and he gulped loudly. He looked from one door and then to the other. Both now stood open and from what he could see through the black door, he lay slumped against the rejuvenated hellfruit tree with his father and the others lying around him. The three invading demons were arguing about something but they had left them alone for the most part.

"So you're saying...?"

"This is your only 'get out of jail free card'," R3 finished. "Whichever path you take, you're going to have to live with the consequences. Most people don't get this chance."

He glanced back towards the paradise like reality through the white door. "What's so bad about that world...?"

"Depending on how you see it, you're not a demon. You're a jock so the meek, intellectually inclined Edward Teller will never have had any reason to associate with you. The only thing that hit you about the demonic invasion is the earthquakes that only served to draw you and your father together. Again, depending on how you interpret it, you will never have the strong bond you have now with your dad."

Mal straightened and spun towards R3. "You mean...?"

"Yes. He's straight. So are you. Even the thought of touching one another in any sensual way makes you cringe. It's just how your decisions will have led."

"But... But can't you rewrite it so that I am... and he...?"

R3 shook his head sadly. "If that's what you want. But I am only altering your choices. Not his. What consequences come from that will be entirely on you. Do you want me to bring him here so you two can discuss?"

Mal opened his muzzle but shut it immediately afterwards. He had a strong, fulfilling relationship with his father now but was he willing to take that into a world where they were never demons? It would be a world where such activities would be frowned upon. They'd likely be lynched or driven out of town if anyone ever found out. But here... there were people who supported him. Hell, Eugene and Edward were in a similar relationship.

He shook his head.

So that was one negative in that scenario. Maybe he would find someone else. He probably would and the chances were he wouldn't even remember this relationship if he took the plunge. There would be do demonic powers, no Edward, no Dante, no demons assaulting them while they were weak from hunger. He would be human... and normal...

"What will happen if I take this path?" he asked softly.

"I can't give you any assurances. Everything is still entirely your choice. There is a small chance that, one night, your father was out on a late night run and came back home, flopped on the sofa and fell asleep with the game on. You come down, see him there and decide to get a little 'taste' of his dick because you're curious. You get him off and he pretends not to wake up. That starts a complicated relationship between you two but nothing ever fulfilling especially when he gets a girlfriend.

"There is another scenario where that thought never crosses your mind and you start going out with this fitness buff girl at the gym once its rebuilt. You two get married young, have two kids, both girls, and start a family together in Angelton. You and your dad end up buying out the gym and owning it as a family business.

"But again, all of this is entirely your choice. These are scenarios that can go in entirely different directions at a moment's notice. You might decide to examine the male form more closely and end up favouring men over women. Your father might decide not to pretend to be asleep and kick you out of the house for trying to suck him off. Edward might still decide to come after you regardless but instead of being one of his allies, you're just a thrall whose soul needs time to repair after being so severely damaged."

Mal shouted in frustration, gripping his horns. "You're not making this any easier you know!"

"I'm not trying to. I'm laying out the options for you. Life is very unpredictable, Mallory. I'm sure if we were having this conversation before you became a demon, you would never have expected Edward to have approached you and transformed you into what you are today."

He turned toward the dark door, worry crossing his features. "And... and what if I choose that side?"

"Another set of choices. You could use your newfound power to fight off the demons, establishing your worth amongst the group. If you fight them off, you might end up discovering the secret farm of Superior not too far away that will provide you with food, nourishment and safety. You could use your power to help heal the weak, maybe even creating a distillery of sorts and creating a brew with some Essence of Arrogance that becomes incredibly popular. Or you could start using your power to establish yourself as a powerful Pride Demon, subjugating everyone around you and getting revenge on Narsarim and his benefactor, King.

"Or you could just sit back, let them have their way with you and become their thrall. Otherwise, you'll be dragged back into the Ascent where the three demons will feed you, keep you healthy but also constantly feed _off_you to maintain their own power. You will become a puppet of their will. Everything you do will revolve around them and pleasing them even as they suck you dry and leave you weak. They might eventually be emboldened by having six thralls beneath them and challenge King for dominancy of his budding nation of Pride Demons. They might succeed, they might fail. It is uncertain.

"The future is very uncertain. I can see which paths are available to you but only you can decide which one you will take. In any case, you will never remember this conversation physically. Your soul will but you will not."

Mal's shoulders sagged as he glanced from one door to the other. Even if his soul remembered, how much would that tiny little thing be able to influence his physical body, his mind? He wouldn't know to not suck off his dad or try to find that farm. He was lost and unsure what to do. Looking back, all his choices so far hadn't been very good.

He had let Edward into his house thus starting him on the path of becoming a demon. Similarly, he hadn't told his dad about his ordeal and damned them both. He had accepted becoming a demon under Edward and was thrown into Hell for it. When in this dark realm, he chose to put his intelligence to use but could find nothing about the hostile world to help him get his bearings and was essentially useless to the pack. He kept wandering off, putting his father in danger. And now...

There was no way of telling what would happen if he chose one way or the other and that paralysed him.

Then... his eyes widened.

"There's no way of telling what'll happen..." he whispered softly. He could feel R3 was smiling. "I had no way of knowing my life would end up this way. I couldn't have known what Edward would do... I couldn't have known that I'd turn out to be a geek instead of a jock... I couldn't have known using that trick you taught me would've pushed those demons to attacking us..." He lifted his gaze, locking it with R3's alien stare. "There is no way of knowing so I can't keep blaming myself!"

He straightened in his seat. "No matter which path I take, I have no idea what will happen. But I'll at least know it's my choice!" Confidence building in his chest and determination tensing his limbs, he said, "And you know what? I'm proud of my choices thus far! I'm not going to go back on them. Not now. I'm not going to chicken out of my choices even if the other side looks more appealing!"

"Now you're learning." R3 nodded sagely. "Have you decided which door you'll take?"

Mallory Jenkins beamed.

"I have."

******

Mallory Jenkins' eyes sprang open. But unlike the fiery red irises that his fellow Pride Demons held or the ones that these invaders possessed, his had reverted to their original blue colour. Although the outer areas were still a dark black, his irises glowed brighter than before, supplemented by the power of his reinforced soul. Though his head hurt from the blow of the stealthy fourth demon, he was feeling stronger than ever.

His senses began sending him sensations again. It was still the middle of the night, still cold. His bare fur protected him somewhat but it wasn't quite enough to keep a chill from running down his spine. Heavy, metal restraints were wrapped around his wrists and there was a metal band in the shape of a heavy spiral wrapped around his serpentine lower half preventing a lot of movement. He could smell the foul odour of the four unwashed Pride Demons arguing over the newly lit campfire. To his left, his father was slumped, similarly restrained. On his right, Edward lay looking deflated with a metal band around his muzzle, keeping him from speaking. Barry, Zander and Eugene were no doubt restrained just out of view.

"I say we consume them now!" barked the leading demon, the one that had first approached them. "We can be strong! Stronger than even King! These six have incredible souls! Their bodies are weak but their souls are..." He made a noise like he was orgasming and made a show of licking his chops.

"You would stand against King, Narsarim?" growled another of the demons.

"I would, Bazler. And you either stand with me or fall in my wake."

"You think these six souls will be enough to elevate you to the next Superior?"

A third demon let out a loud grunt. He was the largest of them all and looked the most brutish with his slumped posture and enormous muscles. "Me, Korthomax, think we eat now."

"See?" Narsarim exclaimed. "Kor is with me." He glanced at the last of the demons. "And what of you, Jurethaz?"

The fourth demon frowned. Mal didn't recognise him of the three and guessed that he was the one that snuck up on him. "You are ambitious, Narsarim. But we should not consume them now. Their souls are strong so they might feed and nourish us for a while yet. We can grow strong and fat on them. Keep them our secret. Use our strength to gather more under out banner. Then we can march upon King."

Narsarim grinned. "I'm glad you agree."

"This is madness!" Bazler shouted, waving his large paws through the air.

The demons continued to argue and while they were distracted, Mal focused on the heavy manacles around his wrists. He was glad that the purple campfire stood between himself and the demons because it meant that the glow of the pure pride energy could be hidden by the flickering flames. Edward's eyes boggled as Mal quickly transformed the black metal into energy. He opened his muzzle, drawing the raw power deep into himself and filling his body with strength.

It was like the first time he had transformed. The raw power that flooded him, pushing his muscles to their boundaries and begging them expand and explode. Mal fought to keep himself silent even as his demonic body began converting the power into cum. His arousal was undeniable and his cheeks began to burn with need. His balls swelled, making large lumps against the scales of his lower half. His genital slit began leaking precum as his twin dicks began filling with blood and slipping out. He wasn't even through half of the manacles before he was fully erect, the need for release was overwhelming but somehow, he managed to keep himself from seizing his dicks and furiously whacking one off quickly.

It was almost a relief when the manacles were completely consumed. Now he had to deal with the restrains around his coils. They were becoming increasing uncomfortable as the muscles all over his body were feeling plump and strong. His coils were pushing up hard against his restraints so he had to get rid of them immediately.

He turned his gaze towards the metal bands and unravelling them, drawing the energies towards himself and slowly consuming them. It was almost too much and he was bucking his hips madly. The more of the bright, purple wisps of energy flooded into his muzzle, the bigger and bigger his balls grew and the more he needed to cum. He squeezed his eyes shut, digging his paws into the hellfruit tree behind him in a vain attempt to keep them from seizing his dick. If he so much as touched the twin, red canine rockets, he would cum and draw attention to himself.

Then something strange began to happen.

Realising that he was not about to cum and release all the pent up energy building up, his body began to metabolise the power. His already thick muscles began to grow, pushing up against his fur and forcing veins to grow to supply the thick, meaty arms, chest and shoulders. A network of veins appeared all over his forearms, crawling up his biceps as they grew and easing into his shoulders before fading into his plump pectorals. Every buck of his hips caused the muscles on his back of inflate; broad traps widened even more, deltoids bulged and his spine became a clear valley down his back. A few more inches of height began piling up on his back before eventually sliding down into his coils, adding extra length and girth to her serpentine tail.

He couldn't help but groan as his pectorals blossomed into enormous, perfectly square mountains with pink nubs of nipples forming their peak. But muscle growth wasn't enough to completely consume the mass of energy he was putting into his body. Other changes had to occur. A sharp pain erupted from just behind his existing horns. He squeezed his eyes shut not only because it was uncomfortable but it was also relieving some pressure on the rest of his body. He could feel a second pair of horns emerging. They grew and grew, rising above his head and rapidly splitting off into a branching structure. Within moments, he had an impressive set of antlers, ten thick prongs.

"Hey! What are you doing!?"

Mal's eyes snapped open. The restraints were gone but now he had four massive Pride Demons bearing down upon him. That they were cutting through the campfire and its purple flames only made them appear even more intimidating. Fear began building in his chest. He began questioning if this was such a good idea. Maybe he should just lie on his back and submit...

"No..." he rumbled to himself, his thicker neck forcing his voice to have dropped a pitch or two deeper. "Not going to back down. I'll accept the consequences of my actions!"

He straightened -

Just in time to see a massive, green scythe cut through the air in front of him. None of the other demons seemed to notice it or the No One holding it. It seemed that the entity was only visible to him.

"You'll need something to power this," R3 advised. "Its name is Shameless."

Mal nodded grimly and reached out, seizing the scythe in his right paw. The weapon was surprisingly heavy, more so than a simple scythe should have been. Mal could feel its weight in his very_soul_ like someone had just stuffed his chest with a thousand ball bearings. Desperate to balance himself, he reached out behind him with his left paw, gripping the trunk of the hellfruit tree.

He could feel the flow of demonic pride energy in the tree itself. It was with some great effort that he squeezed his eyes shut and pulled all that power towards himself. Bright purple veins of energy cut through the trunk of three. The four advancing demons paused, their confidence wavering. The leaves began falling off the tree, cascading down around Mal while being enveloped in bright, purple light.

The young Pride Demon channelled the raw power of the hellfruit tree straight into his arm. Strength funnelled from his left paw, seeped up his arm and passed through his chest, touching his soul. Then it coursed through his veins, pouring down his right arm where it flooded out of his paw and into the scythe. To the onlookers, bright swirls of purple energy shot out of his paw, quickly solidifying into the shape of a long haft and a big, green, curved blade.

The connection of energy bound the essence of the No One crafted weapon with Mallory Jenkins, binding it to his soul. The weight of the weapon lifted and Mal lifted the scythe. As he straightened, the last of the hellfruit tree flooded into him, his eyes glowing a bright blue.

"This is your own chance," he growled. Glowing purple leaves danced around him, erupting from the edge of the scythe with even the slightest movement. "Back away. Leave."

Narsarim slithered forward, fangs bared. "That's a nice little trick, pup. But it won't scare us. Put away your toy and we'll let you live."

Mal gripped the scythe with both paws, pressing it against his chest defensively. Narsarim snarled, clearly annoyed at his defiance. With a flick of his ear, the biggest of them Korthormax, advanced, a big stupid grin on the titanic Pride Demon's face. The tremendous demon lunged for Mal with one arm hoping for a simple swipe that would knock him down. Mal swung _Shameless_in defence.

The scythe's blade passed right through Korthormax's meaty arm. For the briefest of moments, fear and confusion crossed the features of both demons. They stared at one another in surprise. Then, Korthormax straightened and turned towards a puzzled Narsarim.

"Me... Korthormax... Not feel... so... goo..."

The Pride Demon's purple irises suddenly darkened and his jaw went slack. The demon toppled to the ground, his fall causing the entire ground to shake. Black hellfire sprang up all over his body, eating away at his physical form. A ball of brilliant, blinding, white light sprang from amidst the black flames. It hovered over the inferno for the briefest of moments before immediately bolting towards the sky and shooting off towards the horizon.

"Shameless," R3 announced. "A weapon carved from the combined essences of pride and humility. Metal taken from an angelic realm and mounted of a wooden shaft of demonic origin. It will slice through arrogance and shatter its foundations, breaking confidence and annihilating the ego of even the haughtiest creature. It will infect even the most humble creature with the poison of pride and be their undoing."

The No One fixed Mal with a firm stare. "It is a weapon that epitomises the power of choice and its consequences. You cannot blame the blade for what the wielder uses it for. It was a weapon made just for you, Mallory Jenkins."

Narsarim's confidence was clearly shaking as he watched his greatest ally vanish into black hellfire. His eyes flicked towards Mallory who stood a shocked at the effect his weapon had. He decided to pounce on the opportunity and bolted forward like lightning. A terrifying roar erupted from his lips as he lunged for Mal. He didn't feel any pain when Shameless sliced through his abdomen. Bright, purple leaves danced in front of his face. He was just hurled to the right by the momentum of the blade and suddenly felt all his confidence shatter, leaving him feeling fear and insecure.

"No... No! NO!"

Then his body erupted into black flames, his soul erupting from the fire and fleeing his broken shell.

"This... This cannot be!" Bazler exclaimed. "Y - Y - You are no demon! What... What are you?"

Mal gripped Shameless tightly. "I am Chosen."

He let out an earthshattering roar and lifted the scythe threateningly, spraying purple leaves all around him. The two remaining demons cried out in terror and turned. They fled, arms flailing in front of them as they scrambled through the thick grass. Their screams faded into the night, leaving the small camp in silence.

Mal let out a sigh of relief and lowered the scythe.

"Son...?"

He glanced to where Vance lay, cuffed and bound but otherwise conscious. There was confusion in his father's red eyes but no fear. Mal set down the scythe and slithered over, gently helping his father sit up.

"Here, let me get those for you," he said.

It became incredibly easy to rip apart the manacles and bindings into pure pride energy. He didn't consume it, however. It was energy that he pooled back into his father's body, repairing the damage done by the demons. Vance's confusion curbed any arousal from having so much raw pride energy pooling into him. Mal then went to free the others who had all watched him drive off the other demons.

When he freed Edward, the first of their little pack went over to _Shameless_and tried to pick it up. He couldn't even budge it off the ground despite being slightly bigger than Mal.

"Shit! How did you ever lift this?"

Mal chuckled and plucked the weapon off the ground with ease. It was as light as a feather. "Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worth, shall possess the power of Thor."

"Wait? What?" Edward craned his neck, trying to examine the scythe. "Does it really have that inscribed on the side?"

Mal made to reply when R3 stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Edward though he was sure Edward could see right through the No One. He tried to adjust his face, trying not to look surprised as R3 took out a silver pen quill and scribbled something on the side of Shameless' blade.

"Not exactly," Mal responded as R3 moved away. "It says... 'Never be ashamed of your choices and you will reap the rewards of the future.'"

"What the hell does that mean?"

Mal regarded the scythe and smiled. His eyes travelled down the beautiful, green, curved blade and the intricate silver 'vines that swerved throughout its length. And the little, silver leaves that made a beautiful filigree just where the blade met the shaft.

"It means that I've stopped regretting my decisions and are proud of them. I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions head on."

Edward just gave him a puzzled look but he got a very proud vibe from his father. He exchanged glances with Vance, the bigger Pride Demon smiling back at him with his eyes shining.

"Well, now what?" Barry grunted. He jabbed the large hole where the hellfruit tree once stood with the tip of his tail. "We don't have any food and those bastards will probably come back with more guys. They said they were working for someone called 'King'."

Zander ran his fingers through his long, golden mane, shaking it like he was in a shampoo commercial. "We can't stay here. But we haven't found any other place around the plains that has a good source of food." He nodded at Mal. "Though I guess you can sort of turn anything into food now..."

"Energy," Mal corrected. "Not food. It'll keep you feeling strong but it won't fill your belly. The hunger will drain your strength. And you saw that it attracts other demons..." He vaguely considered using his newfound powers to start hunting wildlife but Shameless would eradicate them all too easily and all that pride energy would just seep into this realm of Hell without feeding any of them.

Then he caught R3 standing off to the side, skeletal wings spread to catch his attention. There was something about the way he was standing that just... beckoned Mal towards him like he wanted to be followed.

"Guys, just trust me for a bit," he said, heading over to the No One. "I think I know somewhere we can go."

"What?" Edward bellowed. "Where? You know of someplace and didn't tell us?"

"No... I just... got a hint."

"A hint? A hint from who?"

He smiled at R3. "My guardian angel."

******

The sun was just rising and they must have been travelling for hours before R3 finally stopped. They stood in the middle of the grassy plains with nothing around for miles save a few hills. The city of the Ascent was far behind them, little more than a glistening spot on the horizon. They couldn't even see their camp anymore. Edward was getting increasingly cranky and doubt flew around the rest of the Pride Demons. Even Vance was starting to show signs of doubting his son.

"Is this it?" Edward growled. "Is this where you were going to take us? Where your 'guardian angel' led us?"

"Yes," Mal responded proudly.

"We're in the middle of fucking nowhere!" Edward flung his arms around and spun in place. "There's no one for miles!"

Mal nodded firmly. "It is."

"You've led us nowhere, Mal! We're going to die out here!"

R3 was watching him closely for his reaction to which he responded with a smile. "No we're not."

In response, R3 reached out and tapped the air beside him. The very space began to ripple like he had just disturbed a surface of water. Then, right before their eyes, the illusion began to break. The empty plain vanished, the air shimmering and rippling as tall, wooden fences, neat, trimmed grass and fields of strange, deep purple corn unfolded before them. A series of buildings made of black wood were arranged in an orderly manner down a dirt road with several barns nestled amongst the fields of corn. Within a fenced off paddock, large six-legged bovines with antlers milled about eating grass and the caw of birds echoed out of a nearby poultry enclose.

There was a large Pride Demon that greeted them as the illusion broke, standing right in front of R3. The beast was an impressive specimen of the species. Every inch of his serpentine length was a thick with muscle. His upper body simply screamed 'alpha wolf' with his powerful, rippling abdominals and firm, square pectorals. A pair of broad shoulders were partially covered by a brown, leather vest with tasselled edges. He wore a tanned cowboy hat and a belt to hold up his non-existent pants. He did, however, have a silver and white revolver hanging from his hip that somehow seemed very similar to Shameless.

"Howdy strangers," the Demon said with a broad, easy smile, his blue eyes twinkling. "Welcome to Fareach Farm. I'm the owner of the Farm, Superior."

Mal's eyes widened. "Wait... Superior? As in that Superior? The leader of the Ascent of Arrogance and like the king of all Pride Demons?"

Superior chortled, his soft but thin black-purple fur rippling with the movement. "Was. I was the king. But let's just say that I've been humbled. I opened this farm shortly after with the help of a particular... ahem... 'angel'. Any demon or human willing to set aside their pride and live harmoniously with one another is welcome here." He eyed the group carefully and his smile grew. "And I can see that you have all been shown humility at one point in time. Considering you haven't given up and made the trek all the way here, I'm fairly sure you're all the kind of folks we want within our borders."

He slithered aside, beckoning them in. "Come on, come in! We've got food and drinks. You all look weary and weak."

"Hell yes!" Barry exclaimed and stormed forward. The others followed shortly after and Mal was amongst them before a big paw seized his shoulder and kept him from following his friends and family.

"No you," Superior said. "I'd like to speak with you first."

Mal looked up at the taller, bigger Pride Demon and gulped loudly. "Um... yeah?"

"Nothing bad, my friend." The former king smiled at him warmly. "I simply wish to ask you which of the No Ones spoke with you."

Mal's eyebrows rose and relief washed through his body. "Oh! It was R3!"

Superior's eyes widened and he immediately pulled his paw away from Mal. "The Writer of Reality? The leader of the No Ones!?"

Leader? R3 was the leader of the No Ones? He glanced back towards the entrance of the ranch but, predictably, the armoured entity was gone.

"Um... yeah... He wasn't the one that helped you?"

"No... It was H2 the Harbinger of Havoc..." Superior crossed his arms and frowned. "If R3 is intervening, there must be something big approaching." He glanced worriedly at Mal. "Tell me, did you come from the Ascent? What is the state of my former city?"

Mal outlined what the Ascent had been like when they arrived and how they barely managed to survive in the past six months. Superior looked increasingly worried as he told the story and guided Mal towards the array of houses. Amongst the Pride Demons all working together on the farm, he could also see humans. It came as a surprise to him that they were all living in harmony when so many demons he had seen would willingly devour a human's soul and transform them into a demon for their own sustenance.

"I see..." Superior murmured as Mal finished his recollection of events. "I understand now why R3 would become involved. And you say 'King' send these demons after you?"

"I don't know if he sent them directly after us," Mal said with a shrug. "But I know he was powerful enough to make those demons follow him."

"I heard rumours of another Pride Demon attempting to unite others beneath him. No doubt trying to take my place..." Superior shook his head. "Selfish pride is nothing but self-destructive and I fear that poor soul will eventually fall as I did. There is always someone better. Never once think you are the best."

"Never crossed my mind," Mal snickered, glancing towards the farm. "Is that what you've taught these guys? Is that why they aren't all Pride Demons?"

Superior beamed. "Indeed! I've taught them to accept humility just as they can grow strong on their pride. Only those who truly wish to transform into a Pride Demon are given the chance but you'll find that most humans who come to us are quite proud of their shape."

Mal grinned broadly. "Well, then have I got something to show you."

He closed his eyes and let out a soft rumble from deep within his throat. It always felt strange sprouting legs again after spending so long getting around on his coils but it was like riding a bicycle; after an initial warmup period, he got used to it again. Superior watched in awe as a pair of meaty, legs emerged from Mal's waist and his serpentine length began shrinking, quickly forming into a rounded, bubble butt. All the fur on Mal's body receded into his body, muscles shrinking into a more compact size. The lupine muzzle, claws and ears all began to shrink, taking on the shape of a young man in his late teens with a mess of blonde hair and bright, blue eyes.

Mal shook his head as he regarded his chiselled chest and large, beefy arms. In some ways, he realised that he embodied that same jock that he could've been had he taken to his father's teachings more.

"What...?" Superior began, dumbfounded. "How...?"

"Have I got a story for you," Mal laughed.

A loud cry erupted from further up the dusty road. "Superior! Superior!"

Both males turned as a young human wearing a dusty pair of denim overalls but running bare foot came running towards them, waving his arms madly. Superior slithered forward and Mal stumbled a few paces before breaking into a run.

"It's Yizmir! A Superiority Stalker got him! He's bleeding badly!"

Superior growled loudly. "Curse those confounded cats! Take me to him!"

Mal was unsure what a 'Superiority Stalker' was but hurried after Superior. They headed to one of the large fields where a group of demons and humans were gathered. The crowd parted respectfully as Superior approached. Mal's eyes widened at the Pride Demon lying on the ground between the circle, his entire arm from the elbow done gone and purplish-black blood gushing out of the wound. The demon's eyes were losing their blue glow and he looked dazed.

"Yizmir! Stay with me!" Superior pleaded, gently cupping the demon's head on his lap. "Come, you can drink from me." He grunted loudly and began fingering his genital slit, desperately trying to get his cocks to rise. But in the panic of the moment, he was finding it hard to get a boner - anyone would.

Mal gathered his thoughts quickly and pushed past the crowd. Superior told him to get back but he quickly tossed Shameless into the big demon's paws. Superior caught it and the immense weight of the weapon send him crashing to the ground with a grunt. Mal then crouched next to the bleeding Pride Demon and pressed one hand against the demon's wounded arm and the other on the ground.

The short, trimmed grass around him began to glow. Demons and humans around him all took a step back in surprise as the light spread across the plain a good distance around Mal. Slowly, pure pride energy began flooding through Mal's hand, up through his body and straight into the injured demon's body. Light began returning to Yizmir's eyes and he let out a loud grunt. That same, bright purple light began emitting from the wound. Right before their eyes, tendrils of energy began seeping out of the arm, forming a network of nerves, veins and arteries. They made the framework of the missing limb before spreading out, building bone, muscle and eventually skin and fur. When the limb was complete, the light faded leaving a perfectly formed forearm and paw.

Mal pulled his hand away and smiled. "There, give it a try."

The Pride Demon gawked at his new paw and flexed it. "It... it works!"

"I'm glad. That was my first time trying that."

The inhabitants of the farm all gave him a stunned look but then Yizmir began to laugh. The laughter was infectious and quickly spread until the entire congregation was in tears of joy. Several demons came up to their healed comrade and began poking and prodding his repaired arm.

"You are truly a marvel," Superior laughed, having to shove _Shameless_off him as he could not completely lift it. "And I still have to get your name."

Beaming, he responded with, "It's Mallory. Mallory Jenkins. But you can just call me Mal."

******

The two demons stopped in the middle of the planes, panting. They were still a long way away from King's hideout but they had to stop. They were exhausted. Fear was not something Pride Demons were very familiar with but now that they had tasted it, neither Bazler nor Jurethaz could get the terrible feeling out of their chest.

It did not help that Bazler felt like someone was stalking them.

They had been fleeing all night and now they were at the end of their ropes.

"Let's rest here..." Bazler suggested, curling his coils beneath him and lying on them. "Just for a few... moments..."

Jurethaz glared at him in a way that caused that fear to double. "No. I will keep going. King must know of this."

"We're still days away from the hideout," Bazler reasoned. "We cannot keep going like this... Not without nourishment."

Suddenly Jurethaz's paw seized Bazler's throat, lifting him off the ground. "I quite agree."

"What -!?" Bazler cut himself off realising what Jurethaz intended. "No! Please! I -"

"Don't beg," growled the other demon. "It is unbecoming of Pride Demon."

Then a third voice joined their exchange.

"But bragging is."

Suddenly, there was a plain silver pistol levelled at Jurethaz's temple. The wielder was a large tank of a man dressed completely in silvery, futuristic armour. His features were completely concealed in an all-encompassing helm that had no eyeholes or even a way to remove it. Six wires sprang from his back and writhed in the air, seemingly having a life of their own before disappearing into the air.

_ "Drop him."_

Jurethaz snarled at him. "Make me!" He hissed loudly and lashed out with his tail. The mysterious man, despite dressed completely in thick armour, moved very quickly and slipped beneath the wild swing.

The man lifted his gun -

Then a second entity stepped in, placing himself between Jurethaz and the handgun.

"Now, now, D8. What have I told you about thinking first before acting?" The Writer of Reality turned towards the two demons. "Besides, you didn't say please." He bowed towards Jurethaz respectfully. "Please, release Bobby."

"Who!?" Jurethaz snarled.

"Come now Jackson, please release your comrade."

"I am Jurethaz! And I will devour this weakling" - he shot a piercing stare at Bazler - "and you both!"

The armoured man, D8, stepped up to R3. "Can I kill him now?" asked the No One in his typical, mechanical voice.

"Let me try one last thing first," R3 said with a shrug. "Are you sure I can't convince you to stave off on the murdering? I don't taste very nice."

"I don't care!" roared the demon.

The Writer shrugged. "He's yours D8."

Bazler didn't even blink but the next moment, D8 was suddenly behind_Jurethaz, that handgun pressed up against the skull of the Pride Demon. He shut his eyes and heard the deafening _bang. The grip around his throat loosened and he toppled to the ground, gasping for breath and coughing. He was near tears and didn't even think twice when a water skin covered in a soft black fur was offered to him.

He took the skin eagerly and poured the contents down his throat. Energy erupted through his veins and he was suddenly standing up in surprise, full of power and strength like he could flee for another day or so. He regarded the skin, marvelling at its ivory cap and black leather straps.

"What was this...?" he asked.

"I believe it will be called Proudbrew," R3 answered. "In a few days, Vance Jenkins is going to take what he learned from his son's ability to extract the very pride energy from the world around him, mix it into some hellfruit juice and add his own little touch to it and make what could very well become the most popular drink in all the Pridelands."

Bazler inclined his head to the side in confusion. "Why are you speaking like this has yet to happen if this is here now?"

"Because it has yet to happen." R3 stepped aside and gestured towards the west. "I will skip the exposition and tell you right now that you have two choices, my friend. In that direction lies those very demons that your friend Narsarim attempted to devour. They have a community unlike anything you've ever seen. One where human and demon live in harmony and where they are unbound by King's rule. And over there..." He pointed towards the direction that Bazler had been fleeing. "Is King, waiting for your report. Choose whichever way you'll go. The choice has always been yours, Bobby. No one else's."

"Why do you keep calling me that...? My name is Bazler. I am a demon."

"But were you always a demon?" countered R3 with a hidden smile. "Take that question and start down your path."

Puzzled but feeling a strange tugging in his soul, Bazler began slithering towards the west with the water skin in his paws. He swept past the burning form of Jurethaz, ignoring the demon's dissolving form.

Something geared him towards the west...

As they watched the demon go, D8 shook his head sadly.

"You've led them to their doom."

R3 chuckled softly and turned towards his comrade. "Always the pessimist, D8." He glanced towards the No One known as the Derelict. "What makes you think that they are doomed?"

The No One of Energy stood glanced towards King's domain. "I can feel the ebb and flow of this world, R3, as you well know." The Derelict turned towards the north worriedly. "I can sense how the deaths of those demons have caused King to stir. There hasn't been a demon's 'death' in a long while and he greedily absorb the energy that was dispensed from their physical bodies being obliterated. He grows stronger with each 'death' that Mallory deals."

R3 smiled beneath his helm causing D8 to turn towards him in surprise. "And yet here you are standing having just asked to kill one of those very demons. You didn't obliterate him using our normal means either. You adhered to the laws of this world."

_ "This is what you wanted...?"D8 asked, straightening in surprise. _"You gave Mallory a weapon that could destroy the Pride Demons' forms easily... I merely adhered to that but... Why?"

"Piece it together, my friend."

D8 let out a startled noise and his entire body went rigid. "You've purposefully awakened King... You knew that he's content to constantly feed off the flow of pride in the world. All his lackeys just pay him tribute with whatever they catch. But this influx of energy, the loss of two of his men... it's forced him to stir." D8 shook his head incredulously. "If it isn't the concern that two Pride Demons under his command were destroyed, it'll be the fact that he's probably gotten an enormous feast from their deaths. He's going to send more against them!"

"And Mallory and the rest will continue to slay them."

"Only to feed him..." D8 glanced towards the farm. "What are you planning?"

R3 let out a soft chuckle. "My plans don't matter. I can lead them down a path, I can bend the very world around them, alter the rules of reality and even mess with their past but it will be they who decide to take it. Whether King decides to rise to the bait or not will be up to him. If Vance and the others decide to accept my help, then that is their choice. It is entirely up for Bobby - oh, excuse me - Bazler to decide to follow his damaged soul to Mallory or go back to King.

"In any case, this plane of Hell will change forever."

"You haven't answer my question about these dick-sucking -" D8 cut himself. R3 glanced over his shoulder at his fellow No One with an amused glow in his eyes. "Sorry. Old habits do die hard."

"You are entitled to your opinion just as everyone else, mortal, divine or No One."

"I know. But you have yet to answer my question, R3. What are you planning?"

A chilling smile crossed R3's features sending a shiver down D8's spine.

"Regicide."