Chapter 9: 9. Grand finale
The grand party was still in full swing, the air thick with the mingled scents of rich foods and intoxicating drinks. Music pulsed through the halls, and laughter echoed from every corner. Lucifer stood near a large, ornate table, watching the revelry with a cautious eye. He had been feeling increasingly uneasy as the night progressed. The excess, the decadence—it was all too perfectly orchestrated by Beelzebub.
As he sipped his drink, a sudden wave of drowsiness washed over him. His vision blurred, and the world seemed to tilt. He tried to steady himself, but his legs gave way beneath him, and he crashed to the ground, unconscious.
One by one, the other partygoers began to collapse, falling like dominoes. The once vibrant party descended into a scene of eerie stillness. Beelzebub, seated on her throne, raised her hand to her face and started to laugh hysterically.
"Why would those idiots think that I would invite them to a party just like that?" she mused aloud. "No, no, no. After I tasted Belphegor's blood, I wanted more."
She had spiked the food and drinks with her fluids, potent enough to put everyone into a deep sleep. Her poison was precisely calibrated to ensure that everyone who consumed even a sip would collapse and remember nothing afterward. She had no intention of killing them—that would only create more work and responsibility, which she despised. No, she simply wanted to taste their blood.
With a wave of her hand, she summoned her flies to begin collecting blood samples. But her revelry was interrupted by a voice.
"Beelzebub," it said sternly.
She turned to see Lilith, standing amidst the fallen demons, her eyes burning with anger.
"Aaaaah, Lilith," Beelzebub cooed, "it seems you didn't drink at all."
Lilith's gaze was piercing. "What do you want to do with them? I hope you don't intend to kill them."
Beelzebub tried to suppress her laughter but failed. "Hehehahahaha. Kill them? Of course not. Where's the fun in that? After this party, they'll wake up and remember nothing."
Lilith was baffled, trying to understand Beelzebub's twisted logic. "Why did you do this?"
Beelzebub hugged herself, a dreamy smile on her face. "It's simple. I want to taste their blood."
Lilith blinked, unable to process the madness. "Huh? Can you repeat that? I think I misheard you."
"I want to taste their blood. That's all," Beelzebub repeated with a straight face.
Lilith stared at her in disbelief. "You poisoned your own siblings and these demons just to taste their blood? That's madness, Beelzebub. What happened to you?"
Lilith looked at the other demons, sensing their desires and intentions. But when she looked at Beelzebub, it was like staring into a chaotic void. The realization hit her: Beelzebub was utterly insane, acting purely on whims.
Beelzebub's eyes gleamed with a manic light. "Happened to me? I've embraced my true nature, Lilith. I don't fight my desires; I revel in them. Why should I resist what feels so good?"
"Because it's wrong," Lilith snapped. "This isn't the sister I knew. You were never like this."
Beelzebub's laughter rang out again, echoing through the silent hall. "Oh, Lilith, you just don't understand. This is who I am now. The hunger, the chaos—it's exhilarating. And you know what? Deep down, you all crave it too. You're just too scared to admit it."
Lilith's expression hardened. "I won't let you do this. You can't just turn everyone into your playthings."
Beelzebub's smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating look. "And what will you do, Lilith? Stop me? How?"
Before Lilith could react, Beelzebub seized her, forcing her mouth open and pouring a drink down her throat. Lilith tried to resist, but under Beelzebub's grip, she was powerless. She felt a wave of sleepiness and collapsed to the ground.
Beelzebub clapped her hands, summoning the Cerberus girls. "Alright, Cerberus, I want you to kick them out to random places in Hell. It doesn't matter where. Just remember to dump Lucifer with Lilith together."
The Cerberus trio nodded, their movements synchronized as they began to drag the unconscious bodies out of the hall. Beelzebub watched them with a satisfied smile, sipping her wine and savoring the taste of victory. The flies buzzed around her, diligently collecting blood samples from her siblings and the other important demons.
As the last of the guests were removed, Beelzebub reclined on her throne, feeling a sense of elation. The blood she had collected was rich and potent, promising untold pleasures. Her mind raced with the possibilities, each thought more chaotic and indulgent than the last.
For now, her hunger was sated. She had orchestrated the perfect betrayal, and the memory of this night would bring her endless delight. With a contented sigh, she closed her eyes, basking in the aftermath of her twisted success.
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The next day, the demons of Hell awoke in various locations, confused and disoriented. None of them could remember the events of the previous night, their memories a hazy blur. Beelzebub's grand party was a mystery, a forgotten chapter in the annals of Hell's history.
Lucifer and Lilith found themselves in a secluded corner of Hell, far from Beelzebub's mansion. As they regained their senses, a sense of unease lingered. Lucifer vowed to uncover the truth behind the night's events and bring his siblings back from the brink of madness. But for now, the shadows of Beelzebub's betrayal loomed large, a dark cloud over the realm.
Beelzebub, meanwhile, reveled in her private victory, her thirst for chaos and blood momentarily satisfied. The echoes of her laughter lingered in the air, a haunting reminder of her reign over the hellhounds and her unquenchable desire for indulgence.
(End of a chapter)