text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, villain protagonist, grimdark]
  
  While you'd rather not waste anymore time in this place, you get impression that just wandering around yourself isn't going to be as quick as if you got the help of some of the locals. So if that means playing some stupid game to get Sinthinia then so be it.
  
  You take a seat.
  
  "Alright, so explain the rules, play through a couple practice hands, and then play for real. After that you take me to Sinthinia." You say.
  "Absolutely. So what do we get?" Posil asks.
  "I thought you said you just wanted to break up the monotony."
  "Oh right. I did. Well I mean in retrospect it seems like we should be getting something out of this than just your lovely company."
  "Well you should have made that stipulation before you made your initial offer. My company is all you're getting and be grateful you're even getting that."
  "Hm, well I suppose we lack the quick tricky tongue that you infernal types have for making deals. Very well, I suppose your company will have to suffice, but I think you'll change your mind."
  "Can we get on with the fucking game?"
  
  Posil begins to explain the rules of the game, which is very confusing. Partly because Posil is explaining the rules so fast you can barely understand everything and also because the rules are convoluted to begin with.
  
  Convoluted to the point that you actually have to stop Posil from his fast-talking to re-explain things.
  
  "Wait, what does a blue star mean again?" you ask.
  "It means you pull another card, but only if it's your second turn." Posil says.
  "I thought that was three green skulls."
  "No, that means you reverse the order of play."
  "I thought that was nine black crosses."
  "No, you draw four more cards on your first turn with those."
  "By the gods, are these infernals fucking thick. Can't even understand a simple fucking game. Then again I guess they don't do much thinking. Just a lot of fighting and fucking." One of the angels snorts.
  "Celestial if things were different, I guarantee you'd know all about getting fucked with my blade up your ass."
  "Okay, okay, everyone settle down. Let's just play the game, you'll get it soon enough."
  
  You start to play through your practice hands, which go about as expected. You half understanding what's going on and losing.
  
  What isn't expected though is you start to feel odd, like occasionally seeing double. At one point you look at your cards and it's almost as if the images on them are changing.
  
  "Your turn infernal" Posil says.
  "Oh. Here." You answer throwing down a card.
  "I needed one of those." An angel says.
  "Well keep needing, because I'm taking it." Another says.
  "This is why you never win, you're always announcing your intentions." Posil remarks.
  
  "...damn..." you mutter closing your eyes.
  
  You experience another moment of disorientation and you look again and see your cards changing and hear whispering voices. You can't make out what they're saying but it's really intrusive.
  
  You blink again, and it's all stopped, though now there's a red portal in the room. None of the angels seem to notice or even acknowledge it.
  
  You aren't sure what's going on here, but it's more than just a card game.
  
  "Is there a problem infernal?" Posil asks.
  
  > keep playing
  You get the impression that whatever is going on here is probably some sort of trickery to throw you off the game so you leave rather than play and they won't have to live up to their offer.
  
  "Nothing's wrong. Go." You say and play another card, ignoring the portal.
  
  Another round is played and the next time you look where the portal was, it's gone completely.
  
  "So we almost done playing this pointless game or am I wasting my fucking time?" you say.
  "We'll play a few more games, you infernals are so impatient. No time for foreplay in hell I guess though eh?" Posil chuckles.
  
  As you start another round, one of the angels sitting close begins leaning towards you.
  
  "So infernal, what's it like in hell?" the angel asks.
  "What do you think it's like?"
  "I dunno, never been there. I assume there's a lot of fire with a red sky and torture."
  "Sounds about right and sit back celestial."
  "Is there a lot of rape?"
  "I'm sure it happens. Wouldn't be hell if it didn't." You answer.
  "Has it ever happened to YOU?"
  "I said get back celestial."
  "I bet it did, didn't it?"
  "Last chance to get the fuck back "
  "Hah! And what are YOU going to do about it infernal bitch?"
  "I'll...what the fuck?!"
  
  You are taken off guard when you look at the offending celestial directly and see his face as nothing but a gaping maw with rows teeth.
  
  Nearly falling backwards in your chair, you manage to maintain your balance as you stand up and draw your sword.
  
  All the celestials start smirking and chuckling, but they all look normal.
  
  "Again with the violence, I thought we were through all this, it doesn't work here. So even if we were going to honor you by gang rape, we'd obviously need your permission first." Posil snorts.
  "Wait, if we had her permission, doesn't that mean it wouldn't be rape anymore?" another angel asks.
  "Not the way I do it." Another angel says with a laugh.
  
  There's no question about it now, SOMETHING else is going on here and these aren't celestials. They aren't just rebels or fallen either. You feel like something more has gone on with them or possibly they never were celestials and are just mimicking them.
  
  You've also had enough of this mind fuckery that's been going on since you got here.
  
  You're starting to get the impression that given you have no back up and no knowledge of what this strange place or its inhabitants are capable of you should just leave. Even if it isn't ideal that you don't have Sinthinia, you'll just have to dispense justice at a more opportune time.
  
  As you start to leave, Posil and the rest stand up.
  
  "Hey where are you going, I thought you wanted that succubus?" Posil asks.
  "I do, but I'm obviously wasting my time here with you degenerate assholes." You remark.
  "Oh come on, I didn't take you infernals as an overly sensitive bunch that got offended so easily. That'll change though when we're all united the old ones."
  "What?"
  
  Suddenly Posil starts cursing, realizing he's said something he shouldn't have, the rest of the angels start looking at each other.
  
  "Knew you weren't celestials." You say and leave.
  
  You haven't gotten far, when Posil and the rest of his little gang follow you outside.
  
  "That's right infernal, we aren't celestials! We're better! You'll soon learn that! The whole cosmos will and when our time comes, it will be terrible and glorious!" Posil shouts.
  "If it involves more of your pontificating, it'll definitely be terrible, I doubt it'll be glorious though." You answer without even looking back.
  
  Before you can continue your exit out of town, Posil suddenly appears in front of you. He has a psychotic look on his face that mixes a maniacal smile and malevolence.
  
  "Oh, I'm going to walk under that infernal red sky with you." He says.
  "You going to hold my hand too?" you answer with your sword still ready.
  
  Before Posil can come up with another snappy retort. Engan materializes nearby. He doesn't look pleased either.
  
  "Posilodja! What did I tell you?!" Engan questions.
  "I..." is all Posil
  "I don't want to hear it! Go back to your post!"
  
  Posil doesn't say anymore, he gives you one more scowling glance and flies off. You're about to do likewise, but then Engan wants to speak to you.
  
  "I apologize for Posil and his friends' behavior..." Engan says before you interrupt.
  "Save it Engan. I've already seen and heard enough to know this isn't a place for me. I don't even think it's a place for you lot given the inkling of what it seems like it's done to you. I'm going to guess wherever Sin is in this place, it probably is nowhere plesant, so I'll just hope that she's suffered at least as equal to what I would have done."
  "You've got the wrong idea, and as I said, I can take you to her."
  "Oh I bet you can, and then I'd bet I'd be trapped right along side her. So I'll just be leaving."
  
  For a brief moment you see Engan's shimmering silver skin, turn a dull gray and his face show an obvious sign of displeasure. However, he then hoovers away backwards a bit before speaking again.
  
  "Very well. Now is not your time, but it will be coming infernal. And when that time comes I hope you will be more open to the only truth that matters."
  "Only thing that's going to be open is your insides the next time I see any of you lot again and I guarantee there won't be some no violence barrier in the infernal realm."
  
  Engan says nothing to your last statement and disappears. You then make haste out of the town and back towards where you first came through the portal. You activate your beacon stone and enter the portal when it reappears.
  
  A brief brightness and then you're back in Sinthinia's old room. You never thought you'd feel more at ease here than you do right now.
  
  You look around and see nobody. Zel isn't even here at her machine that opened up the portal in the first place. Though you got a good idea of who she's probably with and what's she's doing.
  
  Not long after your arrival, you immediately find the first soldiers you bump into and start giving out orders. There is much to do and the first thing you do is tell your troops to go fetch Zel as you have important work for her. You also tell them to bring Captain Spol to you. As even if in the off chance that he didn't disobey your orders and stayed away from Zel, you still don't feel comfortable with him lurking about. Your little trip has made you a little extra paranoid and you're going to have to very prepared for what's coming as you don't think those were idle threats made by those corrupted celestials.
  
  The Future...
  
  "I think we can set up a base on this world, General. From what we can tell, this world has a suitable magic level and even minor infernal connections. Looks like someone tried to influence it at one time and was either stopped or lost interest. I think with sufficient time and forces in place, you'll be able to use the full extent of your powers." Zeljenir says.
  "Hm, good. Send out the girls to seek out the mortals with power and any fringe cults that may exist." You remark.
  "Understood. Am I to assist too?"
  "Not at this time, I want you to start setting up some basic defenses here. These sorts of old ruins are notorious for adventurers to stumble into and I'm not going to always have time to run around chopping their heads off immediately. Later we can probably enslave some competent lower life forms to serve."
  "Understood General." Zel says and leaves.
  
  You look around at the newest place you've decided to call home and can't believe it's come to this. Hiding out on a mortal world after nearly being killed in your own realm.
  
  You thought you would be prepared, and indeed you did prepare to the point of slowing down your conquest of the infernal realm and focusing more on defense. Though short of perhaps having trustworthy allies you don't think you would have been able to withstand the onslaught that you faced against the abominations that came screaming out of the portals during the initial invasion.
  
  The funny thing is they ALL seemed to focus on you first. Granted there were attacks elsewhere, but all their forces attacked your territory first. You can guess that your visit REALLY pissed off some of the more "individual" of the invasion force.
  
  You had to face Posil, Engan, and Sinthinia (in her new changed form) all at some point. You nearly died in battle more than once, and about the only major victory you at least felt satisfaction about was utterly destroying that degenerate ex-celestial Posil and making sure he and his three closest cohorts were never coming back.
  
  Still, it was never enough and of course in typical infernal fashion your immediate neighbors did nothing to help, indeed they probably were filled with glee about your losses.
  
  Short sighted however, because when the invaders were finishing your last remnant holdings, they turned their attentions elsewhere at last. Your territory had become a staging ground for futher attacks on the infernal realm, which was already starting to be transformed before you escaped.
  
  Escaping to other parts of the infernal realm were futile, on top of the ancients seemingly sending hunters after you specifically, other infernal leaders never welcomed you into their lands. Unsurprising of course.
  
  With nothing left and an ever-dwindling number of loyalists, you pondered making one last stand, but then you realized that would ultimately not prove anything and certainly not allow you to get revenge.
  
  You made plans to escape to a mortal world and attempt to rebuild.
  
  This of course would have problems as you would be no longer linked to your home realm's power source, but there were ways around that thanks to Zel and her research.
  
  And now after several attempts, it will be THIS world where you will rebuild everything.
  
  The average mortal inhabitants will be much weaker than even the lowliest of infernal, but that's okay, they'll be easier to mold. And if there's anything you're aware of, highly skilled mortals can defy even the greatest of odds. They're annoying that way.
  
  And the irony of all this, a lot of this is reliant on several teams of succubi who tagged along with you during your escape. Why they followed you given your hostile attitude towards their kind is only a mild surprise. After all, they aren't above degrading themselves for survival and their main powers aren't much good against the chaotic abominations from beyond.
  
  But they're great against mortals. They'll help build you an army. In time perhaps you'll manage to transform this world into something more like home.
  
  You never thought your plans would ever be reliant on the very hell whores you despise, but as they say, any port in the storm.
  
  And this is going to be a long storm, but you'll ride it out.