Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

H igh above the smoldering pits of the Terra Daemoniums, Leviathan, Demon Prince of Envy, stood on the balcony of his obsidian tower. His palace’s sharp features, carved by the hand of infernal craftsmanship, cut through the perpetual tormented breeze. His short, raven hair was unmoved by the wind as he stared down at his minions below. They scuttled about like ants, laboring to appease their masters’ whims.

His whims.

Every pair of eyes in the teeming mass of lost souls was transfixed on him, hanging on every word that he would speak. Yet, as he basked in their adoration, Leviathan’s piercing blue eyes burned with a hunger that not even the admiration of countless souls could quench.

“My dear citizens,” he began, his voice dripping with honeyed malice. “Look at you all, crawling at my feet, desperate for my approval. It both pleases and disgusts me.”

His words were met with a chorus of moans and whimpering pleas for forgiveness. But Leviathan paid them no mind as he continued to speak.

“Envy has always been one of the most powerful sins,” he stated proudly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before him. “And yet, I see some of you have become complacent about your duties. You have lost that burning desire to covet and destroy, to make others desire what we have and who we are above all else.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd as they shifted uncomfortably under their prince’s scrutiny.

“Do not think I am unaware of your schemes,” Leviathan continued, his eyes locking onto those who dared to meet his gaze. “Your petty jealousies and attempts to undermine each other do not escape my notice.”

No one dared to speak while he addressed them. Not because of fear but for envy of his voice.

“I will not tolerate any weakness within my ranks,” he growled, his wings unfurling behind him in a display of dominance. “I demand perfection in all aspects from my subjects. Is that understood?”

A resounding chorus of ‘yes’ chimed from below, accompanied by trembling bodies and lowered heads.

“Good,” Leviathan purred, a sly smile on his lips. “Now go back to your duties and make certain that every other realm finds envy in the despair you bring.”

As his lower citizens scurried back to their tasks, Leviathan leaned against the balcony railing and gazed down at the pit once again. Despite their fear and reverence towards him, he could sense their longing for something more than an eternity spent in constant envy and torment.

But he didn’t care about their desires or their suffering. As long as they served him and fed his insatiable hunger. Only those who met his standards were provided entry to his palatial tower, and he tossed them aside when their use was over.

Leviathan did not care for others, only their loyalty. Only their undisputed desire to be him or be loved by him.

The other Princes of Sin were always trying to one up each other. Always vying for power and control over more territories. It amused him to no end. The princes claimed they were equals, but he knew better. They were nothing without him. The others were mere pawns in a game he played effortlessly. Leviathan’s sharp features twisted into a snarl as he thought about how foolish the other princes acted. Of how quickly they forgot where they came from and who had given them their power in the first place. Yet still, they tried to undermine each other at every turn, like a pack of rabid dogs fighting over scraps. As if they could somehow win Lucifer’s favor.

A cold wind blew through his black, leathery wings, rustling them menacingly as he turned away from the scene below. His pale hands clenched into fists at his sides, fingers digging into his velvet sleeves as if trying to tear them apart. He couldn’t bear it anymore - these pathetic displays of power were beneath him.

Sighing, Leviathan pushed off the balcony railing, his wings opening for a moment due to the brisk turn.

He strode through the labyrinthine halls of his palace, surrounded by the screams of the damned and the flickering torchlight that cast demonic shadows across the walls.

His sharp teeth clicked together irritably as he paced back into the chambers lit by flickering candles and filled with rich tapestries that bore scenes of envy at its worst. Jealous lovers driving each other mad, covetous glances traded across crowded ballrooms, and thieves stealing each other’s hearts instead of treasure.

Leviathan’s court awaited him. They all knew better than to keep their lord and master waiting. Their whispers and hushed voices fell silent as he swept into the grand throne room, his presence enough to command respect and fear.

“Hello, Levi,” purred a voice coiled like a serpent around his senses. His brother, Armoros, Prince of Lust, reclined on a blood-stained chaise lounge.

He despised when anyone shortened his name, but his brother knew that so Leviathan would not take his bait. “To what do I owe this displeasure?” His eyes glowed as his anger at finding another prince in his palace dared to snap his control.

“I merely thought to see how your palace survived.”

Leviathan resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his brother’s dramatics. They were not immune to each other’s powers, but they did not often succumb to them. “I have had enough of your games, Lust,” he said icily, seating himself upon his ebony throne. You’ve been swaying my subjects from their duties with your seductions.”

Armoros laughed, and there was an edge of steel in his voice. “And what do you plan to do about it, Brother? Lock me away with our other siblings who dared defy you?” Pushing past, he sat on his throne, taking pleasure in knowing it was the most lavish of the realms, even more splendid than the king’s.

The idea was tempting as Leviathan had successfully imprisoned three of his siblings.

Leviathan drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne. His nails were long and sharp, like talons ready to pluck out his heart if she pushed him any further. But instead, he smiled coldly. “I will do what I always have done, what I always will do. Be the envy of every other prince and every single demon within Terra Daemoniums.”

“As you believe,” his brother stood and strode out of the chamber, his swaying hips oozing sensual lust with every step he took until he vanished in a puff of red smoke leaving nothing behind.

It was only when Leviathan was alone with his court that he finally allowed himself to release the pent-up frustration that had been building inside. With a deafening roar of anger, he let it all out, his muscles tightening and pulsing with each exhale. The sound reverberated off the walls, echoing back at him with a primal intensity. The weight of his responsibilities and the constant pressure weighing down on him melted away in that moment, replaced by sheer, unadulterated fury. It was a cathartic release, one that left him feeling both drained and invigorated at the same time.

Leviathan gritted his teeth, feeling that familiar stab of envy in his chest as he thought of his fellow princes. Of his brothers.

Greed constantly amassed more than Leviathan, who could be envious when another realm had more?

Gluttony allowed his inhabitants to have everything they wanted … and more of it than was possible, often leading to death. While Leviathan didn’t care for the death aspect, he knew those in his kingdom often whispered for more.

Pride, always preening and showing off his worthless treasures while Leviathan worked endlessly to keep this realm stable with more territories under his control.

“It infuriates me.” The corners of his full lips turned up into a sneer, and he bared his sharp fangs in disgust. “They need a lesson.”

Raising one clawed hand, Leviathan snapped his fingers, calling forth a half-formed thought that quickly solidified into a twisted vision - jealousy incarnated. It swirled before him like a living creature, ready to do his bidding. A wave of the hand sent it spiraling away, disappearing into the shadows. It would serve its purpose soon enough, he could feel it creeping closer to fruition.

Inhaling deeply, Leviathan tried to calm himself down. Focusing on the task at hand always soothed him, so he allowed himself to remember why envy was really the king of sins, if not of Hell. He thought of how none could compare to his splendor and extravagance. He allowed himself a smirk at the thought - for now.

“Bring me the ledger, I need to know how the world feels,” he growled, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down the spines of even the most hardened demons in his service.

A small demon whose body was purple and twisted like gnarled branches scurried forward, careful not to make eye contact with the master of the pit. The parchment he presented was singed at the edges as if it had been pulled from the very jaws of Lucifer himself.

“Tell me, am I not the most feared and desired in the land aside from King Lucifer himself?”

“It is as you suspected, My Lord,” the minion replied, his voice trembling as he kept his gaze on the book’s pages. “The other princes—lust, greed, even sloth—have usurped your position in the eyes of the mortals. They have done. . . more.” He spat the word as if it were wreathed in flame.

Leviathan’s wings unfurled, casting an ebony shadow over the trembling minion. “More, you say? I want details, and I want them now!”

His servant gulped, his words coming out in a rush as he recited Leviathan’s sibling’s vile deeds.

The demon’s words were like poison, seeping into Leviathan’s mind and fueling his rage. He listened with twisted delight as the servant detailed the heinous acts committed by the other demon princes—acts that made even Leviathan’s blood run cold.

Armoros, with his sickeningly sweet charms, lured in unsuspecting mortals and devoured their souls in a frenzy of desire. Botis, Demon Prince of Greed, hoarded riches and power, crushing anyone who stood in his way. And Apollyon. . . lazy sloth, took pleasure in watching an entire city crumble around him while doing nothing to stop it.

But it was Abigor, the demon of pride, that truly irked Leviathan the most. He always flaunted his supposed superiority and belittled others for their perceived weaknesses.

Jealousy, a vile serpent, coiled tighter around his cold, black heart.

It was time to put an end to this charade.

“Enough!” Leviathan bellowed, crumpling the ledger in his fist.

Paper and charred souls scattered like ash on the wind.

It was time he reminded the pit who was their true master. With a flick of his wrist, the shadows parted, revealing a gilded mirror. The human world, so ripe for the taking, lay before him. His reflection stared back at him, his radiant beauty marred only by the fire in his eyes. “I, Leviathan, shall have what is mine,” he hissed, a wicked grin curling his lips. He needed a mate, someone to add his darkness, someone to walk beside him through the empty halls of his own heart and become the envy of all those who were not with her. “And I shall start by claiming the most beautiful prize the mortal world has to offer.”

But how to do it?

The mortals were not off limits, but they were not exactly rushing to leave their mortal coils or their earthly tethers.

Suddenly, an idea began to form in his sinister mind, one that would not only reaffirm his place as the demon prince of envy but also satiate his own hunger for admiration.

The air around him shimmered with a green glow—an indication of his power and influence over envy itself. His piercing blue eyes flashed dangerously as he thought about how best to use this power against them.

A sinister grin spread across his face, revealing razor-sharp fangs beneath full lips painted red as wine. “A ball,” he whispered too quietly for any to hear, savoring the taste of revenge on his tongue like sweet nectar. “A grand event that will demonstrate our superiority.”

With a flick of his wrist, a scrawny imp appeared before him, quivering in fear. Leviathan leaned forward, whispering in the pitiful creature's ear to ensure none could overhear and attempt to outdo him.

Satisfied with his plan, Leviathan rose to leave but then hesitated. Taking one last glance at the ledger held tightly by his minion, an idea struck him—a way to not only prove himself superior but also strike envy into all those who dared challenge him.

He snapped his fingers, summoning another servant to attend him immediately. “Gather every luxury this realm has to offer,” he commanded, “and prepare it for an extravagant ball.” Yes, a ball. “Everyone is invited; leave no soul or realm uninvited.”

The advisor bowed low before scurrying off to carry out his master’s command.

“Let them come,” Leviathan cackled maniacally as he paced before the fiery veil that separated his realm from the rest of creation. “They shall all come, drawn like moths to a flame by their envy. . . and desire.”

With a beat of his wings, he was gone, leaving behind only the stench of brimstone and the pounding of unworthy hearts in his wake.