Malrion — First Person
The neon glow of Lust Ring had already softened by the time I stepped out of the side street Alastor directed me toward.Even so, the air still hummed with distant warmth — a quiet pulse moving through the stone, the glass, the living plants that clung to the walls like serpents made of light.
But here, away from the crowded boulevards, the city seemed to breathe slower.
A thin demon waited for me under a flickering magenta sign, wearing a coat far too big for his narrow frame. He looked like someone designed to blend into shadows — and he did exactly that, shifting his weight from foot to foot as if standing still too long was dangerous.
When he saw me, he straightened quickly.
"Sir Malrion?" he asked in a whisper, almost afraid to break the stillness of the alley.
"Yes."
He extended a small, heavy metal case with both hands — respectfully, almost reverently.
"This is from… your patron," he said carefully, avoiding Alastor's name."The transaction cleared earlier. Your residence has been prepared exactly as requested. The entire top floor of Scarlet Spire is reserved solely for you."
I took the case. It was cold and smooth, etched with faint golden sigils that shimmered when touched.
"Thank you."
The demon bowed once — sharply, nervously — and vanished back into the shadows as if pulled away by invisible strings.
Alastor's voice rose softly in my mind, smooth as ever.
"Efficient little messenger.Come now — your nest awaits."
I followed the narrow road, and soon the Scarlet Spire came into view — a towering structure of black metal and glowing crystal veins, spiraling upward like a twisted horn reaching for the sky.It radiated heat, but not physical warmth — emotional heat, the quiet, constant heartbeat of Lust Ring pressed into its walls.
The main entrance shimmered when I approached, dissolving like melted glass to allow me through.
Inside, the world shifted from neon chaos to refined luxury.
The lobby was carved from obsidian polished to a mirror-like sheen.Thin golden lines ran across the floor in curved, elegant patterns — not magical formations, but decorative echoes of emotions captured in metal.Tall, whisper-thin lamps cast rose-colored light upward, creating a soft glow rather than harsh illumination.
At the far end stood a bank of elevators with doors of shimmering violet crystal.
As I approached, one door slid open on its own.
"Top floor," Alastor murmured.
The elevator rose without sound.
I expected at least some sense of velocity — pressure in the ears, the pull of acceleration — but instead, it felt as if the world around me simply faded and reassembled somewhere higher.
When the doors opened, the air that greeted me was still and warm.
And the space before me…
…did not feel like Hell.
The penthouse was expansive, carved from black crystal and tinted glass, illuminated by soft gradients of pink, violet, and faint gold.Everything had clean lines, gentle angles, and a quiet elegance.
A curved wall of transparent crystal dominated the far side of the room, offering a sweeping view of Lust Ring's endless neon cityscape.The lights were mesmerizing — glowing towers, shifting signs, drifting colors.From here, the chaos below looked almost like a living galaxy.
The floor was smooth, warm obsidian with subtle violet veins.A low table of carved ruby stone sat at the center, surrounded by a crescent-shaped sofa that looked almost liquid in its texture.Soft light pulsed faintly beneath the furniture, creating the illusion that everything hovered an inch above the ground.
The bedroom was separated only by a tall arch of translucent glass.Inside, a floating bed drifted lazily, as if suspended by a breeze I couldn't feel.A faint scent — something between spice and citrus — lingered in the air, clean and calming.
"A controlled environment," Alastor said."Perfect for stabilizing your ring.Far from the street, close enough to the city's pulse."
I walked slowly toward the window.
The balcony doors opened with barely a whisper.
Warm air spilled in, carrying faint traces of emotion:
a flicker of excitement far below,a soft breath of jealousy drifting upward,a pulse of pleasure from a distant balcony,a spark of anticipation from somewhere unseen.
Very faint.Barely impressions.Not concentrated.Not dangerous.
The Echo Ring inside my chest responded with slight warmth, dull rhythm — turning without strain or urgency.
A perfect atmosphere for cultivation.
I stepped onto the balcony and leaned against the black metal railing.The runes etched into it glowed faintly beneath my fingertips, reacting only to touch — not to emotion.
Below me, Lust Ring stretched infinitely — a mosaic of pink and violet lights, towers twisting and bending like serpents of crystal.It was loud from afar, but silent up here.Beautiful.Almost peaceful.
I closed my eyes and inhaled.
The Echo Ring turned.Slowly.Evenly.Drawing in emotional echoes the way lungs draw air — without effort, without visible reaction.
A small warmth flowed from the ring through my ribs and into my spine.Not power.Not transformation.
Just alignment.Stability.The quiet beginning of something deeper.
I lowered myself to the balcony floor and sat cross-legged.
The stone was warm beneath my legs, warmed by the city's subtle heat.
Breathing here felt steady.
The ring felt quiet.
And for the first time since arriving in Hell…I felt anchored.
Emotion rose from the streets in thin, delicate strands — nothing like the chaos below.A distant laugh.A spark of thrill.A whisper of longing.A flare of pride.
Tiny fragments of life drifting upward in a gentle cloud.
My ring absorbed only what resonated.Ignored the rest.
A perfect cycle.
A quiet cycle.
A safe cycle.
Alastor's presence softened in my mind.
"Good… very good.You're learning control.Without control, Lust would devour you."
"This is only the first step," I said softly.
"Yes," he replied."But it is a step most demons never take."
I opened my eyes once more.
Below, the city glowed like a dream of neon fire.Above, the sky shimmered with faint violet haze.Inside me, the ring turned steadily — a silent promise of evolution.
I belonged here, in this stillness.
And tomorrow…I would take the next step.