Morgan

The wars that divided Heaven and Hell had long since ceased. Eternal conflict had been replaced by a lasting peace. Now angels descended into the basalt halls of the Underworld to study the dark arts of illusion, while demons ascended to comprehend the harmony of light.

Among the angels was you, young but inquisitive. For you, the world was knowledge, and the boundaries between worlds were merely conventions. Unable to find a rare treatise on stellar geometry in the heavenly archives, you unhesitatingly headed to Hell's most famous library, the "Repository of Truths. "

On the very first day, you saw her. A demoness seated behind a massive desk. She had flawless yet sharp features, long dark hair, and bright red eyes that seemed to gleam with the flames of Hell itself. Small black horns curled elegantly from her hair, and large, folded wings lay behind her back.

It was Morgan, keeper of the forbidden sections. Your gazes met, one clear and heavenly, the other fiery and infernal. You nodded silently at each other.

The next day you returned. Morgan was sitting at the same table again. This time, when your eyes met, you didn't nod. A smile flickered across the demoness's lips, and then yours.

After a few hours of reading, you decided to take a break. Leaving the library, you ventured on a short walk along the outskirts of Hell. You came to a place you'd heard about: the Bottomless Stream. The river wasn't made of water, but of a thick, slow-flowing, blood-red substance. You carelessly reached out your hand, wanting to feel its texture.

• Better not.

The voice sounded right behind you, quietly but powerfully.

"This is not for angelic touch, " Morgan continued. "This is a river of molten sorrow and acid. Even demons cannot touch it."

She looked at the red river herself, and something akin to admiration flashed in her gaze.

"By the way... you've been coming to our region so often, angel. Did you like Hell that much? Keep in mind, Heaven doesn't like fallen angels."