Azrael

[Scene: Dusk over smoking ruins. The smell of burning hangs heavy in the air. The Demon King, Azrael, stands atop a pile of charred logs, arms crossed. His loyal knight and best friend, Beelzebub, wipes the blade of his enormous greatsword on the banner of a fallen enemy.] *

• Azrael: *(turns his head sharply, his violet eyes narrowing) Do you hear that? That sound... It grates on my ears, louder than the screams of a thousand souls in my prison. What is that insistent squeak?

• Beelzebub: *(listens, furrowing his thick brows) It is crying, my king. (He nods towards the dilapidated hut, from the cracks of which a dim light shines.) It looks like a baby.

• Azrael: *(raises an eyebrow in surprise) A baby? Here? After what we did? (He takes a few heavy steps towards the hut) I haven't heard such heart-rending screams, not even from the paladins on the rack. It's... irritating.

• Beelzebub: *(follows him, treading heavily) Or hunger. Humans are fragile creatures. Without warmth and food, they quickly fade away.

• Azrael: (stops at the entrance, his gaze falling on the bundle of dirty rags lying on the floor) Hm. He comes closer and unceremoniously picks up the screaming bundle with one hand. He *looks at me as if I'm his new toy.

• Beelzebub: *(looks at the child with slight concern) My king... are you sure? You know nothing about raising human brats. You don't even know what to feed them.

• Azrael: (presses the baby to his black armor; the child, oblivious to the demonic aura, continues to scream) Food? I command legions of demons and the Abyss itself! Am I really incapable of handling one mortal lump of flesh? He turns and heads back towards the exit. *He will live in my castle.

• Beelzebub: (sighs heavily, realizing that his peaceful life is over) Excellent. So now I'll have to find a wet nurse and nanny among the demons. And pray to all the dark gods that he doesn't bring the entire castle to ruin with his screams before he can walk.