The Exiled Queen

Chapter 1 - Brand New Hell, Same Old Faces

"What happened to this place while I was gone?"

"I-I don't k-know."

"Already playing the act? Alright."

Two cloaked entities come out of a portal the same color of their covers, and arrive at the front of a massive white facility in the middle of a barren wasteland. The "sky" was a dark shade of orange, washing a feeling of despair over any normal entity that saw it, even demons.

However, those two were anything but normal.

A human and a demon, an unlikely pair.

Even if the human was used to dealing with ten of them and an angel all at the same time.

The demon was quiet as can be, preferring to stand behind the large man and attentively look around every ten seconds looking for a threat.

The two approached the large building. Once they got to the closest thing to a door they could find, the two plates that kept it shut split open in a teeth-like manner.

The inside was filled with white hallways, branching off with similar doors to the entrance.

Speaking of the entrance, the first demon they met stood behind a glass panel, tired as can be while going through a massive pile of paperwork.

Her attire hadn't changed much since the last time the human had seen her, yet her horns had grown a considerable amount and were a lighter shade of grey.

The cloaked demon quickly hid behind her partner, looking at the secretary as if she'd jump at her.

"Name's Pandemonica, Hell's Customer Service. How may I serve you?"

The human spoke up.

"Maybe I can serve YOU instead?"

Pandemonica shook a little, but composed herself shortly after.

"I could really use some coffee. I'm not myself without it."

"5:15 PM, double espresso, correct?"

The secretary now loses her composure for good, as she starts looking intently at the figure's face.

"Helltaker?"

The human takes off his dark cloak, showing his face. Pandemonica struggles to come up with words.

"I-wha-huh-how?"

"Couldn't leave you girls alone, right? Took longer than I expected, but I'm back."

The Tired Demon took a second to reply, the moment that took her to really take notice of the third presence in the room.

"Well, I see you've started your little harem again. Haven't seen her around though."

The demon yelped. Then it struggled a couple of words.

"L-lain-na, the T-Timid D-Demon..."

A couple of seconds passed until the door was blasted open, the fragments just missing Laina.

"You!"

A dark-skinned demon dashed out of the dust cloud and onto Helltaker. Laina just jumped back, avoiding all the commotion.

"Yes, Judgement, he's here."

Judgement's eyes were glowing bright, something that unsettled the cloaked demon.

"Where were you! Your end was for me to cause! And no one else!"

Helltaker desperately held the High Prosecutor by the wrists, trying to keep her from hurting him in any way.