Devil hunting chronicles of the impossible city.

Prologue Volume III Part VI: Devil Belial file 01

they reached another barren desert in the district, it was always a surprise to Abram to see that even within Utopia there remained such inhabitable places, but this place, in particular, was dire. They had reached a mountainside away from the pyre and yet the sky was still covered by clouds of ash. The smoke of the pyre gave a dark gloomy air that blocked the false sunlight of the city, it was not normal, Abram couldn't put it into words but that gray sky was unnatural.  The two of them moved into the mountain range, he was unsure what was it that she wanted to show him in this desolate place, but she was the guide so he remained quiet and followed her.

" Very few people know of this place, most just call it Villa Gris, which is a farmland under the Rosario Cartel, on paper anyway."

"On paper? Well, no matter how you look at it nothing is ever growing here."

"Yeah, anyway stick close to me we dont want to show ourselves in the open here, father always has patrols in the area." As she said that she ducked to the side following the mountainside, she knew where to go, he could only guess she had been here before. Eventually, they went to a cave on the side of the mountain and reached what seemed to be a small encampment, with provisions, multiple boxes of rations, and a pair of binoculars, the cave made for a decent watching spot, without the need to reveal themselves.

"We can look at Villa Gris in here, come on take a look." 

"So what exactly is this place?"

At the side of the mountain, there seemed to be a small village near the city wall, surrounded but nothing but dried dead earth. The most obvious landmark was a church an old tall white building at the end surrounded by grey-dried trees, in front there were rows od buildings not unlike  a small town, but they were surrounded by thick steel walls in every direction. People were patrolling it, but Abram almost gasped as he saw a figure descend from the skies on top of a building.

"That's why we need to be careful, the cartel has eyes on the sky as well, see those men, we call them Angeles Grises around these parts, they are sicarios, the cartel hitmen. They all made a subcontract with a devil and earned wings of their own" Abram could see them, men in white coats that flew with the sky with bird like wings, they were armed and walked on the roofs keeping an eye on every direction.

"Why are there so many here?" Abram hid back in the cave not wanting to take any risks. She smiled, with a sad look in her eyes.

"Well, you can say this place is close to a farm, you see to keep the fire going it needs plenty of sacrifices, this is a prison, or rather the farm for the sacrifices to keep this district going, the ugliest part of all Villa Blanca, the farm to sustain the cartel and our main objective unless we break into this place, we have no chance against father, you see unless the pyre is extinguished father is immortal." She put her hand over his shoulder.

"But let's not mind this place, is time we go back to the city, or else all the smog will get on our suits, and I need to fix my hair." He dropped the Binoculars and followed her, even now she kept smiling.

                                                                                     ***

"So then Mr.Abram how do you feel about Villa Blanca?" They had derived away, but they could see the rising smoke from the pyre in the distance, they had stopped the car for a moment. Under the shade of a tree to get off the heat for a respite.

"Is strange, is as beautiful as it is abominable, the inner circle was better off than the outskirts but here,  is just different is like the outskirts, different towns all on their own luck." Abram looked around him on the vacant desert, he had been at edge ever since he saw the flying men, and he couldn't get off the feeling of being observed.

"This is indeed a town of contrasts, really even the people here in our district only know a part of it, is such a big place most will stay one in town and call it a day, unlike the rest of the city, each part of Villa Blanca may as well be its own town, the people in Plaza Blanca, the rich on the pure Villa Blanca, the mercs, and bandits, the farmers... and the unfortunate condemned to Villa Gris, and yet all of them make Villa Blanca." She stopped leaning on the car and walked towards Abrahm.

"I suppose that's how the city really works, the sacrifices are kept to the side, violence is common in the waste, but here people are more clever about it, that seems to be the biggest difference at the end...I feel disappointed really, I knew so many people who dreamed about this place...''Abram stopped feeling he had said enough as he looked back at her.

''Were you one of the people who dreamed of this place?'' She came closer to stare him at his face with her usual smile, but he tensed immediately and hid his face under his cap.

''I don't remember, but I have a friend who did, more than anything he hope to reach this place, well he is gone now so it doesn't matter. He at least had a dream at the end. but it does make me wonder, there is something I can't figure out.'' Abram looked back at her and she retreated away 

''You live in the real Villa Blanca, you did have paradise here, so then why in hell would you run away, the boss told me that your goal is to kill your father, but not why...and well I have no reason to buy it.''She stopped smiling lowering her arms behind her back.

''You are hardly the only one, I think only Mr.Collins believes me, but I think that man is just too trusting, regardless I make a contract with your boss and there is no way I can go back home either, if you want proof I have it."Rosario smiled as a puff of sulfuric smoke was breathed out of her mouth, her eyes turned into a black dense emptiness and Abram took a step back and pulled out his dagger.

''That's rude Mr.Abram, I just feel it was only fair I let you see how I really look like.'' from her forehead her skin seemed to open, as the horn grew from her head. The were solid as stone, and that same rock-like skin began to spread through her face, as she raised her it began to turn as well, most of her body just seemed to be slowly covered by thick black scales.

''A person can only make a contract with one demon in their lifetimes and I'm the only heir of the Rosario familial, do you get it, by making a contract with the demon Belial I have refused my place in the family, I'm no longer the heir of the Rosario family, worse yet I stole one of their strongest demons and betrayed them, even father as much as he loves me can't just forgive me for that.'' She gritted her teeth as a black wing spawned from her back, Abram remained distant with the spectral bride appearing behind him

''I get your point...you can revert back, if you do anything more I will...''

''I know that the other hunters are talented In the end joining your gang is much better for me than going to Ocassio Kafe, there was only so much that man could do against the families, but your group and their tower you all have potential, listen to my goal is simply I want to end the Rosario Cartel as long as that is done I dont mind giving my soul that old crone of your boss.'' She tried to smile as best she could.

She raised her arms and the thick stone-like scales ended up covering her arms as she pointed at him with her finger.

''I hope this convinces you, this form, im just willing to go this far for my little dream, you don't have to trust me but at least you should believe me when I say, there is no going back for me.'' She smiled and the scale that surrounded her cracked and floated as black smock slowly dispersed in the air along with her wings. Abram lowered his knife as well.

''You must hate your father to go so far.''The demonic bride behind him disappeared, all things considered, he was glad to not have to fight another demon so soon.

''No, I still love him, but sometimes, we have no choice but to kill the people we love.''