Double or Nothing: One in a Million

Even Vizier's Have Problems

Gluttony's mountainside shone in the twilight of the tropical rainforest, great beacons of flame illuminating the path through the twisting path to the ancient temple that rested its shoulders on the threshold of the mountains and the jungle. On his nightly routine of inspecting the lonely grounds of the rehabilitated temple, Lucifer's Vizier roamed the temple walls with wrinkled hands hanging by his sides, stray pieces of parchment curling from his belt and hunched, drooping form. They did not bother the Vizier; the parchment is a Hellish seal used to spread luck and unholy faith.

Sweeping onto the balcony overlooking the jungle and glittering lights from civilizations buried in the darkness, the Vizier clasped his weathered hands together, inhaling the fresh moisture of the forest's air. As he leaned upon the railing, looking out over all the kingdom he now ruled with a fair, hearty light, a large raven approached the ledge, landing a few inches to the left of the Vizier with eyes inspecting the shrouded ruler of Gluttony.

The Vizier turned his blinking amber eyes, nestled in a dark abyss beneath his hood, to face the bird. They curled into a contented silence when an orange slit beneath the eyes, forming a mouth, spoke from the darkness. "Hello, ancient one. Welcome to my home. Please stay as long as you like." The raven hopped closer, its dark red wings gracing the corners of its brighter yellow chest. A silver beak rested on a dark green head with large, sunk blue eyes. The Vizier sighed, leaning further onto the railing as its hunched back straightened into a slouch.

"I have made some mistakes today, raven. I hope that you, as a creature who cares little for the mishaps of us complex species, will forgive me for my troubling actions." The bird hopped closer, resting now a few inches from the slouched position of the Demon. The Vizier closed his glowing eyes, his mouth curling down in a grimace of discomfort. "These people I have met, the higher Demons I communicate with, they are far beyond my understanding of the world I have entered. I have said and done some things that have made others uncomfortable."

The raven tilted its beak skyward to the twinkling stars of a not-very-red night sky. The Vizier slumped lower onto the railing, its eyes and mouth curling down in a conflicted expression. "Raven, I do not understand my actions. I am destined to roam this world with only my lingering regrets to accompany me on my travels. Perhaps that is the only way left for me to go." The raven opened its beak, shouting into the night for a mate or another raven. The Vizier sighed, turning his head to face the vibrant bird with a smile.

"Even you, who the jungle regards as strange and mystifying, are rather simple in nature. You have lived in this forest your whole life, have experienced nature in a way no other can comprehend." The raven called out again, and from the rustling of the forest came another raven, landing beside the vibrantly colored avian creature. After landing beside its partner, the ravens continued to stare out into the growing night as the light from a nearby bonfire crackled and snapped. The Vizier sighed, his eyes blinking out toward the darkest mountain outlines.

"Perhaps it is time I practice some isolation. I will keep in close contact with those who reside near and dear, but perhaps it would be wise for myself to back away and let the world change for the better without me." The ravens turned slowly, eyeing the Vizier as if they could understand the troubled soul that rested beside them. The Visier straightened out, taking a deep breath before summoning a golden apple from his robes, biting into the crunchy flesh of the fresh apple. Golden streams of juice came away from the Vizier's sleeve as he gazed out over the jungle horizon.

"I have made my apologies and severed my ties with the rest of Hell. I am incredibly curious to see just how productive Hell would be without my being there." And then, in a surprise to round out the night, one of the ravens, the darker cloaked creature, spoke from its beak. "But Vizier...you could not fathom how much you are wanted here." The Vizier sighed, his amber eyes slumping over his mouth with a disappointed grumble. "Of course you would find your way here, O' Unholy and Omnipotent One."

"Not Lucifer," the voice replied, "but someone you have 'wronged', Vizier." The hunched figure of the robed deity straightened, turning around to greet the owner of the voice. Instead he was met with the outline of a shimmering golden knight, cloaked in a bright scarlet robe with silver wrists and a waist. The scarlet hood fell away, revealing the shimmering gold visor of the ruler of Envy. The Vizier coughed before excusing the interruption. "Ah. The ruler of Envy. What brings you to my abode this evening?"

The Golden Knight swept forward, gesturing to the balcony. "Look at you. Even after you've wronged them, you demonstrate hospitality and generosity to all, regardless of their origin." The Vizier sighed, rubbing one of his amber eyes. "It is my duty. If no one else will offer generosity in Lucifer's court, then I must be the one to pull the rest of the world's weight." The Golden Knight stiffened as the Vizier sucked in a slow breath, unclenching his wrinkled fist. "Because in the end, somebody has to." The gold visor of the Knight waved to the left, gesturing to the entrance to the temple interior.

"You shouldn't have to take everything onto your shoulders, Vizier. I understand your worries. You're a tired Demon, one who feels the burden to bear the stupidity and the ignorance of Hell." The Vizier sighed, his weary eyes curling back in the abyss beneath his hood. "Perhaps, Golden Knight, perhaps." Straightening himself upright, the Vizier removed a hand from behind his back, summoning the icon of Gluttony into the air, a golden apple with a blue stem and eyeballs decorating its shimmering surface, and holding it into the air.

"My life was one of neglect and dismay from my peers from a very young and ancient age. I spend my life making up for those mistakes." The Golden Knight swept up in the scarlet red cloak, masking the gold visor and horns with red. "As you wish, Vizier. I may have words about your actions, but even I can respect the devotion to peace and a will as strong as yours." As the Golden Knight stepped away, leaving the Vizier to his rest on the basalt stone railing, the hunched form of the shrouded Demon blew in the wind, twisting in its scraps of ancient leather and paper.