At the Brink of Insanity

Chapter 21: No Game No Life

"This is my mother's pendant." replied the boy while holding his sacred treasure. He was shivering, but no way was he giving the only thing that reminded him of his mother. It was left to him by her and he planned to keep it his.

"I gave that to your mother. I want it back now that she's dead." said Lucifer, boring holes in Dante. He was going to take that pendant back either way. 

"Pendants are source of demonic powers, right? Aren't those rings on your fingers the same? What do you need my pendant for?" defended the white haired kid, pointing at Lucifer's rings on his fingers.

"If I get up from this chair I'm going to rip that pendant from your neck, along with your neck. Your choice." Lucifer's voice was harsh, deep, serious, making the kid realize how much he actually wanted it. Which meant that pendant had a special meaning to the King of Hell and a certain reason why he wanted it.

"Chill, Lou!" a voice came from the left corner. Beelzebub was leisurely sitting in a chair, his hands behind his head, smiling at the scene before him. "The kid's going to piss his pants if you continue like this. Also," he turned his attention to Dante, "he may not look it, but Lou's got a thing for rings. He certainly knows how to put a ring on it." Beelzebub laughed at his pun.

Seeing his friend and first in command, Lucifer smiled back and gave his friend the middle finger. Unlike others who were thinking about poker game, which they were bound to lose, William was watching and listening to the exchange of two demons. He came to conclusion that those two are best friends. 

"I don't need a bodyguard, Bub." said Lucifer, "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. I'm a big boy." 

"No, what you really are is a stubborn adolescent idiot." replied Beelzebub smiling, "And stop scaring these kids or you won't get any chocolate chip cookies."

"Mom!" whined Lucifer, which made Beelzebub, and then him as well, to burst out laughing. 

The kids didn't know how to react. They have never expected Devil to be so laid back and friendly. Well, it obviously depended on the person he was talking to. William found himself smiling, which resulted in unpleasant stares from his girlfriend and other fellow classmates. 

"So you knew my mother as well?" the boy asked the question that was stuck in his head from the moment Lucifer mentioned his pendant. 

"Your mom was Camille Poe, correct?" asked Lucifer. Dante nodded his head, waiting for the rest of the answer. "Your mom was the biggest idiot I have ever met in my lifetime. And believe me, I met a lot of idiots, the first one being Bub over there."

"Oh, come on! She was the best biggest idiot you have ever met!" laughed Beelzebub, while trying to compose himself. That got attention of all kids. Now everyone wanted to know the story.

"What was she like?" Iris found herself asking the question, which earned attention from everyone around her. 

"How about we start playing the game and I'll tell you while we play." commanded Lucifer. David told the King of Hell that they didn't know poker to the point they would be able to win and asked if they could play something else, something like chess. Against his will, Lucifer accepted, even though he loved chess.

They let Natalia play against Lucifer. She has won trice the junior national chess championship, so as expected, they all decided to put their faith in her. But of course, Lucifer being Lucifer, had to add a twist to the game. And the deal was this: if they are able to win against him, he'll do whatever they wish him to do, but, if the person playing against him loses, they turn into a chess piece and come with him to Hell. Accepting, because they didn't have any other choice, kids sealed their destiny once more.