Redemption in Hell

Awakening

     I woke up on a cold marble floor. I didn't dare sit up out of fear for the monster who had taken me. It was hard to believe only this morning I was with my family. Everything was fine until Lacia got sick. My little sister, Lacia, had caught some strange foreign virus from her fiance, Lifiua. Though, he couldn't be to blame since it wasn't his idea to marry her. They were born to marry each other. They don't get to choose.
I, at least, was able to get the medicine to her. And now I remembered what happened. I am dead. It was not just a lucid dream I had, but the reality of death.
I suppose... I am in Heaven?
Maybe the monster was just delivering me?
I sat up with that thought and looked around. Heaven was strange. "You are awake." I gasped as the monster from before stood up from a chair which seemed to be made of some strange metal. Maybe this is what the foreigners had called symphia? It looked like silver from the fairytale books.
"Well, that was rude." He said. My eyes widened. "N-no. It wasn't you." I slightly lied. "The chair!" I exclaimed. It was half true. The monster man talking was also very shocking. He nodded. "Silver, shocking I know." He said. He came closer to me and I stood up. "Am I in heaven?" I asked. He laughed. "Not even close, Redemption" How does he know my name? "Then am I dead?" He nodded crossing his arms over his chest. "Then.... " He nodded with a smirk. "Yes, you're in Phalodia." My eyes widened. Hell... "I'm in Hell?" I asked using the more common term. He nodded. I felt the room spin. "B-but why?" I asked confused. He shrugged. "Reasons." He said. I had felt light headed, but suddenly I felt a fire within myself.
"I don't understand. I'm always kind! I've never lied or stolen, I am respectful and I pray every day. I'm a good person!" I said confused. He nodded. "That's why you aren't being roasted alive right now. See... I am one of Destraer's servants... and he has decided to keep you happy and healthy in his palace for good. So welcome and please enjoy your stay!" He said. Destraer... The devil...
"I am in Hell by invitation of the Devil?" The demon winced. "Harsh words.... But yes. Please don't think of it so awfully hard though. Hell really isn't that bad. I'm Joxxiu by the way. I'm sorry about earlier, but you freaked out." I froze. This sucks. "Why does Destraer want me here?" I asked still confused.
"Well, you see. Have you ever noticed how everyone but you have a fiance? Of course you have. You don't have a birthmark matching anyone else's in the world. That's because Destraer has the matching birthmark. Which means you were born to wed him which I'm even confused about, but anyway congratulations. I'm sure you'd like to meet him... So right this way." He said turning and heading towards a gigantic door. "Um.. actually can you just take me back home?" I asked trying not to sound rude. I definitely did not want to marry Destraer! Or live in Hell!
He looked over his shoulder at me. "Um... No." He replied. I frowned. "He's really not as bad as you think he is. He doesn't even kill people anymore!" Joxxiu said. I frowned. That didn't help anything. I sighed and followed behind him.
Maybe I could ask Destraer to let me go.... Yeah. That's the stupidest plan ever. I don't even know how to comprehend this situation.
Joxxiu led me down many matching hallways before we came to a set of blood red double doors. Joxxiu knocked twice and waited for permission to enter. "Go away. I'm still tired!" The voice was deep and sounded like it was demanding more rest. Joxxiu blushed a bit obviously embarrassed. "Sir, I brought Redemption." I heard a loud thud from inside as if something had fallen. "Sir?" Joxxiu asked. "Shall I take her to the other room?" He asked. "Do as you please." The voice said from inside. "I'll just wait." Joxxiu said with a little smirk.
I awkwardly looked away from the door as more loud thumping noises came from inside the room. "I think he's cleaning." Joxxiu whispered. I nodded. What kind of cleaning is that? "Enter." The voice finally said. My palms were sweating. I am about to meet Destraer, the Destroyer, Ruler of Hell. I walked in keeping my eyes locked on the floor and my palms were sweating. I almost wetted myself. "Redemption?" Joxxiu whispered. I looked up at him and he nodded in front of him. I slowly looked up.
"H-hi." If I wasn't dead I would have died. "You are Destraer?" I asked. He nodded. "You're not as ugly as I thought you would be." I said trying to joke. Maybe he's not so bad? He frowned. "As ugly? Does that mean I am still ugly to some extent?" He asked. I froze. "N-no of course not!" I said. He chuckled. "I'm joking. Calm down. " He said. I didn't know what to do. He stopped laughing. "Joxxiu, you are dismissed." My eyes widened. Joxxiu nodded and left. Shutting the doors behind him.
"You can sit down." He said. I looked around. Aside from the chair he was sitting in there was only a bed and a chair on the otherside of the room. "I'm fine." I said. He narrowed his eyes. He lifted his left hand and moved his pointer finger in a circular motion. A chair matching his, except for smaller appeared in front of me. "Sit." I did as I was told. I was grateful as well since my legs were aching since I slept on a floor... And died before that. "Did Joxxiu explain why you're here?" He asked. I nodded. "Where's your birthmark?" He asked. I stood, lifted my shirt, and showed him the birth mark above my belly button. He nodded. "Well. That settles it then. How is June?" He asked. "June? How is June for what?" I asked confused. He rolled his eyes. "The wedding." He said. My eyes widened. "Um... About that.. I was-" he shook his head. "You're already dead, I couldn't take you back to your family even if I wanted to. Which I don't. I'm a nice guy. You'll get used to me." He said. I frowned. "No offense-" he shook his head again. "If you have to say no offense before it don't say it. You'll get to know me." This guy was reading my mind. "Okay..." It wasn't the worst thing that could happen.
He seemed nice, and had awesome horns! Oh and he was good looking and owned a palace but that's whatever. He laughed. "You can touch them if you want to." He said. My face turned red, but I mean if he was offering.. "They're real?" I asked, which was stupid now that I think about it. It's not like I saw someone with horns every day, though. O my elves had horns. He nodded.
I stood up from the chair he had conjured, which was pretty advanced magic, and walked over to him. I made sure not to make eye contact and reached out touching his horn. I grabbed it and tugged on it a little. He laughed. "Just checking..." I said before turning around and walking back over to the chair.
"You're not as old and scary as I thought you'd be." I said sitting down. "You aren't as scared as I thought you'd be." He said back. I smiled a little at that. "This is true. Probably because you're not an old man with slimy tentacles and fangs down to your knees." I said. He laughed. "I'm glad my reputation is that of an ancient vampire octopus." He said.
That made a question pop up in my head. "Are you a vampire? Or are you really a god? Why don't you age? Are you dead like me?" He stopped laughing. "Hmm.. thats quite a lot of questions for someone expecting an octopus." He said. I smiled. "I was expecting a talking octopus." I said. He smiled back at me and I noticed little fangs.
"I'm not a vampire. Those only live in your realm. A god, flattering. I don't age because I am a godly deity. I'm not dead because I was never alive. Does that answer your questions?" I nodded taking in the information. "Good. It's my turn then." He said. "How did you die?" He asked. My eyes widened and the memory flooded my brain. I took a moment to answer and he waited patiently.
"I was bringing medicine to my sister, Lacia. Her fiance was originally supposed to get it, but she asked him to stay with her which left me or my mother, and my mom would rather have me away as it is, since I had the cursed mark or whatever. She was loving, but I think I made her uneasy. She started to blame me for my sister's sickness. So I retrieved the medicine and brought it back to the house. Mother then told me to go to the market and get some spices she would need to help cure Lacia's illness... On the way there I got jumped by three men who tried to take my money. I fought back and got hit in the head by one of them. I woke up in the field that Joxxiu found me in." I said finishing my story. He frowned. He hesitated for a minute before speaking and his smirk returned.
"You are very open with me. That's a good thing." He said. I smiled. "Maybe. So do you have a family?" I asked. He shrugged. "Not blood related. I was never born so, of course, I don't have parents. Which is a good thing. I'm not exactly the good son type. I suppose Joxxiu is the closest thing I have to family." He said and then winked. "And then come June we'll see." He said. My eyes widened. "Maybe." I said before standing up with my stomach growling. "Now, where's the food in this place?" He laughed and stood up. "This way."