Xa’raven sat by himself, sipping on a local wine at the bar in the nearly empty inn. The barkeep, a cute local girl with shoulder length hair of red curls, sniffled as she tended to her few patrons, sucking back the grief she couldn’t seem to shake. Vimak, as was typical of the goliath, tried his best to raise the spirits of the young barkeep by playing a happy tune on his flute. It seemed to work, at least insofar as her eyes had somewhat dried and she sniffled considerably less.  

“Raven…” Tobias called out to him as he approached. “Do you have a minute to talk?” He asked in the infernal tongue of the Nine Hells.

Bex turned her head curiously to the right as the bird seemed to grin through her beaked mouth. 

“Sure, of course my friend.” Raven smiled as he stood. “But perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere…” He looked around the room apprehensively. “… a bit more private.”

Tobias nodded and followed him up the stairs into the room Raven had rented, shutting the door behind him. Raven’s bird fluttered to the desk as the warlock found a seat on the edge of the bed. He motioned for Tobias to take the chair.

“You recognize the symbol on my shield don’t you?” The paladin asked.

“It’s the coat of arms of the Knights of the Shield. Few know about their infernal origin. Most simply believe them to be a chivalrous order of knights.”

“And this…” He asked, flipping his holy symbol to its opposite side. “Do you know this sigil?”

“Gargauth. The Tenth Lord.” Raven replied.

“What can you tell me about him?”

The warlock glanced over to Z’beksiya who was watching with keen interest. She had an intelligent look in her eyes, far beyond that of a typical bird.

“He…” Raven hesitated. “The Tenth Lord was so vile and evil that even the other arch devils of hell could not bear to suffer him. Now depending on whom you ask…” He glanced at Bex again. “You might hear that he was exiled, banished from hell. Others believe he left of his own accord to plot his own ascension to the Infernal Seat of Asmodeus. I wish I could tell you more but I was only taught enough to learn a healthy fear and respect for his power.”

“Well that’s unsettling.” The paladin wore a look of worry. “Does the name Naomi mean anything to you?”

“Naomi?” Raven thought for a few moments… “I don’t think so… Should it?”

“I… I don’t know…” Tobias shook his head. “I hear her voice. I have since the House of Lament.”

“What do you mean?” Raven asked, leaning toward him. His face was focused, his expression one of concern. 

Tobias wasn’t sure what he should say. He wanted answers and this might be his best and safest opportunity to get them except… there was this feeling of embarrassment he couldn’t shake, as if some part of him knew he had done something terrible that shouldn’t be spoken about. He stood and paced slowly toward a window, staring blankly out into the nearly deserted town.

“Were you truly born in hell?” Tobias asked. 

“I was, Malboge to be exact. I grew up in the palace of the Archduchess of the Sixth, Glasya. My mother was the Erinyes, Ariecelli, my father…” He paused as if trying to choose the correct words. “…was a great hero. Or so I’m told. He was lost to dragons shortly after I was born. They say he was killed or imprisoned, depending who tells it. Why do you ask?”

“You seem to be a good man my friend, certainly a contradiction to all I was taught. Can you be of hell and still be good? I’m hoping you are the answer to the question. If you could be born in hell and live a good life then isn’t there hope for someone who might simply be hell touched?”

“What have you done?” Raven asked through the worry of a loud whisper.

“I think I made an infernal bargain with a devil named Naomi. Back at the House of Lament, we were losing. I thought… I thought we’d all be killed. She offered to help if I set her free. I wasn’t sure what that meant but I agreed anyway. I have the feeling she’s with me now… a part of me. I’m still not sure what she wants beyond release but she whispers to me, advises me. And I can do things I never could before like see in the dark and speak infernal. Part of me is scared but part of me…” He shook his head again.

“Likes the power?” Raven asked calmly.

“Yeah.” The paladin bowed his head. 

“I like you Tobias. You are a good man, perhaps the best of us, you and Dunkle I’d say. I want to help you but I’m not sure I can. But you trusted me with this secret so I will trust you with mine.” The warlock turned to his familiar. “Bex, who is Naomi?”

The bird hopped off the desk and landed on the bed. In a flash it transformed from a stark black raven to an alluring female imp. She bore the look of an Erinyes only small and red, her angelic feathered wings had been replaced with leather bat wings and she had a tail ending in a sharp spine.

“What makes you think I know?” She asked pointedly.

“Is that… Is she…”

“A devil, yes. Have no fear my friend. She won’t harm you. Z’beksiya was an Erinyes who was punished for my disappearance. She’s stuck in this form until these cursed lands allow us to return home.”

“I will not be an imp forever Raven.” She threatened more than stated.

“No, of course not Bex. So what do you know?”

“It sounds like the fool bargained with a devil, and a nasty one at that.” She said in infernal words.

“I did say I understand that language now didn’t I?” Tobias said defensively.

“Yes and you’re still a fool for making a deal without a carefully worded contract.”

“What do you mean by nasty Bex?” Raven asked.

“Naomi was an angel of the highest order who believed mortals had been granted far too much power for their juvenile minds to use responsibly. She was angered that they were held less than accountable for their misdeeds. When Asmodeus forged the Pact Primeval, she agreed to the duties of punishing those who transgressed divine law, she abandoned the heavens to join his cause and became one of the original Erinyes. There was merit to her beliefs…”

“Wait what?” Tobias asked in shock. “Are you saying I bargained with an Erinyes?”

“Not just any Erinyes. Naomi was one of the first of my kind, as ancient as she is powerful. What she’d want or need from you is beyond me.” Z’beksiya replied in a condescending tone.

“Well what happened to her. Why would she be trapped in the House of Lament?” Tobias asked.

“If you believe the tales of old, she had a twin brother Beherit, who also served the archdevil in hell. For centuries she remained loyal, reveling in bringing justice to those she believed deserved their torment. It’s believed that sometime later, Asmodeus became furious with Beherit for breaking the restrictions concerning the advancement of devils, specifically, he and another Erinyes named Lucinda begat a child together without his blessing. Asmodeus devoured the child before slaying his two parents. Naomi abandoned the court of the Lord of Nessus and swore fealty to Gargauth in exchange for his promise that upon his ascension, she could supplant and punish Asmodeus for his crime against her family. She became his most trusted lieutenant assuming the persona of The Blue Flame of Vengeance. She was eventually captured, tried and convicted of crimes against the laws of hell and sentenced to serve eternity as a prisoner within an amber monolith.”

“The one I found in the basement?”

“I’m guessing so. But all this is just folk lore. I’ve never met her. But every Erinyes knows her story and her reputation.”

“I think I’m going to be sick.” Tobias had paled.

“It’s ok Tobias. It’s…”

“No! It’s not ok. Am I evil now? What have I become?”

“I don’t think you’re evil Tobias.” Raven said in reassurance. “Besides I learned long ago that good and evil are just polarizing descriptors used by those in power to confuse impressionable masses and control their behavior. I mean anything can be argued as good or evil depending on your point of view.”

“You believe that?” The paladin asked hopefully.

“I do my friend. You’re still you and I have faith in your strength of character.”

“Thanks Raven.”

“But if you start to have invasive, destructive thoughts you’ll let us know right?” Z’beksiya asked.

“Of course, who else could I tell? Hold on. Is that going to happen?”

“She’s not saying it will happen but we’re here if you need us Tobias.”

He reached out to shake hands with the warlock. “Thanks again. You too Z’beksiya. Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about you.”

“I appreciate that. I’m sure in time the others will be better prepared for it. I just don’t want any misunderstandings or ill-informed feelings.” Raven explained.

“Believe me, I get it.”

“And a word of advice Tobias, go easy on speaking infernal. There are those who might find it disconcerting.”

The paladin smiled weakly. “I better get going. There’s still a lot to do.”

“Ok. I’ll be down in a few.”

Tobias nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

“So how damned is he?” Raven asked his familiar.

She turned her head and grimaced.

“Yeah, kind of what I thought.”