“You have a blood red body, three feet tall, each arm is six inches, legs a foot each, two inch fangs, six inch talons and three inch claws. Your wingspan is two feet and horns six inches as well. I don’t measure tails though. You seem like a perfectly normal demon. NOW GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!!!”


I flash Lucipher a menacing smile, wheel on my heels, and walk out. Frustrated, I mutter a curse as well as a few insults in Lucipher’s direction. I scoff at the idea of me, DeVil, who is destined for greatness, being an average Abyss resident. It’s quite an absurd accusation as I have a tail unlike many others. You would receive a tail as a punishment if you fail your early independence examination, which I failed. It’s supposed to be a disadvantage; however I have learned to use it as deadly weapon and helpful tool. Last year I became 114 which is the year of independence. It means I don’t have to be coddled or tutored. It also means that I have the right to challenge official rules. Official rules include challenging our overlord as well.


Of course everybody says that I am normal, though they mean to say that I seem normal up until I go on psychotic rants of how I plan to overthrow Lucipher, our current leader. This year, I got the opportunity to challenge Lucipher for the throne over Abyss, the capital of the demons. I have just been checked and now I am to perform three ordeals. One ordeal is a trial by water in which I have to prove my leadership qualities. The second ordeal is a hunt for a great hero and the third ordeal is always a mystery. Most people don’t know what it is going to happen until right before their ordeal begins. I realize my first ordeal is now and I run through the tunnel and smile as I spot myself on the scoreboard. The officials forced me to wear a bunch of miniature cameras so I can be watched at all times by spectators.


Now I listen for the buzzer while ignoring the droning officials restating the rules that I already know. Lead a rescue team to help save the demons that fall into a pit of water. A buzzer sounds and out of nowhere I get blasted by a water projectile. All demons’ weakness is water as our blood is boiled to 328 degrees Fahrenheit. I gasp for air, gather my bearings, and direct a team of rescuers to the demons in the lake. Within three minutes I realize how incompetent my crew is and swim into the lake collecting the demons seconds before the timer runs out. I throw each one onto the side of the lake and I begin to feel like this ordeal is really community service in disguise.


I swim freestyle as fast as I can to the edge of the lake and hoist myself up. I am instantly greeted by the demons that I just saved with a quick embrace from each. I brush off my hands and scream “WHAT’S NEXT?!” I hear a roar in the crowd and I realize that my next challenge is to track and hunt down a hero of true strength and glory. I am also given the option to surrender and to have a quick execution. Of course I refuse and select a champion named Tiberius. Then I set off. I march holding my head high to our geyser system which allows demons to travel up to the Surface. I step on top of a geyser and wait for it to blow me to the Surface. Within a second I am vaulted into the air and I land conveniently close to my prey’s secret hideout. Then I begin to set up an ambush for the same man who slaughtered my father, another rebel.

Just like my father did many years ago, I selected Tiberius in the three ordeals. However, my motive is completely different from his. I gather the necessary berries each filled with various lethal toxins and dab each type of poison onto a differently labeled arrow. I fit the first poison tipped arrow into the makeshift crossbow I created out of wood, elastic bands, and sturdy glue. I patiently wait for Tiberius. I notice that he is bringing home a woman and I now change my plan. Working quickly, I rig a pitfall trap in the ground which contains a claymore. It activates when a certain amount of weight is put on the unstable ground above it. I figure that if I can shoot him from any of the trees and remain unseen, I can ambush him in front of his girl. Then I can shove him into my trap and battle him there.

I select a tall tree and I shoot Tiberius in the hand with the poisoned arrow making him dizzy. He falls into my trap and then I sneak out of my hiding spot and shimmy down the tree. I see Tiberius’ woman start to cry as she realizes her love is trapped. I feel no pity for that woman. Tiberius killed someone close to me and I am merely returned the favor.

I jump down and sneak up behind him, pull back my hand, and slash at his back. He seems to sense my blow and parries it with a giant claymore. Before I know it, I feel a sudden pain in my wings, reach back, only to find them gone. I spit fire in Tiberius’ face and move in for the kill. He asks me why and I reply coldly with, “I do what I have to do”. I strip him of his claymore, then of his life, honor, and anything else he may have acquired as I plunge his own sword into his heart. I toss the claymore aside, lift his large, lifeless body onto my shoulders and plummet down the geyser I came up from.


I hold up the body over my head and listen to the chants of death from the crowd. I have the just passed the second ordeal and now have final ordeal to pass. Standing in my way of overlord is Lucipher himself. He stomps out of a cave and I am grabbed by guards and flung into an arena. Lucipher flies and falls, landing on my head, and he begins to crush it with his gigantic foot. I roll, slice his Achilles tendon, and watch him wriggle around, blood gushing out of his wound. I use my tail to dig into his neck, then the thud of his pulse goes quiet. I lift his head above mine with my tail to prove to all that a tail is a benefit and then I claim my crown. I have a few laws for the demons, and I start preparing the army for an assault on the surface. Each and every warrior is taught how to use his brand new weapon, a tail. I am DeVil overlord of the underworld and Abyss. Soon I will make my own legacy.