Chapter 3: Red Sea Arc, Part One

  Van Gate finally spoke, still confused and not understanding the meaning of "your face does remind me of someone." Has he said, "What do you mean by that, demon? I'm ordering you to tell me."

  After this, a minute passed—a long, grueling minute. The cold air came into the luxury penthouse suite from the outside while Beelzebub simply sat on the plastic chair sipping his martini. Has he finally spoke, as he said, "Oh nothing. I was just reminiscing about the past. It's really nothing that important. Look at the time, it's 4:00 a.m. You should be going to sleep, shouldn't you? You humans need that."

  Van Gate, still slightly annoyed and irritated as the cold air hit his face, heard the comment of it already being 4 a.m. He looked down at his watch; he had adjusted to Cairo time out of habit and saw that it was indeed 4:00 a.m. With this he said, "I guess you're right. I should be going to bed."

  Van Gate paused before he left to go to sleep. Has he asked a question, has he said, "I have a question, Lord of the Flies. What are the other six Sins like, anyways?"

  Beelzebub let out a genuine smirk—something he hadn't done in over tens of thousands of years. Has he grinned at the comment and said, "Oh, so you're interested? I'll delight your little interest. Let's see... the best way to put it: Lucifer's prideful, always busy with cosmic paperwork. He's arrogant, that's pretty accurate. Dude does like his wife, Lilith, though."

  Beelzebub continued to talk as he said, "Envy, Leviathan... the best way to describe their personality is utterly envying the fact that everyone else can shape-shift while they cannot. How do I know they are a part of me? Cuz I kind of ate them. I don't know how I pulled off eating a serpent that's the size of the world in length."

  Van Gate looked utterly, completely baffled. Has he let out a long sigh, and with this he said, "You ate one of your brothers? What is wrong... oh my God, just continue talking. I don't want to dwell on this no more."

  Beelzebub didn't care to answer why they ate one of their own brothers. As they continued to talk, they said, "Let's see now... Asmodeus, Lord of Lust. He is... the best way to describe it, he is a big old softie. Chill. Doesn't like to get into the politics. He's all that lovey-dovey crap. Bro even makes everyone in Hell celebrate Valentine's Day."

  Beelzebub continued to muse on. Has he said, "Now me? What I like to do in my free time, before I got in this predicament with you? Eat people, wander around sleeping trees, skinny dip in secret lakes, go to forests that humans haven't even discovered yet. Just wander, really. I prefer it that way, being all by myself."

  Van Gate didn't say anything, but he seemingly seemed to show a bit of empathy. Has he thought: But doesn't that get lonely, just wandering for eons?

  Beelzebub continued to sit in the plastic chair, crossing his legs once again and swiveling the straw in his martini around, the ice clanking around in the concoction. Has he then proceeded to take a long sip.

  Van Gate looked at Beelzebub for a long minute as the hot, warm Cairo air breathed into the luxury penthouse. Has he said, "Know what? Tomorrow is our last day in this place before we have to start the trip to the Red Sea. I'm feeling generous, demon. We're going to the beach tomorrow."

  Beelzebub let out a long, unnerving grin. Has he started cackling, and he said, "Oh, the beach? That's... that's hilarious. Well then, you should be getting some sleep then." And with this, Beelzebub flipped back and started doing cartwheels into the house. Has he then landed perfectly in front of Van Gate and walked off to go to sleep.

  With this, Van Gate continued to walk as he made it to the one bedroom in the penthouse suite, full-on knowing Beelzebub was going to have to sleep on the couch. And with this, he unlocked the door, opened it, then shut it.

  Has he proceeded to take off his shoes and socks, his feet hitting the cold tile ground. He took off his belt, pants, and his entire suit. Has he then proceeded to put on black shorts and a white shirt. Has he got into bed, the warm blankets—the silk and the fabric and the wool—wrapping around him like a tight net. Has he drifted off into sleep.

  With this, the hours of the night passed through slowly, one by one like droplets of water, until it was morning, 8:00 a.m. in Cairo. Date: August 16th, 2023. With this, Van Gate slowly woke up, his eyes blinking rapidly. Has he kicked down his alarm haphazardly, making it turn off. With this, he looked to the right side of him and saw that the door was open, even though he had clearly left it locked last night.

  Van Gate then realized his left arm was completely pinned down like it was under the weight of a person.

  Has a cold jolt of confusion went through his body as he slowly turned his head to the left side. Has his face then turned a deep, flustered red.

  Sleeping there right next to him was Beelzebub. With this, he immediately jumped up like a cat. Has he jumped up, he fell onto the floor, hitting his head, as he got up and screamed, "What the FUCK, Beelzebub?!"

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  With this, Beelzebub opened his eyes and did a backflip, landing next to Van Gate. Has he let out a not-needed yawn—excluding the fact he doesn't need to yawn—has he said, "Good morning. But you see, I came to quite a predicament last night. As you went to sleep, I laid on that uncomfortable silk couch for 30 minutes. So, in conclusion, I just snuck in here and slept in the bed. It's not that big of a deal."

  Van Gate didn't even speak. Has he simply dressed back into his black suit, grabbed a suitcase, and put in three black swim trunks and different sets of clothes. Has he simply then proceeded to slam the suitcase at Beelzebub, sending the Lord of the Flies flying, actually whacking the Lord of the Flies in the skull with a large crack. A sound that sounded like he accidentally killed him, just for the Lord of the Flies' skull to knit back together with a crunching, wet, tearing sound.

  With this, Beelzebub rose back up and snapped his fingers. Has his hair was now slicked back again with one bang out, his four eyes open, his medium gray-tinted circular glasses on. Has he was now back in his signature black boots, black pants, black shirt with sleeves, black corset, and black trench coat with fur around the collar, with his black tie and his signature gray scarf hanging messy across his neck. As he said, "Well, let's get out of this place, boy."

  With this, Van Gate and Beelzebub left the penthouse walking. Has their shoes made no noise on the carpet, the only noise the wheels of the suitcase screeching along. Has they finally made it down the hallway, they got into a black BMW that was waiting. Has Kaelyn the butler, wearing his black and white butler suit, as soon as he saw them enter the car, he turned on the car and started up as they first headed to a bar for a drink.

  With this, 30 minutes passed. The only sound the hum of the engine, the sound of stoplights, and cars screeching across the pavement.

  Has they finally made it to their stop and parked the car. With this they got out as they walked down a flight of stone stairways into an underground area, the clack of their shoes making a distinct sound as they entered an old-fashioned bar that looked like it was right out of the 1930s.

  Has they walked in, they all sat down at the bar table. Has Van Gate order a scotch, and Beelzebub ordered red wine, while Kaelyn simply ordered just straight beer.

  The atmosphere in the bar was strangely somber, though quite quiet, like if impending doom was reeking in it. Beelzebub was quite off; as he started to drink the wine, his lower eyes were closed and his horns seemed a bit dim. Has he said, "Let's all take a picture. Just the three of us. A black and white picture from a black and white camera. I feel like if we don't do it now, we won't ever get to do it again. I feel like this is the one year all of us will be in the same place for a while, or even be able to do something like this."

  Van Gate let out a chuckle, clearly already intoxicated within the first 3 minutes. Has he said, "Okay, Mr. Depressing. Someone's clearly drunk."

  With this, Beelzebub pulled out a small, old black and white camera. Has he placed it on the bar counter towards them. Before it was about to go off and take a picture, a black cat walked by and clicked it, automatically taking the picture. And with this, the picture was stuck. The atmosphere was still somber, but a bit funny now, like if it had lightened up a bit.

  Kaelyn let out a somber chuckle as he reminisced. He said, "Oh, this is funny. I remember it was such a long time ago... my old workplace. Our boss had a weird habit of taking pictures in black and white cameras. We should probably get going here. We only stopped here for a quick drink after all."

  With this 20 grueling minutes passed still somber but oddly funny and nice and warm minutes past has van gate and Beelzebub kaelyn's got up as they walked out of the bar the chime of the door making a distinct noise as they walked up the same Stone stairs and got back into the BMW the engine roaring to life has the wheels started driving scraping across the pavement.

  then with this the minutes shifted away relatively fast as before they knew it they were at the beach Beelzebub looked around as he scratched has all the bones in his back or what could be described his bones all popped rhythmically has he said well let's go find a spot I'm in a somewhat good mood.

  With this Beelzebub began to run has the sand on the beach screeched up has his boots ran through it the waves hitting the lower parts of his boots has he rhythmically ran across the shoreline The sound of seagulls birds water and the sand all merging into nothing more than white noise to him.

  With this after a few minutes the group found a small secluded area in the beach with hardly any other people it was surrounding a cliff side underneath it was a part of the beach with a pathway that led to the top of the cliff side growing out of the cliff side was a distinct tree with a Long Branch.

  Meanwhile van gate was already in full swimming attire wearing nothing more than black swim shorts has he pulled out a chair and opened it has he spiked a dark blue umbrella with white patterns down.

  With this Beelzebub ran over to van gate and snapped his fingers has his clothes changed into nothing more than grey swimming shorts his body on full display as he then grabbed one of the white retractable chairs and retracted it open has he then spiked it down a long beach umbrella with light blue and white patterns.

  But then suddenly Beelzebub grabbed van gate right hand pulling him up so fast that the descendant of Solomon was actually completely baffled for a minute and with this before he noticed he was running across the sand it digging into the crevices of his feet the warm hot sand nice and relaxing.

  Has Beelzebub kept running there was an actual genuine smile on his face has he said keep up this is fun we're going to go all the way up to that cliff on the tree.

  Has they continued the run the sand and the ocean tide hit their legs and feet the sound of seagulls and birds becoming relaxing and calming and before they knew it they were already up at the top of the cliff side.

  Has they stood there the moment was surreal the sun setting a perfect backdrop has Beelzebub looked at the tree and has gracefully like cat he proceeded to do cartwheels cartwheeling all the way back on the branch till he landed perfectly right on the edge of it.

  Van gate actually looked worried and flustered has he said don't get too close to the edge you'll fall off

  But Beelzebub did not listen has he did a flip off the branch landing perfectly onto the ground his feet making perfect contact with the sand has he started generally laughing in Joy has he heard the genuinely worried screaming and running of Van gate trying to get down the cliff.

  But then has Beelzebub looked down at the water he saw a familiar face in it appearing it was a face with a light skin tone complexion messy unkempt black hair with seaweed the jagged red horns on its face has it said hello father it seems to me the Lord of the flies has gone soft this will be fun indeed I can't wait to see you at the Red Sea.

  Beelzebub went deathly quiet has he saw the face of his son Abezethibou has he looked at the face with pure disgust in his eyes he said go away you want to really disgusting wench and with this he kicked the face has it did nothing has the face disappeared into nothingness.

  And with almost comedic timing van gate finally made it down panting heavily out of breath as he said you idiot why would you do that you almost made me forget that you're not a damn demon I thought you were going to die you damn idiot.

  Beelzebubs simply let out a genuine smile has he said oh there's no one that can kill me in this world I am the lord of flies let's get going pretty boy

  Van gate froze has he heard the word pretty boy has his face became a deep dark shade of crimson has he said I am not a pretty boy now let's get going and with this they walked off heading back to their seats but not before a

  ominous slightly Red mist started rolling in the background when they could not see.