"Demons?!" Sophia yelled, her voice full of shock and worry. The silver-haired woman in front of them—Lilith—just giggled softly, her eyes sparkling with old secrets.
"Yes, demons," Lilith said. "You seem surprised, miss."
"I mean... who wouldn't be?" Lu shot back, arms crossed tight over his chest, his face set in a hard line. "Aren't demons the worst enemies of witches? They caused so much pain on earth that they had to be locked away."
"You're right," Lilith replied, her tone steady and sure. "And that's why I called you here today. You three are going to become the champions who wipe them out for good."
"But aren't they... like... your kids?" Amara asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. Lilith smirked, leaning back in her chair carved from dark stone, the air around her humming with faint red light.
"Let me share a little secret," Lilith said. "The reason I'm called the Mother of Demons isn't because I gave birth to them. No, it was simpler than that. I was the first demon to ever walk these realms."
"What?" they all shouted at the same time, their voices bouncing off the cavern walls lit by flickering torches.
"Yes, that's right," Lilith went on, her smile widening. "It's common with demons. I'm the first of the thirteen Cardinal Demons."
"Thirteen Cardinal Demons?" Lu asked, leaning forward. Amara looked just as lost, her eyes wide. But Sophia stayed quiet, her face pale as she gripped the edge of the stone table.
Lilith nodded. "The thirteen Cardinal Demons—the very first ones. They hold crazy high power and tons of magic energy. I am Lilith, Mother of Demons, Queen of Lust, the rebel woman cursed by the Creator for chasing equality in the Garden of Eden. Second came Cain, son of Eve, the first killer among humans, cursed to wander after murdering his brother out of jealousy.
"Third was Nebuchadnezzar, the tyrant who fought God, turned into a beast demon. Fourth, Azazel, the scapegoat, also called the goat demon. Fifth, Jezebel, queen of lies, the demon of false words.
"Sixth, the Prince of Persia, born from unanswered prayers, once a fallen angel. Seventh, Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies, often mixed up with Satan himself.
"Eighth, Dagon, half-man, half-fish, the first merperson, who lured sailors to their deaths. Ninth, Chemosh, a farmer at heart, cursed after he mocked believers and said he didn't need the Creator's help.
"Tenth, Pharaoh, the captor, master of chains and prisons. Then Legion, the lowest rank but a big deal after being driven out by the true one.
"Twelfth, Herod, killer of children, sworn enemy to new life. And last, Judas, the betrayer. That's all thirteen Cardinal Demons."
Amara and Lu leaned in close, hooked on every word. The old stories about demons pulled them in like a good book—the twists, the curses, the endless fights.
"I see you're up on your history," Lilith said, still smiling.
"Every other demon out there is low rank, under our watch," she added. "Those are the ones messing up the balance between worlds, jumping into human bodies."
"And these are what Mona Lisa sealed away a thousand years ago?" Amara asked, her voice full of pride. "She really was the strongest ever."
"She had help from the Masquerades and Archangel Michael," Lilith said. "Even then, she couldn't make a seal that lasted forever."
"I think a thousand years counts as long enough," Lu muttered under his breath, glancing at the glowing cracks in the cave floor.
"What's the deal between Masquerades and demons anyway?" Amara asked, tilting her head.
"Oh, those?" Sophia jumped in, her voice steady. "They're spirits born from every idea in the universe. That saying 'there's a spirit for everything'? It comes from them. Some Masquerades are mostly good, but the bad ones sometimes team up with demons. That's a tale for later."
"Now, let's get to the point," Lilith said, straightening up. "The reason I brought you here..."
"Wait," Amara cut in. "If the barriers are weak, why haven't you broken out yet?"
Lilith chuckled low. "I have no interest in cheap escapes. This is my home—Lisa couldn't trap me even if she tried. I'm way stronger than that."
Amara nodded fast, satisfied.
"The reason you're here," Lilith went on, "is I need you three to help me take down the Cardinal Demons. For good."
"We? No way!" Sophia burst out. "Yeah," Lu and Amara added together, shaking their heads.
"But you can," Lilith said. "Deep down, you know your strength. Amara, the blessed one with chaos magic. Sophia, the smart one whose blood powers grow stronger every day. And Lu, touched by Hecate and Gaia themselves. You're a full team of powerhouses."
"But how?" Sophia asked, gritting her teeth. "We're still young witches, just learning."
"You have eleven weeks until the next Cosmos Shift," Lilith replied. "That's when the demons break free. Train hard, build your skills, face your fears. Only then can you save everything."
A low rumble shook the ground, like distant thunder rolling closer.
"It's time to go," Lilith said, her voice tight with worry. She flicked her right wrist, and a rift tore open behind them—a swirling blue tear in the air, edges crackling with energy.
"Use this portal to get home," she urged.
"Uh... not to be rude," Sophia said, eyes narrowing, "but where are we exactly?"
"You're in hell, silly," Lilith answered with a wink. Before they could even blink, she snapped her fingers. The rift surged forward like a wave, swallowing them whole in a rush of cold wind and flashing lights.