Chapter Text
[Your name] and Shadrach worked together for years, each day filled with endless discussions and sketches. [Your name] would show him visions in her realm, inspire him with tales of the beauty of nature and imbue him with the magic of the earth. She whispered to him in his sleep and visited him in his dreams, guiding his hand and his imagination.
The architect became obsessed with the Hanging Gardens, consumed by his desire to create a wonder that would outdo even the greatest feats of engineering and design. [Your name]’s influence over him was undeniable, and with each passing day he fell further and further into his madness. The Garden’s beauty, its power, and his demon’s guidance were like lifeblood, and he held no regrets with his choice even as his body weakened and he invoked the spirit of his work to continue on in his son, his son’s son.
[Your name] watched over their lineage, guided them all, raised them from diapers to chisels to canes and to dust. Days and decades and late-nights of peaceful oil-light rooms filled with endless discussions and sketches. They knew the visions of their father, their father’s father.
As the project drew to a close, [your name] looked fondly on her disciples still, burning her sigil into the frame of their dwelling. The memory of the architect’s mentor came to her, and she sighed. For the first time in decades, she put her feet on the pathway home.
- - -
Satan gazed out at the towering edifice before him. He had heard whispers of a grand project that the Avatar of Inspiration was working on, but he never paid much attention to it. His thoughts were always consumed with his own affairs, so the details were lost on him. But now, as he stood at the foot of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, he realized why word has spread so quickly. The Gardens were a masterpiece, and it was clear that Queen Amytis' influence was everywhere.
Satan's mind began to race as he tried to piece together everything he knew about this demon. He had always been aware of her presence, but he never fully understood her motivations. But now, as he surveyed the gardens, he was coming to understand there was no mistake in her involvement with Diavolo and Lucifer like he had initially assumed. Though nowhere near their level of prestige, or even his own raw power, her mastery of craft was exploitable.
Like himself, they would keep her around as a tool. Discarded when unneeded, recalled for labour. Satan was surprised that amidst his own feelings of rage, there was anger on [your name]’s behalf. Even wasted in the human realm, her work was admirable. Maybe it should be left alone until time unmade it.
But he had faith in history, and jealousy destroyed worthwhile things.
- - -
Satan stood at the edge of the terrace, overlooking the sprawling city below him. It was inconsequential to him; another human city in a too-bright world of short-lived beings. He knew the name only because he was educated, and would feel remiss not to have memorized a major trade route of the humans. Babylon was a footnote to him until he’d weaseled out from Lucifer that [your name] had made a pact here. The eldest was supposed to make sure she didn’t jeopardize herself with the angels. Reckless woman.
Turning from the view, he looked back to the tower of lush green looming up from the desert. Completely out of place in this rocky landscape, tiers on tiers of stacked plateau rose into the sky, water pouring down the walls and threading between cool groves before disappearing over the next ledge and misting the leaves of vegetation closes to the edge. Though his lips curled in annoyance at the clogging nectar in the air, Satan begrudgingly admitted that the work was impressive. Truly a marvel that humans could create such a structure even with the help of a celestial.
Wasting no time, the demon grabbed hold of the closest stalk beside him--a young pine with long needles and cones—before snapping it. He stepped back; the human realm crackled, shimmered, and reshaped around the space he had occupied not a second before.
Unblinking grey eyes bore into him from the figure that had appeared a mere yard from him, resembling a young woman in all except the unnatural stillness surrounding her. Satan sneered, satisfaction welling up at the feeling of her quiet fury bleeding into him. Fucking hot. Always knew how to get a rise out of her.
“Get out, אחד מקרי.*”
He bristled, teeth grinding and finally taking his grip from the broken sapling.
Satan knew [your name] vaguely, an inspiration demoness frequently commissioned by Lucifer’s precious princeling. Always as guarded and tightly wound as the idiots she surrounded herself with, much to his previous amusement. She was perfect to toy with, but there was no worth in exploring in her asinine projects with the humans. She bit off more than she could chew trying to pick a fight with him.
He strolled casually towards her, taking his time pretending to appraise the gardens as he approached. Impressive… but only because it was created by humans. Would be such a shame when the angels found out who helped things along.
As he reached her, he couldn’t help but smirk at her barbed greeting. “My, my, [your name]. No need to be so hostile. I come in peace,” he drawled, his voice laced with sarcasm. He knew how to push her buttons, and enjoyed the reliability of her knowing reactions. He wanted to feel it when she first heard what was planned for this place.
[Your name] remained outwardly stoic, though he still sensed the lingering irritation. “What do you want, Satan?” she asked cooly.
“Oh, nothing much. Just admiring the handiwork of you and your human,” he replied, gesturing towards the gardens. “Although, it would be a shame if anyone… found out about who helped things along. Anyone upstairs.” He added, a mischievous glint in his eye.
[Your name]'s eyes narrowed at his words. “The pact I made with the human was strictly for inspiration during the planning stage. I didn’t do anything beyond that.” She said firmly.
Satan chuckled, the sound deep and rumbling. “Oh, [your name]. Do you really think they’d believe that? You put a huge green mountain in the middle of a wasteland. It’s conspicuous… but don’t let me meddle in your affairs, I guess.” he said, a sly smile playing at his lips.
[Your name] remained silent, her eyes still fixated unblinkingly on him, but he refused to look away. She was seething, but with panic rather than the wrath he was hoping for.
“Well, I’ll be on my way then,” he said finally, turning to leave. “But Lucifer might make up his own mind about doing something before the angels do, so think on that.” He added over his shoulder.
He jumped off the edge, the human realm crackling to reshape around the space he had occupied not a second before.