#ask-devilplier

Couldn't help but love @ask-devilplier 's rendition of our lovely king of sinners and gambler of lives, Devilplier.

“Hm? Apparently it is news, then~”

He let out a short hum of amusement.

“Yes, it happens every few decades or so. All a part of keeping this place in order as it expands, of course. No better guard dog for the damned and the rotten than a Hellhound, once trained.”

He eyed over the short but familiar visitor lurking in the shadows as usual, and smirked.

“Well hello, darling~”

He grinned, pouring more drink into his glass before setting the bottle aside.

“Oh, nothing terribly exciting. Sharp increase in soul population down here, quite a few more deals than usual, stronger desires. Had a small hand in a bit of sabotage, I suppose. A bit of dramatic irony for a good laugh. Shame it didn’t last. Otherwise, all the usual brimstone and torment one would expect~”

There was a longer pause as he took another sip, the faintest hint of contemplation in his expression before he set the glass down on the armrest.

He quirked an eyebrow. Not an unusual word to be thrown at him, by any means. But based on the flustered, hasty reactions that followed, he couldn’t help but see a wonderful opportunity to have a little fun with this.

“Oh~?”

The King slowly shifted in his seat, the fires behind him almost seeming to dim and put more attention to the glowing light of his eyes. The stare was piercing, intent, and unwavering. It made it seem as though the seconds extended longer than they were, as though even time was cowering under the weight of that golden gaze. A rumbling sound came from him then, after a moment of silence, and it was difficult to tell if it was a laugh or a growl. Perhaps it was both.

“Attempting to test me again, are we, morsel? Not the wisest decision for you, especially not when I’m hungry. Though I suppose that’s why you would do it, hm? Add a bit of thrill to your little human life? Playing with fire and all that, I suppose? Well, allow me to offer you this- ”

His grin stretched wider as he rose from his throne, clawed hands folding neatly behind his back as he strolled forward. Each step echoed as it landed, only furthering the tension. When he stopped, he leaned in close, relishing in spiking their panic.

“If I wanted, I could easily make you repeat what you just said. Over. And over. And over. Until you couldn’t say it anymore. But~!”

He pulled back, his voice rising from the low tone it had been to something more melodic and peppy, as though nothing had transpired. He turned back towards his throne in stride.

“Well, philosophically speaking, I’d say congrats~ You lot have to take your winnings where you can get them, after all, however temporary.”

One claw tapped the wine glass he held in his hand, a slight tilt of his wrist swirling the deep red contents within.

“Of course, any warrior can boast about the size of their sword. But ultimately, how it's put to use is what matters, no? Experience and skill are the deciding factors, and in the end, all that boasting leads to naught. And the warrior falls in an embarrassing defeat to the greater swordsman.”

He chuckled casually, taking a small sip before speaking again.

“Swing dancing~?”

He chuckled, rocking back on his heel with his hands in his pockets. The pointed tip of his tail swept across the floor behind him.

“Well, I suppose you could count it as one of my many hobbies~ It would almost be a crime if I didn’t know how, wouldn’t you agree? Considering a handful of the music required for it had my name so graciously placed on it~”

As if on queue, a melody rose up within the space, not seeming to originate from any one source. It wouldn’t take long to realize it was a jazz composition, the signature “soul” of the genre sounding clear. He thought it ironic that such a term be applied to music once considered sinful, but he kept that comment to himself. His shoe tapped the floor before he strode towards the asker, tilting his head just slightly.

“I can say that it certainly can be entertaining, once learned. Steady footwork is key. And, of course-”

In a fluid motion, he took the guest’s hand and pulled them forward, sending them into a spin before there was time to react. At the end of the twirl, he held them at arm's length, knowing just how easily he could release their hand and leave them to stumble. Instead...

“-a healthy dash of finesse~”

With a wink, he pulled them back in and, with another guided twirl, they were back in their original position. Releasing his grip then, he slipped his hands back into his pockets and casually strolled away.

“Ah yes, the robot fellow with the not-so-subtle murderous intent, yes?”

He hummed thoughtfully, recalling a few incidents not too long past.

“Well, seeing he is yet another byproduct of humanity’s insatiable desire, I can’t say I blame him for having such a bloodthirsty undertone. Imagine being created with such a high level of intelligence only to be used as a maid for everyone else’s pleasure. Quite unsavory~”

He smirked, his hand lazily twirling in the air as he continued.