Down they plunged, past the grips of Faustian legend and lore, past Divine Comedy, and into true torment. Matteus was naked now, once again returned to the shameful state that ushered him into the world of men. His steed had also changed. No longer was Profane covered in a pale mane. Such beauty had fled from him and was replaced with sinewous muscle that writhed and fluttered with the horse’s step. Matteus’s brow dripped with sweat, stinging his eyes. And yet, this bothered him not at all. His eyes were poised on his goal. And after what seemed like an eternity of falling, Profane’s brimstone hooves bit into the Golgotha’s hillside, the place of the skulls. There was no slowing of his descent like before, for he came not as a prisoner of he who is most unlclean, but as a mighty conquerer. His steed moved swiftly, paying no heed to the uneven terrain and the legion of the damned that sought to impede their road to victory. Matteus’s weapons extended to unnatural lengths and tore the enemy asunder, adding to his already growing power. Then, one of the beast’s mightiest generals stood before him weilding a weapon similar to Matteus’s.

"Cease derilict!" one of the three said, and extended his blade outward. Seeing the potential sport, Matteus gently pulled back on Profane’s reigns, and the horse slowed to a trot.

"Hello, sir!" Matteus said in a mocking tone, "Nice day today. Wouldn’t you agree?" The general with his weapon poised said,

"Dismount, and bow before your masters." Matteus laughed,

"Wow, that’s some joke. But I’m afraid I’m in no mood for humor," Matteus frowned and pointed one of his weapons at the general, "Strike me from my steed. IF you think you can." The general’s eyes glowed blood red and he let out a deafening screech. His ilk seemed to crawl from the dark prescipeces of hell, and descended upon Matteus. Matteus could feel their swords and teeth bighting into him. He smiled, and with a mighty yell his body glowed brighter than the sun and the general’s serveants were consumed by a blazing inferno. Matteus dusted the ash from his naked body and said,

"Do you always use your serveants to do your dirty work for you?" The general growled and lunged at Matteus, suddenly brandishing a sickle on his right arm. Matteus easily blocked with one blade, and plunged the other into the general’s belly. The general coughed up a putrid substance, that Matteus’s weapon drank deeply from, but before he could deliver the killing blow, the general pulled himself from the blade and backpedaled to his comrades. Matteus smiled and said, "No. No escape." He locked the two blades together, and howled as they began to transform into a cannon. He felt power leave him, and then a blast of soul energy erupted from the barrel, incinerating all in his path. He charged into the burning ash of what once was Satan’s kingdom. Suddenly, Profane letter out a cry of pain and was torn from under him. Matteus lept into the air and landed on the ground in one swift motion. He lifted his eyes and saw his final challenge standing before him. He didnt seem to hold his shape, his eyes black as night. And when he spoke his voice was not of a man, but of the foul dragon that presided over him. He bared no weapon, and he came to Matteus in a form that was as naked as he was.

"And so the prodigal serveant returns!" the beast spoke. Matteus smiled.

"I warned you once, beast. Take my heart, but command me nothing!"

"Yet here you are."

"What are you talking about? I came of my own free will!" The man produced a box and opened it. There inside was a living, beating, human heart. Matteus jerked when he saw this, and suddenly felt afraid. The beast smiled and said,

"It was I who warned you, Matteus," the beast’s hand reached into the box and wrapped it’s claws around the heart, "No bargains, no deals, no epic battles for your soul," he squeezed, and Matteus felt sudden pain well up inside him, "YOU," he squeezed harder, "ARE", Matteus collapsed, clutching the vacant cavity where his heart once was, "MINE."

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