The group had gathered around a glowing crimson fire, set in the center of a cavern that seemed to pulsate with life. The walls were jagged, and faint whispers echoed through the chamber, as if the stones themselves were alive and bearing witness to their every word. Selene sat on a smooth rock, her expression serious, her eyes fixed on the flickering flames.

“This,” she began, her voice carrying the weight of centuries, “is the part of Hell that very few are allowed to understand. You’ve seen demons, ghosts, and the Warden. But there are beings who stand above them all—beings who embody the very essence of sin, chaos, and power. They are the Seven Princesses of Hell.”

Jack leaned forward, intrigued. “Princesses? Not Princes?”

Selene’s lips curled into a small smile. “Indeed. While mortal texts often portray them as male figures, they are far beyond your mortal understanding of gender or form. They can appear as they choose—man, woman, or something else entirely. Here, they are recognized as Princesses, not because they are lesser than kings, but because they embody the power and sovereignty of Hell’s seven cardinal domains.”

She waved her hand, and the fire shifted, forming shapes and symbols that flickered and danced like living shadows.

“The first is Lucifer,” Selene began. “She is the embodiment of Pride, the Morning Star who fell from grace. Once the most radiant of angels, her defiance against the Creator led to her banishment. Lucifer is the ruler of Hell’s prideful domain, a realm of grandeur and endless mirrors, where the damned are consumed by their own arrogance and vanity.”

“What’s her power?” Claire asked.

“Lucifer wields the power of persuasion and radiance,” Selene explained. “She can inspire or manipulate with words alone, bending even the most steadfast wills. Her pride is her strength, but also her greatest vulnerability—she can never admit defeat.”

The fire shifted, becoming jagged and violent, mimicking a raging storm.

“Satan is the Princess of Wrath, the pure embodiment of anger and destruction. She thrives on conflict, feeding on the rage and hatred of mortals and demons alike. Her domain is a battlefield, where the damned fight eternally, consumed by their fury.”

Tom winced. “Sounds brutal.”

“Brutal, yes,” Selene agreed. “Her power is unmatched in combat. She wields the strength of a thousand armies and can incite fury in even the calmest soul. But her wrath blinds her, making her reckless.”

The flames morphed into a grotesque, pulsating form, resembling a massive feast.

“Beelzebub, the Lord of Flies, rules over Gluttony. Her domain is an endless banquet, where the damned gorge themselves without satisfaction, their hunger growing with each bite.”

Emma shuddered. “That’s horrifying.”

“Beelzebub’s power lies in her ability to corrupt and consume,” Selene continued. “She can drain energy, siphon life, and spread plagues. Her insatiable hunger drives her, but it also chains her, as she is never truly satisfied.”

The fire shimmered into golden shapes, coins falling endlessly into a bottomless pit.

“Mammon is the Princess of Greed, the keeper of wealth and material desire. Her domain is a glittering city of gold and jewels, where the damned are driven mad by their endless lust for riches.”

Jack frowned. “Doesn’t sound too bad.”

Selene gave him a knowing look. “Greed is a prison, Jack. Mammon’s power lies in creating illusions of abundance, luring mortals and demons into endless cycles of desire. But like the wealth she hoards, her power is hollow—it can never truly satisfy.”

The flames twisted into shapes of entwined figures, their forms alluring and dangerous.

“Asmodeus is the Princess of Lust, the mistress of desire and obsession. Her domain is a palace of pleasure, where the damned are consumed by their darkest passions, unable to escape their cravings.”

Claire blushed. “That’s… intense.”

“Asmodeus’s power is seductive,” Selene said. “She can manipulate emotions, making her victims feel desires they cannot control. But her strength is also her curse—she is forever bound by her own need to be desired.”

The fire turned green, forming the shape of a massive sea serpent writhing in an endless ocean.

“Leviathan rules over Envy, a realm of endless waters, where the damned drown in their jealousy and longing for what they can never have. She is the serpent of the deep, the devourer of covetous souls.”

Tom tilted his head. “What’s her power?”

“She sows discord and discontent,” Selene replied. “Her presence alone can turn friends into enemies, lovers into rivals. But envy isolates her, leaving her trapped in the depths of her own despair.”

The fire dimmed, becoming sluggish and cold, forming the outline of a shadowy figure reclining on a throne.

“Belphegor is the Princess of Sloth, the ruler of apathy and laziness. Her domain is a stagnant swamp, where the damned are paralyzed by their own inaction, unable to escape.”

Emma frowned. “Doesn’t sound as dangerous as the others.”

“Do not underestimate her,” Selene warned. “Belphegor’s power is insidious. She can sap the will to act, draining motivation and reducing even the strongest to a state of helplessness. Her greatest weapon is despair.”

As the flames returned to their normal state, Selene looked at the group, her expression grave.

“These seven princesses are not merely rulers of Hell—they are its very foundation. Each embodies one of the cardinal sins, and their powers are intertwined with the nature of mortal souls. They rarely interfere directly with the mortal world, but their influence is felt everywhere. Through temptation, manipulation, and subtle corruption, they shape the lives of men and women, driving them toward damnation.”

Jack’s mind reeled from the sheer scope of what he had learned. The princesses weren’t just powerful beings—they were forces of nature, tied to the very fabric of human existence.

“So we won’t meet them?” Tom asked, relief evident in his voice.

Selene’s gaze hardened. “I don't know either. But their presence is everywhere, even in your world. Be grateful you will only hear their names—for to stand in their presence is to face the weight of your own sins, magnified a thousandfold.”

The group sat in silence, the flickering fire casting long shadows on their faces. The knowledge of the Seven Princesses of Hell had left them shaken, a reminder of the dark forces that lurked not just in Hell, but in the hearts of humanity itself.