The Fifth Heaven was ablaze. Well, not really, but it felt like that. The sun's scorching heat was pressing down on the desiccated earth, transforming the once lush greenery that welcomed Samael every time he entered the Fifth Heaven into nothing more than charred remnants of trees, fractured and withered branches, and parched, cracked soil.

Samael was hovering in the air, looking into the distance. How much time had passed since the human had visited the Inferno Dominion? He asked himself. It seemed as if it was just last month, but... He was never good at tracking time.

He looked up at the blinding light that shone as brilliantly as God's divinity, but while divinity exuded a gentle and benevolent glow, the sun's rays bore down with a harsh and vicious intensity. He sighed and looked at the dry earth, feeling pity for humanity welling inside him.

Distant screams reached his ears. When he focused his eyes on the direction of the sound, he could distinguish a mass of limbs tumbling together over the ground. It was Nephilim fighting with each other. They had dispersed across the plain like an unstoppable force of nature, leaving only devastation in their wake. Only a handful of places remained untouched by their presence. And only a few human dwellings still existed. They were hidden deep within underground caves, inaccessible to the Nephilim because of their size. There was also another dwelling, the largest human abode, located in the mountain and guarded by the Mountain Watchers.

None of those Mountain Watchers begot Nephilim. Their children were stronger and smarter than humans, resembling humans in appearance, yet lacking the greed and hunger of the Nephilim. He had learned from divinity that this difference was due to the Mountain Watchers' children being conceived in love, while the offspring of Samyaza's faction were born from lust. The Mountain Watchers were going to be exempted from the punishment that awaited Samyaza's faction because their actions did not pose a threat to the balance of the Fifth Heaven, unlike Samyaza and his followers. Enoch, following the task entrusted to him by God, sought their redemption.

Beelzebub appeared by his side, a tablet under his arm. "My lord."

Samael glanced down at him.

"An urgent message." Beelzebub offered him a tablet.

Samael sighed and took the tablet from his second-in-command. He read it, frowning. "Where am I supposed to find an isolated abyss for the Watchers?" He shook his head. "What am I, a miracles-wielder?" He looked at Beelzebub. "Any idea?"

A surprise layered Beelzebub's face. "You can't cast miracles?"

"Well..." Samael flicked a strand of golden hair off his forehead. "I can do a miracle or two. Or even more, if they are small miracles, but to conjure a whole abyss out of thin air, that is going to be a tough one."

Beelzebub blinked.

"Your expectations of me are too high. Let me connect with divinity." Samael opened himself to the warm and calming foreign force that was coursing through his body. Information started to fill his mind. "What is this, the Reality Rupture? To open a riff in creations. Oh, I didn't know I could do that." His eyes shone, only for that shine to fade in the next moment. "Only in the Inferno Dominion and Reformatory. Listen to this, Beel. It says that I can reshape the fabric of reality itself. Only in my two heavens, though. It's called spiritual sculpting." He made a sound of approval. "Not bad. Though I don't know what I could use it for. Beel, what do you think?"

Beelzebub stared at him. He blinked.

"Yeah, I'm equally clueless. Come, let's return and find a suitable place to cut a rift into it."

Beelzebub blinked again, looking as if he had just woken from sleep. He cleared his throat. "Could you make it near the passage into the Reformatory?"

"Not bad, Beel. It's a great idea." Samael led Beelzebub back into the Inferno Dominion. "What do you think we should call it? The Void?" They passed through the portal. "That sounds quite good, if I may say so."

"It's a good name, my lord."

"It's just not specific enough. Maybe the 'Oblivion Void.' Yes, the Oblivion Void. I'm getting better at this name thing. Don't you think so, too, Beel?"

"Yes, my lord." Beelzebub enthusiastically nodded. "I'll inform the others."

They reached the cliff.

"There's no need for that. The Void will be sealed off. There will be no way in and no way out until God decides otherwise." A large pair of wings appeared on Samael's back. He spread them and sailed down to the ground near the entrance to the Reformatory. He made a step into the thick fog of the portal and glanced around. "Yes, this seems like a good place for the Void."

He sensed a presence at his side. It was Beelzebub. "What do you think? Should we do it on the left or right side?"

"Whatever you decide, my lord."

"Hmm." Samael tapped his lower lip. "Well, the side isn't that important. What truly matters is that it had to breach the Fifth Heaven." That was another talent he possessed, but was unaware of. This meant he didn't have to climb the stairs to the portal of the Fifth Heaven each time he wished to leave the Dominion; instead, he could create a shortcut in his own cave. "Okay, let's do this."

He closed his eyes and focused on his surroundings, feeling grey energy flooding into him and then through him. He could feel the light of divinity inside him. He grabbed it and dragged it out. It thickened and thinned into what looked like a blade, lighting their surroundings and dispersing the greyness.

Beelzebub gasped.

When Samael opened his eyes, he could see clearly into the Reformatory that was before him, and when he turned, he could see the Dominion, down to the scratch that was on one of the columns by the bridge's staircase. At his sides was the seemingly endless nothingness. "Left, or right? Well, it hardly matters."

He slashed to his left, meeting resistance but persisting and driving his sword forward.

The grey expanse before him split, revealing a void that resembled a gaping black crack.

He focused on it and with his thoughts widened it before he stepped through. "Okay, let's now open it above."

Beelzebub joined him in the darkness. He clapped. "That's amazing, my lord."

"I agree." This time, as he sliced into the darkness above, the resistance was stronger. With every move as he pushed his swords upward, beads of sweat formed along his hairline and the length of his spine.

Half-veiled light spilled from the opening overhead. When he squinted his eyes, he could see the edges covered with earth and cut roots protruding at the seam. He did it.

"Amazing," Beelzebub commented.

Samael hummed and glanced around the now lilt space that was stretching into nothingness on all sides.

A burp, before a hot red liquid sprang from the ground.

Samael stepped out of it, gesturing for Beelzebub to follow him. The sword of light in his hand disappeared. Once they were both out, he touched the edge of the rift, closed his eyes for a moment, and envisioned the opening sealing shut, feeling a similar resistance to what he had felt when opening it. He continued to focus until the resistance disappeared under the strength of his will.

The edges closed.

Samael opened his eyes, brushed the inside of his hands against each other, getting rid of the imaginary dirt. He said, "I did well."

"You were awesome, my lord."

"Yes, I was." Samael nodded. "With the help of YHWH's grace." He looked at Beelzebub, who was staring back at him with adoration in his eyes. "Do you want to go and see the punishment?"

"Of the Watchers?"

Samael nodded.

Beelzebub wrinkled his nose. "I would rather not."

"Oh." Samael didn't expect to hear that. He personally was never fond of watching the execution of punishments, but through the millennia, he had become numb to them. Maybe because he had seen too many of them. But he thought his loyal aide would have wanted to be part of what would no doubt become a significant part of creation's history.

"When I attended the workshops, I got to know some of them. The teachers were all good and caring angels, always displaying kindness and concern towards their pupils. They never lost their patience, not even with me when I couldn't grasp their teaching. I don't want to see them harmed."

"Unfortunately, them being good angels doesn't matter." A soothing smile appeared on Samael's face and he put his hand on Beelzebub's shoulder and gently squeezed it. Compared to Beelzebub, who probably wasn't even 100 years old, his age was measured in millennia. In his life, he had seen more than his share of souls and angels going toward the path of destruction, and no matter how much he wished he could save them from themselves, his service was to tempt them and judge them. With time, his sympathy slowly ebbed away, and he became numb to others' pain when that pain was self-inflicted. "They are punished for their deeds, which they knew they would be even before they taught you things you aren't supposed to learn."

"They are good angels," Beelzebub repeated.

"Yes, they are," Samael said. Even Samyaza, who had been enticed by the allure of power and worship. But yielding to temptation taints the soul, or in the case of angels, the spirit, until the goodness and purity are eroded by self-indulgence and self-importance, ultimately leading to wickedness. As for the angels who were teaching humans subjects, they should have considered all circumstances and the long-term effects of their actions. Humans, not always mature enough to use knowledge solely for good, might have caused harm to others, such as using their knowledge of forging to create weapons and wage wars. In such cases, the angels were responsible for the consequences of their actions. "But even when their actions were done in good faith when they harm others, they need to face the consequences for that."

"I understand."

Samael hooked his arm around Beelzebub's shoulder and pushed him forwards, out of the greyness they were in. "Come on, let's find something to amuse you and take your mind off this sad affair for a moment. What do you like to do, Beel?"

"Serving you, my lord."

"Anything else?"

Beelzebub furrowed his forehead. "Beautifying."

"Beautifying?" Samael repeated. "Oh, yes, the cosmetics."

Beelzebub nodded.

Samael squinted his eyes as he closely studied his aide. What does he do with the cosmetics? Oh, well, he could take some time to take part in Beel's interest and found out before he had to go to the Fifth Heaven.