I was camped in western VA one time , just below a nice ridge . It was a full moon , right next to the babbling brook , just beautiful . The coyotes started yipping around midnight . As more and more gathered on the ridge , I noped the fuck out and slept in my car . <| sep |> Seconds turned to minutes , and minutes to hours , before he came . An image made of fire and smoke coalesced inside the flame , and moved out like a ghost to encircle the room . The smoke darkened to suck in all light , while the flame continued to emit its faint , infernal glow . Then , it spoke . Li Mei , Empress of Shang , Zhou , Qin , Han , and Sui dynasties , ruler of China and the Siberian wastes , scourge of the Burmese , enemy of Sumer . She turned her eyes upward , shielding her face from the soot it dropped , slowly dissolving as if the mortal realm was eating away at the image something didn ' t approve of its presence . I am Rinjjirol , the king of Hell , successor of Abaddon the torturer , uniter of the fell realms , despot of the nine circles . I come to you with an offer . The creature seemed to breathe in , and the heat of the room dropped as it expanded with renewed strength . She shuddered , wrapping her imperial shawl closer to her , in a strange emotion that she had never felt before . One that never occurred to her , as she had always been the one at the top , ruler of men , scourge of empires . Fear . The gods above have abandoned your child . You , and your dynasty , have lost their approval , and they would see you gone . The mandate of heaven has been passed , and you and your son are to die slow deaths , far away from your current seats of power . She turned desperate , and finally coaxed out of her dry throat , you ' re the devil ! You ' re the great one of the depths ! Could you not do anything about this ? Why have your chosen to approach the land of the living ? The creature of the smog unfurled and expanded across the room smugly , with avarice gleaming in its flame . I can save your son but for a price . The words fell like bodies on the field of battle , impacting Li Mei severely . She opened her mouth to speak once more , but her body betrayed her . I can cure your son , but you must do something for me . I am strong , but my presence here is weak . I need a passageway to bring my strength here , as to assist you . Every day , your son shall grow weaker . Every day , his life shall seep more from his body , and his soul will disintegrate . I can slow his death now , but I cannot prevent it . You must bring the land of Krakatoa into yours by any means necessary even if it means you must burn the city of Prome to settle a new one and you must enact a fell ritual there , passed down for centuries by the infernal organizations of the world . It is only then that I may save your child . Li Mei stood , and forced herself not to back away . I shall complete this task . The black figure shuddered and expelled a cloud of soot , as it floated back into the fire and merged with it . The flame grew to thrice its height , and then shrank down to the original proportions , with the only reminder of the visit being the soot that covered the room , and Li Mei ' s shaken mind . nbspShe turned , and headed towards the door . nbspShe knew what she had to do .