“I’ll be going,” I told it. “Sorry for disturbing you.”
The demon shrugged and then closed its eyes. Before I had the chance to jump for joy and name it the “cool one,” it opened both of its eyes as if realizing something.
“You’ll fetch me a pretty penny if I sell you to the Infinite Prison,” it said, standing up. “I’ve never seen a soul down here without a chain.” The giant chuckled as it stood up to a staggering fifteen feet of height. “And to think I was about to just let you go.” He said in a deep voice.
“You can still let me go,” I said.
The demon laughed.
“You’re a funny one, I’ll give you that, but all too valuable, unchained soul.”
With that, it lurched at me. I dodged his first giant punch, which dented the ground. The backhand, well, that was too fast for my eyes to catch. Flying about thirty feet, I skid across the stony clearing, coming to a stop right in front of the fire.
“Hmm, why am I giving you a fighting chance?” the demon said. “Suppose lacking battle in a thousand years made me trigger happy. Let’s just make this easy. Come with me and you can skip the pain.”
“I don’t want to be stuck in some prison,” I said. “With the twisted shit I’ve seen in this place—I can hardly imagine what kind of truly horrible fuckery you bastards are putting captured souls through for your sick amusement.”
The demon sighed.
“The rules of this place, not mine. But.” He stretched. “You don’t get a saying in where you’re going, shit-meat. If you’re down here, you’re a mass-murderer.” He stepped toward me, a red aura emerging around his body like fire. “While personally, I could careless, your judges still deemed you, dickhead of the year and tossed you not on the surface but into the real Hell.” He grinned. “And now you’re my product. No chain—I’ll have the moola to finally live in that stupid city. Don’t think you’ll be ruining it for me.”
The mass blurred in front of me. I dove to the side, narrowly evading his grab, then unleashed a barrage of force. To my dismay, the attacks had no effect on him whatsoever.
In fact, the demon…I believe an Oni, a very rare demon outside of Japanese folklore, looked amused. Fuck. Mythical beings were much trickier to fight. I also didn’t have any experience against this type of power. Who would? The only people who dealt with them are long dead.
Just then, the Oni fucking teleported in front of me—or at least moved faster than I could perceive. An iron club covered in spikes manifested from nowhere in its grasps. I got my arms up just in time to block. A whirlwind of pain struck me as I fell to the ground.
“I am a tormentor, mortal,” said the demon. “A lazy one, but if you want, I can waste a few of your days peeling your skin off inch by inch. Or maybe bath you in some of that amazing orange stuff over there.”
A spiky-toed foot kicked me dangerously close to the fire. Shit, if only I had power. I wouldn’t be taking punishments like this. I’d take no one’s shit—not the elite’s, the demons, nor the House’s. I stood up and did the least expected thing—that is, made a run for it. “You stubborn fool!” the Oni yelled before me and then roared.
I gave it my all, running through the path, for what felt like fifteen minutes. I thought I lost him…but when the demon made himself visible, standing tall, whistling nonchalantly, I knew I lost. Still, I didn’t plan to go down without a fight.
To think that out of all the things to run into, I’d encounter a fucking Oni. At least he matched the description I remembered with the overwhelming strength and height. I shot a blast of force at the demon’s face, causing it to roar then followed up with a strong punch right into solid steel-like gut. Before I could pull back to yell from the pain, a giant red fist collided with the entirety of my body. The blackness came afterwards.
Chapter Twenty-one
I woke up, surprised that one could go unconscious in death. I expected more true horror—frying pans, shat out of giant monsters, the works but I found myself standing on a giant conveyer belt.
In front of me were all kinds of creatures and beings in shackles, looking down in the dumps. Who could’ve blamed them? I looked down and took notice of my simple, breakable handcuffs. How surprising. They didn’t detect much of a threat within me—I’d find a way to make use of the advantage.
This appeared to be some kind of processing line—and balls, it stretched as far as my eye could see. We appeared to be a giant building of red stone lit by lamps and torches. The conveyer belt moved at a steady speed. There didn’t seem to be any guards. The floor looked of solid stone.
Upon careful observation without moving to attract any attention, I saw no traps whatsoever. That meant whoever’s in charge here didn’t care or was highly confident. I’d go with both, just to be sure. That bastard Oni must’ve dumped me off to some demon at the gates, collected whatever currency they had in a hellhole like this, and fled. What an asshole. I made a mental note to pay him back whenever I got the chance.
Shit, guessing it’s do or die at this point—if I got processed into this Infinite Prison, it’s over. If I’m not already eternally fucked, that is.
“Hey, you, can you tell me what’s going on?” I said to the guy in front of me.
He was a tall and buff blue-skinned demon of some sort, with short and scruffy white hair, dressed in a black tunic shirt and white cotton pants. The purple-eyed gaze he gave me was neutral but at least he spoke.
“I take it you’re new around here,” the demon—I’m using the term vastly—said.
“You could say that,” I said. “If you don’t count eight years on the surface.”
He gave me a look of skepticism.
“You’re in line to be processed into the Infinite Prison, but judging by the look on your face, you guessed that much. They’re going to look at you, assign you to a cell, and off you go to enjoy a prison life for an eternity. I’ve heard it’s like the human way but with the demonic touch.”
“You don’t know any means of escape?” I said. “We can’t just stay here to take anyone’s shit.”
The demon slightly shook his head.
“I’ve heard this shithole is inescapable but that’s probably an exaggeration. There are things set in place to prevent escape. Not that it matters much anyway. Even if you do make it out of here, you’re headed where? The good ole comforts of the depths of Hell? The city is probably hundreds of miles away from here.”
“The city?” I said.
The demon’s eyes widened.
“Oh, come on, you’ve never heard of Ghost’s city? It’s the only place in this damn sadistic paradise that supposedly mimics the human’s plane. A dimension inside of this dimension, according to the thousands of rumors.”
I nodded.
“Interesting. How’s that even possible?”
“I wish I knew,” the demon said. “Big power, big things I guess. Maybe Ghost created it out of frustration. Probably after fighting the gods or something like that. If you’re as powerful as him, you make the rules as far as I understand.”
I wondered if I could get Sin to spit out more details about his father. Well, can’t get much done until I could get out of here. There were so many things I wanted to do, to accomplish, and overcome. But none of that would come to be if I’m stuck in down here. No more hesitation, it was time to make a break for it.
“Thanks for the info,” I said to the blue man. “You’re the first being down here that didn’t shit sadistic torture-agenda on me. That being said, I can’t afford to be stuck. I’ve got unfinished business at my old world.”
“That resignation…no, resolve, in your voice means you’re about to do something stupid,” he said. “Listen kid, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Trust me, it’s not worth it.”
I wasn’t listening. No, instead, I broke my cuffs, hopped off the conveyer belt, and bolted. Minutes passed by, but no seemed to care. There were a few stares, but most of the depressed beings kept their eyes on the g
round or forward. Some of them looked as if they’d attempt suicide at any second. Yeah, we’re past that ability, no way out, no choices—but to run.
Why didn’t anyone else attempt to escape? Oh well, none of my business. You can’t expect those that gave up hope to accomplish much anyway. Still, I didn’t feel comfortable casting a net of assumptions that wide on all of them. What did they know that I didn’t?
I shifted into a full-on sprint. I could see what appeared to be an exit ahead. A further push and I’d make it. With the clue the blue man gave me, that city had to be the distortion Selina meant. Did that mean Paradise Realm had no idea that Ghost created a freaking city in the depths? I should’ve asked for directions. Oh well, no use worrying about that now.
Just then three beings covered from head to toe in black and red armor appeared in front of me. A metallic kick was the first round of pain I received before it sent me flying backward. No. I’ve gotten too far—no more getting my ass handed to me. Power disadvantage or not. I rolled over from a guard’s stomp.
“It seems this one needs to be the example,” one of them said.
“Yah, dah zample,” another said, his voice coated with some kind of thick accent. I attempted to manifest something—anything—a bat, a sword, a gun, but once again, it was just impossible. Nothing formed.
“You haff no powah hur,” Accent said as he stepped forward. I only then noticed the giant fucking metal pole in his hand.
He swung, I dodged, then shot force at his legs. That did nothing. Well, the armor isn’t for show. That sucked. I couldn’t get away—they seemed to have the ability to teleport. The guards were definitely at an advantage of strength for now until I could figure something out.
This led me to the conclusion that I dreaded. I’d have to surrender. At least play along until I was ready to unleash a plan that would get me out of here.
An idea formed already. If I broke out once, I’d break out again. I held up my hands in surrender. The guards looked confused. Well, I guessed they were confused—but the only thing I could see within the helmets were glowing red eyes.
“I surrender,” I said. “I’ll follow the rules.”
The guards looked briefly looked at each other, as if uncertain.
“Fine, just don’t try that again,” one of them said.
“No, we muss zample him firss,” Accent said then picked me up. “To dah torture chamba.”
My kicking, screaming, and demanding from the release of his grip to get back in line did nothing. To my horror, I realized that’s why no one attempted to make a break for it. They either knew or saw this happen. The blue man tried to warn me but I didn’t listen.
I was taken to a room, chained to a hospital bed, and forced to look up at a ceiling of nightmares.
“You’re lucky this is all you’re getting,” a gruffy voice said into my ear. “The warden let this one go because of your surrender. Not many people are so lucky. Nevertheless, I’m going to enjoy teaching you what happens to those who are a little slow. To make the Goraus get involved. You don’t want that kind of impression, mortal.”
I saw the spiked whip for only a few seconds before the super-intense pain lit up my face. Enraged, I didn’t scream. I wouldn’t give these sadistic fucks the satisfaction. The torture session went on for an hour, shifting from whippings to electric chair sessions to beatings with maces.
The demons probably got bored because they kicked me out and back in line, in the same place behind the blue man. I was reeling with anger. I’d blow this entire place to smithereens. How dare these lowly scums of demons do this to me. After everything that I’ve been through, the one thing that came to mind again was that I needed power.
“You’re not the first and probably not the last to try that,” the blue man said. “The Goraus are beyond your capabilities, so I—”
“I’ll play along for now,” I interrupted. “I don’t plan to be stuck in here for an eternity.”
Chapter Twenty-two
Processing was a simple as having some Goraus assign me a number, Prisoner 12121990, then continue the line. It turned out the blue guy is one of cellmates in a room of three beds. The third was a muscular humanoid demon with grey skin and shark-like teeth. He didn’t even look at us when we entered, but made a rule right off the bat.
“Stay out of my way and I won’t bite your head off.” He turned his attention back to a magazine.
“Fair enough,” I said, not intimated by this muscular fuck one bit. I turned to the blue man and offered a hand. “Epex of the human realm. In here because of a mistake. Got my ass handed to me by some really powerful heavenly-beings.”
The blue man accepted the handshake.
“Mackarth. From Ivory Realm. Was betrayed by my sister a long time ago. She cast a spell that not only killed me, but sent me here, instead of the Land of Peace.”
“I take it that’s your Realm’s version of the land of the dead or something?” I said.
“Something like that,” he said. “If anything, at least this horrible place forces us all to speak the common tongue to communicate.”
I nodded, realizing that for the first time. Language wasn’t normally a problem for heavenly-beings as we can communicate with pretty much any living thing. But demons or monsters, well, I wasn’t entirely sure.
I sat on my bed.
“I didn’t think unconsciousness was possible in death.”
The blue man sat on his adjacent to mine. There were no bunkbeds, probably because they couldn’t account for heavy-weight beings.
“There isn’t,” Mackarth said. “Your captor probably placed you in a suspension spell, which mimics the real thing.”
A clang on the cell bars interrupted the conversation. We turned our attention to the Goraus, more specifically, Accent, standing there with his goons. I differentiated him by his hunched over posture in comparison to the other guards who stood up straight.
“Tell Zem duh rules,” Accent said to the guard on his left. The Goraus nodded then addressed us.
“Listen up, prisoners,” he said, “because I won’t repeat myself. You will do as you’re told, else risk upsetting the warden. And trust me, you do not want to upset him. Each day will consist of mining for birthstone. Reach a quota of at least ten. If you don’t, well, you’ll be tortured. Sometimes the warden likes to hold events where he’ll thrown two of you in a ring to kill each other for his enjoyment. Impress him or die. Also, don’t touch any female prisoner. The warden likes his pleasure slaves.”
I glared at the guard in disgust. He continued. “You get two hours of free time at the end of each workday. Don’t make us work harder than we need to.” He took a step back. Accent looked right at me.
“If you try to ezz scape again, you will be see dah warden.” He probably had some smug smile beneath the helmet. “Thaz all fa now.” The Goraus marched left. I noticed that many other guards seemed to be in charge of explaining the same rules to everyone else. Why didn’t the idiots just make once large announcement? Were they afraid to disturb their precious warden or something. I decided not to dwell on the thought and turned back to Mackarth. He shook his head.
“Pleasure slaves,” he said. “I can see why there were very few females in line. Most of them were probably taken straight to the pig in charge.”
“I have no doubts on that,” I said then sat down. “Fuck, mining birthstone. Any idea what they are?”
“I think the warden sells them to some companies in Ghost’s city for profit,” he answered then folded his arms. Mackarth and I froze when we noticed our muscled cellmate stand up.
“One of you will be my pleasure slave for the day,” he said. “Who will it be, to bend over and take my gift.”
“Oh, fuck no,” I said, charging force, preparing to fight to the death. “Sorry buddy, but I don’t swing that way.”
“I don’t think so,” Mackarth said. “It would be in your best interest not to test us. I have no interest in grotesque affairs.” Blu
e aura sparked into existence around his hands and swirled like a miniature tornado. I wanted to ask him about it, but now wasn’t the time. We’d have to inflict an important principle to Big Mike over there. He stared us down with a grin on his face and then broke into a laugh.
“Relax, small fry, I’m only interested in the female prisoners,” he said then dangled onto the prison bars. His bulky arms couldn’t fit through. “If I’m going to be stuck in this wretched place, the least I can do is have me so fun. Damn that warden, taking them all for himself.” He turned to look at us. “I said you can relax your guard, I don’t swing that way either, dipshits. It’s a joke from the human world. I couldn’t help but put their poor taste of humor to use, especially for you, half-breed.” He shot a brief glare at me.
We waited for a few more seconds then relaxed our guard, sort of. I’d be watching the musclebound freak closely just in case. I was sure Mackarth wouldn’t have a problem dispatching whatever power he had…I froze. He had a chain…but could use his power. I turned to him.
“Dude, how are you able to use your powers?” I asked.
“Good question, but I’m afraid I can’t tell you that unless you want to reveal to everyone why you don’t have a chain bounding you,” he replied.
I left it at that. Fair enough. Either his kind was immune to Hell’s effects, a possibility of realm anatomy, or the blue effects was merely a show. I doubted the latter—I felt the heat that animated from his display. He wouldn’t hesitate to defend himself if need be. I just hoped that when I launched my plan, he’d jump in too. I won’t be able to help him with the chain but at least the blue man would be free from this holding cell.
Well, no point in waiting—it was time to start drawing the deity-trapper. Of course, there will be modifications and whatnot. That’s a must. I doubted it would bust me out of the depths but if I could give it a good jolt, it could get me out of this infinite trap. And for lack of choice, I’ll be using blood—we still bled in this shitty place and I had no marker. So yeah, time to make use with what I had or stay stuck.
Till the Last Breath Page 10
