Into the Hells

by Christopher Johns

  Melvaren level 145.

  “Ah-ah!” Archemillian tsked, this time took on a joyful sound. “Your strength was garnered and gained through ill-begotten means, Melvaren. That means they are no longer your own, and all you hold in this realm is now mine.”

  The white demon held his right hand out as the other hand took up his flask. He took his thumb and flicked the lid off of it, and this horrid screeching and sucking sound emanated from the opening.

  Nothing happened to us, but Melvaren dropped to a knee, holding his head with a wavering groan of anguish.

  “Gaaaaah!” he cried. Blood seeped from his eyes, nose, and ears. His pores opened along his skin, and little bits of white and red began to dribble out of him slowly at first, then more and more rapidly.

  A vortex of the stuff funneled from the General on his knees into the flask, and then the lid was on it once the process was complete.

  Melvaren level 56.

  Much more manageable. The asshole struggled to his feet, panting, and trying to open his mouth as if his tongue were too thick.

  “This is nothing,” he grunted and looked to the other demons in the crowd. “Do you not see how they manipulate you to keep you weak and complacent to the status quo?! They need you to think this is the only way, but join me, and we can crush them together. We can make a new world and take it to War!”

  Demons began to howl and laugh, but as I watched, some began to slowly make their way toward the lower levels of the stands.

  You think they could be minions? Muu asked, his voice sounded panicked. ‘Cause there’s a lot of the fuckers moving in from back here.

  Same over here, Yohsuke growled. Balmur up and at ‘em? We’re gonna need him.

  He’s conscious, and his ring is glowing like a motherfucker. Bokaj let us know, and I turned to see one of the rings we’d had made on his finger.

  By now, the demons who were taken in by the promise of power began to drop over the ledge of the wall.

  “Those who join him in this are subject to punishment as he is!” The Lord of the City roared angrily.

  Some of the tide of newcomers stemmed, but still, there were hundreds of lower level demons in here with us now, and they were joining Melvaren on his side of the field.

  “Ha! He’s simply upset because he cannot hope to control you all!” Melvaren’s hands spread wide. “He is afraid of you!”

  I mean, I couldn’t blame him, but that didn’t seem to be the case looking at the Lord’s openly angry face. He seemed more pissed off than afraid.

  “Mortals,” the great demon bellowed, “you are free to destroy those who attack you, and make the imposter suffer. Make them all suffer. Fight well, and if you die, I will enjoy tormenting you.”

  Quest Alert!

  Hells Hath No Fury Like a Demon Scorned – The Lord of the City, Yttriol, has given you free rein to murder the demons who have defied him by joining in this sanctioned punishment.

  Kill any demon you like so long as they stand in the sand pit.

  Reward: A longer lifespan than if you didn’t, multiplied EXP, and increased favor with the demons loyal to Yttriol.

  Bonus Reward: If you make any of them suffer, to include Melvaren.

  Failure: Failure to kill Malvaren, resulting in your death, will likely mean a terrible, horrid torturing until your soul and consciousness fade into nothing but agony and pain. Running away will also cause a severe fall in trust with demon kind and a halt in growth to one of your party members—as well as demon hunting parties sent to find you and bring you back.

  Due to events unfolding in the way they have, you have been forced into accepting this quest. Good luck!

  I was really going to need to have a sit down with whoever the hell did the system messages in this world.

  We gotta be ready for a brawl. There’s too much experience here not to be taking advantage of it. James dropped into a low stance, preparing himself.

  “Wha’s go’n on?” Balmur asked blearily. His eyes opened, fluttering slightly as he took us all in. “Oh, not this shit again.”

  Jaken smacked his chest with the back of his shield. “We don’t have time to prove that we aren’t demons, but Melvaren and a horde of assholes are coming, and we need you.”

  Balmur’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Name something Rowland told us when we first started apprenticing with him.”

  “Really?!” Jaken grunted as a demonling lobbed a ball of flames for him to deflect. “Now of all times?!”

  Muu and I rounded on him with a shout, “Just fucking do it!”

  “He told us that if we had our heads up our asses at any time, we’d better make room for his boot because he’d be crawling up there to knock sense into us for wasting ingots!”

  Balmur smiled, his scarred visage relaxing. “Got any other weapons? These won’t last long.”

  “That was all it took?!” Bokaj groaned.

  “Talk about this shit later!” Yohsuke barked. “Focus on the demon horde gathering?! Please!”

  “Fine!” Bokaj and Balmur grunted together.

  I looked back and noticed that Bokaj had slid the Rogue his new daggers and that Balmur looked like he was finally happy.

  “Time to get my revenge,” I heard him grunt.

  “My slave yet lives!” Melvaren roared, turning his back to us, stupidly.

  Holy weapons out. Let’s make it rain blood, lads! I ordered the others as I called Kayda from her place in my collar and summoned Coal. Both seemed so pleased to be working together once more.

  “Yes, it seems that after he lost and was killed, that cursed Paladin brought him back,” Yttriol observed.

  “Then he can still fight! The negotiations aren’t over!”

  The Lord of the City smirked. “One death was all that has counted in this city, nay this circle, for eons. Just because he is the first to return and escape you does not mean your loss is overturned.” The white demon looked to Balmur with a sly, knowing look. “Besides, I would hardly call that one yours.”

  Melvaren turned and glowered at us, Balmur specifically, and his scowl turned into a toothy smile. “I would.”

  He stepped forward and put a hand out, his fingers grasping. “Return to me, slave. Return, and this slight will only be mildly punished.”

  Balmur’s ring didn’t glow, but I could see the struggle in him. I put a hand on his shoulder. Bokaj did the same.

  “We got you,” was all that was said, and his body relaxed before his burning, green eye opened with hatred.

  “Let’s end this,” the quiet man seethed before he looked at us.

  His left hand glowed blue—a mental spell was being used against him—but his determination seemed set. He reached into his inventory and pulled out his own Telepathy Earring, then clipped it into his ear with a sure hand.

  Muu and Jaken, anything gets close to the casters and Bokaj, you fuck it up. Usual tank fare, Yohsuke began to hand out roles. James, Balmur, you can cause as much general mayhem as you please, but stay close. Bokaj, me, and Zeke, we will bring up the rear here and cast spells at anything that so much as fucking exists. You get low on mana, melee until you recover or drink a mana pot. Questions?

  What about the big fucker? Muu asked.

  We move on him if he decides to get too close, but if you wanna harass him from afar, be my guest, Jaken answered for Yoh. Just help me keep agro off these guys, and we’re good.

  “Fine,” Melvaren spat. “You will be broken under the bodies of these demons until I deem you worthy of my attention. Break them!” Melvaren turned, and some of the more powerful demons that were closest to him looked at him expectantly. “All of you, go for Archemillian and Yttriol.”

  They seemed hesitant at first, but when he picked one up and crushed its head in his hands, the others moved away to do as ordered.

  Go! Yohsuke hollered into our minds as the demons began to rush toward us.

  Level thirty and lower demons scrambled over each other to get to us, only to be slash
ed and stabbed with holy weapons. The only reason we weren’t overrun then and there was the fact that the demons were scared of them, but they still charged in.

  We grouped together in a tighter formation. Muu and Jaken were in front to tank, but both had exceptionally strong holy weapons, so the demons that got too close took a thrashing.

  Bokaj fired arrows into the coming waves as though they were meant for anyone. And they were. The beasts clambered so closely together that to get near one with a shot was to hit another. Any target would do. Tmont hissed and bounded at those who managed to get too close, swiping with her claws unsheathed.

  More than a few demons fell to the duo and even more demons fell as Balmur rampaged just outside our tight, little cluster. His blades swirled, sliced, stabbed, sundered, and punctured any available surface, and all he did was flit from one target to the next. As he moved and weaved under claws, weapons, and through arrows with grace and feral tenacity, he would redirect some of Bokaj’s shots as he had in their own fight, the projectiles finding homes in even more vulnerable and terrible spots.

  The blood that covered him was ignored. Well, to be honest, I wasn’t sure how much of it was a demon’s or if he was hurt, but he seemed to be fine with a glance at his mostly-full health bar.

  Zeke! Nine o’clock! I heard Muu growl into my head and instantly brought Magus Bane up to deflect a clawed blow followed by a flaming spear.

  I grunted before mentally ordering Kayda, Go show them what hell really is, hon. And Coal? Stay close to me, yeah? Maybe help kill anything I drop?

  Kayda took to the sky and burst into her full twenty-foot-height mid-rise into the air and screeched like crashing thunder.

  Coal snarled as he lunged at my attacker’s legs and caught one in his jaws. He yanked the bastard down on to his back, and I slammed my great axe down on to its neck severing the head.

  EXP withheld until the end of the Quest.

  Well. That was a first, but then again? It made sense. Had to have a tally to multiply the total, but to be really effective, we would need to be cruel. I slid my weapon into my inventory, pulled out Redemption’s Mercy, and summoned Falfyre.

  The crystal weapon radiated holy energy, and Falfyre had been referred to as a holy weapon. So, time to put both to good use.

  The waves came, and as we fought, they seemed to keep coming.

  I watched as James moved through a group of demons with his ki moving through his body at lightning speed. Lightning struck a demon that had snuck up behind him, and Kayda screeched in victory.

  Muu had begun using his Rant ability; it allowed him to grab attention and makes those who heard it want to attack him. Our hands didn’t light up, so it must have been a thing he had learned to control. If only slightly. This ability allowed him to run his mouth constantly and drove everyone nuts. I’d almost beaten his ass over it once.

  Arrows sprouted from a demon in front of me, and I looked over to see Melvaren reach down and pluck a dead demon from the ground, whisper to it, and then throw it toward us. Mid-flight, it seemed to spasm and start to come back to life.

  I was good mana wise, so I threw Falfyre, slicing through the thing easily, and I ordered the weapon back to me. It had cost only a few MP, but if this kept going, we were going to be in a rough spot.

  Yohsuke shot Astral Bolt after Astral Bolt at enemies that seemed to be getting closer to our friends’ flanks, but they didn’t seem to care that they were being shot. These guys were likely all dead.

  He’s bringing them back to life somehow, making puppets or something, I warned the others.

  They’re everywhere, and the fight with the demons against Yttriol and Archemillian is keeping them too distracted to intervene, Bokaj explained.

  I have a plan, and no one is going to like this, but we need to get to him, Jaken offered.

  What is it? James asked as he ducked beneath a gorilla-like beast and blasted it with lightning-enhanced ki.

  We need to get him away from here. He’s got too many corpses to bring back, and we can’t keep this up for too much longer, Jaken grunted and shield bashed a small demon that sailed at him with his shield then sliced through it with Righteous Brand. So I think we should take him back to the Prime with us.

  Dude, the elves will shit themselves if that happens. Muu spun his spear to block an incoming flaming projectile and then thrust his weapon through a demon’s torso. He lifted it, and the holy weapon carved slowly through the little beastie until it fell to the ground with a splat. Gross.

  We have no choice! Yohsuke sighed. My mana is starting to ebb, and I don’t want to use my ability yet. The potions are handy, but you guys are offering openings left and right.

  To punctuate his statement, he sent an Astral Bolt at an enemy that tried to drag Balmur to the ground, hitting it in the face and allowing the Rogue to stab both weapons into the demon’s throat and carve outward.

  We should go, Balmur spoke finally. I’ll keep killing these things, but I’m getting tired. We need to end this on our terms.

  The rest of us gave assent, and Jaken took the lead. We march forward. Muu, as soon as we’re through, make us a hole in the crystal palace’s wall so we can try to get him away from civilians. We all need to be touching, so Zeke, get Kayda and Coal in. Bokaj, grab T’.

  Before we do this, we put the moves on him here a bit, Yohsuke added. If we go through this without hurting him, he may get suspicious.

  Jaken nodded and began to bang his shield loudly, drawing Melvaren’s attention.

  “Time to get yours, you fat piece of shit!” Jaken shouted as we moved steadily toward him.

  More demons began to pour over the walls, seeing that the fight was going potentially poorly for their former rulers and picking a side.

  Melvaren, a chuckle escaping his lips as he lifted his helmet on to his head, snickered, “You think you stand a chance? Fine. Come and let me show you what I, Anarchy, can do!”

  Oh, for fuck sakes, man, who the hell was naming these guys? Anarchy? Really? Nah. Melvaren worked better.

  We marched on and as we moved, demons died, were gored, and otherwise beaten back, but it was a near thing.

  I had recalled Coal as we began, and as soon as Kayda was in reach, she fired one last frozen lightning bolt at the demonic General. He raised a hand with a demon in it, and the thing turned into a frozen, deep fried demon. Melvaren grunted and tossed it toward us in contempt. I pulled her into the collar and watched as James leaped into the air and kicked the popsicled demon out of the way.

  Hit him hard and fast, Jaken ordered, but stay close. Listen for me to call it, then everyone be touching someone else.

  Muu laughed out loud, and I sighed. Time to play.

  As soon as we were close enough for him to become a viable threat again, we fanned out slightly. Melvaren slapped away Bokaj’s arrows before socking James in the gut for getting too close. He looked like he was enjoying this game of cat and mouse, his chuckles and teasing feints beginning to wear on my nerves.

  Then Balmur was beneath his legs, slashing with his new daggers and melting away before any reprisal could be made.

  “You insignificant, ungrateful lout!” the demon cried in outrage, his health bar having fallen a little. I noticed a small skull that appeared under his name and saw it was silver. Bane had taken effect I guessed.

  I broke left, slicing a demon with Mercy as I rolled through a gap between him and his buddy and then stabbed another in the throat with Falfyre.

  When I came up, I angled the sword toward the still surprisingly-meaty fist that rocketed at me. The weapon didn’t pierce, but it allowed me to slide under the blow and take it on the back at an angle. Thirteen percent of my HP bar gone there. Better to not get hit.

  Jaken was suddenly in front of the demon General with his sword in his hands, driving the gold weapon into Melvaren’s left knee.

  Now! the Paladin roared. All of us lunged forward and touched the vile creature, Jaken, or one of us. I felt teeth si
nk into my left leg that began to tear and attempt to pull me away.

  “Nifflepleth!” Jaken grunted as a small, shiny object reflected some of the radiant light emanating from his weapon.

  “What the–” Melvaren started to try and shove us away, but a tear opened just behind Jaken, and gravity shifted so that we hurtled toward it. One second we were there in the Hells, and the next, we were back in the Prime plane.

  I blinked and saw a high Elven guard blink and nod once. “I will inform Druid Questis, and merciful bounty is that a demon?!”

  “Flee!” Muu shrieked at the guard before taking his hammer and slamming it against the far wall of the room. Spidery cracks spread from where his hammer landed.

  The rest of us began to beat on Melvaren in earnest. Something tugged on my leg; the thing must have come with us and was still trying to rend me from my opponent.

  I growled and turned to see a small demon with six legs that reminded me of a skeletal dog with patches of fur and muscle here and there gnawing at my leg, shaking its head back and forth. I stabbed down with Mercy and severed the spine just below the base of its skull. The animal went down, paralyzed. Rather than leave it to suffer, I brought my sword down into its skeleton skull and shoved myself back up on to my feet—six percent lighter on my health bar.

  Zeke, help us get him out of here and into the open, Yohsuke called into my head.

  Belgar, coming up. Stay out of my way and keep his attention.

  I moved as stealthily as I could away from Melvaren and dismissed Falfyre with thought. The sword dispersed, and I focused on my Aspect of the Belgar spell. I made sure I was lined up and finished the cast.

  The transformation took hold. My muscles grew denser, my fur hardened, and a horn-like protrusion sprouted from the top of my nose. My sight grew fuzzy, but my hearing grew sharper. More focused.

  Coming! I settled into a sprinters position and dashed forward, settling into the Belgar’s charge.

  Move! I heard Jaken bark through the earrings; then I dipped my left shoulder and WHAM!

  Not the band but the sound of me hitting that asshole like a freight train hauling ass whoopings.