Chapter Twenty-three
My cellmates looked at each other with confused glances then back at me.
“Uhh, kid, what are you doing?” Muscles said.
“Drawing a deity-trapper,” I responded simply.
“A what?” Mack said. Yeah, I decided to call him something that sounded cooler than his ridiculous full name. I mean Epex isn’t the greatest name in the world but that’s beside the point.
“A device that normally negates the power of a god for a short time,” I continued, voice still nonchalant. I did stop for a second to enjoy the shocked looks on their faces.
“How will that help you here?” Muscles said, skepticism palpable in his voice. “It’s not like the prissy fucks are stuck down here like us.”
“The normal negation isn’t what I’m going for,” I said. “I once used it on the surface when I was weak and just regaining access to essence. Took me almost eight years to charge the son of a bitch, but upon contact with someone strong, it forced an explosive ascension to the human world.”
“Yeah but what good will that do you, here? Not to be Debbie Downer, but unless you can get the warden in here, you’re fucked.”
“Not trying to get him in here,” I said. “Although that is a pretty good idea. Negate his immortality and.” I paused letting the guard walk by. “Anyway, it’s done for now. I made a few upgrades. I’ll be testing them later.” I tore off a piece of my shirt and wrap it around my hand. My natural healing was much slower in the depths than anywhere else.
About a few hours of lounging around, talking, and making jokes, the guards came back into the main facility. Prisoners from other cells were complaining, beating their bars, and demanding things. The Goraus ignored them. Accent cleared his throat.
“Quiet, ya buffoons!” he barked. “You wiz be taken to mine. Betta make ya quota or else.” One by one, the guards opened the cell doors. One pointed in a direction that led outside. I covered the trapper with a pillow then followed the others.
We were led to a mine in an open rocky area with mile-high cliffs and blood-red sky. The ore came in the form of orange diamond-like substances the size of boulders scattered in ten-feet intervals all over the place. Mining this shit would take an eternity. Ah. That’s why it’s the Infinite Prison.
The veteran prisoners (I think they are) had already grabbed their pickaxes from a giant container in the center and started hacking away at the stones. Some shattered six-inch pieces at a time then tossed them into a bucket next to their feet. I followed everyone’s lead. Grabbed a bucket, a pickaxe, then headed to a random ore spot to hit away.
HOLY SHIT this was backbreaking work. If my soul body could sweat, I’d be drowning in it. We kept at it for roughly nine horrendously boring hours. No breaks other than our own periods of rest. I concluded that labor like this was another form of torture—just less stabby, except at the ore. It took an exceeding amount of effort to get even one piece broken off. We weren’t even allowed to stop if ten was reached early.
A couple of newbies from afar learned that the hard way when the Goraus whipped them a few times on the spot. There were a few schemes too, which involved bigger prisoners setting up suckers then stealing their ore. One almost had me but I blasted him away just in time. No one bothered Muscles. Mack simply outsmarted the thugs, refusing to leave his ore unattended, then dismissing them. He applied his own use of force to get rid of stubborn scam artists. All and all, the ore activity sucked. Really sucked.
After the nine hours, we got the two hours of free time, surprisingly, but no one was interested in the basketball court. I doubted some of the demons even knew anything about the human sport. A few female demons, the ones who weren’t yet forced to the warden’s pleasure chamber, were sitting together speaking among each other. Most of them were in humanoid form, one way or another. Surprisingly no succubae though. Normally I wouldn’t give a shit about demons—still don’t—but I could use that anger to start a riot.
I’m pretty sure demon women didn’t enjoy being violated, especially if they’re the hell bound species that would like something to gain such as power or whatever elevated demonic politics. The only obstacles were the guards. I hated to admit that they were powerful. If I could manifest a weapon, I’d stand more of a chance. There’s got to be a way.
At the end of the two-hour break, I still had yet to come up with a solution to this problem. The Goraus sent us back to the cells. I went back to work on the deity-trapper.
“So, how about that eternity,” I said to my cellmates. Muscles glared then shook his head. Mack simply sighed.
“How long will it take you to finish your witchcraft.”
“It’s not witchcraft,” I said. “It’s just about finished. But I’ll need chaos.”
“A classic and pointless riot that would get us nowhere,” Muscles said. “We’ll get swept by the guards, sent to the torture chambers, and then when we get back, after you.”
“After me? I won’t put a gun to anyone’s head and force them to join the riot. Anyone who agrees to help will know the risks, unless they’re naïve and stupid,” I said. “You’re welcome to just stay here. The idea is to fill this circle up to the brim then detonate it. We get one shot at this because circles on the ground tend to burn up after one use. In the meantime…” I shut up when the guards entered the main facility.
“To the coliseum,” one of them said. “Some of you are about to be entertainment for our dear warden. I hope you know something about battle.” The cell doors were opened and once again, we were hauled off to go do their biddings.
Chapter Twenty-four
Someone with a voice of authority and malevolence spoke from nowhere.
“Welcome, prisoners or should I call you warriors. You’re about to fight to the death anyway. Those who die, will respawn in my personal torture chamber. Let’s just say unless you’re really, really, lucky, you can forget about getting out of there. May as well be dead in the since of being dead. So I suggest staying alive.”
We were all looking around but the coliseum had no observers in the seats. I assumed nonparticipants would occupy them. “The good news is that I’m willing to grant a boon to anyone who impresses me, whatever it may be. Alone time with a female prisoner, a day off, anything. If you really impress me, I may even let go to the city, even get you a job and a place there, how does that sound?”
The prisoners did what anyone would do after being presented such a golden carrot. Cheered. I didn’t. But…this is a potentially easy shot to the city. Yeah, right, like any deal with a devil, there’s probably some catch to it. “There’s no catch,” the warden continued, his voice somehow giving off the hint of lying. “If you somehow impress me to a degree that would make me stand up, you go to the city. But, only one of you can get this boon. It’d be about ten years until I grant another one like it.”
The tension in the air spiked. Whatever he planned would end up in a bloodbath. “Sadly, only a few of you will get the chance to participate today. Today, will be reserved for someone I want dead, highest ore collectors, a few superb intimidators, and so on.”
He started calling list of prisoner numbers. I flinched a little when mine was called. So were my cellmates. When the warden finished his rollcall, he sent the moping others to watch. “Ladies and gentlemen remaining on the field, take a look at the gate to your left.”
We did, noticing for the first time the large wooden gate. Darkness shrouded what it contained, but it shook. It wasn’t shaking when we first got in here—there’s no way anyone would’ve missed it. “Behind it is something fierce, deadly, hungry, and will stop at nothing to tear each and every one of you into little pieces. I guarantee most of you will die. See you in the torture chamber, forever.” The warden laughed, almost like a cliché villain. He succeeded at losing the respect he gained, as tensions rose even more. No one probably cared about the “possible” trip to the city. It was survival now. “The rules are simple. All of you are on a team to
kill the beast. Kill it and you’re off for the rest of the day. Everyone else will be going back to the mine for a few more hours. Your weapons are over there, by the gate. You may grab a sword.” No one was stupid enough to move. That obvious trap wasn’t getting any cheap shots today. The warden chuckled. “Suit yourselves. Let the games begin!”
The gate vanished. A large bear-like roar blasted from darkness. Immediately three prisoners were thrown into the air by some unseen force then torn to pieces. Literal pieces.
“Shit, this is fucked up, let’s group up,” I said to my cellmates. “Fuck the prizes, we have to fight to not be lost.”
Mack nodded then summoned his blue aura. Muscles looked as if desperately tried to locate the beast but gave up seconds later.
“I’m in,” he said. “I just want to fuck a female. I could give a shit less about some trip to the city. That’s most definitely a trap.”
I sighed. Whatever kept this guy going. We needed his strength.
“Alright,” I said. “Let’s get to the weap…”
Someone appeared in front of us, blood oozing out of her mouth, cool, calm, and collected look on her face.
A kid, with tiny bat-like wings and long black hair, grinned a bloody smile at us. Dressed in a simple black shirt and skirt, the little demon girl, who wouldn’t have been more than thirteen human years old, licked her lips.
“Oooh, now that’s amazing. You must be the special tasty treat he promised me.” She sniffed the air. “Half holy, half human.” She licked her lips again. “You smell so delicious. My mouth is watering so much.” She stepped toward me.
“Get out of here, kid, we’ve got pressing matters to worry about,” Muscles said in a dismissing voice.
“Oh shit, don’t,” I warned too late. Muscles tried to shoo her away and lost his arm.
The kid ripped it out of its socket with ease. Black blood and algae-colored liquid oozed from it slowly.
She didn’t stop there. As Muscles screamed, she tore him to shreds and ate him. Fast too.
I didn’t waste any time, making a run for it. Mack followed. A large burst of wind nearly knocked me to the ground as the demon girl appeared right in front of me, maniacal grin on her face. The other prisoners, the lucky motherfuckers were as far away from us as possible.
“And where do you think you’re going, foodie pie?” the deadly girl of death said.
Heart jackhammering against my chest, I took a fighting stance, realizing that I was the guy the warden wanted dead. Fuck. This felt like a fucked-up joke. We could’ve used Muscles, even if he got what was coming to him. He sounded like nothing more than a womanizer. Or maybe a rapist.
The girl lurched at me, dodging my punch, then leapt on top of my arm. Mack hit her with a freaking death beam of blue energy, knocking the crazy kid onto the ground. That shit had no effect on her—she broke into laughter then hopped up, knocked me onto my back, then landed on stomach, all while smiling.
I felt an overwhelming amount of fear engulf me—Mack fired beam after beam, threw punches and kicks, fired more beams. The girl didn’t so much as budge.
“I require all prisoners to participate,” the warden said. The kid froze then turned around to look at them. She waved then turned to look at me.
“You’re lucky,” she said softly then punched me in the gut. I wheezed—felt like a fucking car hit me. “I need to go take care of the cowards first. Our dinner date will be postponed.”
The girl vanished and soon the screaming and slaughter started. Geysers of prisoner blood, limbs, and all kinds of shit went flying into the air. Crunching and chewing sounds echoed throughout the place. The warden laughed.
“Miliana keep it up!” he said with glee. “You’re welcome to eat the crowd too. And they’re special.”
Chaos. So much chaos. Not even the Goraus were anywhere to be found.
“We’ve got to get the fuck out of here and quick!” I said to Mack, voice panicked. “This entire thing is a trap—there won’t be any surviving. Every prisoner here is food to that thing. Fuck the plans, let’s go.”
Mack nodded then we burst into a sprint toward the exit. Fortunately, no guards blocked it. We also weren’t locked in.
Chapter Twenty-five
When we made it back to the main facility, someone was in our cell, inspecting my deity circle. He was tall, covered in a black cloak, and the presence he emitted was that of a devil. But not just any devil—this enormous height of power could only be royal class. Fuck.
“There won’t be any escape, gentlemen,” the warden said. Guards quickly surrounded us as they poured from doors and the halls. Probably fifty of them. “It’s time for a chat.” He touched the circle and then continued to inspect it. If I could see a face beneath the cloak, I’d probably see curiosity. “Have a seat.” The guards pushed us onto my bed. “I can’t figure this out. I set up that game because I thought this thing here was some kind of holy trap. I changed the rules the moment one of my Goraus told me of this. Killing all of you and then replacing you with more processed goods is just a small precaution.” He looked at me, red eyes glowing through the cloak. “A runner, a demigod, and the creator is this unknown rune here. If you were willing to make this in blood with some much detail, then it must be big. Soooo, no need to hold back. Spill it already.”
“Sure thing,” I said and then activated it with a thought. The warden howled as he fell to his knees, fully on the circle.
“Don’t move or he dies,” Mack said to the guards.
They shrugged.
“We were about to kill him while we had the chance anyway.”
The warden laughed but stopped upon realizing the intensity of the trapper. And probably the fact that no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t move. I pre-set it to hyper-absorb as much power from its victim as possible. I didn’t expect the warden’s paranoia to work in my favor.
“Guards, tell the female demons in his sex dungeon to cause chaos. Also, who was the snitch.”
“The one with the accent,” one of them said. “But he’s off doing some tasks.”
“Should’ve known he’d be the one to cause me trouble,” I said. “Kill him while you’re at it. Soon, this place will blow up. You may want to run.”
“Are you sure we can’t kill him,” a Goraus said. “When the news spread that a royal devil was killed by lessers like us, it will make them all look bad.”
An intense red aura oozed off the warden. He growled, “you fucked up, believing something like this could hold me. I will kill you all, torture you forever, and hire new guards.”
The guards took that as a sign to run.
“Hope you die in the explosion, you fucker,” one of them shouted back. In seconds, they were gone, down the hall. There’s no honor among demons.
“This is impressive,” Mack said, intrigued look on his face.
“It once held Conus,” I said. “With the changes, I set it to absorb and explode. So yeah, pretty sure this isn’t something we should stick around to see if we could ride out. I’m unsure—”
“Miliana! Mili! Come eat! Eat them all. The traitorous Goraus too!”
Fearing the worse, Mack and I ran for it, following the guards. I wasn’t sure if the deity-trapper was ready, but as soon as we about halfway through the main processing area, I willed it to explode.
The entire place shook and rattled but somehow held together. It was tough to keep my balance, but I ran and ran…and ran… until we were finally out of the building. It looked like a giant red stone fortress. The guards were either teleporting or flying off.
“Hey, can we get a ride,” I shouted to them. They ignored me. “Ungrateful bastards.”
“Did you figure out that the guards were slaves too?” Mack said.
“Honestly, it was more of a guess—they could’ve just killed us,” I said. “This also wasn’t the original plan but I improvised on the warden’s paranoia—”
Miliana flung out of the air, hopped onto Mack’s back
, and began chomping down on him. He yelled, blasting at her, unsuccessful at getting the creature off him. I released wave after wave of force to no avail. Was there no way to killing this thing?
I tried to pull her off, but she chewed chunks and chunks of his shoulder, eating and laughing.
“There’s no hope for me, Epex. Just go,” Mack said. “I’ll respawn in a hopefully ruined torture chamber.”
Shit. Powerless again… I need power. Why should I take this abuse again? Even if I were to run, that thing would catch me in an instant. Where could I go in the depths of Hell? This is it…another impossibility of this place.
A doom. I need power.
I need power. I need power.
You need power…
I flinched. This was my voice. My thoughts. I said that…right?
Then I saw a brief flashback…The power I gained from self-falling. No, no, I couldn’t possibly fuck with that. Mack let out a yell. Fine, whatever it takes to kill this thing. I reached inside and pulled on the locks, all while thinking of the things I hated, the people who tossed me into the depths.
Nothing happened.
You don’t understand. You must want this. You must want to stay this way. It shouldn’t be temporarily. You have no idea what you really are, do you? One cannot just self-fall.
The rage struck as I saw the demon continue to chomp down on the blue man. I didn’t have time to listen to lectures from myself.
“Fuck you,” I whispered to it. “no one tells me what do to do. Fuck you!”
I pulled that power out, enraged, ready to kill any and everything. I pulled and pulled and then let it expand. I felt the wings instantly grow out of my back. Black light outlined me in thick waves. Two fangs grew in my mouth or maybe two of my teeth changed shape. The light isn’t purple. So, fuck what Conus says—it’s not a self-fall.
Till the Last Breath Page 11