by Leo Romero
Chapter 13
I was suspended in the molten cartilage like a piece of fruit in jello. Somehow, I wasn’t burning to death or drowning. Instead, I was being drawn downward by an unseen force. My limbs wanted to struggle, but the stuff was too thick. I’d have more mobility in water. However, I could see through it.
“Stay calm, Stone,” Draxil said to me. I couldn’t answer him without getting a mouthful of gristle, so I kept quiet.
I flowed down the gloopy waterfall and was shown the next Circle of Hell.
“Welcome to Lust,” Draxil said. “Feast your eyes on the debauchery.”
Man, I didn’t wanna miss this!
I gazed with eager eyes down at the huge, circular world below. Small, craggy mountains jutted from the center, from which red waterfalls flowed into a vast lake. Naked bodies writhed in the waters, human and demon. But something was wrong. Every erotic scene I’d ever seen in a movie or on TV was nothing like what I was witnessing around me. There was no pleasure on the human end. Their faces were contorted in pain and tortured agony as they were held down and brutalized, subjected to the whims and desires of the demons. And they were demons. Things with hooves and horns and claws and fangs. Some of them had whips, others paddles strapped with razor wire. They took turns abusing the souls who’d found themselves trapped there.
Flesh was torn, blood flowed, and I quickly realized the blood in the river was from the bodies that were being brutalized. The demons went to work on the naked bodies in glee. Slashing, hacking, raping. It was horrible.
Minions of the demons, what looked like ratmen, were dragging the remains of used bodies out from the lake and onto the shore where their broken limbs and cut flesh appeared to heal. The ratmen were then throwing them back into the lake for more abuse, much to the delight of the demons and their insatiable lust. An eternity of suffering. The screams of anguish and goblin-like grunts of pleasure permeated the molten cartilage and assaulted my ears.
It was the worst porno ever!
‘Get me the hell outta here!’ I wanted to scream, but the portal was sucking me through slow as if mocking me. I wanted to close my eyes, but the molten cartilage was somehow holding the lids open. Looked like Hell didn’t want me to miss all the action. I blamed that asshole Atazoth. Wished I’d shot his head off!
“How they suffer the poor children,” Draxil said to me. “Their fate is etched in stone. Just pieces of meat to be used by the demons for eternity. The cruelty is unfathomable.”
Man, I so wanted to get down there and start unloading Bam Bam on some of those demon assholes. Whether the souls deserved to burn in Hell or not, the suffering was unbearable to witness.
“This is why I reject Hell, Stone,” Draxil told me. “I didn’t want any of this.”
The portal pulled me down level with the Circle, and I was in the middle of the madness. Naked men and women ran left and right through puddles of their own blood, their faces scrawls of terror. They were swiftly hunted down by deformed demons, their tongues lolling out of their mouths, saliva dribbling down their scarred chins as they gibbered excitedly. It was never-ending.
One of the demons noticed me as I floated by. His eyes widened in delight. He rushed over and punched through the portal, grabbing hold of my dark arm. The etchings flared into incandescent light. The demon roared in pain and immediately let go, pulling out his hand and rubbing it.
“Ha, take that, fool!” said Draxil. “You cannot lay your peasant hands on one marked by Hazatar!”
The demon growled in rage. I could tell he wanted to go for me again, but he controlled himself. He bowed his head in respect of what my etchings represented, and we passed through the ground, leaving the Circle behind. My mind was humming with disgust and terror as the world turned dark. I was reeling with shock. That was the most disgusting thing I’d ever bared witness to. The faces of suffering played over and over in my mind like a nightmare. I thought I’d be prepared to witness Hell, but that shit back there was beyond the pale.
Man, I hated to think what was coming next. I didn’t have to wait long. We passed through the darkness until the next Circle came into view. “Welcome to Gluttony,” Draxil said. “We hope you enjoy your meal!”
I slid down that shaft, my mind terrorized by the scene unfolding ahead of me. It was barbeque time!
Fires burned out of pits dug into the barren ground. Ravenous demons sat around the pits, rubbing their hands in glee as humans, skewered ass to mouth, rotated over the flames. Their high-pitched screams pierced the air as they were cooked to death, much to the delight of the waiting demons. Skin and flesh sizzled and blackened, hair frazzled away as the meat was grilled. A couple of demons loitered by, moldy pita bread in hand, rubbing their mighty bellies. I could hear the disgusting growls of their stomachs from where I was.
I’d never see a kebab in the same way again!
More demons hunkered around, their pot bellies bulging, feasting on bits of human. One was taking a chunk out of a leg, the other enjoying an arm, while another was slurping up entrails. When done, the bones were slung over into an almighty pile where the ratmen scuttled over and gnawed at them, hoping to get a few flecks of flesh to feed on.
My stomach did somersaults. Holy moly, this is disgusting. Screw you, Draxil. Screw you, Hell. And screw you, Satan!
A mighty demon sporting a blackened chef’s hat on his head stood ahead of a huge grill carved into a rock. He was casually picking up body parts from the rotting pile next to him and slinging them down on the grill. Greedy demons gathered around, burger buns and hot dog buns in hand, waiting for their orders to be fulfilled.
And I’ll give you one guess what the ketchup was made of.
The overburdened chef slapped more meat down on the grill, tossing a piece or two over his shoulder for waiting hellhounds, who fought over the scraps.
Man, I wanted to throw up. It was like being surrounded by a hundred Creepers! They gnawed and chewed, their gluttonous noises invading my very soul. These guys made feral hyenas look civilized.
Luckily for me, the molten cartilage was blocking out any sense of smell or I would’ve died there and then.
“Their glutton knows no bounds. Look at them, Stone. This is what the pit does. This is what it creates.”
My eyes fell on the flustered chef. He waved his four arms around in agitation. The others were restless. They wanted their grub yesterday. One tried to encroach on the grill. The chef stabbed it in the head with a giant two-pronged fork. The demon reeled away, the fork embedded in its head, while the others pointed and cackled in delight. I looked upon them with disgust in my heart, and I realized what was awaiting Earth if anything happened to Aurora. This could be a scene in any city in the world if Hell was raised. Humans used for food by these parasites. The thought of these things loose on Earth was enough to make me want to give my very life, my very soul to stop it. As I watched them devouring charred flesh, dribbling and gibbering, all I could think of was Lucy and Aurora, and all the other women and children all the way up there on Earth, blissfully unaware of what fate awaited them if Satan and Hell got their way. It made me even more determined not to let any harm come to Aurora.
Anger usurped my thoughts, and the etchings of Hazatar burned brighter than I’d seen them. They were fueled by my anger. No, my hate for the things I was surrounded by.
I met the stare of a poor asshole rotating over a pit of flames. His hair had been scorched off, his skin blackened and red, but his eyes were fully aware of what was happening. They were brimming with pain and fright. And worse, resignation. I had no doubt the guy was ready to repent for whatever sins brought him there. Too late, buddy. Too late.
I was sucked down into the ground, and we left Gluttony behind, the snorting and chomping and gnawing receding into oblivion. I got a final glimpse of a demon’s jaws chomp down on a freshly severed thigh, and we entered the darkness between the Circles. At least my mind and heart had a chance of respite from the sick chaos.
&nbs
p; “This is just the beginning, Stone,” Draxil told me.
Yippee…
“Next up. Violence.”
We entered the new Circle. I noticed the circles were getting bigger, and I couldn’t see to the far reaches of this one. But what I could see surprised me. I was staring down at a city. Burned-out shells of skyscrapers, the metal lattices beneath the facades exposed like the Grim Reaper’s ribcage, dominated the skyline. Some structures were ablaze, while others were decrepit and crumbling. It was as if this was once a thriving city that had been bombed or left to deteriorate. Or had it been designed that way in the first place? A river of a black, tar-like substance oozed, splitting the city like a diseased artery.
As I flowed down toward the ground, humans ran in terror from what looked like giant obsidian tanks that appeared to ooze and flow along like softened plastic. They were loaded with giant cannons that swung from side to side. One of them exploded into action. A building to the left erupted under the impact, a huge ball of flame rolling up into the air. Deformed troops marched through the streets, firing colossal guns at almost anything that moved. Bullets tore bodies to pieces, painting the nearby dilapidated buildings in blood. They marched along like a cyborg army, taking out anything that moved.
It was a war zone. Terror reigned through the streets, the whole scene illuminated by the unholy fires ravaging whatever remained. It was the most unwelcoming place I’d ever seen. A city of Hell. Literally.
“Danger lurks around every corner here, Stone,” warned Draxil. “We’ll have to be careful.”
After a brief bout of carnage, the troops gathered together and marched off through the streets to seek out more victims. The portal lowered me down to the street and spat me out like a bit of food caught in a giant’s teeth. I slammed onto the rocky road, pain jarring up my palms. I sucked in a huge breath as if I’d just resurfaced after a long time underwater. My mind was in a whirl. Fear, anger, disgust, all racing through my adrenaline-addled veins.
I leaped to my feet and tried to wipe myself down, thinking I’d be covered in gunk, but I was bone dry. I took deep breaths of dead air, my heart hammering. The stench of sulphur and cordite hit me, mixed with the reek of rotten sewage and decaying flesh. I gazed about, my chest heaving, my mind whirling from the unfamiliarity and terror of my surroundings.
“What the hell is all this shit?” I snapped, rage burning inside me.
“You’ve answered your own question.”
“You didn’t have to take me through those first two circles. That shit will haunt me for life.”
“Pah, grow some testicles, Stone! This is Hell. I wanted you to know what you’re dealing with or we might not make it out of here alive!”
“I could’ve done without seeing all that. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous.”
“Then don’t think about it! Now, pull yourself together! We’re in danger!”
I was on a street like no other I’d seen. It wasn’t made of tarmac, but hard, dry rock. Buildings stood at weird angles, the fires burning on them offering light—a dull orange glow, giving everything a rusty feel. It was dark Silent Hill for real.
“Use a hide and seek cloaking spell. Now!”
“How do I do that?”
“As you do with your light magic to disguise yourself. Use your dark magic to cloak yourself.”
“Will it work here?”
“Of course. The etchings of Hazatar are powerful here. The soldiers are low rank; the shadows will trick them. Just try to stay away from their gaze.”
I stepped into the shadows of a building and focused negative energy into my dark palm. Being where I was and thinking about what I’d just witnessed was enough to get my anger going. The etchings flared into life, and that dark purple mist rose from my palm. I ran it down myself from head to toe, and I watched in pleasant surprise as my body first turned dark and then melted in with the shadows. I wasn’t invisible; I was shadow. A fleeting movement.
The harsh clang of metal on rock echoed through the street, and I whirled. A bunch of soldiers filed into the street as if alerted by my presence. My back seized up. I stared at them in terror. They were some kind of weird, experimental super-cyborg that only Hell could think up. Giant blades for legs and lizard-like arms, scaly and green. Metallic bodies, all wires and pistons, kind of like C-3PO without his outer casing. But it was their faces that freaked me out the most because they weren’t actually faces but curved screens displaying faces. And they were faces only their mothers could love. Hollow eyes, devoid of life or emotion. Scowls of hate.
Green beams emanated from their screen-faces as they scanned the area for hostiles. My eyes widened. The beams headed my way like spotlights.
Chapter 14
“Quick, hide!” Draxil warned.
I leaped out of the way of the beam in the nick of time, jumping through a burned-out hexagonal window on the building behind me. I ducked down and waited, merging with the shadows. The soldiers communicated to one another in a bizarre series of clicks and crackles like radio interference. I held my breath, my eyes wide. Those noises intensified as they drew close to the window. My heart skipped a beat as green beams passed through the window cavity above me, bathing the wall opposite me in green light.
I kept as still as I could, my legs trembling.
The beams flittered across the window and back again, the crackles swelling in volume. My heart slammed against my ribs. I threw a hand over my mouth, willing myself to remain calm and quiet. I was a fugitive on the run from the cops. The beams zoomed rapidly left and right across the wall, and the crackles boomed in my ears as they sought me out. I was about to explode in tormented anguish when the green beams vanished from the wall. The crackles softened as the clang of the soldiers’ bladed legs petered out into the distance.
My chest relaxed as the torture of the last few moments released its grip on me. I collapsed in relief, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Who are those guys?” I asked.
“This city is controlled by Baal, a Prince of Hell,” Draxil answered. “They are his minions. Existing to strike terror into the souls of those who have been placed here. We’ll have to avoid them. Once we get to the Kennels, we’ll be safe.”
“What’s waiting at the Kennels?”
“Hopefully Margaroth and our flayer friend. Get moving.”
“All right, lead the way.”
“Get back on the street.”
I stood upright and peeked out of the window. The street was quiet. My shadow magic was still working, so I slunk out of the window and pressed myself up against the wall of the building. A dead city stared back at me. Now I knew what Chicago would look like after a nuclear holocaust, and man, was I not looking forward to it.
“This place is depressing.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I quite enjoy the ambience. To your left, you have death. To your right, destruction. Could one ask for more?”
“Good to see being in my head has helped you develop a snarky sense of humor.”
“Being in your head has helped me develop a schizoid aneurysm.”
I grumbled to myself in response. I looked down the street. “So how do we get to the Kennels?”
“We walk.”
“I’ve got a better idea.” I pulled out the seven of diamonds, threw it to the ground, and tried to call Pegasus. Nothing. No link to the Void. Damnit, Pegasus could’ve got us there fast and helped us avoid those creepy soldiers.
“Other planes are shut off in Hell, Stone. You’ll have to go by foot.”
Just my luck! I set off along the street, hunched over, trying my best to remain embedded in the shadows. There was a constant sense of danger, causing my ears to prick, my heart to race. Anxiety gnawed at my nerves like termites. That rumble continued, that endless churn, which constantly set the place on edge. I passed by more wrecked buildings, hopped over rotting corpses lying in the street. Heads on spikes adorned the sidewalk. It was a picture-perfect town!
“How long has this
place been here?”
“Since the beginning. Like all things, it evolved over time. I haven’t been here in millennia. It wasn’t so brutal before. It was a lot more pleasant.”
“Can’t imagine that.”
“What you see is a manifest of Baal’s will. He oversees the whole of Violence, spending his time envisaging ways to make this place more and more evil.”
“And you said watching the poker on TV was a waste of time.”
“He’s a Prince of Hell, Stone. It is his nature.”
I made it to the end of the street and peeked around the corner. Yet another derelict street awaited me lined with burned-out buildings. I puffed my cheeks. “How far are the Kennels?”
“Just keep going.”
“I take it that means far.”
Draxil didn’t respond. I groaned to myself and set off down the street. I made it about halfway when the roar of fire hit my ears. Accompanying it was a strange, wailing melody like alley cats singing heavy metal riffs. The sounds swelled, causing me to stop dead. The thing making the noise rounded the corner at a rapid pace. My jaw dropped. It was some kind of motorcycle, except it had no wheels. Instead, it hovered over the ground, flames shooting out of a huge tail pipe. It shimmered and rippled in the same way as the soldiers’ tanks, making it a blur. Riding it was a naked woman, her bloodstained, scraggly hair floating on the air behind her. She shot by me, constantly looking over her shoulder.
I frowned, wondering what had her spooked. Then, I found out.
Soldiers swarmed into the street, giving chase. A shimmering tank rolled in. I backed up, not wanting anything to spot me. I hit the facade of a building as the soldiers stormed by, making that weird clicking and crackling sound. The tank made it level with me, and I got a good look at it. Now I realized it was constructed out of some kind of organic material. The thing was alive. It was flesh fused with metal, the flesh black like a gorilla’s hide. It rippled and tensed, like well-developed muscle. A cannon on its top swung around, aimed at the bike, and shot a thin, red beam at the rider. The rider tried to duck and swerve, but the beam was too accurate. She caught it in the middle of her back. She let out a scream as tendrils of smoke rose from her burning flesh. The pain caused her to lose control of the bike. She veered away, smacking into a building. The impact threw her off the bike; she sprawled on the sidewalk. She was immediately stormed on by soldiers.