“What were they like?” Hakkar rested his head in his hands.
“Nightmarish,” Teland shivered. “Horrific. Disgusting.”
“Why are they held there?”
“They are tormented until they mature. You see, mortal souls are capable of absorbing chao from the very air. And the worse they’re tortured, the more chao they accumulate.”
“And then?”
Teland sighed, stroked his son’s hair.
“You know that our ancestors came from Disgardium. Before we discovered Chaos, we ourselves were mortal.”
“Aren’t those just fairytales?” Hakkar recoiled.
“No, son, it’s the truth. But from the tales, you no doubt heard that there are gods in the other world. Higher beings whose breath fills the world with mana.”
“With what? Ma-na?”
“Yes, energy like chao, only not as strong. But its supply is endless! Mana is the breath of the gods of Disgardium. With its help, mortals cast magic. There are no gods in the Inferno, so there is no mana. Much of what the mortals can achieve through mere desire and the ability to control mana was closed off to us here. Smart demons learned how to make chao obey them. In the big cities, there are self-driving carts that move using chao energy, and mirrors in which you can see things from all over the Inferno… There are many miraculous inventions, and they all work using special chao accumulators.”
“And that’s what the mortal souls are used for?”
“Not only that. Higher demons happily devour them to raise their chao, but some are used to operate all the extraordinary things created in the Ruby City…”
After making sure his father had food and drink enough to last until he got back, Hakkar hugged him and left the house. The stories inspired him. He felt as if, by carrying out this assignment from Kerass, he was taking the first step on the path to his dream. After all, if he learned how to get dozens of chao particles every day, then by his two-hundredth year, he would have enough for his first white star!
Hope gave him courage. Hakkar walked confidently through the thick chaos-iron gates and headed for the river. Animals went there to drink, so it was only a matter of time before he found a scourgemane or devouring ooze. They were slow creatures. With enough luck, Hakkar might be able to take them down.
A couple of thousand ells from the river, he sniffed the air, pricked up his ears. He could smell the foul stench of a mortal soul from behind a small hill. Just his imagination? Hakkar slowly dropped down, pressed his body to the ground. His long tail twitched warily, and the tiefling had to get a grip on himself to calm it down and settle his excitement. O Treacherous Belial, could he really be so lucky? A freshly extracted mortal soul? Still weak, defenseless, not knowing what had happened, what to do now? The spirits of the dead were usually pulled to the center of the Dominions, where there was the greatest concentration of chao. The one that had swallowed up Hakkar’s brothers had wandered in from far away, but this one…
The mortal soul came closer. Hakkar smelled its growing stench and nervously clutched his spear. The lava crust cracked, a scream rang out. Hakkar shuddered – the voice was so high it made his fangs hurt.
“Alright, Scyth, you’re in the Inferno…” screeched the voice of the spirit made flesh.
Hakkar wasn’t surprised that it spoke Demonic – those that discover chao absorb it, gaining both flesh and knowledge of the language. But there was no time to think. The spirit could round the hillock and see the tiefling at any moment. Hakkar unscrewed the lid from his flask, took a swig of brandy and started crawling toward the voice, to narrow the distance and attack.
The mortal soul which called itself Scyth had been a human in life, but Hakkar’s true sight told him the soul had another name:
Mortal Soul of Rion Staffa
Property of Belial.
What Hakkar saw made his eyes light up. If the spirit had been at all strong, his true sight would have told him that it was ‘hungry’ or ‘mature.’ This was definitely an ordinary soul, which meant even a child could handle it. Hakkar feared to even imagine how much chao it might contain. A thousand particles? Ten thousand? He needed a million for a white star, but, as his father said, if you want to get to the Ruby City, the first thing you have to do is leave your house.
It was a little awkward that Prince Belial clearly owned the soul, but he surely wouldn’t miss it. Was it Hakkar’s fault that the poor thing came down so far away from the Ruby City? It certainly wouldn’t get there under its own steam – the beasts would eat it. No, better that the prey go to Hakkar!
“I hope Flay can pull me out of here,” the dead man said, apparently talking to himself. “But I’ll only need that if my respawn point on Kharinza doesn’t work…”
This mortal hopes to get out of the Inferno? Hakkar thought in surprise and laughed mentally, continuing to crawl.
“Damn, it’s dark as hell down here! The devil could break a leg…” the mortal muttered, stopping. “Come on, Night Vision! Work!”
Dark? Hakkar frowned. It’s light as can be! This was the hour when the particles of chao in the sky shone brightest. And what devil was he talking about? Maybe the Great Prince to whom he sold his soul? But Belial wasn’t a devil, he was a higher demon! Devils performed hard physical labor. Tilling fields, pulling stumps, digging earth.
The mortal had come so close that Hakkar barely held back the sick rising in his throat. The disgusting soul smelled worse than a cesspit. This was the first time the tiefling had seen a human, and he studied its horrifying body with overwhelming curiosity. It was white, hairless like an ooze, with strange fur on its head instead of horns. And no tail – how did it stay balanced? Mortals looked a lot better in the pictures.
“For the Dominion!” Hakkar shouted, throwing aside his empty thoughts and jumping at the stranger.
The spear struck the mortal soul, but to the tiefling’s horror, it didn’t pierce its body – the tip bent, the wood trembled and an unseen power struck back at Hakkar himself. Thrown ten yards away, the tiefling froze and watched with darkening eyes as the mortal approached him, leaned over him…
“Tiefling Hakkar, level 1008 Scavenger? Strong scavengers you guys have… Alright, you’ll do.”
The mortal spirit disappeared, and in its place Hakkar saw… Hakkar himself, leaning down over him!
The real tiefling gave a final breath and disincarnated, leaving particles of chao behind. His last thought was one of disappointment: he had died without seeing the Ruby City after all.
Chapter 12. Horns and Hooves
ALL I COULD SEE in the utter darkness was the steely gray sky: close, heavy, hanging above like a low ceiling that I could reach out and touch. The expanse of sky pressed down as if about to collapse and crush all beneath it.
I spent my first seconds in hell staring upwards, remembering Despot waxing lyrical about the beauty of the gray sky above the Cursed Chasm. He was right, it was far gloomier here. No wonder the demon had been so impressed.
The system interrupted my contemplation – having identified a non-standard situation, it spat out a string of text:
Ꞩꬰꬱꬸꬺ! Ꞟꬽꭌꭄꭆ…
Before I could even begin to consider what that could mean, the text transformed:
Scyth! Game dimension ‘Inferno’ has been only partially activated.
Full activation can only occur only if two conditions are met:
– player level of at least 700 (condition met).
– 666 defeats of the sentients of Disgardium in the Demonic Games (condition not met, currently: 665).
In connection with this, your game progress in the Inferno will take place in a subjective timestream.
The Inferno: new game mechanic!
The Great Exodus of the demons from Disgardium to the Inferno took place over six thousand years ago. Cut off from mana, they lost the ability to cast magic, which made it impossible to gain experience and levels.
Only years after the Great Exodus did the princes
of the Inferno – Diablo, Belial and Azmodan, – learn how to control chao, and created a hierarchical system for their followers similar to the one they were used to.
From then on, every demon had a chance to elevate himself by gathering chao. Gaining a million particles grants the demon a white star on his left horn, boosting his stats. Thirteen white stars combine to make a yellow one. Thirteen yellows make an orange. Oranges turn into reds, and thirteen reds – into a black.
A player who wishes to create a character of a demonic race or recreate their current character must first reach at least level 700.
New members of the demonic races begin the game with no stars, but with primary characteristics comparable with an average character at level 700, receiving 13,000 stat points distributed according to the chosen race and class.
The in-game races of the Inferno…
I opened my profile and confirmed that this introductory text had no relevance to me whatsoever. I didn’t know why I was seeing it.
Unlocked legendary achievement Go To Hell!
You are the first in the world to have visited the Inferno without being a player of a demonic race. A unique and… suicidal achievement! We hope you know what you’re doing.
Reward: Horns and Hooves perk (you can grow horns and hooves at will, but, unfortunately, getting rid of them will be somewhat harder.)
What a reward for a legendary achievement! Everything these demons touched had some kind of catch, even the achievements. Not to mention the Inferno itself, where I couldn’t see further than an arm’s length away. In my habit of thinking aloud, I started blabbering about how to get out of there and how dark it was…
“For the Dominion!”
The piercing scream coming out of the gloom was in Demonic, and I understood it! I speculated for half a second whether I might be able to talk to the first inhabitant of the Inferno I encountered, but had no time to come to any conclusions before the demon attacked me.
In the same instant, Path of Equanimity from Resilience activated and the damage failed to land, but the attacker was hit with Reflection, and so hard that he flew several paces and disappeared in the darkness. My eyes weren’t adapting at all. I couldn’t see a damn thing.
I headed in the direction the body flew, looked at the label above its head and blinked in disbelief:
“Tiefling Hakkar, level 1008 Scavenger?” My speech came out in Demonic all on its own, though it made my throat clench and my tongue hurt right away. “Strong scavengers you guys have…” I said thoughtfully. The NPC’s level was stunning, considering that even Abaddon was only level 666. The developers must have just scaled the demons for the Games. “Alright, you’ll do.”
Recon was everything, and there was no way I could gather intel as Scyth. Imitation didn’t let me down:
Imitate Tiefling Hakkar, level 1008 Scavenger?
I confirmed and a warning appeared before me:
Attention! Demons possess true sight, allowing them to see your true exterior!
Attention! Your Enemy of the Inferno mark cannot be hidden by an illusory imitation!
For authenticity, a full imitation with total character transformation is recommended.
Use a full imitation of tiefling Hakkar, level 1008 Scavenger?
Agreeing, I felt my body change for real: my feet went numb, contracted and covered over with hooves; my legs, bones popping, twisted until my knees bent backwards; horns broke through the top of my skull…
The transformation was done within three heartbeats, and when it ended, another belated warning flashed up:
Attention! The Inferno is cut off from Disgardium!
Your Herald class skills, and special and divine abilities (Divine Revelation, Depths Teleportation, Imitation, Lethargy, Liberation, Self-Sacrifice, Synergy, Cloak Essence, Sleeping Vindication, Assistance of the Sleepers, Unity, Touch of the Sleeping Gods, Wheel of Fortune, Sleeping Invulnerability, Sleeping Justice) require no mana, but do demand a connection to their patron divinity.
By drinking Ambrosia of the Sleepers, you absorbed a particle of the true flesh of the Sleeping Gods, which made it possible for you to activate the Imitation skill once. The particle of your patron divinities has been spent.
Your character will be stuck in your chosen form (Tiefling Hakkar, level 1008 Scavenger) for your entire time in the Inferno!
Whatever AI ruled this dimension, it was doing a great job of improvising for the non-standard situation, finding ways within the gameplay to cut off my abilities.
The tiefling looked at me, his eyes fading. If I correctly interpreted the expression on his face, the scavenger was horrified! He looked very young and much like a human… Not counting his bright red skin, long tail and powerful horns twisted round like a ram’s. The demon’s browless and lipless face looked as if burned with boiling water. I touched my own, which was now identical – rough skin, bristles on my chin. I’d have to get used to my new form or my own reflection would make me jump.
I took a step, lurched – walking on hooves was a skill I didn’t have. Good thing Flight was still with me. I still had Ghastly Howl too, but I remembered from the Games how demons reacted to it – they howled in glee alongside me.
Crouching down next to the expiring body, I checked out the trash that dropped from it: Lava Twitcher Skin Shorts (Armor: 162), which looked more like a skirt or leather belt with scraps of fabric hanging down to cover the groin; Inferno Scavenger’s Light Jacket (Armor: 279); Empty Chaos-Steel Flask… The value of each item was shown. That last one was the most expensive – two demonic silver coins. The clothing was valued in coppers, but as for how demonic metals differed from normal ones, I had yet to find out. The important thing was that all my millions of ordinary gold clearly wouldn’t be useful here. Although, knowing demons, I imagined that money changers could be found in the cities. There were demons in Disgardium, after all… Flaygray and Nega had gotten to the Treasury of the First Mage somehow.
I picked up the clothes and was about to leave, but then saw something out of the corner of my eye. At first I made out only a few granules on the black-brown earth, as if someone had scattered chili flakes across it, but my transformation into the tiefling had only just started to change my eyes, and my demonic vision was kicking in:
Chao: 57 particles.
Particles of Chaos saturate the entire Inferno. Its inhabitants learned to save them up and use them as a source of strength.
Attention!
You can absorb this chao or bring its former owner, tiefling Hakkar, back to life. Chaos forgets nothing; even if revived after years, the demon will remember everything that happens to you while his chao is in your body.
Choose standard action for chao particles:
Absorb, place in inventory or return tiefling Hakkar to life?
There was a lot the demon could have told me if we’d found common ground, but the damn Inferno itself had taken that chance from Hakkar. I couldn’t change my form now, and so the demon would have to disappear for the time being. Once I left, I could return him to life.
I picked up the particles. That is, they flowed into my palm of their own accord as if magnetized, and disappeared. The logs showed what happened to them:
Chao particles: +57.
Chao earned at current level (0 white stars): 57 / 1,000,000.
Tiefling Hakkar, starless Scavenger, has been added to the list of demons you can incarnate anew.
Touching chao has adapted you to the hierarchical system of the Inferno!
Well, well… To hell with the tiefling – the Sleepers willing, I’d get the Coals of Hellflame and bring him back to life. I was more concerned with myself. Even the format of the logs showed that chao particles were like experience in Dis. But I was still in Dis – why were the mechanics so different? What had happened to my levels?
Deep in thought, I didn’t notice right away that the area had changed. Whereas before I’d been wandering through the gloom and seeing nothing but a rusty steel sky,
twinkling but giving off no light, now I saw everything clear as day. The sky had brightened, taking on tones of pink. I walked a little to the north, judging by the minimap, and climbed up a hill, saw a narrow river of black water winding its way around its foot. To the south were tall black walls surrounding a fairly large settlement. Beasts like hyenas ran beneath the walls, spiky and with two tails; I saw a demon sentry atop the nearest tower to me. He stood with his back to me, but even from afar his powerful back and shoulders commanded respect.
Closer to the river, I saw growths of yellow canes. I headed that way to keep out of sight while I got to grips with this new character. Full imitation, transformed game mechanics – what did it all mean for me?
Enemy of the Inferno (Disgardium Book #8): LitRPG Series Page 24