The AfterLife: Hell
 

Many people don't know it, but there is a life after the first initial death. However, depending on the choices and decisions you make in life, you may end up spending your eternity in a place you'd rather not even see, for it would scar your soul.

Hell is almost like the living realm, a massive planet, although not in the space that most know. It floats in an eternal abyss of darkness. There are no stars to look at from its plains; there are no moons to light up the night. Any light you would see would come from this horrid place itself, from the many burning pits in which people would writhe and scream forever, or from the demons who glowed with their own unnatural light. Underneath the surface of the lands here, many tunnels and underground lakes reside, all frozen and horribly dark. The most horrid of sinners go there, as their own frozen hearts that would betray anyone and everything, belong. It is so terrifyingly cold that the ice almost feels like fire as it is. The people frozen here are sometimes deep under the ice, and others are above it, although their entire bodies, except their faces, are covered in ice. Sometimes the colder demons who guard this place enjoy slicing and torturing these particular souls.

On the surface there are no oceans; just lakes of boiling acid, lava and blood. All too often you can watch as demons drag new residents to these lakes, all formed into long lines where their hands are literally stapled together, where they are thrown into cages that will never be opened again. The demons then would throw the cages into the boiling terror, the victims sinking below the liquid.

There is a land where pain is the least of anyone's concern. In this part of hell, the entire landscape is nothing but dead trees and filthy mud. It never stops raining, and the lightning is the only source of light. People here are the suicides. The demons suck the memories from these people, leaving only the knowledge that they killed themselves. They then impale these people to the muddy ground using spears or large wooden stakes. The people here suffer the pain of this and the pain of their last moments in the living realm. Demons enjoy repeatedly impaling the victims here, or cramming their faces into the mud and rocks until their faces bleed.

There is another part of hell where gluttons go; these people are eternally starving, their bodies so thin their bones nearly pop out in some places. They are trapped within a forest, demons guarding any passage out. Here, they both hide and seek each other out, for if they see another, they will try and eat each other, one always winning over the other. And because all wounds in hell are healed after a short time, they are forced to eat each other and be eaten for eternity.

These are only a few of the places in hell, the rest you would have to see for yourself, although you probably won't ever leave.

How does one decide where the sinner goes? Every victim brought into hell comes through the searing hot main gates, a large portal just beyond that leads to the living realm. Demons drag their victims, kicking and screaming through these gates and bring them to the Judge, Minos. This demon resides on a massive thrown to which his own massive form fits. The thrown is mostly the first thing you would see as you were dragged in through the gates. Everyone thrown before this giant minotaur quiver in terror, and one look at you and he knows where you belong. Demons are then appointed to so many victims to escort to their appropriate areas.

Sometimes, although not very often, a good soul destined for the better afterlife are stolen in death by the demons. In these cases, demons and angels are already in the area, taking the souls to their places in the afterlife, often in cases like mass murder. But if a demon can, he'll take even the ones he senses are good, because this brings them an enormous amount of sadistic joy. Minos refuses to judge these people, however, he takes no part in sending them back, either. The demons who stole them take them wherever they themselves reside.


Ireth was thrown before Minos, and on her hands and knees she looked up in terror, tears of fear and pain running down her face. She didn't know what was going on; one minute she was just a simple elf, learning the ways of magic healing, the next she was tortured and killed and now here.

Minos looked down upon her, and after only a brief second waved his hand in disgust.

"This elf has no place here, do with her as you wish."
Ireth's ears were filled with laughter; the demons loved an innocent in their home. She felt a clawed hand grab hold of her hair, the demon smiling down at her. "You're my special little friend from here into eternity," he said before tugging her along as he walked, ignoring her screams of pain. What had she done to deserve this? And although her eyes were spouting tears of pain, she could still see others in this 'holding' area. There were little groups of people here in there, locked into cages. Their groups had to be a little bigger before some of the demons would make the trip to drag them to their new homes.

The rain had slowed significantly, and the sun even began to poke itself through holes in the dense canopy of clouds. The muddy ground had become a series interconnected murky brown puddles… they had become stained with red. Caden Onimaru almost stopped the fall with his sword but faltered, thus he hit the ground slightly more on his left shoulder, less on his face. His had and shroud had been removed, so his facial features were revealed, not something that often happened. His blue/gray eyes looked wearily forward and side to side. Caden tried gathering the energy to drag his chin out of the mud (he hadn’t eaten mud since he was a child), but to no avail.
One last push he thought. Onimaru began to rise from the ground; his elbows shake and eventually give out, chinning smashing into the mud, his black hair waving over his face. Maybe later were his last words as Caden’s eyes closed.

Caden awoke someplace with a chill in the air, and a lot less humidity. He sat up and finally forced his eyes open to see a solid white marble ground supporting him, somewhat confused he looked up and around to see nothing but an all consuming blue.

“Welcome Caden Onimaru.” a voice called to him, but it sounded source-less, not coming from anywhere. Caden was startled and jumped to his feet, hand on his sword hilt.

“Who is that?”
“You, Caden Onimaru, have been brought to the place where all souls come. And you will be asked the same question all souls are asked.” The voice announced, not particularly responsive to Caden.
“Uhh… okay…” Caden looked around as if expecting some sort of ambush, “Shoot.”
“What have you done to deserve your reward?” the soft woman’s voice asked. Caden blinked a moment, trying to absorb the query.
“Umm… what?”
“Answer the question now.”
“But I don’t even understand, do you think you could clarify? Maybe reword?” there was no response from the voice and he could tell it wouldn’t be bartered or debated with. Caden grimaced somewhat, he was not accustomed to giving straight answers. “Well… I suppose I’ve tried to live my life in a virtuous manner. I tried to lead a quiet life, I haven’t been overly bogged down with worldly possessions and such… oh, and I always paid my debts on time. So yeah, that’s it.” Caden nodded once and a small smile curled on his lips briefly. Surely that would satisfy the voice. But the voice followed up:

“And you have nothing to regret?” Caden’s brow furrowed momentarily, for the most part, any sort of facial expression from Caden was either quick, or deliberate. He was charismatic and good at reading people and sending signals to knock someone off their guard, but he knew it wouldn’t help him much here.

“Well, no. Sure I’ve done things that weren’t particularly kind, or that I’m not exceptionally proud of. But there’s no sense in letting that weigh me down. Let the past be pa…”

“You are a liar Caden Onimaru” the voice cut Caden off, startling him greatly. “You are a liar Onimaru. You have been found guilty, guilty of being a liar, a murderer, a betrayer, an oath-breaker and a violator of the laws of man.”

“Mom, is that you!?” Caden smiled and looked up towards the blue nothing. The voice was not amused.

“This is how you’ve been judged.”

Caden woke up, mud caked on his face, his eyes bloodshot, but some of his strength returned. Caden took a moment to gather himself, what had just happened? Was it a dream? A delusion brought on by exhaustion? It didn’t feel somnolent. Caden shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of the cobwebs and began pushing himself up to the ground. As he came to all fours he heard a familiar sound.

“Goodbye Oath Brother.” With that and the sound of metal piercing flesh, bone and organ, Caden Onimaru died.

It felt like an eternity before his essence was grabbed up by that ugly demon, but now Caden found himself kneeling on the ground (the demon’s strength held him in the position) before the throne of Minos. Minos gazed at him for but a moment.

“This one goes to the place of the fraudulant.” With those words finally uttered, the demon grabbed Caden by his neck and carried him like he were a ferret. Caden thought to himself:

Told that bitch I wasn’t a betrayer…

Lightning streaked through the blackened sky as Torin Ayashi stood leaning against the decaying remains of what would have probably been considered a tree, if it lived. He gazed around the area quietly, his arms crossed over his chest. The landscape was fruitful, but not like one would imagine. There was a bounty of stock-piled human hearts scattered over the terrain, some beating, some not. Massive coal black trees were the center of many of these hills. Beneath the decaying branches are the succubus demons. Beautiful women crawling through the hearts covered in blood. Some holding onto the tree and watching Torin with deep crimson eyes; others, feasting on the hearts of the lustful. Yes, this was the fields of lust.

All around the hearts are the blank humans who were damned to Hell. They stagger about seemingly lifeless with a gaping black hole in their chest from which their lustful heart had been removed. The punishment for such sinners? Torin turned his head as two of the succubus demons lunged from the pile of hearts to attack a fresh human who had just been ordered there. They tore into her like a child tearing into Christmas presents, ripping her clothes off and molesting as much of her body as they could as she screamed in terror. Then a odd gurgling cry escaped her lips as they tore into her chest, ripping her heart out. The succubus women did not only prey on the new additions, but further out across the fields you could see the succubus men and women raping and torturing other souls who had lost their hearts long ago.

Torin moved across the ground quietly. A beautiful man really with his gold colored eyes and stark black hair that lay long over his face and neck. He was extremely pale, tall, and very thin, even for being asian. Not that his heritage mattered in this place. There were no lines of African, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic.. no. At least he would be free from the lines there. But at what cost? Torin narrowed his eyes as he moved, putting his hands in his pockets after popping his slender fingers.

He was the succubus women's favorite eye candy in this wretched place. But it wasn't the place that he was to reside, no; for Torin had commited more sins than just lust, and none stood over the other. He had been there long enough to roam the areas of Hell, but he stuck mostly to the fields of lust and the halls of wrath.

Torin wasn't the typical demon. He wasn't out to kill, maim and destroy everything. He was tricked. He finally gave in to a deeper desire he had been harbouring since he was a boy all in one night and ended up costing him eternity.

Torin growled to himself as he stood at the gates of the fields of lust as one succubus demon moved behind him, running her hands over his chest, about to claw before her turned his head to glare at her. He wasn't in the playing mood. She backed off with a hiss and returned to the others. He leaned on the gate's entrance where there were no guards. Even the demon guards of hell didn't like the fields of lust. The succubus women were too much trouble to deal with.

He stared out across the wasteland that is hell, looking at the other gates and the entrance where more souls poured in almost at a constant and shook his head. He was in a foul mood, and perhaps it was time for him to visit the living world for a little fun. Torin looked back to the succubus women and shook his head. Fun that he'd enjoy, that is.

The demon finally pulled her to one of the groups of people near the entrance to hell, the ones waiting to be escorted. Some people looked at the ground in despair, while others stared around them, wide eyed and terrified. As Ireth arrived with her demon, he held her still by her hair, and began directing his fellow hellspawn. The people were forced into a series of lines, their hands linked around the waist of the person in front of them. The demons then went down the lines, wrapping barbed wire around their hands to keep them all together. People screamed in pain and some tried to run when they saw what awaited them. Hellhounds dragged them back, teeth drilling deep into whatever body part they could grab. The demons made sure to wrap extra barbed wire around the faces of those that tried to run, impaling eyes and breaking lips.

Ireth was at the front of the line guided by the demon who captured her. Other demons that were similiar in nature took charge of the other lines that apparently were coming too, and they began their journey to wherever it was they were to go. They bound Ireth's hands with barbed wire as well, even though they weren't wrapped around anyone's waists.

"Why am I here!" she demanded, terrified. "Where are we going?"

The demon pulling her by her hands laughed, but didn't turn around."You'll know by tomorow, my dear. Until then, enjoy your ignorance while you can!" He tugged so hard that she tripped, causing the entire line to fall with her. But the demon didn't stop. He kept on walking, simply dragging the entire group and they screamed, their bodies scraping over jagged rocks.

The Styx meandered through a forest of dead trees with ash-like soil that gathered at the banks. The murky depths were far from calm as countless souls tore into one another, eternally bloodying the waters. In life they had known nothing but hate, and in death the only thing on which they could focus their wrath was each other. Within this river, the Wrathful made their home, and shared it with another. Beneath the surface those whose hearts had been weighed down in life by gloom find that this encumbrance remains in death, dragging them to the bottom of the river to be trampled upon by the wrathful.

One resident of Styx had the distinct pleasure of being damned to both of it's wonderful stations. He was also granted one other unique 'gift' as he lay underwater: he would dream. Or, to be more accurate, remember. Remember all of his regrets, remember all the pain he caused, and remember all the things he had lost. Every time he awoke he would consistently conceive the same initial thought, that he really would have been better off had he never been born.

That and the passing notion that he might want to surface before the muddy water filled his lungs and began his dreams anew.

With undignified desperation the man clawed his way from the depths, digging his dirty fingernails into the torsos of those doomed to forever drown, as well as the ankles of those above who bleed eternally. Thrashing to the surface, the familiar image of a dull red sky returned to him as he vomited out the sickening liquid in which he slept.

Before he could recover from the nausea the former warlock felt teeth clamp on to his shoulder and rip away flesh. Roaring, he reached backwards and took hold of the man, flinging him over his shoulder and toward a pair of combatants in front of him. Gale then waded through the waters toward the nearby shore, using his arm and those around him to keep his inumberable assailants at bay. He covetously eyed the shore, fear dominating his features. He would not be sent to sleep again without even reaching dry ground; not again.

Existing outside of time was one of the many things the denizens of the underworld would be forced to adjust to. Days, hours, and years blurred together with no definitive way to tell the time outside of a mental clock, and sooner or later one gave up on such a meaningless endevour. The only time that Gale could tell was regarding how fresh his dreams had been, initially the force with which he pummled and bloodied those around him served as wonderful release for his on self-contempt. However, it rapidly faded to the fog of distant memory, replaced by the necessity of spilling blood to save your own.

It was long after this dull onset of instinct and consumed all thought that Gale finally reached the shore of Styx, and pathetically scrambled as far away from the banks as quickly as he could. The exhausted Abbis collapsed for a few moments, gazing down at his dirty, tattered clothes that were caked in blood and mud. Best get moving, it wouldn't be long before someone noticed he was missing.

As he wheezed he forced himself forward, determined to put as much distance between himself and that damnable river as fast as possible.

War is Hell, as they say
 

A vast plain, littered with burning men and machinery stretched into the distance, the cracking of gunfire and the screams of men filling the sky almost as well as the near continual rain of artillery, stretched into the distance. An ever-changing number of armies fought an eternal war of shifting allegiances and causes. At the edge of this immense waste, a rocky promontory jutted into the sky, a pair of figures atop it.
The first, a tall, heavy set, clearly demonic entity wearing a spiked armour suit was looking across the plain with a satisfied expression. His counterpart, a fairly lanky, very human demon wearing army fatigues lay atop the rock, head hanging over the edge and appeared rather more interested in the action.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Pretty good, I suppose. You've got to love the 'wind 'em up, let 'em go' mentality you can get with wrathful types. You know, there's things they do to each other up there that make me feel that we could pack the whole lot up and they wouldn't miss much. If we can get that effect here, all the better. Still, there's something... missing"

"Like what?"

"I dunno. Vim? Vigour? Va-va-voom? Though... to be honest, I think we've rather missed the point"

"We can't really intervene ourselves, they're quite good enough at the eternal sduffering bit, as you pointed out. We can't actually have them killed off, we'd be complained at. And then it wouldn't exactly be eternal, would it? We've got them led by gibbering idiots on pointless crusades, we've left no weapon unused, morale is at the rock-bottom all over and you're still missing something?"

"True. Well, we can work on i~"
*ping*

"What was that?"

"That guy shot at me. How unsporting."

"Grenade?"

"Grenade.
Nothing lethal though... just enough to make them twitch widly and scream"

"Tear Gas?"

"That'll do. Pass it here."

"..."

"..."

"...uh..."

"You sure that was tear gas? I ask only because I don't recall tear gas eating through concrete like that."

"That's what it said on the box."

"Fair enough, fair enough. He'll be feeling that in the morning, I tell you."

"Where were we...? Ah, you got any ideas?"

"Wellll... we could increase the subjective time and intensity of the last second each time they get 'killed', make everytime feel like a new definition of 'pain'. Other than that... oh, there's an idea. You got any paper?"

A few moments later, the battlefield below is rent open, as an immense chitinous creature emerges from below. 'Teeth and claws', the designer seems to have said. 'Teeth and claws'.

"What's that in aid of? They were suffering quite adequately before."

"Randomness, that's what I was after! Spontaniety is sadly lacking around here"

"Perhaps. You know, a philosopher once said that Hell is being trapped with your friends forever"

"Yeah, but all Sartre's frends were French."

A fair distance away, both the creature and the scattered shades around it were annihilated in a blast of brilliant light, a burning mushroom of fire and light thumping into the sky.

"Hey, that was a pretty good one. They don't get them too often, do they?"

Ireth and the others were dragged for what seemed like hours. Some of the other lines of people had fallen and were being dragged, but a couple managed to stay on their feet. The landscape changed as they went further into hell, occasionally passing by terrors Ireth wished she had never seen. She looked up once or twice during this time, noting how horribly dark the sky was. The demon pulling her glowed slightly, enough so that even if it was pitch black he could still see his way, although Ireth would bet her soul....haha....that he could see in the dark regardless of light.

A few more hours later, and they came to a vast pit that stretched for miles. The demon guides stopped in their tracks at the very edge, smiling down into the pit. The entire thing was filled with flames, people and demons. Along the edges above the pits stood more demons, laughing and throwing flaming stones down upon the people in it. The demons in the pit seemed untouched by the flames that grazed their skin. They seemed in fact, overjoyed to be in it. They spent their time catching hold of the screaming, flailing humans that ran aimlessly naked through the pit, and tearing them apart with their bare hands.

Ireth's mouth seemed to dry up completely as she gazed down into the pit, and the other people around her were equally speechless. The barbed wire and being dragged seemed like nothing to this...

"Welcome to your new home," the demon that caught Ireth said. The other demon escorts laughed, beginning to roughly release everyone from their bondages. "There are many pits and lakes like this, for the sinners who have no one overwhelming sin to place them anywhere else. That means you are plain, meaningless people...and I'm here to make your stay as unpleasant as possible."

He then reached down and started grabbing the people around Ireth, and tossing them down into the pit. The people rolled down the sides, breaking bones. As soon as they hit the flames the clothes and hair caught fire, and they immediatly got up and started screaming, trying to claw their way up the steep slope of the pit. Demons would grab them and toss them farther into the flames, enjoying every moment of it. It wasn't long before there weren't even clothes anymore to protect the skin of the victims. Skin cracked and turned black as it was charred by the flames, but it never got passed that point. They weren't allowed to burn to death, as that would have been a blessing.

People still above the pit started to scream and run, but the demons were quick to catch and throw them in. Ireth simply sat on her knees, tears running down her cheeks. She stared down into the pit, watching the people being thrown in.

Finally, she was the last one left, and the other demons rejoined their brothers in the pit or above it on the edges. The demon that had a liking for Ireth, however, stayed by her side.

"You, my beautiful young elf, shall be mine before you enter your new home. You will know me and my brethren before your pretty little skin is charred by the flames. It's quite a treat to find an innocent to humilate and destroy, quite a treat indeed," the demon said, grabbing her by her hair again and pulling her up. He started to drag her towards a group of his friends that were gathered and waiting, cheering and laughing. Ireth cried out for help, but there was nobody to help her; only a pit full of demons and people, and a large forest within a short walking distance.

Gale's jog after escaping from his lovely river abode was, thankfully, a quiet one. Or, as quiet as it got in a planet of torment and agony. Well hey, no one was jabbing him with pointy things. He had spotted something like a mushroom cloud on the horizon in the direction he was previously traveling, and had promptly altered his course.

And with his amazing luck following him in death, some demons were fucking around near his planned exit.

Sighing, he leaned behind a tree and slumped down. With his head in his hands, he weighed his options. As soon as he was seen they'd chase after him. If he slipped away, then he'd find out that his favorite inmate was playing hookie and clear his schedule to send him back to the Styx. One short lived breather.

But if there were other people running around; newcomers at that, chances are he'd be incognito a little longer.

On days like today, he really missed his sword.

Gale glanced at the ground around him and slowly made his way from tree to tree, picking up any stones he found along the way. Once this was accomplished, he put his back to a three, and carefully glanced at the nearby demons.

This was never going to work.

With a flick of the wrist the first stone was cast, and the former warlock bolted to another tree.

He really missed his sword.

The demon dragging Ireth came to a stop as a rather small rock hit him in the back of the head.

"What the...?" He looked back towards the forest although he didn't see anyone there. His group of friends only a few steps away didn't notice because they had two women and a man to entertain their lust. Their screams plus the others in the pit itself drowned out quite a bit.

Ireth's demon turned back around and called out to his brothers. They looked a little annoyed at being interrupted, but came over regardless, dragging the people with them.

"There's something out there, threw a rock at me,"Ireth's demon said, pointing to the trees nearby. One demon nodded and started walking towards the trees, his sword drawn. The blade he held glowed red in his hand, and he disappeared into the trees, looking around.

Gale, for the first time in a long while, smiled when only of the demons moved into the woods. It seems these were little more than glorified brutes. Oh well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth and what not.

He gently placed the smaller throwing stones on the ground, keeping one of the larger ones in his hand. That glowing sword, though a useful tool, would only serve as a beacon to where one was in the dark, as it wa for the demon. The Abbis silently made his way from tree to tree, using the red blade as a guide. Gale waited at a tree near the Demon's left flank, and waited for him to walk into his line of sight.

The rock slammed into the side of the midian's head with an audiable crack, and wasting no time Gale released the stone and wrenched the blade out of the beast's hand. He then bolted behind another tree, holding the blade infront of him to hide it.

The demon dropped like a bag of potatoes, blood spraying from the wound on his head. He managed to get up partially on his hands and knees, trying to see what had hit him. The blood hit the ground in torrents and hissed as it burned its way into the ground a little. Whoozy, he got back on his clawed feet and growled, walking from tree to tree.

Gale frowned; some seemingly ancient sense of himself was disappointed. That's one of the many reasons even a temporary escape was welcomed: you started to feel like yourself again.

He side-stepped from behind the tree to face his persuer and made a single, horizontal swing at his torso. As he finished the slash he slid toward another tree to escape any backlash. You never knew what these things were capable of taking before going down.

The demon attempted to block using his arms, and although he was immune to the searing heat part of the sword, he simply wasn't immune to anything sharp. The sword went into his forearms and through, then afterwards digging deep into his chest as it sliced. The demon screamed as his arms fell to the ground, blood going everywhere.

The screams floated to the other four demons that were waiting by the forest, the demonic screams a lot different than the usual human cry of pain. Ireth's demon dropped her and he pulled out a spiked mace and signaled to the other three demons with him. All but Ireth's demon entered the woods then, and he glared at the humans and elf laying on the ground.

"If you even think about running I'll make your suffereing in the pit seem like a massage,"he said, brandishing his mace.

So much for incognito.

Gale quickly attempted to scale the tree infront of him lodging the blade into it so that, for the moment, he'd be unnoticed. Now it was just a matter of the next one showing up.

Here's to hoping he's not recognized.

The three demons split up in the woods, meaning to spread out and find their friend and the one who caused him to scream. After a few minutes, one of them saw his friend lying on the ground, his arms gone and the life drained out of him.

In hell when a demon dies he is left as a sort of invisible "ghost". He can see and wander the landscape, but noone but the high demons and angels can see or hear them.

If the demon now looking down at his friend's body hadn't been such a lowly grunt, he would have seen his friend desperatly trying to point behind him.

The only good thing about making a contract with a high demon is a hell of a lot of leeway in your actions. At least, that's the way it was for Torin. The high demon Aros was one of the very few humanoid type demons that were of hell. There were perhaps 5 of that nature, the ones who would visit the living world to lay claims on souls they deemed worthy.

Aros was Torin's beckoner, the man who let Torin finally experience his longings in exchange for his soul in a cruel trickery. That being so, he was also Aros' favorite toy in this mass populated planet. Torin didn't mind it too much, it wasn't a grotesque beast, but a human body. That, and he was able to wander and for the most part do as he pleased.

The occassional bastard of a demon would try and torment him even though Torin himself was now a demon.. just, he looked like a human and a lot of demons were jealous of such. Some demons would succeed in being able to torment him, others not. The demons who did, well, it's best that Aros never catch wind of it. Torin nearly shuddered faintly at the thought of the last demon who was caught.

He stepped out from the gates that lead to the fields of lust and right into the massively large 'playing field' where the newcomers were chased and drug off to their respective new 'homes'. Torin always looked as if he was dressed to impress, very neat and such considering the landscape. Solid black suit, grey shirt and black tie with is semi long black hair hanging over the shoulders and around his face. He looked often out of place in Hell. The true distinguishing feature of him that really was a cause for confusion was the golden eyes. They could pierce through your very soul with the dark gaze he carried.

He stepped up onto a rising mass of rock out of the ground to survey the terrain from a higher perspective and glanced up towards the mountain that held the dwellings for the high arch demons. He narrowed his eyes and looked away as a odd sensation filled him. He knew Aros was watching him. They were linked mentally after the contract, and Aros didn't like it when his 'toy' would wander because eventually Torin would find a new toy of his own, if only for a brief moment. Aros had a horrible jealousy and a deep lust about him. Of course, the high arch demons all carried a part of the seven deadly sins; however, each one is ruled by one particular sin - the representatives of the sins on Earth. Aros was the epitimy of lust, even if it was a lust filled with jealousy when it came to Torin.

Torin jerked his head away and headed towards the pits where the lost souls were kept. The place where those without a marking sin were all piled together. He walked past several demons and groups of newcomers to stand at the very edge, looking down at the flames that licked the side of the canyon. He lowered his head a bit as the black hair covered his amber eyes, for the newcomers he looked like nothing more than a human, but to the demons, they knew better. Even with golden eyes, newcomers have mistaken them for contacts before, or a gift of birth.

Torin shook his head slightly as he listened to the whimpering coming from the group that Ireth was in to the lower right of him. He knew that wasn't going to get them anywhere, not with the demons around the pit. But he did wonder why a group was left alone like that, and why they weren't fleeing with such a wonderful chance. He shruged the thought as he stared blankly into the flames.

Gale leans forward and allows himself to fall from the top of the tree, raising the sword above his head and bringing it down on the Demon bellow. If the first was any indication, eliminating the remainder wouldn't prove to be too difficult.

The sword buried itself in the demon's head as his eyes looked up at it in shock. His mouth gaped open as he tried shakily to pull the sword out. Before he could even reach it he fell to the ground, dead, the sword still sticking out of his head.

Ireth's demon entered the woods then, mace ready and glowing in the now darker air. The other two demons still wandered through the trees, unsuccessful in their search.

Ireth stood up and brushed herself off, checking her clothes that had rips and tears all over them. As she looked over at the other two women and the man, she felt her heart break. She was at least better off then these ones, who had had their clothes ripped from them completely. Drying blood was splayed between both women's legs, and their breasts and stomach had cuts and claw marks all over them. The man was no better off himself.
"We need to run," Ireth said, helping one of the women up.
The woman yanked her hand back after she was up, shaking her head. "Did you NOT hear what that fucker said? I'm not going anywhere....they may even reward us for staying put."

Ireth laughed, looking at the woman in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?" she said, noticing the others in the group had agreed with the woman. "They're not going to reward you! Your only reward is in that pit!"

Gale stared down at the fresh 'corpse' bellow him with disgust. To think demons were so easily felled. He paused: had he thought that once before? Who knows. A year or two in this place slowly trudges forward like a death march. Memories blur, and the only thing that you can cling to is who you are, and what you remember. If you're not careful and you become confused, you might never realize the truth again.

What the hell was he thinking about any of this for, anyway?

Blood leaked as Gale yanked the sword out of the Demon's head and slung it over his shoulder. If they had split up to look for him, he could continue on his way and fight one at a time. Or better yet, avoid them all together. With a smirk of self-satisfaction, Gale resumed his walk back toward the pit.

Ireth's demon couldn't even find his brothers, but he did smell a human very close by. He stopped to listen for a moment, but still didn't hear anything. Soon, he stumbled across both bodies of his former friends.

"Shit..." He turned and started running back the way he had come, growling with rage. Up ahead he saw a human form just short of leaving the woods. From the trees he could even see the group of humans he had left behind.

Ireth shook her head in disgust at the people, who had sat back down on the ground, waiting for the demon. No wonder they were here; they were stupid and probably deserved it. She suddenly heard something large in the forest, just beyond the trees.

Gale had come close enough to the tree-line that he saw, to his dismay, no one had made any attempt to leave. He sighed to himself, not yet noticing that one of the Demon's had spotted him.

"What, are all of you fucking stupid?"

Before Gale could continue his tirade, he heard the same very large, very angry, being that Ireth had noticed. Spinning on he heels, he put his back to the humans that didn't even make competent scapegoats.

The demon burst from the woods, mace held high in the air as he charged directly at Gale. The people sitting on the ground screamed at such a sight and got up to start running. Ireth stood her ground although she had no weapon. She would wait for her chance.

The demon swung his mace, aimed at Gale's face.

Of course. Now they run.

Any attempt to block the mace would have been futile, even this sword wasn't strong enough for that. Instead, Gale dived to his right, crouching as the mace crushed the ground where he previously stood. Scrambling to his feet, he attempts to circle to the back of the Demon before he can recover for another attack.

The demon's mace hit the ground, a few cracks forming in the hard earth as it did. With a fierce growl he pulled the mace back up, noticing Ireth in front of him and the others running.

"Haha...boy will they suffer..." The fools ran right into a few demons near the pit, where they were shot with arrows. It didn't take long for them to end up in the pit.

"Speaking of which."

Gale raised the tip of the sword in front of him and rushed forward aiming to catch the Demon in the chest.

The demon turned his head slightly and caught just a glimpse of the onrushing Gale before he managed to step to the side. The sword just grazed his arm, leaving a bloody line on it.
The demon raised his mace as he moved, getting ready to smash Gale in the back with it as he passed.
That's when Ireth jumped on his back and put her hands over the demon's eyes. He was so suprised he stopped his swing and cried out, at first not understanding what was going on. Ireth let go and backflipped off of him before he could reach around and grab her, and he turned to face her instead, leaving his back to Gale. Noone said demons were smart.
"You little bitch!" he cried as his muscles twisted in rage.

Determined to not make the same mistake twice, Gale again rushed toward the Demon, but instead leap upward at the last second and rose the red sword over his head, prepared to deliver a deathblow down upon the beast's head.

Ireth smiled at the demon, and gave a small wave. Confused, the demon didn't even have a chance to turn around before his head was cut in two. His hand loosened its grip on his mace as he first fell to his knees, his neck gurgling and gushing blood. At last he fell down completely, and Ireth spit on him.

"It's your fault I'm here, you bastard," she said as she kicked dirt up at the body. She turned towards Gale finally, giving an uneasy smile.

"T-thank you..." she said, not sure who he was or if he was even human.

Gale flick his wrist to free the blade of blood after the Demon fell, and glances over at Ireth. He shrugs, and continues along the path that was previously blocked by the demons.

"If you want to prolong the inevitable, get moving."

After hearing faint howls and groans from down the path, Kenna continued down the path away from what sounded like combat. If there was one thing he learned after all his time in this pit, he knew that staying hid was key to 'survival'. He held the hilt of his bonesword tightly as he trudged through the muddy terrain.

"Demons probably poking at some poor soul..."

Ireth nodded, looking down at the dead demon's body and the mace he once held. She knew the tool was too big for her to pick up let alone use, so she just shrugged and glanced back at Gale.

"Well, it's just me and you so where should we go? There's demons almost everywhere and the only place I know we can get out is the place I came in," she said, coming closer.

Gale sighed as he slung his new sword over his shoulder. He continued walking, and didn't bother to face Ireth.

"Ok, let's get a few things straight. One, there's no getting out of here. You were judged, you went to hell, and you're here to stay. Save yourself the time and energy and accept you're not leaving.

"Secondly, there is no 'you and me'. The only reason I got rid of this Demons was because this happens to be the direction I'm headed and they'd be more worried about newcomers who escaped than me being out and about. So good luck, get lost, don't bother me."

Torin was listening to the commotion behind him with interest. How bold they were. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. One special gift from the bond he was given with the higher arch demon was telepathy, a gift to fool others; but he figured he'd use it for another purpose this time. To contact Ireth as she departed. It's not like she would know it was him anyways, she would only feel the direction the voice would come from in her mind. "Are you scared little one? You don't have to put on a show of bravery if you're scared..", a soft voice echoed in Ireth's mind as Torin's face held a wicked grin. He knew of a place she could hide, but it wasn't in his nature to help out someone.

He turned from the cliff and started walking towards the fields of lust again, eyes on the ground. He walked past Gale and Ireth and brushed passed Ireth quietly barely touching her arm, wondering just what she was thinking at that moment as he moved ahead of them and up the embankment.

He wanted to make it back there before he was noticed by too many. He didn't want too much bother to take place since he had intentions of paying the living a visit soon, and Aros wouldn't be pleased if he caused too much of a commotion like last time before he left. He just knew he needed to avoid unwanted conflict with the other demons, especially any of the women demons- humanoid and not, and he wasn't refering to the mindless succubus'. The men were no picnic either, especially those who favored Aros both for power and in sexuality.

"I was judged?" she cried, stopping. "Oh yes, Minos. Yes, I was before him, and you know what he said? That I don't belong here. That demon you just killed stole my soul as I died, and he himself said he loved the innocents when reffering to me." She crossed her arms and was about to go on when she heard the voice in her head. Confused, she looked around just in time to see a rather good looking man brush past, and she gasped. Was he an escapee too...? She meant to call out to him, but something was strange about him.

Gale followed Torin as he passed with his eyes, but otherwise ignored the man.

"Did you not get the message that I don't-" He haulted suddenly as the color drained from his face. Though he sought temporary escapes from his eternal damnation, he had accepted long ago that he did deserve this fate. However the fear that she might be suffering had haunted him until the end of his life, and had now returned in a realer sense than any of his nightmares. But...he had heard her as he died...hadn't he? Wasn't she all right?

Gale let out a low snarl as his grip on the swordhandle tightened. His first instinct was to lash out at Ireth, but he managed to restrain himself.

"What year is it up there?" He muttered.

"Before I died it was 2006," Ireth said, returning her attention to Gale. "Does it really matter anymore?" She sighed, looking down at her feet and wishing she was back home. "You say we're here to stay...maybe you're right. But I don't want to end up in that pit or anywhere else in this place, it's not my place."

"Three years," The Abbis mumbled, tapping the blunt end of his sword on his shoulder. At Ireth's comment on the pit, he let out a humorless laugh, "That pit's pretty low on the 'things that ought to worry you' list, kid. There's far worse here."

Gale tapped his shoulder again as he lost himself in thought. He had to know for sure what happened to her, but there certainly wasn't any real way of finding out. If he asked anyone, they'd just tell him whatever he didn't want to hear. But someone down here had to know, and he was going to find them.

He let out a quiet sigh and turned back to the elf, "Can you fight? And I don't mean defend yourself. I mean really fight."

"Just with the sword and dagger, and that's it," she said, unfolding her arms and putting them on her hips. "I was more of a healer but I was trained everyday in fighting. I'm not the best but not the worst, either."

"...I guess it'll do. If you 'die' here you'll go back to whatever fate you've been damned to. I'm not sure what that means for you, though..." He sighed, "There's no place you can rest here. You'll either need to keep running, or make yourself someone's pet. Whether you belong here or not doesn't really matter. You are here, and if there was a way out you wouldn't be the first to know. You have your two alternatives; I suggest you get moving before your choice is made for you."

Gale let out another sigh, heading away from the pits. The only place he could think to go is Dys.

Ireth frowned, not liking this destiny she'd been damned to. She followed anyways, not wanting to end up anywhere that involved pain. While walking, she began thinking about that voice again.
"Did you...did you hear a voice? Just after the demon died, in your head?" she felt silly for asking, but maybe things like this happened here.

Gale stopped, somewhat surprised that she was even following him. Her comment did little to lighten his mood, and he began to look around.

"No. What did it say?"

She shrugged. "It was weird, it asked if I was scared and said I didn't have to act brave. That was about it..." She bit her lip and looked up at him. Maybe somebody knows we're free and is after us?"

"Someone knows, whether they care or not is up in the air. Since he didn't speak to me, it would seem his interest lies with you." Gale frowned at the thought of someone with telepathy being around. He wracked his brain to remember anything out of the ordinary...was it that man who had passed them?

His curiosity getting the best of him, Kenna steps into Gale and Ireth's field of view and scans them over. Eyeing Gale's sword, he doesn't approach any further.

"How long have you two been 'out of the loop'?"

Gale turned to face the voice and immediately froze. His eyes widened, and he almost lost grip of his sword. "...Cylas? Is that you?"

Ireth stopped, her heart beating fast as she saw the figure ahead.
"Do you know him?" she asked Gale after he spoke, hoping this man ahead was their friend and not their foe.

Torin moved on up the embankment and stood at the gates where he came from originally watching the pair walk and talk, still sifting through in his mind if he wanted to bother or not. The walk up the embankment would give him plenty of time to decide if he could use the elf as a bartering tool with Aros.

The last time Torin went to the living world he had to make a deal not to go back for a while and only come to Aros in times of 'need'. Maybe Aros would be satisfied with the girl. Doubtful, but maybe a female would pike his interest and take the heat off of him. That, or if Torin kept the girl with him long enough if he ran into trouble he could always offer her up as a trade. They would be more interested in a small elven girl who was innocent, than a warlock who deserved this fate. A good toy indeed.

He paused as another joined their group and sized the figure up mentally. This was getting rather boring and he didn't feel like dealing with more than the pair as it was. He knew the warlock was wanting to rid himself of the elf.. but now another individual joining the group? Torin was just too laid back to bother at this point, he glanced up to the red and black swirling sky and closed his eyes. What he wouldn't give to hear the heart beat of a living person. Why of all times was he not able to leave?

He cringed slightly as a pain shot through his mind and he glared up towards the mountain where the higher archs resided. Aros never gave him a moment to have any thoughts, the bastard. He shook it off and put his head back again, closing his eyes. This whole 'day' had been troublesome.

Kenna was almost shocked at the name, but then smiled as best he could. Trying to sift through his memories and recall the man before him, he could vaguely remember his face.

"Cylas would be my... better half. My name is Kenna, and you would be...?"

Gale ignored Ireth, and let a look of relief slip through. Good, it wasn't Cylas. It was stupid to think he'd be down here anyway; Cylas was a better man than he was.

"Your 'better half's' ex-partner, Gale," he said as he eyed Kenna's bonesword.

Kenna stepped lightly to the two of them and began to shake Gale's hand in greetings. "Now that I think of it... I remember you almost vividly. How is it one such as you was sent down here? Surely they didn't kidnap you."

"I have a lot of blood on my hands, that's how," Gale ended the weary handshake and tilted his head, "Wait, you know about the kidnappings?"

"Friend, I've been here quite a long time. I've seen... many things. If you remember, Cylas was bonding with a demon long ago after he got rid of me. I know their ways, and the only way I know anything about Cylas now is because I see his life in my dreams."

Kenna sighed and looked at Ireth, then back to Gale. "Who's your companion?"

Near the pit, the fatigued demon walked towards the forest. He was never a great fan of the pit. Traditional, certainly, but it again lacked a little something. Not for the first time, he figured that such thinking might be the reason he'd been ordered to stay down here 'until further notice'. The higher-ups never held too much truck with new ideas, especially those nabbed from up above. He decided he should feel happy that he, and the others that made up his little social group, had been given even a little area to play around in.
Still, he'd definitely noticed something going on near here, above the usual background levels of violence. He looked at the pit critically, but didn't see anything relatively unusual. Perhaps he was getting false positives after hanging around the battlefield too long?
A couple of the demons at the pit edge glared at him and he scuttled off into the forest. Looking human probably wasn't the best plan for a young demon, especially one with 'funny ideas'.

"I'd have thought that the ears and the eyes were a little hint, guess I'm jus~ ah, here we go..."

Ahead of him, a number of fallen demons lay. Killed by sword wounds, notably. Righty. While they were, by all accounts, not overly bright demons by the looks of things, they were still demons. Whoever did this had to be at the very least, interesting. With a happy grin, he began mussing himself up with some of the copious blood that was handily lying around before heading along the path it appeared his new friend had taken, helmet now at what he hoped wasn't a jaunty angle. After all, it always helps to negotiate from a position of weakness.

Gale opened his mouth to ask something about Cylas, but paused and realized there was probably a better time. He turned back and glanced at Ireth, "Actually, I don't think she even told me her name."

"My name is Ireth," she said, nodding to both of them as she crossed her arms. She was a little confused about the new stranger that joined them but didn't think they had time to stand around and discuss an entire life.
"So how did you come to be here, and more importantly, how did both of you escape?"

"My little sister killed me," Gale scoffed as he turned back to Kenna. "And I fought my way here."

Ireth's eyes widened in surprise. "Your own sister?" she said, "Shouldn't she be the one here then?"

There was a snort. Something about remembering his death always struck Gale as funny. It wouldd probably wear off in time. "In all fairness, she didn't know I was her brother and I tried to kill her first."

"So that was what happened, hm? It's a shame..." Kenna turned his attention to Ireth once again. "I'm... not exactly anything. I'm the product of a man's imagination, manifested into being. I'm a doppleganger to a man named Cylas. He killed me, and that was ruled as suicide. I escaped long ago, and forged this sword out of the bones of a few demons I either found or killed." He shifted a bit, remembering his own death. "And now here I stand, grateful for new and familliar company."

"Then do you know any place we could hide? We're not exactly safe standing around here." Gale glanced around, sooner or later someone was going to show up. Best be out of there before then.

Little did they know that someone had already noticed them. They looked too comfortable to be in this place. Torin was already watching them intently and quickly noticed the small group of ogrish looking demons headed their way with a hooded humanoid demon sized figure at the front line. What was going to take place, Torin wasn't sure. Probably nothing if they left there quickly.

He narrowed his eyes watching Ireth, "Little kitten.. don't look to your right.. if they know you know, you'll never escape." Torin smirked, he wasn't helping them, but coaxing them along to something more. He needed entertainment. "Continue onward as if nothing is happening, but follow to the west of the gates in front of you, go three miles to an empty cavern. It's a deserted area for solace." He often went there to avoid Aros, even if briefly. "Tell your... aquantances.. in secret. If at all. Just make your way there and you shall be safe, they will follow. If you continue like normal they will only stalk you and not attack. If you fail, they will attack. Loose them along the way in the forest of gluttony beyond the green gates."

Torin glanced to Gale and Cylas and had to close his eyes to focus an in sync telepathy, "Don't ask questions.. just follow her... no sudden actions. She'll explain at the cavern."

Torin smirked again and watched them for a reaction, still making no indications of himself to them with how his hair hung over his eyes, he looked more asleep than anything. Settling a bit on the gate just north of them he wondered if they'd react in time to avoid the danger headed their way. This was becoming quite a fun evening.

Ireth's head jerked when the familiar voice came back into it. She kept her head still afterwards though, heeding the warning. She broke out into a cold sweat, terrified.
"We need to move guys...right now..." she was sure they hadn't heard the voice but she didn't have time to explain anyways. "I...know a safe place we can hide, I can't explain but we need to move." It took a lot not to look around to see if the voice was telling the truth or not, but she didn't have anything to lose by trusting it either....or did she? It didn't matter at that point; losing the demons did.

Gale's eyes widened for a moment at the message. Telepathy? Did he...know how to use it once? Possibly, he had forgotten many of the abilities he possessed in life. Maybe he couldn't even use them here. He shrugged it off and casually followed Ireth. Must have been that guy from before...

She started walking with them, trying to follow the directions given to her as best she could. After a short while they seemed to be in a new place...it was a lot darker and quieter in this new forest they were in.

"Is this...the forest of Gluttony? That's what the voice told me," Ireth whispered, looking around them. "It can't be that bad, I don't even see anyone." Almost right after she finished saying that she felt something grab her ankle. She managed a small scream before slapping her hands over her mouth while looking down to see what it was.
What used to be a person was trying to pull itself forward to bite her. It was a mess of bones and gore, most of the flesh seemed to be torn off of its body. One gleaming blue eye blazed up at her in desperation, and from its throat came the most terrible gurgling noises, as most of its voice box was gone. A short trail of blood lay behind the poor soul, a trail of excruciating pain as it had drug itself along the forest floor. Bloody footprints were scattered here and led off in another direction of their own.
Ireth shook her leg until the creature was forced to let go. Its hand wasn't much more than bone and blood anyway.
"What...what happened to him...or her?" she asked, horrified as she looked down at it.

Kenna smirked at the zombie-like corpse and kept his stride. "I hope the both of you have gotten comfortable with the atmosphere of this place. Remember, the further we travel, the colder and more terrible it gets. If you've ever heard the term 'when hell freezes over'... well let's just say it's not that far fetched. I don't like being too far away from Styx." He entered the cavern and walked a couple of feet in before crouching down and getting comfortable, unsheathing his blade and laying it on the ground with a sigh.

Gale sneered and kicked at the head of the pathetic creature to knock it away, "Gluttons. They eat whatever they find; watch your step." Gale began scanning the ground around him as he moved, watching their flanks. He considered Kenna, and if he could trust him like he once did Cylas. He was, after all, a doppleganger. Before he was sure, he couldn't fall into old habits just yet.

Speaking of concerns, that voice from before could be very well leading them into a trap...

It didn't matter, not at this point. He'd have to deal with the demons again eventually.

He glanced toward Kenna, "You live in the Styx?"

"I just try to get my rest near familliar places, and the only people that bother with the river Styx are the people in the river. Though lately they've had a number of demons patroling the area." Kenna fiddles with one of the spurs on his boots. After a few minutes of silence, he speaks.

"People go crazy here. I've had a small number of companions here over the time, and after so long, one can becomes dis-illusioned, they forget their friends, their mothers, their lives..." Picking up a small rock and throwing it at the cave wall, he continued. "...I've seen and heard things I'm not sure were there, anything is possible in this place. As for this location, Ireth, how did you come to know about it? I don't think I've been to this particular place before."

"Oh really...?" So there were demons at the Styx now? He'd have to be more careful, then. Gale silently listened to Kenna's talk of losing touch with reality in this place. Reality seemed like a worthless word here anyway. He wasn't even sure what was true or not anymore, and that'd be used against him if it was made known.

Ireth shrugged uncomfortably.
"Did you guys...hear that voice at all? Even if you didn't, I did. It told me this was a safe place, and that we were being followed by a group of demons. I'm hoping we lost them in the woods, but who knows...."

Gale frowned, "I heard it, though I received no such explanation. If someone was following us I doubt we lost them." Gale turned to the entrance of the cave, his mood worsening.

A few rocks over the trio fell as Torin found himself standing just a few feet above them. He finally spoke up after following them here, "It was wise to heed those words as I found out who the figure was within the hood." He jumped down from above them and landed with no loss of composure.

He glanced at them through the hair over his eyes, hiding the demonic factor he posessed, amber eyes that seemed to glow. Other than that, he looked like a very pale asian human, and nothing more. He kept his distance as to not trigger any unwanted conflict. "Do know that I intend no harm. If I did, I'd have left you to Glia and her minions back at the gates before the Forest of Gluttony."

He smirked, he had a feeling it was Glia because of the small stature she held. She dared not to tread in that forest so he knew that they'd be safe beyond it. Very few would enter the forest, and those who did make it through were strong, or were moving fast enough to avoid the dangers.

He let his eyes fall upon Ireth as he walked up to her and gently put a hand on her cheek, leaning in a bit. "My dear kitten isn't hurt now, is she?", he let his grin do all the charming that he didn't let his eyes do this time, stroking her cheek with a finger.

Ireth was surprised when she realized who the voice had come from all along. When he began to touch her cheek she jerked her head back, caught in surprise.
"I'm fine..." she said, looking at Torin warrily. "Who are you, and what are you?"

Gale gripped his sword and kept his eyes locked on Torin. He knew the name of the one following them; he seriously doubted he was just another damned. He watched as he strucked Ireth's cheek and snorted, "Someone's acting awfully familiar."

Torin smirked and pulled his hand back, "My.. apologies. I did not mean to startle you, nor skip such trivial formalities. After years in this place, one forgets that there are still people who care to know who you are." He grinned faintly as he spoke softly, no hint of accent in his voice before he folded his arms across his slender waist.

He glanced to Gale, "Worry not, it has been a long time since I've seen someone who had such an innocent aura about them. It is more that I feel for her and wanted to offer a warm touch of security in such a cold place.", he said with the most sincerity.

"Though.. where I'm from it's usually polite to introduce yourself before demanding the introduction of another. No matter. I am known as Torin Ayashi, and as for what I am? Same as you, a damned soul for eternity.", he said as he glanced to the others, leaving out that he had become a demon but not lying either. "And you all are?"

"I'm Ireth," she said, crossing her own arms over her chest. She wasn't sure if she trusted Torin; how come he was able to use his powers in this place, while she herself felt stripped of her own? The familiar power that used to surge through her veins was gone and she felt empty because of it.

"You used telepathy," she said, glaring. "If you're simply a trapped soul like us, how are you able to use such powers?"

Torin lifted a single, slender finger. "Good eyes." He pointed off in the distance towards the looming black mountain on the horizon. It appeared very ominous with the black swirling clouds filled with crimson lightning. "Sometimes it's best to have favor with those in higher places when you look like a human.", he said plainly hoping they would not pick up on the look like, rather than actually being that he said before realizing. He'd lie his way out of it if that came into question. It'd be realatively easy.

He sighed rather remorsefully, "Though it's a sad existance to be in the eyes of those demons. High archs, they are called.", he shruged faintly and glanced to Gale and his sword,

"I hope you're not intending to use that on me? I mean no harm, or I'd have left you to them back there. I just knew what they were capable of. If you've been here as long as I have, you do grow accustomed to knowing who to avoid over others."

"Gale," he muttered as he leaned against a wall. He stared at Torin, then glanced at the sword he had slung over his shoulder, and back to the stranger.

"Only if you give me a reason to."

Kenna only looked at the stranger with passing eyes when he approached, and listened to the conversation. He had his hand resting on his bonesword, and picked it up as he stood and observed how tense Gale was with the new face. "Why bother to help us when all you're concerned about is this girl? I'm not used to total strangers being so... generous."

"You would think that I wouldn't have a reason to help you, true; however, due to the fact that this young warlock here decided to help her and you seem two seem to come in a package, I didn't protest it.", he stated plainly and then waved a hand rather dismissively at nothing at all.

"Duely note though.. I don't have just concerns for the girl." He stepped across the ground to distance himself a bit between the two rather hasty individuals and leaned on a pillar. He then continued, " I find the elven qualities quite unusual considering where I come from in the living world, and I'm curious to see just how someone like her ended up here. You see, I've grown rather bored and I needed something to pike my interest.. she came along in time to do such."

He shrugged and lowered his head looking at his shoes that were as black as the suit he wore. He lifted a hand to adjust the black tie along the charcoal grey shirt he wore under the suit's jacket and then folded his arms again. "What perplexes me is in a place like this, why would you care who I am and why I helped. Beings such as yourself in the situation you were in should be grateful rather than wary that someone salvaged you from even a minute's torment because down here, if you're even given a minute without pain, you're a lucky soul.", he smirked and looked at each of them through his black hair.

He knew he had to have hit a nerve with one of them, more than likely one of the hasty ones because they appeared to have been here longer than the girl. One of them, if not both of them have had to have went through some sort of trial in this wasteland.

((OOC: No, he can't read minds and such.. it's more of a thought he had considering that in Hell, you suffer and go through stuff.. mostly if you have a particular sin about you. Like with Gale and being underwater like he was in the Styx. He doesn't know anything that happened. lol Just for the record. :P))

"Following that train of thought, I hope you don't believe something's owed to you for your random act of kindness."

Tired of carrying his sword, he leaned it on the wall beside him, and sat down. He could care less about gratitude. Just because he was out for a walk didn't mean he was at peace. Who could be at peace in here anyway?

Ireth nodded. "So what do we do from here? Keep hiding? Or is there a way you can get us out of this horrid place?" She sat down herself, leaning against the rock wall. "I just want to go home," she said resting her chin on her knees. "I didn't do anything to be here...." Ireth sighed and looked away. She had a bad feeling there was no way out. There were just too many demons in this land, and at the gates of Hell itself there were hundreds guarding and gathering.

Gale glanced over at Ireth, "I thought we had this discussion. This world's just as unjust as the last one." With a quiet sigh he leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling of the cave.

"..except in this world, you can't put an end to the injustice.", he stated rather flatly without any emotion.

Torin glanced to Ireth and shook his head, "I could only bring you here to hide. I found it a very convenient place to hide over time. At least for a while.. unless there is an updraft that comes every so often, then the scent of your flesh will go beyond the cave at the base of the cavern to the fields before the Styx.. in that direction.", he motioned his hand behind the cave over a large mass of boulders. Just beyond this cavern it looped back around to the Styx and an empty range field.

Torin then shook his head and thought. He found it a bit hard not to smirk at Gale's earlier remarks. "Though..you owe me nothing, as I owe you nothing. But considering that you seem more hostile than myself, I'm sure you can handle your own.", he said firmly with a nod of agreement to himself as he pushed off the pillar and glanced to the top of the cavern as the first hints of a small hot breeze came through. "Perhaps we'll run into each other again, who knows; but I suppose that since my presence is not desired, I'll take my leave."

Gale smirked, but didn't bother to get up, "Heh. I don't like you, but I couldn't care less if they fancy your company. They can travel with whoever they want."

He reached for his sword and balanced his palm on the top, rotating it absent-mindedly.

"That's the thing in a place like this, no one likes anyone really. Only under the terms that it's going to benefit their deepest, darkest wishes in one shape or another. That's the demons spectrum of things.. and as for the lost souls? They are writhing in too much agony to care more so than not.", he paused. "Basically, long story short.. I don't exactly care if you don't like me. I'm not here to please anyone, not even myself. Do a good deed once in a while and you're faced with this. Though.. why I didn't expect that from someone who belongs here, I'll never know."

He shruged slightly and brushed his hair from his face as he turned around, eyes closed. He let his hair fall haphazardly across his eyes again, concealing them as he opened them. He glanced to Ireth briefly and exchanged an unspoken message to her and only her, "If you need someone, remember the red gates back near the pit. It's the fields of lust.. don't enter, just call for me. If I'm there, I'll come." He began walking towards the cave with his hands tucked in his pockets. He would remind them of the breeze that would carry their scent, but why bother.

He smirked to himself as he entered the darkness of the cave, his hair blowing a bit at his neck, the darkness of it and his suit masking himself completely as he went further into it's depths. He could now hear the howling of the damned not far from the cavern. Their scent had been caught.

Ireth sighed and nodded as Torin left, taking in his last, private message. She still wasn't sure what he wanted or why he kept warning them, but she began to suspect that he wasn't a damned soul like her...in the same sense anyways.

"So I guess we can't stay here for very long," she said, standing up. "But running for eternity is a lot better then burning." She shuddered and crossed her arms. "Damn I hurt all over." She looked at herself in all the places she had been banged up, and strangly a lot of the small scabs and bruises she had were nearly gone. This place was good for your health, it seemed, but in hell that was a curse.

Near the group, the demon relaxed slightly. He'd been unhappy about the presence of another near the group he'd been following, such a thing would be bad for his little idea.
Now, however, he still couldn't get their attention. They'd likely think he was one of the gluttons outside, and that would end badly for all concerned. Still... it sounded like the loathesome creatures had got the scent of fresh meat. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage one way or another.
The darkness of the corner he was hiding in was lit up by a faint blue glow very briefly and he felt the comforting weight of a combat knife in his hand. If the blasted gluttons were foolish enough to try to attack him, there'd be enough noise to attract attention. If not, then he'd at least have the pleasure of being able to assist the little group ahead.

Torin made his way through the dark cave, finding it rather easy with demon's sight, ignoring the rotting stench of death that lingered in the air and the blood splattered walls. He reached a fork in the cave and headed towards the left which after a few moments brought him out at the edge of Greed's Embankment. He walked over the towards the edge of the cliff and looked down into the black sea that sparkled, Greed's Embrace was it's name. He wondered just how many souls had been lost jumping from this high up after the 'treasures' below, into the 'embrace' of the dark liquid.

That's what greed does to a person. Shame they don't realize that it's just a mirage. Honestly, the souls bound with greed are so bad that the logic of the sea being black as oil would not allow true treasure to shine through. Those who survive the plung suffer the entrapment within the waters. Something he dared not to think of, even being a demon.

He shook his head and sit up atop a mass of rocks overlooking the onyx sea, watching the crimson lightning on the horizon; the breeze (or what could only be described as even a moment of pleasantness in the air) brushing his hair long his face. For a moment he let his mind go blank, and then he began to think all over again. Ponder his next move; wonder if Aros was watching; wonder what was going on with the group; wonder why that innocent was here even if she was one of many, she was one that seemed to be able to get away unlike others. He shook the thought as he stared into nothing.

Gale frowned, "I'm not familiar with this area, though I suppose any direction is as good as any." He stood up and picked up his sword, once again slinging it over his shoulder.

"We just get here and now we're on the move again. I suggest we make no other contact with beings like him, from what I see they like to instigate trouble." Sheathing his blade, Kenna sets out ahead of the group, straying from the path they had walked before.

"Good idea," Ireth said with a short nod. She could hear the screams of people in the woods, some sounding a little too close for comfort.
"How horrible would-" her sentence was cut off as a group of three horrendously skinny people came charging at Ireth's group. She let out a short scream herself as one grabbed her arm and bit into it, blood spraying all over the person's boney face. She lifted her foot forward and kicked the man back as she yanked her arm free.
"YOU PEOPLE DAMNED YOURSELVS!" she cried out, finally angry to the point of losing all control. "Don't bring me into it!" She started to slam her boot on the fallen creature that used to be human, crushing his head with every stamp. Blood splashed over her face and body as well as on the others. As she did this the other two starving souls ran for Gale while partially ignoring Kenna.

Gale calmly stepped back and raised his sword, watching the two damned approach. He leaned forward and made a large, horizontal slash at his two persuers. With any luck they'd be deterred, but it was likely they did not fear his blade.

"Try not to alert more of them, elf."

Watching Gale slice the two attackers in half, Kenna grins at Ireth's rage at the beings. "And you're sure you don't belong here? You know, in the last moment before my death all I could feel was fury. I sometimes wonder if that got me here rather than my 'suicide'. Try thinking on that, Elf." Turning again, he starts walking again, slow enough for them to catch up.

Ireth looked up at him, ignoring the twitching remains of the starving.
"I never claimed I was virtuous, only that I am no criminal and I've done nothing to deserve this place," she said, her fists clenched in anger. "I'm just a little pissed off at the fact that I'll be stuck here forever, instead of being with my village that was killed along with me." She turned and gave one of the bodies a good, hard kick.

Gale let out a sigh as he slung his sword over his shoulder and followed after Kenna, "Well someone has to know more about your situation, and who else might be in it. Just a matter of finding them, and getting them to talk."

He glanced around as he walked, "Keep an eye out for anything else."

Curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought him back.

This was the first thought that passed through the young woman's mind as she entered the dark realm. Those gates had been searing hot, but she had borne it with as much dignity as she could muster. She was not a victim, after all, but a visitor - and she hoped against hope that her visit would not end unpleasantly. But first, she had to pay homage to the ruler of this realm, just as any of her brethren would.

As she approached his domain, she knew she would have to tread carefully. This was her first visit to Hell, but she was unsupervised and with no clue how she would make her way through this place. She knew of those who had come here, but had been killed viciously by Minos' underlings before being sent to Heaven. They were the ones she had (unintentionally) heard rumors from later. Rumors that there were those in Hell who did not belong. She had a cover - she was also curious about the suicides, the Lost Ones. She had always wondered where they went in Hell, and why they lost their past memories. Being young as she was, she was curious about many things.

Fortunately, she had arrived at a quiet hour. No demons were lurking about, and the path to Minos' hall was derelict. How fortunate of her...for the time being. She wasn't even sure how Minos would take to her arrival here.

As she entered his domain, she was taken aback by the sight of his hall. The minotaur sat prominently in a giant throne, well suited to his supposed demeanor. Minos was just judging some souls before him, held to the ground by a pair of particularly nasty-looking demons. He muttered something casually with a wave of his hands, the souls wailed, and the demons cackled as they dragged off their haul. She shuddered, thankkful that none of them had noticed her just yet.

Minos yawned, then glanced up. He raised an eyebrow as he spotted her, his eyes narrowing. She felt a violent chill run down her spine at the gaze.

"You," he barked, gesturing for her to come forward. She didn't even realize she was walking forward until she stopped just before his throne. He leered down at her, sniffing the air. "You don't belong here," he growled. "And yet you have come alone of your own free will." His tone wasn't so much harsh as it was curious. "You are an angel, yes?"

She blinked in surprise. Although she had cloaked her true appearance to seem human, apparently there was no fooling Minos. And now there was little point in disguising herself. Releasing the cloak on her wings, she stood before him.

"My name is Shiaris," she said. "I am indeed an angel from Heaven. I have come on my own to investigate certain souls in Hell."

"Have you now?" Minos laughed. Such a chilling sound. "You must be young, to assume you are safe here on your own. You know you are not the first angel to come here, yes? And you know that angels never come alone?"

"I know," Shiaris said. "I...I came on my own to study the suicides. I have been curious about...well...why they are the way they are. And perhaps I can help them."

"To what end? Salvation? There is no salvation here, angel, least of all for them." He paused, rubbing his chin. "I shall let you study them. You may go to their land freely. However, do not stray from that path, and do not go poking your little nose where it does not belong. Every soul here, is here for a reason, and there is no turning back for them. Remember that. There is a ferry across the Styx that goes to the suicides' realm. Now be gone."

After a long walk, Kenna stops in his tracks to observe his surroundings. He did this every so often, as he wasn't keen on being caught with his pants down.
"If anyone hears the slightest noise, please say something. I hate surprises."

Looking at Ireth, he had a certain distrust of her. No fault of hers, but rather the being that was communicating with her. He didn't bother to look at Gale, since it almost came natural to trust him as a brother. After another quick observation of his surroundings, he began walking again.

"You're not the only one," Gale muttered. Despite his initial warriness, he was already comfortable with Kenna. He had never expected to find a familiar face here, but there was an odd sense of comfort in it. He didn't feel quite so...alone.

Ireth followed behind them slightly, silently crying after she had regained control of herself. She had never done anything remotely like what she did to the gluttons before, and she knew hell was changing her. Maybe people did lose their minds here...?

If she could have seen herself she would have been surprised. Dried blood covered her face and the front half of her body in driblets, giving her a dirty, wounded look.

After a long walk, Kenna spots a clearing to what looks like barron plains, scattered with small fires and screams. "So where exactly is it we intend to sleep?"

He paused a moment, then muttered to himself. "I remember when sleep seemed so impossible to achieve."