Chapter 18: Chapter 17 The First Kingdom Of Hell

The wind whistled past them as Krutak raced across the Hellish landscape. Oily black streams crisscrossed between spires made of the same obsidian-like material of the Glass Beach. Booms of thunder rocked the sky as golden lightning crashed down atop the spires at regular intervals. Electricity danced over the surface as they absorbed the impact, spreading into the black water and heating it to an orange glow. 

 

Helios watched the glow fade to thin streaks as it flowed downstream while they travelled. He was affixed firmly in place next to Tsiyaha on Krutak’s wide rocky back. A particularly spectacular peel of lightning drew his attention nearby. A spire the size of a five-story building was barraged with consecutive strikes. 

 

Unable to withstand the storm, it started crumbling. Large chunks fell from the peak, leaving behind a significantly smaller spire in its place. Demons of various stages fled the destruction. All were like them, fresh from the Wailing Woods, travelling toward Fastidium towering in the distance.

 

“I was hoping we could collect a few more meals on the road before reaching our destination. It looks like that might be such a good idea…” Helios remarked aloud, staring at the vortex filled with lightning above.

 

“It’s not normally like this. I wonder what has the Hellgate so agitated. It feels like he’s actively hunting the fresh arrivals,” Tsiyaha added. 

 

To emphasize her words, lightning struck a pillar next to them. It exploded into countless razor-sharp fragments which bounced harmlessly off Krutak’s rocky armour. Helios and Tsiyaha ducked low, hiding behind the cover of his body. Glancing upward, Helios was aware of a second bolt heading straight for them. 

 

He watched its approach with horror, instinctively thrusting his staff into the sky. The world seemed to slow as tendrils from his Soul Brand wrapped around the shaft. They flowed into the black gem, spreading into a web of tendrils to blanket the group. Break!

 

Upon contact with his shield, the golden lightning scattered harmlessly into the air. The storm overhead immediately froze. An alien consciousness focused its attention on him. 

 

“Found you, Destroyer,” a heavenly voice said. A symphony of chimes chanted inside his mind, causing him to tremble with an overwhelming sense of revulsion.

 

“Do not meddle any further. The Destroyer must not be obstructed for the cycle of renewal to be completed. I have permitted you this much. Now take your vassals and begone from my realm. Return to your Lord, Seraphim!” Satan commanded with authority. 

 

Helios felt a vibration pass through his body to spread throughout every corner of Hell. It felt like something was being forcefully ejected from the environment itself. Beads of golden light rose into the sky, gaining speed as they were dragged into the vortex. As quickly as it began, it was over. After the voices became silent, Helios felt a reassuring emptiness inside his soul. 

 

What was that all about? I can’t believe that angels were running amok in Hell. From the sounds of things, they were looking for something called the Destroyer. They think it’s me. That voice didn’t belong to whatever was creating the lightning. I get the impression it could crush me with a thought if Satan didn’t intervene. It seems I owe him a debt of gratitude.

 

“Why did the lightning suddenly stop and what were those golden lights?” Tsiyaha asked, tentatively peeking upward with a frightened expression.

 

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“I don’t know. But this means we don’t have to worry about the lightning anymore,” Helios lied. It seemed he was the only one aware of the two powerful entities' interaction.

 

“We’re almost at Fastidium or should we take a break for a bite to eat?” Krutak asked. He was staring at a pair of Dolore demons watching them in the distance.

 

“We’ll carry on. I want to see Fastidium up close,” Helios replied. He didn’t let it show but he was shaken by what had just happened.

 

Krutak grunted in agreement before resuming his breakneck pace from earlier. There were yelps in the distance as the observing demons were unexpectedly ambushed. Helios ignored their struggles to contemplate a strategy for when they arrived.

 

***

 

A significant time later, the group arrived at a serpentine road leading to the colossal gates of Fastidium. In front of them was a winding line of demons seeking entry to the city’s walls. Helios ignored them, he was staring in shock at the sheer size of the construct. Standing at Fastidium’s base he couldn’t see its peak. The gates reached higher than a skyscraper decorated with grotesque statues of various demons clutching life-sized mortals, devouring their life force or directly consuming their flesh.

 

The ant-sized demons he had initially seen crawling over its surface when he had first arrived in Hell were all towering titans. The smallest was the size of an office building on Earth, varying in size to larger than a small town.

 

Helios wasn’t the only one flabbergasted by the sheer size of the Titanic demons. He could see countless Dolore and Luminare demons in the crowd staring with mouths agape. Some even pointed out individuals, animatedly discussing with their companions in a range of different dialects. 

 

Every demon’s appearance was unique. Those inconsequential demons up to the Luminare stage were forced to wait in line. Even larger demons pushed through the crowd to the front of the line but stopped and gave wide berth to arriving Archdemons. 

 

Helios watched one Archdemon stride confidently to the vast gates of the city. Its huge size was minuscule in comparison to the demons clinging to the sides. They ignored each other's presence as the Archdemon disappeared into the shadows of Fastidium. Helios still had a long wait ahead of him.

 

“It’s so big…” Tsiyaha wistfully said, staring wide-eyed at the black walls towering into the sky.

 

As they got closer, Helios could make out demonic script subtly glowing on the city walls. They covered the entire surface of the black glass. When he focused on the symbols, visions of carnage were transmitted into his mind. Myriad demons had inscribed their trials and triumphs for all to see by leaving behind their Sigils. The further up a Sigil was placed, the more impressive the vision.

 

He was completely immersed in the images until their turn to enter the city. He looked up as they passed under the colossal gates, swallowed into darkness.

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