1
“Home sweet home,” I murmured to the tiny and empty rock chamber.
I guessed that long ago the Pinnacle was just a normal mountain of rock before someone carved out hundreds of windowless rooms and a single narrow stairway.
When I’d first visited a week ago, a bed, drawers, and chair had occupied my room. That furniture was long gone. Because there was a simple hierarchy here,simplein true demon fashion. The strongest players dwelled at the top of the Pinnacle with all the comforts, and the weakest…
Well.
When I’d selected a bottom room, I hadn’t considered that the larger and more luxurious rooms at the top would have better airflow. The scent of sulfur filled my senses, and I took the opportunity to breathe deeply, knowing that when the acrid smell dissipated, a worse aroma would take its place again.
Sure enough… I wrinkled my nose at the stench of sweat, vomit, and shit—of sex, excitement, and fear. And no wonder. Today was the first round of the game.
Tiers.
Very similar to the word “tears,” of course. Which was what most of the demons here would shed before they died. Hopefully not me.
Once a year, Tiers was played, and any demon could enter, but only one contestant would walk away at the end of the month. Or crawl with only one arm and leg. I’d seen that too.
Whoever invented this game was a genius, because gathering so many demons in one spaceshouldentail disaster. Demons agreed on nothing except their fear of the demon king and their thirst for pain. Tiers combined these two areas. So somehow thousands of demons found it in their iron-encased hearts to sit side by side and watch the game.
Jeers echoed down from the stronger contestants in the top rooms. In response, gasps of fear rippled from my neighbors. They were right to be afraid. Most of them would be dead in two hours.
But me? The jeering caused awe to ripple up my spine. I’d seen this place from the outside hundreds of times, but standing inside let me feel the true enormity of this structure. My stomach swooped at the thought. Maybe I hadn’t played this right. I’d sought anonymity by selecting this room, but I’d underestimated the height of the Pinnacle. Reaching the top didn’t feel so easy now. Instead, it felt like the first round had already begun.
Stamping and shaking from above dislodged dirt from the rock ceiling, which floated down to settle on my shoulders. I touched the sheaths on my thighs, then rested my hand on the hilt of my father’s blade.
You are prepared for battle.
Death was not an option.
A hissing erupted, as if from the very walls. I’d heard the hissing signal from afar before.
Time to begin.
Demons from adjoining rooms started their wary trudge along the dripping hallway and toward the narrow stairwell.
I stepped into line.
A yellow-scaled demon ahead of me skittered out of my path to lurk in the algae-riddled shadows and let me pass. Why the hell he’d entered Tiers was beyond me. This game was a place for at least green-scaled demons. Blues. Reds,certainly—not that reds should have a reason to enter the game when they had everything.
But Tiers was a game for the desperate, I supposed. Anyone could feel that. Me, for example. But shit, at least I didn’t have yellow scales.
I bid the yellow-scaled demon a silent farewell, then started up the stairs. I climbed three levels before my golden skin began its telltale itch.
Dammit.I’d hoped to reach the top.
Should I try to hold it in?
I peered ahead, then stole a look behind. Only yellows and oranges in sight, though greens and blues climbed close by. The longer I held this in, the more I would need to release.
I’d prefer not to release in the arena wherehemight see.
Nothing for it.I released a tiny jet of smoke from under my scales. The dancing tendril weaved to join the thick cloud of yellow, orange, blue, green, and purple smoke already filling the stairwell.
I held my breath.
Maybe…
