There are no guards here. We’ve come in through what Tony likes to call the back entrance. Only the hounds know about it, but since I’m friends with one, I got all the details. Tony talked far too much while we tried to sleep.
I slip off his back and freeze when my feet touch the ground. I never noticed how soft it was before. It’s layer upon layer of skin, and the rumor is that Satan Itself lives and breathes and grows around here, that every inch of Hell is part of It.
The walls breathe. The flames grow taller in the distance, and I can hear the cries of people being tortured echoing toward us.
Hell stretches on endlessly. No true beginning or end because the number of sinners has only increased.
We walk toward the heat, my eyes watering in response. I run my hand across my forehead and spit out the saltiness coating my lips.
Lifting my gaze to the walls on each side of us, I try not to meet the pleading eyes of the people stuck there forever. Their skin is graying, splitting at the joints, their faces melting. They’ll be in agonizing pain, but they’ll deserve it.
The worst punishment for the worst kind of sinners. Their bodies are decomposing even though they’re still technically conscious—they can’t scream or beg or move while they’re eaten from the inside by maggots and whatever else is crawling in their veins and organs.
I shiver at the thought of being put on the wall. I’d rather cut my balls off and feed them to Tidus.
We turn a corner, leaving the Walls of Eternity behind, and move into what feels like a damn oven.
Being human has changed the way my body reacts to this place. It’s way hotter than I remember, and I’m building up a sweat.
Tidus prances forward, sniffing his surroundings—then he cowers, his ears lowering.
“What is it?” I whisper, hiding behind a black stone pillar when I hear the screams of someone being chased and dragged toward the fire pits.
They’ll be thrown in until their skin melts off, pulled back out, then dunked into a hole filled with cold water.
It’s not really an intended torture method—the guards just get bored, and if they aren’t abusing their position by attacking people, then they’re doing way worse.
What if they got a hold of Sable?
Tidus continues sniffing, and I follow him, careful of my surroundings and ducking behind pillars whenever I hear footsteps. The fact that they haven’t smelled me is a shock. Living humans don’t come here.
The cells are empty, except for a few unconscious people chained up in the darkness. I can’t get much closer than hiding in a dark corner while Tidus explores. I’ll get caught within seconds.
Where the fuck is Sable?
My heart pounds in my chest, and I’m pretty certain I might pass out at any given moment. Being human has its perks, but by fuck does it have its cons—if I don’t find her before my body gives up and I need to leave her rescue to Tony, I’ll be pissed.
Tidus shifts back into his human form, pulling on a nearby pair of pants to hide his nakedness—he’s not soaked from sweat like I am, and he seems far too calm.
“I think I know where she is,” he tells me, and I follow him into the main foyer, thankful it’s empty of guards. “She must be with the big dog.”
All the blood drains from my face. “No.” That’s worse than a Tor’Oth.
But Tony puts his finger to his lips to shush me. “Why are there no guards?”
I shrug, but he has a point. Usually, the place is crawling with them.
“We gotta hurry up,” he says, heading for the staircase made of bones. “Hopefully we see Nala on the way.”
“Why?”
Tony doesn’t reply. Why does he need to see his little fuck buddy while hunting for my girl?
I stop walking. “Tony. Why do you need to see her?”
“To say goodbye,” he replies in a whisper-hiss. “Maybe squeeze a blowjob in before they inevitably kill me.”
“Stop the jokes. You said you could get us down here without being caught.”
