So what if one of them messed up? Clearly, they forgave each other for it. My parents were always madly in love with one another, and they always loved me. There wasn’t a day that went by where I ever questioned my place in their heart. That thought makes my face feel hot and my eyes prick with emotion. It’s strange to find out something so epic about myself and not be able to talk to them about it. Now, more than ever, I wish they could answer back.
After what feels like forever, we step off the last stair, and I gape down the huge aisle that leads to the different Rings of Hell. We all pause for a moment, and I’m not sure if they’re simply letting me take it all in or if they’re as taken by this moment as I am. It feels...big. Like something major is going to happen that will affect all of us.
But out of nowhere, I feel the overwhelming sensation that everything is going to be okay. I study the unusual sensation for a moment, wondering where it’s coming from and why. I can’t help but think that maybe it’s my parents from the other side, somehow offering me some comfort. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking, but either way, I can’t dismiss the rightness I feel in this moment. I’ve been so anxious, confused, and scared. But right here, right now, I just feel like I’m finally where I belong. I release a peace filled breath and look up at the towering walls all around me.
Now that we’re level with the Rings that I saw from above, I realize just how enormous they are. They looked so much smaller as we made our way down, but the walls that make up each stone Ring border rise at least thirty feet above me. I feel like that kid fromThe NeverEnding Storyas he walked through those creepy angel gates, only for me, it’s like I’m surrounded by a humongous circle maze. Hopefully it won’t shoot me with lightning bolts when I try to pass.
Collectively, we all seem to take a deep breath. Then, like we’re already a seasoned team, we stride forward together. There’s a veryhere goes nothingtone to our steps as they meet the shale-covered ground. The guys are tense and silent, attentively scanning our surroundings, but luckily, there’s nothing around. The Vestibule is deathly quiet other than our scraping footsteps over the loose rocks at our feet. We move steadily past the outermost stone wall, and I get my first glimpse at the portal that leads into the Fifth Ring of Hell.
I try to remember what the name they used for this Ring is, but I can’t recall if it’s the one that sounds like kinky or the one that sounds like quatro. As we pass by the Outer Ring, I make out what seems to be blurry shapes of buildings through someStargatelooking plasma shit, but it all appears very Picasso-esque, and it’s hard to make out exactly what might be on the other side.
“I know we voted, but with her bleeding, I think we need to go straight for Unus and work our way down. I have a feeling we don’t want to fuck around down here today,” Jerif murmurs.
“Agreed,” Echo, Crux, and Iceman all voice at the same time.
I blink at their quick unity but keep my mouth shut. If they want to go straight to the First Ring and see if I’m like Iceman, then I’m all for it. Now that I’m down here, I desperately want to know what I am.
Our group passes the second wall that separates Ring five from Ring four, and I have to practically jog to keep up with the pace that Jerif is setting.
“My family is going to be so pissed when I’m a no-show,” Echo grumbles, staring ahead of us at the plasma looking crap that makes up the passageway into the Tres Ring of Hell.
Jerif grumps something back, and Echo chuckles, but I’m too busy watching the gooey metallic looking substance that’s spread from wall to wall on both sides of us as we pass through the Fourth Ring. I squint, seeing shadows and movement, the gooey material bowing out, almost as if something is trying to push through from inside the Ring.
I’m oddly reminded of a movie I once watched where Jim Carrey was birthed out of the ass of a robot rhino. Or maybe whatever is pushing through has more liquid metal Terminator vibes. Either way, I watch transfixed as the surface seems to start to bulge in more than one place.
“Guys?” I voice, but my worried warning gets drowned out as a terrifying baying sound goes off somewhere behind us.
All of the guys whip around to look. I have to lean to the side to see around Iceman, but I immediately wish I hadn’t, because all I can see are strange espresso-colored bodies pouring out of both sides of the Fifth Ring portal.
That can’t be good.
I don’t even wait for the order to run that explodes out of Iceman’s mouth. I’m already turned around and hauling ass to get away from the horde that’s suddenly pouring into the passageway behind us as demons hurry out of the Fifth Ring.
My feet fly forward, scraping against slippery rocks as I pump my arms, pushing to gain speed. But terror slams into me when I realize that more Outer Ring demons are climbing out of the Fourth Ring portals too.
A quick look over my shoulder shows that Iceman is standing in front of the horde, right in the middle of the aisle, with his legs spread and hands outstretched. He’s erected an ice barrier, blocking the demons’ way, but they’re pounding against it, and there’s so many of them that I know the wall can’t hold for long.
Some of the more impatient demons start climbing over each other to get to the top of the ice wall instead, but Echo is there, using his shadows to fling them back, snapping necks and throwing them off.
“Get her into Tres!” Iceman yells as he tries to start building more ice at the top of the barrier like a ceiling, keeping them from climbing over it. But there are too many of them, and every time he adds another inch, more and more have already climbed up, muddy limbs flailing out, breaking the ice before it can thicken.
“Come on!” I get yanked forward by Crux, but I slip on the rocks, and I go sprawling. I land hard on the ground on my elbows and knees, but I haven’t even finished crying out before there’s a huge crash behind us. I look over my shoulder and see the ice barrier has completely shattered.
I get wrenched to my feet by Crux right as Jerif starts blasting the demons with fire like he’s a human-sized blow torch. Horrendous screams of agony rent the air, but even the fire isn’t enough to stop them.
I get shoved behind Crux just as a group of Outer Ringers breaks through the others to get to us. He fists his hands at his sides and then blood and guts go flying as he turns them inside out.
I grab my scythe in my hand just in time as another one races toward me on hands and feet like some grotesque spider. It bares its teeth at me and jumps, but I swing, catching it on my blade and making it disappear in a puff of ash.
Iceman is trying and failing to erect another ice wall, Echo is completely blocked from view by his shadows as they lash out at any of the surrounding demons, and Jerif is still blasting them with fire, but it’s not enough. We’re overwhelmed.
How did this happen so fucking fast?
My stomach sinks with heavy panic at just how many Outer Ringers are here to ambush us. Hundreds. Maybe even thousands. It’s too hard to tell with all of them scrambling around like locusts. There’s no end in sight, and they just keep pouring from the two Outer Rings, climbing over each other.
“We need to go!” I scream, hoping that the guys will hear me. White-hot fear has complete possession of me. If any of the guys die, I’ll never forgive myself. But I don’t even know if I’ll be able to live through this myself in order to feel that guilt.
“Crux!” Iceman shouts, though I can’t see him over the melee.
