Fantasy The True Heroes: Journey Through Hell

[Sensei Fox]

Hell on Earth finally actually happened. People all over the world are suffering and dying. Demons and others forms of the damned walk the ground leaving only pain behind them. There is only one faint hope left. With hell, came its gates and old legends people were willing to believe again. One in particular was pursued.


The legend stated if one could journey through hell itself with a token belonging to a lost soul, the bearer could exchange his or her soul for one in purgatory. Of course, only sinners could enter the gates to make the journey. Furthermore, the deal would have to be made with the devil himself in his own territory. Without any debate, the trip is very undesirable. In the end, it's a sacrifice to save humanity. Or at least a hope.


A small volunteer group would be chosen to enter the gates, each one with their own weight in sins to bare and face on the journey. Each person would be given a photo or drawing of the person they were to retrieve at the journey's end. The photos or drawings are of proven heroes against the forces of hell as archived by history and long disregarded records. Saints and other like people are among those on the list.


With thew volunteers readied and hopes high, the journey through hell begins. Will the group complete their quest? Will they fall short? Will they faulted and refuse to trade their souls? Will the legend remain just a story? The only way to know is to take the journey.

 

[Sensei Fox]

The volunteers were gathered before the gates with a small crowd to see them off. Some chosen replacements were standing to the side just in case a volunteer was rejected from entering. The first volunteer, a man in the middle of his life, was set to begin and went about giving a small speech about how his sacrifice would help bring peace back to the world. He definatley belonged with this group of sinners. It was generic and drawn out for the glory of the moment. He finally reached his end and turned to make his way across the burned and cobbled bridge toward the gates. About halfway across, he slowed. His shaking steps stopped just before reaching the end. The second his body ceased moving forward, his body and soul erupted into flames with an agonized scream. In the moment he was vanished. Evidently, the first trial was to make it across the bridge. Stopping meant a forfeit. A replacement stepped into line hesitantly and the crowd waited silently.


Fox stood next in the line. Having just seen a much more confident man burst into oblivion, he was somewhat discouraged to walk in the same footsteps. He took a few steps forward to the beginning of the bridge and looked over it. The distinct smell of sulfur and heat carried around the structure. The air stood still despite the feeling of danger surrounding the scorched and scoured area. With a deep breath and clenched fists, his mind was made. Fox stared straight ahead and took his first step. It was surprisingly easier than anticipated. Just like a normal stroll. He approached the middle and noticed his steps feeling heavier by the second. He forced them to move onward past the middle of the bridge. A feeling of being pulled back and chains binding his legs drifted into his perception. Forcing his legs forward became more of a task. Voices whispered calling him back, familiar tones of trusted names calling to gain attention. The act of walking felt like swimming up a raging river now. Finally nearing the end, voices changes to anger saying to simply give up and stop trying. Hands could be felt actively clawing at clothing and skin. Lead weight accompanied the chains as well as added screams of desperation with every step as if the structure itself were crying out in pain. A final step lead to familiar although tainted soil. The voices, the weight, the force pulling him back all vanished. Before his eyes were the silent gates of hell. Fox dared not look back now, even though he was presumed safe. He approached the gate and offered his right hand to one of the figures carved in the top of it. With his offering, a sense of disembodiment and weightlessness flooded his body. All light dissapeared and rematerialized in an instant.


To onlookers from the opposite side of the bridge, they simply saw the boy walk the length of the structure and stumble off of it. Then the boy raised his hand and his body fell into dirt and dust. No remains other than a small pile of undisturbed and unscorched dirt. No sound to be made except the breathing of the crowd itself.

 

[Soviet Panda]

Connor was next. Taking a deep breath, he says "See you f**kers later." him referring to the group of people holding guns and making sure no one tries to run. So, giving them the on fingered salute, he started his way across. His experience was slightly different. The weights and chains were the same, but the voices different. They were voices claiming to be family that actually cared for him, telling him things only him and his family should know. But he could only think if one thing. 'I'm going down one way or another. I'd rather do it on my own terms and trade my soul to the big man himself.' Then he reached the other side, and defiantly stuck his hand out as the last one did. He fell to dust to, and appeared in a very strange place.

 

[Owl]

Next came a very... peculiar man. Dressed in screaming clothing with leather pants and gloves, a long fur coat and Oxford shoes, grey T-shirt with profanities sprawled over it and sun glasses, this odd figure approached the bridge to the gates of hell without having to be persuaded. He honestly just wanted to get this over with, not caring for his demise and neither for the "grand plan" he was chosen to be a part of. The idea of bringing back saints for the price of wrongdoer's souls was not going to work either way since humans deserved the calamity that was plaguing them. Or so he thought... In the very least, the event of entering Inferno was inevitable and he, as a sinner, knew quite well that he belonged in Hell.

Yet, CC did not intend to go down without one final mind-blowing performance. "For my final magic trick, I shall not be a scam artists... for once." he shouted, turning to the "audience"... no response. Shocked, yet not discouraged CC continued "This is true magic, folks, and all of you can do the same trick because we all deserve to walk this bridge. We all deserve to burn in the eternal fires of Hell, as James Joyce described them: "torture that sustains eternally that which it eternally devours". And now... you shall see this scum vanish into thin air!"

He ran. What else could he do? He ran straight up ahead, taking not even a moment to glimpse back at what he was leaving behind for CC would not miss this world, and neither looking down at his feet for what happened under the bridge was not of his concern. All that mattered was up ahead - the gates of Hell.

Suddenly, CC found himself unable to catch his breath, as though being chocked by a rope from behind. The invisible obstacle only became tighter as the man approached his destination, burrowing into his flesh yet leaving no wounds. It also became heavier... and soon CC realized that it was a chain as more appeared to hold him back. If they were real, as in physical, they would have held him back since the man bared no strength at all, yet this was more of a psychological bond which he had to break free from. The voices didn't help as they pleaded the man to just give up and return to safety. They were familiar and gentle... which meant that they had very little effect on CC. He had lost all family and friendship values a long time ago and the amplifying whispers in the air only served as an eerie annoyance...

The silence in front of the gates of hell felt wonderful as he reached them. The chains had also vanished somewhere along the way, yet CC appeared to have additionally lost his coat as well as sunglasses... what a tragedy! Irritated by this fact, the man wasted no time in offering his right hand. "Let's just get this over with..."

His magic trick was now completed...

​

 

[Sensei Fox]

Fox opened his eyes as if he had just been sleeping. He was stood under a streetlight close to the break of dawn. The scenary was dark and monochrome despite the lights on the road. The lights from the buildings around this urban slum shown just white light. It looked like an old movie. All that was missing was sharp dressed men with even sharper stilleto knives. The only thing out of place were stark white flags hung over every doorway and at the top of every building. Light started seeping around every building but without the appearance of any sun. Any residents here would more than likely be filing out of the structures soon. In such a strange place, being a stranger would more than likely be dangerous.


Supposedly, this was the vestibule of hell. People here didn nothing wrong with their lives, but nothing good. Some were good people but lacked beliefs that would rescue them from this place. Angels that remained neutral would reside here as well.


Fox noticed a man at the head of an alley across the street laying on a grayed blanket. His bare back was turned to the street with two long wounds down the back as if the flesh had been ripped off and cauterized immediately. Light made the man's image more clear and it seemed like he had his own slight glow around him. A closer look and his blanket was also moving. Fox finally realized that the man was not glowing, rather the aura seen around him was light reflecting off several moving winged bodies. They were insects with needle long probes at their face or thick cones for stingers at the end of their bodies. Under the man were maggots writhing in a gray and dark black coating. The man had similarly colored lines leading down his body from raised wounds where insects dove down and made their marks. He had to be an angel. He was shunned by the highest power and the lowest alike. Even here, he's shunned by the other residents much like a man without a home in the land of the living.


Fox turned away from the sight. This being was a purposeless being among worlds and realms created with a plan. Finding another soul so punished and secluded could possibly be found only near the end of this journey. Now it was time to find the like minded souls that constituted this journey. Fox rested his left hand on his sword and took a few steps on the sidewalk looking for his volunteered companions.

 

[Shadow]

Ember watched the other volunteers cross the bridge, or burn and disappear. It was her turn next. She took a deep breath and went forward, shutting her eyes tightly and hoping for the best. If the best was to get into hell.....Weird.


The further she walked the harder it got. It felt like she was trying to walk into an invisible wall. Voices called for her to stop and turn back. It was so tempting to give in, but she knew she had to keep going. The last step was the hardest, and it felt like it took an eternity for her foot to touch the ground. Suddenly she was standing in front of the gates. She held out her hand apprehensively and she was flying or floating, or something like that. Then she found herself somewhere that she hadn't seen before. She stood up and looked around for the others that had come.

 

[Sensei Fox]

Fox saw a body similar to his own moving on his side of the street. He turned with his right hand ready to draw his sword. He looked for a while at the person trying to decide who they were. There was an absence of flying insects or maggots around them and they seemed to be searching as well. That was decent enough proof. No resident soul went unpunished here and there wouldn't be any demons here to deceive the eyes. Fox moved slightly closer and cleared his throat on his approach. Partly to announce himself and partly to make sure he was able to still speak. The area did still look like an old movie set, maybe even a silent movie. Everything had been silent up to that point. Everything was clearly visible now in the light. Fox waved a little and finally spoke "Hey, over here."

 

[Shadow]

Ember turned and saw someone waving to her. She went over, still looking around the weird town. "Hi." She said when she was closer. She rested her hand on her hip, near her dagger. Just in case. He didn't look particularly evil or anything but, here it was best to be prepared. She scanned the street again, hoping to see the other volunteers. "So...." What was she supposed to say? Maybe he would know what to say.....

 

[Sensei Fox]

"So welcome to hell, I suppose." Fox spoke with a slight shrug. "Or at least the reception area for it." He looked around for any of the others as shadows crossed the lit windows of the buildings. "Have you seen anyone else?"


(Just gunna tag people in case notifications aren't working. @Beowulf @Shadow @Owl @siovannie @Quiet Dragon )

 

[Soviet Panda]

At that moment, Connor walked from around a building, gun held at the ready. He was thoroughly freaked out by this place, and surprised that none of the residents had jumped him yet. But then he saw the familiar faces. "Hey!" he called out. "Are you one of the 'volunteers' that came here?" he asked, finger on the trigger, just in case.

 

[Owl]

The place CC had ended up in was peculiar to say the least. With an offsetting and dark atmosphere, it took him back to his underground lifestyle but in a more sinister way, as though serving as a reminder of his sins.

Seeing a being plagued by insects and maggots only made the man realize the reality of what torture wrongdoers had to endure. And this was only the beginning of his journey through Hell... A shiver running down his spine, suddenly CC found himself disgusted and wanting to escape this place as fast as possible.

Never in his life had the man ever dreamt of someone... anyone's voice sounding so sweet. It was neither it's tone, nor the words it conveyed that excited CC but its mere presence among the otherwise overwhelming silence. Rushing towards the wondrous source of said disturbance, he soon found himself faced with familiar figures. "It would appear so" he cried out in answer to the one with a gun in his hand.​

 

[Sensei Fox]

"We're all living here as far as I know." Fox his hand at the man with the gun for him to put it away. He took a double take on the other person to show up. Even in black and white his outfit was flashy. Hopefully demons and other damned souls didn't mind or react much to the way people dressed. Fox pulled out a small piece of paper with a map and some notes scrawled on it. "We're in the vestibule. The people here are generally good, just not good enough to avoid being here."

 

[Shadow]

"Thanks, I guess." Ember said. She jumped a little as two other volunteers came over, out of nowhere it seemed. Her eyes moved to the gun one of them was holding. After looking around, she really couldn't blame him. "If everyone here is pretty good, why are they all so darned scary?" She said quietly, more to herself than them.

 

[Sensei Fox]

"It's still hell. People here are still punished." Fox looked over the map for a while. "We'll have to find the shore of the Acheron to continue." Bodies finally started filing out of the houses. Each one dropped maggots in their wake with a swarm of insects flying around them puncturing and tearing their skin. Their clothing ranged from modern day dress to robes and tunics. Populations here had been built up for hundreds of generations easily. Soon, they were filling the street. They appeared oblivious to the volunteers but still moved around them as they walked.

 

[Soviet Panda]

"Well then, can we get moving?" Connir asked, whipping his gun around, tryin to target all of the people at once. He didn't feel comfortable being surrounded like this. "If I paid attention to anything about what they said, is that this place is a lot crappier then our next stop."

 

[Shadow]

Ember gagged when she saw the bug covered people. "And I thought my house was bad." She said with a grimace. She side-stepped a little and looked at the map one of the guys was holding. "So....This thing makes sense to you?" She asked, completely baffled at how a map could tell them which way to go. Everything looked a lot alike after all. She had never been good with maps though.

 

[Sensei Fox]

"It makes enough sense to me. However, finding a river in a slum is beyond the capabilities of this map." Fox moved the map a little so she could see better. He noticed one of the group was still waving his gun around at the moving masses. "I suggest you put that thing down. We'll probably have to ask directions."

 

[Shadow]

Ember frowned at the map and tried one more time to decipher it. "Wow, you are incredibly talented if you get how that looks like this." She said, motioning around them. She side-stepped, trying to stay well out of range of the gun. "How about we ask that one for directions?" She said, pointing to someone who wasn't quite covered in bugs. Still gross, but not 'wanna see breakfast again' gross.

 

[Sensei Fox]

"Neither of these look alike. The suffering just fits the description. Believe me, I never thought that any part of hell would look like the slums of Chicago." Fox looked over to the designated person and shrugged before approach. He extended his hand slightly into the flight area of the insects. Thankfully, none even bothered slowing down and continued to only attack their original target. Fox reached forward to grab the man's shoulder and hopefully stop him to ask. The man only pulled away and continued his path without losing pace. Fox looked over his shoulder at the other volunteers before picking up his pace and walking beside the soul. He turned his and tried to keep from being too disgusted. "Why do you keep on walking? Are you going to the Acheron?"


The man continued walking but spoke in a weary voice. "It is part of our punishment to forever roam and chase a banner, for we chose none in life." The man looked up at the many flags hung in the streets. "Your soul is unclaimed. You do not see as we do. The banners hanging in these streets are mirrors to our eyes that show the stories of our lives. We build and live here trying to recreate them only to have our work turn to dust by the dark."


Fox listened and his heart sunk. It sounded like a terrible eternity. "Is there any way to ease your pain?" Fox had meant to ask again about the Acheron but his words found a different way to express his thoughts.


The man stopped and grabbed Fox's arm with a feeble grip. "See as I do."


Both Fox and the man had stopped moving entirely. The man seemed more relaxed while Fox had gone rigid. Their pause had lasted only a few seconds before the man let go and began walking. His parting words were spoken more clearly. "Bring my story back to the living."


Fox collapsed covering his ears. On his back, he saw the banners playing the lives of thousands of souls all at once. It showed their pain and triumphs and echoed millions of voices through his head. Fox gritted his teeth and his eyes watered under the extreme stress of trying to process all the information he saw. His head rolled to the side and figures in color were interacting with eachother as if it were a play by street performers. They lined the streets and alleys showing various underhanded deals and heartbreaking displays. Fox closed his eyes and writhed slightly before ceasing. The noise and images faded away and there was silence again. The crowd has simply walked around him and played no mind.

 

[Shadow]

Ember followed Fox when he went over to the guy she had pointed out. She listened to what the guy said, still slightly baffled by everything. She stepped back when the man grabbed Fox's shoulder. "Wait!" She called to the man when he started walking again and Fox collapsed. She knelt beside him, not sure what to do. She rested her hand on his shoulder. "Hey.....Are you okay?" She asked, not exactly expecting a response. She didn't know why she thought talking to him would help. They always did in the movies, then again, it never worked then either. She pulled her hand back when he started writhing. She looked up at the other volunteers for help or advice.