I've appeared in a room with no light. Closing my eyes, I focus on listening to any sounds.
CLICK
Flames erupt clockwise in a circle around the room. The floor, now illuminated, is made of a blackish-gray stone. Looking at all the splotches of discolored stone anyone could tell that many battles have been fought here. I'm in an arena empty aside from me and Hades. It was almost off putting to see the many stone seats above empty.
Hades outstretches his arms dramatically and suddenly people begin to fill the once empty seats.
The bleachers are filled with people and creatures of all kinds. Some humans with unnatural deformities and others whose only visible features are their eyes that light up the shadows that surround them. Above these onlookers lies seating meant for those with higher social standing. My eyes follow the people in the high seats.
Persephone, clad in flowers, was soon joined by her cruel husband Hades. To their right sits a man with eyes made of fire and arms that looked tougher than steel: Ares, perhaps?
My body tenses as the ten foot tall door on the opposite side of the room opens.
A man with red horns and white gold wings enters . In his right hand lies a red longsword and in his left a white lance.
The thread of Gleipnir, thin as silk and yet stronger than any chain, wrapped around the spool-like gauntlet on my left arm shoots forward. The thread wraps around my opponent's right arm and I pull him forward, drawing the one-sided blade on my left hip.
My opponent flaps his wings and pushes himself towards me faster in an attempt to plunge his lance into my chest. I sidestep and swing at his head. He blocks with his horn and pushes me away.
With my sword remaining attached to his horn I find myself weaponless and in a game of defense. As he lunges I sidestep. When his sword slices through the air I duck.
The crowd laughs at my suffering as I stay on the defensive. Then I realize that in my panic I forgot about my most important relic.
I raise my hand and my ring, the ring given to me by Akira, glimmers in the light of flames. Blue light strands crawl up my body as I mumble, "Ardeat.", the latin word for burn.
A wall of fire burns between my opponent and I. Relief floods my body for but a moment before I realize any champion of Hell must be resistant to fire and my opponent walks right through the wall of flames.
I raise my hand and shout, "VENTUS!".
Winds engulf the field and Gleipnir swarms around in the air. Now that my opponent can no longer use his wings I'm at an advantage.
My opponent lunges at me, but his balance is off. I rotate my body to dodge the attack and ply my sword from his horn.
"Oriri" I command the winds to lift my opponent and I plunge my sword into his back. His blood drips down my sword and arm as the winds slow and his body drops to the ground.
The flames go out and when they light again I find myself in Hades chamber. A magnificent room with onyx furniture, covered in wool. Hades sits on his throne, a black box resting on his lap.
Hades claps for a few moments before handing me the box.
"I hope you don't regret your decision."
He smirks and I find myself at hell's gate, box in hand.
I open the box.
The evils have been released into the world and with them, hope.