Where Am I?
Everything is dark. Once again, I find myself in a shadowy corridor devoid of light. Before me looms a massive, ominous gate, adorned with terrifying decorations. Its facade is filled with images of demons, surrounded by a bright red aura that flickers like flames. I attempted to approach the gate, but the more I walked, the further it seemed. I quicken my pace, yet the distance between us remains unchanged.
What is happening?
A sharp, black object suddenly pierces my back, driving through my chest. The pain is strange, more excruciating than any I've ever felt. My energy! It feels like it's being drained by this dark entity. What is this?
A figure of light suddenly appeared beside me, standing gracefully like a celestial being of high standing.
"We meet again, Rhinggamana," the radiant figure says.
"Gabriel, is that you?" I asked in disbelief.
"Indeed. For the umpteenth time, you have disappointed me."
"I'm sorry; I truly feel ashamed of myself. I have sinned, Gabriel. I don't know where to hide my face. It's heartbreaking to see the trust bestowed by the Almighty trampled by my own vengeance."
"Do not play the victim, Rhinggamana! You were trained in the sacred realm for an inconceivable amount of time. Yet, your heart remains tainted by sin. You have wasted our efforts."
"I accept if this is God's punishment upon me. But can you grant me a second chance? I swear by the name of Him, I will fulfill His tasks properly this time."
Gabriel shook his head. "Forgive me, Rhinggamana, but you have already received your second chance. This time, your salvation is not my decision. You are in a place unknown to both life and death. You must strive to save yourself."
"But how? The sharp object piercing me refuses to release its hold. My heart grows weaker with each moment. Without the Sword of Blerit, my power is meaningless."
"Look behind you," Gabriel commanded with a smile.
I turn to look behind and see nothing but darkness. A thick fog envelops the area, darker than darkness itself. Many demonic hands reach for me, trying to pull me into an endless abyss. Their eyes blaze with hatred, vengeance, fury, and envy. From the fog emerges a hard, sharp tentacle that pierces my heart.
"In the name of heaven! What kind of creature is that?" I asked, shoving the grasping hands away.
"That is the Abyss. A demon who births Reptilian creatures that hunt the descendants of Adam on Earth. They are trying to drag you into their shadow; once you fall in, you will merge with the Abyss and be reborn as a Reptilian being."
"What!" I exclaimed in shock. "I cannot let that happen. Is there nothing I can do?"
"Strive not to fall into it."
"But how? I am already ensnared by them. My will to escape seems to be fading. I feel utterly hopeless."
Gabriel smiles and turns toward the massive gate surrounded by flames. "It seems you have forgotten all the teachings I imparted. I shall remind you once more, Rhinggamana: feelings and emotions are mere illusions. Do not be deceived."
Then Gabriel vanishes, leaving me with the single phrase that could awaken my awareness. Emotions and feelings are not real; they are just games played by mortals. I'm not a mortal! Not anymore!
I must think clearly and remember everything I learned in Kandradinukha. There is no such thing as despair. It's all just a trick of the mind.
The Abyss attempts to manipulate my thoughts, planting worldly notions within me. I will not be fooled; I must break free from their grasp. With a calm mind, I try to recall the technique Michael taught me—the technique of drawing energy maximally from within.
A yellow golden aura envelops my body. It seems the energy I gained in heaven still lingers. There is still a glimmer of hope for my escape. But alas, the tentacles of darkness attempt to drain my energy. I began to feel weak. My legs can hardly support me anymore; it's only a matter of time until I am devoured by the Abyss.
No! I will not give up! For the sake of Marky, my only reason to fight. I may have lost my beloved wife, but I still have my son to save. Thus, I must escape this place no matter what it takes.
The golden energy surrounding me flickers as the demonic hands try to absorb me. Each time they attempt to siphon my strength, I unleash a greater power in return. This struggle continues for an immeasurable time.
Eventually, I began to tire. My body grows weak from exhaustion while the demonic hands become stronger. They swell beyond their previous size. Damn it! What should I do now?
If they continue to drain me like this, I will soon be empty.
"O wretched soul, surrender to the darkness, and you shall no longer suffer," a monstrous voice echoes in my head. It feels as though a thousand beings are speaking simultaneously.
Is this the voice of the Abyss?
"It's futile to resist; your strength stems from the purest of places, yet you are now in the filthiest realm in existence. You are tainted; no matter how much power you exert, it will only make us stronger."
"Is that so? Then, if absorbing my strength only makes you more powerful, what if I absorb you instead?"
"Wait, what? No! You cannot do that!"
"Get over here!"
I pull the hard tentacle piercing my chest with my golden hand, now shielded by divine power. Slowly, that hand darkens, filled with hatred. The dark energy from the creature trying to consume me begins to be absorbed. My hair turns inky black, flowing down to my knees. My eyes glow red, and flames erupt from my mouth. A new power courses through me, making me even stronger.
The Abyss starts to weaken; the once iron-like tentacles begin to soften. They grow frightened and attempt to flee, but I will not allow it. With all my might, I pulled the shadowy being closer. They screamed in agony. I can't help but smile at their cowardice.
"You monster!" the Abyss cries out.
"You are the one who made me," I said back.
The Abyss struggles fiercely, severing the tentacles piercing my body. I am thrown backward while the dark fog flees from me in an instant. Within seconds, they vanish from sight.
I grapple with the dark energy that now resides within me. I try to rein in the madness that invades my being. Rage, hatred, jealousy, and vengeance attempt to seize control. I laugh like a madman, writhing in darkness, fighting to regain my sanity.
Marky! I must remember my son; he is my only anchor to keep me grounded. Come on, Rhinggamana! Don't let this negative energy take over. Remember what Gabriel said: all emotions are illusions. They are mere games of the mind. I must control my thoughts, not the other way around!
As I struggle within myself, I suddenly plunge into a pit filled with lava. The searing heat tears my skin to ash. As my flesh and bones disintegrate, new ones form perfectly. I become impervious to death. This cycle of burning and regeneration continues as I sink into the fiery depths.
I may not be able to die, but the pain of burning is excruciating. It feels like I am in eternal torture. The tentacles I absorbed from the Abyss try to escape, unable to endure the agony that consumes me. I am no longer human; my body is a twisted fusion of lava and shadowy tentacles.
It's futile! I must escape this infernal pit!
"You seem to be in quite a unique situation," says a tall man, standing arrogantly at the edge of the lava pit.
I turn to find the source of the voice, and indeed, there he stands—a tall man in elegant attire, with shoulder-length hair and a handsome face, yet a sly smile plays upon his lips. Behind him is the massive gate, the very one I sought earlier.
"Who are you?" my voice rumbles like thunder in this place, for I am no longer human.
"Welcome to Hell. I am Belial, one of the princes of this realm."
"Hells? What is the meaning of this lava pit? Am I being judged?"
Belial folds his arms thoughtfully. "Well, if you put it that way, I'd agree. If you cannot escape from here, this could indeed become your true Hell. The torments are the same."
I catch an odd nuance in his words and ask, "Did you just imply that I could escape if I wanted to?"
Belial fumbles, realizing he's let something slip. He scratches his head. "Seems I need to learn to keep my mouth shut." He then adds, "Well, even if you try to escape, it won't be easy. I won't let you go."
In my monstrous form, cloaked in shadow and flame, I smiled wickedly and replied, "Do your worst!"
I claw my way up from the lava, but it seems to swell, preventing my ascent. Not only that, but the massive gate above appears to recede further away. Is this an illusion crafted by this man?
I don't care; if I cannot reach the gate, then let the gate come to me. With my fiery, tentacled form, I grasp the edges of the gate, pulling it towards me with all my might.
The tremors created by my efforts astonish Belial. He appears fearful.
"Hey, you can't do that! That's cheating!" Belial stammers.
"Don't make me laugh; in such a savage place, there's no such thing as cheating. There are no morals, no ethics, no rules. Only sin remains."
Belial falls silent for a moment. I continued to drag the gate closer with all my strength, disregarding his presence. The handsome man suddenly burst into mad laughter, crazier than myself.
"I like you, Rhinggamana. You seem to know precisely where you stand now. Because you understand the rules of the game, you shouldn't mind if I cheat as well, right?" Belial exclaims. He kneels, and suddenly black wings sprout from his back.
His handsome face twists into that of a horrifying demon, adorned with horns and a bald head. Razor-sharp claws replace his previously neat nails. Flames erupted from his mouth, bright red and furious. Now, there are two monsters in this place.
"Time for you to die!" Belial, in his demonic form, leaps to pounce on me.
Before he can land his attack, I seize him, binding all his movements with fiery tentacles. I laughed gleefully at the shock on his face, filled with terror. He hadn't anticipated I would capture him. I then say, "I've already died once before. What about you?"
I opened my mouth wide, revealing a raging inferno within.
"No! My power!" Belial's energy slowly gets absorbed into my body. He screams in agony, trying to flee. But my fiery tentacles are too strong; he can do nothing but submit.
In an instant, the prince of demons vanishes, merging with my being. My power multiplies. With Belial's abilities now part of me, I can return to my human form. The flames that once burned my lower body no longer hurt, as if I am immune to them. With ease, I climbed out and walked toward the gate.
Sensing my presence, the gate opens on its own. I finally was able to escape from this terrifying place.