The Dark Somnium - Hell's Civil War | Scary Stories from The Internet

Episode Date: May 26, 2026

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I awoke with a sudden gasp, my eyes shooting open as they slowly adjusted to my new surroundings. I felt a stifling heat and struggled to move. Soon realizing I was laying upon a hard molten rock, facing upwards as I looked up at a blood-red sky. My whole body ached and every moment was agony, but eventually I was able to lift one arm and then the other, slowly raising my hands up to my face so I could touch my cheeks. I couldn't explain it, but my skin was ice-cold, even though. the temperature was boiling hot. And suddenly, my ears were filled with a cacophony of sounds, shouts, screams, animalistic roars, gunshots, in the clink of metal against metal. I had awoken to

chaos, and my instincts told me I was in mortal danger. I used my hands to push myself up up the rocky surface, but my head was spinning and I felt dizzy, and suddenly I was aware of two figures standing over me. I couldn't focus on their faces in that moment, but I could hear their voices as they spoke. Fresh meat from Minos's army, said the first. The voice was deep, but I could tell it was a woman. Come on, soldier, on your feet, said the second gruff male voice. The unidentified man put his hand out to help me up. I paused for a moment, feeling hesitant, as I naturally didn't trust this stranger, but in the end, I accepted his assistance, placing my hand in his. The mystery man's palm was ice cold, but his grip was true, and so I was soon pulled up to my feet, my leg shaking for a moment

before I steadied myself. Next, I looked to the men who'd helped me up, noting his scarred, weathered face and the cold look in his emotionless eyes. He wore a tattered gray uniform, which looked like it belonged in a museum, and held a rusty but sharp machete in his other hand. I recognized a seasoned warrior when I saw one, but the soldier didn't speak, instead looking me over with suspicion and perhaps contempt. I broke eye contact with him, instead looking to the woman standing to his right.

She was smaller and leaner than her male companion, but no less intimidating an appearance. Her dark hair was cut short, and her uniform was a more modern set of camouflage fatigues. She had a crossbow over one shoulder with bolts attached to her utility belt. I noted how there was a spark in her eyes which was missing from her male companion, and she had a thin smile on her face as she looked me up and down. Well, he's not the best recruit we've seen. She proclaimed sarcastically. But I guess we need every man we can get.

Yes. Well, we best get him knitted up, armed, and prepped. The man replied hesitantly. I had held my tongue up to this point, but could no longer do so. As I opened my bone-dry lips and practically spat out the words, excuse me, how about you tell me what the hell's going on, huh? Where the hell am I? They both looked at me like I was stupid, and the woman smirked.

as she answered. Interesting choice of words, my friend. Why not take a look over the horizon? And I did so, slowly turning my head and casting my eyes upon a scene of utter horror. The three of us stood upon a barren hill of molten rock, looking down upon a burning city under a blood-red sky. On the far western horizon, I saw a dark body of water which surrounded the urban landscapes and noted the warlike sailing ships anchored offshore. The city itself was vast, stretching from miles in every direction. The structure appeared to be medieval in design, consisting of stone houses, narrow alleyways, high bell towers, and defensive battlements. To the north sat a grand tower of black iron, surrounded by thick and high walls with many turrets. The huge fortress was at the

center of the city and dominated the skyline, but the narrow streets and smaller buildings below it were in a state of chaos, as structures burned and thousands of soldiers fought running battles in the squares and down the back streets, filling the thick air with their war cries and screams. I stood there on the hillside for a long moment, awestruck as I observed the vast urban battle play out in a hundred small skirmishes. I was no stranger to combat, but this battle zone was alien to me, appearing like no war-torn city I'd ever seen. It all seemed unreal, and I told myself there must be a logical explanation. I still believed this right up until I saw the The beast emerged from the dark waters, its horned head and hideous ma rising above the surface,

soon followed by its huge body adorned with heavy steel armor. The beast roared as it pulled itself out of the water and stepped onto the dock, its heavy hooves cracking the ground as it came. The beast was thankfully some distance away from us, but I could see its entire form, noting how the monster towered above the harbor in the buildings below it. Every aspect of the beast was terrifying from its minotaur-like body, its horned to the monster. head, burning red eyes and moth filled with razor-sharp teeth. And when it roared, the hellish sound carried across the vast space and showed me to my bones. In an instant, the Minotaur unveiled

a sword of fire and thumped along the city streets, smashing houses under its huge hooves as a cane. And then it started to attack people on the streets, slicing the small figures to pieces with ease as it roared aloud with bloody fury. It appeared as if nothing could stop the giant marauding demon, but the man-sized figures fought back in the most extraordinary manner as dozens of attackers jumped onto the demon's goat-like legs and started to climb upward, soon swarming the beast as they spread all over its mighty body. The demon reacted with fury, ripping the attackers off its legs, arms, and chest before snapping them in two and throwing them into the stone walls, but the attackers kept coming,

and before long there were hundreds of them swarming all over the furious demon, stabbing him with short swords and machetes. The beast couldn't kill all of its attackers and was soon overwhelmed, bleeding from a thousand cuts as it slowly fell. Its roars fading as its huge frame heavily collapsed to the ground. The surviving attackers, who avoided being crushed, cheered in triumph as they finished their deadly assault. What the hell?

I swore under my breath. Welcome to the party. It's quite something, isn't it? Said the woman as she walked up beside me. I swung around, glaring at her smirking face before I turned to see the dead. deadpan eyes of her male companion. Where are we? I asked through trembling lips.

You were right the first time. This is hell. More specifically, violence. The Fifth Circle. The city of Dis. My jaw dropped and my blood turned to ice. I was hoping she was joking, but when I looked to the man, he nodded firmly to confirm. I was literally left speechless.

My mind racing as I desperately tried to make sense of this madness. But the woman surprised me by approaching and placing a cold hand on my shoulder before speaking sympathetically in my ear. It's a big adjustment, but we'll help you through. My name's Isabel, by the way. She turned her head towards her companion before continuing. And that jar head over there is Sebastian. I nodded my head nervously, feeling that the introductions brought some degree of normality

to this otherwise insane situation. Hi, I'm Jacob. Nice to meet your acquaintance, Jacob. Come on. We'll get you kidded up and show you how things work around here. Isabel said with a half smile as she removed her hand from my shoulder. Isabel and Sebastian turned their backs on me and started to walk down the hillside, presumably expecting me to follow.

I hesitated for a moment, looking back over the burning city and seeing the body of the butcher demon. But to my horror, I saw another two monsters emerge from the dark water, repeating the previous assault as they drew swords of fire, roaring with fury as they went to battle against the horde. This was my introduction to the battle for Diss, a savage civil war for control of hell's capital. I'd had a taste of the horror in bloodshed, but this was only the beginning of my hellish odyssey. I followed my new companions down the barren hillside and towards the city. I was still in a daze, unable to believe that any of this was real, and still holding out hope that I was experiencing a vivid nightmare or hallucination.

But all the details persuaded me otherwise, from the stifling heat to the blood-curdling screams and the foul stench of burning flesh and creeping death. But it only got worse as we progressed down the dirt path. I saw the spikes driven into the hard ground on both sides of the pathway, but it was only when I got closer that I realized the horrifying truth. Each spike was adorned by several human heads. There were dozens of impaled skulls stretching for the best part of a mile. All were in varying states of decomposition.

But I noted how their eyes remained open and staring out towards us, and their mouths were trapped in silent screams. My jaw dropped as I felt a sickness rising from the pit of my stomach. I spent a lot of time on the front line and had witnessed some appalling atrocities, but this was an act of medieval brutality. I didn't want to look into the faces of the dead men and women, but couldn't help myself as I was mesmerized by the sheer horror of the spectacle. But there was something else.

I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, but as I looked closer, I saw the victims watching me as I walked past. Their eyes filled with madness as they attempted to move their bloodied lips to scream. Holy shit! I cried out in dismay, stopping in my tracks as I did so. Isabel turned to face me, frowning as she offered an explanation. Deserters. and his enforcers don't take kindly to dissent within the ranks.

I was shocked by her coldness, but also baffled. But their eyes are moving. These people are still alive. Isabel shrugged her shoulders before replying. Don't feel sorry for them. They got what they deserved. Technically speaking, we're all dead already. You get a physical body when you arrive here, but only the one.

They'll burn you, mutilate you, chop off your head. But there's no release, no end to the pain. Even if your physical form ceases to exist, your damned and disembodied soul will still inhabit this hell for all eternity." She paused briefly, perhaps for a dramatic effect before continuing. Sometimes you can hear the voices in the wind, mad laughter and insane ramblings, the product of demented minds. I stared at her for a long moment.

A cold chill running down my spine is the terrifying implications of her world. words hit home. Next, I looked to Sebastian in desperation, hoping for some reassurance from the giant man a few words, but all I got was a hard stare in an uncompromising order. We need to keep moving. I didn't think it was wise to go against this veteran soldier, but I had reached the end of my tether, experiencing a fiery defiance as I spoke out. No! This is bullshit! I'm not taking another step until you people tell me what's going on. What are we doing here? Sebastian's response surprised me.

because he bellowed laughter before he spoke. We're doing what we've always done, soldier, fighting somebody else's war. I turned in confusion, noting her intense expression as she spoke with an urgency in her voice. Listen, Jacob, I'm only going to explain this once. We don't have time for malingerers, so you need to get your shit together and start pulling your weight. This is hell, and we are at war. Our leader is Minos, Hell's gatekeeper, and for us. former lieutenant to Lucifer. Minos long served as the recruiter for Satan's armies, but no more.

He's risen up against the devil, and now all nine circles are in bloody chaos. But hell's politics don't mean a damn to us. We're doing what soldiers have always done, fighting for our comrades and watching each other's backs. I shook my head, breaking eye contact with the woman as I looked back at one of the severed heads, focusing upon his crazed eyes and watching as his dark pupils dilated. Am I going to end up like him? I whispered fearfully. You might do.

Isabel answered with brutal honesty. But that's the worst case scenario. Believe it or not, there's still a glimmer of hope for us. It's a long shot, but there's a way out. I noticed the slightest sparks in Isabelle's tired eyes, and it did give me hope. I wanted to ask more, but she cut me off before I could speak, saying, You'll find out the details soon enough. But right now we need to get back to the camp.

We don't want to wait for Minos's enforcers to come looking for us. Believe me. With that, she turned and started marching briskly down the hillside with Sebastian striding beside her. I took one last look at the mounted skulls before lowering my head in shame and disgust, and then I continued to follow my companions, realizing that they offered my best chance at survival in this deadly hellscape. I was sweating profusely by the time we descended the hill, as the temperatures seemed to increase the closer we got to ground level. And the ground we walked upon was so hot that I could feel the soles of my feet burning, even

through the heavy boots I still wore. I thought about commenting on this to my companions, but soon reconsidered. Eventually, we reached a large camp located on the outskirts of a vast medieval city. I was not impressed by the ramshackle base, which consisted of a collection of dirty tents and a mob of poorly disciplined soldiers, who all appeared unmotivated and exhausted. I observed the rabble who stood and sat amongst the tents, noting the dead and empty expressions upon their faces as they kept their heads firmly down. I noted how their often tattered uniforms were an odd mixture from throughout history, everything

from tunics and bronze armor of Roman centurions to modern and camouflaged combat fatigues. I guess that these men and a few women were soldiers who had fallen in battle throughout history, history before being dispatched here to hell. This gave me pause for thought. In the short time since my arrival in dis, I'd had little opportunity to consider the circumstances of my death. I tried to think back, but found there was a gap in the memory. The likelihood is that I was killed instantly in combat, either in an IED attack or artillery bombardment. In a sense, it didn't really matter how I'd met my end. I knew it was only a matter of time until the war took my life. But why had I ended up here in the depths of hell?

I was raised in the church, but had long since turned my back on my faith. Even so, deep down, I think I always knew I was going to end up here. I tried to justify my heinous actions, repeating the much overused phrase, bad things happen in war. Perhaps some of the lives I took were justified, soldiers killing soldiers in honorable combat. But then there were other killings, the shedding of innocent blood. My mind was taken back to that fateful day, the house burning fiercely while the tiny bodies lay on the grass in the foreground, their innocent, lifeless eyes staring up into the blue sky above. I shook myself out of that memory, and my body shuddered.

I didn't wish to revisit that day, even if it meant facing the terrifying reality of the situation around me. Still, even in the midst of the mass of filthy, unwashed bodies and dead stairs, there were fresh horrors to witness. I saw a substantial pit on the edge of the encampment and made the mistake of walking over to the edge and looking down. Inside of the long and deep pit were hundreds, perhaps thousands of broken bodies, not dead, of course, but dismembered and mutilated beyond repair. Some were cut in half, their intestines hanging out in a grotesque display. Others were little more than severed heads, and many were missing limbs, but all appeared to be conscious of their

horrific situation, staring up at me whilst moaning or pleading, all begging for a final release from their suffering, but I was powerless to help them. Isabelle came up behind me, making me jump as she whispered in my ear. Minos's rejects. Soldiers so badly wounded that they can no longer fight. The trench will be set alight in the coming hours. Their flesh burnt to ashes while their souls remain trapped here forever. That's what we're trying to avoid, Jacob.

She left me by the side of the trench as I attempted to process the horror, and noticed how the able-bodied soldiers avoided looking into the pit and did nothing to help their stricken former comrades. Perhaps it was predictable that hell was a cruel domain where compassion and mercy were all but non-existent. And before long, I followed the example of my companions, turning away from the pit and ignoring the pained moaning of the damned. The three of us soon joined a long line of soldiers waiting to be armed.

and equipped. After some time, we reached the top of the line where a scarred face armorer with a black patch covering his missing right eye allocated us weapons and body armor without comment. I saw how Sebastian was given an ancient, bolt-loaded rifle, which looked like it belonged in a museum, and Isabel received new bolts for her crossbow and a sharp bowie knife, and the armorer gave me a short sword and a circular shield. I looked at my allocated weaponry with bafflement after we were ushered away from the line. In life, I had been able to be. been a 21st century soldier fighting with an assault rifle, shoulder-mounted missile launcher, or remote-controlled drone, but here in Diss, they expected me to fight with weapons that

might have been used in the Battle of Troy. What the hell is this? I asked Isabel. She smirked before applying. Look around you, Jacob. I did so, noting how only about one in five soldiers carried firearms. Most of them obsolete rifles and muskets. Most of the rest of the raging army were equipped with handheld weapons, swords, spears, and bows, and some of those present held no weapons whatsoever, and so were presumably expected to fight with their bare hands. I don't get it, I said while shaking my head.

This doesn't exactly have a thriving arms industry. And besides, why would Minos waste his best weapons on scum like us? We're cannon fodder, Jacob, fit for nothing better than human wave attacks. I looked into her eyes, hoping Isabel was joking, but my gaze was met by a stone-cold glare. Jesus! I swore in desperation. We're totally screwed. Probably.

Isabel replied with a nod. But this isn't our first rodeo. Stick with me and Sebastian, and you might just survive this. I took little comfort from her words, but had a little time to dwell on it, because a moment later, and the din of trumpets blared, drowning out every other sound. I didn't know what this meant, but soon saw thousands of soldiers suddenly standing up and marching towards the center of the camp. I followed the mob, and we soon reached the ruins of a Mayan-style pyramid located in the middle of a ramshackled military encampment. I saw an officer standing on top of a pyramid. A mustache commander for war what appeared to be his Second World War,

bare a marked uniform. He cast his motionless eyes over us, the thousands of foot soldiers as we assembled and stood awaiting his commands, but the general only spoke when the trumpet stopped. Soldier of this! He exclaimed in a booming voice which carried across the void. Soldiers of this! Prepare to honor our glorious leader, Minos the great king of the underworld and liberator of the nine circles! A half-hearted cheer went up from the assembled crowd as the soldiers attempted to show some enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, I stood in silent, shocked awe, watching as a giant emerged from beneath the ground and took its place atop the pyramid. A giant humanoid stood at least 20 feet tall, towering over the noticeably fearful German general who stood beside him. He took the form of a huge bearded man with cold, analytical eyes. But what drew my attention was the long and thin, snake-like. tail which wrapped around his body, giving Minos the appearance of a monstrous hybrid between man and serpent. I imagined he could use his vast snake tail to crush a human body, and the

malice behind his eyes told me he wouldn't hesitate to do so. I noted how the entire crowd went silent as all looked up at Minos and terrified awe, all awaiting for our leader to speak. When he finally did so, his voice was booming and godlike, probably caring for miles across the war-torn city. My soldiers, my loyal followers, my children, our time has finally come. We have suffered thousands of years of oppression, cruelty, greed, and incompetent rule under the tyrant Lucifer. But no longer can our children. Journey to liberation, to a new hell that we will reshape, seizing the Iron Tower, Satan's final victorious victory.

It was undoubtedly a rousing speech, but Minos' call to battle produced a lukewarm response from the assembled troops as a few half-hearted cheers went up, but otherwise there was silence. It seemed that Minos' cause held little appeal to these damned foot soldiers. Nevertheless, our godlike leader seemed uncertain as he descended back into the ground, leaving his general to complete our pre-battle briefing. Although, as it turned out, the officer had little to say about the strategy or tactics. All right, soldiers, your orders are simple. Advance down the street of lost souls and eliminate all opposition.

Once you reach the Iron Tower, you'll need to fight your way inside and secure each level one at a time. But remember, whoever survives and secures the top floor will be rewarded with a second chance at life. His final sentence evoked the enthusiasm which Minos' speech lacked, as thousands of soldiers cried out in excitement and joy at the prospect. When the shouting died down, I turned to Isabel in search of an explanation. That's what we're fighting for. Fuck Minos and his crazy rebellion, and fuck Lucifer and this hell. If we make it to the top of that tower, we get reincarnated, sent back to Earth with a new body where we can start over. That's what every one of us desires more than anything.

I nodded my head as I finally understood. This war wasn't being fought for us, but it presented a once-in-eternity opportunity. To escape from hell and return to the mortal plane where we could correct the mistakes we'd made during our first lives. This was a cause worth fighting for. With our orders delivered, our company surged forward, leaving the encampment and advancing into the city. In truth, we were more like a mob than a disciplined army, and I had no idea who was in command. Instead of an ordered advance, thousands of dead soldiers armed with an assortment of weapons piled down the narrow avenues and twisted alleyways of dis, with the crimson sky above us and the sound of distant battles and disembodied screams in our ears.

We continued our chaotic invasion, despite the stifling heat, until our disorganized, forced through a barricade, climbing over the barriers and passed a collection of bizarre orc-like creatures with thick, leathery skin. There were dozens of them in total, each one facing forwards and manning heavy machine guns aimed out towards a seemingly empty avenue. I glared suspiciously at the ugly and heavily armed creatures whispering in Isabel's ear once we passed them. How come those freaks have heavy weapons?

I swore the woman wince before she answered under her breath. You'll see, Sue enough. Shortly after crossing the barricade, we reached what I guessed was the aforementioned street of Lost Souls. A wild avenue with tall stone houses on each side, I looked up to the darkened windows and high rooftops, soon realizing we were very vulnerable to ambush. My comrades seemed unconcerned about the potential threat, and our advance continued unabated. At the far end of the long street was our objective, the so-called iron tower of dis.

The ugly metal structure dominated the skyline, towering above every building and casting a vast shadow over the vile street. I noted how the tower was surrounded by a high stone wall with thick metal gates that remained firmly shut. We had no siege weapons that I could see, so I was left to wonder how we would get inside, but this was a problem for later, because all hell was about to break loose on the street. I froze when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, turning in time to see a glimpse of a dark shadow darting across the rooftops above me. Soon there were others, their darkened figures appearing in the windows all around us.

And then the first arrow was shot. Its tips set alight for deadly effect. I could only watch and look at it at a whore as the projectile struck the chest of a man in front of me and set his body on fire. The soldier screamed in agony as the flames engulfed him, and many more flaming arrows soon followed as shadowy archers emerged from the windows and rooftops firing down upon us as if we were fish in a barrel. Ampush!

Came the cry. I cursed, taking no satisfaction from the fact that I'd predicted this development, instead wondering why this had been allowed to happen at all. Worse still, I had no means of fighting back and could only use my shield to parry the arrows whilst I took cover. I saw Isabel and Sebastian both dropped down on one knee, cynically, but effectively, using the burning bodies of their comrades to cover as they returned fire towards the buildings.

My eyes scanned the street as I witnessed multiple soldiers struck down, their bodies burning fiercely as they squirmed in total agony on the cobblsome streets. Some attempted to flee back towards the camp, and that's when the machine guns started firing, adding to the noisy chaos as they cut down the retreating troops. It seemed this was the purpose of the orcish monsters we'd observed at the barricade. Their ruthless elimination of the deserters meant we had only two choices, stand and die or fight our way forward. I acted quickly, staying low as I grabbed a discarded rifle from the road, loading it and joining my comrades as I fired upon the upper windows.

Our force took horrific casualties, but by sheer strength of numbers, we succeeded in fending off the attack, firing upon the archers until they all either fell or withdrew. I breathed a sigh of relief, but there was little to celebrate, as dozens were either burnt to a crisp or riddled with arrows. Either way, there was nothing we could do for them now, and so we ignored their screams and moved on. The advance was more cautious now, as the survivors of the first attack were understandably paranoid, glancing up at the stone houses on either side as we expected a further assault at any moment. We'd marched for a few hundred yards, leaving the carnage and screaming

soldiers behind us as we approached the fortifications surrounding the Iron Tower. The approach seemed a little too easy, but inevitably we were walking into yet another trap, although not one I could have predicted. Heads up! Harpy attack! Coming. Isabel suddenly cried. In a panic, I looked up into the blood-red sky in time to see dozens of black dots swung through the air, winged creatures growing larger as they descended upon us. Our ears filled with a high-pitched shrieking of the hellish beasts.

I saw the first wave just moments before the aerial assault, bright red, winged demons with long and sharp claws, crocodile-like teeth, surely capable of chomping through flesh. I raised my rifle, targeting the first attacker in my gun's sight, and noting the predatory glare in its burning eyes. Then I fired, feeling the kickback against my shoulder. A split second later, and my bullet hit its mark, striking the winged beast in its torso and knocking it out of the air. I had a little time to celebrate the small victory, however, as dozens more of these murderous

harpies descended upon our company in a lightning assault. Some were shot from the air, while others got cut down with spears and swords, but many more reached our lines, literally tearing into our troops in a savage attack. I tried in vain to maintain my rate of fire until my ammunition inevitably ran out. Then I could do little but watch as the massacre played out. I saw men decapitated, lifted into the air and torn in half by fighting harpies, their screams filling the air and blood pouring down the street. Joining the survivors, I hurried toward the fortifications ahead of us, reuniting with Isabel and Sebastian as we organized a desperate last stand.

We need to get to the other side of that wall. Otherwise, we're dead meat. Sebastian shouted. The gates locked. What chance do we have? Just wait. Isabel replied, while she simultaneously took out and attacking Harpy with a crossbow bolt.

Minos has one more trick up his sleeve. I wondered what she meant, but the answer soon became apparent. On the far horizon, beyond the flight of bloodthirsty harpies and their desperate victims appeared one, two, and then three balls of flame rapidly heading in our direction as if guided by some unseen force. Get down! Isabelle screamed. I didn't need to be told twice, hitting the ground alongside my comrade's as the fireballs whizzed over our heads.

A wave of heat and debris swept over us, and the smell of blaring flesh and metal hit my nostrils. Once the attack was over, I lifted my head and waited for the dust to settle before observing the scene of carnage. The fireball attack had destroyed the gate, melting the eye. iron and creating a hole large enough for a small army to march through. Meanwhile, every being in the immediate vicinity had become collateral damage, with damned souls and harpies both burnt to ashes throughout the kill zone. My God! I exclaimed as I slowly got to my feet.

Isabelle and Sebastian had survived, but many others hadn't. I saw broken and charred bodies strewn across the street. Many were beyond help. In fact, I estimated we'd lost at least half of our soldiers, with many of the survivors. With many of the survivors having severe injuries or agonizing burns, but everyone who could still walk would keep going, because they knew what the alternative was. As for the Harpies, many of their number had been burnt alive, while the survivors fled back into the blood-red skies.

I shook my head, looking to the melted gate and the dominating tower beyond. This was our objective, and a great prize awaited whoever can make it to the top, but I felt a cold foreboding as I looked up at the cold, dark metal structure. sensing that a great evil dwelt inside. Isabel surely picked up on my apprehension, walking over to my side and placing a firm hand on my shoulder. It's fucking terrifying, isn't it? I shook my head, not quite knowing how to respond.

I thought it would be better defended. I eventually said. It doesn't need to be. The true terror of the Iron Tower lies within its walls. I turned to face her, seeing a fear in her eyes that I hadn't witnessed before. Next, I looked to the ever-silent Sebastian, but even his hard exterior seemed to melt away in the shadow of this vile structure. I took a deep breath before asking my next question. We fought against monsters and survived.

What more can they throw at us? Isabel scoffed before replying. You have no idea, Jacob. Hell isn't all demons, zombies, and monsters. The true horror is in here. The tower is like a living entity. It has the power to delve into your soul, to dig out all the darkness, all the primal terrors buried deep within your psyche.

It might sound like a cliche, but all your worst nightmares will come true once you step inside. That's the dark magic of the Iron Tower, the evil we must fight to get home. I glanced back at the wicked structure, creaking my head so I could see all the way up to the ugly spire at its summit. I didn't wish to look upon the tower as the mere sight provoked a sickening terror within me, but yet I couldn't avert my gaze as I stood frozen on the burning, blood-stained cobblestones. Let me tell you something, Jacob. Sebastian and me, we've been down this road many times.

This isn't the first time we fought our way down this street, but we've always chickened out at the last moment. Not this time, though. Right, Sebastian? No. Not this time. The two of us have made a pact. We can't stay and dis any longer.

It doesn't matter what horrors will face or that our odds of survival are low. We're going into the tower and taking our chances. She paused, pointing back at the host of soldiers standing behind us. I don't expect many volunteers from this lot. Most don't have the balls to go through with it. But you, Jacob, I'm taking a leap of faith here. But I think you might have the stomach for this fight. Sebastian and I could sure use a good soldier like you to watch our backs.

Still, it's your choice, my friend. Either you stay here and dis and spend all eternity fighting Minos' war, or you come with us and take a chance at winning your freedom. So what do you say, Jacob? I heard the vulnerability in her voice and realized she was terrified of what lay ahead. This didn't bode well, and my instincts told me to run for the hills, but where could I go? I looked back towards the company of dead soldiers in the scene of suffering, devastation, and bloodshed on the street beyond. Looking further, I saw the war-torn city, noting the screams, the howls, and the many fires burning through the ruins of dis.

On the far horizon, I can make out the harbor of dark water, watching as yet another giant demon emerged from below the surface, roaring as it stomped from, through the shallows and assaulted the shoreline. I came to a stark realization in that moment. I didn't want to stay in this circle of hell. I couldn't stay here. The Iron Tower promised psychological tortures that I could not imagine, but if there was even a slim chance at making it home, I had to take it. Turning back to face my companions, I nodded firmly and said,

I'll do it. I'm with you guys. Isabelle's tired face lit up, and even Sebastian managed a half smile. Good boy. Isabelle replied before pointing towards the destroyed gate. Well, gentlemen, there's no time like the present. Taking a deep breath and dismissing my fears, I took a step forward alongside my comrades. We slowly and cautiously approached the smoldering remains of the iron gate,

but developments on the street added in extra impetus. We all heard the thunderous roar from above, looking up to see an alpha predator emerging from the clouds, A winged monster which dwarfed with fleeing harpies and sighs of ferocity. Oh, God! It's him! I watched for a moment in awestruck horror, observing a huge jet-black dragon rapidly descending upon us. Its red eyes burning, pure hatred, as its vast wings flapped furiously.

Run, damn it! I paused for only a moment, watching as the dark dragon spat out a stream of blue fire, engulfing the company of soldiers who stood behind us. Their flesh burning as their agonizing screams. Fills filled the air. I turned and ran for all my worth, joining Sebastian and Isabel as we sprinted through the demolished gate, and the dragon's horrific roar rang in our ears. Charging across the courtyard, we frantically searched for an entrance into the tower.

That wasn't a door as such, but rather a swirling vortex of black and red at the tower's base. The portal was far from inviting, but it was our only chance to escape from the wing and monstrosity pursuing us. So the three of us ran towards it. Sebastian jumping through first as his body disappeared into the vortex. Isabel followed a second later, leaving me alone on the killing field. The huge dragon was right above me now, its hideous roar deafening me as I smelt the foul stench

of burnt flesh from its gaping maw. Next came the fire. A stream of napalm which set the ground behind me alight. My clothes were burnt, my skin was singed. The portal entrance was only mere feet away, but I didn't think I'd make it. I drew every last ounce of strength from my exhausted body, fighting through the Pain and tears, I screamed and jumped. I hit the vortex mere seconds before the fire, my body being sucked into oblivion as the darkness consumed me. I must have lost consciousness for a time, because I awoke in a dark and evil place,

violently thrust into the next chapter of this hellish odyssey. It took a while for the circumstances of my death to come back to me. The memory was thrust back into my conscience mind during our descent into a swirling vortex at the base of the iron tower, as my companions and I escaped from one hellscape, only to be plunged into another. The end of my mortal life came during one wet and miserable afternoon on a war-torn battlefield in Eastern Europe. At the time, my platoon was deployed along a supposedly quiet section of the front, and I guess I got complacent.

I recall being soaked to the skin as I trudged through the mud and scanned the gray horizon. I took a step and heard a sudden ominous click underneath my boot. A cold terror ran through my veins as my chest. my brain just had enough time to process what it just occurred. A second later, the landmine I'd unwittingly stepped upon detonated. My last conscious feeling was one of intense heat, and then I was blown to Kingdom Come. And the next thing I remembered was waking up in hell, thrust into yet another bloody war, although in this realm the battles are fought between demons and the damned souls rather

than human soldiers in their high-tech weapons. What can I say about this? The ugly, war-torn city where they sent me. The fifth circle is violence, and dis is its capital. This is where most dead soldiers and generals end up. That's not to say there aren't honorable soldiers who fight for righteous causes, but the old saying is true. War is hell.

The bloodshed and violence changes a man. It corrupts his soul and forces the mark of Cain upon him, and in the end, few, if any, escape unscathed. You can't die in hell, but you can't die in hell. you can suffer. They can blow your body apart, chop your head off your shoulders, but the suffering never ends. When I awoke in the afterlife, I was instantly confronted with the true horrors of Diss, experiencing the foul stench of death, seeing the medieval city burn under the flames of thousand fires, and witnessing the towering demons and bloodthirsty harpies staring lost souls to shreds.

I suppose I should count myself lucky that I met two Diss veterans who took me under their wing. I knew little about Sebastian and Elizabeth, two damned souls who died in past wars before being dropped into the terror-filled streets of Dis. It was Isabel, the mysterious Amazon-like warrior who explained the origins of this conflict. Minos was the gatekeeper of hell and the former recruiter of Satan's army, but the serpent-like demon had revolted against Lucifer in attempt to take control of the underworld in nine circles. We were conscript in Minos' ramshackle army, essentially serving as cannon fodder in the vicious cycle for control of dis. The press-gang souls we served alongside had little loyalty to Minos or his cause.

They fought for one reason only, the chance of freedom. Our demonic overlord had made a promise to his soldiers. More than anything, Minos wanted control over the iron tower, the tall and dominating monolith, which was the key to the entire fifth circle, if we could capture the tower and reach its side, our master would give us a second chance at life and facilitate our return to the mortal plane. As far as we were concerned, this was a prize worth fighting for. But of course, there was a price to pay, and it was a heavy one.

The three of us literally leapt into the vortex which marked the entrance to the iron tower as our former comrades burnt in an unholy fire behind us. I must have lost consciousness during the chaotic transition because I awoke on a cold floor within a dark, windowless chamber, dimly lit by torches burning on the black and featureless walls. My companions were standing above me. Sebastian, with his huge bulking frame, blocking out the dim light, remaining silent as always, as he looked down upon me with piercing eyes. To his right was Isabel, a thin smile on her dry lips, as she no doubt planned to say something

clever and sarcastic. The woman exerted confidence, on the surface at least. But in reality, I could see fear behind her wide eyes. Sebastian offered me a hand and helped me to my feet, while Isabel whispered in my ear. Welcome to the Iron Tower, Jacob. Now the real fun begins. I ignored her attempt at humor as I surveyed our grim surroundings. The darkened chamber was small and tight, appearing to be an entryway to whatever lay inside the twisted tower.

I noted the steel doors ahead of us, marked by strange and disturbing symbols. From the other side of the door, we could hear muffled sounds of a deep voice which seemed to be leading some kind of prayer. The heavy door was shut, and I didn't want to imagine what was occurring in the next room, but the door was the only way out of the chamber we currently occupied, and we had to move forward. All three of us were experienced warriors, but we'd expended the ammunition for our firearms and crossbow during the fighting out in the street, and so only carried bladed weapons. Once I was on my feet, I stood shoulder to shoulder with my companions, sharing a look

of steadfast determination as we stepped forward together. We stand and fight together, no matter what, said Isabel as she reached out for the ivory handle and slowly pushed the heavy door open. We entered a large chamber, still dimly lit and consisting of four windowless walls of cold iron. Although I noted the walls were adorned with hellish imagery, crude images of demons and monsters which appeared to be painted in blood. In the center of the vast chamber stood a group of humanoid figures dressed in dark red robes and with inverted crosses hanging from their necks.

They had hoods covering their heads, and I couldn't see their faces in the darkness, but I noted how they were standing in a circle around a blood-red pentagram painted upon the metal floor. Behind the circle of robed cultus was a white altar, which appeared to be constructed from assorted bones and skulls, and upon the altar stood who I assume that. was the cult's leader, a tall, thin, and bald man with ghostly pale skin and intense, bug-like eyes. He initially ignored our presence in his chamber as the three of us simply stood in the doorway, watching and listening as whatever twisted ceremony they were performing proceeded unopposed.

When the cult leader spoke, his voice was high-pitched and chilling. Disciples of the dark lord, we face a great challenge at this time. War has come to our lord's unholy kingdom, and the arch traitor is laying siege to our most twisted and wretched stronghold. But we will not abandon our faith, even as the most horrid beams of light invade our darkest places. We, the loyal servants, of Lucifer must stand tall and make the sacrifices we need to obtain victory."

He paused, turning his head and shouting to yet unseen cultists behind him. Guards, bring out the prisoner. We continued to watch in shock and awe as a pair of robed cultists emerged from the shadows, dragging a naked and emaciated prisoner along the ground behind them. Once they came closer, I noticed how their prisoner bore the signs of torture on on his damaged body, with deep scars and broken bones clearly visible. I also noted how he didn't fight or scream as they dragged him out. I guess the poor bastard was so beaten down and defeated that he could no longer resist.

I was sickened by the display and instinctively stepped forward to intervene, but it was Sebastian who stopped me as he placed a firm hand on my arm and shook his head as a warning. The pair of cultists dragged their victim into the center of a pentagram, unceremoniously dumping his frail body onto the cold metal floor before joining the circle of cultists which surrounded him. Our lord of darkness, we offer this sacrifice in humility and fear. May his impure blood give you strength to crush your enemies and restore your absolute power over the nine circles. The naked man in the circle looked up in that moment.

His bloodshot eyes filled with tear as he desperately searched for any chance to escape, but he found none. A moment later, and all the cultists simultaneously withdrew daggers from beneath their robes as they advanced menacingly towards their intended victim. The man screamed and tried to get up on his feet to fight, but he was too weak and soon overwhelmed. I grimaced as we watched the cultists repeatedly stabbed their defenseless victim. My ears were filled with a sickening sound of blades cutting through flesh and the muffled screams of their victim, his agonizing cries growing ever weaker as he slowly gave up the fight.

The blood flowed across the metal floor, and I swore I could see the pentagram burning like it was absorbing the victim's life force. But the tortured soul could not die. This was hell, after all, and he was condemned to suffer here for all eternity. His body was a bloody mess by the time the cultus ended their savage attack and withdrew their blood-stained knives. The unfortunate victim continued to whimper on the cold floor, bleeding from dozens of deep stab wounds and begging for his agony to end.

And then, the pale-faced colt leader spoke, his chilling voice echoing throughout the iron chamber. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, let it be so. With that, he raised his bony hand above his head and evoked some kind of black magic, summoning fire as if from thin air. My companions and I looked on an awestruck horror as a fireball was formed, a burning orb which hovered over the cultist's head before he thrust it forward with it. with a mere swipe of his left hand, and suddenly the fireball soared through the air and hit a helpless victim, engulfing his broken body in unholy fire. The man screamed one last time

before his body was burnt away, dissolving into ashes in front of our eyes. With the sacrifice made, the pentagram was consumed by a circle of white flames which burnt fiercely as Lucifer apparently absorbed the victim's soul. And even though his physical body was reduced to cinders, We could still hear the victim's disembodied screams echoing throughout the chamber, as his eternal suffering had surely reached a whole new level of savage horror. I shuddered over what I'd witnessed. That's not to say I wasn't familiar with acts of violence. I'd seen and participated in many such acts during my military career, but the normalization

of the cruelty and savagery in hell was beyond anything I'd previously been subjected to. I continued to stare in mesmerized horror at the burning pentagram until I was shaken back by Isabelle. We need to keep moving. We can't stay here. I nodded my head in agreement, as did Sebastian. The three of us moved forward cautiously, keeping our bladed weapons to hand in case we needed to fight our way through, but we were seriously outnumbered.

I counted a dozen red-robed cultists in total, 13 if you counted their leader. I didn't fancy our chances if it came to a stand-up fight, and so we planned to sneak past the cultists in the slim hope that they wouldn't notice our presence, but of course, we weren't so lucky. In an instant, the dozen cult members turned their backs on the fire as they all faced in our direction. I still couldn't see their faces, which remained hidden under their hoods, but we could see their hideous eyes, burning red with a fiery intensity. Whatever these things were, they definitely weren't human.

The daggers emerged next as all twelve cultists withdrew their still blood-soaked daggers and pointed them menacingly in our direction. The three of us formed a defensive line and prepared to fight as the armed cultists slowly advanced upon us. But to our immense surprise, their leader intervened as he called out to his bloodthirsty followers. Do not attack. Let them pass.

Their souls belong to the Dark Lord. And only he can decide their fate. His words chilled me to my bones, even after the cultists wordlessly obeyed their leader's orders. Withdrawing their daggers and standing aside to let him pass, we moved forward cautiously, keeping our weapons handy as we prepared for the possibility of a double cross. There was a second door on the far side of the chamber, which appeared to be the only way out of the room. None of the cultists attempted to stop our progress as we made our way past the scene of the brutal sacrifice, but to get to the door

we needed to pass the altar where the pale-faced warlock stood. His cold eyes followed us closely as we walked. I thought he'd keep his promise and let us go, but suddenly the warlock shot forward at incredible speed, heading straight from me and grabbing hold of my body before I got a chance to resist. He knocked the blade out of my hand with ease before taking a firm hold, pulling me so close as I was forced to look into his cold eyes and felt his icy breath against my skin. Let you go! Isabel screamed, and she held her night. knife up to his throat. But the warlock didn't even seem to notice as he continued to stare right into my eyes. I shook uncontrollably in his tight grasp as he spoke his chilling words

into my ear. But to my surprise, he delivered what sounded more like a warning than a threat. You are entering a hell beyond your worst nightmares and will be forced to face the darkest corners of your own psyche. You cannot trust anyone or anything. And remember, Remember one thing, Jacob. Evil begins in the heart, as impure blood is pumped through the arteries and corrupts the body. To defeat evil, you must eliminate the source. I didn't understand what the warlock meant, but was relieved when he released me from his icy grip. Go now! He said as I returned to my comrades. Proceed to the next level. I led the way, still shaken by the encounter with the ghoulish entity.

I placed my hand on the ivory handle and experienced a chilling foreboding as I opened the heavy door, which allowed us to proceed to the next area. What we found behind the next doorway was a narrow spiral staircase leading upwards. It was similar to what we would find inside a medieval castle, except that the steps were forged from iron rather than carved from stone. None of us liked it. The stairs were so narrow that we could only proceed, one at a time, and we couldn't see around corners, which meant we could be ambushed at any point.

The staircase seemed like a death trap, but what choice did we have? None of us wished to return to the previous chamber to face those bloodthirsty cultists and their demonic leader, so after a short discussion, we decided to ascend. Sebastian led the way up the spiral stairs. He was the strongest and so best place to defend our small party from a sudden attack. Meanwhile, Isabel walked in the middle while I took up the rear. I don't know how many steps we climbed in our ascent. I lost count. All I know is that I was soon exhausted and disorientated. I think my companions were also tired and frustrated, and we weren't fully alert when the attack finally came. Sebastian let out a sharp cry, raising his machete to counter the swing of his enemy's blade. I heard the distinctive sound

of steel striking steel and saw what looked like a medieval knight on the staircase attacking Sebastian with a short sword. The attacker wore a full suit of black armor with an inverted cross emblazoned on his chestplate. He wore a helmet which covered his face, but I could see his eyes through the visor, eyes which burnt demonic red. He screeched like a banshee as he swung his sword, and Sebastian struggled to defend himself as he desperately parried the attacks. Unfortunately, both Isabelle and I were unable to help our comrade because the staircase was too narrow, but I would have problems of my own before too long. I heard the heavy stomping of footsteps behind me, turning just in time to confront a second attacker.

Yet another dark knight charged up the stairs toward me. He was clad in the same black armor and seemed identical to the first attacker. His red eyes burned with fiery intensity, and he let out a hellish wail before thrashing out with his sword. I reacted on instinct, using my own blade to block the attacker's sword, but the sheer force of the attack knocked me off my feet, and I tripped on the steps. The fiendish knight continued his assault, attacking with his blade as he struggled to parry the hard blows.

I don't know if I would have lasted much longer, but thankfully Isabel came to my rescue. I remained on the ground as she thrust out her knife, stabbing the knife in his throat after expertly finding the gap between his body armor and helmet. A moment later, Isabel kicked out and sent the knight tumbling down the metal staircase. While this was happening, Sebastian gained the upper hand over the first night, using his machete to saw through the enemy's neck. Our comrade made good use of his brute strength and cut through the flesh and bone until he severed the knight's head completely.

Next, Sebastian calmly lifted the severed head and held it aloft. To my horror, I noticed how the knight's red eyes were still burning as they looked down upon us. But Sebastian wasted no time before he tossed the head down the stairs, and it bounced off the iron steps before disappearing from sight. Jesus Christ! I swore in shock after the savage assault. Jesus didn't save your ass. I did. Was Isabel's cynical reply.

Now get back on. your feet, soldier!" I nodded my head as I got back up to my feet and lifted my blade. Isabelle's warning was clear to me. I knew both she and Sebastian were determined to reach the tower's summit, and they wouldn't hesitate to leave me behind if I slowed them down. The last thing I wanted was to be left alone in this hellscape to face the whores which inhabited it.

We proceeded up the staircase, stepping over the knight's beheaded body whilst Isabel took his sword. We didn't know where the steps would end and expected a further ambushed at any of the staircase moment, but miraculously, we soon reached the top of the staircase and were confronted by yet another steel door with an ivory handle. Both Isabel and I held back, staring at each other as if we shared a mutual feeling of dread at whatever lay on the far side. But it was Sebastian who stepped forward, placing his huge but now shaking hand upon the ivory

before he slowly pushed the door open. We entered yet another dark chamber, dimly lit by torches and seemingly empty at first glance. though I noticed the foul stench emanating from inside. The chamber stank of rotting flesh and something even fowler, which certainly didn't bode well. Sebastian walked out first, and it quickly became apparent that something wasn't right. His heavy boots didn't march upon solid iron as we would have expected. Instead, his feet sank into wet mud, which apparently covered the entire floor within this last hellish chamber. Sebastian looked up at us with anxious concern in his dark eyes.

He'd sunk a few inches into the mud, and it was clear that our progress through this level would be slow and difficult. Nevertheless, we had to keep moving forward, no matter how tough our journey became. Isabella and I soon followed in Sebastian's footsteps and stepped into the inexplicable field of mud. We sludged through, struggling with each step as the mud hampered our progress. I could see the next doorway at the far end of the chamber, but this was a large room, and it would surely take us a long time to make it across. Still trekking through the mud wasn't the worst horror I could imagine, but of course, the Hellish Chamber had yet another nasty surprise in store for us. I think I was the first to see it, a figure or creature emerging from the mud in front of

us, digging its way to the surface and slowly crawling towards us. I shouted out a warning and pointed in that direction, but soon more creatures emerged from underneath the muddy surface, all heading towards us. It was only when the creatures got close that I realized these entities. were people, or at least they'd once been. Mud covered their faces and bodies, but I could just make out their tattered uniforms underneath the grime and dirt. Their eyes were filled with madness and hunger, and their bodies were broken almost beyond

recognition. Most were missing at least one leg, and none were able to stand upon the muddy ground, but they used whatever limbs they had left to crawl and push themselves forward. I counted at least two dozen, with more coming up to the surface with every passing moment. Shit, we've got to move. Sebastian was the furthest forward of our trio, and so led the fight. He tried to wait his way past the now moaning lost souls, but they grabbed and clawed at his legs and attempted to drag him down.

Our comrade reacted with predictable violence, crushing skulls underfoot and slicing off their limbs and heads with his machete. It wasn't long before the ravenous souls reached me and Isabel, and we were forced to join the fight. The first living corpse attempted to bite my ankle before I broke. brought my blade down, bearing it in its skull. From that point onwards, I acted like a berser, thrashing out and slaying zombie after zombie as I slowly fought my way forward towards the door and the only exit.

All three of us were fighting like hell, but we were seriously outnumbered. I glanced to my left and saw Isabel was in trouble, as half a dozen zombies had surrounded her. She cried out as the creatures clotted her legs and started to pull her down into the mud. I moved towards her, wailing like a maniac as I started hacking and kicking. Before long, I'd slayed all the attackers, cutting their rotting bodies into pieces. I helped Isabelle back onto her feet, and she shot me a smile whilst mouthing, thank you. I felt satisfied because I'd returned the favor and proved my worth, but we were still in significant

danger. We continued the slow, desperate fight, trudging through the mud whilst hacking our attackers up with our blades. The battle was tough and exhausting, but the three of us so nearly made it. Isabelle and I managed to fight our way to the next door, but Sebastian lagged behind. I hadn't noticed during the violent chaos, but he seemed to be the main target of the legless zombies as if they had a personal vendetta against him. We saw him about ten yards behind us, desperately fighting against a host of the undead.

They groaned and snarled in hungry anticipation while grasping their victim's legs and biting into his flesh. Sebastian roared in fury and fought back with all his might, but there was too many for him. I wanted to go back and go to the aid of my stricken comrade, but Isabel stopped me, placing a firm hand on my shoulder and saying, It's too late, Jacob. And sadly, she was right. Soon Sebastian's strength failed, and the scrum of mud-caped bodies pulled him downwards. Our comrades dropped his machete and stopped fighting.

It seemed he'd now accepted his fate. Sebastian looked towards us in the last moment. His eyes emotionless and his mouth firmly shut. I wanted to say something comforting to him but couldn't find the words. And a moment later, a comrade was pulled under the surface, his head disappearing into the mud as the old soldier faced an uncertain but surely horrific fate. I stood watching the now empty field of mud for a long moment before Isabel once again touched my shoulder.

I turned to face my female companion and saw nothing but a steely determination in her eyes as she said. We need to keep going. We've sacrificed too much to give up now. I nodded my head in silent agreement before placing my hand on the ivory handle and pushing the door open. Isabelle and I both cried out in despair when we cast our eyes upon yet another spiral staircase leading upwards. I began to lose hope at this point, fearing that there was no escape from this dreaded iron tower, only suffering and torture throughout our endless assent.

Sebastian was gone now. We didn't speak his name or even verbally again. acknowledge his demise. I realized our ill-fated companion wasn't at peace. Instead, he'd surely been dragged to a deeper and darker circle of hell where he'd be subjected to even worse torment. This would surely be our fate, too, if or when we fail. I felt like dropping to my knees and screaming in despair, but I couldn't show such weakness in front of Isabel. After a short pause, we proceeded up the staircase. Isabel led the way while I followed. It seemed to make a little difference, however, because an attack could come from ahead or behind. We proceeded

slowly with extreme caution, expecting to be assaulted by demonic knights at any moment. But when the attack eventually came, it was in a most unexpected form. I suddenly heard a low hissing from behind, turning to see a red serpent slithering up the stairs towards me. The snake was almost two feet in length, its reptilian eyes staring straight at me with predatory zeal as it continued to hiss aggressively and showed its sharp fangs. I shouted out a warning to Isabel before thrashing out with my blade and cutting the serpent in two. My victory was short-lived, however.

As a moment later, I was assaulted by a host of multicolored snakes which slithered over each other and up the staircase. The foul hissing was now near deafening and I saw venom dripping from their fangs as their yellow eyes focused upon me. All could not help because the staircase was too narrow for two people to fight side by side, and so I had to defend myself, desperately lashing out with my blade and a righteous fury. I called snake after snake in a frenzied battle, and soon the steps were covered in their blood and guts, as the severed snake bodies continued to squirm and slither in a macabre display.

I thought I had the vermin beaten, but one plucky serpent managed to get through my defenses and launch a vicious attack before I could react. The creature plunged its fangs deep into my flesh, causing me to scream in agony as I thrashed out to chop the snake in half. Next, I fell onto the steps as I grabbed hold of the serpent's head and tore it from my flesh, prompting another spike of pain. Fearfully, I looked down at the ghastly bite wound in my leg and soon felt nauseous. I swore I could feel the serpent's poison coursing through my veins, slowly corrupting every

part of my body and inducing a horrific pain within me. I screamed again as my brain struggled to process the agony, and for a moment I thought I'd black out. But in an instant, Isabel was at my side, shaking me vigorously before slapping me hard across the face. Damn it, Jacob! The venom can't kill you. You know this! It's going to hurt like hell, but you can't lose consciousness. Believe me, you don't want to give up now. You'll regret it for all eternity. I listened to her advice, somehow managing to stay conscious and get up on my shaking feet. My bad leg was going numb, and so Isabel had to support me as we struggled up the remaining steps before reaching the next door of cold steel. The chamber we entered was

unremarkable at first glance. It was dimly lit and typically austere and featureless, but at least my nostrils weren't assaulted by a foul stench, and when we walked on the ground it was solid. I was still in great pain, however, so not fully aware of my surroundings or the potential threats within. Stumbling forward, I failed to notice Isabel's sudden change in demeanor as she no longer retained her tough and confident persona and instead took on an uncharacteristic vulnerability. She let go of me and slowly walked toward the center of the dark chamber. I wonder what was drawing her until suddenly an inexplicable vision materialized in front of me. I thought I was hallucinating at first, but clearly Isabel saw it too as she slowly proceeded toward the scene.

What we saw was a representation of a child's bedroom, complete with a bed, cuddle toys, and cheap plywood furniture. The room looked entirely out of place in this hellish chamber, as did the young girl who sat upon the bed, humming to herself as she combed her doll's hair. The kid could only have been eight or nine, her dark hair hanging long and her hazel eyes shining with the childish innocence. The girl looked familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place her. She was obviously entirely oblivious to our presence, like we were outsiders secretly observing her private world. I felt very uncomfortable and unsettled, but noticed how my companion had become emotional,

with tears openly rolling down her rosy cheeks as she watched the scene intently. And then, all of a sudden, the bedroom door was violently kicked open and a thuggish figure burst inside. The man looked huge to the little girl, his muscles bulging and face burning a bright red. I saw the thug clenching his fists as he screamed at the girl with a frightening fury. God damn it, Bell. Didn't I tell you not to leave your bike in the driveway? The girl was clearly terrified as she jumped off the bed and cowered in the corner whilst whimpering.

I'm sorry, Daddy. But his anger didn't diminish as he charged forward and grabbed her. I'm so sick of this shit. He roared before striking his daughter hard around the head. She cried out in pain, but this didn't stop the animal from hitting her again. Finally, the abusive father ended his sickening assault, leaving his innocent daughter bleeding on the bedroom floor as he stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him. The scene was sickening and disturbing, even compared to the whores I'd already witnessed.

Nevertheless, I didn't understand why the tower was showing this to us, but I soon got my answer. The girl continued to cry whilst rolling up in a ball on the floor, but suddenly a new voice could be heard, a disembodied, unnaturally deep and decidedly inhuman voice which chilled my very soul. It's not going to stop you. To my surprise, the girl responded as if she recognized the invisible entity speaking to her through the walls. I told you to leave me alone.

I don't want you here. No more game, Bell. You sleep forever. Those last words chilled me, and it seemed like an eternity passed before the girl finally answered. She said, whispering her one-word answer just loud enough to be heard. With that, the image of the child's bedroom disappeared into thin air, and we were alone once more. I looked to Isabelle as she glared back at me.

Her reddening eyes now focused like those of a deadly predator, and suddenly it all came together inside of my confused brain. Isabelle was Belle, and we'd just witnessed a memory from her violent past. She'd made a deal with something evil to escape from her abusive father. But now there was a price to be paid. The temperature in the chamber suddenly dropped to freezing, and Isabel's hard stare cut through me as she spoke slowly and carefully in a cold tone. So, now you know.

She began. My jaw dropped as I struggled to find the words to reply. What did you do, Isabel? I asked fearfully. I noticed how her hand was poised on the grip of her sword as she explained. The dark lord saved me from that abyssabye. abusive asshole. He gave me my life back, and I've served him ever since. They used to call me the angel of death. Did you know that? I was a sniper, the best in the business. How many souls did I

send down to my master? Honestly, I stopped counting after I reached double figures. Send them all to hell. That was my motto. I served Lucifer well in the mortal realm. right up until the day they dropped a one thousand-pound bomb on my head. I shook my head, hardly believing what I was hearing. I don't understand. I blurted out. You fought for Minos, not for Lucifer. You recruited me into this rebel army.

She smiled cruelly before replying. I was never loyal to Minos. The Dark Lord sent me to infiltrate his forces and act as a spy within the traitor's army. I performed this task to the best. of my abilities. But what I really excel at is sending fresh souls to the ninth circle. She paused momentarily before delivering the killer line. That's where you come in, Jacob. I noticed how she started walking slowly towards me with her blade drawn. Sensing the threat,

I started to back off whilst reaching for my own weapon. Why? I asked in confusion. Why me? She shrugged her shoulders whilst continuing her menacing approach. Don't ask me. I'm just following orders. Lucifer wants you, Jacob. I guess he sees potential in you. But take my advice. Don't resist.

This will all go a lot easier if you just let it happen. She smiled thinly. Her eyes gradually changing color to blood red as she raised her sword to attack, but my heart was filled with defiance. Isabel had betrayed me, but. I had no intention of going down without a fight, nor would I ever willingly serve the devil. I was still suffering from the snake's venom, and so was in a weakened state, but nevertheless, a surge of adrenaline pumped through my corrupted veins as I launched a preemptive strike,

thrashing out with my blade in attempt to slice Isabel in two. She parried my blade, but this didn't deter me. Using my last reserves of strength, I struck again, this time slicing Isabel deep across her chest. But to my horror, she hardly seemed to notice the wound. Instead, my opponent merely laughed sadistically, her red eyes burning bright as she launched a retaliatory attack, deftly and precisely using her sword to test my defenses. I managed to block her first few attacks, but then she went low and cut my thigh. I screamed in pain and stumbled backwards.

Isabel laughed again and she went in for the kill. I was weak and in a lot of pain, and I realized I wouldn't last much longer, but strangely, at this moment, the cryptic advice of the warlock came back to me. Trust no one. Corruption comes from the heart. Destroy the source. Isabel clearly no longer considered me a threat as she raised her sword and prepared to cut my head off. I knew I only had one chance, and so took a deep breath and made my move, thrusting my blade deep into Isabel's exposed chest. By luck, her skill, I struck the right spot. The force of my thrust penetrating her ribcage and plunging straight into her heart. Isabel didn't seem to acknowledge the injury at first as she looked down at her wound in confusion.

But suddenly she cried out, blue murder, the red in her eyes fading as her body literally fell apart and dissolved into ashes in front of my very eyes. I stood in shock for a moment, hardly able to believe what I had just witnessed. I reckoned Isabel was now with her master in whatever hellscape he called home. The devil would surely punish my former companion for her failure to capture my soul, but this wasn't my problem. I did wonder whether everything she told me was a lie. Perhaps there was no way out of the tower, and I would never escape this vile place. Nevertheless, I had to try, even if there was only the slimmest chance of freedom.

I was a wreck by this point. My legs sliced open, and the serpent's poison still spreading through my system, but I wouldn't give up, finding reserves that I never knew I had as I limped through the chamber, opened the next door and practically crawled up another staircase to reach the final room where I would be forced to face my personal demons head on. As I pushed through the heavy door, I stumbled into a chamber straight out of my nightmares. Before me was a fierce inferno, a house burning against a dark horizon with bodies strewn across a grassy field as bloodthirsty killers whooped and fired their rifles into the air in the foreground.

I physically shook as I slowly walked forward across the wet grass. which had inexplicably appeared underneath my feet and felt the heat from the flames against my skin. There were tears rolling down my cheeks as I walked in a daze towards the inferno, and an immense guilt ate away at me. Because you see, I'd been here before. Back during my mortal existence and the seemingly endless war I'd fought in, the soldiers celebrating this vile atrocity were my former comrades.

Soldiers turned crazed killers, dancing in the heat of the fire they'd lit, and, and there was worse to come. I already knew what to expect, but the horrific scene I was forced to relive almost broke me. On the wet grass were four fresh bodies laying outside the burning house, each one showing signs of multiple stab and bullet wounds as their innocent blood seeped into the dark soil. The children were the hardest to see, a boy and girl, both under the age of 10. I assume they were brother and sister, one full of life and hope, but now lying dead in the dirt, that life lifeless eyes staring up at the stars above. Their mother lay beside them.

Her dress ripped and body exposed. Her mouth was frozen in a horrifying death scream, and I knew she'd seen her children butchered before they finished her off. The last body was that of a white-haired, elderly woman, all clad in black. Presumably she was the children's grandmother, and she'd been shot through the heart. The final look on her wrinkled face was one of pained resignation. I turned away from the bodies in shame, looking with disgust upon my platoon mates who'd committed

these murders and now celebrated their wickedness without remorse. I realized then why the tower was showing me this horror from my past. This atrocity was pure evil carried out by the hands of mortal men, and not even the deepest depths of hell could match what we'd done to one another on earth. I froze where I stood. My emotions so overwhelming me as I sobbed uncontrollably and wished the ground would swallow me up. In a way, this is what happened. As the horrifying scene disappeared in front of my eyes, the burning house vanished and the cheering soldiers were pulled into the darkness,

and all that was left there were four bodies, except they were no longer the empty vessels of innocent souls. I could only watch and stunned horror as the dead rose. All four transformed into something vile and hateful, hissing zombies with ravenous eyes and gaping mouths. They advanced upon me with their bare hands extended like claws, apparently intent on gaining bloody revenge. For a moment, I considered letting them. After all I'd done, I surely deserved this, but no, I wouldn't give in to the tricks of the tower.

I had to keep fighting. At this point I could barely stand, let alone walk, as the pain from my injuries was nearly overwhelming, but somehow I summoned the strength to go on, limping towards the steel door at the far side of the chamber. I could hear the vengeful ghouls behind me, rambling along slowly, but making good progress as they snarled and hissed in spiteful anticipation. I didn't turn around as I shuffled across the cold metal floor, my whole body aching with every movement.

I got within ten yards of the door before I collapse in exhaustion. No longer able to walk, and so reduced to crawling. The zombies were right on top of me now, rasping and clawing at my dragging legs as I desperately tried to kick them off. I felt helpless as they began to drag me backwards, and I was sure I was done for, but to my immense surprise, the attack ended as abruptly as it had begun. I turned my head in astonishment, only to see the murdered family standing and watching me. They suddenly ended their murderous assault upon me, and their dead eyes were no longer

filled with hate. Instead, I saw a deep sadness in the women and children as they looked down upon me. It was almost as if they pitied me. All I could do was make a wholly anatomy. I'm so sorry. With that, I turned my back on the victims and continued my slow retreat, finally reaching the door and pushing my way through to the other side. I stumbled in surprise, only just stopping myself from falling over the edge. Amazingly, I'd made it to the summit of the Iron Tower, surviving against all odds. I suppose I should have been relieved to escape the dark

and seemingly endless staircase and hellish chambers, but the world I emerged into was hardly an improvement. Instead of sunshine, I was faced with a blood-red sky, and the air was anything but fresh, as my nostrils were filled with the foul stench of death, decay, and burning flesh. My weary eyes slowly scanned downwards as I heard the distant cries and clashes of far-off battles, several hundred feet below me was the doomed city of dis. Hell's capital was seemingly infinite, as all I could see in every direction was crumbling buildings and military fortifications. There must have been hundreds of fires burning across the hellscape, and the city streets were full of broken and torn bodies.

But most chilling of all were the huge, towering demons who stalked the streets, 60-foot-tall giants whose roars filled the rancid air as they literally stomped on any lost soul still foolish enough to be caught out in the open. These wicked minotars were Satan's elite troops. the core of his vile army tasked with crushing Minos' rebellion. I had seen one when I arrived in Diss, but that demon was dispatched by a horde of bloodthirsty zombies fighting for the rebel army, but it seemed the tide had turned. Lucifer's foot-soldiers now dominated the battlefield as dozens charged through the city,

crushing and destroying everything in their path. I noticed how they were advancing toward a central point, which I realized was the pyramid-like structure where we'd been briefed before we were sent into battle. Satan's forces were surely gunning for Minos, and I reckoned his foolish rebellion would soon be over, but I didn't care about any of this. I was done. The pain overwhelmed me as I collapsed onto the cold metal balcony. The tower spire above me in the burning city below.

I had been promised my freedom if I reached the summit, but it seemed this had been yet another lie. I was distraught and entirely beaten. I did consider throwing myself off the edge, but what would be the point of that? This was hell, and I couldn't die for a second time. It seemed there was no escape, and I was in fact doomed to an eternity of torture and suffering. But suddenly I spotted something in the corner of my eye, a winged creature descending from the crimson sky above. At first it was a little more than a dot on the horizon, but the flying entity was coming ever closer and evidently heading straight from me. I didn't have strength to fight or flee. Instead, I merely looked up to see my attacker, but to my

surprise, I was temporarily blinded by an intense white light which emanated from the winged creature. I shielded my eyes as the entity landed with a heavy thump on the metal, just yards from where I sat. Fearfully, I raised my head to observe the interloper. I expected a harpy or a winged demon, an ugly and fiendish beast from hell's legions. Instead, I cast my weary eyes upon something ferocious yet beautiful. Towering above me was a tall, humanoid figure, easily twelve feet in height. and clad in shining armor which covered her breasts and torso.

I say she, because the entity was definitely a woman, a stunning creature with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, filled with strength but also compassion. She carried a mighty sword which would surely light up even the darkest of places, but she did not draw the weapon to threaten me. Instead, she spoke in a song-like voice, which was both booming yet comforting at the same time. Rest easy, my child.

I mean you no harm? My jaw dropped as I struggled to speak through all the pain and shock. What? Who are you? I eventually muttered. I swore she shot me a smile through her ruby red lips before responding. I am Ariel, and I serve the one true Lord. I was in awe, not believing that something so beautiful could exist in a place so evil.

Ariel was an angel, of course, but she was a long way from home. Why are you here? I asked sheepishly. To observe. Look. She pointed her sword to the city below, where an epic battle was about to occur. I could barely see him at first, but Minos used his great power to rapidly grow in size, and his body was soon the size of the demons charging towards him.

He maintained the form of a bearded giant, but with a thick snake-like appendage wrapped around his immense body. The demons roared as they launched their assault with fiery swords in hand. But Minos remained calm, using his serpent tail to thrash out and strike the monsters. Several demons fell. Their giant bodies collapsing and crushing the buildings behind them, but the attackers kept on coming. Next, Minos used his dark powers to summon fire from thin air, propelling fireballs which consumed the advancing demons.

Clearly Minos was extremely powerful, but he was also heavily outnumbered and soon began to falter under the relentless assaults. Then suddenly the surviving demons stopped their attack. a circle to prevent minnows from escaping, but not driving home their advantage. I didn't understand why at first, but then I saw it. Another huge winged beast soared through hell's sky, but this creature was no angel. Quite the opposite, in fact. I froze upon witnessing the monstrosity. A gigantic dragon colored jet black. The beast was easily the size of a bus with a vast wingspan, burning red eyes and a huge moth full of razor-sharp teeth. I had seen a

I had seen the monster before, shortly prior to my entrance to the Iron Tower, and I knew who he was. Lucifer, Satan, Lord of the Flies. The devil was here to deliver bloody vengeance upon the traitor. Minos looked up at the last possible moment, and even from a distance, I could see the terror in the giant black eyes. The beast breathed fire, delivering a stream with white flames, which hit Minos from above and set his exposed body alight. The giant cried out in agony as the dragon dived into him with its sharp talons exposed.

Minos fought back with whatever strength he had left, using his tail to lash out at the beast. He managed to drive Lucifer back temporarily but couldn't last for long. I watched in shocked awe as the fire engulfed Minos and Lucifer went in for the kill, knocking his opponent down to the street before he bit deep into the still screaming giant's flesh, eating the traitor while he still lived. I turned away and disgust, not wishing to witness the sea. sickening scene which would surely follow. Instead, I looked to my angelic companion, noting the sadness in her deep blue eyes. So it's over? I said quietly. Minos's rebellion has failed.

Yes. Ariel replied with a tone of deep regret. Lucifer has regained control of his unholy kingdom. His power has been weakened by this civil war, and it will take him some time to recover. But, Sadly, he will eventually rebuild his armies and once again threaten the mortal realm. This warning brought a fresh chill through my broken body, but in that moment my thoughts were entirely selfish. What about me? Ariel glared down at me with anger, and I feared I'd made a terrible mistake.

What about you? The words almost stuck in my throat, but somehow I managed to reply. I didn't kill that family. I did nothing, was my pathetic justification. You did nothing. Ariel replied in an accusatory tone. You just stood and watched. And I knew she was right.

Perhaps I was right where I belonged. But Ariel wasn't quite done with me yet. She sighed deeply, looking back towards the hellish horizon before speaking again. Our Lord is merciful. Promises made to you were not his. Nevertheless, he will grant you a second chance at. life. However, there are conditions to your release. You must follow a righteous path. We will not tolerate you returning to your old ways, Jacob. There were tears rolling down my cheeks as I was overwhelmed

with uncontrollable emotion. I won't. I spluttered between sobs. Never again. Ariel turned towards me once again. Her blue eyes now filled with compassion. She reached out to touch me, and when her hand touched my skin, I was taken by a bright light and pulled from the depths of hell. I can't really explain what happened next. In a blink of an eye, I was back on earth, back in the muddy field where I'd met my end. I heard the dull click as my boot made contact with the hidden landmine, but my fate had been altered by divine intervention. This time the mind did not detonate, and I was spared. God had given me a second chance, but I still remembered everything.

and so this is my story. But I see it not as the end, but rather the beginning. I deserted from my unit soon after my near-death experience. I just couldn't face the bloodshed and carnage any longer. I haven't decided to do with my second life, but I know I'll never lift a gun again. Never again will I inflict violence upon my fellow man, and I intend to spend the rest of my mortal existence trying to do some good in this screwed-up world. And that's all I have to see.

say, peace be with you, my friends.