An Evil Justice

Chapter 3 – Sin Haven

Mature Warning- Extreme violence, grotesque details, biblical inconsistencies

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Dread. That simple word was capable of explaining the floating soul’s emotions.

The last few frames of his life replayed over and over… Grim watched the sword flash right before his head and slide into his throat. He felt the steel blade slicing the veins, tendons and muscles connecting his body together, and then the tremendous echo that radiated into his very being as the blade crushed his spine. Flying through the air, he remembered the sight of his beheaded body toppling to the ground, collapsing without the control of his faculties.

Oh, the blood, the sight of the crimson drops spilling to the floor, adding to the growing puddle as his vision slowly blackened into nothingness. He remembered the taste of iron as that very same blood urged into his mouth. The assassin’s wrathful face did not even cross his mind, as he reflected on his life. Was it truly worth it? He had managed to gather enough power to end the lives of others, but he never put the concept of his own death into his head.

The legend he wanted to grow, the power he had obtained when he held a knife, all gone… There was no more tomorrow for him, all because of these assassins. Why… Why? The question echoed out in his head. He had gained so much, but for it to end so easily! What a joke. What… a cruel fate…

Did it really matter though? Grim’s consciousness was failing. Oh, ignore the dread. Ignore the despair. Ignore it like how you’ve ignored the torture you’ve faced before you obtained power. Ignore… it… Sleep, that’s right… sleep will make it better. Come. Come to us, we’ll take care of you. Welcome to your new home… Grim Reaper.

…

A red fog covered the entirety of the land, where grand mountains towered everywhere. The smell of sulfur, ash, blood and rotting flesh mingled in the air, producing a stench much worse than that of the Black Maze. Though the incredible amount of darkness veiled people’s eyes, an ocean of black put it to shame. Tendrils of shadow rose and fell into the land, threatening to drag everything into the deep abyss below.

If one were to trod in this place, their feet would instantly sink a little into the ground, as the raw flesh would give away from the weight and ooze blood. In random spots, the land would open, revealing piercing crimson eyes and gaping holes dotted with teeth.

This was truly the result of the amalgamation of humanity’s nightmares, yet in the middle of this wasteland, a massive citadel stood high up, scrapping the red-laden sky. In that same sky, various green flame-like substances were gathering into the center of the citadel, where three individuals stood.

“Ah, the new batch is here,” one of them spoke. Its face resembled that of a monster, a set of horns rising from it with a menacing look, which only complemented his grand stature. Standing at almost 8 feet tall with a robust frame, he towered over the other two. On his back was a pair of demonic wings that occasionally fluttered. A stupendous set of muscles constantly rippled as he moved his body, each motion containing boundless power.

“Satan, you’ll be in charge of them today. Don’t destroy them like last time…” another man sighed, a look a resigned expectation on his face. Unlike the dark and eerie surroundings, the man seemed to shine with a golden light. Three pairs of wings grandiosely spread out, radiating holiness into this abyssal land. Kind blue eyes stared deep into the berserker’s crimson pupils, holding a gaze of sternness.

“Bah, enough. Just leave it to me,” Satan replied, waving the two individuals away from the massive courtyard, which held countless amounts of greenish flames: the souls of sinners.

“Alright…” the man gave up, turning around and walked towards the citadel palace, his long blond hair moving with every step. Behind him, the other figure followed closely, its tentacles dragging over the stone flooring.

“Ah, Lucifer, just because you came from ‘heaven’ doesn’t mean you can do anything you want here,” the massive figure muttered. Though he was quite irritated, Satan knew that if he didn’t do the job properly, the other six would punish him.

“Alright you sinners, Karma will now judge you based on your past sins,” he announced at the top of his voice, shaking the green flames with its incredible pressure.

Above the citadel, the fog began to part as if a mysterious force was pushing it away. Grey strands began to descend from the infinitely dark sky and attached themselves onto the green flames. Suddenly, bright lights covered the threads, all of which shined seven different colors with varying intensities. Moans of pain and despair continued to fill the courtyard, blanketing the dark citadel with a haunted feeling.

The green flames began to dissipate one by one as the lines heaved them into the varying corners of the underworld, where they were to suffer for their sins. One soul however, stood out to the overseeing demon. The thread of light atop its flames shined a bright crimson. Baleful sounds and a dark aura had begun to seep into the soul, resisting the thread’s tugs.

The citadel flooring was beginning to crack due to the enormous pressure the flame was emitting. Filled with curiosity, the demon slowly approached. Inside of the now dark green fire, a dark figure was in a berserk state, constantly clawing at the flame containing it. Bloodthirsty crimson eyes penetrated through the shadows and shook the entirety of Satan’s being, forcing a chill down his spine.

With a smirk, the Demon placed his hand over the Karmic Thread, reading the memories it contained. A look of surprise flashed through his eyes as he stared at the soul once again.

“A soul without morals, without any goals, aside from gaining power…” he laughed loudly, the earth shaking beneath him, “You’ll be my disciple, Grim Pareer… No, you shall be called the Grim Reaper.”

His massive hands waved quickly, crushing the flame that barred the soul from escaping. Instantly, the surroundings grew even darker, as if an inky night had descended. Numerous souls escaped from the body, a look of bliss on their ‘faces’. The dark veil concealing the figure slowly dissipated, revealing a middle-aged man. On his neck and right arm were horrendous scars that leaked out pitch black flames that threatened to devour everything.

Before the demon could speak however, the dark body immediately flashed and shot towards the massive monster. A loud thud rumbled throughout the citadel, attracting the attention of many other demons. When their eyes landed there, it immediately widened in shock. Shockwaves cracked and eviscerated the surroundings as two figures continued to flash and impact each other.

One of them was a familiar figure, the Prince of Wrath, however what was most surprising was the being challenging the prince. Most demons inside of the Underworld all agreed that in terms of physical power, the Prince of Wrath, Satan, was capable of unbelievable power, yet they are currently witnessing another being challenge him.

Though the dark figure’s power clearly surpassed the average demon’s strength, it seemed as if the Prince was capable of blocking each and every strike. Every punch was met with a blocking arm; every kick was similarly countered by a leg. It was as the now gathering audience had expected: no one could beat the prince, yet they were still stuck in disbelief. Their supernatural eyes could easily discern an object moving at almost impossible speeds, yet they struggled to capture the battle.

The figure once again flashed, appearing behind Satan. With a straight arm, it stabbed towards the demon’s back, but was blocked by dark demonic wings. Thrown off balance, the figure stumbled and fell backwards, its crimson eyes filled with absolute tenacity. However, those eyes closed in agony as a massive fist struck him in the stomach, launching him to the ground, completely obliterating the flooring.

A massive gurgle of black blood escaped from the figure’s mouth as the remaining layer of darkness on its skin peeled away into a collection of discarnate souls.

“So many souls… how many did this person kill?” one of the watching demons exclaimed in surprise.

“No wonder he was able to fight with the prince,” another speculated.

It was common knowledge by all demons in the Underworld who work for the Wrath Division that sinners carry their victims with them when they die. Due to the fact that sinners thrive on the discarnate souls they have obtained, many torturers were forced to wait for the blanket of souls in order for their methods to actually harm the wrathful sinner.

Today proved to be a surprise to them as a soul gathered enough power to challenge one of the Seven Princes. Though all the other types of sinners came with their own problems, it was due to the Wrathful souls that security in the Underworld was tightened.

In all instances that the princes took action, the souls were completely destroyed, but to everyone’s surprise, the sinner before them was allowed to exist. Their eyes watched with utmost attention as they stared at the sinner slowly awaken from its dazed state.

“Grim Reaper, welcome to your new home,” Satan’s deep voice suddenly echoed out, leading the man out of his stupor.

Hearing the voice, Grim’s crimson eyes slowly cleared up as he stared at the surroundings. Though the ruined region attracted his attention at first, his eyes widened when he noticed the creatures staring at him. Headless ghouls, spectral wraiths, gigantic ogres, attractive women, and other various organisms were eagerly waiting for his reaction.

An atmosphere of excitement filled the air as they stared expectantly, their eyes inscribing the even deep into their memories. Many of them could not believe the amount of power and tenacity the mysterious individual held, but the destroyed surroundings proved otherwise.

Spitting out a glob of crimson, Grim's voice echoed out into their ears: “Who are you?”

Rant-

AAAaaaaannnddd I'm back, unfortunately for you guys. Sorry this was really late, I've been busy with research and programming, so I haven't had much time to write. Well, and I'm lazy too. But worry not! Chapters will still probably delayed with how little attention span I have...

Anyways, for people who are not content with the whole "Hell premise", then sorry, but this novel will have plenty of hell. Worry not, Grim's hunts will still take place in the dystopian society of the real world, just more badass than ever after I've situated his "Death"ness if that makes sense. Thanks for reading!