The butler and maids came out from the kitchen doors carrying massive trays topped with colorful wine bottles and crystal beer mugs filled with blood-red liquid Jonas knew to be Blood Light, the most expensive brew in the Outlands. The workers surrounded the table and placed the drinks in front of the guests, who looked surprised.

"Is this?" Simon narrowed his eyebrow and stared at the scarlet mug in front of him.

"Blood Light," said the Butler. "It's the best brew in all the Outlands. I've taken a keg out of storage," the Butler's words made most of them give incredulous stares at the mug in front of them. It didn't shock Jonas, so he grabbed his beer and chugged the contents because he wanted a buzz and hadn't had a good one in forever. The taste of the Blood Light was magical, and it enhanced his memory as he thought back to all the things that had happened to him during his time at the Hurts gang.

"Blood Light has Sinful properties," said Phillip. "That means its effect is different on Sinners than normal people. Jonas, you've probably already realized the difference, correct?"

"It's enhancing my memories, and my emotions feel more vivid," for just the briefest moment, Jonas let his thoughts linger on Ahmed, and a wave of feelings almost burst forth from his chest. It took great emotional strength, but Jonas held it down because he felt it wasn't the moment for crying.

"I assume you're all experiencing the effects," Phillip looked at each of them, and everyone who had tried it nodded. Theo was the only one who shook his head because he was a non-sinner, and he couldn't feel the Sinful properties.

"I don't feel any different," the young paperboy said. "The flavor keeps changing. I assume that's what happens when a non-Sinner drinks it," Phillip smiled and nodded at him.

"You have the look of someone who's been through a lot. When someone comes to Hell, they'll find themselves in harsh and brutal situations that test their mental strength, physical abilities, and courage. If you manage to survive and are willing to get your hands dirty, you might just wake up with Sin Scars on your hands. Theo, I wouldn't worry too much. Be true to yourself and embrace the feelings you have. It won't be long before you become a Sinner," Theo stared at the back of his hands and nodded. "Jonas, what happened after you woke up from drinking with the old man?"

"He betrayed me," Jonas found his negative feelings toward Old Louie had subsided because talking about the betrayal no longer upset him. Perhaps his curiosity about the text message had overpowered any anger he once had. "Old Louie sold me to the Hurts gang to pay off his gambling debt. The Hurts gang is the number one organization in Little Wrath City for caged fighting. When one of the fighting gangs enslaves you, you're either a dummy slave: someone used to train the Sin of gladiators, or you're a fighting slave. Unfortunately, the slave manager assigned me as the dummy slave for this scumbag, psychotic rapist, Garth."

"What happened?" Amberlee looked very concerned.

"My fate changed. Garth beat me to within inches of my life. He shattered my skull until brain matter was leaking. I should've died, but instead, I awoke a power that was sleeping within me, and with that power also came memories that I had forgotten," Jonas took a deep breath before saying the words he had never spoken aloud. "I'm a Hellite," there was immediate shock on the faces of everyone at the table.

"How is that possible?" Simon asked. "You came from Earth. Didn't you?" Yuki and Johnson looked confused, but they kept their questions to themselves so that Jonas could speak.

"I was born in Hell. Then a mysterious person took us from our original family and put my brother and me in an orphanage on Earth. He sealed our abilities and left us to our devices, but not before messing with our memories and making us forget our early childhoods." Jonas knew not to mention the Man of Light, but the Blood Light brought forth feelings of honesty he hadn't felt in a long time. Jonas wanted to tell his story because it belonged to him, and he was tired of feeling like he needed to hide who he was.

"Who in Hell is powerful enough to take Hellite youths and hide them on Earth?" Johnson looked bewildered, but surprisingly, both Amberlee and Phillip were frowning.

"Perhaps, someone with the ability to teleport?" Phillip suggested.

"But also the ability to seal powers and memories?" Amberlee looked skeptical. "Those abilities aren't related."

"Do they have to be?" Simon asked.

"One ability powerful enough to move Jonas and his brother from Hell to Earth. Another ability to seal their powers and memories. I heard of a clan that could instantly move themselves and others across great distances, but none can seal powers and memories. Something doesn't add up," Amberlee looked at Jonas and realized he was hiding something. "Oh, it must have been a combined effort of multiple people. How silly of me."

"Anyway," Jonas cut them off before they could speculate anymore. "I survived Garth's attempted murder, but the impact of all the beatdowns I got since coming to Hell had broken that person's seal, and I awoke both memories of my past and my Sin Scars," he held the back of his hands up to show Phillip. The two crimson crosses were fully formed and glowed spectacularly. "I learned I was a Crusader because my Sin is Pride, and then I began my journey as a Sinner. I trained every day, both mind and body. I honed my martial arts while slowly discovering the secret world of Sinners. During that time, I came into conflict with some of the fighting slaves. Slowly, I beat my enemies back until my Sin Scars fully formed. I killed a man for the first time and soon discovered my Original Sin. All of this happened within two years."

"That's good progress. Two years to unlock an Original Sin? You're a talented Sinner," said Phillip, but this surprised Jonas because people have always been amazed by his talent as a Sinner, and Phillip only seemed mildly surprised.

"Just good?" Jonas felt slightly annoyed. "I've been able to perform various acts of True Sin for a while now. I'm strong enough to take the Sin Assessment, and I'm only nineteen," Phillip smiled because he could hear the annoyance contained in Jonas' tone.

"Don't be too offended now. Most Hellite youths start their training as children. You're incredibly gifted for someone who has only learned for two years, and you're above average compared to Sinners of a similar age. However, those top talents like my youngest cousin are far beyond your capabilities. He's eighteen years old, heir to one of the most powerful families in the world, and could kill all of us here in the blink of an eye. They are the youths who will take over and be respected and feared in all areas of the Inlands."

"Are you sure?" Jonas was in disbelief. "I fought Howard Hurts to a standstill, and he was one of the strongest men in Sun City."

"Nothing more than a small fry in the eyes of the Hellites from the Inlands. Trust me, Jonas. I'm not saying this to make you feel bad. I'm trying to give you an idea of what you'll be going up against," Phillip smiled, and Amberlee nodded in agreement.

"You're very talented, but there are youths who've become expert Sinners by twenty. The heir to my family is my sister, younger by a few decades. She's only nineteen, and many grown Sinners would tremble in fear if they caught sight of her."

"Incredible," Jonas scrunched his brow and acknowledged what they were trying to teach him. "They'd look down on me?"

"They wouldn't even notice you if I'm being honest. Now that's just talking about the heirs of big families and the most talented youths. Here in the Outlands? You're the crème of the crop, and you'll find tremendous success as long as you stay smart and keep your training up."

"What about the Inlands?" Jonas took a swig of his Blood Light, and the alcohol made him feel a competitive fire in his belly that tickled his Pride.

"You'd be above average. That's pretty good by most standards. You could still own your own business, join a Sinner's organization, or make it on the outskirts. Sin City, however, you aren't ready for it."

"Fine," Jonas shook his head. "So, I unlocked my Original Sin, and then we started planning a riot to break out of the gang. Everything went fine until the day of the breakout. We easily beat the guards, and we almost beat the leaders. Then a Maldread showed up," Phillip coughed, and Amberlee nearly fell out of her chair.

"A Maldread? Are you sure?" Phillip wiped his mouth with a giant handkerchief. "That's not something you can say lightly, Jonas."

"I'm sure," Jonas nodded. "It killed two of my friends and nearly a dozen Sinners. It had peeled skin, mandible-like jaws, and a passion for eating hearts."

"That sounds like a Maldread. I'm just shocked one would appear in a place as insignificant as Little Wrath City. How did you all survive?" Phillip saw the fear in Jonas' companions' eyes and knew it was the truth.

"It took a few attempts, but I finally managed to kill it," Jonas still felt like the entire situation was just a strange dream because it didn't feel real.

"How?"

"It swallowed my heart. However, my Original Sin is to control blood. I made my heart swell to the point that it constricted the Maldread's breathing and choked it to death."

"You killed a Maldread? You controlled parts of your body from a distance?" If Phillip had been mildly impressed before, he was positively bewildered after hearing Jonas' story. "It must have just been born, right?"

"Less than an hour, I suppose."

"That would make sense," Phillip nodded. "You don't understand how terrifying a fully grown Maldread is. Do you think what you faced was scary? That thing was an hour old. After one week, it could destroy Sun City. After a month, only a handful of people in the Outlands could kill it. After two months, no one in the Outlands could take care of it, and government officials from Sin City would come and kill it. It takes one year for a Maldread to reach full maturity, and it's only happened a few times in the history of Hell. Only a Prince of Hell could kill a fully grown Maldread."

"Are you serious?" Johnson looked bewildered. "In one year, only a Prince of Hell could kill it? How does it even get to that point?"

"When I was younger," began Phillip. "My father told me of the Beast of Torville, a Maldread who reached nine months in age because it had fallen into a network of caves when it was young. Supposedly, it was stuck in caves and forced to feed on small animals and the odd spelunker when they came exploring. One day, the beast found its way out of the cave system and to the town of Torville. Within an hour, the monster had leveled the city, and the government called dozens of Sinners from Sin City to slay the beast. It killed tens of thousands of people before it finally died, and the town of Torville has been a ghost town ever since. That was hundreds of years ago, but the damage one almost-grown Maldread can do is astounding. That's one of the reasons I'm so impressed and in disbelief that you found and killed one. That makes you far above average compared to the Hellite youths from the Inlands."

"Wait a minute," said Amberlee. "If the Maldread ate your heart, how did you survive?"

"My old master had something to do with it," said Jonas. "I think he healed me because when I finally escaped, he left a text message asking me to call him."

"Strange. This old master must be powerful to heal you from such a distance. Old Louie? I've never heard of any Sinner by that name," Phillip drank deeply from his giant mug of wine. When he surfaced for air, he belched loudly and wiped his mouth. "However, expert Sinners are hiding all over Hell. It's not unusual for these masters to take students and train them. It's been happening for thousands of years."

"So, your old master took pity, healed you, and sent you a message to call him? You left the gang, and then?" Asked Phillip.

"Called you," said Jonas. "That's it. That's my journey summarized up until now."

"I'm sorry all of that happened to you. You're a good person and didn't deserve any of it. Unfortunately, slavery and kidnappings happen every day. Nonetheless, you're strong now. You can handle yourself in the Outlands, and people will be very hard-pressed to try and subject you to any type of horror. You can wear clothes and walk freely, you and your friends."

"I know," Jonas didn't look too impressed with himself. "I don't need to be strong in the Outlands because I plan on leaving. Where is the Sineville of the Seas, and how do I get a ticket?"

"I can't tell you."

"Phillip," Jonas looked annoyed. "You told me you wouldn't hide anything."

"I'm serious," said Phillip. "I don't know the location. However, Amberlee knows more than I do. I'll let her tell you," everyone at the table looked at her, including Jonas.

"Listen," she cleared her throat. "I don't know everything, but I'll share what I do. So, once a year, the S. S. Sinner first leaves Sin City, carrying all the talented Hellite youths who have yet to become professional Sinners. Then it travels to the Outlands to a predetermined location. I'm not sure which city, but I assume it's one of the big ones. It usually stops for a few days, and once you board the ship, the only way off is to survive the assessment or to be sent away by the testers. It will pick up a few thousand Outlanders, then head back to Sin City. The testers will make whoever survives into True Sinners. They'll throw those who die into the Sanguinic Sea."

"What the fuck?" Johnson sounded confused. "That sounds like the death rate is rather high?"

"It's a sixty-five percent death rate. A ninety-nine percent fail rate," Amberlee stared at Jonas, and she wore an expression that told Jonas she wasn't joking around. "Nearly everyone that goes will either die or fail."

"If those who die end up in the sea, what happens to those who fail?" Asked Simon.

"They're sent away by some means. I don't know anymore," Amberlee shook her head.

"So, let me get this straight," Jonas wanted clarification. "The ship leaves Sin City and will travel to the Outlands to pick up a lucky few Sinners who are the most talented among the Outlands."

"Correct," she nodded.

"Okay. So, the Outlanders find the ship's location, obtain a ticket, and board it. Then you survive one or more tests until the ship reaches Sin City. Then they make you a True Sinner?"

"As far as I know, yes."

"How does one find a ticket or the location?" Jonas felt excitement at the prospect of learning the truth about the Sin Assessment.

"Jonas, I'm sorry because I don't know the answer. They don't tell things like that to Outcasts like Phillip and me because we can never become Sinners. However, I know there are limited tickets, but they're not exclusive to the rich and powerful. It's just something you have to figure out if you want to take the test."

"Damn," Jonas felt blue-balled by the answer. "The test could have already happened this year. I don't want to wait any longer."

"That may be the case," said Phillip. "Waiting another year isn't a bad idea. The Sin Assessment is notoriously difficult, and nearly everyone will fail or die. Another year will transform you into a stronger Sinner capable of passing the test."

"I'm not waiting any longer if I don't have to," the innocent tone of Jonas' voice was gone and replaced with one slightly cold and experienced. "I want to leave this place as soon as possible. I want to find Drake, and he's probably already become a Sinner and taken the Sin Assessment on the sixth floor if they have one too."

Just as Phillip was about to retort, the kitchen doors opened, and the smell of food wafted into their nostrils. It smelled so delicious that it wiped any thought of argument from their minds. A host of staff followed the head butler, who each carried a silver tray full of food.

"Finally," said Phillip. "I'm so ready to eat," the kitchen staff placed the trays onto the dining room table, lifted the lids, and revealed the contents beneath each. There were massive quantities of food: chicken, turkey, pork, ribs, pasta, lasagna, potatoes, and rice. There was sushi, pizza, burgers, and chili. Jonas had never seen so much food in his life, and he was temporarily stunned as his mouth watered, and he remembered the smell of good food. "Everyone, dig in," Phillip clapped and shocked the group out of their stupor. They waited for Phillip and Amberlee to grab food first, and they followed suit and began wantonly piling their plates.

"Don't be shy," Amberlee said to Ralph. "I don't expect you've eaten a healthy meal in some time. Eat as much as you want," he nodded his head, expressed his thanks, and ripped a crispy chicken leg off a giant bird.

There wasn't much talking between them because they stuffed their mouths with delicious home-cooked food. It was a far cry from the rat stew and cold oatmeal they had survived on for so long.

"This is how kings eat," Bannji Balewa fought tears. "This is the best food I've eaten since I came to Hell many years ago. Thank you, Mr. Phillip."

"No worries, Bannji. Eat and then eat some more. We have plenty of food here at our home," there was grease dripping down one of his many chins, and they tried their best not to watch his mouth while he talked.

"I never thought I'd enjoy food like this ever again," said Pete. "Even before they enslaved me, I lived off fast food."

"I'm sorry you've all suffered so much," Amberlee shook her head and glanced at Jonas. "Hell is a harsh place, especially for those who don't know the rules."

"We know the rules now," said Simon. "Never get black-out wasted, don't take food from strangers, and everyone always wants something. Wait a minute," Simon smiled as he realized he was breaking every rule he had named. "You don't count as strangers, do you?" There was a round of good-natured laughter from everyone at the table.

"We may be strangers, but this meal is free, and this home is very safe," said Amberlee.

"If I can sleep here soundly," Jonas assured them. "You can too."

They continued to eat and drink, and an hour passed before they picked the silver dishes clean. Ralph and Philip had devoured half the meal themselves while the rest was digesting in the bellies of the smaller people at the table. Phillip Glatorius belched while rubbing his massive stomach.

"What a great feast. I hope you enjoyed it. You can look forward to another one tomorrow. If you're still hungry, each room has a two-way connection to the butler's room. He'll bring you whatever drinks or snacks you request. Tomorrow I'd like to discuss a business opportunity for all of you. It isn't every day a group of unemployed Sinners comes into your home, and I want to take full advantage of this opportunity to make you all the offer of a lifetime. However, that can wait until you've fully rested and had a night to mourn your losses and sleep off the aches and pains you've accumulated during your escape."

"Thank you, Phillip," Jonas was the first to speak as he watched the giant man pull himself off his chair, and the rest of the staff cleared their plates and poured more alcohol into their cups. "Your hospitality and kindness are unmatched in all of Hell."

"You'd be surprised," Phillip smiled and breathed heavily. "Hell is a terrible place, but you can find kindness. It takes a little luck, but you'll meet good people too. Goodnight, everyone. I assume you know the way back to your rooms. Feel free to use any facility or eat and drink as much as you wish," he gently clapped Jonas on the shoulder. "Tomorrow, we can bury your two friends if you'd like. I'll have funeral arrangements made, and we can bring them to the nearest cemetery. What do you think?"

"I'd like that," Jonas looked sad at the thought of burying his two good friends. "We can't leave them in bags forever," Simon and Johnson nodded in agreement.

"I'll make a call and have Toby drop their bodies off at the funeral home. It will be a small service on short notice, but I'll make sure it's beautiful."

"That means more to us than you'll ever know," said Jonas. "We need one last time to say goodbye to our fallen comrades. I know they'll eventually be reincarnated somewhere in Hell, but unfortunately, I'll never see them again, nor would they remember me if we somehow crossed paths."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Phillip began to walk away. "I'll make the arrangements, so please rest easy and enjoy yourselves while you're here," he turned a corner and disappeared.

"Well," Amberlee looked unsure of what to say to Jonas. "I hope you had a good meal, and I'm sorry for everything you've been through."

"No worries, Amberlee. Thank you for taking us in and teaching me about the Sin Assessment. I can always rely on you two," said Jonas, and Amberlee nodded but appeared to have something else to say. She glanced at Yuki, smiled warmly, and left the room.

"Looks like it's just us," Simon was a bit red-faced and looked sleepy. "You were right, Jonas. These people are incredibly generous. I didn't think anyone like them existed in all of Hell. How wrong I was. Thank you for bringing us here."

"Not a problem," Jonas sipped his fourth beer. "It was my only solution. I told you I'd ask Phillip to get you jobs, but I didn't realize he'd offer on his own. It must be hard for an Outcast incapable of Sinning to get Sinners to work for him," his friends nodded in agreement.

"What do you think the offer will be?" Johnson was very excited at the prospect of having a job.

"Money, room and board, perhaps even vehicles and other exclusive perks. He'll probably get you whatever you want if you agree to work for him. That includes potential future businesses," he glanced at Yuki, and she blinked in response.

"Do you think he can help us find our loved ones?" Pete asked, and both Bannji and Simon looked interested in the answer.

"He has contacts and resources. However, even if he can't help you, you'll need money to find who you're looking for, right?" They all nodded at Jonas' question. "Work for him for a bit, and then you can take off and try to find your loved ones. I have no idea where to start, but Philip probably has some strategies you could use. We can ask him tomorrow after the funeral service."

"Good idea," Simon yawned and stood up from his chair. "I'm going to turn in early and take a nap. I'm dead tired," but immediately apologized for his poor choice of words. "Sorry, I mean tired after everything that happened."

"You're good, Simon," Jonas gave a small smile. "Ahmed wouldn't want us walking on eggshells when talking about him. He was always straight to the point and didn't care about beating around the bush."

"You're right," Simon's eyes looked a bit red, and he shrugged his shoulders while turning away. "Goodnight, everyone."

"I have to take a massive shit," Johnson stood up from the table. "Then I'm going to sleep like a baby. Good night, fuckers. Oh, and Yuki."

"Disgusting," Jonas chuckled. "Enjoy your privacy, Erik," and Johnson trailed after Simon.

"I was going to suggest a card game," Pete had a brand-new eye patch more handsome than his previous one, which had been dangerously close to showing the wound.

"I'm off to bed, sorry," Yuki stood up and tried to smile, but she came off as a bit short.

"Uh, good night," Jonas swirled his beer and watched her disappear behind the wall; the hem of her dress danced dramatically out of view.

"That was awkward," Ralph gave Jonas a confused stare.

"We may be in the midst of a breakup," Jonas cracked an unconvincing smile, and he beckoned for the butler to pour him another. "Let's play cards, get shitfaced, and talk about whatever," he looked over at Pete, Theo, Bannji, and Ralph.

"I'm game," said Theo. "Today is a day for celebration. We're free."

"Uh, Mr. Ken, right?" Jonas asked the middle-aged butler, who smiled from beneath a black mustache.

"Thanks for remembering, Mr. Ariel. Not everyone takes the time to recall the names of servants."

"I'm not everyone," Jonas shook hands with Mr. Ken. "Could you get us some playing cards, more beer, and a pack of cigarettes?" The head butler nodded and left to fulfill the request. A few minutes passed, and Mr. Ken returned with everything requested, including a box of cigarettes labeled Diamond Doubles.

"Old habits die hard," Jonas chuckled as he lit a cigarette and felt the hot smoke fill his lungs. He exhaled and felt the rush of a head buzz that he hadn't experienced since high school.

Mr. Ken took a seat with them and showed them Devil's Deck, a card game played in Hell. The game's objective was to be the first to collect and play a series of cards to summon a devil, which required stealing and bluffing cards from opponents. The deck featured numbers one through thirteen of five suits: blood, fire, ice, poison, and shadow.

First, a player needed to collect a witch card. Then the focus became finding a sacrifice card, then a spell card, and they could play the devil card and win the game. The rest of the numbers were fillers, bluffs, and to counter their opponent's cards that they played. It was an exciting game, and took a few rounds before Jonas understood the rules.

"If I may, Sir. What seems to be the issue between you and the lady?"

"We're at a crossroads. We're about to go our separate ways, and neither of us knows how to handle that. Neither of us has ever been in a healthy relationship. I'm going on a journey of certain death to find my brother, who may or may not hate me, and she wants to stay and open up a safe house for orphan girls," Pete, Bannji, Ralph, and Theo exchanged awkward glances at the info bomb, while Mr. Ken nodded his head knowingly.

"It sounds to me like you already have the answer. You're both going your separate ways. Sometimes relationships have to end, but friendships do not," Mr. Ken puffed his cigarette and sipped a whiskey. "Did you two start as friends?"

"Yeah," Jonas narrowed his brow and stared at the cards in his hand with glossy eyes.

"Then end as friends too. It'll hurt for a bit, but you can still come out with a win," Mr. Ken smiled and played his cards. He had all the ones needed to summon a devil.