Limbo - First Circle

As he stepped clear of the boat Ezrael gestured with his hands, the first rod rising, then planting itself several meters up the shore. Two others suddenly hurtled off into the sky. "I'm placing a rod every kilometer, with another one kilometer in each direction so we can best triangulate our location. It will also make a path for us should we need to return this way, for any reason," he stated, "The rods will keep me updated on their location so I'll be able to track if the landscape warps around us. With me at the hel-" His voice suddenly cut short and his steps staggered."

Jean-Paul's head snapped to stare at him. "Did you feel th-" he started, only to be interrupted.
"No," Ezrael answered immediately, eyebrows tilting downwards, "What circle are w-"
"We have to leave. It is no longer safe."
"It's hell, we were never s-"
The frenchman turned for Ezrael, a hand snatching for his cloak. "We will all die here."

However Ezrael was already a half step away, clothing fluttering like a spectral entity. "You can die later or you can die right now if you prefer, but cowardice is unbecoming of you Jean-Paul," his tone had taken a sharper turn and lost its normally jovial undercurrent.

Silence stirred between the pair, staring at each other.

Several thunderous steps across the cast hellscape seemed like nothing to the giant of Hell and though without eyes it seemed to look down upon the interlopers of Hell.
"I am Minos, judge of the damned, and your only hope of salvation within this pit of hate and desecration!" The giant monster bellowed a roar that would deafen all the lost souls that proliferated this hell-scape. It continued to look down at the wayward souls that seemed to traverse only to take a seat upon his throne which appeared in a show of brimstone and fire. With only a single sniff of the air before him and a wave of his massive hand a scepter of gold and gemstones fell before the three. The gavel of Hell was pointing at the accused.

"Two priests, one of the true lord and another of a false divine, and a long lost spirit that possibly returns for more punishment. Your crimes are many but to what do I owe the pleasure of your company within my own little circle of Hell?" Minos began to chortle only to cough instinctively clearing the phlegm and rot from his throat.

"Before we exchange words allow me once more to...." Minos sniffed the air once more only to smile fiendishly. "Jean Paul Sebastian. Your crimes are far and few between. Priest of the Lord your crimes are simple and ones that any man of your stature can overlook when living a life of light and love. Your sin is sanctimony of the furthest kind. Not all of your actions can be weighed in the light of Gods good light. Fraud for you my Priest of God!"

Minos turned his gavel of gold towards the war priest of Thor only to shake his head as he sniffed the air once more. "Countless sins infest your soul as you crave the power of another who did not rightfully acquire it themselves. Your sins are Apostasy, Blasphemy, and Divination. Brobroum Dunesledge placing you within the many levels of Hell would bring me great joy..." Minos stopped and pointed his gavel to the third and final sinner amongst them.

"However it will wait. Ezrael, the man with a title!" Minos began to chortle once more only to clear his throat again as if the rot seemed to spread. "You are an unnatural abomination! A product of unknown origins and simply without any cause of truly being before me somehow the fates have deemed your presence worthy!" Minos began to sniff the air once more only to frown and began to scratch at the crown that sat atop of his head.

"Perplexing." Minos stammered. The Great Judge's frown seemed to deepen as he set his gavel down upon his lap only to glare with his eyeless gaze at the soul. "I cannot judge you. It is not my place to judge those who have done so little to affect my senses. What brings you before me within this hellhole?"

Ezrael's head slowly turned towards the direction of the approaching monstrous footsteps, mouth partly open with the corners of his lips tugging downwards. For the first time in some time words failed him, at least until Minos stopped speaking. "If its any consolation, I am feeling exceptionally judged right now," he answered with his mouth finally pulling shut and a quizzical eyebrow raising.'Unnatural abomination'? That seemed uncalled for though, from a strictly biblical interpretation, he could understand.

Jean-Paul had also turned, the great heap of metal that was his suit tilting backwards to take in the full scope and size of Minos, as the helmet did not allow much vertical movement and the visor did not leave much room for vision. "We cannot be judged because we are not here to be punished," Jean-Paul answered rationally, "We are on a journey to the depths of hell, to seek Lucifer on a quest for a soul, as Ezrael has explained it to me." The frenchman didn't believe that story for a moment, but he was not lying by saying it was what Ezrael had told him. He would not allow himself to be held at fault for any deceptions on the demon-spawns behalf.

Minos seemed perplexed as even though he had no true sight to claim as his own he was sure there was three before him instead of two. Obviously the senses had gone due to time and a lack of good judging. Instead however upon hearing the words from both Ezrael and Jean-Paul Minos found himself slouching and pondering as to what would be said or done about this little adventure of theirs.

"Enough!" Minos shouted only to clear his throat as more phlegm and rot seemed to bother his senses. The judge quickly picked up his gavel once more and pointed it at the sanctimonious priest. "Regardless of your current state you are within my Halls. You truly think that either of you can waltz into Hell to see Lucifer and not be judged?!" The Great Judge seemed outraged by the simple notion. "A single soul cannot be worth this entire trip. Judas Priest! Have you no inkling of what tortures await your everlasting soul if you happen to fall here?"

Minos kept his sightless gaze upon Jean-Paul. "No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through fire, or who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You must remain completely loyal to the Lord your God." Minos continued to smile like the wicked thing he was only to turn his head and cough sending disgusting phlegm and rot flying through the air. "I believe that was 18:10-13, Deuteronomy, If I did not know any better I would say this was an act of Necromancy you are unwittingly committing. Have you no sense for what your companion truly is or what he might be after?"

The massive entity brought his gavel back towards Ezrael now with distaste. "As for you! You are in search of a soul? The one you parted with long ago perhaps? Pity, for such things cannot be acquired, only the damned may be lost within the circles of Hell and never be reclaimed by the light of God. Do you think by bringing a priest within the Halls is enough to pry free that poor boy from eternal damnation!" Minos chortled at the notion only to smile once more at the insane attempt that belong only to Ezrael. "An admission of the truth is still a lie. Speak your full intent Ezrael and let us see if your priest will even have the gal to continue this little quest of yours. Your actions are damning not only to yourself but to those who you drag down with you!"

Ezrael already knew damn well what he would do and say, but his mouth had ejected something else first. "If an admission of truth is a lie, then why does god lie to us?" he asked, unblinking, then a small smile crept on is features. It was a nervous smile, one of uncertainty as to where his boundaries stood, and it was awfully exciting. "But, very well, if I am to tell you the truth then I will."

His hand gestured sharply upwards and then to the side, deafening the area about Jean-Paul, or rather suppressing the noise that passed through it. The priests head turned towards Ezrael momentarily, but the gaze was not returned, so he assumed whatever was going to happen was going to happen. It was hell, after all, and Jean-Paul understood that it was best to operate alongside it, rather than fight against it.

"I seek the ruler of all hell with a few requests, for which in exchange I offer the soul of the priest," he answered frankly, before his eyes slide to the side peering at the armoured figure, "I am giving the devil a soul he likely would not otherwise get; at least if the 'ask forgiveness and believe in god and you go to heaven' thing is true. I want the Flavaar boys soul, yes. But you are not privy to what I do with it. Satisfied?" He gave Minos a dozen seconds to respond before he snapped his fingers to drop the silence around Jean-Paul. He obviously didn't want the priest knowing, and would maintain it for as long as he felt the information could be compromised.

Jean-Paul looked between the pair blankly, then took it as his chance to explain himself. "Ezrael came to me asking for a guide in hell. I agreed. I am, as he says, a back up plan," the Frenchman stated indifferently, "But I am no sinner, even by association. If he succeeds in raising the dead, I will kill them both. But Ezrael will fail. This is hell, is it not? It is a place of those who forsake God."

Ezrael raised his head and sniffed distastefully at Jean-Paul's comments, but said nothing further. Well, at least his true feelings on the matter were out.

Minos indeed sat silently and astonished at the cross of words and feelings between the two. Betrayal and astonishingly some of the best damned drama the Judge of Hell had seen in some time. The giant simply leaned forward towards the two and sniffed the air once more as if in pure disbelief as to what was said before him. Wonder simple filled the old kings mind as if something needed to be said. Minos thought that something needed to be done! Instead the old monster chortled and leaned back as if his joy would cause his death.

"Ezrael if only I could punish God for such a thing! Fraud would grace me with the pleasures of listening to both your screaming corpses as flesh was removed from bone and only sinew and pain remained!" Minos continued to laugh like the devil himself as he raised his gavel of gold high over head as if mocking the very heavens for this damnation. "You seek the ruler of Hell in a time of many warring factions." Minos brought his free hand against the air before him creating from nothing fire to parchment, a list, and information pertaining to the events that transpired whilst things remained civil within this level of Hell. For the illusion was all that mattered and the souls present need to know that their heaven was a cleverly crafted lie.

"Lucifer is on the move once more, A Dark Emperor of the city of Dis wishes to claim all of Hell, and a prince of Sloth is leaving this pestilent pool of filth on his own. You picked a Hell of a time to journey down into these dark depths." Minos looked over the scroll once more before setting it aflame and watched as the ash bellowed towards the two like snow falling upon fresh earth. "Jean-Paul. I would suggest you make haste then." Minos slowly raised himself up from his throne and continued to look down upon the priest. "Be weary of the Prince of Sloth and take your faith with you. I doubt Lucifer would be pleased if I simply allowed you to pass....However if you take the path that Belphegore once controlled, his bridges, you will find little in the way of resistance. Traverse the mire and into the swamp only to head further down...." Minos groaned as both his throne and himself seemed to fade from view as if blending into the environment which produced them.

Ezrael watched on, a mixed ball of emotions over what he had just encountered. That demon, if Minos could even be called such a thing, had left a serious impression on him. He had thought hell would have no impact on his being, but when facing someone so sure of their position in the world, so full of purpose and completely in control of fulfilling it... And then the conversation itself! "Did he just give us a tip on how to reach Lucifer faster?" he inquired to Jean-Paul, for the first time second-guessing his own plan, then he remembered something, "Oh shoot! I was supposed to ask about Erebuz."

He sighed and flicked a hand dismissively, before insisting; "Not important."

Jean-Paul shrugged and began his march onward. "You don't care that I intend to kill you if you leave this place?"
Ezrael couldn't help but smile. "My dear Jean-Paul, if all goes to plan, you won't want to."
The Frenchman didn't give that a response. He was certain Ezrael had a trick up his sleeve. But he would not give the demon-spawn the satisfaction of an answer.

down

Charon the Ferryman has arrived, coming from Bank of Limbo.

Charon the Ferryman has left the area, heading in into Bank of Limbo.

Charon the Ferryman materializes from the void.

In a cacophony of obliteration, everything to the in vanishes.

In a cacophony of obliteration, everything to the in vanishes.

In a cacophony of obliteration, everything to the north vanishes.

Charon the Ferryman has left the area, heading up into Hell.

Master materializes from the void.

Master has left the area, heading in into The Vestibule (The Indifferent).

Stacey Mahm has left the area, heading in into The Vestibule (The Indifferent).