Is this the same place as before?
It might seem similar to the last one, but the atmosphere felt less severe and calmer.
And besides that, light is shining through!
Carefully, we took a few steps out of the room.
The prison doesn't seem threatening. It's not cozy, but the light makes a difference.
'What is this place?'
From a darkness-filled, bloody building, to a more light, friendly one.
"Let's look around carefully"
Hira suggested, walking further away.
"I'm fine with that. Still... don't let your guard down."
Hira already knew that.
Only because it appears to be harmless for now, doesn't mean it is.
I followed Hira.
She surely has better eyes than I do.
It was impressive that she found the exit in the heat.
Without her, I would've been in the fridge by now.
After we walked a few meters, we came across a weird door between the prison cells.
It seemed out of place...
Just opening it like that could be risky. Who knows what's behind this door?
Perhaps another killer?
I hope not...
Kling!
"...!"
Without any hesitation, Hira just opened the door!
I was staring at her in disbelief.
She moved her eyes, looking at me.
"Shouldn't I've done that...?"
Didn't she think about the dangerous possibilities behind the door?!
And right after, a strong wind came out of the door.
It suck us in like a hoover, cleaning up the dirt.
First Hira were pulled in.
I tried to hold onto the door, trying to pull myself away but with no chance of escaping.
Everything turned into a pitch black void.
Shortly after, I landed inside a white room with marble white pillars and a Red, golden carpet on the ground.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one here.
The room is crowded with many other people I haven't seen so far.
Some were just talking, others were more silent.
'Is Hira here?'
"Fellra!!!"
In the distance, I sensed a familiar voice. It was Hira who approached me with a gleam.
"There you are Fellra!!"
"Do you know anything about this place?"
I asked after she stood in front of me.
"No not really"
She shook her head.
"I tried to communicate with one of these people, but they are either nonchalant and don't want to talk or have no idea."
I see... But before that...
With momentum, I hit Hira on the top of her head with my hand.
"Are you out of your mind opening a door like that after all the stuff that happened?"
Hira covered her head with her arms protectively
"Sorry..."
Who knows where it could've sucked us into?
We should appreciate that we aren't dead.
"It was like... I couldn't control myself. I just had to open it."
She had to open it?!
Like a moth to a lamp. It was like she got pulled into the light.
'What an eerie place...'
Suddenly, the room started to flicker.
The room was filled with confused murmurs.
Everything started to shake as if an earthquake had started
And then... silence...
A big figure appeared out of nowhere.
Our eyes immediately moved in its direction.
It has black horns and seemingly no legs with a shredded black-gold outfit, hovering in the air.
'What is that!'
"Oh... what a surprise!"
It started to speak, while surveying the area.
Everyone was baffled by its sudden appearance.
"More people survived than expected mhhh..."
Who or what is that thing?
It is just hovering in the air.
"HEY! WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU!"
Someone shouted out of the crowd.
"Oh! Sorry for my rude manners. Surely everybody here is confused and doesn't know what is going on"
It chuckled.
Besides his look, it doesn't seem to be dangerous.
"My Name is Lédiv. I'm a devil"
A devil!
Do you want to say that we are in hell?
I wasn't the only one who was baffled. Everyone in the room was. Including Hira.
"The reason why you people are here is simple. You aren't good people, so you will be punished."
So you want to tell me that what we just went through is a kind of punishment.
'Maybe like a personal hell... mh'
"But of course you can always choose to leave."
A door opened behind with light shining through.
'Why would he let us make the choice to leave?'
Something is fishy.
"Everyone who's standing here passed the test. And in the future, you'll have to complete even more like that. Some harder, some easier"
A test? Is that really hell or not?
And more importantly... why is he giving us the choice to leave?
"I might be a devil... but not a Monster. So feel free to leave."
I glanced over to Hira.
She's puzzled, looking dead to the ceiling, not sure what to do.
"Hira. I have a weird feeling in my gut. We should stay."
As I whispered to Hira, the first one went through the exit.
More than half went inside.
And while I got distracted, Hira took a few steps forward.
"Hira!"
I immediately grabbed her arm, pulling her to me.
"Let me go! I don't think I could handle it! I want to go".
She tried to pull away with all her strength.
Her eyes were full of pleading and anxiety.
I could understand her tho.
The stress and fear within the test we fled from wasn't a piece of cake.
And there will be more and harder of these 'tests'.
Still... I couldn't let her go like that.
I'm certain that it won't be a good idea.
And so I was right...
After the door closed on its own, painful and desperate screams came out of the exit.
Below the door, a puddle of blood appeared.
Hira was frozen, staring at the mess.
The room was quiet.
"Hahahaha!"
Lèdiv, the devil, just laughed.
Everyone glanced at him... He lied.
"Ohh, what are your people looking at? I told you that I'm not a Monster but a devil, didn't I?"
So the devil is much more evil than a monster...
It felt like we were more worthless than bugs to him...
I would rather go back to the prison I belonged to than stay here.
"Well... after taking out the trash, let's begin for your purpose why you are here..."
'So he hasn't told us everything.'
"As I already said, this is hell. But this hell is worse. If you haven't noticed it yet, in every pocket is an ID card. If you lose it, you're like dead. The rest is something you have to find out on your own. Everyone has to complete at least 4 so-called 'Hell Floors' in 2 weeks. If not, your card will disappear."
Hello floors? I'll guess this test we did was one of these Hellfloors.
"And what if we die!?"
Someone asked inside the crowd.
It is a solid question.
"Oh! The same will happen to these people. You'll die, and after death, there's nothing. Is it that simple?!"
Yes, it is simple. But there's still something bothering me about all that.
"Oh and how I already said... I'm a devil. If you're passing all the Hellfloors, I'll bring you back to your old life... but better"
'Old life but better?'
So a second chance... mh?
A... second chance.
If I pass these Hell Floors, I could get a better life? Something I was craving for since I started killing...
"Oh! And so you know, to enter a Hellfloor you'll need to use your card on a certain gadget you'll find inside your room."
He started to raise his arm with black dust coming out of it.
"Hira? I hope we will meet each other again."
I formed my fist into a ball to her.
With a smirk, she nodded, giving me a fist bump.
The room began to be filled with this eerie black dust.
I couldn't see, hear, or smell anything.
And in a brief time, I lay in a comfortable, white bed.