《Hel Prime》 Hel Ein jolted awake as violent tremors shook the dark room. He grunted, shivering as his bare feet touched the icy metal floor. The screaming of metal on metal and the deep clunking of distant gears didn¡¯t bother him anymore¡ªit was simply the way of Hel. ¡°Everyone up and out! Time to move!¡± Ein¡¯s voice was rough and slow, commanding despite his exhaustion. ¡°By the Dark One¡¯s immortal soul, already?¡± Tin asked, yawning and stretching languidly. Her wild blonde hair stuck to her broad face, matted with sweat despite the cold. Jav cursed as he stubbed his toe on something in the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s been what, two hours? The Change is happening more erratically.¡± Ein nudged Zia awake with a foot. ¡°Up, girl. We have about two minutes before the Change crushes us into roach food.¡± The youth remained silent but began gathering her things. Even after a year together, she was still quiet and dour. Ein couldn¡¯t blame her, not after what she¡¯d been through. Jav and Tin clicked on their torches, filling the bare metal room with sudden, blinding radiance. Within thirty seconds, the four of them stepped out into a thin hallway, wary of the increasing tremors. ¡°Hel¡¯s in a foul mood today,¡± Jav muttered, casually sidestepping a falling steel plate. ¡°This bastard of a place is always in a foul mood.¡± Tin¡¯s laugh echoed down the hallway, too loud and cheerful. ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice for it to be considerate enough to be foul after we got more than two hours of sleep,¡± Jav snapped, clearly on edge like the rest of them. The usual dread smothered them as they quieted and continued down the twisting, nonsensically laid out hallway. They weren¡¯t family, or even true friends. Hel, they were hardly acquaintances despite surviving together for countless years. But they were all each other had. Ein trailed behind the others, covering their rear. His spear¡ªlittle more than a malformed and broken pipe¡ªserved as both weapon and walking staff. He let the familiar darkness consume him, straining his ears to ensure nothing followed. The shaking gradually lessened as minutes bled by, concluding after twenty minutes in a hellish cacophony of living metal consuming itself. His body and mind refused to release the paranoia and tension that had kept him alive for so long. Each step was purposeful, even if he never knew where they were headed. Ein had one goal: keep the group alive. He halted as the others continued forward, whipping around with gray eyes wide. Ein waited, tugging at his unkempt black beard. Silent darkness stared back, as if in competition. He scowled and¡ª There. Golden pinpricks of light in the distance. Damn the dead gods, he thought, lips pulling back in a silent snarl. Ein spun and stomped forward, spear thunking against the floor. It took only a minute to reach the now-still group. ¡°Demons,¡± Ein said slowly, his expression grim. ¡°Seriously?¡± Jav muttered, his pale face blanching as he clutched at the twisted knife on his belt. ¡°Even in their absence, the gods toy with us.¡± Tin¡¯s icy blue eyes were tired. Watching her proud, muscled shoulders slump¡ªher height shrinking as if she collapsed in on herself¡ªwas like taking a helfire bolt to the gut. Ein strode forward, clearing any trace of fear from his face as he ruffled Zia¡¯s short, uneven shock of red hair. ¡°We will persevere. As we always have.¡± Zia¡¯s thin, gaunt face was a mask of pure terror. Ein crouched, his large bulk still towering over the girl. He didn¡¯t attempt to hug the skittish youth, but stared deep into the emerald pools of her eyes. ¡°They won¡¯t harm you, Zia. We¡¯ll simply outpace and avoid them as we always have. Don¡¯t be frightened, child¡ªthey¡¯ll need to get through me regardless,¡± he rumbled before rising and nodding to Jav and Tin. ¡°That goes for you two fools as well. Let¡¯s hurry on.¡± That quelled their fears slightly, and they quickened their pace. Ein stayed a dozen paces behind Zia, with Tin taking point and Jav close behind her. Every minute or so, Ein looked behind them. The golden pinpricks of light still came, just as distant as before. He followed the group around a sharp corner, sighing when he saw what appeared to be an endless staircase. They ascended, minutes bleeding by as the stairs twisted and curved at odd intervals. Ein knew the others were likely thinking of their possible impending death, and he needed to distract them.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°With any luck, we¡¯ll find a stream or crossroads after these stairs, then we can speed things up and lose the demons,¡± he said, trying¡ªand failing¡ªto sound hopeful. ¡°That¡¯d be nice, but I¡¯m more worried about finding food,¡± Tin predictably said with a hollow chuckle. ¡°If we find food, we¡¯re likely to find trouble¡­¡± Jav was, as always, a bit of a pessimist. ¡°Perhaps today the humans we stumble across won¡¯t try to kill us!¡± Ein forced a laugh. ¡°We have some good things to trade, after all.¡± ¡°Hey Ein. Do you think today will be the day you tell us what you remember about your past?¡± Zia asked softly. That made the others perk up. It had been days since she last spoke. Ein sighed, then considered the question. He¡­he was nothing before he found these three. For the thousandth time he wracked his mind. Decades of a life of hardships and glories that he felt he must have lived¡ªthe body of a warrior of some kind, with the scars and exhaustion to match. Yet a void sat where the memories should be. He remembered nothing beyond this cold, metallic Hel. ¡°I don¡¯t, sadly. I remember nothing besides Hel,¡± Ein said as the group climbed a tight spiraling section of stairs. ¡°I remember¡­ash and pain. Wilting grass and burning corpses¡­¡± Zia trailed off. The words hung heavy in the cold air. Ein frowned as the silence stretched. Jav and Tin both had about as much memory as Zia, though theirs were less unsettling. Before anyone spoke again, the Change came down upon them. Tin and Jav both nearly fell backwards as they stumbled, trying to avoid the collapsing staircase ahead. ¡°Down everyone, now!¡± Ein roared, snatching up Zia with his right arm. The other two hurried past him, but Jav hesitated. ¡°But¡­the demons¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that when we need to! Keep an eye out for new paths and maybe we can still avoid them.¡± Ein¡¯s voice brooked no argument. Metal screamed behind them as the passage and stairs collapsed, though Ein didn¡¯t waste time looking. They made good time, but the stairs just kept descending. The end was nowhere in sight. Ein reached forward and yanked Tin back as a massive pipe swung down from the ceiling. It crashed against the wall, denting it and making Tin curse. ¡°Thanks Ein,¡± Tin muttered, nodding at him before continuing. Ein felt the tremors increasing, as did the screeching of metal. But under it all, he could just make out the distant footsteps of demons. His grip tightened on his spear, useless as it was against monsters like them. They couldn¡¯t outpace the Change, and the passage started morphing before their eyes. Long wall panels of metal fell away into infinite darkness, others clattered off smaller sections, revealing rougher panels like it was shedding skin. The stairs began curving erratically, some parts of the passage closing in on them before expanding, as if Hel was breathing. Falling panels and pipes steadily grew in frequency, their path growing more dangerous by the second. Zia was a quiet, trembling weight under his arm. Ein silently commended her for not crying or making a sound of fear. ¡°Ein¡­¡± Jav said, his voice thick with dread. The golden pinpricks flared in the darkness far below, but they were alarmingly close. Ein stomped forward, handing Zia over to Tin as he stopped in front of the group. His considerable bulk shielded his companions, but he knew the demons could burn through him in mere moments. He waved them forward, and the group hesitantly followed him down the unstable passage. Toward the demons. After a few minutes, the demons¡¯ eyes flickered, and Ein blinked. They were far too close for comfort. Ein shielded Jav from a falling pipe, letting it painfully smash against his back. It banged against a wall panel to the right, knocking it loose with a clatter. ¡°Here! Looks like there¡¯s a passageway behind this panel¡ªhelp me pry it free,¡± Ein said with urgency. With the help of Jav and Tin, the panel was slowly pulled away from the hall, but not far enough. Gold light filled the stairway as something roared past Ein, exploding against the stairs a dozen paces above them in a shower of molten flame. He grunted and they managed to get the panel far enough for even Ein to fit through. He ushered Zia through first, then Jav. Ein glanced down at the demons¡¯ eyes just as another bolt of helfire shot from the darkness. He growled and tossed Tin through the gap in the wall as the bolt reached him. It grazed his left arm, exploding against the ceiling above. Ein hissed and tried to ignore the streak of blackened, burned flesh and the searing pain pulsing through his arm. He squeezed through the gap right as another bolt hit some pipes above the loose panel. Molten steel sprayed and massive sections of pipe blew apart, partially covering the gap. Ein turned and hurried to catch up to the others, who had smartly continued forward instead of waiting. The passage was flat and wide, so without a word they gradually started jogging, trying to put distance between themselves, the demons, and the Change. Ten, then twenty minutes flew by in a haze. It took another twenty for the rumbling of the Change to be nothing but small vibrations. ¡°Are you alright Ein?¡± Tin asked, huffing. He nodded, though he didn¡¯t speak. After a moment he held up a hand, causing the others to slow to a brisk walk. His wound was agonizing, but he pushed the pain down. He couldn¡¯t afford the distraction. ¡°Your burn will need tending soon, regardless¡­¡± Zia said softly, gazing up at the mountain of a man¡¯s hard face. Ein grunted in response. Jav was lanky and a mediocre fighter, but he had extensive knowledge about mechanical things and even some of the odd technology they sometimes found across Hel. Tin was good in a battle, and almost as scarred and large as Ein¡ªyet she knew how to safely make the vile food they found edible, sometimes even capable of nearly making it taste good with the right supplies. Ein himself was little use to them outside of combat or hunting. But Zia was the only reason they were still alive. She was the only one of them who knew anything about medicine and healing. Without her, they would¡¯ve never found the salves and sterile bandages they carried. They wouldn¡¯t even be able to stitch a small cut or make a rash go away without the youth. But that could wait until they were safe and fed. Demons It took them two hours of tired trudging to stumble across a crossroads. The junction was immense, leading to three similarly sized corridors that curved away into darkness. Surprisingly, a single electric light shone down on the middle of the crossroads. The group slowed, hovering over a dozen paces from the light, torches turned off for now. Ein silently stepped forward, approaching the circle of light with caution, spear gripped tight in both hands. He reached the corner of one corridor, and after a moment he peeked around it, seeing nothing but darkness. He strode forward and strained his ears. The occasional mechanical clank came from the corridor to the right, and he swore he could faintly hear the barest echo of screams and shouts from the one on the left. Straight ahead it was. Ein waved them forward, taking point this time and flicking on his own torch. As they went down the slightly sloping corridor, the air rapidly grew colder. That could only mean one of several things. ¡°Might be a cryo runoff section coming up. Hopefully,¡± Tin said cheerfully, though her breath came out in visible puffs. ¡°Oh joy, I can¡¯t wait to possibly fall into an icy death,¡± Jav grumbled, though he did perk up a bit. ¡°Better that than coming across the wraith generators, Jav.¡± Tin chuckled at the man¡¯s suddenly contemplative face. ¡°Or worse!¡± Ein tried his own laugh, though it sounded hollow. ¡°Might be able to get a few crystals and cryo to trade or use.¡± ¡°Fair point,¡± Jav said as he gripped the jagged metal knife¡ªjust a twisted piece of metal with cloth strips for a grip¡ªtucked into his belt. ¡°Having either of those would make me feel a little better.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re crystals¡­¡± Zia whispered, though only Ein seemed to hear her. ¡°What are they?¡± Ein asked, amused. ¡°Theurgy.¡± Something stopped him from responding, like a weight crushing down on his mind. The word was familiar, yet he¡¯d never heard it before. He shook his head and grunted, pushing it from his mind. ¡°Whatever they are, they¡¯re as hard as steel and make fine weapons and explosives,¡± he rumbled. They lapsed into silence as Tin passed around a canteen of water. Ein took a single swig and handed it to Zia. It tasted bitter and metallic, but quenched his thirst for the moment. Within minutes the corridor¡¯s walls were coated in frost, an icy fog wafting toward the group from the depths of the passage. Their torches barely pierced the fog, and they clustered closer together as the corridor became unreasonably large. Ein¡¯s beard annoyingly gathered moisture, but he ignored it for now. It didn¡¯t take long before they entered a cavern and stepped onto thin metal pathways suspended above streams and pools of bubbling cryo¡ªthe source of the cold fog. The room was surprisingly well lit, causing Ein to look over the short railing. Clusters of glowing crystals grew from corpses scattered across the room. The wall sixty feet ahead of them was covered in massive pipes and contraptions, each dumping cryo into the room. Zia kept her eyes on the walkway, clearly unsettled by the corpses. Ein led the group deeper into the room, turning right onto a walkway that sloped down steeply. Minutes later, they were on the uneven steel ground. ¡°Help me bottle up some cryo, Tin. Be careful,¡± Jav said, once they were certain they were alone here. Ein directed Zia to sit on a raised section of metal, then turned to look around the room, tree trunk thick arms crossed across his broad chest. There were no clear paths to any of the crystals, unfortunately. He grunted and unslung his pack to rummage through it. A moment later he hefted a coil of rough brown rope. They¡¯d never come across a cryo room that was safe enough to be this brash, so this was a first for them all. Ein fashioned the end of one rope into a lasso, twirled it briefly and let it sail across a stream of blue liquid at least a dozen feet wide. He narrowed his eyes as it looped around a cluster growing from one corpse. He pulled it closer, and when it was at the edge of the stream, he yanked it. A group of six crystals broke off, but they landed in the shallow stream with the rope. He cursed and crouched in front of Zia as the crystals exploded, sending shards and droplets of cryo everywhere. His forgotten rope froze over as deep blue crystals started growing along its length.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Ein stood and reassessed. Tin and Jav nervously went back to making a few more small bottles of cryo after looking to him for reassurance. He glanced around, judging the space he had. Almost ten feet of space. Not as much as he¡¯d like. Ein backed up¡ªthen charged forward, before leaping as he reached the edge of the stream. He sailed through the air, to the horror of the rest of the group. Jav gasped, though Tin merely laughed. He hit the dry ground solidly, little more than an inch from the cryo stream. He let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding, then got to work. After setting down his spear, he crouched and gripped a few short, fat crystals. With a jerk, they snapped off. It took only a minute to fill the pouch at his waist with small crystals, but before he rose he eyed one of the larger ones. It was flat and slender, nearly four feet long and glowing with a peculiar white light. He carefully snapped it free, wincing as he accidentally cut a finger on a sharp edge. Ein grabbed some scraps of cloth from another pouch and made a simple grip for the crystal. He hefted it, noting how incredibly light it felt. After a second he grabbed his spear, backed up, and leapt across the stream again. He landed safely again, then picked his pack back up. Tin and Jav were putting away their bottles of cryo, though they gave a small one to Ein. They made their way back up to the dozen or so walkways, then set off for a distant corridor set into the far side of the room. ¡°Here, Jav.¡± Ein stepped up beside him and held out the spear. When he gave him an odd look, Ein held up his new crystal weapon. The man took the spear with an appreciative nod. When they were halfway through the room, his crystal sword grew brighter, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, and he whipped around, sword at the ready. No¡­ From the direction of three other corridors came three demons. They advanced faster than normal, though they made no sound. They can control the damned noise they make? He thought with a muttered curse. ¡°Those last walkways look treacherous. You three hurry ahead, I¡¯ll catch up,¡± Ein said calmly, though he was anything but calm inside. Jav grabbed Zia by the arm and jogged off, but Tin looked ready to argue. After a moment she jogged off as well. The demons converged on the walkway he was on, each a few dozen paces behind each other. The first one was entirely too close for comfort, only twenty feet away. He bit his tongue as he felt fear bleed through his body. ¡°You lot are nothing but machines!¡± He laughed as he raised his sword in two hands. The laugh was forced, but he was determined not to show fear in the face of these demons. The first one was ten feet away now. Unlike most Ein had come across, this one had two thin, long blades of bluish metal attached to its slender arms. It was vaguely humanoid, but entirely made of polished ceramic plates, all sharp angles and mechanical movements. Its face was rounded, etched with human features that were far too realistic. The demons may be smaller than Ein, but he knew just how dangerous they were. It advanced steadily until it was mere feet from him, then it lunged, its usual lethargy replaced with blinding speed. Ein stumbled back and clumsily slammed his sword against one blade, flinging it wide. The other slid across his right arm, but the cut was shallow. Before it could recover he kicked it in the chest, sending it flying back into the second demon. He winced as he pulled out a tiny crystal fragment and the bottle of cryo. It¡¯d been like kicking six hundred pounds of brick. The demons righted themselves, and both blade wielding machines advanced again. The last one¡ª Ein stared in disbelief as the third rifle wielding demon leapt over the first two, denting the walkway and sending vibrations up his legs as it landed eight feet away from him. It raised its sleek, rune covered rifle of metals he couldn¡¯t identify, and pointed it at his chest. The runes flared gold¡ª Ein dove under the blast of helfire that shot from the rifle, though it singed the back of his shirt as well as some of his hair. He still clutched the crystal and cryo as he reached the demon before it could fire again. With an immense grunt of effort, Ein grabbed the demon with both arms, and flung it over the railing like it was a small sack of flour. He backed up, though he was tempted to look as there was a splash, followed by a searing, gold tinged explosion that rocked the room. He hastily uncapped the bottle before throwing the crystal into it. Without wasting a moment he flung it at the two remaining demons. It shattered against them, freezing parts of them and exploding into a mess of jagged crystal shards. Ein turned and sprinted away as the crystals continued to grow. He looked back as he reached the group, just in time for an even larger explosion to rock the room. It twisted and melted several of the walkways and even made parts of the ceiling cave in with a loud series of crashes. ¡°You did not just fight not one, but three demons¡ªand live,¡± Jav hurried up to him, face shocked and awed as he clapped him on the arm. ¡°You¡­you destroyed them!¡± Tin laughed and punched his shoulder. ¡°I was starting to doubt they could be killed!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely convinced,¡± Ein muttered, then raised his voice. ¡°Regardless, let¡¯s hurry on. Maybe those were the ones following us, maybe not. There¡¯s always more where they came from.¡± That dampened their excitement. He nodded to them and led them forward, into the dark, foggy corridor. The fog didn¡¯t clear for fifteen minutes, then it grew remarkably warmer. Adrenaline still pulsed through him, his blood still rushing in his ears. The small victory didn¡¯t make Ein feel anything but worry. For years, the demons were always slow, loud and dogged in their pursuit of humans. Yet these were able to move quieter and faster when it suited them¡ªnot to mention their self-destruction. He was convinced that cryo barely harmed them, but rather it merely slowed them. They could¡¯ve worked themselves free given time. But instead they blew themselves up. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what it meant, but it unsettled him. Now he looked forward, holding his glowing crystal sword aloft instead of his torch, and prayed to the dead gods that they find food and water soon. Fickle Humanity An hour later they hovered outside a cavern, voices and laughter echoing from within. Ein¡¯s muscles screamed in protest as he edged forward alone. What he was about to do went against every instinct he had, but their need for food had grown desperate. He peered into the cavern, drawn to a steady light on the right. An electric lantern illuminated a wide circle where six men sat, their shadows dancing against the rough walls. Ein exhaled slowly, steeling himself for what might come next. ¡°Hello! We¡¯re passing through, looking to trade for food if you have any!¡± Ein called out, raising an empty hand as he stepped into view. A squat man with dangerous eyes shot to his feet, brandishing a steel pipe. ¡°Careful now, friend.¡± He squinted at Ein through the dim light. ¡°Are you truly just here to trade?¡± ¡°Yes, friend. I have no wish for violence between us today,¡± Ein replied, keeping his crystal sword lowered but ready. ¡°Do I have your word?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ein turned and beckoned to his group. The four of them approached cautiously. Ein produced a small crystal and held it out to the group¡¯s apparent leader¡ªa pale man with a nasty scar across his cheek and long blonde hair that contrasted with his patchy beard. ¡°We have medical supplies, crystals, and cryo,¡± Ein said, watching as the man¡¯s face split into an unsettling grin. ¡°We could use some of that. Here, have some jerky while we deal.¡± The scarred man¡¯s cheerfulness felt forced. ¡°We have more, plus some canned foods.¡± Ein accepted and distributed strips of dried meat to his group. His stomach growled as he took his first bite. By the second bite, something felt wrong. The other leader¡¯s expression had shifted to something predatory. ¡°So we¡¯ll trade two pieces of jerky and one can of food for every two crystals and two bottles of cryo.¡± The man casually tossed Ein¡¯s crystal to one of his companions. ¡°Did you make this jerky yourselves? The flavor is¡­distinctive,¡± Ein said, forcing lightness into his tone while his grip tightened on his sword. ¡°We did! It¡¯s how we¡¯ve survived so long. Of course, not everyone can stomach eating human but¡ª¡± Ein¡¯s crystal sword swept forward without conscious thought, cleaving through the man¡¯s skull. The top half of his head flew off, spraying blood as the twitching corpse collapsed onto one of his companions. Behind him, Zia¡¯s scream dissolved into retching. Jav dropped to his knees, violently throwing up. Tin blanched before hurling her piece of meat aside, rage twisting her features as she raised her club and stepped up beside Ein. The five surviving men scrambled for weapons¡ªpipes and jagged metal shards¡ªbut Ein wouldn¡¯t let them escape. His fury carried him forward as he speared a thin man through the back, then sent another sprawling with a savage punch. Tin¡¯s club connected with a sickening crunch, breaking one man¡¯s arm. She cursed as another tackled her. The last man ignored the still-heaving Jav and charged toward Zia.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. No! Ein¡¯s mind screamed. He slashed his current opponent across the chest and kicked him down, but he was too far away. The burly, grime-streaked man had already pinned Zia, pressing a pipe against her throat. Ein sprinted forward, sword forgotten, left hand reaching out. He almost missed Zia¡¯s desperate scrabbling at the man¡¯s belt. As Ein grabbed the attacker¡¯s greasy black hair, the man jolted and coughed. Ein yanked him off Zia, eyes widening at the jagged metal knife protruding from the man¡¯s chest. He turned back to Zia, heart heavy. She trembled violently, crimson staining her tattered tunic. Tears cut clean tracks through the blood spattered on her face. Ein verified the other attackers were down before crouching beside her. ¡°You did excellent,¡± he said softly, helping her to her feet. ¡°I¡­killed a man.¡± Her voice quavered. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry you had to. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t protect you from that.¡± Ein¡¯s voice was gentle but firm. ¡°But it had to be done.¡± She looked up at him, eyes wide and wet. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why did you retch when you realized what you¡¯d eaten?¡± Ein held her gaze, his expression hardening. ¡°Because it was horrific and vile and wrong?¡± ¡°What do you think would have happened if we¡¯d let them live? Or if we¡¯d made it clear we only wanted the canned food?¡± ¡°They¡­they would¡¯ve killed and eaten more humans?¡± He squeezed her shoulder, nodding grimly. ¡°Hel holds enough atrocities without humans adding to it. Maybe we¡¯ve saved future groups from a nasty end.¡± She fell silent but continued trembling. Ein turned to the others. ¡°Jav, Tin, help gather anything useful and the canned food. We need to move¡ªall that noise will draw attention.¡± Twenty minutes later, they chose a random corridor and set off. Their spoils included fresh clothing, twelve cans of food, and two canteens of water. Jav had found some small mechanical devices that seemed to distract him from their grim encounter. Tin¡¯s mood lifted as she distributed four cans among them. They ate in silence as they walked, a heavy cloud of disgust and regret hanging over them. They¡¯d avoided killing humans for so long¡ªand even though these ones had been monsters, it still felt wrong. Ein finished his can of vegetables, ignoring the metallic taste of the black liquid they floated in. Still better than rat. His satisfied stomach let him focus on what lay ahead. He watched Zia practically inhale her portion before falling into step between himself and Jav, while Tin took point. The Change struck just as their nerves began settling. The corridor¡¯s ceiling started collapsing mere feet behind Ein. ¡°Run!¡± He lunged forward to deflect a falling pipe aimed at Zia. She cringed but sprinted past Jav. Ein let the pipe clatter down and ran¡ªthough his exhausted muscles made it more of a controlled stumble. ¡°One thing after another, right guys!¡± Tin¡¯s breathless laugh held an edge of hysteria. Behind them, metal screamed and roared. The corridor shook violently, nearly sending Ein sprawling. The cascade of destruction seemed to chase them, growing louder with each step. Ein roared and forced himself faster, sliding his sword into his belt. He scooped up Jav under his left arm, then Zia with his right. His muscles shrieked in protest, sweat pouring down his face, but somehow he pushed on, right behind Tin. They dodged falling debris for a full minute before bursting into an immense, narrow room. The shaking stopped with a final rumble that sounded disturbingly like laughter. Where they¡¯d entered, there was now only solid wall. Jav dropped to the ground, cursing between pants as he slumped against the wall. Ein set Zia down and drew his crystal sword for light. Something about the cavernous hallway nagged at Ein¡¯s mind. The floor tiles were unusually small, and the wall panels twisted with strange decorations. The ceiling vanished into darkness above, defying even Tin¡¯s torch beam. Ein raised his hand, halting the group. He knelt to study the tiles to their right, then pulled out a piece of metal scavenged from the cannibals. He tossed it onto the fourth of seven small tiles directly ahead. A hiss split the air. A metal rod longer than Jav¡¯s spear shot from the left wall, embedding itself in the right with a shriek of steel. If someone had been standing there, it would have impaled them through the chest. ¡°I¡¯ll say it for those thinking it¡ªscrew the gods, screw Hel, and screw this room,¡± Jav said with a hysterical, breathless laugh. ¡°Traps. It just had to be traps. This should be fun.¡± Tin¡¯s tired grin didn¡¯t reach her eyes as she moved up beside Ein. ¡°Fun¡­right,¡± Ein muttered, but he nodded to his group, bracing himself for whatever deadly challenges lay ahead. Trapped ¡°Well, we only have one way to go. How the hel are we going to do this?¡± Tin said, folding her beefy arms. ¡°Let me think for a moment.¡± Ein sat down with a weary sigh before drinking from a canteen. Zia sat quietly in a corner behind the rest of the group, hugging her knees and rocking back and forth. Jav settled near Ein, followed by Tin, and pulled out a small spyglass. He stared down the length of the room as Tin shined a torch that way. His frown deepened with each passing second. The spyglass was a precious tool he¡¯d found years ago in a factorium. Beyond its intended purpose, it could glimpse electronic sensors, invisible tripwires, and several forms of energy. It had saved their lives more times than they could count. Minutes crawled by as dread grew within Ein. He couldn¡¯t see any way through the room without dying in the first minute. He glanced at Jav and nudged him. Jav kept staring through the spyglass but said, ¡°Not good, Ein. Some of these energy spots are too erratic, too hard to pin down.¡± ¡°By the thirteenth¡­any one else have suggestions?¡± Ein muttered, looking around the group. Silence hung heavy until Zia scampered over to Ein and pointed at his pouches. ¡°Give me a few crystals.¡± He hesitated, but something in her flat eyes made him hand several over. He had to fight down a shout as Zia strode onto the tiles. He reached for her but grabbed only empty air. The group watched, shocked, as white light radiated from both her hands. The crystals¡¯ inner light leeched away, seeping into her skin. Ein let his arm drop, beady eyes wide, his open mouth hidden behind his unkempt beard. ¡°Hurry up guys! Only step on the tiles I step on, and move how I move,¡± Zia called back, her eyes suddenly bright, an uncharacteristic grin spreading across her face. They shared a look but didn¡¯t question it. Ein followed her, gingerly stepping on the tiles behind Zia. Surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t immediately eviscerated, filled with darts, spears, or arrows, or made to inhale caustic clouds of searing chemicals. And so it went. Minutes dragged by agonizingly slowly, their feet hitting steel tiles and nervous breathing the only sounds. Ein found himself oddly calm, utterly trusting Zia for reasons he couldn¡¯t explain. Tin looked nervous but mostly collected, while sweat ran down Jav¡¯s face as he occasionally muttered and jerked at the plethora of shadows writhing around their torches and Ein¡¯s crystal sword. Sometimes they bounded over stretches of tiles or wove in odd patterns, like some macabre dance. Rarely they ducked under or over invisible tripwires and triggers, or waited for electronic ones on staggered timers. But even after a full hour, not one trap activated. A soft click sounded behind him, where Jav stood. The group froze. Ein twisted around slowly, eyes cast downward. Jav¡¯s right foot pressed down on a tile to the right of the safe one. Jav trembled and looked at his foot before gulping audibly. He met Ein¡¯s eyes. Before he could speak, Ein sighed and held up a hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Jav. No use in apologizing or getting upset over something like this. Just hold still for a moment,¡± Ein rumbled. He turned to the wide-eyed Zia and said, ¡°There¡¯s no telling what happens when he lifts his foot. I need you to focus on leading us, as fast as you can.¡± Ein nodded to her, then craned his neck to nod at Jav and Tin behind him. He gestured, and Zia hastily continued. Tin stopped near Ein as he twisted to face Jav, before pulling him forward and pushing him after Zia. Nothing happened in the moments that followed, and Ein let out a¡ª A slight tremor ran through the hallway. Ein forced himself to focus on following the group, but as the tremors grew closer, he turned and held up his softly glowing sword. Finding it inadequate, he pulled out a torch, flicking it on and shining it back the way they¡¯d come. Ein carefully followed the group, peering behind him to memorize the pattern of safe tiles. When he looked ahead again, there it was. It was indistinct, swathed in impenetrable shadows¡ªno, not shadows, but black vapor leaking from its twisted, bulky form. Ein didn¡¯t wait for a clearer picture of the thing. He turned and pounded after the group, ushering them forward as a metallic roar, overlaid by several bloodcurdling human voices, echoed through the hallway. That chilled his blood and sent adrenaline pulsing through him, his body expecting a deadly fight. Ein¡ª Something cold, metallic, and hard slammed against his left leg. He cursed as it pulled his leg from under him, catching sight of a twisted, three-fingered hand of steel and claw. He floundered as it pulled him backward, into shadows and towards that metallic roaring. He twisted, managing to get on his back and take a few blind swings with his sword. The last swing connected, shearing through a metal tendril with an explosion of sparks, flame, and acrid black vapor.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. He shot up to his feet, wincing at the shallow cuts on his left leg. Seeing Tin rush toward him, he shouted, ¡°Go! Don¡¯t stop until you¡¯re out of this hallway!¡± Tin hesitated, then thought better of it as the roaring, metallic screeching, and tremors grew closer. She nodded to him before tossing him a bottle of cryo, then running off. He caught the bottle, then closed his weary eyes for a moment. He opened them and turned as he slammed his sword into the ground, where it easily slid a few inches into the steel tile. He retrieved a small crystal from his pouches, then glanced to the right, where his torch lay, casting a beam of light towards the approaching thing. When it was thirty or so feet away, parts of it stepped into the light. What fresh hel is this? Ein thought, freezing for a second. The squat thing lumbered forward on six spindly legs, a long tail thrashing behind it. Its torso was a dozen paces long and nearly thrice as thick as Ein, and he took an involuntary step back as he made out more details. Compared to the mechanical demons, this looked unfinished and rough. Metal plates coated its frame, though gears, wires, and other odd things were visible through countless gaps and cracks. Black vapor¡ªacrid but definitely not normal smoke¡ªleaked from every crevice as it moved forward. The rest¡ª Ein fought down bile and shoved the crystal into the half-forgotten jar of cryo. The rest of the cyborg sickened him. Atop the mechanical frame¡¯s shoulders were two sorry-looking human heads, mere inches apart. Mechanical devices were bolted into their skulls, wires and tubing embedded into their stretched-thin skin. Blood and black sludge flowed from their orifices, and both of their eyes were replaced by glowing red orbs. One head was missing their lower jaw, a metallic set of mandibles sitting in its place. His eyes traveled down as he tensed, ready to throw the bottle. The two humans¡¯ bodies¡ªtheir shoulders, torsos, and limbs¡ªwere grotesquely split and stretched over the mechanical frame, as if they were skinned and laid messily on top of it. It only covered around half of the frame, skin and bone stretching across most of the torso and some of the legs. Hundreds of tiny bolts and devices kept the skin in place, and Ein shuddered as he noted a dozen red-hot pipes piercing the skin on the cyborg¡¯s back. He finally noticed the two odd tendrils mounted on its shoulders as the undamaged one slithered forward, like a snake tasting the air for its prey. He threw the cryo bomb¡ªjust as the immense cyborg rushed forward, both shoulder tendrils whipping toward him. Ein ripped his sword free, then barely ducked under the damaged tendril. He slashed at the other, sending the clawed hand flying in a shower of sparks. The cyborg bellowed, a terrible symphony of machine and humans gone mad. The cryo bomb smashed against one shoulder and leg, making azure crystals crackle into existence, growing along its body rapidly. Even as they continued to grow, the cyborg closed in on him. In the back of his mind, he realized that it set off no traps. Before he could turn tail and run, it flung itself forward, slamming into him. For a moment, he was just inches away from the twisted, screaming human heads¡ªthen he struck at its left arm as it moved to curl around him. The sword tore a gash in the metal, revealing more wires and actuators, starting a fire beneath the metal plates. He let the thing¡¯s momentum send him stumbling backward. He rolled, then pushed himself back up. Ein cursed as the cyborg was there, bringing down a crystal-covered leg on his head, claws spread wide. He narrowly avoided it as he stepped back, hoping he wouldn¡¯t set off any traps. The spindly, flexible limb crashed against the tiles, then shattered, crystals and bits of metal peppering Ein. He threw himself forward while it screeched in rage, sword held high overhead. With a hiss and a spray of blood and black liquid, he sliced through the head with mandibles. That seemed to send the cyborg reeling. It thrashed and fell to the ground, tendrils and legs nearly hitting Ein. He wasted no time¡ªhe turned and ran. He didn¡¯t slow or pause as he started setting off traps every other step. A needlessly long spear passed in front of his face. He barreled through a flurry of needle-thin darts, several peppering his right arm. The cyborg was content to stay behind, judging by the screams and lack of tremors. He cursed as he barely leapt over a sudden bolt of lightning that flickered into existence, then avoided a stream of blue flame that singed his wild hair. The traps kept coming¡ªa suddenly collapsing section of ceiling, two pitfalls, a caustic jet of vapor, a series of explosions, spikes erupting from the floor, even wall panels that slid open to let wraiths stagger for him. He could see the tiny exit to these cursed halls, just a few dozen feet away¡ªhe could see Zia hovering inside the next room, Tin and Jav waving to him frantically. Aside from traps, two wraiths stood in his way. Though he was battered, exhausted and numb, he hefted his jagged crystal sword in two hands and let the monsters advance. They were almost amusing, compared to the cyborg he¡¯d just faced. The wraiths were humans previously¡ªuntil they¡¯d met an untimely end and gotten thrown into some wraith generators. They were bloody and broken, clearly having died months ago, but their bodies didn¡¯t appear to decay like they should. Pulsing, deep crimson veins spread just beneath the surface of their skin, and their eyes were unseeing and blank, lit dimly by a crimson glow. The following moments were a blur of gnashing teeth, weak sword blows, and pain. Wraiths may be relatively slow and less deadly than some beings in Hel, but they had an insatiable hunger and inhuman strength. He skewered the wraith coming at him from the right, kicking the bowling thing away, then staggered back as the other one slammed into him from the left, with near bone-shattering force. His staggering made him set off another trap, and he ducked as metal disks of steel blurred through the air right above him. When he looked up, both wraiths lay sliced to pieces on the floor¡ªthough they still moved, even as pulsing crimson liquid leaked from their neatly partitioned corpses. Ein steadied himself as he wobbled a bit. He took a breath, then dashed for the exit. Somehow he only set off several fire and dart traps¡ªthen he burst through the exit, panting and out of breath. He glanced up at a soft screech. Tin was closing and securing a sliding door¡ªan uncommon feature to any room they stumbled across. It didn¡¯t make him feel any safer. The room was large, circular, and devoid of features. Sterile, with almost seamless wall and ceiling panels. A massive spiraling stairwell sat in the center of the room, descending into darkness. ¡°You had us worried for a second!¡± Tin laughed, clearly relieved. ¡°What¡¯s a few cyborgs, traps, and wraiths, eh?¡± Ein muttered, sinking down against a wall. Jav blanched, looked at the barred door, then said, ¡°Cyborg? And you only walked away half-dead?¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re either insane or immortal.¡± Zia crept forward and stared at his numerous wounds with wide eyes before saying, ¡°Let me tend to them, you can¡¯t keep putting it off. It¡¯s the least I can do¡ªthey¡¯re all from protecting us.¡± For once, Ein didn¡¯t argue that it was a waste of time¡ªmostly because he slumped back against the wall, and passed out. Whirlpool Tin grunted, sweat pouring down her body, making her ragged tunic and pants cling uncomfortably to her skin. She eyed Ein, who she¡¯d just dragged down far too many feet of spiraling stairs. Behind her, Jav muttered to himself while setting up lanterns they¡¯d taken from the cannibals. Zia made soft sounds of awe, still standing at the base of the stairs. ¡°Come on Zia, we need to get him patched up. You¡¯re the one who heard running water and said we might need to,¡± Tin said, panting as she stood and rolled her aching shoulders. That snapped the teen out of it. She tossed her pack down near them, then scampered off with several mostly empty canteens. Zia had never seen a whirlpool, let alone one so immense. They¡¯d descended the stairs to find a roaring, fifty-foot-wide whirlpool ringed by a circular steel platform. Frothing water sent sprays of fine mist through the air, and though waves sloshed onto the platform, the whirlpool¡¯s edges were gentle enough to collect water from. Zia tasted the water, then held up a thumb¡ªit was drinkable and seemingly clean, thankfully. She started filling canteens as Jav sat down near Tin and pulled out mechanical pieces to fiddle with. Tin slumped against the wall, glancing at Ein. They¡¯d bound his leg with clean rags for now and removed various darts and metal shards from his body. Wounds and cuts covered him, but his breathing and pulse remained strong and steadfast. ¡°He¡¯s always a damned fool,¡± Jav muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know why or how he does it, any chance he can.¡± Tin laughed and said, ¡°Maybe he is a fool. But even if he won¡¯t admit it, he throws himself into danger because he¡¯s grown to love us.¡± Jav wrinkled his nose but smiled after a few moments. ¡°Love is a tad strong, I think. But I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t hold a certain fondness for this group of fools.¡± ¡°And where would we be without our dutiful voice of logic and pessimism!¡± Tin winked at him, earning a scowl. ¡°I¡­ I wish I wasn¡¯t so scared and weak.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Tin shrugged and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, man. I might be a little more robust, but I don¡¯t have the stones or fortitude to do what he does. I¡¯d be frozen if I tried to go against demons, cyborgs, wraiths and anything else while you guys escape. I¡¯d say fear and a healthy sense of self preservation is normal.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Jav started assembling parts, gears, and devices on the floor in front of him. ¡°But he feels that too, yet¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll always be a mystery, Jav. Best not to question the only reason we¡¯re still kicking,¡± Tin said lightly. She eyed Jav as his dainty hands assembled parts and connected wires with ease. ¡°How the hel do you even know what you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your doodad. It just looks like a bunch of pointless devices and metal scrap, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re making it into something interesting. How do you know to do that?¡± Jav shrugged, hunching over as he said, ¡°How does Ein know how to fight and be fearless? How does Zia know about healing, and how is she able to absorb the light from crystals? How do you know your way around a brawl, and know how to prepare food safely?¡± ¡°We just do,¡± Tin sighed, rolling her eyes at his response. ¡°It¡¯s like this metal, these little devices and contraptions were meant for my hands. I see a simple, pleasing beauty in them, and try to imagine what they could be.¡± ¡°Maybe you were an eccentric inventor in another life!¡± Tin laughed, wagging her eyebrows at his mildly amused face. ¡°Perhaps. The baser knowledge and skills are there¡­but when I try to think hard about who I used to be, it¡¯s as if someone placed a black miasma on them, hiding them just beyond my reach.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± she sighed. ¡°What are you building?¡± ¡°Hm. A weapon of sorts. It¡¯s taken months to get what I think I need. Though I wish I had some scraps from cyborgs or demons, or knew about the runes that cover demons.¡± Tin perked up. ¡°What sort of weapon are we talking about?¡± ¡°If it works, a small firearm that uses crystals for part of its power source and projectiles. It certainly has interesting interactions with electric power, as well as certain metals,¡± he explained excitedly. ¡°That just confused me more,¡± Tin groaned. ¡°Small rifle¡­ fire¡­ crystal shards,¡± Jav said slowly, with a growing grin. ¡°Oh. Will it help against metal monsters and more?¡± ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m not so sure about demons, though. Their ceramic plating seems to be tougher than steel, and those runes somehow make them even more resistant to damage.¡± Tin nodded. Even if it didn¡¯t kill everything, it sounded like a good idea. She just hoped Jav was a good shot. Zia finally returned with her canteens. She dumped them on the ground, then got to work pulling clean bandages, salves, and other medical supplies from her pack. Tin moved to assist, knowing Zia would want help. It was going to be bloody work, and she hoped the Change would fuck off long enough for them to finish. Be Warned Ein woke to an aching body, someone shaking his shoulder, and the sound of metal tearing apart. He groaned, throat scratchy and dry as he coughed and opened his eyes. He didn¡¯t push himself up immediately as his eyes were drawn to scratches on the metal floor near him. Words? he thought, running a hand across the frantic inscription. They were only partially legible, warning against trusting the child of god. He sat up, deeply unsettled for some reason. Only a mild lance of pain shot through him, thanks to whatever Zia had done while he¡¯d been unconscious. Ein glanced at the many bandages he was swathed in, mildly amused. He swatted Zia away, then heaved himself to his feet, unsteady due to more than just the strengthening tremors. The teen hovered nearby, eyeing her handiwork critically before rushing off to gather her pack and gear. Tin and Jav were already packed and ready to go. ¡°Surprised you¡¯re moving so well after only a few hours of rest,¡± Jav said, arching one thin eyebrow, then turning his dark gaze upwards, toward the groaning ceiling far above. ¡°I¡¯d love to banter, bicker, and laud Ein for being an absolute unit, but uh¡­¡± Tin said with a cheerful, broad grin. ¡°Maybe we should get moving. I¡¯d rather not get buried in this whirlpool under a mountain of steel.¡± Ein nodded in agreement. He wasted no time, and within thirty seconds he was laden with gear and already moving. He held his glowing shard of crystal high as he led the group up the stairs ringing the circular hole of a room. The Change came down on them with fury as they were half way up the stairs. Ein let the others pass him, unable to keep up his brisk pace. Above him, red light flared as fissures opened in the ceiling. To his horror, waterfalls of blood, gore, human corpses and mechanical pieces thundered down toward the whirlpool. He steadied himself with one hand on the wall as he looked down. The whirlpool was crimson and tainted now, torrents of water frothing like a thing enraged. Ein widened his eyes when he realized the water was rising rapidly, filling the space and creeping its way to the group. He hurried upward, trying not to think of the watery grave reaching for them. It took them a few minutes, but they reached the top of the stairs just as they started collapsing. Metal screeched as nearby walls and pipes were torn apart, spraying shards of metal into the air to mix with jets of steam. They ignored the barred door to the trapped halls, focusing instead on a new route to their right. A massive jagged tear had appeared on the wall there, almost hidden by the growing steam. Ein followed the others through the tear just as massive portions of the ceiling crashed down behind him. The Change evaporated like droplets of water hitting molten steel. In a single heartbeat, the tremors and screeching stopped. It left them in an eerie silence, save for their blood rushing in their ears and their gasping breaths echoing in the rough, metallic tunnel. ¡°I guess we should be grateful for the rest we did get,¡± Tin said, elbowing an exhausted and frustrated looking Jav. He lashed out at her, slapping her arm away from him as he turned on her, snarling. ¡°I can¡¯t take this anymore! I¡ª¡± his voice cracked, ¡°I¡¯m tired. This isn¡¯t living. It¡¯s an agonizing, drawn out death!¡± ¡°Woah, Jav. I know how¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you do! You lot make it seem like you were born for Hel. Me, on the other hand? My bones scream, my heads always pounding, overworked by constant fear, I hallucinate demons and monsters every second of the day! Only to dream of them during the few hours of sleep we catch before everything tries to kill us again¡­¡± His shrill, hysterical voice echoed through the tunnel, making Ein wince. He stomped forward, pushing Tin aside and grabbing Jav by his rag of a shirt. Ein pulled him close, until their foreheads touched, his dark, hard eyes staring into Jav¡¯s darting, wide ones. ¡°What two options do we have, Jav,¡± he rumbled, voice low and laced with exhaustion. Jav finally focused on his eyes. He stared into those bottomless pits of such pain and soul crushing exhaustion, trembling. It took him a moment to respond.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We survive¡­¡± Jav murmured. ¡°Or we die. Our only purpose in Hel is to survive. We do that as a cohesive group, or not at all.¡± Ein let go of him, then added, ¡°Plus¡­we might have grim destinies, by I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t go down trying to burn this place out of existence.¡± Jav nodded frantically, falling to the rear of the group as Ein shook his head at an amused Tin. He started off again, Zia, Tin and Jav spread out behind him. Their torches danced across the path ahead, barely cutting through the dense shadows. Ein¡¯s mood soured as he considered his own weariness and lack of hope. Not to mention his sometimes lackluster talents for keeping this group together and alive. He couldn¡¯t explain why he was originally drawn to these weaker survivors, or why he had always felt the need to protect their sorry behinds. It was as if his entire being wouldn¡¯t allow for anything else from him. Ein cursed as he stumbled and fell. The floor sloped downward, and he should¡¯ve been more aware of his surroundings. He tumbled a few times but settled at the bottom of the slope relatively uninjured. He raised his sword and unsteadily rose to his feet. The wide hall before him was unusual, to say the least. Smooth dark gray paneling, lights and screens along the walls flickering on as he stepped forward. Debris and bones were scattered across the length of the long hall. ¡°Careful on your way down!¡± Ein shouted up at the others. He glanced around the room, annoyed at the constant flickering of the dim white lights that ran through the walls like veins of crystal. Most screens were broken or sparking. He squinted, eyeing an odd section about forty feet away from him. That can only mean good things, surely, he thought. A figure sat on the floor against one wall, and humanoid looking skeletons¡ªsome partially metallic¡ªprotruded from the walls and floors further down the hall. Some reached out in desperation, or screamed in terror, but they were all frozen as if the hall were built around them. The others slid down the slope with a few curses of their own, before momentarily being rendered speechless as they took in the hall. Ein waved them forward, taking lead. ¡°Such odd qualities¡­I haven¡¯t seen monitors and lights like this in over two years! Even if they¡¯re all broke,¡± Jav said, hands tracing some of the lights and screens as he passed them. ¡°Don¡¯t freak out when we get to that area ahead. Horrific and unsettling, yes, but nothing that¡¯s moving.¡± Ein strode ahead, his sword at the ready despite his words. To his right, a broken screen let out a hissing pop, followed by a shower of sparks. The air was dank and stale, smelling of decay and something burnt. They reached the corpses melded into the walls and floors, but Ein slowed as he neared the figure slumped against the left wall. He narrowed his eyes¡ªthe cloak covered figure was pinned by a crystal spike. As Ein stepped closer to it, Jav said, ¡°Is that a demon?¡± The figure turned out to in fact be a demon, albeit an ancient looking one. It was lankier than most he¡¯d seen, with an oddly long, uncomfortably familiar face. The machine was heavily damaged, its left arm and leg shattered to bits of metal and wires. The ceramic plating on the rest of the body was cracked, though Ein didn¡¯t know what could do that. The crystal was too familiar. He hesitated, then held up his own, comparing them. Besides cracks and chips, they were the same. He let his sword drop to his side when Tin approached. ¡°Oh we might be able to use that,¡± she said, perking up and reaching for the shard. ¡°Leave it,¡± Ein snapped without meaning to. ¡°We should hurry on. Something is off about this hall.¡± Tin eyed him before shrugging and walking to catch up with Jav and Zia, who were pulling wires from within a screen. Ein stayed there though, before crouching and staring at the demon. The crystal pierced where the golden orb usually sat, and the runework on the ceramic plates was utterly destroyed. He idly gathered up a few metal scraps and devices that weren¡¯t too beat up, knowing Jav had been wanting some demon parts. His eyes drifted to the wall next to the demon¡ª One word was inscribed in the metal there. Broken. It felt like something clawed at his mind as he forced himself to look away, rise, and stride back to the group. He¡¯d noticed no such similar inscriptions before this one and the last one at the whirlpool. They gnawed at him for some reason. They exited the stretch of hall with the corpses, then walked another hundred feet before turning right and coming to a fork in the path. Ein swore he could hear something grinding away from the depths of the left path, so they went up the gently inclining right path. Maybe this section of Hel might be more hospitable to them for a time. The clean, metallic hallway¡ªall bolted paneling and out of reach wires and pipes¡ªcontinued on for ten minutes, until it emptied out into a chamber lit by glowing stalagmites of some type of crystallized substance. The room was small and hexagonal, but he ignored all other features as he noticed the center of the room. Four shattered and rusted human sized tanks stood there, machines, mechanical arms and tubes surrounding them. Each had their doors twisted, as if something broke out from within. Red sludge leaked from the tanks, looking fresh and wet, despite the tank¡¯s apparent degradation. Zia voiced what they were all thinking as she said, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay around here too long. I can feel something watching us.¡± That filled him with dread, and the sensation of being watched grew as soon as she mentioned it. Ein nodded in agreement, then led them around the outskirts of the room. He¡¯d be glad to put this room¡ªand the hallways that led to it¡ªfar behind him.