This is bad, real bad. The dogs came first, Eria used her whip to repel a good potion of them. The rest came at us. Me and Eria got separated. Their attention was mainly on Eria; it has something to do with the whip on her hands. They hate it,the light and everything they wanted to get rid of. Eria left my view, I couldn't see her, the beast's attention was on Eria. They acted oblivious to me, I don't know if I should be glad I'm not the one at the end of their claws and teeth. The giant snake-like beast with four limbs finally got to us, using its massive tail to slam the pack of dogs and Eria tp the wall which immediately absorbed the dogs and slowly absorbed Eria. The moving particles on the wall entered her mouth, eyes and ears followed by a morphed scream from her. The dark moving particles were moving at an incredible pace entering her like moths to a flame. The whip on her hands faded away and her skin became identical to the tiny particles on the wall. She finally got absorbed into the wall becoming one with it.

All I could do is watch, I'm not a superhuman nor do I have any power to fight them. The giant snake was all that remained, it still hasn't noticed my presence.

Something caught my eyes, it was just a few feet above the snake head, insect-like with the wings which resembled that of a fly. Both of its eyes were big as a human head with multiple smaller ones inside. It had this immense aura, my brain keeps on telling me if I continue to stare at it I'll die. I slowly moved away from both strange beasts, its head turned to my direction. Maybe it was already aware of my presence. Its eyes locked on mine, my feet rooted on the ground like a statue I couldn't move. Just like a reflect action the snake pounced towards me at great speed with its mouth which was wide enough to swallow me whole in one bite locked on me. I couldn't move, it was like a spell was placed on me. I tried to close my eyes but couldn't do it. Not a single body was able to move. My heart was the only thing in my body moving. Aah so this is it…

“Elana?” Eria pulled my sleeve and it brought me back to reality? I don't understand what just happened? Eria is alive… I moved close to her touching her face to see if she's real this time. She shrugged, moving a step away from me.

“What's gotten into you?” She asked me with a puzzled face. The scenery surrounding us was exactly the same before that dog came…

“Eria we have to run now.” I grabbed her hand and started running. I don't know where I'm going but anywhere far from that place is better. The image of Eria in agony while getting absorbed to the wall flashed across my mind, her face twisted in agony and her morphed scream. I don't want to see that again..

“Wait, Elana, what's happening?” Eria stopped me, her face still puzzled by my sudden actions. I don't have the time to explain.

“Eria you just have to trust me on this. I saw something…”

“Is the place showing you things? Maybe it's trying to trick you, you don't have to believe what you see right here Elana.” I get what she's trying to say but during the whole ordeal my hand was glowing. This can't mimic that can it?....

“Eria you have to trust me on this…” Both of our attention was immediately drawn to a sound behind us, it was distant and yet familiar to me.

“Eria, we have to run.” She nodded and followed me. Maybe she was convinced by the determination on my face. Why am I doing this? To save her? Maybe myself… or just to feel like I did something special..

We dug deep into the dark pit with the light shining bright on our wrists. When we came to this spacious plane everything here was oddly visible. Then It caught my attention two statues that were at least fifty feet tall both of them placed at the edge of the walls. A gasp left Eria's mouth, her face reflecting her shock as I looked at her.

“These are the angels of mutiny” The angels of what?

“Huh?”

“In their defiant attempt to silence the fallen which ended in defeat they were turned into these.” The massive statues stared down at us. It felt like they were alive and looking at us. The expression on their face seems calm and serene. Are they at peace with their fate or they just accepted this…

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The sound that was following us was closer, and it was part of a larger group this time.

“We have to keep on moving.” I said while dragging her along with me. As we pass both statues the light illuminating the place faded away. The wings on their backs looked so fragile like it's about to wither away.

It was all dark again, but I can see fractions of things around me even without the lights on our wrists. I guess my eyes have adapted to this place…

The barking sounds are getting closer and I can even feel the vibration of their footsteps resonating with the floor.

“We can't outrun them.” Eria said, without looking at me. She stared at the direction of the carnage coming towards us. With the same look she has back then. No, it's happening again. I can't let this..

“Wait Eria come with me I got a plan.”. I hope she's convinced by the expression I'm making.

“Okay, what do you got?.”

I didn't reply, I just grabbed her by the hand, heading to the opposite direction the sounds were coming from.

I don't have a plan, I don't know what to do. Please I need something please. Who am I begging? The universe? Fate? I don't know…. I felt a sting on my left hand, it was glowing again. Something on the wall caught my eyes. It was a hole not wide enough to contain two more people but I think we could….

“Wait, let's get into this.” I pointed at the hole, Eria had a look of confusion on her face.

“You have to trust me on this.”

“Okay.” She went in first and gave space for me. When I entered the hole it felt cold and relaxing. This is entirely different from the moist and warm air that plague the abyss. There wasn't enough space for both of us, so part of my body was on top of hers.

I could feel her breath on my neck, it was warm and ticklish. We were already in an uncomfortable position.

“We just have to wait here till the storm passes.” immediately after I said that the walls around us started vibrating followed by the sounds of dogs barking, but sounds were that of humans. They passed the hole without noticing us. It was all quiet, the only sounds were our breaths. I don't know why but I felt relaxed here.

“Elana, it is quite obvious you have something that you are hiding. So I'm going to ask you again how did you know all of this?” Eria said in a serious tone, I need to come out about this. Keeping in was just weighing me down. But I don't have the energy to talk about it right now.

“I can't say….”. It's obvious I'm not the only one hiding something. What if Eria is just here with ulterior motives . I just need to keep shut for now.

“It's something I can't explain no matter how hard I try.” There was no lie in there, I don't remember how I got this feather on my hand.

“Okay I see.” Her response was blunt and short. Is she …

“Eria, you seem to be with people protecting us, can you please tell me why we are indoors? Like who are you guys and what do you do?” Even before leaving the house, I have always been pondering about it. Why did we all obediently go indoors without even protests?

“Elana, that's something I can't say, my tongue is sewed. I really want to tell you but…” Sewed tongue? How tight-lipped are they? Are they even good people …

“I see, we should probably rest.” I closed my eyes and my mind went to the time me mom and Sara went on a trip. We passed a field of corn they were bad and withered but the grains weren't bad, mom said humans nature are just like that no matter how bad and unappealing they are most of them have good intentions. I don't know why that memory came to me now and how I should use it in this situation.

Who are the bad guys?...

Waking up, it was hard to open my eyes, the lids felt glued together. I don't know how long I was out. But this is probably the most rest I have gotten in the last few days. How many days has it been here I don't even know.

“Oh you're awake.” Eria words pulled me out of my thoughts. Her voice was shaky like someone who didn't get any sleep.

“Did you even rest your eyes?” I said while knowing the answer.

“Someone, has to keep watch.”

“We are safe here that's why i—”

“How did you know we're going to be save here? Elana.” I know where this is heading, changing the topic is the best option here.

I came out of the hole and got overwhelmed by the warm moist air. Eria followed suit. Both our eyes were drawn to something malicious right in front of us.

It was an imposing and foreboding force, space wrapped around its edges pulling everything close to it inside. My entire being was drawn to it , I couldn't look away.

“Is this..”

“Yes this is the HOLE, we are out the edge.” Eria said with her face fixed on it. I guess it was where the dogs… I feel like we shouldn't go inside. My body rejects entering it.

“Eria, going in there will be the end of us. If we are at the edge, maybe just going back might lead us back to the surface.”

“Elana, look at your back and forth, wait a moment then look at it again.” I did as she said.

“Huh? “ The scenery was different…

“Yeah it's different right? Even if we turned back. We might get lost and move in circles.”

“What did we do? What..”

“Move forward, that's our only way.”

“But - y you have to protect yourself and me too that's going to be too much for you. I can't fight like you nor do I have superhuman abilities. I'm only going to weigh you down.”

“Elana, there's one thing I'm certain about it's that you're not an ordinary girl, you're special.You don't have to tell me what you can do, we have to protect each other. Show me with your actions and not words.. And one more thing.” She bit her lip ,blood flew out of it, staining her lips. Moving her face closer to mine with her breath warm on my face, she pressed her lips against mine. I could feel something sharp on my lip, it was her teeth digging into my lip bringing out blood, our blood mixed together. And broke away from me.

“ We just made a covenant, no matter what I see you do, I'll never reveal it to them. If we are able to make it to the surface. Making a covenant in this hell hole is going to make the consequences more malicious.”. She stretched her hand towards me. I couldn't think of anything. My mind was blank. The taste of foreign blood in my mouth, the warm air making my skin itch and the pull of this black spiral in front of us.

I placed my hand on hers, and we let the tendrils

of the black vortex pull us in bringing us to the gate of hell itself.