A.N :

"Hey there" - speech

'is he talking to me?' - thought

"𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼!" - shouting

She was ,,beautiful,, - sarcasm

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It's been a few days , and after an excruciating amount of wounds (which are still not healing by the way) because the size of my balls is too big for these demons.

They go ape shit if I ask them even the most basic questions. I tried making small talk but they always ignore me.

I tried staging a mental breakdown every 3 towers or so to keep it believable but they've only thrown some words at me and called it a conversation.

Well, beggars can't be choosers, and after parsing their answers for probable lies , I can draw a few conclusions.

1-there is no salvation.

I mean , I never really thought they will let me leave after 10 years but it was a possibility, one that became less likely as time drew on.

The first argument for this being a ruse is the lack of mental brainwashing. Like , I got here because of being an atheist. You don't have to be Einstein to understand that angels don't like atheists. Ergo , the time in hell should be used to ,,purify my evil thoughts" and ,,let me see the truth" .

None of that going on around here.

Just whips and rocks and burly demons all around.

All they do is making me hate them and heaven by association.

There might be some people that would pray for forgiveness and actually believe it if they were in my situation .

Still , I don't think anyone wouldn't harbor at least a bit of resentment for their tormentors and those that sent them to be tortured in the first place.

Maybe Viktor Frankl . The first topG , that man , I tell you.

Point is , I have to escape somehow...

2- I am 100% soul and don't even get me started on how my consciousness software can run on soul hardware.

I've got no ideea .

I'm thankful though, because my physical body would have long been a mangled corpse with how much I've suffered , but it's not all sunshine and rainbows unfortunately.

3-My soul is deteriorating.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

It doesn't heal as I would have predicted , it's just accumulating wounds.

Though , for some unknown reason , the new wounds hurt a bit less than the ones before .

Maybe I'm just getting used to the pain .

Either way , sooner or later I will collapse, and maybe die for real this time.

I need to heal my wounds , ASAP.

If my soul is even remotely similar to a biological body...well , I've got a few ideas

Now I'm just minding my own business, making my 20'th rock tower.

A small tower takes about 4 or 5 (I think) hours so MATH dictates that I've been here for 4 days.

Maybe I can eat rocks? Some small peebles?

I'm sure they have some energy in them , it's like I can feel something when holding one.

*Poof*

Huh? A wild human has appeared! Quick ,demon guy! Use your pokewhip to capture it!

The human ( girl I think ) is in a bad condition to say the least.

Her hair is almost completely burned ,(but her scalp seems unaffected ) her face had a fresh gash on it (that must sting like hell , heh) and she had various other wounds on her body, from cuts to bruises.

Hmm, abusive husband? (Or wife! dont be sexist , brain!). Who knows , who cares .

I most certainly don't. But she needs help and I also need help so it's time to be a hero!

I throw my rock at the demon , missing him on purpose.

I don't wanna anger him more than I have to.

Right now he seems a bit amused if bewildered. Good , let's keep it that way.

I move towards the fallen woman ,now lying into a pool of her own blood , staring towards the (beautiful , I might add ) blood red sky with an empty gaze.

"Hey there miss, are you all right?" (Of course she fucking wasn't but that's the protocol).

"Wh...Where am I? Why does it hurt so much?" She asked , quite calm all things considered. Good , stay into shock for now. I fear the demon will eat you if you make too much of a ruckus.

"We are in bad place ma'am , but we will survive , don't worry about that. Here , grab my hand."

As I reach towards her , I observe her facial expressions.

She is scared , obviously, but not only at the demon she just saw coming towards us , but also at me . Her eyes are scanning my hands for weapons and she tenses a little when grabing my hand , as if preparing to yank it away if she feels threatened.

Hmm , maybe a psychological fear of men? Who knows, maybe she is just distrustful by nature. Eh , we are in the same situation. It's only a matter of time until she understands she needs my help like I need hers.

"𝗔𝗵, 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹!—a rarity that transpires only every fleeting while.

How intriguing it is to see a new soul cross the boundary, especially one who approaches with the weight of transgressions etched into their essence.

You stand now on the precipice of an experience that has befallen many before you, a tapestry woven with threads of atonement and consequence.

The lattice of shadows and echoes that envelops you is emblematic of your passage through the intricacies of our dominion—a tapestry upon which your sins have cast their mark.

As you brace yourself for the trials that await, may your moments within this realm serve as a reflection, a mirror held up to the choices that led you here.

Each rock you move, every effort you expend, echoes with the resonance of your journey, as the very earth beneath you absorbs the weight of your deeds.

Yet take heed, for even amid the penance you face, the first level offers whispers of redemption and understanding, fleeting as they may be.

Amid the arduous labor, there exists the potential to grasp the shadows of enlightenment, to unveil fragments of truth within the ever-shifting enigma of your existence.

As you labor in the service of your retribution, may you glean from the toil a glimmer of insight, an opportunity to unravel the complexities that surround you.

For within these ancient stones lies the reflection of your soul's journey, a profound resonance that beckons you to confront the choices that shaped your destiny."

...And then the bastard fucking bowed...

'What a long-winded demon...' I thought, a bit annoyed.

This is one of my three wardens. Aptly named Fuckface by yours truly , because he is ugly as fuck . He is not my original Demon bro , the bored one , he's the one that came after Demon bro's shift ended.

And he really likes the sound of his own voice...

'Like , we get it bro , tone it down already....'

Maybe he's got an abusive wife at home that doesn't let him speak at all , but while he's here , he's always yapping about how great he is and how disgusting humans are.

Truly displaying a great intelect , mister Fuckface , I bow before your greatness. He doesn't even accept compliments! He just whips me when I try to pour oil on his fire to get him to spill important information. What a disappointment you are , Mr Fuckface...

"Now get to work, maggots! Male , show the Female what she needs to do. I don't have time for you , lower beings"

Oh , so we have names now.

The moment I tried to ask for his name he just whipped me , saying I don't deserve to hear it.

What good is all that pride if it can't be used against you , Mr Fuckface? Truly , disappointing.

I dragged the girl towards my Lego playground, where I've gathered a lot of stone Legos in the past days. It's the first time I share my toys with someone.

I hope she plays nice....

And so we started working . The girl trying to ask questions to Mr face and getting whipped in return. I didn't need to play the hero anymore. It wouldn't be quite as believable as my good Samaritan act from earlier.

A normal man wouldn't defend a stranger in detriment of his own life , but he might help said stranger a little bit, if he is a decent enough person. Any more shows of goodwill and she might suspect I have ulterior motives.

My earlier stunt seemed to have paid off though and as I got a few lashes for throwing the rock towards the demon , I caught a glimpse of the sad expression on the girl's face.

Yes , you hoe , I'm suffering a bit for helping you so feel grateful...

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Finally , my favorite part of the day has come.

Mr Fuckface has just ended his shift .

Based on previous experience, I would say we have about 10 minutes until the next warden shows up for his shift.

Time to solidify this alliance .

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,,The last of one's freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance"

-Viktor Frankl