Chapter 5: - Abyss.

Nero woke up groaning. His sides hurt, his head rang and his entire body felt like it had been put through a wall while he was unconscious.

“You’re awake!” Ember chimed, relief filling her voice.

“I… I guess I am.” He said. Nero placed a hand to his throbbing head and felt something wet. He winced at the stinging sensation that followed. Shit. He was bleeding from a gash there.

He rolled up to his knees and felt something underneath him. It was Atix. His eyes were open but they gazed up emptily at the sky. Nero knew he was dead, but he checked his pulse anyway to confirm.

Nothing.

“Is he…?” Ember asked, voice soft.

“Yes.” Nero swallowed.

“No…” Ember croaked.

Atix was dead and he was alone. A better man might have been overcome with grief, but Nero could only really focus on the terror that now plagued him.

He looked around to find himself surrounded by a forest of large dark trees. From where he stood, it seemed there was no end in sight, and the wide leaves created a canopy that barely allowed any of the moon’s light to trickle through.

Okay Nero, calm down, we just need a plan. He let the fear run its course, his hands were shaking, his stomach was turning and his throat was tight. This is just the body’s reaction to stimuli, He told himself. No different from a bruise or a punch or bad food making you want to vomit.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Nero gathered his senses.

Firstly, you’re cold, He noted. He didn’t notice it until now but the nights in this place had a vicious chill to them. He could see his breath hanging in the air as mist, feel his body tremble as the freezing air snaked through the threads of his cloth and bit into his skin.

He would die here if he didn’t get something to cover himself with.

The answer to his problem was obvious, and he didn’t like how quickly it came to him.

Nero looked down at Atix’s corpse and began to strip it. He’d need the weapon and the chainmail too he realised, if Hell was as dangerous as he was starting to think it would be, then mail and a sword might be the only thing that could save him from a grizzly death.

“Nero, what are you doing?” Ember asked, distress clear and unhidden.

‘Looting the corpse of your recently deceased friend?’ Well he could hardly say that, not because it wasn’t true but because it simply sounded like what a villain would do. “Can’t talk right now Ember, busy.”

He was having issues actually removing the chainmail from the man’s body. Undressing mediaeval men wasn’t exactly common practice back on earth. Not anymore at least.

“Nero.” Ember started again. He ignored her.

He undid the man’s leather belt and found the material suddenly freer. Fuck, finally. All he had to do was take it off like a normal shirt now.

“Nero, there are people coming!” Ember yelled.

So single minded was Nero, that he hadn’t registered the sound of footsteps approaching.

He looked behind him and could just about see two figures making their way through the trees.

Nero resisted the urge to immediately run and began affixing Atix’s belt back onto his corpse. There was no hope of him undoing the chainmail in time, Atix was simply too heavy, so this was the only thing he could do.

“Nero, what are you doing? You should be hiding!” Ember urged.

“Can’t leave the corpse like this.” He whsipered. A corpse with a belt unbuckled would hint at a looting interrupted midway. That could only mean that there was an Inquisitor still alive and Nero didn’t quite fancy the idea of being hunted.

The footsteps were getting closer now. He hesitated, knew he was forgetting to do something but couldn’t for the life of him remember what it was.

“Nero!” Ember yelled and that had him moving.

He dashed to the side and rolled behind a felled tree.

Nero had barely landed when the pair of white armoured warriors came into view.

“Told you there’d be one this far out, these crazy types would rather leap from a building and die than answer a couple questions.” The smaller of the two said, as if it were all terribly amusing.

“Yeah, yeah, just hurry up and grab his shit. Last thing we want is to keep Lord Mercury waiting. I like my balls safely secured within my sack and would like to avoid anything that might jeopardise that status quo.” The bigger man grunted.

The other soldier crouched down, and Nero watched as he began to loot Atix’s corpse. First he took the chainmail, the leather underneath, his boots, and then finally he unsheathed his blade. He didn’t bother being gentle, just broke what needed breaking to get everything off the old man. Ember whimpered.

The bigger man snatched the sword from his companion greedily. “Fuck, look at the runing on this thing, definitely gonna sell for a lot.”

Nero felt his stomach turn and his frustration boil. That was what he was forgetting. Should have grabbed the fucking sword! He clenched his fists impotently and watched with rage shot squarely at himself when the man sheathed the weapon.

“Hey, I found it!” The smaller said.

“Yes.” The other soldier replied. “And I didn’t beat you senseless to take it for myself the moment you did. So I think the debts’ been paid.” He turned and began heading off into the dark.

“Arsehole.” The smaller whispered before following behind.

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Atix’s corpse was left with nothing but the flimsy fabric he wore underneath his armour. It was a far cry from what he had hoped for but he’d be a fool not to take it.

Or perhaps simply a better person than he is.

He waited until he could no longer hear their footsteps then crouched down in front of the dead man. Nero took a deep breath.“Ember… turn around.”

“Nero-” She began.

“Just turn around, please.” He begged, and to his relief she did,

Nero made quick work of stripping Atix of his shirt and trousers. He let his mind dissociate, so it felt like he wasn’t really him, he was simply observing someone else do this. His heart still broke seeing what the other bastards had done to it.

Once done, Nero wore the man’s clothes on top of his. It was far from comfortable but the largeness of them combined with the extra layer of fabric did something to stave off the heat.

That something was little, Nero knew, but it was something nonetheless. Might buy me an extra minute of two before I freeze to death.

He gave one final look at the man’s bloody corpse and with two fingers, pulled down his eyelids.

Nero got to his feet with a sigh and stepped deeper into the forest.

“What are we going to do Nero?” Ember asked.

“I don’t know…” He told her honestly, hollowly.

The nearest town was seven days away, and he had planned to get there with the help of a map, a sack full of food and his body in peak condition.

Now he would be forced to make it with nothing, in the freezing cold, and a body that screamed in agony with each step he took.

Nero set off in the direction of the town. It was a hopeless endeavour, he was shivering, limping, practically a dead man already, but there was nothing else to do, so he kept on at it.

Nero continued to walk, even as his teeth clattered and his feet throbbed. He didn’t know how long or how far he had walked, it couldn’t have been much, and yet it felt like he’d done nothing else in his life but that.

He could hear chattering, howling, growling and a myriad of other sounds flowing out from the shadows. He didn’t want to imagine the kind of creatures responsible for them, lurking in the dark, waiting for him to stumble upon them. But his mind had nowhere left to wonder but there.

Something caught his foot and he fell hard on the ground.

It should have been a minor annoyance, but today it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Nero’s frustration bubbled over and flowed past the edges of his mind. Should have taken the sword before I left, should have taken the sword, should have taken the sword. He didn’t know when he began hitting the ground, but he kept on going. Punching it, over and over again even as his knuckles poured with blood and his fist screamed in pain.

He was stuck here, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by monsters and simply awaiting a terrible death. It didn’t matter what he did, didn’t matter how smart he was, it was hopeless.

“Nero…” Ember called out, concern lacing her voice.

“I should have taken the goodman sword!” He roared. He was trembling, not just from the cold, he felt like his entire being was coming apart at the seams. Tears ran down his cheek, Nero clutched his head desperately, as if that might help him keep his wits about him. “I should have taken the sword…” He croaked, voice cracked.

Ember floated in front of him, eyes wide with distress. “What would that have changed Nero?” She asked.

“I… I don’t know, everything.” He replied. “I just… fuck!”

It would have changed nothing, he knew it, she knew it and yet he still tormented himself.

Nero sighed, and rolled onto his back. His teachers… They said he was brilliant, destined to do amazing things.

He could have done anything, gone into the sciences, arts if he wanted to. But I picked business school. He laughed and coughed, throat sore. Because it was easy…

It was easy when I fucked people over, it was easy when I got a pat on the back and a million dollar bonus for ruining entire lives. He was numb now, barely able to feel his fingers. What’s that, wanna dump toxic waste ten miles off from a low income neighbourhood? Have Nero handle the paperwork, he’s your guy. Falsely advertise medication, he’s your guy, get out of paying insurance, don’t wanna pay your taxes? And so on, and so on.

His eyelids felt so heavy now, he could barely keep them open.

He didn’t know what exactly it was he did to make that man walk up to him and blow his brains out… But I know that I deserved it. And now the world has one less him in it. Which is good, because people like me, don't deserve to live, We just don’t.

Ember’s voice was a soft whisper now. “Nero, you’re dying, stand up Nero.”

By all accounts, he shouldn’t have, he should have let the cold take him, he didn’t want to keep going on, the only good thing he could do was let nature turn him into a corpse overnight. There was a reason he urged himself to move however and he heard it yet again.

“Please, Nero, get up!” Ember begged.

She’d already lost Atix, she’d seen so many Inquisitors die. You’re all she has left. For once in your life, don’t be a selfish prick, you don’t get to die here, you haven’t fucking earned that right.

Nero gathered the dying flames of his strength, clenched his fist and rolled up onto his knees with a groan. “Do you ever…. Shut up?” He sighed.

“Nero!” Ember beamed. Flames burning brighter than he’d ever seen her.

He winced at her volume. “So that’s a no then, neat.” He took a painful step forward and then another. “Come on, there’s got to be a cave somewhere here.”

Soon Nero was walking again, he wasn’t enjoying it by any means but he was doing it. “Seven days…” He whispered to himself. “I’ve just gotta survive seven days in this fucking place.”

“It’s just seven.” Ember nodded happily. “Do you know how many seven days have passed without you even noticing, it’ll be over in a heartbeat.”

Nero smiled, rolling his eyes. “You can talk when you’re physically affected by the cold.”

The Imp laughed and Nero felt for the first time, like less of a piece of shit than he typically did.

Up above, something moved from the corner of his eye. Nero let himself fall backwards, as jumping wasn’t an option. He was barely out of the way when the figure hit the ground.

He rolled onto his feet and rested his back against a tree.

Standing in front of him was a thing of nightmares. Eight eyed and eight legged, the spider was large enough that its head reached as high as his hip. With black fur, it blended in well with the dark.

“What the fuck is that?” Nero whispered.

“A Sin Spinner Spider.” Ember replied. “Very deadly venom.”

“Ah, well awesome.” Nero said while masterfully managing not to shit himself at the sight of the monster.

It stalked him, its too-many eyes affixed to his form even as it moved to try and circle around him. Nero reached up and grabbed a branch from the tree above him. He broke it off and swung the weight in his hands. Surprisingly, the spider fell back, fearful of the blows.

I can take it. He told himself. I can take it.

Four more spiders dropped down behind the creature with barely a sound made.

Nero knew, there was simply no hope in taking five.