We return to the present, where Arne finds himself shackled in the third hell. His "sins"?
(Not harming any living creature throughout his life, practicing forgiveness, resisting greed, refraining from theft, upholding good morals, and countless other noble deeds.)
If we look closely, we see Arne bound in chains, his face sullen, a tear trickling down his cheek. His emaciated frame speaks of his torment, surviving on a single meal each week and just one cup of water daily.
Though trapped, Arne’s gaze drifts to two hell-dragons battling fiercely, 100 meters away. Yet, the scene barely piques his interest; he’s seen countless fights like this, many far more spectacular.
As his mind wanders, Arne begins to count—his anchor to sanity amidst chaos:
"Day 2478, week 354, year 7. Cups of water: 2478. Meals: 354. Dragons: 1278."
Counting is his lifeline, his way to avoid succumbing to the madness that consumes others in this infernal realm.
Suddenly, one of the dragons crashes violently to the ground, landing on Arne. The impact breaks three of his ribs and shatters his chains.
Momentarily stunned, Arne gasps, his mind racing:
"Day 2478, week 354, year 7. Cups of water: 2478. Meals: 354. Dragons: 1278."
He opens his eyes, struggling to comprehend what just happened. Was this real? A dream? The pain in his chest suggests otherwise. He tears a strip from his tattered clothing, binds it around his ribs, and begins to run.
A strange sound stops him in his tracks. Turning, he sees one of the dragons lying on the ground, its leg broken.
Despite his pain, Arne approaches the beast. With a piece of fabric and part of the broken chains, he improvises a splint for the dragon’s leg. Without a second glance, he takes off, ascending a massive staircase spiraling around a bottomless pit.
"I’ll keep running," he tells himself, "until I wake up from this dream. It’s oddly exhilarating."
Out of nowhere, an Alicanto—a mythical bird that feeds on gold, known to miners—appears in his path.
"What’s it doing here?" Arne wonders aloud. "Shouldn’t it be in a mine?"
Thanks to his extensive knowledge of mythical creatures, Arne identifies the bird quickly. He knows it’s harmless but notes its vulnerable beak.
As the Alicanto flies away, Arne faces a choice:
1. Curse his wretched luck.
2. Leap and try to land on the bird’s back.
"Damn my life," Arne mutters. "If this is a dream, I might as well make it interesting."
Stolen novel; please report.
He jumps, grabbing the Alicanto’s tail feathers. The bird wobbles, struggling to stay airborne. Arne climbs, enduring a scratch on his leg but managing to grab its beak and pull himself up.
As pain shoots through his leg, Arne realizes this is no dream. It’s real. If he falls, he will die. But fear doesn’t deter him—freedom is worth any risk.
The Alicanto suddenly crashes into a wall, sending Arne tumbling. He manages to land on a nearby ledge. Ahead, the staircase continues, but there’s no help in sight.
"Damn it," Arne grumbles. "If I’d cursed that school bully, I’d be in heaven by now. What rotten luck!"
From below, a familiar sound rises. The blue dragon he helped earlier is flying toward him.
The dragon, initially hostile, charges an electric attack. Desperate, Arne hurls his shirt at the dragon’s snout. Sniffing it, the dragon pauses.
"Oh, it’s you!" the dragon exclaims. "Hahaha! Sorry, didn’t recognize you."
"Wait, dragons can talk?!" Arne stammers.
"Hahaha! Foolish human," the dragon replies. "I’m a Chinese dragon. Of course, I can talk!"
Fascinated, Arne introduces himself. The dragon, calling himself Zeus, explains his name:
"I thought giving myself a name was clever. Since I wield lightning, I chose Zeus, after the legendary god. I just hope he doesn’t turn out to be real and accuse me of impersonation!"
Arne smiles. "I’m Arne, and I’m trying to escape hell."
Zeus’s tone turns serious. "No one escapes hell. But you saved my life, so I’m at your service."
Zeus crouches low, and Arne climbs onto his back. With a mighty push, Zeus takes flight, ascending toward the gate of the second hell. As they near, they spot two Japanese dragons and three Amphisbaenas—serpents with glowing eyes and two heads—guarding the entrance.
Zeus grins. "Let’s make this quick."
Before Arne can reply, Zeus unleashes a powerful electric blast, instantly frying one of the Amphisbaenas. The remaining two serpents slither toward him, their fangs bared. Zeus twists and turns, dodging their attacks with surprising agility. He chomps down on the second serpent, shattering one head, while slamming the other into the jagged walls of the gate.
But the third Amphisbaena retaliates, piercing Zeus’s side with one of its fangs.
Seeing Zeus falter, Arne leaps off his back, grabs a discarded blade from the ground, and faces the serpent. Though dwarfed by its size, Arne’s nimbleness keeps him one step ahead. He slashes at the creature’s neck, finally pushing it off the ledge and into the abyss below.
With the serpents defeated, only the two Japanese dragons remain. Zeus lunges, decapitating one with a single bite. The second retaliates, its fiery breath scorching Zeus’s scales.
Arne seizes the moment, climbing the massive dragon’s back. As it thrashes, he drives his blade into its skull, silencing it.
The path to the steel gate is now clear.
Zeus, wounded but still defiant, charges his most powerful electric attack. Lightning arcs from his body and slams into the gate, but it holds firm.
Arne paces, thinking. "Wait… Chinese dragons can absorb powers from the creatures they consume, right?"
Zeus narrows his eyes. "And why should I believe you? You didn’t even know I could talk."
"The books didn’t mention that," Arne retorts. "But trust me. Eat the Japanese dragon’s heart and see for yourself."
Zeus hesitates, then shrugs. "Fine. What’s the worst that could happen?"
He rips into the fallen dragon, consuming its heart. A surge of heat courses through his body as flames erupt uncontrollably from his mouth. Zeus laughs. "Well, that was unexpected. Let’s see what I can do now!"
He switches between fire and electricity, marveling at his newfound abilities.
Arne points to the gate. "Try melting it!"
Zeus unleashes a torrent of fire, the gate glowing red before collapsing into molten slag. They step through, entering the second hell.
---
The second hell greets them with a vast, barren wasteland. Thousands of souls, their eyes hollow and faces devoid of hope, turn toward them.
Zeus chuckles nervously. "What a welcome party. Perfect for practicing my fire powers."
He exhales flames, but the souls remain unharmed, their forms unfazed by his attacks. Zeus switches to electricity, unleashing a high-voltage blast. Still, the souls stand firm.
"Damn it!" Zeus growls. "What now?"
Arne scratches his head. "Maybe they’re resistant to physical attacks. I read about machines that vacuum souls into oblivion…"
Zeus rolls his eyes. "Machines? That’s your plan?"
Before Arne can reply, Zeus inhales deeply, attempting to draw the souls into his mouth.
"No! Stop!" Arne screams.
Zeus exhales, releasing a massive burst of fire. The souls disintegrate into ash.
"See?" Zeus smirks. "Problem solved. And you doubted me."
Arne sighs. "You’re a genius, Zeus. A terrifying, reckless genius."
The pair presses onward, their path lined with glowing stones and flickering shadows. The second hell feels less oppressive but no less dangerous.
As they venture deeper, Arne notices symbols carved into the ground. "These markings… they’re traps. Step carefully, or we’re toast."
Zeus huffs. "I’m flying, genius. You’re the one with feet."
Arne rolls his eyes and begins navigating the maze-like path. Zeus hovers above, scanning for threats. Suddenly, a metallic clang echoes. A massive, spiked gate descends, cutting off their path.
"Another gate?" Zeus groans.
This one is different—engraved with ancient runes and glowing faintly. Arne studies it, piecing together its meaning.
"It’s a riddle," he says. "Solve it, and the gate opens."
Zeus snorts. "Great. I hate riddles."
Arne reads aloud:
"I am not alive, but I can grow. I don’t have lungs, but I need air. What am I?"
Zeus scratches his chin. "A dragon?"
Arne glares at him. "No. The answer is fire."
As he speaks the word, the gate dissolves into embers, revealing the path ahead.
"See?" Arne smirks. "Brains over brawn."
Zeus grumbles. "Next time, let’s smash it."
The journey through the second hell continues, with new dangers and challenges awaiting th
em. Together, Arne and Zeus form an unlikely duo—one relying on wit, the other on raw power—as they strive to escape the infernal depths.
End of Chapter.