The vortex of the hellgate spat them out into Hell like unwanted morsels, scattering the group across a landscape that defied sanity. Qing slammed into the ground, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. For a moment, he lay there, struggling to breathe, his senses assaulted by the very essence of hell.

The acrid stench of sulfur and decay filled his nostrils, making him gag.

The elite demon ape!

He pushed himself up to look at the gate, seeing a massive hand stretching up out of the ground, reaching around. Qing drew in magic to cast Magic Missiles, but Cedric’s cry halted him.

“Stop!” the wizard cried. “No magic! It will leave on its own. Just stay away.”

As soon as he said it, the hand balled into a fist and retreated through the portal.

Qing lowered his arm, his hands sinking into what felt like ash, but the texture was all wrong – a nauseating mix of grit and softness. Qing’s eyes widened as he realized he was sitting hands deep on a carpet of withered, blackened feathers.

“What the actual fuck,” he said, scrambling to his feet and brushing off his hands, the feathers crumbling to dust. Around him, the rest of the party was climbing to their feet.

Then his gaze swept across the hellish panorama before him, and he froze. They had come out on a barren plain, surrounded in the far distance by ridges of rocks concealing what lay behind. The plan was black as ash, covered in these feathers. A river of molten lava cut through it, its fiery glow casting an eerie light across the desolate terrain. The sky above was a roiling mass of dark clouds, occasionally split by flashes of sickly green lightning. In the distance, inhuman shrieks and wails echoed, like a nightmarish version of wind blowing through the leafy trees back home.

As the shock wore off, Qing felt a familiar heat rising within him, and he welcomed it. Rage bubbled up, promising power and release from the fear he felt.

How dare Rufus kidnap Cleo and drag her down here? The Devil will despair the day he thought of escaping from the cage. I’ll hunt him down and shove a stake through his heart. I’ll—

He clenched his fists, feeling his nails bite into his palms. The pain helped him focus, push back the anger. Not here. Not now. He needed a clear head to lead them all through this nightmare. He couldn’t afford to give into the anger.

He shook his head and straightened, turning his attention to his companions. They lay scattered around him, groaning and disoriented. He moved quickly, helping them to their feet and checking for injuries.

“Ever—” he coughed from the sulfurous air. “Everyone okay?”

Ghida was already on her feet, her eyes darting around, taking in every detail. “Crazy,” she said, murmuring, and Qing noticed her hands trembling slightly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, schooling her features.

Jenny prowled around the group, axes held at the ready, eyes scanning the horizon. “Looks clear,” she reported, “for now. But I don’t like this place one bit. Smells like my husband’s arsehole and looks worse than my mother-in-law’s cooking.”

After a quick chuckle, Qing looked at Knut. His good friend was helping a shaken Ruqiya to her feet. His usual smirk was replaced by sombre determination. Maybe it was because the queen leaned heavily on him, her face pale but composed. Her eyes darted around, and she wrung her fingers worse than the PC cables of a thirteen-year-old who had never heard the word “cable management”.

Cedric brushed ash from his robes, muttering under his breath. “Inaccurate, all of it,” he grumbled. “Not a single mention in the text of feathers.” Despite the grumbling, there was an intensity to the wizard’s eyes, and a spring in his step. However much Cedric hated the enemy, he seemed excited for the confrontation. Which shouldn’t be surprising, considering the centuries he had spent fighting. Finally, he could strike a decisive blow.

Morgana hung back from the others, visibly unsettled. Her eyes were wide, darting nervously around the landscape, repeating crossbow shouldered. “This place,” she whispered, “it’s like every nightmare I’ve ever had, made real.”

Qing stepped towards her when he noticed Aria, a hand gently rubbing at her belly.

How can she be hungry with such a stench?

Aria’s other hand rested on the hilt of her sword, eyes narrowed as she scanned their surroundings. “Agreed,” she said to Morgana. “We need to find cover. We’re too exposed out here.”

Rowan nodded in agreement, his weathered face grim. “Aye, and quickly. This isn’t a battlefield any of us are prepared for.”

The sailors huddled together, fear evident in their eyes as they whispered among themselves, glancing around at the nightmarish landscape. One spoke up. “What... what do we do now?”

How the hell am I supposed to know?

But if he had learned one thing about leadership in high-stress situations, it was the value of even an illusion of control. So he raised his voice over the group’s murmurs, forcing an unfelt confidence. “Everyone, stay close. Gather the supplies and follow me. We head for the ridge to seek shelter, and from there, plan our next steps.”

“Fuck that!” It was Gorm, his face ashen beneath the grime. The sailor’s eyes were wild, darting frantically between the river of lava and the ridge. “Ain’t nothing good for us here. We need to run back. Now!”

“Only death,” another said, and a ripple of agreement passed through the other sailors. They huddled together, a tiny raft on a lake of ash and feathers inside a crater.

We don’t have time for this. I shouldn’t have brought them.

“There is no ‘back,’” Qing said, fighting to keep his voice steady. The rage inside him stirred, begging for release, but he tamped it down. Rage wouldn’t help here. “The portal’s closed. We push forward.”

But Gorm wasn’t having it. He lunged at Qing, fingers clawing at the front of his armor. “This is your fault!” he screamed, spittle flying. “You and your fucking quest!”

Qing’s hand moved of its own accord, grabbing Gorm by the throat and lifting him off his feet. The sailor’s eyes bulged, his feet tapping uselessly at Qing’s metallic breastplate.

I should do it. Crush him. Show them all what happens to those who defy me.

“Qing!” Ghida’s voice cut through the red haze descending over his vision. “Put him down. Now.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Qing blinked, shocked to find his arm extended, Gorm gasping in his grasp. He released the sailor, who crumpled to the ground, coughing and sputtering.

“I...” Qing started, then shook his head. “Listen to me, all of you. I know you’re scared. I am too. But turning on each other is exactly what the devil wants. We stick together, or we die. Those are our only options now.”

He looked each of them in the eye, daring them to challenge him.

When none did, he extended a hand to Gorm. “Get up and let’s go. We are too exposed here.”

“Where to?” Aria asked.

Qing took a deep breath and bit his lip, turning in a slow circle.

Every direction looked the same, but what he’d told Grom was correct. They needed a place to regroup and plan. He stretched his neck until it cracked. This entire place was…well, hell-ish.

“I’ve got a good feeling about those rocks,” she said, pointing across the flat ground to a higher spot on the ridge, far in the distance. “They’d offer more cover and a vantage point.”

Qing nodded. “Good eye. Everyone, you heard Aria. We head for those rocks!”

She smiled and nodded, hefting her shield onto her back.

After gathering the supplies, the group cautiously moved out. The ground crunched beneath their feet, the sound unnervingly loud in the oppressive atmosphere. Qing couldn’t shake the feeling they were being watched.

We probably are.

Jenny, walking in the front with Rowan, suddenly spoke up, twirling her axes. “We’re too vulnerable here. I’m going to scout ahead.”

But before she had taken more than a step, Rowan’s gnarled hand clamped down on her shoulder.

“Hold on, girl,” the old warrior said. “We stick together. You go rushing off and you might not find your way back, and if you do, who knows what you’ll be bringing.”

Jenny shrugged off his hand and scowled, walking up and pushing him back a step with her chest. “Don’t ‘girl’ me, old man. Whatever is out there, I will cut it down and shit on it. We need to know what’s ahead.”

“What we need is every sword arm we’ve got,” Rowan said, not backing down nor raising his voice. “And every pair of axes, too. This isn’t some tavern brawl or city skirmish. This is hell itself. One wrong move and—”

“And what?” Jenny said, snapping. “We’re already in hell. How much worse can it get?”

A humorless chuckle escaped Rowan’s lips. “Oh, trust me, girl. It can always get worse. I’ve seen things that would turn your hair white.”

“If you ain’t got the belly for it no more, you should have stayed behind with the other relics,” Jenny said.

For a moment, hurt flashed across Rowan’s face, quickly replaced by anger.

“You think you’re invincible, don’t you?” Rowan said, his voice low and dangerous. “Think your strength and skill will see you through anything. Well, let me tell you something.” He tapped her chestplate with a metallic ‘ping’. “I’ve buried more warriors than you could name, and every damn one of them thought they knew better than their elders. And yeah, I might be old. But I’m an old man in a profession where most die young. So don’t fuck with me. You’ll get your fights, but you do not endanger the quest. I’ve got a baby coming, and you’re not taking me, or the world, away from her.”

For a long moment, Jenny said nothing, then she opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again. Then, grudgingly, she nodded. “Fine. But we need some eyes out there, old man.” She smirked.

“Boss,” Rowan said, and Qing headed over. “Thoughts on scouting?”

He wanted to shrug. How was he supposed to know? But part of leadership was delegating. “What do you suggest?” he said.

“I suggest Jenny bring a second, and they stay within shouting distance, and do not engage. We scout smart, taking no chances.”

“Jenny?”

“I can do that.” She turned and beckoned with an axe. “Aria, you’re with me. Let’s go.”

As the two women moved ahead, Qing caught Rowan watching them go, worry etched into the lines of his face. The old warrior muttering under his breath.

“I’m glad you are here,” Qing said, nudging the man with his shoulder as he passed by.

“Sure you are,” Rowan replied, sighing. “Who else is supposed to keep you alive?”

“Hey! By my count, I’m up a few saves on you,” Qing said, spinning his glaive, sending feathers flying.

“Funny way you count then.” A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as his eyes roamed across the landscape.

“Are there more ways of counting?”

“Would you have been zombie-feed if I hadn’t saved you outside of Shadowgrove?”

“Oh, damn. Haven’t thought of that in what feels like ages. Now you are making me feel old.”

“Old?” Rowan chuckled. “Just wait until you reach my age. Walking feels like crawling, and taking a damn dump requires forethought. But back to the matter at hand. If I hadn’t saved your life that day, you’d be dead, right?”

“Sure.”

“So by my count, every additional save after that is attributed to that first save, meaning I am up…” Rowan’s tongue stuck out the side of his mouth as his face scrunched up. “About fifteen saves to zero.”

“Ludicrous!” Qing said, eyes going wide. “Your math is as logical as a Hollywood divorce lawyer.”

“Make me a counterargument,” Rowan said, barely containing his smile.

Qing looked askance at the warrior and chuckled at the silliness, giving the man a genuine smile. “Even in hell, eh?”

“Especially in hell. Ain’t no way I’m going out with a frown on my face. Too often, death is random. No point worrying about.”

“Then why rip into Jenny for wanting to scout?”

“Don’t get me wrong. You still need to do the right things, but you might as well do them with a smile on your face.”

“Thank you for coming,” Qing said.

“Likewise. Figure I got you this far. Might as well push you up the rest of the hill and save the world while I’m at it.”

“You’re pushing me up the hill to save the world?” Qing stopped to stare wide-eyed at his friend, who just kept walking, laughing softly to himself as his gaze roamed for threats.

As they continued the trek, it didn’t take long for the unsettling feeling to return. The ground beneath their feet seemed to pulse with a subtle, malevolent energy. It was as if hell itself was aware of their intrusion and hungering for their essence.

About an hour into their journey, about halfway to the ring, Qing noticed the group’s pace beginning to slow. He’d felt fatigue creeping up, but had thought little of it. Until he realised he hadn’t felt tired in this way since before hitting level ten. If he felt the tiredness with his superhuman stats…

He looked closer at the others, just as Ruqiya stumbled, her foot catching on a ridge of hardened ash. She would have fallen if not for Knut’s quick reflexes. His strong hands steadied her, but she shrugged them off almost immediately.

“I’m fine,” she snapped, but Qing heard the quaver in her voice. She wasn’t fine. How could anyone be?

“But—”

“I’m fine,” she said, crossing her arms across her chest, stomping along.

A distant shriek echoed across the barren plain, inhuman and filled with pain. The queen flinched and a small whimper escaping her lips before she could stop it. Ruqiya’s carefully cultivated poise crumbled with each step. Her silken robes hung tattered, stained with ash and worse. She struggled to maintain her composure, but it was slipping away with every passing moment.

“My love,” Knut said. “Perhaps we should rest for a moment?”

“No!” She flinched at her own words, and the others turned to look at her. She took a deep breath, visibly trying to regain control. “No,” she repeated, more calmly this time. “We cannot stay here. We must press on. I feel…” She swallowed and gazed out at the hellish landscape. “God, what a smell. Worse than a slave’s armpit on a cloudless day,” she said and moved onward.

But her legs betrayed her. As she took another step, they buckled beneath her. This time, when she fell, it wasn’t just Knut who moved to help, as Ghida had walked nearby. As they reached for her, she batted them away.

“Do not touch me!” she said, her composure shattering completely. Tears streaked down her face, and when she went to wipe them away, she left long lines of black ash across her porcelain skin. “I cannot... I cannot do this. I am not strong enough. I am not...”

Her words dissolved into sobs. She curled in on herself, heedless of the dirt she wiped across herself.

Qing felt a pang of sympathy, but he needed her to hold together. They were all stretched thin. If they started breaking…

Knut knelt beside her, close but not touching. “Hey,” he said, all trace of his usual levity gone. “You’re stronger than you know. We all are. We have to be.”

Ruqiya looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed and desperate. “How can you say that? Look around us! We are in hell, Knut. Actual hell. You do not belong here. I…I thought I had found my way out.”

Of course, she would struggle with the addiction. She’d thrown it off after seeing Knut, forcing herself to break free to save him. But could she stay away? And how would being in hell affect her withdrawal?

“None of us belong here,” Knut said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t shake it off. “Take my hand, love. This time, you are not alone. I am with you, and nothing will break us apart again. Do you understand?”

For a long moment, Ruqiya said nothing. Then, slowly, she nodded. With Knut’s help, she rose to her feet, swaying slightly but remaining upright.

She dusted herself off and raised her chin. “I... I apologize for my outburst,” she said, a hint of her old regality returning.

“We all have things to fear, but it will not stop us.” He looked around at the party, gathered around them. “The entire world is counting on us, and we will succeed. Now, move out. I want a base set up at that ridge within two hours.”