I allowed myself to feel a little joy in being one of the few mortals to step foot into this next section of Hell. Of course, I was soon to have any such glamor scrubbed away with violence, and be presented with good reason why humans shouldn’t be here. But for now, I felt accomplished. It would be short-lived, as destiny came rushing headlong to prevent my progress, but I was ready now. Everything had an end.

The transfer to Hell was different than usual. Although the Lowers had become a brief second of switching, like going between room to room, there was an odd feeling going to the Mids. A stretching ache that lasted three whole seconds, while I was enveloped by a swirling darkness.

And then I was there. My first footfalls struck stone flooring, the dark chamber around me musky with the scent of disuse. Revolver went into my hand and I clocked the corners as my eyes tried to adjust to the gloom. Could be a trap - the Org might be onto me.

With the flash of pink, Pearl was then beside me.

“Easy there, Tex.” Her hand held my arm and pressed down to lower it. “Carrying a weapon is fine. Brandishing it around will get you into trouble.”

I winced slightly, partly because she had pressed where my arm was still recovering. “I guess this is the more… human-like side of Hell?”

She tilted her head while her radiant eyes almost lit up the darkness surrounding us. “The Mids have sixty-six cities divided up into six districts. They are centered around the Spire - essentially the route up to the Highers for the worthy. Or foolish. From the outskirts of this rough circle of civilisation, it then descends into something similar to the Lowers. Ruins, roving Monsters, all that wild stuff.”

“I see.” Not very well in our present situation, but the exposition was helpful if I wasn’t going to be dead in the next hour.

[What should I do with my weapon, the Pearl?]

Honestly, I hadn’t even noticed that Wight had arrived - and if wasn’t for his crimson eyes in the shadows, he’d be all but invisible.

“Here. Don’t say I never do anything nice for you.” From inside her jacket, the demon produced a sling and back holster for his shotgun.

“Just like magic,” I said with a grin. “Got anything else in there?”

[Thank you, the Pearl.]

She rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t sure how the portal would like it, so kept it safe until we had arrived. If you’re having no problems acclimating, we should start moving?”

I holstered the revolver and held out my hands, as if checking them could signify how well my body was adjusting to this new layer of literal Hell. There was a… it was different from the Lowers. That’s as best as I could say. While I didn’t feel the soft warmth and thrum of corruption trying to find its way into my body, an odd sensation was there instead. Slimy and awkward, but nothing that screamed danger.

“Seem fine,” I eventually declared, giving my patron a glance as he struggled to get his new holster affixed and situated. “I’m… existing in the Mids.”

“You sure are.” Pearl shot me a smile that was probably in lieu of anything more intimate. No smooching when on the job.

//Connection established. Visuals dim, Audio fine.

“Loud and clear, Rods. We’re in a… basement or something. Are we on the big screen today?”

//Affirmative. Will reconfirm visual once you’re situated.

[I am ready.]

I turned around and saw the stairs in the other corner of the room. An odd place for us to appear, but it made some sense. Safe, to a degree. Allowed a Hunter to get themselves sorted and make sure their head didn’t explode from the different demonic energy here. I had already steeped my very being with the foul stuff and bounced back from the brink of death several times. So far, this was a walk in the park.

With little ceremony, I led our group up the steps, stopping at what seemed like an angled trap door. Barred from the inside, I removed the offending metal beam and placed it against the wall. With one last breath of stale air, I pushed against it.

Light flooded us and I stepped out, briefly blinded. As my eyes adjusted and I took in the oddly fresh air, I was star struck.

A filter of orange light still daubed everything in sight, but long gone were the rocky ruins bleached by the constant heat. Buildings rose up all around us. We were in some manner of warehouse district, so most were nondescript, but beyond them in the distance I could see the peaks of skyscrapers and other large buildings. The architecture was… somewhat human, but different in subtle ways. Like an uncanny painting.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

In the even further distance, a thin thread of gray ascended into the sky, to meet the swirling sea that separated this layer from the Highers. That must be the Spire.

[I am awe-inspired.]

My eyebrow rose as I looked at my patron. His expression hadn’t really changed, so I was unsure if he was being sarcastic. “Ever been here before?” He shook his head.

[If I have, it is part of my repressed memories.]

“Hmm.” It was a lot to take in. Even as we stood here like dazed tourists, there were demons walking down the other side of the road. And it was a road - actually decently made. We caught the eyes of the group of four, but they soon moved on and carried on down their way. They hadn’t tried to shoot me or impregnate my corpse, which was a step up, as far as I was concerned.

“Time to stop gawking.” Pearl nudged me. “We’re on the clock.”

//Visuals clear now. Stunning. You’ll want to head right here and take the next right turn.

I nodded and led the team as directed. It was odd having a third now. Not that I was complaining about having Pearl beside us - I certainly felt better about our chances in any potential conflict. She’d have to temper her power so that we didn’t flare up like a beacon, but even if she was operating at the same level as Wight and I, it was a force multiplier. Might save me from getting into melee distance as well.

“You’ll hate me for saying this,” Pearl said, as we walked side by side. “But… the warehouse has three exits.”

“Splitting up isn’t usually good form.” I tilted my head. “But if we want to surround and pin in our targets, it might be a good idea.”

“Of course, that’s why I’m proposing it.” She shot me a grin. “We don’t know the number or distribution of targets, but from preliminary scouting there’s a main entrance, and a back door on the main floor, as well as a fire escape to the upper floor.”

“Right.” Nice that she had apparently done a little field work before the Quest started. Then again, she had little issue going back and forth down here. “Any preferences?”

[I would prefer the back door.]

Pearl tilted her head. “For me, I was hoping for the fire exit.”

That left the front door. I didn’t exactly have the friendliest of faces, so didn’t fancy my chances of using charisma to gain entrance. Still, what could go wrong? “Fine.” We turned to the right, more large warehouses on each corner.

//Keep going, you’ll see it on the left… third warehouse from where you are.

I narrowed my eyes and could see it. Pretty unassuming, but then, they all were. Once we were closer, Rodney would be able to tell us how many targets needed erasing. That was something that stuck out like a sore thumb, however…

“All these demons will be Mids level, so that means true names, right?”

Pearl nodded. “The Org briefing didn’t seem to care about that part. I… do not understand it myself. Perhaps if we can tell who the ringleader is, we can at least capture them and get Rodney to help us there.”

[How we will determine which is the leader?]

She gave a shrug. “Tallest hat, maybe?”

That seemed just as likely as anything else. In this way, I missed the Lowers. You knew if you blew a demon’s brains out down there, they weren’t coming back. Here they had every opportunity to, unless you knew their true name. Perhaps that’s how they eventually came to this… faux normality down here. No need to struggle for your life, so why not live somewhat peacefully?

I paled to consider this was Hell I was talking about.

//Understood. It’s not as simple to get through to you, but we’ll manage.

“And no fireworks today, boys.” Pearl lifted a finger to point at the pair of us. “Last thing we need is to invite the Enforcers over to come sniffing around.”

I didn’t need telling that they were the equivalent of law enforcement for the Mids. Org would certainly have a dim view of me making myself a wanted criminal on day one. More so than I already was, at least. Hunters might not be well known enough to draw the ire of most, but I’d need to keep on my toes.

Another pair of demons passed us on the pavement. Expecting an outbreak of violence, any tension working through my muscles was left wanting, as they barely gave us a second glance. Once out of earshot, I brought it up.

“I notice we’re barely getting glances. Considering how odd a trio we are, I am surprised.”

Pearl smiled. “And underwhelmed? There’s a demon type up here that looks similar to humans, aside from horns and… other things that are hidden by clothes. They’re uncommon, but you’re pretty much a nobody here, Eric.”

“Ouch.” I pulled a face. From King of the Lowers and savior of the universe, to some faceless average joe in the Mids. My ego would never recover.

[As much as we would like to kill all demons, the low profile will keep us alive here longer.]

He had a point. Making enemies with a cities-worth of demons was perhaps not the ideal goal. Nevermind sixty-six cities. “We’re not near Pinkjade, right?”

“Of course.” She raised an eyebrow. “You know the Org wouldn’t send us close. Stop overthinking things. Head in the game, cowboy.”

My mouth opened and closed before I simmered away. With all the pieces on the board, I was trying to find a checkmate before the opening moves had even been made. So eager to meet my destiny and fall away from this existence, I just couldn’t sit and play house with whatever hoops the Org wanted me to jump through.

And to what end? Being a Demon Hunter had always been a means to an end. Finding the killer of my family. We were getting there, slowly. So focused on this that I didn’t really question my day to day. I went and killed demons, sure. But what did that achieve? If the Org was constantly testing us and weeding out the week, where was the pay-off?

There was an answer buzzing around inside my head like a lost fly trying to find the window to escape. Annoying, but other than giving it space, it would have to find its own way to freedom. Thus, I danced to whatever tune the Org requested, until the time when I could ascend past their requirements.

We stopped, the warehouse now in front of us. It looked no different from the others. Any foreboding was something only daubed on by my apprehensive heart. My core was full to the brim and balanced.

//Twenty targets ground floor. Twelve upper floor.

As we parted with a brief nod, I stepped toward the front entrance.

The first Mids blood was ready to be spilled.