CHAPTER TWO [PART FIVE]

Hell

103 Years Since the Citadel's Founding

Year of the Void-Scarring Talon, Month of the Egg.

“Do you have anything to offer?” the kobold that was the master of this haven asked. It was gold-scaled, a scar had disfigured most of his face, and a chunk was outright missing. It could be conceived as being cool or ugly, depending on your feelings on scars. It certainly made him a decent bit intimidating. He called himself Prawx.

Prawx’s haven, by some measure of magic or arcane technology the small community wasn’t inclined to reveal, was able to be hidden unless one knew where to look. It took the assistance of Crust, and Prawx’s guardians for me to locate it. The odds were I might have simply starved out in the desert if I hadn’t run into Crust. Or I would’ve had to cross my fingers my endurance would last me long enough to run into another haven by chance. Prawx hosted just one of these many havens across Hell.

There were tents, and a more permanent inn where it seemed most gathered to shelter from the blazing sun or the colder nights, but the haven had the look of something that could be packed up into a caravan and moved with ease.

“Not much. A tatoun. A pair of weapons your guardians have taken from me. I’m new to Hell, so I find myself a bit bereft of resources.”

He looked me up and down. “What did you do to be among the first of your kind to arrive here?”

“I had a run of bad luck. Met the wrong people.”

Prawx snorted. “A succinct way to describe how most of us end up here. How did you get your hands on a tatoun so quickly?”

“I ran into some Feasters shortly after arriving. They were kind enough to help me out.”

Prawx outright laughed this time. “Kind is not how these Feasters have ever been described before. It would be shameful if I was told I was even less kind than Feasters.”

“Food, drink, and a brief stay would ensure I give you a glowing review.”

“Alas, I don’t trade in exposure, Avatar.”

“I was afraid not.”

“And I assume this food, drink, and brief stay you’re expecting is also including your friend?”

“Acquaintance. We just met.”

“This acquaintance helped you get here, did she not? I think you should consider her a friend.”

“I’m quite choosy with who I call a friend. But I appreciate her help.”

“You have no intention of securing her stay here?”

“Well, what would it take?”

“For the both of you, I’ll take the tatoun. And you’re free to stay a couple of nights. For solely you, the tatoun will secure you twice as much.”

“Crust tells me you might be open to letting us work?”

“Work? Did she tell you what work involves?”

“She wasn’t very thorough on details.”

“This is Hell, Avatar. A planet of criminals. It may be simplistic to say, but this is a place where the fittest survive. It’s violent. And vicious. That is what the work involves.”

“You won’t be needing anyone to cook or clean?”

“I’m afraid those positions are already filled. Besides, I don’t trust you nearly enough to let you cook for me.”

“I’m not a very good cook, so that’s a safe precaution.”

“You ran into some Feasters and lived to tell the tale. You’re the first of your kind I’ve ever heard of. I expect you can handle yourself if you were to find yourself in… combative circumstances.”

“If it’s justified. Otherwise, I may tuck tail and run.”

“Your being fed isn’t justification enough?”

“No.”

“Ha. I appreciate your honesty. There’s a third alternative. That thing on your wrist, there. And your suit. I’ve never seen something like that in Hell. Some unique qhimphal innovation? It’ll secure you… say… two weeks here. You and Crust.”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“I’m afraid that’s not on the table. Besides, I don’t need two weeks. I need to be out of Hell in five days. Or, four, I suppose, now that the sun’s fallen. Though, I’m not sure how time correlates from here to the Citadel.”

“The Citadel?”

“Where I need to be.”

“Off-world.”

“Indeed.”

“Crust hasn’t told you there’s no way out of Hell? You don’t think someone would’ve found a way out if there was?”

“She did, but maybe I can set a precedent.”

“A lot of fools think that way. They usually come around. Or die. Or rot.”

“I can both be an exception and set a precedent. Besides, I hear someone once nearly escaped. Long ago.”

“Nearly. Destroyed Heaven in the process, and for that most of us are grateful. But that was long ago.”

“That’s how the so-called Heaven fell?”

“I don’t know the details. Few remaining who were there.”

“But some do remain.”

“You’ll want to find them?”

“I’ll exhaust all my leads before I even consider giving up. I need to find them.”

“Pointless, but I don’t think you’ll listen. Fine, I could use the extra firepower in any case. If you’re open to the possibility of getting your hands bloody, I can have you work for a stay. And perhaps I can see what I can do about those leads you need if only to settle your expectations sooner rather than later. I’d hate to see the only qhimphal on Hell come to a swift end because they were too naive. Will you hear what I need from you?”

“I’m listening.”

“Fortunately for you, you’ve good timing, if nothing else. I was awaiting a friend, two nights past. I sent a pair of guardians to go retrieve them and was witness to a flare in the sky. A sign something had gone wrong. This friend that I was awaiting still has a signal up in the sky, a similar one to what’s used to locate a haven. Something must have happened to my guardians whom I’d sent to retrieve my friend. That means something might have happened to my friend as well, and should something happen to this friend, well it would be rather disastrous. Not just for me, but for many others who rely on them. Still, I can’t risk sparing too many to the cause. I have a responsibility to this haven above all. Saving this friend at the risk of my haven is not something I’m willing to do. If you’re willing to assist us, you will accompany one of my remaining three guardians: Gazon. The four-legged one. They will know what signal to follow. You should know that there’s a chance that it could be a trap. If my friend is still alive, and my guardians are as well, I’d like you to escort them back here. This friend of mine is an ivory-colored kobold. She usually has a rather bulky caravan alongside her, which tends to make her prey.”

“Are you expecting to find her?”

“She knows the risks, and she’s generally well-prepared for such risk. I’m not expecting the worst. But you never know.”

“Sounds simple enough. We leave now?”

“Yes. Will that be an issue?”

“No. Don’t have much time to waste, I’d be happy to get this over with quickly.”

“Your urgency benefits me, so I won’t criticize those impossible ambitions of yours. Go find Gazon outside, let them know you’ll be accompanying them. And do not try anything shifty, Avatar. I will not take kindly to betrayal.”

“I appreciate the warning. Likewise.”

Prawx chuckled and waved me away dismissively.

I met Gazon, who handed me back both machete and spear, though I doubted I’d use either. I hoped I’d not even have to consider using either. We would be leaving the tatoun behind. We walked with torches on hand, though it was more of use to Gazon than it was to me.

“How did you convince Prawx to let us go?” Gazon asked after we were some distance from the haven. He moved at pace, and it took some awkward effort for me to keep up with his long four-legged strides.

“I don’t think I needed to do much convincing. Seems this friend of yours is quite important.”

“I see.”

“I take it he wasn’t letting you leave?”

“Too dangerous, he said. But I know it’s because he doesn’t trust me.”

“Trusts you enough to go with me. I can’t imagine he has more faith in a stranger than he does in you.”

“You’d be wrong. You saved that kobold from certain doom.”

“I did, but he doesn’t know that for sure. I could be running any measure of scheme. He called me naive, but isn’t it the other way around? He doesn’t know anything about me. I could be in leagues with Crust. Or blackmailing her. Or bullying her.”

“Shouldn’t you be grateful he gave you the benefit of the doubt?”

“I am, I just question how long he’s been able to run a haven while being so careless.”

“Maybe the problem is that you’re missing a part of the information. Remember, he made sure to keep the other two guardians: the kobolds, back at the haven.”

“And what am I supposed to make of that? I guessed he probably thought you were tougher. You’re bigger than both. More intimidating.”

“That simple?”

“Why not? I keep being told Hell is survival of the fittest, and you look tougher than the kobolds I’ve seen.”

“We’re not too far off now.”

“And no sign of trouble.”

“No. You’re more likely to find trouble in the daylight. Kobolds don’t get around at night. Too risky.”

“Why were you so eager to leave? Those other two guardians that were sent ahead… friends of yours?”

“My sisters.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Prawx believes that we betrayed him. That my sisters are trying to lead us into a trap. That’s why he was unwilling to send anyone till now. You have no connection to us, as far as he can tell, and he can keep the guardians he trusts by his side. I think he figures that if you’re a traitor, or I’m a traitor, then there’s not much loss in sending us both. We will kill each other.”

“You’ve not been with him for long?”

“No. He had a few guardians a while back, but they died. We took the opportunity to replace them.”

“Good timing.”

“As intended.”

Gazon’s torch swung outward towards me, though I raised my forearms in time to try and block it, the impact still sent me reeling back, but

I was fortunate the symbiote covering my forearms did not catch.

“What’s this disgusting creature, big brother?”

“Disgusting? No. It looks tasty. I’d like to try it.”

Two more four-legged, crocodile-faced creatures approached in the darkness. Between them was a kobold, wrists bound by thick ropes though looking otherwise unbothered by her circumstances.

“You underestimate Prawx, Avatar.” Gazon held a torch in one hand, and his other hand mutated grotesquely, getting thrice as much girth and length. His hand could wrap around my head and squeeze it till it exploded. “He was right to be skeptical of you. You’re the one who was too naive.”

“It was a trap, then?”

“Yes. And we have what we came for. Gate.” He nodded to the kobold. “We’ll leave Prawx to his own devices, we have no more business with that haven. And you, we have no need for. Except, as my sister said, as sustenance. I would let you go, but I fear you may go back and inform Prawx of what happened.”

“I don’t think I’d let you go anyways. Much as I’d rather avoid any sort of fight. I’d feel guilty leaving that one behind. Plus, Prawx promised to help me if I came back with her.”

“Are all your kind so stupid?” the first sister asked.

“If this one tastes good, I hope there’s more of him to come,” the other added.