A Broken Man

Chapter 13: The Nether

Down in the Nether Realm, someone resurfaced from some sort of black sludge, it was Zane. He thought it was all over, the last thing he remembered was the explosion that Aaron caused. Zane gasped for air, coughing up the tar like sludge, he took his mask off and vomited some sludge he inhales when he was under it. When he coughs up the last drops of sludge, Zane looked around, trying to figure out where he was.

Zane: " *coughs* Wh... Where am I? *spits* What is this?"

Zane put his mask back on after getting the sludge off. Zane pulled himself up, his cloths were all torn up from the explosion, sludge dripped off his clothing as he pulled himself out of the tar-like substance. A voice came from above Zane.

The voice: " No one knows. We just know whoever is a part of the Shadow Lord's army ends up here when they died."

Zane looked up and saw a young man. He seemed to be in his early 20s, he jumped down and came up to Zane, he held out his hand.

The man: " Here, let me help you out."

Zane didn't want his help, but the man still grabbed his arms and was able to yank him out.

Zane: " Who are you?"

The man: " Quinton. Concenter me as your welcoming host. Welcome to the Nether."

After hearing where he was, Zane realizes he was at the realm and home of the Shadow Lord himself. He read many books about it, and it's exactly how it's describe, a dark place surround by lava. Zane then heard a loud beat noise.

Zane: " What was that?"

Quinton: " You'll see. Come on."

Zane followed Quinton, entering a large structure that looked like a beaten down castle, large cracks were on it and parts of it fell into the lava that surrounded it. Quinton shifted his head over, telling Zane to continue following him. As they walk pass the different rooms of the structure, people turn their heads, most of them were humans but there were some Shifters, Meif'was and even Werewolves. Either fighting or talking with each other. They all stopped for a moment when they saw Zane, he did have a huge repartition back in the overworld, so Zane expected the stares, he was used to it. The same beating noise echoed the halls they were in, getting louder and louder as Quinton led Zane to their destination. The two stopped in front of a large door, Quinton looked at Zane.

Quinton: " Well, here we are. You'll find the person who brought you here and what's making that noise. Good luck."

Zane tilt his head a bit, Quinton opened the door and nodded his head towards the room for Zane to go in. Zane walked in, everything was a deep red, red torches light the room up, the beat noise beat the loudest in this room.

A voice: " My now, look who it is."

Zane turns towards where the voice came from, there, sitting on a beam above him was Beckham, giving his annoy grin towards him.

Beckham: " Found a way out of the Irene Dimension and found yourself here, I see."

Zane rolled his eye as the annoy and skittish Shifter taunt him. Another familiar voice came from the shadows.

A female voice: " What are you yammering about now you.... Well now, what do we have here?"

Zane turns and strutting out of the shadows was Concubine, her slay smile was on her face, her eyes were cover, but Zane knew she was staring at him with her dagger eyes at him as she circled Zane a bit.

Concubine: " It's been a long time, hasn't it, Zane."

Zane didn't respond, he was just annoyed that Beckham and Concubine were teasing him a bit. The two backed away and had a small worry look when a different voice echoed the room.