~~Young~~

Chapter Twenty

   “Gentlemen” he said dryly in way of parting and focused on returning to the place he had called home for the last couple of millennia. It didn’t feel like home anymore though when he came around in one of the icy halls. It was missing something and Gage knew exactly what.

   He had to get her back.

   But first, Lizzy…

   He shook off the shreds that were once his coat and shirt, his wings having torn through them as they pulled from his skin when he landed here. The tie too he tore off and tossed aside, only to rethink the thought of leaving the mess there. No one else would have brought modern clothes through the realms with them. No one capable of such things was allowed to without express permission from Lucifer himself. It was a big bright sign that said “Gage had been here.”

   Instead he bundled it all up and looked for the closest hellfire sconce, and piece by piece he fed it to the flames until there wasn’t a spare fiber left.

   He knew he was close where he wanted to be, the landing chamber for all souls tossed into hell. It was about the only thing mortal historians got right, the pit. Once Tarterus became the less desirable Hell those doing the ferrying weren’t too keen about getting too close, so the pit was dug. That way whoever was bringing the souls here could just toss them in and run. It was deep enough that one couldn’t get out even if they had the chance to realize where they are, which most didn’t. Again, comprehension of one’s surrounding took time after death.

   Shaking off whatever left over pain he was feeling he rolled his shoulders back and strutted down the corridor in what was his typical manner for the pit. It wasn’t unusual that he didn’t pass anyone in this part of hell, most souls tended to avoid the area. Bad memories maybe…

   The moans and weeping grew louder as he approached, nearly deafening once he entered through its open arched door. It didn’t really need a door. It was about the only room you didn’t have to worry about trying to keep someone in because it was the only one that didn’t impart any real suffering.

   “Hey Greed,” Gage nodded to the slightly green demon on shift. He was of the more human looking variety, even in his natural state, was even wearing what looked to be a pair of human trousers. No scales or claws, only two legs and no tail. Really if you caught him on a dark night on earth you could probably overlook the tint of his skin, and depending how he wore his hair you might never even see the horns… “Can I ask a favor?”

   It was pure luck that Greed was here and not Envy. Not that Envy was so bad, but of the demons in hell Gage found he could get along with those not a direct cause of physical harm for mortals. Plus, Envy was just a bitch. Greed was a son of a bitch true, but he was like Gage and all set on the torture stuff. It was more mental suffering he enjoyed which is why he volunteered for check-in duty of the souls. What’s more mentally disabling then finding out you’re going to face an eternity of torture?

   Of course asking a favor, even of Greed, was still an iffy proposition. Considering how accessible earth was to Gage, Greed could practically ask him for anything. He hadn’t been stuck here in hell that long- the indulgent over excess of the nineteen eighties were all Greed- so Gage was sure there was something he was craving. But hey, that was the point. He was playing to the demon’s weak spot, greed.

   One by one he was walking by the souls in the chamber, pressing his index finger to their temples before burning a checkmark into the parchment in his hands. It was a never ending scroll. Each time a soul was deposited in hell their name would appear on the bottom of the list. Someone had to check them in though, to make sure they were where they should be. Every so often a confused- or disgruntled- angel will drop a truly innocent soul here.