The dark room had windows but behind them, it was as black as the night sky but without a single star. Rows and rows of racks were placed around the room, filled with dozens of dresses in all kinds of colours. A few candles were lit against the wall, sending a gloomy light over the dresses. I was still standing in my satin pyjamas, but I didn't feel cold, it was actually rather warm inside the room. I grabbed a poker next to the extinguished fireplace and held it protectively in front of me.
"H-hello?" I called out, my voice shook a little. "Is someone here?"
It was silent for a moment before the sound of shuffling footsteps came closer. An older woman with silver hair that reached her lower back came bustling in. She was small, probably reaching below my shoulder. She was wearing a black and silver dress, that seemed like it was from the medieval ages.
"Ah, you arrived." The old woman said without looking at me, her voice a little hoarse. "We don't have a lot of time, you're late."
"How did I get here? Where is here ?" I demanded, still holding the poker. The old crone glanced up for a moment. My grip on the poker tightened as the woman's cat-like eyes fell on me. She wasn't human. "Stay away from me."
"You can put that away, dearie. I won't be the most dangerous thing you will meet tonight." She said with a grin you would call evil.
I swallowed and was surprised my voice didn't shake when I asked again. "Where am I?"
"You were invited to the Ball, and you accepted the invitation, correct?"
"Uhm- yeah."
"So, here you are. We should get you ready, you are already late."
"But where am I?" I pressed.
"Everything will be revealed tonight." She said as she shuffled to the dresses.
What the hell was going on? Where am I? Why had the old crone cat eyes and was dressed in a medieval dress? My heart was pounding but still, I lowered the poker in my hand. "How did I get here?"
"When you accepted the invitation-" She took a dress from the rack, glanced at me for a minute, going over my features before putting it back, muttering something inaudible. "It created a portal that brought you here."
"But-"
"I can't give you any more information. I'm not allowed, nor do I want to. But you have a choice, you can leave at any time." She waved her hand and a portal appeared next to me. I could see my empty, dark flat before me. But just like I couldn't throw the letter away, I couldn't take one step forward to my familiar home. There was something pulling me in, something guiding me to stay here and go to this Ball. The portal and my flat disappeared and my head snapped towards the old crone. There was a grin on her lips, but it wasn't sweet or mischievous like she knew I wouldn't leave and couldn't wait to see what horrible things would happen next.
"Here." The woman trusted a dress in my arms. "Get dressed."
I glanced at the black dress in my arms. "Uhm - where should I get ready?"
"You don't have enough room?" She raised an eyebrow at me. "Come on, we don't have all night." She snarled as she looked out of the window. I looked too but it was pitch black as before, nothing to see.
Taking advantage of the fact that she was looking out of the window, I pulled off the top and pulled the dress over my head. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline. It wasn't entirely black as I thought before, the bust was underlined with gold, and the top of the neckline was golden all around to the back. The dress flowed to the floor and was particularly heavy. Just like the dress of the old woman, it was something that was worn hundreds of years ago. I pulled off my pyjama bottoms and tossed them aside, but not before I took out my phone and placed it in my bosom. When I looked back, golden sandals with heels were standing in front of me. When I slipped in my foot, it was a perfect match.
"That's better." The woman said with a curt nod. "You mortals dress worse every year." She muttered.
Mortals? I let my hands go over the soft fabric of the dress. It wasn't anything I had ever worn before, but it was beautiful.
"I would think that the seventies were much worse, but to each their fancy." I couldn't help but smile a little, even though I didn't know where I was, or who the old woman was. Or better yet, what she was. In the corner of my eye, I saw the old woman scowl.
"Sit." She pointed briskly to an old chair. I pursed my lips at her but did as I was told, lifting my dress to get myself seated properly. "Since we don't have the time, I'll keep it simple." She said before she started pulling on my hair. There wasn't a single mirror in the room, the windows didn't seem to have any reflection, so I didn't know what the woman was doing. "That should do it." She said once she was finished.
"W-what now?" I asked as I stood up. The woman didn't answer, she waved her hand again and another portal appeared in front of me. But before I had a chance to see what was on the other side, the old crone had pushed me through.
The portal behind me closed quickly, I could just see the evil smirk on the old crone's lips before it disappeared. When I looked back forward, my breath got caught up in my throat.
I was standing on top of a grand staircase, below people were either half naked and groping at each other or trying to stuff silverware or golden coins in their pockets. The large piles of gold coins must be fake, right? My eyes roamed over the people below me, taking them in amused. What kind of party was this? Everyone was dressed impeccably, men in dark, clean suits, women in long dresses all from ages ago. Or at least some of them were dressed impeccably. No, most of them were already half undressed. Shirts thrown over chairs or on the floor, dresses half ripped by groping hands.
I took my phone out of my décolletage and checked for service.
"You won't get any service here."
I almost jumped out of my skin at the sudden voice. I glanced to the side. A man, a few years older than me was leaning against the wall behind me. He had brown hair that reached his shoulders. His dark blue eyes were scanning the room. He was wearing a more modern suit than all the others at the party. He was wearing dark blue dress trousers, and a light grey blazer on top. He had olive skin, his chest visible due to the top buttons of his white shirt that was undone. He was extremely handsome.
"Where is here ?"
"Hm." He hummed, pushing himself off from the wall and stood right next to me. His eyes remained on the people below us. "I guess you missed the introduction. I was informed there would be a latecomer."
"I can't be the only one who was late," I said, pushing the cell phone back into my bosom. "There must be more people that had doubts. If everyone got the same invitation as me -"
"They did."
My eyes roamed over the room. "They must have had doubts. Someone broke in to deliver a letter. An invitation with almost no information, that I needed to burn. Then a 'portal' brought me into this creepy dark dress room with a mean, old woman -"
"Alviva." The man said. "You better not let her hear you call her old and mean. I mean she wouldn't mind being called mean."
"Are you going to explain any of this? Or do I need to try to pry someone off that sex couch over there?" I waved my hand to a corner where seven people were completely naked on a black velvet couch.
An amused smile spread across his face. "I like you." He said, glancing to me from the corner of his eye. "So, I'll be honest with you. Besides if you don't pass the seven phases, you won't remember any details, just an amazing party. Believe it or not, you are in the Underworld, Ferri is how we call it."
"I don't," I answered but I did. It was ridiculous to believe it, but still, I did. There was just something about what happened the past day and how this place felt. The look he gave me said, he didn't believe me in the slightest, like he could read my mind.
"This ball is a test."
"A test? A test for what?"
"To find the one man or woman that can resist all sins."
"Sins?" My eyes roamed over the people below us in the room. "Like lust or greed?"
"Exactly that." He smiled wide. "They are looking for someone that can resist all the seven deadly sins."
"How do they choose who to invite?"
"It's not my job to tell you everything but everyone here can at least resist one sin." His eyes scanned the room before he took me in for a long time. "It seems like you can resist at least two."
"Seven phases, seven sins. Each phase represents a sin." I murmured to myself, but the man nodded anyway. I glanced to him. "If you can't resist every sin, you will just remember a great party in the morning. What happens if you can resist them all?"
He smiled a little secretively and I knew, he wasn't going to answer that one.
"What about you? You don't seem affected, and you know what's going on, so you're not here just for the Ball."
"I've been around for a couple of years."
"Is everyone here so evasive?" He just smirked. "Can I at least know your name?"
"You can call me Leon."
"Is that your real name?"
"One of them." He shot me a crooked grin. "What's yours?"
"Ava."
"Nice to meet you, Lady Ava." He bowed, taking my hand in his and kissed the top of it. "I'll let you to the festivities. Maybe we'll meet again." The moment he let go of my hand, he disappeared into the shadows.
The information Leon gave me, left me with more questions than before. So, I was in the Underworld, in Ferri. The Ball wasn't really a ball, but a big test. And when you pass it, you won't know what happens. I wasn't sure if I wanted to pass at all but still, my feet made their way down the stairs. The moment my foot touched the stone floor, a waiter appeared with flutes of champagne. When I took a glass from the tray, I noticed he wasn't quite human. His nails were long and sharp like a sloth, and the irises from his eyes were red. A demon. Before I could react, the demon-waiter walked away. The Underworld, demons, right? I breathed in deeply to calm myself.
I passed the corner filled with half-naked bodies. I didn't notice it before, but there was soft music playing in the background. I couldn't spot a music installation or a band that was playing though. A man with dark brown eyes suddenly looped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to his chest. He was so close, I could only see his eyes and the crooked nose that looked like it had been broken in the past. And may be broken again if he didn't let go.
"Let me go." I pushed against his chest, but that seemed to turn him on because I could feel him twitch against my stomach. I balled my fist and drew it back. But suddenly, the man was pulled away.
"I think she said to let her go." A man with black spikes pushed the man back towards the sex crowd. "Go fuck someone who wants it."
"Thank you, but I could've handled it myself."
"No doubt." He nodded towards my balled fist. "But better get through this without a broken hand." He grinned. "I'm Andy." He held out his hand.
"Ava." I shook it. "So, you can resist lust and greed?"
"Yep." He popped the P with a grin. "And wrath too. I just came from there."
"You arrived in another room?"
He nodded, glancing around the room. "It's like this one but smaller. The door, right there -" He pointed to a small door on the right. "- Leads you to the other room. I'm guessing that one leads to the next sin." He said, nudging his head to the other side where another door was. "It seems like all rooms are connected. They're slightly bent -" He came to stand next to me and pointed to the end of the room, showing me the slight curve of the wall that I hadn't noticed before. "I think -" He whispered. "That if you pass the tests, you'll be led to the centre room. A room that is surrounded by rooms like this."
"And what do you think will be in that room?"
"A prize?" He suggested but I knew that wouldn't be it. Whoever threw this Ball wasn't going to all this trouble to hand over a prize. "Come on, let's see if you can resist wrath. It can get pretty ugly there."
"Aren't you afraid I can't resist it? I am a black belt." I grinned as we walked to the closed door.
Andy eyed my dress with a lopsided smile. "I think the dress will be in your disadvantage."
"Wanna bet?" I raised an eyebrow.