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Immortal Season 2 - Chapter 12 - Judgement

Charon growled loudly staring at the young group. Each of them shaking as he moved his hand out over the side of the ship. "All trespassers in hell my go to the bottom of the River," He rumbled and opened his hand slowly. Sora grabbed onto his fingers. Sayomi held onto his fingers with Katashi and Sayomi hanging from his legs.

Sora gasped holding tightly as the weight pulled his grip loose slightly. "Charon! We are not trespassers! We were invited!" Sayomi held tightly to Sora's legs. The river below glass still. Falling in would mean their souls would be completely dissolved. Suddenly Maia's grip loosened and the gold piece slipped from her pocket. She screamed as she fell down towards the water. The small dragon behind her hair rushed out landing on Charon's hand.

Suddenly she was caught by Charon's other large hand as well as the gold piece. "What is this?" His massive head moved down. His glaring eyes staring at the golden circle. "Um...Master Terra said would get us into hell," She shook. "A Halo token? Hm...and do you fools have these as well?" He looked up at the boys. As they, boys shook their heads he set Maia down on the deck slowly. The boys reached grabbed their tokens and held them up.

After Charon collected them, the bell in the town rang out again. All the damned had disappeared inside the massive ship. "I grant you living soul's passage into the first circle," He growled and the doors to the docks shut and locked. Below the sounds of whips, lashing and damned screaming could be heard.

Maia held her ears not wanting to hear it anymore. Charon reached his massive arms out grabbing a boulder and pulling them out into the river. Slowly they moved out at the beast's guidance out onto the river. The ship creaked as the people below awaited their fate. The mist of the river was thick and heavy. "God it's gloomy down here," Sora looked out at the grey scenery. "Master Charon?" Sayomi looked back at the beast. The monster's eyes moved down as he grabbed onto rocks pulling them along. "Why do you not attack us?" He asked and narrowed his eyes.

"I have no reason to, you paid for passage and passage is what you receive," He spoke and they all looked up at him. "Do you know what the test is?" Katashi asked. "Yes," "What are they?" "Eight rings, eight wardens, and one master. Defeat the master and escape, fail and you suffer worse than death, A test of skill and strength beyond mortal hand, The chosen one shall complete this task and rise to face his destiny," he told them.

They all looked at each other and sighed. "So is this the first circle?" Sora asked and Charon laughed. He explained that this was only the river between the underworld and hell. At the End of the river sits the Citadel of Limbo the first circle of hell. Beyond lay the circles of Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, and Treachery. Each one was guarded by the warden of that ring who made sure no souls escaped. The small dragon now sat at the front of the ship looking out into the fog. It cocked its head to one side hearing something. Sayomi stared through the fog hearing the sound of crashing waves. "Charon?" Sayomi took a step back. Suddenly the mist became thinner.

The water was suddenly extremely rough rushing down hill between large boulders. Charon laughed and the ship rushed down the channel. Slamming into rocks tossing the group about the top deck. The sound of metal crushing and steel bending let out as they moved between the rocks. Maia holding tightly to Katashi as they soon reached the bottom. The water became calm again and just down the river stood a great tower.

It stretched high into the dark sky. The river spilled over a waterfall on each side of the citadel. The citadel resting on the edge of a pit surrounded by towering cliffs. A bridge connecting the top of the tower to the cliffs beyond. Reaching forward Charon grabbed two massive pillars before the citadel.

The large frontal gate opening letting the damned step out onto the citadels dock. In a lonely march, they moved across the bridge. "This is Limbo...the first circle, at the top it the first warden; King Minos," Charon spoke and grabbed them setting them ahead of the line. The group turned back to see the last of the damned exiting the ship. Charon closed the gate and pushed off heading back for the mouth of Acheron.

With no way back the group looked forward and began the long accent up the citadels tower. After an hour, they made it halfway long ahead of the lines. Sitting down to take a break the three looked out at the great river. The torches along the walkways edge flickering in the intense wind. The imposing climb ahead making them all tired. Maia suddenly looked up hearing a soft whisper on the wind. High up the tower a voice yelled out.

"Gluttony! Violence! Treachery!" It spoke repeatedly. Speaking the names of the rings not knowing who it was. The dragon hidden in her hair shivering from the cold wind. "Still have that book Maia?" Katashi looked at her. With a nod, she pulled the book from her knapsack and held it up. "Anything in there about this place?" Sora looked at her. She flipped through the pages. "Yes! Its right here," She pointed to a page.

She began to read aloud from the text of the book. Limbo is the smallest of the circles due to the few inhabitants. All souls pass through limbo under the judgment of King Minos. He condemns each soul to their eternal torment through their scent and energy signature. "That's all it really says," She closed the book and put it back. "Wonder who this King Mino's guy is?" Sayomi began to move ahead of them. Following they continued upward in curiosity. The voice became louder until it echoed around them. The summit of the tower was just ahead and the voice was as loud as ever. Stepping up onto the tower's top, they looked around at the statues of people in pain and horror.

In the center stood a statue of Andreas. A long bridge connecting the tower to the Cliffside temple shrouded in mist. "Are we sure we want to go over there?" Maia gulped. "We got no choice we gotta go down to go back up," Sayomi stepped onto the bridge. Moving across the temple came into view out of the mist. The ruined temple crumbling slowly into the pit below. It looked Grecian with crumbling pillars holding up a dilapidated ceiling. Moving over the looked inside carefully to not be noticed.

The sight before them was an intense view. A giant beast stood before the passage into Lust. Its head rested against the ceiling and it looked almost mummified. Moving slowly its dried out skin cracked and chipped roughly. A great Octotaur with long tentacles wrapped around pillars. The long lines of the damned before him on each side of a blood-filled pool. His eyes sown shirt as he turned his attention to a person. His tentacles wrapped around him and lifted him up almost crushing him. He leaned in and inhaled deeply from the persons scent. Suddenly his black tongue darted out wrapping around him tasting the man.

"Hm a suicide...my judgment is Violence!" He roared and tossed him into the blood pool. Disappearing he moved to the next. "He is one of the great judges of the underworld much like Anubis," Sayomi gulped and they all stepped forward. "He's nothing like Anubis," Katashi summoned his sword. As the group moved forward into the temple. The creatures writhing tentacles stopped suddenly and held still. Blood rushed from his sewn shuteyes as he looked forward at the group. With a rumble, the damned rushed off into the holes of the cavernous temple. Hiding from the great powerful being. His head turned sniffing the air as his tongue darted out. "What is this I smell?" He groaned and the group stopped.

"A traitor..." He leaned down in front of Maia. She gasped as he sniffed loudly at her body. "A liar..." He moved slowly to Sora. "A Heretic..." His tongue whips out across Sayomi's cheek. Sayomi growled and gripped his scimitar. "And...A murderer," He hisses at Katashi. Katashi's eyes went wide as he stabbed his sword into the beasts tongue. Pulling back his tongue was torn in twain. Whipping around he splattered blood across the temple. "How...smell again!" Katashi demanded. Hissing loudly the beast leaned forward onto his hands. "How dare you!" He swiped reached his hands forward. Everyone jumped away dodging the massive clawed hand coming close. "I am the judge of the abyss! I am never wrong," He swung his arm slapping Katashi into a pillar.

His tentacles lashed out trapping the others against pillars unable to move. With a loud grunt, Katashi's back let out a loud horrid crack. He landed on the floor pushing himself up with a loud grunt. His tentacles rushed to him and Katashi rolled to the side. Suddenly the dragon rushed up scratching at the beasts eyes. He hissed getting distracted and swiping at the creature.

Bringing his sword up he slashed through two of the massive tendrils. The other whipped back knocking him away. Reaching forward his claws scratched at the ground making large channels. Almost catching his leg, he jumped up onto his palm. With a swift jab, he slashed his sword down into the monsters palm. Tossing him up and into the sky Katashi gasped.

The others pinned to the wall with Mino's tentacles. Glaring up the beast reached for him. Katashi closed his eyes as he moved up and was brought back to his memories. He sitting in a hospital. His father lay on the bed a sheet pulled up over him. The fire had claimed all the Makamura's had including their beloved father. Katashi was asleep when it started and the blaze trapped him in his room. Crying he held to a corner trying to escape the heat of the flames.

Suddenly the door burst open and his father stepped in. Reaching out Katashi bolted past him running as fast as he could. He didn't think of his father or what would happen to him. His only thought was to get away as fast as possible. Unbeknownst to him his father ran after him and young Katashi was soon disoriented by the smoke. Grabbing his son the father made the ultimate sacrifice. Pushing his son out the door of their home, he rolled out onto the lawn. Looking back, tired, disoriented, and out of breath, he could see the outline of his father in the flames. A smile went across his face as the ceiling crashed down.

Katashi passed out and his eyes opened as he began to fall. With tears in his eyes, his sword glowed brightly. All his anger faded and now the sorrow welled inside him. Bringing his sword up he slashed down with pure instinct. From his blade, a lash of energy erupted out spiraling toward the beast. King Mino's raised his hand to defend himself but the blast was to great. It bored a hole through his palms and his chest into the wall behind him. Collapsing back he hissed as ink black blood gushed from his wounds. Katashi landed safely at the tendrils released his friends.

Slumping back the creature hissed and blood pooled down onto the floor. "Is he dead?" Maia kept her ground from Katashi. He was suddenly a terrifying creature. That display of power was far than anything they had sensed in him. "I...cannot die...it is my punishment to judge the dead," Mino's growled. With a loud crack, he forced himself up his wound healing over slowly. Sniffing the air, he looked up at the new lines of damned coming into the temple. "I have no more time to taunt you...go, leave me to my punishment," He growled and his tentacles opened revealing the corridor through the mountain. Each of them moved on and Mino's looked at Katashi. "You child..." He growled.

Katashi turned looking at his attacker. "We will meet again," He hissed and his tentacles shut behind them. With a sigh, Maia took his hand and smiled at him. The dragon rested on her shoulder nuzzling her neck softly. He smiled back as they moved down the cavernous corridor. They soon exited onto a new cliff face but now no river stood before them. Stretching out seemingly forever the pit of hell rested before them.

It stretched down forever and Sayomi smirked at them. "Well better start moving," He motioned to a narrow stairway down the cliffs. Meanwhile back on Cerce sat in his pressure chamber. His clear tentacles moving about the tank as his normal face stared at the computer screen. Yoko sat by the side of his tank as Neptune stepped into his lab. "You wanted to see me?" He scoffed and Cerce looked up at him. "You gave that lad an unfair advantage you ignoramus! Teaching him to use an elemental based attack was against your orders!" Cerce turned to him his body sparking. Neptune smirked and turned around walking away.

"I haven't given you permission to leave," One of Cerce's whips rested just behind his neck. Neptune looked back at his elder and narrowed his eyes. "You would attack a fellow commander?" Neptune looked at him. Cerce's eyes narrowed as he pulled his gelatinous tendril back. It phased through the barrier glass and Yoko looked at the commander. "Release my master!" He demanded and Neptune opened his fist. Cerce growled as the water around transformed to liquid again.

Neptune had turned it into a jello like density so that Cerce couldn't breath or move. Yoko put his hands on the glass at his master. "Stop looking at me like that you stupid boy!" Cerce growled. Turning back, he could see Neptune disappearing down the hallway. "Will I report to Master Andreas or Ligeron?" He asked. "No...let us see where this goes, Neptune is the youngest of us...lets do a few small experiments," Cerce smile and raised a scalpel to his cheek. With laugh, he slowly sliced off a large hunk of his flesh.

To be Continued