Russel shivered slightly as he followed behind Omar and Oliver, still not accustomed to the fresh snowfall that signified the start of winter. If the events of almost five months prior had not come to pass, Russel would no doubt be snuggled up under a blanket with Kathleen in their new home, awaiting marriage in the spring. But that peaceful dream burned to ash along with the city of Eastcliff.
"Don't fall behind Russel. It's finally time." Oliver chided.
"I know, I know. I'm not used to walking in the dam snow." He scowled.
"The snow has been around for a week already. You may be quick to train but you take forever to adapt to a situation."
Russel snapped his fingers and sent a small bolt of electricity towards Omar, causing him to jump up in surprise. Omar stopped in his tracks and snapped his head back to look at Russel, anger clearly showing in his normally calm eyes.
"You little…" Omar hissed.
Russel feigned a look of ignorance and walked passed Omar, not wanting to deal with any repercussions of his little joke. He heard a rapid crunching of snow behind him and looked back to meet Oliver's gaze as he attempted to catch up.
"I know you two aren't exactly each other's biggest fans… But could you at least try to get along during times like this… We are literally going to enter Oblivion in a matter of minutes!" Oliver sighed.
"We don't need to get along. We both want the same thing and that ties us together. I have no obligations to him except fulfilling that purpose, and the same goes for him. It's a working relationship." Russel shrugged.
"You really are hopeless with others…"
"You may be right, but you wouldn't have it any other way." Russel chuckled.
"Hang a right up here! We are leaving the protective barrier, so be on guard." Omar called ahead.
Russel looked up from his feet to the forest path they were following split off in multiple directions. He looked down the right path that Omar had mentioned to see it shrouded in shadow, making it impossible to tell what lay ahead of them. He reached for the sword on his back and drew the weapon. He held out his left hand, eager to use some of the knowledge that Navvare had bestowed on him before his passing.
"Ignis." He muttered under his breath.
A ball of fire flashed into existence, hovering above his left hand. He smirked as he held his hand out in front of him and continued his walk through the forest. He stayed on high alert as he examined his surroundings, making sure that no monsters were lingering nearby. The monsters around this area were not excessively tough, but were still an annoyance when one was trying to accomplish anything, as Russel and Oliver had learned the hard way multiple times during their three-month stay in the ruined city.
"Here we are." Omar spoke, bringing Russel out of his state of hypervigilance.
In front of the group was a large altar with a giant ring shape coming out of the ground. The ring was covered in intricate carvings that almost looked like strange letters from an either forgotten or forsaken language. To the left of the portal sat a small pedestal with a hand shape cut out from the top, very reminiscent to a similar pedestal used when reviving Oliver.
"So… Any information that you conveniently left to the last minute?" Russel asked as he admired the carvings along the surface of the ring.
"Nothing you don't know already. Though, since it is you we are talking about I feel I should give you a refresher…" Omar sighed.
"Watch it old man." Russel sneered.
"When you enter through the portal you will be met with the gatekeeper, the entity that divides the three planes of existence. He will guide you to your destination, in this your case the Plain of Greed, where the demon stone of greed can be found." Omar explained.
"I was hoping for something… A little more I guess…" Russel sighed. "After all, you have said nothing about where it could be, what waits for us there, what it is like…"
"That's because I know nothing. You will be the first demons since the end of the Holy War to return to Oblivion, that much is certain. With the amount of time that has passed the monsters that Satan created will no doubt be running amok, but I have no clue to what extent." Omar admitted. "I know just as much as you do when it comes to this, and I'm not exactly confident that you two will be able to secure the stone in a timely manner."
"Thanks for the pep talk…" Oliver huffed.
"I've never exactly been one for positive reinforcement."
"That's for sure…"
"..."
"..."
"Well, how about we get started then. Do you remember the incantation I taught you Russel?" Omar asked.
"Yeah… Though I really hate having to draw blood for this…" Russel groaned.
"Well, I suggest you get over that and place your hand on the pedestal." Omar commanded.
Russel sighed and stepped forward towards the ring, reaching the pedestal and putting his hand into the carved out area. He closed his eyes and cleared all thoughts from his mind, fully concentrating on the feel of the cold stone under his palm. He felt a sharp pain hit his hand as the pedestal began to draw blood and bit the inside of the cheek to suppress any involuntary sounds of pain. He counted to ten as Omar had instructed back at the house and began to recite the incantation.
"Huic ostiarius magnanime respondent sanguinem meum, sit porro ira ignes oblivioni tamquam inundatio. Ego lux flamma quasi tinea, Tantum accipere possum in desideriis tuae remorationis meae destination fuga." Russel recited.
He felt a feeling akin to a cool breeze wash over him and gradually felt the pain in his hand subside, leaving only a soreness on the palm of his hand. He slowly opened his eyes and stepped back, looking towards the ring. The carvings along the surface had filled with his blood and had begun to glow, while the center of the ring had become a shining pool of light red light. He sighed in relief at the open portal and looked back to Omar and Oliver who nodded at him.
"Well, you best be off before the portal runs out of power and collapses?" Omar advised.
"Then how are we supposed to get back if that happens?" Oliver questioned.
"There are many portals scattered across the plain, and the gatekeeper can guide you to any place in the mundane plane. A portal is merely a way to get to them. Now then, run along." Omar finished, shooing them away.
"Stupid old man…" Russel muttered, turning towards the portal.
"That's it? That's all the information you need?!" Oliver asked.
"We both know if thats what he offered up to us, we won't get any more out of him. Now hurry up, I don't want to have to open another portal any time soon." Russel scoffed, grabbing Oliver by the back of the shirt and pulling him.
Russel walked towards the portal and looked into the red light that looked to hide a tunnel in its reflection. He calmed the nerves that he would not let show and stepped into the light, continuing to drag Oliver behind him. As the light consumed him he felt his thoughts grow erratic and his head go light, while feeling like his body was both numb and being torn apart. He tried to struggle against the uncomfortable feeling to find himself unable to move, see, or even breathe. He continued to panic and tried to struggle once more, regardless of knowing that it was a futile struggle.
The next thing he knew Russel found himself standing under a blue sky with few clouds floating along, standing on a surface that seemed the mirror the effect of light dancing on an undisturbed body of water, not even a ripple to be spoken of on its surface. He looked back to find that he was still holding on to Oliver, wearing an equally confused expression. He began to look around him. No matter where he looked or how much he strained his vision all that he saw was an endless expanse of sky and the water like floor.
"Where are…" He began.
"You are both everywhere and nowhere all at once. This is a place that is both nonexistent and exists no matter where you look. An endless world that stretches as far as the eye can see, yet you will get the same view no matter how far you walk." A soft and apathetic voice cut him off.
Russel looked around rapidly trying to find the source of the voice. After the events that had unfolded with Bloodweld and her illusions a few months prior, Russel did not take favorably to a mysterious voice coming from seemingly nowhere.
"Though if we are speaking in terms of how you might know this place, this is the gate, and I am its keeper."
The floor in front of Russel started to bubble and a figure began to rise from below its surface. In front of him stood a girl, no more than a child with long blond hair and bangs that covered her eyes. She wore a plain white dress, nothing more than a large cloth, yet still looked elegant against the endless sky.
"I have not seen many of your kind come and go over millennia, yet you are a new face. Name yourself."
"Russel." He responded automatically.
"Your full name." She demanded, taking a stride towards him.
"I… I don't… I'm just Russel." He finished after a moment's hesitation.
The girl stopped in front of him and reached her hand up, placing a palm on his cheek. Russel looked at her suspiciously when he saw a small smile cross her lips.
"You are his son." She remarked, her apathetic tone letting a bit of genuine happiness shine through. "The son of the only man to have ever shown me kindness… Welcome, Russel Diabolous."
"Diabolous…" Russel repeated softly.
"Indeed, as you know doubt know your father was Mende Diabolous. If you're his son named Russel that would make you Russel Diabolous. It is quite obvious." She stated, the happiness previously shown in her voice completely missing.
"I suppose it is…" Russel chuckled lightly. "Though I don't really have any family ties to speak of, growing up without one…"
"So Mende has died…" She whispered, a hint of melancholy now showing. "He would not be the type to abandon his child…"
"I'm sorry…" Russel apologized.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, child." She stated, recollecting herself. "And this is?"
"Oliver Eastcliff." Oliver answered, rising to his feet.
"I see… A Fallen Angel and a human blooded demon… A strange mix to be sure." She mused. "Why have you come to the gate?"
"We wish the enter the Plain of Greed." Russel answered.
"Very well." She responded. "I will let you off without a toll since you have given me information pertaining to Mende…"
"What is the normal toll?" Russel asked.
"There is no standard toll. It is often something that is taken away from you, whether you know it or not. Though only one person must bear the toll for a group." She answered.
The girl lowered herself to her knees and plunged her hands under the surface. The area around her was enveloped in a golden light as she spoke a simple incantation.
"Proferre porta. Oblivion, Plain of Greed."
A large stone doorway emerged from below the surface, accompanied by a loud rumble. When the noise stopped and the doorway settled Russel looked on in awe at the sight before him. Through the open door he could see a place not unlike where his father appeared to him. It was a nearly barren landscape where even the little present vegetation looked to be on the edge of death. A small river of lava could be seen in the distance and the red sky looked as if clouds had been set ablaze.
"That is the Plain of Greed… As with the rest of Oblivion, it is a truly terrible place." The Gatekeeper stated. "What ever could you wish to go there for?"
"I'll keep that information to pay the return toll." Russel answered.
"Do as you wish."
"Oliver, let's get going."
"Yeah… Right…"
Russel looked back at his meek sounding companion and gave him a frown, disturbed by his seeming lack of courage, a problem that he had not had prior to entering the Gatekeepers realm.
"Unless you want to stay with our lovely host, follow me." He ordered.
He placed a hand on his swords hilt and began to walk towards the doorway, ready for any dangers the unfamiliar world may house. Oliver followed behind him, showing a bit more courage than he had a moment prior. The two walked through the doorway and it immediately faded out of existence behind them.
"He is definitely your son Mende… Though I must say he is even more headstrong then you were if that were even possible…" The Gatekeeper spoke to the abyss, looking where the doorway had stood a moment ago. "That child… The path he walks now is too much for someone his age… Too much has been hidden from him."