My family has never been "complete." Parents were killed when I was a baby. Tortured with my brothers and sisters for 12 years without a single day of rest like some child's toy passed down over generations in the center of hell disguised as an "orphanage" for parent-less children. For the past five years now I've had most of my family, but it's not complete, if anything the opposite. My youngest brother, held by Satan himself, in that same "orphanage." My family and I are at our witt's end. We couldn't save him 5 years ago. But now, we aren't leaving without Satan and his assistant in body bags and Madsen in our arms.
"Are we even sure Madsen is alive? Satan wouldn't kill him but what if he offed himself?"
That's my eldest sister, Katarna. She felt the brunt of pain. It's as if she was the front soldier in a battle formation. She can control all aspects of time as if it were some video game mechanic. I got to play one of those outside Hell's Empire. I wish I didn't have to come back here but I must. Katarna knows this most of all. When we first escaped. The pain of leaving attacked her the most. She didn't speak for weeks, ashamed of what she'd done.
"Why would Satan kill the only child left? Why would Madsen kill himself? He probably has been restrained from doing anything. It'd be stupid of Satan to let him die, he's leverage. Exactly what he wants." I replied.
"Sick bastard. The fact he tried to make us call him 'papa' still irks me."
Hell was never cold. Satan's mere existence inside of it gave off a powerful, fiery reaction. But as Katarna and I began to look into the land in which Hell's Empire existed, all I felt were shivers. Shivers a person would only feel in the mountains. Soon another of our siblings arrived, later than Katarna and I as he had been tired from traveling back and forth as a messenger for the many groups Katarna improvised to scout the entrance area.
"I...don't remember it...being so hot…"
"It's literally hell, why would it be warm or cold Jason?"
"Leave me alone Katarna, I'm the one whose running around giving orders, getting orders, and reporting."
Jason is only 15. Despite age and circumstance, he loves life. Constantly makes jokes and playful hits at others. He is faster than light. His weakness is after running over and over again for hours he begins to lose speed and stamina, then slows down. Sometimes even to only 10 miles per hour, but that's only in extreme pain, I'm glad that's still faster than any of us could run. Right now, he's beginning to lose speed, like a car running low on gas. Our surveying will be over soon and we'll let him rest. For now, he must keep running. Katarna gives orders without even acknowledging his fatigue.
"Go tell Eckens and Alice to move over here with us. I need them."
"Ugh, fine but I want food for this."
Jason runs off still faster than any eye could see. Although I can tell he's slower, despite the leaves that fly across the sky as he goes off. I can still tell, I've learned how over these 5 years. It depends on the ground impact he makes. The size of his foot marks left behind by his shoes indicate his speed.
"Katarna, personally I feel like we are out here for no reason. We know the house's location. We infiltrated Hell's Empire. Doesn't this feel pointless?"
Katarna looked at me concerned as if I'd thought she was dead and became a ghost.
"It's been 5 years, we've no idea how much has changed. He could have new kids for we know. New kids to attack us and keep us from Madsen. We can't take any risks. We must save Madsen and we need to prepare to save Madsen."
"I know but come on, you are overworking all of us. Jason can't run around on and on forever. My power doesn't even work right now, so why act like this?"
"For Madsen, I act like this, for Madsen. He was an 8 year old little blonde boy. And we left him here."
"Don't blame all of what happened on yourself. Madsen's power left him in stasis, he couldn't move, he was literally stuck in a world of his own. Immovable. Eckens almost smashed him to the ground to wake him out of the trance. But Eckens knew that'd only hurt him and he'd just stay stuck hard as a rock except now on the ground."
"I have to blame myself, I am the oldest, I couldn't stop his powers from overtaking him. There is no one else to blame."
Somber. We all felt somber. But Katarna wasn't just somber, she was in pain. Older siblings always feel the worst but Katarna feels more than that, she feels resentment towards herself.
"Hey Katarna and Second! Eckens is coming, I flew over though." A jolly old Alice said.
"You didn't fly over with him in your arms?" I said.
"He hates flying, so instead we have to wait here for him. His twin brother hates it too. So I guess it runs in their old family."
"Where are Lika and San? Do you know?" Katarna replied.
"Also coming here, although I don't know why. You only asked for Eckens and I right?"
"Yes. So I'd assume they found something." I added.
"I'd hope so Second, otherwise I won't be thrilled."
"Lika and San are ready to party! My brothers and sisters!" San says as he arrives not late nor early. Their arrival isn't met with the happy vibes San exudes.
"Party?" "I-I'm sorry what party?" Katarna says annoyed with San's laid back attitude.
"Shhhh San, we saw something important be serious." Soldier like Lika replies.
"Ugh, fine. If we must."
"Good, now San and I saw some 'guards' over on our investigation side."
"What do you mean by 'guards?'" Katarna says looking intrigued and also empowered.
"Well they seemed to be patrolling the area. But I don't know what for or why. They could be Satan's guards but they didn't look like they belonged there."
"Fascinating. I'll need to remember that information. Well since you are all here I won't send you back on your trails. I guess we can end the survey for today."
"See Lika! It is party time!"
"Yes yes San, now go get Era and Hara so we can start the party!" A smug Katarna says with utmost happiness.
"But- but- you- but- why me?!?!" San says befuddled and looks as if on the brink of tears. "Have Jason do it or Alice! Both move ten times faster than me!"
"But they don't want the 'party' as bad as you! You need to prove how much you want it!"
"I- you- fine. I'll be back."
A broken San runs off to get his brother and sister and unite the group with Katarna. San loves music and sound. He can control sound as well. Making him deadly to others. But instead of fighting people he uses it to have fun. San only has this party addiction because of his power, hearing any type of sound makes him happy. Well all sounds except for the "devil" Katarna's voice. Although you'd never hear him call her that.
"Lika I asked you to control him!"
"Do you have any idea of how hard that is? He's impossible!"
"I know how hard it is, he's my brother too Lika!"
Lika asks like a mini Katarna. Both feel like leaders of the family. Despite Lika's age, second youngest girl, she is incredibly strong and smart. That's why I never leave her and Katarna alone. I'm too terrified to see what they'd do to each other.
"Katarna, I- nevermind this is pointless. We are arguing about the air at this point."
As they stopped fighting, Eckens arrived.
"Hey guys! What's up?!"
"Why are you so happy Eckens?" A "battle ridden" Katarna says.
"Because I'm with my family! Why else?"
Eckens always knows what to say. He loves his brother a lot but never forgets to share that love with the rest of us. I couldn't ask for a different brother, it'd feel like a sin.
"Where is my brother?"
"On his way, he'll be here, don't worry." I said to reassure Eckens. He often worries for his brother. Despite being younger, even if only by seconds, he still gets flustered when his brother isn't around.
"Oh good, so then big sis we ending surveys for today?"
"Yes Eckens, we've done enough today. We should rest rather than continue a fruitless late night search."
"Wouldn't he be more likely to do something at night?" Lika says as if enlightened by an Angel.
Katarna answered swiftly to get rid of ideas in Lika's head.
"No Satan isn't stupid that's way too obvious. Especially since Nighttime in hell isn't dark. He just increases the torture, that's how I learned to tell the time."
"I wish I knew how he controlled the sun." I said with my curiosity high.
Jason arrived. Finally able to rest his legs after running on overdrive for hours. He didn't speak, instead laid down on the ground as we waited for our brothers and sister silently. Far off we hear Era, Hara, and a depressed San talking to each other. Sounds as if they are talking about video games, music, although that's mostly San, and Earth beyond the Satan land. Alice mentions to me as they walk over
"I love how we all treat each other so well despite literally being in hell. I'm glad none of us change. Well at least most of us…" She stares over at Lika and Katarna, the two unable to be themselves. Whether it be because of their inner rivalry or because of the situation Madsen is in. As we stare at Katarna. She bellows out a scream from the bottom of her soul. It was as if she had San's sound power and was trying to kill us, not Satan.
"Our family is almost complete again!"
She said that with power. Although it was merely reaffirming why we were here, it still meant something. It was because we actually were here now. We actually could save Madsen. Satan is the most powerful being on Earth, but we were made to defeat him. God himself is asking us to help, it's only right we oblige.
Later on as my family returned to our "base" nearby. We all began talking normally again, I love this part of the day when we put down the hero act and instead become a group full of un breakable bonds. Bonds, Satan wished to stop from developing, that he instead created. San of course began frantically asking Katarna to allow girls to come over and party with him. Lika even sided with San to spite Katarna. I, of course, had to meditate and San was allowed to bring one girl over. Hara and Era continued talking amongst themselves. They usually are very quiet when around others, Era especially even when around his brother. Eckens and Jason talked about many many things in the short walk. Both of their attention spans are short which only makes sense for Jason but I don't ask.
We soon saw our makeshift "base" on the horizon. Alice had flown ahead to start making us food. We arrived only to see demons trying to eat her.