Eddie's body was sore all over. He felt as if he had been boxing all day. All his bones were broken and although he could already feel it healing, it would take some time, and it definitely hurt, al lot.
When he opened his eyes, he could only see the retreating green moons about to be replaced by the menacingly scorching red sun. But still, why could he feel himself moving?
Looking up, he could see the strange Rhinoceros – like erkos moving with a demon on its back. On one end, a rope was tied to one the erko's legs and the other end was tied to Eddie's legs.
He was alone but it seemed to be carried away by something else. However Eddie saw this as an opportunity. Forgetting that his saber was gone, Eddie searched his belt for the weapon. After realizing his weapon was broken, he decided to do it the old fashion way.
He began to lose the rope with his hands. At first, it felt like he really was losing it, but all of a sudden, the rope became tight, even tighter than it was before. It was very complicated tie, and after a while, Eddie thought he had got the hang of it. But just as he was thinking he was starting to make progress, the erko stopped moving.
The Demon jumped down and approached Eddie who was now pretending to still be unconscious.
"Wake up, punk!" The demon delivered a serried of punches on Eddie's face that within seconds it became sore and swollen. The demon dragged him to his feet and dragged him inside the strange looking building.
After a while of walking around, a demon approached them and bowed lowly.
"Call out the Warden!" Malee said, "I have brought a little something for him."
"Yes sir!" The other demon scurried away and a few minutes later, a fat demon that looked like a panda came to meet them.
He grunted a little as soon as he saw them. "What is it again Malee?" he asked in a hostile tone. "Haven't you had enough the last time you came?"
"Nah, I'm solely here for business. How much are you willing to pay?" Malee pushed Eddie to the Panda Demon's feet. The fat dude squinted a bit before answering.
"Two bronze!"
"Nah!" Malee shook his head. "This one is different. Five bronze or no deal."
"Five bronze?" Warden also shook his head. "He's just a kid. There's no way I'll pay five bronze just for him!"
Right before him, Eddie listened as his price was negotiated. And to his dismay, it looked like warden was going to win this argument. Eddie vowed to pay back these filthy creatures.
Back on earth, his presence alone worth millions and here these guys were selling him for…just two bronze.
"At least if you want to sell me, sell me with pride. Even if just a little." Eddie thought.
"I told you this one is different. Watch this! "Malee laughed and suddenly threw a punch at Eddie's face. Eddie was still in thought when the punch was already close to his face and instinctively he ducked to the side. He had barely regained his composure when he was greeted with another punch and was forced to roll on the ground to avoid the punch.
He hadn't even gained his footing when another punch phased through his ear and after a few more seconds of dodging by the teeth, a punch his chest and he was sent crashing on the hard wall.
The warden's eyes widened as he witnessed this.
"You see?" Malee smiled at the warden as he dragged Eddie back to his feet despite the fact that he hadn't recovered. "What do you think about him?"
"I think he's dangerous." Warden didn't waste a single minute as he quickly handed Malee five bronze coins.
"Make sure you be a good kid. Warden here is a mon of discipline." Malee said to the still dizzy Eddie as he played with the coins on his palm for a few more moments before leaving.
"Now, let's get you to your abode!" Warden tightly gripped Eddie. The grip was so tight, Warden's claw sank into his skin, but if the Warden cared, he didn't show it one bit.
Eddie kept getting pushed around and although due to the darkness, he couldn't see much, he could hear it. Screams - painful screams.
"What is this place?" Eddie thought silently. "A ghost house?"
Soon they arrived before a black door and with a kick from Warden, the door was flung open.
"There!" Warden threw him like a piece of rag. The push was a hard one and Eddie almost fainted as he hit his head on the rocky wall.
But the dizziness disappeared immediately he heard a scream right beside him.
"WHY!" Warden shouted at a little demon who was cowering in a corner with fear. He pointed at the yellow transparent liquid substance below the demon's feet. "Why did you make a mess here?"
"I'm very sorry. I was really pressed and could no longer hold it in." The small demon spoke with fear. "I told the guards but they wouldn't answer me."
"You disobeyed my orders." Warden shouted. "I thought I made it clear to you never to pee in the cell!"
"No, you never told me. You only said we should never try to escape."
"Never mind!" Warden cut in. "But didn't you see it on the notice board?" he pointed to a little board in the distance.
Eddie looked at the board and from the distance he was, he could barely make out any word. Same thing goes with the little demon.
"It's too far. I can't see it."
"You can't?" Warden frowned and looked between her and the board. Soon a mischievous smile formed on his face.
"Get me my tattoo blade!" He barked at one of the guards standing beside him. The guard soon came back with an object that resembled a pen, except the tip was red from extreme heat.
Warden took some steps toward the little demon. And although the demon would have tried to shift back, with her back already touching the wall, she could only coil herself more.
"You yourself said it was too far and you were unable to see it, uh? Well, thankfully I have a very good solution for that." The mischievious smile was still on his face sa he moved closer to the little demon. "I'll just have to wrote it somewhere ou'll be able to see it. Somewhere close you'll never be able to miss!"
Warden held the demon's head and increased the intensity of the heat of the object in his hand. He held the demon's head and opened one the demon's wide eyes wider and like a student writing on a book, he began to write on her eyeball.
"D-O, N-O-T, P-E-E, I…" The warden said each letters one by one like a kindergartener as he wrote them down. "Oh this place is not enough,"
Warden sighed and moved to the nex"t eyeball. "…N Y-O-U-R C-E-L-L, E-V-E-R!"
After he was done, Warden let out a chuckle which was vastly different from the scream the little demon was letting out.
Even Eddie had to cover his ears. His whole body was shaken from what he had just witnessed. Never in his life had he experienced this level of cruelty.
He looked at the little demon rolling on the ground, wailing and screaming. Her shouts sounded like that of a tortured rat.
Eddie thought that was all but just as he was about to get used to the noise beside him, another noise came from his front.
"How many times should I have to tell you…?" Warden shouted at one guard. "Stop sleeping on DUTY!!!"
"I'm sorry sir. I haven't had my shift for three months now. My shift partner was killed by the mercenaries during their rampage. Forgive me sir; it will never let that happen again, I swear."
"Look up my dear." Warden said in a soft voice which was a great contrast to his voice earlier. "I understand you very well, after all I still think about all the workers I lost that day. Well, I have a way to help you. Do you want it?"
"Yes sir." The guard nodded. "Anything!"
"Then look up!"
The guard looked up and for the next one minute was forced to watch as the Warden kept fidgeting with two of his fingers. The guard was about to voice out his concerns when the Warden moved his fingers at a crazy speed and two large umbrella eyelids fell to the ground.
"Ahhh!" Once again, an ear piercing scream resounded through the whole room as the guard covered his eyes with his hands like he was trying to use his fingers as his lid. But even then, pink blood still gushed out like a broken tap.
"You guys are very lucky to have me! I always have a solution you every of your problems." Warden casually said as he continued leaving. "And you, its better you pick up your eyelids and give the chef to spice it up. That's your breakfast."
Seeing all these, Eddie mind was on the verge of collapsing. It felt like he was running mad but yet sane. These people really deserved the title Demon. They were just too cruel.
With all what he had witnessed, Eddie only had one sentence to describe Tartarus.
"A Horrific Wasteland!"
* * * TO BE CONTINUED * * *