"So, what do these runes do?" asked Max curiously.
"There are many runes inscribed here, most of them are for suppression, sealing, concealment, and some other things I don't know about," said Hayley after taking another look around the altar.
"Then why is there demonic energy coming out of the altar?" I asked in a surprised tone.
"I don't know, maybe because some runes stopped working a long time ago? Who knows? Let's just see what's inside and leave."
"Okay, okay, don't get grumpy, I will even let have some books from down there," I said trying to pacify the suddenly grumpy Hayley.
"Okay, I can accept that," said Hayley happily as if her previous mood was a lie.
She changed pages faster than a reader.
I just shook my head at her reactions and decided to ask the important question.
"So, how can I open it?"
"Open what?"
"sigh, the altar, keep your mind here until we finish."
"Oh, yes, the altar."
"So?" I said impatiently.
"Try to drop some of your blood on the altar," answered Hayley quickly after seeing how impatient is Max.
"Why would my blood unlock a demonic altar?" I asked in a doubtful tone.
I have the right to be doubtful. After all, the only thing that people use blood for are the things that form a connection with the user.
Like the artifacts and items, I got from the system, the spear, and the Tome of knowledge.
Blood can also be used when one of the elders of a certain race would unlock an inheritance with a special bloodline, at the time only the descendent of the said bloodline can open the inheritance. That is not limited to inheritance only, there are things that can be lumped in this category, but they are not important at the moment.
I am not a demon, and I am sure as hell that I have never come to Hell before. So, how can I use my blood to open an altar that is closed for who knows how long by some demon?
"Why are making such a fuss about a few drops of blood?"
"It is not like I am telling you to bleed yourself out," said Hayley in an irritated tone to the doubtful Max.
"Okay, okay, I am sorry. I was just asking, nothing much," I said in defense while waving my hands in front of myself.
"Okay, then hurry up and try. Maybe you will fail and we will return empty-handed," continued Hayley in an uncertain tone.
"Well, I hope something like this won't happen," I muttered to myself in a low voice.
"Are you saying something?" asked Hayley while glancing in my direction.
"No, nothing," I answered dismissively.
I lifted my right hand and then bit my index finger so I can have some blood.
After making a small cut with my mouth, I dropped a few drops of my blood on the altar.
The color of my blood is still crimson and nothing seemed to have changed much.
After the blood fell on the altar, nothing changed. The blood just slid on the altar until they touched the runes.
We waited in silence for five minutes as nothing else happened.
I turned my head to Hayley who is standing beside me and looked at her with a doubtful expression.
My expression was saying: 'Are you a scammer?'
Seeing my expression, how can Hayley not understand what I am implying? After all, Hayley has spent with me the past 20 days. So, we get used to each other. Although we are not at the level of best friends. We could be considered friends or maybe comrades.
So seeing my expression made Hayley furious for being doubted like this again.
But after thinking for a while, she just sighed and drove away all of those negative emotions. Her sudden mood swings and change of expression are all because of the aura of evil that is emitted in Hell. It has to be it.
When she thought of this. She felt relaxed as if something heavy have been lifted off her shoulder.
Before she has never been someone who would have mood swings. Only curiosity would lead her around. Other than this, she is always cheerful or calm, but since she came here with Max, she always felt irritated and annoyed.
It must be because of the strange aura from before. This must be affecting her emotions.
Her thoughts aren't exactly wrong but they aren't also correct. Due to Will's protection, Max and Hayley aren't subjected to any limitations from Hell.
Since Hell is an entire dimension that is identified as one of the places by the Universe where the souls of the sinners got sent if they were believers of Christianity.
So, to make a place like this work, and keep the cycle working, there must be rules and limitation that is placed on the dimension by the Universe and by the ruling God.
Max and Hayley being able to enter Hell while alive is in itself an impossibility unless they reached the stages of demi-god, or they have permission from one of the dukes or seven princes of Hell.
Of course, there are other ways to enter from a back door but those also have their own restrictions.
Thanks to Will's spell on Max and Hayley. They both are protected from the strange environment of Hell and the demonic energy in the air.
The strange environment came from the negative energy that is accumulated in Hell from the various souls that are being tortured here in this place. All of their resentment, anger, sadness, jealousy, etc.…. all of those emotions would be purified from the souls that got here.
All of those negative emotions would have driven even the bravest man/woman with the toughest mind insane.
The demons are usually okay since they are beings of sins who get stronger by devouring the negative energy and demonic energy in Hell.
There are other species that can survive in Hell, but for now, they aren't very important to know about.
So, yeah, you can imagine how it would have been for Max and Hayley if they have entered here without protection.
The protection was partially removed only when they arrived in the castle, to allow them to experience the full aura that is coming from the figure in the throne hall.
Does this mean that with Will's spell, the aura of Coercion that was coming from the castle could have been nullified?
Yes, it was easy to do such a thing.
Then why did Hayley feel strange after sensing the aura from a close distance?
Because Will didn't intend to babysit them, he only protected them from the environment as they are still weak to bear the atmosphere of Hell since they are not demons, but for the inheritance, which was a test for their mind and body. So, he removed the protection temporarily.
Will kept an eye on Max through the system even though he was busy with other things.
Now back to Hayley and Max who are standing in front of the altar.
When Hayley was going to ignore Max's doubtful gaze, the altar in front of them started shaking.
The altar started to emit more demonic energy as the barrier made around the altar started to slowly disintegrate.
Seeing this, Hayley turned to look at Max with a mocking glance that seemed to be saying, 'I was right, worship me, Mortal'.
Max just ignored her gaze because he was more focused on the altar that is shaking in front of him.