Times Upp

A young man who was known for being funny, outgoing and an all around good person who loved to bring joy to all had suddenly changed. The mental state of that person had drastically changed so much in the past few years that he began resenting the people around him. His work acquaintances, bosses and friends along with his closest friend Kricila tried to get through to him but unfortunately they could never get in contact with the young man. One day that same young man's attitude did a full one-eighty as he was back to his happy, bubbly self. Everyone was so excited for him to get back to his normal state except Kricila who was very skeptical of this sudden change in emotions. For Kricila, the young man who she once knew to be a spectacle for all to see has now seemingly disappeared and is nothing but a shell of his former self, a fake. Far away beyond human comprehension was that same young man lying in his bed with nothing but the pale skin on his body, his name was Eric Borzil. He was a young twenty five year old who stood roughly six foot two with long black greasy hair that glistened like liquid tar in the sun. The reason he was such a spectacle to those who saw him was not only his great demeanor and attitude but his superhuman physique that made him look like a walking greek statue. Combining his physique with strength that could rival heavy machinery, you could see why he was well known. Eric, got up from his bed in pain as he slowly limped toward his dresser. He stumbled over a wide assortment of strange papers and books with leather binding scattered throughout his bedroom floor, barely being able to catch himself over his dresser. He looked in the mirror that was connected to his dresser as he stared into his own silver eyes that resembled that of a feline's pupil. Eric looked at his body in the mirror which was covered with deep lacerations all over like stripes on a zebra. Eric picked up one of the books and a piece of paper off of the floor which had otherworldly symbols and languages engraved into them, not known by normal humans. 

  "I wish I wasn't born sometimes, fuck the world and fuck my family." Eric mumbled, throwing both the paper and books down to reach for a pack of cigarettes along with his blowtorch lighter.

He pulled out some skinny jeans and a leather collared coat to put on while slipping his feet in some black boots that seemed to be charred by some sort of flame. He walked over to his window peering out to hopefully see the beautiful world but as he expected, all he could see was a black endless void of nothing with large flames swirling around in different chaotic patterns. He flipped his bed over with such power that it flew across his room, which revealed a sheathed katana with inhuman languages engraved on it and the scabbard. 

  "I'm gonna kill all you fuckers for keeping me trapped here!!!" Eric screamed, kicking his bedroom door off its hinges as he began walking down the hallway.

It might sound strange for him to say such outlandish things and act in such a violent manner followed by the destruction he caused to his own room but the strange thing was that everything he said was justifiable. The mansion he was walking through was not his actual home but an identical replica created by an otherworldly being. Long ago, one of Eric's ancestors made a deal with one of the demon lords from hell named Borzil for money and power for the following generations. The drawback to this was the demon now owned the family lineage. Each generation had to prove their worth by committing horrendous acts like blood sacrifices and eating human remains. If someone in the family decides to go against the generational tradition or refuse to prove themselves, they are banished to Borzil's domain which he created solely for torture and a plethora of other unspeakable acts. Once the human is transported to Borzil's domain, a mimic demon takes their place in the human world to not raise suspicion. As Eric continued down the hallway, lighting his cigarette, a hand reached out through the wall, grabbing him. The hand could have easily been perceived as a skeleton due to how tight the skin was wrapped around the bones. A woman's face protruded through the wall with her skin on her face even tighter than her arm and hand.

  "Give up, you don't want your punishment to be any worse than it already is." The woman strained.

  "I don't care how bad I get punished, beaten, slashed, eaten or whatever the hell else, someone has to stop this generational fuck up. You should know more than anyone, you've been here longer than half the people here." Eric replied enraged, yanking her hand away. 

  "So many of us, far more equipped than you, have tried and failed. What makes you any different? Just cut your losses and stay in that room. I've seen you get tortured time and time again. I and your other ancestors constructed that room as a safe haven from this demonic realm." Eric's ancestor pleaded.

  "I have the known knowledge of an entire lineage stored in that room. All the magical spells and runic symbols I need to end all of this, including Borzil himself." Eric replied, puffing on his cig.

  "Are you insane that's suicide!? What do you possibly think you can do against Bor—"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Eric unsheathed his sword, hovering it right between her eyes with such speed and precision it left her flabbergasted.

  "Don't underestimate me, just because all of you have failed and been trapped  throughout this dimensional hell hole for an eternity doesn't mean I will. I'm gonna be the one to end this shit." Eric said, sheathing his sword in anger. 

He took another puff of his cigarette as he walked onwards through the hall until he reached the end where a balcony wrapped around the interior. On the far side of the balcony was a long spiral staircase that went down to the first floor filled with priceless furniture, relics and artifacts. Hanging from the rails of the balcony were more of his ancestors moaning in pain. Each one dangling by their intestines which were wrapped around their necks like nooses. This part of the house consisted of shifting walls full of demonic symbols that shook and combusted repeatedly. Unfazed by all the chaos, Eric began walking along the rail examining the atmosphere around him. Eric stopped, taking a puff of his cig as red portals similar to whirlpools spawned throughout the large room. The creatures that ripped their way through would have frightened any other living creature on earth, demons. Each one of those horrid red skinned humanoids had the look of rage and destruction in their fiery ember eyes. Fangs, claws and horns sharp as razor blades burned and sparked as lava dripped down out their elongated mouths. Faces that had been shredded and torn by some unnatural powers, chattered at the sight of Eric as he stood still unfazed blowing smoke through his nose. Suddenly a deep voice overcame the entirety of the mansion, rattling all the items viciously like a thunderstorm. This voice was none other than the demonic force that has kept him and all his ancestors who defied their demonic heritage, the ruler of this domain, Borzil. 

  "You don't give up easily do you, I guess it runs in the bloodline." Borzil said.

  "Your right, doesn't matter how many damn times you or your little posy beat me down or torture me, I'm gonna kill you and end this for good."

Eric replied, looking down at all the demons.

  "You got some big shoes to fill you ignorant human, thousands have said the same thing and none have succeeded. This domain is made in my own image how can you possibly beat me when I can control the space here?" Borzil asked. 

  "Well the Immaculate Eight and my great great grandmother Bella gave you a run for your—"

Before Eric could finish his remark, a sinister magical presence waned on his body, physically and magically. All the demons began cowering as they felt the same overwhelming presence as Eric. The space in front of him cracked like broken glass and began opening revealing a massive circular room like that of a colosseum with countless dangling bodies similar to the ones around the balcony. In the very back of the room sitting on a large throne with a huge cleaver on his side was Borzil himself. Eric could not see him clearly due to how far back he was but he could make out his stocky silhouette. 

  "Watch your tongue boy, the only reason I haven't ripped every vein and tendon from your body is because you amuse me with your delusional thinking and hope. The countless times you've tried to escape that ended in failure resulting in you being tortured and thrown back in your room was me being generous. " Borzil snarled. 

  "Seems like I struck a nerve didn't I, so what will it take for me to prove that I am worthy of trading blows with you oh great hell lord." Eric replied with a smirk as he blew through one of his many packs of cigarettes.

  "By making it to the front door of this house without dying." Borzil replied.

  "That sounds easy enough so you're finally gonna take me seriously, about damn time." Eric replied smiling.

  "Whoever brings me his head will be granted more power." Borzil said, in an irritated tone as his shattered portal closed. 

All the demons began climbing the walls and running up the stairs, frantically trying to reach their prize, Eric. He jumped off the balcony, running along the wall as if gravity did not affect him. He grabbed his sword, still in the scabbard and began smashing multiple demon's heads and bodies open like a bat hitting a watermelon. Eri bolted from the wall downward onto the first floor cracking the ground underneath him, sending the demons around him flying upwards. He prepared himself in a baseball stance and began hitting the fiery fiends into each other as they fell back down. Giant brutes standing around ten feet tall with massive frames and enlarged arms along with very small demons with wings similar to a bat that spewed fire from their mouths began spawning through the portals at a rapid pace. Eric knew if he continued fighting he would never get to the front door let alone keep enough stamina to fight whatever else Borzil would try to throw at him. Eric swiftly dodged past the large brutes with their massive claws slamming down toward him while dodging the fire balls that were being spit at him by the smaller demons. As he sprinted through the mansion toward the front door, its walls and floor began stretching like a rubber band making the run seem endless as the horde of demonic beast followed close behind.

  "I see you're playing a cheap game Borzil, taunting me like that! Guess I'll find another way!!!" Eric yelled out as he unsheathed his katana.

  He felt a slight magical chink in this illusion Borzil was creating and used his katana which was embedded with a wide assortment of dark and holy magic to slice at its magical essence creating a sort of wormhole where he leaped through. 

He landed face first in a long concrete corridor that seemed to stretch for miles. Eric looked up at the wormhole he ripped open as it began closing back, crushing the demons who tried desperately to squeeze their bodies through.

  "Ugly bastards." Eric said, standing up to light another cigarette.

Eric began walking down this eerie corridor, rubbing his hand along the walls wondering what other fiendish friends he'll run into. Right above him, the ceilings began rippling like a droplet of water hitting a pond. He grabbed his sword in anticipation, wondering who or what was about to reveal themselves. What dropped from the ceiling was an elongated, gray skinned humanoid with four legs and six arms. Its head was abnormally narrow as it had four eyeballs in the center of its face without any other facial features. 

  "What the hell are you doing here?" Eric asked.

Who he was talking to was one of many demons who were allowed entry into Borzil's domain. Borzil's domain wasn't just space he could control for torturing Eric's lineage but was a marketplace for a plethora of horrific entities. He made deals with certain demons making himself stronger while gaining allies to build his own personal army just in case another hell lord tried to overthrow him. This demon however has been a crucial role to those humans who have been trapped here by Borzil. His name was Blergath, his whole premise was to help the humans learn magical powers in order to defeat Borzil and in return they gave him something of value allowing him to grow in power. 

  "What did you do Eric?!"  Blergath asked, waving his hands frantically.

  "What do you mean?" Eric asked.

  "What did you do to Borzil, you got him so riled up to the point where he is killing and eating his customers and profits. He got demons going from place to place looking for you. He even summoned two arch-devils to bring you to him so he can kill you personally!" Blergath replied in fear.

  "Perfect, that means he is at his best right now! When I beat him I'm rub it in his fucking face." Eric smiled, grabbing yet another cigarette.

Blergath without hesitation grabbed Eric and fazed him into the wall as numerous demons varying in size rushed past with killing intent. Once it was safe, Blergath pulled Eric out of the wall, grabbing him by the arm.

  "That was too close, listen you need to just cut your losses and stay hidden forever. There is no way you're beating Borzil in the state he is in." Blergath said, walking Eric back to his room. 

  "No! I have a plan that will work but I need you to take me to those two arch-devils first." Eric replied, tossing Blergath's arms off him. 

  "Why!!" Blergath cried out.

  "Just trust me on this one." Eric replied, lighting another cigarette. 

  "I swear you're so damn hard headed, fine I'll take you to where they are. Give me something of value and I'll take you there you psychopath." Blergath replied, holding his hands out.

  "Pleasure doing business with you buddy." Eric smiled, offering up a few years off his life.

Blergath started moving his arms around, chanting words in a language older than time itself as a swirling portal similar to the one Borzil made earlier appeared.

  "Good luck kid, you're gonna need it." Blergath said as Eric patted him on the shoulder.

Eric jumped through, landing on top of a rocky ledge inside of a huge cave system that seemed to be inhabited by one of many markets owned by Borzil which were overrunned with all sorts of demons. A numerous amount of Eric's ancestors were being bidded and sold by demons for all sorts of reasons that included slavery, food and even more sadistic and evil things. As Eric peered down into the marketplace he felt two demonic presences that were all too familiar to him, two presences that stuck with him in this hell hole. Eric launched himself downward into the market with such force that he cracked the ground underneath him, sending a powerful shockwave through the area like a bomb detonating. 

  "I knew it, just had to be these two bastards." Eric thought to himself, gripping his sword.

As the dust settled in the market, the two arch-devils that Eric sensed earlier were only a couple feet away, steadily closing in on his position. Thosle, who was a six foot tall gray skinned humanoid with a rather shapely figure with visible breast only wearing a bloodstained loincloth and bandages on her upper body appeared. Her only facial features were a mouth that had multiple rows of teeth that were human-like while her entire forearms were replaced with large blade-like appendages. The other arch-devil Olhuk, was a massive brute standing a little over ten feet tall with his lower half being identical to that of a black bull with an additional three tails. His upper half however was that of an extremely muscular humanoid with white almost transparent skin with red eyes that glowed and swirled like a lava lamp. His shark-like teeth and massive black horn which sat in the middle of his head made his overall appearance even more intimidating. Eric's heart rate began to slowly pick up, ready to anticipate the slightest movement in the air. 

  "Well if it isn't the Tortured One, I knew I felt a familiar magical presence." Olhuk snarled.

  "Oh my, the tortured one wants to play with me again. Me and you had so much fun last time, I see the love marks I left you with have healed, what a pity." Thosle said in a flirtatious way.

  "Fuck both of yall!" Eric shouted, throwing a middle finger.

The surrounding demons that hadn't been squashed into a paste from Eric's landing began surrounding him like a pack of starving dogs surrounding a helpless bunny. Even Though Eric was surrounded, he was far from helpless as he spread his legs, one hand on his scarbard and the other on the handle, ready for the slightest movement as he puffed a cloud of smoke in the air. One of the hellspawn moved an inch, only for Eric's blade to slice straight through it like a knife through hot butter which kicked off the bloodshed. Demons varying in size and form rush Eric with great aggression along with the two arch-devils Thosle and Olhuk. Eric slipped and parried a multitude of razor sharp teeth, talons, hefty clubs and every other wicked assortment those beast held as weapons or what was fused within their horrific skin. Thosle and Olhuk were impressed at how Eric was able to handle all the lesser demons with relative ease. Olhuk's huge fist came speeding toward Eric destroying everything in its path like a bulldozer as it ripped through the horde of demons. Eric evaded the attack, getting blown backwards by its force only to feel something sharp slash his arms and legs, ripping his clothing. Thosle, who was now engaged in a battle of blades with Eric, used her strength and speed to keep him on his toes. In mere seconds, hundreds and thousands of attacks and counters from the two created sparks that floated around them as if they were fireflies.

  "There you go baby, don't give out on me yet!" Thosle said, tauntingly with a big smile.

Eric slipped past her bladed arms, inflicting wounds on her torso and legs as he aimed for her neck. She opened her mouth and bit down on his blade, catching him off guard and she smiled. Before Eric could remove the blade, Olhuk's massive frame came crashing downward onto Eric's body. Eric, coughing up blood, was being drilled into the ground by Olhuk's heavy blows which shook the market area like an earthquake. 

  "You're still a weakling just like before, don't ever talk down to your superiors!!!" Olhuk roared, continuing to pound Eric in the ground.

As the dust settled from the giant arch-demons' onslaught, the two realized that Eric was laughing, blood dripping from his face and body. Eric rose from the massive crater that he was embedded in, throwing his coat to the side as he began stretching his muscles out while grabbing another cigarette.

  "You guys really think I'm the same as before?" Eric chuckled. 

Olhulk began attacking Eric with devastating power with close range punches that warped the air around it like a bullet going through the air whilst simultaneously  grabbing the earth underneath him and tossing it like a catapult. Thosle on the other hand, stayed within her range to continuously apply pressure on Eric, waiting for the right opportunity to sever his head from his body. The battle concluded with both parties being heavily damaged. Thosle, with deep gashes that extended all along her body and Olhuk whose intestines were dangling from his stomach only being held in by his large hand. Eric on the other hand was now unconscious, battered and beaten by Thosle and Olhuk as he was being drugged to Borzil's throne room.

  "That was so much fun Olhuk, my baby has gotten so strong." Thosle giggled.

  "Whatever you say." Olhuk replied sarcastically, pulling Eric by his leg. 

Even though Thosle and Olhuk succeeded in their mission, they felt some unwanted guests approaching with murderous intent. A horde of demons and devils that had watched the fight unfold from afar approached the two arch-devils. Thosle and Olhuk knew that the hellspawns who were approaching weren't after Eric alone but them as well. The Hellspawn nature is a very vicious and violent way of living. Imps who are born the lowest form of hellspawn feast on one another to become demons and the next form they can obtain by feasting is the status of a devil. After they've reached that status, they either stay in a devil form and feast on the lesser hellspawn which many do or they try to transcend themselves to an arch-devil or even a hell lord. Even though becoming a hell lord puts you at a higher tier on the hellspawn hierarchy, the top three on the food chain are the Seven Deadly Sins, The Primordials and the king of hell himself Razagroth. Thosle bubbly demeanor quickly shifted as her usual smile faded into a horrendous grin dripping with blood whilst Olhuk tossed Eric between them, tying his intestine in knots to stop them from spilling out. 

  "If it isn't three injured rodens." One of the devils said, tauntingly.

  "Oh look how intimidating they are." A demon said, licking its teeth.

Even though the strength difference between Thosle and Olhuk was vastly larger than the hellspawn that surrounded them, the injuries they had acquired from fighting Eric decreased their overall magical essence significantly. The demons and devils noticed the drop in their power and used this opportunity to try and feast on three which would allow most of them to take on a new form. The horde began circling around them with hungry eyes drool dripping down their jagged teeth. Right as they were about to attack, a portal like cracking glass appeared over them with an overwhelming magical presence that engulfed the entire area. Descending from it was Borzil, a seven foot six hulking humanoid with a liquid jet black texture to his skin resembling oil and two large horns that wrapped around his featureless head like a ram. The only definitive feature he had was bright white eyes, which were scanning over the area like an apex predator, gripping his cleaver tightly, ready to strike down anyone or anything. 

  "Oh great hell lord we apologize dea-"

Before a random devil could finish his sentence, he realized that he could see his own body standing stiff and everyone else around looking in fear. Within a blink of an eye, Borzil had ripped his head clean off his body, holding it outwards for everyone to see. Suddenly a slit in the middle of the hell lord's head gaped open, revealing a disturbing sight of teeth, tentacles and appendages indescribable to the human eyes that inhaled the weaker devil's head. 

  "All of you, leave these three now or face the consequences of your actions!" Borzil bellowed, shaking the area. 

Scurrying for their lives the lesser hellspawn scattered like roaches, only for them to be obliterated by Borzil who in one foul swoop of his cleaver decimated the market area and created a massive cavern in his own domain. 

  "Come." Borzil demanded, opening a portal for him and his arch-devils.

Upon entering, Borzil sat down on his throne, demanding Thosle and Olhuk to leave Eric for him to torture and kill. However, the two looked at each other and bowed down in front of the throne.

  "Please sir hell lord, we only ask for one request." Tholse pleaded.

  "Yes oh great hell lord, please allow us to join you." Olhuk pleaded.

  "Why would I let you two partake in the torturing of the Tortured One? You didn't even defeat him, he has been playing possum this entire time!" Borzil yelled, slamming his hands down on his armrest.

Thosle and Olhuk whipped their heads toward Eric's body only to see a lit cigarette in his mouth as smoke protruded from his nose and mouth. Eric's eyes opened up as a big grin came across his face while he went to grab another cigarette.

  "Why you little…." 

Olhuk and Thosle both lunged at Eric as he released a larger than normal smoke cloud which became much like a smoke screen. The two arch-demons frantically swung their arms around trying to disperse the smoke.

  "Come out you coward, you're all talk and no bite!!" Olhuk roared.

A sudden glint in the smoke alerted Thosle as she charged at it with no hesitation.

  "Don't be such a coward baby, you're better than this!" Thosle said, smiling as her bladed arm collided with Eric's katana.

Olhuk smashed the ground, blowing all the smoke upwards out of their line of sight. Eric quickly jumped backwards smoking yet another cigarette, blowing out smoke but this time he reached out and grabbed it. Thosle and Olhuk looked confused but out of nowhere the smoke extended out like a whip knocking Thosle off balance. Olhuk charged once again, throwing a powerful punch at Eric but he  quickly blew more smoke out from another cigarette. The smoke wrapped around Olhuk's massive bulky arm and frame in which Eric pulled out his lighter and struck it near the smoke, creating a massive explosion. This sent Olhuk tumbling backwards but Eric didn't let up, using his katana to slice him in multiple places at once. Olhuk tried countering but he swiftly evaded the attack and blew more smoke, creating a large bow and arrow that he struck with his lighter. Right as Eric was about to let the powerful explosive arrow go, Thosle charged him, cutting his arms. Eric grabbed her, throwing her to the ground whilst making another smoke weapon, specifically another katana. Borzil watched closely at the fight that was intensifying in front of him. The three way fight he witnessed previously was leaning toward Thosle and Olhuk but the altercation this time was far different. Eric was getting the upper hand on both Thosle and Olhuk at the same time. Eric slipped past a few more of their attacks waiting for the right moment to strike but suddenly his momentum began to fade. His injuries started to catch up to him just like it had the two vicious arch-devils he was battling against.

  "Gotta make this quick!!" Eric thought to himself.

He threw the smoke katana he made near the hellspawns and created a slingshot that was ignited by his lighter. After firing the flaming slingshot into the katana, the explosion was significant, catching both Thosle and Olhuk in the explosion stunning them. 

  "Got you fucks now!!!" Eric laughed, blood squirting from his mouth as he closed the distance.

He lit five cigarettes at once, gathering all the smoke around the blade of his katana which extended its length as he slammed both metal and smoke down into their demonic flesh. He then pulled his lighter out and proceeded to detonate the two hellspawn, mutilating their bodies.

  "Well, did I impress you, your highness?!" Eric said, bowing in front of Borzil whilst body parts fell to the ground.

  "You're still the weakest I've seen out of all your entire lineage. How do you, who struggled against two arch-devils, possibly beat me?" Borzil replied in anger, standing up from his throne.

Before Eric could respond, Borzil's blitzed Eric, punching him in the stomach severely damaging his organs and bones throughout his body. The force from the punch launched him to the end of the room cracking the wall upon contact. Eric who was now at death's door reached in his pocket for another cigarette but to his surprise they were all gone. He reached for his lighter and raised it in the air, barely conscious as he locked eyes with Borzil. 

  "Y….your right…..i ca...can't beat you, I already knew that. I just needed to get under your skin so I could use my…trump card without any hiccups." Eric said, striking his lighter as he fell to the ground.

Soon as the flame went off from his lighter, a massive explosion occurred that zipped and spread throughout the room, engulfing Borzil. One of the explosions quickly shifted through the wall which confused Borzil but little did he know this one explosion was heading right back to Eric's room. Eric purposely smoked an excessive amount of cigarettes to lead a smoke trail back to his room where he specifically piled all the books and papers he acquired from his ancestors in a large circular pattern. 

  "All that to barely leave a scratch on me, what a pity." Borzil laughed, lifting Eric up by his neck.

Once the explosion connected with one of the books, all the immense magic in the room from the books and paper mixed together making a large portal that opened to the real world where a feminine silhouette peered in from the other side. The silhouette was engulfed in a white light that exploded through the portal heading straight for Borzil and Eric. The light warped the entirety of Borzil's domain, catching his undivided attention as it inched closer and closer. 

  "A Hyperion, how did it enter my domain!!!" Brazil roared, his eyes becoming blood red as his body became engulfed in black fire. 

  Borzil's cleaver was also raging with uncontrollable and immense black flames, dripping molten metal hotter than the sun as the so-called Hyperion blew straight through the wall, illuminating the room with a bright white light. As the light dimmed, a young almond skinned woman around five feet in her mid twenties was floating in the air with a massive greatsword. Her chubby but toned body cladded in silver armor with the gauntlets and boots on her person being a little larger than they needed to be as she wiped her curly black hair which reached down to her shoulder out of her face. This revealed her glowing silver eyes and white war paint that covered parts of her forehead, cheeks and lips. 

  "No wings, so you must be one of the many pack mules for the Hyperions?" Borzil asked.

  "Do not speak down on the Hyperions or those who offer themselves like I to become one of their heralds, you vile creature!" The woman shouted, pointing her sword at Borzil.

  "Before I kill you, how did you manage to enter my domain? After all, I've been hiding out here for thousands of years!" Borzil growled, gripping his cleaver tightly.

  "I do not answer to those who fuel themselves with chaos and despair!" The woman replied.

The young woman who was a herald of the Hyperions charged Borzil, her greatsword blade radiating a blinding light as Borzil reacted with the same aggression with his black flames covering the entire room along with his cleaver. Eric, who was lying on the ground smiled as his body started to feel light as a feather. All the pain in his body was slowly dissipating whilst the warm blood in his body started to go cold. His eyes faded to black right before the woman's greatsword and Borzil's cleaver collided with a violent outcome. When Eric came to, he was lying in a hospital bed in a patient gown covered from head to toe in bandages whilst the sun came beaming through his room. He slowly got out of his bed in excruciating pain and walked toward the window where he saw the normalcy of the world that was once stripped from him. The loud heavy traffic, numerous pedestrians walking along the sidewalk, the smell of fresh air, the birds and other animals roaming throughout. Eric was finally back to the place where he belonged, the place he grew up in.

  "Oh my goodness, how did you get out of bed!! You need to lay back down this instant before you open any more wounds or fracture anymore of your bones!" a nurse said, barging into his room.

The nurse helped Eric, who was far more than capable back to his bed and ordered a passing nurse to bring him some food. The nurse began speaking to Eric about his conditions and injuries but he was far to gone in the moment, until a familiar voice much softer than he heard previously entered the room.

  "Excuse me, but is it okay if I come in, I don't want to intrude on anything? A feminine voice asked.

  "Oh no ma'am come right in, I was just about to leave." The nurse replied, smiling as she left the room. 

The woman who had entered his room was Kricila, his best friend who he hadn't seen in a very long time. 

  "What happened, how did I get here?" Eric asked.

  "Apparently the police said your house had a gas leak and a pipeline busted, leveling your entire house. However, they are still investigating the explosions since the blast radius destroyed most of the neighborhood. I came by your house and saw you getting airlifted away." Kricila replied, sitting down on his bed

  "What about my family, did they make it?" Eric asked.

  "No, the investigators said that your family was so mangled that they had to use teeth samples to identify them." Kricila replied

  "Thank god, that's what those bastards get for letting their own son get banished. Did you manage to kill that bastard?" Eric said, walking back to the window.

  "Yes, it was a very intense and drawn out battle but I got the job done. Thanks to you leaving a very faint trail of magic I was finally able to find the entrance to Borzil's domain." Kricila replied, walking over to him.

  "Thank god, that ugly bastard finally kicked the bucket." Eric said, laughing.

  "Why didn't you make the trail more relevant for me, what if I never found it. You would still be stuck in his domain as we speak." Kricila said, irritated by Eric's lightheartedness in the situation.

  "I had to play it safe, extend my time to learn more magic, take a few punishments and plot a perfect plan with precise timing without fail. If I messed any of those up you wouldn't have been able to enter his domain regardless." Eric replied.

Kricila shook her head as they both took in the world that was in front of them. One of the nurses came in and laid the food down on his bed and left.

  "Well either way, I'm glad you're back." Kricla said, giving Eric a big hug. 

  "Me too Kricila, me too." Eric said, quietly to himself with tears forming in his eyes.

  "Are those tears I see?" Kricila said, teasing Eric.

  "No I was….I was just yawning." Eric blurted out, quickly wiping his tears.

  "So what do you plan on doing now?" Kricila asked.

  "I don't know, find a new place to stay and rip that mimic that was posing as me a new one." Eric said, walking over to eat his food.

  "You know, the Hyperions are always looking for strong allies to aid them in the Primordial War, you know. Maybe even someone willing to become a herald." Kricila said, walking out of his room.

Eric rolled his eyes but in the back of his mind, he didn't mind crushing more demons to rid the world of such evils. He wondered how many people went through the same thing just like him but didn't get as lucky. How many people just like his later ancestors who used hellspawn as a way to cheat life and surpass their peers. He looked over where Kricila first walked in and noticed his sword laying next to the door. Eric got up from his bed and picked up his katana with a new found motivation.

  "Hmph...i guess i got a lot of work ahead of me." Eric said, smiling