The group dashed through the Forest of Suicides, a Harpy territory.
“Hah, hah, is everyone here?”
They managed to escape, though their bodies were ripped to shreds. They didn’t want to see their current state. Their hair was disheveled, and they didn’t know what was stuck to their bodies. It was a good thing there were no mirrors here. If they had seen themselves, they would have wanted to change immediately and take a bath.
“We managed to get through…”
“Ugh, that’s the worst! It stinks and it’s noisy. Ugh, something’s on me.”
Philiana and Nina were in just as tattered a state as I was. Well, coming to hell and expecting cleanliness or common sense is misguided. This place wasn’t originally designed for the living to pass through; it exists to punish sinners.
At some point, a young human-faced bird wriggled out from inside my jacket.
“Hey, your friends showed absolutely no mercy. Are they that rough even with children around?”
“They are not friends.”
I wanted to ask what they were then. To attack so readily, even with their own children present. Perhaps their sense of camaraderie is low. Sweet talk about love and friendship probably wouldn’t work on demons in hell.
“So, should I just keep walking this way?”
“That’s right. It stinks here. Why don’t you take a bath?”
If we could do that, we all would have by now. I suppressed the urge to punch them and decided to follow the path as I was told. Sigh, I’m thirsty and my stomach is growling. How long have we been fighting?
“Hey, I know it’s not allowed, but is there any safe water to drink around here? Not like a Blood Pond.”
“Is that a hell joke? If you’re tired, go to a coffee shop. But you guys are dirty, so you might not meet the dress code.”
Are there coffee shops? And a dress code? What kind of place is hell? More importantly, would this person even use a coffee shop?
“Oh, thanks. What’s ahead?”
“A boiling sea of blood.”
“Ah, I see. After Harpies, it’s a sea of blood. Finally, a water source.”
How ironic. I guess it’s probably drinkable even if it’s red because it’s boiling. Would mermaids be there too?
Auroa, being a powerful mage, would have probably passed through easily. Unfortunately, I am not a powerful mage.
“I’m weakened. Is there no alternative route?”
“There is. But you guys are lost souls, aren’t you? If you don’t go to heaven soon, you won’t be able to turn back.”
This child thinks we are lost souls heading to heaven. That we’ve ended up somewhere other than where we should be.
“Where are you taking us?”
“To the entrance. Go there and appeal directly to the judge.”
“Wait, are we heading to the entrance? Is that the path to heaven?”
Does she not realize we are alive? She genuinely believes we are lost souls. She seems to be trying to take us to the entrance and send us back to heaven. But we are not souls yet; we have bodies. What would happen if Lord Enma found out about this?
We would either be killed on the spot or, at best, sent back to the real world. But that won’t do; we can’t chase after Auroa and the others. Or, by any chance, are they also heading to the entrance, trying to force their way into heaven?
“Hey, where would we end up if we went in the opposite direction we’re heading? Uh, what’s deep inside hell?”
“It’s all Punishment Facilities. Beyond that is Cocytus, where a giant sleeps. And at the very end is Lucifer.”
Lucifer, I’ve heard of him. He’s supposed to be some kind of boss to the fallen angels, a terrifying demon. Is he at the very end?
“What is Lucifer doing there?”
“Who knows. Frozen.”
This is it. This must be it. What Auroa really wanted was the power of the fallen angel Lucifer, who is still waiting for his revival deep in hell.
“Is it a dead end there?”
“No, you can break through to the other side. Beyond that is Purgatory, supposedly. I’ve never been.”
The path to heaven is the path through hell. I understood the meaning of this now. Heaven awaits beyond the depths of hell. But first, it’s impossible for an ordinary human to survive and escape this hell.
“We’re heading to where Lucifer is.”
“…Don’t.”
The young human-faced bird bared its teeth, its mouth spread wide in an “ee” shape. Auroa and the others must be heading there. If that person releases Lucifer, it would affect not only hell but even the real world.
“Sorry, but you’ll have to join us on this journey through hell.”
The child shook its round head as if to say, “Oh well.”
