When consciousness drifted into his body once more, Tetsuhiro found his cheek pressed against a cold, smooth floor. His eyes struggled against the bliss that was sleep, yet his will prevailed, and they drifted their way open. Blurry shapes of black, red, and purple were revealed to him, and after a few blinks, they sharpened into clarity. His body stiffened, and in an instant he'd risen to a kneel.

The room could have served as a sizeable estate in itself. Red-and-purple mosaic colored the floor that he knelt upon, while red-and-black colored the rest of the space. The latter colors alternated in the arches that partially cut off two halls on either side from the center space. Against the back wall, a few yards in front of Tetsuhiro, a dais supported the most menacing seat he'd ever laid his eyes upon. Varying shades of black comprised the majority of the seat, further decorated by spikes and skulls that jutted out of the arms and back. Currently, it sat empty, but based on the width, it was meant for a human.

The centerpiece of the supposed throne room lay right in front of Tetsuhiro. A dragon's head made of red metal curved out of the floor, and its open mouth poured an inky goo into a large circular pond.

Looking down at himself, he gasped. A light grey hue colored his skin, and in place of fingertips were five conical claws. His feet were identical. No clothes covered his body. What was this? He'd been executed. He was sure of it! And he definitely did not possess grey skin and claws prior to that execution!

His heart thrummed harder in his—no...no, it didn't. Upon feeling his chest, Tetsuhiro could detect no heartbeat. Was he dreaming?

"I can tell that you're perplexed."

The voice jolted his spine into erection. His eyes shifted to the pond, from which the voice had originated.

The center of the goo rippled independently of the dragon's stream. From beneath, a bulge rose, and it gradually gained size as it moved to the edge of the pond. The liquid dripped away to reveal greyish legs, then a toned bottom and back, and finally a head of long, silvery tresses that swished in a bundle as their owner walked toward the throne.

"Had I a more benevolent heart, your unconsciousness would have disturbed me. But such trite matters are unfitting of my attention." He spun on his heel.

Just like his back, the rest of his body was toned and grey. His hands, both at his sides, hosted claws similar to Tetsuhiro's, though darker. His orange eyes were sharp and bright, boring deeply into Tetsuhiro's body. Stretching out of the top of his skull were two backward-curving horns that resembled his claws.

Behind his back went his arms, and an air of darkness seemed to circle about him. "Welcome to Hell."