Chapter 2 Welcome to Avernus

The sky was pitch black. There was no moon, no stars nothing but the blood red clouds that smeared across the horizon. The ground was scorched and rugged. Jack felt like he was in an inferno. He tried to take a step forward but couldn't because of the agonizing pain that was coming from his chest. He looked down and froze in terror as he saw the huge slash which ran all the way from his breast to his navel. His kimono was covered in blood- his blood. Then he realized that his sword was gone. He shivered. He had no memory of how he had lost his weapon or how he had been wounded. Then a horrible thought crossed his mind that made him break out in a cold sweat.

'Could I have been killed/"

"Yes,'

Jack spun around and came face to face with Wolfe. He was as white as snow and the skin on his face seemed to be rotting. His eyes held a deranged look.

"It cannot be,'

'Sorry man but that's the brakes,'

'How, who?"

"Aku ran you through with a daikatana,'

'Never,'

'It's not like you didn't put up a good fight. It's just the demon had a little help,"

Jack was confused. The thought of being killed by Aku revolted him. It just wasn't possible.

'If you're still having doubts look at your chest again,'

Reluctantly Jack obeyed. To his horror he realized that his flesh appeared to be rotting.

"That'll continue until you turn into a rotting corpse,"

"If I am truly dead then why am I not with my ancestors?'

'See that's the glitch. Aku didn't stop at just killing you. He made sure that you were damned."

Jack starred at Wolfe unable to comprehend what he had just heard. Then he noticed the slash on the other man's neck.

'Admiring your handiwork/'

'What?'

"Took me head clean off with just one blow. Didn't think you had it in you,"

'I would never,'

Wolfe took a menacing step forward.

'This must be an illusion. It has to be," Jack thought.

"Where are we,' asked Jack in a voice barely above a whisper.

"This place has many names. Hell Taratrus, Avernus, are only a few. The most important thing that you're stuck here forever with us,"

All of a sudden Jack was surrounded by ever human, alien or demon that he had ever killed. Before he knew it he was on the ground being beaten mercilessly. Although he no longer had a physical body, he was able to feel the pain of every blow.

'How could this have happened?" he thought.