X: The Walls
I hear the shuffle of feet from somewhere behind me and I roll over in no rush. The hot chain shifts with my movement and falls directly onto my ankle. I resist the urge to scream, pealing open my eyes with a weak cry instead and find Axel pacing back and forth, his eyes once again that midnight black. The little pain-filled whimper does not go unnoticed by him, and he's staring down at me in such a way even the immortal would worry. I sit up slowly, wondering when he got back from his 'earthly duties', and how I didn't hear him come in.
The taste of Buckley's rises up in the back of my throat as I remember what happened the last time Axel looked like this. I don't know what he's thinking but he hasn't stopped staring at me since I moved and acknowledged his presence. With an awkward clearing of my throat, I ask him what he's doing and I hope he doesn't feel like devouring any souls. "I'm thinking child...thinking," he says quietly, before turning away and pacing again. I watch as he moves quickly towards the door, then away from it before stopping by my side and crouching near my corner. Instead of his usual sweet aroma, he smells faintly of molded books and rotting wood. It really makes me wonder what he's been doing. I shift to put some distance between us, because his face is right in mine and as you can imagine, the way he smells isn't very pleasant.
He gave me a blanket to sit on before he left for earth, but it's still bunched up beside me. He lengthened my chain for me to get 'exercise' but I've yet to move from the spot he left me. I want to tell him I'm not his fucking pet, but I don't. I don't know why he's trying to make me comfortable (if that's what he's doing) and I haven't asked in fear that he'll stop and say something like 'would you rather I beat you then?' and actually do it. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be left alone in my corner than be tortured by Axel.
I find I have little motivation to get up and walk around the room aimlessly. There's no point, because nothing new ever appears in the room. Every corner of this place is the same as it's been for however long I've been locked in here, and it seems only Axel can open up little portals that store things in them (like his different quellazaires, this damn bunny suit, the blanket and his book). I tried to poke and snoop around, but I came to the earlier conclusion. Everything I touch just stays as boring rock, and I couldn't even find myself a fucking book. Besides, if I walk around too much, demons sense it or something and start scratching and knocking on the door, trying to lure me outside. I haven't walked towards the doors or even gone near them, so I don't know if the chain would even let me get that far.
Instead of moving, I mostly spend my time laying here with my eyes closed, with nothing to torment me but my thoughts and at times, it's the worst torture of all. I can't seem to stop myself though, and memories of my family, Hayner, Olette and the shitty life I lived always find their way into my head. It chokes me up something awful, to think that I'll never see earth again...it hurts even worse when I remember that everyone that I knew hates me, so they probably don't even care that I'm dead. Then I just feel bitter. Why should I miss anything from earth, when everything and everyone there, is living as though I never even existed? My death has had no impact on anyone but me and the demons who've been dying to devour my soul since I appeared down in hell.
Hell...the place which is now, technically my home. That thought is taking some getting used to, let me tell you.
When I look at Axel, I notice he's flaring his nostrils, inhaling deeply from over me and I cringe, pressing myself into the wall, worried that he's going to eat me. I remember Riku telling me that being eaten isn't a very enjoyable process, so every time Axel watches me with that expression or licks his lips in my direction, I freeze up in fear just waiting for it. With one look at his sharp teeth, I get a pretty good idea what being torn to pieces by them must feel like, and if I can, I'd like to avoid it. I don't know what he has planned for my soul, and he's yet to give out any clues, so I'm quite paranoid.
Laying on the floor uselessly isn't the best way to go about my existence, and I know eventually Axel will get rid of me if I bore him (I'm almost sure of it). I've been slowly trying to talk myself into thinking that being the devil's sidekick or whatever the hell I am, is better than physically suffering every single second but every time I look at Axel, I have trouble actually believing it. I mean, he's the devil and basically a soulless monster, but if I can keep him content and from sending me off into hell, I should be good in the pain department. The thing about staying with Axel...is that I'm sure he'll eventually want more than a blow job and there has to be a reason he's keeping me here, in his chambers in the first place and he's made is pretty clear that he can and wants to fuck.
This entire situation would have been perfect, if I couldn't feel at all. If I was just this numb entity, then I'd be set for eternity as the devil's sex slave but well, obviously things never work out in your favor when you're in hell. I still can feel, sometimes I even have to wonder if I'm more damn sensitive than when I was on earth, and it makes me want to cry. I don't know what to do with myself, all I want is to not have to think anymore, to not have to be constantly worried. I don't want to have sex with the fucking devil, but I don't want to be left at the mercy of hell's most demonic. It's not an easy choice, so I'm having trouble deciding which option is better. I don't know why I'm even thinking about all this though, because in reality, I probably have absolutely no say in what's going to happen to me.
This is all in theory because I have no way of knowing for sure if Axel plans to keep me as some weird pet or if while I sit here doing nothing, Axel is thinking of where to send me. I've still got so many questions, so many worries...and most importantly, the devil still owns my soul and I have a very long time for him to decide how to punish me.
Listening to the screams of pain, the howling and the crying coming from outside the door makes being a sex slave seems like quite the pass time. Especially if you hear some of the sounds coming from whoever is having sex down here. It's like they've been taken from hell and placed in some blissful non-stop orgasming paradise.
I know, as if pain filled sobbing isn't enough, there has to be pleasure filled screaming too.
When Axel starts to laugh, I remember quickly that he can read my thoughts, so he probably knows every single worry and thought I have circling in my head right now. He could ease some of my torment by telling me where the other souls he owns are, or he could even help me out by letting me know that he definitely plans on making me his fuck buddy. At least if I knew that, I would slowly prepare myself. This seemingly endless waiting is really driving me insane. "Would showing you the other souls really make you feel any better?" Axel suddenly stands up, grabbing my arm and yanking me to his side. I feel the chain fizzle around my ankle until the pressure eases away and I look down, seeing nothing but my own pale foot. I stay staring, watching my toes as if I'd never seen anything like them but it's mostly because my skin is really white. I was never too dark to begin with, though I'm sure I was never this fair either. I decide my skin isn't as important as seeing those other souls, so I quickly tell Axel that yes, it would make me feel better.
"At the risk of ruining everything...why do you care how I feel?" My voice comes out small and afraid, something about the way it sounds makes me feel pathetic. I feel like a spouse in an abusive relationship as I await his answer. I'm all twitchy and terrified, every movement of his has me flinching or trying to move away. The tight grip he has on my wrist isn't helping much either and every time I try and wiggle my hand free, he squeezes harder. The way he seems to enjoy hurting me, makes me second guess being his sex slave.
"Roxas, you wound me! Of course I care how you feel," Axel says this with a wide, charming smile but all I can see is a shark bearing it's teeth. He probably senses my fear but doesn't stop smiling, instead he leans down, wrapping his arms around me like a gentle lover. I try to stop trembling, but he just scares me so badly. "If I didn't, you'd have been handed off to some other demon already." I realize he's opened one of those black portals and I pull away, surprised when he lets me.
Now that we're going to see the other souls, I don't want to. I'm afraid to find out where they go and what they have to endure. I know I don't have organs anymore, but it feels like I'm going to throw up when I step into the blackness. Axel follows behind me quietly, not giving away anything by speaking.
There's the hot gush of air, the feeling of free falling and then, we're standing in the heart of hell, or so it seems. I look back, seeing a high cliff and realize that it's where I stood when Axel kicked me out of the room naked. Built into the cliff are more openings and as expected, moaning souls. There is fire almost everywhere, and demons. More demons than I've seen before. It makes me wonder where the fuck they keep coming from, but that thought is left behind when I see where Axel is taking me.
The throne in the ballroom where we had that party, is really nothing compared to this one. I'm not exaggerating when I say this thing must be at least 10 ft tall, made from something blacker than Axel's eyes. It's a gorgeous throne, whatever it's made from gleams with the firelight and it's a shock to find it isn't made with the remains of humans and brimstone. I look towards Axel, wondering what this has to do with the souls he's taken. "Stop concentrating on the throne, Roxas." Axel doesn't say anything else, instead he moves from my side and goes to take a seat. The cushion under him is blood red, standing out quite a bit against the ebony throne and material of Axel's robes. It's as he crosses his legs slowly, nonchalantly, that I hear the pathetic groaning and I take a step back. I blink, one...twice...three times, until it slowly sinks in. The large throne is positioned in front of a huge wall, one that just keeps going up, until I can't even see where it leads to, the size of the wall isn't what gets me though, it's the amount of souls that are coming out of it.
When Axel looks up at them, they all react, turning and twisting, and the screaming, it becomes almost too much. I cover my ears, hoping to block the sound but it doesn't work. It's pointless to try and muffle their cries. Axel stays seated, legs crossed, face blank like this doesn't bother him and it probably doesn't. I watch as he slouches, getting comfortable before closing his eyes. I watch the redhead as the crying souls try to reach out and grab him, and for a split second I worry what would happen if they'd actually succeed. He looks too weak to do anything about it.
There is a ruffle of wings from somewhere above me, and I look up, finding demons already rushing to the souls, mouths watering and eyes set. I have to look away when they finally reach the wall behind Axel, because I know too well what's going to happen.
Axel opens his eyes again and looks surprised when he see me staring at the gruesome sight behind him in shock. I said I wouldn't look, but I can't help it. I watch as a demon lands by a soul, grabbing a hold of its head and sinks its teeth into the seemingly soft skull, tearing at it like a wild dog. The poor soul starts wailing, throwing it's arms out, trying to defend itself but it's no use. Slowly, the demon devours its whole head, a black liquid gushing from the chewed neck. This time, it's easy to tear my eyes away and I look back at Axel as he gazes up calmly, spotting the demon as it drinks the fluids.
Again that feeling like I'm going to throw up comes back, but this time it doesn't ebb away. The sounds of demons feasting doesn't really help. I can feel the vomit rising in my throat and it surprises me because I'd been under the impression that my guts had been left on earth. Slowly, I can taste something in my mouth and suddenly, that ink like substance spews out of my mouth. It burns and when it stops, I look up at Axel in horror, feeling a few drops as they drip off my chin.
The surprise on Axel's face slowly turns to amusement and he starts to laugh hysterically, kicking his feet and everything. I wait for the laughter to die down before I speak, and even then, I can barely find my voice. "T-the souls you take...you just..." I shake my head, wiping at my mouth furiously, before I look around and notice there are more walls like this one, more souls groping uselessly at nothing. I had wondered when I first spotted these walls, how they'd managed to get there and just what they'd done to deserve that kind of punishment.
"Your brother would have gone...right about...there," Axel points to a spot but I don't look. Instead, I struggle to stay standing as my legs quiver uncontrollably. I can't hear the screams, or the demons, or even Axel as he chuckles. All I can think about is if the empty space for my brother, is going to be filled by me.
A/N: I don't have much time to say anything because my brother is rushing me (blame any mistakes and typos on him), but I hope you all enjoy this update! Apart from the first chapter, this is probably my next favorite.
I'm working on all the other stories I have too (I've been inspired lately), so don't worry. Nothing is abandoned...yet at least.
I love you all!
-runs wildly into the woods-