Shimmering-Sky: When you said "I doubt this is any good" I thought you were referring to my story T-T wow I'm dumb
Hollyshadow the medicine cat: I don't know about you, but Randall always seemed much less...gentlemanly than Professor Layton. So of course I had to make him (almost) swear XD And yes, Arianna and Luke are the cutest couple ever. I mean, the kissing scene in Last Specter was just precious. And adorable.
RavenGoesToHeaven: This is completely unrelated to your review, but your profile picture reminds me of the bomb bird from Angry Birds. Just saying.
This chapter is pretty boring, in all honesty. Tom tells the Professor some history facts about what we call Hell. Oh, and the Emissary goes to another reality, but that's totally not cool at all. Am I right, or am I right?
Thumbs up to anyone who laughed at the title without looking back through the story.
Chapter Fourteen
A Day in Hell II
The Professor rose and dialed a certain number. Within seconds, a voice on the other end answered:
"Hello, Professor. Found anything interesting? Your voice seems a little distorted, probably because the connection here is terrible."
"We've found a few interesting facts. The ancient weapons are not special in any way, but the Book of the Arcane is quite...incredible. We found a symbol that closely resembles the Pyriatic Crystal. It has a few lines of writing below it. Translated, the first few words mean 'The Hellspawn portal, sealed by the forbidden spell. Uttering it opens the portal, provided that the one who used the spell also has the keystone in his possession...' and the rest is too worn to read. We are not sure what the bronze sculpture's significance is-Tom, are you there? You haven't said anything this whole time."
"I'm coming. If what you say is true, then...the world is in grave, grave danger."
Once Tom had arrived and seen the Professor's findings with his own eyes, his face became very pale.
"Oh no...this is terrible..."
Tom sat down. "Professor, Randall, Luke, I suppose I'd better tell you some more information."
"The Oculus is a device that controls time, yes. I generally describe it as a pipe, with the time stream flowing inside. However, this begs a question. What's on the outside?
"The answer is, there's an alternate plane of existence, called Chaos. Before, without the Oculus, Chaos would mix in with our universe, causing the Storm. The ancients described it as a land of fire, agony, and punishment, leading to the modern conception of Hell. Indeed, Chaos is quite a terrible place to be, and what survives there has slowly been warped, twisted over time. They are known as the Hellspawn.
"The Storm was a time of volatility. Frequently, dimensional rifts would open, causing Hellspawn to leak into our universe. Granted, our planet was still quite safe, since the chances of a rift occurring right on Earth are nonexistent. Unfortunately, one day a horde of Hellspawn just happened to find themselves in the middle of what we now call the United States.
"The ancients originally had no idea what to do with these creatures. I have never seen a Hellspawn myself, so I can't say for sure what they look like. They are undoubtedly ghastly. For centuries, the Hellspawn ravaged the land and the people. Did you know the Sahara Desert used to be a verdant landscape? The Hellspawn burned it all. Volcanoes, with a few exceptions, owe their existence to the Hellspawn. The ancients became desperate to get rid of these pests, once and for all. But how?
"It was then that Theon, the first Time Guardian, made his discoveries about the origin of the Hellspawn. He realized he could solve two problems at once: the complex nonlinear flow of time and the Hellspawn. While he was busy creating the Oculus, those who knew about his discoveries built their own dimensional rift. One that would send the Hellspawn back to Chaos.
"Today, we call that rift the Hellspawn portal. To ensure that the creatures could not cross, they created a keystone, which I assume is the Pyriatic Crystal, and a password. Only with both can the portal be opened, and even then only partially. Not enough Hellspawn can cross the rift to pose a large threat. The Oculus protects the rest of the universe from dimensional rifts. Therefore, we are quite safe from Hellspawn attacks. Until now, that is."
"You think that the person who took these items is trying to open the Hellspawn portal?" the Professor inquired.
"I'm not sure," Tom admitted. "It seems likely, but I have no idea why they would want to."
"And also, the Book of the Arcane did not contain the password. We read all of the text under the symbol of the Pyriatic Crystal and it merely mentions that there is a 'forbidden spell.'"
"Ah." Tom smiled. "'Forbidden' in the Azran language can also mean 'inaccessible', based on the context. In the book you will see there is a symbol of a gate. Under it should say the spell."
"I thought you weren't familiar with the Book of the Arcane?"
"I know what it is, I just usually don't call it the 'Book of the Arcane.' When I came to see what you found I instantly recognized it."
"Wait a moment!" Randall interrupted. "Do you think this has anything to do with the Oculus?"
Everyone became quite silent.
"You know, Randall...maybe. In any case, we should start looking for it while we plan our next move," Tom said. He stood. "Good day, Professor. And you, Randall. Luke, Arianna seems quite lonely over there. Go talk to her." Luke blushed. He indeed forgot that he had dragged his friend along with him to the Professor's house.
Tom turned and left the room. Then, everyone heard the telltale sound of the front door slamming shut.
The Emissary looked at the Hellspawn portal, in front of him.
"Stay here. I will go alone."
As the Emissary stepped into the portal, the ground and ruins seemed to shimmer before disappearing. They became pillars of magma and obsidian cliffs. A narrow, winding path with sheer drops on both sides lay in front.
Trial by fire, the Emissary thought. Walking on the rocky road with practiced ease, the Emissary soon found a dead end.
"How wonderful...a human..." a voice rasped.
The Emissary turned. "Hello, Hellspawn. May I ask what is your name?"
"Oh! And such manners!" The Hellspawn cackled. It circled above the Emissary, fangs bared. "No fear, either...perhaps I was right in sparing you as you entered here."
"I have an offer to make to Inimae."
If a Hellspawn could raise an eyebrow, this one most definitely did. "And what would you need from him?"
"That is something I wish to discuss with him alone."
The Hellspawn mulled over the Emissary's words. A part of his brain told him to kill the human immediately and enjoy a meal. But the more rational side of him was intrigued. It had been millennia since the last human had come. And no one had ever dared to make an offer to the Daemonlord. What does this human want?
"Very well. I suppose you're wondering how to scale the cliff? Just jump. This isn't your petty world. Different rules apply."
As the Emissary turned to the cliff and leaped, the Hellspawn flew off to inform Inimae of his visitor.
Some time later, the same Hellspawn returned.
"Follow me. I'll lead you to Inimae."
"Thank you."
The Hellspawn chuckled darkly. "No problem...just make sure you're worth his time, or there may be...consequences."
"Sure. My offer is quite appealing; I doubt he will be dissatisfied."
"For your sake, I hope he is satisfied."
The two arrived at a massive city carved out of a cliff face. What once was a huge cliff had been carved into many smaller terracelike ledges, each with buildings.
"Nothing like it in your world, eh? Inimae's in that big palace, up there. Remember, you can jump."
"I know." The Emissary jumped onto one ledge, then another, until he arrived at Inimae's abode.
"Come in."
The Emissary twisted the iron bar and pushed, entering the palace. Magma chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the floor was decorated with fire.
"I'm sorry. I forgot you humans were so...sensitive to heat." The flames subsided, revealing a tall figure. "Oredul said you had an offer for me. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Well, let me hear it."
"I am the Emissary. My goal is to get the Oculus. To do so, I need some help. I do not know where it is, nor when it will appear. Thus, I would like to request your assistance."
"I see. What is in this deal for me?"
"In return, I will keep this portal open so you and your fellow Hellspawn can stake out a claim in the real world. I believe that you used to spend quite a happy time there, no?"
Inimae scowled as well as his face would allow him to. "Yes. Then they sent us back here. And I am cut off from my friends and family, as I am trapped in a different part of Chaos than they are."
"So, I will let you live in our world, and in return you cooperate with me."
"What is stopping us from directly charging through the portal?"
"Several things. One, humanity has developed new, deadly technology. Back then you were free to roam as all the ancients could really do was throw spears. Now we have what we call guns and rifles, which can shoot a projectile faster than the speed of sound. Furthermore, larger versions of guns that fire farther and use more powerful ammunition can even damage an area, rather than a single being. Two, the Hellspawn portal can only access this pocket of Chaos that you live in. You don't have enough Hellspawn to take over our planet, though you do have several hundred. I, on the other hand, have a large force of other humans. I operate from the shadows, and my subordinates perform their duties excellently. We just pulled off an extraordinarily dangerous robbery, one that pitted us against one of the best security systems in the world, that of the British Museum. In fact, that is where I found what I needed to open the portal to come speak to you."
Inimae considered the Emissary's words. "Impressive. Very well. I accept your offer. On one condition."
"What?"
"There is a certain troublesome figure. The Time Guardian. He can deal with us. I want you to get rid of him first before we enter your world. Then..." The Hellspawn reached down and offered a handshake / clawshake. "Consider us your allies."
The Emissary accepted the offer.
Chapter 15: The Emissary knows what must be done next. Does Tom? Do his friends? What will happen? I'M LEAVING YOU ALL IN THE DARK AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHA
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