The Hell Lord's Prize

06

Once Alastor left, I began to struggle and attempt to fight my way out. There has to be a way out of Hell, even if this Devil-man says there isn't.

If there's a way, I'm going to find it, but that'll have to wait until I manage to fight my way out of these chains. They're really tight on my wrists and ankles, and it's clear that they were chained with the intent of not escaping.

However, I doubt they were welded into the table, so maybe there's a lock I have to open in order to free my hands. And once my hands are free I can get to my feet and get out of here.

As I start to tug on the restraints, I hear the door to this weird torture chamber open up and freeze.

Is Alastor back?

Did he get over his tantrum and decide to come beat me or use the scary tools that he has in his possession?

I turn my head at an awkward angle and see two bodies that are black as night, as if they've been dipped in charcoal, red tinges along their skin, wings and horns protruding from their bodies.

These look just like the demons that have been wandering around the palace, but they don't have the same fear, probably because neither Alastor nor his mothers are here.

"We just saw Master Alastor leave," one of them purrs, its voice so crackly and demonic that I can't pick out what gender it could be.

The other one opens the wardrobe full of torture devices and grabs the same whip that was almost used on me and two daggers.

"He often lets us play with his victims," one of the demons says, but I can't differentiate between them. "But it looks like you haven't even been tortured yet."

I feel my heart beating against my chest in the most painful way, the pure fear filling me up from the inside and making me pull against my restraints.

One of the demons takes the whip and raises it above its head, but unlike with Alastor, it lets its hand fall and slaps the whip against my chest.

I wanted to stay strong, but it's impossible with the pain I've just been delivered. I scream as the demon slaps the whip against me again, in the same exact spot.

The other one walks past its partner and rubs the flat of the knife along my stomach before turning it unexpectedly and drawing a line in my skin. It adds more pressure and cuts into my flesh, and I feel heat flare up around the spot, no doubt from the blood pouring out of it, as I scream for mercy, for help, for anything.

"Cut him down here so I can hit the spot," the demon with the whip orders. "We can't completely maim him. Master likes to torture them to the point where they wish for death."

Completely maim?!

That's not what they're already doing?!

If I needed any reassurance that this was really Hell, here it is.

I scream again as the cuts and hits get worse, praying to whatever is up there that I just pass out or die so I don't have to feel the pain anymore.

It feels like hours of pain pass when the door to the room opens and I see the very Devil who brought me down here. I don't know why, since he will probably torture me worse, but I'm almost relieved, almost happy to see him.

"What are you doing?!" he bellows, making both of the demons stop their assault. "I never gave you permission to touch my slave!"

The two demons cower. "We always torture the new victims, Master Alastor," one of them says.

"Victims, not my personal slave!" he growls, slapping the demon and making it fall to the floor. "Leave! I will deal with you after I've cleaned up the mess you made!"