PANDORA. Hope Dies Last: ToG

Fire's Kinda Hot

Chapter 14

AN: I hit a horrible author block on this chapter. I blame it on being stuck in a hospital bed and being asleep most of the time. Good news is I'm leaving today :) Hospital food sucks. I'm getting McDonalds first thing. Sorry for the short chapter, I blame being stuck on a bed and feeling extremely lazy

Facing certain defeat wasn't anything new. Facing death was getting old. Feeling fear was something I had yet to find.

A shame since a 7 meter tall woman capable of blasting half of the floor to bits, known as the manifestation of hell, killed multiple 10 great family rankers (and ruler), just didn't frighten me.

As I stared at the demon urging us to surrender, my mind calmly searched for solutions...or rather an explanation for this ridiculous situation.

For one, rulers weren't supposed to administer tests for regulars themselves. They had a test director to do that and multiple test admins. Being the ruler of the 2nd floor known as the 'Floor of tests', Evankell should not have a shortage of rankers to administer the tests for her.

So why was she here?

Rank 60 of countless rankers. The Infernal. The demon who fought all the way up the tower and back down. Trails of charred corpses wherever she goes. Evankell was someone who constantly searched for challenging fights...and she was going to kill them? Regulars who barely entered the tower?

Ridiculous. Someone so high up, prideful, and lazy, would not do that.

'Only about 15 of you would survive anyway' The voice of the test admin rang in my ear.

'Never liked Jahad anyway' Truth...she didn't like Jahad and his glorious empire, that was a fact.

'Surrender, surrender now!' Why would she emphasize that point multiple times? Purposely trying to lead us to that point.

'That means the administrator just agreed to my test' Even the administrator would take minutes to accept a contract regarding a sudden test. Unless...unless it was prepared in advance and only needed his confirmation.

'Land a hit on me before I kill you.' The administrator would never accept these terms for the test. Not against a high ranker, not against Evankell. So that means...she's lying. The pocket clearly showed a test contract was formed...but the requirements are different.

If she wasn't lying, then we would already be dead. She's still trying to threaten us into giving up.She has too much to lose should she break the contract by any means. She wouldn't do anything out of boundsShe's hates Jahad...and is trying to make us surrender by a show of force.

Reasonably, this can only mean...

Lero-ro was beginning to open his mouth, his psych having been crushed under Evankell's overwhelming presence.

"I surr—"

"We refuse. Fight us" I cut him off just in time as I bring out my trusty blade, Azurite, and hold it against an impossible foe.

I can hear Yuri exclaim but I ignore her as I take a step further.

"We choose to fight" I channel shinsu through the blade and I feel the heat recede from the metal the slightest bit. My heartbeat slows and steadies as I take my stance against fire itself. "So fight us Ms. Evankell""

...

For a moment, all was silent except for the sound of my steady beating heart. Even the flames receded as the ruler of burning hell took in my words.