Hell's Greatest Weapon

Chapter 27: Losing Control

You've got to remember.

Shut up.

You've got to remember.

I said shut up.

You were lying on your back, eyes fixed up as you cherished the few seconds of freedom that you had; the only thing blocking the noise of Sup and Id's bickering (or more Sup's encouragement and Id's abuse of that) was the roar of fire, the screams from all around you.

This was the center of Hell and for the first time in five earth years you were stuck there without consent, were pushed into the pit without hopes of escaping.  You had tried calling to Death, of course, but he could only come so fast; what was seconds on earth was years in the cage and by this point you had lost track of time.

Your body lifted from the ground and smashed against a wall, the entire front portion of your body crushing against the spikes and jagged rocks that protruded from the barrier.  Crying out in pain, you fell to the ground and were ready to stand, ready to turn to the man and defend yourself, but ice cold hands grabbed you by the throat and lifted you high, smashing your back against the jagged barrier.

"You thought you could try to keep me here and I wouldn't notice?" Lucifer sneered at you, his natural, angelic voice like razorblades against your ears.  You opened your mouth and attempted to speak, but began coughing frantically, feeling your mouth fill, fill, fill with a thick liquid that seeped down your throat, into your lungs, filling you from the bottom up until you felt it seeping into your eyes, into your nose, into every organ in your body and you couldn't do anything because it was everywhere and you had no control.  "You petty little thing," he growled before throwing you once again, this time laughing as you fell, side-first, into the pit of liquid fire that had been his damnation since the beginning.  "You forget your place!"

The flames engulfed you and you screamed, cried for mercy as your flesh began to melt, your eyes turned to wax in their sockets, your organs liquefied, your blood boiled up, out of your body.  Lucifer only laughed and plunged a hand into the liquid fire, pulling you out and watching with a sick, twisted grin while you whimpered.

You had yet to get a word in.

"Oh, Gragnis," Lucifer sang, false sympathy oozing from his voice.  "It's been far too long, I can still smell the humanity on you."

He plunged you back into the liquid fire.  He pulled you back up.

He's almost here!  Death is almost here!

Just give in, Gragnis, just tell him that you're on his side.

Don't! You watched over Lucifer's shoulder as Sup, the little creature, tried to push Id, but failed miserably.  In comparison, Id was easily four times Sup's size in height alone, making Sup's motions worthless; rather, Id grabbed Sup by the throat and threw him across the room, roaring with laughter when the small squeak came from Sup's mouth after landing.

"Oh, you think you stand a chance?" Lucifer asked, tilting his head to the side while his eyes explored yours, then he smirked.  "Well then tell me, Gragnis, who is winning this fight?"

Just answer him.

You tried to joke out an answer, tried to speak up with a final act of defiance before you knew you might not be able to handle any more, but Lucifer seemed to have known what you were going to do; with a roar he smashed you into the liquid fire once again, laughing hysterically when he pulled you back out.

"You're starting to give in, Gragnis, I can feel it!" He shouted at you, the madness oozing from every word.  He pulled you close, then, his mouth just beside your ear when he whispered, "Don't fight it, my child, don't side with humanity."