A Million Dreams [MOVED]

Chapter 5: Welcome to Hell

After Morpheus took us to hell with his sand, I was shocked for the first time in centuries. Hell had changed since my last visit. "Well this is hell," Matthew stated. "Let's follow the damned," I said monotonously, trudging down the hill we were standing on. Matthew flew onto my shoulder, "Who are they?" "Damned people, they're going to hell," I told him. "They have to bring their own fire to hell?" Matthew asked in astonishment. I nodded my head, "Yes, something like that."

We followed them for quite a while until we came to a tunnel made out of dead people's remains. "That's so disgusting" I mumbled quietly. "Shall we sneak in with them?" Matthew asked Morpheus. He shook his head: "A king does not enter another king's realm without being asked. Those are the rules. There are rules that one should follow." Morpheus walked towards the hallway, Matthew flew back onto my shoulder and we followed him.

He stopped in front of a large gong and looked to its right. One of the bodies moved and gave him a bat. A chill ran down my spine. Morpheus took the bat and banged the gong. This made a loud noise that made the bodies move, it was just spooky. Suddenly the ground began to tremble and something moved behind the gate. "There's one at the door. At the gate of damnation. Is it thief, thug or whore? There's one at the door. and there's room for one more. Till the end of creation." Said a voice behind the gate while the Steps came closer and finally revealed a big mad demon. Morpheus greeted the demon, who went by the name 'Squatterbloat'. "I seek an audience with your sovereign," said the Dream Lord. The demon demanded to know who wanted to speak to Lucifer and Morpheus revealed himself. "Mm. Yes, my clown," the demon said while I chuckled at the remark. He continued to insult Morpheus with little insults that it took all my strength not to laugh out loud. Morpheus let a sharp snort escape his mouth: "Guard your tongue Demon. The Ruler of Hell will not be kind to one who insults an honoured guest and I am a guest in this realm as I am monarch of my own." The demon asked for his ruby. "Shall I use it to haunt your dreams and your waking hours, too, or will you open the gates of Hell and let us through?" he asked him. Keys jingled and the gate opened.

Well, that was easy. On to the difficult part.

We walked through a forest drenched in fog and its ground strewn with bones. The demon led the way while we followed. "Any of you guys have any idea where we are?" Matthew asked softly as he stomped on the floor beside me. Morpheus explained our location to him while I let my gaze wander over our surroundings. Now Morpheus told how and from where he knew Lucifer, I could hear this story over and over again as it was beautiful but tragic at the same time.

Suddenly the demon was gone. "He hasn't seriously left us now, has he?" I asked as I stepped up to my two companions. "I'm just gonna fly up and see where we are." Matthew suggested and flew up but was down again immediately as the trees started to move. The damned had merged into the trees, it wasn't a pretty sight. Terrified, I hid behind Morpheus and reached into his cloak. The whining and the screams of pain became louder and more unbearable. Suddenly something grumbled behind us and Squatterbloat was back. He ordered us to follow him, which we did.

He led us up a kind of mountain, with a very narrow path up it. As we climbed, Morpheus resumed his philosophical speech, which I just couldn't use since I was right behind him: "Can you please shut up and keep walking? I don't feel like dying here." "Demon, that's not the way," he stated. Squatterbloat just giggled and kept walking. I signalled my processes to continue. Someone or something on one of the windows suddenly spoke up, causing Morpheus to stop again. He looked out the window and stopped. I looked ahead and saw a woman. My chest hurt again. "It is you," the woman said, her eyes watering. "Greetings, Nada," he said. It was one of his former lovers and she was also the reason I found I cared for my Maker and Master. Unable to watch their conversation any longer, I pushed past them and kept walking.

Ahead of me, I saw the demon wear a scornful smirk on his lips, but I ignored it. When Morpheus started moving again, so did I and the demon, who disappeared behind a pillar. The demon then led us through a gate. It was a forest of sorts again, but with fewer trees, lights, and crosses stuck in the ground. I was ahead but overheard Matthew asking about the woman. The memory made me angry and a tear fell from my eye, but I composed myself quickly because I didn't want to show anything. So I had to listen to the story of his once beloved again. We came to a rise and Squatterbloat stopped and disappeared.

"We're Here."

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