Hell of Earth

Prologue

Welcome! This is the second story I have ever written but its quite different from my first one, just in case you have read that.

If you are a prologue jumper feel free to hop along to chapter 1. You might miss out on some 'aha' moments in the future but it is not a requirement for the plot.

Anyway thank you so much for being here and I hope you enjoy it.

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The fire was burning down which was a stupid issue to have among this group but no one was paying attention to it and no one dared to call attention either. It still cast deep circling shadows against the walls, although some of the shadows almost seemed to move of their own accord, tickling at the feet of the bound and gagged trio pressed against the cobble stone. Two woman and a younger man were politely sat upright.

Everyone was waiting for him to talk.

The man moved smoothly despite his great height and frame, a sinister confidence incongruent with a brute. His black hair was long and twisted, inlaid with what appeared to be red and gold. His face held scars over his lips and eyes and cheeks making his expressions strangely tight where the skin no longer moved. He paused in front of one of the guests that had his knees forcefully bent up to his chest.

"Remove his gag." He could easily have done it, but this was no longer a man who did things for himself. Different hands would need to deal with the spit and grime that was certain to coat the rag.

Indeed, the young man on the floor spat after having it removed but it didn't stop the saliva from dribbling down his chin.

"And his blindfold."

Only at this did the other hesitant, even so much so as to confirm the request. "His blindfold? You know what he can do..."

The tall man showed all his teeth in a snarl and other quickly undid the blindfold. A shiver went around the room as it fell. The younger man's eyes flickered orange in the firelight.

"Are you going to deny you helped him get out."

"Get who out."

The façade snapped, the mask of calm buckling under crackles and wrinkles of a furious expression.

"Enough games. You are not nearly as important as you think." This seemed enough for the young man to speak again although his own words remained flat.

"He's no use to you now." He glanced to the women sitting next to him. "Either are they, but you saw to that."

"Dad." A young woman sauntered forward, her own teeth bared in a smile. She was tall with eyes that matched her father's perfectly. She cupped the prisoner's cheeks in her red fingernails. "Let me handle him. We know torture won't do anything." The young man smirked as to prove that was true but there was another expression on his face as her claws held him still so that he swallowed hard.

"How do you plan to handle me?"

"By having you fix him, of course. You'll come with me to find him. He'll come easier to you."

This time the prisoner laughed but it wasn't a raucous one, something low in his throat and his eyes narrowed.

She rolled her own eyes. "You know we will find him eventually. If you come along you'll have an opportunity to interrupt my plans. Maybe even thwart me entirely. Better than being burned alive, isn't it?"

He looked between father and daughter, face betraying very little.

"You think you can do both?" The father asked.

"No faith in your own daughter? If I can become a guardian I can find a lost puppy."

"And you don't want me to kill him why-?"

She pouted. "He's been my toy for years. I want to be the one to break him."

Her father rolled his eyes but for such a beast seemed easily swayed by the young woman's requests. "Don't make me regret this. He's all yours. I suppose he should be rewarded for catching that one..." Even as he finished the words the next's gag and blindfold were removed.

The woman had a uniquely freckled face with large green eyes. Unlike the young man her expressions was well on display, a sort of arrogance as if she couldn't quite believe anyone would dare keep her in this manner. The only time it faultered was when she noticed the young man sitting next to her and her face fell.

"You lied."

"Yes." He replied simply, gazing around the room. "I'm glad you have brains enough to figure that out."

"What-" she started to ask but even as she spoke she was lifted by her tied arms and dragged to the center of the circle around the fire. A set of stones were piled around the whole thing. Something was written in the dirt, a symbol that made her eyes go wide. She looked across the wilting fire to see the third bound prisoner being placed there. She was older with long red hair and blank gray eyes. She didn't even bother acknowledging the second prisoner even when she called her name.

The second prisoner turned to the man, pleading. "You can't do this. It won't work with me- do you have any idea what could happen?"

The man raised his eyebrows. "She's been tested before. I think at this point she can handle almost anything."

The second prisoner stared in horror. "You've done this to her before."

"Twice now, actually." The daughter pipped up. She had taken a seat next to her toy and was absently playing with his hair. He watched on with vague curiosity and despite her best effort, the second prisoner felt tears pricking at her eyes watching this display. The daughter seemed to be looking directly into her as though to make sure she was watching.

"Now then." The tall man waved the rest of the group away from the walls where most of the onlookers had been quaking up until this point. They slithered forward. A few of them with confident expressions on their faces but mostly everyone looked terrified. The tall man placed his hands down. The floor was dirt and clear of anything but the stones and the small fire, purposely swept into a perfect ring. The rest of the people followed, putting their hands down as well, eyes focused on the third prisoner who still had not looked up from the fire.

The tall man cleared his throat.

"Let's begin."