Serpent's Song: The Ballad of Jaiem

Chapter 3 -The Pits of Gehenna-

Year 7 of the 5th Era
Time of day Unknown

We have landed in the depths of Gehenna, a place more desolate and terrifying than I could have ever imagined. The heat is suffocating, pressing down on us with an intensity that seems to burn through our very souls. The ground beneath us is a strange, warm blue sand, soft yet searing, and it offers no comfort.

The air here is thick, filled with the cries of the damned and the flickering of purple and blue flames that dance around us, casting eerie shadows. The very sand seems alive, pulsing with an otherworldly heat that radiates malevolence. It feels as if the essence of despair and suffering has seeped into every particle of this forsaken place.

I can hardly breathe. Each inhale feels like fire in my lungs, and the landscape, twisted and nightmarish, stretches endlessly before us. Rivers of blue magma flow with an unnatural light, and the souls of the damned swirl around, their anguished faces a constant reminder of the horrors that await.

Yet, amid this infernal heat and desolation, there is one thing that keeps me grounded: my brother, Va'nesta. His presence is my only solace in this hellish landscape. I find strength in his unwavering courage, his steady hand on my shoulder, and his resolute determination to see us through this nightmare.

Without him, I fear I would be lost to the despair that pervades this place. His voice, calm and reassuring, cuts through the cacophony of suffering around us. As long as we are together, there is a glimmer of hope, a small but fierce light in the overwhelming darkness.

I must keep moving, keep fighting. For Va'nesta and for myself. We will find a way out of Gehenna, and when we do, we will have stories of unimaginable trials and unbreakable bonds. But for now, I hold onto the safety that my brother provides, and with each step, I draw strength from the bond we share.

The journey ahead is fraught with peril, but we face it side by side, and that is enough to keep me moving forward.

--signed Jaiem of solosso

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"Jaiem! I think I see a palace! Surrounded by bone and ash... but a palace! I think we might be in luck!" Va'nesta said hopefully, causing Jaiem to look up from his journal and close it, putting it away.

"I don't like the look of it, but it's our only option," Jaiem replied. "Come on, let's go. I want to get out of Gehenna as much as you do. The air here is..." He took a deep breath before finishing. "Unnatural."

Va'nesta nodded and started to follow Jaiem. Their walking was no longer quiet, but filled with the eerie, dreadful sounds of Gehenna. The sand was bathed in blues and purples from the flames and nearby magma rivers. The dreadful soundscape was cut when Va'nesta spoke up. "You think they have beautiful women at the palace?" he asked playfully, trying to cut the tension.

"Well, Va'nesta, I'm not one for having one-night stands like you often do, but I'm sure they do have some lovely ladies there. That is... if the palace is the domain of a god," Jaiem replied, trying to match his brother's attempt at humor.

Va'nesta did a little fist pump to himself, celebrating the confirmation. "That's good to hear, Jaiem. I've no problem thinking you can appeal to the god of death and damnation himself," he added with a grin.

Jaiem chuckled but then grew serious. "Let's just hope Zahhak al-Maut is in a good mood," he said.

As they approached the palace, the air grew thicker with an oppressive heat. The structure loomed before them, massive and foreboding, its walls made of dark stone and adorned with skeletal remains. The gates were enormous, fashioned from twisted bones and blackened iron.