章節 24: Chapter 23:Can one move on from the past...

Chapter Title - Can one look forward to the future...if they haven't moved on from the past...

......

The boss cursed at Grim" You Little Freak, not so smug anymore are we, that really hurt you know."

The boss said as Grim continued to scream under the boss who turned the blade to inflict even more pain.

"Now, I think it's time we actually end this, you did good Grim...unfortunately you were up against me. Better luck next time...oh wait there won't be one, hahaha ha!!!" The boss laughed without restraints before taking out the sword from Grim's heart.

As he held the sword in his two hands, it began to softly glow and then hum like a songbird.

"I sacrifice this Curse'ed existence so that your glory will be known to all." He chanted to the sword before fiercely plugging the sword back into Grim's chest.

The surrounding arena shattered with spider webs and a gust of wind so powerful swept through that it destroyed most of the room.

.....

In the remnant of what was the arena, a new terror was born. The man who once called himself the Boss, now triumphantly proclaimed himself as such...

"From now on, I won't be The Boss...no the world shall now know me as...Hades." He grinned as he felt more powerful and invincible than he ever had before.

His previous Injuries now healing at an accelerated rate before he was back to his peak...no even better than his peak.

He loomed over the motionless body of Grim, a malignant grin etched on his face.

The once silent blade in his hand was now alive with an ominous energy.

"Behold, the dawn of a new era!" Hades bellowed, his voice echoing through the shattered halls.

"The world will kneel before its new emperor!" His laughter, deep and menacing, filled the air, marking the rise of a tyrant.

As Hades moved toward the exit, his steps were heavy with the weight of his newfound power.

Gluchhhh!!!

He paused briefly to glance back at the young boy who had attempted to stab him from behind" A futile gesture, young one. You could never understand the grandeur of my destiny," he sneered, coldly pulling the sword from the boy's chest.

Without a second thought, Hades kicked the boy's body aside.

His focus now was on the wider world, a playground for his new ambition. Stepping out of the arena, he left behind the crumbling remnants of his old life.

Unbeknownst to Hades, in the back of the arena, a miracle unfolded. Grim, who had been lifeless moments before, began to stir.

His eyes fluttered open, revealing a depth of confusion. Grim found himself in a cage, an all too familiar prison from his past.

'Where... What's happening?' Grim muttered, his voice hoarse. The memories of his past life, the endless battles, and the confinement, all rushed back to him.

Grim's hands trembled as he gripped the cold bars of the cage. A flood of emotions overwhelmed him - anger, bewilderment, and an intense longing for answers.

He remembered the confrontation, the fatal strike, and then darkness. How had he returned from death?

'Wait why did he even care...isn't this what he always wanted. He got his wish, he was finally dead, so he should be happy with the outcome.

"So why, don't I feel at peace...like I did back then..."

...

In the heart of an abandoned building, a room lay hidden, devoid of any natural light.

The air was thick with the stench of mould and decay, a scent that clung to every surface.

In the centre of this room was a cage, a prison within a prison, and within it lay what appeared to be a corpse.

The figure was emaciated, its clothing tattered and stained with the marks of stool and other unknown foul-smelling liquids.

The only sign that the figure was not a lifeless husk was the faint, irregular rhythm of its breathing.

To any onlooker, it was a sight of utter despair, a human being reduced to a state worse than death.

The silence of the room was suddenly broken by the sound of a door creaking open.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the room as a brutish man, distinguished by a circular snake tattoo on his neck, descended the stairs into this abyss.

His face twisted in disgust at the foul odour that permeated the air, a grimace of repulsion at the sight before him.

"Get up, it's time," he commanded gruffly, unlocking the cage with a clatter. As he spoke, the figure in the cage stirred, its eyes opening slowly.

They were eyes devoid of life, soulless and empty, windows to a spirit that had long been broken.

Though unlike in the past, there was a flicker of something...new.

...

Grim followed the man obediently, conditioned into silence and submission. His head was bowed, his spirit seemingly crushed.

'This...this moment, these feelings, I've felt them all before, why, why am I reliving all of this again...is this some type of punishment, am I in hell.' Grim thought to himself.

They walked through winding, desolate corridors, the boy trailing behind. Eventually, they arrived at a stark, grey room, defined by its concrete walls and the chilling sense of emptiness.

Above, behind double-sided windows, sat twelve men, indulging in a feast fit for kings.

They were observers of the macabre spectacle below, detached and uncaring.

One of them, a man being fed grapes, glanced down at the boy with a mixture of curiosity and Lust.

"Well, here he is, our reigning champion," he remarked with a tone of cruel anticipation. "Let's see if he can survive our next challenge. It's bound to be interesting..."

"Let's get this over with, I have places to be," another man interjected, his voice dripping with boredom. It was clear from his demeanour that he had nowhere else to be; his words were merely an affectation of importance.

"You know the rules," the first man replied. The twelve men then simultaneously pressed a button on their chairs, casting their votes in the twisted game of life and death.

"Then let the match begin," the first man declared with a sense of finality.

As the announcement echoed through the room, a section of the concrete wall began to rise, revealing a dark void beyond.

'I really might be in hell..'