Divine Punishment

[Eden]

The air smelled decay but also had an over powering smell that reminded people of perfume. So it was as if someone tried to hide the stench but it didn't really work. The trees all around were dead leaves haven fallen to the ground so long ago they were no longer noticeable. Everything was just gray. Trees, ground and even the sky was. The only thing that wasn't gray was the large black arch that Rumor was standing in front of. It was built into the side of a large hill and though there was faint light everything beyond the arch was pitch black. Craved into the arch elegantly and only noticeable because they were pure white against the black.

Through me you pass into the city of woe:
Through me you pass into eternal pain:
Through me among the people lost for aye.
Justice the founder of my fabric mov'd:
To rear me was the task of power divine,
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.
Before me things create were none, save things
Eternal, and eternal I endure.
All hope abandon ye who enter here.

Taking a deep breath Rumor pulled his cloak tighter around himself. Sparing one last glance back he moved forward walking under the arch and disappearing from site as the darkness wrapped around him. The As if walking into water the blackness of the arch rippled before calming once more. On the ground where Rumor stood was a small white paper crane so that if anyone came looking for him they would know the reason why he had gone here now.

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[Eden]

Once through the gate Rumor was no longer able to see it and instead stood in front of a large wall. The wall stretched as far as the eye could see curving slowly. The sky was the same dull gray as outside with clouds obscuring the entire sky though there was no break between them. Around him there was large bronze jars sticking from the ground randomly. Each was a different size and none looked exactly alike. Walking over to one Rumor looked at it close up. The jar was huge easily big enough for him to fit into. From inside he could hear thrashing and screaming but knew before hand what was inside. These were people that were self absorbed in life. They couldn't care about anyone else but hadn't done anything worth a real punishment so instead were locked with the one person they loved most for all eternity. Rumor stood up slowly looking at the sky. For the first time it hit him. He was basically dead now there was no way to get back from here so he was all but dead without having died. He turned his head down glancing towards the river he needed to cross. From where he stood he could see the souls swimming along it. Taking in a deep breath he began the slow walk towards the jetty.

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[Eden]

As Rumors feet hit the jetty a boat emerged from the mist ferried by an elderly man. By the time Rumor had hit reached the end of the jetty the boat was docked and the man stood propping himself up with the long pole he had used to push the boat along. The elderly man looked at Rumor with a puzzled expression on his face while he began to lick at his lips coughing a few times before talking in a dry under used voice. "What brings such a young boy here when he was yet to even die" the man asked peering at Rumor closer. "Your still living and you look healthy enough so you can't be experiencing death so why are you here on these banks." The mans eyes seemed to bore into Rumor while his eyes bright as hot coals. "I have come here cause this is where I belong now and since I cannot die I must come here while still alive" Rumor replied balling his hands in the folds of his cloak to stop them from shaking. "Aye? If thats so you will be the first Immortal I have ferried across these waters in nearly ten thousand years" the man replied before letting out a long laugh that sounded more like cackling. "Now come on all aboard the ferry so we can get going" he said once he had himself under control though his burning red eyes never left Rumor. Once more Rumor took a deep breath before boarding the boat. Once he was on the old man gave a push with the pole and they were off into the river. Around them the souls moved slowly each drifting along unable to move from there spot in the water and do nothing more then go where the current pulled them. Some were new enough to the river to try and reach out and grab the boat only to have the old man smack them away with the long pole.

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[Eden]

As the very neared the opposite shore a light was more and more visible. Rumor looked up in awe. The sky ahead was nothing but golden light shining down on what looked like a city below it. The city was made of what looked like pure marble with red roofs. People could be seen though there was a large amount of children even larger then the adults that inhabited the city. Looming up above all of it was a large palace that continued out of site in all directions. "This is not a punishment for these people just life. These are the people that couldn't make it to heaven but didn't deserve hell." the man said as the ferry bumped up against the jetty. This one was much nicer then the other and led to a much nicer place. Rumor got out from the small boat looking around at his surroundings in awe. The ferryman looked on him slowly starting to feel bad for the young looking boy. People should never have to come here and those that came here willingly were just more deserving then anyone to leave this place. He only hoped that someone would come for him since that was the best someone could get. "See that palace there?" the man asked pointing up at the large building. He waited for Rumor to nod before continuing. "In that building there is a creature named Minos he is the judge of the dead you will need to see him before you can continue further" the old man explained. Rumor thanked the man giving him a paper crane telling him to show it to the next person that is alive and comes to hell. The man gives Rumor a weird look but agrees placing the paper crane in his robes thinking he will never have to give it to anyone. Rumor waved as the man pushed the boat along and once it had disappeared into the gray fog that hung over the rive her turned around taking in the sites in front of him. Around the city there was a wall that couldn't be climbed though it split leaving a large path that went straight to the palace. The are between this wall and the river was lush with grass and trees. Feeling somewhat better with the beautiful scenery Rumor begins the long track towards the palace of Minos.

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[Eden]

The palace of Minos was the same white marble as the city had been but here it was polished to such a point that it shined brightly under the golden sky. As Rumor was passing under one of its huge gates he whistled admiring the sheer scale of the building. Inside there was no furniture just long hallways and staircases along with tapestries depicting the gods and goddesses. The hallways were lite by torches set in bronze holders spaced evenly along the wall. Rumor continued walking down hall after hall going up the stairs he found and going down when there was no up. After a long time he came to a large room that was open at one end. Looking down the hallway Rumor could see why it would be open. Sitting upon a large golden throne was Minos. The man was huge easily six times Rumor's height. He was covered in fur and dressed in a loincloth with a golden belt. On the arms of his throne he draped his golden clad arms and his tail lazily flicked over one side. From his head protruded two large horns and instead of feet he had hoofs. Rumor walked towards this man sparing a glance back at the open end of the hallway. He could faintly make out fire and smoke below them.

"Why have you come here child who is cut from the same cloth as I?" Minos asked leaning forwards slightly sniffing the air with his bull like nostrils. "You are not dead or dying so why then have you appeared before me the judge of the dead?" Rumor gulped balling his hands into the cloth of his cloak before looking up at the larger man. "I have come of my own free will to subject myself to the punishment that would happen upon my death but since I am unable to be killed that would never come normally" he said his voice getting steadily quieter until the end that was barely more then a whisper. Minos nodded flicking his tail while stamping one foot. "You are a brave one then child now let us see what you have done so bad that deserves a punishment such as this" the larger man said his tail reaching out to poke at the center of Rumor's forehead. Suddenly the walls of the room were alight with images of Rumor's past. His friends and family blurring by along with images from the British library and his life before all of that. "Hmmm nothing here really warrants hell but I can see inside of you and know what it is you think you have done so since you cannot be deterred from this I will tell you where people such as you go. From here you must go to the very bottom all the way to end of this place. I cannot get you there since you are not dead so instead you must walk" the large man said before getting up from his throne and moving around to one side. He gave the massive thing a shove pushing it over revealing a set of stairs. "This is the beginning of your journey but once you go down these stairs you may never come back up" he continued causing Rumor to shiver. Before the paper master left he gave Minos a paper crane identical to the one he had given to the ferryman with the same instructions to give it to the next person who came to him while alive. Minos nodded his agreement before watching the small boy go down the stairs and dissapear from sight. Minos moved his throne back sitting atop it once more lazily looking at the crane.

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[Eden]

The stairs slowly disappeared replaced instead with a gently sloping gravel. The wind began to pick up swirling in all directions and steadily growing stronger. Screams and shouts could be heard mingling with the strong winds. The cries of anguish were coming from people both on the ground and in the air all eternally screaming as they were punished for there wrong deeds. Rumor tightened his cloak around him pushing through the storm trying to block out the screams that were all around him. As the wind began to get stronger pieces of rock and other debris lifted into the air slashing at Rumor as he trudged through. Biting his lip he ignored the pain knowing that he would be through soon. He also knew that this was the weakest of the punishments he would have to go through.

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[Eden]

As the wind died down the path began to become more dangerous as the storm shifted. Snow and rain were falling creating a disgusting slush on the ground which smelled disgusting. The whole place seemed to exude a disgusting odor that over powered the senses.As Rumor slowly made his way carefully so as to avoid falling he began to hear noises. At first he thought that it was the storm or the slush he was walking through but then he noticed that some of the piles of slush were more then that. Instead they were giant humans bloated beyond recognition. There vast forms were barely more then piles of fat encased in flesh. They moaned out as if in pain while trying in vain to move around. Some seemed to be missing parts of there body or just have large pieces of their body missing all together but there didn't seem to be any reason for it. That was until Rumor saw it. At first he thought it was nothing more then a shadow but when it began to move through the storm rapidly he stopped moving trying to see what exactly it was. As it moved closer he was able to make it out better and even recognize it to the point where he knew the creatures name. Who didn't know of Cerberus? The massive dog was bounding through the slush biting at the bloated bodies seemingly more for fun then need of food. The three headed beast seemed to strike fear into the obese bodies that littered the area and as he came near there attempts at moving became more frenzied only to have the dog chomp at them tearing off limbs or just fat. The dog seemed to know not to go for the head since it wouldn't be a punishment if they got to die. More then once Rumor had to force down the reflex to just empty his stomach contents as he watched the disgusting scene and while he hated seeing it he just couldn't seem to turn away. Once Cerberus seemed to grow bored and bound off Rumor was released from watching and began walking faster this time wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible.

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[Eden]

As Rumor entered the fourth circle the air became warmer and the snow slush beneath his feet melted away leaving a clean cut path. and emerged onto a small plain where people were waring against one another. Each sides in the scuffle were opposites to their opponents. Spenders and savers, builders and destroyers all sides forever locked in conflict as they were in life. Avoiding picking sides Rumor left the area rather quickly leaving the fighting souls long behind.

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