Second Layer of Hell.
Ironynth was a vast, ever-shifting labyrinthine city of burning black iron. It was a place where reality bent, and navigation was nigh impossible. Ruled by a powerful devil, the city reflected his mind. It was constantly changing, oppressive, and filled with surveillance, deceit, and cruel justice.
The entire layer was a plane of extre heat and pain, where even standing near the towering iron structures could burn flesh, and survival here required special magical protection.
The city was densely packed with factories, slums, prisons, and workshops, producing endless weapons for the Eternal War that took place in the level above, the First Layer of Hell.
There was even a rumor that Ironynth was the largest producer of weapons and magical equipnt in the whole Magus Universe. And there was much truth to this rumor.
Ironynth was a paradox. It was infinite, yet claustrophobic. It was chaotic, yet orderly. Its streets, buildings, and layout constantly rebuild themselves, making maps utterly useless and travel very dangerous.
Beyond the city lay a barren, hostile wasteland of mountains, poisoned waters, and distorted space that made reaching or leaving the city nearly impossible.
To summarize, Ironynth was a nightmarish industrial hellscape. It was an ever-burning, ever-changing prison of iron, paranoia, and suffering.
It was also the ho of the devil, the Cult Leader had struck a deal with.... His na was Govax.
In one of the countless iron buildings within the city, he stood before a forge, hamr in hand. The fire burned hot, filling the room with heat. Sweat ran down his scaly face, but he did not stop. He brought the hamr down on the anvil again and again and again.
His appearance resembled a gargoyle, and he stood over two ters tall. He was a thin, clawed reptilian with large, leathery, bat-like wings. His tail was prehensile, constantly whipping around his body, and it was tipped with a barb, akin to a scorpion.
The tal glowed bright orange under each of his strikes. Sparks flew and died on the floor. Govax adjusted his grip and kept going at a steady pace.
Suddenly, he paused his actions, his eyes narrowing as his blood-red pupils flickered with annoyance. He turned to the iron door, baring his jagged black teeth.
A mont later, an imp barged through the door, a look of panic across his face.
"Master! Master-ack!"
Govax struck him with a backhanded slap the mont the imp approached. "How dare you disturb !"
He raised his hamr, ready to end the ugly fiend's life. But the imp's following words caused him to freeze.
"Ahh, Master! Word from the Diviner! Word from the Diviner! Bad news! Bad news!"
Govax growled as he lowered his hand. He set the hamr down on the table and walked out of the room, but not before kicking the imp in the stomach and sending him flying and crashing against the iron wall.
Imps were vicious devils, but they were among the weakest devils in the infernal hierarchy. No one truly respected them, especially in a plane like Hell where strength was everything.
The ugly thing rose to his feet, gently stroking his stomach. Then he flapped his wings and flew out of the chamber.
***
Govax entered another chamber, a dark frown on his face.
On the other side sat another devil whose appearance was similar to Govax's. The only difference was the skin color, which was white.
Vornak was a devil specializing in the School of Divination. Although he was also a Mana Seed Magus, just like Govax, his combat ability was inferior, so he served as Govax's subordinate.
He had been the one to make the previous divination about Tron. And now, he had made another one through smoke and blood.
"What did you see?" Govax pulled a dark cloak around him, his expression utterly grim.
Although Vornak couldn't fight, his divination abilities were great. It was sothing that Govax depended on. As such, he was treated far better than his other subordinates.
"Is that pathetic lich going to betray ?" Govax spat through gritted teeth. "After all that I've given him!"
Vornak slowly shook his head. "No."
"Then what is it?" Govax roared. "My army is ready! Everything is ready! And now you're telling there's bad news? How dare you!"
Enraged, Govax grabbed a pitcher of wine kept on the table beside him, and hurled it at the Diviner.
But Vornak calmly leaned to the side. The pitcher crashed against the wall behind him and broke down into several pieces as the liquor splattered
everywhere.
Govax inhaled deeply, trying to contain the raging emotions growing in his heart. Seeing his Diviner's composed look, he cald down a little.
"Tell ," he said. "What did you see?"
Vornak's piercing red eyes looked at the devil. Then he said in a low and even
voice:
"Coils unending rise and cover the earth. A dragon cuts across the blue sky. And
in the end, the hunger of a wolf devours all."
Govax's eyes slightly widened. "Coils? Coils!"
"Serpents, my lord," the Diviner, Vornak, said softly.
"I know what it fucking ans!" Govax scread, trying to find another item to hurl at his subordinate. But he found nothing nearby, so he simply clenched his
fists in fury.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" he cursed, rage boiling in his heart.
"Wasn't this supposed to be a lesser world in the Outer Universe? So then,
where did a dragon co from? And what's this about a wolf? What the fuck is
happening?!"
Vornak remained silent. Even he was confused by the divination result. But the thing that troubled him more than the dragon and the mythical wolf was the
existence of 'coils.
The sheer number of serpents he had seen in his vision could only an one thing. They pointed to a place in the spirit world, one filled with mystery.
"Eternity..."
Govax snapped toward him, crimson eyes glaring. "What was that?"
Vornak calmly looked at his master. He then said in a solemn voice, "My Lord, I believe the serpents in my vision are from the Coil. The Coil of Eternity."
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