Anthony Alves
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Chapter 67
🕑 Added 2025-01-27 14:38:41 +0000 UTCXotl wondered what would happen when Dan finally died. When he asked the angel about that months ago, she didn’t provide all the specifics, but she did say they wouldn’t die along with him, and if he managed to reach another world, they could leave his soul.
Xotl would love to escape Hell, but without a skinsuit to conceal himself in, survival could prove difficult as many mortals harbored terrible bigotry against demons.
The angel was still ignoring him and wasn’t replying to any of his questions. He, once again, wished he was powerful enough to kill her.
He wondered what would happen next. Interference was any illegal action by an outside entity that directly affected a participant’s performance. Duke Agares clearly interfered. For some reason, that hadn’t ended the Game.
He wondered if Dan still needed to complete the second phase to win the Game. He also wondered if there was, perhaps, a third phase he had never heard about.
He was completely in the dark about how any of this worked. He had never heard about a hotshot actually interfering before. He had never even seen a champion before. Now the other side won the first phase of a Game.
This was all very new territory.
The Duke confirmed that Dan destroyed the admin building. Xotl didn’t know how that affected the situation. If it helped or hurt things. Or what side it helped or hurt.
All he knew for certain was the Game hadn’t immediately ended after Duke Agares interfered.
In every other Game, once the last participant died, the Game immediately ended. The demons and devils were portaled away without even being allowed to loot the dead participants.
And to further complicate matters, thousands and thousands of participants were still alive.
He wondered what that meant and if the living participants were supposed to or even could enter the second phase of the Game.
He was curious about what the second part was like. He’d love to be set free in the world it took place on. Even considering all the bigoted mortals, any place was better than Hell.
Aphariel had told him the second phase tested character against the eight deadly sins – lust, envy, pride, greed, gluttony, despair, wrath, and sloth.
If Dan didn’t die and made it to the exit, Xotl was positive that lust and sloth wouldn’t be an issue for him. He exhibited a severe lack of desire and certainly wasn’t lazy.
I bet some of those sins would get him though, thought Xotl with a smile.
Dan’s vision only showed a view of grass and some corpses past Nick’s own. Nick’s stupid face was taking up most of the view. He wished Dan would turn his head. He badly wanted to see what loot Duke Agares had dropped. And Asmodon too.
Hotshots had to drop great stuff. They must. And I must see it. Maybe the prude will let me out to steal it all? I need to grab that armor, lance, and cloak. I bet both Asmodon and Agares have some type of spatial storage filled with all types of good shit.
Duke Agares wasn’t a top bigwig, but Xotl had heard of him before he became the patron of this Game. And not just once or twice. He had heard the name a bunch of times.
Even if Duke Agares wasn’t one of the top hotshots, he was still a major player. He had to have dropped something crazily good. And Xotl needed to know what it was.
And he needed to know what a Game champion dropped too.
“Hey, angel, do you know what Duke Agares and Asmodon dropped? Any chance you’ll let me out to steal their stuff? I’ll be super quick about it. And I’ll give you half.”
There was no reply. But he did see something very strange. He saw Dan’s dead kid. And it seemed solid, like that of a living mortal, not a ghost.
“Angel, look! That’s Dan’s dead kid, right?”
Finally, the prude reacted to something he said. She lifted her head, twisted around, and looked out Dan’s eyes.
“Get up, Daddy. Daddy, you gotta get up now.”
Dan’s vision tilted as he lifted his head a little off the ground. “Amanda? Is it really you?”
“It’s me, Daddy. You gotta get up. Come on.”
Dan grunted and forced his way to his knees. He reached his arms out to his daughter, but she moved away, laughing. “Come on, Daddy. Just a little left to go. You can see the exit.”
With a lot of winces and grunts, Dan stood and started shambling forward after his giggling daughter.
Xotl wished Bob and Az’ga were there. He’d bet them there was absolutely no way Dan could make it to the exit. It was barely in sight. It was way too far away.
He had never seen the exit before. It appeared in what was priorly a stone outcropping at the very center-north point of the area.
Xotl screamed out, “Turn around, dummy! See what Duke Agares dropped, you fool! Please! Please look!”
When Dan didn’t turn, Xotl said, “At least have the decency to walk by Asmodon’s corpse, you fat prick.”
Dan touched his chest and belly then looked at his bloody hand. He winced as he moved forward, struggling to breathe. “Amanda,” he weakly croaked out.
“Come on, Daddy. Almost there. Don’t give up now.”
Dan’s vision warbled from side to side. He fell to his knees. Amanda came back and held her hand out. She smiled and said, “Hold my hand, Daddy.”
“I’ll…you don’t want to touch me, angel. I’ll get you all bloody. Daddy isn’t going to make it. But I might not have to. I think I won. Duke Agares interfered.”
“No, Daddy. You gotta get up. You gotta get through the door.”
Dan struggled for long moments to get back on his feet. “I’m sorry, Amanda. I can’t make it. I’m so sorry I keep failing.”
“You’re not quitting now, are you Daddy?”
“I…I…,” said Dan before he collapsed face first onto the ground.
Xotl couldn’t see anything now. With his face pressed into the grass, Dan mumbled out, “Amanda,” as he tried to force himself upright on shaky hands.
Dan’s visions began to tumble around in a manner that almost made Xotl queasy. Then it lolled
When it finally steadied, Dan was looking at a smiling, old, mortal man with salt and pepper hair bracing him in his arms.
“Keep it steady, Dan. Almost there. You’ve done good, kid. You beat both Asmodon and Duke Agares. Don’t give up now. You can see the entrance to the second phase from here.”
Dan began to limp forward with the help of the man. His head continued to lol as he slowly hobbled towards the exit. He asked, “Geehel? What’s going on? Where’s Amanda?”
“She’s gone. I’m here now.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m not going to make it. And I killed a kid. My friend’s kid.”
The man turned his head to look at Dan. With a half smile on his face, he said, “I know.”
The man stopped moving forward. He stood in place holding Dan, helping to keep the injured man on his feet.
Xotl was losing his mind. His heart felt like it would beat its way out of his chest.
Geehel was one of the old names of his Dark Master. God’s Pride.
Xotl was looking right at the Big Boss himself. The Shining One. The Light Bearer. The Light Bringer. The World Walker. The Day Star.
The old man asked, “Who am I, Dan?”
“Huh? You’re…you’re Geehel.”
“You know who I am. No more games, kid. Say it.”
As Dan’s head lolled, he said, “What are you…it’s Geehel. Your name’s Geehel.”
“Yes. That’s it. The name that just popped into your head. Satan. The Adversary. You had that exact thought when I told you what the deal we made would cost you. ‘Why would an angel or a principality or whatever this guy is require my soul to go to Hell for this? It don’t make no sense.’ Then you realized who I was.
“You knew, but you chose to ignore it. To not think about it. To believe in a comforting falsity. That doesn’t mean you tricked yourself, kid. You knew. You wanted what I was offering despite that fact.”
Dan dropped to the ground in a seated position. His eyes stayed looking down at his lap. Now that Xotl could see a lot of Dan’s injuries, he was surprised the fat prick was still alive. He knew he wouldn’t be for long though.
After a few moments, the Shining One said, “Hey, it can’t be easy thinking through the pain all those injuries are causing you. Let me heal you up.”
Dan yelled out, “No! I don’t want nothing from you!”
The Light Bringer laughed. “That’s my boy. Stubborn to the very end. I’m proud of you, kid.”
Dan scoffed. He tried to stand and couldn’t. More to himself, he said, “My legs ain’t working no more. I got to get up. I can’t fail.”
The Light Bearer knelt, lifted Dan’s chin with a hand, and held his eye. “I just healed you. Just a little. Sorry, but you were about to lose consciousness. I need you awake, aware, and to gird your loins for this next part.
“I really hate to tell you this, kid, but you already failed. You failed before I sent you back. You failed as soon as you promised me your soul.”
Dan’s vision shook as he began to lightly sob. “You tricked me. I didn’t know it was you.”
The Shining One, eyes filled with sadness, said, “You did know. In your heart, you did. You know the rules better than most. Can a traitor go through that exit?”
“I ain’t no traitor! I was tricked. You lied to me.”
“Whining and complaining isn’t going to change the facts, kid. Why do all you mortals think lying to yourselves fixes things? You swore to me your soul. I would’ve never accepted unless I knew you knew who you were swearing to. It’s no fun otherwise. I always keep things fair and honest. Always.
“But, hey, you got this far. I’m sure your daughter’s proud of you. And your father and brother. You didn’t fail at something. You killed Asmodon. You killed Duke Agares. You think your family’s proud you killed those two? Hmmm. Now that I think about it, they probably don’t care.”
Dan’s hands shot out and grabbed onto the Shining One’s face. His thumbs pressed deeply into eyes and blood began to leak then spurt out of the sockets as both men screamed, one in rage and the other in pain.
Then the Light Bearer laughed as his head moved back through Dan’s hands, his face uninjured. “I like it, kid. Fighting right up to the bitter end. Sadly, you can’t hurt me. If there was a chance you could, I’d heal you up and give you a shot.”
“Jesus,” said Dan. “I messed up so bad. It was all for nothing. I killed a little girl. I killed Bonnie. I despise myself. Oh, God, I repent in dust and ashes. Nick was right about me. He was right.”
The Light Bearer excitedly asked, “Was he?”
Dan looked up.
The half-smile crept back onto the Dark Master’s lips. “It doesn’t have to be over. It doesn’t have to end this way. The deal was your soul for a real shot to save your world. Here, look.”
With a snap of his fingers, two portals grew behind the Light Bearer. Both stood a good distance apart, the much larger one was outlined in red, and the much smaller one in gold.
“One of these portals leads to Heaven. The other leads to Hell. Choose your eternity, kid.”
A few moments passed before Dan replied. “What? You just said I failed.”
“And I’m unfailing you. The deal was for a chance to save your world. Here’s your chance. And you did kill Agares. A Duke. A member of the Order of the Fly. That’s big. So, I’m giving you a big choice. The biggest you’ll ever make. Eight billion souls and how you spend eternity are on the line.”
The confusion in Dan’s voice was obvious as he asked, “What?”
“No second phase. Enter the red portal to Hell and your world is saved. No Rapture. No Scouring. Earth joins the elite few worlds that have won a Game.”
In the gold portal appeared Amanda, Dan’s father, and Nick, all smiling and waving him over.
“Or go through the gold portal. Join your daughter, your father, your brother, and when she dies, your mother too. Eternal bliss in Heaven alongside those you love. Redemption. Forgiveness. Happiness. For all eternity, happiness. Look at your daughter, Dan. She desperately wants you there with her.”
Xotl desperately wished he had access to Dan’s mentals. Dan’s vision shook as he silently sobbed. “This is a trick. This is another trick.”
“No trick, kid. I don’t trick. I’m probably the only honest being ever created.”
“Every word passing your lips is a lie. I know exactly what you is, Satan.”
“What am I then? Tell me.”
“The Prince of Evil. You’d rather reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”
The Dark Master kneeled in front of Dan again. “Wrong on all counts, kid. That’s a quote from John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost.’ A work of fiction. A more accurate title for me would be the Prince Who’s Always Right. And what is evil? If there’s such a thing, it’s indistinguishable from good.”
“It ain’t,” yelled Dan. “You lie! That’s all you do. You’re evil. You make people think you’re helping and you ain’t.”
“If believing so makes you feel better, go right ahead,” calmly replied the Shining One. “There is no looking into the darkness long enough where it looks back at you. That would require thinking and self-reflection. The truth is that mortals don’t think. They want. All they do is want. And I give them what they want. If you believe that’s evil, then I’m guilty as charged.
“But do I wrap myself up in false righteousness and easy virtue? No. All those you share your world with do. They trick themselves into believing they’re good while knowing deep down they’re anything but. They’re just never willing to look deep enough into themselves to see what’s clear.
“They hate and want, always believing they’re the center of the universe and right about everything. They whine, stomp their feet, and demand more. But they never sacrifice, never think. They want. Just want. And think they’re the good guys for wanting.”
The Light Bringer smiled before asking, “So, how am I the bad guy? For what? Giving the people what they want? For making dreams come true?”
After a few moments went by without Dan replying, the Shining One said, “But for you, kid, I’m giving you a choice. There’re two things you want very badly. You can only have one. Save your world and burn in Hell, or join your loved ones, that daughter you say you love so much, in Heaven for all eternity.”
Dan didn’t move or say a word for a long moment. “This is a trick,” he finally said.
The Shining One raised his right hand. “May God strike me dead if this is a trick.”
“I don’t understand,” stated Dan. “You lose either way.”
“Do I? This is what I live for, kid. What a choice for you! Not an equal choice, but a massive one. Heaven and everything you want, or Hell and saving your world. The lie you’ve clung to for so long. Sixty odd years, Dan. That’s a long time clinging to such a big lie.
“I don’t care about these Games. I have much more fun on populated worlds doing what I do best – giving the people what they want. At the moment, your world’s probably the most fun. Its population is huge and most of its cultures are perfect for me. I’d really hate to see my favorite playground Raptured.
“These Games just get between me and what I love. I’d end them but the war they caused is necessary. I’ve corrupted the first and second Choir. There’s little difference between demons and those angels now. At some point, all the mighty pillars of Heaven will collapse, and I’ll win an old bet. All because a being of unimaginable power ties His own hands like a fool.
“He could stop me at any time, Dan. Yet here I am. Here we are. No more words, kid. Stand. Make your choice. I know you better than you know yourself. I’ve met countless others just like you. Prove me right once more.”
For a while now, the sight through Dan’s eyes had been blurry. Xotl assumed this was due to the eyes being watery. The blurriness suddenly went away.
Dan stood with much difficulty and a lot of groans. He looked back and forth between the two portals. Xotl really wished he had access to Dan’s mentals.
Then Dan started to limp towards the gold portal.
Xotl let out a sigh of relief as a ton of excitement grew and grew in his chest. Heaven! He was going to Heaven!
He thought there was a chance of Dan being a huge idiot and choosing wrong. This would be Xotl’s only chance to get to Heaven since demons were always reborn in Hell as demons.
Hell was a terrible place. He just hoped when the angel released them from being trapped inside of Dan in Heaven, he’d be allowed to stay. And he hoped it wasn’t freezing cold. And that someone there would be able to answer all his questions regarding Zixy’s five curious orifices.
“I love all y’all,” said Dan as he stopped. “I love you so much, Amanda. I’m sorry about…everything.”
Then Dan began moving towards the red portal.
“Noooo,” screamed Xotl. “Please tell me this idiot isn’t this stupid! What’s he doing?”
After hearing her sob, Xotl turned towards the angel. With tears dripping down her face, she said, “The Shining One’s right. We have become our enemy. We have become what we fight against. What difference is there between you and I now?”
“Snap out of it, you crazy broad,” barked out Xotl. “Can you talk to Dan? Tell him to take the gold portal! Please! Quickly!”
“No.”
Xotl wanted to shake some sense into the angel. “Listen, you won’t like Hell at all. It’s terrible. Are you certain you’ll be able to escape it? You could be blocked, just like you are here in the Game.”
“I won’t escape,” answered the prude. “You and I shall stay right where we are. Forever.”
Xotl began to panic. “Please, you got to release us! We can’t be stuck inside one of the damned forever! Hey. Hey! You hear me? Release us! Or just me. Release me! Please. I’m begging you!”
“We deserve nothing less,” replied the prude.
“I don’t deserve it! I’ve done nothing wrong. Please. Please! Let me out of here!”
As Aphariel wiped away her tears, a small smile appeared on her face. “Listen,” she said.
Xotl didn’t want to listen. He wanted out. But he heard clapping. He thought that was weird.
Dan’s head turned to look at the Shining One. It looked like the Dark Master was wearing a genuinely happy smile on his face as he clapped. “You sure you want to do this, kid? You could have everything you really want just by turning around. Think about this for a second.”
“Naw.”
The Light Bearer stopped clapping. “Seriously, kid, you paid enough. You’ve suffered enough. You can put that imaginary cross down now. Even Job was restored in the end.”
“We made a deal,” replied Dan.
“And I gave you a new choice. Why throw this chance away? So some strangers you don’t know back on your world get to live?”
“My paw always told me being a man is just doing what needs doing, no matter how much you don’t want to.”
“Ha,” laughed the Shining One. “I wholeheartedly disagree. Being a man is taking what’s yours. It’s taking everything you want without apology.”
“Maybe,” replied Dan. “I ain’t never been much of a man, but I can see my daughter looking at me now. I know for certain she’s watching me right now.”
The Light Bringer laughed again. “You can’t really believe she’d rather be proud of you for a moment than have you there by her side for all eternity? Think, kid. This is forever. Eternal torment alone or eternal bliss with your daughter, with your whole family. Look at them.”
Dan turned his head and looked back at the golden portal. Bonnie was now there along with Dan’s family, smiling and waving him over.
“This isn’t a trick, kid,” said the Shining One. “Stop being your own worst enemy. This is far more important than your world or your word. This is the last and most important choice you’ll ever make. Take the reward you’ve earned.”
Dan said, “Yeah. I reckon I am,” as he entered the red portal.
Xotl screamed out in fear and horror.
(One more chapter left. It ties everything together, so please, please wait until that’s out to judge this book and its ending (and the meaning of and reason for book 1).
Just in case anyone is curious, originally there were nine deadly sins in Christianity. The nine were reduced to eight by Evagrius Ponticus. Then Pope Gregory I combined vainglory with pride, despair with sloth, and added in envy.
For this series, despair was decoupled from sloth for various reasons.
Judaism doesn’t have a list like the Seven Deadly Sins. The Mishle mentions six things that God hates and adds that there are seven that are abominations to Him.
Islam has the Seven Major Sins. A very different list. Shirk (associating partners with Allah or attributing His attributes to others not Him), witchcraft, killing unlawfully, consuming orphans’ wealth, consuming riba (engaging in usury or interest-based transactions), fleeing from the battlefield, and slandering chaste women.)
Comments
Tony
Thank you
Oponette
Huh. Didn't expect the Light Bringer to be so...bad at his job? Weird. Guess everyone's just people, in the end.
Tony
Thank you. Someone made a similar comment above. I think next chapter will clarify some analogies/themes/inspirations, but Job is definitely one of them. I'll paste what I posted above for the rest. I dislike when people explain their work (like with Edward Albee and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' It always ends up being disappointing to me), so I'll just say Job was part of it, including two modified quotes from that book that were in this chapter. 'I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes,' and 'gird up now thy loins like a man.' I try not to be too on the nose with references, themes, and analogies. Next chapter has very on the nose stuff though.
Tony
Thank you. The last point about growth will hopefully makes sense next chapter.
Tony
Thank you
Tony
Thank you very much. The loot stuff is explained in the early part of book 2. I'm positive it'll be in the chapters that'll get posted, so you'll find out soon. As for the eight sins listed, I mentioned in the notes - originally there were nine deadly sins in Christianity. The nine were reduced to eight by Evagrius Ponticus. Then Pope Gregory I combined vainglory with pride, despair with sloth, and added in envy. For this series, despair was decoupled from sloth for various reasons.
Tony
Thank you
Tony
Thank you very much. I dislike when people explain their work (like with Edward Albee and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' It always ends up being disappointing to me), so I'll just say Job was part of it, including two modified quotes from that book that were in this chapter. 'I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes,' and 'gird up now thy loins like a man.' I try not to be too on the nose with references, themes, and analogies. Next chapter has very on the nose stuff though.
Tony
Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.
Tony
Thank you
Tony
Thank you
NorthFury
Plot twists over plot twists; can't wait to read the conclusion of book 1.
NorthFury
But maybe ignoring that loot is him overcoming greed.
Immutably Empty
If the 2nd phase truly is as described, I could see this being a test of greed. Then maybe being in hell is a test of despair
Vaughn Fredericks
Well Ho-lee-sheeeet. I did not see that coming, although it makes sense in hindsight. I said back in December this was the best story I've read in forever, and it just keeps delivering. (Also, Xotl's orifice obsession even at the end is so funny...)
Alan Robinson
I've been wondering if the games and more importantly if Dan was the story of Job retold.
Alan Robinson
No need to apologize or beg me to stay around. This has been a great story
Actually
I wanted the loot to. The note talks about why 8 sins
Jason Hornbuckle
well I give you full points for originality
Eric Kellar
Aphariel had told him the second phase tested character against the eight deadly sins – lust, envy, pride, greed, gluttony, despair, wrath, and sloth. Is it not supposed to be 7 sins? Or is it just different for this story? Also noooooo I wanted to see the loot. How can he ignore probably the best loot ever before going to hell. tftc though
Arnon Parenti
If this is an interpretation of the book of Job, then taking the hard path will lead to greater redemption, the only way to lose to the devil is to give up, if you wake up in the morning and do the job, then you've already beaten the devil in his own game.
Actually
Wow great chapter real interesting can’t wait for Wednesday Tyftc! I was wrong on where it was going but I think I know now
John Anastacio
I don't see a problem. I love this story. Dan is being true to himself all the way, manly to the bitter end and beyond. The only possible flaw is a lack of character growth, but I guess that's the point. Dan will Remain no matter what, and that requires a certain inflexibility. Plus he's very old mentally and emotionally.
