The Pit

The Pit

"This way! This way!" Hissed the guide covered from head to toe in crimson robes that almost blended in with the light from the torch he waved about in front of him as he leads his five charges deeper into the cave. Stopping abruptly at the mouth of a spacious cavern beyond, the guide spun on his heel to face us. "Last chance to back down. Once you pass this threshold, it's not just a matter of life and death you should be concerned with, but your very existence. So few are about to make it out again, most just become lunch for the horrors. It's gotten worse in recent years, you lot with your fancy guns and cell phones, you have no clue what you're up against."

I look around at the would-be warriors who decided to come to this desolate place, wondering vaguely how they heard about it. I happened upon a flyer blowing in the breeze, it looked like it was written by someone barely literate but it read 'Come fight! Win or Die!' which had me intrigued.

"What? You mean if we lose we lose our lives?" A guy with huge muscles asked in disbelief.

"More than that, you will have never existed. Your literal Soul is eaten, no one will remember you at all. Not your mother, not your priest, not even those in this very room. They may feel as if something is missing, but beyond that, nothing." Spoke up a young woman with a staff strapped to her back. I am here to avenge whoever this place took from my family, their lack of presence is felt daily."

"What? NO way! I thought this was a video game tournament, I'm out of here" exclaimed a forlorn-looking guy who looked like he would prefer to be anywhere else.

"Go ahead and run then, coward. This was your idea genius. I'm staying, I'm not scared," the girl next to him sneered.

"Step through, if your foolish enough," breathed the guide. I shrugged and walked past the opening, a feeling like a cold shock passed through my body briefly as I passed. Looking over my shoulder, I see everyone seems to have chosen to press on as well and they seemed to feel the same sensation although no one mentioned it. The cavern was bigger than I thought looking in from the entrance, in the center was a circle drawn in the red dirt of the ground. Symbols of unknown origin were drawn along the circles' outer edge. Quickly directing us seemingly at random, we were positioned within the circle and directed to sit in that pattern. Upon sitting on the hard ground, however, a wave of weariness took me hostage and I found my eyes drooped close.

"Welcome! A voice boomed, jerking me awake, instantly I sensed something was wrong. Looking at my happen chance companions, I realized they weren't the same people that entered the cave with me. They were meekly built humans, slightly glowing blue. "You may have noticed things have changed, that would be my doing. You don't need to know my name, just know you're here to fight for Death or Glory, the latter will bring riches and the former will just end your pathetic existence. Either way will bring entertainment to us." As if someone flipped on a light switch, flames erupted behind rows upon rows of hideous demons cheering and jeering at the foolish mortals who had volunteered to enter this realm. The biggest and meanest looking demon stood on a dais overlooking us in what we were quickly realizing was a pit littered with bones. "The rules are simple, kill as many of my minions as you can while staying alive yourself. Each kill compiles into your overall reward, so while working together may help you stay alive, it won't do your coin purses any good. Any questions?"

"I have one," I piped up. "Do we get weapons or are we expected to be slaughtered without a chance?"

"This one I like," the head Demon guffawed. "He uses his brain instead of standing there looking like a lost babe. You'll have your choice of weapons and armor, just don't expect much." With a snap of his grotesque scaly fingers, three pairs of demons carrying heavy loads of equipment dumped their burdens into the pit unceremoniously for us to pick through.

"Where is my staff? That is the weapon I chose to wield," demanded one of the others.

"Likely with your body, in the 'physical world' as you would call it. This is my domain, blessed items aren't allowed here," glowered the demon, leaning down to reveal a hideous face of scars and teeth. "Survive my tournament, you'll get it back." With a growling cry, the spirit grabbed a saber at random and lunged at the demon, who laughed in response. "Save your energy, you'll need it."

I walked over to the pile, carefully examining each sword, spear, bow, and ax. It all looked like junk, but that was the point. The others grabbed a battle-ax, a spear, and a bow respectively. The girl kept a tight grip on the saber she had grabbed. "PSST! Grab me and my mate if you wish to live." A pair of swords shone dimly in the pile of rusted weapons, taking one in each hand, I gave them a wave. "Trust us to help you or you'll never succeed where so many have failed." The swords had skulls at the base of the blades, a sapphire in the jaws in the one in my right hand, and an emerald in the jaws of my left hand.

The great demon raised his arms high, signaling for silence, his hard gaze staring intently at us. "Let the slaughter begin!" he screamed joyously.

Demons of all shapes and sizes rushed at us from all sides, I raised my swords in front of me, slicing, hacking, and stabbing as I dodged, blocked, and parried in the dance of death. My body seemed to act of its own accord, but that wasn't accurate. I was a puppet to the will of the swords, aware but unable to act. As the last of the creatures fell before me in a bloody heap, I regained my control once more as I turned back to the cackling brute on the dais.

"That was a performance we haven't seen in five thousand years, only two of you remain! Too bad neither of you will leave alive! We're hungry and souls these days are lacking in meat."

"Wait just a moment!" A new voice from my body boomed. "I challenge you to a duel for control of this realm, Kolkityn."

The demon stopped cold and stared directly at me. No, not at me but-

"So, you have found a willing puppet, Wilgrim? Very well. A duel to the undeath then." Kolkityn punched a hole in the fabric of existence nest to him and pulled out a massive double-edged battle-ax, adorned with a serpent wrapped around the handle. With a ground-shaking THUD, Kolkityn landed in the pit and assumed a battle stance. As if this was a signal, my body started squaring off with this massive demon. My mind was racing, I was trying to fight myself but a greater force held fast and I was forced to engage in this tango of death. Kolkityn's face was set in a menacing grin, with a roar of battle lust, he lunged forward and took the first swing.

Clang-slishhh! Metal met metal as the two swords blocked and deflected the ax, sending the demon slightly off balance. Feint with the left, stab with the right, swish of the ax that came close enough to split hairs. The crowd of demons was growing a bit rowdy and anxious over the display, one came forth to help his master and was quickly dispatched by the girl but the spirit controlling me paid no mind, continuing to dance with grace and skill matched only by the brute force and deadly precision of the demon. THUMP! The ax missed its mark and wedged in the floor. SHLIMP! The two swords separated Kolkityn's head from shoulders in a single cross stroke, ending the battle in hushed silence as the body hit the floor.

I felt the energy from the swords leave my body in a rush of blinding blue light, causing me to collapse on the floor as I attempted to regain my strength. After a couple of moments, I was able to glance up and I saw a new figure standing there, an old man with wispy white hair flying every which way, arms crossed over battle-worn armor.

"Grandpa!" cried the girl from before, the only other survivor of this game, rushing forth to hug him tightly.

"Kaitlyn, you shouldn't be here. The idea that you even knew that I was lost in this realm is a mystery," Wilgrim sighed, embracing the girl back all the same. Separating himself from her, Wilgrim picked up the head of his nemesis and stared at it with sorrow. "What shall we do with you then, old friend? Even among demons, honor is supposed to be upheld. Deals are struck and all that, yes?"

"Blow it out your ear old man," grumbled the head. "Do with me as you will, I'll be back to have my vengeance someday!"

"Not for a very long time, you won't," Wilgrim replied, throwing the head over his shoulder for a hellhound to gnaw on. "I'll deal with you later, for now, the three of us have some business to conclude." Directing Kaitlyn and me to stand side by side, Wilgrim lightly thumped us both on the forehead, causing us to blink.

We were back, the feel of the physical world was apparent compared to the spiritual realm. "Rupert, you're still alive? Good grief, I thought you'd have become hell hound kibble a long time ago. As you no doubt figured out, I'm the master now. My book, please," Wilgrim addressed the guide who lead us to this death trap. Frantically searching his robes, Rupert fished out a small black notebook and handed it to Wilgrim. "It may not look like much here, but on the other side, it's bound with the skin of a demon," Wilgrim winked at me, noting my confusion. "Let's see here now, given the amount slain by your hand, nevermind the small detail that I was the one doing the work, plus helping this old man reclaim his lost glory," Wilgrim was writing something furiously while thinking out loud, making quite the show. "How does twenty thousand dollars sound? For each of you? Yes, that's the ticket."

Slamming the notebook closed in satisfaction and thrusting it back at Rupert, Wilgrim took his swords and sliced into the very fabric of existence just as Kolkityn had done. Wilgrim reached in and pulled out two black suitcases, handed one to each of us without a word, and gestured for us to leave.

We stumbled out into the sunlight, dazed and confused. This is a tale that should be told, but to whom would you tell? Who would even begin to believe you?