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PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST NOVELS || LATEST MOVIES || LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
GARDEN OF POISON
Visiting Hell (Chapter 137)
Music Recommendation: Abandoned Secret- Fredrik Jonasson
—
Anastasia rode with Dante on the horse, departing from the desolate landscape as they neared towering structures with a slender appearance. In the distance, the faint ding of a bell reached her ears, carrying an ominous undertone.
"Looks like someone has already spotted us," Dante remarked as his horse galloped forward. "Hold tight," he instructed, and the horse accelerated its pace, moving faster than it had before.
Anastasia caught sight of black smoke emitting from the pinnacles of the structures, casting a dark hue over the sky. She whispered,
"This place feels strange," and it wasn't because of the foreign surroundings. "I feel somewhat empty… and sad," she admitted.
"Grandmother's potion will require a little more time before it safeguards you from this realm," Anastasia heard Dante say from behind her. "The air saturating hell is brimming with melancholy and darkness. A soul that enters this place and endures its existence here will eventually become consumed by misery and despair."
Anastasia wondered if the Mother Queen knew that Dante would one day take her to the underworld and that she would need the available protection. She asked him, "Did the air of the underworld affect you too?"
"To some extent, but not nearly as much as the lower-tier demons. The more powerful a demon is, the greater their resilience against the atmosphere's influence," Dante replied to her before adding, "This is why the Devil stands strong, along with the five archdemons who serve under him."
They dismounted from the horse when they finally reached the tallest building out of the lot. Nearby, crows emitted their cawing calls while perching on the skeletal trees. However, it wasn't the birds, but the other strange-looking demons congregating not too far from the building, that prompted her to move closer to Dante.
Anastasia observed the creatures attempting to detect her scent, even though some didn't have a defined nose. She felt Dante place his hand on her back as he spoke,
"Let us head inside, shall we?"
As Anastasia walked inside with Dante, she observed the dark grey stones from which the building was constructed, with torches of fire burning at the end of the passage. Curiously, she inquired, "How is it that you have horses in hell?"
"The realm of the dead is a reflection of the world of the living; that which decays and corrupts manifests here, and what lies before you is an accumulation of events spanning years," Dante clarified, his voice maintaining a steady tone as he provided the explanation. He continued, "The horse that you saw is a demonic steed, obedient to my commands, a creature that became attached when I started my second existence here."
"Does that mean that if the world were to become a better place, hell could also become brighter?" Anastasia inquired, only to hear him softly chuckle in response.
"Hell has never witnessed a single day. Aeons have passed, and it continues to feed on the suffering and agony of humanity, on the destruction in the world," Dante stated. "You cannot change the word 'hate', because that is the emotion it embodies. It is what it means, and its essence cannot be swapped for another. It goes against the practices of both the dead and the living."
When Anastasia heard skittering sounds emitting from the corner of the ceiling, she looked upward to discern their source. She said, "This place feels eerily quiet."
"It wouldn't bode well if it were loud," Dante responded, prompting her to look at him in time to hear him say, "This is where the ruler of hell resides."
As they rounded the corner of the corridor, they heard footsteps gradually growing louder and louder before they finally stopped at the top of the stairs. Before long, Anastasia's gaze settled on a man with droopy eyes and blond hair. With a cunning smile, he spoke,
"Long time no see, Dante Blackthorn. I thought you had ascended to heaven, as we haven't heard from you in a while."
"Seems like wishful thinking on your part, Nathaniel Lynx," Dante responded as he continued to walk up the stairs, with Anastasia trailing behind. He remarked, "Word has it that you have taken over my position. A little greedy, wouldn't you say?"
"Well, I couldn't pass the opportunity when the vacancy arose," Nathaniel snickered, his amusement evident. He continued, "Since the position next to the Devil wasn't available, I figured why not take on the role of the executioner on top of my existing duties?" The demon named Nathaniel's eyes briefly flickered to Anastasia before they returned to Dante, and he said, "He has been expecting you." Saying this, the demon turned around and began to walk.
As Anastasia traversed the wide and deserted corridors, she came to realise that, apart from the demon leading the way, she hadn't seen a single soul. All that reached her ears were indistinct whispers that she could neither pinpoint nor decipher.
Once they arrived before a room with towering open doors, Nathaniel vanished within. Upon entering the room, Anastasia beheld the enormous space where the walls couldn't be identified as they were lost in the engulfing darkness.
A gap in the ceiling allowed a mysterious light to filter through, resembling moonlight that cast its glow before the throne.
"I have returned," Dante announced with a polite bow.
"Welcome back to hell, Dante," a voice intoned, and though it sounded like a whisper, it managed to raise goosebumps on Anastasia's arms. "You seem to have fared quite well in the realm of the living. I heard that you were cursed by an earthling, along with the other two, and news had reached me that you had awakened. How was your time in the living world? Better than the last one?" the Devil hummed, his voice carrying a serene melody that belied the chills it invoked.
Dante responded, "Better than any I have lived until now."
"How interesting," the Devil whispered, and Anastasia heard a rustle near the throne just before her eyes caught sight of the frayed edges of robes as they emerged into the light. "And is that a sacrifice that you have brought me? A delicious one from the living realm, one that still breathes."
Anastasia stiffened where she stood and heard Dante remark, "This one is mine."
"Yours?" The Devil's tone held a mix of bewilderment and amusement at the same time.
"She is my soulmate," Dante stated unapologetically.
As the Devil advanced, his shoes emitted a sharp clicking sound upon contact with the ground, rendering the surroundings seemingly impossibly quieter than before. Anastasia's eyes widened when light illuminated the Devil's features, her gaze fixated on the gaunt-looking figure and eyes slightly larger than ordinary, staring right at her.
Anastasia felt her stomach sink, and the only comforting thought was Dante's presence by her side.
The Devil came to stand before Anastasia, and he loudly commanded, "Bring up the lights!"
Not two seconds later, the room was flooded with light emanating from the flaming torches that burned at every corner of the walls. Anastasia stared back at the Devil, and she couldn't help but wonder whether the demon and Dante were related, as the person before her looked more like Dante's father than King William had.
The Devil's proximity to Anastasia had put Dante on alert, and he stood there, attentively watching the Devil for any potential moves. But the Devil simply hummed and uttered,
"Fascinating, demons having soulmates. I would have never guessed, unless it's the result of your prolonged exposure to the living world, allowing growth and shared experience with the earthlings." He paused and said, "Earthlings are troublesome, Dante. You know that better than anyone else. Any plans on killing her?"
Dante stared at the Devil with an equally unamused expression and heard him say, "I can kill her on your behalf, as I don't want you to be distracted." His eyes flared, a reaction that seemed to spark excitement in the Devil's eyes. "Very interesting, and she doesn't carry the usual smell of an earthling. What is your name, woman?" He questioned Anastasia.
"Anastasia Flores," Anastasia introduced herself with a bow to the corpse-looking devil. As the man stared at her as if in continued question, she met his gaze head-on. "I am a fae."
The Devil's head tilted slightly backwards as if he knew her kind, and he inquired, "Did you know it was your kind that cursed him and my other two prized demons? Though one of them must have welcomed it. You are the first fae to step foot in hell, and you hold the distinction of being the first one to die within its domain," he proclaimed, raising his hand.
"She's the one who cursed me," Dante quickly stated, and this caught the Devil's attention.
"The same woman?" The Devil inquired with a chuckle, as if now interested in her, and he said, "How spooky. Terrible that I enjoy such twists."
Anastasia, unaware of this information, turned to look at Dante with surprise reflecting in her eyes. She was the one who cursed him? But she was only a descendant of the forest woman who had cursed him, wasn't she?
Having served the Devil for years, Dante was aware of what captured the Devil's attention. He confessed, "There was a time I wanted to kill her, but I don't anymore. Anyone who tries to bring harm to her will have to go through me first, Viktor."
"Now you managed to make me want to kill her even more," the Devil chuckled, though his smile soon faded. He continued, "However, you hold a significant role within hell, and I don't want to cause disruption. Not until the other two return. Even though the work you were dispatched for remains unfinished."
So he had been right, Dante thought to himself. Magnus was indeed in the realm of the living. With conviction, he replied, "It will be done in time."
"Hm," the Devil responded, noticing how the fae regarded him without a hint of fear. "You seem to have caught a strong woman, one whom I am not able to read, yet she dares to stare at me."
Anastasia's eyes widened, and she promptly lowered into a bow. "Pardon me, Mr. Devil. I was just curious."
"Curious?" the Devil inquired, and Anastasia saw his eyes growing bigger with each passing second. "What about?"
Anastasia felt many eyes on her and was uncertain whether to speak, but now that he asked, she said, "Dante and you resemble each other. It made me wonder if you are his father."
The Devil erupted into laughter, growing even more amused, and when Anastasia's eyes met Dante's, she saw him shake his head. He said, "Most of us have entertained the possibility, but sadly, it's not the case. With his capabilities, he would have made an excellent addition to my lineage."
When the Devil turned as if preparing to resume his place upon the throne, someone at the back interjected, "Master, no living being has ever left this place. She needs to be killed."
Dante turned to look at the person who spoke, his eyes narrowing with an intensity that seemed capable of scorching the person solely through his glare.
Anastasia's eyes widened as she heard those words. She knew she was willing to live anywhere with Dante by her side, but mentally preparing herself for this situation was another matter entirely. Viktor said, "Maybe not yet. Dante and Anastasia's 'soulmate' connection intrigues me, and I want to see how it all works." He turned to Dante, saying, "I assume you would like to visit your quarters."
"Yes," Dante replied, and the Devil nodded in acknowledgment, while the demons fixed their gazes upon the earthling fae.
As Anastasia and Dante turned, about to take a step forward, she caught sight of someone familiar in the room, and her eyes widened as she recognised the woman standing beside the demon named Nathaniel. It was the same woman with blonde hair and grey eyes, her glare mirroring that from their previous encounters.
Nathaniel noticed their eyes locking and inquired, "I believe you already had the pleasure of meeting my sister, Amara?"
How could she forget, Anastasia thought to herself. Lady Amara was the woman who had called her hands hideous, and she had the nerve to appear repulsed with a broken horn sticking out of her forehead.
_____________
GARDEN OF POISON
Hidden relation (1) ( Chapter 138)
Music Recommendation: Down the Dungeon- ASKII
—
Anastasia couldn't believe that there was a demoness that they knew from the mortal world. But the woman managed to evade any suspicions and vanished following the conclusion of Lady Sophia's birthday celebration.
A sinister chuckle escaped from Viktor at the sight before him, and he remarked, "How unfortunate, Amara. To have pined for the executioner and yet remain unable to have him in either the realm of the living or the dead."
The demoness's face soured in response to the Devil's words, and she retorted, "It is only a matter of time before doom befalls," her words carrying an underlying meaning. Having ventured into the living realm to bind the archdemon to her, she said, "I would have accomplished it had I not been summoned back here."
Dante paid no attention to the lowly demoness, and he placed his hand on Anastasia's back before gently nudging her out of the place. Once they exited the Devil's tower, she inquired,
"Did you know about her?"
"Not until I awakened," Dante replied as they walked away. "There are a handful of demons who were sent to the living world, either to observe or to tempt souls into sin, leading them here. Amara has attempted her advances on me, but I have never held any interest in her."
"Your popularity seems to span across all realms," Anastasia murmured before a faint smile graced her lips.
Dante's hand shifted from her back to gently clasp her hand. He said, "There is no need to feel threatened by Amara. She's well aware not to cross me, or Viktor, for that matter, as you have been acknowledged as my woman. The one and only one for me. My eyes and every other sense are devoted to you."
Anastasia noticed how some creatures crawled along the ground or lurked behind the skeletal trees, yet none dared to approach them. They seemed to harbour a fear of Dante and what he could do to them. A few of the lesser demons scurried away from the scene.
"You didn't bring me here solely to meet the Devil, did you?" Anastasia asked, her gaze shifting to his handsome face, where his demon features were still on display.
"It is a combination of different factors," Dante responded as they travelled a little bit further, and Anastasia began to feel a change in the temperature. He explained, "With Magnus lurking around, I didn't want to leave you behind. It was wiser to remove Viktor from the equation, rather than risking him bringing you here."
"Like kidnapping me?" Anastasia asked before the realisation slowly dawned on her mind, and she said, "Killing me."
Dante affirmed with a nod, "You and I are the first of our kinds bound by a soulmate connection on this side of the world, where darkness and sin thrive without end. Because of my position, the devil wouldn't want anyone disrupting the balance. There's also another reason."
Anastasia wondered what it was, as Dante wasn't quick to reveal it. She then heard him continue, "Your soul is purer than the water that springs from the ground. Just like Viktor said, no fae's soul has ever crossed into Hell, or, as you know it, the underworld. And though I won't allow anything bad to happen to you, if such an event were to occur, it would be better to corrupt you just enough to ensure you will return here… where I can reclaim you and bring you back to my side, rather than a place where you'd be lost from my sight forever."
So this was a precaution, Anastasia thought to herself. Dante was making sure to safeguard against any potential harm that might arise in the future. Curious, she asked him, "How long does it take for a soul to become corrupted?"
"It has already begun," Dante remarked, causing Anastasia's eyes to widen. "The emptiness you felt earlier, before the potion took effect, was the essence of this place seeping into you."
Then that meant her soul wouldn't depart from Hell if she were to die. She was condemned for eternity. She stated, "We will never be apart."
"Never again," Dante vowed to her, and he meant to uphold that promise at any cost. After years of searching, he had finally found Anastasia, and he wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers again.
As they continued to walk further, Anastasia eventually grasped the reason behind the escalating heat with every step she took. She saw the skeletal trees engulfed in a fiery blaze, and vast portions of the land were covered in pits of fire, accompanied by the cacophony of agonised screams echoing in her ears.
"Does this look enough like hell to you?" Dante asked, a faint curl forming on one corner of his lips as he observed Anastasia taking in the surroundings.
The combination of the screams and the eerie atmosphere created a deeply unsettling feeling within Anastasia, urging her to flee from the place. She heard him say,
"Long ago, the entire place was consumed by flames, but over time, the towers where Viktor resides have gradually cooled and transformed the land into desolation."
"Are we here to sightsee?" Anastasia asked Dante, moving closer to him when she caught sight of a creature with a decayed lower face. "I don't think I will ever complain about the desert again," she murmured. As if recollecting something, she said, "Why did you tell Viktor that I was the one who cursed you?"
"Because it was you." Dante stared back at her as the flames continued to rage around them. "Your memories from the past haven't returned yet, but I am hoping that our visit to one of the cellmates here might trigger them."
Anastasia's eyebrows furrowed in question, and she wondered out loud, "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" She still had a hard time wrapping her head around the idea because, up until now, she had been the woman who had chased after freedom… not a demon.
"You weren't ready to know, not until you confronted the truth in the lair," Dante stated as they resumed walking.
Anastasia saw Dante raise his hand, and as he moved it to the side, the flames obediently parted to create a path for them. He said to her, "You died the night you cursed me, your soul moving in time with mine, until I was reborn into the Blackthorn family. However, our destinies had been entwined long before that, back when I was an earthling."
A wave of discomfort settled in her stomach, and she voiced her unease, "I am not that woman, am I?… The one who stabbed you to death?"
"You are…" Dante's reply hung in the air, the weight of his words causing Anastasia's face to drain of colour. But he continued, "You are related to her."
Anastasia didn't like this portion of the revelation, and it made her uncomfortable. Moreover, the fact that Dante had slain the entire family of that woman added to her discomfort; there was no way he would have spared her life. As they approached a structure that resembled buildings in the living world, which was wide and expansive, she asked,
"Were we related to each other? I mean, did we know each other?"
"Yes. You were a close acquaintance. A friend," Dante responded as they entered the building, the air slightly stifling due to the surrounding heat. "You were her sister."
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