Infurno

Scars from the past never fade. They always come back in ways you don't want it to. No one is safe from it. Haunted by their past from ten years ago, a group of unlikely people come together, intertwined into the fabric of a twisted fate. They buried those memories behind them, trying to move on in their lives. But, what happens when those memories return? Plagued by secrets, memories, and monsters from the past, can they survive? Can they remain who they are? Can they remain sane? Can they remain comrades? No one is safe when your demons come out to play. There is no happy ending in this tale.

This somewhat dark and edgy story is based on my hectic D&D campaign I played. This a grim dark fantasy story that blends a plot-twisting drama with intense action. I hope that you enjoy this story. Hopefully, this will turn into a trilogy.

Hiding in the Shadows

Thanatos knelt down and touched Solskin's forehead. Eyes closed, he began chanting.


"Quod anima sit pura. Quod anima sit clara. Quod anima sit tota. Et mors sit extremum. Quod sit turpium cogitationem mortis. De iustitia et mors poena." With each line, his voice grew stronger and quicker. I joined the chant, placing my hand on Solskin's cheek and closing my eyes, letting the vision of the Underworld take over.


The Underworld was a very familiar sight. The dark red clouds obscured the view of everything above, with winged monsters flying overhead ominously. Nearby, the faint waves of the River Styx could be heard, making the location fairly obvious. We were at the entrance to Hades. I saw Charon sitting in his boat, staring directly at us. Thanatos was next to me, in solid form, darkness pulsing out of his obsidian wings. He was holding an inverted torch, fire bellowing out from below.


Charon grunted loudly. He pulled off his hood and stroked his fiery beard. His white eyes had a sorrowful glint to them. "Trouble?"


Thanatos didn't reply, but his black eyes met Charon's meaningfully. Charon grunted again.


"The world is strange lately. Is the Door still hidden?"


"It is. However, holes are appearing everywhere. Someone upset the order of the natural world recently. Someone stole souls."


"I am aware. A soul couldn't cross today. That one saw it." He pointed lazily at me. I bowed respectfully and remained silent. Charon let his finger fall to his side, and he stared into the Styx.


"Of course it is. We must tell the others."


"Zeus." Thanatos said with a hint of disdain. "Is not going to act so soon. He is 'busy' finding solutions to his son problem."


"The laws of death have been violated for ten years." Charon said quietly, staring inquisitively at Thanatos. Thanatos let a pregnant pause pass. "Hades should have intervened by now." Charon said with a touch of fire in his tone.


"He has. Hades sent all of his minions out to stabilize the situation. His powers are so taxed just trying to keep the three realms from merging together. All is chaos in the underworld. Souls from the Fields of Punishment run amok in Elysium."


Thanatos stood silent. I kept a respectful distance away from them, clutching the pocket watch in my hand. It glowed faintly from Thanatos's aura. There was a whisper behind me. A low and quiet sound that resonated with my soul. I turned quickly, almost leaping in fright.


There stood a horrific sight. A warped and disfigured soul, as if someone took two images and mashed it together. I recognized part of it. It was a human arm, but it had decayed into a sickly mess and a dark viscous liquid dripped off the fingertips.
