Test of Endurance

Pain.

It swallowed her whole.

Ariel's body trembled, slick with oil, her skin gleaming under the dim, hellish light. The air was thick with the scent of burning incense, but beneath it was the unmistakable stench of suffering. The Saya stood before her, their dark robes flowing like liquid shadows, their masked faces expressionless.

And the Devil?

He sat on his throne, watching.

A smirk curled at his lips, his golden eyes reflecting the flickering flames around them. He did not move, did not blink, did not offer her a single ounce of mercy.

Ariel's chest rose and fell rapidly, her breath shaky as she clenched her fists at her sides. The oil made her skin slippery, but she had no doubt it was meant for more than just discomfort. The Saya had promised her pain. Unimaginable pain. And now—

They would deliver.

The first lash came swift and sharp.