Made in Hell 3 Chapter 1

The residents of the Shadow Quarters were settling down for the night as I entered the village and headed toward The Slums. The high, gnarled trees towered over me, and apart from the occasional lantern, my bright purple eyes were my only source of light. A single alleyway ran around the perimeter of The Slums, which acted as my guide toward my destination.

The Slums was the poorest and most poverty-stricken area of the Shadow Quarters, but hidden in the trees behind it, and guarded by a selection of powerful crystal balls, were a band of werewolves who’d previously been held captive by Sveila, the Red Witch.

Sveila used to work for the priest, and it was because of him that she and the werewolves had to suffer. It had been two days since we’d brutally slaughtered the priest and four High Elves in the catacombs, though, and I had a promise to stick to.

I’d told the werewolves that if they offered me a vessel to leave the Port of Rengfri, then I would have Sveila lower the enchantments, and we’d finally set the werewolves free from their prison. Unfortunately, myself, Sveila, and my demon huntress, Ashe, couldn’t leave Rengfri just yet, but I always stuck to my promises. Due to the harm set upon them, the werewolves would have loved nothing more than to kill Sveila like we’d killed the priest, but I had to make sure the witch was safe, and the pack would stick to their own promise and leave her alone.

Sveila could control the crystal balls from any close proximity, so I didn’t need to have her right beside me in order for the enchantments to drop. I wouldn’t have been doing my job as Sveila’s protector if I allowed her to be near the werewolves when they were finally set free. So, before I left the manor this evening, I told her a time to wait before she dropped the spell, just so I could have a conversion with the wolf men before it happened.

I came to the end of the alleyway and entered the thin coupling of trees on the other side. I turned left, followed the small path, and not long after that, the werewolves’ house could be seen in the distance.

The house was made of two large buildings connected by a stone archway in the center. The werewolves supplied Rengfri with a large amount of sought-after amethysts, so the house was equipped with the means to continue their business, even with the crystal balls that kept them in place. The walkway was wide enough for a carriage to drive through, drop off the stones in the enclosed back yard, and leave again without an issue.

The house appeared old and rundown, with a maze of ivy running up the walls, and each main door was a dirty yellow color. The pack’s scent of putrid, unforgiving evil covered every surface, and it appeared no stronger or weaker than it had been the first time I came here.

The crystal balls were scattered in the grass around the front of the building, and the red lights that poured from them lit up the darkness around me. I remembered Sveila told me that an invisible field ran through each crystal ball, and it ensured that anyone could enter, but the werewolves would become paralyzed if they attempted to escape.

I hadn’t known Sveila for a long time, so some of her powers and abilities were still new to me, but I was constantly caught off guard whenever I experienced something new. Sveila was a great addition to the team Ashe and I had created, and I couldn’t wait for our journey to continue, and for us to witness her full potential.

I stepped through two of the crystal balls and wandered through the walkway that led to the back yard. I was sure the werewolves could already sense my presence, so I felt no need to knock on any doors, and I allowed them the chance to leave at their own time. There was still a chance they could have changed their mind, and maybe try to attack, so I listened for the sound of the slightest movements and walked further into the grassy space.

I had my onyx blade slipped into my belt, and my two hell powers, Infernal Tempest and Infernal Blaze, brewing in my palms in case I needed them. A pack of werewolves wasn’t a challenge for me, but that didn’t mean I could keep my guard down.

I heard a soft stampede of feet coming down the stairs inside one of the buildings, but until I saw the look on their faces, I wouldn’t know whether the group were infuriated or relieved to see me here.

One by one, the twelve men left through one of the main doors, and stood on their side of the lawn with the alpha front and center. Like the first time I’d met them, the scraggly-haired men all wore ripped shirts and pants that were torn at the knees, and some had shoes on, whereas the others were barefoot. A coating of dark hair covered the men’s arms, legs, and chests, and a few of them had thick beards to go along with the body hair, but others only had a heavy stubble across their jaws.

Their expressions showed they were both angry and a little irritated, but they knew the power I had in my body, and I hoped that meant they would stand their ground and stay where they were.

“Atticus,” the alpha spoke smoothly as he took one small step forward. “What a pleasure it is to see you again. I assume your mission went smoothly?”

“Of course.” I smirked. “The priest has been dealt with, and now it’s time for me to stick to my end of the bargain.”

“I hope you made the fucker suffer,” one werewolf broke in with a scowl.

“Yeah, and the little witch, too,” another added.

“Silence.” The alpha said with one hand out toward the men. “Atticus, please, continue.”

“The agreement is that Sveila will not be harmed,” I growled to all twelve men in front of me. “If you can’t stick to the fucking agreement, then you can all rot in here for all I care.”

“We are desperate to hunt, so we cannot afford to spend another day in this house,” the alpha replied. “If you drop the enchantments and set us free, we’ll leave the witch alone. On my honor.”

A few of the men snarled and snapped their jaws at their leader’s agreement, but a second stern look from the alpha quickly put a stop to their anger.

“Enough!” the alpha demanded. He turned his back to me in order to face his men. “Atticus has done what no other in Rengfri has. He has destroyed the most powerful priest the Church has and is prepared to give us our freedom. Every one of you bastards will do as I say and leave the Red Witch alone.”

“Yes, the Red Witch is mine now,” I added as a hint of my demon voice slipped out. “Any harm to her is harm to me, and I will repay you lot a hundred-fold for your betrayal.”

“We understand,” the alpha answered for his pack.

I was pleased to see the alpha was prepared to obey my wishes, and that he was determined to make sure his group stuck to their word, but it was no surprise that the rest of the group weren’t as keen on joining him.

Sveila had held them captive here for months on end, and I knew from experience what it was like to be contained when every natural urge in my body needed to devour prey.

“Atticus,” the alpha continued as he turned back around again. “You said you wanted a vessel from us. Is that still what you’re after?”

“It is.” I nodded. “I’ve had to postpone things for now so I can sort out a few… issues, but as soon as that’s dealt with, I hope to leave this island.”

“Then we will offer you one of our own, and it’s still at your disposal whenever you need to make the voyage,” the alpha replied and bowed his head to me.

“Good,” I responded. “I’ll alert you as soon as I’m prepared to leave.”

“What is it that has you so worked up?” he asked. “You speak as if some trouble has begun. Is it to do with the priest’s death?”

“No, not at all.” I shrugged. “It’s nothing for you and your men to be concerned about.”

“Okay, but only if you’re sure,” the alpha gave me a pointed look. “We owe you more than a vessel for this freedom, and I once told you that a man of your power is a man we wish to be in good standing with. We are prepared to act on your behalf if necessary.”

I considered this for a moment, and I smelled nothing like deceit coming from the alpha. Only a wild energy and his naturally rotted evil, and I realized he meant this.

I simply nodded my head and then watched as the men began to break away from their little group. The alpha began to whisper something to another wolf man under his breath, but I was slightly too far away to overhear what he was saying.

But his offer to act on my behalf was an intriguing one, particularly because the issue that had come up recently was one I needed to handle carefully.

Two days ago, after we’d finished sorting out the priest’s corpse, Ashe, Sveila, and I returned home to find out that four of our imps had been stolen by the bastard incubi who ruled the Shadow Quarters. My imps were the only members of my organization who could mine the orbs we sold. The incubi knew this, tried to fuck me over, and then stole four of them. There was no way I could have left before we rescued the tiny blue creatures, so until that moment came, the vessels had to stay where they were.

Ashe and I were going to discuss our plan on saving the imps when I returned home, so I was about to let the alpha know that it was about time I left, when they halted their conversation. All twelve men turned to look at me, and each one had the same excited expression on their faces.

“One last thing,” the alpha said. “As soon as the witch has dropped the spell, we need to hunt. I hope you understand.”

“Of course.” I shrugged, but I was surprised he thought he needed to get my approval.

“It has been so long for us, and some haven’t managed to transform in over a month,” he continued. “Sometimes, we cannot control our urges and hunger when we’re in our second form.”

“I understand.” I nodded. “Demons can certainly relate. As long as you steer clear of Sveila, then I don’t really care how animalistic your mood swings get.”

“I’m relieved to hear it.” The alpha smirked. “Care to join us?”

“Join you?” I repeated. “For a hunt?”

“You said a demon can relate,” one werewolf barked out a laugh. “If you like to hunt, you might enjoy watching some real monsters fight for their meal.”

“Yeah, none of this fireball shit,” another laughed along with his brother.

“You’ve only seen a fraction of my abilities,” I replied with an evil grin. “But I promise I hunt like no monsters you’ve ever seen. Even you.”

“I guess you’d need to come with us and see for yourself,” the werewolf joked in return.

“I assume you’ll be heading into the forest for this?” I asked.

“Absolutely,” the alpha replied. “We only go for the more interesting and appetizing creatures.”

I was tempted by the invitation to watch the werewolves, especially in their second form, but the forest wasn’t the best place for me to be. Ever since I escaped the Hellscape and chosen not to return to the voids and the assholes who ruled them, I’d been constantly running from the demons sent up to retrieve me and Ashe. The forest was where the demons would arrive on the surface world, and they could jump out at any moment.

Sill, no matter how much I tried to fight the urge, the adrenaline that pulsed through my veins told me to go with the feral pack on this hunt. I had my two hell powers anyway, and if I came across a demon in the trees, then it would be the perfect opportunity to gain a third power to add to my collection.

Whenever one demon killed another, if they were the one to take the final swing, the demon would inherit any and all hell powers from their victim. It was my mission to become as strong and powerful as my body allowed me to, and that was the only way it was going to happen.

Slaughtering my enemies.

“Come on,” the alpha wolf urged with a gravelly laugh and a deadly grin. “I said my men and I would fight for you. Let us show you what we’re capable of.”

“Fine,” I agreed. “But only because you’re fucking ravenous, and I rarely see werewolves in a state like this.”

The smiles on their wolfish faces grew wider, and some of the group began to move away from the others as they stretched their ragged limbs and prepared themselves to finally leave their grounds.

“When will the witch drop the spell?” the alpha asked.

I peered through the walkway to where the crystal balls sat and saw that the red lights had disappeared. I didn’t know how long I had been with the wolves for, but it was clearly enough time for Sveila to stick to her word and drop the enchantments.

“It looks as though she’s already done it.” I grinned. “Consider yourselves freed.”

The excitement was even more noticeable this time, and instead of wolves, these men acted more like ragged puppies. Some of them jumped around, some cheered, and others howled loudly into the air. I remembered the relief I felt when I tore the golden shackle from my arm and was finally free from the Hellscape, and it must have been the same feeling for this group.

“Thank you for this, Atticus,” the alpha said with a grateful smile.

“I’m not the one you should thank,” I replied with a raised eyebrow. “It’s the witch who dropped those enchantments.”

“But you rule the witch,” the man chuckled. “So, it’s you who holds our gratitude. And your witch will be safe from our claws.”

“And your teeth?” I asked with a smirk.

“On my honor.” The alpha snapped his jaws. “Now, we must go. There is a minotaur out there with my name on it.”

The alpha ran through the walkway first, and the group and I followed close behind him, but he came to a stop when he reached the crystal balls. The lights had died down, but with the field being invisible, it was hard to tell whether the spell really had been dropped. I passed through, because it had no effect on me, but as I turned around to face them, I noticed the look of uncertainty on the alpha’s face.

“Sveila assured me that she was going to drop the spell,” I told him. “She’s not one to lie, especially to me.”

“I’ll test it for you, master,” one wolf man stepped forward to stand beside his leader.

“No,” the alpha replied sternly. “It must be me who takes the first step.”

The alpha thought it through for a minute, and the men behind him all looked over at their leader, almost as if they were silently asking whether or not he was going to take that first step. Once his decision had been made, the alpha slowly walked closer toward the crystal balls and placed one foot in between them. I imagined the alpha would have jumped back in pain with a paralyzed leg if the invisible field had still been there, but nothing happened.

He then took a second step to stand firmly between two crystals, paused for a second, and then joined me on the opposite side.

Sveila had completely dropped the enchantment, and these men were free to step across the threshold without an issue.

Once they’d realized the alpha was safe, the rest of the wolf men barreled over the crystal balls, and the clear objects rolled around the lawn while some smashed under the heavy weight of the men.

“Let’s go!” the alpha snarled in a gravelly, wolfish tone.

I followed the twelve men as they raced through the trees in the direction of the tabaxi’s hut on the right side of The Slums. I knew the forest grew deeper on that side, and the deeper the forest, the more interesting creatures we’d come across. The alpha mentioned he was after a minotaur, which wasn’t quite what I enjoyed eating these days, but as long as I was the only demon in those trees, then the werewolves were free to have whatever they wanted.

We passed the tabaxi’s hut and continued to run further and further through the trees. It was a side of Rengfri I hadn’t explored, and I had no reason to up until now. I was intrigued to see if I was going to come across anything of interest, but my main focus was on the scents in the air. I could pick out the scent of a demon amongst a thousand other smells, so at least I knew no demon could catch me too off guard out here.

“Atticus,” the alpha said as we came to a halt. We must have been running for at least thirty minutes. “This is where things get dangerous.”

“I thrive on danger.” I gave him an evil grin.

“As soon as we allow our second form to take over, our senses are no longer our own,” he explained. “We invite our new senses to take over in order to hunt down our prey, and any wandering animal could become an accidental target.”

“You’re purebred, then?” I asked. “You can shift without the need of a moonphase?”

“We can, and I mean this with no offence, but the scent of a demon is incredibly off-putting to us,” the alpha laughed. “You have no need to worry about us attacking you, but if we go for an innocent creature, who’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, it can be difficult for you to stop us from charging.”

“Unless I feel the need to intervene, I’ll allow you to hunt and leave it at that,” I replied.

The alpha took a few steps back to join his pack, and I instantly knew what was happening when all twelve men began to crouch down to the ground. They were about to transform, and the excitement at witnessing that was almost too much for me to bear.

I could already smell their feral sides taking over, and animalistic hunger wafted through the night air. It sparked my own hunting instincts, especially since werewolves were usually my prey rather than my allies, but the idea of joining them in their wolfish frenzy made me eager to get started.

The men spread out their fingers and gripped onto the soil and leaves under them. They dug their feet into the ground, curled their backs, and kept their heads tucked into their chest.

Then a low, throaty growl began to vibrate from the group, and the noise deepened as their backs shook and their hands gripped tighter into the ground. I was so focused on the noises that I almost didn’t notice the leaves begin to lift and spiral around their arms, but then their bodies began to transform.

It started with their faces, which began to pull out from their skulls to form a snout, and then layers of thick fur began to blossom over their skin. One by one, with the alpha starting first, the men stood upright just in time for their clothes to rip from their skin, and for their entire bodies to transform into a powerful wolf.

The alpha’s fur was midnight black, and his eyes were bright yellow, but all the others shared the same speckled brown and gray fur, with their eyes just as yellow as their leader.

The wolves sniffed the air in all directions, and from the way they stretched out their backs and limbs, I could tell they were getting used to the feeling of their second form once again. Their ragged tails swiped through the air, and their hind legs were much longer than their front legs. Some stood upright on their back paws, whereas the others were on all four, but regardless of their stance, these werewolves were huge.

The ones on all fours reminded me somewhat of a Hellhound, and it looked as though they’d come up past my waist if they stood next to me. The others who were standing on their hind legs looked to be more than a head and shoulder taller than myself, and I couldn’t help grinning as I took in the sheer power of their forms.

I could see the rippling muscles of their toned legs even through the mounds of fur, but my focal point was on their fangs and claws. The werewolves balanced on the balls of their paw-like feet, and they had five curled claws that pierced the ground. The claws looked sharp enough to gouge out the innards from any creature, and their teeth appeared just as sharp.

The men had their fangs in their human form, yet their incisors grew longer and thicker during the transformation, and now they sat neatly over the bottom lip and glistened in the moonlight. It was an impressive sight, and I decided these werewolves were definitely beings I’d consider allying with long term.

They weren’t as terrifying as demons, but they put the gorgons and half-orcs to shame.

All of a sudden, the wolves began to howl loudly into the air. The alpha howled louder and longer than the others, but the others responded with their own noises.

Then the alpha lowered himself so he stood on all fours, glanced over at me briefly, and then began to race through the thick trees and into the night.

I waited until the other eleven werewolves were following him before I began to run, and they ran at an impressive speed, but it was easy for me to keep up with them since demons of the Hellscape could run down a werewolf in seconds flat if we needed to.

I kept a bit of a distance between myself and the pack, and I was pleased I had done so, because their route would change all of a sudden and without warning. I could smell something in the air, which they must have been following, but the owner of this scent didn’t have the darkest of souls, so it wasn’t something I would personally choose to hunt down.

But I was no werewolf, and the entire pack appeared eager to chow down on this being.

We continued to race through the trees, but the pack finally came to a halt as the scent became stronger. The alpha sniffed the air, looked silently at his pack, and then slowly began to pad his way through the darkness. I didn’t follow them since one whiff of a demon would no doubt send their prey scattering, but I kept my eyes on their teamwork throughout the entire process.

A small group of minotaurs were just up ahead in the distance, and it looked as if they were minding their own business and hadn’t caught on to the threat behind them. The minotaurs were tall, bulky creatures, with the head and legs of a bull, yet the body of a man. Their large horns curled out from the side of their heads like a larger version of a demon’s horns, and thick mounds of dark orange fur ran down their backs, arms, and all over their legs.

The werewolves continued to creep forward, and they perfected every step to avoid disrupting a single branch.

The group slipped through the trees like the wind, and for a creature so large and powerful, and with such a ravenous need to hunt, they restrained themselves well without allowing their feral sides to take over. I was somewhat impressed as I watched the ragged werewolves close in on the minotaurs, and the twelve wolf men created a circle around their prey like a cage.

Then the horned beasts caught on to their situation and attempted to run off, but the werewolves were too fast and powerful for that to happen.

The pack moved in as one force, and the five minotaurs thrashed their arms and swiped their curled horns through the air, but the werewolves were so sleek that they managed to dodge the hits easily. The minotaurs were severely outnumbered, which gave the werewolves an advantage when it came to overpowering their chosen prey, and it looked like half of the pack were in charge of distracting the minotaurs, and the other half were in charge of pouncing and bringing their kill to the ground.

It was incredible to watch the pack tear into the hulking, horned, beasts, and I could sense their adrenaline as it pulsed through the night air.

But then suddenly, as the pack were just tearing into their meal, all twelve of them lifted their snouts into the air, like something had caught their attention.

A second later, I caught on a strange scent, and it wasn’t one I’d encountered before.

It was deliciously evil, but it was too sweet to be a demon, which came as a relief, but it was definitely something dangerous.

As I tried to work out where the scent was coming from, and who it belonged to, the werewolves left the bloody carcasses they had been enjoying and stood at attention. Their postures arched defensively as their lips peeled back over their bloody teeth, and whoever owned this scent clearly wasn’t considered prey so much as an enemy to this pack.

Then, from the shadows to the left, a massive, undead beast sauntered into the clearing with its dark, deadly eyes firmly set on the wolves, and a spiraling horn protruding from its skull.