1 Rise From The Ashes

Pompeii, 79 AD.

"RUN! EVACUATE THE ISLAND!"

"THE BOATS! RAFTS! SWIM IF YOU MUST!"

"MY BABY! SOMEONE SAVE MY BA-"

*Explosion*

"ARGHHHHHEHHEH!"

As if time stood still, I saw the wave of volcanic soot coming towards the city. The people frantically running had come to a halt. The screams halted for as long as time willed.

'Is this how people say time stops before you die? I wonder if I will be taken into heaven, with my life I don't see any reason why not, however I can't think of any reason why I should. My life was... uneventful. Meaningless.'

As I had these thoughts, the world slowly moved forward, and the wall of black death came closer. Creeping forward like a biblical plague creeping up one's body. Painting it with misery and suffering.

However I didn't experience any pain. It was as if I was spared from such torture, and as such I thanked God in that moment. His mercy was a gift. Everything then ceased to exist, no longer being able to perceive the ground beneath me, I allowed myself to gravitate into the void.

However a Peculiar event began to take place.

A light.

At the end of the tunnel.

Is that Heaven? I began to will myself towards the light, looking forward to meeting the Creator of life itself. As the light grew closer, sound began to assault me.

It sounded like millions of voices. They were all cheering, welcoming me to Heaven, and so I began to go even faster.

It was then that I began to feel an opposing, pulling force, towards the darkness.

'Wait, what? NO! LET ME GO! HEAVEN IS RIGHT THERE YOU SON OF A WHORE! BASTARD! LET ME GO, NOOOOOOOO!'

The light turned into a speck, then eventually was snuffed out completely. I then felt as though I was suffocating. I felt a crushing pressure, that made my bones creak just trying to withstand it. I forced myself to begin to claw my way out of whatever was holding me, because I began to feel death gripping me. Total death.

The Hell-Hounds pounding behind me, coming to collect another trophy for their eternal master.

I just continued to dig. I didn't know which way I was supposed to dig, but I stuck with my initial instinct. This was no longer the peaceful death God had given me before. This was the torture of the Devil, he wanted to savor my fear, and desperation.

'I WON'T LET YOU. GOD GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO DEFY THE DEVIL'S WISHES, ONE LAST TIME.'

Strength surged through me, unfounded and profound strength. I dug and dug, feeling my skin break as the thing holding me became harder. I endured the pain, until, I no longer felt the resistance. I simply pushed my way through, holding my breath until I felt a cool sensation on my fingertips. Then my hand, and my arm. I grabbed the ground and pulled myself out of it.

*PAAAAAHHHHHH*

Out of the Island of Ash, came it's sole survivor.

Asmodeus.

****

It has been two days since I rose from an ash pit in the middle of the city. It looks very different, and there were even, what I could only refer to as monsters, roaming the island.

These monsters bore striking resemblance to people i had once known on the island. Faithful guards, merchants, mothers and even children. All covered in ash. They attacked me upon discovering me, however thankfully their eyesight was poor and so was their hearing. As long as I stayed quiet, I was able to avoid confrontation.

It was on this third day that I finally made it towards the coast. I had figured that this monster outbreak might have originated from the explosion of the volcano, and perhaps I could escape the island via boat. Perhaps there would be rescue ships from nearby nations.

However as I neared the pier, I noticed there was nothing along the horizon.

Nothing.

No distant lands, nothing. It was just endless sea.

Except for one thing at the end of the dock: a glowing circle in the air. It was large enough for a boat to pass through, and it released a strange humming as I neared it.

I stood before it, while it washed my soot covered body with a blue glow, and inspected it as much as I could. Trying to figure out its origins or purpose. However I was no scholar, and I could deduce nothing from this.

It was paper thin, and I couldn't see through either side of it. I then decided to take a risk, and put my hand through it.

'It went through!'

When I pulled my hand back in panic, my hand was still there! When I put my hand through the circle, it felt as though my hand was being cleansed, washed by a holy power of sorts.

'This... Must be for me? Did God send this to me? For I got lost along the way to Heaven, and he has found his lost sheep once more?'

'It must be.'

I nodded, resolving myself and walking entirely through the circle. I then felt a familiar suction force, pulling me through the void, before my eyes were blinded by the sun which I hadn't seen for so long. On the island the sky was veiled by smoke clouds, from the volcano, so I was unable to see the sun nor the moon.

As my eyes slowly adjusted, I was then able to see... people! However everyone was dressed oddly and carried odd weapons. A lot of them were holding some sort of brick in their hands, all pointed towards me. I was scared, had I walked into the middle of a stoning?

It was then I heard a scream in a language I didn't understand.

"HE'S NAKED! OH MY GOD! HE CAME OUT OF THE PORTAL NAKED! POLICE! POLICE!" *(English)*

I don't know what happened next, but I was suddenly pressed to the ground. An unstoppable force burying me deeper and deeper into the ground.

'I SEEM TO BE GETTING BURIED TOO MUCH RECENTLY!'

I gritted my teeth as dirt began to fill my mouth.

"You pervert! You better have a good explanation or you can expect to be charged with indecent exposure!" (English)

"I can't understand you, can you stop pressing on my back so hard?!" (Latin)

However as though they didn't understand me, they kept yelling in a foreign language until they eventually dragged me into a small metal cage. The cage had a strange material on it, that allowed me to see through it but not go past it. I was also restrained by small chains, that connected my wrists together.

They must have attached the cage to a horse, because we then began to move. I saw the surroundings outside change, and the warriors who apprehended me had also gotten into the cage. Which was odd to me, because who was going to lead the horses?

I didnt know what was going on, but I am sure I would have the chance to defend myself before a court. Then any confusion would be cleared up. So I simply waited in the cage patiently.

All the recent events had managed to temper my mind and I was more calm than I had been before the eruption. It was a welcome surprise because this was all very stressful but I stayed zen.

"Do you know what language this asshole was speaking? I couldn't understand a word he said, and he doesn't seem to understand me either. Also he is straight up butt naked, so I don't want to touch him anymore. You take over his handling Ramirez, if you need help I'll help but I don't want to touch him unless necessary."

"Haha, it's fine Ruby, I got him. Also, I don't know because I didn't pay attention in high school, but I think he was speaking Latin? His way of pronouncing his V's was weird, something I think was attributed to Latin no longer being a spoken language. I have a friend who can meet us at the station, they are a history professor who is also an enthusiast of Roman history."