level one reached

I sighed as I ignored the now oddly silent Andrea, instead choosing to focus on getting us all through the massive swirling vortex up above, a feat easy enough seeing as two of the three present had wings.

"well, it's now or never."(Granularr) I said as I shrugged, grabbing both girls by the waist and leaping up into the air with all my strength, our bodies quickly and easily soaring straight into the gateway in the sky, a feat I didn't think possible, but then I remembered Granularr telling me that I had been given full power, maybe I could do more than I thought, this WAS the perfect time to test it out, to experiment, we were stuck.

I thought to myself as our surroundings quickly changed from raging storm cloud to rushing winds and cavernous rock, and instead of flying up we were careening down, plummeting more like.

"this doesn't feel safe!"(Andrea) shouted over the deafening air moving past our ears, her words getting a laugh from the angel as I just simply rolled my eyes at the dynamic of the two.

they had barely known each other five minutes and had already set up some sort of near friendship level of interaction, it would be mind boggling had I the actual time to think about it.

"the fall is gonna take us a while, I suggest taking a nap or something, we'll land in about twelve hours or so!"(Granularr) I called out to inform, Andrea's eyes widening in horror as the angel laughed at her reaction.

"NAP?! IN THIS?!"(Andrea) yelled in shock.

"yes!"(Granularr) I called back, still having to yell over the ungodly amount of noise.

something that annoyed me more than it probably should have.

guess the one thing about that hell that refused to change in these last sixteen years was its ability to annoy, no, torment, any and all, guess its effects don't JUST work on the dead.

my thoughts continued to follow down the rabbit hole of this topic, leading my mind to odd places as new questions were raised, only to be broken as I was elbowed by the angel, her voice frustrated.

"HEY! FOCUS WILL YA?!"(angel) yelled, obviously minorly enraged, seems she was trying to talk to me.

"what?"(Granularr) I asked plainly, simply using my power to speak telepathically as I was over yelling.

but it seems that neither girl was ready for it.

"WHAT THE?!"(Andrea)

"FUCK!"(angel)

"get over it, it's nothing new, I can change memories at will and I can bend minds, this should be the least surprising of my abilities."(Granularr) I stated frankly.

"least surprising doesn't mean not surprising."(angel) replied, her argument too valid for me to reply to, leaving the rushing winds as the only noise to occupy the tunnel/gateway.

that silence would go on for what seemed like hours, eventually reaching the point where I couldn't take it anymore, finally just throwing a portal in front of us, gravity inverting for all three as we slid to a stop, our feet leaving hard marks in the steel solid ground.

"fuck falling for hours."(Granularr) I said as I brushed dust off my coat and began walking towards the next gateway, not wanting to waste ANY time.

a sentiment I knew the two girls appreciated as without complaint or protest they quickly joined, sticking close by my side, forcing me to hide my growing exhaustion, opening portals in a realm that was actively fighting every single attempt was more draining than I was willing to let on.

especially now, these two wouldn't survive on their own, not here, not in a million years as they are now, if they knew how weak I was growing with each passing use of my powers then their doubt would get me killed and them dragged off to some incubus' "playroom".

"you ok?"(Andrea) asked, breaking a very comfortable silence.

"fine."(Granularr) I replied quickly, void of emotion, my steps picking up their pace, my stride lengthening to cover more distance.

something the angel quickly caught notice of, as her apparently always observing eyes immediately caught on my shaking knees.

"I'm tired!"(angel) suddenly shouted as she stopped and made a pouty face, seems she caught on to what I have.

"we have t-"(Granularr) I began, hoping the angel would cut me off, which luckily, she did.

"WE'RE RESTING HERE!"(angel) cried as she grabbed Andrea and I by the arm, instantly dragging us off to the right and underneath a dying tree, forcing Andrea to sit, practically shoving her down to the ground before dragging me out of hearing range.

"why didn't you tell me that you were this weak?!"(angel) scolded as she spoke in a forced whisper.

"hell is actively fighting my powers, even a pillar such as myself has difficulty fighting an ENTIRE realm."(Granularr) I replied in a similar forced whisper, my voice placing much emphasis on the word entire.

"aren't you supposed to be all powerful or some shit?!"(angel) asked, a question that informed me that I had done well in constructing my image.

"NO, that's an image I've been creating for the last sixteen years, do you have any idea how often I would be attacked if people thought me anything less than all powerful?!"(Granularr) I informed, a look of realization overtaking the angel's expression.

"well in that case you CANNOT go back over there, you're about to pass out."(angel) spoke in concern as my balance finally left me, my body crumpling to its knees as my vision blurred.

"you see more than I thought."(Granularr) I said in a jovial tone as I collapsed further to the ground, sweat covering my forehead.

"I do, and I see just how much hell is draining you, how much its leeching, I guarantee that if any other of the pillars were in your situation, they would be unconscious and half dead in seconds, so don't worry, you can keep your alpha male pride."(angel) said as my consciousness faded into the void

---

angel pov...

well, we're fucked.

our ticket out of here is passed out, the dragon girl is useless, and I'm unable to contact anybody.

shit.

this is the definition of a worse situation, at the rate I'm watching energy yanked from darkness over there, the chances of us making it out of here in one piece is slim to none, and getting worse, if the energy drain gets any worse, he won't wake up.

---

minutes later...

Andrea pov...

they sure have been gone a while, I wonder what they're doing?

I mean, really, how rude of them to shove me under some tree and vanish!

BOOM

QUAKE

RUMBLE

RUSTLE

after the last sound I watched as the angel burst out of some bushes and immediately looked off into the distance, concern plastered all over her face.

"fuck not now!"(angel) yelled as she rushed over to me, grabbing my arm and turning to run all in the same movement, dragging me off into the bushes she emerged from, forcing me into a full sprint, barely able to keep up.

"what's going on?!"(Andrea) I roared, my confusion urging me to seek answers.

"the whole level just got a level up! its evolving, consuming, every demon here just got stronger, bigger, and a whole lot meaner!"(angel) yelled back as we evaded low branches of dead or dying trees.

"what's causing it?!"(Andrea) I asked, getting nothing but a grim look in response, our run slowing to a walk as she moved aside some vines, revealing the other side where I instantly saw my unconscious brother being strung up by plants, their roots growing spikes and burrowing into his veins like their very life depended on it.

I got my answer.

"hell is feeding off of him, using him to grow not only this level but all the others."(angel) said in a solemn monotone as we watched in horror as plant roots seemed to appear under the skin of his face, his expression a constant agony as it shifted and winced.

"well I didn't think it could happen, but it got worse."(angel)