Revelations and Preparations: Unveiling the Second Death Games

"Greetings humans. My name, is Erabon, and if it isn't a problem with you I would like to get started as soon as I possibly can" he floats into the air a little bit to give the announcements

Erabon is a green skinned demon. He has on purple robes with a mix of yellow and black. He also has a blue cloth wrapped around his waist coming down the front and the back. He also has a human like face and body

Cayafaz walks up next to Edward and gives him a smart remark "He seems pretty well mannered. For a demon that is, think we can take him?"

Edward replies saying to him "Calm down Cayfaz, you'll get the chance to go loose, be patient"

Erabon continues

"I'll give those of you lacking the necessary information concerning these games the details you need to know. Everyone of you here is a winner and a participant of the first running of the death games that took place in several locations of hell. In some stages there were matches with pairings of 100 VS 100, 200 VS 200, 500 VS 500, 1,000 VS 1,000 and finally 1,000,000 VS 1,000,000."

The crowd gasps and starts to create noisy chatter amongst themselves. Erabon urges them to calm down

"Please, please, do calm down. These numbers where decided were decided by the size of the prisons and the size of the prisoners. The prisoner sizes also determined the stadiums used and the locations of hell they would perform in. the most successful prisons were the ones with the smallest prisoners. So, the smallest fights were given the best locations and stadiums. An example of what I mean would be the survivors of the number one ranked prison in hell with a fight of 100 VS 100 from the prison hall of the Banshi, I give you the team known as the voices of Baron"

He points to Barons group having an orgy in the crowd but despite Erabon directing everyone's attention to them, Baron and his group don't stop what their doing. In fact, they increase the intensity of their make out and make it louder. An unfortunate bystander in the crowd is made a victim when a female from the pile, cums all over him. Erabon, along with everyone else watching in disgust decide it best to move on with the discussion

"There were only five prisons that are worth mentioning because they were considered the best by the lords of the north, the south, the west and eastern lords. Hear these names and know them well, these are those you will be competing with! Truly dangerous and capable fighter! The second ranked prison, with a battle of 200 VS 200 with 23 survivors. The garden of depressions Kings of Men!"

He points to Edward and his group Edward stares in shock and the others break out nervous smiles

"Did you know that was the name we went by?" Edward asks Isabel

"No, no I didn't. Damn that clown" Isabel says

"At least he didn't give us a really stupid and poorly thought our name" Maya says

"True" Ethan replies. Erabon goes on to say

"Some of the survivors are scattered around here but those five gathered down there are part of the survivors, your likely to meet more of them so keep it in mind. The other prisons are;

Third ranking with a total of seven survivors. False gods from the prison the pleas of suffering

Fourth ranking with a total of sixteen survivors. Slaughtered sacrifices from the prison the devils first

And finally, the Fifth ranking with a total of thirty-six survivors. Minions of the executioner from the prison Iron hand of the devils. These are the five highest ranking prisons in all of hell"

The crowd continues to create noisy chatter

"You may all be 'wondering why the ranking system?' Well, that's simple really. The prisons all of you come from where given a task by the lords of the north, south, west and eastern towers"

"Offer the humans a choice while they suffer, make them choose between suffering and becoming demons. If that does not satisfy then give them the option to take the mark" they said

"Those who turn the most humans are the most successful and will be rewarded. The smallest of the five will be given their rewards based on their numbers" they said

"Only the five are worth mentioning so from six below are worthless. Those who's hearts could not easily be swayed or turned will have their resolves tested in the first games. Those who come out of the first games will be given an invitation or an option to participate in the second games. Those who chose to stay behind will enjoy luxury and lavished lives, but will ultimately die. Their deaths will be slow and painful lasting for weeks until so but those who chose to participate in the games and die will die swift and painless deaths"

"These were the words and instructions given to me for all of you by the four lords. These instructions were also given to the masters and torturers of the prisons" Erabon said

"So, that's where the clown was when he disappeared" Edward thought to himself

"Rest assured, the lords are watching right now and are expecting a truly amazing second running of the death games. For those of you lacking the motivation to participate actively know this, if you are not killed by human or demon in the games, and also fail to reach and pass the hell gate. When you are found and captured you will be slaughtered. There will be no captives after these games, everyone is to either succeed or die"

Suddenly, someone from the crowd spoke out and said with a loud voice

"That's enough Erabon, you keep on scaring them like that and their going to end up soiling themselves. And if you do that their gonna taste like crap"

Erabon with a sour expression on his face looks to the person speaking and says "Damn it, of all people it had to be you"

"Yeah, yeah. Quit your belly aching already, I just don't want to taste crap when I'm eating is all. A little consideration won't kill you"

"I couldn't care less about you or your wellbeing, Errendiel"

"That's cold even for you Erabon"

"What exactly are you doing here and why are you doing it here"

"By the order of the lord of the west, I was instructed to come and shed light on some new information concerning the second games that the participants should know about"

"Is that all? Such a simple task was not worth sending you two floors down. He could have simply asked me to handle it since I'm here"

"Erabon, you know the lord's orders are absolute. And besides, you're not within the western region so I was the obvious choice"

"Tsk! Do whatever you want"

"You can be so difficult at times you know"

Errendiel floats up to Erabon's level but the moment he can reach him Erabon crashes like a missile downward and stays there

"Damn. He came all the way down just to avoid being on the same level with him" Edward said

Cayafaz responded "Yeah…it's really bad" Despite the problems between Errendiel and Erabon, Errendiel does not let it interfere with his task

"Participants of the second death games! Please, permit me to congratulate you on making it this far and let me just say how impressed and proud I am of those of you who managed to make it here. For those of you who didn't hear my colleague my name is Errendiel, and I will be giving you all a briefing on the second running of the games. After which, there will be a twenty-minute period for you to digest all that I have said"

"I see" Said Ethan as he and the others stood together facing Errendiel to hear what he had to say

"The first thing I would like to address, would be the reward that was given to the top five ranked prisons. As most of you could already tell, there are a small number of you in here wearing tracksuits. While others are wearing their prison uniforms with a touch of armor on it. The reason for this is not because we could not give the other prisoners the same wears. No, its far from that, the tracksuits are the rewards of the four lords to those who met their quotas and survived the first death games, they have been allowed to wear these suits and keep them as their prize to use in the second game"

The crowd begins to mutter senselessly

"Now, I'm sure you may be wondering 'what is so special about these suits?' Allow me to fill you in. The suits are imbued with the power of all four lords with there being two types. The suit filled with the four lord's purity, the suit of salvation and the other the suit of impurity, the suit of damnation. All the lords poured in their powers together to make them. For those who are wearing it they have unimaginable amounts of strength, speed, durability and those are just basic abilities compared to the suit's true powers. Not like I need to tell you, most of you here have already achieved the things which I speak of, and I have to say…they are a dangerous bunch. For most of you fighting in these games your only chance of survival or victory would be to steal the suits from them and the only way to do that might be to kill its bearer…but you didn't need me to tell you that did you"

He says with a sick smile across his face. With nervous smiles on their faces, Edward and the others quietly converse with each other

"Damn it" Says Isabel "That bastard" said Maya. Erabon smiles from ear to ear but keeps his head down as to not make it obvious

Ethan is yet to understand what it is Errendiel has just done so he asks the others, turning his head constantly in confusion "I don't understand…what's wrong? What did he do?"

"Ethan, how can you not understand what that thing just did to us?" Cayafaz says

"Can you all just stop answering me with riddles and tell me what he's done!"

Edward walks up to Ethan and puts his hand on his shoulder "Ethan, I want you to understand what it is that man has done, he just turned us into everyone's favorite target"

"Wait…do you mean?"

"Yes. Once the game starts were going to be hunted down like animals and if we aren't careful slaughtered like livestock. That's the sort of target he's put on our back"

"The kind that makes it look like there's no option but to kill the wearer and take the suit for themselves" Ethan says with a look of absolute horror on his face

"Exactly" Edward said to him. He took his hands off his shoulder and looked up to Errendiel. When he did he said to himself "Errendiel, I hope you participate in this game. I want to make sure I kill you myself"

Erabon getting tired of the long message calls him out "Oi! Errendiel! This is why I can't stand your jokes, they drag out to long. Get to the point already so the games can start"

"Apologies my good friend, ill do that right away" He clears his throat

"The game you were told to play was a game that would take place over the span of five weeks with a one-week period of grace, a week without being hunted. But I have to tell you the situation has changed, due to the number of participants the game will now take place over the time span of ten weeks with a two-week grace period. There are about 2.4 million of you down here so to make the games interesting. Once the games start, you'll be chased down by a hundred of a certain type of chimera"

Whispers spread through the crowd.

"Now, I know most of you are wondering how you will navigate through the strange terrain of hell, I want to let you know that structures have been put in place to familiarize your surroundings from when you were on earth. The structures put in place are city structures mixed up from different locations around the world. But that's not all, there are other terrain and locations all over hell. Jungle, Savanna, Desert and Forest. There are animals in these locations that you can hunt for food and weaponize, and in the city structures there are markets where you can collect food. In the city structures there are also vehicles like, planes, helicopters, bikes and cars to transport you for those who lack the stamina to run all the way, there are a considerably large amount but not enough for everyone"

Whispers continue through the hall. Someone raises their hand and calls for Errendiel, asking "Excuse me! But how will we know which way to the hell gate? Are there guides or"

"Oh yes, that's right. I had forgotten to mention that" Errendiel says playfully with his eyes closed

Erabon clicks his tongue "This is why I should have been given the task, his memory is like that of simpleton. I never forget"

"There are no guides or tools of navigation for you to get out, but the only way for you to leave is to find the locations with portals, caves or underwater ways that lead downward to the other floors of hell, the further down you go the closer you are to escaping and the closer you are to the gates. Think of these locations like stair cases, when you walk down a stair case from the top of a building it usually leads you outside. Anyway, that's all the information about the second running of the games. You have a twenty-minute break to digest all I've said and after that the games will start. I wish you all the best of luck on your second running of the games"

Errendiel has finished his task and takes off into the sky with Erabon. The people who gathered to hear his message have scattered. Edward and his friends, now known as the kings of men have gathered themselves together in a circle to speak to one another. Maya is the first to start off the conversation

"So, what do we do now?"

"Well, I think we should just be careful and watch our backs until the game starts" Cayafaz suggested

"That would have been a great plan. If we weren't already possible targets. No, other than those with the suits there is very little we need to worry about" Edward said

"So, what do you suggest we do?"

"Well, its best we scatter and find out whatever we can about the others here with the little time we have, once we've collected sufficient information we should meet back and leave together when the game starts. Can't have us spread thin at the very beginning. Can we?"

"Guess that idea works to. But what do you plan to do" said Ethan to Edward

"I plan on looking for others with the suits who have gone as far with them as we have and I also want to check out that Baron guy just so I know who were killing later on"

"That's good, because I really have to kill that guy and his disgusting crew" Said Isabel as she tightened her fists

"Don't worry, were all going to get the chance to disassemble his crew" Said Maya to everyone

"Alright then, lets scatter. I'll see the rest of you in twenty minutes" Edward said as everyone parted

They break their circle and melt into the crowd. Isabel and Cayafaz pair up while Ethan, Maya and Edward head in their own directions. Cayafaz and Isabel don't manage to gather useful intelligence from anyone despite how many conversations they eaves drop on. Ethan doesn't get any information at all, he's simply just watched and followed by a group of people hoping to kill him quietly and take his suit. Without much effort he loses them in the crowd. Maya finds someone in the crowd who doesn't want to kill her but rather wants to exchange weapons with her. She asks Maya for her Axe In exchange for one that really…stands out

The axe in question, is large, blood red and is also onehanded axe but, its body is made up of metal and precious stones, the stones have engraved words and designs on them and the body of the axe from the bottom to the top is coiled upon by a metal velvet snake with three heads at the head of the axe, and the handle of the axe is the snake's tail. The person who wants to trade with her is a shady looking character in a trashy and tattered robe with a hood covering most of her face. Though the face is covered, by the voice you can tell it's a woman. She tells Maya

"My dear, this Axe will most definitely satisfy your needs in battle not only is it stronger, lighter and more durable, the axe possess loyalty to its wielder, if you were to throw the axe at an opponent the head of one of the tail of the snake would reach for your arm and wrap itself around it pulling itself back to you, the same can also be said for if you want to reach wherever you threw it"

"Thank you, ma'am, but I'm not sure if-"

"Just wait my dear, another feature of this weapon is that the snakes are actually alive and you can use the heads to bite and instantly kill any target, even if you can't see them and no matter where they are, just ask the axe to take your enemy and the snakes will immediately do just that. So please, wont you take this axe for me?"

"I'm sorry ma'am, really, but if it's that powerful I think you might need it more than I do for the games so there's no way I can exchange it with you"

"Look, I'll be honest with you. I will most definitely die in this game and this weapon won't be able to protect me especially with how frail I am, I won't be able to wield it. I can't have it falling into the wrong hands, you look like a sweet, honest, young lady. Wont you grant a dying old woman her wish"

"Well…when you put it like that how can I possibly refuse. I promise to take care of it"

"Thank you, you're such a kind lady" the frail woman said as she handed Maya the Axe. Maya lifted it up and to her surprise it was light despite its looks. Lighter than she even expected, as she stared at the axe above her she asked the woman

"Does it have a name?" Maya asked looking down expecting to see the woman, but when she looked around the woman was gone all she heard was aa whisper like wind pass her by in the woman's voice saying

"That is up to you to decide"

Maya, utterly confused and left with a strange weapon that was promised to do all sorts for her is now left wondering if all she was told is true or just a tall tale. Will she ever see that strange woman again?

Maya isn't the only one who has met strange people. Somewhere in the crowd Edward is being confronted by a strange, white, male, wearing green bath robes with long white hair and some of it covering his eye

"I don't know who you are, but could you please not get in my way. I'm sort of in the middle of a search"

"You" the man strange man said to Edward "You're from the kings of men. Aren't you?"

"And so, what if I am?" Edward asked in a cocky and rude tone

"If you are then this makes things very convenient for me. I heard from some survivors that participated in the games with you that you the one who won the games and saved their lives, single handedly. You used a power that was…not human"

"That what they told you? Well don't go believing everything you hear"

"Well of course I don't, but this is different. I know this because I have a suit myself" He opens up his robe and reveals his damnation tracksuit underneath

"You're from one of the prisons!"

"Yes. I failed to introduce myself, forgive me. I am Rigurd from the third highest ranking prison and the captain of the False gods"

"So, that's who you are. What does the captain of gods want with me?"

"It's simple really. I only want your secret"

"Secret? What secret?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I am the strongest person in my squad and yet despite the power I have I was unable to singlehandedly take the games. I thought such a power was not possible and if there was a maximum level I'd have already reached it…But, the survivors say your power was so great that those nearby where completely disintegrated just by being around you"

"So? That doesn't mean anything"

"Yes, it does! It means that you have unlocked more of the suits power than I dare to dream. So, I want to know that power… that secret. Give it to me"

*Sigh* Edward couldn't even look at him in the eyes. He lowered his head and shook it. Edward rose his head up a bit and opened one eye to look at him. After staring at him for a bit he put his arms in his pockets and said

"Look, I don't know what it is you want, and even if I did I wouldn't tell you"

"Why the hell not!" Rigurd asked, raising his voice and drawing the attention of others

"Because your weak, and a power like that would only destroy you"