The Last Warlock

Chapter 9 - The Nine Gates Of Hel

Mack opened his eyes, or at least he tried, but still could see nothing in his sight. He was in a completely dark space, with not even a speck of light.

"Where am I?"

[You are in the Tower of Chaos, where your next trial will happen]

"Wait, you told me you will answer all my questions!"

[I Lied]

"What a fuck? Was not you a book? How can you lie?"

[I'm not a book human, you offend me and my creator with such a comparison, I'm an Arcane Legacy, a very rare one, one created using a World Tree from the Nord Dimension, The best technology from the Duraks, and the most advanced knowledge from the Laws, specifically the laws of Chaos]

"That's a lot of information already, so there are dimensions out there? Like the folks from physics say?"

[...]

For the first time in his existence, the book, I mean, the Arcane Legacy, felt cheated on..

"So you not gonna talk anymore? Are you a child or something?"

[...]

If an Arcane Legacy could feel rage, this would be happening right now.

"So, I guess you are a female book then?"

[IM NOT A BOOK!]

"Is that so?"

[You left the book at the volcano. How could I be a book? The book was merely a tool, like a key, in more easy words. The runes you engraved in your body worked as a seal that would open a door for me to be able to communicate with you]

"So that's why I could not memorize that tattoos, they are magical?"

[They are way more than just magical, human. They are the nine keys to the gates of Hel]

"Wait, I'm in hell? What?"

[Yes and no, but I already talked too much with you. Now your test begins. I will only instruct you on what you need to do now]

~Sigh~

"Here we go, another shitty day ahead."

[To pass this test, you need to be able to feel the surrounding Essence. When you are able to feel the Essence, you will be able to see a door. When you enter that door, means you passed the test]

"Can't I just walk around and stumble on it and I will pass? What if I don't see that door?"

[Well, if I were you, I will not just walk around. If you could see with your own eyes where you are, you will not do so too. Humans are fragile things]

"So I guess there are traps or something dangerous around me. Were you not supposed to tell me that before?"

[...]

"Definitely a female book"

[...]

"What if I don't see the door? You didn't answer me, and how am I supposed to see something with this Essence thing you talked about?"

[If you fail, you will die, or do you see any food or water? Right, you can't see anything, I forgot about that…... You are a clever human, you will figure out the rest. After all, you already have all the information needed, or maybe you are not that clever to figure out by yourself?]

"Yeap. Definitely a female book, so resentful."

[...]

"So, I already have all the information, huh? What information?"

Then Mack remembered the phases on the book and the naked man with the nine tattoos, and….

"Oh, so is that yoga breathing technique. I thought it was just some useless hippie stuff"

[...]

"You will not help me?"

[...]

"Why are all women like this? Guys are so simple, just give us food and we will be happy. But girls.. no… they need attention, always a drama going on….. sigh…." Said Mack, remembering his few relationships in life, probably bad ones.

After a few seconds of pondering over his few relationships in life, Mack seated, not sure where but looked solid to him, closed his eyes, no one knows why, since he could not see a thing even with them open, but he still closed them.

Mack then started to breathe in a rhythmic way. While he breathed, he did a very peculiar movement in front of his mouth with his right hand, while his left hand stayed close to his solar plexus, doing another movement.

The right hand looked like Mack was trying to tell to someone to stay quiet, except for his pinky finger that was a little raised, and his left hand looked like he was doing the same but pointing to his lower parts. Really looked like some hippie stuff.

Mack's thorax raised with air inhaled to his lungs and after one minute he exhaled while his body flowed along with the motion of his lungs.

Then…..

'Nothing happened'

'I guess this will take some time.'

"How long is this supposed to last?" asked Mack aloud, even knowing that the thing, or book or whatever, could read his thoughts.

[I'm not a thing, nor a book, I'm an Arcane Legacy]

"Ohhh, so she talks? How long will this last?"

[Depend from person to person, there is no fixed rule]

"So I was right then, it was the yoga stuff"

[...]

"Thanks."

[...]

And like this, Mack cheated on the book again, now feeling more assured that at least he was on the right path.

[I'm not a book]

"Yo! Who you are talking to? You broke my concentration here."