The chilling imprint still haunted my nerve endings. No matter how hot the day was, my soul seemed cold compared to the day. My entire body shook with an intense force that left me weak. I locked my knees so as not to stumble and fall. 

Falling on my face in front of this demon and showing my weakness is no good. This male values strength and meets flaws with quick death. Even if he seems friendly now, I can't trust him yet. My mind sped with cautionary reasons and to be careful in this situation. Meeting a helpful, kind-hearted stranger sat like a bag of rocks in my stomach. The man confessed to being dangerous, so I needed to be cautious around him. My life depended on it.

I turned to stare as Zarek headed straight to the dilapidated structure. With my heart pounding and a surge of adrenaline, I followed Zarek. My wavering strides guided me away from the ghostly figure hellbent on following me. I wanted to put as much distance between us as possible and put our encounter behind. Maybe I ought to mention something to Zarek. But should I trust him? Would he think I'm a liability to his safety if I reveal this truth?!

Zarek's tall, broad frame held a peculiar sinewy that gave him a regal grace. His long legs brought him to one of the destroyed houses. Yet the box he carried looked heavy, but he hauled it with ease. The man possessed an energetic personality, juxtaposing my exhausted self. Thus, I made a mental note to learn more about him and his weaknesses and be ready, just in case.

"Kayla, I understand you don't trust me. Your hesitation is notable in the way you move and the sound of your voice. But your survival odds are decent if you take your chances with me." 

Zarek flung his offhanded comment without even looking back at me. The man didn't seem threatened by my presence a single bit. At first, my step faltered, but soon, I hurried to walk next to the man.

"Now, you must learn to navigate and survive in this world." Zarek put the crate down and examined the interior of the barren dwelling. "Locating the correct landmark is the trick to finding any hidden tunnel in the underbelly of the Blazing Planes. Sometimes, you can stumble upon secret chambers." He patted his pants, stirring a healthy dust cloud around him.

"Wait a minute... hidden tunnels?!" 

"Yeah! This place has plenty of them. It's the only way to travel the plains without getting attacked by random creatures or burned by the ash clouds. Besides, you run the chances of finding others willing to help. However, in your case, many will try to take advantage of you in a heartbeat."

"So, you're saying there're underground safe passages all over this hellish area?" I asked, ignoring the part warning me about the dangers of my surroundings.

"Listen to me well, Kayla. The tunnels have plenty of dangers. That motherfucker's companions caught in one of them." Zarek pointed at the corpse as he spit on the floor. "The underpasses are safer than the surface, but keep your guard up when traveling through them."

"But... I spent the night at a cave and didn't see any access to a tunnel." The words slipped past my lips as I remembered the previous night. No access to anything that I can recall. Just the hideous smell of sulfur. My mind raced away with the thought.

"You, what?! Oh, fuck, woman. Are your eyes bad or something? No matter their size, every cave in the Blazing Plains has an access underground." 

"Last night, I stayed in a small cave without an entrance." 

"That's impossible!" Zarek's gaze lingered on me as if trying to figure me out. "Someone may have sealed off the place with magic. Or... it could be the entry to a dungeon. Who knows?" 

I rubbernecked at the man's move while he combed the area. The furrow on his brow and the intensity of his gaze suggested something vital was afoot. So, I went to work. "What are you looking for?" I dismissed his sudden behavior by looking around the place myself.

"Great question. There is supposed to be a public entrance in this old town."

"Why did the villagers leave?"

"As you can see, the surface is dangerous and inhospitable in these parts. The tunnels offer protection and a good place to farm," Zarek said as he opened the crate. He started rummaging through its contents and pulling things out. "Anyone can access these village underpasses, but they're less secure. However, we should be safe for the night. Now, your little cave may hold many secrets. Do you remember its location?" 

I sat on a smooth rock shaped like a stool as I went through my bag and fetched the phone. "With my concussed and foggy brain, nope? But I have my cell. I believe the directions to this place are still on it. Though, I can't remember if I pinned the place. I was busy with..."

"A phone! You have one of those things?" Zarek's handsome expression distorted to childish amazement as he reached for my device.

"Yeah! You don't have one?" I handed the male my cell for him to play with.

"These are expensive. The guy that used to own the fruit company in your world started a business here in Hades. He shamelessly overcharges for his shit." 

"Wait, that guy lives here?" The question slipped from my lips, my mind derailing the conversation for an unplanned detour to an inconsequential topic.

"Yep! He charges a ton of gold for the things he sells. Some are even willing to sell their souls for his tech. He amassed quite an army of followers. A quite disturbing turn of affairs." 

"Really?!" Sudden sadness outstripped my hopes as I reached for my device. "This cell holds part of my lost memories of my family."

Zarek patted my shoulder in a gesture that filled my heart with warmth. "Oh, I'm sorry you're going through that." He looked around, searching for a different topic to discuss, but settled on something more practical. "Let's see what we got here," he said, cornering the structure's walls.

I joined his search, pretending I knew what I was doing. It gave me an excuse to study the place. Even though the sun dipped below the horizon, its descent into the night was slow. "Time feels different here."

"It's different from the mortal world."

"You seem quite knowledgeable!"

I detected a change in his behavior. His skin patterns started flickering between green and pink. Oh, he's nervous? The thought crossed my mind before he answered.

"Before his ascension, my lover used to talk about his hometown." Zarek's willingness shone in his bright eyes as he fell silent. His markings continued to flicker his nervousness. "Some entrances are undetectable, while others are fairly obvious." He resumed his search, his fingers gliding over the crumbling walls as he scrutinized them until he stopped. "This is a public entrance. I just needed to find the switch to open it."

And like that, the hidden door opened with a whoosh of hot air, sending debris flying everywhere. "Some caves are vaults safeguarding their owner's artifacts." This time, excitement flashed through his bright green eyes as he picked up the box he carried earlier.

Intrigue seized my mouth as it fired an already-answered question. "Oh! So they are magical safes all over Hades?"

Zarek possessed the patience of a saint to answer such a silly remark. "Yes! Those in power can't trust anyone. Chances are, Lord Vrax is the owner." He motioned me to follow him as he made his way down the staircase. 

I rushed inside, following close as the door shut on its own. My heartbeat strummed in my ear as darkness engulfed us. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the shaft. 

"After eliminating his predecessor, Vrax gathered a stockpile of enemies. But... he also has a vast army of followers to boost. His wailing inspires many."

"Why is that?" Using the wall as my only guide, I made my way down the dark stairs, my voice filled with trepidation.

"Well! For starters, he's all-mighty and beyond handsome, even though he wears a perpetual scowl. Also, he's obscenely rich, with palatial coffers brimming with riches. Some say he conjured multiple dungeons to hide most of his wealth." 

"How do you know it could belong to Lord Vrax?" Intrigue peaked within me as I heard the name for the second time in the day.

"It's Vrax domain. A demon lord's compulsion is to create dangerous zones within their territories." Zarek's silhouette came into view as he walked close to the bottom of the stairs. "However, when a demon lord dies or gets killed, all his magic dissipates, exposing all his treasures. These dungeons become fair game for anyone to plunder. And because I know you'll ask, I'm an adventurer who hunts for that free, up-for-grabs fortune."

"So you're a treasure hunter?" 

With a flip of his head, his response came accompanied with flair. "More like a dashing rogue for hire. I sometimes do solo work to afford my daily expenses. Oh, I ought to mention naturally occurring dungeons." 

"But why is there a need for such places?" Information inundated my mind, overcrowding my senses.

"Long ago, Elysium raged war against Hades and Hell. They stole our sacred artifacts, leaving us with nothing. The heavenly kingdom has been oppressing our people. Our world is trying to achieve balance once again. Besides, Hades needs a leader who can guide us to glory, but Lord Vrax thinks he's the chosen one."

We entered a bright, ample cavern with an underground river. "Is this Vrax the leader Hades needs?" I asked while looking around for the source of the light.

Zarek put down the crate and rummaged through its contents. "Nah! I think he's full of shit. It has been millennia since Vrax took his throne, promising to bring glory to our people, but the motherfucker hasn't delivered. The demon lords are all doing nothing about the situation. Worse! They're not interested in fighting the Elysian tyrants. Someone must put them all in their place with a good spanking."

I closed the distance between us to offer my help. Gratefulness surged through me as any previous doubts found their demise. Zarek's knowledge flowed freely and caring as it infused my mind with important information.

His company became a welcomed variable.

The handsome demon produced a mound of clothes and a short sword and handed them to me. "I'm giving you this, but you must not use it against me."

"Then why give them to me if you don't trust me?"

The tingling glint in his eyes and the subtle tilt of his head spoke volumes, exposing what I feared. "Hades is not a safe place, Kayla. And I'm not talking just about its people."

"I would never think of doing such a thing. But you better not try the same on me," I said with a bravado that had little to no backing. Zarek's smile reflected his satisfaction while I returned the favor. But my encounter with the ghost bothered me. "I encountered earlier in the day. First, I found a medallion, and then a ghost appeared." 

"Ghosts are common inhabitants in this world. They only care about themselves. Why?" He stared right into my eyes as his green patterns intensified.

The entity's chilled and intangible tendril traced my back as I tried to comprehend my predicament. The hair on my body stood on end, aware of the presence. "Well, this one followed me. I feel its presence. It claimed to know me." My mouth moved on its own, voicing my fears out.

"What?! Kayla, why didn't you say something earlier? Spirits don't follow people around. They don't care about others." 

"How am I supposed to know this?" 

"It's why I'm not pissed off. You just arrived and are clueless about these things. But night is almost upon us, and we must get ready." 

"What happens at night?"

"Wraiths posing as innocent ghosts become powerful." 

"Fucking unbelievable!"

Zarek and I stood frozen in terror as the wraith materialized before our eyes. 

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