Mattias woke to wet, gnawing sounds a tearing and chewing. His head rolled forward against his chest heavy neck muscles trembling just to lift it.
Chains clinked.
His wrists were chained, each chain extending to the left and right to what he could only call a mountain. His body dangled in the air the chains pulsed faintly with a purple sheen that made even moving hard.
Mattias forced his eyes open and saw the imprisoning energy that made up the chains as he hung there he saw things pale and formless and shaped only by the act of climbing. Dozens of them clambered up the chains fingers splitting into teeth, then peeling back into mouths ,they didn't roar or shriek they only gnawed and chewed.
One latched onto his calf peeling flesh and sucking black sludge that oozed out instead of blood. Another tore at his shoulder, its teeth cutting through muscle as though it were water.
All Mattias could do was watch as they tore him apart.
His hands twitched around his wrists, trying to lash out but the chains pinned them uselessly, the cycle repeated endlessly bite, tear, regenerate, bite again.
Mattias groaned it was beginning to happen more and more.
"Still alive?"
The voice came from above.
Manu appeared without fanfare flying above him his wings making not a sound as though they had always been part of the space. Feathered wings folded lazily as he stepped on the chains. The curve of his face held little amusement, with a small turn toward the horror vermin on the chain, he released a wave of purple energy that scorched them to death, injuring Mattias as well but the black goo healed the third degree burns he suffered.
Mattias coughed black sludge, lips splitting into a smile that was more pain than humor. "Back to finish the job or just to watch me get torn apart some more?"
Manu tilted his head. "What's the difference? Not like you have a choice either way." He sounded delighted at Mattias' question. "For someone so ready to die, you don't know very much do you ,Do you even know where you are or who you were before coming here?"
Mattias, still suspended there, watched Manu talk in confusion but replied "I am or was Mattias Astoria as far as I can remember"
"Mm, I see. So you do know your name at the very least." Manu leaned closer to his ear. "Then would you like to know where you are?"
Mattias was confused. This was too good to be true. "What's the catch? You wouldn't be so kind and speaking so casually after killing me and making me go unconscious. So what would interests you so much that you'd offer me this info?"
"Oh, you're fast to catch on" Manu's hand landed on Mattias' shoulder. "I want your body because your regeneration would be more useful to me than you."
Mattias gasped, then clenched his teeth and frowned at Manu, meeting his eyes. "What form of idiot do you take me for?"
That earned him a light laugh from Manu. "Why be so upset? Sure, I killed you over and over again but don't you want to die? That would be your way out of this hell you're in and I'm even willing to tell you about it before you go" he said so in a low, whisper like voice.
Mattias smirked through clenched teeth. "You bastard."
Manu smiled at that "Do you not want to know where you are, or why you're here? What this place is?"
Mattias frowned even harder at Manu. "You're suggesting destroying my very soul then placing your own in my body"
"Well… don't you want that death and an end to all this ,no more suffering, no more pain." Manu spoke words Mattias could not deny.
Mattias' eyes narrowed as his expression became unreadable. "I… I can't deny what you're saying. If I agree I'd be free and wouldn't suffer or feel pain," he said with a resigned voice.
But then Mattias' face shifted to a more peaceful expression. "But if I do that what would be the point of the memories I've lost and those I'll create? What reason would there be to just give up on this hell of a life I now have? I don't know if there even is a reason but I want to keep living until I cannot anymore." As he spoke his black hands disappeared and his hands had returned to normal.
Manu hadn't expected this answer and was stunned for a moment. "I see, so that's why you refuse death, even if it's the best option for you but you probably did know that I could leave you here for all of eternity and never return?"
Mattias just smiled, accepting his fate. "If that's what you do, then I don't see how anything I say will matter."
Manu, with an unreadable expression, got up and flapped his wings flying into the air as Mattias closed his eyes preparing to be struck by an attack.
Manu snapped his fingers, and the chains shattered.
Mattias fell toward the ground but Manu caught him midair before he had even fallen half way.
Opening his eyes slowly, Mattias saw Manu holding him by the hand in the air, wings flapping but with an unreadable with expression.
"Let's make a new deal then." His voice was now more human than horror now or at least it felt familiar, no longer holding evil intent.
Mattias looked up confused "What deal?"
Manu smirked. "You become my apostle. In return, I'll tell you everything you need to know about this place. But you should know if you agree 'hell' would be too light a word to describe what you'll go through."
As they hovered in the sky and silence fell, Mattias took a deep breath and did not miss the opportunity presented. "That is something I can live with."
Manu, now letting him fall to his death smiled as Mattias screamed while falling toward the ground.
As he fell Mattias throught
"I could have swore that I saw him glad not to take my body"