The voice echoed in his head again.
It was the same as before.
So deep it rumbled in his very soul.
As soon as he heard it, Liam fell to his knees.
His body trembled uncontrollably, his forehead almost touching the ground.
"Do you repent?"
The sound of those words pierced his entire being, which tried to lift his head, but could not.
Every muscle was paralyzed.
"What do you mean?" he managed to say in a barely audible voice.
Absolute silence for several seconds.
Then, the voice spoke again.
"Do you repent for what you did?"
Liam finally understood what it meant.
His chest tightened, and for the first time in a long time he felt guilt.
"Yes," he answered with a trembling voice.
"I regret killing that old woman. I have regretted it from the very first moment."
The air vibrated.
Liam felt that his very soul was being observed, not with eyes, but with a consciousness that pierced everything.
"And the other?"
His breath stopped.
There was no need to ask.
He knew exactly what it referred to.
His father.
His head told him he should lie, that he should say yes, that he regretted it.
That those words could be the key to leaving that place.
But his heart refused.
Even before that entity, even knowing that a lie might save him, he could not say it.
"No," for an instant he surprised himself with the strength with which he said it.
Strength that remained in his following words.
"I do not regret it. I would do it again if I had the chance."
Silence returned.
Liam closed his eyes.
He accepted his fate.
If that meant the end, he would not try to escape.
Then the voice spoke again.
"Did you enjoy it?"
"Huh?"
"Did you enjoy killing him?"
The question struck him.
For a moment he did not know what to say.
For a moment he thought of saying no, but stopped.
If this was his end, he would face it without masks.
He was tired of running.
Tired of being afraid.
He remembered the nights when his father beat his mother while he hid.
He remembered the sound of the screams, the smell of alcohol, the fear on the face of the woman who had always protected him.
He also remembered the moment his father fell, and how the silence of that night was more beautiful than any word.
"Yes," he finally answered.
"I enjoyed it."
The air moved.
The ground trembled slightly.
"The same as when you killed beasts?"
"Yes."
"Do you enjoy fighting?"
Liam hesitated.
That question caught him off guard.
He looked at his hands and thought of everything he had lived since arriving in that world.
"It's not that I enjoy fighting," he answered.
"It's just that when I fight, I become stronger."
"Why do you crave power?"
"To stop feeling fear."
"To never have to hide again."
"I promised myself never to feel fear again."
"Do you not fear me?"
Liam swallowed.
His whole body trembled.
He felt a pressure so strong he could barely breathe.
His head burned.
"No," he said slowly.
"My body is overwhelmed by your presence, but in my heart there is no fear."
"Prove your words."
The voice thundered inside his mind.
"Raise your gaze."
Liam's heart began to pound.
He felt the pressure multiply.
His muscles tensed, his bones cracked.
Every nerve in his body hurt.
He tried to lift his head, but something held it down.
It was as if an invisible force crushed him against the ground.
He clenched his teeth.
His breathing grew irregular.
The pain intensified.
The air grew thick.
Every second felt like an eternity.
The ground trembled beneath his hands, but he kept pushing.
His arms bent, his neck cracked.
Blood ran from his nose, but he did not stop.
Even though the whole world seemed to want to keep his head down.
And yet
he did it.
His vision shook.
His eyes burned.
He felt as if his head would explode.
But he raised his gaze.
For an instant everything went dark.
There was no light, no sound.
Only emptiness.
Then, suddenly, the world lit up again.
Before him there was no longer that light brighter than the sun itself.
For the first time, he could see the being before him.
The figure was tall, more than 6.2 feet.
Its body was thin, wrapped in a kind of dark cloak that moved with a life of its own.
The face was covered by a white mask, smooth, without features, except for a black line that ran from the forehead to the chin.
From its back protruded metallic fragments that looked like wings, though incomplete.
Its hands were long, with sharp fingers and skin that seemed made of ash.
Every movement emitted a soft sound, like small bells.
Liam could barely keep his gaze lifted.
His body trembled.
But he did not lower his eyes.
The being spoke, its voice now clearer, almost human.
"You are not yet ready to understand my true existence."
Liam did not respond.
"But you have earned the right to see this lesser version of me."
The air felt heavy, Liam barely felt he could breathe.
Then the voice resonated in his mind again.
"The reason that person fled from you was because he could not perceive you as a being. You were on a level far above his.
"The same happens with me, but on an infinitely greater scale. I had to reduce my presence so that your soul would not shatter just by being near."
The being's tone was calm, without emotion.
"Now I have diminished myself enough so that you are even able to see me."
"Why did you do it?" asked Liam.
"There are not many souls capable of pushing themselves to the limit as you have. If I had not done this, your existence would have broken."
There was a brief silence.
"As a reward for completing the mission I gave you, I will answer the questions you have."
At this, Liam thought for a moment.
"Is this place really the hell?"
"This place is only a part of hell," the being answered.
"The smallest."
"A part?"
"Yes. This site is known as the Land of the Condemned. Here arrive the souls that committed the gravest sin."
"Killing."
"Correct. But there is a condition."
"What condition?"
"Most ruthless murderers go to the Land of the Punished, where they will suffer for all eternity. This place, however, is reserved for those who truly repent or who killed for a good reason. Your two murders fulfill those conditions."
"That is why you were allowed to enter here and ascend."
Liam understood.
The words gave sense to everything.
Now he understood why that world was not full of souls, after all, not all sinners came here, it was only a specific group.
Though he still did not know what ascension was.
"What does it mean to ascend?"
"It is the possibility of entering the central zone of hell. The largest and most populated. There you will pass from being a tormented soul to a demon."
"Like you?"
"No," said the being calmly.
"My existence is far above that of a simple demon."
"And what will happen once I enter?"
"That will depend on you. The central zone is composed of infinite places, full of creatures you could not imagine. But there is one difference compared to here.
"Once you die there, your soul will not reappear."
Liam tensed.
"What happens then?"
"When a demon dies, its soul reincarnates in the world of the living. Without memories, without power.
"Becoming a completely new existence."
"I see… then, the thing that increases my strength, will it disappear?"
"That is called the status window. It will not disappear. It will continue to function in a similar way."
"Then I will be able to keep leveling up…"
"That's right. Each time you reach a certain point, you will be able to evolve. Ceasing to be a simple demon."
Liam was surprised by this.
"Could I become as strong as you?"
For an instant he thought he heard a barely perceptible laugh.
"That will depend on you, although increasing your power also benefits me."
"How?"
"You will understand in time. Also, since I am the one making you ascend, you can consider me your benefactor."
"Benefactor?"
"Yes. From time to time I will send you missions. They will appear in your status. You may accept them or ignore them. If you complete them, you will receive rewards."
Liam nodded.
"Now tell me your name."
"Liam."
"Not that one. That was your name as a mortal. Tell me your name as a demon."
Liam fell silent.
He closed his eyes, and for a moment everything disappeared.
He was back in his room.
It was small, with a window that let in the light of the moon.
His mother was sitting beside him, reading him a book.
Her voice was soft.
She smiled at him.
"Do you know what your name means, Liam?"
He shook his head.
"It means strong will. But there was another name I also liked very much," she said as she stroked his hair.
"Which one?" he asked.
At his question she turned her head toward the night sky.
"People fear the darkness because they do not look at it. But if you lift your gaze, there is always a little light, even in the darkest places".
"That is why I like the name Lucien so much."
Liam remembered how she laughed afterward.
After who knows how long, he opened his eyes.
The memory faded.
But some of its warmth remained inside him.
"Lucien," he said in a low voice.
"That will be my name."
The being nodded.
"Then, demon Lucien, it is time for your journey to begin."
It stepped toward him.
"May I know your name?" Lucien asked with doubt.
The being looked at him directly.
Its voice changed, becoming deeper.
As if it were making a divine decree.
"always Remember".
"My name must not be spoken lightly."
It raised its hand and touched Lucien's forehead.
For an instant, Lucien saw the red eyes hidden behind the mask.
"Lord of the Flies".
"Beelzebub."
It was the last thing Lucien heard before everything went dark.