I observed one of the territorial rulers named Mareketh. He had a tall and massive body posture about 4 meters in height like an ogre found in most medieval fantasy, but he had pale purple skin, bright red eyes, and several protruding fangs from his mouth like most Devils.
However, what made him the most eccentric ruler was that he truly wore clothing and attributes like a king with almost all of which were made of gold and adorned with many highly glittering gemstone ornaments.
His outfit was in the form of large and complete armor that covered his entire body except for his head, which was fitted with a crown. Behind him there was a mantle where the shoulder part was filled with golden feathers and the cloth beneath appeared to be made of red silk and gold weaving as it's pattern.
In The Mayhem gameplay, Mareketh used a weapon in the form of a long and large sword, but it was not made of metal, instead resembling blood-red obsidian stone. Mareketh could wield the sword skillfully and the effect of the sword was a chance of lifesteal and critical hit on Hellraider.
Moreover, if in the second phase Mareketh summoned Banasphate, it would turn them into a deadly duo that was quite challenging. But this time I did not see Mareketh's sword lying on his throne. Was he storing it somewhere else?
Mareketh then stopped his clapping and walked toward me who was still standing silently at the intersection of the throne room corridor. I did not understand at all, Mareketh was the ruler here and I was merely a human stranded in his territory, why was he the one approaching me instead?
"How does it feel to face the rebel earlier?" said Mareketh while still walking.
"Uhh… y-yeah it was quite exhausting too…" I said while still confused.
"Really?? … You look very messy after that. You are also too naïve for a human with such an achievement..." said Mareketh who had already reached in front of me and his face looked like he was frowning. He seemed unconvinced by my words.
"Ohhh... My Lord Mareketh... Please release me from the hands of this lowly human… I will promise again to be loyal to my Lord…" said Banasphate whose tone changed into a pleading one.
"SILENCEEE YOU REBELLIOUS ONEEE…!!!! You have repeatedly tried to remove me from this throne!!! I am no longer willing to accept you here! Remain inside that ball forever!!!" said Mareketh who immediately became angry. Banasphate instantly fell silent with his jaw hanging open.
Ooohhh... so this is the reason Mareketh sealed his own right-hand man inside that chest. I thought there was loyalty, but it turned out they were both Devils who thirsted for power against each other. But in my small heart I felt that Banasphate in design and character was indeed more suitable as the ruler of this territory.
"If that is the case, then let us take a walk first in my Palace," said Mareketh with a tone that became more polite and even looked as if he were welcoming an important guest.
I became confused again and increasingly worried that there were still hidden intentions that Mareketh would carry out toward me. But I must not show my suspicious expression in front of him, nor reject him outright. I had to be aware of my position here. I had to remain vigilant and observe Mareketh's movements while still being near him.
"My Lord Mareketh, do you wish to take back this mirror ball of mine?" I said while offering it to Mareketh who was walking in front of me.
"No... No... Just keep it with you… I do not wish to see it again," said Mareketh.
"Ohhh noo… noooo…!!! My Looord pleaaase…!!! I do not want to stay here anymoooore…!!! I do not want to be with this damn snot-nosed babyyyy…!!!" said Banasphate in panic as he again floated aimlessly back and forth. I thought he kept inventing new nicknames for me. Mareketh did not budge at all at Banasphate's words and continued walking.
"My apologies, my Lord, I wish to ask you again. How were you able to seal Banasphate inside that chest?" I asked Mareketh.
"Ohhh My Lord... pleaaase...!!! do not tell that matter…!!! I am very embarrassed remembering it agaiiin…!!!" Banasphate panicked once more.
"Aahhh... so you are curious like most humans. Very well, I will tell you," said Mareketh while slightly glancing back.
All of this indeed began from Banasphate's repeated attempts to assassinate Mareketh and replace his position on the throne. However, Mareketh often received instincts that something was not right with Banasphate whenever he wanted to carry out those attempts.
At first, Mareketh could still tolerate it because no matter what, Mareketh and Banasphate had always been together since creation and built this power together. Banasphate himself was the one who appointed Mareketh as the ruler. But it seemed that Banasphate was consumed by his own lust for power and the effort to overthrow Mareketh continued.
Mareketh, who had reached the limit of his tolerance, then planned to seal Banasphate. He did not think of killing Banasphate because according to him that would be his greatest betrayal.
Banasphate greatly loved living human souls, so indeed Mareketh's task was to lure greedy humans to trade their souls for abundant wealth. When the time came, those greedy humans would be pulled directly into hell and given to Banasphate.
One day Mareketh succeeded in pulling in a human who during his life obtained enormous wealth by sacrificing many of the people closest to him. For Banasphate, that human was like the most delicious meal that had ever existed.
The human was placed inside the open chest in that room, and when Banasphate came and devoured him, the lid of the chest was dropped from above, which had previously been imbued with a sealing strength spell. Mareketh obtained that spell directly from Ruciphar. After that, Mareketh could continue his rule again until I came and the seal was opened once more.
"Honestly, I myself am confused why when you entered that room, the seal immediately shattered. I thought of the worst possibility that if you failed to seal him again, I would become the target of his revenge," said Mareketh while letting out a breath.
"T-t-that is not truuuue...!!! My reason was because you always used me as a shield whenever Azkerath approached your territory and started causing chaos...! You already know what Azkerath's nature is like... And you asked me to face him directly… Without you wanting to see for yourself what he was like…!!!" Banasphate then defended himself.
Mareketh stopped, immediately turned his body around, and his expression showed surging anger as he pointed his index finger toward Banasphate.
"SILENCE…!!! STOP MAKING EXCUSES ANYMOREEE!!!!… I have already given you what you wanted and you should have been able to give effort in return...!!! All I wanted was for us to work together loyally, not for you to try to remove me and now act as if you are the victim of my cruelty...!!!!! I was kind enough to imprison rather than destroying you so that you could think agaiiinn...!!!!" shouted Mareketh loudly. After that he looked out of breath and turned back again to continue walking. Banasphate then fell silent once more.
From here on I could only see these two "old friends" clashing with each other. But what made me slightly stunned was Mareketh's words earlier. He truly was different from most rulers who seemed almost inhuman. He greatly upheld loyalty and wanted to awaken again an entity he already considered family. However, in my opinion both Mareketh and Banasphate were equally wrong in understanding one another.
Then we walked and seemed to have exited Mareketh's throne room, and in front of me there was another large chamber. Suddenly I felt extremely shocked and shuddered in horror because it turned out the room I entered now was a torture chamber.
There were many humans lined up there who were being subjected to various forms of very excruciating torture. The entire room was filled with cries and loud screams surging together. The hell servants I had previously seen in Zigurath's Palace were also present here, tasked with carrying out the torture.
But the strange thing here was that the humans were given large buckets of treasure by being thrown toward them, which seemed to come from the mountain of gold in the room where Banasphate was sealed. After the treasures were thrown, the humans were then tortured by the hell servants.
"I already told you earlier that I took these humans because they sold their souls or sacrificed the ones they loved most just for wealth that cannot be brought to afterlife. I use this method so that they continuously remember what caused them to be dragged into this hell. Before that Rebel was sealed, they were here as reserves before being given to him," explained Mareketh.
Mareketh and I then descended to the center and walked among the rows of humans being tortured, with gold scattered everywhere around them. I could not describe such a sight with words because of how extremely contradictory the torture and the gold were.
But suddenly, I heard a groaning sound from the front. This human voice reminded me of someone I knew very well.
"My Lord, may we go to the front?" I asked Mareketh.
"Ohhh… of course… perhaps you are noticing something interesting there," said Mareketh casually.
"You damn bastaaard youuu…!!! how can you so easily ask him like thaaat…!!!" Banasphate immediately became angry at me again.
We walked forward. I observed which human the familiar voice came from. As we got closer and it became clear whose voice it was, I was instantly shocked and reflexively ran past Mareketh without permission toward the person being tortured.
"UUUUNCLEEEE…!!! WHYYY ARE YOU HEEEREE…?!?!?!" I shouted and began crying while kneeling in front of Uncle Jenkin who was leaning against the wall.
His condition was horrific. Both of his palms were nailed with large iron spikes that were still burning with fire. His mouth was already destroyed from being burned. His chest and stomach were also destroyed so that parts of the organs in his chest and the contents of his abdomen were exposed.
"J-j-Johannn... w-w-why… are you heeere...???" said Uncle Jenkin who was still conscious and able to speak even though his mouth was ruined.
"Ohhh... so this human is your Uncle, huh? Let me recall again hmmm… Ohh yes your Uncle is here because during his time in the world he often deceived and stole from others to gain more wealth. But what made his punishment lighter was that he did all of this for the sake of the one he loved most. Wait… could it be that you are the one he loved most???... Truly, once again I cannot believe all of this!!!" said Mareketh in shock.
I placed the mirror ball on the floor, then stood up and took out my pistol. I then turned my body and aimed my pistol at Mareketh. At this second I no longer thought clearly and everything was blinded by the reality before my eyes.
"REEELEAAASE MY UNCLEE NOOWWW...!!!!!" I shouted at Mareketh.
"Stuuupiiiiiidddd... Have you gone maaad human?!?!... Do you realize who stands before you and where your position iiiissssss...!!!!!" shouted Banasphate.
Mareketh looked extremely wide-eyed at my action, then immediately showed an expression of anger.