[Nexii]

Episode 17: The Eighth Circle

Nexii and Sirken approached the final gate. The sole arbiter was Rogean.

"Another one? After all that happened last time?" The project manager asked.

"..."

"..."

"I'm tired of being treated like I'm some pariah here. What is it you're so worried about? I'm just a cleric. Can't I just take a look inside?" Nexii broke the standoff.

"No worries about you in the here and now. She doesn't know, though." Rogean said to Nexii and then Sirken in turn. His hand was on the seal as if undecided.

"And does she have to?" Sirken quizzed back.

"No, I suppose not as I said. But I will ask to see you in council soon." Rogean declared. He released the seal.

"Sheesh. Why don't you just tell me?" Nexii asked of Sirken, as the two made their way inside and away from Rogean.

"It'll take awhile. With that nap you took, there isn't really time. Tomorrow, I promise." Sirken said, brushing her long white hair back with his hand. This left her ear exposed, which she turned to allow him to kiss tenderly. The pair stood there, embraced, in the bleak Inner City. As if some bastion of defiance against the sinners.

"Do I even want to know the next?" Nexii asked, timidly as she pulled back just enough to wrap her arms around his torso. "I mean, I kind of get the point now." Her green eyes seemed more radiant than ever, despite all the sins observed and the long journey it had been just to get to the center of Dis.

"Oh, you do though, don't you?" Sirken grinned. He gave a kiss, then turned his own neck aside. She took the cue, kissing the vulnerable area. The kiss soon turned into a bite, her teeth locking in as tight as her arms were. Harder and harder she bit down until she got what she wanted: a groan of agony with an attempt to escape. In that moment she felt that he would be true to her, and despite the misgivings of the other GMs she felt it would sort out. And if it didn't, there would likely be other playthings to pursue.

"I'm ready do to it. To see this place, that is." Nexii said, inadvertantly teasing again.

"Very well. This way." Sirken led her into a large circular building in the center of the city. It was very dark inside.

"I'll explain again. The sin of this place is known as Treachery. There's another common phrase for it that all players know of. To even utter its three letters is a sin if done in accusation."

"RMT..." Nexii whispered, not forgetting her served 10 day banishment from the Neriak Library for past accusations.

"Yes. This place is solely for those found guilty of real money transactions. The greatest treachery is the sale of ones achievements, and worse for many, ones entire being," Sirken gestured outward. Neon lighting reminiscent of home came on, illuminating the room just enough to see the horror of it all.

There were dozens of black adamantite statues resembling black reavers. But this wasn't what was horrific about them. It was that each had sharp adamantite spikes welded straight through, causing those inside to bleed a sort of black blood. The blood dripped to the ground, filling a circular moat. In essence they were magical, inescapable iron maidens. She could see the blood was also flowing back up by some dark magic, keeping the souls within from bleeding out to death. Curiously, it was silent aside from the blood drips, leaving one to wonder if the pain was too great to even scream, or whether their tongues had been ripped out.

"What sadist came up with...this?" Nexii glared at each statue in turn, with a mix of both awe and revulsion. Part of her wanted to heal these suffering souls, and yet, she knew they deserved it. Each statue was labelled. The majority seemed to be TMO, but she saw other famous RMTers. Platlord, Kluwen, Troop...Phatez? It was hard to read that last statue in the lighting. Finally she came to a more prominent statue, at the top of the circle.

"Derubael, the fallen GM." Sirken said before she could. The disdain was clear, and surprisingly forceful.

"Was it you?" Nexii said, feeling her body grow warm with arousal. It seemed Sirken was distracted this time, as no reply came. He glared at the statue, a small grin apparent. "I...heard about him. I couldn't imagine having someone else's soul inhabiting my body. To force it on others..."

"I know. It made me sick too. I did what I had to do," Sirken finally answered.

Nexii panted at the revelation. She wanted her counterpart so badly at that instant, groping him and stealing yet another kiss. But she remembered something. This was only the Eighth Circle.

"There's one more! Show me..." Nexii began to search the room. The final Circle had to be close.

"No, you can't go down there! It's not safe for us, let alone you."

The priestess gave no reply. Her lust to see more torment and torture washed over any sense of danger. It didn't take her long to find it: a frozen rune on the back of Derubael which she placed her hand on.

Her form dematerialized...