Chapter 12: A Tree Shaped Cage

It had been nearly a week now since Jack's victory over the forces of Rage. He had returned to find that the rage demons had, subsided. It had been expected, the death of their leader they would have felt. From what Jack could figure out from the tower of rage was that it was less a symbol of dominance and more a conduit for the power of rage. The leader remained within. His rage being channelled outwards. Leaving him clear minded. Passive. But in turn infecting every single one of his followers with an increased blood lust. At the camp of fear and sloth he had been heralded a hero. Jonah had managed to make it back in time to help fend off the main guard of Rage, but the battle had looked grim until Jack had struck the final blow. Days later an emissary arrived from Rage to the seat of Pride. Declaring Jack the leader of this clan. Despite himself being a demon of Pride. In turn, Jack gave this emissary the position of his hand within rage. For all intents and purposes, he imagined that the demons of rage would not be happy with one of Pride leading them directly. So his orders would come through this one. A political crowd pleasing tactic if nothing else. Ultimately his main goal was the glutton, and to that end he would not stop until the task was completed. Till the last die was thrown. But then, there were other concerns on the mind of the pride demon. Such as the events within the library. Ceila had returned from the place but the news was not good. The cracks continued to deepen. Despite her best efforts. Things were not going well for the library. Jack had to wonder. Just how long was it going to take her to accept the help of the man behind the door? If he truly had been there since before the dawn. Perhaps he knew something, anything. About that darkness of sheol. Enough at least to tell them how to drive it back. It was however, in her hands, as much as the place interested him. It was for the moment. As secondary concern when placed against the glutton. But today would be a break from all of that. At least. That’s what Jack had originally thought. Events upon events, small things climb upon large and begin to spiral. The smallest pebble in the road side beginning an avalanche. Those were the things. This day represented.

He would receive a visitor. An unexpected one at that. Jonah, Gerreen. Ceila. Those he understood. But today’s guest was one who smelled like dirt and stone. Of earth and age. the archaeologist. In the tunnels. Deep below the air. Smell of sulphur/. Eyes open, glutton could be anywhere. Someone else here, encampment. Researchers, archaeologists, studying the remains of an ancient city, long since sunk below the earth. Something keeping the glutton back. Court of Madness. Hunger. Famine. Death. . " Well". Said the demon of Pride. " I didn't expect to see you again". She shrugged. Hands on her hips. " Nor I you, however, as buried by ego as it is, you have a good brain. And strong magic. Both of which I find myself in need of". Jack folded his leg over the other, shifting position in his chair. " Can't say I can guarantee to help you, but do go on. I'll listen regardless...its a break from the quiet". There was more than just that of course. If anyone else had came in and demanded such of him. Likely he would have turned them into a puddle of a few fleshy bits and warm blood. But she was different. One of those strong willed types who at least earned his respect. During the whole fiasco with the tunnel ants she had been willing to put everyone at risk to learn what she could. A demon who took pride in her work and wasn't willing to give it up for anything or anyone. That. He liked. " We've moved onto a new site, not within the tunnels you'll be glad to hear. This time. We're actually working within the human world". Now this was a more interesting point. He knew that these demons were working on things that had specifically to do with their own kind. So just what in the world could be related to demons that lay within the human world? Well, other than the entrance to the under world itself within the dark forest. But still. Curious was Jack. " An what pretell where you studying?". He asked, his voice lowered but still, that icing of interest spread across the top of his wording. The archaeologist moved her hand down the front of her shirt, and in typical female hiding place style. She removed what appeared to be a rolled up scroll of parchment. By the looks of it. Dusty, old. Why she kept it down there he would never know. She tossed it over to him. Raising his right hand he caught it. There however seemed to be a seal preventing him from opening it. He looked up at her. And she spoke the word.


" Vertos". With that. The seal seemed to disappear. And the scroll opened up. Clever. The contents of the scroll seemed to be some kind of...drawing. A diagram. A diagram. Of a tree. To say he was slightly confused was to put it lightly. " Jack". She said in a rather can do tone. " Meet Yggarosil, the tree fo life". Jack took another look at the diagram and noticed a few...oddities. For one. The diagram also seemed to include a root depth. A root depth that went deep enough to break through into. Interesting. So the roots of the tree actually went as low as the demonic realm itself. " The tree is giant, ancient. Far older than the dawn. We were studying it in the hopes of finding out just HOW old it is “She let out a sigh, gritting her teeth lightly. " And that’s when we discovered the cultists". Now, this was something that caused Jack to lower the scroll ever so slightly. Revealing his eyes over the top. "....Cultists?...for a tree?...". She shrugged. " yeah, I know". She moved a hand behind her and scratched her butt, how lovely. " But you know what humans are like. Willing to attach divinity to anything in the hope it'll explain their little existence". Jack didn't quite think of it like that. But it was true enough. " Besides". She said , a tone of...thoughtfulness. In her voice. " I've got a feeling that its more than just their nature that’s making them worship the tree....I think the tree itself does have some kind of influence around it...like its indoctrinating them or something". Jack rolled up the scroll again and looked at her. " What makes you say its indoctrination?".

" Well for one, after awhile, a few of my men, the weak minded ones mind you, started spending rather...odd amounts of time around the tree. Now don't get me wrong we are all dedicated. But we understand our shift pattern, these guys were beginning to work beyond their shift, as throwing the time table out of synch, pissing everyone off And then after awhile. They just up and disappeared. Next thing you know we find out they've joined the village. Pretending to be humans. Worshipping the damned tree". It certainly did sound off. People weren’t prone to such marvellous religious revelations as stories might tell. Particularly demons. Those he knew were eternal sceptics. And held a rather grim view of reality. So for demons to suddenly up and start worshiping this..tree. It wasn't right. " And that’s where you come in, you see. Every season these people take a selected few in their village during the spring, the young, the summer. Middle aged. And fall. The old. Each season they take them to the tree. Perform some sort of mumbo jumbo ritual and cut their throats at the roots. Thing is. I got to witness this ritual once, from a distance mind you. Thing is, when that blood hits the soil. And threes a shit load of blood....it doesn't stay there for long. Almost like the trees sucking it up or something". And that is indeed were Jack came in. Rituals involving blood spilling. Blood magic. Jack's speciality. Blood magic had a lot of uses. Jacks main use for it was to provide additional energy for his attacks, or even to use it to damage his enemies through their own blood. However it wasn't limited to that. Blood was life and had a lot of control over a persons actions. a tree connected to demonic energies. And fed with blood. That was going to generate a lot of dark energy. He wasn't surprised that it was effecting the villagers ( or anyone around it) in such a way. But whether it was something that it was doing with a sense of sentience. Now that was a completely different question. Plants were living things, yes. But they didn’t have the same kind of life that humans would have. Or even animals. They were for all intents and purposes. Organic. But inanimate. Through the years of blood magic. And if this tree was indeed older than the dawn. Longer years of rituals. Was it possible that years of such exposure to the dark magic’s create a sentience? It was an interesting theory. And one that he was indeed tempted to explore. However. There were other things that his mind was needed on.

The Glutton could not simply be abandoned to do as it willed. He was needed to gather forces here in preparation for the fight. That and Iskra. Yes. He needed to wait for her to arrive again. Then again...he unfolded the scroll. Such a tree. Fed upon years and years of blood. if such a thing had blood oozing from its very bark then. It could provide him with a power boost greatly needed for the fight against the glutton. Jonah could arrange the forces. The man was useful in that way. " Very well ". Said Jack. " What would you like me to do?". The archaeologist grinned. For some reason Jack had the sneaking suspicion that she had played this well. She had worded it just right so that his curiosity and temptation would be perked JUST enough so that he would take on this task. Still it was good on her if she did manage to do something like that. " Simple Jack, i want you to go there, and break the indoctrination on my people, they may have been eak willed but they were good researchers". Jack nodded. " Very well, I’ll do it. But I have conditions of my own, those mages you had that developed the barriers in the tunnels. I want them here, training my men to do the same”. The archaeologist held out a hand with a brown dusty leather glove. " Deal". Jack stood, walked over. And grasped it. " Good to hear....by the way. I never did catch your name”. She tilted her head.

" Just call me Arch".

As soon as Arch's mages had arrived, he was to go. He set off quickly using his devil speed technique to make it through the tunnels of hell post haste. He was never one for just walking through those tunnels. it took forever. With that. He hit surface in Terra. It was almost as if the world was welcoming him when he emerged from the tunnels. The rain calmly falling down on his face. Refreshing when compared to the barren acrid airs of the underworld. Cool. Moist. For once Jack smiled. Not a grin or a cocky smirk but a smile. He liked the rain. No idea why. It was just something that sung to him, hitting a note deep inside. Arch had provided him with a map towards the tree and the outlying village, although from what she had said to him when he drew near he doubted that it would be hard to spot the tree in the first place. After all. it was old. old indicated large. And of course, the fact its roots reached down into the underworld. And it was fed on blood magic. Well. It sort of indicated to him that the tree would likely look...different. From the other trees in the area. In his travels to the tree. He passed through another village. It was. Strange. Much like a drawing memory of that time with the so called princess. He remembered the early days in this world of the dawn. It had been chaotic. Much like hell remained. There were no villages then. Just people struggling against one another for the resources required to survive. He'd always had an advantage. Being who he was. What he was. But twenty years. It was enough time to change many things it seemed. Before. It was rare to find a community of people that numbered over maybe eight individuals. Most were related through blood. But now, there were villages. Communities. Even towns developing. Humanity joining together. But still. As Jack walked in this village. There was still a sense of. Division. He saw what truly lay there. A transluesant guest. Who didn't truly belong. Standing in their market place. They smiled. Shared welcomes. Traded goods. The man that greeted another smiled, but it was a false smile. Merely exchanging pleasantries. One man was proud of his beautiful wife. The man whose hand he shook, was proud of the fact he was fucking said mans wife. Across the market. An old woman arguing over the trade of an apple. The merchant selling knows his demands were too high. But at the same time. Didn't care. This illusion of working together. That’s all it was. A fragile illusion. Each of these people were out for themselves. They were no better than his kind. At least his own. Had the stones to admit their nature.

Humans deluded themselves into thinking that wasn't the case. That they weren’t as bad as hid kind. In truth. They were worse. Jack had long been separated from this world. He'd cut himself off from it. Remaining in hell so long that he knew little else but the struggle for survival. After all that he came up here rarely, and when he did. He couldn't help but look down on these creatures. These creatures who he had foolishly once thought he had been part of. But then. What more did he know? What more did anyone know? As far as he was concerned.. The only thing worth coming to this place for. Was the weather. These people. Such a waste. These things upon this earth, in the centre of town. Jack cast his magic. There wasn't even a scream as the blood ripped itself from the veins of every single person in the village. It washed over Jack, like a baptismal font. Restoring his energies lost from the trip. The village now lay quiet. Here. There was no more illusion. There was only memory. He moved on, passing through trees, through forests and through wastes. Following the map. Knowing that in time. A human would come across that empty village, see the rotting husks and declare it cursed. But like parasites they would move in eventually. The corpses gone, inhabiting the empty shells of buildings. And a new community would grow. Perhaps that was something about humans. Persistence. If nothing else. They had that much in spades. He passed through the lands of the matriarch, but did not stop to speak, it was not the time. Nor the place. In time, the map became irrelevant. And Jack began to see the braches of this tree, stretching to the sky, like blackened cracks in the horizon.

To him, the tree looked burned out. Blackened. Charred. It looked like a tree from hell. But at the same time. It shared elements with normal trees. Enough to disguise it as merely unhealthy to the unsuspecting eye. Arch had already drawn her teams away from the tree, fearing that prolonged exposure to its indoctrination would crack even the stronger willed ones. A smart move. He stood on a hill looking at the tree, and the village, not too far from its base. It had to have taken a couple of years at least to influence the villagers to this point. He wondered if it was even possible to reverse the indoctrination process on these humans. They had been under the influence of this tree for a long time. Perhaps too long to even bother trying to do so. If they'd been under its influence for...fifteen years. If it'd taken that long since the dawn nd the founding of this community. Those born and living there in the meantime would have known little else. Even if it was removed. Likely the natural indoctrination of the religion would be enough to keep it self sustaining.

Back in hell Jonah was wondering just where Jack had wandered off to this time. The leader of fear had for the most part kept his head down for the past few days. He'd had a feeling Jack wasn't quite in the mood to see him. The leader of fear felt deep shame that he'd left Jack to fight on his own. And despite everything. Had given into his own emotions. His love for his wife. And had placed her before the mission. In turn he'd accidently made Jack the hero of fear and sloth. Binding them to him even more. Of course. He had his own advantages. Jack had been wondering ever since the battles against Rage had been going on just where Jonah had gotten off to during them. In truth. Jonah was doing precisely as he had told his wife he would do. Investigating Jack. Jowan had started off just the same, the strength of pride forcing them into submission. But Jonah had used his own wiles to find out a secret that Jowan wanted buried. And used this secret like a gun to his head. The fear leader wanted the same to use against Jack. Even though he was growing to respect the Pride demon. His peoples well being was important to him And he would have them treated any worse by a pride demon. Unfortunately. Thus far. Investigations on Jack had turned up a big fat pot of nothing. Other than one little point. Jack had. From what he could tell. Not existed until roughly 19 years ago. At least. In hell.

From what he could tell Jack just simply poofed into existence in the infernal realm. Joining Jowan and the other demons of Pride. Which meant until then. He had either kept a very low profile. Or had been living in the human realm. Both of which had their own issues. Regardless he'd spent these past few days with Gerren, he and his wife had been...strained recently. Their relationship had begun to get rocky when the groups began to get fringe elements against their choice of siding with pride. And now with Jonah making decisions that would favour pride further,e ven if it was only temporary. Gerren wasn't liking it. And she'd been awfully cold. Lucky, his choice to leave the tower of rage did have an upside. She'd seen that he placed her wellbeing above that of everything else. And as he imagined. She'd seen it as rather romantic. So had cut him some slack. But now it was back to business and things dealing with the Glutton. But when business time came. Jack was no where to be found.

This was, not good. He needed Jacks opinion on formations. Plans, tactics. Would they raid the undergrounds or would they wait till the glutton emerged into the plains of hell? And of course, how wee the rage demons going to fit in with those of Sloth and fear? As far as Jonah saw it, the simple answer was that they weren’t. Fear and Sloth were used to tactical fighting. Rage were berserkers. Storm troops. They didn't fight like one another. The only option really was to make them a totally different fighting division. Whilst looking for Jack though, Jonah stumbled across something. And it was the best of luck that he did. Jonah hadn't always been lucky. Only time he really could have counted himself for it was his meeting with Gerren. This, was another time. At the seat of Pride. A bunch of Mages had sealed some of his soldiers within a barrier.

The rest were being ritually executed by some dirty looking man. Jonah vowed not to get emotional again. Merely using his skill at stealth to get closer and listen in. He recognised the man. The archaeologist from the tunnels. He couldn't hear much But there was a mention of Jack. A tree. And..it seemed he was talking to a woman. He squinted. One of those tied up next to his soldiers. She was the head researcher from the tunnels. Just what was she doing here?

" I knew you'd try something. Always sneaky. Can't you just accept the bliss we've found? Couldn't you just accept the bliss yourself? These men...the rest of us...we've all seen the true glory of the life tree....It doesn't much matter whether or not your Pride demon goes there....the divine tree shall stand against him...and it shall devour his blood too in the end...". The archaeologist woman seemed to s[pit at the mans feet. " Jacks probably there by now burning the place up". There was no change to the tone of the man however as he spoke. " You speak as if they aren’t prepared for his arrival?....the life tree sees many things...it has given its blessed followers a vision of the defiler...and the powers with which to cage him". Cage, was all Jonah needed to hear. He jumped out of cover. Grasping a hand full of knives and throwing them at the mages and the leader. All hit, however the leader didn't seem to go down in the one, so that’s the one Jowan went straight for, drawing his dagger from its sheath and launching himself at him. The ended up clashing, going into a roll. Driving the knife in the leaders back further and further in. Jonah ended out on top. And swiftly dashed the throat of his opponent. He looked up, covered in blood. Then began the process of releasing the prisoners. The ones who had been trapped by the mages pretty much took care of themselves after they dropped. When he came to the Archaeologist. She just said one thing. The very thing he was thinking so be it.

" We have to warn Jack".


There are some surprises in the world. Humans holding some strength happened to be one. Then there was of course, this little situation. Jack had arrived at the place, moving into the village to see if he could get a closer look. After all trade seemed to move in and out of here rather easily. He could merely take the form of a passerby. A traveller. However when he got inside. He found a problem.He was trapped within the borders of the village someone had drawn a ritual circle made precisely for the purposes of trapping Pride demons. And Jack was not easy to trap. And yet, here he was. Disarmed. And powerless to resist. So. It was merely a case of burlap sack over his head and chucked into the nearest basement. Well this was quite the predicament. He felt around the trap, the magical seals that kept him in check. Admittedly it was impressive. intricate enough that it was meant to target pride demons alone, allowing the demonic members of this cult to walk freely. As well as complex enough that it was capable of making him unable to use his own magic. And sealing his physical prowess. Making him, completely and utterly. Defenceless. Using his enhanced hearing, Jack listened into what he could of the conversations going on outside as to just what to do with him. The general consensus among the cultists was " feed him to the tree". But Jack himself wasn't really a big fan of that idea. With no way to contact anyone. Jack was faced with no choice but to try and hit up Ceila in the library. With one quick movement. He whacked his head off the wooden beam at his side, knocking himself out. After all. It was unlikely he'd be able to sleep naturally tied up like this.

When Jack awakened in the library, he still oddly felt the bonds upon him that existed in the physical realm. But that was the least of his concerns. The situation had indeed degraded here. At least a quarter of the library had already fallen into Sheol. He moved throughout the halls. Calling her name, seeing if he could find her. But. There was no luck. Just as he was about to give in. There was a noise. Faint at first. But then growing louder. The sound of knocking. He made his way to the clearing. And found that the noise was indeed coming from behind the door. The man with the yellow eyes. Deciding that he had nothing to lose at the moment. Jack hopped and jumped his way around the fissuring cracks and made his way into the corridor. At the door he stopped. And as he did so. The knocking did the same. In the Smokey glass, in the darkness. Faded in two yellow eyes. " Ah Jackie, good to see ya again!". An overly energetic. Although somewhat muffled voice. " I see you heard me! good. Good. Because I've got the solution to your revolution!". Jack couldn't help but be sceptical on this. Not just about the fact it was a solution to his problems but also on the fact that no matter how trapped he was, no demon ever did anything just out of the kindness of their own heart. They always had something on their minds. " Alright then ". Said Jack. " Lets hear it". There was laughter from behind the door.

" Its simple. Your bonds are meant to hold a pride demon right?". Jack nodded, not really seeing where the demon with yellow eyes was going with this. " Well its simple, just gotta stop being a pride demon!". Jack knew it was bullshit. He shook his head and turned his back getting ready to walk off. " Hold up!". Shouted the voice from beyond the door. " Its not as crazy as it sounds, trust me!". Jack stopped for a minute, It did sound crazy. How could he stop being himself? How could he become something that he wasn't? " I know what your thinking, and its easy. Just open the door. Just a litttttle smidge. And your problems will be solved". Jack didn't like it. Ceila ahd warned him against everything like this. Even the man behind the door had once stopped him from doing precisely that. Jack reached out a hand. Touched the door knob. It was cold ( that’s it, keep going), he slowly turned it. Still suspicious. Still not fully trusting ( doesn't matter, just do it, just open it already). He felt the click of the lock. And then pulled, just a smidge.Thats when the eyes of the yellow eyed demon went out. They weren’t behind the door anymore. Jack shut the door. And peered through the glass. He knocked on it himself. " Hello?...hello?". No answer, nothing at all. Just what in gods name was going on? He said that he was going to help? Just how in the hell did he think he was going to do that? Fed up. Jack turned around and sighed. Deciding to continue searching for Ceila.


The burlap sack lay in and empty basement.

Ropes lay dead beside it. No Jack to fill them.

Sounds death, of screaming outside. Jack standing triumphant over one of the villagers, the rest running around screaming. Things going to hell. The one below him stuttered. " Why...why aren’t the spells working?". Jack opened his eyes. A yellow iris, glowing slightly in the amber light of the evening. He drew back his sword and grinned.

" Peace and Chicken grease".

The blade plunged into the neck. Severing the arteries. Blood spilling everywhere....



EXP: 5494