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Description
A chill crept into the air as Zemashis followed Rafael through the catacombs of Dis. The only access was through the outer towers that marked the corners of the city's walls, which limited the chances of being spotted. The passage was dark and damp, and stank of rotting flesh and a distinct tinge of rust.
Zemashis gagged as he stepped over a corpse, its empty eyes crawling with maggots. Many such bodies littered the floor in the tunnels beneath the city. Demons were consistantly locked in conflict with one another, and when one killed another, often for claims of territory or dominion, the loser's body was disposed of here. There were those who watched over the catacombs, but the tunnels cover such a vast area, and made up such a complex network of twisting tunnels that they would occasionally get lost, often adding to the problem. There were areas that had never been explored before, leading down far below the surface; into what, nobody knew for certain.
Zemashis felt lost and nauseated, cramped so far below ground in a dimly lit tunnel filled with bodies and gods only know what else. He kept close to Rafael, who had kept silent since entering the catacombs. He began to wonder if his friend really knew where he was going, though he would never say so out loud.
Rafael slowed as he approached an intersection, motioning Zemashis to follow closely. Zemashis crept close to Rafael, who peered around the corner to see if anyone was there. Satisfied that the coast was clear, he ducked to the left, into a collapsed section of the tunnel that seemed to lead downward. "We're directly underneath Damien's palace right now," Rafael whispered. Zemashis kept close to his guide, looking around himself. It certainly didn't look like this was anywhere near the heart of the city. One would think the Lord of Hell would better maintain something so close to home, but then, this was a long way underground, and Zemashis had to wonder if Damien knew about it at all.
Rafael crawled through an opening in the collapsed rock, barely noticeable, but large enough to squeeze through. He offered his hand to Zemashis and pulled him through, the fallen angel tumbling against the far wall. He coughed as a cloud of dust rose around him, the tunnel abviously having been disused for quite some time. He stood slowly, brushing the dust from his clothes and covering his mouth to filter the dust. Rafael continued on into the tunnel, which became a steep slope leading down into the unlit depths of the realm.
"Where are you taking me?" Zemashis finally asked, unable to hold his silence any longer.
Rafael looked over his shoulder, his eyes shining slightly in the darkness. "You'll see soon enough. We're almost there"
Zemashis shuddered, wrapping his wings tightly around himself. He trodded down the slope, his footsteps echoing in the darkness, small pockets of dust stirring beneath his feet. He could feel a chill in the air, gnawing at him as he followed Rafael deeper and deeper into the darkness.
This far beneath the surface, Damien's influence didn't seem to penetrate. It's deterioration was more from disuse than his usual MO. More than that, it was colder here than anyplace else in hell. Zemashis could see his breath before his face, and the sound of dripping water told him there were likely ice formations. He pondered the limits of Damien's power, and as he did so, it became lighter within the tunnel. Looking up, Zemashis noticed faintly glowing lichen growing on the cieling, granting enough light for him to see around the tunnel itself. As he had suspected, there was ice on the walls, and water formed small pools on the floor, which reflected the soft blue light of the lichen. It was unlike anything else in this forsaken realm, at least that he had ever seen. Rafael called to him, and Zmashis focused his attention forward.
Rafael was standing next to an intricate stone door carved directly into the wall at the end of the tunnel, ringed with the same glowing lichen. Zemashis stood in wonder, staring in disbelief that such beauty and subtlety could exist in a place like hell.
"Are you going to stand there gawking all day, or what? Lady Lucifer is expecting you!"

Description
A chill crept into the air as Zemashis followed Rafael through the catacombs of Dis. The only access was through the outer towers that marked the corners of the city's walls, which limited the chances of being spotted. The passage was dark and damp, and stank of rotting flesh and a distinct tinge of rust.
Zemashis gagged as he stepped over a corpse, its empty eyes crawling with maggots. Many such bodies littered the floor in the tunnels beneath the city. Demons were consistantly locked in conflict with one another, and when one killed another, often for claims of territory or dominion, the loser's body was disposed of here. There were those who watched over the catacombs, but the tunnels cover such a vast area, and made up such a complex network of twisting tunnels that they would occasionally get lost, often adding to the problem. There were areas that had never been explored before, leading down far below the surface; into what, nobody knew for certain.
Zemashis felt lost and nauseated, cramped so far below ground in a dimly lit tunnel filled with bodies and gods only know what else. He kept close to Rafael, who had kept silent since entering the catacombs. He began to wonder if his friend really knew where he was going, though he would never say so out loud.
Rafael slowed as he approached an intersection, motioning Zemashis to follow closely. Zemashis crept close to Rafael, who peered around the corner to see if anyone was there. Satisfied that the coast was clear, he ducked to the left, into a collapsed section of the tunnel that seemed to lead downward. "We're directly underneath Damien's palace right now," Rafael whispered. Zemashis kept close to his guide, looking around himself. It certainly didn't look like this was anywhere near the heart of the city. One would think the Lord of Hell would better maintain something so close to home, but then, this was a long way underground, and Zemashis had to wonder if Damien knew about it at all.
Rafael crawled through an opening in the collapsed rock, barely noticeable, but large enough to squeeze through. He offered his hand to Zemashis and pulled him through, the fallen angel tumbling against the far wall. He coughed as a cloud of dust rose around him, the tunnel abviously having been disused for quite some time. He stood slowly, brushing the dust from his clothes and covering his mouth to filter the dust. Rafael continued on into the tunnel, which became a steep slope leading down into the unlit depths of the realm.
"Where are you taking me?" Zemashis finally asked, unable to hold his silence any longer.
Rafael looked over his shoulder, his eyes shining slightly in the darkness. "You'll see soon enough. We're almost there"
Zemashis shuddered, wrapping his wings tightly around himself. He trodded down the slope, his footsteps echoing in the darkness, small pockets of dust stirring beneath his feet. He could feel a chill in the air, gnawing at him as he followed Rafael deeper and deeper into the darkness.
This far beneath the surface, Damien's influence didn't seem to penetrate. It's deterioration was more from disuse than his usual MO. More than that, it was colder here than anyplace else in hell. Zemashis could see his breath before his face, and the sound of dripping water told him there were likely ice formations. He pondered the limits of Damien's power, and as he did so, it became lighter within the tunnel. Looking up, Zemashis noticed faintly glowing lichen growing on the cieling, granting enough light for him to see around the tunnel itself. As he had suspected, there was ice on the walls, and water formed small pools on the floor, which reflected the soft blue light of the lichen. It was unlike anything else in this forsaken realm, at least that he had ever seen. Rafael called to him, and Zmashis focused his attention forward.
Rafael was standing next to an intricate stone door carved directly into the wall at the end of the tunnel, ringed with the same glowing lichen. Zemashis stood in wonder, staring in disbelief that such beauty and subtlety could exist in a place like hell.
"Are you going to stand there gawking all day, or what? Lady Lucifer is expecting you!"