Chapter 137: Visiting Hell
Music Recommendation: Abandoned Secret- Fredrik Jonasson
—
Anastasia rode with Dante on the horse, departing from the desolate landscape as they neared towering structures with a slender appearance. In the distance, the faint ding of a bell reached her ears, carrying an ominous undertone.
"Looks like someone has already spotted us," Dante remarked as his horse galloped forward. "Hold tight," he instructed, and the horse accelerated its pace, moving faster than it had before.
Anastasia caught sight of black smoke emitting from the pinnacles of the structures, casting a dark hue over the sky. She whispered,
"This place feels strange," and it wasn’t because of the foreign surroundings. "I feel somewhat empty... and sad," she admitted.
"Grandmother’s potion will require a little more time before it safeguards you from this realm," Anastasia heard Dante say from behind her. "The air saturating hell is brimming with melancholy and darkness. A soul that enters this place and endures its existence here will eventually become consumed by misery and despair."
Anastasia wondered if the Mother Queen knew that Dante would one day take her to the underworld and that she would need the available protection. She asked him, "Did the air of the underworld affect you too?"
"To some extent, but not nearly as much as the lower-tier demons. The more powerful a demon is, the greater their resilience against the atmosphere’s influence," Dante replied to her before adding, "This is why the Devil stands strong, along with the five archdemons who serve under him."
They dismounted from the horse when they finally reached the tallest building out of the lot. Nearby, crows emitted their cawing calls while perching on the skeletal trees. However, it wasn’t the birds, but the other strange-looking demons congregating not too far from the building, that prompted her to move closer to Dante.
Anastasia observed the creatures attempting to detect her scent, even though some didn’t have a defined nose. She felt Dante place his hand on her back as he spoke,