I tumbled into a hot place. The sky was black with glowing red. Nothing seemed flat, it's like the ground either rose up, or falls down. I tried standing, but it was difficult. The air was hard to breathe, very sulfuric. Mountains rose above me, and a deep red like lava issued from them. "Bane, we are in Gehenna, it's going to get too hot for you here. I carried only my chain mail, my magical shield and of course, Derra. Akon had the potions, which at this point, I would try out. "Maybe I can survive until tomorrow, when you can heal me again." Derra let out a hum that I could tell she wasn't pleased. We climbed up the mountain, and hot lava started to run about my legs. My armor is pretty good protection, but a liquid foe can get through and burn me. I leap up and land on another mountain, streams of lava fell from it too. I couldn't believe how dead I will be.

From this distance I could see a Tower. No paths lead to it, and of course the ground goes down, and the ground rises up. From here I can see that I'd go further down more than I go up, and that there is very few places that doesn't have lava, but it isn't thick, or deep. I walk down and then up and then down towards the tower. Derra informs me the tower is probably a lair for the arcanoloths. I know not to trust this fiends, but dealing with them is probably a little better than dying on this plane. My body grew weary after a while. I was still some distance from the tower. I was in area not lava filled. I took off my boots and sat down on the uneven ground. My lower legs and feet were red, and the sulfuric ash didn't help them either. It felt horrible. I covered them with my shin pieces of mail. Then the ash was burning my legs. There didn't seem to be a solution to this, so I painfully slipped my boots on, still hot from stomping in lava, replaced my shin guards and continued onwards down.

It was getting worse, my legs hurt, and buzzed with pain from the burns. I would die here, and die painfully. I knew I would have to work at a point of strength to get anything out of the 'loths. Also this gold...jink might persuade them. I had a large number of coins I'd collected from the dragon. My legs are usually strong, but the pain was getting worse as more volcanic ash laps upon my legs, where the padding and the armor isn't protecting. The ground was hot as well, and my boots were burning my feet. I started limping, as it was painful to walk. Derra sighed, she could temporarily heal me, but the metal boots are still hot, and they'd start searing me again. I guess it might just prolong my agony. I didn't groan, or moan, even though no one could hear me. It seemed like an eternity till the tower was looming over my head. It was built into the side of the volcano, because there is no flat land to build anything. It seems to be made of a metal that isn't iron or steel, but looks similar to the metal that my armor was made of, but not exactly.

A cloaked figure came out of the building and walked off into the distance. There was something familiar about that figure, but I couldn't place it. The door at the bottom opened again, and a furry creature who IS familiar came out. He was the fiend that led us to the red dragon. What was his name? Metran? The fiend turned his head towards me and grinned. "Greetings Bane. What brings you to my neck of the woods?" I drew Derra out and the fiend backed up. "You bastard I ought to cut you apart and feed you to some larva!" The fiend gave a surprised look. "Who me? Whatever for?" I replied "You betrayed us to that red dragon, he knew we were coming." The door opened and another Arcanoloth came out "Brother Metran, are you all right out there?" Metran gave a grin that said, "You are in trouble now." The fiend looked at me and smiled "Brother Metran, you didn't tell us you had a guest. Why don't you ask him in?" I answered before Metran could agree with him, and I would be surrounded by fiends who'd want to claw my heart out. "No, I just want a way back to Sigil. I have jink and will pay generously for a guide who can get me there. Metran smiled "Just jink?" I pull a bag off my belt. "5000 platinum when you get me safely into Sigil." The fiend smirked. "Is that all? I'm afraid that is unacceptable." I pull out a number of large gemstones, some diamonds that found with dragon's treasure. "There. Those diamonds, and the platinum." The fiend grinned. "Still not acceptable. I want the ruby." I raise my sword with the right, my black rose shield with the left. "How about I cut you into fiend cutlets right now?" Mentran looked at his fellow fiend and said "My allies will tear you apart. My blade slashed and cut down the fiend, and my blade slashed him again and again. The fiend tried to defend himself, but he was cut into pieces. I turned my sword to the other fiend who was bending over to pick up the bag. "You want a piece of me fiend?" The fiend jumped up. "Why actually, I'd take the offer to get you to Sigil. It seems very attractive to me." This wasn't a surprise to me, and it didn't make me feel much better.

We started along the way towards a gate to Sigil. The gate apparently needed a key, a tongue of a dishonest being. The fiend had a sack with a larva in it, which would be used to get us through the gate. The fiend spoke "So Bane, how did you get into Gehenna?" The fiend saw that I was weakened, but my sword and shield were both giving me strength to carry on. "You mean you don't know fiend?" The fiend snorted "You offend me, do you think I'm some sort of spy?" I replied "No, I think you are some sort of snake." The fiend's expression turned to a smile. "You wound me again. If you didn't want my help, why are you willing to pay me so much?" I looked at him "Do I have a choice. I certainly couldn't find another way out, and any of your cohorts would deceive me as well, but I am hoping a lot of jink will keep you from doing that." The fiend smiled "Of course" He's going to deceive me. But to who?

We get closer to gate, and I see a number of fiends, a Cornigon, and some Hamatulas, Abashai, and others, about 20 fiends spread out over the territory. I stop the 'Loth. "You did betray me you bastard." The fiend replied "What are you talking about?" I replied "Those fiends." I pointed at the Cornigon. "How can you see them?" The Loth replied. I answer "I have a knack for seeing invisible things." The fiends started moving towards me. "Where is the gate." He pointed just past the fiends, and started to speak. I grabbed his tongue and slashed down with my sword. The tongue sliced off. The fiend shrieked, holding his mouth. I stabbed him and he crumpled. He wasn't dead, but he wouldn't be moving anywhere soon. I took the black bloody tongue. It wants a lying tongue, nothing would be better than this one. I pocket it in one of my belt pouches and grab the diamonds. A huge voice bellowed from the large orange fiend. "Bane, what is wrong, we just want to bring you back to lead another assault versus the Tanar'ri. I should have known. I'm too useful to slay. I wasn't in much condition to chase or fight. My legs were burnt, but my anger made me forget about most of the pain.

I ran forward, going straight towards the lead fiend. I stabbed and it jabbed into his mid-section. He roared, the other fiends were in shock. This obviously was the least logical attack move. Derra let me know telepathically that the gate was twenty feet away. I yanked out Derra, and rushed past the fiend. There were three Hamatula ahead of me. I charged them. Derra slashed one, the shield slammed into the other, knocking him down. The third attack and his spiked fists ripped pain into my shoulder. I was five feet away, the longer I fought would better chances of my getting captured. I kicked the fiend I stabbed, and slashed the one who struck me. The Cornigon was rushing towards me and flicked his spiked whip, and the strength of the blow knocked me forward. I rolled over the knocked over Hamatula and my eyes saw through glazed lens the gateway. I was in sad shape, but I was so close to escaping, I found the strength. I leapt forward, very pathetically, but enough for me to hit the gate and land in the stinking streets of Sigil.

Briefly I sucked in the foul air, and sucked it in with pleasure. In comparison to Gehenna, this was freakin' paradise! Suddenly I was assaulted again. The Hamatulas came through the gate. We were in an alley, unless a Hardhead was close, I'd be killed. Behind the Hamatula, came the Cornigon. His head came through "You are bright Bane, but it won't save you." I can heal you now Bane. Twenty-four hours have past. My eyes widen, and I say, "Heal me" Instantly my wounds, and the pain disappeared. The burns on my legs vanished. Now the fight was even. I slashed one of the wounded fiends, and he spilled out. The Cornigon realized his chances were slim now. My shield deflected all the other fiends attacked with. I struck the other wounded Hamatula and he stumbled. Derra liked hurting fiends. He still had a large stab mark in the center. He pointed at me, and a bolt of electricity struck my shield and vaulted me back ten feet. The large fiend flapped his wings and carried the Hamatula away.

A number of cutters in red armor came towards me. Mercykillers are the name of their group. They believe in punishing the guilty. "Halt!" They yell. Even though I have physically recovered, it's been almost two days since I've been asleep, and my energy flowed out of me. I felt my body give up to sleep.