There are five thousand and one Grim Reapers responsible for collecting and escorting souls between the two known realms of existence: life and the afterlife.
Griffin knew his curiosity set him apart from all the other Grim Reapers, but he never und...
This is an ongoing story. If it's your first time reading the novel I suggest you start from Episode 1. If this episode is not where you last left off, then please check the Table of contents of all episodes released so far and find the last episode you read and continue from there.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Kingdom of the Red Rose (Episode 8 of 62) Chapter Three: The Devil's Regret (Part 3 of 3)
The Anthills exist between Purgatory and Hell's second gate, and the name is owed to the land's appearance when one flies over it. On the surface you can see countless holes resembling ant nests, surrounded by small mounds of rock and mud the Demons have piled up high in the process of digging those holes. They act as entrances, leading into a never-ending maze of tunnels that expand underground and end at the Brim of Hell.
As for the name Bug Demons, that's what Grim Reapers call all the Demons at the Anthills. They use various transformations that resemble a plethora of insects. The Demons' appearance is due to natural selection, as it is their job to create and maintain those tunnels below the Anthills. They choose to transform into bugs whose bodies help in digging and carrying heavy loads around.
The name is also meant as a joke as the Bug Demons are the lowest in Demon hierarchy. Unfit to become soldiers or torturers, they are reduced to manual labour, adapting and struggling to survive. Griffin knew that despite how terrible it looked the Bug Demons had it pretty good. Up in Purgatory they were free from painful torments other than the whips of their superiors, always pushing them to work faster. And even though they are the weakest type of Demon one can encounter, like most insects they live in colonies, and when they are high in numbers, they are strong enough to bring down even a team of Angels.
Griffin smelled the wet sand and knew he was near the surface. The sky above the Anthills is constantly cloudy and gloomy, and more often than not it rains.
"I hope the Angels get here in time. The bug Demons must know I'm heading their way, and I'm sure they're waiting for me."
Claws scratching echoed in the tunnel and Griffin spotted countless Bug Demons digging their way in as he was traveling through, emerging just under him, trying to pin him to the wall. He manoeuvred and cut through them until he reached the exit. He exploded out the tunnel, looking down, in anticipation of any Demon that might jump after him, but he never thought to look up.
Tens of Bug Demons started falling from the sky. Before Griffin could react, demons piled on top of him and forced him to the ground hard, where even more Bug Demons crawled over him, forming a giant hill made of Demons that held him down. They took away his scythe and Nathaniel's soul and forced him to his knees in the muddy waters. They restrained him and thousands of them gathered in a circle around him in the rain. Two Bug Demons held each of his arms in their large pincer-like mouths. Their master moved across from Griffin, holding Emma in his hands, and used Nathaniel's chained soul as a sitting stool.
