After Life: Embracing the Depth of Darkness

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I called out to him once again, "Dev!" but there was no response. 

Slowly, I approached him, stopping just in front of him. Leaning down, I peered into his face, but his eyes remained open and unmoving. It was as if he had become a living statue, frozen in time. With great caution, I extended my forefinger, almost touching his right pupil but stopping just short. Still, he showed no signs of reaction. He didn't flinch or even blink. It seemed as though he had ceased to breathe. 

In desperation, I shouted his name once more, hoping for a reaction, but there was only silence. I reached out and gently touched his shoulder, and that's when I saw it—a vision. He was seated in the chair, engulfed in flames. The fire consumed him, yet his body remained intact. The agony he endured was unbearable, his screams piercing the air.

 The heat was so intense that I had to retract my hand immediately, afraid that I too would be burned. I was at a loss for how to awaken him, how to bring him back from this torment. I couldn't bear to witness him in such excruciating pain. Questions flooded my mind, questioning the nature of fate and justice. Was it wrong to save those innocent children? Where was the justice in this punishment? 

My anger towards the gods swelled, believing that they deserved this hell, not Dev or myself. Taking a deep breath, I made a decision driven by what I felt was right. I reached out and tenderly touched both of his cheeks with my hands, feeling the intense heat emanating from his burning form. I could see him engulfed in flames, his suffering unbearable. 

"Dev, can you hear me?" I asked, but his screams drowned out my voice. 

"It's just an illusion, Dev. Snap out of it," I pleaded, hoping to break through to him. 

However, I couldn't bear to hold his face any longer. I reluctantly withdrew my hands, knowing that my touch had no effect on his frozen state. I felt helpless, unsure of how to free him from this hellish torment. 

Leaving the chamber, I rested my hands against the cold, comforting surface of the black rock walls. Looking up at the sky, the atmosphere resembled a slot canyon, trapping me in its eerie embrace. My palms, chilled to the bone, began to numb under the frigid conditions.

 Determined, I reentered the chamber and placed both of my palms gently on his face. Once again, I witnessed him screaming, situated a few feet away in the chair surrounded by engulfing flames. 

Taking a deep breath, my own breathing quickened as a surge of emotions coursed through me. Stepping closer to him, I could feel the intense heat radiating from the blazing inferno. Bracing myself, I laid my hands on his shoulders, hoping to somehow break him free from his agonizing ordeal. 

"Dev, come with me," I said, determined to free him from this torment. It was heartbreaking to witness him in such excruciating pain up close. Surprisingly, my hands did not burn upon contact with his scorching body, though I could feel the intense heat emanating from him. Perhaps it was the chamber itself that was causing this sensation. 

With all my strength, I attempted to lift him. The burning sensation intensified, but he responded and stood up. 

Taking hold of his elbows, I guided him towards the door of the chamber. Slowly, we made our way out. I stepped out first, pulling him along. As we neared the door, he dropped to his knees, taking in a deep breath.

 I released my grip, and the vision of his suffering dissipated. We found ourselves back inside the chamber, him sitting in the same chair, but now he was no longer frozen like a statue. 

He blinked, tears streaming down his face. Kneeling before him, I held his face, wiping away his tears. "Let's get out of this hell," I said, gently removing my hands from his face.