Dio first hell

Dio awoke surrounded by hounds. They tore his flesh and greedily swallowed it, and they chewed at his bones. He wanted to scream, to reprimand them, but the mongrels were already at his throat. They lapped at the blood from the chalice of his jugular, now a trough filled with everflowing ichor.

The dogs were the only sound he could hear. Not even the wind could reach his ears. The terrible grinding of teeth, the snapping of jaws as they fought each other for his body. Barks and growls pierced his eardrums, when the fangs weren’t gnawing at his ears themselves.

The only thing pleasant to the senses was the sky. It was a beautiful day. The sun was setting, and wispy, white clouds belied the warm, orange skies. Leaves rustled in the trees. Dio felt nostalgia rushing through him. He had been here before, when he was a boy.

He sniffed the air. Something hot. Something foul.

With what little strength he had remaining, he lifted his neck. Blood spilled out, but he did not care. Through hazy eyes, he saw it: the back of Joestar Mansion. That, coupled with the smell of burning.

Dio lay back down. And he laughed— well, he tried to laugh, what really happened was his blood bubbled up and down within his throat. He saw what was happening. This was Hell. Or at the very least, purgatory. Where his sins came back to bite him, literally in this case.

Dio turned over. As his blood spilled onto the grass, he eyed the furnace. If ironic punishment was what whatever god or deity wanted of him, then he would be happy to oblige. He gripped the grass, his fingernails dug into the dirt. The Hellhounds nipped at his exposed heels.

Let them do as they wish, Dio thought to himself. It made no difference in the end.

At last, he reached the furnace. When he held his palms against it, it was hot and ready for him. He laughed/wheezed some more as it burnt and hardened his blood. Dio opened the door, hoisted himself in, and shut it behind him.

Smoke filled Dio’s lungs, and he laughed. His skin flaked away, and he laughed. His blood spilled onto the coals and sizzled and cooked and he laughed, laughed, laughed. Was this the best they could do? Truly?

The embers ate away at him and consumed him. And Dio simply laughed the whole time.

- Ragnarust Finals