*“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”* - Winston Churchill BANG! I woke up in a dark wood. Far away through a clearing of trees was a hill with light shining upon it. It called to me. The more I gazed upon the grassy knoll, the more I heard a subtle sound of a choir singing. I took a step towards it when a furious claw flew at my throat. A leopard with feral eyes let out a hideous growl. It stood between me and the path to the golden hilltop, where I desperately wished to go. Two more animals appeared from the wood: a wolf and a massive lion. ”Looks like you better run!” A voice said from behind me. Drums played from somewhere. Not tribal or hand drums. Double kick drums far off in the distance, like from a metal song. *Am I losing it?* I thought to myself. The animals lunged. I ran. “In a way,” the voice replied to my thoughts, “You’ve lost it all.” I heard them fast on my tail, and ran with everything I had in me. I was surprised when I suddenly faced a rock wall rising impossibly high out of the forrest. The music was coming out of a single cave entrance, ominously lit. Now, looking into the cave, I didn’t hear the drums. I heard another choir. A horrid sound of moaning voices. It rose and fell, guitar crescendoing in the background. The drums kicked back on and the red light blasted from the cave mouth. I could hear the beasts at my heels. “Better go in…” the voice returned, this time sounding greedy and hungry. Standing directly in front of the mouth of the cave now, I noticed the sign above the door. “Oh… fuck!” I called out to the sky. The three animals broke into the clearing. They were no longer the noble forms I had seen before. The leopard was missing all of the skin on its face, now just a bloody dripping skull for a head. The wolf was a rotting, sickly-green monstrosity. Pus oozed from its mouth. The lion had doubled in size... and it was made of fire. Its mane a blazing halo of lapping flames. “Oh, FUCK!” I screamed again. With no other choice, I sprinted to the mouth of the cave. The sound of black metal guitar, choir and drums hit so loud it hurt. I dove under the sign, the monsters at my heels. I knew full well where I was headed. The sign read: *Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.* [[Chapter 1 | Enter Here]]