Canto VII

(We entered the Fourth Circle of Hell. I've been thinking about what Laguardia said. Would I save those people? Would I take pity on them? Could I trust myself not to spit in their face? I am, first and foremost, a man of the Lord. The Lord's word says to forgive all... but I don't think I can bring myself to forgive these people. Not after what they've done.)

L: We are here. 

(Then I saw a great golden throne. I saw statues lined up in a circle around the throne itself. Their mouths were contorted into screams. I thought I could hear muffled moans from inside. I saw some try to move or wobble as we passed along. Then my eyes drifted back to the throne. On it sat a man who was partially made of gold, from the feet to his waist. The rest of his body seemed to be covered in sand, and he held a golden scepter. He had two buttons made of ruby and emerald on either armrest of his throne.)

L: This is Plutus. He is the master of the Circle of Greed. Around him, you see some of the greediest men who have ever lived, forced to live forever as his ornaments.

Plutus: Pepe Satan, Pepe Satan! Aleppe! Ah! Ah! Welcome, welcome! You've finally arrived!

L: Plutus.

Plutus: Ah, you remember me? Yes. Good. I'm afraid that people told me to block your path.

L: Block our path? Who had commanded you to do such?

Plutus: Ah, people. People like me. People above in the upper circles, people below. Malacoda, Cerberus, all are against you. Made many enemies, hm? Hm?

L: ...I see.

Plutus: How about this? I will give you a choice! Yes! A choice! There are three options: yes, the first is that you turn back on your merry way, and I may spare these souls and release them from their golden bonds! Then you may turn back and enter the corporeal world, free of blemish!

(I looked at the statues. There must have been fifty in total. Fifty tormented souls. They could all be saved.)

Plutus: Option number two. You pass on, and I shall destroy these souls and cast them into the pit of nothingness below the ninth circle!

(No. I couldn't let him.)

Plutus: The third and final option is this. You simply say "Pepe Satan." Only once. I will get the message. I will press this button. *Points to the emerald* And I will release myself from the golden cast around my legs. I am only allowed to if you say it. If you do, I will let you pass and release the souls. But I will be set free. I had to tell you that last detail, for it is important to your decision.

(None of those options... I couldn't do any of those options. If I went back now, I would never learn to overcome what faced me. I'd be showing cowardice. But the souls would be released. If I moved on without saying the words, then those souls would be obliterated. I didn't want them to cease. I didn't want that at all. But if I said the words, then he would be free. He might go back on his promise, he might destroy the souls, he might come after us. No... none of the options could work.)

No.

Plutus: What?

I choose none of your options.

Plutus: That's impossible! You must surely choose-

(Then I punched him in the face. He groaned inwardly and fell into his golden lap, dazed. Quickly, I pressed the ruby button. I heard a rumbling. And then Plutus giggled. I saw the platform fall away from the statues. I heard their screams fade away... but they only faded away so much. I could hear them echoing but then suddenly... I couldn't.)

Plutus: Nice try. Nice try! But I always have another-

(I punched him. Again and again I walloped my left and right knuckles into his face. I never did such a thing in my life. It felt gratifying to punish this demonic bastard, but it, at the same time, made me take a big look at myself. I stared long and hard into my psyche after that moment.)

Plutus: *Hack* You're going to go to Violence, aren't you? Good, it's where you *spit* fucking belong-

*Punches*

L: Let him go, Riccardo.

*Pants* ...no... I need to...

L: Let. Him. Go.

Plutus: Better do what he says....

*Punch*

You're nothing.

(We walked on that day. I was silent for the rest of the journey. When we reached the inner sectors of this circle, we saw people in rows upon rows moving heavy weights on chains in one direction, towards each other. They crashed, and I heard their screams of agony, then they went in the reverse direction only to do the same thing again.)

L: These are the Greedy. The one row is the Prodigal, those who have hoarded their money and had done absolutely nothing for it. And then there are the Avaricious, those who have squandered it all on meaningless things, mainly clergymen and corrupt politicians who used it selfishly and worked not for the will of the Lord- ... Riccardo?

...

L: I see...

...

L: Is there something you wish to talk about?

...no. Go on.

L: See that they have faces, but you can recognize none of them. This is because of the fact that they had made little impact on the world save to themselves. But the one characteristic all down there share is this- they did not follow The Wealth's law...

(I walked on. I didn't care.)

L: Riccardo. Return.

(I kept walking. But suddenly my feet held in place. I looked down to see two elongated shadows like claws had gripped them. They pulled me back to the cliff's edge.)

L: The Wealth, the being that oversees all worldly goods. Is told from God where they go, is told to oversee that they play by the rules, is the being that controls all monetary worth. For God passes this on to a lower form, as human wealth is nothing.

Are you done yet?

L: Excuse me?

Are you done yet?

L: ...yes, but that is not the point. You are supposed to be learning a lesson. Look at me. Look at me!

...yes?

L: You couldn't have known. You could never have known. You may think it's your fault and that you've shamed yourself, but arrogance and impudence will get you nowhere.

...I know I couldn't have known that button would release the souls down into the...

L: I'm not talking about the souls.

(I stared at him. I knew what he meant. I didn't want to know what he meant, but it was there. Right in my face. He finished. He looked upon me with that disappointed expression of his. I no longer cared. All I cared for was to finish this. I'd face any trial that came to me if only to finally be free of this place. Not even halfway done... and I was already fucking sick of this place.)

L: Now... here we are.

(It was as to a giant beach of mud and blood. People everywhere for miles upon miles, clawing each other, tearing off limbs, gouging out eyes, ripping each other to pieces. Then I saw them reform completely, only to brutally mangle each other again.)

L: These are the Wrathful. They have so consumed themselves with anger, hate, and prejudice, that they wear their burden by fighting each other in bloody combat for the rest of eternity. However, some of the Wrathful take their sport not fighting the other Wrathful. If you look into the bank, you would see The Sullen, those who had squandered away the light of day in huts, as hermits, hating other forms of humanity. They are The Wrathful's prey.

...

L: Any questions?

Who holds dominion here?

L: No one. It is anarchy. *Sigh* I see you are tired. You may rest upon this narrow path, safe from the Wrathful.

Yes, Laguardia.