Tower of Hell: Sineville of the Seas, Book 2, Chapter 135

Jonas had spent most of his life poor, underfed, and living in ghettos. That wasn’t including his stay at the Hurts gang, either. To live at places like the Glatorius mansion or a Grandview penthouse suite was a blessing he felt he could get used to having. A butler brought them seafood pasta, fruit platters, and sweets. Jonas and Old Louie could both get behind great food at the low cost of free.

“Eat up, chump,” Old Louie slurped sauce out of an oyster shell and then chugged the whiskey Jonas had poured him. “I’m serious about you not returning until those Sin Scars are gone. I can’t baby you when it comes to this stuff.”

“I heard you the first time,” Jonas helped himself to a big piece of lobster tail dripping butter all over his pasta. “After Sin Suppression, we’ll learn Sin Sense and Sin Shield, right?”

“One thing at a time, but yes. Sin Suppression will be the most important, especially if a psycho like Black Butcher comes after you. We also need to work on your martial arts, but I’m unsure how well I can help you.”

“Huh?” Jonas’ mouth fell agape. “What do you mean you can’t help me with my martial arts? You’re a True Sinner.”

“Well, dopey. Since you’ve never asked, I’ll tell you that I’m a fucking healer and not a combat expert. That’s not to say that I can’t hold my own in a fight, but when it comes to technique and physical training, I’m not best suited to teach you.”

“My martial arts is fine,” Jonas shook his head. “So is my physique. Let’s just focus on Sin stuff,” but Old Louie nearly sprayed him with chunks of food as he protested.

“What martial arts? You’ve never learned proper martial arts. Bare-knuckle brawling could hardly be called a refined martial art. Listen, you little shit. To survive the Sin Assessment, you need at least one martial arts style to learn the foundations of hand-to-hand combat and some grueling exercises much more rewarding than what you’d find in a gym. Non-negotiable!” Old Louie grinned, and Jonas shook his head.

“Whatever. If you can’t teach me that, then who will? Another old friend that owes you a favor?”

“Yes. Smart ass,” Louie waved off the attitude and used his bare hands to crack open some crab legs, and he slurped the meat out.

“Who?”

“Nunya damn business. That’s who. Worry about the missions I give you, and then I’ll tell you my plans,” Jonas shook his head, chugged back his drink, and put aside his dirty plate.

“See you soon,” he was looking forward to some peace without Old Louie, and the prospect of wandering around Liberty City excited him. Twenty minutes later, Jonas had freshened up, changed into prison scrubs, and made his way down the elevator and into the lobby.  He considered wearing fancier clothing, but the objective was to blend in, and most Commoners wore scrubs because they were inexpensive and represented Hell’s caste society. Jonas had gotten so used to wearing regular clothing that he almost forgot what it felt like to walk in public while looking like a prisoner.

“Jonas Ariel,” Julian spotted the handsome youngster and sprang to attention. “Is everything okay?” Tina and her coworker also noticed him, and their expressions tightened.

“We’ll try our best to accommodate any of your requests.”

“No worries,” Jonas waved his hand and smiled.  “I’m just going for a walk. I thought I’d dress down to look a bit inconspicuous.”

“Did you want security to accompany you?”

“That wouldn’t be very inconspicuous. Would it?” Jonas chuckled. “I’ll be fine. I can handle myself. I do have a question.”

“What’s up?” Julian tilted his head.

“Where’s the nearest salon? I need a haircut,” Jonas tugged on the end of his golden hair that had grown past his shoulders. Tina’s expression lit up.

“If you need a good salon, I’ll recommend you stop by Chestnut and Co,” the desk clerk’s words sped up, and it seemed she’d forgotten to be weary of Jonas. “Everyone will tell you that Hell Mane is the best place to go, but, like, sure, it’s cheap. However, I’d rather pay double the price at Chestnuts and get a cut done by an actual stylist than some barber-wannabe ex-biker who’ll probably try to rob you after,” her coworker nodded vehemently.

“Hey, Hell Mane’s isn’t that bad,” Julian looked slightly offended, but Tina gave him a look, and he went quiet.

“Chestnut sounds like a winner,” Jonas imputed the business into his hell phone and saw it was only a twenty-minute walk. “Thanks for the advice. I’ll be back later,” he turned on the spot, put his hands in his pockets, and headed out under the afternoon sun.

There was a bit of traffic cruising along the main road in front of Grandview, but Jonas wouldn’t necessarily say it was busy. Surprisingly, the sidewalks had a lot of people bustling around: all of them wore prison scrubs with neutral colors, nothing too sparkling or showy. Jonas kept his head down and quietly walked the path toward his destination, and he was sure not to make eye contact with anyone, as well as keeping his Sin Scars hidden in his pockets.

He focused on enjoying the freedom away from Old Louie and imagined himself a regular teenage boy on his way to get a haircut. He didn’t feel different or unique compared to the occasional Commoner walking by, and instead, he’d eye them vigilantly and take the long way around strangers. Jonas felt his Pride protest at pretending to be weak but knew the importance of mastering Sin Suppression rather than flexing on the common folk.

He enjoyed his stroll down the busy street and was undisturbed even when he arrived outside the doors of a windowless building shaped like a winter cottage. It had a pair of shiny golden scissors above the front door and the name Chestnut & Co in fancy golden letters. He pushed open the door, and the smell of ginger greeted his nose as he entered a clean and expensive-looking salon. Three female stylists cut the hair of three women seated in comfy chairs, and two more were sitting in the waiting room. When Jonas entered, all their eyes darted over to see who the strange man was that entered. However, they widened in surprise when they saw how young, fit, and handsome he was.

“Good afternoon,” one of the ladies stopped cutting and came to the front desk.

“Hello,” Jonas tried to smile and appear normal. “Haircut for Jonas.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No, mam,” Jonas shook his head.

“No problem at all. I’ll put your name down and refer you to our price chart. It’s going to be about a twenty-minute wait.”

“No problem,” Jonas nodded and watched the hair stylist return to her customer. His eyes went over to the pricing chair and bulged when he saw that a man’s cut cost sixty Sin Stones.

Jonas smiled at the two women waiting and sat a few chairs away. He could feel them peeking at him, but he played on his phone and pretended not to see.

“Hi,” one was Jonas’ age and had curly brown hair. “You have beautiful hair.”

“Thank you,” he shook his head. “It’s getting unruly. I’ve never had my hair this long before. I don’t like going out too much, so I don’t get it cut as often as I should.”

“Relatable,” she blushed. “It’s too dangerous to be worried about a haircut. I pretty much go from home to work and back again.”

“It’s the same for me. I work at a golf course, and thankfully, it has good security.”

“Oh, are you like a caddy? I work at a grocery store.”

“No,” Jonas shook his head. He didn’t feel guilty about lying. Instead, he let his fake backstory roll off his tongue, and it felt so natural that he would have believed it too. “I serve booze and occasionally drive the carts when my patron is too drunk.”

“The tips must be nice?” The woman leaned a bit closer.

“Pretty decent. It pays for my apartment, groceries, and a bit extra to put away each week. I want to save up for a quality security system.”

“Good for you. I’m Mary,” she waved her hand, and Jonas waved back. Unintentionally, he didn’t even think about his Sin Scars, which had faded to the point that nobody noticed: albeit they hadn’t completely vanished.

“Jonas. It’s nice to talk with someone who isn’t mean-mugging or trying to rob you. Do you like Liberty City?”

“I do. It’s dangerous at night, but which city is not? However, I like the job opportunities much better.”

“Mary, I can take you now,” a hair stylist interrupted them, and Mary looked disappointed. “Talk to you after. Good luck.”

“You too,” Jonas leaned back into his chair and glanced at the other woman seated nearby. However, he didn’t have time to start a conversation with her because a stylist called her name, and she walked away to get her haircut.

“Jonas,” a pretty stylist with long brown hair and heavy makeup called him about five minutes later. “What can I do for you today?”

“Cut it short,” he examined his face in the mirror as she wrapped the barber cloth around him. “I’ll trust your judgment.”

“No problem. You’ve got a great jaw hidden by your bangs. I’ll give you a nice cut,” and after thirty minutes of scissor cutting, clipping, shampooing, brushing, blow drying, and styling, Jonas’ long golden locks were lying on the floor.

“Oh, my,” Mary peeked over to see the progress. “You look amazing,” the hair on the side and back of his head was short, crisp, and faded into a few inches of blonde hair styled on the top of his head. “Thanks,” with short hair, Jonas felt more like his previous self than ever. His face was older, his eyes contained experience, and his muscles were abundant, but there were obvious signs of the young, pre-Hell Jonas that the long hair had hidden.

The stylist, Brenda, led him to the front desk and processed him through the payment machine. With tip, the cut cost over a hundred Sin Stones, but the experience of seeing his old self was worth every stone.

“Thanks for your business,” she handed him a card. “Feel free to call and set an appointment any time you want,” Jonas accepted the card and noticed his Sin Scars were barely visible to the naked eye but still not entirely gone.

“Wait, Jonas,” Mary had just finished her cut as Jonas was ready to leave. “Could I have your number?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m with someone right now,” Jonas made a disappointed expression.

“No worries,” her face went beet red, and her voice rose a few octaves. “I should’ve figured. Guys like you don’t stay on the market for long. Take care,” she turned around to pay for her haircut, but it didn’t stop Jonas from seeing her eyes sparkle from emotion.

“Your hair looks pretty. I’m honestly missing out.”

“Thank you,” she nodded but didn’t turn to face him.

“See ya,” he turned and left the salon. When the door closed behind him, he sighed and shook his head. Perhaps, the old him would’ve accepted a date, but the new version of him hated the idea of leading a girl around, knowing he’d already lied to her and would be leaving soon.

Jonas was much stronger emotionally than he used to be and quickly sorted his feelings to shake off the disappointed look from Mary that burned itself into his mind’s eye. His Sin Scars were still visible, and he could feel his connection to his Pride, just ever so slightly. He needed to continue his journey as a normal Commoner.

His next stop was an ice cream parlor, where he bought himself a large vanilla soft-serve cone and had to turn down both girls who’d been serving at the counter. The first had taken her time to ask, building Jonas up with some small talk, but as soon as he declined, her coworker immediately tried right after. Jonas gave a self-deprecating smile as he left the parlor holding his cold treat. However, ice cream wasn’t enough to make him normal.

Jonas continued walking down the street, stopping to interact with whatever he found interesting. He’d make small talk with people, try foods at restaurants, stop to admire landmarks, and took a selfie in front of a giant office building shaped like a turtle. Just before turning to the next street, Jonas noticed a strip club on the corner called Club Dream. He smirked when he considered that a regular teenage boy wouldn’t pass up the chance to see naked women.

A bouncer with faint, flame-shaped Sin Scars mean mugged him, collected a twenty-stone entrance fee, and warned Jonas not to touch any of the girls. He strode into the smokey club while sex-themed music greeted his eardrums. The room was dim, but Jonas could still see two half-naked women dancing on stage and swinging on poles while about a dozen men watched them and occasionally threw shiny paper on stage. Jonas watched from afar, and after the song was over, the women bent over, and their breasts jiggled as they picked up the shimmering paper and stuffed it into their panties.

“Hi, handsome,” said an attractive bartender, and a few men sitting nearby shot Jonas glances to see who’d grabbed her attention. “Do you want a drink? Or I can get you some Dream Dollars to pay the dancers.”

“Sure, why not,” Jonas exchanged one hundred Sin Stones for the fake, shimmering paper money he’d seen earlier, and he bought beers for himself and the gentlemen at the bar, who nodded and thanked him. “Make yourself a drink. On me,” he winked at the bartender, who narrowed her eyes and began making herself a martini.

“Jessica,” said the bartender. “I’m not for sale, but if you play your cards right, I might let you buy me another drink.”

“Well. You might not be a stripper, but you’re damn good at teasing,” she chuckled and clinked drinks with him.

“Okay, ladies and gentlemen,” a hostess picked up a microphone, and her gentle voice soothed and teased the room. “Miss Kenya and Little Spice are taking a break, but we’ve got your favorite dancer making her way on stage, Athena!” Jonas, the bartender, and all the men drinking turned their heads to see the newest dancer come on stage. After the smoke cleared, a beautiful woman appeared with long legs, pale skin, and an innocent smile hidden behind a sparkling masquerade. She wore silvery lingerie that barely covered her busty top and curvy ass, and her dainty figure moved gracefully.

“She’s so attractive,” Jessica licked her lips. “Lend me some of your Dream Dollars. I want a private dance from her,” Jonas laughed alongside the rest of the men. Athena started her dance quite slowly, but as the music picked up, so did her movements, and eventually, she swung around the pole with speed, skill, and rhythm. Men standing in front of the stage started throwing Dream Dollars, and in response, Athena undid her top and slowly let it drop to the floor. Jonas felt his body stir when she revealed her big perky breasts, and for a moment, he forgot why he was even at a strip club.

“Sorry, Jess,” Jonas sipped his beer and counted his Dream Dollars. “I’m saving these for her,” he made his way across the room. When he stepped in front of the stage, Athena glanced at him but only blinked a few times as she lifted herself, climbed the pole, spun a few times, and slowly reclined until she was hanging upside down. Jonas put all one hundred of his Dream Dollars on the stage and pushed them forward, and when Athena came back to her feet, she licked her pink lips and blew him a kiss. Then, she bent over and slowly took off her silvery thong, revealing her pussy and curvy ass cheeks. One guy patted Jonas on the shoulder while the rest hooted, hollered, and tossed their Dream Dollars onto the stage. Jonas returned to the bar, which surprised Athena and Jessica.

“Idiot. Have you ever been to a strip club before? You're supposed to pace yourself, not give all your money away at once. Damn, I changed my mind: I’ll dance for you. Cough up,” Jessica clicked her tongue and gave him a dirty look.

“Get another round of drinks, and I’ll take two-hundred Dream Dollars.”

“Okay, Mr. Money Bags. You better leave a good tip,” she passed him the shimmering bills, and he gave her back half.

“It's yours. Not many people have made me laugh lately,” Jonas appreciated her sharp tongue and a rowdy sense of humor.

“Great. I work at a strip club, but my best asset is my sense of humor. I don’t think my self-esteem will ever recover.”

“I think those Dream Dollars will make you feel better,” the two of them clinked glasses and watched Athena finish her dance. The music stopped after a few minutes, and the crowd went wild as everyone clapped, hollered, and threw money at her. She waved, bent over for everyone, scooped her earnings, and carried what looked like a thousand Dream Dollars off stage and out of sight.

“What a great dancer. I’m impressed,” he turned to flirt with Jessica. “It’s your time to shine. Get up there.”

“Not drunk enough, uh, what was your name?”

“Jonas.”

“Put down a thousand shiny bills, and I’ll tap dance naked,” they both laughed and continued chatting for a few minutes until the hostess came behind the bar and whispered into Jessica’s ear. Her eyes widened, and she glared at Jonas. “I hate you so much right now.”

“Why, what did I do?”

“Athena wants to see you in the backroom,” which surprised Jonas, but the hostess beckoned him, and he knew she was being serious.”

“Well, I guess I should go and hear her out. Right?” Jonas shrugged his shoulders and wore an innocent expression. “I’ll let you know what she says.”

“Fuck right off, you sexy bastard,” Jessica grumbled into her martini as she watched Jonas follow the hostess into the backroom. Part of her was jealous of him, and the other was jealous of Athena.

“Do you know what she wants?” Jonas asked the hostess, who winked at him and shook her hourglass-shaped body as she walked. They went through a back door, turned a corner, and the music started to die as they entered a long hallway.

“These are our private booths, only available through invitation. Athena’s in number four,” she pointed at the last booth at the end. “Be on your best behavior.”

“Understood,” he strode over to booth four, opened the door, and stepped inside. The room was small and occupied by two comfy chairs, an end table, and a beautiful, busty brunette wearing a mask, shimmering lingerie, and sipping a pink beverage.

“Hi,” Jonas said. “Great dance.”

“Thank you,” her voice made his skin numb. “I thought maybe I’d buy you a drink since you were so generous with your Dream Dollars,” she gestured to a large glass filled with blue-colored alcohol. “Are you up for a chat?”

“I’ve got nowhere better to be. My name’s Jonas,” he sat across from her and sipped the drink she offered.

“Just call me Athena. I don’t give away my real name, unfortunately. There are too many creeps in this world.”

“Agreed,” said Jonas. “So, I’m curious. Why stripping? Is it the money?” She tilted her head, and her dark eyes examined him from beneath her silver mask.

“No,” she put her dainty hands on the table, and two bullseye-shape Sin Scars appeared. It looked like worms wiggling beneath her skin and had a ruby-like glow of bright crimson. “There’s something incredible about having a room full of men lusting after you, teasing them, taking their money, and turning them into mindless horndogs who’d do anything to be your love slave. It fuels my Sin in a way that no other method could satisfy. I feel like a hunter using sex to lure in her prey. It turns me on like crazy.”

“Understandable,” Jonas had no idea Athena was a Sinner. Her Sin Suppression technique was so formidable that he’d assumed she was a Commoner. His horniness had turned to trepidation because as soon as she showed her Sin, he could feel the power radiating from her, and it was much more than he could produce. “I’m out working on Sin Suppression at the moment. Any advice?” Athena smiled and sipped her drink.

“The obvious way is to pretend you're a Commoner, and some people will even try living as one for weeks. The second way is to take control of your Sin. I called you here today because I noticed your Sin was Pride. I’ve never met a Crusader before and was interested to see what you’d be like.”

“And?”

“A bit boring, but that’s not a bad thing. Crusaders are known to be wild, unpredictable, and careless toward consequences. You seem level-headed and easy-going.”

“You should’ve met me when I first discovered Sin. I nearly died three or four times because I was too cocky.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Athena sighed and smiled. “Are you a local?”

“Not at all,” said Jonas. “I’m visiting.”

“The Sin Assessment must’ve attracted you. Alas, tickets are way too difficult to come by. Even if I could find one, I doubt I’d be talented enough to pass.”

“Seriously?” Jonas could tell how strong she was. “I’m late to Sinning, but I think I’ve got what it takes to survive the Sin Assessment. Right now, I’m working on some basic techniques and trying to find a ticket.”

“If you’re still working on basic techniques, I doubt you’re ready to take the test. The people onboard the Sineville of the Seas will have long since mastered techniques like Sin Sense and Sin Suppression. I’d wait until next year.”

“You sound like my master,” Jonas shook his head. “I don’t have time to wait, but I won’t tell you why. I’m going to master the basics, find a ticket, and pass that test, and I’m going to risk everything I’ve got to make sure I succeed,” Athena saw the seriousness in Jonas’ eyes and watched his Sin Scars glow splendidly. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt moved by his determination.

“I guess I could give you a little piece of gossip. Have you ever heard of Hatchet LLC?”

“Not at all,” said Jonas. “They’re some sort of company, I suppose.”

“So, they’re the leading brand in fighting equipment: arenas, gloves, accessories, workout dummies, etcetera. Every year they put together these martial arts tournaments, and they charge astronomical prices to watch and even more to join. Their headquarters is in Liberty City, so they usually draw in a few hundred Sinners each year to fight, and the largest crowd ever was over a million people.”

“Shit,” Jonas was in disbelief. “What arena could hold that many people?”

“Hatchet Stadium is incredible and the largest entertainment venue in the Outlands. Think about the most massive arena you’ve ever seen. Now, increase the size by three and stack five on each other. That’ll give you Hatchet Stadium. However, that’s not even the most incredible part. Last year, the average ticket price to attend was ten thousand Sin Stones, and to compete was over a hundred thousand.”

“That’s absurd,” Jonas quickly did the mental math. “Two million people watching would bring in twenty billion Sin Stones. That doesn’t even sound real.”

“That doesn’t include the money from participants. It’s the highest-grossing event in the Outlands.”

“Why would fighters pay that much to join?” Jonas knew he’d never pay that much to fight on a big stage. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“If glory isn’t enough or the ability to fight strong opponents, how about the grand prizes? Cash, mansions, penthouse suites, luxury sports cars, and sometimes cruise ship tickets,” Jonas felt his heart lurch at her words.

“When is this year's tournament?”

“Four weeks. A bit strange because it usually doesn’t happen until the end of summer,” Athena tilted her head and stared heavily at Jonas as if her words contained hidden meaning.

“Why is that strange?” But then Jonas thought of the answer himself. “They’re doing the tournament a few weeks before the Sineville of the Seas departs, which means a golden ticket is probably the prize.”

“It’s not the first time,” said Athena. “Over a decade ago, Hatchet LLC got their hands on a ticket and used it to draw in the biggest tournament crowd ever. There’s no official announcement, but the speculation is enough to tempt any Sinner looking for one. Mark my words, the next few weeks will bring a bunch of Sinners to Liberty City, and I think that’ll be evidence that the first-place prize will be a golden ticket.”

“It makes sense,” Jonas grew excited and sat upright in his chair. “Thank you so much. I appreciate the tip.”

“No problem. I think you’ll die taking the test, but I got a soft spot for hot idiots who march head-first into danger. Let me ask you a question. Do you think you could beat me in a fight?”

“No. But I’d at least try,” Jonas didn’t hesitate to tell the truth.”

“Then I’ve got bad news for you. If I entered the tournament this year, I doubt I’d make the top ten,” Athena’s words were like cold water poured on Jonas’ hopes and dreams. “Maybe last year I could’ve come in the top-five, sure. However, with a golden ticket on the line, it’ll bring in not only the best young Sinners in the Outlands but also veteran True Sinners who’ve failed the Sin Assessment and are looking for another shot.”

“You sure know how to give a guy blue balls,” Jonas chuckled, downed his drink, and sighed. “Not good enough for the assessment, nor the tournament for a ticket.”

“What happened to all the confidence you had earlier? That guy was way more attractive.”

“I’m definitely going to enter the tournament, but I’ve got to find the funds first.”

“You’ll need to learn how to create a Sin Shield before you enter. It’s the ability to harden your aura and form an invisible barrier around your skin to protect you from physical and mental damage. Nearly everyone in the Hardcore Hatchet Tournament will be able to coat themselves with a protective shield. You need to learn it too. However, Sin Shield is hard to do if you can’t use Sin Sense. You need to see your aura to control it.”

“That sounds interesting, but I can’t imagine a shield surrounding my body,” Jonas looked closely at the skin on Athena’s pale arm but saw nothing strange.

“Here. Touch it and open your mind to the feeling of Sin,” she stretched her arm. He placed his finger in the pit of her forearm but didn’t feel soft, supple skin like he’d expected. Instead, he felt a gentle shock that vibrated the tip of his finger and repelled it like it was the opposite polarity to her skin.

“I can feel it. That’s a trip,” Jonas ran his finger down her arm, but the more pressure he put, the more the repulsive sensation pushed his finger back. “What happens if I were to hit you full force?”

“You’d get your butt kicked,” she pulled her arm back and smirked at him. “If your attack is strong enough, it will shatter my shield, and I’d have to try and create a new one. However, it takes a minute for enough aura to be available for a new one, which means you’ll be vulnerable to enemy attacks.”

“That makes sense. I appreciate you teaching me all of this. You’ve been a great help,” Jonas chugged the rest of his drink and gave her a determined look. “I’ve got a lot of work cut out for me.”

“You do,” Athena stood up, stepped toward Jonas, and ran her hand through his hair. “I’m doing another dance soon, so I’ve got to get ready.”

“Do your thing,” Jonas felt numb from her touch, and when he stood up, his entire body was relaxed, and his Sin Scars faded until they were almost gone. “I’ll come back to watch you soon. For now, I need to focus on training. Until next time,” they met eyes and could tell they each felt a great attraction. However, neither was in the mood to act on it. She opened the door for Jonas, and he slowly marched out, around the corner, and back to the main room. The bartender, Jessica, was pouring a drink when she turned and saw him coming back. She shook her head, and her expression was annoyed.

“Oh, good, she turned you down. So you’ve decided to come running back to me. Listen, if you think I’ll be someone’s second choice—you’re correct. Take my number and get out of here,” Jonas stared at her like she was something he’d never seen before. Then, he burst into laughter, and his smile was intoxicating for Jessica, who was momentarily stunned.

“I didn’t plan on getting close to anyone during my time in Liberty City because I’m leaving soon. If you’re okay with that, I’ll take your number,” Jessica glared at him, nodded, and then exchanged phone numbers.

“Let’s link up soon,” Jonas waved at her. “Have a great night,” he strode out of Club Dream with new information, goals, and two acquaintances. All in all, his stop paid off for him. Jonas stepped onto the street with the evening sun shining down on him. What was next? He’d spent the entire day acting like a Commoner but had yet to complete his Sin Suppression training. Jonas knew he was so close to the finish line, and he needed one more push to make it happen.