Dante Book III Canto XXXIII Finale

 Finale

Centre of Hell

Scene I

 

The first sight that was seen by Dante was surprising. One moment he was walking to the Last Circle where he was to meet the Devil but he was shown otherwise.

Dante was not more in Hell, which was obvious unless Hell was a laboratory with many consoles and wires attached to them.

Dante was strapped to the metal deck that served as his bedding. He was strapped on his arms and legs.

Dante was not into his uniform but in green scrubs that was normally worn by surgeons.

Dante had wires attached to his head.

“Where am I? Where is Virgil?” Dante called out.

“Welcome back, Dante? That is if its okay for me to call you that.” The figure addressing Dante was an elderly man seen from the half mask he had on. The mask covered his upper face from the nose to the top of the head. It was a half mask with the double horned. Shaded in red naturally. The figure was dressed in the white coat with the uniform seen beneath it. It was an uniform with the

“I am General Doctor of Science Dante Bormant of the New Empire. I am better known as the ---”

“Dante Bormant. I heard of your name.” Dante looked at the General.

“We shared a name but I am sure we are different. You are more like a pacifist and myself a killer of sorts. My soul will be damned to Hell. Did you really read Dante’s Inferno? The original scrolls.”

Dante had looked away. He was confused. One moment he was in Hell, then he was facing the one person that he had met once before in a poet’s circle in Florence. Dante Bormant was a ardent speaker on the topic of ancient Florence poets including the original Dante’s works. He was arguing for the poet’s interpretation of Hell, and believed that sinners will end up in Hell.

“I may end up there but before I go there, I will create my version of Hell here.” It was then Bormant walked off the stage to the surprise of the attendees. They called him a ‘brute’ and also a ‘liar’.

Dante had chased after the poet and quoted the original Dante words to the other.

“Consider your origins: you were not made to live as brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge. Dante Alighieri. Remember that, Senor Doctor Bormant. I am named also Dante.”  That was how they met the first time. It was to be the few more before the Doctor went missing. And the war started. Their conversations were intense and most times conflicting.

“You are not a brute which was what the others call me but I met you outside and I liked your notes.” That was their second line of talks.

“A brute? I think I was more than that. I am nicknamed the Devil himself. I wore that mask when facing the public.” The General let off a deep laugh. Dante shied away for he had known the reputation of one called the Devil General. He was reputed to command the Devil Brigade that was feared by the Army. He was also winning battles and the one where Bocca had led the Volunteers to the ambush was arranged by him.

“Hello again, Dante. I was surprised that they found you in the forest. Your name was seen when they were transporting you to the detention camps. Nasty people they are without finesse to their methods. Nasty guards and bad food, with uncomfortable bedding if any. I had your transfer intercepted and brought you here.” The General addressed the poet. “I had to kill two officers to give me access for you. Being the General does not work for them there, but the persuasion did.”

“Actually, I lied.” The General laughed “The Devil never tells the truth. I do tell lies to get my works done. Your ---- dream like journey prompted by the desire to see Beatrice was mine to concoct on. I had you marked when I found you. I had everything planned and got you for my test.”

“Where am I?” Dante asked.

“You are in my prison or rather my creation for the detainees.  I created a virtual Hell based on the notes of Dante’s description. I mean it was what I believed in like Dante’s words. He is a like a God to me.”

“You ---” Dante was gasping for words.

“I am not mad, Dante. I am a genius and you were the perfect test subject. I had known of your affliction for the Empress. You told me so in one of our meets. We were that close.” The General smiled. “I had my need of intel and this contraption was mine to get it. Many others will have gone mad in the virtual world but you amazed me. I had you for a poet but you turned out to be a fighter. But what baffle me was who were you talking to? Who is Virgil?”

“Virgil?” Dante mumbled out. “He ---”

“Virgil. I could not place the name. I recalled now. Virgil was in the original poem. He was Dante’s companion. You manifested that into the dream I created. A applaudable effort or there is a glitch in my program.” The General sighed. “I took a long time to call up the program and from all the detainees I tested, you are not the only one who reached the Ninth Circle.”

“Bormant, you were a programmer of sorts. Was it virtual reality? You created---”

“I created a portal the damage to the mind while I extract intel. It was my ‘Mein Stück des genialen Verstandes‘ (Translated from German; My piece of the genius mind ). Each circle was to allow me to data mine into their memories. I want to win. You mentioned the same to me. You want to win too.” 

“Bormant, how did you become who you are now?” Dante turned to look at the General. “I have no intel in me. I am just a Volunteer.”

“You are assuming too much, Dante. I had glitches in my program but you may be the key to solving it.” The General admitted his issue. “That was why I brought you here. I designed this based on Dante’s original scrolls. Only you will understand it.”

“I am not a programmer. I am a poet for God’s sake.”

“God won’t help you at all.” The General smiled. “I made sure of it. God banished those he dislike there.”

“General, we have a situation.” The aide to the General called out. “Our system is being hacked. I am losing control of it.”

“Hell!” The General cursed out.