HEAVEN 6

  Falling Leaves 6 ??

  I feel myself drowning, my body is heavy. I don't know where I'm at anymore—everything is such a blur.

  I hear popping sounds as a faint light appears in front of me. It's lavender—-

  It grows brighter and brighter until it eventually swallows me. I don't even react. I feel my body being pulled in.

  I hear grass whistling as I open my eyes. The sky is filled with falling stars in a night sky.

  Oh no—- this can't be. I turn my head and see the grass is lavender.

  "FUCK! I'M BACK HERE?" I shout out.

  I instantly stand up. Damn it all—- this place—- I'm back in the—

  "Hola, welcome to the Reino Astral!" A woman's voice calls out to him.

  *****

  Narrator’s POV

  He turns around quickly and sees her. "Sue?o!" He screams.

  Her appearance is the same—that messy silver hair, lavender eyes, the same black owl cloak,

  "Oh? Seems like you know me? Have we met before?" She asks.

  "Yes! We have! You did all this to me?!" He yells. Clyde then checks his body to see if he has any clothes on this time. Thankfully I have a white robe on—- whew.

  "I did all what to you? Who are you?" She tilts her head.

  "You mind-fucked me last time I was here! Now I'm stuck in heaven with two Grim Reapers escorting me like I'm luggage! I've been through bullshit countless times after I died! And it all started with you!!!"

  Sue?o snorts. "Kid, you must be loco—- you're telling me you died—- and somehow you're in heaven with 'Grim Reapers'? This is the Astral Realm, not the afterlife. You wouldn't be here if you were dead—- Pendejo—-"

  Clyde clenches his fist. "It's true, I died! And a Grim Reaper named Akuji reaped me! I then met two other Grim Reapers! And some Spirit of Life who brought me back to life. Then I ended up in heaven."

  Sue?o twirls her finger near her head. "You sound crazy. And this is coming from someone who literally controls dreams. You really believe the bullshit coming out your mouth? Your story doesn't even make sense—how are you alive in HEAVEN?"

  Clyde pulls his dreads. "I was brought back by a Spirit of Life!!! Please believe me! I can even prove I've been here before too—you can make things called So?adas! Out of nothing."

  Sue?o narrows her eyes. "So? News to me? I believe you've been here before. Just not this ridiculous story you're telling me. Like, come on? A Spirit of Life really? You could have come up with a better name than that—-"

  "It's real! I'm telling you she's real! And the Grim Reapers are real too!"

  Sue?o rolls her eyes. "Oh—- I'm well aware the Grim Reapers are real—- trust me—- there's this one called Danya—- She has some weird magic to put others to sleep! She sends the weirdest creatures to me! I swear if I could meet her, I'd slap her!"

  "YES!" Clyde shouts, "I MET THE DANYA REAPER! I MET HER! SHE HAS RED HAIR! SHORT, LIGHT SKINNED LIKE YOU!"

  "Hmm, yeah, that is the description—- those other creatures told me about her. Red hair and eyes. But still—- just because you know of some Reaper doesn't mean I'll believe your story—-"

  "LADY, USE YOUR HEAD—HOW ELSE WOULD I KNOW ABOUT THIS REAPER!?"

  "Hmm. You do have a good point—- but still, your story has flaws. Especially the alive in heaven—- that's physically impossible." Sue?o responds.

  "Ugh—- I don't know how to explain it to you in a way that doesn't sound crazy."

  A voice then appears behind Clyde. "He's telling the truth, dear—-" A man's voice, calm and deep.

  Sue?o catches herself. "Wait, who is that? Did another person Astral Project?"

  Clyde freezes in shock. "No—- that sounds like—-" He turns around and sees a blob of pure black energy in the shape of a hunched humanoid monster with two wings.

  Sue?o looks past Clyde. "Oh great—- see what I'm talking about! I get the weirdest of creatures here—- Let me guess—you're from the 'Spirit World,' or wait, wait, is it Hell? Ugh—-"

  "W-what are you??" Clyde steps back near Sue?o.

  "Oh right—- you wouldn’t recognize me like this—- I'm the one named Amon, remember? The demon in hell with the fedora."

  "Impossible—- how are you here???"

  Sue?o raises an eyebrow. "Wait? You two met in hell? But he just said he was in heaven? How does one go from hell to heaven—- alive at that fact?"

  Amon floats closer to Clyde. "Well—- I'll answer both your questions. First, Clyde, you've done great so far—- I knew I chose right linking myself to you."

  "Linking yourself to me? What in God's name are you talking about?"

  Amon chuckles. "Your soul is connected to me. So this will answer the girl's question. I'm here because Clyde is here. When he projected here, I was able to come."

  "What the fuck—-" Sue?o mutters. She then turns to Clyde. "Are you some demonic catalyst or something?"

  "I— damn—- Yeah, I might be—-" Clyde admits as he thinks about the past beast summons he was able to perform.

  "Well—- I don't necessarily like demons invading my world—-" She summons two giant blades of glowing energy. "So politely, I'll have to ask you two to leave."

  Amon sneers. "Sorry, love, but it's impossible to leave until Clyde wakes up."

  Sue?o's eyes flash lavender as she looks at Amon. His thoughts play in her head. His goals.

  "Oh, so that's what you're planning? That's a little stupid, don't you think?"

  "Huh?" Amon hums.

  Sue?o points her blade at Clyde.

  "Hey! Get that away from me!" Clyde panics.

  "Using someone like him for a goal like that? It shows you aren't the type to think. Nor think of the long-term consequences."

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "So you can read minds? What else would I expect from a Dream Demon?" Amon observes.

  "Dream Demon? Are you knighting me the title of demon? I would be honored, but when scum like you says it, it leaves a bad taste."

  Amon laughs. "Woman, you can talk big all you like, but your powers have no effect on me. Maybe on the kid, but I'm a different case."

  Sue?o smirks. "The audacity to come to my domain and act like you're untouchable. But if you insist my powers have no effect, then this battle should be a good one, won't it?"

  Amon turns to Clyde. "Mortal, it's best you stay back from this. I still need you—I can't afford you being killed here."

  "How can I be killed in a dream realm?! You guys don't make sense!" Clyde protests.

  "You're just a soul right now, not your physical body. So it's not death you'll experience with me. It's erasure from existence—- and I'll make sure you both experience that." Sue?o gets into fighting stance.

  "NOPE, I'M NOT DEALING WITH THIS AGAIN—GET HER, AMON!!" Clyde shouts while running in the opposite direction.

  Sue?o charges at Amon, swinging her blades as light trails off them.

  Amon forms his hands into claws of shadows, clashing with her blade, sending sparks across the land. Amon uses his other arm to try to grab Sue?o as she dodges at the last second. Placing her hand on the ground, twirling her body, she bends her knee, firing a kick at Amon's torso.

  "Ough!" Amon groans as he stumbles back.

  Sue?o then flips as she holds onto her blades. As Amon is mid-stumble, she slashes his back, lavender light seeps out the slash.

  Amon screams. "OUGHHH!!"

  Sue?o lands on the grass, twirling her feet as wind pressure builds up, causing the grass to whistle. She lands a final roundhouse kick on him, sending him scraping across the grass, breaking the blades apart.

  "I know that's not your limit—stand up, demon." She points her blade at him as dark energy surrounds him. His slash closes.

  Amon stretches. "I'll have to give you credit—you've got some good moves. Attacking me with energy blades knowing I'm just made of energy—- smart. But how did you land your kicks on me? I must ask."

  "Why ask such a simple question? I transfer energy to the blows, the soles of my feet. With this, I'll be able to pound you no problem." Sue?o readies to charge again.

  A line appears on Amon's face as it turns into a smile. "Interesting—- but I'll have to ask you one thing."

  "As if you're in any position to make requests." Sue?o retorts.

  "This is no request, dear. It's truth—- I'm no demon. I would appreciate if you would call me a devil."

  Sue?o huffs. "Trying to sound cool? Some energy blob wants to be called a devil? Please—-"

  "Oh, you'll see—-" he mutters, his smile growing. His shape twists and turns as he grows larger. Multiple arms grow from him as they turn giant, firing at Sue?o like bullets.

  Sue?o slashes and dodges the arms—they keep on coming non-stop.

  She then screams. "SO?ADAS, COME OUT AND PLAY WITH YOUR NEW TOY!"

  Instantly, a bunch of round cat-like creatures surround Amon.

  Clyde in the distance watching sees them. "These things again?! What does she plan to do with them?"

  The arms continue to fire relentlessly.

  "EAT, EAT, EAT!" She orders.

  The So?adas become monstrous as their mouths widen and their teeth become sharp fangs. They charge after Amon and also bite the hands that keep firing.

  Roars echo through the land.

  "OKAY, WHAT THE FUCK?!" Clyde screams as he starts to run further.

  Sue?o starts to twirl in the air as the lavender light from her blade starts to surround her. She spins like a mini tornado as slashes fly out, cutting the arms to pieces one by one. Amon continues to grow in size as he smashes the So?adas. Their blood stains the grass as they cry in agony. He continues to grow giant. Sue?o bites her lip. She flies into the sky raising her hand, she doesn't say a word.

  Amon's giant hands close in on Sue?o like he's about to clap. Before Sue?o can be crushed, a roar can be heard from above as a white serpent-like dragon picks her up at the last moment. Amon's clap sends shockwaves and tremors across the realm.

  "Tch—" Sue?o raises her hands once more as the lavender moon in the sky begins to glow. The meteor shower in the sky begins to change direction, aiming for Amon.

  "AUGHH!" Amon screams as he's hit by thousands of stars.

  The stars continue to fall rapidly. Sue?o’s dragon opens its mouth, a purple light shines from it. It fires a blast of pure lavender light as it hits Amon.

  Stardust and explosions spread across the area. The grass burns as the moon continues to glow.

  Amon's screams can be heard from the chaos as the stars overwhelm him. His arms flail as the ground shakes.

  Clyde falls on the ground as the realm shakes. He watches the spectacle, his pupils shaking. "Holy shit—-"

  The meteor shower stops, Amon's giant body is left on the ground, filled with holes like a honeycomb.

  Sue?o huffs, trying to catch her breath as the dragon roars.

  "I have to wake up now! I'm not trying to be next!" Clyde crawls on the ground, trying to run away, pulling the grass out.

  The dragon roars once more as Sue?o stares at Amon. The holes start to fill.

  His soul is intact after all that? Sue?o whispers to herself as she watches Amon regenerate.

  Amon sits up as his body towers over Sue?o and the dragon.

  He groans. "Well, that was a show, wasn't it? You're really going all out, aren't you?"

  Sue?o taps her dragon to fly up closer to Amon's head. As they reach it, she looks straight at him with her pupils dilated. "You talk a big game for someone who was just on the ground squirming like a roach."

  Amon's smile returns. "I talk a big game? Sure, let's call it that. I talk like this because it's simple." He smugly declares, "You can't beat me."

  Something in Sue?o snaps. Her eyes twitch as she taps her dragon.

  "Die—-" she whispers as the dragon prepares another blast. Bright lavender shines in the air from the dragon like a radiating star.

  Amon looks down at them. "Attacking openly like that?"

  Instantly, one of the arms appears, moving so fast that Sue?o doesn't have a second to process it. She and the dragon are sent crashing to the ground.

  Sue?o coughs blood as it runs down her mouth. Her forehead bleeds.

  "Cheap shot—-"

  Amon returns down to his normal size as he stands in front of Sue?o on the ground.

  "You underestimated me. I'll admit you did put me through real work."

  Sue?o grits her teeth as she struggles to get up—the force of the attack was too much.

  She lifts her head up just barely. "How—- how are you still intact—-?"

  "Hm? Oh, you mean from the falling heavens you unleashed on me? Well, if this was any other circumstance, I would be erased no doubt. But as of right now, I'm quite special."

  Amon points to Clyde as he's still running in the distance. "You see the boy? Let's just say me being linked to his soul—I can live through anything you throw at me."

  "Through his own projection, I was able to manifest. Which in turn, I don't follow the rules of your world. I'm not the one who's projected—I'm simply an addition to him."

  Sue?o scoffs, "You're just a damn parasite—- don't try to make it sound any better than what it is. You're a weak leech feeding off that kid," She smirks, "Fine then—- I'll just erase him to get rid of you."

  Amon chuckles, "Oh, go right ahead and do that. I can find another mortal easily. Erasing him won't affect me. Our souls are linked, but we are not one."

  Sue?o drops her head to the ground and looks at the sky. She inhales air sharply as she exhales.

  "Beaten in my own domain—- by a parasite of all things—-” she takes a breath, “Hmph—- well, this is embarrassing—-"

  Amon turns to Clyde, who's still running in the distance. "Indeed."

  Clyde runs across endless lavender landscapes, the moon lighting his way.

  "Everything looks the damn same in this realm?!" He panics, "I just need a place to hide!"

  He then hears a voice ring in his ear. "Hey, are you okay?" It's a woman's voice—soft and high-pitched.

  "Who's there?!" He shouts as he turns around, punching the air.

  Nothing is there. He grows more panicked.

  "Wake up. Sir, wake up." The voice repeats.

  His body starts to fade as it flickers. "Huh?!"

  Amon, standing over Sue?o, also starts to fade as his body flickers.

  "Well, I guess this is goodbye. It was a nice battle." He bows to her.

  "Your plan will backfire—- even if I couldn't stop you—- trust me, someone will—- you can't just break a system like that." Sue?o warns him, "But you'll learn the hard way—- I know you will. Your arrogance will be your downfall."

  Amon chuckles. "We'll see, dear. We'll see."

  "Sayonara." He vanishes, leaving behind nothing but a broken Sue?o and an unconscious dragon.

  A plan to break a system—- that'll cause catastrophe across the cosmos—- She tries to get up once more. The kid—- he said he was roaming heaven? I have to get to him first—-

  Clyde, still in the Astral Realm in the midst of disappearing, feels his body shake as everything blurs.

  "Wake up, wake up, wake up." The voice repeats.

  He screams as everything goes black for him.

  Instantly, his eyes jolt open. He's sitting under a tree—golden leaves surround him, the grass under him feels soft and smells fresh.

  "Where—-" he mutters as he pants, gasping for air.

  "Hey, you're finally awake!" The voice calls out to him.

  He then turns his head and sees a girl wearing a white cloak. Her skin is pale, her hair is brown and short. No—- not another one—- I'm tired of seeing beautiful females just for them to be crazy.

  She bends down and places her hand on his forehead. "You seem ill? Are you okay?"

  He squints his eyes as the golden leaves blow past her.

  "You don't seem sick or anything. You must have just been resting, huh?" She chuckles, "A strange place to just fall asleep, isn't it?"

  Clyde's mind races as his head feels light. I don't even have the strength to push this girl off me—- great—-

  And for the first time since his death, Clyde didn't have the energy to fight, run, or even curse under his breath. He could only stare at the stranger's face and wonder which brand of madness this one would bring.