“Fucking bastards.”

  Teysu soared through the sky, cleaving clouds apart as they hissed and vanished behind him. His right arm hung mutilated, barely attached; his legs jolted with each desperate thrust of flight. His eyes—bloodshot, sleepless—burned against the sunlight.

  “Those bastards— those humans, they’re coming after me.”

  He grit his teeth and looked up to the Sun. The bright yellow beacon shined on his face— kissed; the star glimmered.

  Hope.

  Teysu grabbed his shirt— ripping the asylum attire off— revealing his scar-laced torso.

  “I did nothing— I’m being my nature! The strong survive— the weak die! I had to become strong because I won’t die out!”

  The fabric fluttered away into the void of future he no longer believed in— he pointed; his right index finger mangled as he screamed.

  “I was fucked over— all my life! I get chosen— the first time ever! Ever, someone looked at me with no malice— no hatred! I get punished! I get this treatment?”

  He grabbed his cape with his left arm as the fabric began to tear— inch by inch.

  “Why curse me! Who made this world? Born unlovable— born forgotten, nullified by others— my presence treated as a pigsty to be ignored! Who created this new world! Who created the old world! Who cursed me! Who killed my parents— my loves, my ambition— MY SOUL!”

  Tears welled. The spirals in his pupils faded to dark hazel; turquoise drops slipped down his face, pooling below him, reflecting the sun.

  “How do you! Why do you! Look below— look at the carnage I’ve done due to my power— respect my ambition! Respect my confidence! Respect my motivation!” Teysu pointed his left arm at the ground— Below, chaos reigned: smoke, iron, and metal tang in the wind. The scent of blood climbed to meet him. Even from kilometres up in the air— the scent of smoke, rusted iron— metal floated in the sky, a symphony of mania synthesised by the terrorist.

  “They label us titles— called hostile for our beliefs! The world will surely end— it will! Within this year— within this decade, it will end! It is what Samiel has prophesied— it was described within the world’s history!”

  He turned away from the sun’s glare; the light gilded his back like a crown he despised.

  The sun illuminating his back— a beacon, a silhouette of the boy who shunned the light.

  “She loves me— more than you would, the true God of the world— the universe, it is you correct? Not Thidos— Not Medea, not even my Love— it is you. You are the Sun— You are the Moon, an overlooker— granting everyone the ability to communicate amongst each other regardless of our worlds— the one who destroyed towns, cities— planets— the one who made the worlds, falsified the beliefs of others— removed our memories, made us incomplete.”

  “What do you speak of?”

  Silence.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  The light reddened. The haze dissolved into a dark echo.

  A sting ripped through his shoulder. Sweat broke across his skin. He looked—

  —no arm. Only a steaming stump leaking blood. It poured for everyone that arm had slain. Retribution.

  He didn’t scream. He bit his lip, swallowed the bile, and turned.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  The sun was gone.

  In its place: an eye. A red circle split open across the sky, bleeding. The blood evaporated before touching the world.

  The eye drifted closer until it filled his horizon. It spoke.

  The eye peered.

  It spoke.

  “What do you speak of? Carnage roams due to mortal reasoning— why must God speak again after the sacrament— no more divine interference?”

  Teysu smiled— his shivering faded as his molars pierced, “What about our mortality? What remains if destruction is nigh?”

  “If destruction is nigh then God shall remake world anew once more— until humanity— reality coincides with beliefs; trial and error.”

  “Do you exist?”

  “Does reality exist— it is up to your interpretation, death may await and answer your calling.”

  The eye laughed—an echo not meant for human ears. Teysu clutched his skull and screamed until the sound rotted. Then silence.

  The sky was empty again.

  “The world will end.” He fixed his hair, faced the horizon, and dove toward Invalia.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jeremiah slams open the door, it closing loudly afterwards— his eyes leer onto Micheal Pendragon, lying on the floor— screaming.

  Compact in a fetal position as his voice rang across the Cathedral— infinite rooms musically rehearsing to his cries as Jeremiah stumbles over to him.

  “Don’t Jeremiah! You’ll step in the blood!” Micheal’s eyes shoot up at the teenager; he begins to crawl away backwards, his eyes focused on Jeremiah as he shakes his head, “The eye above!”— he points at the ceiling.

  Nothing— just a pristine marble ceiling, resembling the floors.

  Jeremiah tilted his head—his horns glowing, “I get it looks weird— with the ceiling and practically everything here being the same, it never looked like this beforehand.”

  “No! There was an eye— the twins! Castor and Pollux— they condemned f-for blasphemy!”

  “Relax— you make this seem like a real religion; speaking of— oh wait, those people actually do worship us and especially the Lord.” Jeremiah grinned— devilish as he attempted to grab Micheal who was backed towards a wall.

  “They spoke of literature— Zachariah, he’ll arrive! He’ll ruin the world!” He blabbered— his eyes spiralling.

  “Zachariah? The First Angel of Variation— you seriously think the Lord will enrol his son into something so dangerous.”

  “He’ll kill us all! All I tell you— you better resurrect the youth otherwise he’ll destroy the world— destroy us all! He’s the threat not Samiel!”

  Jeremiah backed away— pushing his arms forward and shaking his head, “Listen— I see why they got you on blasphemy mate, you sound fucking ridiculous right now. But— what makes me think your wrong?”

  “Wait— why am I working for the Lord?” Jeremiah stared above, “This? Why would I work for Thidos— When did this start?” He stared at Micheal snapping his fingers.

  “After the Second Reprisal!” He spluttered, “Every Reprisal— some participants are chosen to join the three worlds!”

  “And I just agreed? Why would I agree— I’m the Demon Child! Wait— my powers?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What the fuck happened to my telepathy!” Jeremiah stomped his foot, “I can’t read your thoughts— I can’t read anyone! I haven’t— I haven’t done that since…”

  A silhouette tore through the dark. Blue hair, dark skin, white eyes like moons.

  “You’re fired,” Medea said— he pointed at Saraline, Gabriel and Psylaiso. “Thidos’ orders. You guys suck at your jobs. Reprisal or death.”

  Moments later, Jeremiah woke in a cage.

  Medea smiled behind glass. “You’re my people. Leave them, or die with them.”

  Jeremiah only grinned. “Guess I’ll check out the show, brolala.”

  “The past changed? He can rewrite history or— Micheal! Does Medea have the power to alter memories?”

  Micheal nodded.

  “What the fuck— has this happened to anyone else? I’ve been a dog for Thidos for five years— I was bossed around by another adult, fucking hell— I’m stupid as shit.”

  Jeremiah chuckled— his laughter cutting as he grabbed his face. Sliding it down to reveal a serious expression, “The trial— the true me would’ve… so If I’m the me from now and then— what’s going on?”

  Micheal shrugged.

  “Did anything like this happen to you— in your Reprisal, the First ever?” Jeremiah ran to him— clutching him by the shirt.

  “Our friendship? Was it fake?” Micheal whimpered— staring at the ground, “I haven’t had friends like you— since Miles…”

  “The Demon Child found a family— turns out it was put into foster care without even noticing. When the Lord— when Thidos snapped me, what happens when you are snapped!”

  “I can’t answer so much questions! Stop it!”

  BANG.

  The double doors opened, a figure walked through.

  The double doors burst open. A pale figure stepped through: brown hair, pearl-pink eyes, black coat, hockey mask.

  “Who the fuck are you—”

  BANG!

  FLING!

  “Did you seriously try shooting me?” Jeremiah grinned— The bullet spun; Jeremiah flicked a lollipop and it stuck to the ceiling.

  “You are so smart— it makes me sad I have to kill you. Why’d you use your big brain Jeremy?” The individual spoke— giggling.