Part 1/4: Travelling Up To Cheshire:

  Jeremiah pointed up at the ceiling groggily, his eyes half awake as he stared at Medusa. The gorgon was beside him, staring at the open crevice as she heard the mummuring of three women.

  “Is that who I think it is?” The Demon Child yawned, stretching his arms as he then scratched his back. He had eyebags weighing underneath his skin, jagged fingernails and stained yellow teeth.

  “Saraline, Dara and Psylaiso have returned… but they must be so confused. Off topic but can you stop calling me by the nickname ‘Medusa’. Did you not know my real name is Malzer or something?”

  Jeremiah’s expression flushed as he whistled awkwardly, “I do not know what you are speaking about…”

  Malzer gave a small giggle as she covered her mouth, “We should explain to them what happened, it’ll get their heads straight since they just travelled worlds.”

  The gorgon shot both of her arms outward, aligning her body in a ‘T’ formation. She then clutched Jeremiah into a bear hug, putting her head on his shoulder as the snakes on her head jolted up. Stretching themselves to latch onto one of the rocks upward as she slowly pulled both of themselves upward.

  Push.

  Push.

  Push!

  The two tumbled onto the floor.

  Or would’ve.

  A wet red liquid covered the asses of both Malzer and Jeremiah as hurridly shot back up. The sea of blood surrounded them. His eyes were directed onto the bloodstream.

  *How many innocent people died for this… how many? Not that innocence makes such a difference towards me but— just the sheer volume. It must be, it must be…

  How can a person do this? How! So much blood! For no… reason.*

  “Mal?” A voice chirped.

  “No fucking way… is that who I think it is?”

  “The Demon Child?”

  Jeremiah was raised upwards by a grip on his clothes; raised into the sky as a gooey sensation was wrapped around his collar. His stare then focused away from the blood but now the angered Psylaiso who was transformed into a semi-boat. The frontal part of her body remained the same whereas her backside turned into a luminicent boat which housed both Saraline and Dara who gazed in confusion when they stared at the blood.

  “Hey Jeremy! I’d love to catch up but— I don’t really know what the fuck is going on!” The slime roared in his face, however he didn’t flinch nor react.

  He simply stared into her eyes and murmured..

  “Floria… it was destroyed… because of Samiel.”

  “Wait— huh?” Psylaiso’s face fell as she let go of Jeremiah. He fell onto the blood on his back, staring at the slime.

  “Say that again?” Saraline leaned out, “Samiel destroyed Floria?”

  “Precisely…. this is just the aftermath.”

  “Wait! How did this happen?” Dara whimpered, “My— my parents! Wait holy shit, where the fuck are my parents?”

  “Most of the rebels are dead, only: you three, me, Abriam, Kanae, Tagma, Lucius and Malzer here remain.”

  “That’s not about my parents! Wait? What about Judas? He could sneak Samiel!” Saraline roared.

  “He can’t.” Malzer spoke up, standing out of the blood. “Samiel killed most of the Angels. Thidos didn’t even bother sending the Saints. No rebel could do anything.” She then turned to Dara. “As for your family, I’d hate tell you that anyone who wasn’t mentioned by Jeremiah or wasn’t present in the Cathedral….

  They are the sea of blood we lay in right now.”

  .

  .

  .

  BLEUGHHHH.

  Dara leaned over the edge of the boat, vomitting her guts out into the sea. Her face was full of tears, as she tried wiping them off with her lab-coat. “What? What the fuck!”

  Saraline stared up to the green sky, “I’m guessing that she’s fucked up the world not just with a genocide?”

  “It wasn’t a genocide.” Jeremiah mumbled, “She just raised one arm in the sky and then everything switched.” He then pointed to the Sun which now was in the form of Elliot Timpleson’s head. “See…”

  “So where did the others go?” Psylaiso grit.

  “They went to the Cathedral.”

  “So why are you two still here?”

  “It’s because… I’m tired.”

  “Tired? Aren’t you a fucking Saint! This is your job to clean up— and you couldn’t even do that!” Psylaiso bellowed, “Now look at where we are!

  Thanks alot Demon Child!”

  “I’m not a Saint anymore… Thidos tried to have me killed for figuring out the truth. That my memories were hidden or implanted and—”

  “Jeremy I knew would’ve had that found out in a zilch.” Saraline raised her head, “Mopey Jeremiah right here is being a nuisance. Did you not even try fight?”

  “I did! But— IT’S LIKE EXPECTING AN ANT TO GO FIGHT A FUCKING DRAGON! THAT’S THE FUCKING GOD OF INVALIA WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO! I CAN’T EVEN FIGHT FUCKING TAGMA IN A FIGHT FOR MY ADMISSION HERE! HOW COULD I KILL GOD?”

  Malzer walked over to Jeremiah and hugged him.

  “Uhm, you.” She looked at Dara, “How did the conversation with Medea go?”

  “He’s not helping! That damn bastard is probably partying in a club right now because he doesn’t give a fuck! What bastard. What hell all of this is.

  I feel really upset.

  Really upset.”

  “I mean.. can you talk Dara?” Jeremiah grinned, “Didn’t you destroy Florian cities? That’s why Asaldom is a fucking ruin now— it was a slum before but now nobody even thinks about living there!”

  “Jeremiah!” Saraline screeched, “That was Rallio, and you know that especially!”

  Dara Sepers walked behind Saraline as she shuddered.

  “Maybe get off my fucking dick when you guys are failing to make buisness proporsals. Fucking hell.” The Demon Child flipped the three off before walking in the general direction of the Cathedral.

  “Jeremiah? Where are you going?” Malzer shrieked.

  He turned around, his grin even larger.

  “I’m paying Thidos a little visit. I got a lot to catch up on with that bastard.”

  Part 2/4: Looking-Glass Insects:

  Teysu was leaning on the outskirts of a damaged building nearby the castle, it was a multi-story but the roofing was lit on flames. Smoke eminating throughout the atmosphere as he stared above, smirking. He then averted his gaze towards Samiel’s castle which was a few feet away.

  “I guess I say goodbye to you Tony.” He sniggered as he reached out behind him. Pieces of metal from the cinders above floated down to his right arm, coating it in an armor as he stomped it onto the grass. Pushing his body forward as he propelled his body, flinging himself onto the double doors. Behind him were the corpses of innocent Invalians who were murdered by Adolla. Stacked onto a pile as Cereberus was flying around, a saddened expression on his face as he tried building gravesites for them.

  He knocked gently, each tap gushed air through the door as he walked in.

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  “You’re looking for me aren’t you.”

  He turned around, seeing Samiel standing behind him. He jumped in the air, hovering himself out of the castle as he stood outside with the God of Monsters.

  “God!”

  “You know that’s not my name. For the True God that rests above is watching us simpletons murder each other…” She sighed, staring at the sky.

  “I spoke with the True God before…” Teysu shrugged.

  BLAM.

  Two hands pressed against the boy’s shoulders as Samiel peered into his eyes. A spiral forming in both of hers as her face glew with glee.

  “Speak! Speak of what he said!”

  “Uh— he stated that he won’t interfere with our war and that he will remake the world.”

  “Of truth! He speaks of truth!”

  “My love?”

  “Silence!” She placed her index finger on the boy’s lips, “Prior me, you have never felt a grasp of a woman. Never her emotions let alone her body.”

  “S—Samiel?”

  “When you and the dog thawed because I killed that evil man, what did you think?”

  “I— I don’t know?”

  “See then why would I love you anymore, an unconvincing but also unknowing individual who thrives on evil. I’ve seen you, Teysu Hama. You went and killed an innocent— we kill innocents outside of Invalia. Never inside, because regardless of their original nationality. They are of Invalia’s blood.

  But now you have shed our own blood, so what do we do! How do you treat me like this after I saved you from being duped by those liars who called themselves the ‘Nightingale Army’. How can I act as God whilst I only have two major attackers now.

  I am scared for you. Not for me because I know the truth, that the world will end in a whisper. As stated in the Loraq, but you do not follow the ways anymore. After I saved you from your own insanity five years ago.” She cupped his face with her hands.

  “L—Lo-”

  SMOOCH.

  She kissed him, her tongue interlocking with his as he stood in shock. His eyes fully awake as hers’ were shut.

  She backed away, a string of saliva in the middle as she licked her lips.

  “But you are still only a teenager… and I am a God of hundred years. There’s a reason for your immaturity, it is that you are a youth. A youth that has been traumatized with the hells of the world. You never knew where you were born, where your family were. Born in an orphanage is all you knew, you were bullied. Seen as weak, a fool. You had a friend group who beat you and treated you like an outsider.

  But when you killed that Shaman, trust me I know it all. I’ve seen it a million times. So when you did that act, you felt like you actually done something for once.

  You felt good, isn’t hedonism the way?”

  “Samiel… what are you speaking of?”

  “Why did you seek me right now? As you see behind us, Cereberus is cleansing the mess that Avarie— no. Adolla made.”

  “Adolla? Who is that?”

  “Adolla the Madness apparently, you should’ve kept an eye on him. Keep your eye on people so you know exactly what to expect.”“Lord? Did you?”

  “Of course.”

  “So you let him kill almost everyone?”

  “I did.”

  “Why?”

  “Is it not perfect for them? The world will end, what is the point of a continued life if everyone will die at the end. Better for them, they won’t see the bloodshed.” She turned around and pointed at one of children’s corpses. A orc boy that’s eyes were still open, blood layered across his face as there was a deep slash on his torso. “I don’t feel hostility or anger, I feel dissappointed that Adolla really went through with betraying me. But I feel happy that he’s sent these people to Heaven.”

  “So what do you believe?”

  “I believe in everything the Loraq has told me.. everything that Ezekiel has told me.

  Everything is meaningless. There is no such thing as love. No such thing as a life— we all exist within ourseleves.

  I am Samiel Guildford.”

  “Oh.” Teysu stared at the ground.

  He then felt a warm sensation on his chin. It was Samiel’s hand, raising his head up as she went for another kiss.

  “Come inside the bedroom with me, Teysu…” She pulled back, walking away into the castle as she left Teysu standing outside the doors.

  As they closed.

  Part 3/4: It’s My Own Invention:

  How does it feel to be stuck in Limbo?

  Your body is stuck— forced into an empty abyss. It’s dark, you can’t see— you can’t feel, you can’t utilise any of your senses. It’s as if you are barely conscious. But your actions… they’ve lead you down to this path. An eternal purgatory, a labyrinth within a pocket universe, due to a failed attempt to destroy the Imp. You had a warped sense of hope, a simplistic belief that if you outsmart that being… perhaps you could win.

  But where has lead you to? A place of rotten, a place where you have no senses. You now stay in the Wonderland between Life and Death. Heaven and Hell, you are in-between. But it is no Purgatory, it is far worse. For you may be believing, ‘What actions have I taken to be put into this predicament?’

  To that I answer that you failed your objective. Once a grand Saint of Floria, the Second as well. Your title of being an Archangel, you had it all there. Power, your own bar, support, love. But you failed against this specific enemy twice now. Now what have became of you?

  Don’t fall ashamed though, you are one of three guests here in Limbo.

  The First to join is quite obvious, Amarze Judae. No you are not on the same level as him but you both failed, but you both are not dead. That’s the beauty of Limbo, the fact that you are not dead but also not alive. An endless spectacle of opportuneness await you. For how you have specifically been sent here?

  Maybe it was intuition by God, perhaps the True God has his own thoughts to keep you alive. Perhaps you, the Fourth Slavi of Ostra have new possibilities.

  New chances to be reborn as a Phoenix, anew. Perhaps the golden Archangel with a multitude of masks will be reborn.

  Perhaps.. Perhaps…

  As for the second guest, who arrived shortly after Amarze, the first guest. He is unknown to you, neither recorded in any historical books even though he is quite important to the world of Invalia. This individual retired after the disbandment of his group, saved by Amarze he lived in Floria for a bit before returning to the wasteland which was now his home. He sobbed, before trying to use his ability to take his own life.

  I am of course speaking off—

  “Asura.”

  P—Pardon?

  A bright light was ahead of you. A silhouette of a man dressed in a glowing charcoal trench-coat was standing in front. In front of the dark abyss.

  But in how could he escape? It was impossible, escaping Limbo is futile as it could never happen. He hadn’t escaped yet the actual universe but even the restraints. The restraints created by God. How could a mortal des—

  “I’d hate to interrupt you, but this lad in front of me is Gabriel Khan right?”

  Precisely.

  “Then a couple blocks further is that damn bastard Amarze, right?”

  Blocks? More like a distance of infinity. The way he even traversed from there to here even though everyone is away from each other. It makes no quantifiable sense.

  “Okay. I’ll break these restraints— take everyone out.”

  No…

  You won’t.

  “Yes… I will.”

  Asura Valkyrie. A former member of the Seven Deadly Sins, representing Wrath. An individual that was born in Invalia without being a monster in the traditional sense. The ability to create weapons— predominantly scythes.

  Apart from that, you are nothing. No history recorded, no remaining family— not even a whereabout of where you were specifically before you went depressed.

  “Are you going to stop spewing shit out your mouth? I’m not a person that likes being forever conscious in some black abyss so I’m booking my exit out of here.

  Got that? Bastard.”

  Pfft.

  There’s no point arguing— the worlds out there will welcome you with open arms. They’ll love the amount of chaos they are going to get. Especially with what’s going on now, I’d love for you to explain Gabriel but you are muffled aren’t you. As for me, I’ll let everyone out— don’t worry. You’ll appear in the same exact spots as you were before you ‘died’.

  I’ll see how enjoyable this is.

  Oh but not you… you stay.

  A bright white light engulfed.

  Engulfed.

  B-Lymphocytes.

  Part 4/4: Jabberwocky

  The Savior appears to display his true love,

  No idiotic tendices commit a lack of hope

  An orange goblin soars to fight plain above

  So The Savior begins to tighten a rope

  The noose hangs around the creature’s neck

  Flesh dangling in a space unknown to man

  Prior opponent reduces to a speck

  An introduction to a failed, unspoken plan

  The sun, glowing bright ahead

  Two figures approach daringly with no love a with no love in sight

  Gnarltooth’s body is flung, he is behead

  Whilst The Savior flies through the star with all his might

  The Goblin’s body is destroyed, incinerated

  The Savior instead has a smile, as the Sun reforms

  Feeling such rejoice, he is inaugerated

  A powerful ability to challenge society’s norms

  “I’m sorry my Savior! I can’t decide!”

  The Goblin’s last words were…

  “My arrogance led me to my defeat, I curse my pride!”

  From hence then, it was all a blur.

  Crash!

  The Savior’s fist collides with the dance-floor, however it did not break. He lifts his head up from staring at the ground, gazing at Medea who still sat. Still with the stare. The Savior flicks his body upward, his eyes never averting off the God as he had an eerie smile stretched across his visage.

  “Are you upset that I turned your favourite into cinders? He should not have even attempted to become adversaires with The Savior.”

  Ozymandias lept from his seat, quivering as his eyes laid on Medea. Similarly, Ivory backed away. Walking away from the scene.

  “Well speak? It was either he attempt to destroy me and fail. Be sent to hell and rot forever..

  Or he concede and be sent to a Salae mine— up in a holy place. Such as Heaven.” The Savior reaffirmed his stance. His eyes twitching as Medea never moved.

  “Well! We demand an answer! We killed someone that you worked five years for to rejuvinate and your only answer is silence! Treat The Savior with respect!”

  The music stopped, same with the charade the pucks were doing. No more movement, just frozen time. A faint smell of burnt glass flickered through the air, before dissipating.

  The bright moon above glowed but no longer did the club, as all the lights went out.

  “Speak!”

  “So you can interact with this, perhaps your delusions are not such a hoax after-all.”

  The Savior spun around, seeing Medea’s silhoutte behind him. The God of Phantasms was cloaked in all black, but his pitch white eyes were looming him.

  “Fool!” The Savior backed away.

  “I’d say you are… Zero, or do you even go by that name anymore?”“I am neither Zero or Masalor! Neither a Devil or Angel, let alone Mutilator or Hero! I am the ultimate life-form! I am— no…

  We are The Savior!”

  “So much insanity dwells within such a small body.” Medea’s eyes glew, “Such a shame. Well, I wouldn’t want you ruining the upcoming surprise.

  As for your answer, you killed my favourite Reprisal contestant.

  From five years ago.

  Clearly you can’t let go of the past. Why would I dwell over a pawn being sacrificed?

  Anyway, I can’t let you stay in Ostra. My realm.

  Definitely can’t, you are unstable. So how about I send you to reunite with someone who tried to kill you.

  I’ll make the journey an instant!”The God lifted up his right hand, pushing it toward The Savior’s chest before flicking it.

  Vr.

  Vr.

  Vr.

  Within an instant, The Savior was floating in a green sky.

  A green sky with a distorted sun, resembling the face of one of Zero’s victims. Below him was a golden cathedral, a teenager dressed in a brown robe was walking toward the entrance. However, there was no gatekeeper there.

  The Savior fell.

  Crash landing into the floor right in front of the Demon Child. His eyes darted around, recognising the surroundings of Thidos’ instantly as his eyes then peered at Jeremiah.

  “God damn it!” Jeremiah facepalmed, “Why are you right here? Why are you here anyway!”

  The Savior rose up from the crater as if he was a vampire, dusting himself off and returning to his usual stance. “Jeremiah Demetri. I have not seen this elegant face within years.”

  “Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Ostra?” The teen dug through his pockets, shoving a raspberry lollipop in his mouth.

  “Don’t question The Savior!”

  “The Savior?” Jeremiah tilted his head, “What the fuck are you on about?”

  “So this is Floria now? How amazing.” The Savior smiled, “I wish I could’ve done this myself. We admire Samiel’s work.”

  “What?” Jeremiah blew out air before barging past The Savior and walking to the double-doors of the Cathedral. “I’m going to speak with Thidos, if you want to—”

  “I’ll kill Xeras Timpleson whilst I stay in this god-forsaken world.” The Savior elegantly walked, pushing through the doors.

  “What?”

  Arc 8: War for Glory Preparations and Chapter 101: God's Sirens.

  goodbye!

  Action?Horror Progression Infinity / Unlimited Flow Grimdark

  The Tartarus Trials [A Grimdark Infinity Serial]

  Wits buy powers in a cycle of flesh?ripping missions.

  Waylen is a warehouse worker used to gritting his teeth through miserable shifts, making do with whatever crumbs management throws him. That grit is pushed to the breaking point when he wakes up in a clinically white room with five strangers, no phone signal, and a message on the wall: complete the mission in two hours or die.

  outlast, outthink, and outplay a homicidal nightmare, turning terror into leverage and blood into bargaining chips. But escaping the mansion may only be the first trial… and the price of freedom could be infinitely worse.

  [Mission Log: Initial Deployment]

  "The pop?up on the wall didn’t blink. It didn’t explain. It just ticked down, second by second, while five strangers screamed accusations across a room with no doors. Waylen had spent years breaking his back for pennies. Now the universe wanted to see how much grit that bought him… with something in the dark laughing every time they argued."

  ? Fast?Paced Action?Horror?Thriller: Missions on a timer; no filler.

  ? Progression After Mission One: Infinity / Unlimited Flow flavor.

  ? Smart, Earned Growth: Waylen climbs from Normal to Strong through grit and craftiness.

  ? Buy Your Powers: Magic and sci?fi abilities/items can be purchased as the Trials unfold.

  ? Dark, Gritty Survival: Victories are won second by second, wound by wound.

  ? Myriad Missions: New threats, new rules, escalating terror each round.

  Content Warning: Grimdark themes, graphic violence, and profanity. Reader discretion advised.

  Schedule: 3 chapters a week – Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (by 1:00 PM EDT / GMT?4).