Alessia slowly blinked awake. The ground had a red hue like the surface of Mars, casting a rusty shade of light.
She got up, groggy. Looked around. Mounds of burning trash as far as the eye could see. The psychic sewage of all the other realms—collected like a demonic hoarder.
Yōkai, chained together with collars around their necks, took garbage and carried it inside. Massive demons whipped them.
Flames ripped toward young Alessia.
The Moist-Mouthed Man’s burning face. Young Alessia taking his sword.
Alessia shook her head. Wished these thoughts would leave her the fuck alone. Flames spewed out of the ground, making her jump.
“Welcome to hell,” Nimbus said.
She turned to see the angel and Ex Vis.
Ex Vis stumbled. “What’s going on? My heart—feels like it’s gonna explode.”
Nimbus said, “This place is built of chaos and destruction. The thoughts you push deep down bubble up here.”
Ex Vis’s eyes went wide. “What is that?”
Everyone looked where he was looking.
In the distance, a massive black mountain loomed. It rhythmically thudded up and down, sending a pulse through the rivers of sludge running down it, which sporadically erupted into hellfire.
Nimbus said, “Hell’s corrupted heart.”
“I think I’m gonna puke,” Ex Vis said.
“I can feel it radiating anger and hatred,” Alessia said.
Nimbus groaned. “Too long near it, and you won’t be able to feel anything at all.”
“Why does this exist?” Alessia asked.
Nimbus took a deep breath. “Chaos is an essential element of reality. Creation itself. Hell destroys, but what’s left flows into Heaven as mana. The Great War started when Heaven wanted to end Chaos, instituting order above all. It regimented hell. But like a top spinning ever more out of control, the effect has destabilized everything. We made a mistake thinking we could own Chaos. Thinking we could live without uncertainty.”
Alessia nodded.
Ex Vis looked confused. “What the Hells are you hairless knobs talking about?”
“He’s talking about trying to destroy fear instead of making partners with it.”
Ex Vis looked at them both incredulously. “Did I forget that we all ate some funky mushrooms?”
Alessia snorted. “This is the trip. Existence itself. And I’ve been looking at it wrong all this time.” She shook her head. “We need to find Landar. I need to atone.”
“I don’t think we’re going to find anything here,” Ex Vis said.
“Alessia knows where she is,” Nimbus said.
“I do?”
“You’re looking for yourself. Try.”
Alessia closed her eyes.
Rapid flashes of all her sins and fears. Everything became a blur of anxiety, kaleidoscoping around her. She gritted her teeth.
“Breathe.”
The muscles on Alessia’s face relaxed ever so slightly. But she was obviously in intense pain.
Her eyes snapped open. She gasped for air, huffing it in. “I felt her.”
Alessia motioned into the distance. A huge gate, guarded by hundreds of demons, slave-driving thousands of yōkai. “Other side of that.”
Ex Vis threw his hands up. “Great. We’ll never be able to get across.”
“Not without a distraction,” Nimbus said.
It was silent for a moment.
Ex Vis sighed. “Me. You’re talking about me.”
Alessia patted him on the back. “No one can be the hair in the back of someone’s throat quite like you.”
“This has to be a cruel joke.”
“You can laugh if it’ll make you feel better.”
Omazz blasted the Ghouls back and tried firing at Undead Druveus, but his electric shield kept swatting away her attacks.
Undead Druveus created a hole big enough for a hand to reach through.
“Screw it.” Omazz snapped the wand she was holding and stabbed both halves through the barrier and into Druveus’s gut.
Druveus looked down.
Omazz sent out a blast of magic that sent him sailing back. She dove for cover.
Alessia, Nimbus, and Ex Vis gathered near the gate, where they had a good vantage point. Below, demons rode horrifying demonic horses—Nightmares.
Ex Vis sighed. “Can’t believe I’m doing this...” He jumped off the ledge, pulled out his bow, and fired an arrow at a demon.
Headshot. The demon fell off its Nightmare.
Ex Vis landed in the saddle. He grabbed the reins, singeing his fur on the fiery mane. “Hot! Ouch! Yes, make the furry creature ride the burning mount. Great plan.”
He spurred the horse and took off. He shouted, “Hey, you ugly, wart-faced pus sacks, I’ve got one of your horses! Come and get me!”
Demons rushed after Ex Vis.
On the ledge, Alessia turned to Nimbus.
“Time to face me.”
They moved forward.