Passage Of Flames

'This was it, after this, there is no going back. This is the turning point, this is just me and the ghosts that haunt this cursed graveyard.' I took a deep breath, my lungs inhaling the air. It was thicker than usual, maybe because this place was tied with fear and other emotions similar to it.

The whispers, the laughter, the shouting, I heard it all. This place was full of mixed emotions, after all, everyone has a different view of this world so no one could be feeling the exact same emotions as another.

But this wasn't about others, there was no more delaying it.

I tensed my feet, and in a second I dashed into the volcano of white flame. My skin felt like it was about to fall off, and my muscles were giving up, but I didn't let that keep me down.

If I couldn't get past the first obstacle of The Core, how would I even survive one day inside?

I continued walking through the endless flames, my sweat evaporating as it left my red forehead.

Whenever entering a trial or an infected memory you don't have to go through this process, as they are made out of one memory so it's quite easy for the system to complete its task.

But that wasn't the case for The Core, it wasn't made by one memory, nor ten or one hundred, meanwhile, the exact number isn't known, it is said that it holds every memory of the past and present, and will continue to grow with the help of the memories that will come in the future.

Whenever I referred to this place as hell I meant this process not the actual thing... hell doesn't compare to it.

...

I walked through the endless flames for hours on end, wishing for the system to just finish already, but my prayer was in vain.

I could feel my skin collapsing from all the heat, and how I could hardly move my limbs anymore.

It felt like I was trapped in an inferno, constantly sinking deeper and deeper. Which wasn't a nice feeling. 

Because of all the fire around me, there was hardly any oxygen around me and it had become terribly hard to breathe. Every time I inhaled I felt like my throat was on fire and my lungs were about to explode.

It felt like my whole body imploding, my bones first to break from all the pressure I'd been pressing against them.

It was like I was both alive and dead, an indescribable feeling that only those who experience it know how it feels.

I started to tremble, as I slowly descended to the ground. As it hit the burning ground, my face was instantly pampered by flames leaving, making adrenaline rush through every space of my body to get it quickly to the ground.

...

After some time, the pain was gone. But it wasn't because the flames were weakening, but because most of my nerves had lost their ability to feel, either burned off or completely destroyed. 

But at least it was more bearable... well on the outside as with my nerves destroyed I only got closer to crossing the line from alive into the death territory. 

And with time slowing down, I felt my mind going blank as everything became dark. My soul trying to escape my body, or should I say this boy's body.

Was I really about to fall to The Core so easily? Im sure that human from before was able to survive, so dying here meant losing to him.

'That's just not something that's going to happen!' With this newfound determination, I pushed through, but my low oxygen level caused me to lose my balance and made me slowly fall to the ground yet again. But this time I wouldn't have the power to push up.

So this... was the end?

Really? I fell so easily, and why was this fall so slow? Was I not falling, no that's just stupid, my brain was just on overtime right now trying to find a solution and so that was why it looked like my descent was getting slower and slower.

I was the one getting faster, but it wasn't like I could have used it in any way, after all this is the brain's last resort before death so even it knows this is the end.

Well, looks like my journey is going to end pathetically. Do I have any regrets... of course I do.

I watched as my face slowly touched the ground and my body soon followed it and closed my eyes accepting death.

But after some seconds I opened them again only to find myself in a black room. There was only darkness, but I did not hate it after being surrounded by those white flames for whole hours.

'Wait... so I survived?' Had I managed to get passed the flame passage? Or was this just what you see whenever you die?

My questions were soon answered as I heard the system speak in my ear, and when it turned to where it came from I could see a screen. I've done it!

But, this screen wasn't like the ones from before, I was new. It had a bloodshot color, and the text written on it had a very unique style, the curves being very pronounced. It had a long black tail, which movement reminded me of a snake. At the end, it curled into the shape of a spade.

Two horns were also present, pointing at me with their sharp ends. They had many stripes with a slightly lighter black than their normal ones.

And if the angelic screen had clouds this one had bright red flames... which was far better than the white ones, to be honest.

On the demonic screen, it read the following words.

[Contractor Moon... welcome to your grave]

'Well, that's not a nice way to welcome your gravekeeper .' I smiled mischievously as the screen started at me, from it imitating a feeling of hatred.