through the oblivion, desperation is your way out

The world was shrouded in darkness.

Across the endless–eternal gloom, a pair of slitted eyes oversaw the darkness.

Through the dark world, the pair of slitted eyes shone in emerald hue causing the darkness to quiver as a Dark female stepped forward.

The steps echoed through the darkness like a thunderstorm.

The figure emitted its own light gleaming in metallic sheen that made it stand out in the darkness forcing it to obey and yet the body still was shrouded in shadows.

The figure sat on the heart of the void... and beneath her, the void quivered through its trembling gloom.

A throne emerged, emitting its own light which was woven of dead-leafless tree, it's gnarled branch of the tree cradling a half eaten—rotten—apple.

The figure's emerald slitted eyes, dilated as it looked far into the distance.

It's as if the eyes are reacting or giving signals to the incoming presence.

Through the far deep-dark gloom, the molecules of the space vibrated which caused small burst of light of white flame.

the flame split into twelve white ghost flame.

Through the 12 flames, figures stepped outside.

The figures were all cloaked in the darkness yet their eyes shone bright like the stars in space.

All of the figures had either white slitted eyes or light blue slitted eyes.

All of them kneeled before the dark female figure, except for one.

A being with slitted black–hollow eyes, his dark hollow eyes stood out among them due to it's metallic appearance.

"My queen, the humans have crossed the first gate— if we continue at this pace, they will reach first layer of the abyss—"

The being spoke and as he spoke a slurping noise would come out.

The being was cut in the middle of his sentence as his metallic dark eyes shook under the intense gaze of the two pair emerald slitted eyes.

It's as if it warned him, to never over step his boundaries.

"It seems to me that you are not doing your job right– or more like you are not observing the situation from the right angle" the female figure with the emerald slitted eyes, spoke.

The voice echoed but there was something strange about the voice.

It carried different tones of voices in it.

Irritation.

Disgust.

Stoicism.

Seduction.

"Humans– are strange creatures, indeed.

They have that otherworldly determination.

The power to turn the impossible into possible and thats what we are trying to seize–"

As the voice echoed, it paused then continued but more in disgust tone of voice.

"Through the course of history, we hid among them.

We even lived among them, procreated with them.

We tried to understand them.

We tried to understand their intellect.

We tried to understand those emotions they have and play with it.

Eventually, we understood how they work, turned it against them until they became trapped, lost, powerless.

Our job is to do that until they fade and are forgotten from history of creation.

Now, That's your task."

The voice paused once again then it spoke in stoic tone of voice, mixed with seduction.

"But you–you are not doing that, you are here, telling me about your failure—"

The queen paused as her killing intent radiates from her body, her emerald slitted eyes glows with fury and insanity.

"you hid one thing from me, though.

You hid the fact that the shape–shifting soldiers that you have sent according to your request, have all died.

Killed, to be more accurate, now tell me!,

Are you sure you can handle that task?"

In the blink of an eye, the emerald slitted eyes appeared before the figure with the metallic dark slitted eyes.

The pressure in the darkness intensified, causing the figures that were already kneeling–collapse to the ground.

The metallic dark slitted eyes shook heavily under the gaze, leading the figure to kneel down on his knees.

Despite how her eyes displayed her anger, her voice displayed seduction and Abit of disgust.

"I apologize sincerely— my queen—i was short–sighted"

The being apologized, and once again a slurping noise would come out as he spoke.

But unfortunately she wasn't pleased.

The queen placed her right hand on his head, at first, a gentle pat,

Then Her right hand slithered through his scalp down until it reached his chin.

The shining metallic nails of her right hand, dug deep inside of his chin.

He groaned in pain as she pulled him closer to her face.

Her emerald slitted eyes shone with intensity.

"Im not looking for apology, im looking for results.

Im giving you another chance.

A chance where you Give me result through a month— yes this month—"

Her eyes gleamed with even more fury and anger.

"—if you fail, you either die by my hands or on their hands.

The hands of humans could be faster than mine– who knows..?"

The queen threw his head away as an eerie sigh left her lips curling into the eternal gloom.

The being staggered backward but still he chose to compose himself while groaning in pain kneeling before his queen.

He could hear giggles coming from his sides, laughing and mocking him for his behaviour.

That queen's behavior was eccentric, truly eccentric being.

Her hands waved in the air as the purple blood slid clean of her nails, dripping like ink into the void.

She walked gently back to her throne.

Her steps kept on echoing like a thunderstorm.

She sat on her throne once again, glancing over the kneeling 12 figures.

"All of you, must have understood your task by now—"

The queen said calmly as she rested her chin on the palm of her right hand.

"Leave, go back to your positions"

The queen uttered in stoic tone of voice, ordering them.

As soon as she voiced her order, shadows crawled all over the 12 figures.

The 12 figures were swallowed by the darkness, causing them to disappear within the shadows.

The queen was still on her throne, her chin rose up.

Looking at the dark ceiling, the darkness wavered as stars shone through it, revealing the sky.

" one day.. we will inherit it.."

"One day we will prove to you, that they dont deserve all of this.."

The queen uttered in low voice.

Her voice echoed with a mix of emotions.

Sadness, Madness, Obsession, Hope—But most of all, Nostalgia.

Through the oblivion.

Traveling deep into the unknown.

Back to where the humans were.

Yozrasef was still laying on his back like dead corpse.

His breathing was steady, the chains he was wrapped with carved deep in the ground.

Two pairs of eyes were sat on him.

"Kheru, who was that lizard back then?"

The voice voiced a question in a wondering tone.

"He is an old nemesis, one of the apostles of the abyss."

Kheru stated calmly in her stoic voice, her purple eyes shone as she diverted her gaze towards sekhm, the one who asked the question.

He was sitting on the ground away from yozrasef by 3 meters.

He looked at yozrasef for a second before nodding towards her clear–honest answer.

"The real question is— how a guy like him came to this place?"

Sekhm asked while pointing his thumb finger towards yozrasef.

" you know—i asked him that question and he said that he woke up here and he doesnt know how he got here"

Sekhm continued cutting kheru off shamelessly while nodding, he didnt notice she was about to speak.

"Ah— i see, well i dont know either, the abyss is really unknown place even the naunets themselves, sometimes they get lost here"

She stated in her uncaring tone of voice.

"its unknown place indeed."

She continued as sekhm listened closely.

"Since its unknown, he may not be lying or hiding something, sekhm— i know where you are coming from but i dont think someone in the human ranks would risk his life to be here"

She paused for second then continued again.

"—or even someone from the supernatural ranks would let others step on him with their energy, you know how the human's mindset evolve once they enter the supreme state which we call supernatural rank—well unless they are psychos"

She stated calmly.

"Well he is a bit nuts— but somehow brave"

Sekhm stated— admitting how peculiar yozrasef is.

Kheru hearing that nodded.

Sekhm reverted his gaze back to yozrasef, his head buzzing with thoughts and so is kheru.

As they were all busy with their theories, the blindfolded girl was sitting beside them.

Kheru has noticed her presence but was never bothered.

Obviously sekhm didnt notice her presence and as time passed he felt heat coming beside him.

He turned around and noticed the blindfolded girl snoring loudly on his huge arm.

"Uhh—"

He didnt know what to do or how to react so he let her be.

During that, the guy sekhm called void approached them from the distance.

He bowed slightly from a far, greeting kheru.

"Dead soldiers are buried.

The troops entered their caves.

Your order have been successfully executed, lord kheru"

Void stated calmly, his voice harsh due to his mouth being dry.

"Good, you may take your leave and rest now, void"

Kheru stated calmly.

" who is void?—"

Void was startled by the name that was given to him.

"Well that guy keep calling you that, ever since you all were recruited on the surface"

Kheru stated calmly unbothered by the ridiculous expression of void while pointing at sekhm, who was feigning ignorance.

Void fell in silence, his expressionless cracked in confusion then he spoke.

" i dont have a name.

The name i used to have is—..ceased into existence once i entered the abyss.

—I will gladly accept that name."

Void's face darkened as he turned his back in silence and left them all.

Sekhm's and kheru's gaze lingered on the retreating figure of void as he vanished through his cave.

Kheru's eyes flashed with petty mixed with understanding.

' maybe we all are living the same life but with different circumstances and opportunities which makes us special in a way... it is as everything is designed to be that way..what a shitty life'

Kheru's face turned cold as her thoughts rampged inside her head.

' most of the people that come here are criminals.

Criminals that wish to forge a new beginning for themselves.

A new beginning to meet the eternal light so they can get mercy on their pure soul'

Sekhm thought to himself as his brown eyes shone reflecting the torchlight.

Sekhm's gaze went far into the distance, through the shadows.

Meanwhile, once again yozrasef floating in darkness—

The darkness once again filled my eyes.

The texture of the space around me, felt like water.

It was heavy.

The feeling of the chains wrapped into my limbs and the heavy texture of the darkness, made it hard for me to move or make sense of my surroundings.

Suddenly, the darkness around me started to fade as light invaded my senses, obsecuring it.

I instinctively raised my hand but my hand was held by someone mid movement.

"Don't hide yourself from the light, embrace it embrace it.

Look beyond it.

Harness what you have been giving.

The light that has been breathed into you.

Let it grow— through struggles— through self doubt

Through never ending how and why—through never ending..i will survive.

Through unwavering determination and belief.

You will shine brighter than the sun."

The voice stated.

The voice was calming.

Reassuring.

As the voice echoed through the distance, my vision altered.

My sight changed.

There was no longer darkness.

I found myself sitting on a throne.

The handles of the throne shone in golden like hue–reflecting the sun light–ray.

On both of my sides two guards were waving their fans to me.

Beneath, people were living their daily life.

River ran underneath connected through canals that reached the green fields.

The soil of the land was shining with vitality.

The people were working, trading, laughing, living their life in harmony.

There were those who hummed in one voice.

Praying for the eternal light, the creator of the world.

My eyes turned away to the far distance.

The three pyramids shining in metalic white stones reflecting the sun light, its as if they are obsorbing the light of the sun.

On the sides of the sun, golden lights carved deep into the walls.

On top of the of biggest pyramid.

There stood the jackal–headed being.

He looked at me as the sun raised from behind him.

His golden eyes shone as the sun rose high in the sky.

He turned around facing the sun, but while he is turning around his gaze was set on me.

Its as if he is signaling to me to follow him.

I have many questions, i need to ask.

I got up from ny throne as i attemted to step forward.

The world shook before me.

The peaceful atmosphere changed.

From humming to yelling and crying, people yelling for help, yelling for their lives.

Babies crying in hijgh pitched tones mixed with the crying of the burning corpses.

Growls filled my ears.

The land were lit on fire.

White flames ate on the lands.

It felt Almost as though i have done something i was never supposed to do so.

The jackal once again turned his gaze towards me.

'just like—keep moving.

Break the cycle.'

Once again the being spoke inside my head.

With that, the world cracked before me.

It cracked and shatterd like broken glass falling before me.

I stood there with disbelief and confusion filling my eyes.

I closed my eyelids then i opened them,

Waking up.

Yozrasef woke up from his deep slumber.

His crimson eyes flashed as he groaned in pain from sleeping on the ground.

he stadied his back against the wall.

His thoughts were jammed with thoughts.

'Cycle once again, light — that jackal headed being—who am i? Who is he? Where am i?'

Yozrasef's head felt like it would explode then those eyes were caught in the middle as he felt the gazes on him.

Those gazes made his survival instinct snap, bring his attention back to out world.

His gaze diverted between the lingering gazes on him

Kheru and sekhm were looking at him in silence.

"How long have i been asleep?"

Yozrasef asked, his voice was harsh and dry.

" i don't know— probably half a day—"

Sekhm stated calmly while his gaze turned back kheru.

Yozrasef's head tilted in a questioning manner, yet his expressionless facade made it hard for him to be understood.

' that guy is not talking like usual'

Surprisingly, even kheru gave sekhm the same questioning manner.

" so— i have questions"

Yozrasef said cutting the linger silence between all of them.

"So do we, little guy?"

Sekhm stated in cheesy like manner.

Kheru nodded in silence.

" indeed, you do have questions, especially a huge question mark on your head"

Kheru stated calmly, his crimson gleaming eyes intrigued her even more making it hard for her to turn her gaze away.

"I dont know how i got here..— all i remember that i was running from some people, with my two guards by the order of someone that called me his son, then i woke up in jail like place—.. Then one of the guards attempted to kill me for some reason then i killed him— but i swear it was only with the intention of defending myself— then i broke down the bars Of the prison then i reached out for the light of the room then–.. – then my body evaporated once again i woke up here—"

Yozrasef dumped down all of the things he had piled up in his chest, heaving heavy sigh.

He felt the heavy gaze of kheru and sekhm even the twitching nose movment of the blindfolded girl towards him as he spoke without even stopping for a breathing.

It was the first time they witness something like that, it was unnatural for someone to even speak about their past like that in the place they were in.

Sekhm broke the silence that lingered in the air.

"Even a little guy like that suffered— but who the fuck are you to have guards?!"

Sekhm spoke while nodding his head making sense of the story but the guards part through him off, it didnt make sense to him.

" the last time we heard of guards was like 500 years ago during the regain of the royalties, but we dont even know much of their history, they were all forgotten"

Sekhm continued rumbling with ridiculous expression on his face that exuded the term

'Are you freaking crazy?'

Yozrasef stood there not knowing what to say, he was as confused as all of them.

Kheru observed in silence, she somehow believes him.

'His tone of voice, his actions, his expressionless facade that hides his feelings— it feels weird but i have gut feeling that he is telling the truth'

Kheru thought inwardly.

"Listen, little guy—"

Sekhm paused then continued.

"Somehow i believe you, there is no proof of you lying or even hiding something— but i have question"

Sekhm paused for second as yozrasef glowing crimson eyes glew as he heard that he believes him.

"Do you remember anything before that?"

Sekhm voiced his question.

"No, i don't remember—..but..i remember my name and how to speak—"

Yozrasef paused for a second then continued, he was contemplating whether to say his name or not.

"My name is yozrasef"

Yozrasef stated his name, decided to state it regardless.

Sekhm was surprised by that but soon he fell into a thought and the same thought that kheru was thinking of.

'i never thought that he would utter his name like that— even so it doesnt sound bad, but the most interesting part his memory its as if someone tempered with it'

Sekhm thought inwardly.

During that time, the blindfolded girl was awake.

Her snore stopped and she was sitting among the rest.

Her ears twitched hearing his name.

' thats interesting— mysterious and strange indeed— someone definitely toyed with his memory but why—

Who is he?'

Kheru thought inwardly.

Confusion was visible on her face just as sekhm.

" you are just like maze, little guy—or should i say yozr—yozar–yozrasef"

Sekhm stated in chessy manner as he couldnt utter yozrasef's name.

Kheru sighed outwardly.

Yozrasef spoke now again.

" so— can i ask my questions now? "

Yozrasef asked as he sat oin the ground in the of the land.

Everything got quiet again, there was nothing there except for the noise of the flickering torch.

He took the silence as a yes, their eyes lingered on his closing eyes before opening them, their gaze once again was obscured by his crimson eyes.

"Where am i exactly?"

Yozrasef asked in calm tone, more composed than before.

" you are underground; in the abyss or duat, also known by hell for most people"

Sekhm spoke calmly.

Yozrasef fell in silence again then he continued.

"What is above the underground?"

Yozrasef asked.

"Its the surface— its where all we all came— supposedly—but in your case, I dont know about you."

Kheru stated calmly voicing her unsure opinion on him, she has the gut feeling that maybe yozrasef was born here.

"—well، kheru you forgot the most important thing— since he forgot everything its fine to tell him"

Sekhm interrupted the silence obscuring yozrasef's attention.

" this world is like that:

7 skies.

7 lands.

The first layer is where we all humans are born, in the sky, its where the eternal light, the creator of the universe oversee his creation along his messengers, the angels—"

Sekhm explained enthusiastically but soon was interrupted by kheru.

"Sekhm— you realize that these beliefs are why you were banished here along with the others—well most of them—"

Sekhm stated coldly.

"Kheru— my no— our belief is non of your business, you are here only to oversee our so called 'redemption' "

Sekhm's cold tone sent chills down yozrasef.

Even the blindfolded girl was startled by the growl in his voice.

Noticing the tension rising between the two yozrasef fell in his thought

' his words aligns really well with that story that the guy that called me his son said— something is definitely wrong, this guy—sekhm was banished for beliving in that? — in which thing though?'

Yozrasef was mOore confused now, but he understood that the world is ver complicated.

As the tension rose high so yozrasef decided to break it.

"So basically— you were banished for believing in god?"

Yozrasef spoke out his question unbothered by the tension.

"Well technically—yes, those fuckers—played with the truth!—"

Sekhm stated wiuth anger rising from him but soon kheru snapped cutting him off.

"What truth are you talking about, you meat–head? Do you truly think the world was created by one being? How is that even possible? Are you still a child who has fantasies?"

Kheru asked in tone of voice that seems calm but carried disdain.

"Blasphemy!—"

Sekhm kept rumbling as yozrasef fell in another deep thought.

'The eternal light, god— the jackal–headed being said almost the same thing too, its definitely no coincidence—

But what happened exactly? Why was he banished just for that? —not just him but everyone here? — this is so complicated to the point that im tangled into this somehow—'

Yozrasef thought inwardly, his head went through thunders not just thoughts and thats when kheru interrupted his thoughts.

" enough with these questions, this conversation is leaving bitter taste in my tongue already"

Kheru stated coldly, she stood up turning her body to leave.

"Hold on— please— i have one last remaining question and a request!"

Yozrasef spoke, his expressionless facade cracked, revealing his desperation.

Witnessing that sight, kheru was startled visibly which was quite rare sight.

Her startling visibly made sekhm also confused.