「Beginning from Carnage's POV」
Blinking awake, the soft, dull shine of dusk beats onto his face. It takes a moment for his vision to adjust, and when it does, he sits up, the creak of the bed rumbling through the air.
"I'm…" A raspy voice escapes his mouth, catching him off guard. "Am I…alive?" He questions again, the rasp in his voice decreasing.
Trailing his gaze down, a sigh of relief escapes once he sees a pair of arms and legs sprouting outwards. The sight of tattered brown clothes resting on top of his scarred skin gives him a comfort he never knew he needed.
'It may have been a few minutes or hours, but being inside the void felt like centuries.'
He acknowledges as his fingers and toes curl.
'It all seems to be working properly.'
Switching his attention from his limbs, his attention extends to the surroundings, his nose finally registering the overwhelming scent.
The damp, sour smell is thick like mildew and old leaves during autumn. It clings to the air like a wet rag left out for too long, which makes his stomach turn with disgust.
"Ugh…is this what hell—" He begins but stops as the realization seeps in.
'The void…the judgement…hell.'
A shaky breath escapes his lips. "This has to be hell, but I'm still breathing." He couldn't comprehend his current predicament.
'I'm not burning in flames or being whipped by demons; rather, I'm in a room?'
His head pivots to the window, where the particles of dust are illuminated by the sky's light.
"It seems like a basic place told in stories." He examines his surroundings again. "Creaking old bed, wooden walls and floors, nightstand, nothing seems even remotely sinister or meant to torture me."
Carnage swerves to his side, and he gets off the bed.
'I may be entering the conquest of redemption, but I am still in hell.'
Stretching out the numbness of his limbs, he crosses the creaking boards of his room and peers through the window.
The eerie stillness of the town is the first thing he notices, the crumbling cobblestone streets, aligned with varying huts and houses of both stone and wood, with the seemingly never-ending dusk unmoving from the skies, neither becoming darker nor brighter.
'It's as if the entire village is stuck in time. Even the birds in the skies seem not to be moving.'
He focuses on the raven that stopped mid-flight in the air.
"Wait…they aren't moving." He recognizes. "This place is stuck in time."
'I wonder what circle this is?'
He ponders as the panel sparks to life.
「Welcome player #666 to the first circle of hell, Limbo. To the first circle of hell, Limbo.」
'Limbo. I've heard of this place before. It's between hell and heaven, where nonbelievers are sent.'
Stepping back, he sits on the bed.
'However, in this situation, it's used as one of the circles?'
The panel continues…
「The council of judges and the core evil are most pleased by your entry into the Conquest of Redemption. However...」
'Pleased? Shouldn't they be angry that they were most likely not going to become souls for them to torture?'
"Then again, how would I know?" He chuckles to himself, ignoring the dread and adrenaline of the unknown coiling under his skin. "Not a single memory of my personal life has returned."
「However…」
"Huh?" The words snap him out of thought. "There's more to it?"
「Sinners like yourself don't deserve the easy way through.」
A sharp pulse rattles his chest, pupils blown wide. "What?"
「Before you begin your conquest, a sinner must pass the admission trial to be deemed either worthy or unworthy of beginning their redemption journey…」
"Worthy or not?" Carnage's jaw clenches. "Isn't that the whole damn point of descending the Nine Circles?" He tilts his head, eyes burning as he glares at the words. "If I had only known..."
「The conclusion of your answer would have never changed.」
The system chimes in.
"You...you don't know that!"
「Whether I did or not, all human souls are driven by something at the end of their existence.」
Carnage's anger comes to a head despite his better judgement, all his calm leaving as if its word unlocked or ignited something hidden. "What? Envy! Rage! What do all souls have in common?"
「Regret.」
Carnage scoffs. "You're wrong, not every soul. How can I regret what I don't remember?"
「Regret wears many faces...」
He stills, staring in silence at the panel.
'What regret can I possibly have?'
「Let's proceed…」
「Admission trail objective: Uncover the name and history of this village and eliminate ten skinwalkers.」
Snapping out of his daze, he regains his composure. "Skinwalkers, the creatures you hear about at campfires or in legend."
'They're real?'
「Correct.」
「 Advice: Carnage Aramot, if you seek answers to your questions. Reach the end of the circle, or perish without knowing.」
"My questions." He repeats, his mind flashing back to the panel.
「You have committed the greatest sin. 」
「Regret wears many faces.」
"Why can't I remember anything..."
'Answers… I just need answers.'
He clenches his fist, nails digging into his palms, eyes burning with determination.
「Your time limit is two days, and to aid you in this challenge, you will be granted temporary personas.」
'Persona?'
<<
「-Persona (Uncommon)-」
「Your persona: The keybearer」
「Power level: 70」
「Magical artifact: Key of awakening」
_________
Key of Awakening
—Explanation—
The user can awaken/unlock any sealed artifact.
__________
"Ouch!"
At once, a spark of pain ignites along the backside of his left hand, and the space floods with a red light.
「Good luck on the trial. Your guidebook shall be distributed shortly, but be warned. If you fail in this trial, your redemption will promptly end, and your eternal suffering will commence.」
His eyes leave the panel to the imprinted tattoo of a key on his hand, its hilt the shape of a pentagon.
'This is it. I have no other choice but to take part in this hell's game.'
Getting to his feet, he tears the bottom of his shirt and tightly ties it around his knuckles.
"Survival is the only thing that matters." He stops in front of the window, pulling back his fist, and launching it forward at full force. "For that, I need a weapon!"
Crash!!
'This should be good enough.'
He thinks, staring at a piece of glass barely clinging to its hinges, which he tugs loose, holding it firmly, as footsteps sound outside his door.
.
.
.
[Present time.]
"Erm, so... what're we meant to do now?" Nullen inquires, eyes darting around the space for any clues on what to do next.
"I don't know." Carnage answers truthfully, his focus outside the window.
'I'm like a walking baby duck in this place, with barely any information, so I need to strategically rely on others for the information I need, or the guidebook we are to be given.'
A sudden gasp escapes him. "A person!"
"Are you serious?!" Nullen flies up, rushing to his side as they both stare at the only person on the empty street below.
The figure lifelessly drags their feet on the cobblestone, their torn brown clothing barely clinging to their frame.
"It's as if they're walking like—"
"Zombies," Nullen concludes, backing away from the window. "According to writings on the Nine Circles of Hel, limbo is said to be a place for non-believers, those with low faith. It's the first circle, known for 'non-active torment'."
"So basically, it's like a place where nothing happens?" Carnage query.
"Essentially." He nods. "There's no physical punishment, only eternal absence of hope…A sorrowful, yet peaceful place." He whispers the rest.
"Noted." Carnage pulls away from the broken mirror, his shard of glass still tightly gripped in his wrapped palm. "Then, we should finish this task and move on."
"Indeed." Nullen agrees, pushing up his glasses as Carnage walks up to the door, and he follows behind.
'I need to get out of this place quickly. Being stuck here won't offer me any answers.'
Reaching the door, his hands lift towards the knob, but red energy sparks to life at his fingertips, and slowly, something materializes.
"Hmm?!" He steps back, turning to Nullen for a split second to see the same thing emerging from a golden light.
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