Chapter 78 - 74: Trials

A strange unprecedented scene was taking place in a small universe, in a relatively unremarkable mortal plane, three Gods sat down as they waited for a teenage mortal girl to wake up.

The mood was tense, Kyzdall looked to be the most concerned one out of the bunch, Ondan seemed to not care at all while Ysion was simply curious as he observed the entire situation unfold.

'Will she survive? Will, she not?' He asked himself as he patiently waited.

The girl's little brother was already almost in despair as he tears constantly fell from his eyes, his hands clutching tightly at his sister's clothes.

*SWISH*

With a wave of his hand, Ysion made the little boy faint next to his older sister. Ondan and Kyzdall turned to look at him in curiosity.

"I'll wake him up when his sister does." He simply said before he turned back to observe the young girl.

Ondan and Kyzdall did not seem to have anything to say so they chose to remain quiet.

---------------------------------------------------

Jose was scared, she was terrified. She clearly remembered standing in front of a God! Her brother was with her, she was there just moments ago but now, now she was in hell!

She stood in the middle of a giant red rocky mountain, the peak was still a way up, the sky above her head seemed to have been split open in half and was of a dark orange color.

To her left was an infinite desert and to her right was an infinite ice land, surrounding the mountain were all types of monstrosities that her head was unable to fathom how they even existed!

The monsters seemed to be trying to climb the mountain but we're unable to do so, some sort of barrier was blocking them from moving.

Unable to keep looking at those abominations, Josse frantically looked at the area surrounding her for something, anything that might be of help to her.

It was then that a shining bright light came from the peak. It did not seem to be that far away from where she was and that looked like her only bet, she didn't even want to cast a second glance at those monsters, they seemed to be salivating as their eyes hungrily looked at her, their bodies were something straight out of a nightmare!

So Josse did the only thing we could, she ran, she frantically ran up the mountain with her hands and feet, as she desperately clung to the hope of something, anything being there at the peak to help her get away from this cursed place.

As she got closer and closer to the peak, the bright white light seemed to shine even brighter as if to welcome her and take her away and save her from this place.

Once she finally took a firm step on the plateau shaped peak, her legs took an abrupt stop as her eyes widened.

There it was, in front of her an open door, it seemed to lead her back to her own home, where her father waited for her alongside her—alongside her—

Where was her brother?! Why did he not seem to be beside her father? What was this supposed to mean?!

Before she could think any further about it, a tall black mirror materialized next to the door, the screen was pitch black and nothing was to be seen.

But Josse found herself staring at that strange mirror nonetheless, and the more she did the more the black screen started to change before forming a strange image. It was her brother.

Her brother was being held captive, she did not know where exactly but the mirror did say that he was either in the desert to her right or the icy land to her left, what made her blood rage however was the various cuts and bruises on her brother's body! A hooded figure continuously tortured her brother as Josse screamed at him to stop! As if being able to hear her cries, the hooded figure momentarily stopped and looked back seemingly staring right back at her before letting out a smirk full of disdain, it was then that the mirror suddenly turned black and quietly disappeared.

"ARGHHHH! ROLAND!! NO! It's my fault! It's all my fault!" cried Josse as she dropped to the ground blaming herself.

"If only I wasn't so selfish...If only I hadn't dragged you with me...I'm sorry little brother...I'm sorry..." she quietly cried, tears constantly falling to the ground as she clutched her fists until they turned white, digging her nails to her palms and causing blood to fall.

It was then that the bright white light shone once again, momentarily blinding her as it forced her to shield her eyes with the help of her hands.

Once the light subsided, Josse carefully opened her eyes and there it was, next to the door was a double-edged battle-axe that floated there surrounded by a red hue.

As Josse sat there on her knees, the door seemed to call for her, whispering sweet things into her ears, promising her freedom and escape from this cursed place! She could go back to being with her father once more! And all she had to do, was leave her little brother behind...

The axe, on the other hand, screamed at her, shouted in her ear to grab it! To embrace the rage! To embrace the carnage it will bring! To accept it and slaughter her way to her brother!

Making up her mind, Josse stood up her eyes full of determination as she did not give the door another glance but headed straight towards the axe!

As her hand grabbed the helm, the red hue disappeared and the floating axe came crashing down to the ground, it was too heavy...

Not willing to give up, Josse screamed as she tried to hold it to bring it up but it was all futile, she wasn't even able to make it budge.

"WHY!? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! WHY GIVE ME HOPE OF YOU ARE JUST GOING TO CRUSH IT?!" She screamed out the top of her lungs, her hands still not willing to part with the axe, but she had no choice.

It was then that the monsters down bellow started to get more hurried, they clawed at the invisible barrier and on the ground in hopes to get past and rush towards Josse, their sounds weighing on her mind and filling her with despair.

The door, on the other hand, shone even brighter, as it continued to whisper to her, to give in and live! Her stare turned blank as she quietly stood up and faced it, a single tear falling down her cheek as she turned back to look at the monstrosities that waited for her down below.

For the first time in her life, Josse felt real despair, for the first time in her life, she experienced real fear and hopelessness...