The Uncharted Territory grew famished of a person to feed hatred on. It needed nourishment right away, something to feed on, to prey on.
Deep inside the palace, a young man was curled back, sitting on the ground with his arms around his legs, rocking back and forth.
The arms of a woman come from behind, covering him.
"You don't even know who you are."
"I'm one of the three."
"You said that before. Open your eyes to reality."
"I'm one of the three."
"Wake up, Ambroise Ler."
"I'm not one of the three, I'm the fourth one. I'm the kid I thought was dead."
"You are exactly who you were supposed to be. You are dead and I am your angel, Kashmir. You are Ambroise Ler, you fried your own brain to escape your sickness and the monsters you've created."
"Aeon is dead. Universalis is still out there, I can feel it. Death has made the link permanent. I ignore where exactly he's hiding and which type of body, but I know he's out there for sure. I expect only horror to lie beyond."
"Well, in the meantime, you have to leave this place."
"Fine. What can you do? How can you help me and why were you assigned to me?"
"Sebastian was Ismael's angel not so long ago before Ismael himself killed him and took his eyes. He was sent to make him follow the Way of Heaven, but he stayed on the Way of Purgatory. Sebastian could read the future, I can read the past. But you need to be focused. One second of hesitation and I won't be able to help you the slightest. You'll be on your own."
"Just like him you were assigned to me so I could follow the Way of Heaven?"
"Yes. There is still a chance for you to be absolved of your crimes. Unfortunately, the one in charge of this world here is evil, and has made it so that those who die in hatred are bound, shackled to this earth until they find a way out. Before Heaven, you will reach Paradise, where he resides. I can't say his name so you'll just have to trust me on this one."
"And "he" is the reason I'm still alive after this?"
"Yes, Ambroise. Now. Leave the palace and I'll take you to Ismael."
"Just like that?"
"Ismael has faced an ascension, someone, Capucine, went to Paradise and took the life of all his friends. In a moment of shock he killed Sebastian and took his eyes. Now he wears them, uses them. I can sense the angelic aura they emit."
Ambroise got up on his feet and ran as fast he could as his angel followed him with a smile on her face. Running to the outside and stopped progressively.
"I'm not exhausted."
"When you're dead, a lot of body functions work in different manners. You'll learn with time."
"Right. Go on, then. Take me to Ismael."
At Kenza, Ismael was sleeping profoundly, another nightmare where unseen faces trap him away in their own happiness. They laugh and they play cards on the penthouse. It's isolated, comfortable, anybody could enjoy the moment but Nero is taken away from that, not feeling the right emotions and suffocating. As his pain becomes visible and audible, they refrain from laughing and instead smile at him, asking him to not ruin the moment.
"You replaced us. We had the bench, we had memories and everyone died. I died in your arms, Ismael. Remember me. Remember when you had me in your arms and rejected me. Who the hell is Nero? Your name is Ismael and you belong to us. The bench squad."
"..."
"He doesn't remember", said the girl putting her cards face down, visibly annoyed.
"I can't speak. I can't talk to them."
"He hates us", said another girl with blue hair.
"Oh, does he? Well...why is he here, then?"
"I want to remember. I want to remember them so bad. I wish I could speak, but I can't. And everything is so blurry."
"He's playing us. He wants us to feel bad for him."
"That's my angel right here. I forgot her name, something with giant mountains and a sun. I remember a girl standing in the sunlight, bathing completely in it. Making one with the sun."
"Guys, what did I miss?" Said another familiar voice.
"Gloria, you're here. Ismael is acting up again."
"Yeah it's because we're all dead and so is he but he's still held back on earth. He'll join us in Heaven."
Awane, seeing Nero trembling in his sleep, sweating, joined him and grabbed him in her arms. In his dream his brain interpreted that as Gloria hugging him, and for a moment he felt truly compelled to cry and be happy, and the vision wasn't so blurry anymore. It was perfect, he could see their faces.
"Mateni Tarima. Basil Morgan. Raven Perma. Genova. Gloria."
Nero woke up in tears, seeing Awane, she expected him to have a reaction but he didn't care about courtesy etiquette or hierarchy respect anymore. He looked at her and thanked her.
"Mistress, we have a visitor!"
"Karin, call Grant and tell him to gather up forces. Nero, let's go. We have work."
"Yes Mistress", he replied with a smile.
At the doors, two beings waited patiently under the rain. The two doors opened and the two of them were met with lots of fire weapons.
"Name?"
"Ambroise Ler."
"Are you insane? Like that? At the gates?"
"Ismael, listen to me. I could try to do something to you, this place and your friends here but I won't. I killed myself, frying my brain with cables. I ressurected dead in the Uncharted. This is my angel, Kashmir. I'm dead, just like you."
"Is she mad at me for what I did?"
"I am not, Ismael. An ascension is hard on everyone but the person reaching Paradise. In the end Sebastian was loyal to Paradise instead of Heaven, so he dug his own grave. But it's still tough for all personal assistant angels up there. He was liked, he was alone. He made himself lone. The wrong allegiance kills."
"I understand, I'm sorry, Kashmir. So why are you here, Ambroise Ler?"
"I'm here to make up for what I did. As you can see on the back of my neck, I'm free from Aeon. But Universalis is out there, and we need to find and kill him."