Maya stared into the absolute darkness around her. She couldn't move or speak. She tried to breathe, but no air filled her lungs—only the strange sensation of going through the motion without anything entering.
Suddenly, she understood her situation.
Am I dead?
Moments after the thought crossed her mind, a violent force gripped her from within. It wasn't just her body—it was her soul being tugged in every possible direction at once. She felt herself pulled outward and inward, as though she were being torn apart and collapsed into herself all at once. The pain was unbearable. It went beyond physical agony, touching something primal, something woven deep into her existence. Just when she was certain she'd die again from the sheer pressure, everything halted. The pain stopped. The pull vanished.
She found herself standing in front of Avaris—right in the same spot where she'd supposedly died.
Avaris tilted his head, grinning with that same infuriating nonchalance."Well, congratulations," he said cheerfully. "You're dead."
"What…" Maya blinked, momentarily stunned. Then her expression sharpened, her voice rising. "Why did you kill me? I was supposed to absorb the essence of the medium-grade beast before I died!"
"Yes, that was originally the plan," Avaris replied casually, "but I happened to change my mind. You were asking too many questions."
He said it without the slightest trace of remorse.
Maya let out a long breath, suppressing the rising frustration. Accepting her situation, she asked, "What was that place just now? Where was I?"
"That was the power of the King of the Underworld pulling you into the First Underworld," he said. "It must have been quite painful. My apologies."
His expression turned apologetic for exactly one second before the same insufferable grin returned.
"As for where you were? You didn't go anywhere physically. You remained in this exact spot, but your soul lost all sensory connection with this world. You couldn't see, hear, feel—nothing. You were cut off, locked in a state of pure transition."
So he watched me go through all of that and did nothing?
"Yes, Maya," Avaris said brightly, as though reading her thoughts. "That's exactly what I mean. Also, I apologize for my fake apology earlier. Good news, though—you won't have to go through it again. I'll send you into the First Underworld directly this time."
Maya didn't even have the energy to glare anymore. She just wanted to be done with him.
"What do I have to do when I get there?" she asked, her voice low.
Avaris waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing complicated. Just survive for two years."
Maya's eyes widened. "Two years…?"
He nodded. "Yes, two whole years. Don't worry—the First Underworld exists outside of this world's time. When I bring you back, not even a second will have passed here."
That part, at least, brought some relief. "Alright," she said quietly. "I'm ready."
Avaris chuckled. "One last thing. No matter what happens, do not—do not—attempt to fight the Gatekeepers. Not under any circumstances."
Maya was about to ask who or what the Gatekeepers were, when the world around her changed without warning.
The sky above her burned blood red. Twin suns hovered side by side like the glowing eyes of some ancient being. The air was still—no wind, no scent, no life. There were no trees, no animals, no sky beyond that strange hue. Only an endless, barren black plain stretched out in every direction.
She looked down and found herself bound by heavy chains. Shackles circled her wrists, ankles, and neck, all etched with glowing, foreign symbols that pulsed faintly with an unknown power. She struggled against the restraints, testing them with all her strength—but they didn't even budge.
Giving up for now, she looked around.
She was standing in an impossibly long line—no, a procession of souls. Thousands, maybe millions, stretched into the distance in both directions. Everyone was bound like she was. Children, men, women, the elderly—even infants. And it wasn't just humans. Giants towering over the rest. Elves with pointed ears. Beasts she had never even heard of. Dragons, scaled and massive. Creatures from every story and race were present.
The world wasn't silent. There was sound everywhere—whispers, wails, murmurs, weeping, even occasional laughter. Some were crying. Others chattered in fear. A few laughed to themselves, lost in madness. But despite the chaos, one strange rule remained: no one ever left the line. Even the insane moved forward when the line moved.
The line led toward a colossal structure—a gate, so massive it dwarfed even the hundred-meter-tall giants. Its width stretched so far it faded into the horizon. It was at least five hundred meters tall, probably more. A central gap occasionally opened with an ominous creak.
"Uhm… excuse me?"
Maya turned sharply at the voice.
In all her nineteen years of life, she had never seen anyone so beautiful. The girl standing behind her was likely the same age as her, but her presence was unlike anything Maya had encountered. Smooth, flawless skin. Crystal violet eyes that shimmered like gems. Jet-black hair that fell past her shoulders in delicate waves. A slender waist and a full, well-shaped chest. She wasn't just pretty—her whole form was mesmerizing, like she had been sculpted by divine hands.
Behind her stood a young boy—probably twelve—with matching black hair and large, red-rimmed eyes. The men behind them were visibly staring at the girl, captivated despite the situation. Only the boy seemed unaffected.
Maya quickly absorbed all these details. It took her barely a second. She spoke, guarded but not hostile.
"…What do you want?"
"I'm Nina Denric," the girl said. Then, nudging the boy beside her forward, she added, "This is my little brother, Noah."
Noah gave a small nod. He said nothing, but his eyes were wide and damp. He had clearly been crying.
Nina looked back to Maya. "Do you have any idea where we are?"
Maya, after assessing the siblings for a few moments, decided they weren't a threat. She sighed and crossed her arms. "What's the last thing you remember?" she asked. "I'm guessing you two were together since you showed up here at the same time."
Nina's brow furrowed. She looked down, searching her thoughts. "I remember… waking Noah up from bed. I'm sure there's more after that, but it's like my memory's been torn up. It's all a haze."
Hearing his sister speak, Noah frowned slightly. He raised his hand tentatively, like he wasn't sure if it was okay to speak.
Nina turned to him, surprised. "Noah? You remember something?"
He nodded slowly. His voice was soft. "We were in a car. With Mom and Dad."
Nina's eyes lit up with recognition. "That's right. We were driving. Dad… didn't see the red light, I think. A truck came at us—I remember trying to shield Noah, then there was this loud crash and—"
Her words stopped.
Her face drained of color as realization settled in. She turned to Maya.
"Are we…?"
Maya nodded slowly.
Nina's face paled further, but she didn't allow herself to panic for long. She exhaled deeply, calming herself. Then she turned toward her brother.
"Noah," she said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Go stand over there for a bit, alright? Just a few meters. I'll come get you soon."
The chains clinked softly as Noah nodded and stepped away, sitting quietly on the black ground. His small figure looked even smaller in the vast red-lit plain.
"Are we really dead?" Nina asked again, this time in a whisper.
Maya looked at Noah, then back at Nina. "Yeah. We all are."
"You said you were with your parents, right?" she added. "Since they aren't here, I'm guessing they survived."
Nina gave a bitter smile. "I'm glad they did. I just hope they can… handle it."
She inhaled deeply, forcing herself to steady her breathing. Maya could see her shift posture—shoulders straighter now. She was trying to stay strong. For both of them.
"Where is this place, then?" Nina asked. "Hell?"
"No. This is the First Underworld," Maya said. "Basically, our souls are forced to fight the undead here. We grow stronger every time. When we die, we start again. It keeps repeating… forever."
Nina's face went pale again.
"For eternity? Isn't there any way out? Like maybe… if we suffer long enough, we get to go to heaven or something?"
Maya shook her head. "There's no such thing."
Nina dropped to her knees. She trembled, unable to hold it back any longer. Her voice cracked. "That's… too cruel. Noah hasn't done anything wrong. He's a child—he doesn't deserve this."
Tears fell, but she angled her body so Noah could only see her back.
Maya watched in silence. She felt something stir in her chest. A weight. She didn't know this girl. She didn't know this boy. And yet…
She sighed.
She knew she shouldn't say it. But she also remembered who Avaris was—nigh omnipotent, a being who transcended all logic. If anyone could twist the rules, it was him.
She took a gamble.
"I know a way to be resurrected," she said quietly.
Nina froze."…What?"