CHAPTER 1

Darkness greeted me as I woke up, a silent companion in an expanse that stretched endlessly. It was a calm darkness, reminiscent of a night sky blanketed with countless stars, a celestial sea that cradled me in its embrace. I floated there, adrift in its peaceful waters, each moment lulling me deeper into a tranquil slumber. Yet, amidst this soothing abyss, I was acutely aware of my own disorientation.

My name eluded me, slipping through my thoughts like wisps of mist. I grappled for it, reaching into the void where memories should reside, but found only emptiness. In an effort to dispel the haze that clouded my mind, I shook my head vigorously. It was futile. My identity remained shrouded in mystery, and my surroundings were an enigma.

I strained to discern any flaw in the darkness that enveloped me. My eyes, whether open or shut, revealed no difference, only the unyielding pitch. A question echoed in the silence. What had happened to me?

An instinct to move surged within, yet my limbs did not respond. A chilling realization dawned upon me, my body was absent. Had I become something akin to a specter?

A flicker of panic ignited within me while I gasped for air, a reflex from a life once lived, but no breath came. It was a needless act, yet the absence of it sent ripples of fear through my consciousness.

Desperate for a semblance of control, I flailed, seeking something tangible in the void. But there was nothing to grasp, only the vast emptiness surrounding me. Was this merely a dream, a figment of a slumbering mind?

In the depths of my despair, a change occurred. A distant light pierced the darkness. It was faint, a mere dot in the fabric of the night, but it was there.

As it drew nearer, the light blossomed, growing in intensity until it enveloped me in its warm glow.

But then, something sharp and cold pierced my essence. A hook, barbed and unyielding, latched onto me. Panic surged anew, but before I could react, I was yanked forward with a force that defied comprehension.

I was flying, or perhaps being dragged, across a dark inky ocean of souls. They swirled around me, a jarring murmur of whispering and wailing. Each soul brushed against me, and a fragment of my memory slipped away with every touch. I tried to hold on, but the current was too strong. Faces, places, and emotions all dissolved into the void.

The water was thick, almost viscous, and it clung to me like a shroud. I could feel the weight of countless souls pressing against me, their despair seeping into my very being. The darkness was no longer calm, it was alive with the torment of the lost.

As I was pulled deeper, the light above faded. The air, if it could be called that, grew hotter, stifling interestingly the heat did not seem to bother me, rather it felt warm almost homelike. The cries of the damned grew louder, a symphony of agony that echoed through the depths.

Finally, I was flung onto a jagged shore. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur and decay. 

I tried to stand, but my limbs were weak, my soul feeling drained and ragged. I looked around, trying to make sense of this new reality. The ground was reminiscent of a regular beach, with dismembered body parts laid through the terrain.

I felt a deep sense of loss deep within me. I felt no longer whole, a mere shadow of what I once was. Abruptly, memories stirred, not of names or faces, but of an emotion, a profound sense of unity, a moment in time when I was part of an all-encompassing peace.

Feeling a strange sensation, pulled from deep within me. It was as if something was calling to me, guiding me through the tranquility. I followed the pull, letting it lead me through the landscape.

In the distance, past the shoreline, I saw a thicket of trees, but the closer I got the more I realized they weren't regular trees. They were an amalgamation of human bodies weaved together and distorted.

As I moved, I began to notice changes within myself. My memories were still fragmented, but I could feel a growing sense of power. It was as if my very essence was being reshaped, molded by the hellish environment. I could feel something, a force that I instinctively knew how to wield.

I reached out with my mind, testing my newfound abilities. To my surprise, a wide crevice was formed right in front of me, just as I had thought. I felt a surge of confidence with this newfound power of mine.

With it came an understanding of what I was, and what I could do, but the details of my past were becoming increasingly elusive. I was the Control Devil, born from the fear of humanity of being controlled. I held the power of conquest.

Not wanting to remain alone, I calmly walked out. Seeing into the horizon all I saw was the same biomes of agony as the one I saw before. A meadow of flowers made in the image of anguish. A forest made up of the same creepy trees from before filled the side of the landscape. Ahead of me was a nearly empty plains biome, occasionally littered with human inventions like bronze swords, stone axes, and pottery.

Deciding to continue walking past it, time passed, but no change in the sky ever seemed to occur. The sky never changed, the darkness never came.

***

Eventually, I sensed a presence, one familiar yet not known to me. Not knowing if they were friend or foe, I stood guarded against them. Without regard I stood there, waiting in anticipation for them to show up, I could feel the nervousness permeating from me. After all, this would be the first devil I would meet since the start of my existence.

Without warning she appeared right in front of me, carrying an air of laziness. The first thing I noticed about her appearance was that she appeared human. 

This confused me since I knew I was in hell, the birthplace of devils. 

With a tilt of my head, I asked "What are you?"

Looking back at me with a mischievous glint in her eye she replied, "Me? You should already know the answer to that, don't you" 

"Hmm, so you're the closest thing to a sister to me, right Hunger?"

"Yeah, in a way I suppose. As much as a primordial concept of humanity's worst fears can be considered siblings."

Answering my question confirmed my suspicion of her connection to me. However, that aside I still didn't fully trust her. She looked too… shifty. Something felt off with her cool demeanor. A facade hiding something deeper, I suppose.

"So what's your deal?? Are you here to kill me?" I said sternly. I have to keep my guard up around her.

"No no no, nothing like that come with me, I'll explain everything to you" she said while waving over at me. Still, I didn't believe her fully. 

With some caution, I followed after her. What else was I supposed to do? Wander around aimlessly in hell for God knows how long. Hopefully, I'd get some real answers going with her. Or at least a change in scenery.

As we climbed the terrain she said "You know, I'm glad you're here, it'll be a nice change of pace. You see there are few of us here in Hell. What's your name?"

"I'm the Control Devil."

"Hmm I'll just call you sister"

As we walked, Famine began to explain the nature of Hell. It was a realm of torment, where the souls of the damned were trapped forever. For Devils, it was our home, our birthplace, born out of the fears of humanity. The only way to escape was to form a contract with a human on the surface world or to die here and reincarnate on Earth.

"What's the point of escaping?."

Famine laughed, a hollow sound that echoed through the desolate landscape. "You'll change your mind once you've been here a while," she said. "The boredom is endless, and the only thing that keeps us going is the hope to escape."

I pondered her words. Was escape truly possible? What would I do if I reached the surface world? The questions swirled in my mind, but I pushed them aside. For now, I was content to learn more about this strange new reality.