Welcome

The world formed around us by the grain, trillions of pixels coming together like living sands of a beach creating the building we came through into. I took another deep breath as the warehouse-like environment formed around us. Water dripped from us onto the cement floor as we walked onward.

We came to a series of staircases and Sebastian groaned,

"This is just like the staircases when I entered Union."

"Could it be a construct of your memories?" I thought aloud.

The staircase consisted of white steps with varnished arm rails and creaked as our weight was put upon them. Things steadily got more eerie as we went up. By the second flank we heard a muffled buzzing like that of bees. After the second floor blood was flowing gently down the steps, causing our feet to squeak as we came up to the top. The floor was dimly lit and Sebastian chose to go to the right. He yelped when he kicked something on the floor.

After several breathless seconds outside a glass door I picked it up. Tilting it in the dim light, once I found out what it was I muttered,

"What the hell?"

"What is it?" Sebastian asked.

"A 'welcome' mat-" then I saw movement beyond the glass door behind Sebastian.

A teenage kid threw himself at the locked door, begging for help. On impulse, Sebastian and I tried to open the door but the buzzing from earlier got louder. The boy became shrill in urgency before his stomach opened up, flies came out of his mouth and eyes and he disappeared back into the shadows as I felt the blood seep under the door.

Looking down, the boy's shoes were still there as if he were eaten out of them. Looking back up my eyes met a man's chalk white face and he observed me with obsidian eyes and locks. His face was skinny, his angled chin under gaunt cheeks. His expression was almost a dreamy one until his face contorted. His jaw unhinged like a spider and he screamed with animosity.

The door shattered and I evaded to the left as insects poured into the dim hall. The monster roared at me as it hovered out and I started running while swatting at the insects. My heart pulsed in my chest and I peered back only when my lungs burned in exhaustion and the buzzing noise sounded far away. Only now did I realize that Sebastian was gone.

I stopped to gather my breath and thoughts. That thing was chasing Sebastian and I started back towards a door I charged through in my haste. That is- until it slammed in my face.

"You..." a voice said with familiarity that brought goosebumps onto my skin, "did she bring you here? Or her vessel?"

I tried to turn around but an unknown force froze me mid-turn. Only my eyes moved frantically around in confusion, I even think I stopped breathing.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you..." the familiar voice walked closer, "yet."

Then pain coursed through my frozen body, the resulting scream escaped as a weak groan. Blood came from my eyes and ears as he asked,

"Do you like my latest creation? Peels pristine skin. Thoughts from the minds." Then he hissed in my ear, "What do you fear, little one?"

Then he added, as he walked away, "He peels away, no tearing. Exposes- and devours- everything. But that's his place, 'a place for everything and everything in its place', just like his brothers..." then as he was disappearing, "just. Like. You."

The hold was released and I collapsed in a heap. Then an audible echo came from the voice,

"I created this world. I CAN keep you here."

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(Sebastian's pov)

I stumbled back, almost slipping in the blood as I half-fell and half-ran away from the creature. Pushing myself up I glanced behind me as the creature turned and snapped its jaws at me as it hovered towards me. I pumped my legs harder and vaulted over a crate as I tried to ignore the insects surrounding me. I mazed through corners and halls until I hit a dead end.

In panic I searched for alternatives and barreled through the door on my right. The problem was that there wasn't a floor, I opened up in an entirely different environment and the branches of a tree broke my fall. Despite the tree I eventually hit dirt and tried to regain my bearings. Stupid STEM, never know when everything is going to change in the blink of an eye.

"Hello," a woman said from behind me, "long time, no see."

I turned to see a brunette woman with a wide brimmed straw hat, one with flowers adorning it in some old fashion guys like me or tomboys like Julie wouldn't recognize. I spat dirt and got up. Once I saw the mansion in the distance I knew who this was...

"Laura..." I growled.

"Laura Valentano at your service. What has brought you to our residence today?"

She hid her features in the sunlight and the brim of her hat as I glared down at her.

"Don't play dumb with me," I grit out, "you brought us here."

"Awww," she playfully whined, "but I love playing games! Like Simon Says! & I'm Simon when I say that I'm going to take you to the Mobius chief executive so you can kill him!"

I stared at her confused for a full fifteen seconds before I said, "Name me one good reason why I should help you?"

"Oh, I won't name you one but three! The first one is because I said! The second is I know where your daughter is-" the she growled out, "and third and foremost, I could kill you right now!"

As if in demonstration, she flicked her wrist and a shockwave blasted me back and sent me rolling through the dirt. I struggled up and Laura walked towards me confidently. She snapped her fingers and then disappeared as I was blinded in snow. I heard a giggle and turned to see Laura atop a stone wall of some compound.

"If you have god-like power, why don't you do it yourself!"

She shushed me and I heard a groan in the distance. She tilted her head and jabbed,

"Why would God leave me to waste away in recovery thanks to my father's shame? Cuz God has 'reasons'." She air quoted bitterly.

"Now hop to it, lest Pride or Gluttony find you." She tossed me a pistol and smiled, "I'll be in touch."

"Wait," I asked, "Pride or Gluttony?"

But she was gone…

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