Chapter 1: Chapter 1- Welcome To Demonlandia

“Dante, Dante, DANTE!” 

“Augh!” I proclaimed rising from a hard surface with one giant upwards Jolt.

SLAM!

“OW! That hurt! What the…hell? Where…Where Am I?” I said just having fallen off what looked to be a stone bed, or possibly even sacrificing a table.

This place was completely unfamiliar to me. In fact, this place didn’t even look like earth. Sure, yeah, there were trees with green leaves and brown bark surrounding me meaning that this place could be earth. But the sky was a bright red with pink stars and what looked like planet earth, or rather multiple planet earth’s littering the sky. It looked like these earth’s were infinite and endless with how each of them surrounded each other like books on a bookcase. 

“This is…bizarre? How did I end up he….HERE! My hands? My arms! My legs! What happened to them, they all look…Pink!?!” I shouted rubbing my body only to see that in fact I was not wearing any kind of paint…my skin was now pink.

Looking closer at my body made me realize that I indeed was naked. From head to toe, I wore no clothes. Yet It wasn’t cold, hot, or windy. In fact, I couldn’t feel anything or…wait…I’m not breathing? I’m not taking deep breaths through my nose or mouth? 

Wait.

No clothes, I’m not breathing and waking up on a stone bed in what feels like another world? No, it can’t be…but there’s no other explanation for this.

“I’m dead aren’t I?” I said as I lifted myself up from the ground.

But my skin, my skin is pink? Why in the afterlife would my skin be pink? Where’s god? The devil even? Was the afterlife the church told us not even real? My whole catholic belief is just one big fucking scam!?!

No, I refused to believe it. But what other option was there for any of this? 

Looking around I could indeed see that I was in what looked to be the woods but almost like the center of the woods. And not only that the stone bed I had awoken and fallen off from was connected to a stone ground. But that stone ground was connected to other things as well. A small six and three-quarters-foot stone wall stood next to the bed. A small stone table containing various things such as a sword and scabbard, A red mask with a strange symbol on it, and brown boots. Even a traveler’s pouch, three gold like belts, and even strange-looking clothing sat next to the stone wall. And alongside that wall was a fountain with pink water in it. It was almost like this small place was waiting for me to wake up in it.

On the wall etchings of various words were inscribed in my language. It was almost like someone left me a note that I would read right after I woke up. With all this new information if someone had left me a note I needed to read it. Or else suffer the consequences of not knowing whatever was left for me to read.

The words stated were of:

“Dear Dante Ignacio Enfarnando, you are now dead.”

Clearly.

“And not only are you dead but you have indeed been damned for your sins on earth.”

Damned? But I fought for the church. Protecting the people of my country and…

“For the slaughter of five thousand people and the inevitable deaths of one million people you have been in the terms of the gods been given the label of Slayer of innocents.”

Ah…so for all those people I have killed I have been sent to…hell? This certainly doesn't look like hell…or at least what the church has stated hell to look like.

“But like all people who have died, you have been given a second chance to reincarnate back onto earth to have a second head start at entering into paradise. For which currently you don’t belong.”

A second chance to reincarnate? Ah, so I guess those heretics actually were telling the truth, weren't they? Guess I really shouldn't have beheaded them moments later. Oh well, no point in dwelling in the past. 

Then again the past was how I got here.

“For now to be eligible to reincarnate you must save double the people you have slaughtered.”

I must save OVER TWO MILLION! That’s absurd! That’s unfair!

“This may seem unfair…”

Oh, fuck you.

“…but with how many people you have slaughtered it only seems fair to even give you a second chance.”

I can’t argue with that, can I?

“If you wish to not remember your past and forget what you have done except for your task…drink the water from the fountain.”

Yeah, no thanks, I’m good.

“You have no time limit as time has no effect here.”

Thanks, I guess?

“Due to the extent of your crimes against humanity you have been given the marking of wrath on your chest, which serves as a blessing and a curse.”

The what?!?

Looking at my chest I could see it. A strange marking of a seven with a line down the middle of the top line and a circle at the bottom tip. This was the symbol of wrath? I thought it’d be a bit more extravagant or even more accursed looking.

But there was more to this symbol wasn't there?

“We have provided you with the bare necessities to move through the land but know one thing. We will be watching your every move. Welcome to Demonlandia.”

And that was the end of the message. 

I’ve been damned, been given a cursed symbol, and even better I have to save over two million people. Fantastic. Fan-bloody-tastic.

Putting on the clothes, clipping on the sword, and placing the mask on my head I was ready to save my soul apparently. But there was something peculiar that I had nearly forgotten about that I had missed. The small fountain filled with pink water. On the sides of its edges were inscribed as well. They read…

“Drink  me and you shall forget everything, Leave me and you shall live With it all.”

I didn’t like that it said everything and or what the wall said…so I’ll be taking my leave now.

As I left the small stone area the only other logical thing to do was go through the woods. But the woods felt as if they were calling to me, but not in a way that made it enticing to actually enter it. But where else would I go? Looking behind me, side to side, and forward revealed there was no else to go. But those woods…they felt…wrong.

A sign hung on one of the trees that lead to a pathway into the woods. It looked like it had been left there for anyone to read if they dared enter these ominous woods. It read…

“The only way out is in.”

An ominous sign for even more ominous woods. How lovely. Not at all frightening or just wanting me to stay here and not move an inch.

“Ergh! They’re just woods! What would even be in them that would make me so afraid?!? I’ve fought every single warrior size imaginable with no fear! So why fear NOOOOOWWWWWWWW!” I shouted as my feet ran straight into the woods.

With each step in the woods, I could hear nothing. Not even the sound of my own footsteps. But I could see ahead of me. The woods became filled with fog to the point where you could see ahead but it looked endless. With no possible way out. The deeper I went into the woods the more I realized that I wasn't going to find a way out if I moved forward. I needed to go back. The sign clearly stated that the only way out was in. And if Mateo back from my previous life taught me anything it was that riddles often have their answer in the exact words.

I had to go back through the way I came in if I wanted to get out.

But that wasn’t the only thing I had to worry about.

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I wasn't alone in the woods.

There were people in here too. All of them moaned and twitched as they moved slowly. They weren’t here the moment I entered the forest but they were here now. With rotting-colored skin wandering naked in some kind of trance. Each of them being of different heights, genitalia, body sizes, and colors. They all were shaped in the form of human beings but moved and moaned like they were possessed by something beyond them. There had to be at least thousands of them the further I looked all around me. None of them paid any kind of attention to me as I began to take steps backward. 

But fate had other plans for me.

“ERGH! ARGH! My chest! It hurts! ARGH! It hurts so much!” I said stopping midway into backing up as my chest began to bleed a white liquid.

My cursed mark was working like it was some kind of wound as it bled and gushed like I had been sliced by a blade. I was dead?!? Why was I feeling this much pain!?!

As I grunted each and every creature looked behind them and started growling like a dog at me. Their eyes glowed red as their feet went from a light pace to a light sprint. None of them looked like they were going to do anything nice leaving me with one option and one option only.

To run.

GROWL! GROWL! GROWL!

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I proclaimed as I ran faster than I had ever run in my life…or previous life.

With each direction, I was met with the swipe of these humanoid creatures. Their growls made them sound like demonic beasts. Even worse they sounded like they were hungry. But for what? I didn’t want to find out.

“I can see a light…Woah!” I said nearly avoiding a swipe from one of the beasts.

“Almost there…almost there…almost…!”

SLAM!

“UGH!” I proclaimed having just slammed into what looked like a carriage.

“Sir are you all right?” Stated a feminine voice that I couldn't see as I rubbed my head from the pain.

Looking back at the whole ordeal I could see all of those beasts staring me down from the woods with a look of anger and disgust. Within a few seconds, each of them turned their backs on me as they walked in the other direction.

I was safe.

Thank god…or god's…or whatever this place had.

“Sir, are you okay?” 

Looking back up I could see a woman with bright orange skin, simple farmer garments, and an average slim yet busty figure-looking figure staring me down. As I looked back up a big smile came over my face. 

“Yeah I’m fine, just outran whatever beasts were in those woods,” I said getting up from the ground.

“Well sir, those woods are as cursed as they come. Many come in and many don’t come out…you new around these parts?” She said looking me up and down.

“Yeah, I am. I have no idea where I am. Do you mind telling me?” I said looking from each direction back and forth.

The woods were only one small part of the area. Now all that remained around these parts were simply farming plains, a long dirt road, and even animals…earthly animals. Cows, chickens, goats, pigs, and various other types of animals all existed in this world. Except each and every one of them had different colored fur and skin. It was lovely that I was no longer in the woods but the sky still was covered with space and various earths. A reminder that no matter how calm I was stuck in a world I couldn't leave without being redeemed. 

At least that was what I had been told.

“No problem sir, you are currently in the farmland of sector seven.”

“Sector what? You mean like a city, village or ?” I said looking at her incredibly confused.

“Well, the sectors are divisions of Demonlandia, we’re just part of the farm section.” She said with a smile.

“Ah, I see.”

“Do you need a ride into the nearest village, you must be confused.”

“Yes, that would be lovely…miss…?” I said getting up on the carriage.

“Miss Ai Li.” She said as she watch me struggle to get on top of the carriage before plopping myself down on top.

“Ai Li? Is that Chinese?” I asked in a confused manner.

“Chinese? I don’t know what you mean mister?”

That's right. Different world, there is no such as China here.

“Nevermind, it’s a place close to my home country.”

“You really aren’t from here are you.” She said making a condescending smirk.

“Far from it…why did you close your eyes?” I asked as she closed her eyes slowly moving her hands in a gentle hand gesture.

As she did her gesture I could see that there were no horses pulling the carriages or any kind of animal. I hadn't seen any when I crashed into her carriage so there was no way they ran off. So how was she pulling this carriage?

As soon as I completed that thought a ball of aggressive wind appeared in front of us or rather in front of the carriage. Another one appeared on the right side, then on the left, and another one behind us. Within seconds we were now floating off the air in one swift motion slowly moving forward. 

“What's happening?” I asked looking scared at what I was seeing just now.

“Well stranger, we are getting our butts to that village. But first I have to deliver these goods to my father's home if that's okay?” She asked moving her hands in a different hand gesture making us move forward.

“Not at…not at all…” I said stuttering my words clenching the seat on the carriage.

“Well then mister, hold on tight, we’ll be there soon enough.” She said with a smile as we began moving faster floating over the dirt road.

There was no mistake about it…Ai Li was in fact a witch. If she lived back on my earth I would have called her a heretic and beheaded her. Maybe even dragged her to the square, tied her up and burned her for the witch she was.

But those fools down on my earth didn’t realize there was a world beyond the god they were told to blindly follow. I was one of those people. But now things were different. There was no single god, there were what I could assume were multiple gods. They were all now watching me in my attempt to redeem my soul from damnation. Especially for killing thousands of people that lead to millions of other deaths. 

I was stupid for following them.

There was a change coming, I could feel it.

And hopefully a good one.

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