After finding the third key, they decided to go down and enter a new dimension. Dan asked, "What should we do about the stalker lady?" Melnik suggested, "Let's form a circle facing outward, so we can watch all directions." Droit checked outside for safety and found an empty corridor. They moved out and stood back-to-back. They entered the stairway, ready to explore.
The area was filled with a thick, dark green atmosphere. Each floor's entrance had only one hanging light. They proceeded down the stairs slowly and carefully, taking their time.
"I think the lady is gone."- Russ
"Looks like it," said Dan while examining around.
Moving down one floor requires them to take two stairs, first on the right and then on the left. As they climb the second set of stairs, a drop of water falls on Dan's hand. Ignoring it, Dan keeps moving forward slowly. Out of nowhere, his mind wanders to memories of rain and playing with his little brother back home. With a gentle smile, he looks up as if beholding a sky adorned with millions of raindrops. Then, abruptly, he stops in his tracks.
"Hey, move."- Russ
They all turn their heads toward Dan, who is looking up. One by one, they follow his gaze and look up as well. Their eyes widen in shock as they spot the Stalker Lady positioned on the stair ceiling directly above them. Her mouth hangs open, revealing an enormous tongue, and drooling incessantly. It was a stroke of luck that Dan happened to look up; otherwise, she could have swiftly taken him out.
"You saved us. Let's keep going now."- Droit.
Dan is standing still. Melnik shakes him, bringing him back from shock.
"Sorry, she is just horrifying," said Dan.
Upon reaching the sixth floor, they gather in the corridor. Droit glances down at his phone, hoping for a text that will instruct him which Flat to enter. Out of the four Flats on this floor, one remains locked, while the other three are open and accessible.
"Just go with the closest one."- Melnik.
"yeah, it's not like we have any clue what is waiting for us," said Russ.
Droit gives a last look at his phone, but nothing happens, so they all decide to enter Flat 601.
Entering the Flat's door, they find themselves in a lengthy corridor. On either side of the corridor, there are three rooms. Moving forward, the corridor opens up into a spacious hallway. The walls are painted a pristine white, and each room is adorned with a red door featuring a Christian cross as part of its design.
The hallways are dimly lit, with a sour, rusty smell permeating the corridor.
"This place is giving me chills."- Dan
"Yeah, it's so quiet."- Melnik
"Are we in a hotel or something?"- Dan
"Since when hotels are having the Christ symbol engraved on their doors?"- Melnik
"Cathedral, we are in a Church. These are Nuns Quarters. My Aunt is a nun. So I can tell. We are in the basement right now. Above us should be the main Chapel." said Russ.
"Let's look in the Rooms to check if someone is here or not." Said Droit.
They cautiously enter the first room on the left, only to be greeted by a horrifying sight. Russ's stomach churns, causing him to vomit upon witnessing the room's gruesome scene. The room is drenched in blood, and a lifeless body lies on the bed, mercilessly gutted from top to bottom. On the left side, there is a set of table chairs, and on the right, a bathroom door. A painting of Jesus Christ adorns the front wall, while above the bed, dried blood stains the wall. With Melnik's arrival, they decide to check the bathroom for any occupants. To their relief, the bathroom appears to be clean and devoid of anyone inside.
"Well, I was thinking, what this scent is. Now I know," says Dan.
"From the Clothes, it looks like the body is of a Nun," Dan pointed.
"Be aware the killer could still be in the corridor or one of the rooms."- Melnik.
Russ checks the corridor and verifies to everyone that it's empty.
"Should we check the room for the key?"- Droit
"Yeah, and then we have to check five more rooms. And then the whole building."- Melnik
"But the killer could be in one of the rooms! And only God knows what kind of creature it is."- Dan
Suddenly, a chilling voice echoes through the room, reciting God's hymns in deranged, bone-chilling laughter. "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul, praise Him." "for He is thy health and salvation! HAHAHA!!" The haunting voice draws closer, sending shivers down their spines. "All ye who hear, Now to His temple draw near; Sing now in glad adoration! HAHAHA, HAHAHAHA!" The eerie laughter intensifies, filling the room with an undeniable sense of terror and dread.
All of them are in shock for a second. Then Droit yells, "Close the gate."
Just as Russ tries to close the gate, someone forcefully jams a scythe's blade into the door frame, preventing it from shutting completely. The door remains open, leaving them in a precarious and vulnerable position.
"Are you ready to meet your creator?" asks the Monster as he opens the door.
The monster that emerges is a truly horrifying sight to behold. It is a man, half-burned and towering at about 6 feet 5 inches tall. He wears a charred white cassock, and his body bears a ghastly combination of grey and red from the burns. With piercing red eyes and a squeaky voice, the monster emanates an aura of terror and dread.
Melnik quickly tackles the monster, sending it flying into the door of the adjacent room. "Run! Get out!" Melnik shouts, urging everyone to make their escape. They all rush towards the hall, leaving Melnik alone to face the terrifying creature, bravely buying time for the others. The Hall stretches out, grand and circular, with two additional corridors branching off to the left and right. In the front, a set of stairways ascends to the upper floor. Seeking refuge, they gather beneath the stairways, concealed from sight. From this vantage point, Droit catches a glimpse of Melnik valiantly engaging the monster in combat, armed only with a single knife.
Droit stands in shock, witnessing the intense battle unfold before their eyes. The spectacle resembles scenes from animated action movies, something they had only seen on screen before. Melnik displays remarkable skill, deftly parrying the monster's scythe attack with his small knife and countering with a powerful right hook followed by an uppercut. However, it becomes evident to Droit that the monster's sheer brute force surpasses Melnik's capabilities. Even from a distance, Droit can sense the vast power disparity between them. It becomes clear that Melnik can only endure for approximately five more minutes in this relentless struggle.
"He is the Father,"-Droit.
"Whose father?"- Dan.
"Not a Father, The Father, Father of this church," - Droit.
"Seems like an anti-Father to me like a demon." - Russ.
"Something must have happened to him. What should we do now? Melnik won't hold for much longer."- Droit.
"We should go up," said Dan.
"But we don't know what is waiting for us up there. More demons could be there."- Russ.
"Then you tell me what should we do?"- Dan.
"How would I know? You think I am smart enough to decide this?" - Russ.
They Both look at Droit, Expecting him to know what to do next.
"You guys go hide in separate rooms and search for the keys. And I am going to help Melnik," says Droit as he picks up a wooden broom.
"You dare defy the will of God." Says the Father as he swings his scythe over Melnik.
"This can't be the will of God," says Droit as he bashed Father's Skull into the wall with the broom. Father is shocked, seeing this puny human hitting him without fear. Making use of this time, Melnik grabs Droit and runs straight towards the staircases. The Father glares at them in anger and frustration as they climb the stairs and reach the ground floor. Determined to catch them, he sprints towards them, but they vanish from his sight. With a disappointed sigh, he reluctantly heads back down, reciting hymns as he searches for his elusive prey.
"Beware of God's wrath, for he could kill you without touching you. HAHAHA!!, He is a jolly mad fellow; he will kill you!!"
Russ hears Father's voice, and it is coming closer each second. He is hiding in the almirah on the left wall in a room in the left corridor. Russ is sweating in fear standing in the dark, looking into the room from a crack in the almirah. Russ has a chubby body. So, it's getting hard for him to stay in as the depth of the almirah is not enough. The door creaks open, and Father steps into the room. He meticulously searches the room, inspecting the bathroom for any signs of hiding individuals, but finds nothing. He even checks below the bed, but the space remains empty. As Father starts making his way towards the door, an abrupt halt freezes him in place, his gaze fixated on the almirah. Russ trembles uncontrollably, overcome with fear.
"Are you in there, child?"
Russ remains silent, doing his best not to make any noise that could give away his presence.
"Where are the Kids? Well, it's fun finding them. I could do this all day." says Father as he walks out of the room. After ensuring that Father's footsteps have faded away, Russ remains calm and composed. Taking a moment to collect himself, he inhales deeply before venturing a glance outside the room, determined to check on Dan's well-being. With cautious movements, Russ opens the door quietly and peers out to the right. His blood runs cold as he finds himself face to face with Father, standing terrifyingly close. Father's yellowed teeth drip with a disturbing black goo, which he then licks back into his mouth, adding an unsettling touch to the encounter.
"It was dinner from many moons ago. Still tastes good." says the Father, smiling.
Fear overtakes Russ, leaving him utterly stunned and unable to react.
"Afraid not, I'll only kill you. It's as God intended.
Your death will be painless and peaceful. It will be for the greater good. Afraid not for, he will be with you." says Father with pride on his face.
In a desperate attempt to seek safety, Russ retreats towards the room, only to be seized by Father's powerful grip around his neck. Meanwhile, Melnik and Droit continue their urgent search for the key on the ground floor, oblivious to the perilous situation gripping Russ. Melnik searches the rooms connected to the church hall while Droit checks the stage. Droit comes across a photo of a little girl in a hidden compartment of the podium. It is labeled "Daisy" on the back. Deciding to keep the photo, Droit moves on to reunite with Melnik.
"Found anything?" - Droit.
"No, nothing. You?" - Melnik.
They enter a room that is significantly larger than the ones below, adorned with captivating paintings of gods and goddesses on each wall. A door on the left leads to a private bathroom, while an almirah stands on the right. Positioned in the center of the room, a bed captures their attention. Situated beside the bed, a small bedside table holds a pen, a watch, and a photo frame.
"Have you checked the bedside table?"- Dorit.
"Not yet, could you?"- Melnik.
Droit carefully examines the table, opening the drawers in search of something useful. However, to their disappointment, the drawers yield nothing of significance. Their attention then turns to the photo frame, which holds a picture of Father's family from a time when he was still human. As Droit closely observes the photo, they recognize the little girl as the same one from the earlier photograph. Eager to share this discovery, Droit shows the photo to Melnik, who confirms the connection between the two images."Yup, it's him."
"So he is a human?" - Droit
"Was a human. Not anymore" -Melnik
"Is this possible? A human can become a monster?" -Droit
"A human can even become a God if it sets its mind to it." - Melnik
"Are you serious?" - Droit
"What do you think I am?" - Melnik
"A monster? A Demon?" - Droit
"Haha, you think that. Don't you?" -Melnik
"Umm, Yes," says Droit with an Embarrassed Smile. - Droit
"I am a human, still. Not a demon or a Monster." - Melnik
"But your physical strength is not that of a human." - Droit
"We humans could evolve into anything we like. If we were to live underwater, we could have developed gills." - Melnik
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"Yeah, I know how evolution works. But still, this is too much evolution to have." - Droit
"yes, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Also, it's impolite to think I am not a human." - Melnik
"So, can I attain a strength like yours?" - Droit
"Yes, you sure can. Do you wanna learn that?" - Melnik
"yes!" - Droit
"Okay, I'll teach you when all this is over." - Melnik
A sudden thud echoes throughout the room as Father forcefully throws Russ into the church hall, right in front of the stage. His voice filled with malice, Father cries out, "Leave immediately, or he will pay the price. Well, he's going to pay anyway. But it'll be quick if you come out."
Dan, hidden on the stairs, carefully observes the unfolding scene. After a few moments, Droit and Melnik step forward, their voices filled with a mix of fear and determination. They plead with Father, earnestly asking him to spare Russ's life, appealing to his compassion.
"Why are you doing this? You were a human once. Have some humanity." - Droit.
"Humanity? Humanity is the weakest thing to have. To be powerful, one must become a monster." - Father.
"But, look at this, look at your family. Think of them and think of what you have become." - Droit shows him the photo.
"They are bound to God. or the Devil. It doesn't matter. All you need is power in life, not family. Family makes you weak."- says Father, turning red from anger. Small flames dance and flicker, engulfing the burned sections of Father's body, casting an eerie glow in the surrounding darkness.
As the flames engulf Father, the once-dark church is bathed in a fiery red glow. The acrid stench of burning flesh permeates the air, assaulting their senses. Russ, filled with desperation, looks to Melnik and pleads for assistance. Without hesitation, Melnik begins to sprint towards them. However, Father forcefully drives his scythe into the ground, unleashing a powerful shock wave that propels Droit and Melnik backward, momentarily halting their progress. Melnik gets up and asks Droit to run, "I'll get Russ. You leave." said Melnik.
Unnoticed, Dan cautiously makes his way up the stairs. However, a sudden stumble causes Father to divert his gaze towards him. Seizing the opportunity, Melnik swiftly springs into action, rushing towards Father with unwavering determination. In a swift and ferocious move, Father snatches Melnik with his left hand, locking eyes with him as a scream echoes from his throat. Melnik, determined to resist, headbutts Father, only fueling his anger further. In a twisted display of brutality, Father retaliates by biting off Melnik's right ear, inflicting immense pain upon him. With barehanded savagery, Father proceeds to gut Melnik, his life hanging by a thread. Finally, with a callous toss, Father discards Melnik, leaving him broken and at the mercy of his vicious assault. Melnik is out and lying on the ground. Droit dashed towards him, the suddenly Russ cries, "DROIT" for help. Droit looks toward him, and Father tries to cut Russ down. Droit takes out the photo of his daughter, shows it to him, and says, "You were a human with a Family. Russ has a family too, so please spare his life, as he hasn't done anything wrong."
"It doesn't matter," says Father as he chops the top of Russ' head off. Half of Russ's brain fell out. And in the rage, Father keeps cutting his body, horizontally from the top towards the bottom, in small pieces. Father is crying with anguish and reciting Bibles, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God." Observing the scene, Dan rushes toward the Father with a determined expression and attempts to push him. But the Father doesn't pay any attention to him and kept on chopping Russ. With each hit, Father's body turns bigger and more burnt. Droit wakes up Melnik and asks him if he can run.
"You take Dan and run, as I need to heal myself first," says Melnik.
"But, he'll kill you; you are coming with me. I am not leaving you here." - Droit.
"My wounds are almost healed. I'll be up in a minute. You take Dan and hide." - Melnik
Droit signals Dan to run, and they head downstairs. As they prepare to leave, the Father growls loudly and stares at Dan. Dan stops in his tracks, and the Father's mouth opens wide, revealing Russ' spooky, half-eaten head inside. Russ' head grins menacingly at Dan with blood-filled, sharp teeth.
Overwhelmed by terror, Dan trembles and cries out for help when confronted with Russ' horrifying head. Droit takes hold of Dan's hand and pulls him towards the stairs, both desperate to escape. In the downstairs corridor, lined with numerous rooms on either side, they run frantically without daring to enter any of them.
Despite seeing no one, Dan senses an ominous presence pursuing them. He glances back anxiously, but there's no sign of anyone behind them. Nevertheless, an unsettling feeling persists, as if someone is about to seize him. Driven by fear, Dan accelerates his pace, but his haste leads to a painful fall. As he cries out in agony, he realizes that Russ' head has clamped its teeth onto his feet.
"Let me take your body," says the Head.
Without wasting time, Droit kicks the Head away and helps him to stand up.
"Come on, let's enter this room for now." - Droit.
"Please save me. I don't wanna die." - Dan.
"Don't worry. Everything will be okay. Just go inside the room." - Droit.
"Don't worry? Russ is dead, man!"- Dan.
"I know, But now is not the time to discuss that or worry about it. We need to survive this." Says Droit.
*clomp-clomp* Footstep approaches.
As the Father enters the corridor, he cruelly holds an unconscious and badly beaten Melnik in his right hand, relishing in his sinister actions. In a panic, Droit swiftly pulls Dan inside and firmly shuts the door behind them. The sound of the Father's footsteps drawing closer fills the air, sending shivers down their spines.
Droit decides to take a seat, positioning himself with his back against the door to act as a barrier between them and the approaching threat.
Then the Father knocks on the door, and he says, "I'm here," in a deep, stern voice "I need to slice you up like I chopped up your friend, so open the gate. I could knock this door down, but it wouldn't be any fun. Come outside, and kneel before me. And rejoice in being slain by me."
Dan glances at Droit, clutching the photo of the girl in his hand. To his dismay, Droit has fallen into a deep slumber. Dan attempts to wake him, but despite his efforts, Droit remains unconscious and unresponsive.
Droit awakens to a surreal sight. He witnesses the Father standing with his wife and the girl from the photo, but there's also a ghostly version of the girl present, guiding Droit to see her memories. Filled with curiosity, Droit inquires about the events that transpired. The ghostly girl simply points her finger toward the Father's room.
Inside the room, an unexpected scene unfolds before Droit's eyes. The Father is happily playing cards with his daughter, appearing to be in a jovial mood despite the unsettling circumstances surrounding them. The Father's wife suddenly cries out in the Sanctuary, drawing their attention. Without hesitation, the Father and his daughter rushes to her side. Behind her stands a tall and charming man with shiny black hair and eerie red eyes. He has his hand around the wife's neck, sending chills down their spines. The Father is visibly shaken and anxious as he faces this ominous figure.
The Father grasps his cross tightly and begins chanting fervent prayers. However, the man only laughs mockingly in response, taunting them. "HAHAHA, it's all a waste. You know, God is long gone, right?" he jeers, extending his tongue to lick the cheeks of the Father's wife, horrifying them all.
Suddenly, Droit's attention is drawn to a shocking revelation. He notices a large red tail protruding from the man's backside, making him realize that this sinister figure is none other than The Devil himself.
"What do you want from me? I'll do anything. Please, let her go."- The Father.
"Ohh, What I want is quite simple. Just curse your God, and I'll leave."- The Devil.
"No, you Devil! How dare you ask me to defile my God. If he hears you, he'll smite you down."- The Father.
"Isn't he everywhere? So he must be hearing me. Now, last chance for you. What are you going to do?"- The Devil.
The Father closes his eyes, praying with unwavering faith for his wife's safety. A chilling slash interrupts his prayers, and upon opening his eyes, he witnesses the horrifying sight of his wife's decapitated head at the Devil's feet. Devastated, he drops to his knees, filled with grief and anger, cursing the Devil with all his heart.
"See? I told you. But you didn't listen. And now she'll suffer for all eternity because of you."- The Devil.
Now, with a sweet smile, the Devil looks at Father's daughter.
"No! Please, don't. I'll curse God! I'll do anything! Just leave my daughter. Please!"- The Father.
The Devil cruelly cradles the daughter's head in his hands, commanding the Father to curse God. Consumed by grief, anger, and confusion, the Father succumbs to the pressure and unleashes a vehement curse directed at God. He can't comprehend why such a tragedy is befalling him, as he has always remained faithful to God's teachings, leading a righteous life.
But in an instant, as the curse leaves the Father's lips, the Devil callously smashes the daughter's head.
"Oops, Sorry, I got excited watching you curse God. Well, never mind. It's not like you are going to live anyway." - The Devil.
With that said Devil guts The Father and left his Scythe inside him, saying "This Scythe is no fun now. You can have it."
Surviving the horrific encounter, the Father is left with the Scythe lodged in his body, kneeling amidst the lifeless bodies of his wife and daughter. Overwhelmed by sorrow and anger, he curses God once again, abandoning his faith and embracing the darkness.
In an act of desperation, he dips his hand into his daughter's blood and licks it, triggering a transformation. Dark energy engulfs him as his body begins to burn, leaving him half-alive, half-burned, forever changed by the nightmarish ordeal.
Droit is left speechless, witnessing the horrifying events unfold before him. As he turns to his right, he is astonished to see the spirit of the daughter standing beside him. The girl warns him that he must allow her to speak to the Father; otherwise, there will be no controlling the dark path he is taking.
"How could I take you to him? It seems even I am not where he is right now."- Droit.
"My spirit was introduced into this world through you.
You can let me appear in front of Dad, I'm sure. I am showing you my memories. You are still where you were."- The Daughter.
"Okay, I understand. But I don't know how I can bring you in front of your Father."- Droit.
"You don't need to know, just want, want, for me to be able to talk to my dad. That should be all."- The Daughter.
"Cool. Let's try it. We don't have any other option anyway."- Droit.
As the Father, consumed by rage and darkness, swings his Scythe towards Droit, he suddenly comes to a halt when he spots his daughter standing before him. A lone tear escapes his eye, and in that moment, the fiery rage within him begins to cool down. Seeing his daughter, he is overwhelmed with emotions, and his once-burning body starts to calm.
The daughter embraces her father's leg, and he collapses to his knees, the weight of his sorrow and remorse apparent in his tearful eyes. With his daughter in his arms, he releases all his pent-up emotions, crying his heart out as he holds her close. Gratitude fills his soul, and he finally thanks the Gods for granting him this reunion with his beloved daughter.
Returned to his priest form, the Father expresses his gratitude to Droit and begs for forgiveness. However, Droit's anger remains, knowing that the Father murdered his friend not long ago. He demands to be released and left alone.
The Father, with remorse in his eyes, bows his head once more before Droit and pleads for forgiveness, stating that he cannot be reunited with his daughter unless he cleanses his conscience. He laments that the Gates of Heaven will remain forever closed to him, preventing him from being with his wife and daughter ever again.
"You should have thought about it before killing my friend." -Droit.
"My father is not like that, It was years of resentment against God that made him like that. You know our whole story, could you still not find it in your heart to forgive him?" asks the Daughter.
After thinking Droit decides to let go of his anger and forgive the Father. Then He tells him to ask for forgiveness from Dan.
"My forgiveness won't do anything much. Ask him, if he can forgive you or not. He was closest to Russ."- Droit.
The daughter shares their story with Dan, and he forgives the Father. Dan then asks if there's a way to bring Russ back to life.
"Yes, there is. But, for that, you have to go to hell and ask the Devil himself."- The Father.
"How can we enter hell? Aren't we already in one?"- Droit
"This is my Domain. Or you can say Death's Domain. How did you enter here?"- the Father.
"Through the Main Gate for the Flat."- Droit.
"Flat?"- the Father.
"Yes, We were inside a building, and in that building, every room has a different dimension. Yours is room 601."- Droit.
"Hmm, interesting. In that case, I have something for you."
The Father presents his Scythe to Droit. Miraculously, as Droit touches it, the Scythe transforms into a bracelet and clasps onto his hand.
"What is this?" asks Droit.
"It is the Scythe of the Death. The Devil made me the death incarnate and left me this to bring forth doom. I believe it'll be a good help to you on your Journey." - Father.
"umm, thanks I guess. How can I convert it back to a Scyth?"- Droit.
"That, Even I don't know. It never did that with me." - Father.
Meanwhile, Melnik is almost healed and watching as all of this happens. He notices the Bracelet and smiles a little.
"Papa, come with me. We will be together with Mama now." said the Daughter.
"Alright guys, take care of yourselves on your Journey," says Father as he and his Daugther starts to fade away.
"WAIT!!! The key, where is the Key?" shouts Melnik.
"Key to what?"- The Father.
"Key of the house!"- Melnik.
Father takes a key from his pocket and gives it to Melnik.
"This should do," said Father with a smile. Then both of them Fade away.
"Should we go now?"- Dorit.
"I am still not fully healed. Let's rest here for now."- Melnik.
"Also, I have pissed. So, I might need to wash my pants and take a bath."- Dan.
Melnik and Droit both laugh at him and decide to take some rest in this Dimension.