(Davian's P.O.V)

I'd been flying for a continuous four days. Or what I thought was the equivalent to four days anyway. Time didn't seem to move forward and the state of this world was never changing.

Even without getting into the weirdness of physics in general, there was something about this place that was...off. Like the opposite of a mystical land.

Limbo was just inert.

Fortunately I felt no hunger or exhaustion during those four days. And Chase kept me entertained with his funny comments about the environ around us.

Unfortunately, that didn't mean I had it completely easy. For starters, while there were other sentient beings in this place most of them were assholes.

Like this guy.

His name was Deimos And Deimos could turn into a snake. A massive one at that.

(Ss-kill-ss you... Die for Deimos!)

A voice stated from the 100 feet long snake.

"Yeah sorry. That's not in my plans for today."

I replied with a smirk, jumping away to avoid a spray of venom.

The rock I was on was immediately eaten through by the spit. Deimos didn't like that I could apparently choose to not get hurt, so he sort to rectify that.

There was a sharp hiss followed by the Serpent coiling it's body, before smacking it's tail onto the second floating asteroid I was now on.

Rocks pelted my body, breaking upon my skin as I willed myself to be impervious.

Not that I was in any danger even in my normal form. My physical body had grown much stronger due to Tairyoku which I'd only just recently discovered.

My soul on the other hand had been bathed in Reiryoku for months now. it would take a lot to even get past my Reiatsu, let alone my version of Hierro.

Deimos' tail could though. Several tons of hard and thick flesh, carved a second groove through the ground as it swung towards me.

I received the attack head on, Reiryoku surging around my soul in a steadily brewing storm.

There was a burst of air, that pushed the dust away, revealing an impossible sight.

I had my hands tightened on the red and black tail.

"This will hurt you more than it will hurt me."

I joked, hoisting the entire serpent up with my strength.

Deimos let out a hiss as most of his body left the ground. Then I swung and smashed the snake's head onto the side of one of the floating rocks.

The snake which was the length of a train chipped off rocks and stones from the side of the structure, leaving the creature dazed for a few seconds.

"Get the fuck out of here!"

I turned and yelled at the blue skinned furry aliens who were the main reason I was fighting Deimos.

I had come across the huge serpent attacking them without them fighting back.

These aliens seemed to be the only ones that hadn't actively tried to kill me the past few days, so I said fuck it and decided to help.

Still, something was off about them. The other prisoners avoided them. I had no idea why but it was concerning.

The blue aliens were really thin and wore rough linen. They also carried tools that they used to till the floating islands with.

In other words, they looked weak. And if there's one thing I know, those with strength loved to exercise their power. And who better to exercise it on other than those weaker?

The aliens muttered in a foreign language before they begun to run away. At least they knew what self preservation was.

All of a sudden there were numerous screeches from all around us.

"Shit."

I immediately unsheathed my sword.

"That's the biggest group of Limbo devourers we've come across so far."

Chase whistled at the 20 plus Limbo monsters that were very much headed for us.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

They must have been attracted here by the fight.

The concerning thing was that the blue aliens didn't seem afraid of the Devourers.

In fact it felt like the opposite. Like they were glad to see the monstrous creatures.

"Stop! Don't..."

The warning on my lips died down when I realized that the Devourers ignored the weak blue aliens and immediately descended upon Deimos.

I blinked.

"Chase did you see that?"

I enquired from my Zanpakuto.

"The Devourers aren't attacking them. They went straight for Deimos."

Chase replied.

Before me was a scene straight from a movie. A flock of monsters harassing an even larger monster.

The Devourers were mercilessly tearing chunks of the serpent with ease. Deimos not to be out done, was also mauling through their numbers, a crazed murderous glint in its eyes.

So let's recap.

There were other beings in this place apart from the Devourers, most of them were violent murdering psychos who attacked at first sign and tore your soul apart if you possessed a will weaker than them.

Deimos was only one of them.

That said, I knew that sooner or later, I was bound to meet other factions and individuals in this place.

With Reikaku active that became sooner rather than later.

It was easy to spot the two figures descending towards my position as Deimos and the Devourers continued engaging in battle.

I raised Chesha Neko and pointed it straight at the newcomers.

"Don't come any closer."

I warned.

The fact they could fly showed how disciplined and strong their wills were. That usually led to fights that could last a long time. The prisoners seemed to have nothing else to do other than battle. Not that I was complaining.

It was a chance to test out my new skills.

"Greetings stranger. We mean you no harm."

The woman of the pair, a beautiful blonde with short hair said, her hands raised in a gesture of peace.

"Do you know how many times I've heard that?"

I snorted, not ready to lower Chesha Neko.

"You would dare to lump us in with those afflicted by the zone sickness?"

The man said.

I immediately decided I didn't like the sneer on his face.

"Davian...no killing of the rude man until you understand where you are. They can help you with information seeing as everyone else is stark raving mad in this place."

"I make no promises."

I replied lowly just as the battle between Deimos and the Devourers begun to wind down.

The two strangers also seemed to notice and urgency returned in their demeanors.

"My name is Narid and this is my partner, Az-Rel." The woman introduced.

"Come with us before the Devourers decide to turn their attention towards us. While we can defend ourselves...you don't want to see what the commotion might attract."

"You should go with them."

Chase advised

Seeing the logic in the suggestion, I willed myself to ascend to the sky next to them.

"What about Deimos?"

I wondered about the fleeing Serpent.

"Nothing. Deimos like the most has fallen prey to the Zone sickness. He only serves the forces of chaos. Forced to see illusions and things that aren't there."

Az-Rel explained reluctantly, still regarding me with suspicion.

That was the second time they mentioned Zone sickness.

"How come the monsters don't attack them?"

I pointed a hand at the group of those blue furry aliens below us.

The Devourers seemed to hover around them almost protectively.

"Natives. Some see the Phantom Zone as an escape. A home. Aethyr allows them to live here. Even going as far as to protect them by having the Devourers guard them from the rest of the prisoners. It's why most avoid them."

"Except for those with this...zone sickness?"

I asked.

Narid nodded but said nothing.

One familiar name stood out to me during the conversation though...

Immediately I stopped in my flight.

"Phantom Zone?"

I enquired. As in the Kryptonian prison? That Phantom Zone?! Nick's memories alluded to a place that was a wasteland full of outlaws, convcts and alien criminals.

Oh fuck.

The two looked at each other.

"Don't you know where you are?"

Az-Rel asked.

I could lie.

But it would be much easier to just tell the truth.

"Not really no."

A conversation seemed to go happen in between them as they gazed at one another.

"I see."

Narid finally spoke, a contemplative look on her face.

"How did you arrive here then?! Can you show us the way?!"

Az-Rel questioned with an intensity that surprised me.

Narid grabbed his hand.

"Not now."

She whispered harshly.

"We still need to leave before..."

"GRAARRHHHHHGGG!!!"

I grabbed my ears as a sudden roar rippled out across the entire purple void.

"What the fuck was that?!"

I demanded, looking back towards where we had come from.

"We need to go. Now!"

Narid said urgently as she and Az-Rel took off towards the opposite direction from the roar.

I didn't follow them straight away. I wasn't going to flee from an enemy I couldn't even see.

"Hey Chase, you consider not running away as me being reckless?"

I enquired of my Zanpakuto, ready to activate Shikai.

"Depends."

He responded.

"Do you feel the overwhelming urge to be be suicidal?"

I chuckled.

"I have no intention of dying here. Shiva thinks this might break me."

I shook my head.

"She will never stop underestimating me. So I'm left with no choice but to prove my strength without a shadow of doubt."

Another roar sounded out.

Through my Reikaku, The Devourers were quicky being made short work of by something fast.

A floating asteroid rock was smashed onto another, sending huge chunks of rocks and boulders flying away. Some headed towards me.

My left hand came up.

"Hado no. 15: Onibi (demon fire)."

Purple flames begun dancing across my left side.

The fire gathered around my palm. Then with a blaze of glory, the flames were released in a funnel like shape, disintegrating all the boulders headed my way.

The rocks melted and then turned into ash.

Hot air escaped my mouth as my newly created Hado died down.

Hado no.15: Onibi was the first in what I hoped would be a series of elemental Kido spells.

Looking at the devastation caused to my front, I could see it being just as effective as a Getsuga Tensho.

"Get back."

Chase suddenly said out of the blue.

Knowing better than to argue due to his serious tone, I complied, flying back as fast as I could.

A deafening rumble sounded out as the floating Asteroid I had been standing on was hit by an impact big enough to shake it.

Silence reigned for a few seconds. Then two glowing green eyes filled with nothing but animalistic fury opened in the midst of the dust obscuring the area.

I tightened my grip on Chesha Neko, skin crawling with fear. For the first time ever, I was genuinely terrified.

The dust settled and revealed the source of my terror.

It had a huge gray muscular body. Easily more than 8 feet tall. Huge teeth that were on the outside of it's mouth and sharp bone spurs on the shoulders and spikes across the joints of it's huge limbs.

"Now we know why those two ran away."

I muttered to myself.

After all, when faced with Doomsday of all things, flight was the first option. Fighting was just running headfirst into a grave.