CHAPTER 2

Trial of the Souls

Yugo opened his heavy eyes as if he just woke up from a year's worth of slumber. When he finally woke up, he held different parts of his body.

"What, they're still intact?" He asked himself, gripping every part.

Looking around, he saw 3 gigantic thrones almost 15 meters high. Surrounding those seats were a smaller hundred more seats encircling the thrones. Yugo believes he's in an auditorium-like place because of the structure.

The 15 meter high throne was surprising enough, but what's even more surprising are the three mystical giants inhabiting the throne and almost—or more than a hundred fantastical creatures sitting below it. Some looked human while some looked like magical beasts or animals.

"It was just as described in the book", Yugo thought.

Three colossal thrones reside in the center of the hall, a sign that the most significant and influential being is worthy of its power. Those beings were the 3 Emperors; Exon, a muscular, armor wearing giant, Creatar, blonde-haired, blue eyes with white clothing. He is said to look like an angel because of his beauty; and Auroa, guardian of the universe who has the power of time. She's light skinned with green hair that shows her true beauty. A hundred gods bow down to them and those who display such scornful acts would be burned to ashes in an instant. They can crush you like an ant and eat you like meat.

"Glorious Ascension"—A book written by the famous author Ren. It describes the protagonist "Ahn"'s adventure in Ahemond.

To think that the author Ren, who had never shown his face, was able to describe Ahemond entirely accurately…

"Glorious Ascension" was Yugo's favorite book. He remembers reading it more than fifteen times to the point that he can remember every scene.

"Kazuha Yugo"

Yugo looked back and saw a man dressed in black suit. The man in front of him now was different from the man earlier before he died. He looked young but older than him.

"What? Is this Ahemond?" He asked although he obviously knows the answer.

The man was taken aback hearing the word "Ahemond" but what surprised him the most was Yugo's calm yet excited look on his face. From his full 100 years of accompanying souls, no one has ever displayed such calm yet excited emotions–well, except for one.

He cleared his throat. "I am No. 3481 and I was tasked to be your companion during the selection process."

Yugo raised his right eyebrow. He sure saw the word "selection process" in the book, "Glorious Ascension."

As Ahn lifted his droopy eyes, a young man greeted him. He introduced a scheme called The Selection Process. The selection process or known as the Trial of the Souls is an act that the gods created in order to determine and judge whether a soul lived a sinful or a lawful life.

What these naive souls do not know is that this selection process is a hidden way for the gods to find a beneficiary. In other words, Gods choose a worthy soul and enter a contract where souls can use the god's powers until they reach the top of the tower.

"You are to never utter a word unless the judges ask you to do so." No. 3481 says in a serious tone.

Yugo was contemplating whether to ask about the benefactors but he chose not to. He decides not to pry much.

Yugo was asked to sit in a row of benches together with other people of different age, gender and race. He had the number 4781 on his back. It signifies the number of Yugo's turns to be trialed.

"What do I do...what do I do…" An old woman uttered as she frantically tapped her feet while biting her nails on her fingers.

"Hey, woman. Can you shut up?!" A man with a vigorous physique aggressively shouted. He had all kinds of wounds on his face and blood smeared on his old worn clothes.

"Then what do you want me to do?! Do you know what happens when we enter Ahemond? It's either we die or we become crazy like those people who survived the tower!" Her eyes widened and turned red from rage and anxiety. Even her skin was full of scratches caused by her bitten nails.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

The muscular man laughed loudly. "Ha! We're already dead, woman. But if you're really that scared, I'll kill you first." He laughed again and let out a smirk—a mysterious grin that only the violent, sinful and unlawful man could make.

The woman glared at the man and spit on his face. The man boiled from rage and forcefully stood, his fist up in the air ready to swing his brute arm unto the saggy cheeks of the woman but a slim yet wounded arm stopped the force. A black-haired woman wearing a black open back dress and a katana on her left arm.

Yugo widened his eyes. Everyone from the bench had their eyes set on that elegant yet intense woman.

Looking intently on that woman, Yugo thinks that based on her unusual appearance, she is not a woman from the modern world. She just might be a figure from the past.

"What? Who the hell are you?!"

"Refrain from doing such a ludicrous act in front of the gods. You are not just humiliating yourself but the whole figure of being a human." Despite her elegant appearance, she lets off a strong and powerful voice.

"What…" The man filled with rage attempted to smack the woman but her grip on the man's arm became even tighter.

"My name is Raja; and I don't like repeating myself " Raja glared sharply as a knife.

Yugo's eyes widened, but he's not surprised.

Raja. A significant woman of history. History claims that her beauty and elegance glow the most during war. She was the strongest warrior hundred of years ago afterall. But, history claims that she was a traitor who drove the country into ruins.

To think that he would see a woman of history, just how many times did she try to climb the tower?

At that point, an old man dressed in a taekwondo outfit spoke, "Please refrain from any violent actions. We also have a kid here." He says pointing and looking over Yugo's side.

He thought that the taekwondo man was pertaining to him, but Yugo realized that the old man was actually talking about the young boy beside him!

He's too small to see; around 7-8 years old.

"Hm?" Yugo noticed something on the boy's collar.

"Lee Sejun"

"So your name is Sejun?" Yugo awkwardly asked. Since he never had any younger siblings, it's not surprising that he is not good with kids.

The trembling young boy nodded as an answer.

Yugo felt pity towards the kid. A young boy like him died so young, and now he had to climb the Ahemond tower, defeat gods more powerful than him to live.

"He might not survive the 1st layer..not an 8 year old like him…", Yugo thought.

As Yugo look at Sejun with sympathy and leniency, Sejun looked up to him with innocent, bright eyes and said, "I'm 12."

Yugo was taken aback. "W-what?"

"I said I'm 12 years old."

His eyes twitched. He wondered whether he said his thoughts out loud. "Um…did you hear me?" Yugo whispered into Sejun's ear.

Sejun cutely shook his head no. The innocence in his eyes never left. "No...but it's obvious from the look on your face. Mister, I can handle myself until I reach the 12th layer so I can finally rest in peace."

Yugo's eyes twitched once again, "m-mister, you said?" But eventually, his eyes widened. He realized something that the boy said. "You..don't you want to live?" He asked. It was obvious from what Sejun said. He wanted to continue being dead. A kid like him, a kid with a bright future….What could he have gone through to think like that?

"Number 4279. Your trial will commence now." A man in black suit shouted.

Everyone from the benches to the main trial hall were silent as number 4279 walked his way towards his seat in front of the Emperors.

But everyone was silent not because they were nervous and scared for their life, but rather they were anticipating number 4279's trial.

"I repeat the rules! You have no right to say anything while the trial is in session. Anything you say is considered treason to the gods!"

"Do you understand, Number 4729, Lee Sejun?"

Sejun was the first kid to be called which is why there is no surprise that everyone is anticipating this trial.

"Then," The first Emperor god, Exon, spoke.

"Let 4729's trial begin—"

"Wait!"

Everyone turned to the back and saw a monkey who shouted and jumped from the back of the trial hall, to Sejun's side.

"Zenesis shall take over the boy named Lee Sejun and enter a beneficiary contract with him."

Yugo's eyes widened. The name Zenesis definitely appeared in the final chapter of the book, "Glorious Ascension."

As Ahn wither away from the 12th god's attack, a monkey appeared. There stood a monkey as large as a boulder. The monkey could talk and do any other human traits. Call it godly instinct but the 12th god quickly bowed down to that animal.

The gods call him Zenesis–but Ahn knew he wasn't the real Zenesis, the god of End.

He was merely a servant of the mighty god. Zenesis is a fearsome god who loves to play with human beings. However, no one knew of his appearance, voice, gender or anything.

He never had significant powers but there is one thing special about him that the gods knew but the humans could never understand–

–He knows the End of everything.

But what is the End?

The trial halls were enveloped with quiet whispers and mutters as the monkey declares "Zenesis" will be entering a contract with Sejun.

"Emperors, do you agree to abstain from this trial and let Zenesis, the god of End become Lee Sejun's benefactor?"

"Benefactor? what's that?"

Yugo heard the others from the bench say. Right, no one knew that the trial is the god's way of finding a human to play with.

At the same time, the Emperor Creatar waved her hands and smiled. "We agree to let Zenesis enter a contract; however, he shall not touch a single hair of that boy until the contract is terminated. The same thing of giving even 1% of his powers to the child."

The monkey stared at the emperors for a while, as if he's in deep thought but eventually nodded. "This Zenesis agrees to the terms by the Emperor Creatar."

"Very well, you may go with the child."

The monkey nodded and took the child by the arm and poof! They disappeared like smoke.

Zenesis, huh? Yugo doesn't know if that boy Sejun was lucky or not. Zenesis was a powerful god that even some of the gods bow down to him but he was also known as a trickster. He loves playing with humans and then kills them off in the end.

Sejun's trial made the souls even more nervous and scared for their life since first of all, they didn't know what was going on.

The next few trials went normal as usual. Some souls were lucky enough to get a benefactor but the fear of the souls does not just disappear. After the trial, they will immediately be sent to the 1st layer where a god awaits for a battle.

But in Yugo's case, the more he waits, the more nervous he gets. Overwhelming thoughts cover his mind making his legs weak and more nails he bites.

And alas, "Number 4781, Kazuha Yugo, your trial will now commence."

However….

"Since no one wanted to be number 4781's benefactor, thus, Kazuha Yugo's execution to hell shall be commenced."

"WHAAT??"

-End of Chapter 2-