The sun was red. High in the sky it stood right above Ted. But Ted didn't dare look at it. There was something instinctual inside him that wouldn't let him lift his head. Yet he knew.

Ted was sure that the sun was blood red.

Almost like all of his civilization had been stripped away, his instincts guided him. Some primal fear that predated humanity itself had been awakened. It wasn't the darkness that was frightening, but the light that cast the shadows.

"The sun is up." a voice whispered to him.

He looked around and was surprised to find himself in some sort of beautiful forest or maybe it was a garden? After all, everything here looked so well cared for. The plethora of green and various other beautiful colors were all tinted a slight red from the sun almost like he had rose colored glasses on.

"You should be hiding," the voice continued.

"Who's there?" Ted asked in a voice so commanding it surprised even him.

His eyes darted around, but it seemed obvious he was alone. There weren't even any sounds of animals or other wildlife. This should've been another warning sign for Ted, but all of his primal fears were still focused on that accursed sun whose light beat down upon his neck.

"Stranger, I don't know how you got here, but you need to hide now," The voice pleaded. "It's red out."

"Yeah, what's with that thing. Is it really just the..." Ted found he couldn't bring his mouth to form the word 'sun.' His mouth started to quiver as soon as he tried to speak the name.

"Pynga, you must return," A deep voice whispered. "She is approaching."

Ted actually had to strain his ears to hear this second voice.

"But he is in danger," Pynga complained.

"She went on the move as soon as he appeared. Whatever powers he has, he has gained her attention already."

But..."

"I'm sorry. It's already too late for him."

Ted crouched down and tried to look along the ground to see if he could see any feet, or shadows, or really anything at all to indicate someone was there. But, there was nothing.

"Too late? What do you mean? Who's coming?" Ted asked.

For a moment there was no answer, but then the original voice, Pynga spoke again. "I'm sorry. If I could help I would, but we're no match for her. It's red out after all."

"I'm confused, what's going on?" Ted sighed as he gave up looking and leaned back to sit on his knees.

"There isn't time," hey whispered.

"Pynga," came a stern whisper.

"Whatever you do, just don't agree to anything." Pynga warned, "For your own sake."

Ted rubbed the back of his neck. It felt strange. His hairs were standing on end, and he had goosebumps. But he didn't notice either of them until he actually touched his own neck.

"So, you did come to visit me."

Ted was frozen. Like a deer in the headlights, or a mouse cornered by a cat. His instincts kicked in and his body turned completely still

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"I must say, I'm rather flattered, if not a bit confused on how and why you're visiting."

It was a woman's voice. By all accounts it sounded sweet and sultry. Yet, in person, hearing it so close, it was only terrifying. Like the voice of an angry god, or a girlfriend who swears she isn't angry. Every word was a threat in and of itself.

Ted didn't reply, he couldn't! Just being there was overloading his primal instincts. His body's natural defenses were going crazy with the red sun and now her. He was surprised that he could manage not to faint.

"It's not nice to ignore a lady, don't you know that?" she asked.

Ted started to tremble. His mind was yelling at him to run, but the best his body could do was to vibrate a little.

"I said it's rude to ignore a lady," she commanded. "Now speak."

"I don't know." like a dam burst open, he was suddenly able to speak. But the rest of his body still wouldn't move. "I was just...here suddenly."

He couldn't see her, but Ted could feel her eyes staring at him. Like they were boring a hole straight through his very soul. Then, a sharp pain pierced through his side, and all of his bundled-up energy seemed to release.

A sharp stabbing pain pulsed in his side, and he reached down to hold it as he jumped to his feet.

He made various pained grunts as he tried to lessen the pain by rubbing it. When that didn't work, he lifted the side of his shirt, and looked at wher eit hurt. To his surprise nothing looked wrong. It wasn't even tender when he touched it, it just hurt constantly.

"Ah!" He groaned, "Are you doing that?"

She giggled. It was so dainty, and yet just like everything else filled with an underlying layer of menace. Yet, Ted's mind was too focused on his immediate pain. Even the red sun looming over him had moved to the back of his mind.

"As interesting as ever I see." she said. "But what is it you think I'm doing?"

Ted turned slightly as he lifted up the side of his shirt. He pointed to his side where he still felt the searing pain. "This, are you doing something to me around this area?"

Pssshhh!

Ted let out a pained grunt as he felt her hand pierce directly into his side. His legs wobbled unsteadily, and he fell to the ground. He would've collapsed completely, but her hand was still stuck in his side and held him up enough that it looked like he was sitting.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked.

Ted felt dizzy, but it actually didn't hurt at all. Now it just felt really warm where her hand was in his side.

"No," he croaked weakly. "it...doesn't...hurt..."

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Bakade had been cornered. The ground all around her had collapsed into the lava below. She was left balancing on a small chunk of hardened rock that was slowly cracking more and more.

"Say please, and I may just give you a lift."

Bakade looked up, and Narissa was right above her and holding her hand out of the flesh box. She raised an eyebrow as she started to pull her hand back.

"Ppppllleeeaassseee?" Bakade said as quickly as she could as the chunk under her left foot crumbled away and left her with only one leg to stand on.

Narissa grinned and reached down her hand, but it was too late.

The last fragments of the platform crumbled under Bakade's weight, and she started to plummet down towards the lava below.

Narissa rolled her eyes with a sigh and pulled herself back inside the room. A moment later, the room had reappeared below Bakade, and the girl with a moose skull for a head fell right into the room.

"Ttttthhhaaattt wwwaaasss tttoooooo ccclllooossseee," Bakade sighed as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Don't underestimate what I'm capable of now that I've gotten this hunk of junk supercharged." Narissa bragged as she smiled proudly.

"Wwwwaaaiiittt. Wwwhhheeerreee aaarrree Nnnnuuuggeeettt aaannnddd Ttttteeeddd?" she asked as her eyes made of fire turned to look around the small room.

Narissa tapped on a small crystal outcropping on the wall. "Don't worry so much. Of course, I made sure they were safe. Now we've wasted enough time. One more stop, and we'll head back."

----------------------------------------

"This is...man, even for me this strange mountain is kind of much you know?" Og'drimun remarked.

Death walked slowly as the two of them took in the scene around them. On the surface it looked like any big city. Yet, something was clearly wrong. This city was dead.

Nothing moved, except the occasional body shuffling forward. Some glanced towards Death, others seemed to just stare right past him as they walked along.

Then, as Death turned a corner, they saw an even more horrific sight.

Babies, the street was littered with the bodies of small babies. At first it seemed like they were all corpses, but no. It was worse.

They...they're empty. Death said in astonishment.

"What...how could this happen? These are just meat suits...but they're all alive." Og'drimun spat out in disgust. "Even homunculus have something, but these are...are..."

Blank slates. Death said coldly.

Og'drimun nodded. "Exactly."

And the people we saw. They're worn down. Spread too thin with no relief coming. Death's voice grew colder as a hint of anger punctuated his words.

"Dude, this is...bad. Like real bad. Could you at least take these kids away? You know, erk?" Og'drimun drew a finger across his throat to punctuate his point.

Death looked at the children with clear sorrow on his skeletal face. I'm afraid I can't help them. Just like I couldn't help that dude who stumbled across us in that alley.

Death turned his gaze up to the gray sky. There wasn't a single cloud blotting out the sun in the sky, yet it wasn't blue. No, the sky itself was a dull gray.

It may not have been all of them, but they made their choice. I won't interfere. I can't...not anymore.

Whoom

Narissa appeared right in front of the two of them. She popped her head out and smiled at them.

"Hey Oggy, want a ride?" she teased.

Og'drimun was still too stunned to speak.

This made Narissa raise an eyebrow, and she turned around to see the massive pile of hollow vessels in the form of babies. She recoiled in disgust.

"Ugh, I can see why you're off of your game. Children truly are the worst." she remarked.

Can't you tell these are spoiled? Cut off from the ever-turning world? A sign of the inevitable and violent end coming to this place? Death scoffed.

Narissa rolled her eyes and the grabbed Death by his ribcage. With a quick yank, she pulled the skeleton and tiny demon aboard.

"I've seen plenty of kids like that. Apprentices far too trusting, and wayward children tricked into agreements they didn't understand." she said indifferently. "Husks like that are a normal part of life."

Bakade stared between Narissa and the mecha skeleton with his tiny demon pilot. She seemed to be studying their different reactions, but never said a word.

"This was...it's different..." Og'drimun said. "Even that world was..."

Narissa scoffed. "Pulled in by sentimentality. One or a thousand, a child or the world itself. It's the same principle. It's the same result. Widespread or not, that's just what happens to fools."

They didn't know what it would do. Death remarked. They deserve it...but...even still, it's a lot to be put on only a small few.

"They can repent when they die then. Let them carry the burden through and maybe they'll do better during their eternal punishment once they die." Narissa suggested.

No, not for them. Death sighed. Death will not have them. Not there. Not anymore.