Chapter 9 – Side Story: Heart of Sin

Rolland ducks as a frying pan soars his way. “Close, almost got me Jeane,” he says with a grin.

She screams at him, “you bastard, Rolland! You killed people! Stay away!”

“Oh honey, why would you say that to me, huh? You married me, you know? I was sure you loved me,” he crooned. "Why did you open my freezer? I even hid the bloody key, dear!"

His wife grabbed a meat mallet and swung it at his head. He goes down with a thump. Jeanne finds her cell phone and calls emergency services via 9-9-9. “Help!” she screams into the phone, “My husband is trying to kill me!”

Gong! Another frying pan, this time from Rolland. He sighs at the phone, hearing a muffled voice. "We're fine here," he says before breaking the phone. “Oh Jeanne. You didn’t have to go and do that, you know?”

“Did you know, that across the past two decades, 17% of all female homicide victims were domestic abuse victims? If you didn’t open my freezer you wouldn’t have added to that statistic, Jeanne.” He moves her body to the kitchen counter, surrounded by some knives.

“Hack, whack,” he sings an old song as he straddles her body. Jeanne comes back to consciousness as Rolland grabs a chef knife. “Single women and married women – OOF!” A knee to his crotch quickly sends him over the side.

Jeanne scrambles to her feet off the counter and goes for the fallen knife, one leg dragging behind her as she limps forward. Rolland squirms on the floor in intense pain, barely standing back up.

“Hey Rolland,” he hears her yell out to him. Just as he turns, she jabs the chef knife right into his shoulder. “F-f-fuck you!”

Up and down swings the knife, before she finally cuts his throat open on the side.

"God... got me good. Nice. I will...” he praises his wife as blood rapidly pours from the stab wound. He knows he has seconds to speak. That eternal blackness is creeping into the corners of his vision already.

He gurgles his last words, "...see you... another life." Darkness and pain overtakes him.

He could swear he saw all the people he had murdered standing behind Jeanne. Alive and staring him down to the pits of hell.

…

Rolland finds himself floating through darkness. Ethereal and incomplete. Motes of light fly past him as he slowly sinks onto a platform of shapeless light. “Well, this is it. Looks like there’s no hell, huh?"

Suddenly dozens of ghostly hands reach out of the light – they grab him and begin pulling him apart. Faces of women and men he had murdered glaring in pure hatred.

A bell tolls in the distance and the souls begrudgingly settle down. Yet, they stay clung to his body like weights. Weights, dragging a man to the depths of the ocean.

Rolland screams out, “Is this judgement, God? Come on, show your fucking face! You just going to ring bells at me?”

A cold wind blasts him as a luminous ever-changing shape leans in close to him from far away. “If that is what you want,” it says. Its mouth opens wider and a deafening bell clanging from it. Rolland cries out, his very being shaking to the core.

It stops, after some time, and the entity speaks. “I do not want your soul in my system anymore. I shall expel you into the void. Die the final death, knowing the souls you chained to your sins shall be reincarnated and blessed. Furthermore, I do believe your wife will make a surprisingly good recovery, too. Her fate... well it is clouded, but better without you."

“Really? That’s all? No fire? No hell? You just do a little good as if that fixes everything huh? I'm not stupid. I know I've done evil. I loved it. I fucking loved it. No amount of your 'fixing' things will change the fact that I killed them.”

“It is true that I do not act to fully reverse evil deeds. To remove them from history would be unfair to others who have suffered and not been saved. So, would I then remove hunger? Remove sickness? The difficulties of life are what make life precious to the living. Yet, people like you stamp out that blessing. That joy that is life. Scum like you are cast to the void."

The deity continues to speak, mostly to the others present. "None of you are responsible for his actions. Live anew with no guilt. As for his fate. Bereft of capital punishment, banishing him to the void is my only option. I do not even want the remains of his soul to foul any world."

A long arm reaches out from the light, it is covered in mouths and eyes. Rolland screams, "In the void, alone, you will be lost to time and space. Torn apart by the creatures that roam there. Begone from my sight and die your final death.”

Rolland screams as immense pain racks his soul. Soon he finds himself falling endlessly into the dark. There is nothing. Cold. Empty. Void.

...

A white rabbit sits on his chest. “Hello,” it says with a pleased tone. “Do you want a chance to kill a god?”

Rolland furrows his brows a moment in confusion. “Bloody hell, did I go that crazy that fast?”

“Oh no, I am quite real. Come with me to my parlor.”

“Said the spider to the fly,” Rolland laughed.

“I’m a rabbit.”

“No shit, turn of phrase.”

Suddenly the world shifts around them into a smoky gambling den. It might very well be at home beneath a building somewhere in London. Present in the room are many creatures of all sorts. The rabbit shifts to a pale humanoid form with rabbit ears and purple eyes. It’s wearing a suit with a purple bow, and a grin across stretches across its face in an unnatural way.

[https://i.imgur.com/iajAGue.png]

“Welcome to my parlor, Rolland. I saw what the big guy for Earth did to you,” he, it, the thing smiles as it walks behind the bar. As if all is normal, the monster fixes up a drink for some of its patrons.

“So, like I was saying. Do you want to kill a god?”

“What do you mean exactly?”

“Alright, basic crash course on the multiverse. You see, there are deities like the one you just met. They run their own little worlds out in the depths of time and space. Each have their own little quirks. They aren’t the only deities either,” the rabbit-thing smiled.

“Okay, so what, how does this relate to what you want to do?”

“Not done. So, each world is ruled by an entity that manages them, and if that god dies then that world is open to the void. The voice is, by the way, where you so happen to be in right now. We're just inside a little pocket of reality I made for it." It gestures around the room before pointing to the monsters inside it.

"Denizens of the void are lost spirits like yourself or even lesser gods. Of course, out in the void you can find islands of broken reality… but we denizens want a whole world to call home, you see? That means killing a god and taking their world.”

“So, everyone horrible gets cast out here? What about people like Hitler? Are they out there leading armies of ghost Nazis or something? Or Nero fiddling on an endless tide of fire?”

“Oh no, most humans get torn apart by monsters like my customers here,” it says with a grin, gesturing to half the room that has been quietly watching Rolland’s soul.

“I assure you, the more wicked you are, the quicker you are torn apart. So such... trash doesn't last long out there. Unlike you! That’s one reason I chose you. Discarded and irredeemably evil, but not so evil that you are useful. Too bright to the void. Immediately be consumed by us here. No, what I need a willing, no name killer. Scum like you. Trash. Flotsam. Detritus. Shit.”

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“I get it. I get it. So, you think I'd even be able to go back and kill the big guy back there?”

“What? Oh no. Not at all. There’s something else planned for him. No no, what I want you to do is go to another world! A god will reincarnate you as a hero."

"I'm no hero, didn't you just say that?"

"There’s an available slot coming up and we can slip you right in… a second life to do as you please! Though, you will owe us.”

“Us… so who exactly are you?”

“Sari, the ex-God of Terror, with a penchant for gambling and deal making. I sort of got banished from Two, and I’m not able to trick Two even if I tried." The rabbit monster stretches its grin even wider. "So, me and my gang here plan to target Seven. She’s the weakest of them all. Likes playing with her little fantastical magic world. A hero-villain cycle. Pretty twisted, right? Making two people endlessly kill each other. Really, you’d be doing that world a favor to free it from her cycle. Break her hero system to tiny pieces."

“So let me get this straight. You want me trick a god that I am the right choice for their hero. Ruin their system by not being a hero. That way I break the bloody world fate or something. All so she can be killed by you?” Rolland rubs at his temples slowly.

“Exactly! We will happily take over from that point on. At which point you can permanently retire. We'll do the whole god killing, but it is you who will enable us. Of course, we might save a piece of her for you. Perhaps you can become a god of, I don’t know, pointless murder, abuse, and living trash?” Sari grins even wider to the point that it isn’t even a human smile anymore.

“It’s a hobby,” Rolland insists with a sneer. “Not pointless at all.”

“Oh really?” Sari twists his head around and upside down. “If you say so. Frankly, human lives are beneath me. Powerful ones are worth making deals with but, I don’t really care what you do. Break free of her fate for you and ruin her system. Chaos. Disorder. Bring about the end of the world. That sort of stuff. Maybe if you become powerful you'll get my attention. Become the hero the world doesn't need."

“You say hero like this is some knights and magic shit?”

“Aye, that it be capitan~” Sari says with a pirate voice, “Ye see, ya be thar fighten tha demon king. An evil beastie ye see.”

“Please stop talking like that,” a bird in the corner says. The shoebill stork looks up, “Sari, just eat the thing. It isn’t worth your time. He’s just a cruel little chump, he is not even worth the time to talk about. ”

“EXACTLY! I need someone worth nothing!”

"You're saying that like you'll actually succeed this time... this will be great. Fabulous. Have fun failing."

Rolland suddenly interjects, “I’m in. If only to piss off the bird there."

“Great, greaaaat. Let’s shake on it, stupid murderous human," Sari giggles.

“A chance to keep my hobby. I'll take it. Though, keep calling me insults and I’ll murder you,” Rolland says as he shakes a deal with his right hand.

In a flash, a quarter of Rolland’s body is gone. Now, Sari is holding the man’s spiritual right arm and part of the torso. “I do not like threats, Mister Rolland Sandera. I will take this as payment,” Sari says as he begins to consume the torn bits of human soul.

Rolland doubles over onto the ground, screaming with the most intense agony imaginable. Despite the arm being torn from him, he still feels everything done to his soul. This was the hell he was expecting. Sari reached into the soul and tore out another piece and began smacking on it like an apple.

“I hope you get my point, Rolland. You made a deal with a devil. You will get your just punishment even from evil deities. You taste delicious, Rolland. So delicious. I want to finish you off right now, but, oh, an eternity of being digested within my manapool would leave me without a tool to use on Seven!”

Rolland can only scream pain and terror to Sari. “You see, it takes a few centuries to digest a snack like this, so you’ll feel every second of it as a soul. In a body, maybe not, but when you dream? You will feel... that endless pain, tickling the far reaches of your soul. A gentle reminder that you do as I say or you join the rest of you. Freedom gained only by accomplishing my task. Are. We. Clear?”

“GHyyeaaess!” Rolland manages to spit out. Sari finishes swallowing the rest and then hops the bar to squat over the downed Rolland. Sari smiles more gently at his suffering.

“Good. Deal made. Just remember that little tingle of pain if you need a reminder that the clock is ticking.”

Rolland’s world came back to him as hot sweat rolled down his face. He looked to his missing side in horror and shock. He holds his wounds that feel like thousands of little needles wiggling into the missing parts. "H-How can I help you now?! Gyaahh!"

“Remember, this is your soul. When in a body, soul damage is less noticeable. Now, lets get you to Seven. The story is simple, you were being transferred from Earth to become the hero. Void beings attacked mid-transfer. You will arrive damaged. Seven will feel guilty about this and, boom, you get rushed into a new body.”

Rolland moans as Sari simply grabs him and walks off. "I hope you enjoy your time playing with us real monsters, Mr. Rolland.”

The vast emptiness is now slightly more clear to his blurring eyes. It's now more akin to a broken world stretched across infinity. There were lines of glowing energy shooting around from place to place. With a terrifying speed, he is brought alongside a moving line of energy. Inside he can see a human man.

“Alright, time to swap!” Sari reaches in with a suddenly very clawed hand. The monstrous deity rips the human soul free of the bubble. The other man screams before the rabbit consumes the entirety of him. Rolland simply stares in horror, “Here have some, monster! You wanted to be like us. Surely. The way you acted back on Earth!"

Sari shoves a glowing bit of spirit into Rolland’s mouth. He doubles over in pain as a golden light sews into his flesh."Wwhyyy!?"

“Transferred a part of that soul to you so she’s fooled. Could of done other ways, but that was the most fun way. Now, in you go! Five seconds before you arrive!” Sari shoves Rolland inside the beam, “Your motivation for this play is a monster. Roar! A scary monster attacked you. Haha.”

Rolland merely quivered in pain but otherwise seemed unresponsive to the supposed acting advice Sari was providing. The entity simply stares before their face warps into an inconceivable blackness. Purple eyes stare at Rolland from within the endless dark of that gaping maw. Dozens of purple tongues spew forth as hundreds of rabbit teeth now line the monster’s mouth. A deafening growl of a voice shakes Rolland's very soul.

“How about now?” It grins. Rolland faints.

…

Not long after, the murderer finds himself laying on a marble floor. Covered in spiritual sweat from the pure terror that just faced him. The voice of a woman shrieks in a panic as the Greek-like goddess rushes over to him. “Oh my, oh my, oh no. I messed up. Human, are you alright? Human? Can you hear me?”

The dazed Rolland just stares at her golden eyes, porcelain flesh, and red hair. With no response, she panics and mends his soul with some of her own spiritual makeup. Rolland’s eyes shoot open completely as he cries out in shock. “Sh sh, it’s okay brave one. It’s my fault you were attacked. I’m so sorry,” she lifts him and walks over to a bed that has appeared.

Rolland stares at her. The goddess steps back and asks once more, “Are you okay?” Rolland simply lays there with a blank stare. Slowly she runs her fingers through his hair. "Poor, poor hero. I'm... I'm so sorry. I messed that up."

Slowly he comes to and then with a start, he looks to his right arm, the spirit is repaired and replaced with a golden flesh. He still feels the tingling of Sari’s slow digestion of the stolen parts, but something about this mend makes it far less painful. "Heal thy mind, mortal soul," she says with a soft glow.

Rolland's trauma lessons ever so slightly. “Wh-what happened, where am I? I was… alive… doing alive things. Uh... Cooking. In my kitchen.” Sweat runs down his neck, his eyes locked on hers as he tries to bluff. If she catches on he will be cast out. Cast out to meet that thing again.

Here he was safe. Right?

“Oh, oh I am so sorry. I must inform you that you have somehow died by some sort of kitchen accident,” she slows down as she looks at a file. “... while skydiving? No no, this is wrong… what do I pay them for, can’t even get me the right file,” she mutters as she throws a folder away into nothingness.

The woman clears her throat and goes right back to her script. “Ahem. Brave human, I have summoned you from Earth. Your mettle has earned you the right to be a hero on my world. I must warn you, your part to play does end in your inevitable death. However, upon completion, you will be returned here and given a third chance at a normal life.”

“Death? But why?”

“It is the cycle of this world, in order to keep balance. The wax and wane of good and evil. I shift things around to prevent too much accumulation of corrupted spirits.”

“… that makes sense I guess?”

“Oh, I’m glad it does! Hero, may I have your name?”

“Rolland. Rolland Sandera.”

“Oh, brave hero, Rolland Sandera, I am Seven, Goddess of this world. I am pleased to offer you this second chance at life. So please accept and I shall bless you and send you to the summoning the world has prepared for you.”

“I, uh, will accept. What, sort of blessings?”

“Oh! I’m glad you asked. You will start at level ten but gain XP four times faster than normal people until you are around level 90.

“What?! XP? Is this a videogame or something?”

“Hmn, no not quite. Though I do enjoy games, so it can’t be helped!” The Goddess laughs, “I will grant you heroic strength or heroic magic as a focus. Which do you choose?”

“Strength, I like to be close and, uh, personal…”

“Very well, you shall have your strength. Hero Rolland. As you progress, I will check in and provide more help should it be needed. Your mission is to save as many lives as you can. Become a shining beacon to the people of this world, and inevitable martyr.”

“Alright,” he says with a wry smile.

“Best of luck, Rolland, please pray to me should you need my attention!”

The man vanishes from the room in a circle of light. Summoned to the planet itself. There, Seven stands with soft sigh, “I really hope he does okay. Seems like such a nice guy.” She pulls the clips from her hair and shakes it out free.

Another Seven opens a door in the wall of glowing light. She steps next to herself, though this one in an office suit with glasses. “Boss, I just went through the papers you sent back. We should have gotten a Ryan Smithy from America.”

“Well, this one has such a lovely British accent, I couldn’t just say no. He got hurt coming here too!”

“So you sent him ahead without any sort of screening. Because of his accent. I mean, I should know you did, I’m you. It still boggles my mind.”

A wall falls down, revealing stage lights and an office space. Several other Sevens panic and proceed to clean the mess up. “He’s gone, don’t worry,” the office Seven yells out to her many clones. “Clutz here rushed it.”

“Clutz?! I’ll clutz you!”

“You can try, but you have a meeting with one of the lesser deities in an hour.”

“Oh? Who is it again?”

“A gambling deity known as Sari. Apparently the southern nations brought him into existence. When we informed him of the situation, he said desires to meet his new boss. We tried to explain to him that all of us are Seven, but he insisted on THE Seven. So, batters up.”

“… must I really? I wanted to watch Rolland’s first day.”

“Yes, really. What harm can meeting a subordinate for five minutes possibly be? Just go, Clutz.”