"I sought the truth. Information, knowledge, and truth are all weapons in Purgatory. Each step brought me closer to the truth, but it is a double-edged sword. Some secrets are best left buried. Uncovering them will bring you erasure. Beware of those who hide secrets. One misstep will lead to destruction. Sometimes ignorance can be your armor."
Journal Entry 42
Journal of Alaric Slate
***
Alone. Liam found himself alone, once again, in the stretching and endless alleyways. Figures passed by him. None of them show interest or curiosity. I'm dead, yet I live. Liam couldn't fathom the situation he found himself in.
It had taken him the better part of an hour to calm himself into thinking straight.
This place wasn't an afterlife that seemed appealing. The pain was real here. Everyone believed death was an end of pain or the beginning of an eternity of pain. Liam found himself thinking the latter.
People moved with purpose here. Was it all just a second life? Liam tried his best to understand and formulate the understanding. Fitting the puzzle pieces together was a challenge. Only one new piece of information would jumble the whole puzzle again.
Liam saw a man wearing a red and black robe striding through the alleyway. A rock twirled above the man's hand, floating effortlessly. It twisted in the air playfully. Magic? The rock was defying the laws of physics. The man strode by without any remark; Liam was bewildered yet fascinated.
The laws here were much different than the laws of Earth. Liam was able to work out that much. His right arm still ached with soreness. As if he did an intense workout the day prior, only focused on his right forearm.
Liam needed to find someone. Something that could help him out. He thought of seeking out the man from earlier, the one he had pushed away in panic. It didn't seem like a good idea. Besides, Liam likely couldn't even find the man. He didn't even know where he was in the first place.
Over the course of a few hours, Liam walked. Hoping to find some sort of answer. The alleyways grew more sparse and deserted. He thought about turning back.
One of the alleyways opened up to a flat area of grass. He walked out, picturing a field or a road or something. He saw a black void. The grass turned to stone as he walked out further. The stone crumpled over an edge. Liam hesitantly forced himself to the edge and looked over. No land lay in front of him, just a black void. Debris of buildings, rocks, trees, and other various things floated within the void, defying gravity. Even small islands of landmass were scattered on the void. They weren't even big enough to hold a house.
The void wasn't entirely black. Above was a light source, almost resembling a sun, but quite different. It lit up the world, but the void remained black. Liam walked the line, marveling at this physics-defying spectacle. It was mesmerizing, yet terrifying.
Liam heard a faint whisper of voices and turned back toward the buildings. People were somewhere close by; maybe they could help. Liam hadn't built the courage to ask for help and talk to anyone since the vision of flames.
He followed the voices down an alley. One of the alleyways opened into a secluded clearing. A space between abandoned buildings.
"Is it a deal or not?" A feminine voice spoke, slightly accented, a hint of fancy in the voice. Liam thought he slightly recognized the voice.
"We'll take ten thousand coins for the gem." replied a man, with a gruff voice.
"That's absurd!" The girl burst out. "We agree on five thousand, didn't we not?"
YOU ARE READING
Purgatory Chronicles - A New Life After Death
FantasyAfter death, Liam finds himself reborn, in a place called Purgatory. The afterlife he didn't expect. Liam must learn and understand his place as a "Caster" and navigate the complex political factions and power systems of Purgatory to survive. Note:...
