Dark's Pre Crisis

Arc2- Cheating Death.

The Dead Realm wasn't what Dark expected. It wasn't an abyss of nothingness, nor was it an endless sea of pain and torment. It was... still. The air felt heavy, like it had absorbed the weight of countless souls who had passed through this place. The sky above was a muted gray, stretching infinitely with no sign of a horizon. The ground beneath Dark's feet was a cold, colorless stone, cracked and worn from the passage of time and countless souls who had walked before him. The air had a chill that clung to his skin, a constant reminder that this place was devoid of life.

Dark's footsteps echoed in the vast silence as he wandered aimlessly through the Dead Realm. It felt as though this place wasn't bound by any rules of time or space; it simply was. He had no sense of how long he had been walking, nor did he know where he was going. The figures that roamed around him were shadowy, drifting aimlessly like wraiths. There was no sense of purpose, no direction—only an endless, hollow existence.

Dark: (thinking) This place... Is this what death is? Just... nothing?

He continued to walk, his mind reeling with questions. The Dead Realm was unlike anything he had ever experienced—no pain, no fear, no joy, just an overwhelming numbness that threatened to consume him. He tried to remember how he had died. The last thing he recalled was the fierce battle with Nen, and then... nothing. Now he was here, in this cold, lifeless place.

As Dark walked, he saw something in the distance—a figure, more distinct than the others, standing still in the midst of the moving shadows. He squinted, trying to make out the details, and his heart sank as he recognized the familiar face. It was Lozus, a student from the Academy. He had been killed by Sukojo when Sukojo was controlling Dark's body. Guilt gnawed at Dark's chest as he approached him.

Dark: Lozus...

Lozus turned, his expression vacant at first, but recognition flickered in his eyes. He smiled weakly.

Lozus: Dark... I didn't expect to see you here. Guess you're dead too, huh?

Dark: Yeah... I guess so.

Lozus sighed, the sound empty, almost as if it had been pulled from him rather than something he chose to express.

Lozus: It's strange, being dead. You expect there to be something more—some kind of peace, or a higher understanding, but... there's just this.

Dark: This? What do you mean?

Lozus gestured around them, at the endless gray landscape.

Lozus: The Dead Realm. It's not what they tell you in stories. There's no paradise, no eternal suffering. Just... this. A quiet emptiness. You can wander for eternity, and nothing changes. You can think and remember, but there's no life here. No warmth. It's like... like you're stuck in a dream you can never wake up from.

Dark looked around, the coldness of the place seeping into him. He had never imagined death could be so... dull. So devoid of anything.

Dark: Is there really nothing here? No purpose, no end?

Lozus: No. You just... exist. Or maybe you don't. It's hard to tell after a while.

Dark: How long have you been here?

Lozus chuckled darkly.

Lozus: Time doesn't really mean anything here. Could be days, could be years. It all blurs together.

Dark: I'm... I'm sorry, Lozus. What happened to you... that was—

Lozus raised a hand, cutting him off.

Lozus: It wasn't you, Dark. I know that. It was Sukojo, and I know he was controlling you. I've had a lot of time to think about it... and honestly, I've come to terms with it. We were all caught up in something bigger than any of us could handle.