Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
I've lost count on how many times it rammed into my bleeding core. My voice was no longer familiar over the haze of my screams. I was weeping and crying on my knees. My back ached so badly from the effort of being bent for so long. My wrists are swollen and begging for release. The devil was eating away my soul.
Welcome to Astrea, the home of corrupted souls. Here you will find the highest mountain in all of Illustra, Mt. Purgare. While other souls roam around in endless circles and try to ascend the mountain, the ones who are already pure in body, mind and soul go up to its highest peak.
Earlier, I woke with a throbbing pain on my forehead. I know what this meant. I bolted out of my bed and went astray to find a mirror or a glass or anything that reflects a light in this god forsaken place. Unfortunately, I can't find anything. But then again, I always forget the most basic fact about souls. Souls cannot see though souls like me are not totally blind. We are only blind to things that will inhibit us from moving forward. Once a soul is pure, all of its senses will be returned and renewed. And the road to purity is my only goal in this place.
I get strange looks as I wind through our ward, Lascivus. This is the part of Astrea where people who have sinned against flesh go, specifically lust.
I came here to see an old friend. I know this soul would verify my intuition. I walked into a soul moaning and panting with its hands on its crotch. It stopped when it saw me.
"What are you doing here Helen?" Lokaj said with a hint of irritation in its voice.
"Well, hello to you too Lokaj."
It only groaned in response as it removed its hands from its crotch.
Lokaj cannot see my body. It can only see my face. Lokaj was brought here because it has the tendency of pleasuring itself all the time. Although Lokaj cannot see, its memories urge it to do the deed. Souls run on memories. It either keeps us moving forward or it keeps us from moving forward.
I looked back at Lokaj and caught it staring straight at my forehead. Its eyebrows are furrowed in confusion and deep in thought.
"Heavens! Your last mark is gone Helen!" Lokaj exclaimed both in surprise and bewilderment.
I knew it! I smiled at Lokaj and as I turned away, I heard it hissing and panting again. I can only shake my head. I still have two more souls to visit before I go.
I walk deeper into Lascivus to see Aphrodite. If you have to know something about me, it was that I was a prostitute in my old life and so was Aphrodite.
I found a soul with a transparent body walking around in circles. It doesn't seem to notice that it keeps on doing it all over again. It only stopped when it saw me.
"Helen! What a pleasure seeing you deep down here!" It said as it pulled me into a hug.
I feel repulsed as it hugged me. I don't know why. Unlike other souls, I'm the only one who has foggy memories. And that's why I'm here.
"Can I ask you something before I go?" I asked Aphrodite as my question seemed to sink slowly in its entirety.
Aphrodite only looked at me for a full on 30 seconds when it suddenly realized what I meant.
"Oh. Your mark is gone. You're going..."
The way it said the words, I don't know if it's a hint of happiness or sadness I heard.
