The struggle continues across this world of chaos. To recap the events that brought us here: DANTE HERALDI, a human who died and was cast into hell through betrayal, managed to break free from his sentence and met a loyal companion, a Doberman hound. Together, they embarked on countless adventures, crossing paths with BELL, whose web of deceit forced them through unimaginable trials.
Along their journey, they encountered numerous deities and found true love. At the culmination of their travels, they reached the domain of MICTLANTEKUTI, where DANTE slayed the death god and unwittingly shattered the seal imprisoning BELL—who revealed himself to be LUZBELL, the First Fallen Angel. LUZBELL murdered ELENA, the love Dante had found in that realm, overpowered DANTE, and cast both him and his hound into another hell, where DANTE has just awakened. What awaits our protagonist now? We will find out very soon—but first, a critical chapter unfolds within the Primordial Pantheon...
THE PRINCIPAL PANTHEON
Inside a towering white citadel suspended among the clouds, AZRAEL and MICHAEL stand in a quiet chamber, discussing the recent catastrophe.
AZRAEL: Michael, this is catastrophic. Luzbell has escaped.
MICHAEL: Damnation... Him. Him again! When will he ever learn?! No doubt he's after Father's throne just like last time.
AZRAEL: I'm not sure if he's orchestrating all of it intentionally, but a primeval seal has shattered. Michael, we are in grave trouble.
MICHAEL: (Sighing heavily) Curse it all... That's another massive headache. That entity must never be released—even Luzbell knows that, yet he's still meddling with it!
AZRAEL: Hold on, brother. I don't believe Luzbell was the one responsible for the seal breaking. When he escaped, the throne was completely empty; he simply fled without doing anything else. I suspect another entity is pulling the strings here—and that mortal who was assisting us... umm, his name was Dante. I believe he holds a vital role in all of this.
MICHAEL: Damn it... Too many pieces refuse to fit together. Thank heavens time flows at the exact same rate across the underworlds as it does up here, otherwise this would be far more complicated.
Suddenly, the chamber doors swing open, flooding the room with blinding radiance. A Seraph enters—a celestial being of pure light with six sweeping wings covered in countless watchful eyes, and at the center of those wings, a burning flame housing a single blazing eye. The entity addresses them.
SERAPH: Greetings, gentlemen. I take it something monumental just transpired down in hell?
MICHAEL: Uh... Well, yes, it's rather complicated. We'll discuss it thoroughly and submit a formal report to you, alright?
SERAPH: Michael, please... I know full well how you operate, always trying to shoulder everything on your own. That's the exact reason you stepped down from the First Hierarchy despite being a Seraph, just to aid the lower beings of creation.
AZRAEL: (Whispering into Michael's ear) Brother, I think it would be wiser if we simply tell him the truth.
MICHAEL: (Sighing) Very well... What choice do I have? You see—
SERAPH: There is no need to explain anything to me, Michael. Father is summoning you. The last time we spoke, I reprimanded you for flaring your power recklessly, but now... I fear you are in serious trouble.
MICHAEL and AZRAEL flinch at the remark. Resigned, they bow their heads and walk alongside the Seraph. As they move down the corridor, MICHAEL turns to AZRAEL.
MICHAEL: Hey, you don't need to accompany us, right, Seraph? (Glancing at the celestial being)
SERAPH: No, truth be told, I was only sent to retrieve Michael.
MICHAEL: You heard him. Go gather the others and formulate a contingency plan while I speak with Father.
AZRAEL: Understood, Michael. Leave it to me.
AZRAEL spreads his wings and takes flight, departing from the citadel. Meanwhile, the SERAPH speaks softly to MICHAEL as they walk.
SERAPH: (Sighing) Michael, I know how immense your strength is—in fact, you are the strongest among all of us Seraphim. Yet your boundless kindness often blinds you, driving you to take reckless actions simply because you want to bear every burden yourself.
MICHAEL: (Ashamed) Yes, I know... Since Father entrusted creation to me, I suppose I get carried away at times. Something massive has just occurred, and I know Father cannot always intervene directly for the beings he created—in the end, no matter how much he might wish to, he is bound by his own laws. That is why he has us.
SERAPH: (Moved) I understand. Still, we must report everything in full. You know nothing ever escapes Father's sight, hehe.
MICHAEL: True, haha. Sometimes I forget he is the Creator of all things.
SERAPH: Regardless, let us take flight swiftly and reach Father's throne.
Michael nods, and the two launch into the sky, accelerating rapidly away from the citadel. Soaring across the heavens, they head toward a colossal palace shimmering far in the distance. Beneath them stretches an endless expanse of lush, emerald meadows where countless virtuous souls revel in peace. Amidst the music, dances, and joyful celebrations, familiar figures can be spotted among saints and noble humans—including Nikola Tesla, Nicholas Winton, and many others too numerous to name.
Approaching the towering white palace, along the foothills of the sacred mountain where it stands, myriad mythological deities rest in peaceful respite—among them, a youthful Zeus. Descending gracefully, MICHAEL and the SERAPH land upon a grand balcony and begin walking inward as MICHAEL speaks.
MICHAEL: Hey, Seraph, why does Father allow those fictional gods to remain in Heaven? They are terribly irresponsible—I know they earned their spot, but shouldn't they be sent somewhere else?
SERAPH: Them? Truthfully, they ascended entirely on their own. They managed to amass enough power to rival an angel, so there they stay. Every mythological god eventually learns of this realm and seeks ascension, especially the gods of death—you know that better than anyone. Regardless, you know how Father is; he wishes to destroy neither thing nor soul. Besides, should a major conflict erupt, they will lend their strength to our Father. Anyway, we have arrived.
Before them stands a majestic gateway adorned with wing-shaped engravings and plated in pure gold. As the doors swing open, a celestial choir resonates throughout the chamber—the remaining Seraphim singing endless praises to God. A colossal hall unfolds before them with pristine white marble floors and twelve towering pillars. At the far end of the room rises a gleaming staircase, crowned at its summit by a vast, translucent veil concealing a grand throne where a towering silhouette sits in stillness.
MICHAEL: (Whispering to himself) I had completely forgotten about this... Thank goodness I left this place so I wouldn't have to sing.
SERAPH: Did you say something?
MICHAEL: No, nothing at all, hehe.
As they step forward, the Seraphim cease their hymns. A sepulchral silence settles over the sanctuary, leaving only the soft echo of divine footsteps. Reaching the base of the gleaming stairs, MICHAEL drops to one knee.
MICHAEL: Father, I am here.
A deeply calm yet thunderous voice reverberates across the hall.
GOD: My son, I know the Evil One has escaped. Tell me, what measures are you taking? That creature believes his intentions are righteous, yet piece by piece, he is shattering the cosmic balance.
MICHAEL: Father, I will gather my brothers and we will put an end to this. However... Father, I ask one favor of you.
GOD: Speak, my son.
MICHAEL: Could you make an exception and... permit me to descend into hell to finish him myself?
Gasps ripple through the chamber as the heavenly host begins murmuring in shock.
GOD: Silence. (Every voice falls quiet instantly) Michael, I understand your desire to end this swiftly, yet direct intervention is strictly forbidden to us. Ever since the Great Flood I unleashed in anger—where I wiped out countless souls, a deed I regret to this very day—I have forbidden any of us from descending to wreak havoc. The laws are absolute; they are carved into the Stone of Existence, and what is etched upon it, not even I can overturn.
MICHAEL: But, Father...
GOD: Nevertheless, you may aid a champion—guide him as your warrior to fulfill missions in your name. And I believe at this crossroads, there is someone... You abandoned the First Choir to assist lower beings; you are immensely powerful, Michael, and I cannot let you roam unchecked. Therefore, seek contact with that soul named DANTE. That individual is the linchpin in all of this. My son Luzbell has no idea what he is truly stepping into; he believes he is forging his own path, yet another hand (gazing upward toward the heavens) is silently guiding him. (Sighs)
MICHAEL: I understand, Father. Then I shall take my leave.
GOD: Blessings upon you, Michael. I wish you strength in these trying times—and rest assured, I shall soon resolve all the troubles weighing upon your heart.
MICHAEL exits the sanctuary alongside the SERAPH who escorted him. Inside the quiet chamber, GOD turns his attention to another celestial being—one vastly different in form. Constructed of multiple interlocking, spinning wheels covered in countless eyes with six wings extending from its back, this entity addresses GOD.
SERAPH: My Lord, the Fallen One will lead us all to ruin; if this continues, everything will end. And that human you mentioned... why do you place so much faith in him?
GOD: Umm... Do not question your Creator, though—have you forgotten already? Let me refresh your memory. I know it was eons ago, a very long time since I created the first humans. By that era, I had already shaped countless species across the cosmos, yet I felt something was still missing... Out of arrogance and hubris, I wished to create something that resembled myself, though not quite as powerful as I am. Just as I was about to shape them, that incident erupted. After Luzbell's expulsion concluded and he was cast down into hell, I proposed a pact to him: to create a new race called humans. He and I would craft them together in an effort to appease his wrath toward me. I soon realized he was injecting those demons born from the power of the three primeval beasts I had sealed within hell, fusing their essence into his humans. To restore balance, I took action—I crafted humans made nearly in my own image. That proved to be my greatest mistake. Possessing immense power, they could forge entire worlds simply by writing them into existence; I called it "Free Will." Following that, the multiverse was born—absolute chaos in every sense of the word. To generate more souls and curb the unchecked proliferation of worlds, I had no other choice. I took the primordial souls I had crafted—those most akin to myself—shattered them into countless smaller fragments, and scattered them across the entire multiverse, drastically diluting their power. Over time, those fragments were meant to reincarnate separately and never merge again. At least, that was what I believed. Yet this human, Dante, is the very first mortal to reclaim every shattered piece of his soul, reassembling back into a single, unified essence—making him practically a demigod. I now understand why Luzbell exploited him, though I cannot say for certain who aided in piecing that human's soul back together... though I harbor a faint suspicion.
SERAPH: (Stunned) This is... an overwhelming amount of information. I suppose these details faded from my memory over the eons.
GOD: Do not fret; you are a being of protection. The Cherubim are the ones entrusted with safeguarding divine knowledge. Regardless, I am deeply troubled. Ever since I stepped back from interfering in creation, everything has gradually spiraled into chaos. Curse the hour I inscribed that law upon the Stone of Existence, forbidding myself from intervening in the affairs of creation...
Outside God's throne room, MICHAEL walks alongside the escorting Seraph. Nearing the grand exit, they exchange words.
MICHAEL: (Sigh)... Seraph, if Father hadn't etched that non-interference law onto that foolish Stone of Existence, this situation never would have escalated this far.
SERAPH: Peace, Michael. Remember that your Father is pure love and compassion. That stone was forged by the Light of Life—or the "Holy Spirit," as others know it. You know full well that whatever is inscribed upon it cannot be broken, not even by your Father. It is an absolute multiversal law, and if anyone attempts to violate it, you know the price, don't you? Have you forgotten what happened to Soltiel?
MICHAEL: (Expression darkening with sorrow) Yes, I know... Simply for trying to help, he was erased from existence. And if Father were to vanish, this entire world would collapse into nothingness. I understand. Well, here we are at the exit. Thank you—I will find a way to resolve this. Farewell.
MICHAEL launches into the sky, flying swiftly back toward the white citadel where he had been earlier. Upon arrival, he marches straight to a war chamber. Pushing open the heavy doors, he finds his brothers seated around a grand table: AZRAEL, GABRIEL, RAPHAEL, and URIEL.
MICHAEL: Alright... It's time we had a serious talk to fix this mess.
The chamber doors swing shut, sealing them inside—and our perspective shifts to another realm entirely...
HADES: REALM OF SHADOWS
Across this dark domain stands DANTE, locked in conversation with CHARON, who remains shrouded from head to toe beneath a heavy, tattered cloak.
CHARON: Mortal, how did you end up in this place? Judging by your aura, you are remarkably powerful—and you certainly do not belong to this underworld.
DANTE HERALDI: (Sighing) Well, you see—Hmph! Wait... where is Rex?! (Dante scans his surroundings frantically) REX! BOY, WHERE ARE YOU?!
CHARON: Hey, mortal, you arrived here completely alone. I haven't seen anyone else with you.
DANTE HERALDI: Damn it all... First that bastard hurls me into gods-know-where, and now he separates me from Rex... And on top of everything, where the hell am I anyway, ferryman?
CHARON: I already told you—you are in HADES, an underworld in its own right. What business brings you to this realm?
DANTE HERALDI: It's a long story. Care to hear it?
CHARON: Time is the one thing we have in abundance down here.
DANTE HERALDI: Well, yeah, you've got a point. Look, here's what happened...
DANTE recounts his journey to the ferryman, who listens attentively for a couple of hours. Moved by the mortal's ordeal, the boatman makes him an offer.
CHARON: I like you, kid. Climb aboard my skiff—I'll ferry you across to the other shore so you can continue your journey. Besides... wait. First things first: do you have any gold? I require gold to take you across.
DANTE HERALDI: Come on, are you serious? Oh, now that I remember, you demand gold to ferry the dead, right? Honestly, I was never all that curious about it, but what do you even gain from collecting coins? Because of you, countless families used to bury their dead with two gold coins—one placed over each eye. That was always pretty creepy.
CHARON: Do you truly wish to know? I'll let you in on a secret, mortal: my real name is— (Reaching up to grip his hood) —Charon the Third.
The ferryman pulls back the cloak concealing his frame, revealing a slender young man dressed in a worn vest and tattered trousers. Most striking of all was his gaunt, almost zombie-like build, a thick gold chain hanging around his neck, sparse gray hair, and a pair of dark sunglasses. He wore fingerless gloves and stood entirely barefoot. DANTE stares at him in complete shock.
DANTE HERALDI: What the actual fuck?! Why do you look like that?! The myths never mentioned anything remotely like this!
CHARON THE THIRD: Hahahaha! Alright, hop in—forget about the gold. I'll tell you the tragic history of my ancestors, the very curse that scarred all our generations.
A young CHARON stands before DANTE. What could the story behind this be? Up in Heaven, there is great concern, and a shocking revelation emerges: DANTE's soul is among the very first ever created. What will happen next? We shall soon find out.
Hello everyone! 🌞 This chapter marks the beginning of a new journey for our protagonist, and I'm thrilled to share it with you. Your support means the world to me, so if you enjoy this story, don't forget to leave a like! Together, we can help this project continue to grow. Starting today, new chapters will be released every Thursday.
With much affection, your friend Aggret1 💫