Just as it did on the outside, the inside of this block of Tartarus looked like a castle that was frozen over. There was a carpet that looked like it used to be red before it was covered in ice, seemingly leading the path onward. The place was lit by chandeliers whose flames melted the ceiling, causing droplets of water to occasionally fall onto the ground. There was furniture scattered all around as well; however, they were all frozen over and likely unusable.

Michael's shivering ceased, and though he still felt cold, it felt much better than it did outside of the castle. “At least it’s a little warmer in here– what the HELL is THAT!”

Michael looked forward with wide, quivering eyes at a skeleton pacing back and forth on the path ahead, blocking him from progressing. It was equipped with a bow and a quiver filled with arrows on its back. It hadn’t seen Michael yet, it simply walked in the same pattern repeatedly like a videogame NPC.

It looks like a skeleton. Kill it.

“Uh… Isn’t it already dead?”

Clearly not if it’s walking around.

“I’ve never shot a bow and arrow before. At least, not one with real arrows.”

Then use your sword, idiot.

“That means I have to get close to that thing!"

That’s how swords work, yes!

“I don't wanna get shot!”

Then use your shield!

Hearing Michael raising his voice, the skeleton's programming was seemingly interrupted and it turned to face the sound of the commotion, tilting its head curiously upon seeing Michael arguing with himself.

"I might as well use a sheet of paper to protect myself! Look how flimsy this piece of shit is!"

THEN DODGE, I DON’T KNOW!

Suddenly, an arrow grazed Michael's arm, drawing blood that began oozing out of his blackened arm. Michael's eyes changed from scarlet to gold, signaling that a change in control was taking place.

Ow…

-Mike-

Finally having control over the body for himself, Mike placed his hand over his bleeding wound.“You motherfucker.” he growled. “I’m gonna kick your ass.” Mike’s eyes shone brightly and a distorted grin formed across his face. If there was one thing he was good at, it was fighting! "Watch and learn, kid. This is how you kill the undead!"

Using the shield to protect his vitals, Mike ran headfirst toward the skeleton, whose eye sockets widened cartoonishly as the demon quickly approached him with the intent to kill. The skeleton drew his bow and fired an arrow at Mike, just for the demon to sidestep the projectile and continue closing the gap between them! The skeleton drew its bow again, however, before the arrow could be released, Mike riposted the bow using his shield and stabbed the skeleton in the torso. “Gotcha!” He said with a fanged grin.

However, the sword simply passed through a gap in the skeleton’s ribs, doing no damage.

Did you just try to stab a SKELETON!?

Since they were in close-quarters combat, the skeleton grabbed an arrow from its quiver and stabbed Mike in the eye with it, sending him stumbling backward as blood gushed from the socket.

-Michael-

“Ooww!” Michael, who was then in control of the body, let out a cartoony bellow as he held onto his eye. He took a few steps backward, wincing in pain as blood flowed through the gaps between his fingers and down his face.

Michael, move!

Michael widened his single, still-working eye to see that the skeleton was aiming its bow directly at him. Before Michael could react, he was shot in the knee by the skeleton.

-Mike-

“Ah, fuck! My knee!” Mike uttered as he reached down for the arrow lodged in his leg. “You bastard! You're in for it now! I'm gonna kill your ass!” Mike yanked the arrows out of his leg and eyeball at the same time, causing more blood to spurt from within him. However, his eyes turned scarlet and Michael regained control of the body.

-Michael-

“Take it back!” Michael screamed, curling into a ball while blocking his body with his shield as the skeleton continued firing arrows at him.

Give me the body!

“I’m trying!” As Michael continued cowering in the fetal position, arrows were still being lodged into his shield, many of which were beginning to crack and pierce through it. “He’s gonna kill us!”

Only if you let him! Get off your ass and fight!

The barrage of arrows continued as Michael continued to weep. He could barely see anything through the blood which was drowning out the vision of his one good eye. “I can’t! I’m weak! Just take the body back! I’m not cut out for this!”

STAND UP, MICHAEL! KICK HIS ASS! NOTHING IS HOLDING YOU BACK BUT YOUR OWN SELF DOUBTS! WE SHARE MORE THAN JUST A NAME, MORE THAN JUST A BODY! YOU AND I, WE’RE A TEAM NOW, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! ANYTHING I CAN DO, YOU CAN DO IT TOO! NOW GET THE FUCK OFF YOUR ASS AND FIGHT!

Tears were streaming down Michael’s face as he cowered behind his shield. The tears only made it more difficult to see the world around him. With every arrow that struck his shield, it was growing weaker. It was only a matter of time before the shield would break and he would have nothing left to defend himself.

FIGHT, MICHAEL! FIGHT!

Mike's voice was drowned out by Michael's own thoughts as his own life flashed before his eyes, ‘My whole life, I’ve always been so weak.’ Michael found himself revisiting the memory of his little brother being bullied by other children. They were bigger than both him and his brother, such that Michael was frozen and didn't try to stop them. The bullies were holding Michael's younger brother by the backpack strap at the top of one of the staircases at school. It was supposed to be a joke; once they had their laugh, they were going to pull him away from the stairs and go on about their lives. When the strap snapped, Michael's brother plummeted down the stairs, snapping his neck on the way down. Ever since that day, Michael regretted not being able to stand up for his brother. He regretted being weak. It was until this moment; finding himself on the brink of death, that Michael was truly reminded of that feeling he told himself he would never let himself feel again!

'That’s right. I told myself that I wouldn't ever let that happen again. I don’t belong here. I HAVE to climb this tower! I have to climb my way out of this place! I have to live! I don't know what happens when I reach the top, but if I'm let into heaven, I can finally apologize.'

Michael gritted his teeth and rose to his feet, blocking the arrows as they rained down on him. “AS IF I’D LET A SIMPLE SKELTON KEEP ME OUT OF HEAVEN!” Using the shield to block the oncoming arrows, Michael rushed down his enemy. “RAAAAAAAAAH!” he screamed, holding the shield with one hand and his sword with another.

Get his ass!

Michael couldn't see the skeleton through his tears and blood, but he could hear the skeleton as it drew back its bow. Using only his hearing, Michael tracked the skeleton, raised his sword in the air, and prepared to smite the bastard that took his eye with a wide slash rather than a stab, taking his first steps toward Heaven! At this moment, he felt invincible. He could practically hear an orchestra playing in the background as if he were the main character of an anime, cheering him on as he was about to surpass his limits. “DIE YOU BASTARD!”

However, he failed to notice the arrow on the floor beneath his feet and tripped. Michael’s head slammed on the floor, killing him instantly.