I gazed out at the hellish landscape. Far in the distance, the Inferno loomed over this world, keeping it perpetually lit with its endless flames.

Elara’s words rang in my mind. “All souls were destined for peace and tranquility.”

So that was a lie...Just look at this place. This is the most Hell-like place that’s ever Helled.

After a moment of internal panic at the thought of spending eternity here, I heard Elara’s voice. “Tch! I should have known.”

I spun around, only to find empty air where the voice came from. Suddenly, her voice boomed in my ear. “Over here!”

I glanced over to find a small moth fluttering next to me. I instinctively slapped it with my hand, only for it to sting like hot metal. I yelped and massaged my hand as the moth flew up to my eyes so I could see it clearly.

"Elara?" I exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

She had a pixie-like form, shrunken down so small she could fit in my palm. In place of her clothes were black, obsidian scales decorating her entire body, and a pair of bat-like wings fluttering furiously to keep her afloat.

Elara ignored my question and grumbled to herself. “I’m an idiot. I should’ve just dumped you onto another guide when I had the chance.” She threw her arms up in annoyance. “You just had to be an aberrant, huh? You couldn’t just be like all the other souls and move on peacefully like you’re supposed to? ”

I perked up at the word. “Aberrant… That's what the guy in the Inferno called me.”

“A know-nothing aberrant, too,” Elara said. She pointed at my chest. “I saw you earlier. You remember, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your death. You remember how you died.”

I nodded, not sure of the point she was trying to make.

“You’re not supposed to know,” Elara said. “I told you. Every soul arrives here completely cleansed of their past attachments. If there’s even a single memory left, it means something went wrong.”

The way she spoke made it sound like a bad thing. I felt my heart begin to race.

“So what’s going to happen now?” I asked tentatively.

She wore a heavy expression and spoke with dread in her voice. “It means you’ve been given a second chance.”

I paused. That sounds like a good thing?

Elara’s head sank into her hands. “And that means I have to be your guide the entire time!” She shuddered at the thought. “I didn’t sign up for a long-term project like this! This was supposed to be a temp thing!”

I chose to ignore Elara’s personal gripes and brought the conversation back to the fate of my eternal soul.

“Second chance. Explain.”

Elara slowly lifted her head and spoke in deadpan. “That memory, it’s like a tether. Your soul can’t move on because it’s still bound to the human world. Which means you have to go back.”

“Hold on… Are you saying I can come back to life?”

“What, are you crazy? Not after the last time.” She shook her head vigorously. “No, you’ll just be reincarnated. Your soul will return to the human world and you’ll be reborn into a new life.”

A new life? That could be interesting.

Elara continued. “It’s really a roll of the dice, though. Time doesn’t work linearly here, so you’ll probably be reincarnated sometime in the past or future.”

Dream scenarios danced through my thoughts. Historical epics. The age of exploration. Futuristic space odysseys. My heart raced at the idea. But as the fantasies grew wilder, a kernel of doubt formed amongst them. What about everything I left behind?

I asked hesitantly, “Could I be reborn as myself?” Before Elara could object, I continued, “Not coming back to life or anything, but to just start over. From the beginning.”

“You could be reborn at any moment in time…and you want to go back to your sad life?” Her eyes widened with bewilderment. “I know you don’t remember, but there wasn’t much to brag about. Your family had nothing to its name, your looks were forgettable, and your QuickDash delivery rating was a pathetic 3.5.”

When she mentioned the rating, memories of late nights delivering takeout bubbled to the surface.

Oh, right… I didn’t even have a car. I had to ride my bike through the snow.

My fingers twitched as they recalled the blistering winter nights. The sensation triggered a wave of half-remembered moments. The ones I wanted to forget. Heated arguments heard through thin walls. Tired late night shifts. Mistakes I made.

And the ones I should have cherished. Holiday dinners with family. Staying up until dawn with friends. The warmth of my bed after a long day.

It made me realize something. “It might not sound like much, but it was my life. I worked hard for it, and I don’t want to give it up like it’s nothing.”

Elara’s scarlet eyes narrowed as they studied me closely. When she said nothing, I went on. “You said the memory of my death was a tether. It bound my soul to the human world. Maybe… Maybe I could be reborn into my old life, and if I held onto that one memory I could avoid it when the time comes.”

Elara went quiet as she considered my proposition. I watched as her mind considered all the possibilities. After a tense pause, she finally said, “There wouldn’t be a guarantee. You could still die.”

“But maybe I’d live.”

Elara watched me closely, seeing if I would waver. But I was sure of this. I knew I couldn’t let go of my past life.

She sighed. “Fine. But it’s going to be a lot more complicated.”

With a clap of her hands, a thin strip of light materialized in the air. It then spread out horizontally, creating a blue, holographic display.

<Home>

Name: Dante

Demonic Trait: [N/A]

Aether Points: 10/100

Current Stage: Circle Zero—Barren Fields

Main Quest

Current Objectives

Inventory

I studied the display closely. The design of it triggered hazy memories of my childhood.

It looks just like that RPG I used to play…

“This is a Divine System. It tracks a soul’s state in the afterlife,” Elara said. “To return to the human world, you’ll have to ascend the Inferno all the way to the top. If you can make it there in one piece, the memory tether should be enough to connect your soul to its past life.”

She took a closer look at the display, tapping her chin inquisitively. “Hm…I’ve never seen a system look like this, though. Usually it’s a scroll or a book. Guess I haven’t been to the human world in a few centuries.”

I examined the display’s options. Out of curiosity, I tapped “Main Quest” and a new display appeared.

<Main Quest>

- Conquer Nine Circles of Hell. [0/9]

- Ascend to Achieve Reincarnation. [0/1]

My head cocked in confusion, “Nine Circles of Hell?”

There was a subtle hint of fear in my voice and Elara picked up on it. Her lips curled into a sly grin. “You said it’s what you wanted. It’s easy enough to send you back to a random life in whatever era. But if you want a specific life at a specific time, you have to take the long route through the Inferno.”

I ignored Elara’s taunts and tapped “Current Objectives”.

<Current Objectives>

- Adopt a Demonic Trait [0/1]

- Reach the Inferno [0/1]

I glanced over at the towering pillar of flames that shone across the vast wasteland. “Reach the Inferno” seems straightforward enough.

“What’s a ‘Demonic Trait’?” I asked.

“A trait is an ability that’s unique to a demon. It’s the basis of our power,” Elara explained. “Ascending the Inferno is literal hell, so aberrants are allowed to adopt a trait to aid them on their journey. You only get one, though.”

I made a mental note. I'll have to choose a demon with a powerful trait then.

"How do I adopt one?”

Elara smiled. "How do you think? You have to slay a demon."

I felt my blood run cold. Elara saw my concern and laughed. "Don't worry. Human souls are too weak to kill a demon, so the guides are allowed to give you a weapon for one-time use only."

"A weapon?" My heart began to race, excited at the prospect.

Elara closed her eyes and went into a deep focus. After a few moments, her entire body started to glow and golden threads of light weaved their way towards her chest.

"Hold out your hand," she said, still concentrating.

I did as instructed, and Elara took my hands. The threads of light surged from her chest, through her arms, and into mine. I felt my muscles twitch as the energy coursed through me.

[You have received: Holy Arrow x1]

"Whoa, it feels so..." I searched for the right word. "Powerful."

Elara hovered low near the ground, wearing a weary expression and wiping sweat off her neck. “When the time comes, you'll be able to one-shot any demon in this Circle. But you only get one chance, so make it count."

The trait I steal will affect the rest of this entire journey. I can't screw this up.

"Where can I find a demon?”

"These are the Barren Fields. It's like the trash bin of Hell. Demons are crawling all over the place."

Hm... I could wander around in search of one, but that wouldn't guarantee they'd have a good trait. I need to find a way to increase my chances of finding a powerful demon.

A thought occurred to me. “Can demons enter the Inferno, too?"

Elara lifted an eyebrow. “If they have enough aether, yes. The demons that lurk in this Circle are ones that have been banished or killed, then respawned here. There’s a limit on how much aether they can collect in each Circle. But if they max it out, then they’ll be able to enter the Inferno safely and move upwards.”

I examined Elara’s minuscule form. That must be why she looks like this. This is the lowest Circle, so her aether ceiling is lower than it was before.

I wondered what her form would be like in the highest Circle.

Elara continued. “Sometimes a demon can even gather enough to reach the human world."

“I see. You need to max out your aether if you want to enter the Inferno… And what if it reaches zero?”

“Do you really want to know?” Elara’s cheshire grin said enough. I’d have to keep an eye on my aether points throughout all this.

Elara started to fly off. “Well, I’m pretty sure that’s all I’m required to do for now. Call me if you need me, but I’d rather you didn’t.”

In an instant, her body became engulfed in a small flame and then she vanished into the embers.

I wonder if the other souls got a more attentive guide.

I turned to the Inferno, towering in the distance. If I was right, everything I needed would be there.

* * *

I journeyed through the Barren Fields with the Inferno as my destination. I don't know how much ground I covered. The landscape was so vast that any landmarks in the distance barely seemed to shift.

I also noticed my body didn't fatigue. I must have gone miles, but I didn't get tired or even hungry.

On the way, I noticed several skeletons buried halfway in the ground, worn down by the constant wind, decaying into dust. They were all different shapes and sizes. Some had stocky, gorilla-like builds with tails and horns, while others were long and serpentine.

I picked one of the fragments up and examined it. It was curved like a femur, but broken at the end into a sharp, jagged edge. There was clear damage from claws along the side.

These demons must have been killed for their aether.

As I looked over the item, I recalled the "Inventory" option on my status screen.

I wonder if I can store this thing?

I brought up the display and tapped "Inventory.” There were fifty slots, and one of them was occupied by Elara's Holy Arrow. I tapped a slot and a notification appeared.

[Would you like to store Demon Bone Fragment in your inventory?]

(Yes/No)

I tapped "yes" and the bone vanished out of my hands, then appeared as an icon in my inventory.

Fifty slots... Should be okay for now, but I'll have to be mindful about what I store.

I continued on. The number of carcass sightings increased as I approached the Inferno and I knew I was on the right track.

After a long journey, I arrived at a cliff edge about a mile away from the towering flames. Even this far out, I could feel its heat radiating like a miniature sun.

I scanned the area around the base of the Inferno. There were no signs of any demons, but I knew that it was only a matter of time until one appeared. I found a nook, hidden by some large boulders, but with a clear view of the Inferno's base. I would wait here and keep a close watch.

There was no way to tell how much time passed. It could have been days, maybe even weeks. Without a sun there was no way to keep track. The only light source was the Inferno, looming over me.

Eventually, I noticed movement in the distance. I didn't believe it at first, and thought my mind was playing tricks on me. But as I squinted my eyes, I saw something remarkable.

It was an entire caravan of demons, numbering at least twenty. At the rear, carried on a palanquin, was the clear leader of the group. He had a monstrous, bull-like physique, and the head of a goat. His horns curled into the air in a twisted tangle of ivory.

[You have discovered a new demon: Baphomet]

<Baphomet>

The Sabbatic Goat

Aether Points: 100/100

Demonic Trait: Chaos Berserker

A demon of ancient origin. Baphomet was once summoned by Templar Knights to aid in their crusades. His immense power and brutality led to the deaths of thousands.

I grinned as I read over Baphomet's description. It was a good idea to come here. After all, the only demons that would travel all this way were the ones powerful enough to collect the necessary aether to ascend the Inferno.

I selected the Holy Arrow from my inventory. The aether surged through me and I could feel energy flowing through my veins. I pulled back on an imaginary bow string, and an arrow of golden light appeared in my hands.

I could feel the heat radiating off of it and burning my skin. The arrow vibrated with pulsing energy, almost like it was alive and desperate to be let loose.

This is my one chance at getting a powerful ability. I can't miss...

I waited for my heart to settle down, and watched as the caravan approached the Inferno. I only had a few seconds before they entered it. I had to shoot now.

I let the arrow loose. A shockwave burst out in its wake and I felt a loud, painful crack as the boom tore through my forearm.

The arrow ripped through the air towards the caravan, and I saw its aim was true. My heart raced as the arrow approached the back of Baphomet's head.

But at the last moment, his goat ears twitched, perhaps sensing the ripples in the air. He leaped to the side. The arrow tore through his cloak...

...Then directly into the heart of the demon standing beside him.

Baphomet and the entire caravan turned to the victim of the arrow—a small demon with large, bulging eyes that was holding a scroll and quill. The demon's body disintegrated into a golden dust, and the caravan watched as the particles floated through the air...

...directly towards me.

The particles of light entered my chest, and a display appeared before me.

[+5 Aether Points: (15/100)]

[Congratulations! You have adopted a Demonic Trait: Scribe]

[This trait grants the ability to chronicle any event you have witnessed firsthand.]

I read the description several times, trying to make sense of it, and could only come to one conclusion.

I fucked up.