Testament I: The New Journey

Her gaze was lifted to the skies, where she felt her soul being carried beyond Hell. She felt as if all of her sins, her avarices, her worries and doubts, her fears and nightmares, were all purged from her.

She felt a heavenly light lay itself upon her like a soft blanket, dispersing any lingering doubts she carried.

She was enveloped in complete, utter bliss.

Soaring past clouds of white fluff, she floated towards a distant light, the clouds circling around in a tunnel-like fashion as she was beckoned towards the Gates of Paradise…

Of...Heaven…

It was truly a blessed feeling, one she had never felt in all of her existence. The feeling of complete, full reassurance; It was the very manifestation of selfless love had been granted to her by God, to be allowed such a wonderful and fulfilling experience that transcended all mortal pleasures.

It was...pure, calming bliss.

She could only sob in relief as she floated ever further towards the light, as if she were finally being granted solace from all toils and plights.

But in the midst of her journey, she felt a violent tug, one that sent shots of mortality into her.

And as she felt these shots of sin course through her body, she began to see the distant light fading away.

"Wait...no…" She cried. "No, no no no no please!"

The clouds closed around the light, and she began plummeting downwards, back into the mortal abyss.

"No! No! No, no, no NO! NO, PLEASE, GOD!" She sobbed, cried, and wailed, unable to stop the plight of her downfall as she fell from the heavenly light, back into the claws of mortal toil.

Back into the mud.

And in a flash…

...She was now here.

"No..." She cried, falling to her knees and vomiting onto the pearly white surface below her. "Oh, my god…No...please, God...Please..."

It was like the very atmosphere of this place was attacking her. Skin boiling, stomach churning, short breath. Above all, she felt weak. As if the very air was sapping her strength every second. She could hardly push herself to get up onto her knees.

Beyond that, there was a gentle raining and thundering that erupted from the skies of which she could hear, even if she was unable to raise her head from the pearly white ground she was looking at.

After a few moments, she managed to calm her vertigo and violent vomiting enough that she was able to take a look at her environment. Her eyes widened at the sight before her.

In the distance, marbled buildings of pearly white rose above the landscape. Streetlights lined the pathways to and from each building and abode. Plants and beauteous decorations populated the sidewalks, verandas, balconies, and more.

It was a beautiful sight. Or rather, it would have been. The skies were alight with an ominous red aura, and floating above the city, far into the distance, was a bright-red halo reminiscent of a sun. Stars twinkled behind and around it, as if hinting to skies of a more beautiful past.

If she were in a better state, Charlie would have found the sight to be strangely beautiful, unlike anything she had seen in the hellish landscape she had lived in before. But it mattered not, when only moments ago, she had experienced pure tranquility and bliss that trumped anything she had felt before.

Now...everything felt like she was really in Hell.

As her eyes swept to the left, she noticed something standing next to her, and in a panic, she scurried away with the little strength she had.

"...Doom Slayer?!" She huffed.

Before her, the six foot menace stood, covered in blood and gore. On his left arm was a long blade, which was also caked in blood, and in his right hand was an Argent energy sword, which Charlie believed to be the Crucible, though she had thought that to have disappeared in the fight with the Icon of Sin. His visor was trained forward, as if he were in a constant state of battle rage. Charlie was afraid to try and provoke him, especially since he carried that same dangerous aura as when she had first met him.

"...Doom Sla-"

No sooner had she muttered his title before she saw him holding the edge of the blade only centimeters away from her throat. His visor was trained on her, and she could just barely make out the distinguished features of his furious expression.

This tense confrontation carried on for an agonizing 10 seconds, as Charlie wondered every second if this would be her end.

Eventually, the Slayer's expression softened as he recognized her face. He withdrew the blade, sheathing it into the arm socket device. He stood up, then lowered one hand to Charlie.

Charlie tentatively took a hold of his gauntlet, and he hauled her up onto her feet, though she stumbled heavily, still being sapped of strength. She looked around, expecting to see her friends, and finding none.

"Wha...Where is everyone?" She muttered.

"It would seem we are the only three here."

Charlie turned back to the Slayer, hearing the all too familiar voice of VEGA.

"What...What do you mean? Only we were sent here?!"

"It would seem so." VEGA droned. "My readings detect absolutely no demonic presence...including from you."

Charlie looked up at him with confusion.

"Wait, what?! What do you mean by that?!"

"Exactly what I've said. In the last universe, there was a constant demonic essence seeping from you at all times. Now, there isn't a trace of it, nor anywhere else within my detection radius."

Charlie, shocked, looked down at her hands and herself. She seemed all the same, aside from the horrible feeling she was still enduring. But now, she had received this shocking news from VEGA.

"So...I'm no longer a demon? Is that what you're saying?"

"I haven't a clue what it means, but I don't believe that is the biggest concern of our situation. Clearly, we have both been brought to yet another unfamiliar spacial anomaly, after all this time."

Charlie was perplexed by his statement.

"'All this time'? What do you mean? What happened?"

"Our Earth was ravaged by demonic forces. They had invaded from Mars while myself and the Doom Slayer were trapped in your universe. We spent countless hours slaying them and finally purging the Earth of the Icon of Sin."

Charlie's eyes widened.

"WHAT?! What do you mean?! Didn't we destroy him in Hell?!"

"It seemed not." VEGA spoke. "And yet, we defeated him once more, this time I believe for good. But as we were just about to finish purging the Earth of the rest of the demonic forces, we were suddenly engulfed in some sort of light and brought here."

Charlie held her head in worry. How much time had passed since she had last seen him? Where were her friends? Where was Vaggie, Angel Dust, Husk, Niffty? What had happened?

Too many questions flew through her mind that she could not answer.

"Again, I think we have much bigger concerns." VEGA noted. "We should consider exploring this civilization and finding out where we are first."

"...I...I agree." Charlie spoke. "I think we should-"

WHOOOOSH!

Before Charlie could get a word out, the Slayer had darted forward at several miles per hour, breaking the pearly street he had been standing on.

"...explore it together."

The Slayer seemed to realize that he had left behind Charlie, as a few hundred yards away, he turned around and darted back to her. He was moving a lot faster than before, Charlie noted.

"Many apologies, Charlie." VEGA said. "We are used to moving very quickly, as there were nothing but hostile demons in our last universe. We shall try and take a more slow approach."

And so they began walking, looking over the pearly city before them. Charlie was discomforted by the atmosphere. It was as if the entire landscape was looking to give off some sort of image of paradise, and yet it failed to do so, instead leaving an ominous after-feeling and a bad taste in Charlie's mouth.

Eventually, they happened upon the main pathways, streets and roads, which were lined by the most lovely domiciles. And yet, these same houses had barricaded windows and doors, showing no signs of life inside. As they continued on, a sense of dread continued to build up in Charlie.

"This place is too...eerie." Charlie muttered.

"Not only that," VEGA added. "But the energy levels of this place are completely unknown. There is no oxygen in the air, yet we are able to breathe. There is no Argent energy, no hellish presence...all of these compounds, molecules, the very atmosphere itself is entirely unknown to me."

Charlie did not feel much better from hearing VEGA's analysis. She really wished her friends were here. They had a way of making her feel comforted, even in unfamiliar surroundings.

Then again, she was ever grateful that she had the Slayer by her side, of all people. She could not have felt safer.

"I am sorry to inform you both, but I am completely useless in this place." VEGA admitted. "My lifesign scanner is not detecting anything, including the both of you, nor anything else within this place. It is likely broken or has been rendered useless by whatever environment we are in. From here forward, I would advise heavy caution of your surroundings."

"Wait, I see some people!" Charlie exclaimed, pointing up the road they were walking. In the distance, a squad of patrolmen seemed to be making their way down the street. Even from a distance, Charlie could tell they were highly armored and well-equipped. She turned to the Slayer.

"Should we...go talk to them?" She asked. The Slayer grunted.

"The Slayer does not like the look of this situation, it would seem. Nonetheless, he is willing to go confront them if it is to gain insight into this place." VEGA spoke.

Charlie nodded, allowing for the Slayer to lead the way.

When they began to get closer to the guardsmen, she then noticed them prepare their weapons in alarm, all of which were spears that looked to be highly decorated and well-kept. They marched up to the Slayer and Charlie, until they were only a dozen or so feet away.

"Halt, foreigners!" One of them spoke, seeming to be the one in charge, indicative of the insignia on his helmet and breastplate, which was a pair of wings with a spear running through the middle.

The guards lowered their spears, pointing them at the Slayer and Charlie.

"From where did you come from, foreigners?" The same guardsman asked them, suspicion in his eyes.

"How do you know we're foreigners?" Charlie asked, trying to remain polite.

"Your filthy scent was tangible from miles away. I could tell you were not one of us the moment you stepped foot in this paradise!"

Then why did you only now seem to detect us? Charlie wondered.

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain, but-"

"That matters not at the moment." The guard cut her off. "You will come with us so that you may speak to The Princess directly, and explain yourselves there!"

The Princess?, Charlie thought. So there's a societal hierarchy in this place, then?

"Um, is it possible we could get an explanation of where we are?"

"You do not ask the questions around here, foreigner!" The guardsman chided. "Now, come with me, both of you, or we shall strike you down where you stand!"

One particular guardsman brought his spear up to the Slayer's visor as the guardsman turned his head to him.

"I would advise you remain docile, beast." The guardsman lectured. "These spears are of pure heavenly energy. They will vaporize you without any-"

Crack!

The guardsman's face went slack as the Slayer grabbed the spear shaft and broke it in half with one hand, sending bolts of energy shooting out from it, before quickly dissipating as he threw it to the ground.

"Wha…"

The Slayer yanked the rest of the spear out of the guardsman's hand and walked up to him, staring him down. The guardsman, shivering violently, backed up as the Slayer came ever closer, falling to the floor. The guardsmen around him pointed their spears at the Slayer, though they were shaking as well.

"How did you…" The guardsman muttered. "How did you break a Divine Spear?!"

"I suggest you readjust your attitude." VEGA spoke.

"Slayer!" Charlie shouted. "I...we shouldn't start fighting right out of the gate."

The Slayer turned his head slightly to hear what Charlie was suggesting.

"Maybe...we should go with them and speak with their princess, so that we can understand where we are...don't you think?"

The Slayer switched his gaze back to the guardsman once more, staring at him intently, leaving the guardsman to shiver violently as he stared into that visor, seeing the face of wrath.

Eventually, the Slayer leaned away.

"Lead the way, then." VEGA spoke up.

The guardsmen, who were now properly frightened of this menace before them, led the way to the palace, keeping their on the Slayer the entire time, almost entirely ignoring Charlie's presence, which dismayed her.

"Guess I'm not much of a threat…" She muttered.

They were led into a grand palace with many spiralling towers and protruding balconies. The grand doors opened up to reveal a pristine-white lobby, where decorations of beautiful armor, decorated weaponry and large portraits of unfamiliar faces resided. They walked through hallways of luxury and decadence, walked up stairways of refined wood and oak, stepped on silk-red carpets.

The whole building simply radiated an aura of purity, and yet Charlie had never felt more sick,.

Finally, they arrived at a twin set of giant, shiny doors, decorated with jewels and other ornaments. The head guardsman walked up to the door, grabbing one of the large pull rings and knocking it against the door loudly.

(Begin Playing Music: "Kneel Before the Crown" by HDSounDI)

A few seconds passed, and then the massive doors began to open, to reveal a beautiful throne room, where there were several knights and guards standing at attention, spears and swords in hand. Marble columns lined the sides as a purple carpet led all the way up to a throne at the top of a set of steps.

A small female sat atop the throne, a pointed, white crown on her head. She was dressed in an all-white gown, with evening gloves and a purple half-cape that draped elegantly from her left arm.

To her left and right sides were six individuals, just as elegantly dressed.

On the close right of the princess, a man wearing immaculate white armor, with wavy blonde hair and a determined expression, with a green-blue cape that draped behind him.

On the close left, a woman with flowing, white-blonde hair, wearing pristine knight's armor with red traces, and having a red cape drape behind her.

On the middle right, a man with long, red hair, wearing black and silver armor with a dark-blue cape that draped behind him, his eyes looking down upon the Slayer and Charlie as he sneered.

On the middle left, a woman with white hair tied into a bonnet, wearing the outfit of a divine priestess, with a glistening staff holding a glowing orb in the middle, her eyes filled with curiosity.

On the far right, a man with black hair that was greased back, with a scar running diagonally across his face, wearing night-black armor, with a grey cape draping from behind him.

On the far left, a smirking woman with short, blonde hair tied into a ponytail, wearing the same knightly armor, resting one hand on the pommel of her sheathed sword, a white cape draping behind her.

All of this grandeur was shown at once, almost commanding Charlie's respect, as the other knights and guards came to attention, pointing their swords and spears diagonally towards the roof.

"And who, pray tell, are you two?" The Princess spoke sharply, her eyes searing into Charlie. "Who have entered through the Pearly Gates and intruded upon the Heavens?"

Author's Notes

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