I blinked my eyes, my vision adjusting to the unfamiliar environment. Everywhere I looked, a deep red sky stretched out endlessly, surrounding me with its darkness. 

Where am I? The last thing I remembered was diving into a lagoon, desperately trying to evade the butterflies. What in the world...how did I end up here...?

I slowly stand up and look around me. The deep crimson sky seemed to stretch out to eternity in all directions, like a blanket of blood. In the distance, I could see jagged orange peaks rising from the sand, and the sun setting on the far horizon. Everywhere around me roared an eerie silence. I seemed to be in some kind of weird desert.

I felt my chest slowly tighten with fear as I realized that I had no idea what was happening. My first instinct was to reach for the knife I had in my bag, but my fingers met nothing but air. I frantically looked around me, but all that I found were empty spaces where my clothes and bag were supposed to be. I was empty-handed in an unknown environment with probably some kind of connection to The Abyss. The situation was bad.

I heightened every sense, trying to make sense of the situation I was in, I feared that some kind of monster will attack me. 

After some waiting, I couldn't feel anything. But I didn't let my guard down.

More time passed and I realized that I was just being paranoid and instead, I focused my efforts on finding an exit. I spent my time digging in the sand and running in all directions. I had no idea how long I had been stuck here, but it seemed like an eternity. Fear and desperation fueled my every action as I tried to find an exit from this seemingly endless expanse of sand. I feared dying from inanition.

I began walking, my mind spinning, thinking of a solution to my new problem. There were no signs of other individuals anywhere close, just an endless expanse of orange dunes. Nothing about it seemed familiar, yet something stirred inside of me. 

Have I been here before? I know I haven't, nothing is familiar about this area, but at the same time something is. A strange feeling that I don't understand and can't quite put into words, just like all the other sentiments that sometimes assault me. 

Living is strange. Does this happen to everyone at some point in their lives, was this normal? Did people just suddenly get transported to another place and I didn't know about it? Is it because I entered the lagoon or due to another factor? Maybe I drowned and lost consciousness. Maybe I'm dead... 

-----

I continued to walk, my steps leaving a trail behind me in the sand. The sun was relentless in its heat, yet I hardly noticed anymore as my body had become accustomed to it. There seemed to be no change between day and night, leaving me in a never-ending cycle of aimless wandering.

Hours and days seemed to blend together in a monotony of movement and aimless exploration. There was no beginning, no end, just the empty desert sprawling out before me, whispering of something that I couldn’t quite grasp. 

 I walked on, with no destination in sight. No particular reason pushed me forward, I just wanted to walk...

'Fear' wasn't present anymore. In this place, it seemed I couldn't get hungry or tired so my life wasn't in danger. When 'fear' disappeared all the other emotions that were controlling my being disappeared too..... I felt free. Unrestricted.

There is something strangely magnetic about this place that keeps me going, despite having no particular destination in sight. With each step, I felt a sense of purpose being restored within me, as if I was meant to go somewhere.

This place is not home. It has something from home, but it isn't home. But I don't mind. I can finally be at peace. No emotions nor feelings to control me. I'm free...

-------

...Animals just like humans have individuality. Some religions say the opposite, but I don't believe them, after all, humans lie a lot. I can feel the beasts' individuality, I know they are alive. Their soul tells me they are alive, just like the vegetation. 

Like humans, animals and vegetation souls are being controlled by unknown entities. Humans often deceive themselves into believing they are free, contrary to animals because they aren't controlled by their instinct, but humans aren't free. They aren't controlled by instinct, but instead, they are controlled by their will.

They can't be free if they don't renounce their mortal lives............. That's right... They can't be free without knowledge..... 

If they cling to their human lives then they are holding on to the demiurgic part of themselves and they likely remain here forever, in this fake world...

Why did I descend here, what was my mission...?

'Descend'...? Did I descend here...?

-Knowledge. Seek it, at The Abyss it is- 

The Abyss...

------

I feel empty.....like a bottomless pit. I had done everything in my power to rid myself of my emotions, and now....... I miss them...? 

'Missing' is an emotion, just like 'desire'... 'Desire' helped me fight my emotions, even though it's an emotion in itself... Do feelings oppose each other too...?

Even though some emotions stay alive in my mind like 'missing'. They aren't present explicitly like 'fear' and 'happiness'. They are more.............painful..... I don't want to feel like this... I don't like these sentiments... Everything feels grey and dull. This place that looks like my home provokes me with feeling stronger than ever before. They are not agreeable..... Solitude... I feel lonely...

When I was younger, I found solace in the warm embrace of solitude. It was comforting to be alone, it felt like a reprieve from the tumult of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. But now, here in this lonely place, all I could feel was loneliness. The oppressive weight of being utterly and completely alone. 

When I wasn't alone and instead with it, was I happy? With the entity that cast me away...was I happy with it...?

When I wasn't alone and instead with her, was I happy? That girl who always stayed with me...was I happy with her...?

What does it mean to be truly happy? Is it a state of being that exists in the absence of pain or suffering? Or is it something deeper and more meaningful? Contentment induced by the fulfillment of desires? I could not tell for sure, but I did know one thing, despite my attempts to shut out my emotions, deep down I felt something close to joy whenever I reminisced about my past with her and with it. When I wasn't alone.

------

 I keep roaming through the desert, wondering why I continue on my journey. Nothing drives me forward, yet I still wander.

-Go to the bottom- 

Is there a reason to keep walking...? Is there even a place to go...?

-The bottom, all answers are there-

All answers... At the bottom... The Abyss.

Why do I want to go there? At the bottom?

-All answers are there. Your objective is there- 

Sure, I wanted money to live when I first set out, but my objective changed when I entered, why? What is it that I seek in its depths? 

-SEEK THE BOTTOM. ARE ANSWERS THERE- 

I don't need to go there... I just needed to live... But why...? Why do I need to live?

"I- I w......wa.-wan't......"

That's right I want-

------

After she died, emotions tinged with melancholy invaded me, they were never full of grief. I wanted to understand the way she saw the world. Why did she believe herself to be free?

I kept going back to the moments we shared together, her laughs, secrets, and smiles, and it filled me with even more confusing feelings. I keep remembering her happy, it was almost like I was celebrating her life rather than mourning her death as humans should do.

The people that killed her, the ones that provoke her despair. I remember her cries. They did it on the streets, in public, to set an example. How do I feel about them...? Something feels weird. My stomach hurts when I think about her death and my fist clenches when the persons who killed her come to my mind.

Is something wrong with my body...? It's been like this for quite a while... At first, I thought it was some kind of illness but it's been 2 years, and still hasn't passed, nor did I find any information about an illness with those symptoms... Maybe, is this an emotion again?

I don't understand this feeling that's bubbling up inside me when I think of her death. It doesn't feel sad, or scared, but something else. Is it anger? When I think of the people who killed her, on the streets and in public to make an example, my stomach churns and I feel like punching something. It didn't occur to me before, but these must be the signs of anger I've heard about. Still, I'm not sure. It all just feels so strange and confusing.

I wish there was someone who could tell me what's going on and how to fix it. But more than anything, I just want it to be over. I want to finally feel like myself again. 

Did she do this to me...? No... Those guys......they laughed, it was them... I feel anger towards them...

[I was wondering what kind of entity can enter my domain, but seeing your white hair and red eyes, I understand now]

A voice in my head? Magic, or maybe I'm going crazy...?

[Second descender, this encounter must be fate. Let's make a contract]

Who is talking? Is it talking to me?

[I will put your soul back into your body. In return, in the future, you will help me kill the Archon of envy, Leviathan. And if you manage to kill Demiurge in some way or another, you won't attack me if I don't antagonize you. Do you accept?]

Archon, what is that?

-Kill Demiurge. Go to the bottom of The Abyss. All answers there-

Demiurge... I...

"....I...accept..."

[I am the wrath's Archon. How should I refer to you?]

"....Irenaeus..."

[I will wait for you at the third layer. Do not die]

------

My eyes opened, everything was blurry. I could feel the cold water around me, and the weight of it pulling me down. My mind spun in pain.

Mustering all of my strength, I pushed off from the ocean floor and swam towards the light above me. The current seemed determined to drag me back down, but I refused to give up. With each stroke, I felt the pressure on my lungs grow, but I kept swimming.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of agony, my head broke through the surface of the sea. I started to cough, water came out of my nose and my mouth. After some moments I was able to breathe again. The cool, blessed air washed over me like a balm for my scorched lungs. I snatched it greedily and filled myself with it as if my life depended on it, every breath made me less dizzy.

Slowly I approached the muddy ground. I staggered out of the water, rage coursing through my veins like molten lava for an unknown reason.

My gaze swept across the forest before me, and I clenched my fists tight as I stumbled forward. Instinctively I reached for my knife. Luckily my bag was still attached to me.

I pushed through the thick vegetation, my heart pounding in my chest. Nothing mattered anymore. I just wanted to do one thing. Kill the ones that killed her and then go to the bottom of this hole.

Sounds started gathering around me. I heard a loud flapping sound from my sides, behind and above. 

I glanced around me trying to identify my enemies' position, and contrary to my expectations, it wasn't only the man-eating butterflies that I found hiding in the tops of the trees, but some sort of deformed dog too. It had 3 heads and eyes everywhere around his back and stomach. 

I faced the dog-like creature. It seemed to be growling in anticipation, its three heads drooling with hunger. Fury built up inside of me, and heat radiated off of my body as flames erupted from my hands.

I held the knife tightly, readying it for whatever would come next. Keeping my gaze on the monstrous beast before me, I leaped forward, determined to kill it. I felt like everything was happening in slow motion as I dodged its razor-sharp claws.

The fire that surrounded me seemed to amplify my movements, pushing me forward with a burst of energy. With every motion I made, the flames followed, brighter and more intense than before. They cast immense heat on the dog-like creature, who growled in fright. I knew that if I could just get close enough to it, I could take it down. 

But the beast was unpredictable, dodging and weaving despite its size. Its razor-sharp claws slashed at my skin, barely missing with each attempt. The heat of the flames kept intensifying, and I could feel the fire burning through me. I was filled with emotions, unlike anything I'd ever experienced before.

Just when I thought I had reached an impasse, a momentary lapse in concentration from the monster scared of the fire, opened up my opportunity to strike. I lunged towards it, knife held tightly in my hand. With one well-placed blow, I managed to cut through its eye on the right of one of his heads.

The dog-like creature roared in pain as it backed away, the flames engulfing its body and scorching its fur. I didn't give it a chance to recover, lunging forward with all my strength. With each swing of my knife, I watched as chunks of flesh flew off the creature's body and onto the ground. The blood sprayed everywhere.

The monster was now wounded and weakening, its eyes glassy from pain and fear. I kept slashing and stabbing relentlessly until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, one last blow sent the beast toppling to the ground, dead. 

The body of the creature slowly melted, revealing a precious rock, the reason why I descended to this abyss, the core. I stood there covered in monster blood and sweat, panting. The big butterflies didn't seem to approach me.

After taking the core, I began walking, searching for the elevator.

I think I remember the path.