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Relish The Grime

  Once forever, for no good hope, I'm stuck in the totality of the universe. My mind wanders through the plains of non-existence, just like a grain of salt dreams of becoming a mountain. But then I realize,

  My body doesn't touch anything except the petals of numerous flowers.

  Their pricks slash at my skin, ichor falling between them, my blood disappearing forever into nothingness.

  Yet I feel no pain. Above me lies an upside-down lake that stretches for hundreds of miles, not a ripple in its water. And yet, this is not a normal lake. It's a mirror to my flesh.

  I see my body. I'm naked, yet no parts visible, my old scars gone like the wind in the ocean. In this abyss, my mind turns to wander, and no head is needed. In its place, there is a flower - a poppy, to be precise.

  My body moves on its own; it rises from the bed of flowers and starts to amble. After a year, it comes to a stop. A staircase made of stars illuminates the vacant world. It brings a sense of peace.

  Maybe this is the end?

  My bare feet start ascending, the faint buzzing from the heavenly bodies is felt through the skin of my soles. After seven years of scaling, I arrive at a trail made of grime. The trail stretches on and on, yet to no end. And yet again, my body keeps trudging. For a week straight, not a sight except the dirt on my feet.

  At the end of time lies a beast in repose. The beast of the end has eyes hidden beneath oily hair, and on top of his head are two horns that almost connect into a semicircle. One mouth opens. Then two. Then three. They bear no teeth, instead of tusks, eyes lie in their place. Instead of tongues, swords as sharp as the world cut the mouths in half.

  Goddess, choose me, and your fate will be sealed. We will rule the world like true gods.

  Its voice resonates through my soul.

  Alone, I choose the middle laughing gear, the sword in its mouth moves to the side, not to hurt my gentle body. Then the maw closes,

  I wake in a forest, yet the trees are upside down, their roots protrude from the moons that hold them in place. Yet again, the sky is not visible, and I'm still in the null. My steps fill the voidless sum of silence.

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  I walk, then I stop, in front of me, a tree that almost touches the terra firma. At the nib, there's a bow made of bones; the string is of a nerve. Next to it, there lies an idle sword; at its guard, a blinking eye looks back at me.

  I hoist them in my appendages, then I egress the foul mouth.

  I take my place before the beast.

  God of Heaven, what do you want?

  Kindness.

  The void starts to crack. A hand, then another, rips the void open. Out of the window, exits a colossus human.

  He is just like me, a human.

  Yet where a face should be, there's nothing, a blank canvas. Both of his arms grip the base of his head, then he rips it off. He holds it like a gentle thing in his hands. The headless man turns his head upside down, and out of his throat starts to grow a sapling. The little tree grows and grows, then it begins to rot. After its life comes to an end, a single raven is left in its place.

  Then it flies away.

  Then he places his head back onto his body.

  The god of nature has arrived.

  The beast moves its finite legs, and the human does the same.

  Once they reach each other, the beast bites off the human's left arm clean, leaving in its place a bloody stump of no end.

  The beast and the human fight for years, then the beast manages to kill the man, and the world resets.

  After three days, the man appears again. Then the same things happen: the sky cracks, the god of nature rips off his head, and a raven flies out.

  Yet again, the human loses and comes back. Again and again, centuries of senseless massacre ensue.

  Then the human starts becoming undefeated, the God of Heaven perishes, and he comes back again and again. The beast falls every time.

  After enough time passes, I realise that something appeared in the endless abyss of violence. A circle, half-moon, half-sun.

  I grip the bow tighter. I aim it at the beginning, I ready the sword on the nerve, and shoot.

  The void begins to crack, and the sun begins to shine, bringing change once again. The stillness becomes divided, and humanity is born anew.

  Before the void can completely disappear, the God of Nature whispers to me:

  Thank you

  Eve's eyes jump awake, a cold sweat running down her forehead. Her breath unsteady, and her heart roaring like a clash of swords.

  Huh?

  The smell of filth is palpable in the air, she remembers it.

  Get a grip, Eve, you will let a dream destroy you?

  SHUT UP!

  I don't know.

  She will have to fight an unwinnable battle and probably have to face a fate worse than death.

  Can she do it? No, she can't; those three were too powerful. Even Elyon will have no chance at winning against them.

  Her hands find her face.

  They will die.

  Revenge is not worth losing what I already have.

  Foolish girl, thinking I stood a chance.

  Heavy-clad iron steps fill the halls, then a guard appears.

  "Prepare yourself, the next fight will be against a woman. We don't know her name or her powers. The only thing we do know is that she is dangerous. You are considered the most dangerous criminal, and yet you pale in comparison to her. She is the most dangerous serial killer."

  Right, I still have to get out of this hellscape.

  The guard takes his leave.

  Elyon, I still hope you are watching over me.

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