Things went much smoother than I’d feared.

That little girl – Akasha – is a bit taciturn, but she’s more amenable than her demonhood might suggest. Submissive, even.

It’s actually quite a surprise. I expected to have to fight tooth and nail and negotiate and debate and convince in order to earn my place inside her dantian. But I guess being the one to free her from her loneliness played in my favor.

And so, I got settled in.Continue reading

I rush across the valley. No spider is following after me, yet, but I want to put as much distance as possible between me and that nest.

Hmm… I didn’t plan my route too well, though, did I?

The way I took is a dead-end, barred everywhere by tall, sheer cliffs. I should have been more careful. As it is, it won’t be too much of problem, I think, but something like that might prove fatal the day I’m actually being chased by something nasty.

I continue running, heading straight for the cliff in front of me.Continue reading

I’m walking along the pathway through the field of bones again, all of my senses looking out for any potential threat.

Phineas’s voice suddenly resounds. (This floor looks different from when I was sealed. At the time, it was a long, dirty river, bordered by jungle on both sides. There weren’t all these bones everywhere. What’s this all about?)

Indeed.

Suspicious. Very suspicious.Continue reading

Why is there an old man inside my dantian?

That’s never happened before. Usually, my hallucinations limit themselves to the outside world. They never enter my dantian. And it’s always either Nerys or Father. Why is it someone new, all of a sudden?

…Well, I suppose there is a first for everything.

The old man smiles at me, stroking his beard, and suddenly starts speaking. (Hello. My name is Phineas. I’m a three thousand-year-old god. When you touched the obelisk earlier, my soul flowed from it and into your body. So, I’ll be living here from now on. Pleased to make your acquaintance.)Continue reading

By my reckoning, 16 years have passed since I arrived in the cave.

Which means I have spent more of my life inside the cave than outside it.

I have no idea what floor this is. I stopped counting a long time ago.

What I do know, is that my situation is worsening at an uncomfortable pace.Continue reading

“Eyalen! I came to visit!”

Someone screams my name and starts banging on the door, the sound carrying all the way from downstairs.

I break the kiss with an irritated sigh.

Selma is panting, trying to catch her breath. Her cheeks are flushed red and her gaze has trouble focusing on me. I’d almost think she was drunk, if I wasn’t the one responsible for her current condition.Continue reading

By my reckoning, two years have passed since I arrived in the cave.

I should be 14 years old, now.

I’ve always tried to keep a measure of time, as a way to build a stable element on which to anchor my mind, something solid and objective and regular. I think it’s good for my mental health to do so.

But it’s somewhat discouraging to see the days pass by so quickly.Continue reading

“Forward.”

One of the apostles pushes me, sending me stumbling along the hallway.

Annoying…

I already was going forward. It’s not like there is any branching path, either, so I’m not going to need directions any time soon, thanks. And if I wasn’t walking fast enough, just tell me so. No need for such unpleasantness…Continue reading

The wind blows violently, playing with my hair, casting snowflakes into my face.

How delightful.

I’m not sure what kind of demon I’ll have to face on this floor, but as far as environment is concerned, this is the most pleasant I’ve yet to encounter. Inversely, the worst wasn’t actually the fifth floor’s desert, unexpectedly, but the ninth floor’s swamp. Constantly wading through warm, mucky, disgusting water was unbearable, and it became even more so when the snake demons tried to drown me in it.

I suppose it was instructive, in a way.Continue reading