3RD PERSON POV

Jed: Your son was sent to hell.

???: I-I see...but the archangel told me-

Jed: He was sent to heaven. In her exact words, the 8th circle is where everyone is in the most conceivable euphoric state, suspended in happiness for eternity to serve their purpose. Telling you your son's faith she said would jeopardize the stability of this circle.

The man was broken, his head hung low though he spoke.

???: Why tell me this?

Jed: No one is perfect. Perfection....is a term, a concept that no one can achieve. Not even God. It's a meaningless thing. Therefore, the system of this ring of heaven is imperfect, because to stabilize it, the pillars must be built through lies and deceit, and not of the truth.

???; And you say you're human?

Jed: I am not a normal human, nor will I sadly be. I live, yet I can never die.

???:.....You're sad. Have you gone through a lot?

Jed: You don't know the suffering I gone through.

???:....Any regrets kid?

Jed: Many.

???:.......*deep breath* Perhaps my hope for my son is all but lost, but I do not have any regrets with my life. I enjoyed all my times of the past, and I do not regret how I attempted to raise my son to the best of my ability. I regret however that things could've ended differently.

Jed: But you're happy. That is all that matters.

???: It is. To be honest...I had suspicions on my son's true fate. So thank you for telling me. I can now rest in peace, as should you. Maybe you suffered a lot, and maybe you're in torment....but somewhere out there lies an answer. Do not destroy yourself with your guilt and regrets. Happiness, even if small can be the spark to something even greater.

An angel was watching, shocked at how a human managed to enter the 8th circle of heaven as the two souls conversed.

Jed: I killed billions, trillions, a seemingly infinite amount of people and cosmic beings. I waged war against creation itself, my wrath so strong I indirectly killed my whole family and lost all I held dear. Even with these atrocities.......do you believe I deserve to be happy?

???: *smile* Of course. There is always never not a moment where you turn your life around and do good. Only by accepting yourself for who you are can you really change and move forward.

Jed: Accepting myself huh..........thanks for the advice.

???: If you want someone to talk to, come here if you wish.

Jed: If you say so.

Later

Jed:........

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Jed looks down, seeing the blood on his hands as he stood there.

Jed: 'There's no blood.'

HAJAHSJWJSJSJSJSSHSIISSUZJ

???: Excuse me.

SKDNSKDJSJDNKSSKISISKS

*TAP*

???: Excuse me!

Jed didn't respond, his eyes hollow and black though he was tapped even harder and his attention turns to the lady next to him.

Jed: Oh....hello.

???: You were not supposed to be in the 8th circle of heaven or even heaven itself.

Jed: I did nothing to disturb the peace did I?

???: I......yes but-

Jed: Then there is nothing wrong with me reflecting here.

???: But you're human.

Jed: I know.

???: H-How are you-

Jed: I teleported here. Even measly cosmic prisons were easier to infiltrate than heaven.

???: But still-

Jed: I have not done anything wrong, and I have kept the peace. Leave it at that.

*THUD*

He walks away, ignoring the archangel as he minds his own business.

Jed: 'Even if they retain memories, it's better to live the truth than to live a lie that can destroy you.'

???: HEY!

Jed: Bernadette. I am asking you nicely.

He had a steely tone, the dark aura around him scaring the archangel as he stares into her soul.

Jed: I am not causing trouble. I wish to reflect on myself in the heaven of this universe. So leave..me ALONE.

???: You......know my-

Jed: I can read minds.

He turns around, leaving her to her own thoughts.

Later

Jed:.......

???: W-What would y-you like t-to order-

Jed: 10 plates of spaghetti and a jug of beer.

The angel feared Jed, sensing the immense darkness and potential light within him before hurrying away.

Jed:.......

Bernadette: Hey. Can I talk with you?

Jed:.....Sure.

The archangel sat down across from him as the jug of beer was placed in front of him and he inhales it in a second.

Bernadette:....You're a fast drinker.

Jed: I spent years without eating or drinking. Even if I drink, I still feel thirsty.

Bernadette: You are immortal?

Jed: Nothing can kill me, not even cosmic gods or beings who transcended reality.

She had questions but was silent as Jed sat there, emotionless as ever.

Bernadette: Gods? How are you immortal?

Jed: Beings even you cannot comprehend. Through everything I've experienced, my body and soul have accelerated and grew to the point that I can instantaneously adapt to anything. Any concept, anything that can harm me. Poison? Give it a second and I'm immune. Supernovas? I may burn away in a second but I can easily regenerate and become immune. Nothing works......and even if I wanted to, killing myself isn't even possible. I'm just.....too powerful.

Bernadette: How old are you?

Jed: 28.....or 29.

Bernadette: You're.....young.

Jed: A mere fraction of your age, yet beings many times older and powerful have gone mad after experiencing a fraction of my past.

He inhales the spaghetti that arrived to the table in seconds before wiping his mouth.

Jed: Do you believe god is perfect?

Bernadette:....I do not think so.

Jed: How come?

Bernadette:....She has not issued many grievous incidents. No soul has entered heaven for years, and the world below continues to fester and rot for more.

Jed: So you are an imperfect angel, made from an imperfect being is that right?

Bernadette:...Yet I strive to do what I BELIEVE is right.

Jed: Do you think perfection is achievable?

Bernadette:......No.

Jed: The concept of perfection is warped by the minds of beings everywhere. There is no concrete definition, and if there was, sole perfection is not achievable.

Bernadette: I see....

Jed: Your world is dying.

She was confused as Jed responds.

Jed: Your world is slowly collapsing. I can sense that God is no longer there to help you anymore. Everyone is there to cease to exist....just spirits, matter, energy.......breaking down to nothingness, just like where your God is-

Bernadette: And what may I ask are you insinuating?

Jed: I am but a mere immortal. But, I'll offer a way out of this situation. Would you rather live to see another day in your life, or stay here as the world you know ceases to exist?

Bernadette:........That would be implying god is dead.

Jed: Exactly. You can believe it if you want. I will expect an answer in a few months.

*WHOOSH*

Bernadette:.........

Later

Hinami: Y/N why do you look sad?

Jed:.....Hinami, it doesn't concern you.

Hinami: I'm just wondering. You don't smile, you don't look happy all the time.

Jed:........

Hinami had some books, Jed having taught her for an hour yet she brought up how he looked.

Hinami: Mom said you said you had a family before. That makes you happy right?

Jed:......It does.

Hinami: I....

Jed: Yes?

Hinami: I....I want you to be my dad!

Hinami could immediately tell something shifted within Jed, his face twitching for a second before he tilts his head.

Jed:.....Dad?

Hinami: Yeah! I-I know I-I only met you 2 weeks ago.....but.....you're just like a dad to me......

Jed's face twitched more, an emotion stirring inside of him as Hinami smiles.

Jed: I see-

*GRAB*

Hinami: SMILE DAD! CMON JUST ONE SMILE!

Artoria grins, knowing her plan was working as Jed said gibberish.

Artoria: *whisper* She's getting through to him. It's working!

Later

Minsu: What do you even know about misery?

Jed: Everything. I know everything there is about misery.

*BAM*

His sword shatters against Jed's skin, shocking him as Jed had an emotionless look on his face.

Jed: Let me show you true horror then.

MINDSCAPE

???: M̸͎̺̝̩̱̑̐̉̃͊͂́̈͌̍̕͠͝͝Y̴̧̧͎̼̜͎̲̱͓͋̈́̑͒ ̷̧̨̺̼͎̲͕̗̌̊̃̋̔̈́̋͒͗́̅̒͘͝ͅͅL̴̡̨̢͙̤͍̲̗̫̫͈̥͎̈́͌͜ͅO̴̟̟͎̥̩̥͐̔̎̏̄̿͗̀̓̂͛̕͝͝R̷̡͎͖̜̪̟̲͍̗̲̟̻̹̎̊̅͒̆́̓͠D̸͓̫͚͚̟̹̲̹̞̮͇̜̫͕͂!̶̙̓͐̿́̏͂̕ ̷̪̠̪̥̦͔̺̝̘͑͜͝I̷̧̛͊͆͛̍̍́̓͐́̈́̓ ̷̡̅̽̾͒̈́͆̑̈́H̴̛̬̾͛͆̓͛̋̌̄̚À̴̜̝͇̘̞̎̈́V̵̪͕͕̹̮͇̄̈̚Ē̴̛͙̎̉̿́͝ ̶̨̤̗͙̣͚̳͕͙͈͈̦̫̔͋́̌̍̂̔̕T̶̡̼̠̺̣̬̘̳̮̣͇̞̜̋͛̀̀̂̾̎̆̏͂̕̕͠R̵̢̛̗͕͕̹͇̬̳͉̹̳̉͘ͅÄ̸͔̅̓̿͆̈́̍͂̕͘͝͠͠ͅÌ̶̭̬͖͉͓̟̎̇̂͗̓̌̈́N̴̯̱̥̘̎̂̉͗̑̉̈́̽̂̋̎̎͘E̶̛̪͉̜̜̗̞̲̻̰͖̙̻͌̀̌̄̒͒̊̎̈̈́̒̅͗ͅD̸̞͇͋͒̂͠ THIS ̷̧̨̯͔̖͇̾̎̋͂͌̄̔̈̃̊͑̒́͆H̸͈̫̠̼͖̝̠̻̩̜́̂̃́̂̆̇̕Ȗ̴̝͂̅̓̍̓̔̀̆̊̑͝M̷̞̪͍̤̖̀͊̋͛̓̃̿͊̚͠Ȃ̴̭̥͉̫͓͑N̸̼̉̂͝ BABY ̴͉̩͙̰̼̟̹̣͙̼͖͕͈̊̃͜͠ͅL̷̢̛̥̱͈̱̩̩̺̯͔͈͒̎̉̍̄̀̋̐͗̿̈́͠͝I̸̯̯͉̒͗́͒̄͒͐̂̆͑͌̕͘͝K̸̡̡̹̟͓̬̑̔̊̈́̆̿͠È̷̛̺͍͔̊̏̇̍̉̉͜ ̶̞̰̳̪͔͚̰͈̑̑̊́Y̸̧̡̹̦̺͙͕̗͎͉̮̙̥̠͐͒̌̏̉̏͗̏̄̈́̋̕͝͠Ö̷̧̳͓́̏͑͑̀̋͝U̷͍̼̝̱̖̰͍̓̈́̋̈́̒̚͘ ̴̤̙̣͇̰̥̳̔̓͝ͅA̴̰͎͚̬͂͜Ş̸̛̥̜͖̠̘͖̗͈̅̑͊͘͝ͅK̵̢̮̯̺̺̫̒͗ͅȄ̴̺͕̘̜̝͍͍̃̍̈́͘ͅͅD̶̨̛̪̘̥͕͙͍̬̣̹̫̳̩͓̬̀̌̋̀̈́̃̌͗͐̍̍͝!̴̛̞̗̥̠̱͕͓̇́̌̑̽̅͛͆͗̚͝͝

A symphony of screams and horror filled the void, a baby floating to an imaginary shadow as it was torn apart and rebuilt 1000 times within a second, the shadow closing its grip against it.

???: Å̷̧͉̥͚͙̪͔̬͈̣͓̪̫̃̓̃̀̓̌̀̽̕̕ ̸̢͔͍̞̝̙͉̬̲̜̃Ẁ̶̡̡̛͎͍̤̠̭͙̱͎̬̮͖̳͙̉̐̆̆̕͠Ǫ̷̡̡̡̧̣͎̯̻̠̭͎̀͌̎̊͊̉̆̔̕͠R̵͙̝̙̜̤̮͆̽̔͝T̴̡̛̺̻̭͎̖̳̒͑̔̄̚H̷͈̱̗͍͚̾͜Ý̴̨̢̳̞̩̖̱͚͋͑̃̔̅̿̊̀̕ ̷̲̠̳͕͉̫͑̋͗̀̀̑̓͗͜͝V̸͇̜̤̱̖͉̠̤̔̽̑̀͆ͅÈ̵̺̭͕͙͑S̵̢̝̮̖̼̗̻̳̝̝̏̑͒̋͘̚͜͝͝S̷̘̹̺̼͎̞̫͇̮̏͊́̂͆̀̓̈̉͐̒͘͘Ē̶͙̹͓͈̱͕̫͉̋͂̅̈́̎̈́̓̏͋̍̕Ĺ̵͈̩̫̺͎̘̺͉͖͛͂̕͜͝ ̴̡̭̜̳̘͇̫̗͛̽̀̈́̈́́̑͝͝Ȁ̸̩̫̘͕̺͙̫̽͐̈́͗̌̑͊̚̕S̸̨̝̼̦̖̖̻̺̦͈̓̆͐̋͋̿̕͜͜ ̸̣͋̈A̵͚̯͙̠̗̓̂̇͑͋͑̈́͜͠ ̴̨̨̛̩̼̮͓̠̳̻̼̇̇͐ͅͅW̷̨̛̲̫̗͎͙͕͔̭̖͇̦͈̠͋̀̆̀̅̓̓̅͗͜͠Ã̵̠̪́̇̄́̃̌̈́̿̌̓̽̚͠ͅŔ̸̨̬̬͎̖̯̤̞͍͉̮͎̲͜R̶͔̩̻̜̅̋̌̐̆̌̄̇̃͂̔̆̿͑ͅÌ̷̧͓͈̇͋̋̊͋̈́̽̂̐̀͒̅͝͠Ŏ̶̠͈̝̼͋̐̓́R̶͖̱̰͍͈̞̟̓͌̅̎̓̔̏̚̚͜͠.̵̡̛͉̝̏͐̓̿́̽́̊͒̊̀̿̕͝ ̴̜̣̰͈̼͕͔̝̆H̶̨̭̠̭͓̰̥̑̾̄̚E̷̡͉̝͆́̏̏͂̀̌́͌̃͘͝ ̴̢͔̞̰̗͊̈́͋̑͒͒́̈̑̊͘͜Ẁ̸̙̋̄͋̅͋I̴̡̤̦̬̘͛͜͜L̶̨͍̹̼̤̞͆̔̈́̇͐͛L̶̨̧͉̠͔̰͓͈̝̓͝ͅ ̸̡̝͕̝̫͎̠̱͇͇͌́̆̓̇̄̀̒͑͑̕͜͜͜͝B̶̧̡͉͕̰̪̼̪̱̱͇̭̓͜E̸͉̠̤̖̬͔̼͚̼̬̮̪̟͉͗͒̀̐̆́̀́̐ ̸̡̢̧̭̤͚͚͙̫͕̱̲̻̒̇̃̏͒̑͌̏͌͠͝B̷͖̺͈̟͛́͆͊̿̓͂͒L̸̛̤̦̂͋̒͆̈͋̒̃͂̃̎͋̚È̴͎̖̙̭͉̈́̓͌͑͒S̸̡̬͎͉̮̭̳̬͍̀͆͂̕͘͝Ş̸͈̻̤̦̯̥̥͆̽́̔͛͑͜ͅͅĘ̶̻̭̥͕̟͇͔͙͉͂̀͊̑͊̍͐̇̃̉̑̎̚͠͝D̴͍̞͙̼̱̳̩̘̙̪͑ ̴̧̯̃͆̆̌̊̃͒̈́̌W̴̧̭̮̣̥͔̘̘̚I̷͓̥͊́̐͒̒͂̀̀̈́̄̚͜T̵̢̢̛̮͚̳̬̼̪̳̹͗̂͋̍̓͜͝H̵̩̞̮̖̣̿ ̵̰̮̺̺̞̥̻̪͍̮̒̍̌̽̈́̂͑̇̅́I̷̛̛̫̦̾͌̈́̓̇̀̆͋͝M̷̫̞̜͉̘̦̹̤̻͉̠̓̄̕͜M̶̡̡͙̘̱̼͙̹̤͕͕̻͔̓̅̀̒̇̂̎͐̋̑̿̽̅̂̕͜ͅÓ̷̢̡̭̝͈̼͍̲͇̋̐̅̋̈͌̿͂͗̇͛̚̕͝ͅŖ̶͉̮̭̺̯̤͇̗̰̹͔̋T̵̡̲͔̳̗̙̟̙̣̋̆̋̋̂͐́̚Ä̵̧͎͖͈̙͔͑͗̽̂̄̄̑͊͋̒L̶̘̀̊̈͒̐͌̈́͗̏͌́͝͝Ì̴̡̞͇̙̫̼̬̼̜̂͒̆̌͜ͅT̵̢̡̝̗̦̱͖̙̬͚̹͎̊̃̊̂͘Y̴̪̳̫̥̱̺̞̘̺̌̆̀̒͜͜ ̶̡̛͆͆̈́̏̈͗͗̒̕͝͠B̸̧̧̡̛̘̺̫̱̜̟̼̮̳̘̹̲̽̑̒͒̀̿̈́̔͐̚E̸̹͕̱̹͑̂̽̊̿Ÿ̵̩́̈́̌̍̐̈̔̂̈́͒̽͊͝Ȱ̵̩͕͙̗͕͖͓͜ͅŅ̷͙͉̖̺̖̠̖̭̳͔͌̽̂̈͛͐͝͝ͅD̴̢͍̳̺̳̖͂̀́͐̏̆͊̐̐̑͠ ̵̨̙̟͈͚̻̗͎̤́̈́̆͗̐̋̌̕͝ͅA̵̛͍͙̭͛̔̇͆̈́̃̆̋́̎̿͊N̸̻̭̥̝̹̖̻̈́́͐̌͛͘͝Y̶̲̲̮͎̬̦̟̗͕͇̰̓̏̈́͊̅̈́̎̈̇̓́̑̿̈̚͜T̷͚͑̀͝H̷̡̨͍͇̰̹͚͈̜͚̫͙͔́̅̉̄̕͜Į̷̛̛͔̱̥͓̺͉͕͔͊̄͆́͊́̎́̆̃̎͠͠N̶̹͈͙̙̖̩͖͚͈̳̟̅͂͛̊͛̒̃͠͠͝͝Ĝ̷͇̥̳̹̩̤̼͖̤͉̖͛̔̇̑̏͛̈́͒̂͝ ̴̠͇̯̜͉̮͑̑O̷͈͙͍̤̤̻̹̭͇̠͐͒̈́͒̐͊͒͋̕͝͠U̴̱̘̤̠̎͛͂̈̌̉̆͌͘͘͜T̶̙̭̮̭̲̍̌͊̆̽̍̽͂͗̋̏̉ ̸̣̮͙̥͉̻͍̏͋̃̀̓́̇̊͜T̸̤̣́̈́͗̅H̸̢̞̜̰̲̖̼͎͙̼̜̪̑̋̌́̀̆͜Ě̴̺̘̐͘Ŗ̶̳̜̭̹̦̦̋̓̈́̀́͛̓̅͑͒̄̓͆͝E̸̫̹̰̒.̶͉̤͎͔̱̩͕̩̺͈͙̞̲͆͐̚

Y/N: *WAILING*

*SQUISH*

Later

Y/N: E-Eden...

He stares at the corpse of his wife and family, eldritch gods surrounding him as he squeezes his fist.

Y/N: Ḁ̵̣͚͍̝̱̼̺͇͕̜̗̹̺̈́̑͘͜A̷͚̾̀A̵̛̘͉̗̯̫͕̫͉̭̞͈͛̀̑̐͊͐̅̇̒̚̚͝͝A̶̯̘̱̱̯͍͖̜̝̲̟̅̅̄͛ͅA̶̹̙͋̔̄̓͒͑̊̆͌̏͝͠A̸͍̟͖͖̓͋̈́͐͘͝A̴̰͇͔̘͖̰̲͎̜͆A̷̡̡͔͍͈̽̀̄̂͂̾̋̚͠H̴̨͚͚͇̱̫̥̑̚͜Ḧ̶̡̱̰̦̬̩̰͇̺͔̻́̏͌̅H̷̛̲̞͎̣̑̂̈̀̏̄̈̾̄͠H̶̡̩͉̗͙̥͎͖̯̺͚̰̒͜Ḫ̶̡̡̛̦̫̾̈́̈̇̒͒̈̋H̴̨̨̗̥̣̰͗̽̿̎͐͂͜͠H̶̭̣̝̯̳͚̣̆̀̿̑̑̄̅H̴̡̢̰̞̙͚̫̪̟̋̑͑̄̓̇͂̅̒̃͌́͝͝H̵̢̬̹̼̖͍̥͓͔̰͙̞̆͑͒̑̆͋̕͝Ḣ̴̭͔̪̻͙̲͍͖̙̔̽͐ͅH̷̢̢̛̰̬͑̀̅̋̈́̐͋͒͗͛H̶̫̒̋̎̿̋͘̕Ḩ̷̧̰̫̠̞̦͎͉̭̭͓̹͎̉̉̀͑̈̋̈́̒͌͂̌͒̍̓͜͠H̶̨̨̜̘̹̭͈͍̍̾͜͜͝͠H̷̘̜͇̗͖̞́̈́͑̿̌͜Ḥ̶̡̨̨̦̘͇͕͈̣̪̩̩̼̓̍͗̍H̷̨̢̰̞̦͍͚̮̹͙͝͝Ḩ̵̯͕͚͎͔̾͌̋̈́͜H̷̖̜̄̅̚!̷̡͕̮̗̼̺̩͚̳̖̳͉͕͐̓̃̐̃̈͛̈́͋͒̈̋͜͠!̵̧̧̜͍̰͙͔̦̗̳͈̮̠̀̃͂̍ͅ!̷̣͈̒͐͑̽̓̽̌̒̌̽̆!̷̡̞̥̰͙̩͖̞̘̩̼̰̰̌!̸̬͎̋̍̑̈͒̂̒̄̄!̷̼̻̟͎̺̆̑͒̏̑̇̇̉͋̃̐̿͘͝

A cry of pure anguish filled the entire universe, everything obliterated in a burst of light before fading away into total darkness.

Later

Y/N: Minsu.....

MINDSCAPE END

Minsu was floating in the abyss, shocked at everything he had scene, only a mere fraction of Jed's suffering as they exit out of his mindscape.

Jed: What do you have to gain from this? Making everyone as miserable as you....though there are already those who gone through worse out there. Everyone suffers. Everyone goes through hard times. Our minds break eventually.....and we are left alone in despair. Yet some of us can still out there.....find hope.

DELETE IMMORTAL WARRIOR

Jed: Do you wish to die or live on?

Minsu:....I......I don't kno-

Jed: Let me ask you again Minsu Kim.

He bends down, staring into his eyes as he nods.

Jed: DO YOU WISH TO DIE, OR LIVE ON?

Later

Jed: Hinami must be close by.

Jed: She wanted a snow globe....and some other gifts of my picking.

He hears a commotion, but pays no attention as he turns the corner-

*SLICE*

Jed:..........

Jed:.......

Jed:

.........

One of the investigators notices Jed watching and walks over to him.

Amon: Sir you have to leave! This is a ghoul investigati-

*SPLATTER*

Jed splatters his head all over the pavement, drawing everyone's attention to him.

???: HEY! THE HELL ARE YOU-

*SPLATTER*

He slaughters everyone without remorse, bullets bouncing off his skin as he casually tosses bricks and garbage bags at hypersonic speeds, splattering their atoms all over the pavement.

Kureo: *grin* Another ghoul eh? WELL I'LL KIL-

*STAB*

Jed stabs his hand through the old man's head, and reaches down to touch Ryuoko's hand.

REFORM

Ryuoko: *gasp* W-What happened?

Jed: You died Ryuoko. I merely formed you back.

She looks around, seeing the corpses littering the alleyway though everyone outside paid no attention.

Ryuoko: You....brought me back to life and killed then?

Jed: I did. I didn't want to see you die.

Ryuoko: I-I see....

Hinami: MOM! DAD!

Hinami runs to them, hugging Ryuoko with tears in her eyes as a boy backs away.

Kaneki: Y-You killed them..

Jed: Yes I did Kaneki.

Hinami: You.....worried about mom dad?

Jed: I was worried.

Hinami smirked on the inside, sensing Jed's spirit shifting as she was also on the plan to make Jed smile once more though that was still a long road.

Ryuoko: Why save me? They could go after you now-

Jed: I can handle them all. Do not worry. I'll.....I'll keep you two safe.

He hugs them both, feeling their warmth though they hug him back.

Jed: *hug* Mmmm.......

Artoria: 'Alright now for the grand finale!'

Later

Jed:......

Artoria: Go on a date with us!

Ryuoko: *RED* W-What?! DATE?!

Hinami; DATE MY MOM!

Ryuoko was blabbing, unable to say anything as Jed looks at all of them.

Jed: All of you at the same time?

Makima:...That's a fair deal.

Layla: *smile* I agree.

EMOTION INHIBITOR BROKEN: 10%

Jed felt comforted, knowing they were willing to take time to get to know him as he tries to smile.

Jed: 'Ah shit I still can't.' *DEPRESSED*

Makima: You can try again later.

Next Chapter:

The Weak and Strong (2/5)