"Cael" a soft voice whispers. "Welcome Cael, it has been a long time Cael. You must finally decide."
"Decide what?" you ask.
"You remember. All those years ago, the last time you were here, you needed to chose, but then fate interfered. Now it is time to finally choose."
"Fate interfered?"
"Yes, Cael. Fate interfered," the voice softly whispers, it seems almost conforting despite the confusion it caused.
"Yes, fate," a new harsher voice said. "Or should we call fate Wolfgang." It chuckled slightly, sounding almost like a mix between laughter and a coffin closing.
Slowly the darkness turns to gray, and then the gray to a soft light, and you find yourself in a nice room of some sort. Soft chairs and couches line the walls and tables sit in front of them. Two doors lead out, each on opposite sides of the room.
"Choose a door to your destiny. Because of your loyalty to your friends and the attempts you have performed to make things right, you may choose this door, if you so wish." the soft voice spoke, and the door to your right open outward, revealing stairs going up. Soft, healing light washed over the stairs and entered part of the room. Music and birds could be heard from above the stairs.
"But, because of your doubt, your guilt, and the fact that you have often given up on trying to right certain situations, the fact that you know that something isn't right, but have turned a blind eye," the harsh voice spoke, "You may also choose this door." The other door opened up revealing stairs going down. They were black and dark, soot covered and hot. A blast of hot air escapes from the staircase and the sounds of torment drift up from down below.
Boy licks your hand. Wolfgang Arturus places a glass of wine down on the table in front of him. Pharaiha Cane gives you a displeasing look from her seat on a couch. Sally sharpens a knife. Mama Jones lies naked draped on another couch. Marsha Glossop sits next to Sally. Kurt Lunqvist, the cowboy, lies with his intestines spread out on a coffee table.
"Where should I go?" you ask them. Boy runs over to the stairs going up and barks. Wolfgang Arturus picks up his wine which looks strangely like blood and walks over to the stairs going down.
"No partner of mine would think themselves safe if they went up, but down, the possibilities are endless. I saved you once from having to make this choice, this time, the least I can do is help you make it. " Arturus says.
Miss Cane glares at you and then smiles sweetly, "Down is the only way for someone such as yourself Cael. My adventures with you in that accursed hotel showed me that. We can be happy down there together."
"Ooooh, Cutie Pie, you just got guilt," says Mama Jones. "You know deep down in your heart that you belong upstairs. Walk up those stairs and all this that you see can be yours." She gestures her hand over her huge mass.
Sally grins wickedly and then Marsha looks at you, "Sally doesn't like you." the young girl says. "You gave me Sally. You knew what she was. You gave me her. And as a result, your friends gave me this." She lifts up her chin, revealing a long gash mark in her throat, blood oozing out. "By your actions, both me and my father ended up here, but we can never be together. Walk down those stairs because I don't want you around my father."
The cowboy looks at his intestines, spread across the table. Looks up at you, looks back at his insides. You picture the cat creature Robin La Bue slicing him open in your downstairs backroom. You remember him dying there, and never finding his body. He continues to look at his insides as you look on him. "He is mine now." says Wolfgang calmly.
"You must choose!" says the harsh voice from the grave.
"Yes, you must choose." says the soft voice full of comfort.
"Down the stairs!" say Miss Cane, Wolfgang, and Marsha.
"Up the stairs!" say or barks Boy and Mama Jones.
Then the room goes dark, a spotlight is placed upon you in the middle of the room, each door is illuminated one in yellow and one in red. Shadowy forms mumble in the darkness, although you can't make them out. Suddenly two three inch "boys" appear in the air beside you. One has a halo and little wings, the other a tail and horns. They each start chanting "Up" or "Down". Confusion races through your head. Which way to go? Where do you belong? Do you deserve either?
Then a hideous laugh races through the room, almost as if an old crone was present. "Not so fast, my young man! I'm not through with you yet!" and as her cackles fade away, the roof suddenly cracks, an enormous monkey's hand reaches in and scoops you up, dragging you up through the ceiling.
All goes black.
A hideous hag's head drifts before you cackling insanely. Whispers of "Baba Yaga" drift throughout the darkness.
When you come to you are in an attic area, it is hot, straw mats are underneath you and a man is standing over you. You recognize him as Father Mayew looking both shocked and concerned.
"Fucker, let you die!" says the little boy with the horns and tail.
"That's not true, he tried to save Cael." says the little boy with the
wings and halo.
"Well then he's incompetent."
"Don't speak that way about Father Mayhew."
"I'll speak about him anyway I want, you winged tart."
The little devil jumps on the little angel and a scuffle ensues.
And then you know that something has gone horribly wrong.