Solomon's body was torn apart and put back together countless times as he travelled through space. He could feel his mind slipping into insanity one second, and then the next his thoughts were crystal clear.

He slipped between the cracks in space and travelled countless miles every second. Beside him, Hyde and Fike were being pulled through space as well. A bit further off in the distance, Wisp and Drunken Sword were following behind them.

Their figures were being stretched like putty as they travelled through wormholes and spatial tunnels. From the outside, they would simply have looked like glowing lights that streaked across the empty universe. Perhaps, when you look up into the night sky and see a shooting star journeying across the heavens, and you make a wish. That shooting star, which is in fact a person is currently wishing to be anywhere but there.

The demons approached an unfathomably huge planet. It seemed large enough to contain an entire universe within.

One side of the planet was completely dark and desolate, it had an enormous gaping hole in its centre. That hole descended into an endless abyss. And, if you looked closely, you might see the glow of lava within.

The other side of the planet was bathed in light and thrived with life. On this side of the planet, huge mountain tops pierced through the thick cloud cover and a brilliant glowing sun brought warmth and light.

Around the equator of this side of the planet, An enormous volcano spewed lava constantly. Combined with the gaping hole on the opposite side, It looked like the exit wound of a bullet that had passed through the planet.

Surrounding the volcano was a massive ocean, the depths of which were unknowable. And on this ocean was a massive floating city.

A city of gold and gemstones that floated gently on top of the waves. Magnificent castles and towers rose from the city and stretched towards the heavens.

Circling the floating city, were 8 enormous islands. Each of them was distinct although they all looked equally magical as they floated around the city like moons in orbit.

Solomon only caught a glimpse of this wonderous city before he was whisked away into the gaping hole on the dark side of this monstrously large planet. He travelled down through the entrance of the hole and into the waiting abyss.

He travelled down, past a ring of enormous volcanos that spewed fire and smoke into the air and into a basin that ran with rivers of lava. He followed the lava down into an endless tunnel that continued on forever.

In a flash of light, he had travelled down past the first circle and was on his way to the second. Only now did he realise that this planet was Hell.

At the entrance to the second circle, he didn't stop like he had been expecting but continued on downwards.

He was travelling so fast that the monsters that lurked beneath the lava didn't even notice his passing, never mind try to attack him.

After he had finally come to a stop and his body had stopped being dismantled and put back together again, Solomon, along with all the other demons who had completed the second 'Penance' Threw up.

And it wasn't a pretty sight. Of course, no one would expect tens of thousands of demons throwing up to be a pretty sight.

When he had finished, Solomon spoke between gasping breaths, "I think I just threw up everything I have ever eaten."

"And everything you ever will eat," Hyde added helpfully. It was particularly hard on him, who loved eating, to throw up and waste precious food.

"I'm just glad we are off that planet," Hyde said, "Now I can finally eat some meat. All I could eat over there were fruits," When Hyde said the word fruit, he spat on the ground in disgust.

"It will be nice to do some fishing," Fike chimed in.

"I'm looking forward to becoming the strongest demon in the third circle, just like I was in the second circle," Wisp added.

Hyde looked doubtful when he heard this, "What about Titan though?"

"Psh... Titan, what Titan? That guy was definitely not a demon. Didn't you see his halo," Wisp replied casually, although she sounded a little forced.

She deflected any response by asking Drunken Sword, "What are you looking forward to?"

When Drunken Sword raised his head, everyone could see that he was gritting his teeth and his fists were clenched, He didn't reply and just muttered to himself, "How could I let something as precious as recruitment slip through my fingers,"

"Did you say recruitment?" Wisp asked. "But how did you even know what that was?"

Drunken Sword took a deep breath to calm himself before replying, "When I was on the barge to the second circle, I overheard the captain bragging about getting recruited."

Wisp nodded expectantly, "And..."

"And he caught me eavesdropping on him. But, he didn't get angry, he was in such a good mood that he brought me over so that I could listen to him brag more clearly, and he told me this: Somehow, during his fifth Penance, he had managed to come into contact with an immortal, who took a liking to him. That immortal had decided to recruit him to join his Pantheon."

"But what is a Pantheon?" Hyde asked

"A Pantheon should be a group of gods who work together and support each other. They help each other grow stronger when times are good, and when times are tough, they fight together."

"So, what does that have to do with us?" Asked Wisp.

"Well, if you manage to get recruited to a pantheon before you become an immortal, it's somewhat like a company promising to Hire you after you finish college. They will pay for your degree and make life easier for you, and when you graduate, you will work for them,"

"Oh," Wisp nodded. She seemed to have understood this metaphor, But Hyde and Solomon just looked more confused,

Seeing their confusion, Drunken sword thought about how to explain it more clearly and eventually said, "Basically, they will supply you with resources that make completing 'Penances' easier and when you ascend to immortality, you can join them."

Hyde nodded in understanding, he seemed to have got it. "That sounds alright I guess," He said.

Meanwhile, Solomon was frowning, 'I don't like the sound of heavenly organisations,' He thought, 'Wouldn't I just end up doing as I was told all the time?'

After Drunken Sword had explained everything, Wisp looked a little disappointed but that was it. Everyone else wasn't that bothered about missing out on this recruitment. There should be other chances anyway.

The group of five chatted for a while longer until they were completely recovered and then they set off.

When they arrived, they had appeared on a white marble platform that was lit by the soft glow from the fungus on the ceiling. On one side of this Marble platform, a set of stairs led down into the unknown. It was precisely these stairs that they walked down.

Each step they took was crisp and echoed softly in the long hollowed-out corridor. Along the way, the group passed a few demons who were also walking down the stairs.

As they walked, Hyde was the first person to notice the indistinct carvings on the cavernous walls. Thanks to his sharp eyesight, he was first to spot them, but it didn't take long for the others to take notice either.

The deeper they walked, the more distinct the carvings became until eventually, they were able to make out words.

And they live untouched by sorrow in the islands of the blessed. Death was but another chapter in an endless story. For they were those who had died and yet lived forever. The immortal in memories, the makers of myths. The Heros.

Each word was carved out of the tunnel wall by some sort of claw and left a deep impression on all that read it. They could feel a grand sense of majesty emanating from those words and it filled them with vigour and fighting spirit.

When the words came to an end, so did the tunnel. The tunnel widened out when it came to an end and they had finally arrived at the Third Circle.

Elysium.

...

The cavern that ringed the abyss was barren and nearly completely derelict. There were no docks, no barges and no houses. This time, there wasn't even any tents.

The only thing that the cavern contained was on its walls. Depicted there, were countless archaic cave paintings that showed images of earth-shattering battles of epic proportions. On these walls, Heros fought monsters and gods, immortalised by the paintings in an eternal struggle.

When a demon looked at these walls, each one would see something different. What you saw depended on your Karma, The worse your Karma the fewer paintings you would see.

A shining example of this was currently playing out.

Wisp gasped in awe as she looked at the cavern walls. They were completely covered with glorious battles and heroes who struggled valiantly against fate. There were so many it almost made her head spin.

Drunken Sword and Fike had a similar reaction as they gazed respectfully at the countless depictions of mythological figures.

And Solomon and Hyde... Well, they just looked confused. They couldn't see anything. When they looked at the cavern wall all they could see was empty, black rock.

Hyde laughed nervously and broke the other three out of their revelry, "Hahaha, you can stop messing with me now guys, good one,"

Fike looked at Hyde like he was an idiot. "What are you talking about? Can't you see all those paintings that line the walls?"

Hyde squinted but still couldn't see anything. "Are you serious?"

Fike nodded.

"What about the rest of you?" Hyde asked, desperately.

Drunken Sword and Wisp nodded as well and then, only Solomon was left. He squinted carefully at the wall for a few seconds but sighed in the end.

"I can't see anything," He grumbled.

"Ha, I knew I wasn't the only one!" Hyde shouted as he ran over to hug Solomon.

Solomon tried to dodge the hug but wasn't quick enough, "HEY! Get off me."

Fike, who had already gotten used to Hyde annoying Solomon for fun frowned when he saw them hug, he had just realised something.

"Hyde stop that for a second." He ordered.

"Huh what is it," Hyde asked, still hugging Solomon who had gone beat red.

"Look at you and Solomon and then the rest of us," Fike said.

Hyde did as he was told and the smile fell off his face. On one side, the group of three were completely normal, by demonic standards anyway, and on the other, Hyde and Solomon were on fire.

"Shit!" He mumbled, "I knew my bad karma would come back to bite me on the ass someday, but what does it mean?"

A passing demon heard Hyde mumbling and came to exposition... I mean help out.

"Well you see, those paintings are who we have to fight. Once you have made up your mind on which hero suits you, you simply have to climb up to the painting and drop some of your blood on it. Then you will be brought inside the story of that hero. This is where the third 'Penance' Takes place." By the time he had finished Expositioning... I MEAN HELPING OUT. The demon was out of breath.

He waved goodbye, before walking off casually, right after dropping a massive bombshell on Hyde and Solomon.

"SOoo..." Hyde said. "What now?"

When he didn't hear a reply from the group, he turned and saw that they had already dispersed. They were all walking in different directions towards certain parts of the cavern wall. Each one of them was going to find out more about the heroes they might end up fighting.

Hyde looked to Solomon for an answer and found that he had already laid down on the ground. His breathing was soft and steady and if he were a cartoon character, ZZzzzs would be coming from his mouth.

He was sleeping.

"So you have already decided to give up... touche," Hyde said before lying down next to Solomon. He had decided to give up as well.

...

Solomon was woken up by Hyde who kept elbowing him in the side. "Ugh... What is it?"

"Look up, I think I can see paintings on the ceiling," Hyde whispered.

Solomon tilted his head back and looked straight up to the cavern ceiling. Hyde was right. Right in front of his eyes, Solomon could see a few sparse paintings that decorated the ceiling. They looked ancient and worn and their paint was peeling off in places.

What caught his attention was a glowing black box that was positioned right above his head. The painting was so real it looked like it might fall on him at any moment.

"But how do we get up there?" Hyde wondered aloud.

"I have a way." Said Solomon. He could finally put his roof climbing skills to good use.