It's A Wonderful Afterlife: AS Universe

It's A Wonderful Afterlife: Chapter 2- New Territory

What the hell? They were just there looming over me with their creepy faces yet they were not doing anything.
They leaned in closer eyeing me all over...what the fuck happened? Where's Pen?

I was getting my vision back and I could see that it was darker but their faces were so close. The floor was damp and I could hear the dripping of water or rain? I don't know but I wanted to move yet...I couldn't.
Why were they not doing anything?

I glanced at them and the one closest to me looked at the other before fighting amongst themselves. I huddled in a ball wanting them to just end it and get over with this nightmare but they were so preoccupied with one another they flew off.

They just did nothing? What the fuck was going on?

I managed to scramble to what I thought was the desk Pen was at but it was so dark I could not tell. What the hell was happening?
As I was hiding behind this thing I looked to what was the exterior wall of the ship and a mix of moving spotlights and neon were illuminating the darkness.

Wait? Why is the Aranea on the ground? We were in the air a second ago?

I get a quick scan of the very vast dark room to make sure the exterminators were truly gone. I staggered to my feet dizzy and disoriented. Successfully making it to the wall where the door was I made my way to the hallway.

But there was no hallway, just puddles, rubble of tarmac, buildings and when I looked up the skeletal remains of the Aranea. The whole thing was a rusting carcass as the rain fell on my face.

The place I felt most at home was in ruins. But how? Why?

I looked down the hall to where the lift would have been and the darting flickers of headlights or neon signs were visible. I made my way using the wall or whatever wreckage to support myself. Despite my confusion I couldn't help but worry about Pen? Where was he? Did the ship crash after the explosion? No it couldn't be the canister, unless the lid popped off and tore the hydrogen balloon?

Regardless I needed to see what had happened and let Pen know I was ok.
When I reached the alleyway taking the side of the building to keep upright holding my head. I rubbed my eyes to adjust and I could hear the vibrations of a nightclub close by. The street was unfamiliar. It was illuminated with purple, blue and pink neon lights, the sky was dark with a green tint to it probably from all the lights.

There was also this constant humming sound above that was familiar to me. Leaning on the wall looking up at the wreckage of what was once my home it was a massive crash site. Spotlights from something humming above were scanning the wreckage or the streets below. For a nightclub district it was awfully deserted and wouldn't blame folks with two of those extermination guys floating around. As my wobbly legs shuffled on the ground scraping through puddles I could see the street more clearly. Everything was built up around the wreckage as if time had frozen at the Aranea but the rust and wear was obvious time had passed.

The street was illuminated by countless neon signs and the humming overtook the air. When I looked up away from the wreckage there was this huge zeppelin above me.
Pen got a new ship? What is going on?
I frantically looked for something that could give me an idea of what was happening.
With my movie knowledge I went to the trash can and found a bizarre newspaper. It was blue and transparent but despite that I could slightly make out the date. The year however was torn or smudged so that Marty McFly move didn't work. Why would the year change anyway? That was stupid I was knocked out by the experimental gas. Now my years of hitman training was kicking in, get the high ground.

I went across the street holding my hat as I ran only to realise it wasn't there. Crap it's on the Aranea can't risk those creeps hunting me again. No matter, I made my why to the building across the street to get up the fire escape ladder.

Once on the roof and the skyline, the horizon everything wasn't what it was. Not that anything in Hell was normal to begin with but it was not what it was before.
Airships cluttered the sky and swarmed this pointy gothic like structure in the distance. The sky was a green hue and the airships had their spotlights scanning the streets below.
Where in Hell was I? Where was Pen?

Suddenly a voice called to me from the once abandoned street. A lizard-like demon in swat gear was calling me down from the roof.
"Ey buddy get down from there! His lordship wouldn't be happy with people out during a mandatory sweep" he shouted at me with this weird looking gun at me. "If ya don't get somewhere safe I'll either stop ya or the exterminators will get ya."

I was more confused then ever. Lordship? What Overlord's territory was I trespassing on?
"Who's territory am I in? Vox? Valentino's?" I exclaimed to the henchmen below.

He lowered his gun and looked at me with a dumbfounded confused expression.
"Valentino? Are you alright my guy? He's been erased for years and Vox don't own shit no more."

"Who's territory am I in then?!" Valentino erased what maniac took out one of the big Vs. They must be really powerful and cunning to take out Valentino.

"Haha you don't know buddy? You're in the territory of the second most powerful Overlords this side of Pentagram City!" He chuckled at me as if I was the dumb one in this scenario.

"You're in the territory of his Lordship..."

When I heard that name...the dizzy spells brewed and my heart raced. I was in disbelief and looked at the guy in shock.

"W-what was that name again?...." I asked shaking in bewilderment and terror.

" You're in the territory of his Lordship...

....Angel Dust".