In the grand tapestry of the world, there exist three distinct realms, each vastly different from the others, with their own unique characteristics. The first realm is the mortal realm, often referred to as the living world, where humans reside, leading ordinary lives devoid of magic. However, human mortality means they can meet their end through various events or simply due to the passage of time.
This is where the other two realms come into play. The second realm is heaven, a destination for those who lived virtuous lives, free from wrongdoing. When a human passes away, their goodness sends them to this celestial abode. Conversely, those who have committed sins or wrongdoings find themselves in hell, known by various names like the inferno or the underworld.
In hell, former humans transform into monstrous sinners and share this realm with demons and hellborns. Hell is a gruesome, perilous, and sinful place, characterized by substances like drugs, alcohol, and death. Within this realm, distinct classes exist, with the royalty of deadly sins holding the highest privileges and authority.
The once human sinners and royal demons are not the only creature that are living in hell. There are the Succubi, who are seductive and feed on human desires, fall into the second class. Meanwhile, hellhounds resemble K9 dogs, and Imps, the lowest ranking in hell, engage in hard labor. Unlike succubi and royal demons, Imps never leave hell and never encounter real-life humans.
However, a peculiar story unfolds in a small town within hell, where a circus group resides, featuring Imp performers, clowns, horses, and their ringleader, Cash Buckzo. One quiet night, within one of the tents, two young Imp children, Blitzo and Fizzarolli, engaged in playful antics. Blitzo, the son of Buckzo, sported red skin, black-tipped tail, and distinctive black and white striped horns on his head. Fizzarolli, the other Imp child, also had a heart-shaped mark on his forehead, along with harlequin-patterned black and white horns.
Both wore clown costumes - Blitzo in pink with light and dark purple pants and Fizzarolli in light turquoise with red accents. As they played with balloon-shaped horses, they exchanged playful banter. Blitzo's horse, named Wormhorse, expressed sadness due to having no legs. Fizzarolli, being supportive, reassured Blitzo, leading to imaginative tales about a war and pirates that made them laugh.
Their innocent play continued until Cash intervened, taking Blitzo away from Fizzarolli. Fizz glanced over at Cash, who was engaged in a conversation with Blitzo. Uncertain about the topic of discussion, he observed quietly. As the conversation concluded, Buckzo and Blitzo began to walk away. Fizz stood up and inquired, "Hey, where's Blitzo going?"
Buckzo turned around, explaining, "Blitzo will be spending the day with the Goetia Prince Stolas." Fizz couldn't help but feel concerned for Blitzo; demon royalty was renowned for their ruthlessness and fear-inducing reputation.
"I don't think Blitzo should go alone," Fizz started to say, but Buckzo interrupted him firmly, "No, Fizz. The Prince specifically requested Blitzo's presence. Why don't you take a break? You've earned it."
"But..." Fizz began to protest, only to be cut off. Blitzo, wearing a reassuring smile, chimed in, "It's okay, Fizz. It's just for one day. I'll be back before you know it."
Fizz gazed at his best friend and sighed, "Alright, then. I'll see you later."
"See ya," Blitzo responded with a wave before walking off with Buckzo.
Now, with the entire day to himself, Fizz wandered away from the circus. He wasn't quite sure what else to do but walk and let his thoughts flow. He harbored a deep-seated resentment for Buckzo's mistreatment of both Blitzo and his sister, Barbie Wire. Fizz was well aware of the kind of man Buckzo was – an abusive alcoholic who cared only for money and himself. Nevertheless, Buckzo had taken Fizz in and raised him, making the circus the only home he had ever known.
His contemplations were abruptly interrupted by the sound of someone singing. "What's that?" Fizz muttered to himself, scanning the area, but he saw no one. The voice was so enchanting that he couldn't resist following its ethereal melody. As he walked toward the source of the singing, the voice grew stronger.
When Fizz finally opened his eyes, he stood before a foreboding black house, and fear gripped him. He recognized this house all too well. Back at the circus, the older Imps had warned the children never to venture near the black house. They spun tales of an evil ghost witch residing within, claiming that if a child dared to approach, the malevolent witch would devour their souls and use their body parts as macabre decorations
At first, the youngsters dismissed these stories as mere superstition. Yet, over time, they began hearing eerie, spine-chilling noises, and some even swore they had glimpsed the witch herself, carrying one of her unfortunate victims. Fizz was shaking, "oh no it's the witch's house" He said "I-I Got to get out of here" Fizz was about to turn and flee when he heard the enchanting singing voice again, only this time, he could discern the words.
"There is a castle on a cloud.
I like to go there in my sleep.
There aren't any floors for me to sweep, not in my castle on a cloud."
Fizz found himself entranced by the music, and gradually, his fear of the house dissolved. He moved silently, drawing closer to the mysterious source of the enchanting melody.
Fizz got so close that he was standing right in front of the door. The singing continued,
"There is a lady all in white, holds me and sings a lullaby.
She's nice to see, and she's soft to touch.
She says, 'Cosette, I love you very much.'"
Fizz couldn't help but recall the tales that warned of the witch luring children to their demise with her singing.
"But if that's true, then why does it sound so sad?" Fizz wondered to himself as he continued to listen to the haunting melody.
"I know a place where no one's lost.
I know a place where no one cries.
Crying at all is not allowed,
not in my castle on a cloud."
Lost in the song's melancholy beauty, Fizz took a step forward, unintentionally causing the old floorboards to creak loudly, abruptly silencing the singing.
Not wanting to lose the enchanting song, Fizz finally spoke up, "Wait, is there someone in there?" He wasn't sure if that would work, but he had to try. He heard faint little footsteps near the door, accompanied by a shy voice responding, "Ye-yeah."
"That doesn't sound like an old witch; that sounded like a kid," Fizz thought. With renewed determination, he asked, "Hey, did the witch trap you in there?" The voice responded, sounding somewhat confused, "What? Uh, n-no."
"Oh, then what are you doing in there?" Fizz inquired. There was a brief pause, and Fizz began to worry if the voice had disappeared. He tried once more, "Um, hello?"
The voice replied, "A-are you a kid?" That question struck Fizz like a sudden realization, causing him to pause for a moment before responding.
"K-kid?" Fizz pondered the question in his mind. It did seem rather strange, but somewhat annoyed, he replied, "Hey, I'm going to be 7 soon." The voice responded with relief, "Oh, so you are." Fizz's sense of pride was gently nudged back into reality. "Okay, if you want to be specific," he added.
The voice began to giggle at Fizz's response, and soon Fizz found himself giggling along, too. "Hehe, so what about you? You don't sound like an old lady," he asked the voice.
"Well, that's because I'm not. I'm 5, and I had my birthday last week," the voice replied. Fizz took a moment to think and then said, "Hey, that's the same week as Blitzo's birthday."
"B-Blitzo? You mean there are other kids out there?" the voice asked with curiosity.
"Of course, there are other kids," Fizz assured. "Wow, that's cool. What else is there?" the voice asked, clearly intrigued.
Fizz was a little puzzled but answered, "Well, there are a lot of things, but have you never left this house?"
The voice sounded nervous as it answered, "O-oh, well, my mom told me that I wasn't allowed to go outside. I shouldn't even be talking to you right now."
"Mom, huh?" Fizz thought, understanding that her mom must be incredibly strict if she doesn't allow her daughter to go outside, especially considering the dangers of hell. "So, you have a mom, that must be nice," Fizz said with a faint smile.
The voice, concerned, asked, "You don't have a mom?" Fizz then replied, "No, my parents died when I was a baby."
The voice expressed sympathy, saying, "I'm sorry to hear that."
Fizz reassured her, "It's okay, I was taken in by the circus."
Fizz wasn't sure how the voice would respond to his revelation. However, the voice giggled and said, "Hehe, I'm glad to hear that. So, you live in a circus? That's amazing!"
Fizz felt a warm connection talking to this voice; she was unlike anyone at the circus and seemed genuinely nice. "Thanks, and yeah, it's awesome living in the circus. Everyone is incredible to work with, and I even get to perform with my best friend," Fizz shared, and they both started to laugh, feeling like there was no one else in the world but the two of them.
But then the voice turned somber and said, "I wish I could go see the circus." Fizz paused and asked, "So, how come your mom doesn't want you to go outside? That's kind of unusual." He was curious about the reason behind the strict confinement.
The voice hesitated for a moment before replying, "O-oh no, it's fine. S-she told me that it's dangerous."
"Really? I mean, it is dangerous, don't get me wrong, but why would she keep you inside the house?" Fizz asked, his curiosity piqued. There was a brief silence, and the voice finally admitted, "She... told me that there are bad people out there who want to hurt... me."
"Wait, hurt you? Who would want to hurt you?" Fizz questioned, his confusion evident. But before the voice could answer, they heard someone yelling, "Fizz, where are you?" Fizz recognized the voice; it belonged to Blitzo's sister, Barbie Wire. He sighed, realizing he had to go.
"Sorry, but I gotta go," Fizz said as he started to get up from his spot. "But hey, I didn't catch your name. Mine's Fizzarolli. But Everyone calls me Fizz for short"
The voice, known as Emmerline, replied, "Oh! O-okay, my name is Emmerline, but the name is a little bit too formal for me." Fizz smiled and suggested, "How about we shorten it to Emmy instead?"
Emmy's voice brightened as she said, "Yeah, I like that." Fizz was pleased that she appreciated the name he had given her. "Well, anyway, I better head back," Fizz mentioned, preparing to leave. But before he could depart, Emmy nervously spoke up, "U-uh, hey, F-Fizz?"
Fizz turned back and asked, "Um?" Emmy hesitated for a moment and then finally asked, "Will... will you come back?"
"It's just that I really want to know more about what's outside," Emmy said, her uncertainty evident. She cautiously asked, "Wi-will that... be okay?"
Fizz smiled warmly and reassured her, "Sure, I don't mind. I would really like to talk to you again." "and Fizz. Can I ask a favor?" making Fizz curious. "Sure, what do you need?" he asked.
Emmy hesitated but began, "W-well, it's just... I don't think anyone is supposed to know I'm here... and I'm worried if my mom finds out that I spoke to someone, well... I don't know what would happen. So... could you... not... tell anyone about me? P-please."
Fizz didn't fully understand why she wanted to keep their conversations a secret, but without overthinking, he agreed, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
"Do you promise?" Emmy nervously asked.
Fizz nodded earnestly and said, "I promise. They probably wouldn't let me come back if I told them. So, same time tomorrow then?"
Emmy was ecstatic as she replied, "O-oh, okay, yeah."
Fizz then said, "Okay, I'll talk to you later, Emmy."
"Yeah, I'll see you later, Fizz." As they both walked away, they knew that this would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.