LUCIFER LUCIFER
The only way out is through.
The Realms of Passing
(The Nightmare)
The Realms of Passing are a series of worlds that exist in another dimension of the universe, but
are connected to Earth and the souls that reside there.
These worlds act as a form of purgatory, and all three of them are connected to a hub known as
”Phanuel’s Court”.
The Realms have existed for an unknown amount of time, but it’s known that they’ve existed
far before the dawn of humankind. No one knows why or how they were created.
The one who watches over these worlds is a being known as “Phanuel”. And while she is a
divine entity of sorts, she is in no way a God or Goddess. Even she is unaware of how she
came to be, or why she is connected to the Realms as a whole.
Phanuel’s Court:
The hub (or the heart) of the Realms of Passing.
Phanuel’s court is where the being Phanuel was first conceived millions upon millions of years prior.
This is where Phanuel resides while overseeing the souls of her Realms and while spying on the living
on Earth. Whenever a soul is granted a trial, they are sent to her court to go through with it.
The court is a large red space and nothing more. It is said that when one steps into her court,
you witness a floating in a void of nothingness with red being the only thing you can see for miles.
Though most have stated that in the center of Phanuel’s court, there’s often a desk and a large chair
where she can be seen sitting in wait of visitors.
From time to time, Phanuel invites souls at random for company, and not just for trials. She seems to have
an interest in spending time around human souls out of her own curiosity. And in some cases, she even
invites women’s souls into her realm to pursue amorous encounters with them.
She seems to have an insatiable appetite for human women.
Of all places to be in this dimension, Phanuel’s court is by far the safest, aside from the Dream.
The Dream:
This realm is the most tame of all three realms. It is reserved for the souls of those who have died by pure accident, or
died the way the universe intended them to. While the other two realms are seen as a place of punishment, the Dream
is far from it. Once one enters the Dream, they are subjugated to a form of pure isolation for 1000 (10 years Earth time) years.
The Dream is said to be so bright, surrounded by a powerful light, that even Phanuel cannot stand to be within
its space for too long. Despite this, the souls that enter it tend to be comforted by a surrounding wave of warmth that overcomes them.
Souls that enter the Dream are all collectively there, existing among each other, but cannot hear, see, nor feel each other.
They are completely unaware of each other, and everyone who arrives there believes they are 100% alone.
Unlike the Hollow and the Nightmare, those who reside in the dream to not experience hallucinations.
They also do not go through the process of metamorphosis.
Their existence is far more peaceful.
All souls that enter the Dream are automatically granted a trial: no ifs, ands or buts.
This is their reward for living the entirety of their lives as the universe intended.
Those who enter the Dream are not automatically “better people” by default.
Anyone can be a denizen of the Dream: whether or not you are moral at heart.
Denizens of the Dream do not go through the process of metamorphosis.
This realm is watched over by three beings known as surveyors. They are known as the three
butterflies. However, due to the secluded nature of the Dream realm, not much is known about them.
The Hollow:
This realm is reserved for those who have died at the hands of others (murder).
This is the second most dangerous realm. It’s much the same as the Nightmare, but it does provide a bit more leniency
due to the fact that its denizens are victims of circumstances completely out of their own hands.
The Hollow is said to be dark in appearance. The ground and walls around it are made of flesh, rotting steel and rust. It is cold
and dreary, and the only light that can be seen are from the starts in the sky above.
Large destroyed structures scatter throughout its territory, with no indication as to what they once were.
Those who live in the Hollow tend to use these structures as a place to hide.
It’s a very lonely, and isolating world.
Those who enter the Hollow do not go through metamorphosis like victims of the Nightmare, but they do
have a 1000 year (10 years Earth time) limit to their stay.
And when their time is up, they will succumb to the rot.
The Hollow will also subject its victims to hallucinations but they are far less severe and exaggerated in comparison
to the Nightmares. Hallucinations also happen far less frequently here, and do not worsen
with time like they do in the Nightmare.
Throughout time, those who reside here might begin to lose themselves causing them to become dangerous and volatile
towards other denizens in time. They often begin attacking each other, and in some cases, outright killing each other.
Regardless, any soul that is “murdered” in this realm regenerates and returns later on with memories of
experiencing every last moment of it.
This realm is watched over by it’s own set of surveyors known as “the crows”.
For the time being, not much is known about them. The only ones who seem to know anything about
them are Phanuel and Nikoli.
The Nightmare:
This realm is reserved for those who have taken their own lives. It is the most volatile and dangerous realm of the three.
Suicide is seen as one of the most deplorable acts that one can commit upon themselves, and so it is the realm that subjects
its denizens to the worst forms of punishment. Committing suicide is not the only reason for punishment, however.
If the Nightmare feels that you were also an irredeemable person when alive, your punishments will be far more severe.
The Nightmare stands out due it’s chaotic appearance. The ground and walls are covered from corner to corner in pulsating flesh
and organic matter. Large floating beacons covered in eyes tend to float in the sky as if watching
everyone below.
From time to time, a loud pumping noise can be heard by everyone within it. It goes on for miles and miles,
seemingly unending. And while there is more light in this world than the Hollow, it does not make it any less dangerous.
Much like the Hollow, the Nightmare is also littered with large structures that have been lost to time. And the denizens also use
these structures as places to hide or live in as they wait out their days hoping for a trial.
It is by far the most puzzling realm of the three.
Those who enter the Nightmare immediately begin the process of metamorphosis .
The process of metamorphosis takes at least 1000 years (10 years) to complete. If a soul is unable to leave
the Nightmare via trial before their time is up, their metamorphosis will complete and they will lose themselves entirely.
When this happens, their bodies are fully transformed into a disgusting amalgamation of human and insect,
and their memories fade for good. And as this happens, they eventually succumb to the rot.
Much like the Hollow, the dwellers of the Nightmare also tend to become volatile and aggressive towards each other the longer
they are forced to stay in this world. They too might set out to harm others out of pure frustration. And yes, they also
regenerate and return later on with all their memories in tact. They remember every last excruciating detail.
This realm is watched over by it’s own set of surveyors known as “the three”.
The Mantis, the Scorpion and the Centipede.
These three surveyors are said to be far different than the other surveyors of the other realms.
They are known as the first three Phanuel created, making them her beloved favorites.