Chapter Text
They've been here since the day they died—standing outside the church in the World Between Worlds, welcoming every soul that passes through. Inside the church is The Judgement. Heaven or hell. Eternal paradise or eternal damnation.
Jael wishes that she and Ryu had the chance to see either choice.
She doesn't know why they've been relegated to this role. They're no Saint Peters. They're a pair of battle-hardened warriors from the Society Against Evil, who died in a last-ditch attempt to destroy one of the Cursed God's many minions. No one would look at them and say "yes, these are the people who should comfort the dead before The Judgement." And yet, that has been their role for the past thirty-eight years.
Then, one night, time freezes. A chill infects the air. Maniacal laughter echoes in the distance.
It's Ryu, blessed with second sight since his death, who realizes what this means. "The Cursed God," he explains to Jael. "He's started one of his twisted games. No one will come now. No one except his victims."
"Dammit," mutters Jael. If she was still alive, she might have been able to stop this. She's stopped several of the Cursed God's games before they could begin. But what's done is done. Now, all they can do is hope that the Society Against Evil still has an ace up their sleeve.
The Society Against Evil's ace is the first to appear at the church. Jael's notes do not give him the dignity of a name; instead, he is No. 1, and his cause of death is listed as poisoned. But the Society's symbol flickers next to his number, and even if it didn't, the haunted look in his stormy eyes is enough to give him away as one of them.
"I'm sorry," says the man. "I tried. I really did. I guess the evil's power was too strong for me."
Ryu shrugs. "You did the best you could. For a newcomer to the Society, you put up a surprisingly good fight. Jael and I served twenty years apiece, and even we weren't strong enough. Don't worry about it."
Jael grimaces at the memory of their defeat.
"So what happens now?" No. 1 wants to know.
"You go into the church," Jael replies. "The Powers That Be examine your life, and then, they make a decision." She smiles at him. She already knows his final destination.
He nods, takes a deep breath, and enters the church. Jael and Ryu watch him go, and Jael prays that the world still has a chance.
No. 2 is a copper-haired girl dressed in black, whose cause of death is indicated as asphyxiated by poison gas. She hugs herself as she walks towards the church, clearly trying to calm herself down.
"Welcome," says Jael.
"Hi," stutters the girl. "I'm Andrea. Andrea Brooks. Is this the afterlife? Is Shane here already?"
"He is," Ryu assures her.
Jael and Ryu watch through concerned eyes as No. 2 breathes heavily, like she's trying to resuscitate herself. "If you see Justine," she finally requests, "can you tell her it's not her fault I died? I really want her to know that."
"We will." Jael's heart is already breaking for these people, and she knows that there are more to come. "I promise you, she'll know."
No. 2 walks into the church. The doors slam shut behind her.
When No. 3 arrives, she's crying, screaming, and hyperventilating all at once. Ryu rushes forward to comfort her. "It's okay," he murmurs, pulling her into a close embrace, letting her sob against his shoulder. "It's over. You're safe now. They can't hurt you anymore."
As Ryu consoles the hysterical blonde, Jael stands awkwardly to the side. She checks her notes. Buried alive, they say, and she understands why this girl is so upset. The Cursed God and his minions are truly twisted to do this to her.
After a while, No. 3 calms down a bit, although she's still trembling with tears. When she speaks, it's a single, broken sentence. "That was awful..."
"We saw your friend earlier," says Ryu. "Andrea Brooks. She asked us to tell you that it wasn't your fault she died."
"Thank you," whimpers No. 3, wiping away her tears. She turns on her heel and runs into the church before Jael can say anything to her.
No. 3 was scared and traumatized, but No. 4, on the other hand, enters the World Between Worlds in a furious rage. "I knew it!" she snaps. "I knew he was the YouTube killer! And now look! He's killed me! That little—"
"The past is the past," says Jael. She knows of whom this woman speaks. Ryu filled her in on the details while they were waiting for the next soul. Joey Graceffa, the living call him. What No. 4 (choked on blood, according to Jael's notes) fails to understand is that their war against the Cursed God started long before Joey Graceffa was a twinkle in his father's eye.
"Hmmph." No. 4 grunts and crosses her arms. "Can I be a ghost? I want to haunt him. Maybe I can sing some tunes in his ears." She bursts into song. "R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me..."
Jael giggles, then regains her composure. "I'm afraid that's not how it works. They're waiting for you inside the church. The Judgement..."
This provokes an "oh, Lord" from the new arrival, who immediately begins to straighten her wig. "Gimme a minute. Gotta look nice when you're going to meet God."
They give her all the time she needs, and eventually, she moves on.
"Where am I?" asks a very confused No. 5, a frown forming across her pretty face. "Did I die?"
"I'm afraid so," sighs Jael.
Killed by unholy spirits during an exorcism, announce her notes.
"Oh." The girl turns pale. "Oh, no." Her gloved hands fly to her tiara. "Oh, no. Oh, no. This wasn't supposed to happen. Matt said we were gonna be just fine!" She looks like she's about to start crying, and Jael sincerely hopes she doesn't, because another round of tears might be more than they can handle. "Why am I dead? What killed me? Who killed me? There was a rosary..." She freezes. "Matt."
Ryu's powers come in handy once again. "It was an accident," he tells her. "He would never have harmed you on purpose."
No. 5 considers this logic. "I guess," she admits. Then, "But I'm still dead! I don't want to be dead!"
"I'm sorry," says Jael. What else is there to say?
"Your new life begins inside the church," reveals Ryu. He doesn't mention The Judgement, most likely because he doesn't wish to scare the dark-haired soul. No. 5 enters the church, and all is quiet again.
No. 6 is already in despair when he shows up, and his body posture indicates that he's been that way for a long time. "I'm sorry," he mumbles, more to himself than to them. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I see the Cursed God is doing what he does best, thinks Jael, noticing the word poisoned in her notes. He always loved to push innocent people past their breaking point.
Ryu puts a hand on the man's shoulder. "Forget about it. It's over now."
"You don't understand," is No. 6's sad response. "I killed Sierra. I know what happens to people who kill people."
The phrase eternal damnation pops into Jael's head, but she brushes it aside. This must be the man who accidentally killed No. 5. Accidents are not worthy of hell. As long as that is No. 6's only crime, fire is not in his future. "You'll be all right."
"Besides," adds Ryu, "she forgives you."
This sentence causes No. 6 to perk up a little. "Really?"
"Yes."
No. 6 faces the church. He approaches it at a steady pace, and Jael thinks she can hear him whisper "She forgives me?" under his breath. That's the last thing they hear him say before he leaves for The Judgement.
Unlike all the others, No. 7 strolls up to the church as casually as a man on a morning walk. "Hey, guys!" he says brightly to Jael and Ryu. "What's up? How are you doing?" Then, to Jael, "Man, you look fine. Just thought you should know that. The name's Tim, by the way."
"Nice to meet you," is Jael's brisk reply. "I'm Jael, and this is Ryu." Her eyes travel to her notes. Gunshot wound to the head, they reveal in bold letters, and she winces when she sees the footnote: self-inflicted.
"So is this heaven?" No. 7 smiles. "Looks pretty dope. Where is everyone? I got some things I wanna say to them."
You are far too cheery to be a suicide victim, Jael almost says, but instead, she says "Go inside the church. That's where The Judgement happens."
"Okay." The man waves goodbye as he departs. "Catch you guys later!" The door swings shut behind him.
Jael shakes her head. She has never "caught" anyone later. Once a soul enters the church, they become nothing more than a fading memory in the back of her mind. That's the way it's been for thirty-eight years. It won't change anytime soon.
No. 8 seems to still be recovering from the pain of being, as Jael's notes say, electrocuted. "Dammit," she growls, flinching. "Dammit, dammit, dammit. I was so close!"
"How many are left?" The question bursts out of Jael's mouth. She knows that she could just ask Ryu, but something inside her wants to hear how the battle is going from the point of view of one of its victims. Maybe it's the warrior in her.
"Three," No. 8 replies. "Joey, Oli, and Eva. I'm the last one. They're gonna beat this game. They better. If they don't, I'm never gonna let them hear the end of it." A small grin skates across her face, but it's soon replaced by a regretful expression. "I just wish I could be with them..."
"In a way, you are," says Ryu. "Your memory will stay with them, and it will help them fight."
The dead girl chuckles. "That's a nice thought." She walks through the church's entrance. "Matt better not be waiting for me!" she shouts as the door closes. "If I see him where I'm going, I swear—"
Ryu laughs. Jael shoots him a glare to shut him up.
The pessimistic part of Jael expects more victims. But none arrive. After a full hour of waiting, time unfreezes itself, and it's business as usual in the World Between Worlds.
"They did it," says Ryu. "They banished the evil. It's gone now."
Jael knows better.