Do you ever wonder about what follows after our stay here on Earth? Do you think life thrives, not out there, but up there? I believe in Heaven, I honestly do. But my idea of Heaven may be different from yours. Yes, I still imagine that high country to be an idyllic wonderland with greens stretching out until the very end of the horizon; there, the soft blues of the sky would kiss the new Earth; a cool breeze may stir and sway some strands of my hair- my sunburnt skin would be finally alieved. However, for me, Heaven would be a place for myself alone- a holy seclusion- to be spent in communion with the whisper of eternity and finally have my spirit attuned to the divine.

No more fighting, no more outrage, no more struggles, no more crowds, no more ridiculous demands or comparisons; only a silent, sacred acceptance. That's right, Heaven would be a place of unconditional acceptance. That's what I desperately need- to feel and know acceptance...

.....

Lately, in the dead of night, in the quiet places of the day when left alone, I have been transported to a strange world known to its weird inhabitants as Arco. That planet is one filled with terror, manifesting in the forms of giants, ogres, and dragons- daemons. However, I reckon it is not wholly ugly. That bizarre world is not without its fair share of beauty, triumphs and warriors- I am one of them, though I do not take pride in that because I am the least of all...

I have become more or less familiar with that realm. Countless times have I been magically whipped away to that world. Truth be told, I cannot determine the necessary factors that need to be met in order to have my spirit flung across the void of space. There is no crystal ship, no portal opening, not even a yearning for god. I simply am transported there during quiet times. 

Furthermore, though you may not believe it (I would not judge you if you don't), I am one who has suffered death countless times but who has been revived just as many. To what end? For there must be some goal to justify that endless cycle...

I believe it is to spy out the land and remove all traces of the daemonic. Yes, that is my purpose; that is why I take up arms.

Baekhyun, I entrust you with my story. You are my dear friend and I know you will believe.

Hearken and join me as I share with you my tale.

.....

Baekhyun finished typing the words and stretched his limbs. It was late in the hour and he remembered offering himself to take an early shift in the morning instead of his usual noon shift, doing his coworker a great favor. Kai would have to wait before he continued his journey. But, at the same time, genius struck him in sudden flashes and who knew when the demiurge would fill him again. He rubbed his eyes and prepared himself to write about his friend he so loved.

He clearly remembered the last time he encountered him. The memory was more alive than he was. They met at a park not too far from his home while he was engrossed in a single's game of basketball. The sun was unbearably hot, so much so that the air seemed to vibrate as a result. Baekhyun accepted the heat with welcome; it was a cauterizing pain he felt he needed.

From a distance he spotted a person wave hi, and he waved hi back though the person's identity was yet unknown. Kai strode along in his usual attire consisting of red sneakers, denim pants, and a brown jacket to keep him from sunburns.

 He smiled at him when he came up close. His smile was charming, so bright and dastardly. That smile could be attributed to his love of life, one that said to know of future promises yet unfulfilled but which guaranteed a shining tomorrow. Baekhyun envied that.

However, that was several years ago. Kai had gone away to live in a distant country- a country which allowed communication only through quasi-auditory messages, and at times, fuzzy visions. Baekhyun loved to hear his voice fill him with confidence, a quality he lacked. They joked together, dreamed together, and made up stories together. Indeed, where would Baekhyun be without Kai?

He inhaled a deep breath and let the quiet night fill him with inspiration. Kai filled his ear with words marvelous and terrifying: he continued to speak to him about Arco. At once, he felt a jolt of electricity run through his veins and his fingers began to move like spiders on the keyboard as he typed. 

He wrote.

.....

In Arco, a title was appended to my first name. I am known there as Kai-Sur. I believe it had to be that specific title and nothing else; a deep intuition I cannot explain tells me so. Let me give you some reasons why I believe it could not be certain others. First of all, it cannot be "El," because I am not God. Secondly, it cannot be "Man," and this pains me to say it, but it cannot be that title because I have yet to fulfill the charge of my father who once said to me, "You shall be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man." 

 I will not go into too much detail regarding my father's order, but let it be said that I am a simple person who does his best to clutch onto courage in the face of gross evil.

Now, before I share my tale, you might be wondering about what is unique to Arco- how different or how similar it is to our Earth. In reality, it is quite the same once you think about it. The land there varies in topography much as it does on Earth: vast, rolling meadows spread out like violet mantles; titanic forests shoot up into the sky, ready to shield its inhabitants from the harsh sun rays; undulating rivers snake their way across distant lands. One of the biggest difference has to be the red sun, which shines like a jewel made of blood in the canopy of heaven. The heat is harsh, especially as one nears the Navel of Arco.

You see, Arco functions differently than our blue planet in that it resembles an onion. That may sound a tad preposterous, but that is the best way I can put it. Take the vegetable, cut it in half, and you will see many rings on the surface. On Arco, the outer rings are the realms which host life as you know it- people and animals live there. However, as you approach that inner ring, the land gradually becomes inhospitable, with the very center- which I call the Navel- being a barren desert in which life is impossible; death reigns there.

My business concerns just those very grounds near the Navel.

About the strange inhabitants of this planet much could be said, but they have no real bearing on my mission to eradicate the daemonic. They are a rowdy bunch, a good portion of them, while most are peaceful. However, some are aliens, come from the great abroad. As I said, I could share more, but I believe that is an unnecessary task. Perhaps one day, I will tell, but that day is not today.

.....

Baekhyun felt his brain throbbing and eyes strained. He paused from writing and rubbed his temples for a short minute before he decided to stare at the monitor screen. It was a world that must be brought to life, he thought. His mind revolved on his current life circumstances and melancholy began to seep in secretly, drenching his heart with fine showers that kept up with persistence. Kai's voice of encouragement came to him. 

 "I need to write."

 He wrote.

.....

Today, I will address some recent events that have led me to sprout wings out my back and which have led me to confront the god of this world. You see, unlike Earth, the deity of this planet dwells in a place which is held in plain view every day. Yes, here, on Arco, the eye is endowed the gift of seeing the abode of god. It is the Sanctuary in the Sky, which floats like a majestic palace high above the world.

That said, my account will begin with an excursion from the usual warfare I partake of. I was forced to undertake it some days ago. 

I was led by the spirit into the inner parts of Arco, and truth be told, I was fearful. It is in those realms where the daemonic surges like waves of foaming waters crashing at the banks. I make no claims in being one whose mettle consists of steel; I am not, but I also am no coward.

I was walking down a path that was seldom traveled; a lonely, derelict road that I navigated with caution. Cracks in the pavement appeared very frequently and it was uneven- a patch of road lifted itself from off the ground half a foot in the air here, and inclined three feet in a steep fashion over there. On either side of the narrow strip of pavement was a deep gulf. At one point, it was not like this, but such is the beast called Arco.

The planet's surface was a tumultuous membrane that underwent both gentle and violent change on occasion. When I would become familiar with a certain territory on one visit, it would be completely different the next. It could be said that Arco was a creature all its own- alive, and whimsical in nature. Yet its capricious quality was tempered with a distinct sense of aloneness.

The air became thinner as I trekked. The deeper I traveled, the more I felt my chest tighten in gradual increments. The atmosphere was always pregnant with tension, like the moments before an impending catastrophe, on Arco. I wager this distinct feeling will vanish once I eradicate all traces of evil.

Miles, countless many miles off to the north and south, I witnessed the environment shift in appearance. There was an upheaval in nature in those lands, surely reflecting some destruction a daemon wreaked. But those grounds were too distant for me, so I kept to the path my feet treaded. 

My anxiety was relieved by a welcome sight. After an hour of travel, I spotted a river flowing slowly, undeterred by the vicissitudes of the planet. Even from the distance, I felt its waters calm and inviting. I hitched my belt and decided to head for a drink, running to meet that green river.

I diverged from the beaten path after it joined up to solid ground and presently stood at the bank of the river. I hastily let down my sword off my back and doffed my casque and muffler. Then, without further deliberation, I dunked my suntanned face into the waters and drank copious amounts of the life elixir. It was a tonic for me, reviving me, and, in its own way, granting me assurance that one hopeful day, all monsters would cease.

I had my fill and lifted my head to gaze at my surroundings. A daemon, perhaps an ogre or a dragon, was looking to kill me out here somewhere. I just felt it.

Bending to pick up my sword and horned helm, I was drawn to stare at my reflection. It called to me. A mysterious power lurked in the waters, but it was not entirely malevolent. Except, it caused me to question who I was. I began to doubt whether I was real or imaginary. 

My heart pounded inside my and I was compelled to feel at my face. I traced my jaw, cheeks, and nose with my fingers- but it wouldn't do. The feeling of metal against skin could never equate to an actual sensation of flesh, so I quickly stripped my arms of their green armor. I let out a gusty sigh as my fingertips felt bone and skin, muscle and hair.

Enough time was spent reassuring myself of my own substance, so I quickly turned away from the stream and resumed my journey on that beaten path I earlier quitted. The road continued on its way through this hostile land, and I felt I had to stick to it in order to meet my next foe.