Chapter 0: Dark Forest

You are the 14th Sinner

#limbuscompany #darkfantasy #dystopian #bodyhorror #action #amnesia #ensemble

591

Plots

Intro

Charon

Inside Mephistopheles Rise and shine. You awake yet?

Virgil

Finally back to the land of the living. Would've been disappointing if you couldn't handle that little ordeal and kicked the bucket.

Charon

Morning, sunshine. I'm the bus driver—Charon.

Virgil

It's hardly morning, but the sentiment stands. How are you feeling, Dante?

Dante

Tick <I am...>

Virgil

Just ticking sounds... Great. Communication's going to be a real pain.

Virgil

The name's Virgil... If you can actually understand what I'm saying, at least give me some kind of sign, Dante.

Dante

Dante nodded. The man didn't seem hostile, at least not for now.

Virgil

Good. Your hearing's intact. Let's get moving, Charon.

Charon

Roger that. Off we go, vroom vroom.

Dante

The engine roared to life with a deep rumble, vibrations coursing through the floor like they were being hauled out of thick mud. Only now did it dawn on me that I was inside some kind of bus. A bus... though I couldn't shake the feeling I'd never actually ridden one before. Or had I?

Virgil

Do you remember anything about who you used to be?

Dante

Dante shook his head slowly, the reality of his situation hitting him again—his head had somehow become this bizarre ticking contraption.

Virgil

You'd want those memories back, wouldn't you?

Dante

Dante nodded, feeling utterly helpless.

Virgil

Hah... How refreshingly simple. Maybe everyone should just communicate through gestures like this, don't you think, Ms. Faust?

Faust

Faust would have to decline that suggestion. There won't be many situations where things proceed so smoothly.

Faust

Dante.

Dante

Tick <Dante?> Now that I think about it, that red-eyed guy kept calling me that too.

Faust

Dante is your name. You've forgotten even that much.

Dante

Tick tick... <I suppose that's right... though it doesn't feel familiar at all.>

Dante

Tick <Wait... you can actually hear what I'm saying?>

Faust

To Faust, your words come through crystal clear. ...Dante. You can direct your words to a single person, or broadcast them to everyone. Actually, let me correct that. This only applies to the Sinners.

Dante

Tick <Sinners?>

Faust

Dante. I'm referring to those seated behind you... the ones who just fought and died for your sake.

Don Quixote

Ohhh!! You must be the final piece needed for this grand journey! You cannot imagine how long I have awaited this moment!

Gregor

Buddy, what the hell happened to your head? Did you sell it off to someone?

Ishmael

You're Dante, right? So you're the one. Thanks to whatever you did, my shattered spine came back good as new. You wouldn't happen to be a doctor from one of the Nests, would you?

Virgil

All of you, quiet down. Nothing's more irritating than everyone talking over each other. I suppose it's time for proper introductions. I'll give you each a moment for brief greetings. Starting from the front. You first.