ALONE IN HELL

Mission 1:

The Broken Souls


Chapter Update: Notes at the end! - GreyDog


A solitary figure perched on a floating rock, gazing at the expansive world. It was an anthropomorphic cat-like figure wearing a dark red robe. Only his long, thick necklace stands out, adorned with symbols unknown to any living being. It was a male cat with red fur and a hint of white on his nose and between his eye. His eyes were yellow like gold, and he had a scar on his left ear that showed a missing piece of flesh. The six-foot creature appeared to be contemplating things. With his motionless body and absence of blinking, he gave the impression of being alive and dead….

The figure blinked, and ears flicked. The figure broke free like a statue and gasped for air, animating his whole body. To stand up, he stumbled and collapsed onto the rough ground, resting on his belly. He curled himself into a ball, trying to control his breathing.

He uncoiled himself and stared up at the sky. His expression was blank. His eyes scanned his surrounding area for clues about his situation. The answers were nowhere in this vast, empty world. He closed his eyes for a bit. To restart his brain, the cat counted numbers. The figure raised his paws before him and investigated them before putting them down. The stranger stood up. He walked to the edge of the floating rock and peered down into the void. He put his paw on his chin.

Finally, he uttered words.

"Hmm… I seem to be back in my realm. Odd, I swore I was with that wizard. Did the little fool perish? No, that can't be it. I would have felt it. Let's see. I was with him. He was about to get Queen Callista, and then," he said. The stranger was confused, not knowing his name or anything but specific memories.

The stranger snarled at his memory loss and could not explain his predicament. His hands glowed a purple cosmic color, and he threw a projectile out of his hand, breaking the rock he was sitting on. He appeared startled and bewildered, gazing at his hands in disbelief. A thought struck him, quickly giving him an answer.

"Of course! I'm a supreme being that uses chaos magic, and my name is…." The cat trailed off as he realized he did not know his name. All his memories are a blur, besides things related to the wizard. He got annoyed at his predicament.

"Where's that little-" he muttered before his ears twitched to a sound nearby. He looks to his immediate right and sees a ray of light approaching him.

Suddenly, the light stopped before him, and the ball soon expanded to an oval shape big enough to fit him. The beam of light exposed a floating castle in nothingness. The stranger observed the portal zoom in on the court, pass through a mirror, and focus on a tiny figure.

A dark smile creeped out of the stranger as he realized he had found his missing wizard. Without a second thought, the stranger pushed his body toward the portal, which quickly sucked him in. Behind him, the portal closed, and he soon left his previous setting.

Only silence remained in the vast space of nothingness.


The human world existed in a different dimension, far from the stranger's world.

In Finford, named after its founder, people were simply trying to get by. The city's motto, 'prosperity and equality for all,' was untrue. The city's socio-economics was terrible as the rich lived in the city's center, and the farther you get from it, the poorer it is. A good majority lived in the many projects surrounding the city's outskirts. The city's inner circle housed many jobs, stores, buildings, and high rises. There was little police presence on the outskirts, where crime and chaos ran rampant, though some brave souls dared to help. The only benefit of the outskirts was their low cost and suitability for criminal hideouts. This was the last day for a boy who called this place home….

Finford's center was typical, but it wasn't crime-free as a thirteen-year-old bumped into a pair walking towards his opposite side. He apologized quickly and scurried toward the corner of a backstreet, unknown to the couple that they had just got robbed. The kid pulled out the wallet, grabbed the cash, and grinned at an older teen eagerly waiting near a dumpster.

The alley was long, empty, and stretched towards the other side to the next street. A few doors were around, and some neon signs were far away.

Esmond 'Ethan' Marson was the pickpocket thief; he was curly-haired, dark-eyed, with light brown skin and a red neckerchief too big for him. Ethan was the name he usually followed, as most people butcher his first name, just like the teen near him. Toby was older by a couple of years, being sixteen, scrawny, and with the appearance of a junkie and torn clothing.

Ethan handed some cash to his friend, who did not hesitate to grab it from his hand and count it. Ethan's smile fell a bit, annoyed that the other boy did not congratulate him or do anything other than focus on the money he stole. He concealed his disappointment and smiled as the other boy looked at him. The other boy waved the cash at him and sighed.

"Damn it, why can't these bastards carry any more cash with them? Like, hello, we need money," Toby said as he shoved the money into his pockets. He strolled to the corner and watched Finford's citizens walk to wherever they were going.

"I mean, it's less likely for people to carry cash with them." Upon inspection of the wallet, Ethan noticed something protruding in the corner. A picture of the couple with their kid, and they seemed happy. Ethan grasps the photo tighter, and his eyes show a hint of jealousy. A hand appeared and snatched the picture from Ethan's hand.

"What's this? Oh, just some trash," Toby sighed as he casually threw the photo on the ground. "So… I was thinking… we should do a job for the Young Bastards. I already talked to one of them, and if we do this job tonight, we can get paid a good amount. Not this shit," he said as he grabbed the wallet and tossed it behind him.

Ethan kept his attention on the photo on the ground until Toby's foot stepped on it. He sighed and looked at his twitchy friend. Toby kept urging them to join a gang or take a risk like a broken record. "Again, with this? Toby… I'm not doing a job for them. You know they force you to join their gang once you work for them, right?"

Toby got agitated and grabbed Ethan's neckerchief, pulling him close to his face. "So? Do you want to keep getting scraps, or do you want to step up and grow some balls?" he snapped, shoving Ethan away.

"I don't want to catch a bullet or get arrested. So, I'm going to pass. Sorry," Ethan said. Toby kicked a nearby trash can.

"Fuck you, you know what? I'm going to do it, so stand there while I get paid," Toby said and headed towards the street.

"Hey, where are you going? Arcade today, remember? You promised to go with me!"

"What? I don't care. Go by yourself!"

"Hey!"

Ethan was about to yell at the boy until he stopped and looked down, clutching his elbow. His friend was already gone when he looked back up. He gazed at a bird flying in the sky. In the boy's opinion, the bird was free and acting of its own volition.

As usual, the older boy would apologize to Ethan and reinforce their team dynamic. The young boy timidly smiled, thinking he should just let Toby have his tantrum and head home for the day.

Two brothers that started the gang when they were young on the outskirts led the Young Bastards. Petty theft became a murder when one brother killed a well-known gang leader. A power vacuum occurred in their area, and the brothers quickly took control. Their crew was also young as them when they started, and they always started younger kids as they were harder to prosecute in the eyes of the law. Ethan heard the brothers were eccentric. They did not hesitate to kill anyone who looked at them funny.

The older boy's jumpy nature would quickly discourage him from doing anything rash. All Ethan had to do was wait. It annoyed Ethan that his friend ditched him when they were supposed to go where Ethan wanted to go…. which was the norm. However, the boy did not want to risk losing his only friend, so he silently clutched his hands in anger. He kneeled and picked up the photo that Toby stepped on, covered with Toby's footprint.

Ethan stared at the photo and tried to replace the other kid in his head. He sighed and gently placed the picture on the nearby window before approaching the corner out of the backstreet.

As Ethan had nothing to do and his arcade day was a bust, he walked towards the nearest bus stop. Ethan jumped in and paid his fee, sitting with the other folks wherever possible. Commuters from diverse backgrounds huddle on the bus en route to work, home, or other destinations.

After a short time, the bus made frequent stops, and eventually, only the poorest passengers remained. The bus left the city's inner circle and went to the outskirts. The high rises slowly dwindled, and the streets' cleanliness was less clean, replaced by broken roads and buildings.

They left the city behind and reached the outskirts, where hundreds of project buildings surrounded them. The area had several shops, including cheap food and typical ones.

Ethan peered out the window and saw the police arresting someone. The police were using their usual tactic of search and snatch - a typical response to an outskirt committing a crime in the city. Police never stayed long. Based on the number of police cars, it was not a severe crime because chopper and armored cars meant murder against a citizen from the inner circle.

The young boy's mind drifted to something else. His worthless father might be awake if he goes home now, which is risky. Ethan pulled out a pocketknife from the back pocket of his worn-out jeans. Ethan pulled a worn, broken pocket knife with a wooden handle and blue markings out of his back pocket. It had a black 'Z' on the hilt. Distant and sad memories came to the boy, making him wish to return. Ethan gripped his neckerchief and clung the knife close.

Ethan reached his destination and headed to his building. Unlike the other buildings nearby, it was unique because it had a playground for kids in front. The playground was in poor condition, but the kids adapted. Yellow and black gang signs tagged the side of the building.

Ethan continued inside the building, with lights flickering in the main hall. Trash covered the area, someone flimsily covered holes in the walls in drywall, and cockroaches scattered with every step Ethan took. There was a locked donation box on the desk where security should have been. A family somewhere was asking their fellow tenets for help. The tenant was struggling to pay for baby formula. Ethan dropped the stolen cash inside.

He raced to the elevator, chose the one that wasn't under maintenance, then rode to the seventh floor. His body tensed, and he took a deep breath, praying for the elevator not to break. It took a bit as he could hear the motors above him trying to take him to his floor. He mentally noted to take the stairs next time to avoid getting stuck and waiting for help.

As soon as the doors opened, Ethan turned left, walking a few doors down. He made it to the door of the hallway's end. This was his apartment, which he shared with his father.

However, before he could turn the knob, an older lady popped her head from her apartment. The old lady noticed Ethan and scowled at the boy, closing the door as she exited her apartment and locked it behind her. She was around her 60s, chubby, wearing an awful dress covered in pink flowers and a sunflower hat. Ethan knew her as his pesky neighbor Agatha.

Agatha faced the boy once more. "Great, starting my day with you. I bet you did something today! I can't believe your father hasn't gotten rid of you. He should send your ass to the box before you cause him and everyone in this building grief," she barked to the boy, who seemed bored as he expected this response.

Ethan screamed inside but remained silent, as he knew she wanted that. His father was many things but good. His father had a talent for gaining sympathy, often creating false stories. Ethan knew he was a thief. However, he kept his crimes far from where he lived. That did not stop the older Marson as he quickly told people he was a wounded vet, lost his wife in an accident, and Ethan treated him like garbage. People believed the rumors, making it hard for Ethan to make friends in the building.

Agatha was the biggest fan in those stories and occasionally talked severely about her kids, who did not visit her even though she was strict with them out of love. Ethan called bullshit on both these people, spinning stories and thinking they were the victims.

Not feeling like having a conversation, the boy gave a big smile to the nasty woman. Ethan opened the door. "You should head out soon. It's not good for plants to not get sunlight. Some rain is coming soon. Don't eat all of it, okay?" Ethan said. He closed the door before Agatha could say anything behind him.

Ethan waited by the door while Agatha spoke, predicting he'd be in jail or a gang within a year. The boy's fist tightened, and he yearned to punch the door and tell the old bat how he felt. However, he stopped and thought his father might hear him if the older Marson was not drunk off his ass.

Ethan faced the hallway. His room was on the left, his father's on the right, and the kitchen and living room were down the path. His father often sat on the couch watching the small TV. The boy crept closer, peering around the corner—beer bottles scattered around the TV, which showed static, making the living room a mess. The man who was nodding off in the living room caught his gaze. His father was wearing a mechanic jumpsuit with grease stains, a tank top, a leg brace, and one work boot with a torn sock. Apart from their hair and eyes, the man had a lighter skin tone than Ethan.

Ethan relaxed when he noticed the number of beers near the man. He grumbled as he realized the flicker above him. Hard to believe the drunk was a mechanic or his father. The man was a handyman for the building. The older Marson rarely worked and mostly drank unless someone complained.

It would be simple to cut his throat in his sleep. It would be easier to spike his drink with something poisonous. Yet Ethan moved in, grabbed the nearby blanket, and covered his father. He wished…things were different.

Having enough of the man, Ethan returned to his room and walked less cautiously. Holes and damaged walls were the only features of the small hallway. Ethan pondered whether the couple's home was like those in commercials, typical of an average family. While entering his room, he continued to wonder about the existence of hope with his father. He knew it was impossible as he stared at his empty room with little belongings and a worn-out bed.

"This sucks," he muttered and closed the door behind him. The only source of escape was his stolen comics, and he wished people could love him like these heroes.


Anthropomorphic cats, known as kats, were the dominant species in a human-less world.

Megakat City is prosperous, with plentiful resources and years of growth. The city has much to offer, but omegas, criminal empires, and corrupt politicians hurt it. Megakat City's citizens lived in a chaotic environment. It was part of their daily routine. This part of the world was unique for its diverse ecosystem and justice system where the Enforcers, a mix of police and military, protect its citizens. This is where a fallen omega lived…..

They housed the worst criminals in a maximum-security prison on an island away from the city. A disturbance occurred in the courtyard where a couple of kats surrounded one lone kat. It was a 35-year-old yellow tabby kat with brown stripes and an old scar on its head. It was wearing an orange jumpsuit. His name was Chance Furlong, and he was winning this brawl, as apparent with the couple of unconscious kats he beat still lying on the ground. His face showed fury, but he kept calm when dealing with the incoming attacks.

The grassy field had certain spots that were covered in blood. Workout equipment littered the grounds. A huge pentagon area with chains separating the population into different regions.

After a dispute over workout machines, a fight ensued between Chance and a gang. Chance let it go until someone mentioned Dark Kat. It infuriated the tom, which caused him to drive his fist to the commentator's face.

A kat approached from behind with a metal pipe. He swung quickly but missed as Chance moved out of the way and drove his fist to the assailant's skull. The tom fell back by force and lost consciousness immediately as the yellow tabby towered over him.

Chance snatched the pipe from the air and looked at it. He considered using it to bash the other kats' skulls. Looking at the other inmates, he threw the pipe at one's feet. He pointed at the tube and signaled the scared kat to pick it up.

"You need this more than I do," he said coldly. "Come on! You bunch of tail swipers! Let's keep this going!"

He snarled, waving his hand towards him. All the toms stayed back, losing faith in continuing this fight, which annoyed him. They filled him with rage, and he wanted to vent his frustration.

With his claws out, Chance headed to them until the facility's alarm blasted on. He got more pissed off, as that was the official sound that the fight had ended. The tabby soon relaxed and slowly lay on the ground like the other inmates. With his face on the floor, he waited with paws on his head for what came next.

"STOP ALL FIGHTING! GET ON THE GROUND AND LAY ON YOUR STOMACH! HANDS ON YOUR HEAD! ANY INMATE NOT FOLLOWING THIS WILL BE SHOT! I REPEAT-" a bunch of speakers blared as kats with riot gear flooded the courtyard.

Chance paid no attention and shifted his head toward the sky above. A bird flew above the courtyard and spun briefly before finally heading toward the city. The tabby felt jealous of the bird's freedom in the sky. He remembered when he had his wings flying over the city with another tom on a jet they built. All he has left is his name, as the memory is distant.

That's a lie.

Chance had another thought. He would break a couple of kat's bones when he got out of solitary confinement.

A kick to the stomach made Chance grunt, as the guards had no problems hurting them. A rather fat ward came to the courtyard after being rounded up. The warden's eager eyes and haughty nose suggested punishment for the cats. The warden wore a suit with shiny medallions that identified his authority, but his belly pressed on the neck and lower half. If only he could break this bastard's neck.

"Why Chance Furlong? What a surprise that you started this whole thing," the warden chuckled. He got close and whispered, "Or should I say T-Bone?"

Chance sighed. He knew this little fat ass had a vendetta against anyone associated with an omega. Only a select few knew about his alter ego, and the Enforcers locked away his past activities. Accessing the information would be simple for loose-lipped or connected individuals.

"Eyes here!" the warden snapped, hitting Chance's stomach with a baton. The tabby barely flinched and only moved a millimeter. "You're going to spend the rest of your nine lives here. So stop daydreaming about the outside. Honestly, what to do with you? Oh, I know…"

He knew it. Solitary confinement was his punishment—the warden drone on his usual chimes to goad him. Chance would have choked the warden. However, he knew keeping his mouth shut would piss off the warden. Minor victories kept him sane, though he wished he could beat the walking punching bag.

Three guards shoved away Chance toward his punishment. Not long before, he was unceremoniously kicked inside his new temporary home with the door shut behind him. He hissed and picked himself up to look at the packed room around him.

"A month of solitary confinement? Little fucker is probably feeling himself after this," Chance spat. A barred window high above showed him the outside sky. The same bird came back. "Lucky bastard. Stop mocking me and hogging the sky. Oh, you brought your family?"

The bird flew with the others. Chance ponders an alternate life resulting from a different decision. Would he still have a friend? If he let Feral take the shot, where would he be now? What if he went like his vigilante twin from another dimension instead of becoming an omega? Did he have a spouse and kittens at this point? Chance shook his head.

"Age must be catching up to me if I'm thinking like that," he whispered.

Nightfall approached as the day ended.


Some time had passed, and it was already nighttime. Clouds surrounded the city of Finford, and soft rain was coming down. It grew colder every hour, making for a chilly night in Finford, particularly on the outskirts.

Ethan had fallen asleep in his room, curled under his bed with his thin blankets. A loud bang woke him up. It startled the boy as he shot up, and his eyes darted around as he thought his father was in one of his bad moods. Silence relieved his fear. It confused him why his father had said nothing, as he would usually go to whoever was knocking and confront them. Moments passed, and nobody was responding to the knocks, meaning his father was not home.

"Shit," Ethan said. He pushed the bedding off him and went towards the hallway. Maybe his father pissed off a tenet with his shoddy work and would get yelled at for him. "Hold on. I'm coming. I said hold on!"

The door handle was in his grasp, but he stopped. His body screamed not to open it, an imaginary voice that told him not to open it as he would regret it. It puzzled Ethan by the late arrival of the complainer and their silence. The boy wished for a keyhole on his door, but there was none.

Another hard knock came, and Ethan shoved his bad feeling down, turning the door and opening it to see his friend Toby. The boy felt relief that it was his friend. However, it lasted briefly as he realized the older boy seemed roughed up. He could barely say anything till Toby raised one hand and pointed at Ethan.

"That's him. He's the one that jack your shit," Toby said, wincing as they gave his body a good trashing. "You'll let me go now, right? I don't know where this kid hid the package."

"Shut up. You are not going anywhere until we say so!" an adult shouted. He punched Toby on the side, making the teen wince.

Ethan finally noticed the two adults that were standing near Toby. They wore street clothes representing their gang and wore blue bandanas around one hand. The only difference was that one was bald, and the other had a ponytail. A bald person approached Ethan and removed him from the doorway.

Ethan felt confused and angry, but when he tried to fight off the one, grabbing his hand, he got punched in the stomach and fell to his knees.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be," the bald man said, grabbing Ethan's hair and harshly pulling him back to his feet. "Stupid moron, you should have thought twice before crossing us. We are going on a brief field trip. You are going to show us where you hid our stuff!"

Ethan winced and struggled to talk because the punch knocked the wind out. He felt the bald man grab his arm and pull him down the hallway, all heading towards the elevator. The boy spotted a 'YB' tattoo under the bald man's hand and looked at Toby. However, Toby looked away and held his stomach in pain as the other adult pushed him.

Wondering what had occurred with Toby, Ethan hoped it was not a big deal. Hopefully, they would rough them up after they were done with them until he saw something silver. A gun poking from the bald man's waist told him otherwise, making Ethan fearfully shiver and look around for anyone to help him. No one was about. Even if they witnessed it, the neighbors would ignore him.

"Hey, I don't know what's going on. Let me go!" Ethan yelled out finally.

"He's lying!" Toby said.

Ethan and Toby got swift punches in their stomachs, silencing both as they held their stomach in pain. Someone firmly nudged Ethan's arm to keep him going down towards the elevator.

"Stupid fuckers, the only thing we care about is finding our stuff. We'll figure out what to do with you once- "

The elevator door opened with a ding, making Ethan hopeful. He looked towards the area and saw someone exit, thinking it was his father back from the liquor store. It was! His father returned from the liquor store, bag in one hand and swinging at his open beer can with the other. The boy felt relieved and thought the man would assist him.

Ethan's father noticed the situation and stopped.

"Want something?" the bald man said when he noticed the drunk, letting go of Ethan, approaching and showing his piece to the older Marson.

Ethan's father lazily looked at the bald man and then at his child before swinging at his beer. "Nope, just going to my apartment."

Ethan felt like he got shot. The boy hoped for someone who didn't want him. The older Marson was collecting additional money from the government. Ethan was just a nice bonus check for his drinking habits. The boy found it difficult to recollect fond memories with his father and felt like a means to an end.

Everyone watched the two men as the boy looked around. Toby and the ponytail man were ahead of him, almost having their backs turned toward him. Glancing to his side, Ethan noticed someone had opened the door leading to the nearby stairs. He approached it quietly. His small size allowed him to slip through the opening and leave unnoticed, for which he was grateful.

As he descended the stairs, he heard the gangster speak up.

"I thought so! Let's….. wait, hold on! Where the fuck did he go?"


In the empty castle, a red skeleton dwarf searched through books and papers. His name was the Pastmaster, one of the omega threats to kats in Megakat City, who had terrorized the citizens till his sudden disappearance. The kats sighed in relief as they didn't have to deal with the Pastmaster's attacks featuring creatures from different periods. He was a magical wizard that used his spell book and golden watch to achieve these feats. However, unknown to them, the Pastmaster had been busy in the past—helping a certain queen throughout her sickness and ultimate death.

The omega reconsidered, spending his time assisting the queen in the shadows and secretly trying to find a cure for the disease. The disease was incurable and seemed like a curse. Despite that, the omega attempted to find a cure. The queen noticed his presence at one point but did not push him away and instead thanked him for his help during the difficult period in her kingdom. It was fun for them both. The Pastmaster and queen went from adversaries to allies, and the queen accepted him as her husband in her last moments. The wizard was ecstatic about her receiving him and getting what he always wanted to bitter heartbreak when her time approached.

Before her demise, the queen assigned a last task to the Pastmaster. Aid the city's growth and protection, specifically for the most needy. The wizard agreed to do it, but as soon as the queen died, he lost sight of his goal and was in deep anguish. His madness led him to isolate himself from the world in the past. Days became years and then centuries. He finally escaped his madness after they replaced the kingdom with Megakat City. He observed a shattered city with insurmountable problems and overpowering omegas. A few words spurred the wizard to continue his quest.

Chaos Reset.

The wizard searched for the spell book with the words he needed to remember. He looked at the magical books he had found outside this world. Despite being on the last pages of his collection, his search remained unsuccessful.

"Blast it all!" he roared, throwing the book against the wall. He paced, unable to remember where the book was. He knew it existed but could not remember its appearance or how he came by it.

"Damn it all!" he pushed the nearby bookshelf, which fell and broke a nearby bench.

Unknown to the wizard, a floating figure watched him above as he kept pacing around. A wicked smile crept from the stranger as he watched the wizard-like prey, ready to pounce on him when least expected.

"Chaos reset," the wizard muttered. "Chaos reset…. chaos reset."

XXX

Chaos Reset?

The stranger froze as those words sprang into his head. He grabbed his chin and stroked his fur as he briefly collected the lost memories—a forbidden book that no mere soul should ever wield. The user always pays the same price - destruction, corruption, or even death. However, the stranger smiled at the idea of chaos being released and put his paw before him.

"Forbidden Laws—Book!" the stranger said, which conjured a book, and it fell to the wizard below him.

The book landed with a heavy thud near the Pastmaster, who grabbed his watch and pointed toward the sound, ready to blast whoever was near him. He scanned the area and found only a new book in the room. Then he looked up.

"Hi there, it's been a while!" the stranger laughed at the skittish wizard. However, his amusement ended when the wizard ignored him and scanned the area behind him. "Hey! Don't ignore me, you little peasant!" the stranger growled, getting close and attempting to grab the wizard by the neck. The stranger's eyes grew in bewilderment when his paw entered the wizard's face.

The Pastmaster went to the book that fell, passing through like a ghost. He put his watch away and calmly picked up the book. The text in question was odd, with its cover shifting cosmic colors and words moving around as if they were swimming.

"This is… " The Pastmaster's only eye grew. He quickly attempted to open the book, but it did not budge. "Why won't you open!"

The stranger observed the Pastmaster's attempt to open the book from a nearby bench. He grew amused again as the other continued to pry it open with his skeleton arms. The stranger watched as the Pastmaster struggled to where he threw the book and summoned some energy to blast it open. The energy blast bounced off the book and broke into a nearby wall, revealing the outside.

"Pathetic. Open it so we can start the show!" the stranger shouted, even though the wizard could not hear him. A ball of energy shot near him. The stranger was unfazed and continued to monitor the wizard.

He waited…and looked at the fallen book.

XXX

As he approached the book and picked it up from the ground, it filled The Pastmaster with bitterness and a sense of loss. He was on the verge of achieving his goal and keeping his promise. The book was unaffected by his magic. He growled at his failed attempts and meditated silently to think about how to approach this. He couldn't open it conventionally or by force, so he tried to recall how he had done it. The memory was muddy and stripped from the wizard's past, making it hard to remember.

The Pastmaster's expression softened as he flipped the book to the other side, hoping to find something. He found identical cosmic colors and animated letters on both sides of the text.

Placing the book on the nearby desk, the wizard sat on the bench. He thought his madness was finally taking over, and he was on the verge of losing his sanity. He wanted his wife back and more time, but time travel wouldn't bring back what he lost. His limited powers prevented him from returning to the time he had already been. Time laws' complexity doesn't allow changing the past repeatedly. Despite worrying about the present and future, life without the queen was not worth it.

The Pastmaster pulled his hood down, revealing his entire face, a red kat skull with a white mark on his head. He clasped both hands and put his head near them, praying to whoever would hear his plea.

"Please book. Can you lend me your powers to aid in fixing a city? My goal is to shift the balance and foundation of the world. I will give you anything you want. My life, my powers, my memories, and anything you wish. I beg you to help me in my time of need," he whispered to the book.

Initially, nothing seemed to happen until the book rattled on the desk. It continued for a few moments before coming to a stop. With hope, the wizard observed as the book ultimately reacted to him. The book's front cover opened quickly, revealing empty pages that glowed white. The pages turned soon, searching for something until they arrived at certain pages that showed the same white pages. However, the two pages formed content, forming a spell.

The Pastmaster read the book, finding the words "chaos reset" in the explanation. The Pendulum Breaker spell brings forth an otherworldly creature, causing chaos to the world's balance. There was no telling how the magic would affect Kat kind, as it was called randomly.

The Pastmaster was unhappy about adding more problems to the city. His eyes scanned the end of the spell, which read that it would require his life to use the spell. He considered not doing the spell, but his loyalty to his queen prevailed.

The wizard grabbed his watch and pointed it to the nearby space, summoning a portal to show Megakat City. It changed its image every minute, offering different things occurring in the city. The wizard observed the new and old omegas planning separately. Criminal empires were trying to gain control of the city. Corruption, loss, and civilians were trying their best with what they got. It reminded him of his failure to watch over the city and pained him as he stood by and let it happen.

The wizard closed his eyes and meditated in silence. Memories of his queen flooded him, the most prominent being her smiling at him when she accepted him as his husband. A false memory started forming in his mind, him as a normal kat sitting on a wooden chair near a bed where the queen was holding his kitten. It brought the wizard joy at the idea of him having that be his situation. He opened his eyes, revealing that he was alone. The queen was no longer with him.

The Pastmaster sighed, ready himself, putting the watch before the book, and began chanting the spell.


Ethan was shaking and panting. He wanted to escape his current predicament in any way possible, but he was stuck in the elevator. After getting away from the thugs, he hurried down the lower levels and hastily picked a floor when he heard them enter the stairwell. He had found himself on an abandoned floor and hid in the broken elevator's cracked opening in a panic. The idea was to wait until the next day, but the elevator moved when he jumped down, which moved it downward, blocking his only way out on the top. A sliver of light is visible from where he entered, diminishing every second.

"No, no, no," he cried. The last light disappeared, and he was now in complete darkness. The boy's leg felt like jelly, and he started panicking, curling into a ball on the elevator floor. Fear of the dark and the intimate space made the boy shudder, and he grabbed his handkerchief for comfort.

Ethan cursed his stupidity and wished he had picked somewhere else to hide. The building's other task occupied the mechanics, so it would take days to extract him. Fear hindered the boy's ability to devise a solution, and he dwelled on dying alone.

Another thought came to the boy. His friend, or ex-friend, had betrayed him. The list of people who disappointed the boy so far hurt him, and adding his ex-friend made it worse. However, another part of the boy questioned whether he was a good friend and maybe it was his fault that Toby quickly threw him under the bus. He thought about his father, the family photo he saw today and the only adult that cared for him who was no longer alive.

The boy's mind remembered when he ran away from home and met a professional thief in the streets of Finford's center. She tried to shoo him out, but he kept persisting in letting him become her apprentice after seeing her ability to pickpocket strangers. She angrily accepted him when he made too much commotion, almost alerting nearby police, and brought him to her trailer. He was seven then and spent three good years with her until it happened.

The boy cried when he remembered the day he lost her and pushed that memory away, returning to his dark situation.

"Please, anyone, get me out of here. I'm done being here. I want to be somewhere else!" Ethan sobbed.

The elevator's light illuminated and began moving downward as if responding to a signal. The boy sprang up and kept his eyes on the elevator's level marker, which displayed lower numbers, until he arrived at the lobby. Wiping his tears, the boy felt excited about the potential of exiting the elevator. Ethan was grateful that someone had finally repaired the dangerous contraption.

To the child's surprise, the elevator doors remained closed and descended beyond the lobby floor, despite no lower level. His smile faded as the numbers scrambled and glitched out. Down, the boy kept going. It seemed like he was going to hell itself. A ding came on, marking that he had arrived at his destination, and the doors opened to darkness.

Ethan timidly approached the elevator's edge, unable to comprehend the darkness below. He wondered where he was and took a step forward, expecting to touch the ground, but his foot just kept going, and soon his whole body. Alarm bells went off in Ethan's head, and he desperately tried to reach back but lost his balance.

As Ethan turned to face it, the elevator began to close and vanish. Soon, he was back in the darkness and falling fast into the void. Suddenly, he felt like his body had broken through a wall. A cosmic light led him quickly, replacing the dark—the rush of falling kept increasing, becoming a blur to the boy's eyes.

The boy closed his eyes temporarily and reopened them when his body entered a body of water. There was no splash, and he just appeared underneath the water, which made him gasp in horror. He felt shocked that he didn't die from the impact. It was salty when it entered his mouth, and the boy desperately looked around for an exit, seeing some light above him.

Despite having never swum, Ethan tried to swim up and took a deep breath upon reaching the surface. A wave of water pushed him back down. Ethan eventually washed up on the wet, sandy beach. The boy was on his knees and tried desperately to gather himself, shaking violently and gasping for air as the softer waves touched his shoes.


Flames engulfed the spell book. The Pastmaster watched as it destroyed itself and burned to ash on the desk. Upon completion of the spell, he realized he had made the sacrifice.

The Pastmaster glanced at where his left arm should have been, but it was gone, crumbling to dust on the floor. His feet gave way, and he was on his side on the floor. He has no regrets about what he has done and only hopes that whoever comes aids the broken city.

A cackle nearby broke his thoughts, and the Pastmaster weakly looked toward where it came from. The ashes of the book flew towards the bench, which slowly formed into the stranger sitting with crossed legs on the bench.

Pastmaster tried lifting himself with his only hand till it gave way and dusted like his other hand. His face was on the floor, and he watched the stranger fearfully with his good eye.

With fear and anger, the wizard demanded answers, "Who are you?" he growled, as he did not expect this.

"So you can finally see me? Great to be heard and seen finally. I would give a paw, but it seems both of yours are gone!" the kat laughed at the pitiful state of the other one. The stranger stood up and approached the wizard, squatting closer to the kat and sticking one of his claws to tap on the wooden floor.

"Now that I have your undivided attention and minimal time…. tell me, what is my name?" the stranger asked.

The wizard's eyes showed confusion. "I don't know you. What are you doing here?" he asked as his feet disappeared.

The stranger looked annoyed and swiftly grabbed the pocket watch from the wizard, putting it near Pastmaster's face. "I gave this watch to you. We made a deal in the distant past. Now I need you to go through that head of yours and tell me quickly what my name is!"

The Pastmaster gave the stranger a perplexed look, not comprehending the query and the sudden assertion that the kat had given him the watch. Suddenly, his eyes grew as a sudden realization hit the wizard, and a wave of lost memories started returning to the wizard.

Before becoming the Pastmaster, he had a normal life and had been close to the queen since childhood. Tragedy hit the couple as the wizard council feared the queen's marriage to someone from an unroyal family. Political motivations led to the killing of the Pastmaster, and the wizard council erased the queen's memories of him. The kat was in limbo as he faced a stranger who promised power for revenge against the council. This individual brought him back, and he got powerful, but it corrupted him, and his dead body morphed into what he is now.

"You?" the Pastmaster whimpered as he felt his body disappear with only his head remaining.

The stranger's ears perked. He got closer to the kat. "What is my name?"

The Pastmaster was about to say it till his face went blank, his glowing eye went dark, his head broke apart, and all that remained was dust that blew away. Nothing remained of the wizard except for what he was wearing….

The stranger watched silently as the piece to solve his riddle blew away. The hum of the outside and burning torch filled the room. A roar erupted, and he slammed his fist to the ground, where the wizard died, breaking the wooden surface with such force that it echoed in the castle. He was like a wild animal, and he soon started throwing balls of energy in every direction. The stranger glowed from himself and emitted an enormous wave outward, breaking the surrounding area.

The room was no more, only the floor beneath it. Only the stranger stood ominously in the room, fur standing and all claws extended. The presence of kats around him wouldn't bring him peace or joy, even if he killed them all.

The stranger would have continued his rampage on the castle, but a sudden wave of sleep was coming at him. He stood firm, growling in annoyance, uncertain if he wanted to endure another long period of waiting to wake up by closing his eyes. His anger quickly changed to calm thinking, wondering how to prevent his long slumber and if he could escape it.

A portal opened near him as if he instinctively summoned it like last time. Looking over the doorway, he saw a creature lying face down on the beach. The stranger was curious and realized it was a portal showing Megakat City's beaches. He wondered why the portal would show him this creature till he smelled something delectable emanating from the being.

The stranger took a long whiff, and it caused him to shiver in excitement. "Oh, AH! That smell just makes you want to stay awake. That imbalance in the world! Aren't you an interesting thing!" he exclaimed as he hurriedly went through the portal and approached the human that smelled like chaos.


On the beaches of Megakat City, the sun was barely coming up in the early morning. A few kats roamed the area. Two tom kats were running down an asphalt road. Both wore workout gear, with the smaller one wearing a gray hoodie and the bigger one wearing looser clothing. Their names were Simon and Dex. The cream and white-furred tom was pulling ahead, leaving the smaller brown-furred tom behind…..

Simon grabbed his knee and panted for air as he collapsed. The brown tom raised his head and yelled for the other tom. Why does he keep letting Dex get him to do stuff like this? Oh, right, he wants to get more involved with Dex's activities. To be fair, Dex had been attempting to try things he liked.

"C'mon, Dex, slow down," he said. Dex turned around and waved at the other tom with a sheepish smile.

"Simon, you need to lay off those donuts. They are messing with you big time," Dex said. He laughed as he returned to Simon, who waved his hand in annoyance.

"No. You had the fastest time back in our academy days! Which is why you will always win with anything to do with cardio," Simon groaned. His friend was alethic, and he was more of a thinker. He looked towards the beach and watched the beautiful ocean before him.

Dex was doing his victory walk like usual. Simon wished he could kick his friend's smug face clean off. Oh well, at least the scenery was magnificent to look at. The new year had just started, and they were already in March. He wonders what new things this year will bring and if maybe Dex will finally get on his knees.

The white sand would turn gold soon as the sun was about to rise. A tiny figure was lying on the sand face down. Wait what? Simon whipped back to make sure.

"I'm bigger than you and faster than you! You should easily beat me in these races with your slight frame, bud. Now, what's the score, 5-2? You wanna do the usual and-" Dex stopped. He noticed his friend keeping his attention on the beach with a rugged look. Dex glanced at the area Simon was looking at.

"Hey, kit! You good?" Simon said. When he didn't hear a response, he paced himself. He could listen to his pal behind him as they headed towards the beach where the tiny figure was.

Simon reached the spot first and readied himself to find a dead kit. He kneeled to check on the kit. The kit covered his face with his hand, and as soon as Simon moved it, his fur stood up, and he quickly jumped back. At this point, a dead kitten was what he expected, not a strange creature.

"Crud, that's no kit!" Simon said excitedly.

Dex also jumped when he saw the face of the creature.

"The hell is that!" Dex said while taking a defensive stance, readying for the creature to attack.

After a moment and nothing happened, Simon mustered enough bravery to move towards the thing. His partner looked on in horror. Soon, Simon was at arm's length of the creature, and he quickly nudged it, which only provided a groan. He got more confident and closer, poking it a few more times to see what it would do.

"Hey, stop fucking with it, let's call it… preferably a safe distance," Dex said.

"Come on, where's your sense of adventure… I didn't peg you as a scaredy kat," Simon said as he touched the creature's forehead. "Damn, is it running a fever?"

"Stop touching him! Let's call it!" Dex growled.

Simon inspected the alien from top to bottom, musing to himself when no tail was located and wondering what sex it was. It had the features of a kit, but it was not kat but something else. Examining this creature was a blast, and he asked himself if it could speak. The beast wore clothes and appeared bipedal like them. He grinned and glanced back at his friend, who gave him a stern look.

"All right! I'm done. Don't get your tail stuck and call it," Simon said, standing up and moving a foot away from the creature.

Dex pulled out his phone and dialed the number for the emergency line till the creature moved. He and his friend froze as it weakly got on its knees and tumbled to the side. It would have been funny if it was a kat drunk on his ass, but it was a creature unknown to them and moving. They watched it now facing the sky above and slowly raising itself to a sitting position.

The sunlight showed, and the creature groaned as the bright light attacked his eyes. It looked at the sunlight in puzzlement and turned its head to scan the area. Simon got worried when it looked at him, but he could tell the creature could barely see what was occurring. It looked back toward where the sun came from.

"Huh… I'm…. at the beach," it said weakly before collapsing. It fell asleep, and it started muttering unintelligible words.

Simon looked at his scared friend. "I think it's asleep."

"No shit, genius! Control: this is off-duty Enforcer Dex Meoto, badge 97901, and Enforcer Simon Gester, badge 97900. We have a code…AI-02 in Megakat City Beach. The nearest marker is Life Guards Station 50. Also, notify Commander Feral about the situation," he said while watching the creature.

Both kats cautiously stood near the thing and waited for the enforcers to arrive on the scene. It was not the morning they expected to have, but seeing an alien up close was exciting for Simon. His partner was stiff like a brick and appeared ready to jump at the slightest movement. The sound of a familiar helicopter eased Dex as they waited patiently for what came next.

Enforcers and their special divisions quickly swarmed the scene. They quickly secured the location and set up security. Hence, no civilians wander near the large established perimeter. In a flash, they set up temporary tents and buildings. They sent the two kats to a large quarantine tent. In full medical gear, Kats picked up the alien and cautiously moved it to a large room built from mobile transport.

It filled everyone with emotions of fear, anger, curiosity, and excitement, not knowing what to expect from the unknown visitor. The Enforcers were ready for anything, but for some, they hoped it was not another invasion that they would barely manage like the other times. Aliens have visited this world before, and all have caused grief in Megakat City.


AN: CHAPTER UPDATE 6/13/23.

Did clean up, added, or reworded some of the passages. Extended Chance's scene! Hopefully, you guys will enjoy the changes as I update the following chapters. I want more focus and depth with the characters. Eliminate head hopping and create a better flow! Until next time!