Chapter 1

Miter4's POV

I yawned. It was a boring Friday afternoon. Oh yeah, it was around 2 months after the 2nd killing game. Why had we waited so long? Mostly some PTSD. Everyone had changed. Zoe had more sadistic tendencies, Xander had become even more of an introvert and Potroast was ignoring me. That was the hardest to take.

Everyone was happy to see one another when we had realized that people could still live on as ghosts. But we realized it came at a price. They couldn't talk in conventional ways, they couldn't move anything, and they had really vivid flashbacks. The flashbacks could be projected for everyone to see and... they were pretty accurate. The original survivors weren't that good either.

Zoe broke down after she realized we had been in a killing game, Fish started becoming more temperamental, Theo was torn between helping his girlfriend and his best friend and basically started having stress migraines, Rachel started becoming intensely quiet, and Goat no longer laughed. I guess I changed? I wouldn't be able to tell.

The newer kids weren't any better. I think they all went into shock. They stayed the same, but PTSD was evident. Most of them couldn't have interactions with other people outside the class, and one could go from laughing to sobbing on the ground in seconds.

It was freaky.

- - - - -

I walked up to the main doors of the school. We had taken up residence in our elementary school. After the robot catastrophe that practically started a war, a lot of us were homeless. Add that to the growing list of PTSD events. I nodded to Fish, who was crouching in the corner of the lobby. He used his eyes to guide me to the auditorium. I smiled and briskly walked into the auditorium.

It had be entirely transformed to account for many chalkboards and mechanical equipment. Another reason why the plan took so long was because we had to get equipment from people. 2 months... by now, Lizzie could have taken over so many universes.

Oh yeah, the universes.

Okay so there's this thing called the Web. And no, it's not the Internet. You can go anywhere you want. Then there's a thing called Yek. It's basically how you measure a universe's power. Yek can be used to measure a universes captivation. How interesting a universe is. Lizzie is trying to harness Yek to meet with a god called Lartnec. Lartnec isn't really an entity, but a force that drives the universes. Lartnec can basically make Lizzie, God. It's not a good situation for us.

I slipped into the stairwell to the balcony and headed upstairs. I heard chalk scraping on a board. A lot of the survivors said that it helps them think and calm down, but it just gives me a splitting headache.

I found the corner to see Q frantically writing on 4 massive chalkboards. "H-hey...?" I ask, stepping out from behind a pile of boxes. Q turns around quickly and his hand became enveloped in his aura. I stepped back, holding my hands up. "D-damn... you scared me." Q wheezes, practically collapsing onto the ground. "You alright?" I ask tentatively. You never know how some of the kids could react. Q just nods weakly.

I sit down next to Q, who ties his hair into a short ponytail. It's grown out so long. It practically explodes in all directions. It frames his face nicely. He also took to wearing long, sleeveless jackets and and baggy pants. He looks up at me with dark circles under his eyes. Q sniffles and looks up at the calculations on the chalkboards. "D-do you think we'll make it?" He asks. "Make what?" I reply cocking my head to the side. "In time to stop Lizzie." Q elaborates, sniffing again. "I'm sure bro, we've always had that kind of luck." I reassure him.

He stands up and wipes his eyes and grabs a couple bottles of caffeinated tea on the table. He downs them quickly and waves me off. I nod as he mumbles to himself about last minute equations. I make my way to the balcony where Natasha and Ava are. They wave me over and I sit down next to them.

"Hey wanna scare the shit out of Star and Bad Wolf?" Natasha grins, motioning to the lights stand. I shrug as Ava takes the lights and shines it on the 2. Star hisses and pretends to pass out while Bad Wolf cries out in agony and flops over as well. Natasha and Ava snicker and I grin.

God, if only this calm would last forever.

- - - - -

Little children of the night

Filled with fear and filled with fright

Beware the shadow casted grows

Through holes and cracks of the wilting rose

You will learn to love the sun

Once my fun has soon begun

- - - - -
A.N: slightly edited I promised gumbymoo a chapter, so it's going to be not that great. The summary of the book is dead, and this chapter is thrown together? Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2

Cat's POV

"O-okay? Where am I going?" I ask tentatively. Bad Wolf is frantically scribbling notes down as Theo works some things wth the portal. Yknow the blue one we found at the Second Killing Game? Yeah, blue is one of the hardest portal types to maintain and they can take you just about anywhere in the multiverse they're set in. Moose managed to calculate how many times it's been used.

- - - - -

Moose held up his pinkie, middle, and pointer finger. "Uh what?" Bad Wolf asks, narrowing his eyes in confusion. Zoe pops up. "Ooooh! Smart smart Moose! It's... 22 in binary." She says, holding up the same symbol as Moose. Moose smiles and nods, before continuing his ghostly duties. Or whatever.

Too bad he couldn't tell us how he knew, most of the ghosts have lost their voices. It's a shame. I wish there was an absolute. That they would be gone forever, or that they were alive and well. If I saw someone die, I'd want them to be alive and well. Screw all that 'but you'll see them die twice!' I just want my friends.

Sometimes an absolute is better than a compromise.
- - - - -

I fidgeted in my chair as Rachel ran some diagnostic tests on my overall wellbeing. "Okay... your heart rate is a little elevated, but nothing out of the ordinary... your blood pressure is a little high, but still, no worries... and you seem to be in good physical health. That's why we chose you as our candidate." Rachel mumbles, twitching slightly. "Cool cool." I say, coughing a little. "Okay, so Bad Wolf has a rough idea of where you're going... and it seems to be that you would be heading for the Monsterverse. I'm sure you can guess what happens there." Rachel mutters, handing me a clipboard.

From what I read, it seems that everyone was a monster... and the 'steps' on how to stop the corruption by Lizzie. Basically, there are problems created by Lizzie in the hearts of the Cast in the universes. It could be little, from self esteem issues to complete personality changes. It basically changes 'the story' or the code of the universe.

Another way to explain this is through concepts. A concept is the fundamentals of an objects being. Their state of matter, their reasons for existing, how they exist is all part of their concept. Without their concept, or code, they simply stop existing. Spooky right?

Lizzie is messing around with the universe's and messing up their concepts. With that she can basically insert her consciousness over them and collect their Yek. It's really creepy actually. Lartnec basically uses the Yek as some sort of fee to grant wishes. Besides taking it from universes, there is also another way to earn Yek.

Working a part-time job.

Kidding! Kidding.

There should be another way to earn Yek, but besides taking it forcefully there's no other known way to regenerate or earn Yek. Maybe if Yek's concept gets messed up enough by Lizzie, it would open up a new way to create or collect it?

I suddenly snap out of my reflections as Rachel comes to hand me a bag of animal crackers. "I- what?" I mumble before opening the bag. "You'll need the energy." Star says, emerging from behind a rack of drying papers. I haven't seen her in weeks and her appearance shocks me. I cough as I take in her body.

She's so... thin. It's like watching paper move. Her skin is paler than it was before and her hair is stringy. She has dark circles under her eyes and her face is a little sunken in. She walks almost drunkenly and her sweatshirt hangs off of her body.

I shiver... what has happened to us?

"Okay, um... we're gonna start up the portal. Uh, there's no way to contact us once you leave... so um, don't die?" Rachel says uncertainly. "There isn't any way? Well then how do I get back?" I ask skeptically. "I um, think we can sustain the portal for about a week? So you can um, come back whenever you like during that week. But uh, you won't be able to talk to us inside the Monsterverse." Rachel explains shakily. "Oh." Is all I reply.

Bad Wolf gives a thumbs up and Theo pulls a switch. The lights flicker for a second before the portal is switched 'on.' It was technically 'on' before, but now they can use the energy in electricity to direct the portal to open where they want it. Theo handles electricity well, so it should work.

I stretch a little and walk up to it. "So I just...?" I start, making motions towards the portal. Theo sighed. "Yeah. Basically." He grunts. I nod, yawning a little bit. "So uh, see you on the other side." I mutter. "Hopefully you come back." Star chuckles. I roll my eyes and step into the portal for the first time.

Chapter 3

(Music belongs to Andrew Hussie, I just felt it appropriate for Cat ;) )

Cat's POV

I step into the portal, and instantaneously my senses are flipped upside down. I try to scream out, but it feels like the air has been sucked it of my lungs. I scrabble at my neck and choke out garbled noises before being hit by a blast of cold. All my muscles tighten and I convulse.

It hit me that, in a sense, it's like being in a smoothie. Frozen, upside down, and nowhere to go. Is that all this Web is? A smoothie for some bastard's desire for power? Do we just suck it up, lamenting that our fates will be to be a lingering aftertaste on some nobody's tongue? Is this all there is? Is it all there ever will be-

I snap out of my thoughts, my short hair floating around my head. My pupils dilate and I notice a stream of warmth. I would scream, but the noise is a loss on me and I instead open my mouth. I turn around just in time to see a bright blue light. I go headfirst into it and my body is going into free fall.

My hair is whipping around me as I realize I'm now surrounded by a light blue sky and fluffy clouds. I let loose an ear-shattering screech and magical energy crackles around me. No one in the Cast has been able to use their magic since the end of the Second Tragedy. I blink and my magic ability kicks in.

My vision has a coating of pink, and I can see multiple auras. I narrow my eyes and the auras come into focus. I realize too soon that the ground is very close. I brace myself, but I feel a pair of arms surround me. The.... creature seems to be having a hard time carrying me, and I see a pair of scaly arms grab me as well. I decide to close my eyes and pretend to be unconscious, I don't think I could comprehend this.

When I feel them put me onto solid ground, I slowly open my eyes. I almost recoil with horror. The creatures that grabbed me have really eerie faces... the faces of my friends.

I sit up abruptly, and hit heads with one of them; the gold furry one cries out. He looks exactly like Ganon. "Oh my lord, who... what...? I don't..." I stutter, grabbing my hair. "Ow dammit!" The gold creature hisses, holding his forehead. "Okay, I know you're a wimp and all, but that looked like it really hurt. You okay?" The scaly creature asks. It looked like Zoe, but all scaly, and red, and demony.

I stand up suddenly and start shaking, I keep my hands to my sides and stand stiffly as well. "You okay buddy, I mean, you did just fall from the sky right?" Zoe-demon asked, lazily gazing up at me. "Shut up! Who, what... what are you guys!? Why do you look exactly like...!" I start, screaming. I didn't want to finish that sentence. "Hey chill, okay? You yelling is making me anxious." Zoe-demon says, nervously flitting her wings.

I sat down again, collecting my thoughts. My head was spinning and I think I was gonna throw up. "A-are there more of you guys?" I ask, my voice shaking. "Uh yeah. Except, were monsters. If you mean other humans, take your pick." Ganon-golden tells me, gesturing to a row of houses to his left. I didn't want to do anything dumb, but the question was on the tip of my tongue.

"Hey... would your names be Zoe and Ganon?" I mumble, cringing a little bit. Both creatures look at me, surprised. "Y-yeah...?" Ganon says, turning around to face me. Zoe looks like she's contemplating something. "Okay, my turn, would Your name be Cat?" Zoe asks. Hearing my name off of Zoe's tongue makes it sound surreal. I nod.

I take my first good look around, and I see that we're in a school-yard. Or, it would be a school yard, had it not been surrounded by barbed wire fences. I narrowed my eyes and aura flooded my vision again. I blinked back for a second, and stared up at the wall in awe. There was a large magical concentration around the fence, and it loomed over the entire school like a black shadow. It sounds odd... but it reminds me of something. Or someone. I gulped down my fear. I turned back to Zoe and Ganon, but I find that they're gone. I contemplate letting loose a screech or annoyance, but I think against it.

Instead, I take a shaking step towards the building that bears a striking resemblance to my school.

- - - - -

I make it to the doors in due time, and press the buzzer. They let me in and I cautiously look inside the building. I shrink back at the sight of what looked to be showers in the foyer and almost gasped at the sight of guns and weapons. What was going on here?

I took a step backwards and immediately found myself bumping into another person. I flinch for a second and I turn around to apologize. I almost jump out of my skin when I see Xander. I should have expected this, but I still stiffen up and bite my bottom lip. He's rubbing his eyes and I almost think he's crying. I slowly move out of my surprised stance and reach out towards him. "Hey, you okay?" I mumble, trying to drown out my surprise by sounding concerned. I don't think it was working...

Xander stops rubbing his eyes, and opens them up. My stomach drops and I have to stifle a gasp my chomping down on my lip. His eyes are completely black, sclera and all. They also seem to be oozing some black goop, and he keeps wiping it off with his fingers. I do a double take and I notice some other things... Scary things. He's much paler, his hair is stringy, and he's thinner and slouching. His gaze darkens when he sees (?) me. "Ugh. You humans always react like that." He hisses under his breath. I didn't remember him being so bitter either...

He pushes past me and I bite the bottom of my lip. "It's okay... I just need to figure out what the corruption is and get out of here for now." I mumble to myself, my voice wavering. I sigh, before I notice a group of monsters staring at me.

I almost chew through my lip when I realize who they are. It's Little Miss Perfect, Q, and Mad Hatter. They notice me and their gazes turn darker. They pass by me and I turn to glance at them. Why did they have such a disdain for me? I shifted nervously and a hand pats me on the shoulder. I jump and slap the hand off of me before looking at who it was. I stomach drops.

It's Andres, but... he's a centaur. "Don't take it personally bro. Practically all the monsters here hate humans. It's like, a thing here." He explains, smiling at me. "Why... why do they hate humans?" I ask. He pauses for a moment. "Well, it happened really suddenly. The kids you see here are like mutations or something. No one had cared as long as we didn't do anything bad... which we kinda did, but that's not the point... Then, out of freaking nowhere, the government decides to basically turn this school into a stronghold to keep humans out, and monsters in. It's not a school anymore." Andres mumbles bitterly.

I chew what's left of my lip into pieces and try to protest. "What if I don't care that you guys are monsters?" I blurt suddenly. Andres gives me a pitying smile. "It'll take a lot more convincing to persuade everyone else." He says through gritted teeth. I slump. "Hey don't do that. Here if it makes you feel better I can take you into the schoo- building." Andres says apologetically. I hesitate and then nod. "This is so weird..." I think to myself.

He opens the door and I almost gasp. It's exactly like our school on the inside as well. I start to feel dizzy and I lean on the wall for support. "Hey are you oka-" Andres starts, facing towards me. "Why... why the hell are you helping me? God dammit why!? Why do you look like my friends!? My dead friends!?" I lash out. Andres gives a dry laugh. He throws is head back and looks at me with twinkling eyes. "You look like one of my dead friends too."

We continue in silence and we make it to a particularly new section. I focus my eyes and see that there's another wall of black aura. I don't realize it at first, but I stop dead in my tracks. "Hey come on, I know it looks spooky but it doesn't hurt like the fence outside. Promise." Andres soothes me, nudging me forward. I shake my head. I've realized what, who, this reminds me of.

Lizzie.

I stand there for a few minutes and I realize that Andres had gone up ahead. I curl up into a ball and put my head between my knees. This cannot be happening. I'm not staying here. I can't. "C-Cat?" A voice says behind me. I quickly turn around and immediately regret it. I hurt my neck when I turn and groan. "Are you okay? It's me, Fish!" He squeaks, kneeling beside me. "Hey, what happened you... your wings are gone."

Wings?

"Wings?" I croak, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. "Y-yeah... you're an angel. A fallen angel." Fish explains, sitting next to me. "I... I have no idea what I am anymore." I mutter, burying my face in my hands. "Here, well I can tell you what I am." Fish murmurs, extending a hand as he stands up. "I'm a Sylph."

I blink once at him. He rolls his eyes and smiles warmly. I feel... much calmer around him. Is it because he's a sylph? He gently guides me through the aura and I shiver as I pass through it. "Kinda cold right? They put it there to negate abilities." Fish explains, the calming effect around him dissipating slowly. "Wait what...?" I croak, turning around to look at him. Fish just shrugs. I focus on his aura, but I can't see it. I let loose a cry of frustration that would make Zoe proud, and rub my face. Fish stands there and shifts nervously from foot to foot.

I stand up. "You know what? Screw it. Screw caring about consequences. Screw you. Screw me. Screw goddamned everything." I huff. Fish laughs. "You sound like Q." My mind is frazzled. I storm off to the classroom and throw the door open. A couple faces turn towards me, some don't move at all, and some were staring before I even got to the room. Suddenly, my gutsy declaration seems feeble when I see the eyes trained on me.

I say the first and only thing that pops into my head at that point.

"You're corrupted."

- - - - -

When I come too, I see Fish. He's pale and his hands are glowing. "I thought you said that that stuff negated abilities." I groan, trying to smile. "We're... outside right now." He squeaks. I notice now that my face was in the shadows as the sunlight floods onto my face. There are humans out here with us... and they have guns.

"Are you done?" One of the humans says gruffly. Fish nods and glances down at me before scurrying inside.

I stare down at my shoes.

What am I doing anymore...?

- - - - -

Moose's POV

Uh hi. I'm Moose. Well I mean I guess you already know that. Whoever I'm talking to in my head.

I'm a liar. I lied about how many there were. They needed hope to spur them on, but I didn't know what that hope was going to be used for. The number was well over 2,000. They're up against a god. But being a liar, I can't tell that to them.

I'm also a ghost. Because I'm dead. I was murdered. And being a ghost, comes with perks. If you want to, you can go through walls, change color, change shape, the usual ghosty stuff. Too bad you can't want anything as a ghost.

As a ghost I have learned that you lose everything that makes you human. Besides intelligence of course, I have plenty of that unlike some of the living. Anyways yeah, losing everything that makes you human. You lose emotion, your voice, your desire. Everything is wiped away.

I remember when it started happening for me. It was right after the Second Killing Game. I started to lose my voice. I just stopped talking, and when I wanted to talk, no words would come out anyway. I was scared for a little bit, but even then, that disappeared too. I started to stop caring about anything. As of right now, I have 2 things left for me in this world.

My friends and my concept.

And even now, the first one has little meaning. I have condemned my friends to death.

And I can't do anything about it.

- - - - -

(A.N: Oh lord I'm so sorry gumbymoo that this is so late compared to the other chapters. I'm going to be going to CD, do no chapters for a while. I need them to be super long because I need to squeeze a lot into a little. Anyways yeah, could you figure out who is condemned and how? Or maybe even the thing that was changed in the Monsterverse? >:] Also, this chapter is unedited so spelling, grammar, and continuity errors should be pointed out. Thanks.)

Chapter 4

Cat's POV

I stood up and brushed my skirt off. The guards ushered me inside and I made my way to the room. Inside, I could feel everyone's gaze piercing through me. I took a seat next to Fish. "Hey." I murmured, putting my head on the table. "Thanks for healing me or something."

Fish smiles at me and turns back towards the board. Andres catches my gaze and waves to me. I give a small smile. I could use this time to think.

Let's see...

So we have to find the error in this world's concept. It has to be something that sets this class apart from the rest... It doesn't have to be big, it just has to be something. The monsters in the class disliked me, but Andres said that I looked like someone he'd known before. Could that have been me? Rather, the me in this world? But why would people dislike me if I looked like someone they had known? Was I too human? Too human...

The monsters hated humans? That sounds about right. They were imprisoned here by the humans because the humans were afraid of them. That makes sense. But why? If anything, having to stay together would have made the Cast ecstatic... Maybe, the glitch is an inert feeling of loathing?

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you alright?" A voice said. I blinked and looked to my shoulder. There was a scaly hand with webbing. I turned my gaze upwards. It was ELO. She was a mermaid in a giant tank. "You kinda zoned out there." She says with a grin. Huh...

"Yeah, sorry about that." I grunted, stretching my neck. But why don't certain people hate me...?

Well, ELO's a mermaid, Fish is a Sylph, and Andres is a centaur. Their species doesn't seem to have to do anything with how they act alone. I know that ELO and Andres are really nice people in general, so that might be why their personalities are less affected by this "inert hate." Or I could be totally wrong. Fish is a cool dude, but not as inherently nice as ELO. Could his species be the reason why? Sylphs are healers, so that might be it.

I sighed and leaned backwards. This was getting me nowhere. I needed to stop thinking and start doing. Doing? I don't even know what I can do. How do I resolve this conflict? What do I do once I've figured out the corruption here?

I scratch at my neck. I think back even farther. I was falling from the sky... I saw the black stuff around the school... Wait, the black stuff. It reminded me of Lizzie. Maybe I just have to get rid of the corruption by getting rid of the source of Lizzie in this universe? Damn that was super deep stuff, hell yeah.

I give myself a high five and smirk. Now I just have to find a time to try and destroy the black ooze.

After the entire day is over, our class is led out of the school with armed guards around us. I roll my eyes. "You know, you don't need guns to lead kids around a fricking school." I growl, frowning. "Well, for you kids I do." The guard grunts. "Are you serious? We're just normal kids." I retort, gesturing to my friends. The guard shakes his head.

We're led out of the school and past the front doors, and I see the gate covered in black goo. I visibly flinch from the sight of it, but I know what I have to do next.

I touch the oozing mass and feel it's warmth spread throughout my hands. I gag a little bit and feel myself loosing consciousness. There are a few screams as guards point their guns at me. "Why would she do that?" "Ever since she lost her wings, she hasn't been the same." "Oh my god."

- - - - -

I sit up, quickly enough to get a feeling of dizziness as my vision flickers between black and white. I clutch my head and look around the black space I'm in. The noise and emotion around me is making it hard to think. I stand up and start to walk around, albeit shakily.

I have no idea where I am, or where I'm going. I don't even know why I'm here. After a few minutes of walking, I see a silhouette in the distance. I start to run to it, stumbling over my own feet. I reach the figure and...

"ELO?"

"Cat?"

We both stare at each other for a second and the background noise around me starts to overwhelm my vision. You know television static? That's what my head felt like. ELO stands up and looks at the world around her. "This is my prison." She whispers, holding up her hands. I grin through clenched teeth. "You don't have any shackles." I retort, spittle flying from my mouth. She looks at the ground.

"Sometimes you can't see the chains you have."

I hiss, my head is pounding now. "Well I don't see them." I growl, grabbing her arm. Her clothing flickers into a prisoner's outfit and I gasp. "Is this how you see yourself? The world?" I scream, tears flowing down my face. "A torrent of emotion, a prisoner of hate?!"

"Not anymore."

My head clears, almost as if I had been shot. In a burst of color, ELO falls to the ground, onto the turf. I look up and see the black ooze clearing from the turf. I clutch my head and try and run over what just happened. It was as if I had little to no recollection of the past few moments. It's like that writers block, where you don't know what to write but you keep writing anyway. That mass of fuzz that gets stuffed into your head when you're tired.

- - - - -

I'll actually be rewriting this one so don't read this garbage pls