Pete and Marcus are chatting when Wyn and Dark Force arrive at the nerds’ HQ. Without missing a beat, the two nerds lead them inside and to the elevators.

  “If you want to view someone’s past, press seven four times, three two times, six two times, three one time, six two times, eight two times, three one time, three two times, and seven four times,” Dark Force explains as the elevator doors close. “Make sure you press them in succession, with a slight pause before continuing.”

  “Why so long?” Wyn asks.

  Dark Force only shrugs.

  Pete and Marcus pretend not to hear the conversation, continuing their own chat.

  “If you mispress, how do you cancel it?” Wyn asks.

  “Press any button and hold it for a few seconds, until the lights go off,” Marcus answers.

  The elevator jolts into motion, rocketing them upward. When the doors open, they step into a meeting room – much larger than the one they used before the Hell army invaded Heaven. At the back of the room, rows of nerds are already seated, waiting.

  With everyone seated at the table, the meeting officially begins. The heavy discussion on transitioning Earth to its new state under Wyn and Dark Force’s rulings stretches on. The first meeting lasts three days, yet nothing tangible comes of it just yet. Even the nerds – despite being used to all-nighters – doze off in their chairs, while those at the table push through. Eventually, to give the nerds time to rest and for Wyn to clear his mind, the meeting is adjourned.

  Wyn returns to his chambers, pacing in circles around the throne as he tries to think. Concerned, Cateto urges him to take a break. They end up watching the same movie again, though this time, only Cateto laughs.

  “I can’t explain it, Cateto. It feels like my emotions are fading more and more with each passing day,” Wyn says, pausing the movie. “Yet, something inside me keeps telling me to rewatch this movie and visit the statues.”

  “Let’s ask the Dark Lord about it next time. For now, don’t overthink it. Just relax,” Cateto replies.

  Feeling the urge to visit the statues again, Wyn stands, lifting Cateto into his arms. As he walks toward the throne room to admire the photos of his fallen friends, Cateto suddenly slips through his grasp – like he’s passing through air. Wyn freezes, staring at his hands for a moment before trying to pick up Cateto again, only to watch the cat slip through him once more.

  To test his theory, he attempts to bodyslam Cateto. The cat squeezes his eyes shut, bracing for impact, but when he opens them, he finds himself inside Wyn. His surroundings are nothing but tiny, motionless particles, so densely packed they seem frozen in time.

  Wyn stands up to check on Cateto, who is perfectly fine. Together, they start thinking of ways to solve the issue.

  “I’ve seen Dark Force do it before with the megaphone. Maybe I just need to harden the areas I want,” Wyn muses.

  Focusing, he attempts it – and to his success, Cateto is back in his arms. Curious, the cat pokes Wyn’s chest, but his paw slips right through.

  “I can’t imagine what would happen if you hardened an area while someone was inside you,” Cateto says.

  Wyn stays quiet, trying to process this newfound ability of a life force. He only snaps out of his thoughts when Cateto licks his hands.

  “...Something’s not right, Cateto. I can feel that I’m holding you, but I can’t feel your softness. Even your licks – I know they’re wet, but I can’t tell if it’s any different from touching water,” he says, though his face remains unreadable.

  Cateto falls silent. He knows this discovery will only make Wyn more unhappy – even if Wyn himself won’t be able to tell.

  Placing Cateto on the floor, Wyn paces around the chambers, running his hands over everything within reach. But no matter what he touches, every surface feels the same – indistinct, as if stripped of texture.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Feeling unsettled, he asks Marcus to install a mirror in the throne room. The moment Marcus finishes hanging it, Wyn steps in front of it, staring at his reflection in silence. Concerned, Cateto pokes Marcus and gestures for him to do something. Taking the hint, Marcus quietly excuses himself to report to Pete, who then passes the message to Dark Force. As a way to distract Wyn, a meeting is called immediately.

  This time, Wyn is the last to arrive. The moment Dark Force sees him, he springs from his seat and pulls him aside.

  “I’ve been told you’re becoming more and more like an actual life force,” Dark Force says.

  “Is this how you live? No emotions, no sense of touch?” Wyn asks.

  “Not entirely. You’ll relearn them all in time. Light Force could express emotions far better than I can.”

  “How long is ‘in time’?”

  “I don’t know. Sorry. I’ve been around for eons, and I still haven’t mastered them.”

  “...How are we supposed to lead humans when we don’t have feelings?”

  “We’ll be neutral. More neutral than any leader has ever been.”

  “But you said my humanity would be useful for this.”

  “I didn’t know how things would turn out for you. You’re the first to ascend. Regardless, don’t overthink it. Your past as a human will still be a great asset.”

  Wyn stares at the ceiling, reflecting on his conversation with Dark Force, yet his mind feels empty. Despite everything, he knows deep inside that he wants to visit the statues – it's the only thing on his mind now. However, before he can act on it, Dark Force calls him to take his seat, and the meeting begins.

  This time, Dark Force keeps a close eye on Wyn as he undergoes changes. The meeting stretches on for a year, neither Dark Force nor Wyn leaving even once, while the others take turns resting. Pete, Marcus, and Cateto remain by their side, offering their unwavering support.

  Pete wants to talk to Marcus about Wyn, but the two divine beings are too absorbed in their endless discussions about Earth's transition. Having served Dark Force for so long, Pete understands Wyn well. He once wondered – if he ever became like Dark Force, would he still be the same? Would he still find happiness? The thought of losing emotions and certain human senses unsettles him. He knows he wouldn’t want to live that way, but at the same time, he realizes that if it ever happened, he wouldn’t be able to care.

  After a few more months, the first phase is finally settled. Dark Force volunteers to drive every human, cat, and dog to extinction on Earth. As for the other animals, he will store them in the void space, later deciding which species pose no threat to the souls before releasing them back. All structures will be razed, leaving nature to reclaim the land.

  The second phase will begin immediately after, with souls being informed of the new rules in the afterlife realm before being released back onto Earth. Since the land remains divided, they will be placed at random locations. To Dark Force, their placement is irrelevant – there will be no more countries, nations, or territories, only Earth.

  Cats and dogs will take on two main roles. Some will keep the punished souls in check within the yet-to-be-named afterlife realm, while others will serve as Earth's surveillance, ready to capture or alert the divine beings and the nerds of any evildoers. There will be no more “demons” or “angels” – only cats and dogs, who will also keep each other in check to prevent bribery from souls.

  “Other details can be discussed later. Earth’s current global laws are fine for now,” Dark Force says.

  “Will we have enough space in the afterlife realm to house them all?” Wyn asks.

  “This void space is vast. You can ask the void warden to extend it if necessary.”

  “Will their pasts still be reviewed at the time of death?” Pete asks.

  “Yes. Every soul will still receive a band. Purple bands will be sent straight to their punishment. We’ll inform them of the changes after they have served their time.”

  “And those high-profile criminals?” Wyn asks.

  “Straight to the Torture Chamber. Permanently.”

  “...You’re going to need more space for that…”

  Wyn knows that the old him would have welcomed the absence of emotions, seeing it as an escape from reality and his worst enemy – depression. But after meeting Yu, Mira, Anish, James, Lisa, and David, he had changed. The war had changed him too, though whether for better or worse, he isn’t sure. One thing is certain: without the war, he might never have met any of them. He wonders what his afterlife would have been like if their paths had never crossed. Maybe he would have made other friends. Or maybe he would have been just as miserable as when he was alive.

  There are no answers. He wants to be upset, but he can’t even bring himself to feel that anymore. So instead, he heads out to the dome again with Cateto after the meeting, lost in thought as he stares at the statues while Dark Force and the nerds get to work.

  Dark Force spends the next decade hunting down humans, causing them to implode and triggering a global crisis. In response, humanity retreats underground, desperate to escape from the unknown threat. With the nerds assisting him in tracking every human, cat, and dog, Dark Force remains relentless, leaving destruction in his wake as buildings crumble.

  Meanwhile, Wyn splits his time between discussing the new rules with the nerds, visiting the statues, and watching “The Brave Hamsters of Hamshire” movie with Cateto on repeat in his chambers. His mind isn’t empty, though; it’s consumed with thoughts of something drastic – a plan that could serve as a punishment for none other than Dark Force.