The Labyrinth-Part X-The Last Installation

Joseph's dreams are becoming more nightmarish in their intensity. He is totally immobilized by the dreams. He wants to wake up but cannot. He sees a group of demons with hybrid creatures coming towards him. He is tossing and turning violently while in slumber!

Joseph is in continuous infernal slumber. Will this nightmare ever end! He is totally paralyzed in this hellish dreamworld! Is it a dream or a premonition of the intensely hellish experiences to come?

Finally, Joseph is awake. He is sweating and panting. He gets up and look around- there are no demonic sounds. This place had perpetual daylight and the darkest it becomes is equivalent to late afternoon on the earth plane. There is actually no nighttime here. His fear is gradully disappearing. He decided to return to sleep.

Joseph was in slumber for what seems to be a decade in earth time. Then he was rudely awakened by a soul, inquiring as to who he is and what of hell he is consigned to. Joseph looked angrily at the soul, uttering nothing! However, this soul was not an ordinary soul but a lower level guardian angel. The angel informed Joseph that his energy was entirely too negative to be in upper hell and he must leave. Joseph then cursed at the angel. The angel never heard such horrific cursing in his existence. The angel looked horrified!

Joseph pushed away the guardian angel, proceeding to leave Itannicnic. He proceeded to the Borderland. He paused for a while, then left the Borderland. He finally reached The Haze, the area between lower purgatory and upper hell. The Haze was a waiting area for purified souls from hell to undergo more intense purification in purgatory before proceeding to heaven.

As Joseph went into The Haze, there was an alarm. Something was seriously wrong and amiss. One of the lower level guardian angels of The Haze looked at Joseph, strictly forbidding his entrance. This guardian angel summoned two other angels who quickly escorted Joseph out of The Haze. He then returned to the Borderland-elected to remain there!

Borderland seemed to be such a peaceful and delightful respite from lower hell. He decided to pick up a book, reading it. Then lunch was served; however, he was loathe to join the crowd because they will have him ejected into lower hell. This is what he did not want at all!

Joseph did not realize the gravity of his situation! If there were dire consequences for escaping lowest hell the first time, imagine what the consequences would be for repeating this! It is too indescribably infernal the second time! Lucifer is a very stern taskmaster in that regard!

Joseph remained in Borderland for what seemed to be years. No one bothered him and he was let to be as he wished. This place was much like his maternal grandparents' house which had a bucolic, smalltown atmosphere. Except for here, the souls were not so friendly towards him but viewed him as noisome.

Operatic music was playing throughout the Borderland. So nice and peaceful. Joseph saw the souls undergoing meditation and fasting in order to keeping purifying their karma. They were intent in their practice, ignoring all outside distractions. They seemed to be happy-well, happy in comparision to those souls in lowest hell!

Joseph was busy touring the area when no souls were present. He turned to run and jog, playing mock football. Then another soul recognized him and vice versa. He was horribly shocked. He recognized the soul as that of a boy who he intensely and relentlessly bullied which resulted in the boy going home and drowning himself. This soul looked at Joseph, starting to shout recriminations. Another soul heard this and admonished the former soul, explaining that his karma would only regress and not progress at this point. This soul instructed the former soul to let go of the situation as it was on the earth plane.

As the former soul cried out in anguish, thinking how his suicide subsequently affected his family, especially his youngest sister who idolized him ! The other souls surrounded him, cradling him. One of the souls told Joseph that he has incurred massive negative karma for his acts. However, Joseph acted totally nonchalant regarding his. He maintained that this soul was effeminate and he had to make a man out of him! The soul strongly asserted that he was not the judge of this young sensitive soul!

Joseph just laughed at all of this, walking away. He walked for what seemed to be a long time. However, the area appeared to be darker and more ominous as he was walking. Then he was in Sibyr. Then he felt a sharp blow to his temple thus becoming unconscious...........

When Joseph woke up, he was tied up and surrounded by Baal, Jaq, Belial, Aku, and Lilya. Lucifer appeared, angrier beyond all human imagining. The demons were discussing matters among themselves; however, Lucifer interrupted the demons and called for a meeting. The demons assembled around Lucifer.

Lucifer looked at Joseph in his unconscious state, continuing with the meeting. He maintained that Joseph was one of the most incorrigible and unrepentant souls in all of hell. He instructed the demons to administer as harsh a punishment as necessary as Joseph needed to be taught a lesson. Baal suggested an especially horrendous form of punishment which Aku concurred with.

The infernal discussion and meeting continued into what seemed to be infinity. As Joseph tried to awaken, he was knocked into further unconsciousness. Lillya suggested that Joseph be confined to the worst section of Argotak until he decided to rectify his behavior. Lucifer interjected, stating that it is highly improbable as Joseph is totally bereft of remorse. He further elucidated that the more Joseph is punished, the more relentless and unapologetic he becomes.

Lucifer stated that there is only way form of punishment. The other demons blanched completely when Lucifer mentioned punishment. Lucifer then smiled, showing his sharp white canine teeth. The other demons demurred, attempting to dissuade Lucifer from imposing such a severe punishment. He dismissed the other demons, summoning Belial.

Both demons conferred long into eternity. Belial asked Lucifer to grant Joseph another chance to reform and rectify his behavior but the latter would hear none of it! Lucifer stated that Joseph had committed quite egregious acts which included horrific bullying and other acts which intentiionally hurt others. He further added that while he was interned in hell, he never repented, even committing more egregious acts in upper hell against other souls.

Lucifer becoming more furious at the mention and thought of Joseph, slammed his fist! He decided on the penalty for Joseph's misdeeds. He summoned the lesser demons to untie Joseph. Lucifer asked Joseph to come over which he complied.

Lucifer asked Joseph to analyze his life. Joseph stated that he did nothing wrong at all. He added to Lucifer that he did what he had to do to survive and to succeed. Lucifer just looked at him, smiling satanically. Joseph continued with his life story. Lucifer, however, abruptly cut him off, stating he KNOWS about Joseph's life story.

Joseph looked at Lucifer and vice versa. Lucifer progressed forward towards Joseph, asking him what he believe they should do to him! Joseph stated that he should be punished! Lucifer repeated Joseph's answer albeit in a highly mocking tone. Joseph subsequently asked Lucifer for forgiveness because it was just an insignificant and inconsequential indiscretion! Lucifer's voice rose to a thunderous roar. Then the language became coarser, more demonic, and uncomprehensible to the human ear.

Joseph pleaded to Lucifer not to confine him to Argolak. Lucifer listened, pretended to understand Joseph's predictament in order to lure him to confess more. As Joseph confessed his errors, Lucifer became even more enthralled. He summoned more of the major demons in this infernal hearing.

More and more major demons were gathering in order to pass a sentence. They noticed that Joseph was becoming more resolute, arrogant, and unrepentant. Joseph finished his testimony. Then one of the major demons saw Joseph's life on a television screen. This demon, who had a reputation for being horrific, blanched in horror when he viewed Joseph's life. This demon left the area, then returning.

Lucifer then summarily dismissed Joseph to The Pits, to be called later. Lucifer and Belial discussed the penalty for such an egregious person. Another major demon indicated that Joseph must undergo the ULTIMATE penalty. Lucifer and Belial concurred with the other major demon's findings.

Lucifer, Belial, and the major demons summoned Joseph. They read his crimes and instituted a penalty. The penalty was Galrohcep! At the mention of Galrohcep, Joseph's face paled, he was becoming extremely apprehensive! Then he asked Lucifer to give him a reprieve and another chance. He stated that he wanted to reform his behavior as he wanted to see his wife and children again! He started to cry this time!

However, Lucifer have adamantly decided on the penalty. As the other demons grabbed Joseph, he started a thunderously shrill, unearthly wail. Lucifer summoned Aku who just summarily ejected Joseph into Galrohcep. Joseph Krauss was NO MORE...........ALL RECORDS OF HIS EXISTENCE WERE FOREVER ERASED...........into the VOID of NOTHINGNESS..............