In Hell, there was a river that flowed through all 73 districts of hell, full of the unconscious spirit-bodies of humans who have found themselves in the land of the damned. Like salmon returning to freshwater streams in order to mate, the rapidly moving river was teeming with bodies, which would eventually land on the shores of one of those districts, and become an immortal denizen of the infinitely-massive place that was the underworld. They would learn what it means to be immortal, understand the value of a coup de grace, and eventually find their own role in a life devoid of societal or financial expectations. Some would be farmers, and others would be artists. Some would be manufacturers, and others would be miners. For a place that’s meant to be punishment, Hell has become a second chance for the many who have lost the opportunity to go to the retirement home known as Heaven.

Of course, for a select group of 30 individual teenagers, they weren’t given such a nice choice. As they plummeted from the sunless sky after having recently died, those 30 special little kiddos fell into a giant, elastic net instead of the winding river below. The combined weight of that classroom full of kiddos caused the net to stretch almost to the point of ripping, before, thankfully, it rebounded. Of course, that also ended up with those 30 kids being squished together like fish in a net, as that giant, levitating net hovered towards a pretty-looking magical carpet, depositing those children onto the masterfully crafted authentic Persian rug.

They were now half a kilometer up in the air, riding on a carpet the size of a classroom, with no id-

The blue skies blackened, as space itself was torn apart, shredding as if the jaws of an invisible beast tore it apart. From within the ominous gap, a slim, pitch-black foot stepped out, followed by another. A torso, much too wide to be supported by those stick-thin legs, emerged from the gap next, as the being’s thin arms, its elbows mere metal disks, followed it. With a horrifying screech, its gargantuan claws came next, each hand the same size as its black-iron chest, and finally, the head emerged from the abyss.

Ink black and completely smooth, only red circles and jagged lines indicated where its eyes and mouth were, and a long, red horn protruded from its forehead. As if garnishing the appearance of an existence that was most definitely that of a demonic monster, the abyssal gate that it arrived from closed, turning into a crimson cloak that draped over the top of its head.

For a moment, the beast of the apocalypse remained still, as crows cawed in swarms and the skies bled.

Then, it snapped its fingers, and all those creepy Hell-esque imagery disappeared, replaced by a relatively normal world once more.

[b]“Sorry about that, but it’s been far too long since I could do a dynamic entrance like that,”[/b] the being spoke, in an aristocratic, gentle voice unbefitting of its imposing stature. [b]“I am your examiner for the day, Laiss. And, before any questions are asked, yes, you are in Hell. Please enjoy your stay. After a little test, you shall all be transported to Academia Abyssus, where you will spend a significant portion of your immortal lives.”

“For now though, feel free to relax and gather your thoughts. If you have questions, raise your hand up before asking them.”[/b]

With that, the twelve-foot tall being sat down at the front-end of the carpet, resting on an ornate chair that didn’t look like it had been there a second ago.