He still stood before the giant golden statue inside his hanging golden cage, still with his eyes downcast, but now he was in some kind of borderless void with infinite blackness all around him.

And he couldn’t move.

He just stood there, stock-still, his muscles unresponsive, his whole body frozen, his eyes locked on the golden colossus’s throat as its eyeless face loomed over him.

And then a voice, impossibly commanding and loud, penetrated his consciousness.

Who comes here seeking to face Omega?

Jack instinctively tried to speak in reply, but when he answered, it was without his voice.

My name is Jack West Jr, he conveyed.

Even in this strange place, this alternate realm of existence, his mind marvelled in wonder.

This was communication from mind to mind: from his fragile human brain to that of the ultra-ancient entity encased in the golden colossus in front of him.

The reply was as harsh as it was instant.

The unworthy may not pass through here.

You are not worthy.

You must die now.

A cry of unfathomable pain echoed out from beside Jack and he turned to see Cardinal Mendoza—also here in the infinite black void, still on his knees, just as Jack had last seen him in the ‘real’ world—clutch at his head and wail in pure agony.

Then Mendoza’s eyes exploded from their sockets and gouts of blood burst out of his ears and the cardinal collapsed to the ground, deader than dead.

Jack was speechless.

He’d thought he had been done for. But the golden colossus hadn’t been addressing him.

It had been addressing Mendoza.

The unworthy may not pass through here. He was unworthy. Raise your eyes. In this place, you may look upon me.

Jack peered up cautiously, looking directly at the face of the giant gold colossus.

In what way was he unworthy? he asked.

His intent was impure. His life was about deceit and giving others false hope. He tried to conceal his thoughts.

Is my intent impure?

Your intent is pure.

Am I worthy?

You are worthy.

Why?

In response, an array of images suddenly swirled through Jack’s mind.