Cerin, the nineteen-year-old looked around the lounge area and looked at the eight women who were there.
A group of three women that looked old enough to be her grandmother sat at the edge of the room by the giant window, two middle-aged women around their 40's sat on a couch snacking on jade-like snacks and finally on the floor was a group of three women only slightly older than Cerin herself. The group chatted comfortably among each other and passed a snack bowl around as they did.
Another thing that was impossible to miss was the large text on the ceiling. Cerin looked at the thick black text that stood out against the light green ceiling.
[ Jade star: Level one. 8/9]
Cerin snapped out of her daze and realized that they had grouped themselves off by age and headed over to the younger group on the floor. As she approached one of the women, the one with a plain face but a voluptuous body noticed her and greeted her with a warm smile. She caught the attention of the others and directed it at Cerin.
" Guys. there's a new one!"
The other two looked back at Cerin. The first was visibly athletic but short and the other was oddly attractive with extremely stylish attire despite her plain features.
They invited her to lay with them and began to speak to her.
" your name is Cerin right?"
Cerin nodded, and still being under the impression that it was a dream did not question how they knew.
" yes. And your names are?"
The one with the voluptuous body replied.
"We're all named Cerin here so we go by numbers in order of who came here first. I'm the fourth so you can call me fourth sister or sister four, she-"
She indicated the athletic girl,
" Is the third and the other is the sixth. You would be the ninth."
Cerin, or rather the Ninth nodded as she processed this.
" So what is 'here' Exactly?"
Four nodded as if she'd been expecting this and began to explain.
" We aren't exactly sure, but I'm sure it was similar to you. When we all died we were drifting the cosmos but were drawn in by the green star and ended up here…. You don't have to say how you died if you don't want to but if you do we are here to listen."
Nine looked disturbed as she offhandedly mumbled,
" I haven't died though? Or have I?"
The sisters shared looks between each other and came to the conclusion that perhaps she was in denial. It was impossible to believe that every single one of them could come to terms with their deaths so quickly.
Three crawled forwards and moved to put a reassuring hand on Nine's shoulder. She intended to aid her in coming to terms with her death but once her hand reached ninth's shoulder she flickered out of existence. Except for the slight dent in the wool white rug, there was no other proof that she had ever been there.
The previously noisy room fell into a deadly silence and Three looked at her own hand in horror.
She looked at Four and Six and frowned as she saw them edge away from her.
" What. Just. happened?"
As if her words were a trigger the room suddenly went dark, similar to the first time and all of the Cerins simultaneously fell into unconsciousness. and unbeknownst to any of them except Eight and One who had been paying attention the whole time the text on the ceiling changed.
[ Jade star: Level one. 9/9]
[Initial stage complete. Initiating directive (helping the ninth)]