"Cerezie!" Garrett shouted as his eyes shot open and he took in an airless breath. His eyes darted around, seeing nothing but a white void, a desk, and a being sipping the concept of mathematics.
"Well, I can certainly say that that didn't last very long," Otris said, setting down his cup of math down on the desk.
"I... I died?" Garrett said, still stunned about what happened.
"Yep, that's right," Otris said, drawing his thumb across his neck. "Had a nasty blast of energy from a Murder Crystal."
"A... murder crystal?" Garrett asked, staring down at his shaking hands.
"Yep. You charge it with energy and it releases a blast of powerful energy. Pretty much kills anything that it touches," Otris said. "Though, if you really wanna get technical, it only really kinda kills things, since the souls..."
Garrett was silent as he stared at his hands. He wasn't even registering anything that Otris was saying. The vivid memories of watching Min-Tul, Jerten, and Cerezie die shook Garrett to his core, as he could feel their deaths etched into his soul. He felt tears begin to stream down his cheeks.
'...Why am I getting this upset?... I had only known them for a bit...'
The dying faces of Min-Tul, Jerten, and Cerezie continued to replay in his mind, each more vivid and detailed than the last. He could see Cerezie's blood on his hands as if it was still there. He strongly remembered the feel of her lifeless body. Garrett shuddered heavily in his core, knowing that it was because he pressed on the door, the crystal activated and killed everyone.
'...I feel bad because... I'm the one who killed them...'
He stared up at Otris, who was still talking about Murder Crystals and how it affected the soul. "Otris, I can't be your hero."
Otris blinked for a few moments before responding. "What? Why can't you be my Hero?"
"Because I'm not a hero," Garrett said, staring into Otris' eyes with tears streaming down his own. "In the span of less than four hours, I got me and three other adventurers killed. How could I possibly be a hero?" He buried his face into his hands and wept.
Otris frowned, not in disappointment, but with sorrow and remorse. He walked around the desk and gently patted Garrett on the shoulder. "The burdens of a Hero are numerous and unfair. That is why we Duken only pull who we believe to be some of the strongest souls out of the lifestream. If you don't believe that is you," Otris said with a wave of his hand. A large portal leading to a dark abyss opened aside of Garrett. "You can simply walk through and continue on with the remainder of your afterlife. I will search for another Hero who may be able to save Asuria." Otris walked back to his side of the desk and took a sip from his cup. Garrett turned his head and stared into the gaping maw of the abyss.
'...I don't deserve to be a hero... I should just...' Garrett got up from his chair and stood in front of the abyss. '...Once I walk through here... That's it... But... Even with my second chance... I don't feel I deserved it...' Garrett took a deep breath and started to walk through the portal.
"Hang on," Otris said, quickly shutting the portal and rushing over to Garrett's side. He started sniffing around Garrett.
"What are you doing?" Garrett asked, drained and barely paying attention.
Otris reached a hand down into Garrett's pockets and shuffled around. "A-ha!" Otris exclaimed as he pulled out the glowing blue orbs that had come from the goblins. "Helioxene! I knew it was a good idea to use you as my Hero!" With great excitement, Otris sat down behind his desk and crushed the orbs in his palm. There was a soft blue glow surrounding Otris, which then subsided shortly after. "Ah, that felt so good."
"What was that?" Garrett asked, feeling a bit more of his strength returning.
"Like most things, we Duken must also consume in order to gain strength and perform our duties," Otris said, taking a relaxing sip of mathematics. "We can consume anything, certainly, but Helioxene is special. It is formed in the primordial fabric of Lospil, which is why Duken watch over Worlds. To put it in an Earth example for you, it is like watching over a hen and eating the eggs that it produces." Garrett nodded along to show he was paying attention. "The Heros that we choose come back and feed us Helioxene, which allows us to send them back and harvest more. Of course, we make them stronger each time around."
"Wait, you can send me back?" Garrett asked, though quickly took it back as he recalled Min-Tul, Jerten, and Cerezie.
"Certainly, I can send you back," Otris said. With a wave of his hand, the portal to Asuria opened up behind Garrett. "You'll simply return from where you started, but I can now grant you some more equipment." Otris waved his hand and a backpack materialized on Garrett's back. "It's empty for now, but there is a pouch where you can store the Helioxene you collect."
"I can go back," Garrett said, only partially listening to Otris. "I can save them. They don't have to die!"
"Now, be sure to collect Helioxene. If you fail to collect enough, then I can't return you," Otris said, but it was too late. Garrett had already charged ahead into the portal by the time Otris was finished talking. "Such a brave soul. I think I chose a wonderful Hero this time."
Garrett, having rushed into the portal, felt himself collapse forward onto a wooden surface. He took a gasp of air as he looked around. He found himself in the room with the coffin that he had come out of the first time. However, he wasn't focused on that. Garrett pinpointed the exit and rushed towards it, heading right down the hallway. He approached the corner and gripped his sword tightly. The hallway seemed to extend further than last time, but he wasn't focused on that. He didn't even notice that everything seemed to be getting brighter.
"Don't worry! I'm here to aid you!" Garrett shouted as he exited the hallway, brandishing his sword towards a forest clearing. The sounds of bugs buzzing around and birds chirping filled his ears as he began to notice that something wasn't right. "Min-Tul?" he asked out loud, looking around for the large leopard man, but all he saw was green foliage and trees. Did he happen to exit out before Min-Tul entered the Darge? No, that couldn't have been it. He hadn't paid much attention, but he now realized that he didn't even enter the room where he had met Min-Tul and fought the goblins. "What is going on?"
"Hey! Illima! Don't move!" shouted a feminine voice from behind Garrett, though he didn't recognize it. Cautiously, Garrett put his hands up and slowly began to turn around. "Hey! Idiot! Did you not listen to me?" Garrett turned to face the voice and saw a gray-skinned female wearing an apron and covered in, what he presumed to be various bloodstains. She had a fierce scowl on her face and was slowly approaching. "I said don't move."