I am the Gatekeeper, guider of lost souls, commander of fate and afterlife, it is I who shall decide your fate in the heavenly realm based on your deeds in the mortal world. I am the absolute truth, mortal!

I opened my eyes, a never ending blue sky stretching wide, I could only awe in its beauty. It appeared I was in heaven, the cancer got the better me, I guess. My skin feels tight, I no longer feel like an old man, I fell young and energetic. I look at my skin, free from wrinkles, I touch my face, no wrinkles there too, my eyes can see the horizon making the finest of the details. Too amazed my this sudden change I failed to notice I was among the clouds, suddenly, a fountain of clear water erupted beside me, the water was so clear I could even see my face in it, however, the man I saw was not me, he was young man in his 20s, he possessed a robust build, sharp nose and crimson red eye, I felt some godly glow coming from him.

"latrom, nesohc era uoY", the man mumbled. I didn't understand a single word. Confused I asked, "I'm sorry I don't understand, where am I?" The man giggled a little then he said again, "latrom, yrroS " As soon as he said that, a hand pierced out of the water, soon half of his body was out and finally he was completely out, he had a blinding glow, I couldn't see him with my eyes so I just covered them. "Sorry once again, mortal." he said. This time I could understand him. Slowly, the glow reduced in intensity and I withdrew my hands from my eyes. The man had an expressionless face, yet, it appeared divine.

"Listen, mortal, I understand that you're quite confused, before we move further I believe it would be better if we are on the same level." The man moved forward held out his palm, my hand moved on its own, as if it possessed a separate will of its own, our fingers touched and all I could feel was knowledge, knowledge so weird and bizarre, it could never have been comprehended by a mere mortal like me. Yet, I could still understand it now. After what felt like eternity, he moved his hand, our fingers lost contact, and I came out my conscience.

"I believe, you know posses enough knowledge that you may require to do the work."

I nodded but then asked, "Work ?"

"Yes, work, mortal you have been summoned to the null realm, Cathergale, the Gate, as you humans would call it, you shall now become the Gatekeeper, the guider of souls, the commander of fate and afterlife, the judge."

"I believe what you mean is that I will become the judge of afterlife, deciding whether a soul should be guided to heaven or hell."

"Quite correct."

"Wow what heavenly deed have got this honor to me."

The man sighed. "Everyone is the same.", he said. What he said next shook me to the core.

"Mortal, this is not an honor as might mistake it, this is your purgatory where you shall rot for all you sins till the end of time itself!" the man said.

I was in distraught, what sins had I committed that had landed me in this situation.

"It appears you are quite frightened, let me rephrase my sentence, you mortal, are the "null", a soul who has done equal amount of sins as well as good deeds, a soul whos has lived a complete life and a soul which bears both the devil's desire and the god's intent, the crimes you have committed are far outrageous to be let it be and the good you have brought to people is way to significant to send you to hell, you mortal are to be punished here, in the "null" realm , stuck for eternity, contemplating you're actions, that is the punishment you receive for your sins, and your good deed bring you the reward of being exempted from the tortures of hell."

I was broken. "Isn't there a way out of this?", I cried in desperation. "I'm afraid there isn't, your deed never go unnoticed, what you did has stuck you at the crossroad, you shall guide people to pleasure yet you could never experience it, you shall leave them in underworld, feel the torture of all the souls you banish, they would reborn after there sentence but sadly you wouldn't, you shall be stuck here in your heavenly hell. Now if you may excuse, judge me!"

"Judge you ?"

"Yes, now I am a soul and you are my judge. My work as a Gatekeeper is finished, you are the Gatekeeper, from now till the end of time, now judge."

"That means, I can escape this hell too, please tell me how to do!", I cried with delight. The man remained silent. I begged and begged to him, to tell me the way out of this, he didn't say a single word. After countless hours of begging and crying, he didn't say a word. I was frustrated, in a fit of rage I roared, "You shall be tortured in hell for this defiance to me!"

It was the biggest mistake i could have ever made.

"Foolish!", the man roared.

"This was the last method to have your soul at peace but you tried to banish me to hell, to take advantage of me, you shall never be able to leave this place, I, the Gatekeeper curse you with the Curse of Gatekeeper!"

Suddenly, a mark appeared on his forehead, in a blink of eye, the mark transferred from his forehead to mine, I felt a sharp pain in my back, two wings sprouted out of it, one with dark black feathers, the other made of black skin like that of a devil.

"Farewell, Gatekeeper!" The man started to disappear.

"Wait, I'm sorry, give me another chance, I promise, I won't fail this time." I begged but it was too late, the man was long gone, a throne rose from the clouds beneath, endorsed with the thorns of black roses and its flowers. One armrest had a giant ruby, other one had a tiny diamond. Hopeless i tread my way to the thrown, as soon I sad on it, the ground clouds started to rumble, a gate rose from the depths, on the other side were the stairways to heaven and the path to hell, a third stairway extend all the way to the bottom all the way to realm of mortals. I didn't realise but now I was in clothes, a black long coat with velvet linings and black trousers, my hands had gloves and besides me on a small pillar lay a blood red book with black boundaries. It was the Record of Choices, I could feel my eyes change, they were red now I could feel it. My emotions settled as I heard the first soul approaching on the stairways, with an expressionless face I welcomed him,

I am the Gatekeeper, guider of lost souls, commander of fate and afterlife, it is I who shall decide your fate in the heavenly realm based on your deeds in the mortal world. I am the absolute truth, mortal!