The words echoed in my mind. Dead. It couldn't be true, could it? My thoughts were jumbled, and my emotions were in turmoil. The girl's words were incomprehensible, and I struggled to come to terms with what she was telling me.
"I'm...dead?" I repeated, as if saying it again would make it any less real.
The girl looked at me sympathetically, and I knew then that what she was saying was true.
I felt a sense of despair wash over me. Dead? It was all too surreal. And Tessia...what about Tessia? Was she dead too? My heart sank at the thought of losing her. The thought of never seeing her again, never talking to her or holding her, made me feel empty inside.
"Is Tessia...dead too?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
The girl's expression softened. "No, she's alive. For now. But time is running out, Leon. That monster is going to kill your sister if you don't make it fast."
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to save Tessia. No matter what it took. But how? How could I save her if I wasn't even alive?
"Is there any way for her to be saved?" I asked desperately.
"No, not that I could answer that, Leon. You are the only one who is capable of saving her," the girl replied, her voice grave.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could I save her if I was dead? My mind was racing with questions.
"You said that I'm dead, right? How am I supposed to save her if I wasn't even alive?" I asked, my voice rising with panic.
"Relax. No need to raise your voice. I can hear you loud and clear," the girl said calmly. "Well to answer your question, I suppose I should say that you are capable of returning to your body, if you so desire it."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You're not entirely dead, Leon. You could still live," the girl replied, her voice soothing. "The reason why you went to this place was that you were in a state between alive and dead. To put it simply, your body is dead, but your spirit is still alive."
I struggled to understand what she was saying. How could I be dead but still alive? It didn't make any sense.
"Your body may have been killed by the Lizardman, but your soul, your consciousness, lives on," the girl continued, as if sensing my confusion. "You are now in a place that exists beyond the physical realm. This place is called the In-Between, and it is a space where souls can exist after they leave their physical bodies."
I took a deep breath, trying to process what she was saying. So, I wasn't completely dead. My body may have been lifeless, but my spirit was still hanging on. It all seemed too surreal. I listened to her words, still struggling to wrap my head around the concept. "So, what does this mean for me?" I asked.
"It means that you have a choice to make, Leon. You can either stay in this place, in the In-Between, and live out your existence as a spirit. Or you can try to return to the physical realm and save your sister."
My heart raced as I thought about the choice before me. I couldn't bear the thought of abandoning Tessia to her fate. But could I really find a way back to the physical realm? I had heard of people who had near-death experiences and had come back, but this was different. My body was dead, and I was trapped in this strange place with a girl I didn't know, who seemed to have some kind of power over me.
"Okay, let's say I believe you. How do I get back to my body?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"It's not easy. But if you're determined to get back, I'll tell you. There is an easy way to get out of here."
"What is that way?" I asked eagerly, my hope rekindling.
"Be my pawn, Leon. If you become my pawn, I will help you return to the physical realm. I will give you the power to fight the Lizardman and protect your sister."
Be her pawn? I didn't like the sound of that. I didn't know this girl, and I didn't trust her. But then again, I didn't have any other options. If I didn't do something, Tessia would be doomed.
"What does being your pawn entail?" I asked.
"It means that you will do my bidding. You will be my eyes and ears in the physical realm. You will help me gather information and perform tasks. In exchange, I will help you return to the physical realm and aid you in saving your sister."
The girl's voice was calm and measured, but I sensed a hint of desperation in her words. It was as if she needed me as much as I needed her.
"But what if I refuse?" I asked.
"Then you can try and will your spirit back by force," the girl replied. "It's not impossible, but it will be difficult. And there is a chance that you might fail and be stuck in the In-Between forever."
I weighed my options carefully. Being the girl's pawn meant sacrificing some of my autonomy, but it also meant having a greater chance of saving Tessia. Willing my spirit back by force was a riskier proposition, but it would allow me to retain control of my life.
"I don't like the sound of that," I said, my voice hardening. "I don't want to be anyone's pawn."
The girl smiled, despite my rejection. "That's understandable, Leon. But if you want to get out in a not-so-easy way, then you can just try and will your spirit back by force. It's your choice."
I thought about it for a moment. On the one hand, being a pawn seemed like a terrible idea. But on the other hand, I didn't know how to get back on my own. I was trapped, and time was running out.
I took a deep breath. "I don't want to," I said, my voice firm. The girl's offer seemed tempting, but I knew I couldn't let someone else control my life, even if it meant the possibility of saving Tessia.
The girl smiled at my response. "I respect your decision, Leon. It takes a strong will to resist temptation. But I must warn you, the path back to the physical realm is fraught with danger. And time is running out for your sister."
The weight of her words settled heavily in my chest. Time was indeed running out, and I couldn't waste any more of it.
"I understand," I said, steeling myself for the journey ahead. "What do I need to do to return to the physical realm?"
The girl's eyes grew somber as she spoke. "You have to travel through the eternal darkness of slumber, the one that you've been in before entering this place. It will be difficult, but you must keep pushing forward until you find a way out."
"After that, what do I need to do?"
"Nothing," she replied. "You just have to find a way out of that place. You can either get lost in the eternal darkness of slumber and be stuck in the In-Between forever, or you can find your way back to your body. It's up to you whether to succeed or not."
I nodded, taking in the girl's words. "Thank you for your help. I'll do everything I can to save Tessia."
The girl nodded, her expression gentle. "I hope you succeed, Leon. And I hope that one day, you will accept yourself."
The girl turned her back to me, and I was about to do the same when she suddenly spoke. Her voice was gentle, almost wistful.
"Before you leave, Leon, can I ask why you didn't accept my offer of being my pawn?"
I hesitated, unsure of how to answer. The truth was, I didn't really know why. It just didn't feel right to me.
"There's no reason," I said finally. "I just don't want someone else to control my life. I am my own person, and I want to make my own decisions."
The girl giggled, as if finding my answer amusing. "I see," she said. "That's just like you, Leon."
I didn't know why, but the way she giggled was adorable, though I had to be imagining it.
The girl looked at me with gentle eyes, and for a moment, it was almost as if she were an older sister looking out for me. "Now, go forth!" she said. "Find your way back to your body and save your sister, my dear Leon."
As she spoke those words, the girl's form began to fade away, until she was nothing but a whisper on the wind.
***
I found myself once again in the dark void, where the only thing that could be seen was the inky blackness that stretched out as far as the eye could see. The white space that had provided me with a momentary respite from the darkness was nowhere to be seen.
At first, I was unsure if I was even moving. It was hard to tell in this abyss of darkness. Was I walking? Floating? Swimming? I couldn't quite grasp what was happening. All I knew was that I needed to find a way out, to return to my physical body and save my sister from whatever fate awaited her.
I attempted to move my body, hoping that I could somehow break free from this limbo-like state. To my surprise, I found that I could move, but only slightly. It was a slow and sluggish movement, as if I were submerged in a thick, viscous liquid. It was like trying to swim through mud. Every stroke of my arms and legs felt like it took immense effort. It was as if my body was weighed down by some invisible force, making it difficult to even lift my arms and legs. I wonder if this was what it felt like to be trapped in quicksand?
Despite this, I tried to swim with all my might. I knew that time was running out, and that I had to reach my body before it was too late. The thought of my sister's fate propelled me forward, pushing me to keep moving even when every fiber of my being screamed to give up.
The darkness seemed never-ending, and every stroke felt like it brought me no closer to my goal. But still, I persisted. I couldn't let my sister down. I couldn't fail her.