In the infinite cosmos, a fierce battle raged between two mighty beings. Their rivalry was ancient and had its origins, as it so often does, in a bar brawl over a woman. At this meeting, their powers collided once again.
"Do you dare to stand in my way?" resounded a majestic voice.
"Your existence is simply unbearable! How could I not?" it retorted cynically.
A thunderous rumble permeated the universe as their cosmic energies raged around them. Tremendous shockwaves traversed space, and even the stars seemed to tremble. On Earth, a young man named Ethan went about his usual life. The sun shone brightly in the sky as he joyfully bought a gift for his beloved grandma. A smile adorned his face as he told his girlfriend, Mia, about it over the phone.
"Mia, you won't believe what I found for Grandma! It's the perfect birthday gift! I can't wait to give it to her!"
"That sounds wonderful! She will surely love it. What did you get her?" Mia replied cheerfully.
Suddenly, a deafening crash erupted. The earth trembled violently, and chaos ensued.
"What is that?!" Ethan exclaimed.
"What's going on?" Mia asked, concerned.
Before he could react, the building next to him collapsed, and Ethan was hit by falling debris. Slowly, the world around him blurred, and he lost consciousness.
When Ethan regained consciousness, he found himself in a mysterious and majestic hall, surrounded by a multitude of other souls. Confused and disoriented, he tried to grasp what had happened. The memories of his life were still fresh, and the sudden transition to this unknown environment, surrounded by beings he could identify as spirits, deeply bewildered him. The surrounding souls were no better off. Some tried to recall how they had arrived there, while others still struggled with the shock of death.
A being, half human and half horse, who did not attempt to conceal his divine presence, rose before them. Impatiently, he scanned his gaze over the souls, seemingly waiting for something.
"I am Adelos, a being of unparalleled power," he proclaimed once the last soul had awakened. His voice was filled with authority, underscoring everything he said.
"You have been granted a second chance."
"A rebirth."
"In a new and better world."
"By me."
"My congratulations to you."
"As you humans say, reincarnation is fun."
„And as I am in a good mood today, I will even assist you in being reborn as young individuals, with your whole lives ahead of you."
He paused.
"Technically, the host is deceased, so expect unexpected complications." He chuckled as if he had made an amusing remark.
"But do not expect any further help or a third chance. We are even after this."
Some souls reacted angrily to the euphemistic term "second chance," as it meant the loss of their previous lives, their friends, their loved ones, and their existence. It was difficult to accept that they were now being reborn in a different world, without knowing what to expect.
"What awaits us?"
"Who are you, anyway?"
"Will we get superpowers?"
"Can we return to Earth?"
"Can we erase my internet history?"
"What the hell?"
"Are those who have passed before us there, and if so, how do I find my wife?"
"..."
Ethan still felt confusion and fear, but he tried to calm himself and analyze the words of the being. What exactly did he mean by "we are even"? Did he owe them something?
"After the rebirth, you will be on your own, and your destiny will be entirely in your own hands."
While he resumed boasting of his generosity, Ethan pondered the impending rebirth, uncertain of what awaited him. Souls, superhuman beings, and reincarnation—his worldview was shaken. Time passed in the hall, and the souls began to talk among themselves. Some were curious about what awaited them, while others remained confused and fearful.
"Where do you think we will be reborn?" a voice from the crowd asked.
"Perhaps in a world full of magic or the supernatural in general, and don't dismiss the idea right away, look around you, a centaur is telling you that he will revive you." speculated another.
"Maybe in a highly technological society where we can have superpowers."
"It already sounds more exciting than Earth."
Ethan listened to the conversations, but his mind was still haunted by the encounter with the being and the cosmic powers. He wondered how he would deal with all of this. As the souls gradually calmed down and the excitement subsided, he decided to ask a question.
"Adelos, you have given us a second chance, but what do you expect from us?"
The being turned to him, and his gaze pierced Ethan.
"Expect?"
"From you?"
He rolled his eyes.
"Little one, there is nothing you have or will have that is of the slightest interest to me. If you survive long enough, you will understand the absurdity of this question."
"Live your life; it will already be a challenge, and most of you will fail." He grinned maliciously at Ethan.
"Besides, I may not be entirely innocent of your demise, so you only get what I owe you, no more and no less. I think that also answers whether the people who died before you are there as well. No, they are not."
Ethan nodded, the mood shifted, and the euphoria that had slowly built up after the initial shock quickly faded after this revelation. The hint that the centaur had dropped—that their host had died and that there was undoubtedly a reason for it—came back to them. First, they had to figure that out and then survive.
Time in the hall passed quickly as they exchanged ideas on how they might meet and help each other, but Adelos quickly grew bored and announced that it was time for the rebirth.
"Oh yes, since I know what social creatures you humans are, I have a parting gift for you. Should you encounter one of your kind and contribute to their demise, your powers will be strengthened, depending on how powerful your fellow human was." Again, Adelos grinned maliciously.
With just one sentence, he shattered the hope that they would help each other.
Each of them was alone.
The souls were drawn into a vortex of cosmic energies, and each of them disappeared in a dazzling light.
As Ethan lost himself in this light, he felt a mixture of fear and excitement.