I stared at the blue light with a blank expression and slowly pressed the button labeled "Yes." The light vanished abruptly, and the void around me began to shudder and tear apart. As my consciousness faded away, what seemed like eons passed in mere hours. When my eyes finally fluttered open, I was greeted by light filtering through trees, though everything was shrouded in mist, making it hard to see clearly.
I looked at my hands, wondering if this was a dream, a hallucination, or perhaps high-level spatial magic. However, I knew that spatial magic required immense mana and a vivid imagination to perform, so I pushed the thought aside. Standing up, I felt dizzy and my legs wobbled beneath me. As I surveyed my surroundings, I found myself in a grassy plain encircled by trees. When I glanced up at the sky, I saw a godly figure with angelic wings. Was this the afterlife? But it all felt too real.
As my mind raced with meaningless thoughts, the figure spoke in a strange yet calming voice that sounded like a thousand voices speaking in unison, "Mortal, don't fret."
Shocked by its ability to speak in such a manner, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Nervously, I asked, "W-who are you?"
The figure responded with the same voice, "Azrael."
I stared in shock. "Azrael? The archangel of death?!"
The figure continued, "Mortal, you might wonder where you are. You are in the Plain of Rebirth. Your soul is being judged by the Twelfth Wheel of Life."
I looked down at my hands, confusion and curiosity battling within me. "What judge? For what?"
The figure replied, "For what you did and have done in your past life."
I looked back at the figure, examining its form, still in shock. "Then, what will happen after the judgment is finished?"
The figure responded, "It depends on your soul, whether you did great or terrible deeds. But it doesn't matter if you were good or bad; you will still reincarnate in a new world. It might be better than your past one, or perhaps the same. Fate is both fair and unfair."
I replied with a hint of shock and nervousness, "Reincarnation? So, you're saying that no matter what my soul did, I will still be reincarnated in a new world?"
The figure nodded. "Yes, no matter what you've done, you will still reincarnate. But it all depends on fate. Not even the gods or the judges know what will happen. The judge merely determines if you are worthy of a reward, and that reward is whether you reincarnate with your memories intact or without them."
We spoke for a while longer before a blue, ominous light pierced through the grass. The sky cracked open, revealing an ominous void. Azrael suddenly spoke. "Ah, it seems the time has come. Don't fret. The judge has finished the judgment. Now it is your turn. I hope you receive a good fate, else good luck." The figure chuckled before dissipating into pure mana that scattered through the mist.
From the cracked sky, strange figures that looked human but with wings descended, staring deeply into me. One of them spoke in a deep, resonant voice, "Mortal, we have received the judgment." The figure unsheathed its sword, emanating bloodlust.
I stared in shock, realizing that this figure intended to kill me. Desperation and fear surged through me as I backed away, trying to find any escape. "W-why?"
The winged figure stepped closer, its eyes piercing into mine. "Your deeds were weighed, and your fate has been decided. Prepare yourself."
I took a deep breath, my mind racing. If reincarnation was my fate, then this death was merely a passage. Summoning whatever courage I had left, I stood my ground. I tried to use my mana but, to my surprise, I couldn't conjure any. I looked at my hand in shock, then back at the figure who was now approaching me.
In a state of fear, I tried to run but failed as the figure cast a blunt arrow-like spell that pierced through my leg. I howled in pain, tears streaming down my cheeks, my heart pounding with adrenaline. My head was in a frenzy as I stared at the figure, knowing this was my end.