In a dark, silent place, a young man opened his eyes as if awakening from a long, heavy sleep. The first thing he noticed was the strange surroundings. He rose to his feet, looking around in bewilderment. There were no familiar landmarks, only an oppressive, suffocating darkness.
«Where am I? Why do my memories feel like they're shrouded in fog? Was I kidnapped? Drugged?» he muttered, clutching his head with his hands.
Attempts to recall anything only intensified the agonizing headache. All he could remember was his name. Everything else—fragments of his life, faces of loved ones, events—were lost in an impenetrable haze. He asked himself:
«Why can't I remember anything?»
The internal struggle with his own memory drained him, but he decided to focus on understanding where he was. Looking around, he saw only endless darkness. It seemed to surround him, yet at the same time, the place felt inexplicably bright. With no other options or answers, he resolved to move forward.
Gathering his thoughts, he began to walk into the dense darkness. Yet with every step, the darkness seemed to retreat, as if avoiding him. He stopped, looking around in confusion.
«What the hell?» he murmured, noticing that the darkness behind him also withdrew when he stepped back.
Testing his theory, he realized the darkness maintained an equal distance, no matter where he stood.
«Definitely strange,» he exhaled, continuing to analyze his situation.
Understanding that the darkness seemed to be toying with him, he decided to keep moving forward. Each step felt like an eternity. Hours, maybe even days, seemed to pass in this timeless place. Strangely, he felt no hunger or thirst. This oddity only strengthened his resolve to understand what had happened to him.
After some time, he noticed a faint light ahead. It stood out sharply against the endless darkness, beckoning with its warmth. The young man hesitated, but he knew he had little choice. Maintaining his composure, he headed toward the light.
The closer he got, the brighter the glow became. When he approached close enough, he saw that the source of the light was a campfire burning in the middle of the darkness. The flames radiated warmth and peace, as if this place offered salvation. By the fire, a man sat on a log, staring into the flickering flames.
The young man slowed his steps, cautiously studying the stranger. He appeared young, perhaps the same age. As he drew closer, the stranger raised his gaze, and the young man could make out his features: dark, slicked-back hair and iridescent eyes that sparkled like gemstones.
«Hello, David. I see you took your time,» the stranger said calmly, addressing him by name.
David froze in shock. The stranger not only knew his name but spoke as though they had known each other for a long time.
«You... know me?» David asked, scrutinizing him with suspicion.
A smile appeared on the stranger's face—soft, kind, and reassuring.
«Yes and no. But first, have a seat,» he said, patting the log beside him.
David hesitated. Despite the stranger's friendly demeanor, he was reluctant to get closer. Seeing his hesitation, the stranger didn't press but kept his gentle smile.
«Don't worry, I won't bite. You need answers, right? If you want them, sit down. It'll make things easier,» he said, gesturing invitingly.
David didn't fully understand why he chose to trust this stranger, but eventually, he walked around the fire and sat beside him, hoping for answers. The stranger continued staring at the flames, seemingly unbothered by the arrival of his companion.
«So, why the silence? Don't you have any questions?» he asked, his gaze never leaving the fire.
David sighed, trying to collect his thoughts. There were too many questions, and deciding where to start was difficult. He wanted to know what this place was, who the stranger was, and why his memories were shrouded in a dense fog that caused pain whenever he tried to recall them.
«Who are you? What is this place? Why can't I remember anything, and why does trying to remember give me a headache?» David finally asked, looking at the stranger.
The man slowly shifted his gaze from the fire to meet David's eyes.
«Call me Alex. And this…» He gestured vaguely around them. «This is the place where souls go after death. A buffer zone, if that makes it clearer.»
The words hit David like a bolt of lightning. His breath caught, and he tried to process what he'd just heard: a place where the souls of the dead gather? How was that even possible?
«If I'm dead, then why can't I remember anything?» His voice trembled despite his efforts to remain composed.
Alex smirked and leisurely pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a calm precision.
«It's simple,» he began, exhaling a stream of smoke. «After death, souls forget their past lives. It's a defense mechanism—to keep them from carrying the burden of memories. But…» He paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes. «Just this once, I'll make an exception for you. Consider it a gift.»
Before David could respond, Alex reached out and tapped him lightly on the forehead. Everything happened in an instant: David's mind was flooded with memories—his entire life, from birth to death, flashed before his eyes. He sat there, stunned, tears streaming down his face in torrents.
Alex, watching him, gently patted David on the shoulder, as if to comfort him.
«You loved your mother, Gloria, didn't you?» Alex noted. «Even when you annoyed her, you were still her most cherished person.»
David struggled to regain control over his overwhelming emotions, but instead, he burst into heavier sobs.
«How will Mom cope without me? How will she survive my death?» he murmured through his tears.
Alex calmly exhaled another puff of smoke and replied, «Your mom will be fine, don't worry.»
David lifted his head, his tear-reddened eyes meeting Alex's warm gaze.
«How do you know her name?» he asked, eyeing the stranger warily.
Alex pretended to think for a moment before delivering his answer with a straight face:
«I'm your father.»
David's mind seemed to glitch. He tried to process whether he had actually heard that, but his logic immediately rejected the notion.
«That's impossible!» he replied firmly. «My father was a police officer, and you look nothing like him.»
Alex chuckled, noticing that David's tears had almost dried up.
«And do you know how much time has passed since your death?» Alex asked cryptically, neither confirming nor denying his earlier claim.
David's eyes widened as he fully grasped the reality of being dead. The flood of information overwhelmed him: the strange place, the lost memories, the enigmatic stranger named Alex who had restored his past, and then claimed to be his father. It was all so shocking that for a moment, David forgot the most obvious question.
«How much time has passed since I died? I feel like I've been here forever,» he asked, recalling how long he'd wandered in this bizarre place before meeting Alex.
Alex took another slow drag from his cigarette, exhaled the smoke through his nose, and replied,
«No more than thirty seconds.»
David frowned in confusion. To him, it felt like he had been here for hours, if not days. But what truly struck him were Alex's words about his mother.
«You said my mom's fine. How can she possibly be fine if I died just thirty seconds ago? She must be devastated, not 'fine' like you claim!» David snapped, his voice rising to a shout.
Alex calmly observed the furious David, his expression unchanging as he waited for him to finish venting. When David finally settled down, Alex spoke:
«You're right. Thirty seconds after your death, Gloria is indeed devastated and grieving. But I wasn't talking about the Gloria of now—I was referring to the Gloria who has lived through your death. For her, six months have already passed.»
David furrowed his brow even more, struggling to grasp the meaning behind Alex's words.
«What do you mean? What 'future' Gloria? What kind of nonsense is this?» he demanded irritably, trying to make sense of it all.
Alex sighed, considering how best to simplify his explanation.
«Time… it's a tricky thing to understand—» he began, but David cut him off abruptly.
«Get to the point!»
Alex's eye twitched at David's impatience. Without a word, he raised his hand and flicked David lightly on the forehead.
«Don't interrupt,» Alex said calmly.
David scowled, rubbing his reddened forehead, but fell silent, allowing Alex to continue.
«After your death, Gloria was truly broken. She was like a ghost, lost and without purpose. But one rainy day, she found a man unconscious in an alley, slumped against a wall and covered in blood. She decided to help him, brought him home, and nursed him back to health. In turn, he helped her cope with the pain of losing you. He supported her emotionally, helped with the household and finances, and, most importantly, gave her new hope. Together, they even fulfilled one of her dreams—visiting the Moon. There, she scattered your ashes so you could find peace.»
As David listened, a bittersweet feeling settled in his chest. He felt the sting of having left his mother alone but also relief that she had managed to heal. A faint, almost peaceful smile crossed his face.
«Who was this man? The one who helped her?» he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Alex's smile widened, and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
«It was me,» he said, barely suppressing a laugh. «I'm the one she found in the alley, and I helped her get through losing you. That's why I said I'm your father.»
David stared at Alex, trying to process what he'd just heard. A whirlwind of emotions flashed across his face—shock, disbelief, and outright denial.
«That's, impossible!» he finally blurted out.
«You're here, not there! Who are you? Or what are you?»
He jabbed a finger at Alex, demanding answers.
Alex calmly pushed David's finger away from his face, his faint smirk never leaving.
«You know,» Alex said with a hint of reproach, «it's rude to point fingers at someone who's generously sharing information with you. Didn't Gloria teach you any manners?»
David immediately felt awkward, sank back into his seat, and mumbled,
«Sorry.»
Alex chuckled, shaking his head slightly.
«Relax, I'm kidding. Anyway, over time, Gloria and I grew closer. We fell in love. And then, I proposed to her. Now, she's my fiancée, which technically makes me your nominal father. Life works out that way sometimes,» he explained casually, as if discussing something mundane.
David nodded, sincerely thanking Alex for helping his mother cope with the pain of loss. However, a new question nagged at him.
«Thank you for helping her recover after my death. But you said it took her six months to get better, and yet it's only been thirty seconds since I died. So how are you here? You're not dead yourself, are you?» he asked, puzzled and trying to make sense of it all.
Alex calmly took a drag from his cigarette, exhaled a stream of smoke, and replied, «You're right; I'm not dead. I simply traveled back in time to meet you.»
David's jaw dropped. He stared at Alex as if he had just claimed the Earth was flat.
«You… you traveled back in time? Just to meet me?» he managed to say, still struggling to believe his ears.
Alex smirked and shook his head slightly, amused by David's reaction.
«For any normal person, that would indeed be a shock. But yes, that's exactly what I did,» he said.
David fell silent again but soon spoke, still reeling.
«How? How can you even travel back in time? And why here?»
«First, I'm the Demon King, and for me, that's child's play,» Alex began with a sly grin. «And second, I did it so you could properly say goodbye to Gloria. Maybe tell her something important you didn't get a chance to say while you were alive. Everything I do—every single thing—is for Gloria. Her trip to the Moon, the emotional support, the care… I just can't stand to see her unhappy. That's why I'm here, talking to you now.»
Hearing this, David nearly fell off the log he was sitting on.
«You… You're a demon? Does Mom know?!» he stammered, clearly overwhelmed by the revelation.
Alex rolled his eyes and sighed.
«Of course she knows. For God's sake, did you think I'd hide my nature from the woman I love? Seriously, where do you get these ideas?»
David calmed down slightly but continued to scrutinize Alex as if searching for some telltale sign of his demonic nature.
«I don't have horns, a tail, or hooves,» Alex said dryly, rolling his eyes again. «It doesn't work that way.»
David lowered his gaze, embarrassed.
«Sorry… I just always thought demons had horns, tails… you know, and stuff like pitchforks,» he said uncertainly.
Alex sighed heavily again, lighting a fresh cigarette.
«You're not the first to think that. So just forget about it,» he replied, staring into the campfire.
David nodded, deciding not to ask further questions, though he occasionally glanced at Alex. Alex noticed his hesitation and smirked.
«If you want to ask something, just ask. Don't act like a shy virgin,» Alex said with a grin, taking a drag from his cigarette.
David flinched at Alex's remark and fell silent, pondering his question. The only one spinning in his mind concerned his fate.
«I wanted to ask… what happens to me now? Heaven or Hell? You're a demon—you must know the answer,» he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Alex didn't look away from the fire, his voice calm as he replied, «Reincarnation awaits you. To be precise, you've already been reincarnated.»
David frowned, staring at Alex in confusion.
«What do you mean, already reincarnated? We're talking here and now,» he said, trying to grasp the meaning.
«I already told you—I came back in time to speak with you. Did you forget?» Alex shot him a quick glance.
David nodded, but the questions continued to swirl in his mind.
«Yes, you said that, but what does it have to do with my reincarnation?» His voice still sounded confused.
Alex sighed heavily, realizing he'd have to explain everything from the beginning. He knew his weakness—losing patience, especially in situations where he had to repeat himself. But David wasn't just any random person, and Alex decided to give him a clear answer.
«Alright, listen carefully. Time is a line—straight, infinite. A person's soul exists along this line simultaneously. If a regular person goes back ten years in time, they can see themselves in the past. Right now, I'm talking to your past self. But your present, your future 'you,' has already been reincarnated and is living a new life somewhere else. Does that make sense?»
David slowly nodded, his face lighting up with understanding, though the concept still seemed complicated.
«So, you're talking to the past me, and the future me has already started a new life?» he clarified.
«Exactly,» Alex confirmed with a slight nod.
David sank into thought for a moment. Alex's explanation seemed simple, but at the same time, it was complex, as though it required more reflection. Alex didn't rush him, understanding that processing this kind of information wasn't easy.
«What kind of life awaits me after reincarnation?» David finally asked, pushing aside unnecessary thoughts.
«I don't know,» Alex answered honestly, his gaze returning to the fire. «But, at least, it's bound to be better than Night City.»
«Why do you think that?» David asked, surprised.
«In this universe, there's no heaven or hell. The soul simply reincarnates into another world. It could be an ordinary world, a magical world, or something entirely different. There are trillions of universes, and each one is unique,» Alex explained.
David nodded again, digesting the information.
«You said you came here for my mom. And that I should tell her what I didn't get a chance to say. How do I do that?» His voice sounded determined.
Alex pulled a small memory crystal from his inventory and tossed it to David.
«Here. Say whatever you want. This crystal will record your words and your appearance, kind of like a video. We have plenty of time,» Alex smiled, allowing himself a light joke.
David chuckled quietly, gripping the crystal tightly in his hand. But despite his confident voice, the words wouldn't come. He stared at the crystal, trying to gather his thoughts. Alex silently observed, understanding how difficult it could be to express feelings in words.
David took a deep breath, relaxed his fingers, and finally began:
«Hi, Mom. You'll probably see this after Alex gives you the crystal.»
He paused, struggling with the lump in his throat, before continuing:
«I have so much I didn't get to say. First—thank you for everything you did for me. For your sleepless nights, for every minute you gave me, even when you were at your limit. I'm sorry for all the words that hurt you, and for all the problems I caused.»
David's eyes reddened, but he held back his tears, trying to finish his speech.
Alex noticed how David was struggling to hold back tears, but he didn't intervene. He just continued silently watching the fire, listening to the words of the young man who was saying his final goodbyes to Gloria.
David first sincerely thanked his mother for her care, then apologized for his mistakes. Gradually, his mood lightened, and he even started joking, recalling his first impressions of meeting Alex in this strange place. Smiling, he reminisced, describing them with warmth.
«And lastly, Mom,» he concluded, smiling, «I'm glad you found happiness after Dad and I were gone. I hope you'll live a happy life. And I'm not against you marrying again. Remember how much I love you and how grateful I am for everything you did for me. Please, live happily.»
Finishing his message, David once again tightly gripped the memory crystal in his hand. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his fingers and handed the crystal to Alex.
«Thank you for giving me the chance to say goodbye,» he said, his voice sounding relieved.
«Don't mention it,» Alex replied, putting the crystal away in his inventory. «You're… almost like a son to me. If this world had a proper reincarnation system, I'd bring you back. But, alas, that's impossible.»
«You can resurrect people? Then why can't you bring me back?» David asked, staring at Alex's face in surprise.
«I can,» Alex replied with a heavy sigh. «But everything has consequences. If I bring you back, it will disrupt the timeline, affect the future of your reincarnation, and might even cause the destruction of not just this reality, but the entire tree of time.»
David thought for a moment, then nodded, accepting the explanation.
«It's fine. You said I've already reincarnated, so it's okay. And my mom won't blame you,» he said softly, trying to reassure Alex.
Alex merely smiled and decided to change the subject. He began talking about Gloria's life after David's death, about her joys and struggles. When the conversation shifted to the robo-dog named G.I.R., David became intrigued. Alex explained that G.I.R. was initially created to protect Gloria, but over time, it had turned into a strange creature with an unexpected personality. To entertain David, Alex shared some funny moments with G.I.R., carefully avoiding any explanations about the mysterious «Emperor» that the robot worshipped.
As they shared stories, David's hand began to turn transparent.
«What's happening to me?» he asked, looking at his fingers with concern.
«Your time is up,» Alex explained calmly. «I've kept you here longer than I should have.»
David sighed, realizing the inevitability of the situation. He looked at Alex but couldn't find the words to express everything he was feeling. Instead, he simply smiled, understanding that this was their farewell.
«See you, David,» Alex said with a mysterious smile, watching as David slowly faded away.
«What?» David began to speak, but his words were cut off as his form completely dissolved.
The last thing he saw was Alex's enigmatic smile. Then, the world around him plunged into darkness.
Alex chuckled at David's reaction and pulled a small glowing orb from his pocket. He had taken a fragment of David's soul as soon as he had the chance. All of this was done to ensure that he could find David again in the future.
Alex was selfish, and if he couldn't resurrect David, he would simply find him. All he needed was a fragment of David's soul and to create an object that would help track the soul across countless worlds.
For Alex, the first goal was for David to say his goodbyes, and the second was to take a piece of his soul for future searching. Alex smiled as he looked at the fragment of David's soul and pulled a small box from his inventory to place it inside.
«If I can't resurrect you, I'll find you, wherever you are,» Alex muttered, placing the orb inside the tiny box and returning it to his inventory.
His gaze drifted over the quiet space once more. He sighed, and beneath his feet, a magical circle began to glow. His expression became serious.
«It's time to return.»
With his disappearance, the silence enveloped the secluded space once more. Only the echo of their brief meeting remained, now an eternal memory.
To be continued...