For what felt like an eternity, there was nothing.
No pain, no sound, no sensation.
Ryan floated in an endless void, weightless, his consciousness adrift.
He had always wondered what death would feel like, and now he knew. I
t wasn't the end. It was the beginning of something else.
Light pierced the darkness, a brilliant glow that enveloped him in warmth.
Slowly, he became aware of his body again, though it felt different—lighter, free of the pain and fatigue that had once consumed him.
He wasn't lying on the battlefield anymore. He was… somewhere else.
The light grew brighter, and as his vision cleared, Ryan found himself standing in a vast, ethereal landscape.
The ground beneath his feet was made of shimmering silver, soft as velvet, and the sky above was a swirling expanse of gold and violet, filled with stars that glittered like diamonds.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen, a place beyond comprehension.
"Where… am I?" Ryan murmured, his voice echoing in the vastness.
Gentle laughter fills the air.
Ryan could hear masculine laughter and even some feminine laughter as well.
"You are in the Divine Realm," a voice answered, soft yet powerful, like the hum of an ancient storm.
Ryan turned, his breath catching in his throat as he saw them—giant beings that were shrouded in light.
They stood in a semi-circle before him, beings of pure, radiant energy, their forms shifting between human and divine.
Each one was more magnificent than the last, their presence overwhelming, filling the space with a sense of awe and reverence.
At the center of the group stood a tall figure with flowing silver hair and eyes that glowed with the light of a thousand suns.
She wore a robe of golden light, her expression serene and wise.
"You have been chosen, Sergeant Ryan Mitchell," she said, her voice echoing through the realm. "Your sacrifice on the battlefield has earned you a place in the halls of the gods."
Ryan blinked, trying to process her words. "I… I'm dead, aren't I?"
The goddess nodded. "Your mortal life has ended, yes. But your journey is far from over."
Ryan's mind raced, struggling to make sense of it all.
He had been on the battlefield just moments ago, fighting for his life.
And now he was standing in front of gods?
It didn't make any sense.
"I don't understand," he said, his voice hoarse. "Why me? Why am I here?"
The goddess smiled gently.
"Your actions in life, your courage, your selflessness—they have marked you for something greater. The moment you gave your life to save another, you transcended the boundaries of mortality. And now, you stand at the threshold of a new destiny."
Ryan shook his head, still reeling from the enormity of it all.
"What destiny? I'm a soldier. I was just doing my job."
The goddess's eyes softened.
"You are more than just a soldier, Ryan. You are a protector, a leader, a soul destined for greatness. And now, we offer you a choice."
"A choice?" Ryan echoed, unsure if he was ready to hear what came next.
"Yes," another voice said, this one belonging to a god with fiery red hair and eyes like molten lava.
He stepped forward, his presence radiating power and intensity. "You had my blessing and never knew it. I am the god of war."
Ryan's heart begin to pound. It was like his soul was being drawn to this god with the red hair compared to the other deities.
"Your choices are, remain here, in the Divine Realm, where you will find peace and eternal rest. Or…"
"Or?" Ryan asked, his heart pounding.
The fiery god smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Or, you can be reborn into a new world—one filled with magic, monsters, and kingdoms in need of a warrior like you."
"A new world?" Ryan frowned. "You're talking about reincarnation?"
"Precisely," the goddess said.
"But not just any reincarnation. You would be sent to the kingdom of Eldoria. This world you'll go to is unlike your own. The fate of kingdoms rests on the edge of a sword and politics. A world where your skills as a soldier will be needed once again."
Ryan's mind spun at the idea.
He had always been a man of action, someone who thrived in the chaos
Ryan's mind struggled to wrap itself around the words he was hearing.
A second life?
In another world?
His heart raced with questions, but the stillness of the divine figures around him—each radiant and serene—made it hard to form his thoughts into words.
His gaze drifted upward toward the swirling heavens, where constellations burned in unfamiliar patterns.
"What's Eldoria?" he asked, his voice hesitant. "Why me?"
The goddess with silver hair—the one who had spoken first—stepped forward.
Her robe seemed to shimmer and shift with every movement, like sunlight on the surface of a calm sea.
She extended her hand, and an image formed between her fingers: a vast world, filled with towering mountains, lush forests, and glowing cities.
Magic coursed through its landscape like veins of fire, visible even from afar.
The sight took Ryan's breath away.
"This is Eldoria," she said softly. "A realm of wonder and peril. And this is a world where magic flows through every living thing, and where kingdoms rise and fall in the blink of an eye. But lately, darkness has crept into its heart. An ancient evil has begun to stir, threatening to plunge the land into chaos."
Ryan took a deep breath, trying to comprehend what he was being shown.
"I'm just a soldier. I'm not a hero from some fairy tale. What do I know about magic and… kingdoms?"
The fiery-haired god with molten eyes let out a booming laugh.
"You know more than you think, Sergeant! You've led men into battle, faced impossible odds, and made the ultimate sacrifice. If that's not a hero, then what is?"
The goddess smiled gently.
"Your experience as a soldier makes you uniquely suited to face what lies ahead. Eldoria is a world in need of strength and wisdom—both of which you possess. But, rest assured, you won't be going into this new life unprepared."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Another figure stepped forward—a god with eyes like swirling galaxies, his skin dark as the night sky.
His voice was soft, yet it seemed to vibrate with the hum of the universe itself.
"Before your rebirth, we will grant you certain… gifts. Abilities beyond those you possessed in your mortal life. Magic, power, and the knowledge to wield them. You will be reborn not as a common man, but as a force of change."