I walked across the vine bridge, the eerie black vines twisting under my feet, leading me toward the tiny lights ahead. As I got closer, I realized the light wasn't coming from stars or anything ethereal, but from a small lamp perched on a large wooden desk. The desk was cluttered with papers, all scattered in disarray. Behind it, a skeleton draped in a dark hood sat scribbling furiously with a feather pen. His bony hands moved quickly, almost mechanical in nature, and his hollow eye sockets were like black voids.
My heart—or whatever I had now—skipped a beat. It hit me instantly—this was the Grim Reaper. Not the kind you'd expect from the cheerful skeletons on the other side, but the kind from horror movies I'd watched as a kid. The ones that always gave me nightmares. And now, there was one sitting right in front of me.
Before I could say anything, the skeleton's croaky, old voice cut through the silence.
"Name?" The Reaper's hollow eye sockets turned toward me, his stare piercing through whatever fear I had left.
"I-Ivab... Ivan Villar," I answered, my voice shaking. I didn't know why I blurted it out so quickly—maybe fear, maybe habit.
"Former occupation?" the Reaper asked, his voice cold and indifferent.
"I... I was a part-timer," I stammered.
The Reaper paused for a moment, then muttered under his breath, "Sure, sure... a part timer." He scribbled something down on one of the papers. For some reason, the sound of his pen scratching the paper made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, like this piece of paper could seal my fate.
"Name: Ivan Villar. Former occupation: Part timer. Special Admission: ??? Karma acquired: 10,000 (High)... qualified to enter the Reincarnation cycle," he droned, still looking at the paper as if it held the secrets to my future.
"Reinca—"
"Take this and pass through the door," he cut me off, flicking a blank paper toward me. It floated through the air like a leaf before landing in my hand.
I looked down at the paper—completely blank. "This guy has got to be messing with me," I thought. But before I could say anything, I noticed there was no door.
"Uh... sir, there's no door here," I said, glancing around. The Grim Reaper seemed as detached from reality as I felt.
The Reaper didn't respond. He just lifted a bony finger and pointed to his right. Suddenly, an arched white door, covered in dark vines, appeared out of nowhere, glowing as if it led straight to Heaven... or Hell.
"Now scram. I'm busy," the Reaper growled, waving me off.
I didn't need to be told twice. Clutching the blank paper, I made my way to the door, not looking back.
***
The door opened, and I found myself standing on the edge of an enormous, flowing river. It wasn't just any river; it was alive, filled with countless shifting images that changed constantly—people, places, entire worlds flashing before my eyes. It was hypnotic, drawing me closer like a siren's song. The landscape was flat, endless, and gray. No trees, no mountains, just this massive river winding through the desolate land.
"Line up!" a booming voice rang out behind me, startling me.
"I said… LINE UP!" Suddenly, I felt a massive force slam into me. A punch to the back of my head sent me flying, tumbling through the dirt for what felt like a dozen meters.
I staggered to my feet, my head spinning. The blow should've hurt more, but somehow it didn't. Was that part of being dead? I shook off the dizziness and turned to see who had hit me.
It was a giant—almost sixteen feet tall—dressed in black plate armor with a conical helm. Two twisted horns jutted out from his helmet, and a white whirlwind symbol was etched into his chest plate. He looked like something out of a nightmare—a demon.
"Stand up and wait in line," the demon growled, glaring at me with eyes that promised pain if I disobeyed.
I quickly scanned the area and spotted an endless line of gray, faceless figures stretching toward the river. Resigned, I jogged over and took my place, muttering under my breath, "Great, a line. Just what I needed in the afterlife."
The demon gave me a final nod before turning and walking away, his heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
I couldn't help but overhear him muttering, "Last year, a powerful soul jumped into the Reincarnation River… extinguished in minutes."
Fantastic. So much for a peaceful afterlife.
Time passed—or at least I think it did. I had no idea anymore. I started losing track of everything—my name, my age. It all felt like a distant memory, slipping away as I inched closer to the river.
But then everything changed.
*BOOM!*
An explosion rocked the ground beneath me, snapping me out of my daze. The earth trembled violently, like it was about to crack open.
*BOOM!*
Another explosion, closer this time. Panic surged through me as the silhouettes around me started to fade, like smoke in the wind.
"Odin! I demand you give her back to me!" A voice thundered from all around, vibrating in the very air.
"Hades, go back! This is not Valhalla!" Another voice, just as powerful, responded. "I won't repeat myself."
Odin… Hades…? The names swirled in my head, but I couldn't focus. The earth beneath me was quaking, and my instincts screamed at me to run. I had to get out.
Without thinking, I bolted toward the Reincarnation River. No one was guarding it.
*BOOM*
The last explosion shook me to my core, but it was the push I needed. With one final burst of energy, I leaped into the river.
The last thing I heard was a desperate shout before my consciousness faded away