Dark, cold, and silent. That's what a man lying stiff with pale skin like a corpse is feeling right now.
"Tobias ...."
Instantly, the eyes opened. The man called Tobias could feel his heart beating faster than usual. His hands moved hesitantly and were immediately surprised when they touched the icy cold stone floor. He quickly stood up with a gasp and eyes scanning the surroundings. Unfortunately, only darkness was visible.
"Tobias Flame."
"Who are you? Show yourself, coward!"
Instantly, Tobias's anger disappeared. He had never felt fear in his entire life. However, the figure that suddenly appeared in front of him was as huge as a mountain with an aura that radiated pain. He could feel his body suddenly shiver until his teeth were grinding together.
"Who are you?" he asked, stammering from the cold.
It was as if the happiness and pleasure he had once had while living on Earth vanished in front of that black, faceless figure. His body was like black smoke. He could not be touched or breathed in, but the evil aura within him could be felt.
"Tobias Flame. I'm giving you one chance to atone for all your sins on Earth. I release you from the torments of hell while you fulfill my mission. Refuse, and I'll throw you back into Hell to continue your torment."
Instantly, Tobias' eyes widened. His memories of the torments of hell returned. His body suddenly shook violently from the fear that crashed into his soul.
"Argh! No! Stop it! Stop!" he shouted suddenly until every muscle in his body was exposed.
He could see the whip of a butcher in hell tearing into his body. With a single stroke, the stocky body was cut into several pieces. He could still feel the pain because his soul resided in his body, deliberately not released like a simple death at death.
When he felt the pain, his body was put back together. However, the whip came back and made Tobias feel the agony again for repeated times as if there was no time to breathe.
"No! Please, forgive me... forgive me," he pleaded with his helpless body. Crying, without the ego and arrogance he had always prided himself on as a criminal. "Hah, hah, hah!"
"Listen carefully, Tobias. A chance to keep you from returning to the torture chamber. Will you accept my mission?"
"Yes, yes, I accept! I accept!" he shouted desperately, panting.
He could still feel the horror of seeing his hand cut off and twitching. His leg was also throbbing. But when Tobias saw that his legs and hands were still attached and intact, he was relieved. Only there was something wrong with his body. It was transparent and not solid because it looked like smoke. He had become a ghost!
"What's going on?" he asked in confusion when realized that his feet weren't on the stone floor. He was floating!
"You're dead, and you know it, Tobias."
Tobias nodded in affirmation. He vividly remembered the moment of his death. Fear and not wanting to leave his loved ones behind, made his heart sad. Although he was a man known for his cruelty, at the end of his life, he felt happiness. Having a daughter and marrying the woman he should have killed. However, fate changed his life. He became a good man for a moment before death took him.
"Don't get caught up in the past. I'll bring back your memories of your life so you can feel human again. All the people you care about are dead. You will never see them again."
Tobias was silent. He knew that. "Okay. Then... what mission do I have to do to keep from going back to that damn hell?"
Suddenly, a puff of black smoke surrounded Tobias' spirit. The man whose body was once covered in tattoos panicked. Darkness enveloped him again until suddenly, there was a faint light in the distance. Tobias rushed to the light because he felt warmth and peace.
"Whoa!"
"Welcome back to Earth, Tobias Flame. The world has changed. The reason I resurrected you to make changes is a man named Max Gordon."
"I'm listening," Tobias replied firmly even though he didn't see Death.
He was now in a shanty town with people who looked like thugs. His eyes stared at the people who walked through his body like they didn't see him. Tobias felt like a ghost among the humans.
"Max Gordon lives in this town. A town of outcasts."
"City of Trash," Tobias muttered as he spotted a monument that stood out among the other buildings and read, City of Trash.
"You're observant. Look for Max Gordon. He's the only man who can save the city and the people of this place so they can live a decent life like the rest of the world."
"Oh! You mean, not all cities and people are bad like this place?"
"Yes."
"Haha! This is easy! I'll make Max Gordon the number one, unrivaled, greatest, strongest and most powerful man on Earth!" Tobias exclaimed happily.
"Huh, is that so? All right then. I'll give you a clue to find Max Gordon."
"I'm ready!" replied Tobias confidently as he looked around enthusiastically.
"He's the baddest man in town. Good luck."
"What! Is that all? Hey! Hey!" Tobias shouted, causing him to panic instantly. "Arg, shit!"
As Tobias scratched his head, he felt something strange.
"What the hell? Why do I have antennae on my head? And... and... oh, shit! I'm turning into a cockroach!"
Tobias screamed in panic. He saw himself turn into a cockroach as a shard of mirror was right in front of him. The panicked Tobias ran back and forth without direction.
"Disgusting! Why does it have to be a cockroach! I hate them the most!" he shouted angrily as he continued to run.
Until suddenly, "Hey!"
Tobias swiftly dodged. He was almost trampled by a drunk man who was staggering.
"Shit! Shit! I hate cockroaches!" he shouted angrily for the umpteenth time.
However, it wouldn't change anything. Not wanting to be stepped on, he quickly moved out of the way and hid behind a discarded cardboard box.
"Cockroach... cockroach... damn it! I can't remember what this ugly animal is capable of. What can it do?" he asked irritably as he looked at his two hands that had turned brown and had sharp serrations. "Oh, wings!"
Tobias tried to move his wings. He moved and focused on his back.
"Come on, come on, fly! Fly!" Instantly, "Hahaha! Yes! That's right! I'm great!"
Tobias laughed happily as he managed to flap his wings and fly. However, he had to adapt quickly to his new body and abilities. As Tobias learned to fly inside the cardboard box, he suddenly felt something approaching him.
"Oh, shit!" he screeched with bulging eyes as he saw a mouse aiming at him from the top of the cardboard box.