A boundless room of radiant white light with no discernible way to tell up from down or right from left was where Malcolm had found himself. Looking around the limitless white void, he tried to find something to focus on, something he could single out. However, his scan around the area bore no fruit as he then attempted to look down at his hands, but much to his horror and dismay, he could not see nor feel his body, let alone his hands. His mind raced to all the possibilities of what kind of predicament he found himself in. Was it because he had doubts in his faith? Was he truly being punished for that? Fear took over his mind, causing him to try and scream, but with no mouth to use, there was no sound to be made.

“Fear not, child; you are free of any previous worry or plight.”

“For your life is over…”

A strange voice with a benevolent tone echoed out to him from all around. Before his very own consciousness, a woman draped in white cloth of the highest grade material with gold accents appeared. Her skin was pale yet glowing, anchored by her irises that weren’t limited by one color like all mortals were. Her hair was a silvery white with lilac tips to go with the aforementioned silky gown that encased her body.

“Impossible… She must be a god.”

“There’s no way a human could step into this realm of beauty without punishment.”

As Malcolm’s body began to materialize, it was as if his mind could not contain his thoughts but instead spilled out his newly formed mouth.

“Hehe.. aren’t you quite the charismatic boy?”

“Although one thing I must correct you on is that I am a goddess, not a god, okay?”

“In fact, I am the goddess of reincarnation, Perse.”

Perse giggled at Malcolm’s comments before playfully correcting him on how to properly address her. Malcolm bowed his head and tried to apologize before being stopped by the higher being.

“Please don’t do that. I’m not good with sorrow and apologies, plus we have limited time here, you know.”

“Ah, wait, you probably don’t. I’m sorry. Let me explain.”

“As I said earlier, I am Perse, the Goddess of Reincarnation, and you Malcolm Brown have been chosen to be reincarnated due to how you managed to stay pure and just in spite of the hard life you were given.”

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Trying to follow the current events of this whole ordeal, Malcolm simply nodded his head while she spoke. Until he suddenly remembered the people he would be leaving behind if he were to simply agree.

“NO.. I mean, no, I don’t want to leave my mother and sister behind; I don’t want to leave behind my family…not yet.”

Taken aback Perse took a second before placing her hand on his head.

“I’m sorry, but your life in that world is over, like I said before.”

“I’m sorry for everything, and I’m sorry that you had to endure all that without a single break.”

The goddess’s eyes started to welt up with tears before she wiped them away with her free hand.

“I hate to see my children suffer… I wish there was more I could do as a goddess, but even so, there is not much I can offer in that aspect.”

“I’m sorry…”

Malcolm looked up at the goddess, now understanding that any further demands of that vain would only be pointless and selfish.

“See, I told you I was bad with sorrow.”

“And you made me apologize four times on top of that!”

Trying to lighten the mood, Perse opted for a humorous response to Malcolm’s saddening gaze. Removing her hand from Malcolm’s head, she smacked her face softly, regaining her composure.

“Now, like I said, we only have so much time, so I’ll be quick.”

“What would be your ideal world to live in?”

So much for being quick when asking such a lofty question, Malcolm thought. An ideal world that he wished to live in, a question that he had honestly thought of before. Thinking back on all his past struggles and hardships, he singled out one singular commonality behind each event.

“I wish to live in a world free of racial prejudice.”

“If that’s possible at all.”

Experiencing firsthand the violence and depravity that came along with such hate, there was no way Malcolm could ever knowingly choose to live in a world like that again.

“Consider it done!”

Smiling, the goddess quickly replied much to Malcolm’s surprise. Before he could ask, ‘Just like that?’ Perse asked another question.

“Okay, and what kind of world would it be?”

“A cyberpunk-style utopia? or perhaps a 21st-century styled world that you’d be more familiar with?”

Having already made such an outlandish wish, Malcolm hesitated before answering this question, eventually deciding there was no other time or place he could ever ask for such a thing.

“Is it possible for it to be a world of magic and monsters?”

Looking away from Perse out of embarrassment, Malcolm recalled the books he used to read as a kid. While reality was cruel and seemed to take every opportunity to knock him down even lower than he already was, fiction was always there for him. Finding a momentary escape from the real-world monsters he was battling every day, replacing them with dragons to defeat and dungeons to explore. A world of fantasy was his only solace in a life of misery.

Smiling ear to ear Perse proudly announced that such a thing was also in her power to grant to him.

“Of course it can be; in fact, those worlds are my favorites to watch over and meddle with!”

“Not that I have much power to meddle though.”

“Now my last question: Is there anything you wish to have in this world? Like.. hmm, I don’t know a phone maybe? OR OOH, a cheat skill maybe!!”

Excited by what Malcolm could possibly wish for, she not so patiently waited for his response.

“No, nothing like that.”

“All I truly want is just enough strength to protect those I hold dear no matter what.”

“And..my memories. I don’t want to forget who I was or any of the people I treasured in that life.”

“However, I don’t want to be bogged down by the pains of my past.”

Smiling once more Perse closed her eyes, bringing her hands closer together as if she were to clap.

“What a fine wish indeed, and as for your memories, as you grow older, you will remember more of your past life.”

“Does that sound good to you?”

Nodding his head, Malcolm tearfully thanked the goddess while bowing.

“Good luck in your new life, Malcolm.”

“Or should I say Killian?”

“Hehehe.”

Her laugh echoed through Malcolm’s mind, following her palms connecting and making a loud clap. Whisking away the liminal white space like an old TV shutting off.