(Matthew POV)

Everything was dark was... nothing. That's all i could think of to explain it. There was not light or darkness. I couldn't think straight either. My mind felt merky. With the few stray clear thoughts i had. I noticed, i could not see when tried to open my eyes. Nor could i hear, smell, or feel anything. It was a surreal experience for me. 

 I did not know how long i was stuck like this.  It felt like years. Random thoughts ran amuck in my head. 'Was i dead?' 'Would my life had been better if i was female?' ' Did i want to be a girl?'  'No... i would miss my "buddy" to much. And I'm not into dudes' 'So maybe a lesbian futa?' '...No i have too much male pride' ' I want cheesecake... F*CK YOU DEATH! I WANT MY CAKE!' 

The few clear and none supratik thoughts were more composed. They helped me deal with whatever was happening to me. 'So I'm most likely dead' 'I am thankful I did not die a virgin' 'I hope my mom is okay' 'She did have life insurance on me, so she should be' 'So... no angels singing my name. And no demons trying to eat my soul.' 'So there is not a heaven or hell. Just nothing...'

As time went by. The clear thoughts i had became less frequent. And the random thoughts of anger, what could,  how could, and desire filled  my being. With those thoughts in mind i started to notice i was breaking. That i was losing myself. So i did what i thought would help me.

'I am Matthew Gillespie'

'I am Matthew Gillespie'

'I am Matthew Gill... Gill...'

As even more time went on my last name became very hard for me to remember. But none the less. With every clear thought i had. I would try my best to remember and state my first and last name. I did not want to lose myself. I had no idea why i did not. I was smart but not the smartest. I was not a good guy, but i wasn't a bad one either. I was a okay guy. At least i felt so. ... When i thought about it. I felt if i was to lose myself. It would be all over...

(Narrator POV)

"Time" continued to pass as Matthew struggled to keep the last bits of his self awareness in tack. His struggle did not go unnoticed though. He was being watch. The entity that was watching him found it interesting and amusing that he was trying so hard to keep his self-awareness. Especially considering where they were. And if on a whim. It decided to act. It decided to interact with him.

This was when things went F.U.B.A.R.

(Matthew POV)

As i continued my relentless struggle to keep myself... myself. I started to notice gaps in my memory. While there were many things i would like to forget. There were also many things i did not want to forget. Two of those "things" being my mother and grandmother. While my mother wasn't "the" best mom. She was nowhere near the worst. Infact i thought she was in the top ten for best moms. The same could be said for my deceased grandmother.  Without them, i would have not had the okay life i once did. I was blessed with them. And those memories of them, is something I REFUSE TO LOSE!

I will struggle for those memories until my very soul was destroyed. Or at least i would have. It was so sudden. I honestly can't find the correct words to describe what happen next. It was like a 100 ton veil was lifted from my face and body. I could think straight once again. I COULD SEE! And what i saw left me stunned. It was like a living painting. All around me i was surrounded by white. All around me i was surrounded by black circles, of different sizes and  shapes. It reminded me of a star filled sky. Viewed in a negative spectrum of color. When i took a closer look to one of the big marble like circles. What i saw was breathtaking. Within one of these marble was an assortment of colors. That's not all. To me it look like a picture of a galaxy. Not just one,  but many. I had no idea what to make of this.

(Narrator POV)

As Matthew gazed at the "marbles" in amaze and wonder. The entity that was watching him, gazed with him. It also found the "marble's" breathtaking. Even though it had seen them many times before. The entity also found amusement in Matthew's bewilderment. But as they say. All good things must  come to an end. So with a giggle of amusemeant. It spoke to him.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

The sudden voice startled Matthew. He turned about to find the speaker. What he saw...

(Matthew POV)

I heard a voice. It sounded so pretty? No, beautiful. It startled... err... put me on alert. As i tried to look around me. I noticed that my vision was clearer than it was ever before. That i could make out many things around me. One of those things were the lights(?) going between these black marbles. Another thing would be... the rivers? I wasn't sure what i was looking at really. To me it looked like a rainbow river, that flowed, twisted, and turned around me. I heard another giggle. Only this time i could tell where it was coming from. Above me?

As i looked above me, i was blinded by this dazzling moving light. I could only keep my eyes on it for a second before i had to look away. Another giggle escaped the light. Only this time i could tell it was of amusement. So i did what i thought was for the best.

'Hi i'm Matthew Gi... Hi i'm Matthew. ...Where am i? Who are you and what are you?'

I introduced myself and fired off a bunch of random questions. I was dead so things couldn't get worse. At that thought i noticed. I couldn't hear myself speak. Nor could i feel my mouth move. Could i even speak? What was i at the moment? Is this all a dream. Now that my mind was clear. That thought had passed it. For all i know this could all be a dream. I heard another giggle. I turned towards the direction of the moving or well more like hovering light. Without looking at it directly of course. 

"You are a very interesting soul. Not only did you manage to keep yourself from being cleansed. You managed to keep your sanity. Not many could do that. Ah, as to your questions. I suppose you could say that we are where all universes connect. I am Aerith. As for what I am. I am a what mortals call a goddess."

Is what the light... err... Airith said. Now I'm sure i've said it before, but I'll say it again. I am an atheist/spiritual type of guy. I don't believe in religion. Well it's not that actually. I just don't like how religions were done. In the past religions caused a whole lot of deaths. Not only that, people seem to get, way to into them. I mean if "God" gave you life. Why throw it away for him. I really don't understand that.

Now i have this... woman? Of light claiming to be a goddess. I'm sure most others would be surprised. I mean with what all was going on with me. I know  should. But i wasn't I was just skeptical. Call me odd and you'd be right. When i was young i was somewhat easy to surprise. But as i got older it became harder and harder to surprise me. It came down to the point where i could calmly analyze almost any situation while under extreme stress. Though i suppose that comes from one of my "Rules Of Life". 'Be ever calm'

So just like the i was calm. Well as calm as i could be in my situation.  I analyzed what was happening to the best of my abilities.

'So this light is a she and that she is a goddess. Or at least that what "she" says.'

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

'I am supposedly in a place where universes connect. So... the Multi-verse?'

'And this place "cleans" the dead... no it cleans souls or something like that. ... Maybe it purifies them.'

'Most likely this Aerith helped me see and think straight too.'

' Now why am i here? How am i here? What am i now? And why did this "goddess" help me?'

As those thoughts passed my "mind". I heard another giggle. It was from the entity named Aerith. She then spoke to me.

"You are not only a strong soul. But a very intelligent one to. And yes that is one of the names of this "place". The multiverse as you would call it. Why and how you are here. Well there are a number of reasons for that. The one or many for you... i do not know. And yes, this place purifies weak souls in order for them to safely be transferred to another universe. Many problems "could" occur, if they are not."

As i listen to her words. Things became clearer for me. For some reason or another. I ended up in the nexus of the multiverse. I was being purified to be put in another universe, for some reason. It did not work. I guess being purified means to forget everything. Also it seems this "goddess" can read my mind? I wasn't sure. Did i even have a mind?  From what she said i was just a soul. What is that even? Ah i suppose it doesn't matter at the moment. I need to figure out what to do from now on. And thank Aerith for her help.

I heard another giggle. But this time. I had a very bad feeling.

(Narrator POV)

"You are welcome mortal." The goddess who was made out of blinding light said

"Yes... you will do nicely." she said

The bad feeling Matthew was feeling grew worse.

"I have need of a strong soul in my world. I came here looking for one. I did not think i would find one so fast." she said.

"I have a few problems that i myself could solve. But then again. Where would be the fun in that?" she said.

As Matthew listen to her he could only be reminded of the any summon heroes/reincarnation stories he had read. While many of them were very good and cool to him. He did not want to be apart of something like that. The reasons were simple. 

1. He listen to almost no one. The only people he ever listened to were his mother and grandmother. And even then he often didn't do as they would ask. He had problems with people telling him what to do. If it wasn't helpful to him.

2. She said she had "problems". If she was a goddess, he figured her problems would be huge and annoying. And most likely end badly for him.

3. And most important... he was lazy as hell. Sure if it was something he wanted to do or had to do. He COULD do it. But other than that. Why waste the energy?

So with those reason in hand. He said. 

'Sorry miss. I'm not interested. While i thank you for your help. I am not going to be your goofer.'

And just like that he attempted to "walk" away. He did not move. He notice this barely. Another giggle sounded out. Only this time it filled him with dread.

"How cute. You think you actually have a choice." she said.

Part of the light that was the goddess stretched out. It was the goddess "hand". It grabbed Matthew as he was still trying to get away. He noticed himself start to move. Only not the way he want to go. He went the opposite way. Towards the goddess. When he noticed this. He panicked. What she said next made him panic more.

"After we get to my world. I will erase those pesky memories and reincarnate you into a suitable body."

He began to struggle against the force that was pulling him towards the goddess. He did not want his precious memories erased. He did not want to be a puppet of this goddess. HE WOULD NOT DO AS SHE WANTED! So he struggled. Although he did not move an inch away from the goddess he did not give up. He would not give up.

'No no no NO, LET ME GO!' he screamed as he struggled.

The goddess seemed to find this amusing as she pulled him towards her. He had actually started to move a little. It took souls a while to be able to move on their own power. But he was far too weak to get away from her, she thought.

She was wrong.

It was short and sudden. Matthew's very soul emitted a bright flash of light. The goddess seem to hiss in pain. And shortly after she "tossed" Matthew's soul away from her. He flew throughout the nexus like a bullet. Far away from the goddess sight.

"Ops." she said.

She watched where she threw him at with keen "eyes".

"That's the Sea Of Memories. ...Well his soul will be destroyed there. Too bad. He was such an interesting soul to. she said as she began to float off. Looking for another soul to use.

Yet again, she was wrong. 

As Matthew soared threw the nexus. He came blindly fast towards one of the many "rainbow rivers" he saw earlier. He did not know why the goddess threw him. He was just happy to be away from the "bitch". He quickly changed that opinion as soon as he entered the "rainbow river".

Voices, feelings, imagines, smells, and more. Assaulted his very being. Some good some bad. But all painful. To him it felt like someone was taking a rusty yet very hot knife and cutting him open. Countless memories assaulted him. Unknown to him slowly changing him and ripping his very soul to pieces. It felt like millennia had passed for him.

And in the blink of an eye. The memories stopped. He was relieved. But tired. So very... tired. He wanted to sleep. He was going to. But he noticed "it" then. He had gotten thru the "rainbow river". What was behind it surprised him. It was the largest black "marble" he had seen so far. But unlike the others he had seen. This one did not have many bright galaxies in it. Just one very big and bright one. He also noticed he wasn't stopping. Of course he hit the "marble". But it did not cracked and he felt no pain. No he just "sunk" into it. Leaving only a small ripple.

Matthew was tired. He was sounded by darkness. And far from him was a light. He wanted to sleep. So he would. As he did he traveled countless miles toward the light. In other words he traveled countless miles towards the lone galaxy in this universe. Going much faster than the speed of sound, he arrived to the outer rim of the galaxy shortly. He quickly passed many stars. Be it a sun, or plant. He passed them all.

As he got closer towards the center of the galaxy. He suddenly stopped. And soon after that, he changed direction. Heading towards a planet 12x bigger than earth. And like a small meteor he shined throughout the nite sky as he entered the atmosphere. As he near the ground one would see a mountain. He was heading towards a mountain. And near this mountain seemed to be a small city. He was heading towards this city. Almost if he was called their.

As his impact was imminent. He stopped. Just a few feet off the ground. He slowly hovered there for a few minutes. The flap of great wings could be heard, shortly after, foot steps. And last but not least. A voice. The voice of a woman to be exact.

"This is... a mortal soul. How did this one get out there? It couldn't... unless. But that would mean... we... we could be free."

The woman inspected the soul and noted it was slightly damaged. But in no real threat of fading away. So with a great jump. A flap of wings could be heard.

Something great for one and terrible for many, was about to happen. And no one could truly ever imagine it. What would happen to Matthew, what would happen to the universe he was in would change him forever. He would never be the same. And all of existence would feel that moment.