A tree falling to the ground, flames engulfing an entire forest burning away the only sign of life in the area and the hissing of heavy rain falling on them. These are the sounds filling the silence of the corpse littered battlefield. Rivers of blood, pieces of armor and corpses are stretching as far as the eye can see, ravens flying in the night sky joining the corpses to feast themselves before falling dead to the ground, the stench of rot with the metallic taste of blood filling the air. If someone would be seeing this place then they surely could tell that the war that happened here was quite devastating but no sapient life seems to be capable of this anymore.

Platsch. Platsch.

Seemingly out of nowhere comes the sound of footsteps echoing through the air. A man, no, a being clad in armor as dark as the deepest of night, three pairs of wings made of black feathers that look like they are burning in black flame, a hood covering their head. Shining with an eeiry black light and hidden behind the fog appears to be an eye, its iris resembling the stars at the firmament. This being walks over the battlefield looking around before the first sound escapes its nonexistent mouth. „Another war waged and another world lost. Looks like they truly never learn.“ Releasing a sigh the being continues walking around following an invisble trail left behind by something. „Ah, there you are you poor little thing.“ Floating above the ground there's a small wisp like flame greenish and blue in color neither burning the corpses nor dying out because of the rain. „A lost soul in a lost world. Quite ironic. But… you seem to not belong to this place little one.“ The being kneels down and takes the wisp into his hand. „You chose the wrong reincarnation cycle to infiltrate.“ The small wisp moves around a little, mimicking a candle in a summer breeze. „You want to know what I mean? Little one, you are dead. Just a small soul without vessel and not much time remaining before you disappear. Then comes the problem that you aren’t in your world, the place you would call home, but in this ruin of a world. A so called lost world to be specific. Your only choice here would be to become an insect or some other kind of animal if there is still anything alive. And even then your survival won’t be guaranteed because this world will sooner rather than later become completely uninhabitable.“ The wisp seems to shiver in the being's hand. „Don’t be afraid, little one. This world has lost its will and every champion and representative it had. It was only a matter of time before this happened so you are quite lucky to have met me before you became an inhabitant of this place. So let me introduce myself. You can call me The Guide. I guide lost souls like yourself and other worthy travellers through the great maze commonly referred to as the multiverse. This also means i guide the ones listening to our conversation right now. But going back to the problem you, my dear, now stand before a small choice. You can choose between staying here and getting reincarnated, to not get reincarnated and have your soul disappear forever or letting me guide you to another world where you may try another shot at life.“ The Guide pauses to let the wisp think before it responded with another shiver. „You might be suprised to learn this but it is necessary to give you a choice as it always exist the possibility that someone doesn’t want their soul to continue existing. Yes, it will still exist but be unable to reincarnate further. So the choice is yours.“

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The wisp was unresponsive for several minutes before it shivered again. „Now that is unexpected but still a question I will answer for you.“ The Guide sounded pleasantly surprised. „Yes, you can choose something that I didn’t offer but are you sure about that? Accompanying me on my work as guide is possible but really dangerous and mentally straining. A human would never be able to survive, even less so be capable of even starting this work so you would need to become something else. But even something like a dragon couldn't go everywhere and even though gods are capable of following me there are Rules in place for interdimensionsal travel making it close to impossible for them to freely travel.“ The Guide pauses and thinks for a second. „The best option would be to make you my kind which technically means you would become my child. Are you sure you still want to do this?“

Silence once again surrounds these two while lightning flashes in the sky. This time the wisp shakes as if to show its determination. The Guide seems to stare at it before he sighs once again. „Very well. Let’s do this before continuing on our way.“ Letting the wisp fall from his hand so that it floats at arm's length in front of him the Guide spreads his wings. A chant in an incomprehensible language spoken by him causes the wind to catch speed, lightning striking the surroundings. An enomous storm starts wrecking the area, lightning flashes increasing in number as the downpour covers even the tiniest niche in water. Small parts of the flaming feathers fall from the Guide’s wings and surround the soul dancing through the howling wind. The chant increases in volume, the storm gaining in intensity, black lightning striking the bundle of feathers around the soul. The ground starts rumbling, the wind howling, the rain trying its best to drown everything and the lightning gathers in the sky at a single point over the soul as if the dying world tried to strike the soul down before it can rise again. The feathers dancing around the soul were slowly closing in on it fusing with it and the giant lightning strikes.

…But it never hits. The chant stopped, the rain paused in the air and everything became silent. As if frozen the giant black lightning hovers in the air above and a sphere of black light hid the soul like a cocoon. The Guide folded his wings back making them surround him like a coat. „Didn’t think this would work. But it is strange that this world tried to stop her. I should probably try to investigate this world a little more. But that can wait. Right now my daughter comes first.“ Shaking his head he turns his gaze to the horizon staring at the moon as he slowly disappeared. „I know that you listen, dear observer, and I can’t promise anything but I do hope this story that you will witness will be as interesting for you as it will be for me. So please enjoy while you are still able to do so and let’s hope for a happy end for everyone involved. I certainly hope there will be at least one.“