Chapter 2. Is this heaven?

As my last breath left me and my vision started to get darker I knew that ‘this is it’. My end was coming and I saw no flashbacks like some say. It was only getting colder and darker.

The first thing I felt was regret that I won’t be able to play new game that will come out next week and I waited for it more than a few years…

Now I am starting to ask myself ‘is heaven real?’ or ‘what will happen to me now?’.

As I don’t have answer for them, fear starts to take control of me. Because of the unknown that I am facing.

I know that it’s been only few seconds, but they were longest in my whole life. It looked like time stopped for me. They were so long that I wanted for my death to come faster since this was pure torture…

Finally my vision was getting completely dark. And I am seeing the last rays of light. But before darkness completely takes over me suddenly something moves.

‘Did somebody move? I guess there got to be some lucky bastards to survive. Well I never had any luck so fuc…’ my consciousness starts to get foggy.

I feel nothing. I hear nothing.

But I still exist in this darkness.

‘So dark.’

‘So dark.’

Suddenly a ray of light came to me. Gradually getting bigger.

Well I don’t see it, but strangely I can see it or more likely I ‘feel’ it. And no I am not talking about touching it with my body. It’s hard to describe. But this ‘feeling’ is coming from all of my existence.

‘Wait I think this light isn’t getting bigger but instead I am getting closer to it. So I guess I am no longer in my body…’

As I am getting closer and closer. I start to feel warmth. A really nostalgic warmth. Like after a long journey you finally are coming home to your family which is waiting for you with warm smiles and just cooked dinner (well a home to which I always wanted to come back).

I don’t know what is waiting for me ahead but the idea ‘that I just didn’t disappear’ is already putting me in a better mood.

It’s really impossible to tell how long I have been travelling. But I think it’s been quite a while. And it looks like I am getting close.

Since what started as a ray now is like blazing sun in front of me. And I am full of anticipation of what is waiting for me ahead.

My destination is so close. It looks like if I thrust my hand forward I will be able to touch it (well if I had hands…).

But suddenly some kind of different force came out of nowhere and surrounded me.

This force started to pull me away from where I was going before.

Once again I can’t say how long I was being dragged through… Hm… Let’s just say space. But it’s been really long. And that blazing sun became once more just a small ray of light.

‘It doesn’t feel right… Somehow this shouldn’t have happened. Maybe I was deemed unworthy and now I am being dragged to the bottom of hell?’ Fear is starting to take shape inside of me again.

‘Ugh..’ Wait what was that? It felt like I went through something.

‘U..’ And once more. These things that I don’t understand starts to really annoy me.

Feelings of me going through something which is like some kind of ‘barrier’ is steadily increasing in number. Looks like I am starting to pass more and more of them.

*Blink*

‘Now it’s even blinking as if someone is photographing me…’

‘Aarrgh! What’s going on here?’

These walls and blinking started to go really fast and non stop. This is making me dizzy for some reason. I am starting to feel really not well. Then suddenly blinking stopped and darkness was around me.

‘Damn it did I really go to hell?’ I wonder while rubbing my stomach to feel better.

‘Wait, wait, wait! I am touching myself?’ I notice that this darkness is different from before it’s more familiar.

‘It feels like my eyes are closed’ so I try to open them.

Brightness floods me. ‘Ahh this feeling. I am back in a body.’

It takes few seconds until my eyes adjust to the light here. And when they do all I see around is a mist.

“Ugh… This brightness…” I hear familiar voice behind me.

I turn around and what I see is a bunch of people. People who I know. And the one who complained like I thought is Robby.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. But I thought that I died.”

“I also think that I died back there …”

“Same here. Also my leg broke when we rolled with bus. But now it’s ok.”

“Sooo… Is this heaven?”

“…”

It didn’t take long for my classmates to start a heated discussion about where we are now.

Also this place is covered in mist so u can’t really see anything apart what’s close to you. I don’t hear anything except us, nor do I fell any wind.

I look down and floor is perfectly white.

“At least it doesn’t look like hell.” Says someone and I unwillingly nod.

As I am looking around I notice something what at first I missed. The thing that here including me is in total just 19 people. So not everybody is here.

“Oh! Yeah!” I remembered the last thing I saw before darkness. ‘So there really was those who survived.’

I immediately try to scan through faces to see who is here. Apparently all of ‘five clowns’ (well they were sitting together), also both of my buddies and some other stupid bunch.

Well it looks like teacher, driver and six of my classmates got vitality of a cockroach.

While looking around I notice that Todd and Josh saw me and on their tired faces I could see small smiles started to rise. ‘Sheesh! Damn these idiots are you happy that I died together with you?’ I complain in my head while smiling back. Can’t be helped I guess I will go talk with them…

“I welcome you all here.” Someone said in an old mans voice.

Everyone turned to the side. Most likely everybody thought that they would see an old man, but what was in front of us could be best described as a ‘ball of light’.

“WTF?” Almost at the same time was said by pretty much everyone.

“Ah! Where are my manners I am Lyru the highest spirit of this world knows as Raghel. And also I am the one who brought you here.” Definitely it’s that ball who is talking.

“W-What? H-How? No more importantly why?” Said Robby. Trying to make sense of what is going on.

“To clear your confusion I guess I will start from the beginning. You see I have power to predict future. And I saw that a huge disaster will befall this world of Raghel. For that reason I brought you here” said ball of light in a deep old mans voice.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Wait! Let me guess you want us to save it?” inclined Robby.

“Oh! Great I will not need to explain too much.”

“But why us?” Asked Ama… Asked some random girl (please don’t judge me, but I can’t remember her name…).

“You see there are many possible futures. And from those possibilities your group of people has the highest chance to bring success.”

“But that doesn’t give you the right to kidnap us.” Looks like Robby regained a bit of his composure.

“I did not kidnap you. You all died and were already traveling to Spirit kingdom.”

“Spirit kingdom?” Asked the most calm person here. In other word me.

“Yes. After death souls go there. It is a spiritual world out side boundaries of this universe and time itself. I will not go into the details of what happens, if you were good or naughty in your life. But don’t worry you don’t spend there your eternity. In the end, the moment comes when all must enter the cycle of life once more.” Tried to explain for us this… Spirit.

“Outside of time?..” Murmured quite a lot of people including me.

Apparently he heard that. “Yes. When a Spirit kingdom is involved, time loses it’s meaning. For example. How long do you think it was since you died?”

“I think no longer than a day” Robby butt in once more.

“Ha Ha Ha ha. Using your world time it’s been over a 500 years. That’s how long you been traveling to the Spirit kingdom. So everyone you knew is already long dead and traveling there.” This damn spirit with a laughing voice brought to us such shocking news.

“But don’t worry. You will get there eventually and memories of all your past life’s shall return. And you will be reunited with most of people, who you knew.” He tried as if to call us down.

“Ok. So as I understand we had to go to this ‘Spirit kingdom’. So why do we have to do anything here, for you?” In a quite annoyed voice asked Robby.

Well he’s not the only one who is annoyed. Even if I hate the guy but in this situation I got to agree. We are no soldiers. Why do we need to fight for this unknown world? Since I am guessing this ‘disaster’ is most likely some kind of set like in all those games ‘ancient darkness is rising once more, so a brave hero must stand in the name of humanity… bla.. bla.. bla..’.

“Do not worry. I am not such a bad guy to ask of you favors for nothing.” It looks like he was waiting for Robs question.

“Oh?” looks like idiot took the bait…

“I will let you live again. By rebirthing in Raghel. Do not worry you will keep your memories. Also to each of you I will give my blessing. So from birth you will be above others and when you grow up something as a top fighter will be quite within your reach.” To me he sounded like a salesman who trying to charm you with his product. Because most important thing like always is written in small letter. Since no matter what kind of blessing it is, we will still have to struggle to reach the top.

Everyone around was silent most likely deep in thought. So I took this chance to ask “we had to go to this ‘Spirit kingdom’. So if we reincarnate now and here will it not affect us later when we die?”

“Oh! Quite a good question. And an answer to it is no. I got permission for this let’s just say ‘job’.” Old man’s voice sounded quite surprised and amused at the same time.

“Also if you have these powers why can’t you do something about this ‘disaster’ yourself? And what do you mean by ‘disaster’?” It’s been bothering me.

“Yes, why can’t you do it yourself?” Looks like some of my classmates decided to join in on our conversation.

“There are rules and laws set by the higher being that stop me.” To me he sounded quite angry. “So getting you here and hopping for the best is the most I can do… Even thought fate of the entire world depends on this. I can only place such a huge burden on you. This is also a reason why I can’t give you a new grown up bodies…” Was he now sounding tired or depressed?

“And about what it is…” he made a pause as if going into a deep thought. “Sorry but I can’t say it for your own good. Since if all of our pasts is written on stone, when our future is on a small, frail, little flower. That means some thing must go down in their natural order. Also what life is without some surprises. Ha, ha, ha!”

“Mmh. So should we do it?”

“Maybe.” Some from the group started wondering.

“Do not worry we will do what you ask of us.” Full of pride said Robby. But somehow I believe he has other goals in mind. Since protecting those in need is not for someone with his personality. If you ask me he’s more of a person, who will use everything and everyone to gain what he wants.

I thought there will be at least few who will argue with him. But it doesn’t look like it.

Well I also am uncertain about this ‘Spirit kingdom’. So I better stay here and live once more remembering who I was, who I am and most importantly who I want to be.

“Great! But I have one condition. You all need on your 20th birthday come to Talabauim, the capital city of Ramir kingdom. And show yourself before the king. Also since you will be born in all corners of this world, this most likely will be the first time when you shall see each other again.”

“So who wants to be the first to reborn?” In a happy voice asked Lyru.

Well it doesn’t really bother me but others… Some girls are even crying as saying goodbyes…

I can’t take it anymore.

“Let me be first.” I say while walking forward.

“Good. Ah one last thing. All of you will have star shaped mark on your right shoulder. Show this and you will be allowed to meet king on your 20th birthday. Remember this because those, who fail to meet him, will lose my blessing.” While being serious explained spirit.

“Ah! When I reborn I will be a guy right?” I almost forgot that.

“Don’t worry. Even if I can’t control rebirthing process, but know this gender doesn’t change So let’s begin…”calmed me old man’s voice.

“Great so it up to my luck what I will be…” I already got demotivated since I have none.

Lyru started shining. So brightly that I had to cover my eyes. Before I could notice anything it suddenly became dark.

‘Nice! Darkness again…’

== End of chapter 2 ==