But when he was about to say more, a screen materialised before him. It was a dark green, but it was shining bright.

[System initiated - beginning protocol....]

[First Step - Decide an Afterlife - please choose a existing one or create on yourself]

The words changed into a giant and unending list of different religions, and he recognized some of them, but most of them where unknown. James was in deep thought. He knew instinctively that this choice would be a big one, and that he could not change his selection. It would be easy to just choose a existing one, but he wanted to do something unique, as most of them seemed to narrow for his taste. Like Christianity for example, in most versions of it, you only had heaven or hell, which he deemed narrow minded. He wanted to do something that would be fitting for the complexity of life, and the things you experience while alive. He collected his thoughts, and answered the screen. "I want to create my own" The system immediately reacted.

[Please describe your afterlife]

He took a deep breath, and began talking:"After you die, you get pulled into a white space, with a seemingly unlimited number of doors. There will be an existence named the Doorkeeper, who will answer your questions and guide you. Depending what you did when you where alive, a number of doors will be open to you. Only if you satisfy every requirement, the door will be open to you. It takes every part of your existence into consideration, your character, deeds, hopes and dreams, just everything. The different doors will have everything and nothing, every good and bad ending, every heaven and hell, all rewards and punishments you could think of and even those you can not. You will be drawn to the door, the more fitting you are to it.Then,you can choose one, and walk through, and be there for eternity" He became silent

[Calculating....Name missing! Do you want to choose your own or auto generate one?]

He shook his head. He was never good at naming things. "Auto generate please"

[Generating Name.... {Gates Beyond} Accept Name?]

He smiled and nodded. "Accept"

[Name accepted! First Step successfully completed. Initiating Second Step - The Cleaning!]

He felt space tremble before him, and a glowing ball of light appeared. There was a black sludge on it. The ball seemed to want to ascend, bu the sludge seemed to weigh it down. The system appeared again.

[After people die, most are weighted down by things left behind in life, like regrets, money, loved ones etc. Its your job to clean them before they can truly join your afterlife]

[You have received skill - Soul Cleaning level 1, Soul Appraise level MAX]

[Soul Sludge has a Tier, and a Level, the Tier represents the strength of it, the level the amount.]

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

James raised an eyebrow. "Why the separation?

[Someone can for example be weighted down by many little regrets, or a big one, both have their own difficulty for cleaning]

He nodded, agreeing with the system, and turned to look at the soul that had not moved a bit

[A soul with little regret has been chosen for you to practice with]

[CAUTION: If soul cleaning fails, the soul can be corrupted by the sludge, and descend and keep descending forever]

He shuddered at the thought of falling forever, and resolved himself to always try his best. He looked at the soul and used Soul Appraise

[Soul - Tier 1 Level 1]

He then used Soul Cleaning for the first time

[Soul Cleaning: determining...chance to succeed: 100% Retention Rate: 43% Proceed?]

He asked: "System, whats this retention rate thing?"

[After you clean a soul, their soul sludge will be transformed into Wordly Essence, which can be used to build among other things]

He was confused what the system meant with building, but resolved to finding it out later "Proceed" The sludge seemed to collect at one point, then it began to separate itslef from the soul, and fused with James.

[Soul cleaning successful! Received 4 Wordly Essence! Second Step- Complete! Starting Third Step - Guidance...]

The soul before him started drifting upwards, and seemed to be sucked into a point. He felt a ...copy? part of him? separate from him, and he felt it to be himself too. It seemingly followed the soul, and he felt it changing into a big being, with a hood that made one unable to see his face. a keychain with ever changing keys at his side. James concentrated and was able to see through his eyes easily

POV Carl

Carl was a easygoing man. Even in death, he had zero regrets... well, except maybe one. He wanted to see the ending of a novel he was reading on PeasantRoad, that would he has been reading since he found the website. But two days before the last chapter was released, he died. But just as he was done contemplating, he found himself in a white space, with a lot of doors. He was looking around, he heard a voice "Welcome to the Gates Beyond, little soul" He turned around in a flash. There standing was a man, as big as him, but seemingly different. He noticed the keychain at his side, and the dark void where there would be a face. He asked "Okay, who in the fucking hell are you and where am I ?!?" The figure seemed to be amused and answered "I am the Gatekeeper, and you are dead, and just before your eternal destination." Carl calmed down and said "So I'm dead huh? And what now? Pearly Gates or Hell i suppose." "That depends entirely on you." The Gatekeeper said, took his keychain, and threw it. Five different keys flew of, and opened doors. The rest appeared tightly shut. Carl looked at the scene and asked puzzled "And which am I going through?" "Choose", the figure said, caught his keychain and stepped back. "How?" Carl was even more puzzled. How the hell was he supposed to choose? "Your live opened these doors to you, and know you must decide which path to pursue" That annoyed him a little bit "And how am I supposed to know?" He asked the Keeper. He just answered "Feel". Carl was about to protest, but then he felt. From the first door he felt loneliness, an infinite void. He supposed he was a little introverted, but infinity alone would be a bit harsh for him. From the second he felt infinity, a promise to have everything and not having to work for it. From the third and fourth he felt...nothing? Literally no feedback. After he asked the Gatekeeper, it seemed because he fit these so little, he wasn't even able to get a feedback from them. Then he felt the last door, and a wave of feeling...what? He was flabbergasted. "Isn't this just the novel I've been reading? But he nearly choked when he saw himself, in the novel, as any character he would want, forever repeating, but under his control. Before he even noticed, he took a step to the door. The being behind him seemed to smile and said "It seems you have found you destiny" Carl nodded and stepped to the door. But right before he was through the door, he turned back and said "Thank you very much!", and before the Gatekeeper could answer, stepped through.