At first, I felt nothing. Everything had become pure black. Then suddenly, I floated above my body. I looked around and realized that I was in a sort of ghost form. I felt light, nothing could hold me back any longer.

I had never realized how strong the pull of gravity was. But now, being able to freely move in the air, it was a very special experience. I followed an impulse and floated higher into the sky. Not long after, the whole battlefield was laid out before me.

The scenery had changed drastically, where before we were being decimated, now it was the other way around. The knights had killed most of the Darkons and were just about to finish the rest of them. Only the environmental damage and the many corpses scattered over the battlefield told about the recent gruesome fight.

Hardly a sound could be heard. Where before the area was filled with shouts, explosions and dreadful cries, now it was quiet. The silence only broken by scattered gurgling sounds of men and creatures breathing their last.

The once mighty legion had fallen and rays of sunshine had broken through the black blanket of murky clouds. Not having the support of these hellish creatures, the shadows couldn’t hold themselves any longer. Quickly, all of them vanished.

A beautiful morning had arrived.

It was over. I felt a peace overcome me. Everything would be alright. Looking around, my eyes clung to a particularly beautiful set of clouds. Instead of black, they had a unique white color.

My Attention on them, I made my way towards their direction. The closer I came, the more details revealed themselves. There! Between the clouds, something was glittering.

Slowly, the white clouds drifted apart, clearing the way to a sight that let me freeze in awe. There, between the billowing masses of small water particles, a massive golden wall stretched itself towards the horizon. In the middle of it stood tall and proud a colossal gate house, proclaiming its glory to everyone that could see it.

Two enormous angels guarded the gate. They wore gorgeous armor and held two-handed swords that were placed with their tips to the ground in front of them.

At some point I realized that I was being pulled towards the gate. Unable from freeing myself of the pulling force, I let it happen. Peace overcame me. Something in me knew that everything would be alright. I got closer and closer to the immense structure. The closer I got, the more shimmering forms appeared in my vicinity. Realization struck me. They were souls.

My brothers in arms. They, with whom I had fought and had paid the highest price possible, slowly came together. I recognized chief and Mat next to me. Without a conscious effort we moved closer and filed in for one last time.

Chief stood in front. He checked our line as if nothing special had happened. His strict visage not even changed after death.

“Men! We have won! Thanks to your valiant efforts, grit and pure will we have endured until the reinforcements have arrived!

You have saved millions of lives! Know that you have fulfilled your duty to your friends, families and our race! It doesn’t matter what awaits us now, go knowing that you have made the greatest of all sacrifices! Stand proud and tall in front of whatever judgment may come! With that said, one last objective awaits to be accomplished! Group! You know what to do! Go now! May you get your just reward!”

We smiled at each other before following his last command. We broke apart, filling in at the end of the queue that had grown towards the gate.

One soul after the other stepped in front of the two angels.

They judged the ones that wanted to pass through the gate. Some suddenly caught fire and burned to charcoal. Their remains fell down towards the earth where they vanished. I could feel my emotions stir. We all knew what destination awaited them.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

So, heaven really did exist. I should have felt more emotions but the closer I got to the immense structure the calmer I got. Everything would play out how it was destined to.

Shortly it would be my turn to be judged. Would I ascend to heaven or fall to hell?

I got closer and closer. The angels turned their heads in my direction. Now it would beg-*RRIIIPPPP

All the calmness and warmth around me vanished. I felt acute danger and wanted to move, but I was bound in place. The only thing I could do was to move my head. So I turned it and glanced back towards where the sound had come from.

Where once had been beautiful white clouds behind me, there was now a gapping black rift in the middle of the air. Space itself had been ripped apart and unbelievable coldness flooded out of it. I instinctively knew, if I was sucked into that rift, I would cease to exist. Nothingness would devour my very soul.

I was still looking when suddenly chains flew out of the rift and made their way towards my direction.

“You dare!?” The most beautiful voices I had ever heard angrily shouted from behind me.

I turned my head toward them. The two angels had taken up their swords and were flying in my direction. They arrived instantly and attacked the devilish chains that were binding and abducting me.

For a second I felt relieved. I would be safe. But not a half a second later I heard additional rustling sounds from behind me. More chains were coming.

I couldn’t let that happen! Paradise was directly in front of me. I had earned this. I refused to die forever!

I pushed with all my power, but nothing happened. The chains slowly overpowered the angels. The realization struck me; they would lose. I was not going to emerge victorious from this predicament. In silent fury I watched as the angels had to fall back.

Not long later my entire body got tightly bound by the chains before they pulled me back toward the black rift.

When I slipped over the edge of the rift into the void, unspeakable coldness crashed against my soul. It hurt so much! I thought that would be my end, but the chains kept me together. They didn’t allow my soul to disperse. I was pulled further and further trough the void towards an unknown destination.

My whole soul in pain I got closer and closer to my breaking point. It hurt so much. I needed a breather! My combat state! It suppressed a big part of the incoming pain to be able to function more efficiently. I focused everything on it! It was much harder now, without a body. I had lost my physical focus-point. Common Andrew! You can do it! In the end it was still a mental technique. The body was not essential for it! With a shout I willed it together. And then it was. Cristal clearness welled through my soul, freeing me from the pain and fear.

First priority: Taking stock of myself and my situation.

I was being dragged through the void. I couldn’t move, the chains bound me tightly. What about my surroundings? Not much there. Everything was black… No. There was something. Focusing on it I tried to pick up more details.

It was enormous.

An aura of such doom and evilness washed over my soul, I would have died had I not been dead already. My very soul cried out in anguish. Accompanied by a shattering noise my combat state was shredded to pieces. Pain and fear washed through me. Oh god! I needed to avert my eyes! but I couldn’t! so I starred at it… and it starred back! Everything came to a stop. All my remaining inborn callousness pragmatism got squashed by its enormity. I couldn’t cope with its presence! It felt like it saw directly into my soul. I was an ant to it! No, if I had been an ant I would have had at least a certain amount of mass compared to that being! No, I was not even a speck of dust in its eyes and even that was stretching it!

Then it moved. In an instant it was at my side. The being coiled around the chains that were binding me and wrapped me up in its massive body.

I felt unbelievable horror. Its tentacles scurried over me, searching for something. Then it found the cracks in my soul. The tentacles wandered along the edges as if they were examining possible entry points. No, that couldn’t be happening! The monster suddenly reared back, then plunged its entire body into the cracks of my soul!

I only felt one thing; pain. So agonizing it washed every other thought away! I was unable to bear it. My whole body cracked.

Everything went black.