A vivid white light pierced my eyelids as I blurrily opened them to see what had abruptly awoken me from my comfortable sleep despite the cold hard seemingly stone slab I awoke upon. Sitting up from the stone slab, I looked around the strange environment I found myself in. I noted that there were no walls or ceiling that I could see but an endless floor stretched out. Everything was white as far as the eye can see with the light source I was searching for, nowhere to be found yet I could see everything like it was right next to me.
“Where.. Where am I?” I tentatively spoke, holding my head trying to make sense of what was happening. Not expecting an answer from anyone, so the sudden response from a disembodied voice had me sit upright.
“This place is what your species would call, Purgatory, or Limbo, if you will.” The strange voice that reverberated around the area like it came from every direction, even within my own mind. The voice was a neutral elderly man's voice that gave away nothing in its tone.
“Limbo.. Then I’m dead..” I dully replied while my thoughts were processing what the voice said while I idly searched for it. I was dead if it were to be believed and in Limbo. I pondered all the implications that entailed. When did I die? How did I die? Is my family okay? Do they know I'm gone? Does that mean I am going to heaven? A multitude of questions came up but I knew I needed them answered first.
“Yes, Cade, You're dead. You were doing some charity work in a war torn country in years past, looking for explosives in an old mine-field, and well, you found one. Who knew that mechanism had degraded to that point after so little time. Quite unfortunate if you ask me.. Having a mine discharge unintentionally and in your face no less. Unlucky unlucky. But no, you aren't going to Heaven, Child.” Once again the voice was reverberated through my mind and the surrounding areas. The swift responses to my thoughts had me snap my head to the side unnerved, that this thing, this voice knew my name and could read my thoughts should be making me freak out having the privacy of my own thoughts revealed. Except I wasn't. It was extraordinarily odd that I was so calm. I decided to ask quickly before it got the chance to respond.
"Why aren't I freaking out about this? I'm too calm providing the situation you say I'm in.." I knew that the voice was most likely right but I'm not quite convinced this isn't a dream. It was far too surreal for me to just outright accept. The implications were too real, all my family and friends, I would miss them and my life in general. This news should have my dumb struck. And yet, I was thinking very logically, not feeling anything at all unlike any dream I've had before. This didn't feel like I was on a rollercoaster with no way to stop or control myself to this degree.
“Ah, Because of one of the gifts I bestowed, Apathy of the Enlightened. A variation of a technique I created, State of Zen. I took the liberty of activating it on your behalf so you could comprehend this situation.. It lets you analyze the situation without emotions interfering with your Judgment. As implied, you will be able to both activate and deactivate when desired. It is best for you right now to have it on so we can have a rational conversation without you feeling the crushing weight of the reality you're in and grieve for what you have lost. There will be time for that later.” The reply resounded again, leaving me with more questions than answers. Apathy of the Enlightened? A Technique? State of Zen? Shutting down emotions to be analytical of my death? Having that forced upon me should have left me feeling sick yet I feel nothing but calm control.
This doesn't make sense logically as, Who would sanely believe that this would be possible at first when being told about it, and it certainly didn't sound real. Except I am in that exact situation and feel nothing. Unaffected by this voice, admit to using a technique on me, Gift or not.
It was like cultivation novels I'd read before I died.. Huh, I am accepting that rather quickly. That must be the technique at work. As I pondered this information, I searched my memory for my last moments to validate the truth as I knew if I didn’t, some nagging thought wouldn't let me fully believe the words of the voice.
And I found them, the quiet moment before the deafening sound of the landmine detonation in my face, before the shockwave slammed into me blowing my arms to the sides in a mangled mess, the sharp stabbing pain in my chest and face as I felt for split second as shrapnel punched through me, the scorching heat of the small fireball that followed burning sections of my body before the cold set in and the world faded around me. Under the effect of what must be the ‘Apathy of the Enlightened’ Technique, I reviewed everything with an objective frame of mind, detached as if it were another person feeling not a thing for myself despite watching myself die in such a violent way. After a while of deep thought I decided I needed more answers.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“Why did you give them to me? Of all the people on Earth, why me? Aren't I dead? It would be better off with someone living. I don't really have anything to offer either, so what do you want of me?” I questioned aloud despite knowing the voice could just answer my thoughts like before.
“I chose to intervene upon your death as I have been watching you all your life. I knew the moment you'd die from the moment you were conceived. I know your personality and have seen what you're capable of. As I have with all life on your planet. You seemed to stick out due to your interesting view on life. A well accomplished traveler whom impacted many villages across cultures in many countries. Providing help and innervation where you can. Knowledgeable of many things but humble in areas you lack willing to learn all you can and fearless or foolhardy in the face of danger. Steady hands in a tense atmosphere. A good mindset to cultivate. Thus I decided to give you a second chance at life. Of all the creatures I've observed, you have intrigued me to the point I wanted to take you along as my Disciple.” Silence enveloped the space as I took all that in. It was a lot to find out that something knew so much about me when I knew nothing in return. Who is this being and why are they helping me were the main questions that were raised upon learning this.
“A second chance at life, to be your Disciple.. What does that entail? Am I to fight for you? Work for you? Be an assistant? Be a test subject? A pill furnace or whatever the novels refer to a disciple being used as a cultivation resource. I don't understand.. Can’t I just go back home?” I questioned the voice in confusion. It wasn't a common thing where I was from so it felt strange to utter. I had read many light novels where Disciples would be taken by a Master that would teach them cultivation. Some tried to use them as materials, while others formed a family like ties between Master and Disciple.
“You may choose not to be my Disciple, though you cannot go back as you have died. So I can let you dissipate if you please, with the opportunity to enter the reincarnation cycles eventually. If you do decide to accept me as your master, Nearly all of what you said is true only the, ‘using you as cultivation resources’ part. That isnt my cultivation path. I can teach you everything I know. When the time comes, yes I will have need to call upon you to fight along with me, Or to assist in an experiment. I will allow you to test things if you wish but will not force that upon you. Time to time I will send you to collect things for me in regions that beings of my level can't enter freely. However, I will not restrict your freedom. You may travel and grow as you see fit. I will guide you when needed and provide you with the necessary resources when you prove yourself ready.” The voice laid out all my 2 options on going forward. Its terms for becoming a Disciple were tempting.
“So if I want a second chance, I must become your Disciple. And go where if not home? How will I grow, into what? The more you say, the more confused my head becomes.." I warily rubbed my temples in an attempt to pacify the light headache I felt at my current predicament. With what it said, I didn't really have much of a choice but to accept or disappear. Not really much of a choice.
“I have searched your memories for potential small realms to send you, there you will travel and cultivate on your journey through that realm. Eventually you will gain access to other realms to explore and learn what you can. I will watch over you however I will not intervene to save your life. That is your own to defend.” The voice continued as though I had decided to accept it.
Silence reigned again for a while, the voice obviously knowing I needed time to process and gave the space for me to do so. It wasn't something one could easily make a decision about. I had no idea where I would be sent to or what my new life would even be. I don't understand what it means about small realms, but it sounds like an opportunity I would jump at while alive.
And that's that, By now I had made my decision, for it was the only one I could. Realistically I would have probably taken it if I were alive anyway as I've always had a thirst for adventure taking me into dangerous countries around the world. Why stop if I were dead? Sure it came with conditions but as they say, there is no free lunch. Fully convinced by now that this was indeed real, I accepted the voice's offer as I had nothing to lose.
“Then, this Disciple greets his Master!” I firmly shouted and bowed with respect only for everything to go black as the darkness enveloped me, taking me away to only it knows where as I accepted its offer, my life was not my own anymore.
“Good!” The voice booming as I felt myself being pulled along somewhere as I lost consciousness again.