“Calm down, you have nothing to fear.” Paul said while trying to regain his mystical image.

“Then explain what is truly going on here, please.” Simon said reeling in his anger. No matter how he thought about the situation it was just wrong, but it would be completely irrational to antagonize a being that can walk on nothing and has reality warping power. That just seemed idiotic and self-destructive.

He watched as Paul looked back at the book of truth which seemed quite a bit dishonest to him and read on.

‘Humm…...

This isn’t working like I want it too.’ Paul thought to himself

As they both stood there in silence and Paul kept flipping through the book, the blob that made up Simon’s soul kept shifting erratically.

“Um, sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to know, where are we?”

Paul looked at Simon with confused look.

“It’s just that people talk a lot about the afterlife and all that and nobody has any clue where this is” Simon continued.

“This is not a physical manifestation of a realm if that’s what you’re asking it’s just a stopping point and as such does not remain after its purpose is over, I mean would you imagine how we would affect the universe, it's not in the best interest of the living.” Paul replied with a kind smile on his face.

“What does that mean, how does it even work, why is your presence bad for us, what are you really?” Simon asked in one breath.

“Patience, all will be explained in due time. For now, let us finish what we began.” Paul replied looking smug for some reason.

Paul then looked back at the book and said, “Okay I got it, you were indeed not adopted, and your mother is a piece of work. Never quite understood killers, such a waste of life, it’s quite the miracle that you got out of there. My goodness that is not a nice thing to experience.” Paul looked up from the book with an apologetic look on his face.

Simon just remained silent.

‘Alright now I know somethings wrong’ Shimon thought as fear began growing in him.

“Why are you doing this?” Simon asked as his fear began to spawn doubt and frustration within him.

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“What?” Paul asked, his apologetic look giving way to confusion.

“My mother was a saint, and I will not have you tarnish my memories of her. So, tell me, Paul.”

“Why are you trying to make a fool out of me? What is this some kind of game to you, do you get a kick out of playing with us lesser being, you think that just because you’re all big and powerful that you can treat me like some kind of toy?!!” Simon yelled.

“Woah, Simon calm down, why are you so angry” Paul asked bewildered.

“I am not a toy; I am a person, and you may be all powerful, but I still have enough dignity to not go along with this whole facade. So, drop the act and tell me who you are and what you want!” Simon ranted as his emotions took over his rationality.

A crack appeared in Paul’s kind expression. His eyes once warm and welcoming now held an analytical glint, the red darkening as he stared at Simon.

“Where did I go wrong?” Paul murmured as he stared at Simon as if wondering which part of him caused this.

Simon felt himself grow cold as he felt like a defective experiment in the eyes of its creator. Bound to be discarded with every syllable coming out of Paul's mouth reinforcing that feeling.

Silence once again reigned as the two stared at one another. One in contemplation and another with unwillingness and resignation.

“Ugh, fine you got me.” Paul said, the cold glint disappearing giving way to a relaxed expression.

The space around them began to distort as the gates and roads of gold vanished, clouds taking their place as Simon’s soul began to be covered by a layer of clouds. As the cloud covered him, they began to condense into the shape of a person. Simon looked over his new cloud body and then stared at the changed landscape around him. A land of clouds stretching as far as the eye can see. And Paul lounging on a bed of clouds with his book resting on his lap. All he could do was stare at Paul in confusion.

“What you thought I was gonna obliterate your soul or something?” Paul groaned as he fell back into a bed of clouds that seemed to conform to his movements to support his weight.

“Yes?” Simon replied feeling uncertain about the turn of events.

“Naaaaaaa. I’m not that bad, you should meet Jasmine, that bitch will make you wish you never existed with what she would have put you through.”

Paul's sudden change in attitude had Simon reeling.

“Soo, what do you want from me.” Simon asked.

“Mostly I wanted to study you.”

“Why.”

“You’re new.”

“What does that even mean?” Simon asked as he began to calm down his guard lowering as Paul's lazy demeaner gave him some breathing room.

“Well.” Paul said as he stretched onto the clouds surrounding him. “When you have lived as long as I have, you tend to have certainty about a lot of things, you my friend just brought a whole lot of questions with you when you came in here. Like how you even exist.”

“…….”

“You don’t get it, huh. Honestly, I never expected you too. A lot of you guys are still finding your feet and I had enough time to do that and more.”

“……..”

“Just ask you questions.” Paul said in a tired tone.

Simon remained silent, his mind struggling to comprehend what Paul was even saying.

“What is wrong with me existing?” Simon quietly asked. “Oh, you got it wrong there, your existence isn’t the issue it’s what your existence represents.”

“Which is?”

“A universal truth getting flipped on its head.”

“Which is?” Simon asked again, some frustration leaking into his voice.

“Watch the attitude bro, I don’t actually have to tell you anything.”

“I’m sorry but you do, I do not appreciate being kept in the dark about things that have to do with me, and I doubt that telling me why I just went through that charade of you messing with me was necessary.”

“You know what, sure I’ll humor you.”

“First thing, what do you know about death?”