All was white, but I refused to lose myself. I was tired, there was nothing but an infinite expanse for what felt like an eternity. I got this far, I wasn't going to quit after putting in so much effort. I expanded my awareness, I was surrounded by gray.

Is this what I think it is?

I reached my mind further out, finding a barrier as I contacted a white surface surrounded by a fleshy exterior. I was wrong about being inside my parent or an egg, I was inside my next body, still in my soul form as the small brain hadn't developed enough to contain me. I knew I had to escape before the brain could contain me, or I would be stuck in this body. Despite how many stories like to depict reincarnating with all of your memories, a young mind simply can't handle all of the pure, raw information like a soul can. Just as I was getting worried I would be unable to escape; I sensed something familiar, the light that brought me here. I could only guess that the light was there in case there were complications during my development or birth. That was good, because now I intend to cause as much complication as I can. Mustering the nearly everlasting will that saved me from the river, I pushed my sense of self away from the grey; at the same time I pulled the same essence of myself towards the white. While it wasn't as difficult when compared to the river, it was much slower. I didn't have much sense of time, but it felt like hours before I reached the swirling mass of non-existant light. Then I found another problem to my 'get out of jail free' plan.

How do I get to the other side? It couldn't be two way could it? Then what would stop souls from coming in and out of here? Considering all of the earlier steps, I don't see why whatever the heck I came from would allow me a chance to choose now. I guess it's time to tap into my past lives as scientists and madmen, and do things repeatedly until something happens!

It wasn't the most brilliant of plans, but it was better than waiting to be forced into a body. It wasn't like my previous plan was on the level of Einstein's intellect. Brute force had served me well enough so far in this journey of souls, so I tried pushing through with all of my will dependant might.

HRNNNNNGGGG, BEND TO ME REALITY! ACCEPT YOUR SUPERIOR!

..... is it workin-

"AH!"

I sensed another soul in front of me just as my confidence in my plan was waning, startling me back towards my side of the light barrier of the afterlife. It also had the effect of putting me right back where I started.

AHA! Eureka! Bravo! Other exclamation! It almost worked, meaning I just have to do it again! .... This might take a while.

After another long drift towards the light, I made it to the point I was at before. This time however, I did something some would consider rude. I pulled on the soul using it as leverage to escape through the light.

Sorry pal, It's nothing personal! Ha, take that mysterious afterlife forces! No one can stop me now- oooooh noooooo.

Since dieties are themselves not above death, what could possibly manage and control such an obviously organized afterlife? Essences. Essences were like souls, but at the same time so much more. They were not restricted to spherical shapes like mortals and dieties, rather than that, they take on unique forms that suit them. I have no clue who or what decides their appearance, nor do I know exactly what they even are, but it makes them easy to pick out. The one floating in front of me being one such example, as I return from the light into the afterlife. I was struck with awe and fear, seeing a flowing stream that somehow expanded in every direction infinitely in one space, lightning striking in it's flow crystalizing spots before they submerge into unseen parts of the entity. Unlike the stream that took my memories this did not pull at my soul, instead it made me feel enriched as if blooming with potential. I was numb to all other things as I stared unable to say anything.

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"Uhhhh, hi."

At least, nothing intelligent.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"So, you're not angry?"

"No, but I do have some questions"

"May I, erm, also ask my own?"

"That would only be fair, in my view"

It turns out that the striking lightning had not been an indication on the Essence's mood, but a representation of an aspect of itself. This was an Essence that referred to itself as Crecur. Crecur was, in fact, very much the opposite of my first impression. Calm and fairly amicable, which was another blessing I could count. Since I had been lucky so far, I saw no need to stop now when I could easily get an explanation. Apprehensively I asked my question.

"so.... What exactly are you? If that isn't rude, I mean. It's just, despite knowing about what you are, I don't know what it means to be one of you."

Mirthfully Crecur responded to my shaky, disjointed query. "It is fine, although the answer is a bit complex."

My response came quickly, like a whip to force the submission of the comment. "That's fine, I have time."

"Well then, I can see you're curious"

I'm also trying to prolong my time so I can think of a way out of this mess, one that doesn't involve me immediately going back to the light. I think I'll keep that to myself though, for obvious reasons.

"To start, its not what we Essences are, the real question is what we represent. For example, I represent curiosity and creativity; which is also where I got my name, cre from creativity and cur from curiosity. We also are not created, we are selected based on certain criteria. What defines the criteria is based on what is being represented. Using me as an example again, Creativity requires open mindedness, and curiosity requires inquisitiveness. When we are selected, we begin to preside over all aspects of the thing we represent. This allows us to influence and manipulate things involved with our domain, as well as dieties of a similar domain."

She paused obviously waiting for a shocked response, though to be honest it made sense. Essences were already unique compared to dieties, if anything would control something as powerful as a god it would be them. Despite its obvious dissapointment at my lack of a response, Crecur continued to explain.

"We do this across various realities, spreading our influence to keep realities from getting stagnant."

"Ok, I get the various realities thing, Souls already do that even if it isn't by choice, but what do you mean by realities being stagnant? Also, why do you do it?"

"Unfortunately you are not an essence of enough prestige to know the answer to those questions." she smugly gave me a simple shutdown.

I struggled for a question, something to slow what was starting to feel inevitable. I was too engrossed in the answers to think of a plan, and I was running out of time to escape based on how much trouble I am having to find a question. Until I realized something.

"What do you mean selected? How does that work?"

Crecur paused, I waited as I scrambled to come up with some sort of plan, anything I could use to get out of this. It was not long, but the time was agonizing in between my questions and her answer.

"It works just as how you have been seeing it."

.... What. What does that mean? That.... makes no sense. Are they... Are they messing with me? What if they are!?