“I’m not even going to bother showing you your achievements. After all, you're just here to visit.” Said a voice. Echoing through the surroundings. Fred looked up at the wall with a listless smile on his face.

“I’m dead.”

“Yup. You're dead.”

“HAhahahahahahaha.” Fred laughed, grinning with such intensity that you could see even his eyes curve.

“Are you….. Okay?” Asked the wall. It’s eyes trembling with concern.

“BAhahahahahahaBAHahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa. HA!” He slapped his knees as he sat on the dark oak chair. Laughter consuming him. “I’M DEAD! I’M A DEAD MAN!” Fred burned with screaming comedy. “DEAD! DEAD! DEAD! DEAD!!!!!!!”

“This isn’t a normal way to react.” Said the wall. Fred slumped suddenly. He took a deep breath.

“I don’t want to be dramatic or anything. But that kind of pain can remove a person's ability to feel joy. I wanted to check if I can at least fake it.” Said Fred. He looked at his feet guitily.

“Still even with your reasoning. It isn’t a normal way to react. Especially how your mood just flipped in an instant.” Said the wall.

“Ouch that hurts considering it’s coming from a talking wall.” Said Fred as he put his hand around his stomach feigning agony.

“I would say that’s racist. But I don’t have a race.” Said the wall. Fred put his hand around his mouth. Pensive, ~Hmmm. He said I wouldn’t remember the last time. But I can still remember him just fine.~

“Why can I remember you?” Asked Fred

“The memories formed by the mind can be remembered by the soul. But the inverse is not true.” Said the wall.

“So my soul remembers you but my mind doesn’t.” Said Fred. The wall conjured up an image of a man nodding in response.

“Is there any way for my mind to access the soul's memories?” Said Fred with an intensity in his gaze.

“Yes. Usually right before the mind shuts off it interfaces with the soul in order to pick out new memories to be installed. It’s what causes your life to flash before your eyes in near death experiences.” Fred furrowed his brows even more intensely. ~Didn’t the goddess say that there are no souls. Or afterlives.~

“I was told when I was transported to this other world that there are no souls.” Said Fred.

“That was there, this is here.” Responded the wall. Fred grit his teeth ~I need to find Betala. There’s clearly something I'm missing.~

“Okay. Back to the original point. At some point at the edge of death. I may be able to use the knowledge you give me here.” Said Fred

“I never said that I'd give you knowledge. But yes what you learn here could be used at the edge of death.” Fred nodded. ~Alright. Looks like I was a bit too uppity. Better ask.~

Stolen story; please report.

“Can you teach me what is required to surpass the mortal ranks?” The eyes of the wall widened.

“You know what. Why not? After all, in the worst case scenario you die a little less often and I don’t have to deal with your annoying ass.” Said the wall. ~I’m not that annoying. Am I?~

“So. To surpass the mortal ranks. You have to outdo a god.”

“WHAT!” Fred snapped. Slapping his knee again for a different reason.

“Plain and simple. You need to outdo a god. This can be done in many different ways. You could outdo the god of your world at a skill. You could kill something before it’s ordained end. You could change the path of a kingdom. Or any other way that would be considered to be outdoing a god. Anything of that nature will push you past your mortal ranks into the first rank of Ancient hero. There’s things after that. But only one in a hundred million make it to the peak of mortal ranks. And only one in a billion make it past that. So you’ll never reach it.” ~Rodrigo. Didn’t he say he was two ranks past mortal ranks. Jesus, he's some kind of monster!~

“About how powerful even is someone past mortal ranks? Just for my curiosity.” Said Fred

“The weakest of those one rank past mortal ranks could defeat an army of people halfway through mortal ranks. The strongest could defeat a demon user with a good contract.” Said the wall. Fred’s eyes practically buried with curiosity.

“That’s also what I’m curious about. What is a demon?” The wall conjured an image of a man shaking his head.

“I can’t tell you. That’d get even a being like me killed.” Said the wall.

“Okay. Fair enough.” Said Fred.

“You're out of time.” Said the wall. “It’s been great teaching you.”

….

“HAAAAAAAAA” Fred took a deep breath. But only the acidified rat was able to enter his lungs. “HAAAA.” ~_______________________~ Blank. To Fred right now nothing has changed.

“Oh Shit. There you are.” A hand reached through the rats. It grabbed onto Fred’s chin and pulled him up.

“HAAAAAA” Fred was pulled through a hole. He fell onto a hard rubber like substance. All he was able to do was suck air into his lungs. His mind and body had no will to divert their resources to anything else.

“Did you die?”

“HAAAAA. Haaaa.”

“I’m gonna assume you died.”

“Haaaaaa.” Fred dusted himself off and got to his feet. ~________—------________—----_______-______—-------------__—----------_–_–_-_-_-_-_-___—~ Fred took a deep breath centering himself ~===============~ “HAaaaaaaaa.”

“Yup. I died.” Said Fred. He looked at the surroundings around him. He was in a dark cave with stalactites growing from the ceiling. Fred looked down on the surface upon which he stood. He stood atop a rubbery surface that was dotted with black fur.

“Are these…. Rats.” Rodrigo nodded.

“Yup. I sweated them into submission and sweated the top ones into a little floor for us.” He said.

“Hahahha. Bro. you literally sweat your enemies to death. That’s flipping crazy.” Said Fred, his lips curling into a smile.

“I know. Cool right.” Said Rodrigo a hyena like grin appearing on his face as well. Fred put his hands in the pockets of the cotton shorts he had been given by nathaniel. It. Like the rest of his clothes they were covered in rat discharge.

“Do you know the way out of here?” Said Fred.

“Yup. We should be able to walk right back into the prison. It may just take a day.” Fred smiled.

“Let’s go then.” Rodrigo turned and walked. Fred stood there a moment. Looking up at the sharp stalactites they were glistening with water. ~Nathaniel. Nathaniel. I’ll kill you. I promise.”

A lock formed around Fred’s heart.

“You coming?” Asked Rodrigo.

“YUP!” Fred ran over behind him