"Oh young folk —

if you fear death,

die now!

Having died once

you won't die again."

I gasped for breath. My cloudy mind was being cleared and I finally could think straight. But then I remember what happend and my mind was thrown into chaos again.

The reason?

I died. I was pretty sure of that. 

*Flashback*

The sky was cloudy and an orpressive atmosphere hung in the air. In front of a small house a hazy figure could be made out. She was clothed in comfy trousers and an old t-shirt.

"Hey Martin, I'm in front of your house", the girl spoke into a phone and yawned "So quickly tell me what you forgot I'll bring it to you on lunch break"

From the phone a deep voice replied in relief "Oh thank gods for your help Dominique, what would I do without you?  I forgot my computer on the kitchen counter. It should be easy to recognize. I assume you still remember where I hide my keys?"

The girl chuckled and teasingly said: "I know where, how could I forget this idiotic hiding place? Under the carpet right? Anything for my best friend, I'll see you later" and hung up while grinnning. Martin really was a special sort of human. Someone who could be frighteningly competent in one moment and then be more stupid than grade-schoolers in the next, not that the girl finds that a bad thing, no, it can be quite refreshing sometimes. She quickly took out the keys and opened the door. The house was rather old and full of artwork and the floors were painted grey. When she reached the kitchen and searched for the afromented computer her eyes coincidently looked at the balcony which was directly connected to the kitchen. Then she raised her eyebrows in surprise as she peered straight into another pair of eyes.

That surprised quickly turned into panic as the new person violently broke the glass of the balcony door and stepped swiftly into the kitchen. With adrenaline in her system she took a couple of steps back and shouted:"Who the hell are you?!" while observing the intruder and  frantically searching for a way to escape. The intruder was definitely male and clothed in all-black clothing. He was fairly well built and moved with a confidence that could not be faked.

There was no answer as he suddenly took out a pistol and glanced at her with a a look of contempt.

There was no hesitation when he pulled the trigger and sealed her fate.

There was no guilt when he stepped over her rapidly cooling body leaving her to leaving her to die in her own puddle of blood. And as her own soul started to leave her and the terror settled in her mind became foggy, only barely able to understand the lefting words of her killer before shutting down:

"Some people are really in the wrong place at the wrong time, huh"

*Flashback end*

I calmed down. Yes, it was terrifying. Have you ever been killed? It's not something you want to experience. The trauma will last I think as you do not simply forget being killed. Yes, I was also mad. Who was he to have the right to kill me and to keep me from my friends and family.

HOW DARE HE- I sighed. But now is not the time to get angry or sad, I have to find out what's happening. Am I in hell? The fact that I was able to think is prove enough that something like an afterlife exists. I looked at my white surroundings for the first time and instantly noticed a large silver glowing orb easily twice my height. How did I not see something like this faster?

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Out of the blue a small laugh resounded and I turned my head around to identify the source of the laughter but the only thing I saw was the ethereal glowing orb. So that must be the source...Well when you meet a potential primordial force it is generally smarter to be polite so I bowed and then asked in a careful voice: "Excuse me are you...God?" I tried my luck with cristianity first and hoped that the orb won't turn out to be a lovecraftian monster or something the likes.

To my relief the orb didn't seem to mind the question as it just answered in amusement: "Well you can consider me that. As for wether that is the truth..." The orb trailed off but then lightly spoke again "But that is not important right now. You must have many questions and I will tell you this, most of them will not be answered by me so save yourself the effort." I looked up at the orb in shock and confusion but then nodded in understanding: "I will listen then". The orb seemed satisfied and remarked in a tired voice:" I rarely meet humans so understanding...Okay then I will begin"

Something in the air changed at the orb ( maybe it is The Orb now?) gained a mysterious presence. Something ancient and titanic, something no human should be able to understand. And it was then that it truly hit me that the being before me was on an entirely another level from me, like an ant in comparison to the sun.

Later I would question why I was able to withstand this kind of divine pressure and not become dust and come to the conlcusion that The Orb really took care to not damage my soul. ...What a tsundere am I right?

"I will say this once so listen carefully, Dominique Siegfried;

Humans are a mistake. As this universe was created there was zero intention for any humans to exists. We didn't prepare it for humans. This dimension should have been devoid of human souls so it isn't wrong to say that this universe doesn't acommodate your presence. You will never be able to truly live in this dimension. The way you think, you work and you exists isn't compatible with this universe. Why do a lot of things not make any sense? The times when you felt uneasy, like there is something pressing you down? That's because you weren't meant to be here. So how did you get here? Well, a truly astonishing amount of luck and coincidences. Now normally this wouldn't be a problem, I was happy leaving you alone and you seemed to thrive but now the number of human souls exceeds the amount we can allow. So I have started reincarnating those souls into dimensions that are welcoming to human souls. You are one of them."

I stared at The Orb in astonishment all my calm from before nowhere to be seen. My brain working overtime but still wasn't able to comprehend what this being in front of me was saying. Just a couple of hours ago I was happily wasting my life away with novels and games, occasionally going out to have fun with my friends and now I am talking about the human race  with fucking God??? Life (or death I guess) does really hold a lot of surprises.

The Orb seemed to know what I was thinking about but still proceeds to utterly smash my worldview: "Now that my sound easy but that's far from the truth. On the contrary, it is quite an arduous task. Not only are you human souls from this universe newborn, this environment has shaped your soul in a way that is not at all favorable. In those universes I want to send you, the average soul is at least 20 times stronger than your soul currently."

In surprise I accidentally blurted out: "Then what are those universes like?!?"

The Orb was taken aback by my sudden question but answered in the same ethereal voice as always: "The most similar example I can find are those xianxia novels, but don't be worried, the reality is quite different from how it was described in those books" Seeing that I was silent he understood that I was probarly processing this new information  and continued to speak, "To counter that I will send you into different small dimensions, cracks you can say, to strengthen your soul and when you are ready I will send you into that dimension"

I have the feeling that The Orb was smiling when it said in a softer voice than before: "You have to prepare yourself, there are a lot of mysterious things happening between dimensions. I advise you to never lower our guard...and lastly I want to tell you that even though your species wasn't meant for this dimension I will always posses fond and interesting memories of you. So as a gift I will give you the ability to never forget, either your past lives or your current one.

I wish you happiness..."

"Wai-"I tried to say something but before I could even utter a word I was consumed by a vortex and then everthing went black.