"So, I guess this is death"

As she floated across the vast nothingness, a complete void. Despite this, she felt calm, like she was cradled by an invisible presence, soothing her mind. Some of her thoughts, still clashing with what just happened.

“One day away from graduating, so close to achieving my dream. Even the mist of me knowing I am dead I still wondered how my family was doing—were they at the hospital, crying? Maybe I had already been buried, for time didn’t seem to exist here.”

For all I knew, I could have been floating for hundreds of years without realizing it. I sighed as my mind started to accept the reality of my situation. I closed my eyes—or at least, I think I did. I couldn't feel anything, no hands, no feet... maybe I was just a soul now. I had to learn to accept what was right in front of me quickly, so I could concentrate on the task at hand. Unfortunately, my task now seemed to be floating in this endless void. I guess the only thing I can do is sleep. This comforting feeling I have made me want to at least.

Staring into nothingness, her thoughts became silent, stuck between a limbo of feeling alive but not existing.

As time passed—one year, two years, three years—as life went on somewhere far away, on Earth.

How long has it been? Did it really matter? Did I just awake right now, She pondered to herself. Well frankly myself is all I have out here. I think I'm going crazy, did I just self insert myself into a monologue?

Finally noticing her surroundings have changed.

Oh… my.. stars. millions of stars, to be exact. It was truly remarkable, breathtakingly beautiful.

"Maybe I should have majored in STEM instead"

As she marveled at the scene, something appeared in the distance: a pale blue glow sphere.

Is that a moon?

I started to feel myself being pulled towards it. As I drew closer, I noticed something rushing toward me. Just as it reached me, I stopped moving, hovering in place as a massive hand, gently cradled me. I was no longer drifting aimlessly; I was being carried. In an instant, I was placed upon this white blue surface, that sparkle and shine, maybe it was the moon. Anything possible at this point.

As I looked around, I couldn’t see who or what had carried me. They had to be enormous —how could I miss them? But what I noticed next as I attempt to look at myself, I was correct: I had no body. I was just a floating soul.

“That is correct—you are but a floating soul in the void of the universe.”

I turned in the direction of the voice and saw the most incredible being I had ever laid eyes on. Words couldn’t do her justice. She descended gracefully, landing beside me. Her long, silver hair floating behind her, like a stream of water, her eyes white as snow with a golden ring around her iris, radiated power. Her body was draped in thick sheer satin, flowing downward with two open splits for each of her legs, but what really caught my attention were the crystal-like horns, curving upward with blue tips. As she circled around me, she smiled.

“Have you had enough of the view?” she asked, with a hint of amusement in her voice.

“No... I mean yes, yes. I’m so sorry,” I stammered.

She laughed softly.

Wait a minute “You look so familiar,” I said, looking up at her. “Have I seen you before?”

Her smile faded slightly, and she let out a long breath. “Yes, we have met before, while I was visiting your universe.”

“Who are you?”

“I am the Lunar Goddess that rules just a small part of the universe,” she explained. “I was visiting my sibling and decided to visit Earth, your planet truly have some of the most delicious cuisines."

She snapped her fingers, and in an instant, I had my body back, and a table with chairs appeared.

“Would you like some tea?” she asked.

I nodded, still reeling from the revelation. “Wait, you're a GODDESS!!”

She giggled. “I was wondering when that would sink in. You’re quite calm for everything that’s happening.”

With a wave of her hand, cups of tea appeared.

“Go ahead, take a sip.”

As I lifted the cup and took a sip, that same soothing aura I had felt earlier enveloped me.

“Ah, so that was you,” I murmured.

“For a mortal soul to travel here would shatter their sanity,” she explained. “I couldn’t reach you physically, so I sent a calming aura your way.”

She leaned back, floating next to the table. “As I mentioned, we have met before—right before a certain car almost hit you.”

My hand froze midair, tea spewing from my open mouth spilling back into the cup. She giggled again, covering her plush lips.

“Silvia?”

“Yes, that’s me.” As she nodded.

I put the cup down, my mind racing. “Let me get this straight. You were visiting a sibling—another god, I assume—and you saved me from getting hit by a car. But then, I died anyway. So was I fated to die that day?”

Her face turned serious. “All mortals are fated to die. But it’s not always the end.”

“What do you mean?” I asked cautiously.

“I’m sure you’ve heard of reincarnation?”

“You mean to tell me....reincarnation is real?”

“Yes, it is,” she nodded. “When one dies, they enter judgment. Their heart is weighed against a feather of good. If you lived a life of love, care, and selflessness, you’ll be reincarnated as a human again, but your memory are erased. If your life was filled with evil for example…murder, theft, hate. Well, let’s just say the reincarnation process isn’t as pleasant, though there’s always a chance for redemption.”

“Then they are people with pure souls?” she continued. “They are given a second choice, to be reincarnated into another galaxy with their memories intact. Depending on the galaxy selected, the outcomes can be unimaginable—some heavenly, some sadly terrifying.”

I frowned. “So... what about me? Why am I floating here? Did I do something wrong?”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

She stood and began circling me. “No, not at all. Your soul is pure. I’ve seen your entire life—your sacrifices, your dreams, the way you supported your family and never turned down a friend in need, even the ones who hurt you.”

“Then why am I here?”

She paused, looking pensive. “I believe it’s my fault... the way you died.”

I blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” she sighed, “as I said, everyone is fated to die. But there are accidents—like car crashes or a fire—where people survive. You see, when I saved you, I interfered with your fate. If a mortal had saved you, it would’ve been a simple rescue, nothing more. But since I’m a god, my intervention disrupted what was supposed to happen. Maybe you would’ve survived the crash, or maybe someone else would’ve saved you in my place... I can’t say. But my actions caused a ripple in your fate, which may have led to your eventual death.”

“No, no way!” I exclaimed. “If you hadn’t saved me, I’d have been splattered on the road!”

“Maybe,” she admitted, “but when I saw your soul, it glowed so brightly, so beautifully... I couldn’t bear the thought of it being extinguished. That’s why I acted. Also I found you adorable as well if I may add.”

Her eyes widen, cheeks flushed rosy pink at the Goddess words....taken a sip of tea,” trying to hide her face.

She smiled, amused by my response. “Even after everything I’ve told you, you still blush so easily. You’re just too adorable.”

“So,” I asked, trying to steer the conversation back on track, “what happens now?”

She stopped circling and faced me directly. “Well, since I believe it was my interference that caused your death, I brought you here to offer that second choice. I can send you to one of the worlds I govern.”

I paused, mulling over her words. “One of your worlds? Is there magic?”

Her lips curled into a smile. “Yes, there is.”

“Then I’m sold. Send me there!”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Wow, that was fast...”

“Well,” I said with a small laugh, “as someone who was going into the medical field, you learn to make decisions quickly. Otherwise, you might lose a patient.”

She nodded, a hint of admiration in her gaze. “You’re very decisive. But before we move forward, would you like to know how your family is doing?

My heart sank hearing those words. “I... I don't know. I don't know how long I’ve been here, floating. Are they still alive?”

“It’s been 25 years,” she said softly.

“Twenty-five years?!” My voice cracked. I had been floating in the void for two and a half decades?

“Yes,” she nodded sadly. “I’m sorry about that. Time in the universe doesn’t flow the same way, minutes here can be years on earth, But do not be sad—they’re doing well.”

“They are?” I asked, clinging to the hope in her words. “Can you... can you tell me what happened to them?”

She smiled gently. “Your family missed you dearly, of course. After your passing, they created a beautiful resting place for you, covered in your favorite flower: moonflowers. Your parents even started a scholarship program for aspiring doctors in your name—the Luna Hope Scholarship.

“Your brother and sister entered the medical field as well. They passed their boards with flying colors and opened their own medical practice. They saved many lives and always close their facility on weekends to spend time as a family to eat together and praying over your memorial. Oh, and your brother has a son on the way.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened. “I… I didn’t realize I’d leave such an impact.” The tears spilled over, but I smiled through them. “I miss them so much.”

The goddess walked behind me and, gently leaning down, wrapped her arms around me in a comforting hug. Her warmth and kindness seeped into me, calming my trembling heart.

“What if I told you,” she whispered softly, “that you could see them again?”

My tears stopped. I turned to face her. “What do I have to do?”

“Well,” she began, “since you’ve chosen to live in one of my worlds, I have the perfect place for you. It’s a world of magic, of course, and demons as well.”

“So there’s a demon king?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “That’s a bit cliché, isn’t it?”

She giggled. “Not exactly. But demons do exist there. You see, long ago, heroes were summoned to that world by the church to defeat the demon king. But after they succeeded, they became a problem themselves. With their strength, they began to rule, doing whatever they pleased instead of following the faith of the goddess—me—who granted them their powers and helping the kingdoms to stay united. Now, the people worship the heroes instead and that itself led to chaos. Crime is at an all-time high, slavery of other races, gambling, adultery, even some of the demon king army and Generals survived and now looking for ways to resurrect their King.

“And the heroes do nothing?” She ask..

“They’ve grown complacent in their roles, living like mortal gods. They seek only money, fame, and pleasure. That’s all they care about now.” I try to understand since they were summoned against their will. That stupid Head of the Church summoning them without the Kings permission cause of greed, he wanted the church to take all the glory for defeating the demon king which we would have the people worship him as the savior, but as you can tell that back fired. I allowed the Demon King to spawn there to act as a catalyst to unite the other races, balance is always needed. If not an even greater evil can be created and lead to wars between each other, I'm sure you know this coming from earth.

Sadly yes, there's been many wars between countries., “How many heroes are there? I asked, my curiosity piqued."

“Five.”

She leaned back in the chair, processing the information.

“So... what do you want me to do about them?”

“Oh, you don’t have to fight them directly,” she said with a smile. “All I want you to do is show the people what a real hero should be. That alone will weaken the heroes’ influence. When the people stop believing in them, they’ll lose their power. Just like gods, their strength comes from the people’s faith.”

I nodded slowly. “And if I do this, will I be able to see my family again?”

“Yes, but there’s a catch,” she said, her tone softening. “Humans have a limited lifespan. It’s difficult for them to transcend mortality.”

“So you’re going to reincarnate me as something else?” I guessed.

She smiled. “Yes. I’ll reincarnate you as one of my kin—a dragon.”

“A dragon?” I repeated in disbelief. “Well, that explains the horns.”

“Yes. As a dragon, you’ll have many advantages over humans. Strength, magic, and of course life.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “So why not send one of your dragons kin to turn the tide in your favor?”

Her expression grew somber. “Dragons are similar to gods, and cannot interfere directly with mortal affairs. They’re too powerful. But you, with your pure soul, will be different. You’ll be half-human, half-dragon, allowing you to interact with mortals in a way dragons cannot.”

“I see,” I said, understanding. “But what if I can’t handle it? What if I’m not strong enough?”

She giggled. “Oh, you’ll be fine, all I ask is that you be selfish—but with a kind heart which you already possess. Seek out what you desire, and don’t be afraid to put yourself first. Your goal is to reunite with your family, and to do that, you must become strong. Overcome every obstacle, be kind, but don’t forget your purpose.”

“So... I become a god? And see my family again?” I asked hopefully.

“Yes, but you won’t be able to stay with them for long,” she said with a hint of sadness. “Gods have their place.”

“I understand.”

She began to prepare for my reincarnation, but before she could continue, I asked, “What about other dragons? Why don’t they want to become gods?”

“They’re content with their lives,” she explained. “Even dragons have limits. Many of them become complacent with their riches and power. Why seek more responsibility when they’re already so strong? Remember... strength and immortality is earn, never given. Its easy to fall into being comfortable once you reach the top, that is why we are so few, so remember you goal.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “I’m ready.”

She smiled warmly, a glimmer of pride in her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll love your new life. There’s a dragon egg in my world, waiting for a soul. I’ll send you there.”

“Wait, will I be taking over a child’s body before birth?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

The goddess smiled and gently tapped my nose. “Life is created within the egg, and a soul manifests when the shell is broken, and mana has entered. Right now, it is just a body.”

“Ohh, so that’s how I’ll end up half dragon-half human,” I said, nodding in realization.

The goddess giggled, her laughter light and carefree. “You’re still taking this very well.”

“It’s the tea,” I replied with a smirk.

“Before I send you off, I’ll give you a blessing.”

So, what blessing am I getting?”

”Her smile turned mischievous, “That will be a surprise.”

“Guess I’ll find out when I get there,” I shrugged.

She raised a finger and gently placed it in the middle of my forehead. A soothing, comforting warmth spread through me, like my body was being remade from the inside out.

“Aww, I guess this is the reincarnation,” I murmured, glancing down at my hand as it slowly began to fade.

“Remember, be selfish with a kind heart,” the goddess reminded me as the last pieces of me began to disappear.

“I’ll remember,” I said, feeling a sudden surge of emotion. “And as my first selfish act…”

Before she could react, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close, embracing her tightly. “Thank you,” I whispered, looking into her eyes.

As my body continued to fade, I lifted my hand to her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin beneath my fingers. Then, without thinking, I leaned in and kissed her softly.

The goddess stood frozen in shock, her eyes wide. As I vanished completely, she raised a hand, creating a shimmering icy throne beneath her. Sitting down, she touched her lips, her expression distant and thoughtful.

“That… that was my first kiss,” she whispered,

as her pale cheeks flushing a soft red as a smile slowly spread across her face.