“I don’t know what else to say. Is that me or what is left of me?” he was smiling at me, or what looked like a smile. I couldn’t tell.

“I am you, well not exactly since this appearance is what your body or what was left of your body looked like when you died. You are such an idiot for thinking that accepting a deal with a god was a good idea,” he responded while also mocking me.

It is scary talking with someone who looks and sounds exactly like you, minus the burnt flesh and being able to see some of the cheekbones each time they speak. I take a quick glance at him before looking at the mysterious man. For some reason, he has no reaction and is just reading the book. Is he even aware of his surroundings or is he just too focused on that book? What even is the book? Maybe it’s a book for gardeners or whatever it’s called that has to do with working with plants. Never bothered to care, but it looks like the mysterious man isn’t the cause of my “other self” appearing in front of me.

“So now what?” I asked my “other self”, wanting to know the purpose of his presence. “Are we supposed to fight, and whoever wins comes back to life?” He laughed at my question. His laugh was rough, like his lungs were struggling to breathe in air. The pain in his body must be strong, but my “other self” looked like he was not affected by it.

“What should I call you?” I asked, not wanting to just stick with calling him my “other self”. “Just call me Jacob Alter,” he answered as he started walking slowly towards me. Jacob Alter seems dangerous. He looked harmless because of the injuries on his body, but for some reason, I feel like something bad would happen if I let him get closer.

I felt a tap on my shoulder behind me; the mysterious man must have stopped reading his book. I hope he can help me figure out why Jacob Alter is here. I turned around expecting to see the mysterious man and his expressionless face. It wasn’t the mysterious man.

“Zyl!?” Me and Jacob Alter were shocked. The mysterious man wasn’t shocked but did show slight surprise since his face has mostly been expressionless the entire time I’ve spent with him. “Surprised to see me?” Zyl said with a charming smile. His noble attire mixed with his handsome face and charming smile; you wouldn’t think he would harm anyone, but me and Jacob Alter knew the hard way that it is all just a facade.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“What are you doing here?” The mysterious man asked Zyl. He didn’t seem to be afraid of Zyl. Me and Jacob Alter looked at each other and nodded with understanding, deciding to observe the interaction between Zyl and the mysterious man for now. But I made sure to stay a few feet away from Jacob Alter as well.

Zyl turned around to address the mysterious man’s question. Zyl saw the mysterious man and seemed surprised at his presence. “Mors.” His eyes lit up. “I’ve just come here to bring this guy back home.” Home!? He is going to bring me back to life… but why? Aren’t I supposed to complete this trial first, and what about the reward for the trial?

“Oh really?” Mors raised an eyebrow. “Why should I let you do that?” He asked with an intimidating aura radiating from him. “Because me and Jacob here made a deal, and a part of that deal was bringing him back to life,” Zyl smirked, his attitude suggesting he was not intimidated by Mors but didn’t seem like he wanted to start a problem with him.

I was surprised that Zyl was going to bring me back to life when he is the cause of this happening in the first place. “Wait but you are the one who—” Zyl snapped his fingers, my words cut off. My mouth was moving, but no words were coming out. Zyl must have used magic to silence him, but for what reason?

“What did I say about not interrupting? Now just wait in silence while the adults talk,” Zyl turned his head to Jacob Alter. “What about you? Have anything to say?” Jacob Alter didn’t respond. He didn’t want to be forcibly silenced like Jacob, so he decided that the smart thing to do was be silent. But the anger in his eyes wasn’t hidden.

Zyl smirked at Jacob Alter’s silence before facing Mors again. “How about we discuss this in a more comfortable setting?” Zyl looked around the village. It was not acceptable for their current discussion even if the village wasn’t the real thing. Mors nodded and snapped his fingers, the village fading away from their surroundings replaced by an inn that seemed to be run by ghosts. “I think this will suffice,” Mors said before making his way towards the center of the inn where a square table is placed with four chairs on each side. They all take a seat as well, Zyl sitting on the opposite side of Mors, Jacob sitting opposite of Jacob Alter as well. “Now tell me why I should let you bring him back to life without completing his trial.” Me and Jacob Alter just stay silent as we sit opposite of each other, waiting for what kind of conversation the trickster god Zyl and Mors, the caretaker of Death’s garden, will have.