Not for Jaiyno. 

For Jaiyno, the scariest thing about death was the lack of impact he would leave on the world. 

Jaiyno spent much of his life as a shut in, playing video games in his spare time. He had no friends, and felt like he was stuck in life.

If he died, no one would care, and that’s what made him afraid of death.

The scariest thing was being forgotten because if no one remembers his name, or knows his face, did he really exist at all? For Jaiyno, it was not death that made him shiver, but rather, Final Death.

This 'Final Death' is most popular in Spanish and Mexican culture, often known through Pixar movies such as "Coco", however it is still a concept all cultures alike share. When all memories of you fade, that is the truest form of death. 

Such is why Jaiyno felt happy when death came knocking on his door.

For once in his life, he felt like he had done something good. In death, he had found purpose.

At a train station, a little boy played with his balloons particularly close to the edge of the railway, a little too close in fact.

Unfortunately, the boy had not tied his shoelaces and began to stumble forwards directly unto the path of an oncoming train.

The train's lights shone forwards into his eyes, obscuring the view of the hulking steel beast coming his way. 

The little boy felt death on his very doorstep and could do nothing as he fell further onto the tracks.

Time seemed to pass extra slow, just to emphasize how little he could do.

However, everything changed when he felt something tug on his arm, and hard. His body's momentum was reversed, and he was thrown back onto the deck, once more out of the train's way. Time sped up once more, and he landed on his bottom as the train screamed by. 

Who saved me?

It had been a person. 

It was a hand that had brought him out from danger.

The boy sat there for a moment, stunned in silence, however, he was only silent for a moment. In a small voice, the boy whispered while crying. 

"Why did you save me?" 

At his words, screams erupted from the crowd that was watching. The suddenness of what had happen faded.

People called 911, cried, or just watched as pandemonium broke out, for upon those tracks. That sickening sound of metal hitting flesh would haunt the boy for his entire life.

That boy went on to be a world leader, who told the story of one man that saved him. That boy who had been saved made the world a better place, and all because of one man.

That man, no, that hero's name was Jaiyno.

Jaiyno opened his eyes groggily, as his eyelids felt heavy like lead. He sat up, although with great effort. His muscles felt tired and fatigued,  worn down as he had just run a marathon. 

After a moment of gathering himself, he realized that he was in fact in a strange place, one Jaiyno had no memory of. He seemed to be in a large, completely pristine white room. 

In front of him in a chair, sat an old woman who bore a happy smile. Her eyes felt like a grandma's, and her aura was a gentle one. As gentle as she appeared, she was still someone Jaiyno had no memory of. Jaiyno climbed to his feet and asked her a question. 

"Where am I?"

"I don't know. Where do you want to be?"

What a strange response . . . 

"Where do I want to be? Well . . . I was going to the market in another town because . . . wait . . ." 

He had been heading towards another cities market when that boy had fallen into the train tracks.

No.

The boy hadn't fallen, because he had saved him.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

And that's when the memory hit him like a freight train. He had died.

He had died because he had been run over by a train. He had died. 

In this situation, one might panic, cry, deny it, or some other reaction, however, Jaiyno was strangely calm. He was sad that he had died, but not in a panicky kind of way. The old grandma spoke as Jaiyno's facial expression shifted from confused to sad.

"Such an unusual response, but I expect nothing less from you Jaiyno." 

"What do you mean?" Jaiyno responded, looking up from his hands at her voice.

The lady smiled at Jaiyno in a knowing manner and spoke once more after a moment's hesitation.

"To be so calm after death, most would be denying it, or crying a waterfall, yet you have found peace so easily." 

Jaiyno returned his eyes to his hands and thought. It was strange, but for Jaiyno it was the only response he could give. He didn't feel happy about dying, but he was still content with it. 

Jaiyno opened his mouth and spoke words straight from his soul.

"I would do it again. I would save that boy again if I was given the choice." 

“You are wise beyond your short life span, Jaiyno. Just as I made you to be.”

“As you made me . . . then, your god?”

“That is one of my names. I also go by Jesus, The Lord, Most High, Buddha, Allah, Odin, Zeus, Apollo, Neptune . . . I could go on and on.”

“So, every religion is right?”

“In their own ways, yes, however that is not why I brought you here.”

The lady shifted in her seat and began knitting. Jaiyno sat down in front of her as she seemed to gather her breath like she was about to tell a long story.

“I need you to save more people.”

“Am I going to die again?”

The lady chuckled.

“Not if I can help it, but I will not lie to you, it is a significant possibility.”

Jaiyno frowned a little but shrugged it off. He had died once already.

“No offense, god, but I’m not the best choice.”

The lady raised her eyebrows and spoke with conviction.

“Even if that were true, you are my only choice.”

Jaiyno looked puzzled

“What do you mean your only choice? What about all the other people on Earth?”

The lady shook her head.

“They are all you, just different versions, reincarnated into different situations, times, and places. Everyone that has been, is currently, and will be in this universe is you. That's why you are my only choice.” 

Jaiyno looked stunned.”I’m . . . George Washington?”

The lady nodded with a smile, happy to see Jaiyno’s understanding.

“And his soldiers, too.” 

Jaiyno sat in stunned silence but then became even more confused.

“Wait, if everyone in this universe is me, that who needs help?”

“Those in another universe, ruled by no god.”

“Then who created the universe?”

“God’s do not create universes, we only oversee them. In the presence of nothing, matter will spontaneously spawn, or as you would know it, a big bang. We gods are also created in this process, however very rarely, one universe is created without a god. With no god, these universes are chaotic. If you think your earth is chaotic with just you . . . the chaos of these universes is like nothing you’ve ever seen. That's why I need your help Jaiyno. I need to send you to a place I cannot go myself.”

Jaiyo was overwhelmed, and unable to understand completely. He asked this old lady more questions to sate his curiosity. 

“Why is it so chaotic without a god?”

“A universe is made for one god and its children. To have such a world is chaotic, resulting in nothing but pain from overpopulation. That's why I'm sending you. I am sending my one and only son, the only one who I trust and can help.” 

“ . . .”

Jaiyno was silent. She had answered all his questions completely perfectly, so much so that he was incredibly overwhelmed. Much information had been dumped into his head. It would take Jaiyno a while to process it all. Jaiyno sat there as the old lady knitted away, and thought.

And thought.  . .

And thought some more.

After an impossible amount of time, Jaiyno spoke to her.

“These people that need help, how are they suffering?”

The old lady’s loving aura faded, replaced by a somber one. She looked into Jaiyno’s eyes with palpable sadness and whispered to him.

“It would be better to show you.”

Just like that, Jaiyno saw it. Images flashed into his mind, unspeakable images. Blood, murder, war, death, chaos, suffering, starvation, monsters, fires, and more. Jaiyno felt his soul shake with horror and felt tears gather at the corners of his eyes.

The old lady whispered once more.

“That is only a taste. Their world is so loud . . . I can hear their cries every day. Every single moment, they cry out at the injustice of their world . . . For so long I have endured it, but I cannot wait for you to live out all your lives in this universe, Jaiyno. Please, I beg of you, become my sword and wield my power.

I need you to be my hero, Jaiyno.”

The lady assumed the dogeza position, lowering herself, a god of the highest degree, to Jaiyno.

Jaiyno felt his heart stir at her sincere sorrow.

Jaiyno remembered how it felt to save that boy.

It gave him a purpose in life, saving others. He felt something when he saved that boy, more than he had ever felt staying inside all day. 

I want to help others . . . I want people to remember me fondly. I want to help.

Jaiyno got down on one knee and helped the lady to stand. 

“Just tell me what to do.”