All that holy “End of Life” and “I surrender myself to fate” mood came to an abrupt end then I landed face first on rock hard white floor.

“God dammit, it hurts!” I shouted grabbing my nose, which should be bleeding from the impact, but strangely it was not.

“It’s all white around, is this a hospital?” I thought aloud.

“No. In your place I would withhold such comments here, moreover to say it to my face, that’s new”

I heard a voice close by, it was of indeterminate gender, both female and male tones overlapping each other at the same time. It gave me a serious fright, looking around I saw nothing but white.

“Heeere, here. All these newly baked dead are such nervous wrecks, that’s why I like elderly, they at least know what to expect.” I hear the voice again, there is some movement to my right, I gasp as I make out what it is – a person? A thing?

Something is waving at me.

It looks like a person in form, no clothes, no detailed body parts, only a completely white form of a person with something like black pencil drawn outline, without anything, no eyes, ears or the like, besides a mouth full of also white teeth, it even looked two dimensional.

“Finally cared to meet me in the eye?”

“What the hell are you, you don’t even have eyes to speak of, fuck, don’t you dare getting closer!” I shouted in panic and backed further away.

“Welll, it’s a matter of speech as you humans call it, um, and I told you to watch your mouth, some punishment needs to be done.” It said widening it grin.

[Divine Punishment!] Sounds in my mind and in an instant a lightning bolt strikes me down.

[Shit, I’m dead again… again?] After insufferable pain comes doubt.

“Why am I not dead?”

“Ahh but you are” after chuckling it responds. Now I remember, I was stabbed by some drug pumped idiot!

“Shit that dammed rat!” I shout in rage.

“Need another portion of lightning to correct that way of speaking?” It inquires.

“No, I’m sorry, jut remembered how I met my end, what is this place, and what are you?

“Slow aren’t you? Where do you go after death? Of course world of the unliving, and who do meet?”

“…”

“Come on, how slow can you be?”

“Are you death?”

“Now little dude, you already met her and done your papers of release, no, I can be called JUDGE, having uncountable names is such a bother so I stopped at that.”

“Are you God then?” I still asked in disbelief.

“I just said I am JUDGE and nothing else, I just judge the departed and send them to their afterlife destination.” It said and took a hold of a scroll that appeared out of thin air with a cartoonish “poof” sound.

“Now then let’s see, uhum, OK, now it’s clearer.” it said letting strange comical sounds, it that ok for an afterlife judge?

“Paul Oaks, age 26, unmarried, no offspring, Humility – check, Kindness – check, Patience – check, Charity – check, even if I let recent corruption of Sloth go by we still have a problem with Gluttony and Lust it seems…”

“What?” I ask in surprise, what those things have to do with present situation?

“Silly boy, do you know not of seven sins/virtues? I just went through your life record, and it seems you got downhill as of late, though seems like you were trying to change, but, pfft, got stabbed in the gut.” It was making a mean sounding laugh.

“But I wasn’t that lustful for women, had sex only with a few, nor I over-consumed food. Too much.” I protested, though last part came with a bit wavering.

“Lust and Gluttony aren’t that specific, or I’d just get people to Heaven by train wagons, you lost yourself in desire and shown no restrain, in that game of yours, pfft.” It freaking laughed at me again! I got angry enough to squeeze my fists white.

“Settle down boy, or you want to get Wrath added in and down the hole you go.”

“What is the verdict?” I ask through grinding teeth.

“Hmm, not enough points for Heaven for sure, Purgatory it is! Well Hell always is an open choice, I hear they welcome everyone warmly.”

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“Purgatory? What is that, I only know it’s a place of purification, repent and punishment, do I have to haul some fucking cross for ages to get to Heaven or something?”

“Your mouth still needs some washing it seems, well no mater, there are many “purgatories” some harsher than others, some are close to Heaven, for you however I have something special.” It gave its usual creepy smile from ear to ear, that is if it had those.

“So-something special, somehow I don’t like the sound of this.” I stammer a weak worried reply.

“Haha, don’t worry, you actually are quite the earner of points, if not for that game fiasco I would have sent you to Haven with a bouquet of flowers in hand, I’ve chosen reincarnation for you.”

“Reincarnation?”

“Yup, and a rather special one, that one game you played, Midgard or something, was a fantasy game wasn’t it, so in accordance to your gaming spirit I will sent you to a similar universe, as a bonus for leftover points you even can get a local God patron! It’s like two for a price of one! Now off you go, there is a line waiting.” With those words I see its grinning featureless face for the last time. With a waving had JUDGE says “Au Revoir” and I fall again.

***

Then I come back to my senses I find myself in similar space as before, only this time I’m alone, and it has four door archways, no actual doors are present, allowing view beyond to be seen a little.

First doorway has blinding light pouring out, second a dangerous looking purple light pulsing in the darkness, third has a thick grey fog gushing out, while last is filled with complete darkness, almost like a cloth starting from the doorway itself.

[JUDGE said this world works much like a game and something about choosing a patron God…, ok bright one most likely is something to do with light or life? Those are mostly stuck up types so a no. Two others look dark, evil, death? That seems to be a bad choice to earn my place in Heaven. It seems I will be instantly transported if I walk in based on the black doorway, so no exploration…]

“Fog it is.” Saying that I step into the grey fog filed doorway, and as expected was transported into a different place.

“Can’t see anything through this blasted fog”

After wandering around I see forms of great sand dunes, enormous forests, but no matter how fast I run to them I never reach.

“Means I was not chosen by them.” I say pondering my inability to reach the masters of those realms.

This continues until I manage to reach one of these images in the fog, it’s a medium sized castle looking straight from medieval Europe.

“Anyone home” I spurt an idiotic question but receive no answer.

I enter this fort only to find it empty, that is until I reach throne room. Inside it stands a red/grey fullplate set of armor with a greatsword stabbed into the floor and a kite shield on the back. Cautiously I walk inside and inspect the armor from all sides. It seems like ancient armors of past, nothing special.

“So that clown sent you here?” I almost get a heart attack, even though I’m dead, when the armor talks to me without moving an inch.

“Freaking shit, don’t frighten me like this” I shout out.

“Hahaha, my bad I am Raismond the God of Valor, state your name!” It said in deep and loud male voice.

“I am Paul, Paul Oaks, JUDGE said I am to receive patronage of a God and to be reincarnated”

“Oaks? That’s a good name, I have a good blessing in store, maybe even Physis will pitch in!” It shouts again.

“Paul Oaks, now you are my chosen, only thing I request that you do things with valor, be it evil or good I care not, now, your new life awaits!”

“Wait!” I try to get some more information, but Raismond moves for the first time striking with the tip of his greatsword just bellow my feet and I black out.